Almost Lover Episode 30 Recap
> Almost Lover Recap
Chen Fei'er, feeling trapped and used by Zhao Mingxuan and fearing what the madman might do next, sought refuge with He Xiaoran, who welcomed her into her home. After settling Chen Fei'er, He Xiaoran went to Jifeng Hotel to await Xiao Shangqi's return from Hupu. Upon seeing her, Xiao Shangqi embraced her warmly, expressing his gratitude for her presence, which he considered his greatest motivation and comfort.
He admitted his impatience in trying to take down Zhao Mingxuan had led to him being manipulated. He also shared that Yunlan was facing a severe funding deficit, and his brother, Xiao Xian, was not in a good state. He Xiaoran assured him that Chen Fei'er was genuinely unaware of Zhao Mingxuan's schemes and was now under immense pressure.
Xiao Shangqi firmly stated that as long as Yunlan survived, they would uncover fragments of evidence to expose Zhao Mingxuan's crimes, as no misdeed, however concealed, could be truly flawless. He vowed to eventually bring Zhao Mingxuan to justice. He Xiaoran reached out to her colleague, Susu, at Hupu TV, to gather recent news about Deju, specifically any reports involving Zhao Mingxuan.
While reviewing the news, He Xiaoran noticed that Zhao Mingxuan, his secretary, and a spectacled man consistently appeared together in all of Zhao Mingxuan's projects. Xiao Shangqi sent a photo of the man to Xiao Xian, who quickly identified him as Jia Wen, the Chief Financial Officer of Deju. Xiao Xian informed them that Jia Wen had died two years prior in a car accident involving drunk driving, where his vehicle veered off the highway and exploded.
He Xiaoran then remembered Jia Wen as Madam Wang's son, a man who had also died in an incident two years ago. Meanwhile, Lin Zong arrived at He Xiaoran's apartment to find Chen Fei'er. Chen Fei'er, startled by the knocking, urged Sui Mingwei to open the door, only to discover it was Lin Zong. Lin Zong apologized for his earlier suspicions about Chen Fei'er, acknowledging that she must have been an unwitting pawn in Zhao Mingxuan's plans.
He encouraged her to return to Jifeng Hotel, assuring her it was a safer place and that Taiyang missed her and needed companionship, as he himself was occupied with work for Mr. Xiao. Sui Mingwei also chimed in, suggesting she go to the hotel as their home was "not a hotel." He Xiaoran and Xiao Shangqi then visited Madam Wang at the nursing home. Madam Wang, delighted to see Xiao Shangqi, mistook him for her son, Jia Wen.
However, upon being shown a photo of her actual son, she became agitated and confused, demanding to know their true identities. He Xiaoran explained they were investigating Jia Wen's past work at Deju. Overwhelmed, Madam Wang grew distraught and refused to answer any questions. Mr. Sun, a fellow resident, later confided that Jia Wen had died in a drunk driving accident two years prior.
He also revealed that Madam Wang had sold her Hupu home, which had suffered a fire, at a reduced price, giving some of the proceeds to Jia Wen's fiancée. She then sold her Wusu house and moved to the Qingshan nursing home, as the Qingshan project was the largest her son had managed. Back at Jifeng, Xiao Shangqi pondered the details.
He found it suspicious that a cautious person like Jia Wen would drive drunk, especially after experiencing rapid wealth gain that seemed outside Deju's normal salary structures. He theorized that Zhao Mingxuan's fraudulent practices were fundamentally driven by money, and Jia Wen, as the closest CFO, would have known exactly how illegal funds were routed. Xiao Shangqi concluded that the car accident was not an unfortunate mishap but a deliberate act.
He inquired about CCTV footage from the accident site, only to learn it was a new road section without surveillance. He Xiaoran suggested that since Madam Wang often mistook Xiao Shangqi for her son due to their similar build, he could pretend to be Jia Wen to coax information from her gently. Later, while waiting for Xiao Shangqi, Chen Fei'er approached He Xiaoran with a sincere apology.
She confessed that for years, before breaking free from her family, she viewed friendships, including theirs, as means of protection and support. Her original plan was to leverage them to achieve her own happiness. However, she now realized the error of her ways, acknowledging that treating life as a calculated problem would never lead to true happiness. She expressed deep regret for her past actions and sincerely hoped they could still be friends.
He Xiaoran accepted her apology and complimented her new hairstyle. Chen Fei'er shared that Taiyang's comment about her scar looking "cool, like a hero" had helped her embrace it, realizing she didn't need to hide it constantly. Li Hui shared her old songs with He Xiaoran, reflecting on how her most challenging times inspired her best melodies, realizing that adversity can sometimes be a unique gift.
