Episode Summary
Lin Anran loses creative control of her show when Boss Chang forces her to co-host with Zhang Ran. Li Daoqi fails to secure a crucial partnership, leaving him and Fu Yudong powerless against Michael’s office politics. Fu Yudong considers quitting after being mocked by his colleagues. Meanwhile, Zhang Ran tricks Li Daoqi into revealing secrets about Fu’s family, leading to a domestic argument.
Spoiler Alert
Back to the Origin Episode 23 Recap
The Hostile Takeover
Lin Anran walks into Boss Chang’s office looking for a better cut of the profits. She leaves with a headache instead. Chang doesn't care about her money. He wants Zhang Ran on Lin’s show. Lin hates this idea. She built that program from scratch. Adding Zhang Ran feels like someone stealing the harvest after she did all the planting.
But Chang holds all the cards. He already secured the sponsors. They are on his side. Lin has zero leverage here. She has to agree. They walk out of the office, and Chang puts on a show. He acts like they are best friends in front of the staff. It’s all fake. Zhang Ran feels guilty about crashing the party. She tries to back out. Chang talks her down quickly. She caves and agrees to join the show.
Bad News Travels Fast
Li Daoqi gets back to his desk and hits a wall. Sister Wanwan’s company replied. It’s a hard no. She won’t do the livestream for Dr. Fu. This ruins Li’s whole strategy. He picked a fight with Michael because he thought he had this connection. Now he looks foolish. He has no backup plan.
Chang calls a meeting. He heaps praise on Lin Anran and Zhang Ran. He spins Zhang Ran’s viral fame as an inspirational story for the team. Then he drops the bomb. Zhang Ran is officially joining Lin’s broadcast. They are partners now. Lin stands there fuming. She did the planning. Zhang Ran gets the spotlight.
The Outcasts Table
Fu Yudong and Li Daoqi head out for lunch. They walk into a scene straight out of high school. Michael is eating with all the key employees. He didn't invite Fu or Li. They are just decorations at the company now. Fu and Li grab a table right across from them. They eat in awkward defiance.
Later, they take a walk. Fu Yudong is over it. The "Dr. Fu" image isn't what he signed up for. He wants to confront Xing Kai and Michael. If things don't change, he wants to quit. Li Daoqi shuts that down. He tells Fu to get real. They are on the boat now. You can’t just jump off in the middle of the ocean. They have to suck it up.
Secrets and Leverage
Zhang Ran goes home to celebrate her new gig with her parents. Li Daoqi sees her viral video online. He realizes she has clout now. She might know people like Sister Wanwan. He invites her to dinner. He wants an introduction.
Zhang Ran has her own agenda. She wants to fix the rift between Fu Yudong and his father. She grills Li for information. Li talks too much. He slips up. Zhang Ran pounces on the mistake and keeps digging until she understands the core of the father-son conflict.
The Breaking Point
Li Daoqi makes things worse for Fu Yudong. He plays a recording of Xing Kai calling Fu a "mascot." Fu takes it hard. He goes home depressed.
Later, Fu and Zhang Ran are in bed. She tries to use her new intel. She pushes him to open up about his dad. She wants him to let go of the past. Fu shuts down immediately. He refuses to talk about it. They get into a fight. The episode ends with a flashback to Canada in 2018. Zhang Ran wakes up alone. She goes downstairs and finds Fu making breakfast. It’s a glimpse of happier times.
