Created in China Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Created in China Synopsis
Liu Jun, who returns to his hometown of Donghai in the late 1990s after studying in Germany. Embracing the tides of the times, he is determined to transform his father’s old machinery factory into a technologically advanced, modern manufacturing enterprise. Grounded and pragmatic, Liu Jun works hard to adapt to and integrate into the domestic environment while exploring management strategies and overcoming technical challenges.
With solid expertise and an idealistic spirit, he helps the Tengfei Factory undergo multiple upgrades and transformations. Ultimately, he realizes his personal value, and the Tengfei Factory rises to prominence in the wave of China’s manufacturing boom.
Created in China Recap
Episode 1 Recap
Autumn 1998, Liu Jun, returning from Germany, stepped onto his homeland. What greeted him was not just the urban changes he hadn't seen in six years, but also the devastating news that his family's factory was on the verge of bankruptcy. As soon as the plane landed, he immediately called his German colleague to briefly explain the situation. His father, Liu Shitang, had a sudden stroke and was hospitalized due to poor management, remaining unconscious to this day.
The chaos of airport illegal taxis hiking up prices gave this mechanical engineering PhD his first taste of the stark realities of human relationships under the tide of the market economy. Just at this moment, a figure of medium height brushed past him. Liu Jun instinctively called out the name "Qian Hongming".
This was the man who had once been as close as a brother to him, and who they had fought desperately with before Liu Jun went abroad, vowing to sever all ties. Now, he was the manager of the second department at Xiangtong Machinery Import and Export Company. With a shiny small car and a well-tailored suit, he looked completely refreshed and radiant, silently announcing the rise and fall of personal destinies in the torrent of the times.
Six years had passed in the blink of an eye. On the way to the hospital, the atmosphere in the car was particularly awkward. Qian Hongming deliberately avoided the route where the factory was located, while Liu Jun maintained a weary silence. Both were communicating cautiously, trying not to touch the scar that lay between them, lacking the carefree nature of their childhood. There was less conversation on the road, with 'less is more' being the unspoken rule.
Liu Jun spent most of the time asleep until the car pulled up outside the hospital. After Liu Jun rushed to the hospital, Qian Hongming returned home to help his elder sister, Qian Hongying, take care of their bedridden mother. During their casual chat, Qian Hongming revealed his inner frustration. He had thought that achieving success in his career would allow him to stand tall in front of Liu Jun, but he found that the other man was completely indifferent.
This calculation of his, in contrast, made him feel like a clown. However, even after many years had passed, the feud between the two families, tracing back to the previous generation, had never been resolved. Back then, Qian Hongying, needing to raise money for her parents' medical expenses and her brother's tuition, had no choice but to borrow from Liu Shitang.
In Qian Hongming's eyes, Liu Shitang's intention in lending the money was malicious, causing his sister to suffer from rumors, which ruined her chances of promotion and delayed her marriage. Meanwhile, Liu Jun's paternal aunt insisted that Qian Hongying was the third party who ruined her brother's marriage, and her entanglement directly led to Liu Jun's mother's death from prolonged depression. Liu Jun firmly believed that his father was the root cause.
If the truth had been clarified sooner, things wouldn't have escalated to this point. These words left his paternal aunt speechless, and she could only advise him to resolve the knot in his heart with his father soon. In the evening, Qian Hongming came to visit him at the hospital and arranged to take Liu Jun to inspect the factory the next day. As they exchanged smiles, the ice between them slightly melted.
The next morning, Liu Jun stood in front of the factory area from his memory. Not only had the facade of the factory changed, but the factory name had also become "Qianjin Machinery Plant". Old security guard Uncle Zhang hastily handed him the keys. Liu Jun walked through the familiar factory path. The workshop that used to be bustling with activity was now lifeless.
He picked up a screwdriver from a toolbox and chiseled hard at the ground a few times, analyzing that the factory had serious problems in both equipment and management. Qian Hongming raised sharp questions about manufacturing standards, his rapid-fire inquiries momentarily silencing Liu Jun. In this era driven by profit, upholding principles was a luxury, and he had no right to blame others.
But Qianjin Plant was the foundation of the Liu family; as a man of character, how could he stand by and watch his family business decline without doing anything? Just as the two of them stepped out of the workshop, the supplier, Boss Quan, happened to arrive with a group to demand payment, and a fierce conflict erupted between the two sides.
Just as tensions were high, Master Xu, a veteran of the factory, along with the workers, timely brought the situation under control. Liu Jun voluntarily took responsibility, pleading with Boss Quan for a two-day grace period to clarify the accounts, and promising to raise funds for repayment. With Qian Hongming acting as a guarantor, Boss Quan reluctantly agreed.
Only after the debt collectors had left did Master Xu reveal the truth: the factory had been owing wages for a long time. Liu Jun immediately pressed Master Xu about the truth behind the shutdown. Master Xu retrieved a contract. It turned out that Liu Shitang, in his eagerness for achievement, had taken on an order far exceeding the factory's technical capabilities. The sample products were consistently plagued by unresolved pore and pinhole defects.
After multiple unsuccessful attempts, Liu Shitang was overwhelmed by stress and hospitalized. Master Xu emphasized that if the goods could not be delivered next month, even bankruptcy liquidation would not be enough to fill this bottomless pit. Facing this predicament, Liu Jun borrowed Qian Hongming's office to contact his assistant in Germany. Qian Hongming made proper arrangements for his food and lodging and took him back to his own home.
Liu Jun met Qian Hongming's wife, Shen Jiali, a designer, for the first time. In the quiet of the night, Shen Jiali sensed the subtle atmosphere between her husband and their guest. Qian Hongming confessed that the long-standing feud between their families made their friendship feel like walking on thin ice. In the following days, Liu Jun spent his days and nights immersed in the workshop, improving the molds. The final products met all of the client's requirements.
Master Xu was eager to resume production. Liu Jun inquired about the technical lead and was shocked to realize that no one in the factory truly understood design. Just then, a call from the hospital informed them that Liu Shitang had regained consciousness. Liu Jun rushed to the ward and was overjoyed to see his father's fingers moving slightly.
Episode 2 Recap
After Liu Shitang was discharged from the hospital, although his health was not as robust as before, he recovered reasonably well. Seeing his son Liu Jun bring the factory back from the brink of bankruptcy, he felt quite relieved and planned to have his son inherit the family business. However, Liu Jun was determined to leave; he only agreed to stay in the country for one year, after which he would return to Germany to work.
At the same time, Qian Hongming secretly guarded against his elder sister Qian Hongying resuming contact with Liu Shitang, repeatedly advising his sister to keep her distance. Late at night, Liu Shitang suddenly had palpitations and accidentally knocked over a water cup. Hearing the sound, Liu Jun rushed over and silently stayed by his father's side, listening to him ramble about the past, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
To keep his son, Liu Shitang first appealed to his emotions, and then purchased a property to give him. When Qian Hongming came to visit for a housewarming, he brought the good news that his wife Shen Jiali was pregnant and persuaded Liu Jun to stay in Donghai to start a business.
Liu Jun did not change his original intention, stating that if he said he would only be back for one year, it would be one year, and half-jokingly suggested selling the property to Qian Hongming. Facing the luxuriously decorated mansion, Qian Hongming secretly sighed about the unreachable property prices. Shen Jiali had severe pregnancy reactions, and Qian Hongming, feeling for his wife, suggested she resign and rest.
Although Shen Jiali understood her husband's good intentions, she was not yet ready to be a full-time housewife and only gave a vague response. At the subsequent class reunion, Qian Hongming revealed to Liu Jun that Lin Yue, the boss of Haoyuan, was a major shareholder of the City No. 1 Machine Factory. This person acquired the state-owned enterprise not because he valued manufacturing, but because he coveted the appreciation potential of the factory site.
Qian Hongming analyzed the capital operations of the City No. 1 Machine Factory with Liu Jun: it was first taken over by a wealthy businessman, then resold to a female overseas Chinese, achieving astonishing profits in a short period through transnational financial operations. He further revealed Lin Yue's deeper intention in operating Haoyuan - aiming to cling to shareholder Lei Dongbao and thus connect with Song Yunhui's network at Donghai Group.
Liu Jun marveled at how well-informed Qian Hongming was, and the latter emphasized that this was a necessary survival skill for doing business in China. As they were talking, old classmates arrived one after another, and drinks and pleasantries were exchanged during the meal. The next morning, Liu Jun unexpectedly met Lin Chuan in the community elevator. After she caught a glimpse of him wearing work clothes, she hastily left before reaching her destination floor.
After arriving at the factory, the process reforms promoted by Liu Jun met strong resistance from the veteran masters led by Master Huang. Liu Shitang quickly mediated, suggesting they first try producing samples. However, during the actual operation, Master Huang, who was technically skilled but arrogant, openly challenged him. Liu Jun did not back down and replicated a workpiece of the same precision on the spot.
Liu Shitang reprimanded his son for not understanding seniority, while Master Xu took the opportunity to mediate and accompanied Liu Jun to continue improving the tools. Afterwards, Liu Shitang warned his son that Master Huang held considerable prestige in the factory, and Master Xu, while appearing fair, was in fact openly and secretly vying with Master Huang. Only by balancing each other could they maintain factory stability.
Liu Shitang declared that Master Xu absolutely could not be left alone in the factory, otherwise one faction would dominate. Liu Jun, however, believed that technological innovation should not be constrained by people, and the father and son argued incessantly. On the other side, because the City No. 1 Machine Factory was about to be demolished and transformed into real estate, Qian Hongying planned to switch jobs with her friend and specifically came to ask for Qian Hongming's opinion.
Qian Hongming told Qian Hongying that the City No. 1 Machine Factory had two major shareholders, Lin Yue and Lu Guangfa, both of whom were prominent figures in Donghai. However, neither of them had any experience in real estate development, so he did not recommend Qian Hongying going with them. Qian Hongying wanted to have dinner with the boss to discuss taking over for Manager Hao, but she was refused by Qian Hongming.
She instantly realized her brother was again suspecting her of using her looks to gain favor, and the siblings parted ways unhappily. As night fell, Liu Jun sought out Qian Hongming to drink away his sorrows, confiding in him about his management difficulties and admitting that dealing with people was his weakness.
Qian Hongming advised him to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses: as an engineer who studied abroad, he should establish industry barriers through technological innovation; as long as there was a technical threshold, there would be policy support and market access. Personnel disputes should be handled by Liu Shitang, and with each person having their division of labor, efficiency would be greatly increased. Liu Jun was greatly inspired, and while drinking and chatting with Qian Hongming, they outlined a completely different business blueprint.
Episode 3 Recap
Qian Hongming noticed a piano next to him in the bar and proactively paid to invite Liu Jun to perform on stage. Liu Jun's exquisite piano skills attracted the attention of Lin Chuan and her sister-in-law Xia Haiping. Only then did Lin Chuan realize there had been a misunderstanding earlier. She specifically asked the waiter to send Liu Jun a bottle of wine along with a business card.
Introduced by Qian Hongming, Liu Jun and Lin Chuan officially met and learned that she was actually Lin Yue's younger sister. During their conversation, Liu Jun deeply analyzed the development potential of stainless steel precision manufacturing. His professional insights impressed Lin Chuan, and he was immediately invited to visit the City No. 1 Machine Factory. Meanwhile, Liu Shitang came downstairs to the Qian family home with gifts. After much hesitation, he entrusted them to Qian Hongying, but she politely refused.
Liu Shitang admitted that these gifts were specifically prepared for Qian Hongying, feeling distressed that her health had been worn down by years of caring for the sick. Hearing this, Qian Hongying's expression was complicated. She watched Liu Shitang leave alone. After entering the house, Qian Hongying noticed her mother's abnormal condition and quickly called Qian Hongming. Liu Jun immediately rushed back with Qian Hongming and drove the elderly lady to the hospital.
However, Qian Hongming knew in his heart that his mother was terminally ill and held her hand, tears streaming down his face. Outside the hospital, Liu Jun draped his jacket over Qian Hongying. After returning home alone, he looked at his mother's posthumous photo, feeling deeply saddened.
Lin Yue learned that Liu Jun would be visiting the City No. 1 Machine Factory for inspection and specially arranged for Chief Engineer Wang, a technical authority, to accompany him throughout, intending to test his temperament. Lin Chuan thought this move was inappropriate. Chief Engineer Wang held an important position but had to receive an unknown junior, which would inevitably lead to resentment.
But Lin Yue disagreed, feeling that testing Liu Jun was the top priority, as it concerned his sister's lifelong happiness. Although Lin Chuan flatly denied having any interest in Liu Jun, she couldn't help but take out a mirror to examine her makeup upon returning to her office. On the day Liu Jun arrived at the factory, Lin Chuan personally welcomed him and introduced Chief Engineer Wang.
She originally intended to accompany him throughout, but Liu Jun declined, citing that it would not affect the work. Instead, he and Chief Engineer Wang had a pleasant conversation and immediately hit it off. Seeing his sister sitting alone in the office looking unhappy, Lin Yue remarked that Liu Jun was indeed quite interesting. When Chief Engineer Wang led Liu Jun on a tour of the CNC workshop, Liu Jun felt some regret about the idle imported CNC machine tools.
Chief Engineer Wang explained that these equipment were primarily set up by the Japanese side, and the core technology was always monopolized by foreign parties. With the withdrawal of the Japanese engineers, the equipment became paralyzed, and restarting them would require paying high debugging fees. Although these equipment easily allowed the City No. 1 Machine Factory to obtain high-tech certification, the management preferred short-term high-profit projects, leading to the high-end equipment only being used to produce low-end products.
Liu Jun stated frankly that this was a serious waste of resources. Chief Engineer Wang deeply agreed but could do nothing about it. After all, new product development requires continuous massive investment, and success is unpredictable, which is far less appealing to capital than OEM business. Additionally, Chief Engineer Wang pointed out a core dilemma in the industry to Liu Jun, which was the severe loss of young technical talent.
This industry is different from the computer field; it has neither miraculous explosive growth nor the possibility of rapid upward mobility. It requires long-term accumulation; without ten years of hard work, it's difficult to see results. After the visit, Liu Jun politely declined Lin Yue's dinner invitation, excusing himself by saying a friend had lost his mother. Chief Engineer Wang didn't understand why he missed a good networking opportunity.
Liu Jun frankly stated that his visit was only to inspect the equipment and he had no intention of collaborating. Lin Yue, on the other hand, commented that Liu Jun was not worldly-wise. Ever since Qian's mother passed away, the old house felt instantly empty. Qian Hongming planned to sell the old house and buy a new one.
As Qian Hongying reminisced about the past and looked forward to the future, her younger brother solemnly promised that he would eventually make enough money to buy villas for her and Shen Jiali. In the twilight, Liu Jun visited with groceries and had a long heart-to-heart talk with Qian Hongming downstairs, sharing their ambitions.
After this, Liu Jun imported advanced equipment from Germany and devoted himself wholeheartedly to technological research and development and the establishment of product standards, leaving sales, production management, and worker scheduling to Liu Shitang, who was more skilled in those areas. After preparations were complete, Liu Jun had a detailed conversation with Chief Engineer Wang over tea about his entrepreneurial plans and received his support.
Chief Engineer Wang also reminded him that high returns come with high risks, and R&D investment is by no means a small sum. Liu Jun was confident that he could persuade his father to invest, but unexpectedly, the father and son argued again over the topic of new product development. Just as they were at a stalemate, Lin Chuan suddenly came to visit.
Episode 4 Recap
Suddenly, a beautiful girl came to visit his son, and Liu Shitang warmly welcomed her, eagerly asking if Lin Chuan was single, wishing he could finalize the marriage immediately. Seeing his father like this, Liu Jun felt helpless, finding an excuse to send him away. Lin Chuan stated directly that she came to express her gratitude and successfully invited him to have dinner together tomorrow.
Shen Jiali saw a bottle of perfume in her husband's pocket and mentioned it somewhat tentatively. Qian Hongming immediately explained that the perfume was a gift he bought for Liu Jun, thinking it would be a good thing if he could get married to Lin Chuan. On the day of the dinner, Liu Jun specifically bought flowers, which made Qian Hongming unable to help but praise his progress.
During the meal, Lin Yue wanted to poach Liu Jun to his factory, but Liu Jun politely refused, stating that he would only work in China for one year. Upon hearing this, Lin Yue glanced at Lin Chuan, but she had no reaction and quietly ate her meal. Then, following Liu Jun's words, Lin Yue inquired about his subsequent plans.
Liu Jun truthfully replied that he hoped to help his father develop a few flagship products, but Lin Yue held a pessimistic attitude and did not want to hear Liu Jun's long-term ambitions, making the atmosphere particularly awkward. The meal ended hastily. Qian Hongming reminded Liu Jun that if he wanted to cooperate with the City No. 1 Machine Factory, he must be wary of Lin Yue, as he wouldn't gain any advantage from him.
Liu Jun, however, had no intention of cooperating. Liu Jun took Qian Hongming to visit his laboratory and showed him the equipment imported from Germany. Qian Hongming gave Liu Jun a heads-up, reminding him of the risks and consequences of doing these things.
Liu Jun said that since he had returned, he didn't want to be someone who drifts with the current but rather a leader, and that no matter how much opposition there was, he would insist on independent research and development. The 5th Shanghai Mechanical Industry Exhibition and Sales Fair was approaching, and Liu Jun took his father Liu Shitang to Shanghai to purchase all the accessories.
Although Liu Shitang felt the money was flowing like water, he still supported his son. While having dinner, Liu Shitang met his old friend Old Zhang and learned that he was making instrument punches. Old Zhang revealed that he had previously gone out to find an advanced original machine, dismantled it, and spent a full half year imitating it. Liu Jun pointed out the issues with rough imitation, which embarrassed Old Zhang.
Liu Shitang was angry that his son was too blunt. Back at Qianjin Factory, Liu Jun was there early and late every day, staying in the factory to install equipment, completely unlike the delicate person they had imagined.
Master Xu and Master Huang saw this scene and sighed that they had spent a lot of time learning skills as apprentices before they could become qualified, but now with imported machine tools, young guys could produce qualified finished products after just two days of learning, worrying that their skills would become increasingly useless. The next morning, Master Huang saw Liu Jun still diligently researching and had a slight change of opinion about him.
After Liu Jun's careful assembly, the equipment was completed. He checked it again before powering it on. During the two-hour long test, Liu Shitang stayed in the laboratory with his son Liu Jun until the final test was successful. Liu Jun was ecstatic, and as an old father, Liu Shitang felt immensely relieved seeing this, believing the money was well spent. In the blink of an eye, the Spring Festival was approaching. The Lin family was very lively.
Lin Chuan did not forget to call Liu Jun to send her blessings. Qian Hongming accompanied his wife Shen Jiali to spend the holiday with Qian Hongying. Lin Chuan, on the other hand, stayed in the living room chatting and laughing with her father, a warm scene. Time came to 1999. Liu Jun's advanced equipment produced precision finished products. At the same time, he spent money to buy some instruments.
