Because of You Episode 15 Recap
> Because of You Recap
A flashback reveals Zhang Yuxin in premature labor, her agonizing pain contrasting with her mother Wang Aiyu’s shock at discovering her daughter’s pregnancy. Zhang Yuxin, consumed by her own struggles, expresses her desire to abandon the baby, stating she cannot provide a good life. Meanwhile, Li Yunkai, still desperate to retrieve his car, tries to persuade Zhang Guoguo to vouch for him to the accident victims. Zhang Guoguo, recalling Li Yunkai’s past involvement with Xu Xiaoqin, tries to walk away.
In his haste to stop her, Li Yunkai accidentally brushes against her, leading to Zhang Guoguo slapping him. Before he can explain, another woman approaches, effusively thanking Li Yunkai for his help in her divorce proceedings. Zhang Guoguo’s impression of him further plummets, and she splashes water on him before leaving. Following Zhang Guoguo's suggestion, Wang Aiyu, still heartbroken by Zhang Yuxin’s predicament, takes a job as a live-in helper for He Juan.
Initially reluctant due to the extensive chores, Wang Aiyu expresses her desire to quit, inadvertently speaking in her dialect. He Juan finds this endearing, reduces her tasks to pickling garlic and cooking, and is pleased with her culinary skills. Shortly after, Li Yunkai returns home following his frustrating encounter with Zhang Guoguo. He is surprised to discover that the new nanny is Zhang Guoguo's mother, Wang Aiyu, and attempts to glean information about Zhang Guoguo from her.
He Juan, however, maintaining a superior air, forbids Wang Aiyu from sitting at the dining table. When Wang Aiyu prepares to leave and asks for her wages, He Juan persuades her to stay for better pay and more holidays. Wang Aiyu agrees, on the condition of a one-year salary advance. Though hesitant and feeling the pinch, He Juan consents, rationalizing that Wang Aiyu is unlikely to abscond with the money given Zhang Guoguo's presence at Jinluge.
Later, while signing a labor contract, Wang Aiyu’s name, Wang Aiyu, sparks a memory in He Juan, who realizes Wang Aiyu was the daughter of her former teacher. This unexpected connection warms their relationship considerably. At Jinluge, Zhang Guoguo feels a strange sense of familiarity. She wanders into Zhang Yuxin’s room and discovers a familiar award-winning painting, instantly recognizing it as her own childhood creation. Zhang Yuxin enters, quickly seizing the painting and adamantly denying Zhang Guoguo’s claim.
Their argument is overheard by Jin Zhiming. To divert suspicion, Zhang Yuxin quickly fabricates a story, accusing Zhang Guoguo of trespassing. Jin Zhiming, troubled by Zhang Guoguo’s words, discreetly calls Xiping Elementary to verify her attendance, which is confirmed. Intending to uncover the truth, Jin Zhiming arranges a meeting with Zhang Guoguo, a plan Zhang Yuxin soon uncovers. Zhang Guoguo receives a frantic call, informing her that Wang Aiyu has taken the baby Le Tong to the hospital.
At the hospital, doctors diagnose the premature infant with congenital hearing impairment and a fever, emphasizing the critical need for consistent care and a major surgery at age five to prevent lifelong language disability. Wang Aiyu is devastated, vowing to cure her regardless of the cost. She calls Zhang Yuxin to relay the news, but Zhang Yuxin reacts with cold indifference to her daughter’s plight.
Back home, Zhang Guoguo attempts to lower Le Tong’s fever with a warm bath, a method Wang Aiyu initially questions but Zhang Guoguo insists upon, citing childcare books. As they care for the baby, Wang Aiyu laments the baby’s birth mother’s irresponsibility for abandoning such a frail child. Zhang Guoguo defends the mother, suggesting she must have had no other choice, highlighting the deep pain of maternal separation.
Zhang Guoguo then proposes that she adopt Le Tong and raise her as her own, with Wang Aiyu acting as Le Tong’s grandmother, to safeguard Zhang Yuxin’s secret. Wang Aiyu, though pained, agrees, recognizing it as the only way to keep her granddaughter close, even if it means Zhang Guoguo bears the burden. Zhang Guoguo affectionately names the baby Le Tong, hoping she will grow up healthy and happy.
Later, Zhang Yuxin briefly returns to nurse Le Tong, but her demeanor remains detached. She views this as her first and last feeding, expressing a desire for the child to be well-behaved and attributing their separation to fate. Wang Aiyu watches her, deeply saddened by the emotional distance. Zhang Guoguo later confides in Song Xiuhua about adopting Le Tong.
Song Xiuhua expresses concern about Zhang Guoguo, a young, single woman, suddenly becoming a mother, but Zhang Guoguo explains her profound connection to the abandoned child and how even Wang Aiyu agreed to the arrangement. Jiang Zhengchuan and Le Tong arrive at Li Hailan’s dessert shop, seeking work. Li Hailan, still harboring deep resentment over Jiang Zhengchuan’s abrupt disappearance years ago, tries to turn them away. Her anger intensifies when Le Tong calls Jiang Zhengchuan "Dad."
