Almost Lover Episode 23 Recap
> Almost Lover Recap
Li Hui, who had been working as a resident singer after being laid off, received her paycheck and joyfully offered to treat her friends, He Xiaoran and Sui Mingwei, to a meal. Her boss, Hao, expressed his concern that her talent was being wasted in the pub and encouraged her to think about her future. Sui Mingwei echoed this sentiment, prompting Li Hui to retort that she earned enough to live comfortably.
Celebrating He Xiaoran's nomination as Newsmaker of the Year, Li Hui enthusiastically suggested they celebrate with three consecutive days of meals, starting with her treat. During their dinner, He Xiaoran voiced her confusion and disappointment about Xiao Shangqi, questioning if he had always been so driven by profit or if he had recently changed. Li Hui suggested that this insight might help He Xiaoran let go of their past and focus on her journalistic integrity.
Shifting the topic, He Xiaoran inquired about the search for alternative nursing homes for the Qingshan residents, to which Sui Mingwei replied that there had been no interest, likely due to Mr. Sun's previous resistance. Suddenly, He Xiaoran received a call informing her that Mr. Sun was moving to Lizhen Nursing Home that very night.
Mr. Sun bid farewell to the other elders, explaining that his nephew's wife was pregnant, and he desired a stable home where he could frequently visit his future grandchild without being a burden. He also mentioned that Lizhen had lowered its fees to match Qingshan's, and he offered to move in first to assess the new facility before encouraging others, including Mr. Wang who sometimes suffered from memory confusion, to join him.
Unbeknownst to He Xiaoran, Xiao Shangqi was secretly subsidizing the difference in Lizhen's fees to encourage the elders to move out peacefully, even offering an additional 3,000 RMB to those who left before the severance date. He also reflected on He Xiaoran's earlier comment about him becoming like Zhao Mingxuan, while simultaneously feeling pleased about her success as a journalist.
Meanwhile, Lin Zong approached Sui Mingwei about supplying fragrances for Jifeng Hotel, hoping for a "friendship price" from his family's factory. Sui Mingwei, however, stated that he only handled the retail line for household fragrances and was unwilling to take Jifeng's business. He also cut off Lin Zong when he tried to inquire about He Xiaoran, asserting that a "qualified ex-boyfriend" should completely disappear. Later, at a company meeting, Sui Mingwei's mother, Fan Xixi, assigned him the Qingshan project.
Despite his colleagues' skepticism about his readiness for large corporate accounts, Sui Mingwei vehemently refused to touch any business connected to Qingshan, determined to avoid entanglement with Xiao Shangqi. His mother then directly emphasized that a man needs a successful career to be attractive. A few days later, Mr. Sun suffered an unexpected myocardial infarction and was rushed to the hospital. His nephew, Mr. Pan, confronted He Xiaoran outside the radio station, angrily blaming her for recommending Lizhen.
As Mr. Pan lunged to splash red paint on He Xiaoran, Sui Mingwei bravely stepped in front of her, taking the brunt of the paint himself. At the hospital, Sui Mingwei and He Xiaoran learned from the nurse that Mr. Sun's condition was critical and that Lizhen's contract explicitly exempted them from medical expenses for illness-related hospitalizations. The nurse also noted that Mr. Pan had visited but left without paying for his uncle's care.
Overwhelmed with guilt, He Xiaoran questioned if her actions had contributed to Mr. Sun's illness, given his age and vulnerability to change. Sui Mingwei reassured her it was not her fault. Back at the office, He Xiaoran confided in Lili, wondering if a different approach on her part could have altered the outcome.
Lili acknowledged Mr. Pan's distress but reminded He Xiaoran that while journalism is a noble profession, it has boundaries; journalists cannot be responsible for every outcome, only for acting with diligence and a clear conscience. Still furious, Sui Mingwei sought out Mr. Pan, bringing two bottles of wine similar to the one Mr. Sun had broken. He attempted to reconcile and requested Mr. Pan to cease harassing He Xiaoran, offering to take personal responsibility for any issues.
However, Mr. Pan refused to settle, threatening to hold He Xiaoran accountable if his uncle did not recover, leading to a physical altercation with Sui Mingwei. Later, He Xiaoran called Mr. Pan to offer financial assistance for Mr. Sun's medical bills. To her surprise, Mr. Pan abruptly backed down, admitting he had been reckless and stated the matter was resolved, asking her not to involve her friend (Sui Mingwei) again.
At dinner, He Xiaoran noticed Sui Mingwei's injured hand and deduced he had confronted Mr. Pan. Unbeknownst to her, Xiao Shangqi had secretly paid off Mr. Pan to ensure the issue was completely resolved and that Mr. Sun's family no longer held a grudge against He Xiaoran. Xiao Shangqi had also arranged for Jifeng staff to clean the paint off the radio station building, though he expressed regret that He Xiaoran had become entangled in the situation.
He Xiaoran visited Mr. Sun at the hospital again and learned from Mrs. Pan that "someone from Qingshan," a Mr. Lin, had paid all the medical expenses and an additional three months' allowance, requesting them not to bother He Xiaoran further. Realizing Xiao Shangqi was behind this, He Xiaoran returned to the radio station to find the building cleaned. Lili urged her to attend the Annual Journalist Commendation Conference.
He Xiaoran received her "News of the Year" award, with Mr. Zhang praising her for embodying "morality on iron shoulders" and "writing articles skillfully." However, feeling conflicted, she left early to confront Xiao Shangqi at Jifeng Hotel. She accused him of contacting Mr. Pan and arranging the clean-up, calling his actions "hypocritical."