Liu Shitang reminded his son that he was seriously over budget. Liu Jun understood his father's meaning and said that the urgent task was to optimize the experimental steps, use the elimination method, and give him two more days. The young technician responsible for supervising the experiment was addicted to computer games, resulting in the steel material being taken out after more than ten minutes, all of which was scrapped and required repurchasing steel.
Liu Jun decided to personally supervise the laboratory and asked Liu Shitang to bring him his change of clothes and check all computers in the factory and delete the games. Subsequently, Liu Jun contacted Lin Chuan, wanting to pay to use the testing workshop of the City No. 1 Machine Factory.
Lin Chuan wanted to personally supervise Liu Jun's experiment, but Chief Engineer Wang clearly knew she wanted to glean some insights from it and directly pointed out the existing problems in the City No. 1 Machine Factory, which made Lin Chuan look thoughtful. Soon, Liu Jun successfully applied for the testing center. The person in charge, Yu Shanshan, arranged the afternoon time for him. Coincidentally, Liu Jun met Chief Engineer Wang and showed him his newly made experimental sample, receiving praise from Chief Engineer Wang.
Episode 5 Recap
Liu Jun brought the newly developed sample to City No. 1 Machine Factory for testing. Lin Yue secretly instructed Yu Shanshan, a technician at the testing center, to accompany him throughout the process, intending to steal core data. Chief Engineer Wang had already known the hidden details, and specifically advised Liu Jun to be cautious in his words and actions and focus on the experimental process.
During the experiment, Yu Shanshan pretended to read technical books on the surface, but was actually secretly observing Liu Jun's operating parameters. However, Liu Jun did not deliberately conceal anything, as he knew that fragmented data alone could not reproduce the technical results. The special heat treatment process for the material required dynamically adjusting the temperature curve based on the composition. This complex process would take even a professional team several days to grasp the essence.
Lin Chuan suddenly visited the laboratory under the guise of caring about the research and development progress, tentatively offering help, which Liu Jun politely refused. To show that he was not deliberately concealing the experimental situation, Liu Jun proactively gave a copy of the experimental data to Yu Shanshan. When Yu Shanshan saw the dense temperature correction records, she realized that the threshold for this technology was far beyond expectations.
After the experiment ended that evening, Liu Jun, for safety reasons, offered to take Yu Shanshan home, but saw her boyfriend arrive to pick her up. Lin Chuan was displeased with Liu Jun's favoritism, so Liu Jun had to personally drive Lin Chuan home. Due to continuous overspending on research and development, Liu Shitang had to consider selling property to maintain operations.
Qian Hongying, a full-time real estate agent, suggested using a mortgage loan plan, which could both retain asset ownership and alleviate cash flow pressure. This proposal brought some relief to the overwhelmed Liu Shitang, but the lights of the heat treatment furnace burning day and night in the workshop still indicated a huge financial black hole.
Aunt Fu, as an old friend of Liu Jun's mother, seeing Liu Jun working tirelessly and forgetting about sleep and food, proactively offered to help him. Out of complete trust, Liu Jun not only told her the safe password but also imparted the operating procedures for the key equipment without reservation.
Subsequently, Qian Hongming came to find Liu Jun and revealed to him that Lin Yue had sent someone to inquire about Liu Jun's suppliers, and with his methods, he would soon be able to find out the information. Lin Yue's method of bypassing technological research and development and directly copying the industry chain made Liu Jun both angry and confused.
He didn't understand why an enterprise of City No. 1 Machine Factory's scale would be fixated on imitation rather than innovation. It was precisely because of this that Liu Jun clearly realized Lin Yue's intention in sending Yu Shanshan. Her seemingly casual gaze interfered with Liu Jun's work state. This suppression reached its peak when Lin Chuan visited again.
When Lin Chuan appeared with carefully prepared Western food, Liu Jun's attitude towards her was extremely cold, and his deliberate act of sharing food with Yu Shanshan completely provoked Lin Chuan, causing her to leave in anger. Aunt Fu continued to stay in the laboratory recording data for Liu Jun. In contrast, Liu Jun was rejected by multiple companies due to his factory's insufficient production capacity, with only City No. 1 Machine Factory agreeing to cooperate with him.
One morning, Liu Jun discovered that the black notebook containing key data had disappeared, and Aunt Fu's phone was also unreachable. The father and son quickly rushed to Aunt Fu's home, only to find out it was an unintentional mistake when she was tidying up her belongings, ultimately turning out to be a false alarm. Early in the morning, Lin Chuan put on makeup, specifically waiting for Liu Jun to appear and create a chance encounter.
However, Liu Jun intentionally avoided riding the elevator with her, using the excuse of forgetting something. For several consecutive days, Lin Chuan did not see Liu Jun at City No. 1 Machine Factory, and proactively inquired about the situation with Chief Engineer Wang, learning that Liu Jun would be coming to the CNC workshop for testing the next day. Subsequently, Liu Jun brought the revised process drawings to consult with the master workers in the workshop.
Master Huang, with years of experience, spotted the omissions in the key data at a glance. Under the guidance of the master worker, Liu Jun quickly corrected the errors. To express his gratitude, he specifically brewed hot tea for Master Huang and stood by, observing Master Huang's operating technique. Master Huang's operation was smooth and flowing, every movement precise and accurate. Long-formed work habits made him subconsciously toss the processed parts towards the collection tray.
This action was quickly caught by Liu Jun, who was quick-witted. Realizing his previous carelessness, he was especially careful in subsequent operations, handling each part gently. Immediately afterwards, Master Huang accompanied Liu Jun to City No. 1 Machine Factory for product testing. Chief Engineer Wang revealed to Liu Jun that he had previously received a task from Lin Yue to create imitations but ultimately chose to refuse. Liu Jun was deeply moved by this.
He believed there was a significant gap between domestic industrial technology and international advanced levels and expressed his confusion regarding Lin Yue's development path based on imitation. Liu Shitang specifically rushed to Shanghai to secure investment. General Manager Liu clearly stated that cooperation intent could only be determined after the sample passed inspection. In the CNC workshop, after carefully inspecting Liu Jun's finished product, Chief Engineer Wang highly praised his almost seamless welding process.
Just as he was about to inquire about technical details, the highly alert Master Huang interrupted the conversation in a timely manner. After an on-site inspection, Master Huang had to admit that times were changing. The young technical workforce and advanced equipment configuration at City No. 1 Machine Factory made him profoundly realize that industrial development had entered a new phase. He also gradually changed his mindset and fully supported Liu Jun's path of technological innovation.
Episode 6 Recap
Liu Jun accompanied his father Liu Shitang to Shanghai to discuss business. In front of the client Mr. Liu, he truthfully disclosed the product cost. This frankness, which went against industry convention, won the client's praise, but made Liu Shitang, who was well-versed in business rules, secretly shake his head. Afterwards, Liu Shitang took his son to visit Manager Qin and technician Lao Han at the testing center, quietly handing over a red envelope during the handshake.
This action greatly confused Liu Jun, who championed technology above all else. He firmly believed that his product's performance could withstand any test. However, Liu Shitang explained that giving the red envelope was just to ensure the other party tested carefully and did a good job. Finally, Liu Jun's experimental product achieved breakthrough progress, with all indicators reaching industry-leading levels. Relying on his excellent technical strength, he successfully signed the first supply contract with Mr. Liu.
With the initial victory secured, Liu Jun decided to entrust the production process to City No. 1 Machine Factory for contract manufacturing. When sharing the good news with his friend Qian Hongming, Liu Jun specifically showed him the product patent application and the draft contract manufacturing agreement, full of confidence in the binding force of the spirit of contract.
However, when Qian Hongming saw the contract content, he immediately poured cold water on Liu Jun, stating frankly that under the current market environment, contracts and patents were difficult to truly restrain a businessman like Lin Yue, and advised him to prepare for the worst. Meanwhile, to thank Qian Hongying for her help, Liu Shitang specifically selected a high-end cashmere scarf as a gift.
The next morning, Lin Chuan learned that shareholder Lu Guangfa was about to visit City No. 1 Machine Factory. Lin Yue frankly admitted that Lu Guangfa's trip was to review Liu Jun's contract manufacturing agreement. As an important shareholder of City No. 1 Machine Factory, Lu Guangfa shrewdly discovered during the contract review that two special clauses were clearly preventive measures set against Lin Yue.
However, Lin Yue scoffed at this, believing that a young man like Liu Jun, who hadn't been tempered by the business world, was not worth worrying about at all. Lu Guangfa developed a strong interest in this principled young man. He reminded Lin Yue that intellectuals who stuck rigidly to principles were more difficult to deal with, and that he must remain vigilant during the cooperation process. Lu Guangfa's reminder made Lin Yue suddenly realize the risk of technology leakage.
Lin Chuan suggested using existing technological reserves to simultaneously develop similar products, but this was firmly rejected by Lin Yue. In Lin Yue's view, investing heavily in R&D only to benefit others was a foolish act. This short-sighted thinking filled Lin Chuan with deep worry. As Lin Chuan drove back to the underground parking lot, she happened to encounter Liu Jun who was repairing a vehicle.
Liu Jun sighed that the mechanical principles of a car were far simpler than the human heart, and directly questioned Lin Chuan whether City No. 1 Machine Factory would steal his technical achievements during the contract manufacturing process. Faced with this sharp question, Lin Chuan was speechless and could only defend her brother, which resulted in a heated argument, and the two parted ways unhappily. Qian Hongming's department suddenly encountered a major error in order review.
His subordinate suggested inserting an urgent order through the special channels of City No. 1 Machine Factory. Trapped in a difficult situation, Qian Hongming had no choice but to seek Liu Jun's help. Although Liu Jun had just had a dispute with Lin Chuan, under Qian Hongming's persuasion, he still took the initiative to visit her and apologize. Lin Chuan maintained a reserved demeanor on the surface, but was secretly delighted inside, and eventually accepted Liu Jun's apology.
Due to Liu Jun's almost strict requirements for product quality, allowing not even a tiny error, any slight deviation had to be reworked, which caused strong resistance among the workshop technicians. When Lin Yue discovered that the high defect rate led to soaring costs, he immediately ordered the deduction of bonuses for all workers. This measure undoubtedly intensified the workers' resentment towards Liu Jun. Liu Jun's heart was filled with guilt, but he didn't know how to salvage the situation.
In the hospital delivery room, Qian Hongming meticulously cared for his wife Shen Jiali, who was in labor, even considering details like hair accessories. Her mother was deeply comforted by her son-in-law's thoughtfulness and privately advised her daughter to prioritize husband and children, suggesting it would be best to quit her job and focus on managing the household. However, Shen Jiali never wanted to give up the industry she loved.
That evening, Lin Yue hosted a dinner for Liu Jun and presented the latest production samples. Liu Jun felt deeply confused by the workers' perfunctory attitude towards their work. Products that could clearly meet standards if done carefully were made so reluctantly.
Lin Yue promised to strengthen workshop management, but regarding the technical confidentiality issue that Liu Jun was most concerned about, he only guaranteed that he would fulfill the contract stipulations, but could not guarantee against potential technical leakage by the workers.
Episode 7 Recap
Qian Hongming received the latest model of mobile phone as a gift and accepted it readily without any hesitation. In contrast, Liu Jun was strictly supervising the production process in the workshop when he suddenly noticed a worker acting suspiciously, looking around nervously. Liu Jun immediately stepped forward to question him, suspecting him of stealing technical drawings. A fierce conflict erupted between them, and they wrestled together in the workshop. Workers gathered around, and the scene was chaotic.
The workshop foreman quickly stepped forward to mediate. What was found on the worker was not a drawing, but an adult book. After the truth came out, Liu Jun left angrily under the strange looks of the crowd, feeling deeply frustrated. Qian Hongming's family was blessed with a baby daughter. He wanted to share the joy with Liu Jun immediately, but couldn't reach him.
At this time, Liu Jun drove alone to the seawall and fell into contemplation while facing the surging waves. On the other side, after Lin Chuan learned about the workshop conflict, she suggested to her brother Lin Yue that the involved employee should be disciplined for violating labor discipline. Lin Yue, who never involved himself in specific management, became suspicious of his sister's unusual actions and sensed her extraordinary attention towards Liu Jun.
Qian Hongming found Liu Jun at the seawall and advised him from the perspective of someone with more experience, pointing out that as a returned technician, he could not expect ordinary workers to fully understand his technical ideals. After reflection, Liu Jun realized that his management style had problems. When he returned to the workshop to apologize to the workers, Lin Yue suddenly appeared and asked if the employee needed to be disciplined.
Liu Jun clearly stated there was no need to pursue the matter, which surprised the employee involved. That evening, Liu Jun voluntarily attended the workers' gathering and successfully narrowed the distance with the group of workers through this exchange, laying a good foundation for subsequent work cooperation. During the financial audit the next day, Liu Jun discovered anomalies in some accounts.
Upon learning this, Liu Shitang earnestly pointed out his son's immaturity in enterprise management and reminded him to use company funds appropriately. Afterwards, Liu Jun went to visit Qian Hongming's newborn daughter and bought a gift for the child. Qian Hongming chatted with Liu Jun and mentioned things about City No. 1 Machine Factory.
On the other side, when Liu Shitang met with client Mr. Liu, the latter suddenly produced a new contract with a quote drastically reduced by 20% compared to before. Mr. Liu explained that similar competing products had appeared on the market with comparable technical specifications. Almost at the same time, Liu Jun received a call from Chief Engineer Wang, confirming that the product's core technology had been leaked.
After careful investigation, Liu Jun recalled that during the R&D process, only Fu Ayi had access to the notebook containing key data. Liu Shitang analyzed and pointed out that Fu Ayi was very short of money and was highly likely to have sold the technical information for personal gain. It was precisely because of this that Liu Jun decided to sue City No. 1 Machine Factory for alleged infringement, accusing them of commercial espionage.
Meanwhile, Lin Yue seized the opportunity to accelerate the production of counterfeit products, attempting to capture market advantage. Liu Jun went to City No. 1 Machine Factory to confront them but was refused entry, so he turned to Lin Chuan for help.
The guilty Lin Chuan apologized to Liu Jun, admitting she couldn't persuade her brother to stop, and also advised him to seriously consider the potential consequences of litigation, but Liu Jun insisted on protecting his rights through legal channels. In the following days, Liu Jun visited several law firms, but they all politely declined due to Lin Yue's influence in the local area.
Returning home, facing Fu Ayi who was cooking, Liu Jun didn't explicitly reveal the truth but still dismissed her for other reasons. The next day, the tax department suddenly conducted an inspection of Liu Shitang's Qianjin Factory, suspecting tax evasion. Liu Jun confessed to his father, speculating that it was retaliation for suing Lin Yue.
Upon hearing this, Liu Shitang was furious, pointing out that even if the factory couldn't withstand an investigation at all, such an investigation would cause huge losses in business reputation. At his father's strong insistence, Liu Jun had to withdraw the lawsuit, and Liu Shitang personally apologized to Lin Yue. The series of setbacks left Liu Jun disheartened. He went alone to his mother's grave to confide, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness regarding the huge gap between ideals and reality.
Episode 8 Recap
Torrential rain poured down. Liu Jun finished paying respects at his mother's grave and turned back. On the way, he encountered a broken-down car. Inside were many students from a Hope Primary School, and their female teacher was anxiously seeking help. Liu Jun happened to know a bit about car repair and didn't hesitate to offer assistance.
At this moment, Liang Sishen, a volunteer for the Hope Primary School, grew worried when the school bus didn't return on time, so she went up the mountain to look for it. By the time she rushed there, Liu Jun had already successfully repaired the car. To express her gratitude, Liang Sishen proactively invited Liu Jun back to the school to wash up.
Liu Jun inadvertently caught a glimpse of Liang Sishen's car and felt a sense of familiarity, which stirred a ripple in his heart. The children at the school were innocent and lively. They voluntarily offered Liu Jun milk and pulled him along to the vegetable garden to pull up vegetables. Liang Sishen came forward to greet Liu Jun and said that she sometimes came here, finding that it wasn't just about helping others; she herself benefited inwardly.
That night, Liu Shitang personally cooked dinner, and the father and son talked at the dinner table. Liu Shitang nagged about his son's lifelong matter, as many people his age were already grandfathers. While they were talking, Yu Shanshan suddenly called Liu Jun, claiming she had something most important to him, and proposed they meet. It turned out that Yu Shanshan was ashamed of Lin Yue's actions.
It just so happened that after one year of settling in, she could leave City No. 1 Machine Factory. So, when she heard that City No. 1 Machine Factory had just finalized deals with two foreign buyers, she immediately obtained the foreign buyers' information and gave it to Liu Jun. However, Liu Jun had been repeatedly struck by reality recently and was already disheartened, no longer wanting to pursue the matter.
Seeing this, Yu Shanshan felt dissatisfied and revealed to him that Liu Shitang had gone to apologize to Lin Yue. Shen Jiali knew about Liu Jun's experiences and felt sympathy, but Qian Hongming believed this was a necessary path for growth and hoped that after going through these things, his sharpness would be somewhat tempered. Liu Shitang found Qian Hongying again, preparing to sell a shop to exchange for some funds for the factory's turnover.
Qian Hongying knew Liu Shitang had made up his mind and couldn't persuade him further, merely telling him to trust Liu Jun's ability. Subsequently, Liu Jun returned to his alma mater with his self-developed product, hoping to achieve mass production through patent transfer using professor resources. With his advisor's recommendation, several suppliers quickly started production. After the technical barrier was broken, the product's price advantage crushed City No. 1 Machine Factory.
Liu Jun handed over the patent income to his father, predicting that City No. 1 Machine Factory would face severe market competition in two months. Liu Shitang worried about the consequences of such retaliatory competition and advised his son to know when to stop. At the same time, City No. 1 Machine Factory's products, produced using stolen technology, were repeatedly subjected to price pressure by customers due to quality issues, forcing them to continuously lower prices for disposal.
Xia Haiping brought back new foreign fashion items for Lin Chuan. Lin Chuan took the opportunity to persuade her sister-in-law to restrain Lin Yue's excessive behavior. In contrast, the harassed Lin Yue could only swallow the bitter pill of the technical leak. Liu Jun adopted Yu Shanshan's suggestion to contact foreign suppliers. After consulting Qian Hongming about foreign trade procedures, he sent cooperation emails overnight and commissioned a German lawyer to handle patent infringement matters.
The next day, Liu Jun went to the Hope Primary School again to check the circuits. Upon leaving the school, he unexpectedly met Liang Sishen. The scene of them talking while returning to the city together was witnessed by Lin Chuan, which caused a feeling of melancholy in her heart. After returning home, Liu Jun discovered that Aunt Fu had returned home.
