Resumen, trama, sinopsis de The Epoch of Miyu

Sinopsis de The Epoch of Miyu

Xu Miyu’s seemingly “perfect” marriage shatters on its tenth anniversary, forcing her to confront the compromises she made and the self she lost within the relationship. Determined to reclaim her life, she chooses divorce. Meanwhile, Ji Feng returns to the starting point of his career—the Sway Hotel. Starting over from scratch, Xu Miyu begins working as a room attendant at the same hotel, while Ji Feng steps in as its new general manager.

As they face workplace challenges side by side, their relationship evolves from mutual support to budding romance. In the end, they not only find love but also transform the Sway Hotel into a new landmark of the city.

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Xu Miyu travels to Ubustan to surprise her husband, Nie Yucheng, who is there on a business trip. Arriving a day early for their tenth wedding anniversary, she heads to the Siwei Hotel to check in. The receptionist is visibly conflicted because the system shows Yucheng checked in the previous night with another woman named Lu Zhenzhen. Before the situation escalates, the hotel's acting general manager, Ji Feng, steps in to handle the situation.

To buy Yucheng time to clear the room, Ji Feng escorts Miyu to the suite at a leisurely pace, distracting her with a story about the hotel’s art pieces made from red wine bottles. When they reach the door, Yucheng is alone. He acts surprised and claims his company, Changyang Travel Agency, is a valued partner, which is why he was upgraded to a deluxe suite.

To celebrate their anniversary, Yucheng asks Ji Feng to arrange a premium candlelight dinner and a bottle of rare Screaming Eagle red wine. A problem arises when a server realizes the last bottle of Screaming Eagle was just purchased by another guest, Gray Tino. Ji Feng intervenes, finding Tino frustrated by the hotel's attempts to delay his purchase. Recognizing Tino’s expertise, Ji Feng offers him a rare 1968 Haut-Brion—the guest's birth year—as a gesture of respect.

This move satisfies Tino and secures the Screaming Eagle for Yucheng’s dinner. During the anniversary meal, Ji Feng personally serves the couple. Miyu is impressed by the service and suggests a commemorative photo. As Yucheng pulls out his phone, Lu Zhenzhen approaches their table, pretending to be a fellow guest and offering to take the picture. While Miyu is touched by the stranger's kindness, Yucheng is incredibly tense.

After taking the photo, Lu Zhenzhen returns to her own table, and Yucheng struggles to maintain his composure. The evening takes a distressing turn back in their suite. As the couple prepares for bed, Miyu’s hair gets caught in something under the pillow, leading her to discover a pair of women’s underwear. Yucheng panics, claiming it must be a mistake by the cleaning staff. Miyu insists on an explanation and summons the housekeeper, Natalie.

Although Natalie insists the room was checked, Ji Feng arrives and takes responsibility for the "oversight" to protect the hotel’s relationship with Changyang. He "demotes" Natalie on the spot and offers the couple a complimentary high-end desert excursion to make amends. Later that night, Miyu finds a lipstick stain on the collar of one of Yucheng’s shirts, deepening her unease.

The next morning, Miyu seeks out Ji Feng and offers to help facilitate the partnership between Changyang and the hotel in exchange for the hallway surveillance footage. Ji Feng politely declines, citing privacy policies, and reassures her that her bond with her husband is strong. Yucheng later meets with Ji Feng to discuss travel routes before the couple returns home. While Ji Feng is recognized as the Outstanding Manager of the Year, his triumph is short-lived.

The hotel group appoints a new manager, Andy Smith, as a rival candidate for the permanent General Manager position. Despite Ji Feng's track record, the board suggests he might be sent to develop a new market in South Africa instead. Back home, Miyu finds her sister and brother-in-law, Yao Zhigang, using her house to host a home visit from an international school. They used Miyu’s address on the application to impress the recruiters.

Yucheng is annoyed by the deception, but Miyu asks him to be patient. During the visit, the sister reveals in a private conversation that Miyu is not their father's biological child and only works hard to please the family. During dinner, the sister's family shows no sign of leaving. Yucheng, feeling uncomfortable and claiming he has urgent work and an early flight the next day, tells Miyu he will spend the night at a hotel near his office.

Later that night, Yucheng sends a message asking Miyu to bring him a suit in the morning. Hoping to support him, Miyu arrives at the hotel early, only to have Lu Zhenzhen answer the door, confirming her husband's double life.

Miyu stands before the hotel room door, initially doubting she has the right room. However, Lu Zhenzhen calls out Yucheng’s name from inside with a clear note of provocation. When the door opens, Yucheng appears in his bathrobe, looking flustered. Zhenzhen doesn't hide; instead, she taunts Miyu, mentioning how Yucheng had spoken of her and suggesting they might have met before.

Yucheng desperately tries to shove Zhenzhen back into the room while attempting to explain, but a disgusted Miyu turns and flees the hotel. Back at their apartment, Miyu’s sister, Xu Miyao, is busy packing her things. Miyu bursts in, followed closely by a persistent Yucheng. Despite Miyu’s demands to keep the door shut, Miyao lets him in as she prepares to leave for her train.

Yucheng tries to spin the situation, claiming he was drunk after a business meeting with Zhenzhen. He even offers to show his phone as proof that his interactions were professional, but Miyu, feeling physically ill at the sight of him, pushes him away and demands he leave. The tension is interrupted by a video call from Miyu’s father. Having heard from Miyao that the couple was quarreling, he calls to mediate.

Yucheng puts on a perfect performance, thanking his father-in-law for a phone he recently gifted him and complimenting the old man’s B&B, "Xu's Place." While Yucheng acts the part of the devoted son-in-law, Miyu remains cold and eventually retreats. Her mother later calls her privately, urging her not to be too harsh.

She reminds Miyu that since she doesn't have a job and the family relies on Yucheng’s high status and income, she should ignore his lapses to protect her position from other "fox spirits" who want her spot. After the call, Yucheng realizes that Zhenzhen used his phone to send a message to Miyu without his knowledge. He immediately texts her, demanding a reason for her behavior. Her reply is blunt: she is pregnant.

Later that night, Yucheng leaves a note for Miyu along with some warm milk, trying to maintain the facade of a loving husband. The next day, Yucheng attends a debriefing at the office. CEO Hu expresses satisfaction with the Sway Hotel group project but notes that the overseas expansion is a long-term goal. He emphasizes that Yucheng’s focus must remain on the "Yufeng Jiangnan" project.

A promotion to Vice President is on the line, and Yucheng is competing with a colleague named Yin. Hu makes it clear that securing this project is the only way for Yucheng to overcome his rival’s powerful backing. Meanwhile, Miyu arranges a meeting with Lu Zhenzhen. Zhenzhen arrives late, distracted by aggressive business calls and debt collections. She notices Miyu is carrying the same limited-edition handbag as her.

While Zhenzhen proudly claims she bought hers with her own money, Miyu is aware of the lack of boundaries. Zhenzhen belittles Miyu’s lifestyle, calling her status low because she lacks an income, a career, and a social circle. Miyu counters by questioning whether Yucheng would ever sacrifice his hard-earned reputation for a mistress if forced to choose.

Though Miyu holds her ground, she leaves the cafe feeling hollow, realizing her victory is purely verbal and her financial dependence on Yucheng remains her greatest weakness. At home, Yucheng tries to play the domestic husband by cooking, though he ends up breaking a bowl in his clumsiness. Over dinner, Miyu reveals she met with Zhenzhen. Yucheng immediately dismisses Zhenzhen as a liar, claiming the "sparks" at work were nothing more than professional camaraderie.

He insists that Miyu's sacrifice for the family was the real partnership. When Miyu confronts him about the red underwear she found previously and his deception with the Sway Hotel manager, Yucheng admits Zhenzhen tried to trap him but insists he rejected her. To prove his loyalty, he deletes Zhenzhen from his WeChat in front of Miyu, promising to have her fired if she persists. However, the professional ties are harder to break.

Zhenzhen later confronts Yucheng in his office over a delayed payment settlement that a colleague, Feng Bin, has been stalling. Yucheng tries to remain cold, but the conversation turns personal. Zhenzhen admits she is struggling with morning sickness and wants a real home for their child, refusing to let the baby be raised in "the shadows." When Yucheng expresses concern about the timing for his career, Zhenzhen offers to terminate the pregnancy to avoid being a burden.

Yucheng is visibly torn, caught between his guilt and his ambition. By the time Yucheng returns home, the stress has manifested as severe stomach pain. Despite his illness, he continues to handle work calls regarding a project event. Miyu cares for him with medicine and millet porridge. Yucheng clings to her, begging her to keep "managing" him for the rest of his life and swearing he will protect the family.

Miyu chooses to forgive him, though she is aware she is merely choosing to live within a sweet, colorful lie—like a candy wrapped in cellophane—to avoid the bitter reality of her situation.

Reflecting on their ten years together, Xu Miyu looks at Nie Yucheng’s familiar face and tells herself that such a long-standing bond cannot be severed easily. She hopes that if they have a child and Yucheng’s career advances further, their marital problems might resolve themselves. The next morning, Yucheng receives a call regarding a contract update for a project in Ningxin.

Miyu asks a few questions about his work and prepares breakfast for him before he rushes out to meet a Mr. Wang. Later that morning, Miyu meets with several directors’ wives for coffee. Drawing on her knowledge of art and collectibles, she offers a sophisticated appraisal of a jade bracelet once owned by the collector Fang Yahui, noting its smooth texture and resemblance to Zhengkun jade.

Mr. Hu, the group’s head, expresses his appreciation for her keen eye and asks for her future advice. However, while Miyu is in the restroom, she overhears the other women gossiping about Yucheng and Lu Zhenzhen. They mock Miyu for acting meek to support her husband’s career, suggesting that everyone in their circle knows about the affair.

They dismiss Yucheng’s infidelity as something as common as a phone upgrade and speculate that Miyu is only pretending not to know because she is a jobless housewife who relies entirely on his income. Meanwhile, a man named Ji Feng is seen negotiating his future as the General Manager of Purong Hotel.

Despite the hotel's declining reputation and financial scandals under the previous management, Ji Feng accepts the challenge under a strict condition: he must achieve a thirty percent profit increase within one year to earn a ten percent equity stake in the hotel. That evening, Yucheng secures the Yufeng Jiangnan project. During a celebratory dinner, the company head, Mr. Wang, reveals that the deal was only finalized because his goddaughter, Lu Zhenzhen, called him every day to advocate for Yucheng.

At the same time, Zhenzhen is at another dinner being pressured by clients to drink. Yucheng arrives just in time to intervene, telling her not to drink if she is unable to and ordering non-alcoholic beverages for the table. Back at home, Miyu receives a bank notification showing a withdrawal of 150,000 RMB. When Yucheng returns smelling of alcohol, she confronts him about the money.

Yucheng claims he drove home and hasn't been drinking, and explains that he lent the money to his colleague, Liu Minghui, whose family is deep in debt. After Yucheng falls asleep, Miyu tries to give him his medicine but sees a suggestive text from Zhenzhen on his phone. Distraught, she checks his email and finds a billing statement from Mingmei Maternity Hospital. She calls Minghui’s wife, Ting, who is confused and confirms they never borrowed any money.

The following day, Miyu follows Yucheng to the maternity hospital and sees him affectionately accompanying Zhenzhen. The sight is a bitter contrast to Miyu’s own recent visit to a doctor, where she discussed a minimally invasive surgery for her uterine fibroids in hopes of finally getting pregnant—a struggle Yucheng seemed indifferent to. Watching them, Miyu realizes her marriage is an illusion.

She concludes that even without Zhenzhen, Yucheng would have eventually found someone else, and that she has been gambling on the wrong life by sacrificing her own identity for him. Miyu consults a lawyer named Su to discuss the division of assets. She learns that all of Yucheng’s secret investments and savings are legally considered joint marital property. To harden her resolve, she visits Room 1819 at the Purong Hotel, a room Yucheng frequently used for his encounters with Zhenzhen.

When Yucheng sends her a message inviting her to a project celebration banquet, claiming everyone wants to see his "virtuous wife," Miyu finds the request deeply ironic but decides to attend. Miyu arrives at the banquet dressed elegantly, which makes Yucheng feel proud. However, the atmosphere shifts when Miyu publicly asks Liu Minghui if the 150,000 RMB "loan" was sufficient.

As Minghui stammers in confusion, she brings up the specific costs at Mingmei Maternity Hospital, noting that 150,000 RMB covers a natural birth and a postpartum center, but a C-section might cost more. Just then, Zhenzhen enters the room. Zhenzhen tries to pretend she entered the wrong room, but Miyu stops her. Miyu mocks her for being young, beautiful, and tactful, but ultimately calls her out as a shameless mistress.

Yucheng loses his temper and yells at Miyu for causing a scene in front of his partners. Undeterred, Miyu tells him that she will no longer live according to his whims or care about his dignity. She confronts him for being a selfish perfectionist who trampled on her ten years of devotion. In front of the entire room, Miyu firmly demands a divorce. As Miyu walks out, Yucheng follows her into the street, insulting her and calling her a parasite.

