Episode Summary
Li Daoqi enjoys a brief moment of success before his major livestream project implodes when the star influencer, Sister Wanwan, gets arrested. Xing Kai ruthlessly scapegoats Fu Yudong and saddles Li with millions in debt. Meanwhile, Zhang Ran finally quits her job, refusing to compromise her morals for a desperate Boss Chang.
Spoiler Alert
The Calm Before the Storm
Li Daoqi starts this episode riding a serious high. He is kicking back at the office with a drink and a game on the screen. The marketing team finally nailed a proposal. Everyone is thrilled. Li decides to treat the whole staff to dinner.
The vibe at the restaurant is great. The team hypes him up. Li finally feels like the leader he wants to be. But then the mood shifts. Boss Wang crashes the dinner. Li definitely did not invite him. It feels awkward.
Things get worse when Li gets home. He spots Cheng Man texting Boss Wang. That is shady. He is already stressed about work, and now he has to worry about his wife’s secret messages. He tries to call around for backup on his business plan. No one bites. The plan is too risky.
The Trap is Set
Xing Kai is up to no good. He sets up a fancy "celebration banquet" for Fu Yudong and Li Daoqi. It looks nice, but it is actually a threat. He is setting them up for a fall. If the upcoming livestream flops, their reputation in the company will tank. They will lose all their power.
Back at home, Cheng Man deals with a sad kid. Their child won't eat and misses his dad. Li has been too busy to come home for dinner lately. Cheng Man tries to smooth things over. She tells the kid that dad is a superhero working hard. The kid buys it and draws Li as Superman. It is a sweet moment, but it feels tragic knowing what is coming next.
The Livestream Nightmare
Li is grinding away at the office to prep for the big event. Then the news breaks. It is a disaster. Sister Wanwan has been arrested by the police. The big collaboration is dead in the water.
Li stares at his computer screen. He is totally frozen. He doesn't know what to do.
Panic spreads through the office. Fu Yudong sees the staff whispering. He knows it’s bad. Michael brings the news about the arrest. They call Xing Kai immediately. Xing Kai does not hesitate. He decides to cut his losses. He orders Michael to destroy Fu Yudong’s reputation. He wants to leak a story that Fu faked his overseas degree. He also checks the contracts to cover his own back.
Left Holding the Bag
Fu Yudong actually tries to look out for Li. He knows Li bet his entire life on this project. He calls Xing Kai for help. Xing Kai plays dumb.
Then Xing Kai calls Li. He drops the hammer. He tells Li that he is responsible for the debt. We are talking millions here. Xing Kai says Li has to pay it alone. He has already found a new streamer for the product. He washes his hands of the whole mess.
Cheng Man sees the news and calls Li. She is worried. Li lies through his teeth. He uses a calm voice and pretends everything is fine. He doesn't want to stress her out. The staff leaves for the night. Li sits alone in the dark office. He is completely defeated.
Zhang Ran Walks Away
Over in the dressing room, Zhang Ran is down in the dumps. Boss Chang tries to hype her up. He is desperate. The company is broke. People are quitting. He hasn't paid rent or salaries. He needs Zhang Ran to save him.
Zhang Ran looks in the mirror. She hallucinates and sees a tiger staring back. Something snaps. Boss Chang demands she do things with zero moral bottom line. She can't take it anymore. She packs her bags and walks out. She leaves Boss Chang with nothing.