He questioned his father why he was soft-hearted enough to rehire this person, worrying that they would need to be guarded when discussing matters in the future. The next day during his morning run, Liu Jun revealed to Qian Hongming that he planned to return to Germany after helping his father build the new workshop. Qian Hongming bluntly said that the factory could no longer do without him.
On the other side, Lin Yue's product was returned by foreign buyers due to documentation issues. Facing the expiration of the loan deadline, Lin Chuan had no choice but to seek help from Qian Hongming. After analyzing the reason for the return, Qian Hongming suspected Liu Jun was secretly operating behind the scenes, worrying about the potential conflict that might arise. After Lin Yue found out the truth through connections, he became furious in his office and threatened revenge.
His wife, Xia Haiping, arrived in time and advised him based on family responsibilities, hoping her husband would let go of the grudges. Liu Shitang urgently urged his son to go abroad to avoid trouble, but Liu Jun did the opposite, proposing a plan to sell the old factory and establish a new one under his own name. Facing the composure and strategy his son had shown recently, Liu Shitang began to re-examine this young man who used to be reckless.
Episode 9 Recap
Due to the feud between her brother and Liu Jun, Lin Chuan got drunk. When she returned home, she encountered Liu Jun, and the atmosphere in the elevator was particularly awkward. Liu Jun suppressed the discomfort in his heart and helped Lin Chuan back to her residence. Lin Chuan, using her drunken state, asked Liu Jun about what he had done, held his hand, and invited him for another drink.
However, facing this situation, Liu Jun still tried his best to remain calm. Lin Chuan acutely sensed that he still harbored resentment towards her brother and promised to do her best to persuade Lin Yue. The next morning, Liu Jun accompanied his father Liu Shitang to inspect the old factory workshop. The mottled machine tools carried the memories of two generations. This factory, which sustained the family's livelihood, embodied half of Liu Shitang's life's work.
Facing the wave of industrial upgrading, the father and son had to make a difficult choice. Liu Jun made a pledge to his father, vowing to take the enterprise to new heights. To find a site for the new factory, Liu Jun had been busy for days without success. His old classmate Wang Xi from the Investment Promotion Bureau strongly recommended the land in Kujiang District from three aspects: policy support, location advantage, and industrial infrastructure.
After Liu Jun adopted the suggestion, the new factory's environmental assessment and safety assessment were successively approved. Upon hearing the news, Lin Chuan worried about the placement of the old factory's workers. She proactively contacted Liu Jun to say she had found a suitable party to take over.
On the day of the meeting, Lin Chuan, dressed elaborately, revealed important information in the car: Liang Sishen had a close relationship with Lin Yue, and her husband was Song Yunhui, the helmsman of Donghai Group. As they were talking, Liu Jun knocked over a bicycle. As he got out of the car to check, a group of people suddenly swarmed over and punched and kicked Liu Jun.
Lin Chuan got out of the car to intervene, recognized one of the individuals, but was kicked to the ground. In the end, the two were isolated and helpless, and Liu Jun's left little finger was tragically severed by a sharp object. On the way to the hospital, Liu Jun endured the intense pain and instructed Lin Chuan to contact his close friend Qian Hongming. Holding the severed finger, Lin Chuan fought back tears and comforted Liu Jun.
After Liu Jun entered the emergency room, the police arrived in a hurry. Lin Chuan, thinking that the events of the night were related to her brother, deliberately concealed the identity characteristics of the involved individuals. Qian Hongming rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news. After briefly explaining the situation, Lin Chuan hurried back home and went straight to her brother Lin Yue's place to demand an explanation. Lin Yue was panicked upon seeing his sister covered in blood.
When he learned that Liu Jun had been beaten, he adamantly denied it was his doing and stated that he had already let go of his prejudice against Liu Jun. But Xia Haiping also suspected her husband and kept a close watch. Lin Chuan was disheartened and declared before leaving that she would no longer conceal the truth from the police. After overnight surgery, Liu Jun's severed finger was successfully replanted.
The police questioned Lin Chuan again, stating that the assailants had a Jiangxi accent. Lin Chuan was also from Jiangxi. Lin Chuan evaded key details on the grounds of being overly frightened. In contrast, Lin Yue's subordinate was uneasy and had no choice but to confess that it was his own decision to send people to make Liu Jun bleed. Liu Jun was furious upon hearing this. In the middle of the night, Qian Hongming returned home.
Thinking that his friend Ma Yue's wife was a reporter for Donghai Business News, he provided her with material for a report. As expected, the incident was published in the next day's newspaper. After seeing the content, Lin Yue asked his subordinate for their opinion. The subordinate advised him not to intervene at this time to avoid further complications, but Lin Chuan demanded that he visit the hospital. Liu Shitang stayed by the hospital bed all night without sleep.
Looking at his son, who was covered in injuries, his heart ached as if being cut by a knife. After dawn, Qian Hongming personally came to take over. Liu Shitang didn't know how to communicate with Qian Hongming, so he simply handed a packet of money to Qian Hongying, asking her to pass it to her younger brother to express his gratitude. Liu Jun woke up and saw the content published in the newspaper.
He didn't understand why something that could be solved by law had to be deliberately made into a big sensation. Qian Hongming told Liu Jun that public opinion supervision was originally the media's responsibility. There was no problem with them increasing their chances of winning within the framework of the law.
Moreover, Officer Gu, who was in charge of the case, also revealed that there were many surveillance cameras at the scene of the incident, making it not difficult to apprehend the culprits. However, having gone through this incident, Liu Jun did not want to upset his father anymore and decided to let it go completely. Lin Yue specifically went to the hospital to visit Liu Jun.
He admitted that it was his subordinate who had acted without authorization and had now surrendered to the police. To express his apology, he proposed acquiring Qianjin Factory at a high price, taking in and settling the workers, and paying the sum in one lump sum. Just then, Aunt Fu came to the hospital to deliver food. Seeing Lin Yue in the ward, she quickly hid.
Episode 10 Recap
Facing the reconciliation conditions proposed by Lin Yue, Liu Jun fell silent. As the person in charge of the factory, he had to consider the livelihoods of hundreds of workers; as a son, he was even more worried that his father Liu Shitang would suffer the same harm. After weighing his options, Liu Jun chose to drop the matter of pursuing legal responsibility.
After Lin Yue left, Liu Jun looked at his severed little finger, feeling a mix of emotions, and profoundly experienced the cruelty of the game between capital and humanity. After Lin Chuan learned that her brother and Liu Jun had reached an agreement, she stated frankly that he would never let it go in this lifetime, nor would he forgive the Lin family, and it also meant that there was no longer any possibility between her and Liu Jun.
With things having come to this point, Lin Chuan could only let go of her feelings, and she sat in the car, weeping profusely. Aunt Fu took the opportunity of delivering food to confess to Liu Jun, claiming that she did not know the importance of that technical notebook initially, and her son had stolen and sold the data to Lin Yue in order to get a job at City First Machine Works.
Hearing this, Liu Jun was furious, scolding Aunt Fu and her son's actions as utterly shameless. Seeing the situation, Qian Hongming quickly persuaded Aunt Fu to leave the ward to prevent the conflict from escalating. Liu Shitang went alone to City First Machine Works to negotiate with Lin Yue, changing his usual smooth approach and stating his intentions firmly. Although he considered himself ordinary, as a father, he would absolutely not tolerate his son being insulted.
Before signing the cooperation agreement, he added an extra condition, which was that Aunt Fu and her son must be held legally responsible. Soon after, the police took the two away for the crime of infringing on business secrets. Time flew by, and the relocation of City First Machine Works was imminent. Chief Engineer Wang was filled with reluctance, but Lin Chuan believed that relocating to the distant suburbs was an inevitable trend of industrial upgrading.
On the other hand, Liu Shitang was packing his belongings, preparing to leave, when Old Huang suddenly chased after him, begging to return to the new factory. This veteran master craftsman was eliminated because he could not adapt to the automated production line, but Liu Shitang politely refused his request, stating that the Tengfei New Factory also focused on intelligent equipment. In the cold winter of 1999, Liu Jun named the new factory "Tengfei" and personally supervised the construction.
He was almost demanding about the construction standards, which caused dissatisfaction among the contractors. Liu Jun had considered arranging a light duty job for Old Huang, but was strongly opposed by Liu Shitang, because Liu Shitang advocated using this opportunity to eliminate the chronic problem of relying on age and seniority within the factory. He also took out a sum of money for Liu Jun to distribute red envelopes to the workers to ease relations.
Unexpectedly, the workers gave back stone piers, mocking him as having a "concrete head that doesn't know how to adapt." Yu Shanshan came to visit the construction site feeling guilty, blaming herself for indirectly causing Liu Jun's attack by providing the foreign company supplier information initially. Liu Jun didn't mind at all, and instead comforted Yu Shanshan, even jokingly suggesting "meeting more to make up for it," and their relationship warmed subtly as a result.
After Tengfei Factory opened, Liu Jun was busy fighting on two fronts: on one hand, he was recruiting technical talent with high profile, and on the other, he was making time to date Yu Shanshan. The applicant Luo Qing stood out with his precise 30-second self-introduction, and his impressive professional achievements made Liu Jun very satisfied. At this time, Dong Qiyang, the General Manager of City First Machine Works, suddenly visited and proposed touring the workshop.
When the two discussed industry trends in depth, Dong Qiyang asserted that mid-range products were the market mainstream, reminding Liu Jun that focusing stubbornly on high-end technology might make survival difficult. This judgment plunged Liu Jun into anxiety. Yu Shanshan found it difficult to get a taxi in the suburbs and had to ask her friend Lu Huadong for help. The latter took the opportunity to show off his driving skills to try and gain her favor, but it backfired.
When Lu Huadong invited her to watch a newly released movie, Yu Shanshan declined, citing tiredness. Unexpectedly, upon returning home, she saw Liu Jun waiting downstairs, who also offered a movie invitation. Due to Lu Huadong's presence, Yu Shanshan had to refuse again. The two romantic rivals exchanged brief pleasantries, both showing gentlemanly demeanor. In the following days, Liu Jun ran around everywhere dealing with credit matters.
Due to the new factory's lack of credit endorsement, loan applications were repeatedly rejected by banks. He instructed his father to maintain the production pace while he rushed around raising funds. Meanwhile, Qian Hongming met his friend Old Gao during a business trip. Seeing how the other person had become successful in just a few years highlighted his own awkwardness, leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
Episode 11 Recap
Qian Hongming and Old Gao were both classmates and colleagues, but in just eight years, the difference between them was like heaven and earth, leaving him with mixed feelings. However, Qian Hongming was very smart and immediately thought of Old Gao using his position for convenience to trade letters of credit. Old Gao gladly admitted it, saying that Qian Hongming was outstanding during school and was also quite capable after graduation, fully capable of earning more money.
Although Qian Hongming deeply understood this principle, he knew that wealth is sought in danger, and for the peace of his family, he really did not dare to take the risk. After the business trip, Qian Hongming returned home and brought his wife Shen Jiali a camera.
When Shen Jiali heard that it was generously given by Old Gao, she couldn't help but yearn for the high salaries and benefits of the special economic zone, and casually mentioned hoping the whole family would move there to make a living. Qian Hongming did not directly state the source of Old Gao's money, but simply smiled it off.
On the other hand, Liu Shitang mortgaged the shop behind Liu Jun's back, but the appraisal price was not high enough to solve the problem at all, so he had no choice but to ask a friend for help. It was precisely for this reason that Liu Shitang took his son to visit private capital. Manager Li was willing to provide a loan below ten million, but the high interest made it difficult for the factory to bear.
Liu Jun implored Manager Li to lower the interest for stable long-term cooperation and revenue. Manager Li stated that he specialized in business overlooked by banks and had different fundraising channels, insisting on high-interest loans. Liu Jun had nowhere to turn and repeatedly encountered setbacks. Just as he was feeling disheartened, Qian Hongming came to visit with lotus seed soup personally cooked by Shen Jiali, and learned about his financial chain collapse.
Liu Jun told Qian Hongming that there were only two ways now: either falsify accounts to get a loan, or get a windfall. The former went against his conscience, and the latter was entirely up to luck. Neither was a path he could or wanted to take. That night, Qian Hongming went home and told his wife that he would be very busy in the coming days.
The next day, he proactively applied for resignation from the company, but the leadership valued his talent and decided to let him lead the setup of the bonded area branch. Qian Hongming was flattered upon hearing this. He then invited Liu Jun to his office, revealed his identity as the manager of the bonded area, and offered to use his position for convenience to raise three million funds for him, only requiring repayment upon the expiration of the credit period.
Hearing Qian Hongming's idea, Liu Jun was overjoyed. Both of them were immersed in busyness, and their careers gradually improved. In the blink of an eye, four months had passed, and Liu Jun repaid the loan on schedule. Early in the morning, Qian Hongming rushed to work, but the company car broke down, making him so angry that he severely reprimanded the repair shop. Liu Jun's factory had considerable efficiency, repaying three million in just four months.
Qian Hongming, meanwhile, revealed his desire to buy an imported car and even planned to upgrade to a luxury house for his wife and daughter. Luo Qing suddenly proposed to resign from Liu Jun because his family forced him to take the civil servant exam. Although Liu Jun felt a little regretful, he approved the resignation, stating that he would welcome him back anytime. Afterwards, Liu Jun took Qian Hongming to meet a forum netizen.
Qian Hongming gossiped about Liu Jun's important romantic matters, but ever since Yu Shanshan declined his invitation last time, Liu Jun had actively given up pursuing her, mistakenly believing that she was with Lu Huadong. As soon as the words fell, Liu Jun saw Lu Huadong, shocked that the other person was the forum netizen. As soon as they met, Liu Jun realized the misunderstanding. Afterwards, Lu Huadong took them to a car dealership.
Qian Hongming took a liking to a car that was expensive but had a well-known brand, making Liu Jun marvel at how quickly Qian Hongming was making money from his job. Liu Jun learned from Lu Huadong that Yu Shanshan had sworn not to date before she turned thirty, realized that Yu Shanshan was still single, and immediately contacted her to see a movie. Yu Shanshan gladly agreed.
The next day, Liu Jun and Yu Shanshan watched a movie at the cinema, looking like a couple deeply in love. At the same time, a leak occurred at the factory. Worker Cao Fei was dozing at his post. When he heard the equipment alarm sound, he still slowly went to check, ignoring the warning "Do not enter while equipment is running," and tragically died in an accident due to violating operating procedures.
Episode 12 Recap
When Liu Jun received the notification and rushed to the hospital, his father Liu Shitang was already waiting outside the emergency room. The investigation showed that the deceased Cao Fei was the only son in his family. Liu Jun advocated for additional compensation beyond the insurance payout, but Liu Shitang firmly opposed it.
As the first work-related death accident since Tengfei was founded, Liu Shitang insisted on handling it according to regulations, believing that excessive concessions would undermine management authority and make it difficult to win over everyone in the future. With the entry of the safety supervision department, the heat treatment workshop was sealed off, leading to a complete halt in subsequent processes, and consequently affecting the bank loan that had entered the review stage.
Employee Old Zhu suggested to Liu Jun to properly arrange things with all parties to show sincerity. Liu Jun asked him to book a private room at a restaurant. Unexpectedly, the investigation personnel only had a simple meal in the canteen, affirmed Tengfei factory's safety management, and stated that the case would be closed as soon as possible and the heat treatment workshop could be unsealed in about three days.
After negotiation, the factory reached an agreement with Cao Fei's family, paying additional funeral expenses beyond the statutory compensation. However, Cao Fei's family still set up a mourning hall in the workshop, obstructing the resumption of work. To prevent Liu Jun from acting impulsively, Liu Shitang ordered people to block him outside the factory and faced the chaotic scene alone, feeling helpless about it. On the way home, Liu Jun and Lin Chuan met unexpectedly.
While the two stopped to chat, Lin Chuan's own experience told Liu Jun that City No. 1 Machine had handled many similar labor disputes, emphasizing that in employee injury and death accidents, if an enterprise breaks through the institutional bottom line out of compassion, it will inevitably bury greater hidden dangers. Just as they were talking, Yu Shanshan suddenly called. Hearing Lin Chuan's voice, she felt very uncomfortable. Coincidentally, Dong Qiyang invited Lin Chuan to dinner.
Learning that Liu Jun was present, he warmly invited both of them to come along. Regarding the Cao Fei incident, the safety department planned to upgrade the safety doors, installing sensing devices to ensure that equipment automatically stops when someone passes through. However, Cao Fei's family incited villagers to surround the factory's main gate. Despite the workers' strenuous attempts to dissuade them, it was to no avail.
The blocking of the factory gate led to a complete shutdown of the production line. Just as Liu Shitang was helpless in the face of the out-of-control situation, Old Zhu produced Cao Fei's alcohol test report, revealing the fact that he had been drinking during work hours. Originally, Old Zhu wanted to conceal it to prevent the insurance company from refusing to pay the pension.
However, seeing the family making unreasonable trouble and truly unable to bear the factory being implicated further, he decided to confess the truth. Subsequently, Liu Jun handed the report to Cao Fei's family. Unexpectedly, the other party tore up the document in public, accusing the factory of fabricating evidence to evade responsibility. Arriving police officers quickly controlled the scene and escorted away the main troublemakers.
Liu Jun watched the hunched backs of Cao Fei's parents being helped away, his heart filled with mixed feelings. He immediately decided on the spot that from now on, any employee found drinking in the factory would have their labor contract immediately terminated. Feeling down, Liu Jun proactively sought out Qian Hongming to confide in him.
Immediately after, Liu Jun received a phone call and rushed back to the factory, learning that technician Fan Xiaolong had suddenly disappeared, and the blueprints he was responsible for keeping had also vanished. Everyone speculated that he had fled the factory during the disturbance caused by Cao Fei's family and was suspected of stealing secrets.
Liu Shitang and others all wanted to calm things down, but Liu Jun insisted on holding him accountable, stating that such malicious behavior absolutely could not be tolerated. The next day, Liu Jun contacted Lin Chuan, hoping she could purchase the blueprints in the market under the name of City No. 1 Machine, thereby luring out Fan Xiaolong. Lin Chuan readily agreed, hoping to use this opportunity to clear up past grievances with Liu Jun.
On the other hand, Yu Shanshan felt unhappy about Liu Jun's frequent contact with Lin Chuan. During a date, she opened his phone call history while he went to the restroom, becoming even more jealous. Lin Chuan, meanwhile, told her sister-in-law about helping Liu Jun. She planned, after the matter was resolved, to have her sister-in-law arrange blind dates for her, completely giving up on any thoughts about Liu Jun.
Liu Shitang and Qian Hongying had a pleasant chat at the bowling alley. The tacit understanding and warmth between them, however, could never progress further due to old family feuds. Liu Shitang mentioned with some emotion that since Liu Jun took over the factory, the title on his business card had quietly changed to Marketing Department Manager.
