Episode Summary
Zhang Ran faces massive online backlash but decides to livestream again after getting advice from a disgraced former internet star. The stream is humiliating, and she breaks down in private afterward. Meanwhile, Lin Anran begins to doubt her own team's loyalty after seeing how much support Zhang Ran inspires in others.
Spoiler Alert
The Morning After
Zhang Ran wakes up to a nightmare. Her phone is blowing up, but it is not good news. The comments are nasty. It is just a wall of hate. She walks out to the living room. Her parents and Fu Yudong are already up. They are busy in the kitchen. You can tell they are walking on eggshells. They are worried sick about her. Zhang Ran feels guilty for dragging them into this mess. They sit down for breakfast. Fu Yudong and her parents try to comfort her. It is a sweet scene, but the tension is thick.
A Lesson from a Meme
Lu Xinying is making moves elsewhere. She saved up enough cash to rent a storefront. She is currently overseeing renovations. She is paranoid, though. She watches the workers like a hawk so they don't swap out her materials for cheap junk.
Back at Zhang Ran’s place, she hires a cleaner. This lady is surprisingly cheerful. She dances while she sweeps. Zhang Ran recognizes her. The cleaner is actually a former internet celebrity. Zhang Ran even used her face as a meme before. The cleaner recognizes Zhang Ran too. She knows her as the "Desperate Daigou."
They start talking. The cleaner shares her story. She used to run a BBQ stall. She got famous by accident. A web company signed her immediately. She didn't read the contract well. Her fame made people jealous. Rivals framed her. The police eventually cleared her name, but the damage was done. She couldn't handle the insults. She ran away to a new city. That was a mistake. Her disappearance made everyone think the rumors were true.
She gives Zhang Ran some solid advice. Do not retreat from rumors. If you run, people assume you are guilty. This hits Zhang Ran hard. She looks at her living room and hallucinates that tiger again. It is a sign. She makes a choice. She is going to stream again. She tells Fu Yudong that night. He doesn't argue. He supports her 100 percent.
Corporate Gaslighting
The boss at Giant Wave Company is a piece of work. He calls Lin Anran into his office. He shows her the original, unedited video of her talk with Zhang Ran. He spins a narrative. He claims that releasing the full truth would actually hurt Lin Anran. He says he sacrificed Zhang Ran to protect her. He calls Lin Anran the company's "First Sister." He tells her to lay low for a while. He is clearly manipulating her. He wants her to feel indebted to him.
The Humiliating Livestream
Zhang Ran turns the camera back on. Her family is right there cheering her on. She tries to explain the misunderstanding to her viewers. It is an uphill battle. Suddenly, another streamer requests a "PK" battle. This is a competition for votes and gifts. Zhang Ran accepts. She needs the engagement. She wants people to hear her voice.
She tries way too hard. She is desperate for votes. She loses the battle. The loser has to take a punishment. She accepts the penalty on camera to clear her name. Her family watches from the sidelines. It hurts them to see her debase herself like this.
The stream ends. Zhang Ran walks out to the living room. Fu Yudong has dinner ready. She puts on a fake smile. She acts like everything went great. Fu Yudong isn't stupid. He knows she is hurting. He doesn't offer empty platitudes. He just makes sure she is fed and cared for. He goes to the bedroom to give her space. Left alone, Zhang Ran breaks. She eats her dinner and sobs uncontrollably.
Cracks in the Armor
Lin Anran sees the stream. Her assistant, "Xiao Jianjian," thinks Zhang Ran looks pathetic. He laughs at her. Lin Anran doesn't laugh. She finds out Liu Bo quit his job because of what happened to Zhang Ran. That loyalty shakes her. She turns to her other assistant, Xiao He. She asks a dangerous question. If she quit today, would Xiao He leave with her? Xiao He stays silent. That silence speaks volumes.
