Broker Episode 16 Recap
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Zhou Xiaoshan confronted Mo Li about why she had approached Qiu Jianing behind his back, warning her that if she messed things up, his plan would be compromised. Mo Li claimed she only wanted to confirm if he had truly fallen for Qiu Jianing. She pointed out that when he spoke about Qiu Jianing, his tone and expression betrayed his hidden affections, even in front of her.
Mo Li questioned if his feelings had become real, reminding him of his panic when Qiu Jianing misunderstood him. Zhou Xiaoshan dismissed her words as nonsense, accusing her and Uncle Zha of not trusting him. Mo Li insisted she was on his side and hadn't told Uncle Zha about them. For the last time, Zhou Xiaoshan emphasized that his actions were solely for the mission and that Mo Li would be responsible if her recklessness led to its failure.
Qiu Jianing was saddened by Zhou Xiaoshan's apparent betrayal. Her sister, Qiu Jiaxin, checked on her and then revealed that Mo Li was Zhou Xiaoshan's sister, a fact Qiu Jianing was unaware of. Qiu Jiaxin found it strange that Zhou Xiaoshan had never mentioned his sister despite their closeness.
Qiu Jiaxin then recounted how she met Mo Li: she picked up a sales call for an MMA academy, which was originally intended for Qiu Jianing, and Mo Li was the caller. Qiu Jianing, however, changed the subject, asking if one could determine the cause of an injury from a scar. Qiu Jiaxin explained that blunt force wounds are larger but shallower, while sharp objects leave smaller but deeper wounds.
Qiu Jianing then described a long chest scar and asked if it could be from a knife, to which Qiu Jiaxin confirmed it was very likely. When asked why she was asking, Qiu Jianing feigned interest in a detective novel. Later, Qiu Jianing messaged her friend Bass, asking for a favor. Qiu Jianing ignored a call from Zhou Xiaoshan, needing time to calm down.
Meanwhile, Qin Bin tried to get Qiu Jiaxin to join him for patient rounds, but she refused, saying she had work to finish and he could go alone. Later, Mo Li approached Qiu Jiaxin, wanting to explain things. Qiu Jiaxin, however, expressed her disappointment, feeling that Mo Li and Zhou Xiaoshan had been secretive and untrustworthy.
She questioned the coincidence of Mo Li being Zhou Xiaoshan's sister and having contacted Qiu Jianing, and accused Mo Li of treating her and her sister as "others." Mo Li quickly clarified that she and Zhou Xiaoshan were indeed siblings, though not by blood, and that he had saved her life as a child. She offered to share her past if Qiu Jiaxin still suspected her.
Separately, Zhou Xiaoshan attempted to speak with Qiu Jianing, but she deferred the conversation until after work. Overwhelmed by Mo Li's revelation, Qiu Jiaxin needed a moment to process the information. While reviewing reports, Qiu Jianing noticed abnormal data in one group of mice and immediately went to the lab. There, she learned that Zhou Xiaoshan frequently visited to record data.
Back in her office, Qiu Jianing received an investigation report from her friend Bass, which stated that there was no clear reason for Zhou Xiaoshan's departure from Merck Group, suggesting he might be seeking something specific at Original Life. Recalling Mo Li's previous visit disguised as a delivery person, Qiu Jianing grew more convinced that the situation was complex. She confronted Zhou Xiaoshan, accusing him of hiding too much.
She pressed him about Mo Li, questioning why he never mentioned his sister, why Mo Li had hugged him intimately, and why Mo Li had posed as a delivery worker to spy on her. Qiu Jianing specifically recalled not ordering the green dumplings Mo Li delivered and Mo Li's sales call from the MMA academy, noting that Mo Li's activities consistently involved her. Zhou Xiaoshan claimed Mo Li's story was complicated but that he could explain.
Qiu Jianing then shifted to a different concern: the abnormal data in one of Yang Haiquan's mouse groups. She noted that Yang Haiquan consistently met Zhou Xiaoshan, who was recording data, every day at 1 PM during injections. Despite Zhou Xiaoshan's argument that he was merely following her instructions to document data and prevent risks, Qiu Jianing found it too coincidental that he was present every single time the technician administered injections.
Zhou Xiaoshan handed her a data report, explaining that his frequent presence was due to the large variance in Section 5's data, which he suspected was caused by Yang Haiquan's inexperience. He claimed he gave Yang Haiquan corrective instructions, leading to the decreased variance the following week. Qiu Jianing then directly asked why he left the prestigious Merck Group with its excellent conditions to join Plan-O. Zhou Xiaoshan, annoyed by her investigation, revealed he faced discrimination at Merck.
He recounted being isolated, transferred, and assigned difficult tasks because his hard work made others look bad. He eventually realized that, in their eyes, an unknown Asian was not qualified to work in scientific research with them. He challenged her to believe that discrimination was his reason for leaving.