When he returned home in the evening, he happened to see Qian Hongming coming out from a hotel engagement, with an unknown woman on his arm. Qian Hongying originally wanted to go forward and question him, but was stopped by Liu Shitang, who guessed he was likely just attending a work-related social event. Lin Chuan's meticulously planned strategy for several days was ready to be implemented. She contacted Liu Jun in advance.
She waited alone at the alley entrance, pretending to make a deal with Fan Xiaolong. Liu Jun, disguised as a passerby, rode a bicycle past to confirm the target. After locking onto Fan Xiaolong's identity, Liu Jun directly subdued him. After the police escorted Fan Xiaolong away, Liu Jun personally drove Lin Chuan home.
Episode 13 Recap
Liu Jun drove Lin Chuan home, and the two chatted and laughed along the way. Early the next morning, Liu Jun personally went to the police station to submit the information. Given the large amount of money involved in this data theft and the serious nature of the case, the police had already transferred it to the procuratorate.
However, Fan Xiaolong's wife came to the police station with their three children, kneeling publicly to beg Liu Jun for forgiveness, which made Liu Jun feel uneasy. Because his mother was still ill in bed at home, Liu Jun learned that Fan Xiaolong was the family's sole source of income, so he drove with Officer Gu to Fan Xiaolong's house and quietly left money to help them.
Afterward, Liu Jun discussed with his father Liu Shitang about not prosecuting Fan Xiaolong, but he was severely reprimanded by Liu Shitang, who stated that Fan Xiaolong was a gambler, someone capable of anything, and that Liu Jun was now putting himself at risk of being exploited by the other party for life. Liu Shitang advised Liu Jun not to be overly sympathetic, as human hearts are unpredictable. Liu Jun sighed at the difficulties of enterprise management.
The next day, Engineer Liao came to Liu Jun's office and tactfully mentioned the real reason for Engineer Sun's job change, stating it wasn't due to family reasons as he had previously claimed, but that there was another hidden story behind it. In contrast, Qian Hongying had been restless ever since she saw her younger brother embracing another woman during a social event at a hotel.
She specifically called Qian Hongming to urge him to come home, but Qian Hongming refused, citing work busyness. Watching her sister-in-law Shen Jiali care for the child at home, Qian Hongying felt immensely guilty. Afterward, Liu Jun spoke with Engineer Sun alone. Engineer Sun admitted that he had worked for Longsheng Company and that Longsheng had wanted him to be a commercial spy to steal technology. However, his conscience bothered him.
He had originally intended to work for a few days and find an excuse to return to Longsheng, but he was deeply influenced by Tengfei's corporate culture and preferred working under Liu Jun, where he could learn many things. For this reason, Engineer Sun submitted his resignation to Longsheng, deciding to stay at Tengfei.
He also reminded Liu Jun that Longsheng was already trying every means to frame him and prevent him from continuing, so he advised Liu Jun not to believe others' instigations. A word awakened the dreamer; Liu Jun suddenly realized that Engineer Liao was very likely a spy sent by a competitor. Qian Hongming was somewhat shocked upon hearing this. He only had two senior engineers in total, and he hadn't expected both to be suspicious.
Now Engineer Sun had stayed and was willing to work for Tengfei, but he still needed further observation. Subsequently, Liu Jun took Old Zhu to meet Cao Fei's parents, giving them fifty thousand yuan in compensation on behalf of the factory, and then he personally paid an additional fifty thousand yuan out of his own pocket. When Liu Jun came out of the bank, he happened to meet Lin Chuan and offered to drive her home.
Along the way, Lin Chuan learned about Liu Jun's difficulty with loans and mentioned the national bank's credit policy to him. She happened to have an acquaintance who could help with the relevant matters. Liu Jun was extremely grateful, but he was so absorbed in his work that he completely forgot about his date with Yu Shanshan. Yu Shanshan heard Lin Chuan's voice on the phone and angrily hung up immediately.
Qian Hongming decided to buy a house, so Qian Hongying brought many floor plan materials for him to choose from, and he instantly took a liking to the large top-floor house. Shen Jiali had some fear of heights, so Qian Hongming planned to take his wife and daughter to Shanghai first to stay in a high-rise hotel to get used to it.
He had originally wanted his eldest sister to go along, but Qian Hongying lied, claiming she needed to accompany her friend Sister Xu. On New Year's Eve, Qian Hongming took his wife and daughter to experience Shanghai's tallest hotel, and Liu Shitang also took the opportunity to go on a date with Qian Hongying.
Liu Jun couldn't reach Yu Shanshan for a long time, so he played the piano alone at home, while Lin Chuan attended a blind date arranged by her sister-in-law. In the latter half of the night, Liu Jun came downstairs to Yu Shanshan's house in the snow, but Yu Shanshan still hesitated and didn't answer the phone. Seeing this, Liu Jun had no choice but to drive away.
The new millennium had arrived, and Liu Jun and Yu Shanshan had completely broken up, but he still held a sliver of hope, checking his phone occasionally, wishing to receive news from Yu Shanshan, but his wish remained unfulfilled. On the first day of the new year, Liu Shitang's car tire was punctured, which made Liu Shitang furious. He started cursing on the spot, and Liu Jun quickly came out to stop him.
Episode 14 Recap
Lu Huadong and Liu Jun finished playing ball. Lu Huadong couldn't help but complain to Liu Jun about Lin Yue, believing that Lin Yue had a small-peasant mentality, was too focused on immediate gains, and completely disregarded the future. In contrast, at the City No. 1 Machine Tools meeting, due to the factory's recent record-low profits, Dong Qiyang analyzed that Tengfei had successfully obtained a loan and production was operating normally.
Its products were superior to City No. 1 Machine Tools in terms of quality and price. If City No. 1 Machine Tools wanted to secure a place in the competition, it could only independently develop new products and simultaneously lower prices. As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Chuan presented a proposal, clearly having secretly planned this matter behind her brother's back.
However, Lin Yue firmly objected, stating that developing new products was not easy, and the investment costs for capital and personnel were too high. Chief Engineer Wang patiently explained the raw material situation. Lin Yue only cared about profits and remained unmoved. Eventually, Lu Guangfa approved the proposal and suggested establishing a research and development department, arranging for its implementation to be expedited, so Lin Yue had no choice but to compromise.
Qian Hongming had chosen a house and took Liu Jun to see it, hoping he would buy a unit next door to be neighbors. But Liu Jun smiled and refused, stating that all his money was invested in the factory. Lu Huadong knew about the R&D matter and couldn't wait to share it with Liu Jun, wanting him to vet his seminar. But Liu Jun had bought a new car and took his father for a drive.
Because Qian Hongming was away on a business trip, Shen Jiali suddenly developed a high fever and couldn't take care of her daughter Xiaotaozi. She had no choice but to call Liu Jun. Now Luo Qing had successfully passed the civil service exam and was assigned to work at the Municipal Planning Commission. He specifically returned to Tengfei to visit old colleagues. Lu Huadong went to the hospital to pick up Liu Jun.
The two arrived at a restaurant and met Liang Sishen. Liang Sishen noticed the injury on Liu Jun's pinky finger. After asking, she understood the whole story and told Song Yunhui about it, which shocked Song Yunhui that Lin Yue could be so lawless. Xia Haiping went to the clubhouse to find Lin Yue. Coincidentally, Wei Chunhong was caring for Lei Dongbao. Lin Yue stayed alone in the private room, feeling distressed.
He said that he had received a call from Liang Sishen, demanding that he withdraw from the Haoyuan shares. Hearing her husband's words, Xia Haiping felt that Haoyuan consumed too much of Lin Yue's energy. However, Lin Yue knew very well that Song Yunhui wanted to distance himself from him. The next morning, Liu Shitang found that his car tire had been punctured again. He was so angry that he insisted on finding the culprit.
To appease his father, Liu Jun hid in the car at night until he discovered a suspicious person in the latter half of the night. He immediately turned on the car lights and, along with the security guard, apprehended the person, only to find that it was Aunt Fu. It turned out that Aunt Fu harbored resentment towards the Liu family father and son, and could only retaliate in this way.
But the problem was that they had stolen the technology first, refused to correct their mistake, and even blamed others. Aunt Fu directly stated that the Liu family members were not good people either. Back then, Liu Jun's mother abandoned her partner to marry Liu Shitang just to return to the city. Upon hearing this, Liu Jun felt a mix of emotions.
Liu Shitang comforted his son, emphasizing that his mother was a good person, and he owed his wife more. Qian Hongming accompanied Liu Jun to drown his sorrows in a bar. Liu Jun worried that Aunt Fu might repeat her tricks once released and hoped to move, but Liu Shitang disagreed, believing there was no need for such a major undertaking.
Meanwhile, Lin Yue applied to Lu Guangfa to withdraw from City No. 1 Machine Tools, with the condition of acquiring the land of the Qianjin Factory. After both parties reached an agreement, Lin Yue left City No. 1 Machine Tools. Dong Qiyang remained, and Lu Guangfa arranged for his son to gain more experience by following him. At this time, Lu Huadong invited Liu Jun to sing. Liu Jun was accompanying Qian Hongming and politely declined.
Qian Hongming felt he couldn't integrate into the circle of wealthy young masters; their conversation topics were completely alien to him. The next day, Lu Huadong approached Liu Jun with a contract for cooperation, hoping to avoid a lose-lose situation for both families. However, he was rejected by Liu Jun. Currently, Lin Chuan and Lin Yue were planning to use the land to build a high-end hotel. Meanwhile, she and her blind date partner Xiao Chen wanted to get married.
Since they were quite compatible in terms of family background and age, they might as well find a suitable person to spend their lives with. Xia Haiping confirmed Lin Chuan's intentions and could only respectfully offer her blessings. At the same time, Liu Jun proposed selling the R&D intellectual property rights to Lu Huadong for only five million yuan. Lin Yue was incredulous upon hearing this.
Episode 15 Recap
Regarding Liu Jun preparing to sell the technology to Lu Huadong, Lin Yue scoffed at it, deeming it a foolish act lacking business sense. In the end, Liu Jun reached an agreement with Lu Huadong, and used the five million he received to purchase new equipment and develop new accessories. On the other hand, Qian Hongming keenly perceived the deeper meaning behind it, marking the end of years of accumulated grievances between the two parties.
Just as the two were raising their glasses in celebration at the bar, a TV news bulletin suddenly interrupted, reporting that the World Trade Center in the United States had been hit. This shocking "9/11 incident" affected foreign trade import and export as well as securities investment businesses, and industry insiders, including Qian Hongming, would subsequently face severe turbulence in the international financial market, their prospects suddenly clouded by a heavy shadow.
The next morning, Liu Jun proactively called Liang Sishen, inviting Donghai Group to inspect their self-developed new type of equipment under the guise of technical cooperation. Afterwards, he brought Engineer Sun and Engineer Liao to Donghai for a few days and met Song Yunhui, unexpectedly, Song Yunhui was personally in charge of overseeing the bidding.
Originally, Liu Shitang had arranged a blind date for his son, but upon learning that Liu Jun went to bid, he had to apologize to his old friend Lao Pi, and the blind date was temporarily put on hold. During the bidding defense session, Liu Jun systematically elaborated on the equipment's performance advantages with detailed data and engineering drawings.
As Song Yunhui reviewed the technical documents, his gaze sharpened, discovering that a certain key process parameter was precisely a technical bottleneck that Donghai Group had not yet overcome, and yet Tengfei Company had already achieved breakthrough progress.
At the review meeting, the head of the production department pointed out a hidden risk in Tengfei's production capacity scale and suggested introducing an alternative supplier; but Song Yunhui, overriding all objections, insisted that only Liu Jun's team could meet his demanding quality standards. Soon, Liu Jun received news that Donghai Group decided to cooperate with them.
Just as everyone was celebrating the good news of winning the bid, Cui Bingbing from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's credit department suddenly visited. Cui Bingbing proactively approached them under the pretense of inspecting the project, candidly admitting that she learned about Tengfei's loan application from a colleague. Liu Jun, as if finding a treasure, immediately displayed the entire list of fixed assets and guided her to visit the core production workshop.
Afterwards, Cui Bingbing went straight to the point, stating that Tengfei's current book assets appearing "textbook perfect" actually raised risk control concerns, and that the appraised value of the industrial land significantly deviated from market conditions, suggesting the immediate initiation of a land value re-evaluation process. Liu Jun's mind was opened, realizing that domestic bank-enterprise cooperation must follow localized business logic, and he was very grateful to Cui Bingbing.
On the day Donghai Group's production line was officially put into operation, Song Yunhui specially invited Liu Jun to witness it together. Song Yunhui looked at the roaring assembly line and candidly stated that choosing Tengfei was in the hope that national industry could cultivate high-end manufacturing capabilities comparable to Europe and America. The next day, Liu Jun conducted a land parcel inspection as per Cui Bingbing's suggestion, but hesitated when making the site selection decision.
He called to invite Cui Bingbing for on-site guidance, unexpectedly, Liu Shitang suddenly came to inquire about his son's romantic life, unintentionally revealing that Cui Bingbing was actually a blind date he had secretly arranged. It was precisely because of this that Liu Jun's attitude towards Cui Bingbing suddenly changed, directly stating that he had no interest in romantic matters.
Cui Bingbing immediately understood the reason, frankly admitting that she indeed felt resistant during their first meeting, but in subsequent business interactions, Liu Jun's rigorous engineering style and persistent industrial ambitions gradually dispelled her prejudices. To that end, the two reached an unspoken agreement: to maintain a purely professional cooperative relationship. At this time, Qian Hongying was extremely worried about her brother's marital changes.
She heard that her brother had a mistress behind Shen Jiali's back, and remembering Shen Jiali's affection and sacrifice in marrying into the family despite family pressure, she decided to protect her sister-in-law. Inside the bowling alley, Qian Hongying told Liu Shitang about this matter, hoping that Liu Jun could persuade Qian Hongming. When Cui Bingbing was driving Liu Jun, Liu Jun noticed that the fuel gauge seemed abnormal and offered to check and repair it for her.
Because the car had issues, Liu Jun personally drove Cui Bingbing home, and repaired her home's water pipes and changed light bulbs. After they finished, Cui Bingbing had already prepared a meal, and Liu Jun ate ravenously. The next day, Liu Shitang came to Liu Jun's office and subtly inquired about Qian Hongming.
Episode 16 Recap
Because of Liu Shitang's inquiry, Liu Jun suddenly realized that he hadn't contacted Qian Hongming for a long time, so he called him afterwards, inviting him to the Hope Primary School. It so happened that Qian Hongming was on a business trip in Shanghai, so he asked Liu Jun to take Shen Jiali out for a change of pace.
After hanging up the phone, Qian Hongming was entertaining clients with a beautiful woman, while Liu Jun, to avoid suspicion, specifically invited Cui Bingbing to go with him. The three went together to the Hope Primary School. Coincidentally, Song Yunhui and Liang Sishen were at the school participating in public welfare construction, and everyone worked together to install teaching equipment for the school.
During this time, Song Yunhui discovered corrosion issues with the equipment provided by Liu Jun, and seriously pointed out that his product certification progress was lagging. Although Liu Jun inwardly felt that the certification process was merely a formality, Song Yunhui, using the management loopholes of Tengfei Company as an example, emphasized the importance of standardized production, and set a strict condition: if certification could not be obtained, subsequent orders would be cancelled.
In fact, Song Yunhui greatly admired Liu Jun, because his team consisted of highly capable individuals, and he intended to entrust a larger scale of business to Liu Jun's team. On the way back, Cui Bingbing asked Liu Jun if he had been lectured by Song Yunhui. Liu Jun, believing that Song Yunhui's harsh words were beneficial for action, was very grateful to him.
The two chatted and laughed, and Shen Jiali, sitting next to them, felt they had a good understanding of each other, hearing Cui Bingbing and Liu Jun exchange a knowing smile. Shen Jiali and her child both fell ill at the same time. Qian Hongying rushed over to take care of them upon hearing the news, and was extremely displeased with her brother's neglect of household matters, but didn't know how to advise Shen Jiali.
However, Shen Jiali defended her husband, revealing that Qian Hongming planned to purchase property in the same complex for convenience of care, feeling that he was not completely disregarding the family. Time flew by, and a year passed in a flash. Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing's relationship deepened. He bought her a bouquet of flowers when they went out, but because they weren't roses, she felt a slight disappointment.
Liu Jun learned stock trading from Qian Hongming and became addicted to stocks, gradually neglecting factory affairs. Old Zhu repeatedly urged him to sign before the certification review, but Liu Jun responded perfunctorily, continuing to discuss stock trends with Qian Hongming. Qian Hongming decided to go all in, staking all his assets, but Liu Jun felt he was too aggressive, and a slight misstep could lead to financial ruin.
Although the review meeting was scheduled for tomorrow, Liu Jun stayed up all night to watch the market, sleeplessly, relying solely on coffee to stay awake. Qian Hongming proactively called Liu Jun, Liu Jun glanced at it but didn't answer, only calling Qian Hongming back after the review meeting concluded. The two decided to continue investing their positions. During dinner that evening, Liu Jun was preoccupied with watching futures, even distracted during his meal.
Cui Bingbing saw this and reminded Liu Jun of the difference in mindset between financial speculation and industrial management. If he didn't calm his mind, he would naturally fluctuate significantly with futures leverage, ultimately leading to negative consequences. At this time, the factory experienced a series of crises: a production line halted by the technical department was forcibly pushed forward by other departments. Because Liu Jun absentmindedly signed incorrect process documents, the products developed fundamental cracking defects.
The technical manager was deeply distressed, stating bluntly that a company's success entirely depends on the focus of its helmsman, but Liu Jun's recent abnormal behavior had already caused significant impact to the factory. After this incident, Liu Jun reflected deeply on his pain, immediately proposed to Qian Hongming to withdraw from the stock market, determined to revitalize Tengfei Industrial. However, hastily dissolving the logistics cooperation led to new trouble.
The industry had been monopolized by Uncle Fang, and after the termination, no other carrier dared to accept orders. Liu Jun had no choice but to seek Lu Huadong's mediation, bringing generous gifts to apologize in person, and got so drunk at the banquet that he passed out.
Episode 17 Recap
Liu Jun drank so much for business entertainment that he suffered a stomach hemorrhage and was hospitalized. When he woke up, he found his father Liu Shitang sitting by his bed. Liu Shitang complained that Qian Hongming had led Liu Jun astray, causing him to neglect the factory.
Although Liu Shitang admitted that Qian Hongming was indeed a smart kid, he had character issues, and Liu Shitang revealed to Liu Jun that Qian Hongming was keeping a female university student in Shanghai. Although Liu Jun was unwilling to believe such a thing, seeing his father speak with such certainty made him feel a bit suspicious. Soon, Liu Jun recovered and was discharged from the hospital. Qian Hongming personally came to pick him up.