Despite Jiang Zhengchuan's attempts to explain his past arrest and subsequent inability to meet her, Li Hailan refuses to listen, pushing them out. Jiang Zhengchuan, noticing the toy bear he once gave her, is filled with a mixture of happiness and sorrow. At his studio, Jin Zhiming presents Zhang Guoguo with one of Jin Yi’s paintings, asking if she understands its significance. Zhang Guoguo is perplexed by its striking resemblance to her own artwork.
When Jin Zhiming probes about Zhang Yuxin’s potential plagiarism, Zhang Guoguo vaguely deflects, trying to protect Zhang Yuxin. Jin Zhiming then suggests showing her Jin Yi’s portrait to see if she recognizes her. Before he can, Zhang Yuxin, fearing exposure, interrupts and creates an excuse to send Zhang Guoguo away. Jin Zhiming then directly questions Zhang Yuxin about the painting, but she vehemently denies any wrongdoing.
Afterwards, a fearful Zhang Yuxin secretly enters Jin Zhiming’s studio to examine Jin Yi’s painting. Connecting it to Zhang Guoguo’s drawing, she develops a bold, unsettling theory. She then interrogates Xu Huijie about the specifics of Jin Yi’s disappearance, which further solidifies her suspicions. Desperate to protect her current life, Zhang Yuxin confronts Zhang Guoguo, warning her to stay silent. Zhang Guoguo realizes that any further discussion would be pointless.
Dong Lijun, still hoping to find Song Xiuhua, asks Zhang Guoguo about her whereabouts. Zhang Guoguo, honoring Song Xiuhua’s wishes, politely refuses to disclose the information. Dong Lijun, though disappointed, allows Zhang Guoguo to leave, entrusting her with a valuable embroidered cultural relic to restore at home. Xu Huijie observes this with quiet displeasure, while Zhang Yuxin seethes with jealousy, believing the task should have been hers.
Driven by ambition, Zhang Yuxin approaches Li Yunzhe at Shichuang to seek intellectual property protection for her designs. Li Yunzhe expresses reservations, noting the designs largely originate from Xu Huijie, but Zhang Yuxin argues this makes the protection even more crucial. Li Yunzhe agrees to assist and assigns the task to Lu Sichen.
Zhang Yuxin receives a phone call from Lu Sichen’s lawyer, informing her that Lu Sichen’s father has passed away due to a cerebral hemorrhage after hearing about his son’s imprisonment. The lawyer requests Zhang Yuxin cooperate with an out-of-court mediation for the divorce, which would allow Lu Sichen to attend his father’s funeral. Zhang Yuxin, however, refuses, fearing Lu Sichen’s potential revenge after his release. She internally hopes Lu Sichen will disappear from her life forever.
Back in his cell, Lu Sichen hears the devastating news of his father’s death from his lawyer, confirming Zhang Yuxin’s refusal to drop the lawsuit, which he interprets as intentional cruelty. Zhang Yuxin is then utterly stunned when Lu Sichen appears before her at Shichuang. He calmly introduces himself. Li Yunzhe suggests they all have dinner, but Zhang Yuxin, overwhelmed with shock and dread, declines, feigning inconvenience.
As Zhang Yuxin hurriedly tries to leave Shichuang, Lu Sichen catches up to her. Alone, she drops her facade, openly expressing her disgust and demanding he stay away. Lu Sichen, however, views this as merely the beginning of his plan for revenge. Later, at home, Li Yunkai, still pressured by his parents about the car, attempts to call Zhang Guoguo to persuade her to testify. Le Tong answers the phone, playfully scolding him for disturbing their sleep.
Zhang Guoguo, awakened by the commotion, takes the phone and, upon learning Li Yunkai's intentions, immediately refuses his request. Later, at Zhang Guoguo’s wonton shop, Li Yunkai once again presses her about the car accident and his need for her testimony. Zhang Guoguo, trying to placate him, offers him a free bowl of wontons. Li Yunkai, however, demands she treat him for a year, which Zhang Guoguo vehemently protests as robbery.
He then presents her with a mock lawsuit detailing demands for lost wages and emotional damages. Zhang Guoguo, exasperated, agrees to the year-long free wontons. Li Yunkai then offers her a substantial business opportunity: an order for 300 custom-embroidered ties for his law firm’s upcoming summit. Zhang Guoguo is overjoyed, playfully calling him a "jerk lawyer" in her excitement, a nickname he quickly admonishes her for. Later, as Zhang Guoguo leaves Jinluge, she again encounters Li Yunkai.
He first asks about Song Xiuhua’s whereabouts, which Zhang Guoguo refuses to disclose. He then reiterates his need for her help with the car, driven by persistent pressure from his parents. Zhang Guoguo boards a bus to avoid him, but he follows her on. Inside the crowded and jostling bus, they exchange annoyed glances. During a sudden stop, Zhang Guoguo nearly falls, but Li Yunkai quickly catches her.
She shows no gratitude, still resentful over his past actions with Xu Xiaoqin. When the bus jolts again, Zhang Guoguo falls and scrapes her knee. Li Yunkai sets aside their squabble, helps her up, and demands a seated passenger give up their spot for her. After repeated refusals, a frustrated Li Yunkai yells, finally getting the passenger to yield the seat. Once they exit the bus, Li Yunkai attentively cleans Zhang Guoguo’s injured leg. Seeing her unusually docile, he jokingly pretends to treat a non-existent injury on her forehead, drawing two long lines on it.