He shouts that she will never have a good life without him and tells her not to come back begging. Dazed and overwhelmed, Miyu wanders into the middle of a busy road, ignoring the traffic signals. Just as a vehicle approaches, her best friend, Li Qiaoqi, pulls up on a motorcycle and whisks her away. Qiaoqi takes Miyu out to eat and catches up on their lives.

Qiaoqi reveals she has been back in the country for a year, working as an assistant chef at the Purong Hotel and living independently in a rented apartment. Seeing Miyu’s state, Qiaoqi encourages her to rediscover her old self and promises to take her out more often. When Yucheng finally returns home, he finds a signed divorce agreement waiting on the table. Miyu stands her ground, telling him that her mind is made up and she is only waiting for his signature to end their marriage.

Standing in their living room, Xu Miyu placed the divorce papers in front of Nie Yucheng, demanding he sign them before leaving. Yucheng tried to deflect, questioning if she was serious, but Miyu remained cold, noting she had already provided her signature. He eventually relented, claiming he would review the documents at the office and return them that evening. At work, Yucheng faced the immediate fallout of Miyu’s scene at the victory banquet.

His superior, Mr. Hu, showed him the viral video of the confrontation, mocking the idea that it was some kind of AI face-swap. Mr. Hu was livid, explaining that Yucheng’s promotion to Deputy General Manager, which was set to be announced that week, had been abruptly suspended by the group office. He berated Yucheng for being foolish enough to hand his enemies such ammunition at a critical moment.

Though Mr. Hu promised to speak on his behalf, he made it clear that the promotion was now a matter of fate and that Yucheng needed to settle his "personal style" issues immediately. That night, Yucheng returned home and attempted to reconcile. He apologized for his previous outbursts, swearing that he loved Miyu and promising to make a clean break from Lu Zhenzhen.

Miyu was unimpressed, asking if he truly wanted to save the marriage or if he was simply trying to delay the divorce until after his promotion was secured. When Yucheng accused her of trying to ruin his career and forgetting their ten years together, Miyu countered that she was the one with no retreat. She refused to remain a "parasite" in his home, living without dignity while enduring his lies. Exhausted by the argument, Yucheng finally agreed to the divorce.

The negotiation over their marital property quickly turned bitter. Yucheng claimed the house belonged to his parents and that the car, while marital property, should stay with him since Miyu couldn't drive. He insisted he had no savings, claiming his entire salary had been spent on household utilities, their travels, and subsidies for Miyu’s family. Miyu then produced an insurance investment document worth eight million yuan.

Yucheng was stunned that she knew about it, lamely claiming it was a surprise intended for a future school district house if they ever had a child. Miyu stood firm, demanding an equal split of the investment upon maturity to reclaim some of her lost dignity. Yucheng signed the papers in a rage, telling her she was free to see what kind of life she could manage without him.

Elsewhere, Ji Feng faced a crisis at Sway Hotel regarding a contract with Landy Horse. His colleague, Andy, informed him that the Future Group had already signed a deal the previous day. Ji Feng suspected a bluff, knowing the Chairman of Landy Horse had been on a meditation retreat and wouldn't have attended meetings. Taking matters into his own hands, Ji Feng successfully secured the contract.

When he presented it to Andy, the latter arrogantly credited his own team for the success. Uninterested in further corporate infighting, Ji Feng told Andy to keep the contract and informed him that he was resigning. Miyu packed her belongings and left the only home she had known for a decade. She checked into the Purong Hotel, but when the front desk tried to assign her to room 1819—a suite associated with Yucheng’s membership—she demanded a different room.

Once settled, she ordered a lavish feast of Boston lobster, bluefin tuna, and liquor-preserved crab. She reflected on how she had neglected herself for ten years, treating her own needs carelessly while serving another. Now, she was determined to live for her own happiness. However, the night of excess took its toll; the next morning, she was charged over 6,000 yuan, a bill that included the expensive seafood and damages for ruined rugs and a broken crystal ornament.

Her situation worsened when she spoke to her lawyer, Mr. Su. He revealed that the eight-million-yuan investment project was currently hemorrhaging money and was over two million yuan in debt. Yucheng had "generously" offered to bear the debt alone, a move Miyu recognized as a scheme to keep the assets for himself until they became profitable again after the divorce. Mr. Su warned that they lacked the evidence to sue successfully at the moment.

Despite this, Miyu vowed to find the proof she needed to get her fair share. As Miyu left the Purong Hotel, she accidentally bumped into Ji Feng, who was arriving to check in. Ji Feng was unimpressed by the front desk's attempt to upsell him a 50,000 yuan membership just for an early check-in. He eventually secured his room using his Black Card and requested a tour.

As he walked through the halls, he saw reflections of his younger self starting out as an intern years ago. However, his professional eye was critical; he complained about the pungent smell of disinfectant and the lax attitude of the staff. He bluntly asked his new housekeeper, Yin Xiang, how a prestigious place like the Purong Hotel expected to retain guests with such poor standards.

Miyu’s search for a new life led her to a cramped apartment where she paid six months' rent upfront, leaving her with barely any cash. She struggled to find work in hotel management, as her ten-year gap as a housewife made her "mismatched" for most senior roles. She eventually accepted a sales position at the Pony Hotel with a low base salary of 3,500 yuan. To earn a bonus, she met a client named Mr. Mai at a KTV.

The encounter turned ugly when Mr. Mai tried to force her to drink and eventually began to grope her. Miyu pushed him away, sparking a confrontation that was interrupted by Li Qiaoqi. After rescuing her, Qiaoqi was shocked to find Miyu in such a state. Miyu broke down, admitting she was divorced and had lost everything. Qiaoqi encouraged her to stop worrying about what others thought and to focus on herself.

Knowing Miyu’s background in hotel management, Qiaoqi offered to refer her for an interview at the Purong Hotel. Though Miyu feared running into Yucheng there, she decided she didn't care anymore and was ready to pursue what she truly wanted. Meanwhile, Lu Zhenzhen’s life also began to crumble. She received a phone call from her boss, Mr. Yang, who told her not to come back to work. The video of Miyu exposing her as a mistress at the banquet had reached their clients, and the company was firing her to protect its reputation.

Lu Zhenzhen is devastated after being fired from Yuhua, a direct consequence of her public scandal with Nie Yucheng. She vents her frustration, noting that she had never been fired in all her years of work. When Nie Yucheng suggests she stay home, she firmly rejects the idea, making it clear she will never become a submissive housewife like Xu Miyu.

To appease her, Nie Yucheng promises to use his travel agency connections to find her a position at a superior hotel and vows to purge their home of all his ex-wife’s belongings. Xu Miyu interviews for a management role at Purong Hote. While the manager appreciates her insights into brand philosophy and lifestyle marketing, her ten-year hiatus as a homemaker is a significant barrier.

The manager suggests she start at the entry level, highlighting the hotel’s internal promotion system where even a grassroots employee has the chance to rise to General Manager. Xu Miyu's situation worsens when she returns to her rented apartment and discovers she has been scammed. The real landlord reveals that the man she paid was a fraud who owed rent himself. Not only has he vanished with her six-month deposit, but he also stole her luxury bags.

With a 5,000 RMB credit card loan overdue, Xu Miyu calls home to ask about the family’s B&B loan. Her mother reveals the business is failing and, unaware of the divorce, urges Xu Miyu to let Nie Yucheng handle the payments as he did before. Left with no other options, Xu Miyu accepts the entry-level housekeeping job at Purong Hotel because it provides meals and a dormitory.

She is placed under the supervision of the floor leader, Zhang Cailu, and begins training with a younger worker named Yin Xiang. In the staff dormitory, her roommates gossip about her expensive suitcase, speculating that she is a bankrupt socialite. One roommate, Ke Wenxue, eventually recognizes her as the "rich woman" who had recently indulged in a lavish solo feast at the hotel.

Xu Miyu soon encounters the hotel’s most demanding guest, Ji Feng, whom the staff calls "Black Card Ji" due to his elite VIP status. After Xu Miyu helps resolve a delivery mix-up involving his takeout, she is assigned to clean his room. Ji Feng is surprised to see her working as a maid. Xu Miyu confronts him about his role in helping her ex-husband deceive her in the past.

Ji Feng offers a sincere apology for any pain caused but remains professional, reminding her to focus on her service during work hours. Later, Xu Miyu is tasked with serving a volatile writer in Room 1815. While other staff members fear his temper, she manages to please him by offering genuine praise for his manuscript, specifically noting a clever metaphor he used regarding a wedding ring.

However, when the writer’s work is later rejected by his editor, he lashes out at the hotel and leaves a scathing negative review. Zhang Cailu pressures Xu Miyu into taking the blame for the review to save two other employees from being fired. Xu Miyu reluctantly agrees, even though it means losing her bonus. The episode concludes with a birthday banquet for Nie Yucheng’s mother at Purong Hotel.

The hotel's General Manager, Wei Siyuan, personally attends, and Nie Yucheng uses the connection to secure a future position for Lu Zhenzhen in the hotel’s sales department. When Ji Feng runs into the group, Nie Yucheng introduces Lu Zhenzhen as his wife, much to the delight of his mother. Because the hotel is short-staffed due to multiple weddings, the housekeeping department is called to assist the banquet, forcing Xu Miyu to serve the very people who upended her life.

Nie Yucheng hosts a lavish 60th birthday dinner for his mother at the Purong Hotel. When he spots Ji Feng passing by, he insists he join them for a toast and introduces Lu Zhenzhen as the new Mrs. Nie. During the celebration, Lu Zhenzhen plays the part of the perfect daughter-in-law, delighting the mother with the news that she is pregnant with a grandson.

Meanwhile, the hotel’s dining department is short-staffed, and Ms. Zhang asks Xu Miyu to stay past her shift to help in private room 808. Miyu is stunned to find herself serving her ex-husband’s family. Lu Zhenzhen immediately begins to humiliate her, forcing her to change bone plates and perform menial tasks. Supported by the hotel's manager, Feng Kaixin, Lu Zhenzhen purposefully makes a mess and blames Miyu when the mother-in-law nearly slips.

Feng Kaixin scolds Miyu for her supposed carelessness and demands she apologize. Unable to watch the scene any longer, Nie Yucheng intervenes and asks for a different server so Miyu can leave. Nie Yucheng follows Miyu into the hallway to apologize, claiming he didn’t know she worked there. Seeing her in a service uniform, he offers to use his industry connections to find her a better job.

Miyu sharply rejects his pity, stating that earning her own living is far more honorable than her previous life as his "full-time nanny." Lu Zhenzhen interrupts, accusing Miyu of pestering her husband. Miyu retorts that Lu should focus on managing her own man instead of harassing her. Ji Feng eventually breaks up the tension, urging the Nies to return to their celebration. Later, Miyu’s parents call her, hoping Nie Yucheng can provide tourist leads for their struggling B&B.

Frustrated, Miyu tells them to stop contacting him and ends the call. Worried by her tone, her mother and step-father decide to travel to Shanghai to check on her. At the hotel, Miyu’s day worsens when she receives a formal bad review from a disgruntled guest. Feeling her dignity is shattered by the gossip of her colleagues, Miyu prepares to quit. However, she runs into Ji Feng while he is out for a run.

He bluntly tells her that if her personality is too submissive for the hotel industry, she should cut her losses and leave. His words stir Miyu’s pride, and she decides to stay and prove herself. Miyu’s parents arrive in Shanghai and go to her former home, only to be met by Lu Zhenzhen. She shows them her marriage certificate and coldly informs them that Miyu is divorced.

After the step-father refuses to leave, Lu Zhenzhen drives them to the Purong Hotel. They eventually spot Miyu cleaning a guest room—which happens to be Ji Feng’s suite. Miyu’s mother is horrified to see her daughter in a service uniform and tries to drag her home to "reclaim" her marriage. Ji Feng arrives and, sensing their embarrassment, provides Miyu with meal coupons for the executive lounge so they can speak in private.

Over dinner, Miyu tells her parents the truth about the divorce. While her mother is upset about the betrayal, her step-father is more focused on the financial settlement. He is outraged to learn that Miyu walked away with nothing. Miyu explains that Nie's failed investments left them with no assets and that she is now burdened with a 300,000 yuan online loan she took out for the family B&B.

While Miyu finishes her shift, her step-father secretly heads to Nie Yucheng’s company, Changyang, to demand a payout. At the office, the step-father demands two million yuan as "youth compensation" for the ten years Miyu spent with Nie Yucheng. Nie Yucheng maintains that he is broke, showing a bank balance of only 26,000 yuan.

