Almost Lover Episode 29 Recap
> Almost Lover Recap
The two Xiao brothers, Shangqi and Xian, had been faking a conflict to protect Yunlan. Xiao Xian expressed his determination not to let anyone ruin his father's business, proposing they each find their own way to uphold their father's wishes. Zhao Mingxuan, however, was already aware of their charade. He cynically remarked that their act was quite spectacular, and that his own long-laid plans were finally falling into place, implying he was using their pretense to his advantage.
Meanwhile, Chen Fei'er met He Xiaoran for coffee, informing her that she had delivered the evidence to Xiao Shangqi and was truly letting go. She reflected on their high school hiking trip, realizing that He Xiaoran and Xiao Shangqi had always moved forward together while she remained stagnant, unable to catch up. She declared her decision to forge her own path.
While He Xiaoran was glad Chen Fei'er had come to this realization, she clarified that the issues between her and Xiao Shangqi were not due to Chen Fei'er. He Xiaoran confessed that after all these years and numerous encounters, she now understood that love might not require two people to be together for it to be a valid outcome. She no longer desired this relationship and wished to avoid repeating past mistakes, stating that this was her conclusion.
Xiao Shangqi unexpectedly overheard this conversation, leaving him feeling disappointed. Later, He Xiaoran discussed her feelings with Li Hui, who noted it was the first time He Xiaoran had given such a definitive "no" to the relationship. He Xiaoran explained that Chen Fei'er's words made her realize her enduring love for Xiao Shangqi.
However, she felt that to Xiao Shangqi, she was merely a short-term girlfriend he could easily let go of whenever problems arose, highlighting that their relationship was never on equal footing. She reiterated her reluctance to repeat that cycle. Meanwhile, Xiao Shangqi, speaking to a confidante, resolved to pursue He Xiaoran wholeheartedly once he had dealt with Zhao Mingxuan, declaring that he would never let go if given another chance, regardless of the cost.
Li Hui had successfully signed a contract with Zheng Wei's company. He Xiaoran supported her friend, even recording a video of Li Hui at her new workplace to reassure Sui Mingwei, who worried about scams in the industry. Li Hui asked He Xiaoran not to show it to "certain people." Sui Mingwei, feeling the loss of his regular companion, was spurred by his mother to focus on his fragrance research.
Reflecting on his unrequited feelings, Sui Mingwei decided to launch the fragrance he had developed for He Xiaoran as a "memory of my breakup." Xiao Xian analyzed fragmented information sent by Xiao Shangqi, specifically pointing out irregularities in the procurement numbers for the "Lihe" project, which he concluded was problematic. Xiao Shangqi instructed Xiao Xian to investigate the money's true destination from within Deju, suspecting deeper issues than mere cost-cutting.
Xiao Xian met Mr. Tian, who had overseen the Lihe project. Xiao Xian openly accused Zhao Mingxuan of disrupting Deju and systematically targeting its long-standing elders, including Mr. Tian himself. He revealed that Mr. Wei was already cooperating and urged Mr. Tian to re-examine all Lihe project data to avoid being implicated when Zhao Mingxuan's misdeeds were exposed, also noting Lihe's similarities to the problematic Qingshan project.
Mr. Tian agreed to pull all relevant documents from the system, while Xiao Shangqi suggested looking into supplier prices. Both brothers felt they were close to uncovering the truth. He Xiaoran brought Mr. Sun and Madam Wang to their new nursing home. Xiao Shangqi joined them, insisting on helping as a way to improve his past actions and also to inspect the new facility.
While settling in, Madam Wang saw a family photo and, in a moment of confusion, mistook Xiao Shangqi for her deceased son "Wen" and He Xiaoran for "Xiaomei," Wen's girlfriend, urging them to marry. Mr. Sun explained that Madam Wang's son had worked in the hotel industry in Hupu, accumulated wealth, but tragically died in a car accident, leading to her current state. To avoid upsetting her, He Xiaoran and Xiao Shangqi played along.
After leaving, He Xiaoran questioned the necessity of the charade, but Xiao Shangqi countered that her readiness to become Madam Wang's guardian, despite having no children of her own, was just as impactful. Later, Xiao Shangqi joined He Xiaoran, Li Hui, and Sui Mingwei for dinner. Li Hui asked He Xiaoran about her relationship with Xiao Shangqi, to which He Xiaoran firmly stated there was nothing and never would be.
