Episode Summary
In this episode, He Lihua goes to Shanghai to confront Yao Simon but ends up clashing with his mother, deciding to rebuild her business instead. Shen Mingzhu finally makes peace with her birth parents. Zhang Hao accidentally becomes a public hero after a work crisis.
Spoiler Alert
He Lihua's Secret Trip to Shanghai
The Search for Yao Simon
The episode kicks off with Feng Meiqi getting home from work. The house is empty. He Lihua is gone. Shen Minghui is gone too. Meiqi calls Minghui to ask where her mom is. He lies and says they went for acupuncture. Meiqi doesn't push it.
But they aren't at an acupuncture clinic. They're in Shanghai. He Lihua used Meiqi's social media posts to find where Yao Simon works. By the time they get there, it’s already dark. Minghui is completely broke. He has to text Ni Debao to borrow money. He finds a cheap little hotel, but of course, He Lihua insists on a five-star place.
A Mother's Desperate Plan
Rebuilding an Empire
The next morning, He Lihua is all business. She drags Minghui to meet an old client, Mr. Wang. She wants to bring her old company, Jianmei Workshop, back from the dead. Mr. Wang tells her to forget it. He says it’s impossible to rebuild now.
He Lihua doesn’t care. She is completely determined. She vows to do whatever it takes to make it happen. After seeing her resolve, Mr. Wang reluctantly agrees. He tells her to get him a business plan, and then they can talk.
The Confrontation
While this is happening, Minghui is trying to find Yao Simon at his law firm. The front desk says no one by that name works there. After some digging, he finds a "Lawyer Yao," but it's a woman. He asks her about Simon.
Eventually, Minghui finds the right guy. He and Lihua finally confront Yao Simon. Simon tells them his side of the story. He and Meiqi were students together. He says he loves her. He even introduced her to his parents. But Meiqi turned him down and blocked him on WeChat.
Then, Simon’s mother shows up. She acts like she’s better than everyone. She agrees to take responsibility for Meiqi. But she wants a paternity test first. This sets He Lihua off. She completely loses it, yells at the mom, and storms out.
Family Ties and Tough Choices
Zhixia's Difficult News
Back home, Xu Zhixia gets some tough news from the doctor. Her unborn baby has an extra finger. She’s heartbroken. Zhang Hao and Jiaojiao do their best to cheer her up. Jiaojiao even calls it a "golden finger." But Zhixia can't stop thinking about her baby needing surgery right after birth. She breaks down crying. Zhang Hao just holds her and tries to make her feel better.
Mingzhu Makes Peace
Shen Mingzhu figures something is off at the hotel. The new chef, Lao Zhu, is way too good for his low salary. She asks him about it. We learn Xu Dacheng has been secretly paying him an extra 20,000 yuan every month. Mingzhu is really touched by this.
She goes to see her birth parents, Yu Jingxiang and Xu Dacheng. She gives them back their 40,000 yuan. She also pulls out that old piece of paper with their village address. Mingzhu explains why her adoptive mom, Yue Xiue, hid it. It was out of fear of losing her. Mingzhu tells them she understands everyone's pain. She accepts them all as her family. Everyone is in tears. It's a powerful moment.
Zhang Hao's Unexpected Stand
A Job Ad Gone Wrong
At work, Director Wu tells Zhang Hao to post a job opening. Zhang Hao wants to allow people up to age 40 to apply. Director Wu shuts him down. He demands the age limit be 35.
The job ad goes live. It causes a huge public outcry. People online are furious about the age discrimination. The company's bosses blame Director Wu. So, of course, Director Wu throws Zhang Hao under the bus.
The Public Apology
Zhang Hao has to give a public apology for the company. But he doesn't just read a script. He speaks from the heart about the struggles of being a 40-year-old in the workforce. He uses his own life as an example. The speech is a massive hit. Even Xu Zhixia sees it and is seriously impressed.
A New Battle Begins
The Silk and the Restaurant
He Lihua and Shen Minghui head back to Nanzhou. Lihua has a new plan. She tells Meiqi to have the baby and raise it herself. She vows to restart her business so they can move out of the Shen family home for good.
Meiqi finds out her late father left behind a huge stash of high-quality mulberry silk. This is why Lihua is so confident she can succeed. Lihua asks Meiqi to help her rebuild the company. But Meiqi just started the restaurant with Mingzhu. She can't quit now. So Lihua decides she'll just convince Mingzhu to leave the restaurant and join her instead.
