Episode Summary
Hu Xiu returns to the LARP game with a secret agenda to take down Qin Xiaoyi's character. She survives a gunpoint confrontation, uses snacks to trigger his sympathy, and wins the round. Empowered, she quits her dead-end job. Later, while dealing with unemployment and a disappointing game session, she defends her parents from her ex-fiancé's family, unaware that Qin Xiaoyi lives downstairs and hears everything.
Spoiler Alert
Back in the Game
Hu Xiu heads back to the script murder shop. She wears all black this time. She feels a little smug as she faces Qin Xiaoyi. Her character script says she is Anna. Anna is a financial consultant from the south. Her surface goal is simple. She needs to help Qin Xiaoyi become the new City Lord. She has to gain his trust and get him to sign a policy contract before anyone else does.
But Hu Xiu has a secret backstory. Years ago, a man named Ning Zechen saved her life. Her loyalty lies with him. Her real mission is to dig up dirt on Qin Xiaoyi. She plans to ruin him and help Ning Zechen take power instead.
The Jailbreak Strategy
Hu Xiu feels confident. She has played this scenario before. She operates in the shadows while Qin Xiaoyi stands in the light. She sets a trap. She claims she possesses a complete equation that he needs. He takes the bait. She hands him an envelope.
It goes wrong immediately. Qin Xiaoyi orders his men to grab her. He presses a gun to her forehead. Her confidence vanishes. She realizes her charm won't save her. She almost breaks character in panic. She switches tactics and plays weak. She tells him she knows where the real equation is hidden. If he kills her, he loses it forever. It works. He lowers the gun.
Later, she sits in a jail cell. She spots Qin Xiaoyi walking away outside. She throws several hawthorn balls through the window. They land in his path. The snack reminds him of a past sentiment. He turns back. He breaks her out of jail. Hu Xiu seizes the moment. She exposes his true identity and wins the game.
Quitting Time
The victory gives Hu Xiu a boost in the real world. She marches into her office. She asks her boss, Mr. Wang, to transfer her to the design department. He shuts her down. He uses the same excuse he gave three years ago. He says she has to wait for business to pick up. Hu Xiu sees through the lie. She quits immediately. She is done wasting her time there.
Disappointment and Snacks
Hu Xiu sits at home sending out resumes. She gets an invite for another game session. She rushes over with high hopes. But the lead actor isn't Qin Xiaoyi. The new guy is creepy and unskilled. She breezes through the mission in minutes. She feels ripped off. She paid six hundred bucks for this. She eats stick after stick of candied hawthorns just to get her money's worth.
She asks the shop owner when Qin Xiaoyi plays next. The owner doesn't know. Hu Xiu decides to take a break from the game. Her job applications are going nowhere.
The Downstairs Neighbor
Her parents come to visit. They run into the family of the man who ran out on Hu Xiu’s wedding. Her dad gets into a loud argument with them in the hallway. The noise travels.
Qin Xiaoyi happens to rent the apartment right downstairs. He hears the whole mess. The ex-fiancé’s family is being cheap. They want their engagement gifts back. Hu Xiu arrives and faces them. She reminds the mother that her own parents gave double the amount in return gifts. She asks for those back first. The mother has nothing to say. She walks away embarrassed.