When the step-father threatens to cause a scene, Nie Yucheng offers a compromise: he will direct several large travel contracts to the family’s B&B with high commissions. The step-father accepts the deal and returns to the hotel, but the situation turns volatile when the mother spots Lu Zhenzhen in the lobby. Lu Zhenzhen, who has just been hired as a top salesperson at Purong, is publicly confronted by the mother.

As the mother screams at her for stealing Miyu’s husband, Lu Zhenzhen retaliates by telling the entire lobby that Miyu’s parents are leeches who just "robbed" her husband of his bonus and business deals. As bystanders film the fight, Miyu arrives to drag her parents away. Outside, her step-father turns his anger on her, calling her ungrateful and a disappointment for embarrassing him. Miyu reminds him that she was the one who went into debt for his business, but her parents remain unmoved, blaming her for divorcing without securing her financial future.

After the chaotic scene caused by her family in the hotel lobby, Xu Miyu sought solace on the rooftop. Ji Feng followed her there and jokingly suggested that instead of "Miyu," which means sweet words, she should be called "Eyu" (Harsh Words) for her blunt attitude.

Miyu revealed that her mother had changed her name to match her stepsister's just to please her stepfather—a name she had carried for over twenty years while trying to win over a family that never truly accepted her. Seeing her despair, Ji Feng told her about the barnacle goose in the Arctic. He explained how the chicks must risk death by leaping from high cliffs to survive, emphasizing that through such courage, they become independent beings rather than someone’s appendage.

This story deeply moved Miyu, sparking a desire to stand on her own. Returning to work, Miyu faced the stinging gossip of her colleagues, who mocked her for having her parents fight her ex-husband’s mistress. She stood her ground, clarifying that the man involved was her stepfather and telling them to ask her directly instead of whispering.

Inspired by Ji Feng’s words and knowing his status as a top-tier member, Miyu decided to prove her worth by providing him with impeccable service. She hoped that earning a positive review from someone as discerning as him would be a significant boost to her career. The next morning, Miyu arrived at Ji Feng’s room with a fresh attitude, meticulously cleaning and even preparing a coffee for him. However, Ji Feng remained unimpressed.

When she asked for a good review, he pointed out that her service was merely passable and far from his standards. He critiqued her timing, noting that she had spent twenty-three minutes in the room when the standard was twenty—fifteen minutes for cleaning and five for a final check. While Miyu argued that quality and the size of the room mattered more than speed, Ji Feng reminded her that the highest rule of service is to remain undisturbed.

As she hurried to leave, she accidentally caused a small disturbance, further complicating her quest for his approval. Later that evening, Nie Yucheng waited for Miyu near her dorm to return some old clothes. Miyu rejected the gesture, throwing the bag into the trash and informing him that she intended to sue him for the four million yuan she was owed.

She argued that after ten years of unpaid domestic labor and using her connections to secure major deals for him, she deserved her share of the assets. Nie Yucheng’s facade of kindness quickly shattered into insults, as he called her shameless and claimed she only cared about money. Meanwhile, he returned home to a pregnant Lu Zhenzhen, promising her that all his wealth belonged to her and their future child.

Lu Zhenzhen’s first day at the Purong Hotel as a sales supervisor began with her bringing in a significant client, Mr. Ray, from Malaysia. During check-in, Mr. Ray took an inappropriate interest in Miyu, insisting that she be his dedicated attendant. When they reached his room, he pressured Miyu for her personal WeChat, threatening to switch hotels if she refused to comply with his "request."

To avoid a complaint and protect the hotel’s business, Miyu reluctantly agreed, feeling the weight of the compromises her new role required. The hotel soon buzzed with the arrival of Duan Aoxiang, the son of the Kuanli Group’s chairman. To prepare for his visit, the staff began clearing out entire floors, leading to a confrontation with Ji Feng, who refused to be treated like an inconvenience in a public area.

The tension was resolved when Xue Rui, the Deputy GM and Ji Feng’s former mentor from his internship days, recognized his old friend. Soon after, Duan Aoxiang discovered that the "tough nut" refusing to move was his former classmate from Birmingham. The two celebrated their reunion, and Duan Aoxiang even joked about appointing Ji Feng as the General Manager once his group successfully acquired the Purong Hotel through their ongoing VAM agreement.

During this exchange, the current General Manager, Wei Siyuan, felt threatened by Ji Feng’s presence and Duan's comments. Suspicious of Ji Feng’s sudden return to China after years of managing luxury hotels abroad, Wei Siyuan ordered an investigation into his background. During a celebratory gathering in the Executive Lounge, Duan Aoxiang expressed his dissatisfaction with the imported caviar, leading him to demand a more rustic feast of raw marinated seafood and grilled delicacies.

This forced chef Li Qiaoqi to work unwanted overtime, venting her frustration at the spoiled "rich kids" while she manned the grill. As Miyu helped serve the guests, a woman accidentally spilled red wine onto Ji Feng’s custom suit. When the woman tried to use the accident as an excuse to flirt and ask for his WeChat, Ji Feng coldly presented his payment QR code instead. He demanded three thousand yuan for the dry cleaning fee, bluntly pointing out her responsibility for the mishap.

At the hotel event, the woman who spilled wine on Ji Feng tried to shift the blame by accusing Xu Miyu of pushing her. Miyu remained calm and explained that the guest had only seen champagne on her tray and had gone to the buffet herself to find red wine, leading to the collision. When the woman continued to be disruptive, Li Qiaoqi stepped in and splashed a glass of wine in her face.

Duan Aoxiang then questioned the woman’s presence; unable to produce an invitation, she was forced to leave the party in shame. Ji Feng was skeptical of the hotel laundry's ability to clean his high-end suit, so Miyu offered to take it to a specialized dry cleaner she knew on Maoming Road. Duan arranged for the costs to be covered by the guest rooms department. Outside, Miyu ran into Li Qiaoqi, who was shocked to see her working as a cleaner.

Miyu admitted that as a woman in her thirties with a blank resume, she had struggled to find work and decided to start from the bottom. Later, Li Qiaoqi confronted the Vice President, Xue Rui, about Miyu’s placement. Xue Rui claimed he was unaware of their relationship and that he had offered Miyu the service position only because her resume didn't meet the criteria for marketing.

The next day, Miyu helped an elderly guest, Tan Jiaming, call a ride-hailing car after he struggled with the app. When she later delivered the cleaned suit to Ji Feng, she asked him for a positive review to offset recent complaints and save her monthly bonus. Ji Feng was dismissive, arguing that she should prioritize her skills over ratings. He lectured her on the true meaning of hospitality and told her that her financial situation was not his concern.

Miyu was hurt by his bluntness, calling out his lack of empathy. As Miyu prepared to leave, she was approached by a guest named Mr. Ray, who began sending her inappropriate messages and commenting on her scent. Miyu asked her supervisor, Zhang Cailu, to assign someone else to his room, but Zhang dismissed her concerns as a cultural misunderstanding. She ordered Miyu to continue her duties, reminding her that she couldn't afford any more complaints.

Miyu soon noticed that Tan Jiaming appeared to be in poor health. Her colleague, Yin Xiang, warned her that he was a grumpy regular who preferred to be left alone, but Miyu remained concerned. While finishing her shift, she noticed a delivery bag of food hanging on Tan’s door that had gone cold. Fearing the worst, she entered the room and found him collapsed in the bathroom. With the executive floor deserted, Miyu rushed to Ji Feng's room for help.

Ji Feng performed CPR while Miyu contacted the front desk and called an ambulance. Because the ambulance was delayed by road construction, the hotel manager used her private car to rush Tan to the hospital, with Ji Feng driving. Miyu stayed by Tan's side throughout the night, and Ji Feng brought her a sandwich before she continued her vigil. By morning, Tan regained consciousness, and a woman claiming to be his cousin arrived to take over his care.

When Miyu returned to the hotel, the supervisor publicly praised the team for handling the emergency, but the credit was given entirely to Yin Xiang, who was officially on duty at the time. Yin Xiang did not correct the mistake out of fear of losing her wages, and Miyu decided not to expose her. Ji Feng, who had observed Miyu’s tendency to take the blame for others, questioned if she was a people-pleaser.

Miyu explained that she simply understood how hard everyone worked. Ji Feng then asked Miyu for a secret favor: he wanted her to bring him one bottle of shampoo from an occupied guest room and one brand-new bottle from the storage room. Miyu followed his instructions but was nearly caught by Zhang Cailu. Zhang noticed a bottle of shampoo was missing and became suspicious.

Later, Zhang was heard on a secretive phone call, expressing fear that Miyu had discovered their scheme involving hotel supplies. She promised her contact that she would find a reason to fire Miyu within a few days, a conversation overheard by Yin Xiang. A few days later, Tan Jiaming returned to the hotel. Miyu had personally ensured his room was equipped with safety railings and an emergency alarm. Despite his gruff exterior, he and his cousin were clearly grateful.

Meanwhile, Ji Feng found a mysterious note under his door instructing him to meet at the kitchen's back door at noon. Following the lead, he witnessed a suspicious transaction. As he was documenting the exchange, he was suddenly confronted by Xue Rui.

Ji Feng met with his former colleague Xue Rui for a meal to discuss the precarious state of the Purong Hotel. Xue Rui, serving as the financial director, compared the hotel to a once-glorious tree now hollowed out by termites. He detailed a culture of systemic corruption where departments prioritized kickbacks, citing wasted wine in the Executive Lounge and laundered project funds. Despite the bleak outlook, Ji Feng confirmed his intention to take over Purong.

He explained that while he had reached a professional ceiling abroad, he was weary of merely serving foreign interests. More importantly, he felt a debt of gratitude to his mentor, Chairwoman Wei Wanjun, and refused to watch the hotel fall into the hands of the Kuanli group. Xue Rui remained skeptical, revealing his own plans to resign and join Yitingsiji instead. Back at the hotel, Xu Miyu found herself in a difficult position with a guest named Mr. Ray.

Knowing his history of inappropriate behavior, she attempted to have a colleague handle his service, but the guest insisted on her presence. Manager Lu Zhenzhen reprimanded Miyu for her "neglect" and refused to believe her claims of harassment without proof. Forced to apologize to avoid a bad review, Miyu asked Yin Xiang for help. When Miyu entered the room to clear the dishes, Mr. Ray locked the door and attempted to assault her, dismissing her warnings of a recording.

Ji Feng, who happened to be passing by, heard the commotion. Using his master card, he entered the room on the pretext of having the wrong door, providing the distraction Miyu needed to escape safely. The fallout of the incident was immediate. Mr. Ray withdrew his investment, prompting a furious Lu Zhenzhen to demand action. Supervisor Zhang Cailu assigned Miyu a bad review and accused her of "signaling" the guest.

However, Ji Feng intervened by contacting Manager Feng of the Room Department, leading to the sudden retraction of the review. The shift in Zhang Cailu’s attitude was instantaneous; believing Miyu had the powerful backing of "Black Card Ji," she began treating her with newfound respect. When Miyu later entered Ji Feng’s room to clear away fruit, she expressed her gratitude. Ji Feng, however, offered a stern critique, suggesting that Miyu’s people-pleasing nature was a liability.

He pointed out that by adding the guest on WeChat, she had bypassed the very rules meant to protect her. Word of Ji Feng’s favor toward Miyu spread through the staff dormitories, with colleagues teasing her about being the protagonist of a "CEO romance." Meanwhile, Ji Feng’s birthday arrived, bringing with it professional stress. While the staff arranged lavish parties to earn commissions, Ji Feng was preoccupied with a legal crisis from his previous post at the Svelto Hotel.

Andy called to report a lawsuit involving Landy Horse. A disease outbreak had resulted in a $10 million loss, and because Ji Feng had signed the original contract, he faced being blacklisted internationally if he couldn’t prove the seller’s liability. The day took a disastrous turn when Duan Aoxiang burst into Ji Feng’s room with a crowd of friends to celebrate. Amidst the chaos, Ji Feng was desperately searching for a backup of the Landy Horse memorandum.

He had finally spread the documents out to photograph them when Miyu entered with a birthday cake. In the commotion of the party, someone pushed her, causing her to trip. The lit candles fell directly onto the memorandum, reducing the vital evidence to ashes. Consumed by rage, Ji Feng ordered everyone out and filed a formal complaint against Miyu.

Feeling deeply wronged, Miyu struck back by calling him a "hypocritical accomplice" who only cared about his own KPIs, reminding him of how he had helped her ex-husband, Nie Yucheng, hide his infidelity in the past. Despite the heated exchange, the crisis was eventually averted when Ji Feng realized he had managed to photograph the essential parts of the memorandum just seconds before the fire. For Miyu, however, the financial toll was heavy.

Between deductions from the earlier incident and the loss of her bonus, her monthly pay plummeted to 2,800 yuan. To make matters worse, she received a call from the police stating that while the man who defrauded her of her rent had been caught, her money was gone. As she walked home in despair, she was cornered by debt collectors.

