Episode Summary
Nuan Nuan learns of Wang Xiao's affair and departure, resolving to find him to ask about her biological father. While Yu Leshan helps a depressed Sheng Xuezhu recover through an unconventional hiking trip, Qiao Zhengjun orchestrates a corporate takeover. Sheng Xuezhu gets her job back, but Yu Leshan is immediately fired from the company he built. Qiao Zhengjun then instructs his subordinate to lay off employees and blame the fallout on Yu Leshan.
Spoiler Alert
Nuan Nuan Faces the Truth
So, Nuan Nuan finally saw it with her own eyes. She caught Wang Xiao with Tao Xiyun. You might think she'd hate him, but it's more complicated. She's not angry. She's just deeply disappointed. Wang Xiao isn't her biological father, but he was more of a dad to her than anyone.
She went to his newspaper office to confront him. But he was already gone. He quit his job and left town with Tao Xiyun. Now Nuan Nuan has a new mission. She wants to find him. She needs to ask him what he knows about her real father. Her friend thinks she's incredibly brave for this. I just think she's a kid who deserves some straight answers.
The Schemers at Work
Qiao Zhengjun's Investigation
Qiao Zhengjun is sniffing around Yu Leshan’s business. He learns that Shanhe Home Furnishings is technically affiliated with the city's hardware company. This gives him an opening. He also happens to overhear his daughter, Liu Tianyao, gossiping on the phone. She's talking all about Sheng Xuezhu and Wang Xiao's divorce. He just stands there, soaking it all in. The man misses nothing.
The Pressure on Zhao Lihua
Things are not going well for Zhao Lihua. Her mother-in-law is still making a huge scene at the hospital every single day. Her own husband told her to just stay there with their daughter and ride it out. Yu Leshan pays her a visit. He begs her to go to the investigation team. He wants her to tell the truth and finally clear Sheng Xuezhu's name. Zhao Lihua is torn. She knows it's the right thing to do, but she's clearly scared.
Rock Bottom and a Helping Hand
Sheng Xuezhu's Breakdown
Sheng Xuezhu is not handling the divorce well. At all. She has locked herself in her room. She refuses to eat or drink. Her sister, Sheng Bailing, is frantic. She doesn't know what to do, so she calls the one person who might be able to help. Yu Leshan.
Yu Leshan's Unconventional Therapy
Yu Leshan shows up and knocks on Sheng Xuezhu's door. He sees how wrecked she is, and you can tell it hurts him to see her like this. He tries telling her jokes to get a reaction. Then he gets serious. He encourages her to be strong and reminds her that her elderly parents are worried sick. That’s what finally breaks her. She just starts wailing, and he pulls her into a hug.
Later, he drives her out of the city to go hiking. He brought a big bag with him. When they get to the top of the mountain, he opens it. It's full of empty glass bottles. He tells her to put all her anger and sadness into the bottles and just smash them against the rocks. She does it. She throws every single one. And when she's done, she finally looks lighter. The woman can breathe again.
A Father's Deception
This part was just uncomfortable to watch. Qiao Zhengjun goes to Nuan Nuan's school. He introduces himself as a friend of Wang Xiao. It's a total lie. Nuan Nuan asks if he knows where Wang Xiao went. Qiao Zhengjun plays dumb but gives her his business card. She asks him to please tell Wang Xiao that she needs to see him. He agrees. As she walks away, he just stares after her with this happy look on his face. He's thrilled to have finally spoken to his daughter, but the whole thing feels so wrong.
A Brutal Reversal
Good News, Bad News
Sheng Xuezhu gets home from her day with Yu Leshan feeling much better. Her sister teases her, telling her to make a move on him already. Then, the phone rings. It's the hospital. They tell her she's cleared to come back to work tomorrow. She is absolutely ecstatic.
But while her life is getting back on track, his is about to derail.
Yu Leshan gets to his company the next morning. He's told he needs to go to the Commerce Bureau for a meeting. When he gets there, the meeting is already over. Hou Ming is there to deliver the news. The city hardware company's committee has made a decision. They have fired Yu Leshan from his position as general manager of Shanhe Home Furnishings.
Yu Leshan is furious. He argues that Shanhe is his company. He built it from nothing. He only used the hardware company's name as a technicality to get started. It's not their subsidiary. But it doesn't matter. The decision is final. Hou Ming then shows up at the office with his own people to take over. Yu Leshan is forced out, but he swears he will be back.
The Aftermath
We see exactly who orchestrated this. The city construction company received a payment of 400,000. The accountant wanted to give Yu Leshan his 200,000 share, but Qiao Zhengjun blocked it.
Then, Qiao Zhengjun meets with Director Li and Hou Ming. He says he can't pay back a loan right now. He tells Hou Ming to conduct massive layoffs at Shanhe. His instructions are simple. Blame all of it on Yu Leshan. Hou Ming is not happy about being the fall guy, but he's stuck.
The episode ends with Sheng Xuezhu taking Yu Leshan to dinner. She's trying to support him the way he supported her. But he can't even eat. He just lost everything.
