Because of Love Episode 17 Recap
> Because of Love Recap
Tan Jing returned the expensive shoes Nie Yusheng had bought for her. She explained that she often commuted on foot and found the shoes too delicate for her lifestyle. When Nie Yusheng asked if she had tried them on, she confirmed they were "not the right size." Despite his offer to exchange them, Tan Jing insisted that they simply weren't suitable for her, adding that "no matter how hard you try, it's useless." She then thanked him for the thought.
At the office, Sheng Fangting observed Nie Dongyuan's assistant delivering an elaborate tea set to Shu Qin. The assistant conveyed Nie Dongyuan's wish to gift it to someone who appreciated tea. Shu Qin thanked Nie Dongyuan for his generosity. Sheng Fangting, clearly displaying jealousy, commented on the gift and remarked he thought Shu Qin preferred wine to tea. He also boasted that his grandfather had left him far more valuable possessions.
Shu Qin, seeking to pacify him, explained that Nie Dongyuan was currently in poor health, and she didn't want to cause any additional trouble for him or Nie Yusheng. Later, to express her commitment, Shu Qin gave Sheng Fangting her house keys, telling him he wouldn't have to wait for her downstairs anymore and playfully warning him that she would be conducting "room inspections."
Sheng Fangting accepted the keys but made no mention of offering his own in return, a fact Shu Qin later noted to Nie Yusheng. Nie Dongyuan visited Sun Ping in the hospital. Sun Ping, visibly down, explained he was focused on his "plan of making money" but couldn't stock goods because his supplier, Mr. Liang, hadn't visited. Impressed by the boy's ambition, Nie Dongyuan offered to invest, proposing a 70/30 profit split in Sun Ping's favor.
Sun Ping politely declined, citing his mother's advice never to accept money from others. Despite Nie Dongyuan's insistence that he wasn't "other people," Sun Ping stood firm. Nie Dongyuan then feigned a headache and asked Sun Ping for a massage, promising to pay him a salary as his business capital. Sun Ping, displaying touching empathy, agreed to massage him for free, reiterating that Nie Dongyuan was an elderly man in need of care.
Nie Dongyuan clearly enjoyed the attention and pretended his headache returned, seeking more of Sun Ping's care. Meanwhile, Nie Yusheng and his friend Pang Tou investigated the past incident involving Tan Jing's father. They tracked down Liu Qunsong, a former high-level executive at Dongyuan Group who had left after a dispute with Nie Dongyuan. Believing Liu would give them an unbiased account, they met with him.
Liu unexpectedly revealed that Nie Dongyuan was not directly at fault for the public relations disaster that had ruined Tan Jing's father; rather, the company's PR head had acted without authorization. Although Liu's account seemed to exonerate his father, Nie Yusheng remained determined to uncover the whole truth, believing there must be a clear answer about what was right and wrong. Sheng Fangting offered his support to Tan Jing, acknowledging the immense difficulty of raising Sun Ping alone.
He assured her that if she ever faced problems she couldn't resolve, she could confide in him. He offered his resources, experience, and connections, stating that an outsider's perspective could often provide clarity, whether he acted as her superior or a friend. Tan Jing expressed her gratitude. Simultaneously, an anxious Nie Dongyuan confronted Mr. Fang, the director of cardiac surgery, demanding to know the reason for Sun Ping's delayed surgery.
He expressed his impatience and threatened to transfer Sun Ping to a top hospital in Beijing, insisting that Nie Yusheng accompany them. Mr. Fang calmly explained that Sun Ping's condition, specifically his high pulmonary hypertension, made surgery unsafe. Nie Dongyuan, though chastised, still urged Mr. Fang to prioritize and schedule the operation as soon as Sun Ping's condition stabilized. Tan Jing happened to overhear this entire conversation.
Shortly after, she saw Nie Yusheng sharing a laugh with a female colleague while looking at baby pictures, which she misinterpreted as a discussion about his own child, deepening her sense of unease. Overwhelmed by these events and a growing feeling of betrayal, Tan Jing left the hospital without returning to the cardiac ward. Instead, she went directly to Sheng Fangting at the office, instinctively trusting him.
In her desperation, Tan Jing confided in Sheng Fangting, revealing that Nie Dongyuan, the wealthy head of Dongyuan Group, was Sun Ping's grandfather, and Nie Yusheng was his father. She expressed her profound fear of losing custody if the matter proceeded to court, given the Nie family's considerable power and financial resources.
Tan Jing shared that her time with Nie Yusheng had been the happiest of her life, but she had chosen to leave him to protect him, particularly in light of her father's past incident. Sheng Fangting listened patiently and then calmly outlined Nie Dongyuan's probable strategy: the family would likely not immediately seek full custody. Instead, they would employ "appeasement" tactics.
This would involve showing kindness, visiting Sun Ping frequently, covering his medical and living expenses, and even offering property to Tan Jing and Sun Ping. Sheng Fangting explained that these seemingly benevolent actions would, in fact, gradually establish a "de facto fostering" relationship, laying a strong foundation for their future claim to custody. He urged Tan Jing to prepare for a difficult struggle and to firmly decide whether her priority was Nie Yusheng or Sun Ping.
