Broker Episode 5 Recap
> Broker Recap
Qiu Jianing decided to pursue a new research direction, hoping to return to the foundational work on small molecule inhibitors. She approached Zhou Xiaoshan, asking him to collaborate, stating he was the best choice in the lab. Zhou Xiaoshan initially expressed skepticism, believing the timeframe was too short to accomplish anything. Qiu Jianing reminded him of their previous conversation about Sisyphus and Thanatos, and her desire to make a difference.
She then asked if he would help, to which he eventually agreed. She outlined the plan to analyze telomerase's interaction with proteins using mass spectrometry to find new inspiration. The news of Qiu Jianing's approach quickly spread among the lab members. Colleagues gossiped about her decision to return to the research on small molecule inhibitors, which they had previously worked on for over a year without success, noting its serious side effects.
They found it "ridiculous" and questioned if she could succeed where many, including Professor Sun, had failed. When Sun Lei arrived, the conversation dissipated, and even Zhou Xiaoshan eventually left. One colleague, however, expressed concern that if Qiu Jianing succeeded, she would outshine Professor Sun, which he did not want. Later, Zhou Xiaoshan reported to Qiu Jianing that there had been no progress with the mass spectrometry.
Qiu Jianing, unperturbed, told him that it was fine to "waste time in life" and instructed him to also try cultivating crystals, emphasizing the need to explore all methods. Qin Bin, having just completed an all-night surgery, instructed Qiu Jiaxin to meticulously care for a patient in Bed 5, including two-hourly blood pressure checks.
He then tasked her with finding a bed for a new patient, despite Qiu Jiaxin's protests that their ward was already full and their previous agreement not to admit more. Qin Bin, undeterred, urged her to find a solution. Shortly after, an elderly woman was found crying in the hallway, having lost the surgery fees she had painstakingly collected for her son, who was in Bed 7 and about to undergo surgery.
Qin Bin immediately intervened, offering to lend her the money so the surgery could proceed. The woman, overwhelmed with gratitude, profusely thanked him, feeling her family had been saved. Later, Mo Li, disguised as a delivery person, brought takeout for Zhou Xiaoshan at the lab. Zhou Xiaoshan was clearly surprised to see her, while Qiu Jianing, who was present, merely asked if he had ordered more food because he hadn't had enough lunch, showing no suspicion.
She then advised him to get some fresh air. Soon after, Zhou Xiaoshan received a text message from Mo Li, revealing an apartment address: Ribeiting Apartments, Unit 01, Room 601. Qin Bin was then subjected to sarcastic remarks from Director Qian for his good deed. Qiu Jiaxin, noticing this, told Qin Bin that Director Qian was being sarcastic. She further chided him for being a "busybody," comparing him to her long-lived grandmother who avoided such behavior.
While acknowledging his "awesome" and "good heart," she urged him to save some living expenses each month. Qin Bin, however, simply relied on her to buy him breakfast. Later, while chatting with Sister Chen, Qiu Jiaxin was encouraged to persuade Qin Bin, who, despite being a young chief at their highly-ranked hospital, possessed even greater potential.
Sister Chen then revealed that Qin Bin hailed from a five-generation lineage of doctors, with his father being a renowned cardiologist in America who was already financially independent. Yet, Qin Bin chose to work on the "front line." Sister Chen also disclosed that at 18, Qin Bin had forgone university to embark on a world tour, supporting himself by busking after his family, angered, cut off his financial support. This revelation dramatically elevated Qin Bin's image in Qiu Jiaxin's eyes.
She immediately sought him out to verify the story, gushing about her envy for such an "unfettered life" and her willingness to make sacrifices for it. Qin Bin, however, cautioned her, stating that such a life "comes with a lot of sacrifices" and advised her to live a "down-to-earth life." Qiu Jiaxin rebutted, "I don't want a down-to-earth life. I just want an unfettered life. I am willing to make sacrifices for it."
To this, Qin Bin simply replied, "You won't." Meanwhile, Qin Bin continued to frequently visit the place where he last encountered Qiu Jianing, hoping to see her again, though his inquiries were always met with the same answer: she hadn't returned. During a meal, Qiu Jiaxin excitedly shared Qin Bin's story with Qiu Jianing, confessing her own desire for a "gap year."
However, Qiu Jianing cautioned her sister, explaining that such a life involved significant hardships like low-budget travel and financial distress, which she believed Qiu Jiaxin wouldn't be able to endure. Qiu Jiaxin playfully suggested their father could rescue her if things got tough, but Qiu Jianing dismissed this as undermining the true meaning of a gap year. After dinner, Qiu Jiaxin expressed an interest in visiting Qiu Jianing's dorm. As they arrived, they encountered Zhou Xiaoshan downstairs.