Ji Feng, out for a night run, happened upon the scene and paid off her debt to get the thugs to leave. The following morning, Miyu returned to Ji Feng’s room to perform her duties. She noticed that the flowers she had previously arranged were back on the table. Finding a loose button on Ji Feng’s sleeve, she quietly sewed it back on and left an IOU for the money he had paid the collectors.

As she left, Yin Xiang pulled her aside with a warning: she had overheard Zhang Cailu plotting to fire Miyu over a secret involving the hotel’s supplies. Remembering Ji Feng’s earlier cryptic request for two different bottles of shampoo from the warehouse, Miyu realized she was becoming entangled in the very corruption Ji Feng was trying to uncover.

During a meal, Yin Xiang asks Xu Miyu if she has recently offended Zhang Cailu. She reveals that she overheard the supervisor on the phone discussing Miyu’s dismissal, and the timing matches the day Miyu helped Ji Feng retrieve the shampoo samples. Meanwhile, Ji Feng receives the laboratory test results, confirming that the shampoo used on the executive floor is indeed a counterfeit product from underground wholesale markets.

While Miyu intends to report the corruption to the General Manager the following day, Ji Feng stops her, explaining that the supply chain is a complex operation she cannot dismantle alone. Despite the warning, Zhang Cailu officially orders Miyu to resign, citing her three bad reviews. To save her job, Miyu bypasses her supervisor and reveals the counterfeit shampoo operation to Wei Siyuan.

Although Wei Siyuan praises Miyu's sense of ownership, he advises her to stay out of the investigation to avoid trouble. Miyu remains defiant, filing a formal appeal and vowing not to leave the hotel until the results are finalized. She later encounters Ji Feng and asks for his WeChat to repay the 5,000 yuan she owes him once she settles her affairs.

The conflict reaches the highest levels of management when Ji Feng uses his Black Card status to file a formal complaint about the shampoo. This draws the attention of the chairwoman, Wei Wanjun, who reprimands Wei Siyuan for firing the employee who raised a legitimate problem instead of addressing the corruption. Wei Siyuan, in turn, berates Housekeeping Director Feng Kaixin for his incompetence.

Fearing for his own position, Feng Kaixin calls an emergency meeting, announcing that Zhang Cailu is fired for serious misconduct and promoting Xu Miyu to Supervisor on the spot. Following the promotion, Wei Siyuan instructs his secretary to investigate both Miyu’s background and Ji Feng’s history. He learns that Ji Feng is a highly skilled professional manager known for "opening" hotels internationally. Suspecting Ji Feng’s motives for staying at the hotel, Siyuan orders him to be closely monitored.

Meanwhile, Miyu celebrates her promotion with Li Qiaoqi, who warns her that the executive floor is filled with powerful guests and experienced staff who may not respect a new leader. Miyu’s first morning meeting as a supervisor confirms these fears. Her colleagues are dismissive, with some playing on their phones or ignoring her instructions. Luo Qingping, bitter that she was passed over for the role, demands a five-day leave to prepare for an entrance exam.

Though the floor is short-staffed and the request violates the usual three-day limit, Miyu’s people-pleasing nature leads her to grant the leave, along with other concessions to her disgruntled subordinates. The situation turns chaotic when a staff member named Ke Wenxue forgets to enter Ji Feng's stay extension into the system, resulting in a double-booking with a new guest, Mr. Lin.

Having just been laid off from his job of ten years, an angry Mr. Lin refuses to give up the room. To protect Miyu’s position, Ji Feng voluntarily moves to a less desirable corner room, noting that he is settling a debt for the trouble the shampoo investigation caused her. However, when Ke Wenxue admits her mistake, Miyu forgives her without any formal punishment.

Observing this, Ji Feng remains convinced that Miyu’s lack of principles makes her too weak for management. While Ji Feng and Xue Rui discuss whether Miyu could be a trustworthy ally in restructuring the hotel, a new crisis arises. An elderly guest suffers a severe allergic reaction, which her husband insists was caused by the hotel’s towels.

Miyu is called to the room to find the guest’s neck heavily swollen and the situation rapidly escalating, as the couple demands an immediate explanation before they leave for the train station.

Xu Miyu reports a series of towel-related allergy incidents to her supervisor, Feng Kaixin. Despite her explanation that the guests—members of a middle-aged modeling team—are usually reasonable, Feng dismisses the concerns. He insists the hotel’s long-standing partnership with its laundry factory makes a safety issue impossible, instead accusing the guests of having sensitive skin or attempting to scam the hotel for a free stay.

He orders Miyu to remain firm, tell the guests the towels are safe, and prioritize the hotel’s interests above all else. While Miyu follows orders by asking the guests for patience, the modeling team’s cameraman records the entire interaction. One guest, Fang, is visibly suffering from a swollen neck. Meanwhile, Ji Feng takes matters into his own hands by submitting linen samples to the Xingkang Testing Center.

The situation escalates when the video of Miyu and the guests goes viral, and a whistleblower named Peng Jie posts a public report confirming that the towels contain excessive bleach and failed multiple microbial tests. As the crisis intensifies, mass check-outs begin, leaving the executive floor in chaos. The workload becomes overwhelming, forcing Ke Wenxue to end her vacation early. Resentful of the mounting pressure, many service workers begin slacking off and pushing their tasks onto Miyu.

To uncover the truth, Ji Feng slips into the laundry room and poses as a veteran employee. He learns from a worker that the linens have not been replaced in years and are kept white only through heavy bleaching. This deceptive practice allows Feng Kaixin to pocket the budget intended for new supplies. When Miyu attempts to advocate for her exhausted team by requesting overtime pay, Feng Kaixin turns hostile.

He blames the service staff for the guests’ dissatisfaction, claiming their poor performance led guests to find faults with the hardware. He ignores Miyu’s explanation about the bleach and threatens to fire anyone who demands compensation. Realizing she cannot protect her subordinates, Miyu offers to take the night shift herself so the others can go home. Ji Feng meets with Chairwoman Wei Wanjun at her villa to discuss the future of the Purong Hotel.

He explains that the hotel needs radical action to "cut out the rot" and break the corruption chains within the Housekeeping Department. Despite the risks to her interests and the pressure of a VAM agreement, Wei Wanjun grants Ji Feng full authority to restore the hotel's reputation. At the same time, Wei Siyuan and his team plot to shift the entire blame onto Miyu, planning to frame the incident as her personal negligence during a scheduled press conference.

Tensions peak when Siyuan learns that Ji Feng has been appointed as the new General Manager. The news reignites a ten-year-old jealousy, as Siyuan recalls his aunt’s refusal to support him while she favored Ji Feng. On the morning of the press conference, Siyuan feigns a friendly welcome, offering Ji Feng his own office and tea.

However, he quickly uses the excuse of a separate interview to skip the meeting, leaving Ji Feng to face the media and the brewing chaos alone. During the media briefing, Ji Feng takes a bold and unexpected stance. Instead of following the plan to scapegoat Miyu, he publicly admits that the bleach issue was a major internal management failure and takes full responsibility.

When reporters ambush Miyu as she is brought into the room, Ji Feng steps in to shield her. He declares himself the only authorized spokesperson and makes it clear that the service staff bear no responsibility, as the fault lies entirely with leadership. Following the conference, Duan Aoxiang confronts Ji Feng about his decision to join Purong instead of his own company, Kuanli.

Ji Feng brushes off the tension, suggesting he needs to achieve results at Purong before discussing his future worth. Back at the office, Siyuan assigns his aide, Secretary Wu, to monitor Ji Feng. Ji Feng accepts the arrangement and immediately orders Wu to notify all management staff for a meeting in one hour, signaling the start of his promised overhaul.

As Ji Feng prepared for a staff meeting, he instructed Yin Xiang to bring the lead attendant, Xu Miyu, to see him. While waiting, Ji Feng caught several room attendants, including Xiaojia and Ke Wenxue, chatting instead of working. He reprimanded them, reminding them that the first rule of hospitality is "not to disturb." To prove his point, he tasked an attendant with retrieving a bottle of shampoo from an occupied room, highlighting how intrusive such actions are.

He then spoke privately with Miyu, reminding her that as the "backbone" of the administrative department, she must maintain high service standards regardless of low occupancy. Later, Miyu went to the executive floor to attend to a room, where a self-media blogger recognized her from recent news trends. Claiming to be a reporter, he tried to bait her into admitting she was a scapegoat for corrupt higher-ups. Miyu remained professional and refused to comment.

Ji Feng arrived and recorded the interaction, warning the blogger that his behavior constituted harassment and that the hotel would take legal action, including reporting his social media account. The tension escalated when Director Feng Kaixin summoned Miyu to his office. Having heard of the encounter, Feng tried to frame Miyu for leaking information and attempted to drag her to see Wei Siyuan to take the blame.

Ji Feng intercepted them, testifying that he had witnessed the event and that Miyu had said nothing to damage the hotel's reputation. He pointed out that someone was clearly trying to frame a low-level employee to hide the real culprit. He then pointedly ordered Feng Kaixin to attend the upcoming management meeting. At the meeting, Wei Siyuan introduced Ji Feng as the new General Manager, intentionally noting that Ji Feng was now sitting in his former seat.

Undeterred, Ji Feng presented the recent sanitation reports. When Feng Kaixin suggested merely switching to a new laundry plant, Ji Feng criticized the lack of oversight and ordered the entire linen supply chain to be replaced. He tasked the management team with using their personal connections to find new suppliers by the end of the day. After the meeting, Xue Rui expressed concern that a total replacement would cause a supply gap.

Ji Feng revealed that he had already secured a temporary laundry facility and backup suppliers through previous contacts, using a board-approved emergency fund to bypass bureaucracy. He intended to use this crisis to identify which managers were truly working and which were merely "fishing in troubled waters." Meanwhile, the housekeepers gossiped about Miyu's relationship with Ji Feng, with Ke Wenxue even suggesting Miyu was pocketing staff overtime pay.

When Feng Kaixin posted a notice for suppliers, most supervisors ignored it as an impossible request. However, Miyu took it seriously. After overhearing Ji Feng on a phone call learning that his backup goods were stuck at customs, she reached out to Aslan, a contact from her family’s B&B business in the Northwest who runs the Yunhai Cotton Mill. Miyu submitted a proposal for Yunhai, but Feng Kaixin, interested only in kickbacks from high-priced suppliers, threw it into the trash.

When another supplier, Director Tao, tried to hike prices on Ji Feng at the last minute, Ji Feng found himself in a difficult position. Fortunately, Miyu had a sample set of Yunhai linens delivered and laid them out on Ji Feng’s bed for him to experience. When he returned, he questioned her on technical specs like fiber length and strength. Miyu provided detailed answers, proving her thorough research.

Ji Feng noted that the entire hotel seemed to be working against him to support Feng Kaixin. He asked Miyu if she was afraid of being isolated. Miyu replied that as long as she wasn't fired, she was willing to stand by him to save the hotel. Encouraged, Ji Feng demonstrated his own proficiency by expertly laying out his spare linens, much to Miyu's surprise.

Elsewhere, Wei Siyuan discovered that Feng Kaixin had proposed an overpriced contract and reprimanded him for his blatant greed. The shipment from the Yunhai Cotton Mill soon arrived, delivered personally by the factory director, Aslan. Miyu greeted her, and both women expressed mutual gratitude for the partnership. Following the successful update of all guest room linens, Ji Feng held a meeting for the housekeeping department.

He praised the teamwork and announced that, per hotel regulations, Miyu would receive the Outstanding Employee Award and a 10,000-yuan bonus. While Miyu was delighted, the other attendants whispered bitterly in the linen room, complaining that they did the labor while she took the reward. Yin Xiang suggested a different approach: instead of fighting Miyu, they should exploit her "bleeding heart." By acting helpless and "playing the victim," they planned to trick Miyu into taking on their workload so they could slack off.

Xu Miyu meets with Ji Feng after work to repay the money she borrowed. As they walk along the Huangpu River, Ji Feng thanks her for her quick thinking in finding the local linen supplier, which resolved the hotel's recent crisis. He mentions that the shipment previously stuck in customs has also been moved into the warehouse, noting that in Shanghai’s humid climate, having an extra set of linens is a wise precaution.

During their conversation, Ji Feng reveals that he spent many years working as an attendant at Purong Hotel himself. He admits that while this is his first time as General Manager, it is also Miyu’s first time as a supervisor, and he suggests they support one another as they grow into their new roles.

Miyu confesses her concern that receiving a large bonus for her help has caused resentment among the other attendants, who now view her as a "relationship hire" with unfair connections. Ji Feng points out that her people-pleasing nature will eventually lead to her being taken advantage of, and he offers to let her return the bonus if it truly bothers her.

However, Miyu stands her ground, stating that if he was bold enough to give it, she is bold enough to keep it. Ji Feng finds her spirit refreshing and offers a piece of advice: until she has established her own professional authority, being perceived as a person with "connections" can actually be a useful "cheat code" to keep others in line. At a subsequent management meeting, Ji Feng addresses the financial fallout from the linen disaster.

