Broker Episode 24 Recap
> Broker Recap
After a moment of self-realization, Qiu Jiaxin, through an internal monologue, affirmed her feelings for Qin Bin, noting his cynical yet passionate nature, his dedication to love, and his stoicism in heartbreak. She felt compelled to confess her feelings to him that day. She then called Qin Bin from a café, telling him she had something important to say and to wait for her. Qin Bin, confused, agreed.
Rushing back to the hospital, breathless, she tried to speak, but before she could, a delivery person arrived with a birthday cake and candles for Qin Bin. Qin Bin explained he had arranged them for Qiu Jianing's birthday. Jiaxin's heart sank as she realized Qin Bin had traded shifts to celebrate her sister's birthday, and he confirmed he was still pursuing Qiu Jianing. Bitterly, Jiaxin declined his invitation to join, claiming she had other plans.
When Qin Bin pressed her about what she wanted to say earlier, she stumbled, then tearfully claimed she had forgotten, abruptly yelling at him when he called her stupid. With a heavy heart, she left for home. As the workday ended, Qin Bin arrived at the lab with a cake and flowers for Qiu Jianing's birthday. Her colleagues were delighted, making chemistry-themed toasts and wishes, including Qin Bin, who compared knowing Jianing to various explosive chemical reactions.
After blowing out her candles, everyone was suddenly drawn to spectacular fireworks exploding outside the window. As her colleagues exclaimed at the beauty, Qiu Jianing recognized the significance of the fireworks, recalling a conversation with Zhou Xiaoshan where she told him watching fireworks was her favorite item on their list of "ten things for lovers," and how her parents had shot fireworks for her birthday when she was little. Understanding, she quickly made her way outside.
Zhou Xiaoshan had left work early, having set off the fireworks himself. When Qiu Jianing arrived at the spot, she found an hourglass and briefly caught sight of Zhou Xiaoshan's shadow before he hid. Speaking aloud, she told him she had changed her mind about wanting to be the sun in a next life; instead, she wished to be a fish with a seven-second memory.
In vivid detail, she described how she would use those seven seconds to erase all their shared memories: from their first meeting on the bus, his comforting embrace during a shot, his heroic act of saving her from a fire, the noodles he cooked, his confession of love, and ultimately, his very existence from her world. Despite this, she declared, "I don't regret loving you. Thank you for the fireworks. Let's draw a period for our love."
Just as Zhou Xiaoshan was about to emerge, Qin Bin arrived, asking what she was doing. Qiu Jianing replied that she was "just spending some time alone," and Qin Bin led her away. As Mo Li was leaving after practice, Qiu Jiaxin approached her, asking her to stay and help her "release some tension" because she was in a bad mood. Meanwhile, Qin Bin and Qiu Jianing discussed the fireworks.
Qin Bin, relying on intuition he compared to a man's sixth sense regarding a love rival, was certain Zhou Xiaoshan had set them off, given it wasn't a holiday. Qiu Jianing confirmed that it was the last item on a list of "ten things for lovers to do" that she and Zhou Xiaoshan had promised to complete when they were together, a list he had initiated.
Qin Bin found the breakup suspicious, questioning why Zhou Xiaoshan would return for fireworks if he didn't love her. He drew an analogy to the difficulty of clipping the toes of mice one had raised, arguing that long-term interaction, even with animals, develops feelings. Qiu Jianing countered that any lingering good feelings from Zhou Xiaoshan were not love, but a "short and cheap" bond that developed over time and should be severed cleanly.
Qin Bin thought she was being cruel to herself, but Qiu Jianing remained firm, stating she had never given him hope and wouldn't give herself false hope either. Concurrently, Mo Li encouraged Qiu Jiaxin to vent her anger by imagining the sandbag as her enemy. Qiu Jiaxin furiously punched the bag, verbalizing her deep resentment towards Qin Bin for not recognizing her feelings, making her work for him, acting as his wingman, and constantly bullying her.
After their venting session, Qiu Jiaxin and Mo Li went for drinks. Jiaxin confessed that she now understood Mo Li's feelings, acknowledging that love is inherently involuntary. She began to drink heavily, declaring she was celebrating a love that "never started and is already over." Jiaxin revealed it was the one-year anniversary of her meeting Qin Bin. She initially found him irritating, believing he flirted indiscriminately.