When asked about the female university student, he repeatedly denied it, stating that for business dinners, he usually needed to bring women for entertainment, and for her, it was purely a show. Qian Hongming admitted that he had bought an apartment in Shanghai and happened to rent it to a female university student, which then got distorted through rumors. However, he could guarantee that he had no ulterior motives towards Shen Jiali, who was the most important person to him.
Cui Bingbing and Liu Jun had known each other for so long, yet they had never broken through the emotional barrier between them, which greatly troubled her. Liu Jun planned to buy land to build a research and development center and specifically consulted Cui Bingbing on how to resolve the funding gap. Cui Bingbing provided the most professional and rigorous advice, offering a detailed analysis.
After their discussion, Cui Bingbing told Liu Jun before leaving that she had been offered a rather good position in Shanghai. Liu Jun respected Cui Bingbing's choice, believing that her career development should be paramount. However, Cui Bingbing knew deeply that a long-distance relationship meant there would be no future for them. Perhaps Liu Jun enjoyed their current relationship, but she could not accept it.
Meanwhile, Big Sister-in-law Xia Haiping saw Lin Chuan sitting blankly in the living room with a pile of invitations on the table, so she voluntarily came over to help. Because Xia Haiping was going to live in the United States with her child, Lin Chuan worried that if she wasn't there to keep an eye on Big Brother, there was no guarantee that Lin Yue wouldn't do something in the future.
Xia Haiping trusted Lin Chuan and advised her to carefully consider whether to get married, as it was a significant life event. Lin Chuan felt that Xiao Chen currently seemed good, and suitability was very important for marriage. That evening, Lin Chuan proactively came to give Liu Jun an invitation, but Liu Jun was on a business trip in Shenzhen that day and couldn't make it back.
Because of this, Lin Chuan suggested that Liu Jun drink with her to make up for the wedding banquet. After several rounds of drinks, Lin Chuan confessed her true feelings to Liu Jun, asking him if they would have been together had it not been for the past grudges. Listening to the question Lin Chuan posed, Liu Jun remained silent.
After Lin Chuan left, he suddenly realized who his true love was and rushed overnight to keep Cui Bingbing, expressing his affection for her. Cui Bingbing listened to the past between Liu Jun and Lin Chuan, and combined with Liu Jun's heartfelt words, she was deeply moved. The two finally established a romantic relationship. In the blink of an eye, time advanced to 2003.
With the New Year's Day holiday approaching, everyone had been busy all year and could finally get some good rest during the break. Liu Jun noticed that Liu Shitang had been constantly on long phone calls with someone lately. Liu Shitang falsely claimed he was talking to an old friend. In the evening, Liu Jun bought a bouquet of roses and drove to pick up Cui Bingbing to go home. Cui Bingbing stayed overnight at Liu Jun's house.
Early the next morning, Liu Jun casually mentioned taking Cui Bingbing home. Cui Bingbing thought she was about to meet his parents, but Liu Jun looked troubled, so she had to find an excuse to ease the awkwardness. Afterward, Liu Jun took Cui Bingbing to visit Qian Hongming and his wife. Even on vacation, Qian Hongming had to exchange calls and texts with clients. Liu Jun speculated to Qian Hongming that his father was seeing Qian Hongying.
Qian Hongming absolutely refused to believe it; no one understood better than he did the humiliation his sister carried from being called a "mistress." Afterward, Qian Hongming brought the apples Liu Jun had given him to Qian Hongying. When he saw the same apples at Qian Hongying's house, he suddenly realized that Liu Jun's guess was entirely correct. Qian Hongying admitted to her younger brother that she indeed liked Liu Shitang.
Over the years, she had tried dating others but never felt that sense of ease and comfort. Qian Hongming could not control his sister's feelings, stating that he currently couldn't interact with Liu Shitang like a relative and hoped that she and Liu Shitang would avoid him, and he would turn a blind eye to their relationship.
Episode 18 Recap
Liu Jun brought Cui Bingbing to Lu Huadong's home for a New Year's visit and met his current girlfriend, Chen Qifan, a partner at Pucheng Law Firm. To his surprise, Cui Bingbing and Chen Qifan chatted happily, as if old acquaintances, enthusiastically discussing each other's work. In contrast, Lu Huadong revealed to Liu Jun that Lin Yue's marriage was in trouble, as his wife Xia Haiping had initiated divorce proceedings, prompting him to fly abroad overnight to salvage the relationship.
Early in the morning, Old Zhu told Liu Shitang that Secretary Cao, the newly transferred Municipal Party Committee secretary, would soon conduct grassroots visits and investigations. Secretary Cao had specifically emphasized the concept of domestic green production value in a meeting, which made their industrial park, a major tax-contributing area, particularly nervous, fearing any mishaps during the inspection.
Meanwhile, Song Yunhui reminded Liu Jun that environmental issues had become a focal point of current societal concern, but Liu Jun remained full of confidence. Qian Hongming specifically chose Shen Jiali's birthday to return. Before entering the door, he even sniffed himself, afraid that any strange smell might be detected by Shen Jiali. Because Shen Jiali possessed extraordinary talent in design, she was currently fully engrossed in the landscape design for Liu Jun's new factory.
Her designs were ingenious and novel, earning high praise from Liu Jun. Cui Bingbing found it difficult to get along with Shen Jiali, who relied on Qian Hongming for her livelihood. She coldly observed Qian Hongming's deliberate display of affection, feeling that both husband and wife were rather hypocritical. Liu Jun, on the other hand, advised Cui Bingbing not to believe groundless rumors.
Secretary Cao was scheduled to inspect factories within the district, and everyone at Tengfei was busy preparing a welcome. However, they were informed that Secretary Cao did not follow the original plan but instead diverted to several factories with substandard production environments. Due to the illicit operations of the peer factories, Secretary Cao's expression was very grim, and he did not continue the inspection. Liu Jun had no choice but to hold the groundbreaking ceremony himself.
Although the atmosphere at the site was less lively, it had a unique solemnity. Afterward, Liu Jun heard that an environmental protection meeting was to be held and personally went to attend. Other factory managers were also present, who showed extreme disregard for environmental issues and acted perfunctorily. At the meeting, Director Xu, with a serious expression, demanded that all attending factory managers make a statement, committing to complete rectification within the specified time.
Qian Hongming proactively sought out his elder sister, Qian Hongying, stating that now was the hottest period for real estate. He planned to open a company to invest in real estate and hoped his sister would resign to help him. Although Qian Hongying worried about the high risks after resigning, seeing her younger brother's excited demeanor, she found it difficult to refuse him further.
After Liu Jun returned from the meeting, Liu Shitang was worried about the factory's accounts being audited. Unexpectedly, Liu Jun had already prepared for this, ordering the finance department to strictly follow regulations. However, there were no issues with the finances. But then, the boss of Liu Jun's upstream environmental supplier absconded, and the equipment was seized by debt collectors. The sudden incident left Liu Jun extremely anxious.
He immediately rushed on a business trip to the supplier's location, only to find that the supplier had indeed gone bankrupt, and the deposit he had paid was also gone. He was instantly plunged into despair. When Cui Bingbing got off work and returned home, she saw Liu Jun lying in bed with a persistent high fever. She quickly sought help from her mother and followed her method to reduce Liu Jun's fever.
The next morning, Cui Bingbing personally cooked breakfast for Liu Jun, but Liu Jun remained despondent. This was because not only was the deposit gone, but the ordered equipment could not be delivered. Without the equipment, environmental compliance would naturally be impossible, and subsequent problems would follow one after another, the pressure leaving him breathless. Just as Liu Jun was fretting over this, Qian Hongming suddenly arrived at the company with good news.
He knew a supplier client who happened to be bankrupt and was worried about not being able to sell their environmental equipment. Seeing the documents Qian Hongming brought, Liu Jun was slightly stunned after opening them.
Episode 19 Recap
Although the used equipment sent by Qian Hongming solved the urgent need, Liu Jun was still bothered that its performance parameters were inferior to new equipment. Qian Hongming advised him with a pragmatic attitude to prioritize the survival of the enterprise rather than clinging to idealized technical standards. After weighing the pros and cons, Liu Jun finally adopted the advice, and the factory's dust removal system crisis was alleviated.
Qian Hongming keenly seized the explosive growth opportunities in the real estate industry and specifically invited Liu Jun to evaluate the investment plan. Liu Jun pointed out through a financial model that while his strategy of leveraging cash flow with high leverage could amplify returns, the risk factor also increased exponentially.
Meanwhile, Shen Jiali's mother noticed the widening gap between her daughter Shen Jiali and Qian Hongming, secretly worrying about changes in their marriage, and thus urged Shen Jiali to actively participate in her husband's business entertainments to maintain their relationship. That night, as Liu Jun optimized production loss parameters using a mathematical model, Cui Bingbing incisively pointed out that Qian Hongming had already decided to establish his own business, and Liu Jun's rational analysis could hardly shake his entrepreneurial determination.
After hearing Cui Bingbing's words, Liu Jun also found it reasonable. Time flowed to 2009, and Tengfei Factory entered a period of steady development. Cui Bingbing also successfully transferred to the Donghai Branch to assume her duties. Qian Hongming and his sister took the opportunity to establish Hongsheng Real Estate. Although the company was limited in scale, it carried Qian Hongming's ambition for capital operations.
At the opening ceremony, Cui Bingbing deliberately brought up the rumor that Qian Hongming had purchased real estate for a female university student in Shanghai, her words clearly revealing her disdain for his character. To bid for the North China project, Liu Jun had to directly face the entry barriers of state-owned enterprises and foreign enterprises. He specifically invited Song Yunhui to visit the factory and pleaded for his mediation.
Song Yunhui frankly stated that North China Group had suffered heavily due to product quality accidents involving private enterprises, leading to a collapse of trust in private enterprises among the decision-makers, but based on his recognition of Liu Jun's technical capabilities, he was still willing to endorse him with his personal reputation. After interacting with Qian Hongying, Cui Bingbing greatly admired her abilities, but Liu Jun could never fully let go of her association with his father.
In front of Hongsheng Real Estate, Qian Hongming and his sister looked at the company signboard, their hearts stirred. Qian Hongming vowed to enter the top class with financial capital, buy villas for his family, and firmly believed that finance was the truly high-end industry. Subsequently, Song Yunhui arranged for Tengfei to participate in the North China technical exchange meeting, but the South Asia bidding schedule conflicted with it.
Liu Jun dispatched his father Liu Shitang to go to North China on his behalf, unexpectedly, Liu Shitang's philistine style strengthened the negative stereotypes of private enterprises among the North China high-level management, leading to the cooperation being shelved. Liu Jun reviewed the mistake and realized the need to introduce composite talents with both technical background and business capabilities.
By chance, Cui Bingbing discovered that the Crown Hotel VIP card held by Liu Jun was a gift from Lin Chuan, triggering her emotional anxiety. Liu Jun took the opportunity to think of Dong Qiyang, the former executive of City No. 1 Machine Tool Plant, and strongly invited him to join. Dong Qiyang proposed equity incentive conditions, but Liu Jun adhered to the principle of not going public, and the negotiation reached a stalemate.
In contrast, Cui Bingbing and Chen Qifan were gathered at the Crown Hotel. When the two discussed marriage, Cui Bingbing was agitated, always feeling that Liu Jun did not love her as much as she imagined. When leaving, Cui Bingbing saw Lin Chuan and deliberately asked Liu Jun to come to the lobby to pick her up, showing an intimate demeanor, but when she turned around, she found that Lin Chuan had already left.
Liu Jun saw through her thoughts, reiterated that he had no connection with Lin Chuan, and proposed again, but Cui Bingbing remained hesitant. The next day, Luo Qing, a former section-chief level cadre from within the system, proactively volunteered to serve as Tengfei's Vice President of Marketing. Liu Jun advised him to carefully weigh the risks of resignation, especially needing to reach a consensus with his family. During the full-staff medical examination, Liu Jun's abnormal blood pressure reading attracted attention. After Cui Bingbing's father diagnosed and ruled out organic lesions, it implied that his high-pressure work state had jeopardized his health.
Episode 20 Recap
Cui's father advised Liu Jun to change his pace of life, arrange appropriate rest time, and not always think about work, while Cui Bingbing reminded him not to always lose his temper and scold people. Coincidentally, Liu Jun went to answer a call. Cui's father thought Liu Jun had violent genes. Cui Bingbing quickly explained that he was very good to her.
The next second, however, Liu Jun flew into a rage at an employee on the phone over work matters. After hanging up, seeing Cui's father's gaze, he could only give an awkward smile. Subsequently, Liu Jun decided to take his employees for a spring outing to Miaoling Reservoir, not realizing this was precisely where his mother had lived in the countryside, and also Fu Qiufang's hometown. When he arrived at Miaoling Reservoir, he met Fu Qiufang's student.
Through the student, he learned that she used to be a very good person, which puzzled Liu Jun as to why a teacher beloved by students would become a person without principles. Qian Hongming told Liu Jun that many people who have suffered setbacks and are not in control of their circumstances cannot be strictly required to maintain their principles. Liu Jun realized that Fu Qiufang was a pitiful person. Everyone enjoyed themselves happily at the reservoir.
Cui Bingbing and Shen Jiali were chatting in the pavilion. To Cui Bingbing's surprise, Shen Jiali had given up her beloved photography and recently became engrossed in Buddhist scriptures and tea scriptures. The two had no common topic at all. On the other side, Liu Jun brought up the prenuptial agreement with Qian Hongming. Qian Hongming found it difficult to determine whether Cui Bingbing would accept the agreement.
Shen Jiali liked the local pastoral scenery, but in Qian Hongming's view, the countryside was only dirty, messy, and poor. As a result, they unexpectedly learned that Fu Qiufang had returned from the city to live alone, and suddenly felt uneasy. The law firm sent the drafted "Prenuptial Agreement" to Liu Jun. Just at this time, Liu Jun received a call from Luo Qing and went to meet him in person.
It turned out that Luo Qing had already discussed with his wife and gained her support, deciding to resign from his civil servant job and join Tengfei. Liu Jun greatly admired Luo Qing's wife's understanding and expressed his welcome to Luo Qing. Afterwards, he told Liu Shitang about this matter. Although Liu Shitang had agreed to retire to the second line, he wanted to learn to play stocks, which made Liu Jun tease him for becoming increasingly trendy.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Chen Qifan went to Cui Bingbing's home to borrow her computer to type a document. Cui Bingbing unintentionally discovered the "Prenuptial Agreement" on the computer, and her anger was hard to quell, leading her to confront Liu Jun directly. Liu Jun reiterated that she could propose any conditions, but the prenuptial agreement must exist.
Cui Bingbing felt that Liu Jun was holding back from her, that there was no trust between them, and had a big argument with him. Liu Jun stormed out, sitting alone in his car. Lu Huadong called to ask about the situation. Although he supported the prenuptial agreement, he advised Liu Jun to placate his girlfriend. However, when Liu Jun returned upstairs, he found that Cui Bingbing had already left, leaving only a note.
The two were in a cold war phase. To allow both sides to cool down, Liu Jun did not contact Cui Bingbing. In contrast, Liu Shitang learned about the matter through Qian Hongying, and upon returning home, reminded Liu Jun that he must not concede, and that asset division must be clarified before marriage. Qian Hongming accompanied Liu Jun as he drowned his sorrows in alcohol.
Liu Jun no longer wanted to think about emotional matters and could only divert his energy through work. At the "Donghai No. 1" project seminar, Song Yunhui particularly emphasized that if they did not master high-precision core technologies, they would not have true competitiveness and productivity.
After Liu Jun returned from the seminar, he gathered several veteran backbone employees from the factory and stated that the planned goal for "Donghai No. 1" was to independently develop a complete set of equipment, which also aligned with their Tengfei's fully automatic robots. Luo Qing and others felt the risk was too high, and the problems he considered indeed existed, but Liu Jun was truly unwilling to give up this opportunity.
Chen Qifan and others accompanied Cui Bingbing for dinner, advising her as people who had been through similar experiences. Liu Jun found Lu Huadong and drank with him at a bar, taking the opportunity to inquire about Song Yunhui's project, hoping to get him to invest and join, but he showed no interest at all. After dinner, Cui Bingbing saw Liu Jun's car. Hearing her friends say that this place was a sanctuary for romantic encounters, she felt even more uneasy.
Episode 21 Recap
Cui Bingbing saw Liu Jun's car parked outside and mistakenly thought he was out having a good time, which made her feel very upset and resentful that she wasn't as carefree as him.
Chen Qifan told Cui Bingbing that men and women think completely differently; most women marry with an element of love, but men, when they reach the stage where they want to marry, simply feel that the person by their side is the most suitable, regardless of whether there is still love between them.
The next morning, Engineer Liao, Engineer Sun, and other employees sought out Liu Jun, expressing their willingness to work together to achieve independent research and development of the system. However, Liu Jun did not appear very happy, believing it would be difficult for Tengfei to achieve this at present. Due to a lack of funds, Liu Jun proactively went to see Song Yunhui and submitted his proposal. Song Yunhui gave his full support, rekindling Liu Jun's hope.
In contrast, Qian Hongming brought his wife and daughter to Miaoling Reservoir to look for Fu Qiufang. Many years had passed, so Fu Qiufang no longer recognized Qian Hongming's appearance. During their interaction, Qian Hongming found that Fu Qiufang was not as despicable as he had imagined, and besides, no one is perfect, so he was willing to give her another chance.
Subsequently, Qian Hongming picked vegetables at Fu Qiufang's home and personally delivered them to Liu Jun's house, briefly explaining the situation. Liu Jun wanted to help Fu Qiufang improve her life, and Qian Hongming immediately thought of pension insurance, preparing to hand the insurance over to Fu Qiufang in an appropriate way. After Qian Hongming left, Liu Jun carried the vegetables to Cui Bingbing's house and tidied up her place for her.
That evening, Cui Bingbing returned home to find her house completely renewed. She proactively called Liu Jun, reiterating her view that in married life, money should be pooled together like their parents, but Liu Jun's actions made it seem as if she was coveting his assets. Their differing viewpoints led to another disagreement. Liu Jun, unwilling to argue further, revealed that he was going on a business trip, which Cui Bingbing mistakenly interpreted as him avoiding her.
The next morning, Liu Jun boarded a plane bound for the Northwest. He had intended to send a message to Cui Bingbing but didn't send it even as the plane took off. Cui Bingbing called Liu Jun, but there was no answer. Coupled with the extremely poor signal in the Northwest, Cui Bingbing became so anxious that she burst into tears and hurriedly sought out Chen Qifan to lament that Liu Jun was abandoning her.
After calming down, Cui Bingbing reflected that her lack of confidence was what gradually worsened the situation. Following Chen Qifan's advice, she personally emailed Liu Jun, checking daily for a reply. Meanwhile, Liu Jun was scouting locations in the Northwest grasslands, and he, too, was thinking of Cui Bingbing, but due to the poor local signal, the two couldn't get in touch. Hearing his classmate Old Wang's assessment of him, Liu Jun suddenly realized his shortcomings.