He decides that Feng Kaixin, the Director of Housekeeping, must bear responsibility for the loss. Despite other managers pleading for leniency, Ji Feng remains firm, sentencing Feng Kaixin to the loss of a quarterly bonus, a major demerit, and a public reprimand. This marks the beginning of a strict internal self-inspection at Purong. Traditional standards are restored, including the placement of fresh jasmine flowers to ensure guests have a premium sensory experience.

The atmosphere in the housekeeping department remains tense as Miyu tries to implement these higher standards. When she assigns Xiaojia to clean rooms, Xiaojia attempts to avoid the work by faking a headache and then menstrual cramps. Miyu, refusing to be manipulated, tells Xiaojia that if her health is truly that poor, she should get a doctor's note or speak with HR about resigning.

Fearing for her job, Xiaojia reluctantly goes to work, but Miyu later catches her rifling through a guest's handbag. When Miyu reprimands her, Xiaojia lashes out, accusing Miyu of only being a supervisor because she knows how to flatter the bosses, before walking off the job. While managing the floor, Miyu assists a guest looking for an art exhibition. The guest is Tan Jizhou (Kevin), the son of the elderly Daniel Tan.

Kevin is impressed by Miyu's knowledge of art and her hospitality. He offers her a business card and suggests he could help her find a more prestigious role in the art world. Miyu politely declines, explaining that she finds genuine value in making guests feel at home at Purong. Later that night, Miyu encounters a drunken Ji Feng and helps him back to his room. In his intoxicated state, he thanks her for staying at the hotel.

Ji Feng’s efforts to audit the hotel's books are met with resistance from the Finance Department. Finance Director Huang avoids him, leaving Accounting Supervisor Gao Fan to deliver carts of dusty, brittle ledgers in an attempt to overwhelm him. However, Ji Feng finds an ally in Xue Rui, the Daily Audit Supervisor.

During a farewell dinner before he leaves for a new job in Guilin, Xue Rui gives Ji Feng a hidden ledger he kept from his time as the former Accounting Supervisor. Describing himself as a "ghost" in the department whose career was sidelined for knowing too much, he leaves Ji Feng with the real records to help him navigate the hotel's financial labyrinth.

The situation at the hotel takes a dark turn when a guest in room 1817, Ms. Wang, claims a one-carat diamond ring has been stolen. She points the finger at Xiaojia, who was the last person seen in the room. Ji Feng and Miyu investigate as the guest demands 100,000 yuan in immediate compensation to avoid calling the police.

Miyu pulls Xiaojia aside, and the young attendant tearfully admits she only looked at the ring out of curiosity—noting it looked like a fake she saw online—but insists she did not steal it. Miyu notices the guest is more interested in a cash payout than finding the truth. Recalling Ji Feng’s advice about using her "connections," Miyu bluffs the engineering staff into removing the toilet in the room, claiming it is an urgent order from the General Manager.

Miyu personally reaches into the pipes and retrieves the ring. When Miyu suggests they send the ring for a formal appraisal to verify its value for the hotel's records, Ms. Wang panics. Knowing the ring is indeed a fake, she quickly snatches it back and checks out to avoid further scrutiny. In the aftermath, Xiaojia is incredibly grateful to Miyu for saving her.

Miyu holds a meeting for the housekeeping staff, formally deducting Xiaojia's bonus for violating regulations by touching guest property, which Xiaojia accepts. However, Miyu then surprises the team by distributing her own previous bonus among them via digital red envelopes, labeling it as "overtime pay" for their hard work. This gesture finally bridges the gap between Miyu and her subordinates. However, the peace is short-lived as Ji Feng is informed that the recent scandals have led major corporate clients to cancel their bookings and refuse contract renewals.

At Purong Hotel, internal tensions rise as the finance department begins rejecting reimbursement requests from employees, citing the lack of Wei Siyuan’s specific signature despite the General Manager’s approval. Observing the chaotic state of the accounts and a ten percent drop in the weekend occupancy rate—falling from 58% to 48%—Xue Rui grows increasingly concerned for Ji Feng’s position. Though he submits his resignation, his heart isn't fully in his departure.

While waiting for a train at a small restaurant they frequent, Xue Rui looks at an old photo of himself and Ji Feng. Realizing he cannot abandon his friend in such a precarious situation, he decides to return to Purong. Ji Feng, who was rushing to the station to stop him, finds Xue Rui already standing at the hotel entrance, and a silent look of mutual understanding passes between them.

Xue Rui is appointed as Ji Feng's assistant and immediately outlines the "Iron Triangle" protecting Wei Siyuan’s interests. This group consists of Sales Director Qian Xun (the nephew of Wei’s father-in-law), Finance Director Huang Chengmin (Wei’s lianjin, or brother-in-law), and Housekeeping Director Feng Kaixin (Wei’s brother-in-law). Xue Rui warns that moving against any one of them is an attack on the entire family network.

To undermine Ji Feng, Qian Xun has already orchestrated the suspension of cooperation with major clients like Shijing Technology and Zhanpeng Industries. However, Ji Feng is prepared for this sabotage and personally works to secure a deal with the Libo Group to stabilize the hotel’s performance. Meanwhile, Lu Zhenzhen returns home to her husband, Nie Yucheng, who is handling the contract renewals for Purong.

She advises him to delay signing the new agreement, noting that with Ji Feng’s arrival, the hotel is in such a state of flux that Wei Siyuan’s leadership may be unstable. Lu Zhenzhen is also focused on their future, having found a school district house near top primary schools for their unborn child. She insists that they visit the property over the weekend before it is snatched up by other competitive parents.

When Ji Feng notifies the directors that Marcos Yang, the CBO of Libo Group, is arriving, the power struggle intensifies. Feng Kaixin is incensed that Ji Feng bypassed his authority to place Xu Miyu in charge of the reception. At a gathering, Huang Chengmin advises Feng Kaixin not to fight Ji Feng directly but to set a trap for Xu Miyu.

By ensuring she fails, they can force Ji Feng into a dilemma: either lose the support of his staff by punishing his own protegee or lose his authority by showing favoritism. Following this plan, Feng Kaixin hands Xu Miyu a folder of "client information," deceptively claiming it is a chance for her to prove herself. Xu Miyu prepares with extreme diligence, even working night shifts to memorize the client’s background.

Ji Feng checks on her, noting that Marcos is a sophisticated traveler with a deep appreciation for Chinese culture. The next day, Xu Miyu greets Marcos at the hotel alongside Lu Zhenzhen, who represents the Sales Department. The sabotage begins immediately; Marcos sneezes upon entering his room because he is allergic to the flowers Xu Miyu placed there based on the falsified documents.

Later, in the Executive Lounge, Xu Miyu prepares a meal with mayonnaise and eggs, only for Lu Zhenzhen to intervene and have the dish replaced with chicken and sesame dressing, sensing something is wrong. In front of Feng Kaixin, Ji Feng sternly reprimands Xu Miyu for failing to account for Marcos's documented allergies to pollen and eggs. Xu Miyu is left stunned, as the materials she received contained no such warnings.

However, later in the privacy of his office, Ji Feng reveals he knew the documents were tampered with. Xu Miyu produces photos of her original notes, showing that her version—which she had highlighted with neon markers—was physically swapped for a different copy. Ji Feng provides her with the authentic file and instructs her to report directly to him for all future reception matters to avoid further interference. The next day, the reception strategy shifts successfully.

During a meal, Ji Feng and Xu Miyu provide Marcos with a carefully curated menu featuring Mediterranean veal and Chinese-style braised prawns made with a fresh wild mushroom broth. Marcos is deeply touched by the hospitality, remarking that the service makes him feel at home. Meanwhile, Xue Rui attempts to audit the procurement records in the kitchen. The procurement manager, Chen, refuses to cooperate, claiming he cannot release the books without Head Chef Jia Shikun’s approval.

Ji Feng is unsurprised by the resistance and admits to Xue Rui that he intends to push the hot-tempered Jia Shikun into resigning by pressuring him over his long-standing embezzlement of kitchen funds, knowing the chef already has offers from other establishments like Kuanli Hotel. As anticipated, Jia Shikun reacts to the audit with fury. Feeling his pride and interests are under attack, he quits in a rage and takes the majority of the kitchen staff with him.

The timing is critical, as Lu Zhenzhen arrives with a signed request for a high-profile business banquet for Marcos that evening, involving five tables of industry leaders from the real estate and mining sectors. With the main kitchen crew gone, Ji Feng sees the perfect opportunity to test Li Qiaoqi, a talented, Cordon Bleu-trained chef recommended by Xue Rui. He tasks her with managing the urgent banquet, promising that if she succeeds, she will have his full trust to build her own culinary team from the ground up.

In the wake of Head Chef Jia Shikun’s abrupt departure, the kitchen at Purong Hotel is left in a state of emergency. Li Qiaoqi finds herself severely short-staffed, requesting three sous chefs and a pastry chef just to stay afloat. Ji Feng can only spare one professional for now, promising to pull more staff from other departments.

Xu Miyu arrives at the kitchen looking for the procurement manager, Mr. Chen, to sign off on a guest's dietary restrictions, only to find his office locked and the man gone. Seeing no other option, Li Qiaoqi asks for Xu Miyu to stay and help with prep. Xue Rui also volunteers his services, boasting that he handles his family's New Year dinners, and is put to work alongside them.

Determined to find the truth behind the walkout, Ji Feng has the office door forced open, only to discover that all the restaurant's ledgers have vanished. It becomes clear that Jia Shikun and Mr. Chen fled together, leaving behind a mess far greater than Ji Feng had anticipated. With the dinner rush looming, Ji Feng joins the kitchen line himself to peel tomatoes.

Noticing his lack of experience, Xu Miyu teaches him a more efficient method: scoring a cross on the top and blanching them in boiling water to loosen the skins. Eventually, seeing that Ji Feng is out of his element, Xu Miyu suggests he head to the front to host the guests while she takes over the prep work.

In the dining room, Ma Kesi and Mr. Cheng from the Puqi Group are served an appetizer of Spanish gazpacho, which Ma Kesi finds indistinguishable from the authentic flavors of Cordoba. Mr. Cheng is equally moved by the Shanghai-style fried dough sticks, which evoke powerful memories of the traditional "old dough" style from his childhood. While the guests are satisfied, the service flow in the back begins to buckle under the pressure.

When word reaches Ji Feng that orders are falling behind and guests are becoming restless, he steps in at the pass to personally expedite orders, immediately boosting the kitchen's efficiency. The situation takes a stressful turn when a large party of guests from Guangdong demands eighteen servings of Hainanese Chicken Rice, only for the staff to realize they have accidentally served all the prepared chicken oil rice to the banquet hall.

As Li Qiaoqi frets over the lack of a suitable starch for the final course, Xu Miyu proposes an alternative: a light, refreshing bowl of Bamboo Leaf and Fish Bone Soup Noodles. She explains that after a heavy meal of seafood and red meat, a clear soup base using Mount Emei bamboo and Pengze crucian carp will cleanse the palate. With no other choice, Li Qiaoqi agrees, and Xu Miyu immediately begins hand-making the noodles.

The sudden menu change draws the ire of Lu Zhenzhen, who storms into the kitchen to complain that the guests expect their favorite dish. She warns that this isn't a "village banquet" and demands the chicken rice be served. Li Qiaoqi defends the dish, highlighting the premium ingredients, but Lu Zhenzhen insists that Xu Miyu take full responsibility if the guests are unhappy.

Ji Feng interjects, stating that the responsibility lies solely with him, leaving Lu Zhenzhen with no choice but to help deliver the noodles. The gamble pays off. Ma Kesi and Mr. Cheng are so impressed that they insist on meeting the chef. Li Qiaoqi is introduced as the lead for the evening, leaving the guests surprised by her youth.

When Ma Kesi learns that his own butler, Xu Miyu, prepared the exceptional noodles, he is so moved that he pre-orders the same dish for his breakfast the following morning. Following this success, Ji Feng officially appoints Li Qiaoqi as the acting Head Chef of the Chinese restaurant, a move that earns the support of nearly the entire staff.

While Xue Rui brings a celebratory meal to Li Qiaoqi to toast her new role, trouble arrives in the form of Duan Aoxiang. Having heard of the kitchen's success despite Jia Shikun’s departure, the Kuanli executive attempts to poach Li Qiaoqi with a double salary. Li Qiaoqi remains unmoved, mockingly pointing out that Kuanli seems to buy its chefs "by the dozen" and declaring her loyalty to Purong.

The success of the contract is tempered by personal news for Ma Kesi, who learns that his grandfather has fallen into a coma and is suffering from severe memory loss. Drained and depressed, he asks to rest early. When Lu Zhenzhen tries to push him for a contract signature, Xu Miyu intervenes to ensure he is not disturbed, earning her more resentment from Lu Zhenzhen.

