Broker Episode 2 Recap
> Broker Recap
Qin Bin realized he had wrongly accused Qiu Jiaxin and rushed to find her. He found her in the cafeteria, eating lunch. Approaching her with a plate of sweet and sour ribs and the last Yakult, he humbly apologized for his mistake. Qiu Jiaxin, however, responded sarcastically, stating that mentors are always right. Qin Bin insisted he was wrong and loudly declared his sincere apology, drawing the attention of everyone in the cafeteria.
Still not easily swayed, Qiu Jiaxin challenged him, saying that a Yakult and a few words wouldn't be enough for her to forgive him. She then presented her condition: she wanted to eat at a trendy restaurant. Qin Bin readily agreed to treat her, even offering to pay for anything, no matter the cost.
Qiu Jiaxin clarified that the food itself was only 100 Yuan, but the catch was that they couldn't reserve a table and would have to endure an average two-hour wait in line. Despite Qin Bin's initial suggestion to hire someone to wait for them, Qiu Jiaxin insisted that he do the waiting himself. He reluctantly agreed, telling her to call him when he reached the front of the line.
Zhou Xiaoshan, seeking a breakthrough, decided to approach Qiu Jianing, a new colleague. He found her struggling to move several packages and immediately offered his help. Qiu Jianing explained that she had purchased necessities during a Double 11 sale. To further his acquaintance, Zhou Xiaoshan suggested she treat him to a meal as thanks, and she agreed. At the restaurant, Qiu Jianing ordered "drunken shrimp."
Zhou Xiaoshan found the dish "tragic" but ultimately ate it, remarking that it was "quite good." Afterward, he brought up their work, noting that Su Qian was already preparing her report, while Professor Sun struggled to achieve ideal data, finding the disparity strange. Qiu Jianing mentioned that Su Qian had only shared basic project reports with her.
Zhou Xiaoshan then guessed that Su Qian wanted Qiu Jianing to be cautious around Professor Sun's team, to which Qiu Jianing simply stated that she doesn't tell lies, and Zhou Xiaoshan responded that he also dislikes lies. During their meal, Qiu Jianing received a phone call from her sister, Qiu Jiaxin, who announced her intention to study abroad at Qiu Jianing’s location.
Qiu Jianing realized her sister had lied to her previously about this and urged her to consider it carefully, asking if she had consulted their aunt and father. Qiu Jiaxin, however, declared she was responsible for her own youth and would run away if her parents didn’t agree. She then instructed Qiu Jianing to pick her up when she arrived.
Qiu Jianing awkwardly tried to explain she couldn’t pick her up, and, to avoid revealing she had returned to China, vaguely told her sister she was "abroad." Qiu Jiaxin didn't grasp the meaning or her sister's subtle lie and hung up, telling her to just be ready to pick her up later. After the call, Zhou Xiaoshan observed that Qiu Jianing was truly terrible at lying.
Later that evening, Zhou Xiaoshan messaged Qiu Jianing, saying he felt unwell, suspecting he ate something bad. Qiu Jianing, feeling fine herself, rushed to his dorm with medicine. Seeing how sick he was, she decided to stay and care for him. The following morning, Zhou Xiaoshan awoke to find Qiu Jianing asleep on the sofa.
He reflected on her phone conversation with Qiu Jiaxin, particularly her ambiguous remark about being "abroad," and wondered why Qiu Jianing was concealing her return to China from her own sister. He thanked Qiu Jianing for her help, and once she confirmed he was feeling better, she left. Su Qian inquired about the experimental results Weiwei was supposed to compile, but Weiwei looked troubled, admitting there had been no breakthrough.
Meanwhile, Qiu Jianing was using the copy machine when Li Chunran and others approached. Li Chunran expressed anticipation for Su Qian’s upcoming plan, which was quickly countered by Xiaoxiao, who voiced suspicion about how Su Qian achieved results so easily when Professor Sun had struggled for so long. Xiaoxiao also impatiently urged Qiu Jianing to finish with the copier. Li Chunran advised Qiu Jianing not to take Xiaoxiao’s comments personally, explaining she was merely worried about Professor Sun.
Li Chunran further elaborated on the complex dynamics between Su Qian and Professor Sun, noting that while Professor Sun wouldn't openly admit defeat by seeking help, he would eventually have to follow Su Qian's lead if her report were approved by headquarters. As Qiu Jianing reviewed the report, she discovered several inconsistencies.
She reported to Su Qian that the cell screening results on pages 8, 11, 15, and 17 showed inexplicable changes, with the last two applications of medicine yielding significant divergences compared to the first two, despite identical conditions. Weiwei quickly interjected, dismissing these as mere "errors in handling" and even blaming a colleague’s menstrual cramps for previous mistakes. Su Qian, angered by Weiwei's unprofessionalism, sent her out.
Qiu Jianing reiterated her concern about the sudden appearance of new results without any optimization of experimental conditions, emphasizing the report's lack of sufficient detail, especially given its imminent submission. Su Qian commended Qiu Jianing for her diligent work and scientific integrity, promising to figure out the next steps for verification. After Qiu Jianing left, Su Qian expressed her concern to Weiwei, stating that Weiwei’s outburst had nearly exposed their clandestine activities.
Realizing Qiu Jianing had already detected irregularities, Su Qian instructed Weiwei to be extra cautious and investigate Qiu Jianing’s background. Weiwei later reported that Qiu Jianing had studied abroad from a young age and worked as a researcher in an experimental lab, but Weiwei was unsure why she returned to China. Su Qian urged her to uncover that crucial detail. Later that evening, Zhou Xiaoshan found Qiu Jianing still at her desk, engrossed in documents.