He hastily ended his trip and rushed back to Donghai, calling Cui Bingbing immediately. Cui Bingbing was overjoyed and promptly asked Liu Jun for his lawyer's phone number and made a compromise. They also conveniently set their wedding date, choosing to hold it at the Crown Hotel. On the wedding day, Lin Chuan, six months pregnant, stood before the wedding photos and instructed the manager to present two flower baskets. Guests arrived one after another.
As the father, Liu Shitang was filled with mixed emotions. Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing jointly paid for a watch for him, which deeply moved Liu Shitang. Although Song Yunhui was unable to attend the wedding due to other commitments, Liang Sishen came on behalf of her husband and stated that a grand gift would be given to Liu Jun after the wedding, making Liu Jun exceptionally delighted. Finally, witnessed by everyone, Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing completed the ceremony, embraced and kissed. Lin Chuan also silently stood not far away, revealing a relieved smile.
Episode 22 Recap
After returning from their honeymoon, the young couple liked Donghai even more. As soon as they entered the house, Liu Jun packed his luggage. Although Cui Bingbing tiredly complained about their different living habits, they had one thing in common: both were completely focused on work. Immediately after, Liu Jun personally went to see Song Yunhui and learned that he was going to introduce him to An Xinhua from Beiyuan Group, a state-owned enterprise in Northeast China.
The other party was willing to invest in joint development and share technology. It was precisely because Song Yunhui served as the guide that Liu Jun carefully prepared the materials and went to Beijing with him to meet An Xinhua, successfully finalizing the cooperation intention. After An Xinhua finished visiting the factory and left, Song Yunhui reminded Liu Jun that An Xinhua was not the same type of person as him.
Therefore, while cooperating with An Xinhua was fine, he should not get too deeply involved in personal relationships. Song Yunhui's words made Liu Jun fall into deep thought; he couldn't quite grasp his meaning. As he always focused on practical matters and was not good at social niceties, he eventually, at Cui Bingbing's suggestion, spent tens of thousands of yuan to prepare a watch as a "gift" for An Xinhua.
However, after they met, An Xinhua politely refused the watch, stating that he was very optimistic about Tengfei, and still signed the contract. In the afternoon, Liu Jun accompanied An Xinhua to play golf. During their casual chat, he learned that An Xinhua had a son who, due to poor academic performance, was sent to Australia for study after junior high school.
An Xinhua helplessly expressed that he was too busy with work and neglected his family, seemingly managing such a large group, but in reality, earning a fixed, meager salary. When Liu Jun returned to Donghai, he quickly received the first installment of funds. He also subtly learned about Beiyuan Group's losses and had concerns in his heart. Qian Hongming and his wife once again brought their daughter to visit Fu Qiufang.
Similarly, Qian Hongming, using "education expenses" as a reason, arranged a pension insurance for her. Fu Qiufang, unaware of the truth, was deeply moved and wept tears of joy; the couple were both touched by the sight. Meanwhile, Qian Hongying persuaded Liu Shitang to buy a house in Shanghai, acquiring property to preserve its value. Liu Shitang was instantly convinced and prepared to use this house as a retirement home for the two of them.
Not long after, Cui Bingbing became pregnant. Liu Jun bought her steamed buns late at night, but after only a few bites, the power went out again. Due to frequent power outages and restrictions, factory owners nearby came one after another to the camp committee to find Director Xu, complaining incessantly.
Director Xu could understand everyone's difficulties, but the power shortage had many reasons, mainly including drought conditions leading to urgent reservoir capacity, a significant decrease in local hydropower generation; secondly, national control over small coal mines led to reduced power coal production, leaving thermal power plants with no fuel; and finally, environmental reasons caused the Donghai Third Power Plant to shut down for renovation, compounded by severe overload at the local substation, making improvement difficult within a few years.
Considering that future power cuts and restrictions would remain common, Liu Jun arranged for immediate bulk orders of generators, willing to spend heavily to ensure they were delivered to the factory as quickly as possible. After Liu Shitang learned about this situation, he guaranteed he would solve the problem for his son. He then bribed employees of Huayue Diesel Engine Factory, learning from them that a batch of goods was about to leave the factory.
For this, Liu Shitang found the person in charge and, through persistent efforts, finally secured this batch of generators, temporarily solving Tengfei's urgent needs. However, while the factory's problem was solved, the frequent power outages at home, which left his wife enduring darkness and cold, filled Liu Jun with deep guilt. Cui Bingbing suggested moving back to the city center; although her family's house was small, it had convenient transportation and a good environment.
Liu Jun, thinking of the gap between himself and Qian Hongming, felt even deeper guilt towards Cui Bingbing. Cui Bingbing didn't mind at all; instead, she comforted Liu Jun, telling him she knew he was stronger than Qian Hongming. Time advanced to 2005. Beiyuan's economic situation was still not good. Liu Jun came to Beiyuan Group to participate in an exchange meeting; all departments eagerly hoped for Tengfei to produce goods.
An Xinhua knew that scientific research was not easy and was willing to give Liu Jun more time, as long as the product quality was guaranteed. Liu Jun was very grateful.
Episode 23 Recap
An Xinhua showed enough patience and did not pressure the R&D progress, but the second batch of funds had not yet been raised. Therefore, upon his suggestion, it was decided to stay a few more days in Beiyuan until the funds were in place before returning to Donghai. Through the on-site investigation these past few days, Liu Jun discovered that Beiyuan Group's grassroots employees highly valued the project, but they were also unable to process high-precision products.
Therefore, after returning to Tengfei, he immediately notified Luo Qing to start preparing the market for Donghai No. 1. Now Cui Bingbing was six months pregnant, and Liu Jun prepared nutritious breakfast for her every morning. Suddenly, the TV news reported the visit of a Shanxi inspection delegation, with Lin Yue frequently appearing as an accompanying member.
Seeing this, Liu Jun believed that he purely had a gambler's mentality, always venturing into areas he was not good at for speculation, especially since he was now delaying divorce proceedings due to custody issues. Cui Bingbing, hearing Liu Jun's detailed knowledge of the Lin family and associating it with his relationship with Lin Chuan, couldn't help but suspect her husband's behavior had crossed a line. Liu Jun calmly proved his innocence. Time passed until Cui Bingbing gave birth.
The whole family anxiously waited outside the delivery room. Fortunately, Cui Bingbing successfully delivered a baby girl. Mother and daughter were safe, and Liu Jun was overjoyed, eager to send a message to Qian Hongming with the good news. During her postpartum recovery, Cui Bingbing insisted on drinking lactating fish soup due to insufficient breast milk.
However, the newborn disrupted the family's routine, with Liu Jun getting up every night to care for the baby and frequently dozing off in the office during the day. Luo Qing personally came to report to Liu Jun about the appearance of counterfeit products in the market. Although their confidentiality system was very strict, they could not prevent some workers from leaking secrets and engineers from switching jobs.
To address this, Luo Qing submitted a new solution, suggesting the establishment of a second-tier brand to combat price wars. Liu Jun approved it after careful evaluation, and he set up the production line for second-tier products in a branch factory to avoid confusion with the main brand. Shen Jiali brought postpartum supplies to visit Cui Bingbing and learned that Cui Bingbing was preparing to return to work at the bank.
Her parents felt it was too early for their daughter to return to work, thinking she should rest for at least three months. However, Cui Bingbing knew clearly that if her maternity leave exceeded three months, her position might be replaced. It was precisely for this reason that Cui Bingbing resolutely decided to return to work early and rented an apartment across from the company for convenient breastfeeding.
Cui's mother was uneasy about the nanny caring for the baby alone, so she decided to accompany her to assist. It was with the support of her husband and parents that Cui Bingbing directly returned to the bank. The male colleague who was temporarily covering her position was caught off guard and soon transferred out of the core department. To separate the first-tier and second-tier brands, Liu Jun decided to establish a new factory.
When Lu Huadong visited the newborn with his girlfriend Chen Qifan, Chen Qifan privately confided in Cui Bingbing about her fear of marriage, believing their current relationship was stable enough. Cui Bingbing also had a similar sense of crisis about marriage, which was why she was eager to have a child, making the child a bond between them.
In contrast, Liu Jun, based on the experience provided by Lu Huadong, officially launched an employee stock ownership plan, and several core employees received equity incentives. While Liu Jun was inspecting the new factory construction site, he suddenly received an unfamiliar call from the area code of Beiyuan Group. He proactively called back to inquire about the situation, but An Xinhua spoke evasively, avoiding the true operating conditions.
In reality, the company had been in arrears with wages for several months. Cui Bingbing, combining it with restructuring cases, pointed out that this might be a common method for asset restructuring, forcing employees to leave by exaggerating liabilities. Liu Jun suddenly realized that An Xinhua's leniency towards R&D progress hid another secret. Soon, the arrival of an inspection storm broke the surface calm. Beiyuan Group, in conjunction with a government working group, raided Tengfei Factory.
Liu Jun cooperated throughout but harbored doubts. When he inquired with industry veteran General Manager Wei, the latter falsely claimed that An Xinhua had gone abroad for inspection. Foreseeing trouble, Liu Jun urgently visited Song Yunhui, entrusting his father Liu Shitang's future path. At the same time, he was caught in a dilemma: continuing R&D might draw him into a vortex, while discontinuing the project would mean all previous efforts were in vain. After learning of this, Qian Hongming advised Liu Jun to go to Macao first to avoid the limelight, lest An Xinhua's competitors gain leverage against him.
Episode 24 Recap
Following Qian Hongming's suggestion, Liu Jun had no choice but to go to Macau alone to avoid trouble, attempting to alleviate the knots in his heart. Although Cui Bingbing repeatedly reminded Liu Jun not to gamble, when Liu Jun was caught in the decadent luxury of Lihao Entertainment City, he felt a moment of confusion.
At a critical moment, Lin Yue suddenly appeared, uncharacteristically and sternly persuading Liu Jun to stay away from the casino, even using the consequence of a broken family as a warning. Upon hearing this, Liu Jun felt puzzled. They had old grievances, so why would Lin Yue kindly advise him? Liu Jun thought Lin Yue had ulterior motives and insisted on entering the entertainment city.
Unexpectedly, Lin Yue pretended to call Song Yunhui to complain, which scared Liu Jun into hurrying over to explain, only to realize upon closer inspection that the call had not actually gone through. After Lin Yue left, Liu Jun called Lin Chuan to mention the matter and revealed Lin Yue's unusual habit of frequently going to Macau to gamble. Lin Chuan reacted calmly, clearly already accustomed to it.
One of the reasons her sister-in-law wanted to divorce Lin Yue was his excessive gambling. Clearly, Liu Jun had a change of heart about Lin Yue and felt a touch of gratitude for his advice, realizing that if it weren't for his intervention, Liu Jun might have made a big mistake. Lin Chuan hinted to Liu Jun that her brother perhaps didn't want to see such an industry talent go astray.
Liu Jun was silent for a moment, then said Lin Chuan was a very good friend and wished her future happiness. It was precisely because of these words that Lin Chuan finally revealed a gratified smile. The next morning, An Xinhua proactively contacted Liu Jun. Given Liu Jun's candid attitude, he frankly stated that the group was in a phase of intense reform, and subsequent audits would become normal. He suggested Liu Jun focus solely on technological research and development.
Time flew by, and soon it was 2006. Tengfei welcomed new development opportunities, but the renovation of Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing's new home was repeatedly delayed due to work. Although Cui Bingbing occasionally complained, she was also touched by her husband's hands-on and earnest attitude.
On the eve of Chinese New Year, when Qian Hongying was distributing year-end bonuses to employees, she unexpectedly found a suspicious phone in her brother Qian Hongming's bag, suspecting it was a tool for him to maintain an extramarital affair. Qian Hongming insisted he had broken off contact with his lover, but Qian Hongying completely disbelieved her brother. She believed her brother and sister-in-law's marriage was pathological, with one side cold and distant, and the other unrestrained and indulgent.
It was precisely Shen Jiali's excessive trust in him that made him so reckless. To save her brother's marriage, Qian Hongying personally went to Shen Jiali's home to persuade her to work as a cashier. Seeing that her elder sister was asking for her help, Shen Jiali reluctantly agreed. However, Qian Hongming was anxious.
He had to seek Liu Jun's help alone, claiming he was worried that after his wife started handling company finances, she might relapse into the anxious state she had experienced years ago from stock trading due to the vast sums of money in the real estate industry. Yet, he dared not directly oppose his sister's arrangement and hoped Liu Jun could dissuade Shen Jiali from working.
On the other hand, Cui Bingbing heard their conversation and speculated that Qian Hongming was actually afraid that his wife, after engaging with society, would hinder his philandering outside. However, Liu Jun firmly believed in Qian Hongming's character. The next day, Liu Jun and his wife, along with Qian Hongming and his wife, had a meal with their children. Liu Jun subtly tried to persuade Shen Jiali to give up the financial job.
Unexpectedly, Qian Hongying had already anticipated his arguments and preemptively blocked all angles of persuasion. Seeing the stalemate, Cui Bingbing also didn't want her husband to be in a difficult position. So, from a professional perspective, she analyzed the tediousness of cashier work, telling Shen Jiali that she would need to handle complex reimbursement processes and even argue with people to protect her rights. It was precisely because of these words that Shen Jiali finally declined the offer voluntarily.
Meanwhile, An Xinhua apologized to Liu Jun for the delay in three installments of payment, frankly admitting that the capital chain would remain tight until the reform was completed. Facing the predicament, Liu Jun made a surprising decision: he paid for the goods out of his own pocket, vowing to see the development of "Eastern No. 1" through to the end. However, this decision strained the factory's finances, putting him under immense pressure.
Episode 25 Recap
Hearing that Lu Huadong had obtained a loan, Liu Jun was utterly perplexed. Why did he secure a larger loan than himself, given that their companies were of similar scale? After a brief thought, Liu Jun suddenly realized that Lu Huadong was involved in real estate, which was considered the most promising industry. Although Lu Huadong could not provide a guarantee for Liu Jun, he was willing to lend him two million for capital turnover.
The next day, Tengfei received two sums of money from different accounts, totaling four million. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the other sum came from Qian Hongming. It turned out that Qian Hongming, learning that Lu Huadong had lent money to Liu Jun, could not stand idly by as a friend, so he helped Liu Jun raise the money.
Liu Jun specifically came to express his gratitude to Qian Hongming, but when he heard that Qian Hongming was involved in private lending, he felt the risk was too high and advised him to withdraw as soon as possible. However, Qian Hongming was very confident in himself, firmly believing he would not lose money. Liang Sishen and Lu Huadong visited the factory.
Watching the equipment in operation, Lu Huadong commented that although the factory was a small and medium-sized enterprise, its R&D center was truly top-notch. Engineer Sun personally accompanied them and explained. Liang Sishen immediately saw that the technology was complex and specialized, finally understanding why Song Yunhui regarded Liu Jun so highly. After returning home, Liang Sishen praised Tengfei to Song Yunhui, but pointed out that funding remained a significant issue. As they were talking, Song Yunhui received a call.
After he hung up, Song Yunhui revealed to Liang Sishen that An Xinhua had not gone to work at the group for two consecutive days without prior notice, so Liang Sishen's first thought was that he had absconded or was under Shuanggui (dual regulation). Meanwhile, people from the Municipal Public Security Bureau suddenly arrived at the factory and took Liu Jun away, requesting his cooperation with an investigation. On the way, Cui Bingbing called.
Liu Jun wanted to answer but was prevented by the police. He was repeatedly interrogated for a whole day, consistently maintaining that he had never engaged in bribery or accepted bribes, and that his interactions with An Xinhua were purely technical. Cui Bingbing was extremely worried as she could not reach him, and similarly, Liu Jun missed his family. The next day, the entire family anxiously waited by the phone for news.
Finally, the police informed them that Liu Jun had completed the investigation and there were no issues. Because An Xinhua was burdened with numerous charges and almost implicated Liu Jun, Song Yunhui felt somewhat guilty, as he was the one who had initially introduced An Xinhua to Liu Jun. Moreover, Liu Jun had focused on R&D for the past two years, causing the factory's development to lag slightly behind other factories.
That night, Liu Jun sat alone in the living room, lost in thought. Cui Bingbing came over to comfort him, saying that Song Yunhui, whom he admired, had a nickname called "Non-stick Pan," meaning that no matter how deep their connection, he would immediately draw a clear line once a risk appeared, never dragging things out. In short, Cui Bingbing hoped Liu Jun would stop dwelling on An Xinhua's matter and just focus on doing his own work.
It was precisely after hearing Cui Bingbing's words that Liu Jun regained his spirits and returned to the factory, much to everyone's relief. Liu Shitang brought good news: the government had specially approved loan applications for small enterprises, with the condition that a national-level patent must be produced by the end of the year. Although it was a piece of cake for Tengfei, the application required a recommendation from an influential person.
Liu Jun immediately thought of Song Yunhui and personally went to explain his intentions. Engineer Xu approached Luo Qing again, asking him to issue a production order, but Luo Qing was also in a dilemma because the funds had not yet arrived, making production impossible. Song Yunhui hadn't expected Tengfei couldn't even secure a six-million-yuan loan. After understanding Liu Jun's difficulties, he readily agreed to help and recommended Liang Sishen to his factory.
Cui Bingbing returned home and saw Liu Jun's face full of smiles, guessing that the loan funds had arrived. Liu Jun quickly finished his meal and immediately returned to the factory to discuss calculations with Liang Sishen. Everyone worked until midnight.
Song Yunhui arrived at Tengfei company earlier and spoke with Liu Jun privately, stating that the newly appointed General Manager Tian of Beiyuan had suddenly called him, even sending someone to assure him that Beiyuan, after its restructuring, was now capable of completing phased R&D. In reality, they wanted to bypass Tengfei and directly collaborate with Donghai Group.
Faced with this situation, Song Yunhui reasonably suspected that Tengfei's R&D data had been leaked, and Beiyuan was appropriating the early-stage R&D results. Therefore, Song Yunhui told Liu Jun that he must announce the research results before the end of the year, otherwise Donghai Group might choose Beiyuan Group. Liu Jun returned home and told Cui Bingbing about this. Cui Bingbing remarked that General Manager Tian, who would snatch the fruits of others' labor at the last minute, was certainly no ordinary person.
Episode 26 Recap
Cui Bingbing's words inspired Liu Jun, and he suddenly realized that when he and Beiyuan were jointly developing, the data had already been leaked by professors who had signed non-disclosure agreements. However, Liu Jun questioned numerous relevant technical personnel, all of whom flatly denied it. Only Professor Zhang told Liu Jun the truth, saying that Beiyuan did indeed purchase the data at a high price back then, but he did not agree due to concerns about breach of contract.