Back at home, Lu Zhenzhen complains bitterly to Nie Yucheng, accusing Xu Miyu of using her position to steal the spotlight and settle personal scores. The next morning, Lu Zhenzhen hopes to catch Ma Kesi before he leaves, but Xu Miyu informs her that he has already moved up his flight and is headed to the airport. However, a four-hour flight delay gives Xu Miyu an opportunity to provide one last service.

She takes Ma Kesi to the Huiwen Architectural Design Institute, the modern successor to the school where his grandfather once studied. In the hall, they find a vintage group photo featuring his grandfather as a young man. Ma Kesi makes a video call to his grandfather, who, upon seeing the old photos of his classmates, experiences a breakthrough in his memory.

Overjoyed, Ma Kesi thanks Xu Miyu for the most considerate service he has ever received, telling her it finally felt like coming home. Following Ma Kesi’s departure, he sends an email confirming his intent to sign a long-term contract with Purong. Ji Feng calls a management meeting to celebrate, officially promoting Lu Zhenzhen to VIP Client Manager for her role in the deal. However, the mood shifts when Ji Feng turns his attention to the Housekeeping department.

Feng Kaixin attempts to scapegoat Xu Miyu for a recent allergy incident and her tardiness to the meeting, but Ji Feng is prepared. He reveals that an investigation has traced the department’s failures back to Feng Kaixin’s own falsified reports and neglect. Furthermore, Ji Feng produces evidence linking Feng Kaixin to the theft of hotel shampoo and a recent linen scandal. Citing his corruption and failure to meet professional standards, Ji Feng fires Feng Kaixin on the spot, asserting his authority as General Manager despite protests from other executives.

At a high-level board meeting, Ji Feng moved decisively to terminate Feng Kaixin, the Director of Housekeeping. When other board members questioned the lack of the chairman's approval, Ji Feng challenged them, asking if the General Manager lacked personnel authority or if he should present Feng’s record of dereliction of duty directly to the Chairwoman. The room fell silent, and Ji Feng ordered HR to find a replacement immediately.

Wei Siyuan later picked up a dejected Feng Kaixin, who is his brother-in-law. Wei criticized Feng for failing to cover his tracks but promised to find him a position at a friend’s hotel. He warned Feng to stay calm, plotting to find an opportunity to push Ji Feng out later. Meanwhile, Sales Director Qian Xun and Director Huang discussed the situation, noting that Ji Feng was playing for keeps and that they needed to keep a low profile.

Having been publicly praised by Ji Feng, Lu Zhenzhen feared her department head would view her as a mole. She rushed to Qian Xun’s office with a gift of rare mountain delicacies to swear her loyalty. She claimed her hard work was solely to increase the Sales Department’s influence, not to serve Ji Feng. Qian Xun accepted her explanation but warned her not to become a "white-eyed wolf" after being sent there by Wei Siyuan.

Returning home, Zhenzhen overheard her mother-in-law complaining to Nie Yucheng about her lack of domestic contribution, even suggesting she only allowed the marriage because of Zhenzhen's pregnancy. Zhenzhen pretended not to hear and entered to announce her promotion. When she mentioned leaving for a celebratory dinner with colleagues, her mother-in-law’s resentment only grew. At the hotel, Xu Miyu met with Mr. Cheng, a regular guest who wanted to book a presidential suite for the famous actress Li Bingyan.

Mr. Cheng emphasized the need for absolute privacy. After confirming a suite was available, Miyu promised to handle the VIP. However, Lu Zhenzhen soon arrived at the front desk demanding a presidential suite for another star, Qiao Feifei. When Miyu explained the rooms were booked, Lu accused her of being difficult and complained to Ji Feng. When Li Bingyan arrived, she revealed to her butler, Xu Miyu, that she suffered from social anxiety and was sensitive to noise.

Miyu immediately arranged for crabapple incense to help her rest. During the check-in, the hotel's investor, Duan Aoxiang, recognized Li Bingyan and tried to force a photo. Miyu stepped in to shield the actress, insisting she needed to rest, which left Duan frustrated. To resolve the room shortage for Qiao Feifei, Miyu asked Duan Aoxiang to temporarily move to the executive floor. Duan refused to do her a favor unless she arranged a dinner date with Li Bingyan.

Ji Feng intervened by offering Duan a ticket to a fashion gala to walk the red carpet with his idol. The plan worked to vacate the room, but Duan returned that night in a rage, claiming Li Bingyan had ditched him the moment they hit the red carpet. When Duan threatened to move back into the presidential suite, Ji Feng revealed that Zuo Qiang—a high-ranking employee of Duan’s father—was staying in room 1816.

Ji Feng suggested that staying quietly on the executive floor would prevent Zuo Qiang from reporting Duan’s extravagant partying to his father. Faced with this threat, Duan begrudgingly agreed. The following day, Qiao Feifei checked in under Lu Zhenzhen's care. Miyu gathered the staff to emphasize protecting the privacy of both celebrities, implementing a strict registration system for the elevators and forbidding any verbal conflicts with fans.

In the Chinese restaurant, a crisis emerged when long-time guests, Professor Liu and his wife, canceled future bookings because the Yan Du Xian soup tasted wrong. Li Qiaoqi found that the kitchen had run out of salted meat. The supplier refused to provide more, as they only had an agreement with the former chef, Jia Shikun.

Forced to use "South Wind" pork as a substitute, the kitchen was called out by an old diner, Mr. Tan, who recognized that the seasonal ingredients were mismatched. Ji Feng urged Li Qiaoqi to save the signature dish without relying on the old supplier. That night, Qiaoqi stayed late to experiment with a new recipe. Xu Miyu joined her, followed by Ji Feng and Xue Rui. Together, they tasted a new version of the soup featuring earthenware and charcoal aromas.

Ji Feng encouraged Qiaoqi to evolve the dish for changing tastes rather than just imitating the past. The new version was a success, but just as the team felt confident, news arrived that a guest was causing trouble in the restaurant.

A rowdy customer caused a major scene at the Purong Hotel's Chinese restaurant, shouting that the establishment had secretly replaced its head chef. He insisted that Jia Shikun’s "Yan Du Xian" (bamboo shoot and salted pork soup) was the only reason people visited and accused the hotel of trying to deceive its patrons.

Li Qiaoqi, the acting head chef, attempted to de-escalate the situation by inviting the man to offer constructive criticism, but he only responded with personal insults, calling her a "young girl" with a "pretty face but lousy skills" compared to the master. Xue Rui quickly stepped in to apologize on behalf of the hotel and offered to comp the man’s meal.

While the customer left in a huff, Xue Rui addressed the remaining diners, explaining that the new chef had carefully crafted a version of the dish that offered a unique flavor profile. He then invited everyone to taste the dish for free. Back in the kitchen, a frustrated Li Qiaoqi confronted Xue Rui, feeling that comping the meal was an insult to her hard work.

Xue Rui countered that the man was clearly a provocateur, and continuing to argue would have only escalated the public relations disaster. The situation worsened as the restaurant began receiving a wave of order cancellations. Across the street at Kuanli, Duan Aoxiang was orchestrating a sabotage campaign. He instructed Jia Shikun to use all necessary means to choke off the hotel’s supply of high-quality salted meat, intending to cripple Purong’s signature dish.

After reviewing the hotel’s plummeting online ratings and reading scathing reviews about the service and quality, Ji Feng made the difficult decision to temporarily close the Chinese restaurant for a full renovation and management overhaul. The news of the closure sent shockwaves through the staff, sparking fears that the entire hotel might be failing. Xu Miyu sought out Ji Feng to discuss the matter while collecting his dry cleaning.

She argued that the closure was unfair to Li Qiaoqi, who had been promoted only to be treated as a scapegoat for the restaurant’s failure. Ji Feng explained that the decision involved complex interests and the very survival of the hotel, noting the immense pressure he was under. However, he reassured Miyu that he had no intention of firing Li Qiaoqi, as her skills remained top-tier. Believing she had failed her colleagues, Li Qiaoqi prepared a resignation letter.

Xue Rui found her in the kitchen and presented a market analysis report from the past month. The data proved that under her leadership, the main dining hall’s occupancy had actually increased significantly. The overall decline was linked to banquet cancellations and personnel changes rather than her cooking. Realizing her talent was actually reflected in the numbers, Li Qiaoqi regained her confidence and decided to stay, vowing to find a new supplier for salted meat in the surrounding counties.

During a tense board meeting, Ji Feng proposed a five-million-yuan renovation plan to modernize the restaurant. The proposal met resistance; some directors worried about the high cost, while Wei Siyuan suggested that the focus should remain on the food rather than the decor. The tension peaked when Duan Aoxiang, acting as a board observer, revealed that he had opened a high-end fusion restaurant right across the street with Jia Shikun as the head chef.

Furthermore, he announced that he had poached the design firm Ji Feng intended to hire. Undeterred, Ji Feng issued a military pledge: he promised the restaurant would be profitable within one month of reopening or he would resign. The board approved the plan with a three-to-two vote. Xu Miyu, having overheard staff gossip about the stolen design firm, slipped the business card of an alternative designer, Tan Jiaming, into Ji Feng’s dry cleaning.

Ji Feng followed the lead and met with Tan and his son, Daniel. They brainstormed a "New Chinese" aesthetic, focusing on minimalist designs with lattice-style private rooms in the lobby to provide privacy without sacrificing the view. Daniel, who specialized in exhibitions, suggested using pendant lights over the tables to focus softer light on the food, enhancing the dining experience. Ji Feng was impressed by their meticulous and modern approach.

Meanwhile, Xu Miyu had to coordinate a high-profile filming session for the celebrity Qiao Feifei. Despite Miyu's attempts to organize the details the night before, Qiao Feifei’s stylist, Dai Wei, was dismissive and uncooperative. On the morning of the shoot, chaos ensued at the VIP entrance as fans and media gathered. Dai Wei was late and became defensive when Miyu tried to hurry him, blaming the hotel for the lack of preparation.

While Qiao Feifei was delayed upstairs struggling with her wardrobe requirements, another celebrity, Li Bingyan, stepped out of the hotel with her boyfriend. Although Xu Miyu had warned Li Bingyan about the filming schedule to help her avoid the crowds, the waiting media spotted Li Bingyan first. Seeing a potential scoop on a secret relationship, the reporters immediately swarmed her, leaving the planned event for Qiao Feifei in total disarray.

Following the disastrous filming session, Lu Zhenzhen reports Xu Miyu’s alleged negligence to Ji Feng. Summoned to the office, Xu Miyu explains that she arrived at 7:30 AM but was unable to reach the assistant, Dai Wei. Ji Feng instructs Lu Zhenzhen to show a proper apologetic attitude to the agent first, then tells a distraught Xu Miyu that true service requires the ability to resolve sudden crises efficiently rather than just performing politeness.

Lu Zhenzhen offers a formal apology to Dai Wei, who remains furious that the media exposure he planned for Qiao Feifei was usurped by Li Bingyan. Sensing an opportunity, Lu promises to find a way to settle the score. Meanwhile, Ms. Brown from the Libo Group arrives to finalize a partnership. She reveals that Marcos Yang only agreed to the deal because of the exceptional butler service he received from Xu Miyu, specifically an archive trip she organized.

To avoid embarrassment, Lu Zhenzhen intercepts the personal thank-you letter addressed to Xu Miyu. Unwilling to let Xu Miyu’s success stand, Lu Zhenzhen encounters several of Qiao Feifei’s fans who are desperate for access to the presidential suite. Lu provides them with Duan Aoxiang’s contact information, suggesting he is the key to getting past security. She makes them promise never to mention her involvement.

The fans quickly check into the executive floor and connect with Duan Aoxiang through mobile gaming, explaining they want revenge on Li Bingyan. Seeing a chance to stir up trouble for Ji Feng, Duan Aoxiang agrees to help the girls. While the fans wait for their moment, Xu Miyu notices their Qiao Feifei keychains and remains wary. However, she is soon distracted by a personal crisis involving Tan Jizhou, who is unable to locate his elderly father, Tan Jiaming.

Recalling a jazz bar the old man mentioned, Xu Miyu leaves her post to help search for him, leaving strict instructions for the staff to guard the presidential suite. Exploiting Xu Miyu's absence, Duan Aoxiang distracts the front desk staff, allowing the fans to slip past and confront Li Bingyan. A chaotic scuffle ensues, and the fans snap incriminating photos.

Xu Miyu eventually finds the drunk Tan Jiaming at the jazz bar and returns him to the hotel, only to find the executive floor in an uproar. Lu Zhenzhen is already there, loudly blaming Xu Miyu for the security breach. Although Ji Feng acknowledges that the missing person was a priority, she still reprimands Xu Miyu for failing to have a backup plan in place. The next morning, Li Bingyan’s agency threatens a lawsuit against Purong Hotel for mismanagement.

