Blossoms Shanghai Episode 22 Recap
> Blossoms Shanghai Recap
Police apprehended Qiang Mujie on suspicion of stock manipulation and malicious acquisition, requesting his return to the public security bureau for investigation. Qiang Mujie initially wanted to wait until the stock market closed before leaving, and just before his departure, he received a phone call, ending it with only four words: "We'll meet again." He then refused to cooperate with the police investigation and was lawfully detained.
An inspection team had detected underlying issues related to his activities, but showed respect by allowing him to work for a few final minutes before his apprehension. Around the same time, Ling Zi's Night Tokyo restaurant held its grand reopening, drawing a continuous stream of new and old customers, including friends from his Japan Chamber of Commerce, eager to sample his cooking.
Ling Zi was exceptionally busy, while Ling Hong, Tao Tao, and Ge Laoshi, the three major shareholders, were overjoyed by the bustling business. Ling Hong and Ge Laoshi considered simply remaining stable small shareholders. Qiang Mujie, however, was late, leading Ling Zi to give his reserved seat to another customer. Tao Tao, to boost the restaurant's popularity, had privately invited numerous friends, resulting in a lack of available seating.
Ling Zi immediately imposed a new rule that all future diners must make reservations. To ease tensions between Tao Tao and Ling Zi, Ling Hong arranged for her friends to sit at an added table in her own nearby shop. Ge Laoshi advised Tao Tao against complaining, acknowledging Ling Zi's significant efforts. Tao Tao, witnessing the situation, was thankful that A Bao had not attended, as only a small corner seat would have been available for him.
Three days prior, Ling Zi had sent an invitation to Ye Shu for A Bao, but Ye Shu, considering A Bao's current relationship with Ling Zi, had prevented A Bao from attending. During the investigation, Li Li was informed that someone (referred to as "the neighbor") had confessed, implicating Zhizhenyuan as their gathering point. Li Li demanded a face-to-face confrontation, insisting along with Qiang Mujie that they had committed no violations.
Li Li was detained and held in a room for almost 24 hours. She adamantly denied any involvement in stock manipulation, claimed complete ignorance regarding the accusations, and strongly distanced herself from any investors. Ye Shu, upon learning of Li Li's detention, advised A Bao to sell all his shares in Baoying Company if she was not released within 24 hours, fearing he would be entirely trapped. A Bao grew restless, desperately seeking information about Li Li's situation.
As Li Li remained in custody, Minmin and Manager Pan struggled to maintain operations at Zhizhenyuan. Lu Meilin seized the opportunity to spread malicious rumors about Li Li to other restaurant owners, gossiping that A Bao would never be interested in a problematic woman. This led customers to avoid Zhizhenyuan. With payday approaching and Li Li absent, Minmin worked hard to calm the worried employees.
Manager Pan resorted to using a portion of the restaurant's cash to pay salaries, leading to a chaotic scene as suppliers, also demanding payment, scrambled for the money. Suddenly, A Bao arrived at Zhizhenyuan, intentionally choosing to dine in the main hall rather than a private room. His presence helped stabilize the employees' emotions and instantly silenced Lu Meilin and the other restaurant owners present, who had been reveling in the gossip.
A Bao remained in Zhizhenyuan for the entire afternoon, patiently waiting. Further police investigations revealed a connection between Qiang Mujie and the Shenzhen Lantian case from years ago. Qiang Mujie maintained that it was a civil case that had already been settled. However, authorities also suspected Li Li's involvement. Police questioned Qiang Mujie about the whereabouts of his former partner, Chen Zhen, to which he claimed to be completely unaware and falsely stated he had not known her previously.
Meanwhile, police presented Li Li with an identification card bearing the name Li Li, but she denied recognizing the person depicted. The following morning, Ling Zi instructed Xiao Qin to send thank-you letters to all the guests who had attended the reopening. He then noticed Ling Hong packing her luggage, intending to leave for Beijing to join friends. Ling Zi surmised the reason for Ling Hong's departure and offered her tens of thousands of yuan.
Ling Hong, however, refused to accept the money, silently expressing her gratitude to Ling Zi in her heart. Ling Zi reflected on the hardships he and Ling Hong had endured together in Japan, feeling a mix of emotions as they parted ways. Ling Hong, recalling their journey from meeting in Japan to establishing their independent shops, felt it was time for her to forge her own path. Eventually, Qiang Mujie was released.
He immediately went to Night Tokyo, which had already closed for the day. He insisted on booking a spot for the next day, but was told it was fully booked. Qiang Mujie expressed his willingness to wait, promising to send a deposit the following day and offering to pay with a credit card. Ling Zi, however, only accepted cash, prompting Qiang Mujie to suggest that Ling Zi should keep up with modern payment trends, a suggestion Ling Zi seemingly noted.
He also proactively helped Ling Zi fix his water heater. Qiang Mujie later had a dishwasher and a new water heater sent to Night Tokyo, though Ge Laoshi was unappreciative of these gifts. A Bao's wait at Zhizhenyuan ended when he finally received a call from Li Li, who had also been released.
She returned directly to Zhizhenyuan, where A Bao met her and gave her the money he owed her in commissions, directly from his car's trunk, causing Li Li's eyes to well up with tears. Li Li used this money to pay her employees' salaries and distribute generous severance packages as bonuses, leading to widespread envy among employees of other restaurants. After Li Li had handled the restaurant's affairs, A Bao offered to take her out to eat.
However, Li Li, having not slept for 24 hours, was completely exhausted and fell asleep in A Bao's car. A Bao gently drove her around for some time before parking by a quiet roadside, patiently waiting for her to wake up. He leaned against the trunk, contemplatively smoking, while Li Li, upon waking, quietly observed A Bao outside the car. Later, Ling Zi visited Wang Mingzhu, bringing an opening gift for her.
Ling Zi expressed that he felt responsible for Wang Mingzhu's departure from her previous position and vowed to compensate her fully. He promised unwavering support for any future needs, regardless of her current role in the foreign trade company, emphasizing that she would always be "Miss Wang." Before leaving, Ling Zi took numerous business cards, intending to promote Wang Mingzhu's company to the Japan Chamber of Commerce.