It's hard to guarantee that others wouldn't betray Tengfei for profit. To this end, Liu Jun held a meeting for everyone, explaining the current difficult situation: on one hand, data leakage and tight funds, and on the other hand, the need to successfully complete research and development by the end of the year. Moreover, in Liu Jun's view, Beiyuan Group is very likely to poach Tengfei's talents and seize Tengfei's hard-earned achievements of the past three years.
They can only accelerate the research progress to prevent everything from going to waste. However, the factory's situation and Liu Jun's obsession with technology sparked objections from employees within the factory. Luo Qing believed that Liu Jun should not have revealed the company's true situation to the R&D personnel, which led to the Tengfei factory falling into crisis. Others also held negative attitudes and had different opinions.
Subsequently, Liu Jun took Luo Qing to find solutions, and they quickly secured a 10 million loan, boosting everyone's morale. Liang Sishen knew well that a mere 10 million wouldn't last long. Drawing on her past experience, she reminded Liu Jun that his primary role currently was that of a decision-maker, and when facing risks, he must prioritize the interests of the majority.
After returning home, Liang Sishen told Song Yunhui about Liu Jun's situation, but Song Yunhui was not worried. He firmly believed that Liu Jun would definitely pull through, appreciating the single-minded strength of technicians like him, and even if he truly couldn't hold on, he himself was there to help. Liang Sishen smiled and said that he could have helped Tengfei earlier, but he insisted on making a move at the last moment.
Engineer Xu was dissatisfied with Liu Jun's favoritism and complained in the office with a few employees. Fortunately, Liu Jun managed to calm their emotions through persuasion. Luo Qing criticized Liu Jun for not spending that money, but Liu Jun also understood this principle and hoped to gain Luo Qing's support. In contrast, Cui Bingbing argued with Liu Jun, reprimanding him for not using half of the money for research and development.
Now the factory was in such a miserable state, and he had never considered the family's situation. The child cried loudly, frightened by the parents' quarrel. Liu Jun looked at his wife and daughter with guilt and left alone. As soon as Liu Jun returned to the factory, he was pulled into the R&D room by Engineer Sun. It turned out that their R&D data was successful.
To ensure accuracy, Liu Jun entered more complex commands again, and unexpectedly, the equipment perfectly completed the task. Cheers erupted from the R&D room. Cui Bingbing, who came looking for Liu Jun, heard the news and arrived. Everyone wept with joy, grateful that they had always held onto their faith and never given up. Liu Jun saw his wife's text message, which read, "If he fails, just come home, I'm willing to support him." The two embraced tightly.
At the Second National Technology Manufacturing Invention and Entrepreneurship Awards Ceremony, Liu Jun personally went on stage to receive the award. Lu Huadong, sitting below the stage, was genuinely happy for his good friend. Lu Guangfa told his son Lu Huadong that the expert who received the award with Liu Jun had once betrayed Tengfei. Yet, even so, Liu Jun did not expose him for the sake of Tengfei's development.
He had evolved from his past moral purism, and now he had to blend in with the world. Afterward, Shen Jiali proactively arranged to meet Liu Jun and handed him the money she had saved over the years, hoping he would open another bank account to deposit it, fearing that if anything happened to Qian Hongming, this money would be safer. Liu Jun comforted Shen Jiali, telling her not to overthink. Coincidentally, Cui Bingbing's best friend witnessed this scene.
Cui Bingbing questioned Liu Jun at home, and after learning the full story, she felt that Shen Jiali's concerns were not unreasonable. Liu Jun and Lu Huadong were playing ball on the court. Lu Huadong mentioned that City No. 1 Machine Factory was expanding its workshops, and the original land had been developed into real estate by Lin Yue, showing rapid growth. As the 2007 Chinese New Year approached, Liu Jun wanted his father to come home for the holidays, but unexpectedly, Liu Shitang was in Shanghai accompanying Qian Hongying.
Episode 27 Recap
Originally, Liu Jun meticulously prepared to celebrate the Spring Festival with his father, but Liu Shitang was immersed in his date, specially booking a Shanghai restaurant for a romantic evening for two. Liu Jun helped Cui Bingbing paste Spring Festival couplets together. Cui Bingbing remarked that her father-in-law, after retirement, understood how to enjoy life better than they did, being constantly on the go.
Despite this, Liu Jun still couldn't understand why Liu Shitang, who had always cared most about Tengfei, no longer bothered with it after retirement. Cui Bingbing told him that he was either busy speculating in stocks or dating. As soon as she finished speaking, Qian Hongming called, proposing to borrow money for turnover, and promised to repay the principal and interest in full within twenty days.
Remembering Qian Hongming's righteous help in past difficulties, Liu Jun took out his existing three million yuan, unaware that after hanging up the phone, Qian Hongming was also on a date with a young woman. During the Spring Festival of 2007, Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing moved into their new home. Qian Hongming personally visited with his wife and daughter. During this time, Liu Jun revealed to Qian Hongming that Shen Jiali had opened an account and regularly remitted money.
Qian Hongming didn't take it seriously, stating that the money he gave her was actually just to put her at ease. Liu Shitang came to his son's office, looking down through the glass window at the rows of luxury cars downstairs, secretly muttering that Liu Jun paid his employees too much, which was why they all had money to buy nice cars. Immediately after, Liu Shitang showed off his stock trading gains to Liu Jun.
The numbers in the account made Liu Jun look at Liu Shitang in a new light. After Liu Shitang left, Liu Jun convened the first regular meeting after the New Year. Everyone was in high spirits, and the atmosphere was very pleasant. Under the suggestion of Luo Qing and others, Liu Jun decided to export the product and thought of asking Qian Hongming for help, renaming the Donghai No. 1 project to F1.
This move injected new vitality into the project. In contrast, Chen Qifan wanted to purchase a villa but was obstructed because the model house was demolished. Cui Bingbing had no choice but to take him to visit Shen Jiali's residence. During the visit, Chen Qifan, with his keen insight, deduced from the villa's stringent security system that Qian Hongming's business not only involved real estate but also extended to the mortgage lending field.
This observational skill made Cui Bingbing feel inferior. That evening, Qian Hongming visited again with a whole box of cash, personally handing the interest to Liu Jun. Faced with profits far exceeding expectations, Liu Jun was secretly astounded. Qian Hongming then took the opportunity to propose managing his idle funds on his behalf, giving him a logical analysis. Coincidentally, Cui Bingbing passed by and overheard their conversation.
Seeing Liu Jun look troubled and reluctant to refuse, she deliberately spoke up, pointing out that the funds included Liu Shitang's share, forcing Qian Hongming to reluctantly give up. Afterwards, Cui Bingbing gossiped with Liu Jun about the villa's surveillance, but Liu Jun didn't think too much of it. Late at night, Shen Jiali saw Qian Hongming still working at his desk, so she got up to prepare a late-night snack for him.
She then looked up and saw a suspicious figure outside the window, cutting her finger in a moment of panic. After the security guards checked and confirmed there was no one there, Shen Jiali worried that Qian Hongming had made enemies outside. Hearing this, Qian Hongming feigned calmness and gently comforted his wife.
Just when the world thought the financial markets were looking good and everyone was caught up in the stock market craze, unexpectedly, the stock market took a sudden negative turn. Liu Shitang's funds instantly evaporated, and Qian Hongying urgently called to advise him to cut his losses. At the same time, Qian Hongming was also concerned about this matter.
Although he no longer speculates in stocks, many bosses who borrowed money were involved in stock trading, and he feared that customer repayments would become problematic in the future. At the government land auction, Lin Chuan and Lu Huadong bid against each other, with Lu Huadong ultimately winning with a high price. After the auction ended, Lu Huadong took the initiative to chat with Lin Chuan.
Upon hearing that Lin Yue had sold all his Shanxi coal mine shares and instead acquired several mines to develop nickel ore, he inquired about the news from Lin Chuan. Lin Chuan was not very familiar with this, stating that when her sister-in-law was still in China, at least the couple discussed things, but now Lin Yue was like a wild horse without reins.
Lu Guangfa felt his son was a bit rash, but Lu Huadong was confident, believing that the old urban area's land would become a scarce resource with development potential. For some time now, Liu Jun had noticed that employees were obsessed with the stock market, and even Luo Qing was no exception. The stock market volatility did not dampen everyone's enthusiasm.
During a meal, Luo Qing spoke eloquently, suggesting that the company adjust its development strategy to imitate the stock market. Liu Jun always harbored concerns and found it difficult to make a decision. Subsequently, Liu Jun and Lu Huadong traveled out of town, specifically writing an article reflecting on economics and life. His cautious approach stood in stark contrast to Lu Huadong's optimistic and enterprising spirit, appearing particularly conservative amidst the wave of expansion.
Episode 28 Recap
Because Liu Jun still maintained a conservative attitude, the old employees were deeply puzzled. Luo Qing felt that Liu Jun's work style had always been like this, so he was not surprised by his reluctance to expand. Meanwhile, Liu Jun and Lu Huadong were eating at a restaurant. Lu Huadong's analysis of global industrial development trends was incisive and showed profound industry insights, which deeply inspired Liu Jun.
His original cautious attitude gradually softened, and he finally decided to expand production scale. Just then, a boss offered to order a dish of fish for Liu Jun. Liu Jun recognized him as Boss Wu, who had been at Qian Hongming's dinner party before. Boss Wu's sudden show of favor was because he was currently facing capital turnover difficulties and hoped Liu Jun would intercede with Qian Hongming on his behalf to secure an extension of one month.
Liu Jun agreed to convey the message. Now that the bubble was getting bigger, Shen Jiali organized her daughter's idle clothes, toys, and books and sent them over. Cui Bingbing felt pity, knowing that Shen Jiali was still kept in the dark by Qian Hongming. She wanted to expose the fact that Qian Hongming had a mistress in Shanghai, but also worried that Shen Jiali wouldn't be able to handle it.
She finally suggested going to Shanghai together over the weekend, ostensibly to deliver a surprise, but actually to catch Qian Hongming in the act with Shen Jiali. Coincidentally, Qian Hongying received some fruit from a client and wanted to give it to Shen Jiali's parents. However, Shen Jiali, having lived a life of luxury for so long, was completely unprepared and directly revealed her plan to go to Shanghai to Qian Hongying.
After hanging up, Qian Hongying quickly notified Qian Hongming, which startled him. He first called his mistress, ordering her to move out of the apartment immediately, and then dispatched people to clean the apartment to ensure no traces of his lover's life would be left behind. Originally, Cui Bingbing planned to take Shen Jiali directly to the apartment, but Shen Jiali couldn't remember the address, so Cui Bingbing had to take her to Qian Hongming's company instead.
Qian Hongming tried to calm down and personally received them, suggesting they stay in a hotel due to the apartment being messy. This excuse further confirmed Cui Bingbing's suspicions. She hinted that Shen Jiali should go to the apartment, but Shen Jiali did not understand Cui Bingbing's intention at all and agreed to stay in the hotel. Liu Jun returned from his business trip, and Qian Hongming picked him up at the airport.
The two families gathered to eat and chat. At the dinner table, Liu Jun recounted that three employees had resigned in a short period, and their reasons for resigning were varied, with many of them unable to repay their loans after borrowing money to buy houses. Just then, the apartment manager sent a message announcing that the cleaning was complete. Cui Bingbing particularly noticed Qian Hongming's expression as he checked his phone messages.
The next day, after the two families said goodbye, they parted ways. Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing drove back to Donghai, while Qian Hongming took his wife and daughter back to the apartment. Watching Shen Jiali lead her child away, Cui Bingbing felt both heartache and anger. She always felt that Shen Jiali, an excellent talent who graduated from a prestigious university, had been turned into a naive housewife by her husband, completely unaware of Qian Hongming's affair.
Upon hearing this, Liu Jun once again explained on Qian Hongming's behalf that there was no infidelity. Meanwhile, Shen Jiali discovered that the apartment's unusually clean environment did not match her husband's explanation. She also found residual perfume in the bathroom and an earring under the bed. All these signs confirmed Qian Hongming's affair. Shen Jiali's emotions completely broke down. She called Cui Bingbing, crying and complaining.
After learning of this, Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing drove back to escort Shen Jiali and her daughter home. Shen Jiali stayed at home, not going out, her emotions abnormal, which made Cui Bingbing feel uneasy. Unexpectedly, Shen Jiali suddenly questioned Cui Bingbing why she took her to Shanghai. Cui Bingbing suddenly realized that Shen Jiali had been aware for a long time, but had been deceiving herself, maintaining the so-called beautiful illusion of their marriage.
Even so, Shen Jiali still decided not to divorce. Cui Bingbing also knew that her relationship with Shen Jiali would no longer be the same as before. After the incident, Shen Jiali's parents' attitude towards Qian Hongming changed. To atone, Qian Hongming planned to purchase a rural property for Shen Jiali to relax and even considered emigration. However, the soaring housing prices led to Qian Hongying's company facing operational difficulties, and ultimately, she was forced to suspend operations. Shen Jiali and her daughter stayed at Fu Qiufang's house, and Qian Hongming gave Fu Qiufang a sum of money as thanks.
Episode 29 Recap
Shen Jiali once again gave Liu Jun money to deposit in the bank. Considering Shen Jiali's poor mood and her child staying at home with her for a long time, Liu Jun brought the child to his home to spend time with his daughter Paopao. Qian Hongming still invested funds with a gambler's mentality, but the bank loan was never approved. Having no other choice, he could only ask Liu Jun for help borrowing six million.
Liu Jun stated that Tengfei had no cash due to expanding its heat treatment center, but he could help Qian Hongming open a three-month letter of credit, temporarily easing Qian Hongming's urgent need. Meanwhile, Qian Hongying called Shen Jiali but received no answer, worrying about her sister-in-law's mental state. Liu Shitang continued to watch the stock market trends, firmly believing it would rebound sooner or later.
However, Qian Hongying was very familiar with the real estate market, and the continuous decline in property prices would inevitably affect the stock market; the situation was not as optimistic as he imagined. At this moment, Qian Hongming returned home to find neither his wife nor daughter. Shen Jiali, suffering from psychological illness due to excessive stress, went to the supermarket alone. Seeing a hairpin, she remembered the one her husband bought for her years ago.
In a momentary oversight, she forgot to pay and was mistaken for a thief by the supermarket. Upon receiving the news, Liu Jun immediately went to the police station to bail her out, repeatedly emphasizing her innocence. Shen Jiali sat in the car, emotionally breaking down and crying, which made Liu Jun feel uneasy. He patiently comforted her. In the winter of 2007, the stock market fell for over a month.
Liu Shitang was deeply worried about the stock market and decided to liquidate his positions immediately after this rebound. However, Qian Hongming remained optimistic about the economic situation. He invested a large sum of money in building construction and took high risks by holding shares on behalf of several clients. Qian Hongying knew that her younger brother had resorted to private lending, feeling the risk was too high, and urged him to stop.
Qian Hongming, however, stated that he was too poor in the past, so he had to firmly grasp any opportunity and could never return to those old days. While playing ball with Lu Huadong, Liu Jun couldn't help but complain about his father's obsession with the stock market. Lu Huadong, however, understood and handed him an evaluation report for reference. Qian Hongming suddenly called, stating that his funding issues were resolved.
Liu Jun still felt something was amiss, but seeing Qian Hongming's objective demeanor, he stopped digging deeper. That evening, Liu Jun tried to sort out his thoughts at home, attempting to deduce economic trends, but he had no clue. Cui Bingbing told Liu Jun that no matter where the economy was headed, he had to manage the factory according to the present reality; there was no advanced choice to advance or retreat.
Liu Jun understood Cui Bingbing's meaning, but his own feelings stemmed more from a lack of confidence. Ever since the expansion of the center, he had always been on edge, full of anxiety all day. Cui Bingbing lightened the mood and encouraged Liu Jun. Time moved to 2008. Wei Jie, a former colleague, proactively sought out Qian Hongying. Hearing that Qian Hongying was raising funds for high-interest loans, Wei Jie became interested and invested 700,000 yuan from her family.
After liquidating his positions, Liu Shitang felt physically and mentally pleased. Qian Hongying asked Liu Shitang to invest in her younger brother's project, but he refused. To get rid of trouble, Liu Shitang anxiously rushed to find Liu Jun, wanting him to give advice on how to quickly spend the five million yuan he had.
Liu Jun casually mentioned buying a house, unexpectedly Liu Shitang took it seriously and spent four million yuan in full to buy a luxury mansion, personally taking Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing on a tour. In contrast, Qian Hongying sulked because Liu Shitang refused to lend money.
Qian Hongming reminded Qian Hongying not to have any hope for Liu Shitang; he was merely at an age where he was embarrassed to seek out young girls but also looked down on older women his age, which was why he chose Qian Hongying, and he had no so-called genuine feelings for her.
Liu Shitang revealed to Liu Jun that Qian Hongying hadn't spoken to him for a week, the reason being that he didn't trust Qian Hongming's project and did not want to be financially involved with him.
Episode 30 Recap
Liu Shitang personally went to find Qian Hongying, honestly expressing his concerns. He truly hoped to have a long-term relationship with Qian Hongying, but Qian Hongming's project carried immense risks. Unfortunately, Qian Hongying completely refused to listen to Liu Shitang's explanations, and the rift between them deepened. Before the Spring Festival in 2008, a severe snowstorm hit. Related news was playing on the television, but Qian Hongming's attention was elsewhere.
He had already processed Shen Jiali's passport, bought a house abroad, and arranged for school enrollment, promising to go and be with his wife and daughter once his matters were handled. Subsequently, Qian Hongming bought a Bentley and drove Liu Jun and Luo Qing for a ride. Liu Shitang became suspicious of the source of Qian Hongming's funds, believing his business was unreliable. However, Liu Jun thought Qian Hongming was fully capable of earning this money.
After dinner, Liu Jun helped Cui Bingbing wash dishes in the kitchen and brought up the relationship between Liu Shitang and Qian Hongying. Although he found their relationship a bit awkward, it would be even worse if they separated. At his age, Liu Shitang was suitable to find a partner he knew well. Soon, the US housing bubble burst, and subprime mortgage defaults surged, leading to a significant devaluation of mortgage-backed financial derivatives.
The crisis quickly spread to global financial markets, causing credit crunch, stock market crashes, and economic recession. Consequently, Liu Jun's Tengfei factory experienced its first-ever international order cancellation, and Luo Qing revealed that the problem originated from the European headquarters. Now Cui Bingbing had been promoted to Vice President. Coincidentally, Director Liu was in the vicinity for business and came to visit Cui Bingbing. During their conversation, it was revealed that their department was blocking Qian Hongming's approval.
Meanwhile, Qian Hongying looked at the computer screen showing that over 1. 9 million in interest had to be repaid that month, which made her feel immense pressure. Just then, Liu Shitang met with Qian Hongying again, stating that this year's situation was completely different from before. Looking around, countless large and small enterprises were on the verge of losing money or even going bankrupt.
