Episode Summary
Ma Weiguo uses his connections to sell Tong Qiu's father's script but insults him at dinner later. Wang Chunsheng rejects Li Lianbao's business partnership to protect Li's personal finances. Tong Qiu deals with a toxic drinking culture at her new bank branch while Li Lianbao struggles to find investors, eventually circling back to Dong Qian.
Spoiler Alert
The Script Doctor
Ma Weiguo and Jin Tong accompany Tong Qiu’s father to a publisher. Things do not go well at first. The editor hates the script. He specifically dislikes the business war plots and the domineering CEO romance. He calls it unrealistic. Ma Weiguo finds this rich. He thinks the publishing staff knows nothing about actual business warfare.
Ma Weiguo decides to pull some strings. He contacts VP Qiao, a big shot in the audiovisual department. The dynamic shifts immediately. The editor suddenly sees the value in the script. His arrogant attitude vanishes. He becomes incredibly polite to Ma Weiguo.
Later, Tong Qiu’s parents treat Ma Weiguo and Jin Tong to dinner. They want to thank them for the help. The meal brings Ma and Jin closer together. But Ma Weiguo ruins the vibe. He lectures Tong Qiu’s father about pursuing "true ideals." His words are too blunt. He hurts the older man's pride. Jin Tong steps in. She literally drags Ma Weiguo away before he does more damage.
Spy Games at the Restaurant
Dong Qian makes her move on Penglexuan. She proposes a partnership with Wang Chunsheng involving controlling rights and naming rights. Li Lianbao smells a rat. He worries Wang will get scammed. He decides to hide in the room during the meeting to eavesdrop.
Wang Chunsheng knows Li is there. He teases him by playing along with Dong Qian. Dong produces the agreement. Wang acts like he is about to sign. Li Lianbao cannot take it anymore. He jumps out to stop the deal. Wang reveals he was just acting. Dong Qian also realized someone else was in the room.
A Hard No
Wang Chunsheng and Li Lianbao grab a meal after Dong leaves. Li pitches a new idea. He wants to partner with Wang to build up Penglexuan. It sounds exactly like Dong Qian’s proposal.
Wang Chunsheng shuts him down immediately. His reasoning is solid. Dong Qian has a corporation backing her. If she fails, the company loses money. She still gets her salary. Li Lianbao would be investing his own cash. Wang has watched Li struggle in business for years. He refuses to let his friend risk his personal livelihood.
The Toxic Workplace
Tong Qiu reports to her new bank branch. The manager gathers the staff for a welcome party. The colleagues are rowdy. They drink heavily. It looks fun, but it isn't. The staff is miserable. They force themselves to keep drinking.
Tong Qiu tries to help. She approaches the branch manager about the drinking culture. The manager brushes her off. He only cares about performance metrics. He ignores the physical toll on his employees to secure sales.
The Investment Circle is Small
Li Lianbao gets desperate. He approaches Tong Qiu. He wants her to help convince Wang Chunsheng. He sweetens the pot. He offers her 5% shares. He also promises to open the company account at her bank to boost her performance numbers.
Li goes on a hunt for other investors. Everyone rejects him. He feels the sting of the cold business world. Tong Qiu suggests he ask Ma Weiguo for money. Li refuses to do that.
He eventually goes back to Dong Qian. The investment world is tiny. Word travels fast. Dong Qian knows Li has been shopping around for other backers. She scolds him for it immediately. Despite the lecture, she actually has a favorable impression of him.
