Broker Episode 39 Recap
> Broker Recap
Qin Bin initiated a video call with Qiu Jiaxin, who was in a dimly lit room due to a power outage. He noticed she was eating dry instant noodles and had missed both breakfast and lunch, expressing concern for her well-being. Qiu Jiaxin casually mentioned that student parents had brought her candles.
Taking the opportunity, Qin Bin asked her to marry him when she returned, but her phone's battery died at that precise moment, and she did not hear his proposal. Qin Bin was left wondering if she had heard him at all. Meanwhile, Zhou Xiaoshan, determined to get answers, insisted on seeing Xiang Lan alone, promising Uncle Zha his desired response afterward. Uncle Zha agreed.
Alone with Zhou Xiaoshan, Xiang Lan mistook him for Wenzhao, crying about her inability to forget "Brother Xiaoshan" and pleading for help. Zhou Xiaoshan embraced her, gently clarifying that he was indeed Zhou Xiaoshan, her "Brother Xiaoshan." Xiang Lan then urgently warned him to leave, claiming "they" would kill him, and terrifyingly revealed that "they" had killed his mother.
This shocking revelation left Zhou Xiaoshan stunned, but Xiang Lan quickly fell into another mental episode, preventing him from extracting any more details. Uncle Zha then led a distraught Zhou Xiaoshan away. Zhou Xiaoshan confronted Uncle Zha, accusing him of his mother's murder based on Xiang Lan's words. Uncle Zha initially dismissed Xiang Lan as a madwoman and tried to deflect the blame, suggesting Zhou Xiaoshan was responsible for her mental state.
Enraged, Zhou Xiaoshan held a dagger to Uncle Zha's throat, demanding the truth, even as a gun was aimed at his own head. Cornered, Uncle Zha confessed: Zhou Xiaoshan's mother had pleaded for her son to live a normal life, but Uncle Zha, fearing betrayal and determined to keep Zhou Xiaoshan for his plans, killed her. Xiang Lan had witnessed the murder and, in her distress, threatened to expose him.
To silence her, Uncle Zha fabricated her insanity and had her committed to a mental institution. Overwhelmed by this horrifying confession, Zhou Xiaoshan wept, proclaiming his mother's innocence and vowing revenge. However, Uncle Zha cruelly used Qiu Jianing as leverage, calling Zhou Xiaoshan's love for her his "weakness" and threatening her life. This forced Zhou Xiaoshan to drop the dagger and beg Uncle Zha not to harm Qiu Jianing. Uncle Zha then taunted Zhou Xiaoshan for his perceived weakness.
Qin Bin received another video call from Qiu Jiaxin, but this time her face was not visible. Her voice was weak as she confessed, "Is it true that I've never told you in your face that I liked you?" Qin Bin initially dismissed it as a sudden confession, but Qiu Jiaxin, in a fragile tone, spoke of having a long life to figure out her feelings.
As Qin Bin pressed to see her, he noticed her face was covered in blood. Qiu Jiaxin then admitted, "Master, I may. . . I may not be able to see you again!" before tearfully declaring her love for him, regretting her past hesitation. " As I am reaching the end of life," she said, "I finally realized. I do love you. I won't be able to buy you breakfast from now on." The call abruptly ended.
Zhao Yan then delivered devastating news to a panicked Qin Bin: a massive landslide had buried Qiu Jiaxin's volunteer village, engulfing many farmhouses and leaving six people missing, including Qiu Jiaxin. Qin Bin immediately wanted to go search for her, but Zhao Yan restrained him, explaining that the area was chaotic with ongoing military rescue operations and that Qin Bin would only hinder efforts. At the hospital, Qiu Jiaxin's parents and Qiu Jianing waited anxiously.
Her father recalled how he had tried to dissuade Qiu Jiaxin from volunteering in such a difficult place, but she had insisted. They soon received news that Qiu Jiaxin had been found but was in critical condition, having sustained severe injuries while protecting a patient. Qiu Jiaxin's mother, distraught, angrily confronted Qin Bin, blaming him for her daughter's broken engagement and subsequent decision to volunteer. Qiu Father arranged for Qiu Jiaxin to be transferred for the best possible treatment.