He approached her, and Qiu Jianing confided that the experiment report was vaguely written, missing many critical details, and found Weiwei’s attitude strange. Zhou Xiaoshan agreed, highlighting the odd discrepancy between Professor Sun's lack of progress and Su Qian's quick results on similar projects, even though Professor Sun started earlier and their basic methods followed company procedures. He then offered to treat her to dinner, assuring her they wouldn't eat "anything that moves around" this time.
As they arrived at a restaurant, Qiu Jianing suddenly spotted Qiu Jiaxin and Qin Bin. She immediately grabbed Zhou Xiaoshan and quickly pulled him away to hide. Qiu Jiaxin caught a glimpse of her sister and tried to follow but couldn’t find them. Zhou Xiaoshan, puzzled, asked why Qiu Jianing was hiding from her family and hadn't told them she was back.
Qiu Jianing dismissively replied that she was simply "too lazy to say and explain anything" and refused to waste her time on such "non-important things." Back at their table, Qin Bin finally began to eat after Qiu Jiaxin had finished taking photos. He asked if she had an older sister, remarking that he suspected as much given her age.
Qiu Jiaxin clarified that they shared the same father but had different mothers; her father and her sister’s mother had parted ways, and years later, her father married her own mother. She then proudly and mysteriously declared her sister to be a "beauty, a scientist." Qin Bin scoffed, suggesting that the description should be "reduced by half," implying her sister was likely an ordinary lab worker, merely "washing experiment tubes."
Annoyed, Qiu Jiaxin vowed to bring her sister to meet him one day so he could see for himself. Meanwhile, Weiwei returned to Su Qian with information on Qiu Jianing's background. She revealed that Qiu Jianing had previously held a significant position in Professor Harry's esteemed laboratory. The reason for her departure, however, was that she had been fired for "academic misconduct."
Su Qian, aware of Professor Harry's prominence in European biology, surmised that Qiu Jianing must have committed a severe offense, likely falsification, and saw this as an opportunity for their own plans. Later, Weiwei approached Qiu Jianing, emphasizing the company's high stakes in the Plan-O project, which had over 200 million Yuan in pending funds. She explained that this funding depended on demonstrating "tangible data," making Su Qian’s report extremely critical.
Weiwei subtly suggested that any "disclosures" in the report could be addressed later, with the priority being the approval of funds. She also tried to flatter Qiu Jianing, implying her position in Su Qian's group would lead to shared success. After hearing Weiwei’s subtle pressure, Qiu Jianing decided to take direct action. She entered Professor Wang’s office, bypassing standard procedures, to voice her concerns about Su Qian’s experimental report.
She reiterated the inconsistencies on pages 8, 11, 15, and 17, specifically highlighting the conflicting cell screening results and emphasizing that the report lacked sufficient rigor and required thorough verification. Professor Wang listened to her but offered little reaction before dismissing her. Shortly after, Su Qian met with Professor Wang. She expressed surprise that Qiu Jianing had directly approached him, seemingly bypassing her.
Su Qian subtly pressed him to consider the "problems" Qiu Jianing had mentioned, while also discreetly bringing up Qiu Jianing's "resumé," hinting at her past. Professor Wang revealed he was already aware of Qiu Jianing's dismissal from Professor Harry's lab and stated he had his "own plans."
He explained that he had brought Su Qian into the company to introduce "fresh new people" and "expand the thinking around science," as Professor Sun's team, along with others, operated within his existing theoretical framework. He believed in the principle of "you can't build anything without breaking it." Professor Wang then firmly instructed Su Qian to keep Qiu Jianing's past academic issues confidential between them, stressing the paramount importance of a scientist’s career and reputation.
Surprised by Professor Wang’s unexpected defense of Qiu Jianing, Su Qian decided that she would find a way to make Qiu Jianing leave on her own terms. Qiu Jiaxin visited Qin Bin at the hospital, promising to avoid trouble during her internship in exchange for a recommendation letter for her overseas studies, which he agreed to write. Later, during lunchtime, Weiwei offered to treat the team to takeout.
Qiu Jianing placed an order for an Americano and a ham and cheese croissant, but when the food arrived, her order was conspicuously missing from the receipt. Weiwei offered weak excuses, suggesting the seller might have forgotten or that Qiu Jianing hadn’t added it to the cart, then dismissed calling the shop due to an upcoming meeting. Li Chunran kindly offered her muffin, but Qiu Jianing declined and went to the cafeteria to eat by herself.
Observing Qiu Jianing eating a salad alone, Zhou Xiaoshan realized that Weiwei’s actions were deliberate and that Qiu Jianing had likely offended Su Qian. However, Qiu Jianing remained unfazed, asserting that she was there for research, not to engage in social maneuvering or "split lunch bills." She scornfully remarked that "only weaklings will try and stay in the group to stay warm," and she didn't care about being isolated.
Meanwhile, Weiwei was gossiping with other colleagues, spreading the rumor that Qiu Jianing had been fired from Professor Harry's prestigious lab for "academic misconduct" and was only hired here because she was "pretty." Overhearing these hurtful comments, Qiu Jianing firmly declared that she would prove she was not a weak person. Later, as she waited for the bus with Zhou Xiaoshan, he told her he believed she was not weak and asked about the true reason for her dismissal.
Qiu Jianing, with a touch of pride, explained that Professor Harry had stolen the first draft of her thesis and published it without her permission. When she confronted him about it, she was subsequently fired. Zhou Xiaoshan recognized the article she was referring to as the one in Cure Magazine. Qiu Jianing stated that she saw no need to explain the situation to her colleagues, as she didn't require their understanding or trust. Zhou Xiaoshan then asked if his understanding and trust were also considered unnecessary.