However, one day, Qin Bin taught her about the importance of kindness in medicine, explaining that giving hope to dying patients outweighs concerns for his own reputation. This lesson revealed his truly kind, warm-hearted, and passionate nature, and she unknowingly fell for him. Mo Li was surprised to learn Jiaxin liked Qin Bin, especially since he was her master and almost ten years older. Jiaxin admitted she hadn't realized her feelings then.
She only understood when she saw her sister secretly struggling after her breakup, which made her own heart "go crazy." She wanted to confess but lost her resolve when Qin Bin rushed to celebrate Qiu Jianing's birthday. Although her heart ached, Jiaxin laughed, recalling Qin Bin's advice about calmly accepting defeat in love. She felt content, having done everything willingly, and viewed the journey of liking him as a beautiful process.
She then made a toast, stating she had gained two experiences – falling in love and falling out of love – and hoped to start anew after finishing her drink. Mo Li brought a heavily intoxicated Qiu Jiaxin home. Qiu Jianing, seeing her sister in that state, was initially accusatory towards Mo Li, who retorted that Jianing should reflect on her own actions. Crying, Jiaxin expressed her inadequacy, wishing she could be as composed and strong as Jianing.
Jianing comforted her, assuring her that with family support, she didn't need to be so strong, and that "kids who are loved have the right to be unreasonable sometimes." Jiaxin's crying escalated, and she angrily called Qin Bin a "pig," though she couldn't articulate why, only that she didn't want to be bullied anymore. The next morning, colleagues discussed the fireworks, concluding Zhou Xiaoshan was the orchestrator.
They found his breakup with Qiu Jianing puzzling, speculating he might have felt unworthy of her, contrasting her successful background with his. Qiu Jiaxin slept for an entire day and night. When Jianing finally questioned her, Jiaxin made various excuses, blaming work stress, her mother's persistent blind date arrangements, and monthly hormonal fluctuations. She then demanded Jianing cook for her.
Jianing, finding the fridge empty, was reminded of Zhou Xiaoshan, who, in a separate scene, was seen waking on a sofa looking bitter. Jianing prepared some simple food, and Jiaxin asked how one could share an office with an ex without it being awkward. Jianing advised taking things naturally, suggesting exes could still be friends, a notion Jiaxin found easy to say but hard to do, losing her appetite.
Later, Qin Bin messaged Qiu Jiaxin, asking her to buy him breakfast, and then called her to rush her. Annoyed, Jiaxin muttered that he only dared to order her around because she liked him, and she wouldn't let him be so arrogant. The following morning, Qin Bin arrived at work to curious stares from colleagues. He immediately went to Jiaxin, asking if he looked strange.
Still groggy, Jiaxin poked fun at his appearance, remarking on new wrinkles and white hairs, claiming he was "fast-forwarding to the mid-age male league." Zhao Yan then revealed the reason for the stares: someone had posted an "auction" for Qin Bin online, listing him as a "highly educated, highly paid, high IQ, high-quality, pureblood stud for sale" for ¥438, attracting many mocking comments. Qiu Jiaxin silently smirked.
Qin Bin confronted her, suspecting she was the culprit, but she denied it, refusing to let him see her phone as Zhao Yan also pressured her. In the lab, colleagues discussed relationships, with one remarking that if two people have no "chemical reaction," they are "inert matter" and nothing will happen between them, citing Qin Bin and Qiu Jianing as an example. Meanwhile, Xiaoxiao revealed a plan.
She asked Li Chunran, who was getting her marriage certificate with Zhang Yu in a few days and planned to treat everyone to dinner, to use the opportunity to "get uncooked rice and immediately cook it" for Qiu Jianing and Zhou Xiaoshan. A few days later, Li Chunran and Zhang Yu returned with their marriage certificate to jubilant colleagues who immediately demanded a celebratory dinner. Zhou Xiaoshan initially tried to excuse himself, claiming he had "personal things on."
However, Li Chunran became upset, interpreting his absence as disrespect on her important day, and playfully threatened to tear up their new marriage certificate. After much pleading from his colleagues, Zhou Xiaoshan reluctantly agreed to attend. At the celebratory dinner, Li Chunran and Zhang Yu were showered with blessings and toasts, with colleagues wishing them a lifetime of happiness and many children.
As they were continually plied with drinks, a tipsy Zhang Yu, hoping to "make some action tonight," pleaded with Zhou Xiaoshan for help. Zhou Xiaoshan, ever obliging, agreed to drink on behalf of Zhang Yu, even accepting the demand to drink double portions.