Qiu Jianing, however, was not fully convinced, pointing to his "mysterious" sister and the scar on his chest as evidence that he was not an ordinary researcher and demanded the full truth. Zhou Xiaoshan stated that he couldn't explain it all directly but offered to take her to a place where he could provide answers to all her questions, though he warned that this truth would mean losing her.
Zhou Xiaoshan took Qiu Jianing to a prison museum, promising answers even if it meant losing her. Once there, he revealed that the scar on his chest was sustained in prison. He explained that as a child, he made a mistake, was jailed, and severely tortured, nearly dying until Uncle Zha rescued him. From then on, Uncle Zha treated him like his own son, providing for his education and well-being.
Zhou Xiaoshan further explained that Mo Li was also adopted by Uncle Zha and shared a similar background, causing her to be very dependent on him. Her erratic behavior around Qiu Jianing stemmed from her fear of losing Zhou Xiaoshan, as she had so few family members. He stated that Qiu Jianing, being from a different world, could not fathom the darkness he had experienced.
Qiu Jianing was not disgusted by his past; instead, she questioned why he had hidden it, asking if he feared her looking down on him. She affirmed that no one chooses their birth and admired his courage in overcoming such circumstances, declaring she only hated evil people, not fighters.
Despite her understanding, Zhou Xiaoshan insisted they part ways, stating they were from two different worlds, like the sun and the moon, day and night, making it impossible for them to be together, even if he loved her. Qiu Jianing watched him leave, tears streaming down her face. Zhou Xiaoshan received a call from Uncle Zha, who asked if Qiu Jianing believed his explanations and what his next steps were.
Zhou Xiaoshan later confided in Mo Li that while Qiu Jianing was convinced about Mo Li's relationship with him, her suspicion regarding his work had not been entirely eliminated. He decided they would have to continue lying. He then manipulated laboratory surveillance footage. Mo Li observed that suspicion, once planted, was difficult to remove, and that one lie often necessitated many more. The next day, Qiu Jianing requested surveillance footage from the lab and the entire building.
Initially, the footage seemed normal, but upon closer inspection and requesting more specific recordings, she confirmed the data was problematic, and her suspicion grew when she recalled a casual joke Zhou Xiaoshan made about "Rat Flowers" needing mouse droppings as fertilizer, realizing this was a lie, as the flowers are resilient and don't require such a specific type of fertilizer.
When Zhou Xiaoshan appeared, Qiu Jianing confronted him, confirming that the lab data was indeed problematic and accusing him of ulterior motives. He maintained his stance, claiming he only took her joke seriously. Qiu Jianing apologized for misunderstanding him. Zhou Xiaoshan insisted she didn't need to apologize, reiterating that they were from different worlds and he was unworthy of her.
He spoke of his humble birth and complicated past contrasting with her wealthy family and simple, clean background, stating he must face reality. Qiu Jianing argued that no one chooses their birth and that he shouldn't isolate himself, emphasizing that she didn't despise him. However, Zhou Xiaoshan cut her off, refusing to listen to further explanations. Later, Qiu Jianing sent Zhou Xiaoshan an apology message.
She then overheard Qiu Jiaxin advising a friend on how to reconcile after a breakup, suggesting persistence in explaining things to show love, which made Qiu Jianing thoughtful. Meanwhile, Mo Li urged Zhou Xiaoshan to break up with Qiu Jianing and resign, believing he had obtained the formula. Zhou Xiaoshan corrected her, explaining that while one reagent was a placebo, he couldn't determine the formula for the other due to a small sample size.
He stressed the importance of Qiu Jianing's trust for his continued undercover mission. Qiu Jianing then arranged to meet Zhou Xiaoshan under the guise of work-related matters, hoping he would forgive her. She apologized again, explaining her suspicions weren't due to their differences. He claimed he wasn't angry but rather disappointed in himself, reiterating his unworthiness and her right to suspect him.
When she tried to explain further, he stood up to leave, asking if she had anything else to say before departing. As he walked away, he smirked, seemingly pleased by her distress. Hearing about their argument, Qiu Jiaxin confronted Zhou Xiaoshan, playfully threatening to tell Qin Bin about their falling out and calling his "cool mode" an act only Qiu Jianing would fall for.
She gave him an address: "8:30, meet me at 780 Shengyuan Rd," warning him that if he didn't go, she would send Qin Bin there. Zhou Xiaoshan agreed to go. Qiu Jiaxin later informed Qiu Jianing that she had convinced Zhou Xiaoshan to talk, despite his earlier refusal to listen to Qiu Jianing. She confidently stated the "universe had turned in her favor" and gave Qiu Jianing the same address, claiming it was a place where no couple failed to reconcile.