Xiao Shangqi explained his actions were out of gratitude for her role in facilitating the smooth relocation of the Qingshan elders, reiterating his belief that money could resolve most problems and that her efforts might not be more effective than his. He Xiaoran expressed her profound disappointment, feeling that he was increasingly resembling Zhao Mingxuan. Sui Mingwei then arrived to pick up a distressed He Xiaoran. He declared that his company, Xixi Fragrance, would "never collaborate" with the "Xiao family."
Xiao Shangqi, still present, expressed his admiration for "Fragrance No.3" submitted by their company and stated his intention to contact Fan Xixi directly for a collaboration. Sui Mingwei retorted that "Fragrance No.3" was his personal, custom-made creation "specially for He Xiaoran" from his retail line, and he would never release the formula. Soon after, He Xiaoran and Lili were called to Mr. Zhang's office.
He Xiaoran was accused of taking kickbacks from Lizhen Nursing Home to facilitate the eviction of Qingshan's residents. She vehemently denied the allegations, stating she had no contact with Lizhen's finance staff. Mr. Zhang informed her of an internal investigation and her immediate suspension. He Xiaoran questioned the fairness, asking if the station didn't believe her, and affirmed her acquaintance with Xiao Shangqi did not compromise her journalistic impartiality.
Mr. Zhang warned Lili that as her superior, she would be "jointly and severally responsible" if the allegations proved true, ordering He Xiaoran's removal from "Public News Figure" promotions and the incident reported as a warning. Lili advised He Xiaoran to return home and prepare a detailed report for the investigation team. Xiao Shangqi, upon hearing the news, recognized that He Xiaoran was being maliciously framed.
The news of He Xiaoran's suspension quickly escalated, with a trending topic accusing her of "business and media collusion" and taking "rebates." Xiao Shangqi's assistant noted the rapid spread indicated a deliberate smear campaign. Simultaneously, Zhao Mingxuan capitalized on the situation, calling a meeting of other hotel owners in Wusu to propose a "Damang Mountain Hotel Alliance" and publicly denounce Xiao Shangqi's "immoral" tactics in the Qingshan project, urging a collective boycott.
Xiao Shangqi, prioritizing He Xiaoran's reputation, instructed his public relations team to issue an official response clarifying her non-involvement, even if it meant prolonging Jifeng's crisis. Meanwhile, Director Wang of Qingshan Nursing Home sought to delay the contract execution and the elders' discharge, fearing reputational damage. Xiao Shangqi probed if he had been influenced and reminded him of the "liquidated damages." Director Wang, denying any external contact, quickly retreated.
Following this, the Qingshan elders, informed by media reports, angrily confronted Xiao Shangqi, refusing to move out, returning their compensation, and accusing him and He Xiaoran of deception. He Xiaoran was deeply shaken by the public outcry. Devastated by the accusations, He Xiaoran isolated herself. Sui Mingwei and Li Hui visited her, attempting to cheer her up and inviting her for a barbecue.
They assured her she was "the best journalist," but He Xiaoran expressed profound self-doubt, feeling she had "overestimated herself" and been "too nosy" by doing more than merely reporting. Li Hui acknowledged her frustration, and both friends resolved to help her. Xiao Shangqi, looking at an old photo of his father and himself, questioned if his actions were truly "the right thing to do." Later, at her apartment, He Xiaoran experienced a power outage.
She found a note from Sui Mingwei inquiring about the electricity card. She then called Mr. Sun's hospital and learned he had already been discharged. Sui Mingwei called He Xiaoran again, but Xiao Shangqi was with her and took her phone, telling Sui Mingwei to call back later. Xiao Shangqi explained to He Xiaoran that they were "on the same boat" and needed to collaborate to clarify the facts, as the scandal threatened his acquisition of Qingshan Nursing Home.
He suggested they talk over a meal. Worried, Sui Mingwei tried calling Mr. Pan, but his call went unanswered. He feared Xiao Shangqi was still bothering He Xiaoran and sent her money for the meal, which she declined. Xiao Shangqi then revealed that Mr. Pan had been bribed, identifying Zhao Mingxuan as the instigator who used Mr. Sun's hospitalization as a pawn in their business rivalry. He Xiaoran admitted to initially suspecting Xiao Shangqi himself, but he denied it.
He Xiaoran challenged his perceived business ethics, suggesting he could easily blame her and Lizhen for kickbacks. Xiao Shangqi countered that she hadn't taken any, and he knew her well, asserting that despite changes, some aspects of her character remained constant. He also informed her that Mr. Pan had resigned and Mr. Sun's emergency contact had passed away, complicating their search. He urged her to treat it as a "business matter" and collaborate, starting their investigation at Qingshan.
As they drove towards Qingshan, He Xiaoran recognized Xiao Shangqi's car, realizing he was the "good Samaritan" who had towed her broken-down taxi weeks prior, a fact he humbly dismissed as "just a little effort." Sui Mingwei called again, but He Xiaoran quickly ended the call, stating she was fine and busy investigating. Their first stop was Lizhen Nursing Home.
The director presented Mr. Sun's meticulously kept records, confirming no issues with his care and that his myocardial infarction was accidental. The director dismissed the "transfer record" accusations as absurd. However, due to the negative publicity, Lizhen declared it would no longer accept Qingshan's elders and terminated its contract with Xiao Shangqi.
He Xiaoran, confused by the mention of a contract, then learned the full truth: Xiao Shangqi had been secretly subsidizing Lizhen's higher fees to make the move affordable for the Qingshan elders. This revelation stunned He Xiaoran, finally understanding the depth of his hidden efforts. Xiao Shangqi, unfazed, reiterated his goal was merely to expedite the vacancy of the nursing home. He stressed that Lizhen's competent care confirmed it as a suitable relocation option, and their priority now was to uncover who had truly manipulated Mr. Pan.