Although Qian Hongying knew the risks were extremely high, she consistently refused to face reality, firmly believing that her younger brother Qian Hongming had his own judgment. Liu Shitang went to the kindergarten to pick up Paopao, hoping Cui Bingbing could help persuade Liu Jun that he absolutely should not lend money to Qian Hongming at this time. Cui Bingbing told Liu Jun about the bank refusing Qian Hongming's loan, suspecting that banks would refuse him one after another.
However, Liu Jun thought Qian Hongming wasn't that short of money; otherwise, why wouldn't he come to him? That night, after careful consideration, Liu Jun proactively contacted Qian Hongming, offering to help him issue a five million credit letter. Qian Hongming arranged to meet him after work the next day.
The next day, Liu Jun specifically bought KFC takeout, which made Qian Hongming a bit emotional, stating that when he first returned to China, Qian Hongming himself had treated him to KFC. Looking back at these years, Qian Hongming felt he had made many friends, but only Liu Jun was willing to proactively help. However, he was optimistic that he could definitely endure it and would absolutely not flee with the loan.
Currently, Qian Hongming was most worried about his wife and daughter, so he entrusted Liu Jun to take Shen Jiali and the child to Australia for him. Liu Jun said he truly couldn't get away recently, as the factory had too many problems, but he would try to sort out his work within a month. Back home, Cui Bingbing angrily reprimanded Liu Jun for agreeing to Qian Hongming's request, but despite her anger, she still tacitly approved Liu Jun's decision.
Not long after, Qian Hongming discovered that Director Yan had people watching him, so he called to warn the other party that they were all in the same boat, and if he were pushed too far, they would all go down together. Qian Hongying rushed to find Qian Hongming, stating that the payment deadline was approaching, and if the bank found out they couldn't even pay the interest, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Qian Hongming comforted Qian Hongying, telling her not to worry, that as long as they got through this difficult period, everything would be fine. On the other side, Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing tearfully bid farewell to Shen Jiali and her daughter at the airport.
Episode 31 Recap
Because Qian Hongming was heavily in debt, Qian Hongying worried that Shen Jiali would be harassed and prepared to let her live in her own house. However, Qian Hongming had already quietly arranged for Shen Jiali to go abroad. Upon learning this, Qian Hongying's mind was on the verge of collapse. Thinking of how she had tirelessly run around and painstakingly raised money for him, she cursed him for disregarding his sister's well-being.
Qian Hongming felt extremely guilty but couldn't find words to comfort her. Qian Hongying looked at him and suddenly realized that it would be difficult to recover this time. On the way back, the atmosphere in the car was heavy. To lighten it, Cui Bingbing asked Liu Jun to tell some gossip.
Liu Jun mentioned that after Lu Huadong and Chen Qifan broke up again, he quickly found a female host, but being busy with work, he had no mind for romance, and soon broke up with the female host. In fact, Lu Huadong simply couldn't forget Chen Qifan, so he asked Liu Jun to sound out Chen Qifan's intentions with Cui Bingbing. Cui Bingbing agreed to help probe when she had a chance. Qian Hongying dragged her tired body home.
Shortly after sitting down, she received a call from Sister Wei. She immediately perked up, adjusted her emotions, and promised to pay next week's interest, tricking the other party with a few words. After hanging up the phone, Qian Hongying stared at Liu Shitang in her contacts and could no longer hold back, bursting into tears.
In contrast, Qian Hongming drove alone downstairs from his building, immediately turned off all his phones, and looking at an uncle in front of his car who made a living by collecting scraps, his heart was filled with mixed emotions, so he gave him the gifts from the car's trunk. On the other side, Liu Jun saw in the newspaper that Jin Yi had gone bankrupt. He didn't expect a powerful giant like Jin Yi to go bankrupt like that.
He suddenly felt a little worried about Qian Hongming, but the latter's phone was off. Nowadays, Tengfei Factory was receiving more and more canceled orders. Fortunately, Liu Jun had adjusted the production plan two months ago, no longer mass-producing to cope with market conditions and avoid greater losses. Despite this, under the current economic situation, Liu Jun still had to continue to shrink production, causing panic throughout the entire factory.
That evening, Shen Jiali couldn't contact Qian Hongming, so she asked Liu Jun to help check on him. Coincidentally, Liu Jun received a text message from Qian Hongming, asking him to meet at the community entrance. When they met, Qian Hongming handed all the property deeds under his name to Liu Jun, hoping he could buy these properties.
Originally, Liu Jun wanted to lend money to Qian Hongming, but due to Qian Hongming's insistence, he had no choice but to take the property deeds home. Liu Shitang proactively called to check on Qian Hongying, his words filled with warmth, stating that he would always silently watch over her, and even though he was no longer young, he was capable of taking care of her for life. Listening to Liu Shitang's words, Qian Hongying was in tears.
Cui Bingbing reviewed the sales contract and thought Qian Hongming's quoted price was fair. It was evident that Qian Hongming indeed treated Liu Jun as a friend and supported Liu Jun's decision. The next day, Cui Bingbing took the property contract to meet Chen Qifan, confirming that the procedures were complete and there were no issues. She felt slightly relieved but still considered these things to be like hot potatoes.
Seeing the fresh flowers on the windowsill, Cui Bingbing learned that Chen Qifan and Lu Huadong had gotten back together. As they were talking, an earthquake suddenly occurred, and both of them rushed outside. Subsequently, news of the Wenchuan earthquake was broadcast on television, which had a significant impact nationwide. Liu Jun, with good intentions, knew there were still employees from Sichuan in the factory, so he asked Old Zhu to contact them and organize donations.
However, the employees had contacted their families and did not need private donations. Ultimately, Liu Jun still prepared to provide money and supplies to aid Wenchuan. In the days that followed, Liu Jun contacted Qian Hongming every few days, fearing that something might happen to him. Qian Hongming appeared optimistic on the surface, but in reality, he had reached a dead end. He had discussed an escape plan with his sister and handed her the remaining money.
On her way home, Cui Bingbing passed Hongsheng Real Estate and found it surrounded by creditors. She picked up her phone and took photos, then went home to ask Liu Jun if he was aware.
Episode 32 Recap
Cui Bingbing briefly explained the situation of Hongsheng Real Estate. Liu Jun could not reach Qian Hongming again and was anxious. The couple went to Qian Hongming's company the next day, only to find creditors moving things out, and the scene was chaotic. Someone recognized Liu Jun as Qian Hongming's friend, motioning for other creditors to step forward and question him, frantically demanding money.
Fortunately, Cui Bingbing appeared in time, stating that they were also victims, and showed them the call records. At this point, the police also arrived and stopped the creditors' extreme behavior. After returning home, Cui Bingbing analyzed Qian Hongming's recent abnormal behavior, guessing that he had long planned his escape, otherwise why would he rush to send his wife and daughter abroad.
To find Qian Hongming's whereabouts, Liu Jun immediately called Liu Shitang to ask about Qian Hongying, but Liu Shitang said he had not been in contact with Qian Hongying for a long time. Shen Jiali, who had already safely arrived in Australia, couldn't reach Qian Hongming. She called Liu Jun again, crying and asking about her husband's situation. Liu Jun comforted Shen Jiali not to overthink, then hastily hung up the phone.
Cui Bingbing suggested that Liu Jun go check Qian Hongming's house; perhaps Qian Hongming was hiding inside. The next morning, Cui Bingbing heard shocking news: one of Qian Hongming's creditors had committed suicide by jumping from a building. Liu Jun was struck as if by lightning upon hearing this and rushed to Qian Hongming's residence, only to see footprints on the balcony, proving that he had been in the house, but had not jumped.
Similarly, Cui Bingbing was asking friends about Qian Hongming's whereabouts, but they all implicitly pretended not to know, with only one friend hinting that she should stop inquiring. After Chen Qifan found out, he reminded Cui Bingbing that the situation was quite serious, indicating that they knew Qian Hongming's whereabouts, but Qian Hongming must have crossed a red line. Not long after, Shen Jiali called again. Liu Jun patiently comforted her, repeatedly telling her not to return to China.
Cui Bingbing believed that Shen Jiali seemed introverted, but for Qian Hongming, she would have a stubborn determination like a moth flying into a flame, so Shen Jiali would certainly return to China sooner or later. Liu Jun suddenly thought his father was acting unusually, and went to his residence alone, where he indeed found Qian Hongying. Qian Hongying then truthfully explained the situation to Liu Jun. In fact, the renovation of Tianmao Building was Qian Hongming's most optimistic project.
He not only invested all his own money but also held shares on behalf of several influential figures. However, last year he suffered losses in the stock market, and his capital turnover fell into difficulties, so he resorted to private lending. Qian Hongming originally thought that by borrowing money for turnover, he would soon await policy liberalization, but it turned out this way.
Meanwhile, Shen Jiali heard about Qian Hongming's situation and, despite Cui Bingbing's dissuasion, was determined to return to China to accompany Qian Hongming through the difficult times. Cui Bingbing, feeling utterly helpless, had to personally go to the airport to pick up Shen Jiali, but after waiting for a long time without seeing her, was finally informed that Shen Jiali had been taken away for interrogation by the investigation team.
Before leaving, Shen Jiali tearfully handed her child over to her parents. Qian Hongying watched the news of her sister-in-law's arrest, filled with grief and indignation, and was even more worried that Qian Hongming would have an accident if he saw the news. Lu Huadong privately analyzed the situation for Liu Jun, suggesting that he should surrender earlier.
Furthermore, Lu Huadong brought good news to Liu Jun: the people responsible for investigating the case were not aligned with those Qian Hongming had offended. They were looking for Qian Hongming to uncover the big tiger behind the scenes, and as long as Qian Hongming voluntarily surrendered, the matter would not be as serious as imagined.
In contrast, Qian Hongming sent an email asking his sister to surrender, while he himself would write clear materials and post them online to stir up public opinion. However, Liu Shitang felt sorry for Qian Hongying and was unwilling to let her be a scapegoat for Qian Hongming. Soon, Liu Jun was questioned by the judicial authorities, feeling utterly helpless. Luo Qing didn't care at all and instead comforted Liu Jun, saying he would be fine.
Cui Bingbing worried that the property was too risky and prepared for the worst; she would rather have the house confiscated than let anything happen to Liu Jun. After a detailed investigation, the police confirmed that Liu Jun's and Qian Hongming's property transaction was normal. Just then, a post about Qian Hongming suddenly appeared online, completely exposing inside information in extreme detail. Chen Qifan believed that Qian Hongming himself wrote the post. At the same time, as Liu Jun walked out of the police station, he saw Qian Hongying, who had come to surrender.
Episode 33 Recap
Outside the police station, Qian Hongying told Liu Jun that at first she didn't understand why her younger brother would go all out without leaving himself a way out, but now she finally understood that Liu Jun was his younger brother's fallback and hope. It was also because of Qian Hongying's words that Liu Jun realized Qian Hongming had already made preparations, and he was definitely still in Donghai. Subsequently, Liu Jun brought the police to the villa to investigate.
Suddenly, he received a call from Qian Hongming. Qian Hongming asked Liu Jun to hand the phone to the police and confessed all his crimes to them. However, he had no intention of surrendering and even entertained thoughts of suicide. The police were extremely anxious, hoping Liu Jun could persuade Qian Hongming to reconsider. But no matter how Liu Jun tried to persuade him, Qian Hongming's mind was made up.
He couldn't accept spending the next twenty years in prison, and even less did he want to see himself back at square one. In the end, Liu Jun's attempts to stop him were futile. He bid farewell to Qian Hongming with tears in his eyes. Qian Hongming, on his part, put Shen Jiali's photo in his pocket, leaving behind a will full of deep affection. Soon, the police recovered Qian Hongming's body from the bottom of a nearby lake.
Cui Bingbing applied for bail for Qian Hongying and Shen Jiali, so they could handle Qian Hongming's funeral arrangements. Liu Jun went alone to Qian Hongming's first home, recalling the countless days he spent with Qian Hongming when he first returned to the country. Especially upon seeing Qian Hongming's photo, he sat in a corner and wept bitterly. After Qian Hongying was released on bail, she learned of her brother's death and was overcome with grief.
Shen Jiali, on the other hand, found it difficult to accept for a while. Her mind instantly collapsed, and she was rushed to the hospital. When Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing came to the hospital to visit, they learned that Shen Jiali had fainted again due to Qian Hongying's accusations. However, Shen Jiali's parents were elderly, and her father was in poor health.
Liu Jun heard that the old couple was planning to take their daughter and granddaughter, Xiao Taozi, back to their small hometown county. Considering that the education in the county could not compare to that in big cities, he impulsively proposed to raise Xiao Taozi, completely disregarding Cui Bingbing's feelings. Cui Bingbing angrily reprimanded Liu Jun after returning home.
But as she listened to Liu Jun recount his past with Qian Hongming, she was moved with compassion, and finally agreed to bring Xiao Taozi into their home. After Qian Hongming's funeral arrangements were completed, Qian Hongying returned to the police station, where she would face further investigation and trial. Because Qian Hongming's death and the online posts caused a huge public outcry, the high-ranking officials involved had nowhere to hide and were successively brought down.
However, the calming of this storm did not mean that the economy would improve in the future. A new wave of financial tsunami struck again, and both large and small enterprises faced crises. Even Lu Huadong could not escape. Because homeowners in the first phase had purchased their houses at high prices, the prices of second-phase houses suddenly dropped sharply, causing dissatisfaction among homeowners. They rushed to the sales office to cause trouble. Lu Huadong was distressed.
He sought out Liu Jun to drown his sorrows in alcohol, and incidentally mentioned the financial tsunami, advising Liu Jun to consider layoffs as soon as possible. Liu Jun's thoughts were completely different from Lu Huadong's. He knew that all members of the Tengfei team were backbone elites, and they were all veterans who had worked hard with him until now. He truly did not want to discourage them. In the middle of the night, Lu Huadong was dead drunk.
Cui Bingbing drove to pick up Liu Jun, and at the same time called Chen Qifan. On the way back, Liu Jun thought of Qian Hongming again, saddened that his good brother had lost his life due to this crisis. Looking around, the entire international economy was in collapse. Major companies were like startled birds, scrambling for their own safety. Liu Jun decided to make strategic adjustments to Tengfei.
To cope with the economic crisis, he planned to shift from a technology war to a price war, focusing primarily on sales and advocating for frugality. To raise more funds, Liu Jun specifically mortgaged his car for a loan. Because the economic situation caused big bosses to sell off their cars, the car dealership owner could only offer half price. During this time, Liu Jun saw Qian Hongming's car and learned that he had foreseen today's outcome long ago. He had signed an irrevocable document at that time. In the evening, Cui Bingbing saw her husband looking distraught, and sat beside him to patiently comfort him.
Episode 34 (Ending) Recap
For several days in a row, Lu Huadong confined himself at home and did not go to work. His father, Lu Guangfa, suddenly came to him, and seeing his son's effeminately appearance, was disappointed in him. He then took him directly to the Tengfei factory. Lu Guangfa got straight to the point, stating his intention to acquire Tengfei, which caught Lu Huadong off guard, as he clearly had not been aware of this matter.
Liu Jun knew that Lu Guangfa was a businessman entirely driven by profit, and that Tengfei would no longer invest in high-tech manufacturing under his control. He flatly rejected the generous acquisition agreement. Lu Guangfa frankly stated that Tengfei would not last much longer because he had already started a price war with Tengfei, which would result in zero sales performance for Luo Qing's team going forward, and all former long-term clients had canceled their collaborations.
To this end, Lu Guangfa used Qian Hongming's suicide as an example to warn Liu Jun not to drive himself to a dead end. Lu Huadong was furious at his father's actions today, as he had clearly intended to discuss cooperation with Liu Jun earlier, but suddenly took advantage of the situation to loot. As soon as Lu Guangfa left, Liu Jun was informed that all clients had ceased cooperation.
Song Yunhui felt reluctant upon learning this, not wanting to see such a strong enterprise mercilessly swept away by the financial crisis. That evening, Liu Jun took out all his property deeds, preparing to mortgage them to get through the difficult period. Cui Bingbing also offered to use her saved initial shares to support her husband, but Liu Jun did not want to implicate Cui Bingbing, stating he had a way to solve it himself.
On the other hand, Lu Guangfa, failing to entice them, resorted to coercion, using City No. 1 Machine to seize Tengfei's mid-to-low-end market orders, and sent an acquisition letter to Tengfei's internal shareholders, sowing discord between them and Liu Jun, making Liu Jun isolated and helpless. He firmly believed that no one would sacrifice their interests for righteousness, especially since everyone had a family to support.
Soon, everyone had successively received the acquisition letter, and seeing its contents and generous terms, they all fell silent. Lu Huadong felt very uneasy thinking about Liu Jun's predicament, but he was powerless to stop his father's actions, also falling into confusion and helplessness. Chen Qifan comforted Lu Huadong that things could not be changed for now, and proposed marriage to him, making him weep tears of joy.
Liu Jun walked around Tengfei, then went alone to the lake where Qian Hongming committed suicide and lingered for a long time. Fu Qiufang, thinking Liu Jun was contemplating something rash, rushed forward to stop him, but Liu Jun said he was just feeling gloomy and came here alone to clear his head. After returning to his car, Liu Jun, filled with guilt, called Song Yunhui, feeling indebted for his years of support and help.
Song Yunhui still chose to wait and see, believing that Liu Jun and the shareholders could face the storm together. The next morning, Liu Jun signed and sealed the acquisition agreement. Just as he was about to go meet Lu Guangfa, he found everyone standing outside the door, all expressing their commitment to overcome the difficulties with Liu Jun, and tearing up the acquisition letter in front of him.
Seeing this scene, Liu Jun was deeply moved and ultimately gave up selling the factory. Liu Shitang also took out all his property deeds for his son's emergency use, believing they could surely overcome this hurdle. Lu Huadong did not receive a call after a long wait, and while slightly disappointed, he wasn't particularly so, as he at least saw that in this industry, there was still a group of people who persevered for their dreams.
In the following days, the Tengfei factory gradually got back on track. Lu Huadong and Chen Qifan sent Liu Jun a wedding invitation. Qian Hongying was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crime of illegally absorbing public deposits. Liu Shitang frequently visited her in prison and brought photos of Xiao Taozi. Shen Jiali's mental state also gradually recovered, and the elderly couple were very relieved to see this.
Just then, the country introduced policies to assist small and medium-sized enterprises. Liu Jun seized this opportunity to go to Germany for business talks, unexpectedly running into Lin Yue at the airport. Although Lin Yue highly appreciated Liu Jun's business acumen, he suggested accumulating more real estate to strengthen his power while the market recovered. However, Liu Jun still maintained his original aspiration.
With departure imminent, Lin Yue recalled that it had been ten years since Liu Jun returned from Germany. Liu Jun remembered the bits and pieces of his return to China back then, fortunate that he hadn't given up. Lin Yue also believed that the future of Made in China belonged to people like Liu Jun.