Qiu Jiaxin was visibly drawn to him, remarking that she felt they had met before, an idea Qiu Jianing quickly brushed aside. Inside, Qiu Jiaxin was thoroughly impressed by the spacious, two-story apartment, praising Qiu Jianing's company for its generosity compared to the hospital. She immediately declared her intention to move in, arguing it would save her an hour on her daily commute to her internship at Aoyoung Hospital.
When Qiu Jianing hesitated, Qiu Jiaxin grabbed her phone and threatened to inform their father about something. Left with no choice, Qiu Jianing reluctantly agreed, prompting Qiu Jiaxin to promise daily breakfast in return. Zhou Xiaoshan arrived at Mo Li's address, located in an apartment complex she had surveyed and deemed suitable as a hideout due to its high proportion of out-of-town tenants.
Mo Li confirmed that "Uncle Zha" had sent her to assist him on this crucial mission, stating she was fully briefed. Mo Li questioned the urgency of their task—to steal the experimental results of "Plan-O"—arguing that spying now, before significant progress, seemed like a "small gain, great loss."
Zhou Xiaoshan countered that continuous surveillance was necessary to track the project's development, especially given the "trillions" at stake if Plan-O succeeded, and the company's policy of withholding information until results were confirmed. Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by loud noises from an upstairs apartment. Mo Li, with her short temper, immediately went to confront the noisy neighbors, but Zhou Xiaoshan swiftly intervened, pulling her back. He explained that a confrontation could lead to police involvement and expose their identities.
He then informed Mo Li that she could not stay there, asserting that her presence would "stir the pot." He explicitly instructed her not to appear in front of him unless he contacted her, to which she reluctantly agreed. Unknown to Zhou Xiaoshan, Mo Li had a secondary, covert mission from Uncle Zha: to monitor Zhou Xiaoshan and report any unusual behavior, a task Uncle Zha presented as an opportunity for her personal growth.
Qiu Jianing’s experiments were stalled, leaving her questioning if she was being too unrealistic. Observing that she hadn't eaten lunch by 2 PM, Professor Wang visited her, gently reminding her of their first encounter at a Princeton seminar years ago. He recalled how a spirited, young Qiu Jianing had engaged him in discussions about apoptosis and tissue regeneration for hours, oblivious to the passage of time and his assistant’s repeated calls for dinner.
Qiu Jianing apologized for her youthful "immature" behavior," but Professor Wang praised her dedication, explaining that this seriousness was why he had recruited her despite her past dismissal from Professor Harry’s lab. He confirmed he had read Harry's controversial article, recognizing it as Qiu Jianing's "bold and novel idea" from their Princeton talks. Qiu Jianing clarified that Harry had published her initial draft using "backhanded tricks" against her wishes, a move she felt would damage the journal's credibility.
Professor Wang condemned Harry's actions as "disgraceful" and reaffirmed his trust in Qiu Jianing, hoping she wouldn't disappoint him as Su Qian had. Qiu Jianing vowed she wouldn't let him down. Meanwhile, Zhou Xiaoshan was diligently, but unsuccessfully, cultivating crystals, lamenting his lack of artistic talent for what he called an "art." Qiu Jianing, finding herself stuck, shared a drawing of "Foolish Wolf," a cartoon character she’d learned to draw.
She explained that this "mysterious ritual" provided her with energy and relief during stressful research moments. As she observed Zhou Xiaoshan’s challenges with crystal growth—specifically, how rapidly forming small crystals hindered structural analysis—a sudden inspiration struck her. She realized that while the genes, transcripts, and translations of telomeres might be identical in different cells, the crucial difference likely lay in their "post-translational modification".
Excited, she thanked Zhou Xiaoshan, expressing confidence in his eventual success with tumor cell telomerase crystals, and dashed off to the lab, leaving him behind. While waiting for the train, Qiu Jianing remained visibly excited. Noticing Zhou Xiaoshan looked tired, he admitted to not sleeping well. Qiu Jianing kindly offered him a pair of earplugs, remarking that "being able to sleep till morning is life's true happiness."
Their wait was interrupted by a man claiming to be a tourist whose money had been stolen and asking for ¥50. Zhou Xiaoshan immediately dismissed him, stating they had no cash. Qiu Jianing, however, gave the man the money. When he asked for her contact information to repay her, she declined but directed him to the "Plan-O Laboratory" in the tall building, where she introduced herself as Qiu Jianing. Zhou Xiaoshan scoffed, calling it an obvious "swindler's trick."