Xu Miyu attempts to seek help from Dai Wei, hoping Qiao Feifei will ask her fans to stop the online harassment, but the actress refuses to lose the traffic the scandal provides. As Tan Jizhou prepares to leave, he leaves a handmade bracelet for Xu Miyu as a token of gratitude. When Xu Miyu tries to return it at his car, he insists it is of little monetary value.

Ji Feng watches this exchange from a distance and accuses Xu Miyu of fawning over a guest instead of focusing on the hotel's crisis. Driven by the threat of dismissal, Xu Miyu confronts Li Bingyan directly in her suite. She points out that Li Bingyan intentionally staged her boyfriend’s reveal at the 8 AM filming slot after Xu Miyu had shared the schedule out of trust.

Xu warns that if the lawsuit proceeds, the hotel will reveal that the entire incident was a calculated PR stunt by the actress. She offers a truce: if Li Bingyan drops the suit, the hotel will act as an ally to restore her public image; otherwise, they will engage in a legal battle that would ruin her career. The strategy works, and Li Bingyan’s legal team reconsider the suit.

While Ji Feng is away securing new business to offset the recent losses, Xue Rui expresses his admiration for Xu Miyu’s negotiation skills. Later, during a meeting to finalize the settlement, Li Bingyan tears up the lawsuit. However, the peace is interrupted when Dai Wei mentions that Lu Zhenzhen was the one who facilitated the fans' encounter with Duan Aoxiang. Ji Feng later confronts Lu Zhenzhen, warning her that any further attempts at sabotage will result in her immediate termination.

Desperate to keep her job, Lu Zhenzhen promises to secure three major contracts by the end of the quarter. That evening, Lu Zhenzhen continues to work relentlessly from home. When her husband, Nie Yucheng, returns home drunk and asks her to cook him porridge for his upset stomach, she coldly refuses, telling him she is not his maid and suggesting he hire a nanny.

Li Qiaoqi is pushed to her breaking point in the kitchen after her latest attempt at perfecting the Yan Du Xian recipe fails. Frustrated by the lack of progress, she smashes a bowl in a fit of rage. To help her clear her head, Xu Miyu takes her to a bar, where Qiaoqi drowns her sorrows over harsh online comments that dismiss her as a "pretty face" without talent.

The next morning, Miyu surprises Qiaoqi with breakfast and proposes a trip to their hometown, Linglong Town, to find the authentic salted meat served at Fumanxiang, a restaurant they loved as children. At Fumanxiang, they unexpectedly encounter Ji Feng and Xue Rui, who are also searching for high-quality salted meat for the hotel. The four share a table and are immediately impressed by the restaurant's "Cured Meat Delicacy."

Knowing the owner, Mr. Fu, is eccentric and fond of alcohol, Miyu begins a drinking bout with him to earn his favor. Ji Feng eventually steps in to help her, and after a few rounds of drinks and some traditional opera singing, a tipsy Mr. Fu reveals that his meat is actually sourced from a place called "Chunlai Stay" on Lookout Island.

The group immediately heads to the island, only to find a notice stating the owner is away until dinner. While relaxing by the riverbank to pass the time, Xue Rui twists his ankle after Qiaoqi accidentally pushes him. Ji Feng instructs Qiaoqi to take the injured Xue Rui back to the hotel, while he stays behind with Miyu to wait for the owner. However, Ji Feng soon receives a call about an urgent check-in crisis at the hotel.

As they rush to the shore, they find the last ferry has already departed due to an approaching storm, leaving them stranded on the island. Seeking refuge from the rain, Ji Feng and Miyu find shelter in a small docked boat. Amidst the sound of the storm, the two share a rare moment of vulnerability. Ji Feng apologizes for his previous harshness regarding the Li Bingyan incident, admitting he had been too emotional.

Miyu accepts the apology and confesses her own career anxieties and fear of being a "pawn" with limited vision. Ji Feng encourages her to step out of her comfort zone and explore new paths. Later that night, Ji Feng develops a fever, and while Miyu is caring for him, the two share a brief, tense moment of eye contact after an accidental stumble. The next morning, Ji Feng’s fever breaks, and they finally meet the owner of Chunlai Stay.

After tasting her soup, which perfectly matches the flavor they need, Ji Feng secures a wholesale contract for 500 kilograms of salted meat per year. Upon their return to the hotel, Ji Feng delivers a thank-you card from Marcos to Miyu, admitting he misjudged her role in the Liberty Group deal. To make amends, he allows her to request one favor. Miyu asks for a career assessment usually reserved for senior staff, hoping to find her professional direction.

As they exchange WeChat information for the assessment, Miyu is surprised to see that Ji Feng’s profile picture is a photo of the very island where they spent the night. In the hotel kitchen, Qiaoqi uses the newly acquired salted meat to recreate the Yan Du Xian. When Ji Feng, Miyu, and Xue Rui taste the soup, they find the flavor is finally perfect. With the signature dish restored, Ji Feng confidently declares that the grand opening of the hotel's Chinese restaurant is finally within reach.

Duan Aoxiang sneaks into the Purong kitchen to taste the experimental Yan Du Xian. After Xue Rui serves him a bowl, Duan admits the flavor is "interesting," nearly matching the skill of the legendary Jia Shikun. He tells Ji Feng to reserve the entire third-floor private section for him on the opening day, promising to bring a large crowd to show support. However, once he steps outside, his tone shifts.

He tells his assistant that Jia Shikun has nothing to worry about because he doesn't intend to give the Purong Chinese Restaurant a single chance to recover. He plans to make sure they go out of business the very day they open on the 18th. Back at the staff apartment, Xu Miyu and Li Qiaoqi roast sweet potatoes together.

Qiaoqi is quick to notice a shift in the "vibe" between Miyu and Ji Feng since their return from the island, accusing Miyu of acting with a guilty conscience. Miyu, still sensitive from her failed marriage, insists it is far too soon to think of anyone else. Qiaoqi disagrees, comparing love to a roasted sweet potato that must be enjoyed while it is still hot.

Meanwhile, in his own room, Ji Feng is distracted by memories of that rainy night on the island when they shared a makeshift bed made of cardboard. In his daze, he accidentally knocks a glass off his desk. Wei Siyuan visits Duan Aoxiang to discuss the upcoming opening. Wei is confused as to why Duan would put so much effort into "supporting" Ji Feng by booking a large private room.

Duan explains that he is merely setting the stage for a performance; how the play actually unfolds will depend entirely on what show Wei wants to see. Later that night, Ji Feng and Miyu make their final rounds in the kitchen. Miyu offers to spend her scheduled day off helping Qiaoqi manage the private rooms. After the team departs, a shadowy figure quietly slips into the kitchen to tamper with the supplies.

On the morning of the grand reopening, Li Qiaoqi discovers that the high-quality salted pork has been swapped for foul-smelling meat. Fortunately, Ji Feng had stored a backup supply of authentic meat in his own room for an emergency. Rather than discarding the sabotaged meat, Ji Feng decides to serve it exclusively to Duan Aoxiang’s party.

As the restaurant fills up, Miyu personally oversees the private rooms where Duan has invited Xiao Zhi, a famous food vlogger, to witness what he expects to be a failure. The plan initially works in Duan's favor when Xiao Zhi tastes the tainted soup and complains that the flavor is off, asking if the chef even bothered to taste it.

Duan seizes the chance to embarrass Purong, inviting his friends to leave for Kuanli Mingjue across the street, where the former Purong chef Jia Shikun is waiting. However, Miyu intervenes with practiced poise. She explains that the previous bowl was merely a "small interlude" involving a "gift" from a guest that their kitchen couldn't handle. She then presents the real signature Yan Du Xian.

Xiao Zhi is delighted by the rich, punchy flavor and Miyu’s storytelling, promising to feature the anecdote in his column. Humiliated by the reversal, Duan Aoxiang storms out of the room. He blames Wei Siyuan for the failure of their scheme, but Wei claims to be just as much in the dark about how the team caught the sabotage. Duan forces Wei to settle the bill for the expensive meal.

Back in the kitchen, the core team celebrates their successful "opening red." While Qiaoqi is eager to hunt down the mole, Miyu suggests they wait and observe; a guilty person will eventually reveal themselves through their nervous behavior. To conclude the day, Qiaoqi uses the remainder of the bad meat to prepare a "salted pork feast" for Duan in his suite, mockingly telling him that such "top-quality" ingredients are a presidential suite exclusive.

Business continues to boom over the following days, but the stress of the constant crowds leads to friction. Qiaoqi openly warns everyone to stay away from her ingredients and suspects Guo Luda of being the one who tampered with the meat. This leads to a heated argument in the kitchen where Guo Luda defensively claims he would change his surname to Li if he ever touched her pork.

In the lobby, Miyu handles a difficult situation involving a guest from room 1815 who wants to eat the famous soup but is worried about missing his late check-out deadline. Miyu offers to hold his place in the queue personally so he can go pack his bags. The surge in popularity eventually leads to a supply crisis. The kitchen finds itself with only ten portions of Yan Du Xian left and fifty tables waiting.

Ji Feng quickly contacts the suppliers from Linglong Town, who promise a delivery by 3 PM. In the meantime, a confrontation breaks out between two families in the queue over their numbers. Miyu steps in with a clever compromise, suggesting that the families split a large portion into small individual bowls, allowing everyone to taste the dish while paying a more affordable price. She also offers free desserts to the children to settle the dispute.

That evening, the exhausted team gathers to eat together, reflecting on how hard they worked to save the restaurant's reputation. Miyu reveals the true cause of the sudden rush: a top-tier travel vlogger named Dian Jiangchun visited and gave them a glowing review. The vlogger described their Yan Du Xian as the "unmissable hint of freshness in spring," providing the hotel with invaluable publicity. As they celebrate, Ji Feng pulls Miyu aside to ask if she has a minute to talk privately.

Ji Feng took Xu Miyu out to purchase a new teacup, explaining that since she had gifted him the tea, her opinion was essential in selecting the right vessel. As they walked back to the hotel, Ji Feng remained protective, shielding Miyu from the busy traffic. The atmosphere between them grew heavy when Ji Feng brought up the night they spent together on the island.

Miyu quickly labeled it an accident, explaining she only stayed to care for him because of his fever and exhaustion. Although Ji Feng agreed to forget it, a lingering tension remained as they bid each other goodnight. Back in her dormitory, Miyu reflected on her growing feelings for Ji Feng, realizing his repeated acts of kindness had moved her. However, she reminded herself that she was freshly out of a failed marriage and burdened with significant debt.

To her, love was a luxury she couldn't afford; she needed to focus on her career and financial recovery. Meanwhile, Ji Feng sat alone with the new teacup and received a mysterious text from an old acquaintance who expressed pleasure at being back in the country and requested a meeting. In an effort to resolve the ongoing friction in the kitchen, Xue Rui organized a barbecue outing for Li Qiaoqi and Chef Guo Luda’s team.

Guo Luda took the opportunity to clear the air, insisting he never intentionally sabotaged the restaurant. He explained that his team were disciples of the Huaiyang master Zheng Shuolin and had earned their positions through genuine skill. Li Qiaoqi’s anger finally softened, and the team reconciled over hundreds of lamb skewers. At the hotel, Miyu learned from the HR Director that she was now eligible for a career assessment.

Ji Feng had recently reformed the employee development system, allowing even those with less than a year of service to evaluate their professional potential. Miyu was thrilled and immediately prepared to take the test to understand her future prospects in the industry. The peace was interrupted by a noise complaint from Room 1810. Miyu arrived to find Daniel and his elderly friends practicing as a band.

Understanding their passion but needing to respect other guests, Miyu moved the group to a basement warehouse. However, Ji Feng reprimanded Miyu for the safety risks, noting that the underground space was poorly ventilated for people in their seventies. He then revealed he had already arranged a proper rehearsal room for them on the second floor near the restaurant. Ji Feng used this gesture to ask Daniel for a favor.

The Lusia University Alumni Association was holding its 60th-anniversary reunion at the hotel, and the elderly guests wanted to hear the classic Shanghai jazz of their youth. Daniel’s band fit the style perfectly, and he happily agreed, calling the timing "providential." Before leaving, Ji Feng pulled Miyu aside, urging her not to avoid him and promising to support her as her superior if she would only trust him more.

During a general meeting, Ji Feng announced that the Chinese restaurant’s revenue had hit record highs. He then detailed the upcoming reception for over a hundred alumni, many of whom were over the age of eighty. To make room for the large group, Ji Feng moved out of his executive suite. As Miyu cleaned the vacated room, she felt a sudden sense of emptiness, while Ji Feng found himself distracted and constantly thinking about her.

The day of the reunion arrived with a massive influx of guests. Manager An, who was pregnant and suffering from a herniated disc, struggled with the crowd before eventually fainting in the lobby. As an ambulance arrived, she pleaded with Miyu to stay and manage the floor. Miyu immediately took charge, calling in extra staff and setting up an information desk to ease the pressure on the front desk.