Qin Bin was consumed by guilt, and Qiu Jianing blamed herself for being a poor sister, having spent years abroad and often scolding Qiu Jiaxin instead of spending quality time with her. Overcome with emotion, Qin Bin excused himself to buy food, then broke down crying in private. Qiu Jianing also shed tears, silently praying for Qiu Jiaxin's survival, and sent a concerned message to Zhou Xiaoshan's phone. Meanwhile, Zhou Xiaoshan, still a captive, refused to eat.
Mo Li tried to persuade him, asking if Qiu Jianing was worth such sacrifice and reminding him that revealing the Plan-O formula to Uncle Zha would grant him freedom as promised. Zhou Xiaoshan countered, asserting that Uncle Zha never intended to free him, citing his mother's murder and Xiang Lan's insanity as evidence of Uncle Zha's cruelty.
He challenged Mo Li to fight for her own desired outcome, asking if she wouldn't prefer a normal, happy life like Qiu Jiaxin's instead of their current one. Mo Li admitted to envying Qiu Jiaxin but felt trapped without choices. Zhou Xiaoshan insisted that one could always choose to fight for a different life, and for him, that meant refusing to commit further evil.
He attributed this newfound resolve to Qiu Jianing, who taught him that kindness exists in the world alongside evil. Mo Li, frustrated, declared him "doomed." Qiu Jiaxin was rushed back to the hospital, critically injured with multiple traumas, including head, neck, and chest injuries, all sustained while trying to protect a patient. Her father considered transferring her, fearing for her life, but the doctors assured him she was receiving the best care there. Moments later, Qiu Jiaxin awoke.
Her family rushed to her side, and her mother, who had finally spoken to Qiu Jiaxin, fainted. Qin Bin took her hand, pleading with her to be brave and fight, emphasizing the importance of her willpower. However, Qiu Jiaxin, in immense pain, confessed she couldn't hold on. Doctors were called back as she struggled again.
The medical team explained that they had done everything possible and her survival now rested on her own will to live, advising the family to say their goodbyes. Qiu Jianing rushed in, reassuring her sister that her pain meant she was still reacting to the world. She lauded Qiu Jiaxin for her bravery in protecting a patient and urged her to fight for her recovery, reminding her not to waste her efforts to become a better person.
Qin Bin joined in, encouraging her to yell at him if the pain became unbearable. Both Qiu Jianing and Qin Bin stayed by her side through the night, continuously offering comfort and encouragement until Qiu Jiaxin pulled through. With Qiu Jiaxin finally out of immediate danger, Qin Bin expressed his gratitude to Qiu Jianing for helping her sister find the will to survive. Qin Bin then inquired about Zhou Xiaoshan, prompting Qiu Jianing to share her growing unease.
She found his recent text messages unusually cold and distant, suspecting Uncle Zha's involvement. Qiu Jianing also revealed that the air conditioner in Zhou Xiaoshan's former dormitory had been deliberately damaged, leading the dorm administrator to believe he intentionally broke it to get closer to her. Qin Bin then confided in Qiu Jianing, sharing Zhou Xiaoshan's unsettling words from before he left: "Take good care of Jianing. . . Just in case I can't come back."
This confirmed Zhou Xiaoshan had anticipated danger, though the nature of it remained a mystery. Concerned, Qiu Jianing called Wenzhao, hoping for answers. Wenzhao, weak and in a hospital bed, was evasive about Zhou Xiaoshan's secrets, though he did assure her that Zhou Xiaoshan was alive. Despite her persistent questioning about Zhou Xiaoshan's activities with Uncle Zha and Xiang Lan, Wenzhao refused to elaborate, stating it was "their own business."
Qin Bin tried to calm Qiu Jianing, urging her to trust Zhou Xiaoshan and not to conjure up worst-case scenarios, believing he would contact her soon. Back in her dorm room, Qiu Jianing received a call from Zhou Xiaoshan's phone, but it was Uncle Zha on the other end. He chillingly informed her that Zhou Xiaoshan no longer loved her and that the man she thought she knew was merely an illusion, a lie.
Challenging her to uncover Zhou Xiaoshan's true identity and his reasons for approaching her, Uncle Zha invited her to come find the answers herself, confidently stating he knew she was brave enough to do so. Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoshan became visibly distressed, pleading with Uncle Zha to leave Qiu Jianing out of their conflict. However, Uncle Zha remained unperturbed, simply telling a frantic Zhou Xiaoshan to calm down and prepare an explanation for Qiu Jianing, whose flight was landing in an hour.