As they spoke, Tan Jing received a phone call from Shengda Law Firm, informing her that Nie Yusheng intended to transfer a house to her and requested her signature on the agreement. Tan Jing promptly refused, stating she needed "nothing," an action that inadvertently validated Sheng Fangting's predictions about the Nie family's appeasement strategy. Later, Wang Yuling took Sun Ping to a window where he watched other children playing soccer.
He clearly yearned to join them but remembered his mother's admonition not to run around. Nie Yusheng then arrived and engaged Sun Ping with a Bumblebee toy. He explained to the boy that, just as a car needs an "engine" to run, Sun Ping had a "small problem" with his "engine." Nie Yusheng promised that once his "engine is fixed," he would be able to play soccer just like the other children, and he would teach him how.
Tan Jing then entered the room and witnessed this touching exchange. That evening, Nie Yusheng took Tan Jing out for dinner. During dinner, Tan Jing reiterated her firm refusal to accept Nie Yusheng's house, emphasizing that her current path was her own choice and he shouldn't feel obligated to compensate her. Her sole focus, she stated, was to "cure Pingping and give him a healthy future," with no other concerns.
Nie Yusheng expressed his appreciation for her honesty, pledging to be equally open and suggesting they cease "hiding and hurting each other for each other's sake." He then revealed that his father desired "joint custody" of Sun Ping, wanting to "take more responsibility for raising the child" and "get close to the child." Nie Yusheng acknowledged his father's good intentions but understood Tan Jing's inability to accept this.
He then corrected her previous assertion that they were "children of archenemies," affirming instead that their true relationship was "Pingping's parents." This statement, however, only intensified Tan Jing's sense of urgency and unease. Later that evening, Nie Yusheng saw Shu Qin leaving Nie Dongyuan's ward with a food container, realizing she had been bringing meals to his father. Shu Qin again mentioned Nie Dongyuan's recent gift of a tea set.
Nie Yusheng lightheartedly responded that her frequent food deliveries more than sufficed as reciprocation. Shu Qin then urged Nie Yusheng to find an opportune moment to gently inform his father about their breakup, adding that she now "has a boyfriend" and was "back together with Mark," confirming "Mark" was Sheng Fangting. Nie Yusheng revealed he had already suspected this during a previous lunch.
Shu Qin, however, expressed her disappointment that despite her giving Sheng Fangting her house keys, he hadn't reciprocated, prompting Nie Yusheng to advise her to communicate directly, as "it's not good to doubt each other." He then reflected on his own struggles to truly understand Tan Jing, despite believing he knew her well. That night, after Wang Yuling left for the day, noting Tan Jing's consistent unhappiness since they met, Tan Jing was seen doing laundry.
Later, as Sun Ping slept, he repeatedly murmured "Mr. Nie" in his sleep. This unsettling event sparked a sense of crisis in Tan Jing, bringing to mind Sheng Fangting's earlier warning that Nie Dongyuan "will never give up" his pursuit of Sun Ping. The next day, a nurse directed Nie Dongyuan to the children's activity room, where Sun Ping was attending a birthday celebration.
Nie Dongyuan found Sun Ping and tried to bond with him, continuing their conversation about Sun Ping's "engine." Suddenly, Sun Ping spotted Sun Zhijun, eagerly called him "Dad," and ran into his arms. Nie Dongyuan immediately attempted to pull Sun Ping away, initiating a fierce argument with Sun Zhijun. Sun Zhijun, anticipating the confrontation, quickly instructed Pingping to cover his ears. Nie Dongyuan insisted that Sun Ping was his grandson and questioned Sun Zhijun's legitimacy as a father figure.
Sun Zhijun adamantly declared that Sun Ping was his son and he would never "sell his family," regardless of any financial offers. Nie Dongyuan retorted by calling Sun Zhijun a "fake dad." Wang Yuling stepped in to separate the two men, fearing for Sun Ping's safety. As the argument drew a crowd, Sun Zhijun's coworkers pulled him away from the scene. Overwhelmed by the escalating tension, Sun Ping suffered a cardiac episode and collapsed, struggling to breathe.
Nie Yusheng and Tan Jing hurried to Sun Ping's side. Fortunately, a nurse soon confirmed that Sun Ping was "stable now" and had recovered. Despite the relief, Nie Dongyuan, still enraged by the confrontation with Sun Zhijun, instructed his assistant to contact Mr. Qiao from Shengda Law Firm to expedite the custody proceedings.
Nie Yusheng offered Tan Jing a bottle of water and reassured her that Sun Ping's lung infection had significantly improved with treatment, showing "no signs of infection of the aortic valve." He optimistically predicted that in "three to four weeks," once the inflammation subsided, Sun Ping would be ready for surgery. Nie Yusheng then stated his desire for Mr. Fang to perform the operation.
