Broker Episode 23 Recap
> Broker Recap
After a period of de-stressing, Qin Bin took Qiu Jianing for a drive, where the gentle jolting of the car helped her relax and fall asleep for three hours. Upon waking, Qiu Jianing realized Qin Bin was treating her like a child, although she felt she was no longer one.
As Qin Bin drove her home, Qiu Jianing admitted her recent low spirits, thanked him for his company, but confessed she had no intention of starting a new relationship at the moment. Qin Bin insisted he wasn't trying to take advantage, sharing that he had recently almost succeeded in pursuing a new nurse from their hospital, a woman as beautiful as Qiu Jianing.
However, he felt using a new relationship to forget a past one wasn't a reliable path for either of them. He then expressed hope that she wouldn't keep him as a "backup" simply because Zhou Xiaoshan had left her. Seeing Qiu Jianing laugh, Qin Bin revealed his true intention was to make her smile.
He then affirmed that while he would be willing if she considered him, he would genuinely wait until she had completely forgotten Zhou Xiaoshan before pursuing her again. Meanwhile, news of Qiu Jianing attending meetings with Qin Bin spread among her colleagues. Zhu Zhu, critical of Qiu Jianing, accused her of "leading on" both Qin Bin and Zhou Xiaoshan. Xiaoxiao quickly retorted, suggesting Zhu Zhu's remarks stemmed from jealousy.
Later, Zhou Xiaoshan confronted Zhu Zhu, stating that his breakup with Qiu Jianing was a private decision between the two of them and had nothing to do with anyone else. He demanded she stop spreading rumors, declaring his disdain for people who create chaos out of nothing. Zhu Zhu, however, mocked Zhou Xiaoshan, claiming he had used Qiu Jianing to swiftly advance his career, pointing out his rapid promotion compared to other long-serving senior researchers.
She then hinted at an upcoming project transfer to City A after the Chinese New Year and implied she had the power to influence his selection. Unfazed, Zhou Xiaoshan dismissed her threats and warned her that if she continued to spread gossip, he would expose her "shady deals." After their meeting, Qin Bin and Qiu Jianing had dinner.
Qiu Jiaxin, observing Qin Bin's attentive care towards her sister, felt a pang of unease, slowly realizing she might have developed feelings for Qin Bin. She later confided in Zhao Yan, asking what it felt like to like someone, a question Zhao Yan comically misinterpreted as her liking him.
This new self-awareness made Qiu Jiaxin awkward and defensive around Qin Bin, leading her to react strongly when he tried to check on her, leaving him utterly confused by her unusual behavior. Elsewhere, Zhou Xiaoshan's resentment towards Mo Li persisted.
Mo Li, in an attempt to manipulate him, showed him photos of Qiu Jianing and Qin Bin together, asserting that Qiu Jianing and Qin Bin belonged to the same world, and that Zhou Xiaoshan and Qiu Jianing could never have a future. Zhou Xiaoshan, visibly agitated, told her to stop, but Mo Li insisted, claiming Qiu Jianing never truly liked him and urging him to "wake up."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Zhou Xiaoshan stormed off, later deliberately causing trouble upstairs, which led to his arrest. Qiu Jianing received a phone call from the police, identifying herself as Zhou Xiaoshan's supervisor, and rushed to the station. Qin Bin, learning of the situation, followed her. At the police station, Qin Bin asked to speak with Zhou Xiaoshan alone.
He noted Zhou Xiaoshan's emotional outburst over a minor issue, contrasting it with his earlier composure, and deduced that Zhou Xiaoshan still cared for Qiu Jianing. Qin Bin speculated that the breakup was due to Zhou Xiaoshan's past, and tried to reassure him that Qiu Jianing was stronger than he imagined and capable of facing any challenges with him. Zhou Xiaoshan, however, curtly replied that Qin Bin "didn't know anything."
As Zhou Xiaoshan was about to leave with Mo Li, Qiu Jianing urged him to consider the consequences of his actions in the future, reminding him of his significant responsibilities and how his impulsiveness could jeopardize the entire project. He promised it wouldn't happen again. The following day, Qiu Jianing suffered from a persistent cough. Xiaoxiao, noticing her fever, attempted to find someone to take her to the hospital as Xiaoxiao had to attend to factory duties.
Li Chunran and other colleagues, feigning busyness, strategically compelled Zhou Xiaoshan to accompany Qiu Jianing. Despite his initial reluctance, Zhou Xiaoshan agreed after seeing her weak state. He drove her to the hospital but left soon after, asking Qin Bin to check on her. Shortly after, Qiu Jianing received an urgent call from the lab; the "Plan-O" patent application had been rejected due to duplication.
Upset, she immediately pulled out her IV drip and rushed back to the lab, foregoing medication. Concerned about Qiu Jianing's health, Qin Bin found Qiu Jiaxin and asked her to deliver the medicine to her sister. He also noticed Qiu Jiaxin's absentmindedness and playfully teased her about her earlier dramatic reaction, jokingly suggesting she might have heart problems, which she denied.
He then stated that in matters of the heart, one must follow fate, as some things simply cannot be forced. Back at the lab, it was revealed that the duplicate patent belonged to Harry, who had registered all the experimental results from their previous collaboration after Qiu Jianing's resignation, essentially targeting her. Qiu Jianing, blaming herself for the setback, resolved to develop a new synthesis process in the shortest possible time.
She plunged herself into work, becoming so engrossed that she forgot to take her medicine. Zhou Xiaoshan, noticing this, brought her water, but before he could offer it, she had already dry-swallowed the pills. He scolded her for her lack of common sense regarding medication. Despite his worries about her health, Qiu Jianing, after an afternoon of reviewing documents, found herself unexpectedly excited.
She explained to Zhou Xiaoshan that Harry's obstructive actions, paradoxically, had opened up an entirely new avenue of thought, leading her to discover many new possibilities. She emphasized that she pursued scientific research for the sheer enjoyment of it, not for external validation or revenge, and that difficulties only served as her motivation. Meanwhile, at the lab, Xiaoxiao, having forgotten her hair tie, used a pen to secure her hair before rushing into the lab.
That afternoon, she dramatically cut her long hair short to better comply with lab safety regulations. However, her male colleague Sun Lei, with a lack of tact, commented that her short hair was not as attractive as her long hair, much to the exasperation of Mo Mo and other female colleagues. Via a phone call, Qiu's mother began to fuss over Qiu Jiaxin's marital status, suggesting she meet Auntie Chen's son, an e-sports professional.
Qiu Jiaxin, however, tried to brush off the idea. Separately, Zhou Xiaoshan, inspired by the patent rejection, conveyed his renewed determination to Uncle Zha, promising not to make the same mistake again. The team planned a birthday dinner for Qiu Jianing for the next day, but she politely declined, citing their busy schedule with the new research and promising a grand celebration later. Qin Bin, visiting Professor Wang, serendipitously learned about Qiu Jianing's birthday from the front desk staff.
That evening, Qiu Jiaxin sat waiting for her blind date, plucking flower petals and repeatedly asking herself if she truly loved Qin Bin. Just as she was in a swirl of confusion, her blind date, Jiang Xiaoye, arrived. He observed her actions and sagely advised her that if she didn't pursue what she desired, she would live with regret, never knowing what opportunities she might have missed. Jiang Xiaoye's words struck a chord with Qiu Jiaxin, clearing her mental fog. Without another thought, she grabbed her bag and dashed out, leaving Jiang Xiaoye mid-introduction and neglecting to acknowledge him further.
