Episode Summary
Wang Xiao cheats on Sheng Xuezhu with Tao Xiyun and is consumed by guilt. Sheng Xuezhu performs a life-saving surgery against a family's wishes and gets sued. Qiao Zhengjun's construction company runs out of money, and he uses funds owed to Yu Leshan to pay off angry workers. Meanwhile, Xie Jingsi and Yu Leying, now unemployed, decide to pursue new careers.
Spoiler Alert
Wang Xiao Makes a Terrible Decision
You knew this was coming. I knew this was coming. Wang Xiao has been spiraling for a while now. This is the episode where he finally hits the bottom.
A Sympathetic Ear
Wang Xiao is so miserable he can't even bring himself to go home. He just sits outside his apartment building. Tao Xiyun finds him there while she's out for a walk. She sits with him, and he just unloads everything.
He complains about Yu Leshan. He hates that Yu Leshan has money. He hates that he keeps helping Sheng Xuezhu solve her problems. Wang Xiao is terrified she's going to leave him for Yu Leshan. He feels like he's given everything for his family. He thinks Sheng Xuezhu is better than him in every way.
Tao Xiyun listens to all of this. Then she tells him Sheng Xuezhu doesn't deserve him. It's exactly what he wants to hear.
Crossing the Line
They end up back at Tao Xiyun's dorm. They start drinking. A lot. Drunk and angry, Wang Xiao keeps complaining about his life. Tao Xiyun sees her opening. She confesses her feelings for him.
He tells her he's moved. But he's married. He can only be her friend. That is not what she wants to hear.
Tao Xiyun takes his hand. She tells him to free himself and find his own happiness. Then she kisses him. Wang Xiao doesn't pull away. They sleep together.
The next morning, he sneaks back home. Sheng Xuezhu has already left for work. She left him breakfast and a note. The guilt hits him hard. He slaps himself in the face a few times.
Trouble at Work
It seems like everyone is having a crisis at their job this episode. Sheng Xuezhu has to make a life-or-death call. Qiao Zhengjun's shady business practices are catching up to him.
Sheng Xuezhu's Medical Dilemma
Sheng Xuezhu delivers a baby for a patient named Zhao Lihua. It's a girl. The patient's in-laws are openly angry. They wanted a boy.
Things get worse. Zhao Lihua starts hemorrhaging. Sheng Xuezhu discovers she has a rare blood clotting disorder. The only way to save her life is to remove her uterus.
She goes to get the family's signature for the surgery. They refuse. They want Zhao Lihua to have a second child. They will not sign the consent form.
The patient's condition is getting critical. She's about to suffocate. Sheng Xuezhu decides she can't wait. She performs the hysterectomy without the family's consent.
Zhao Lihua's mother-in-law causes a huge scene at the hospital. She screams and threatens to sue Sheng Xuezhu. Later, we learn the family followed through. They filed a formal complaint. The hospital director understands why Sheng Xuezhu did it. But he still has to launch an official investigation.
Qiao Zhengjun's Financial Mess
The construction company is in deep trouble. A group of workers shows up demanding their wages. They haven't been paid at all for the last project. Qiao Zhengjun learns their foreman, Zhong Baofu, owes them 150,000. He promises to pay them within two days.
There's just one problem. The company is broke. The accountant tells Qiao Zhengjun they only have about 80,000 in the bank. The rest of their assets are just IOUs. The accountant suggests a desperate move. He tells Qiao Zhengjun to use the final payment they owe to Yu Leshan's company to pay the workers.
Just as he's scrambling, Yu Leshan shows up. He's there to collect the 200,000 final payment Qiao Zhengjun owes him. Qiao Zhengjun has already used that money. He has nothing to give.
New Paths and Old Habits
While some characters are hitting rock bottom, others are trying to start over. And some are just digging themselves into a deeper hole.
A Fresh Start
Xie Jingsi and Yu Leying both get fired from the factory. Yu Leshan gives his brother-in-law a job at his company to help out. Xie Jingsi is bored out of his mind. He quits. He tells Yu Leshan he wants to take a job at the Qiaotou Hardware Factory. He can work with Chen Zhiqiang and get back to technical work.
Yu Leying has been stuck at home and she's going stir-crazy. She asks her brother for a loan. She wants to open a small hotel. Yu Leshan is fully supportive and immediately goes with her to look at properties.
The Affair Gets Complicated
The one-night stand was not a one-time thing. Tao Xiyun keeps finding excuses to be around Wang Xiao. She invites him to a movie, and he agrees.
After the movie, he walks her home. She asks him to stay the night. He says no. He tells her he can't destroy his family. He just wants to have a secret romance with her. He admits their relationship has no future.
Tao Xiyun is not having it. She tells him she sees him for who he really is. She wants marriage, not some affair. Wang Xiao panics. He sweet-talks her and promises he will stay with her next time.