Xiao Shangqi, however, interjected, claiming their relationship was not over and it was too soon to draw conclusions, even echoing He Xiaoran's earlier sentiment about the nature of love's ending. Li Hui, trying to ease the tension, offered to treat everyone, celebrating her contract. Sui Mingwei mocked her new company as unreliable, revealing they hadn't even paid her signing bonus, but Li Hui dismissed him, focused solely on her music.
Sui Mingwei then announced the upcoming launch of his sleep-aiding fragrance, openly dedicating it to his failed romance. Chen Fei'er, inspired by Taiyang's innocent questioning about her profession, decided to search for a job. She consulted Lin Zong for advice on resume writing and interview techniques. Lin Zong provided her with templates and tips, urging her to be prepared and confident.
However, her job search was met with immediate rejection, as companies expressed concerns about her "personality and credibility" due to the publicized "fake bride" incident. Meanwhile, Xiao Xian received confirmation from Mr. Tian that the Lihe project's system data showed no discrepancies, contradicting the leads he had. He was then summoned to a meeting where Zhao Mingxuan revealed his elaborate trap.
Zhao Mingxuan had intentionally leaked false information and used Chen Fei'er to draw out and identify all internal opposition within Deju who were investigating him. He proudly declared Lihe his "cleanest project" and dismissed Xiao Xian as a disloyal "dog" who bit his master. Xiao Xian vowed to investigate Zhao Mingxuan thoroughly and give his father an explanation.
Zhao Mingxuan promised a slow, agonizing fate for his other opponents, ensuring they lived in fear, but stated he had no such patience for Yunlan, which he intended to destroy swiftly. Following this, Deju severed all ties with Yunlan, spreading rumors that Xiao Xian was a betrayer. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Xiao Shangqi immediately returned to Hupu. Back at the hotel, Chen Fei'er confronted Lin Zong after her failed interview.
Lin Zong harshly accused her of being Zhao Mingxuan's "bait," placed to expose Xiao Xian and ruin Yunlan, pointing out that her "project" led to their downfall while revealing no fault in Zhao Mingxuan. He explicitly asked if her presence in Wusu was part of Zhao Mingxuan's scheme. Distressed, Chen Fei'er could only question why even Lin Zong suspected her, to which he retorted, "It's you who set us up."
Later, drinking alone in a pub, Chen Fei'er was found by Zhao Mingxuan. He cynically "thanked" her, gloating that her "help" allowed him to eliminate all those secretly working against him. He revealed that he had been monitoring her from the start, intentionally leaving fake evidence for her to find, and using her to confirm that Xiao Shangqi and Xiao Xian's supposed animosity was a mere pretense.
Zhao Mingxuan then informed her that Jifeng was mortgaged, but the funds wouldn't suffice for Yunlan's immense financial crisis. He declared that the Xiao brothers' future was entirely in his hands, describing their predicament as "struggling for survival," and casually warned Chen Fei'er to be careful, implying her usefulness was over and she was now vulnerable. Upon Xiao Shangqi's arrival in Hupu, he found Xiao Xian distraught.
The brothers shared a moment of mutual blame, but Xiao Shangqi urged them to focus on moving forward. Xiao Xian explained that while withdrawing from Deju was part of their strategy, the current bankruptcy and massive compensation demands were unforeseen and seemingly insurmountable, even with a lawsuit. He expressed hope that Xiao Shangqi would preserve Jifeng as their only chance for a comeback. Xiao Shangqi reassured him, urging him to "stay strong."
He advised Xiao Xian to drastically streamline Yunlan's operations, retaining only the core team, and cutting all non-essential expenses. Xiao Shangqi promised to combine funds from Jifeng with additional capital he would raise once the final compensation amount was determined, reiterating their resolve to solve the problems and move forward.
In desperation, Chen Fei'er sought help from He Xiaoran, explaining that the evidence she provided was fake and had been a calculated trap set by Zhao Mingxuan, leading to Yunlan's collapse and exposing all their allies. She tearfully stated that no one believed her, she had nowhere left to go, and Zhao Mingxuan, "that madman," was now actively threatening her, leaving her terrified of what he might do.