Qiu Jianing responded by emphasizing her choice of kindness: "What if it is real? Even if there is a 1 in a 1,000th chance, then I still could have helped a person in need. Even if he is a swindler like you said, he probably has his hardships. Otherwise, if he had money, why would he be out in the cold today? Kindness is a choice."
When the train arrived, Zhou Xiaoshan told Qiu Jianing to go ahead, claiming he had something to do. Instead of boarding, he discreetly followed the man, witnessing him repeatedly use the exact same story to deceive other unsuspecting individuals. Later that day, on his way home, Zhou Xiaoshan noticed a familiar figure in a delivery uniform heading towards Qiu Jianing's apartment. It was Mo Li, attempting to deliver takeout to Qiu Jianing, who had not ordered anything.
Qiu Jianing grew suspicious as Mo Li fumbled for answers, unable to name her delivery platform or adequately explain the unsolicited "green rice balls." Just as Qiu Jianing was about to press further, Zhou Xiaoshan arrived, quickly intervening by claiming he had ordered the green rice balls as a local specialty for Qiu Jianing, diffusing the situation.
Once alone, Zhou Xiaoshan was furious with Mo Li, chastising her for her amateur mistakes: her uniform lacked a staff number, she didn't know the delivery platform, and her responses to Qiu Jianing’s questions were inadequate, nearly exposing them. He firmly stated that she was "not suitable for this mission." Mo Li attempted to salvage her standing by mentioning an observation—Qiu Jianing had shoes of different sizes, suggesting another person in her dorm.
However, Zhou Xiaoshan quickly dismissed this, revealing it was merely Qiu Jianing's sister. Mo Li apologized for her failures. Late that night, Zhou Xiaoshan lay awake, unable to sleep. He found himself looking at the earplugs Qiu Jianing had given him, reflecting on her words about the happiness of a full night's sleep and her belief that "kindness is a choice," even for those who might be swindlers.
The following day, Zhou Xiaoshan brought Mo Li to a university cafeteria, filled with students her age. Mo Li dismissively described them as "dumb" and "ignorant to the world," noting their lack of experience with "difficulties or struggles," "life or death situations," or the world's "darkness, disorder, chaos." She questioned why these students could live such carefree lives while she could not. Zhou Xiaoshan then made a confession: Plan-O was to be his final mission.
He expressed profound weariness with his "inhumane lifestyle," characterized by constant missions, perpetual nervousness, and vigilance, stating he hadn't slept a full night in ten years. He believed he had repaid his debts to Uncle Zha, who had saved him from a terrible past and provided him with an education. However, he questioned whether happiness was impossible without Uncle Zha's influence.
He reminded Mo Li that he had saved her life and felt a responsibility for her, desiring for her to escape a life where she couldn't discern right from wrong. He wished for her to adopt a new way of living, "no more faking, being frank and open, walking under the sunlight." Mo Li, hesitant, asked if such a life was truly possible.
Zhou Xiaoshan asserted that if they could survive in their current world, they were strong enough to thrive anywhere. Qiu Jianing presented her new, "bold" research proposal to Professor Wang, who found it "quite interesting" and immediately summoned Sun Lei for a discussion. Qiu Jianing explained her idea to revisit the previous method of using small molecular inhibitors, but with a refined approach: instead of inhibiting all telomerase, she suggested targeting only the telomerase derived from tumor cells.
Sun Lei reacted with immediate disdain, calling the idea "unrealistic." He pointed out that the team had dedicated over a year to similar research without success and with significant side effects, dismissing Qiu Jianing’s confidence as overestimation. He declared that if this was the caliber of "talented overseas researchers," he could not accept it, and stormed out of the meeting. Professor Wang attempted to comfort Qiu Jianing, excusing Sun Lei's "bad temper."
Qiu Jianing, however, calmly stated her respect for scientists with principles and wouldn't trust Sun Lei if he had accepted her hypothesis immediately. She promised to deliver a detailed report summarizing her hypothesis soon. Professor Wang then instructed Sun Lei to hold off on submitting his report and granted Qiu Jianing half a month to verify her hypothesis, assigning Zhou Xiaoshan to assist her.
Meanwhile, Xiaoxiao, who initially thought Qiu Jianing was trying to make things difficult for Sun Lei, became even more enraged upon hearing that Qiu Jianing suggested returning to the "previous way of telomerase," questioning Qiu Jianing's sanity and her perceived arrogance in thinking she could solve a problem that had eluded them for over a year.