Meanwhile, Sui Mingwei, on a business trip to secure a fragrance deal, unexpectedly spotted Zheng Wei and Tang Yan together. He attempted to follow Zheng Wei but lost him. Concerned, Sui Mingwei later urged Li Hui to let him review her contract with Zheng Wei, fearing foul play. Li Hui, however, dismissed his worries, accusing him of doubting her musical talent and implying he found her success hard to believe.
Undeterred, Sui Mingwei secretly investigated Zheng Wei, discovering he had significant debts and a past collaboration with Tang Yan from three years ago. At Zheng Wei's office, where Li Hui's new single was being celebrated, Li Hui directly asked Zheng Wei about Tang Yan. Zheng Wei openly admitted knowing him, stating Tang Yan frequently approached him for work. When Tang Yan called while Zheng Wei was in the restroom, Li Hui handed him the phone.
Zheng Wei, in front of Li Hui, emphatically told Tang Yan to stop bothering him. At that moment, Sui Mingwei burst in, confronting Zheng Wei about his debts and past dealings with Tang Yan, implying deception. Zheng Wei, however, skillfully defended himself, claiming he genuinely saw Li Hui's talent and that her success would mutually benefit them both.
Li Hui, moved by his words and the special vinyl record he made for her, remained convinced of his sincerity, much to Sui Mingwei's frustration. Zheng Wei further encouraged Li Hui to write more songs, including some in a retro style based on her university compositions, solidifying her trust. Sui Mingwei, though busy with his own fragrance brand, was surprised to find Li Hui's single gaining popularity on QQ Music, even becoming the background music in his friends' shops.
Zhao Mingxuan received news that the Xiao brothers were investigating Jia Wen. He recalled a past encounter where Jia Wen, who had assisted him with fraudulent accounting and cutting corners, expressed deep regret and offered to return the illicit money, wishing to resign and avoid future consequences. Zhao Mingxuan refused, cleverly manipulating Jia Wen to stay and promising to "consider" his request. Later, his secretary tampered with Jia Wen's car, leading to the fatal "drunk driving" accident.
Zhao Mingxuan reminded his secretary that they had meticulously covered their tracks and that Jia Wen had left no incriminating evidence. Despite this, he became concerned about Jia Wen's mother and instructed his secretary to quickly locate her. Following up on their lead, Xiao Shangqi and He Xiaoran, pretending to be Jia Wen and his fiancée Xiaomei, took Madam Wang out for a meal. Madam Wang was overjoyed by their presence, expressing how much she missed her son.
He Xiaoran, however, felt increasingly uneasy about the deception, questioning if they were inflicting further pain on Madam Wang by forcing her to relive traumatic memories. Xiao Shangqi initially argued that it was either to seek justice or at least offer comforting companionship, but He Xiaoran reminded him that all dreams eventually end. During the meal, Madam Wang grew concerned about "Jia Wen's" financial dealings, asking if he was involved with "money he shouldn't touch."
When Zhao Mingxuan's name was mentioned, she suddenly clutched her head, complaining of a headache and confusion. He Xiaoran pulled Xiao Shangqi aside, lamenting that their pretense was causing Madam Wang distress. While they spoke, Madam Wang looked at Xiao Shangqi's phone and realized he was not her son, causing her to become agitated and disoriented. They quickly returned Madam Wang to the nursing home.
With Mr. Sun's help, they gently explained to Madam Wang that they suspected Jia Wen's car accident might have been intentional. This revelation further distressed Madam Wang. As Xiao Shangqi and He Xiaoran prepared to leave, Madam Wang called them back. She handed Xiao Shangqi a necklace, explaining that Jia Wen had given it to her on the day he died.
She tearfully recounted how Jia Wen had wanted to resign, move back to Wusu with Xiaomei, and start anew, and how he had insisted she wear the necklace despite her cautioning him about spending money. She believed the necklace, his sole surviving possession after a house fire, might hold a secret. Xiao Shangqi solemnly promised to thoroughly investigate, seeking justice for Jia Wen, Madam Wang, and his own father.
He later admitted to He Xiaoran that the necklace offered no immediate clues. He asked her to agree to one final "lie": if they uncovered the truth, they would tell Madam Wang that the necklace had been instrumental in solving the case, to bring her peace. He Xiaoran agreed but expressed skepticism about this path yielding further clues, reiterating that her primary motivation was to bring Zhao Mingxuan to justice, not to "accompany" Xiao Shangqi.
