Episode Summary
Zhang Ran finds success and happiness in her new job, causing Fu Yudong to hide his discovery of a secret contract. Li Daoqi struggles with unemployment and family tension but masks it at a reunion. Eventually, Daoqi pitches a cosmetics startup partnership to a skeptical Yudong.
Spoiler Alert
Secrets and Startups
The Camping Trip and the Contract
We start with a look back at simpler times. Fu Yudong and Zhang Ran are camping by a lake. It’s quiet. Ran sits by the water and watches the stars. She calls Yudong over. They make wishes and talk about where they see themselves in ten years. It’s a sweet moment.
But reality snaps back in the present day. They are back in China. Yudong stumbles upon a contract Zhang Ran signed. He reads it. He doesn't say a word. He just quietly closes the drawer. He decides to keep this discovery to himself for now.
Zhang Ran’s Rise
Zhang Ran is killing it at work. Her online traffic spikes, and she becomes a minor internet celebrity overnight. She buys milk tea for the whole office to celebrate. Qian Dan even uses her as the gold standard for new hires. He tells a rookie to learn from her. Ran tells her colleagues to stay positive and keep grinding.
She brings that good energy home. She tells Yudong everything is looking up. They joke around. Yudong sees a change in her. She was miserable abroad. Now, she has life in her eyes again. He decides not to bring up the contract. He wants to protect this happiness. Ran gets her first paycheck and freaks out. She is thrilled to finally earn money. Yudong plays the supportive husband. Later that night, Yudong gets a text from Duan Zhihao. It’s a photo of his daughter. They check in on each other.
Daoqi’s Past and Present
Li Daoqi is out of a job. Cheng Man isn't mad, though. She actually likes having him around the house more. He spends time with the kid watching hamsters.
We get a flashback to 2006. Daoqi was hunting for a job and stressed out. He went to the beach to clear his head. He saw Cheng Man standing there, crying. He pulled a smooth move. He pretended to talk on the phone to comfort her indirectly. She thanked him. That’s how they met. He was always good at managing emotions.
Jump to 2015. They are eating fruit on the couch. Cheng Man gives him career advice. But 2020 shows some cracks. Daoqi goes to his mother's birthday alone. Cheng Man doesn't come. His mom is furious. She thinks it is disrespectful. She still brags about her son to the neighbors, unaware of his job loss.
The Reunion and the Pitch
Daoqi and Yudong go to a class reunion. Daoqi puts on a show. He acts happy. He tells everyone he "retired early" instead of admitting he got fired. But he is hurting. He drinks way too much to numb the pain. Yudong worries about him. Daoqi gets drunk and starts yelling about lost car keys.
Yudong drags him to their old barbecue spot to sober up. They reminisce. It calms them down. We see Yudong’s reality too. He is doing odd jobs, fixing pipes and circuits, while sending out resumes to big companies.
Just as Yudong finishes a repair job, Daoqi calls. He has a big idea. He wants to start a business. He wants to develop cosmetics. Yudong is a chemistry PhD, so he has the technical skills. Daoqi needs him. Yudong thinks it sounds shaky. Daoqi pushes hard. He promises to handle the business side if Yudong handles the science.
