Episode Summary
This episode is a heavy one. It's all about the crushing weight of medical bills and the impossible choices people make for family. He Lihua's life hangs by a thread, and Shen Mingzhu steps up, willing to sacrifice her own future to save her. We also see the ripple effect on the entire extended family, with everyone chipping in, revealing old secrets, and creating new tensions along the way.
Spoiler Alert
It Just Keeps Getting Worse
He Lihua's world completely falls apart. Her husband, Feng Zhi, dies in an accident. Then the loan sharks come knocking. It turns out Feng Zhi left behind a mountain of debt. He even mortgaged their house without telling her. He Lihua has to move into Shen Mingzhu's marital home. As if that's not enough, Feng Zhi's mistress shows up. She brings their son and wants a piece of the inheritance. The constant hits are too much for He Lihua. She collapses and ends up in a coma. Doctors are fighting to save her, but she's not out of the woods. Her daughter, Feng Meiqi, can only sit outside the ICU and wait.
The Cost of Hope
Life in the ICU waiting room is bleak. Feng Meiqi meets an uncle whose son has been in the ICU for 53 days with a terminal illness. The daily cost is 10,000 yuan. The man is drowning in debt but refuses to give up. He gives Feng Meiqi some practical advice on how to camp out at the hospital. Shen Mingzhu shows up with supplies. She drains her bank account to pay for He Lihua's hospital fees. She and Feng Meiqi take turns watching over her. Back home, Yue Xiue doesn't want Shen Mingzhu to struggle alone. She sends all their family savings to her daughter. Shen Shengli is too busy at the restaurant to visit. He just tells Mingzhu to take care of herself.
Selling Everything to Survive
Shen Mingzhu has a sudden realization. She once bought a life insurance policy for Feng Zhi. The beneficiary is listed as "legal heir." This means Feng Zhi's illegitimate son also has a right to the money. Feng Meiqi goes to the insurance company. They tell her she needs a notarized document to get any payout. She's worried the mistress will fight for the cash, but there's nothing she can do. Then things get even worse. He Lihua goes into cardiac arrest. The hospital suggests putting her on an ECMO machine. The cost is a staggering 30,000 to 50,000 yuan per day. Feng Meiqi freezes. She can't make the decision. Shen Mingzhu grabs the consent form and signs it without hesitation. She decides she will sell her apartment to save He Lihua.
Friends Show Their True Colors
All this drama makes Shen Mingzhu forget her own life. She was supposed to have a prenatal check-up. Her doctor, Li Jingzhe, waits for her. When she finally rushes in, he learns the truth. She has been camped outside the ICU for three days straight.
Zhang Hao bombs his job interview. He lies to Xu Zhixia about it. Then, Xu Zhixia's public account is suddenly unbanned. She's ecstatic. She thinks Zhang Hao brought her good luck and thanks him profusely. He can't bring himself to tell her the truth.
Li Jingzhe calls Xu Zhixia to remind her about her own check-up. He casually mentions Shen Mingzhu's situation with He Lihua. Xu Zhixia immediately goes to the hospital. She gives Shen Mingzhu 50,000 yuan to help.
The Truth About the Bracelet
In her coma, He Lihua keeps muttering about a bracelet. Shen Mingzhu decides to sell it to raise money. This is when Xu Zhixia drops a bombshell. She finally tells Shen Mingzhu the truth. The bracelet He Lihua gave her was a fake. Yu Jingxiang felt so bad that she secretly spent 100,000 yuan to buy a real one as a replacement. The bracelet Shen Mingzhu has been cherishing isn't from her mother-in-law at all.
Everyone Pitches In
The guilt trip continues elsewhere. Xu Dacheng sells his three-wheeled motorcycle. He learns that the 3,000 yuan fine he thought was waived was actually paid by Shen Shengli. He feels terrible. He immediately brings 3,000 yuan to Shen Shengli to pay him back. He also gives him the money from selling the bike, telling him to pass it to Shen Mingzhu.
Xu Zhixia's good deeds cause friction at home. Zhang Hao is annoyed that she lent Jiaojiao's piano lesson money to Shen Mingzhu. He complains that their daughter now has to take lessons online. Xu Zhixia tries to placate him, but he's still stewing.
Yue Xiue finds out the original bracelet was a fake. She also learns Yu Jingxiang spent a fortune to replace it. She wants to sell the new bracelet to pay Yu Jingxiang back. Her son, Shen Minghui, throws a fit. He bought that bracelet with the money he earned selling pork chops at school. Yue Xiue agrees not to sell it, and he finally calms down.
A Small Turn for the Better
Shen Shengli finally visits the hospital. He finds Shen Mingzhu asleep on a bench outside the ICU. His heart breaks seeing her like that. He gives her the money from Xu Dacheng.
After days of waiting, there's finally some good news. He Lihua's condition has stabilized. She is still unconscious, but she's well enough to be moved to a regular ward. Shen Mingzhu and Feng Meiqi are hugely relieved.
Shen Minghui needs more money to help his sister. He asks his school for an advance on next year's pork chop sales. They refuse. His classmates tease him, calling him "Money-Grubber Shen." This gives him an idea. He starts a livestream from his parents' restaurant. He promotes their signature pork chops to a whole new audience online.