Miyu handled the chaotic check-in with high efficiency, calling out names and escorting groups to their floors. She went above and beyond for the elderly guests, ordering diabetes medication for a man in Room 817 and arranging room swaps for those with physical ailments like rheumatism. Throughout the process, the receptionist Lu Xiaoyan remained hostile, refusing to assist with "messy" room changes and mocking Miyu’s helpfulness. Despite the pushback, Miyu successfully settled all the guests.

By the end of the grueling day, the staff meals ran low. Lu Xiaoyan took the last remaining box for the Lobby Manager, dismissively telling Miyu to go check the canteen herself. However, Ji Feng arrived with extra food he claimed to have "accidentally" over-bought and gave it to Miyu, telling her to take care of her health. Later, Xue Rui and Ji Feng discussed the vacancy for the Lobby Manager position.

Xue Rui pointed out that while Lu Xiaoyan had some authority among the junior staff, she lacked the leadership and professional skill to handle major events alone, noting that Miyu was the one who truly managed the day’s crisis. Ji Feng then showed Xue Rui Miyu’s career assessment results; the scores were exceptionally high, proving she was a natural talent for the hotel industry with a bright future ahead.

Following the sudden collapse of An Na due to severe back pain, the lobby of Purong Hotel is left without its manager during the busy alumni reunion period. Director Bai Yongjun strongly advocates for Lu Xiaoyan to take the position, but Xue Rui expresses concerns that she lacks the authority to command the staff. Ji Feng presents an impressive assessment report, noting that the candidate is a natural for the hotel business with a bright future.

To Xue Rui's surprise, the person recommended is Xu Miyu. Xue Rui meets with Xu Miyu to discuss the potential transfer. Miyu is hesitant, worrying that her friendship with the management might be clouding their judgment. Xue Rui reassures her that the decision is based on the hotel's best interests, citing her exceptional handling of the Chinese restaurant’s opening and the recent emergency in the lobby.

He encourages her to step out of her comfort zone and trust her own potential, eventually revealing that it was Ji Feng who personally recommended her. Inspired by their confidence and remembering Ji Feng's previous words about the hotel providing a path for those with ambition, Miyu decides to accept the challenge. Meanwhile, the Human Resources Department consults with Director Bai about the vacancy.

Bai is visibly displeased, complaining about the prospect of a housekeeping supervisor being moved to such a high-profile front office role. Unaware of the internal politics, Miyu returns to her dormitory to begin studying hotel management manuals, determined to prove she is worthy of the promotion. In the hotel, Miyu performs her final duties for Daniel.

He is initially panicked, fearing she has been fired again, and mentions how Chairwoman Wei (Xie Wanjun) had intervened to help her in the past. Chairwoman Wei soon arrives and warmly congratulates Miyu. She acknowledges the significant pressure Ji Feng took upon himself to recommend a floor supervisor for the manager position, confirming that Miyu’s capabilities have been recognized at the highest level. The Human Resources Department officially announces the personnel changes.

Xu Miyu is appointed as the Front Office Manager, while Luo Qingping is promoted to supervisor of the executive floor. The housekeeping staff bids a tearful farewell to Miyu, though Luo Qingping is quick to assert that she intends to do an even better job than her predecessor. Miyu changes into her new uniform, reflecting on her journey from cleaning rooms to managing the lobby.

Before she steps out, Chairwoman Wei meets her in the hallway to gift her a precious brooch—the same gift her own mother gave her on her first day of work—urging Miyu to wear it as she embarks on this new chapter. When the appointment is announced in the lobby, the reception from the front office staff is ice-cold. Sensing the tension, Ji Feng makes a "routine patrol" past the desk.

Seeing the General Manager watching, Director Bai instantly changes his tune, leading the staff in enthusiastic applause and praising Miyu’s comprehensive skills. Back in the office, Xue Rui teases Ji Feng about his punctuality, noting that he seems particularly concerned whenever Miyu is involved. Ji Feng brushes it off as professional duty before they discuss a message from Jiang Zhichun, a famous food blogger who wants to collaborate with Purong. Miyu’s first day is fraught with challenges.

When a guest who left the line to retrieve a document tries to reclaim her spot, Lu Xiaoyan insists she must go to the back of the queue. Miyu attempts to mediate by suggesting Xiaoyan process the guest, but Xiaoyan dismisses her, stating that since Miyu doesn't understand front office operations, she should stay out of it.

Left with no choice, Miyu retreats to help other guests with their luggage and tissues, while the front office staff mocks her for returning to her "old trade." As Lu Zhenzhen leaves work with a guest, she spots Miyu in her new role. Zhenzhen makes several biting remarks, implying that Miyu used "unusual means" to climb the ladder so quickly.

Miyu remains professional, even thanking Zhenzhen for the "blessing" when she sarcastically suggests Miyu might become the General Manager's assistant next. Later, Nie Yucheng arrives to pick up Zhenzhen. He is caught staring at Miyu, which triggers Zhenzhen’s jealousy. To appease her, Yucheng announces he has been promoted to Vice President. Zhenzhen immediately demands they sign a contract for a new, larger apartment so their baby isn't born into a cramped home.

Despite his financial worries regarding their investments, Yucheng reluctantly agrees. Ji Feng meets with Jiang Zhichun for a meal and a walk. It is revealed that the two were together ten years ago. Zhichun expresses regret for the way she heartlessly left him when they were young. Ji Feng is magnanimous, admitting that back then he was just a waiter who couldn't see a future for himself, let alone provide for her.

He tells her that her choice was right as it allowed her to achieve her own success. They agree to move forward as professional partners, focusing on the upcoming cooperation between her studio and the hotel. As the alumni reunion performance approaches, Miyu visits the band of seniors led by Daniel. She brings flowers and words of encouragement, while Ji Feng and Xue Rui watch the rehearsal.

Ji Feng warns the logistics team to be extra cautious and have emergency plans ready, given the performers' advanced ages. Before the show, the band has dinner together. Daniel warns one of the members, A-Ming, to eat slowly, but the man is too excited and stuffs himself. Suddenly, A-Ming begins to choke violently on his food, throwing the pre-show preparations into chaos.

During the rehearsal dinner for the upcoming alumni event, the atmosphere turned frantic when Aming suddenly began to choke on his food. Ji Feng didn't hesitate, rushing to his side to perform the Heimlich maneuver. After several firm thrusts, the obstruction was finally dislodged. Aming, visibly shaken, admitted that he felt as though his life had just flashed before his eyes.

Concerned for the elderly man's health, Ji Feng insisted that he be taken to the hospital for a thorough check-up. With Aming gone, the band was left one musician short. Daniel was filled with anxiety about how they could possibly proceed without a rehearsal with a replacement, but Ji Feng assured him that he would handle the situation. As the guests began to arrive, Xu Miyu took charge of the foyer.

Among the attendees were Jiang Zhichun and Chairwoman Wei, the latter expressing skepticism about whether the elderly band members could maintain their pitch. However, the mood shifted when Ji Feng stepped onto the stage in full performance attire. Picking up a saxophone, he joined Daniel’s band and delivered a masterful jazz performance. Jiang Zhichun was particularly impressed, capturing numerous photos of Ji Feng and later presenting him with a bouquet of flowers on stage.

Following the successful event, Ji Feng invited Xu Miyu to the restaurant and introduced her to Jiang Zhichun. After Jiang Zhichun departed, Ji Feng asked for Xu Miyu’s honest opinion on the restaurant’s pastries. Xu Miyu didn’t hold back, noting that while the presentation was acceptable, the flavor was mediocre. Ji Feng agreed, seeing it as an opportunity to upgrade the venue into a high-end jazz space. He proposed holding performances every Friday.

Despite the risks associated with the band's advanced age, Xu Miyu argued that with proper management, their seniority could be a unique selling point. Confident in her insight, Ji Feng officially asked Xu Miyu to manage the weekly jazz events, telling her sincerely that he needed her expertise. However, Xu Miyu’s rising influence sparked resentment. When the news of her dual role reached the staff, Lu Xiaoyan’s jealousy boiled over.

During a shift, Lu Xiaoyan spitefully threw Xu Miyu’s original documents onto the floor. Rather than escalating the conflict, Xu Miyu quietly picked them up to finish her work. Later, Lu Xiaoyan cornered Director Bai in the parking garage, complaining that her years of loyalty were being overlooked. Director Bai countered by pointing out that Xu Miyu’s work was flawless and that she had the General Manager’s backing.

He warned Lu Xiaoyan that if he lost his own standing by opposing Ji Feng, there would be no one left to protect her. As renovations began on the restaurant space, Duan Aoxiang arrived to conduct an inspection. He was critical of the service and warned Ji Feng that the board viewed the jazz project as a flashy but impractical distraction. Ji Feng remained unmoved, stating he was simply fulfilling his duties as General Manager.

Back in his office, Xue Rui informed Ji Feng that Jiang Zhichun wanted to meet again. Knowing Jiang Zhichun’s intentions, Xue Rui asked if Ji Feng already had someone else in his heart, but Ji Feng remained silent. That evening, Jiang Zhichun arrived at the hotel to pick up Ji Feng for dinner. While waiting in the lobby, she handed Xu Miyu a cup of milk tea as a "fan benefit" and asked why young people loved the drink.

Xu Miyu suggested that milk tea conveys sweetness and is an "agreeable" beverage that goes with everything. Jiang Zhichun was impressed by the answer just as Ji Feng joined them, and the two left together. During dinner, Jiang Zhichun showed Ji Feng her new book and expressed a desire to hold her book signing at Purong Hotel. Ji Feng immediately agreed. Their conversation was briefly interrupted by fans who recognized them from online videos.

The fans wondered if the two were dating, which Ji Feng quickly denied. On the drive back, Jiang Zhichun brushed off the encounter, explaining that being "shipped" with a handsome partner only increased her traffic. She made it clear that she wanted to deal with Ji Feng directly for future arrangements rather than going through the PR team. Xu Miyu was still in the lobby when Ji Feng returned that night.

Seeing the two together confirmed her insecurities, making it difficult for her to sleep. The following day, Ji Feng organized a meeting for the book signing, demanding the highest level of service. Afterward, he called Xu Miyu into his office to hand her a copy of the book and put her in charge of the event. When Xu Miyu asked about their history, Ji Feng revealed they were college classmates.

As the day of the signing arrived, Jiang Zhichun was thrilled with the blue and white decorations. The event drew a massive crowd, creating a chaotic environment. While Xu Miyu was busy managing the fans, Ji Feng noticed her limping. Seeing that she had injured her foot in the bustle, Ji Feng stepped in to help, instructing her to lift her foot and lean on his shoulder for support.

As the book signing for Jiang Zhichun (known by her pen name Dian Jiangchun) begins at the Purong Hotel, the atmosphere is crowded and busy. Behind the scenes, Ji Feng notices Xu Miyu is struggling with an injury to her heel. In a rare moment of care, he insists on helping her, personally tending to her foot and telling her to bear with the pain for a moment.

Once she is able to walk, the event proceeds, and the audience enthusiastically welcomes Jiang Zhichun onto the stage. The event’s flow is soon interrupted by the demanding regular guest, Duan Aoxiang. He arrives and insists that Xu Miyu personally escort five or six of his friends to his room.

Although Xu Miyu explains she is tied up with the signing event and offers to find another staff member, Duan Aoxiang takes offense, questioning if his guests aren't important enough for the manager. Trapped by his demands, Xu Miyu is forced to hand over the responsibility of greeting the guest speaker, Ma Wenhui, to Lu Xiaoyan.

She provides Lu Xiaoyan with a blurry photo of Ma, as he has avoided the public eye for years, but Lu Xiaoyan is dismissive and refuses to look up more information. While Xu Miyu is busy with Duan Aoxiang’s guests, an elderly man—Ma Wenhui—approaches the front desk. He realizes he left his bag and ID in a taxi and asks for help since the talk is about to start.

Showing no empathy, Lu Xiaoyan coldly tells him to contact the taxi company himself and refuses to check him in without documents. Frustrated, the man tries to light a cigarette in the lobby, only to be sharply reprimanded by Lu Xiaoyan for smoking in a non-smoking area. Feeling insulted, he tosses his cigarette and walks out. As the talk is set to begin, Jiang Zhichun realizes she cannot contact her mentor, Ma Wenhui.

Ji Feng offers to help Xu Miyu search for him, but Jiang Zhichun begs Ji Feng to stay and support her on stage instead. Xu Miyu eventually learns from a guilty-looking Lu Xiaoyan that the guest had been there but left after a dispute. Meanwhile, the event proceeds with Ji Feng filling in as the guest speaker. During the talk, Jiang Zhichun shocks the audience—and a listening Xu Miyu—by admitting that she and Ji Feng were once in love.

When asked about a potential reunion, she leaves it to fate, calling Ji Feng her most trusted partner. Feeling like an outsider after the revelation, Xu Miyu focuses on her work. She tracks down Ma Wenhui’s lost ID through a ride-hailing platform and ensures it is returned. She then confronts Lu Xiaoyan, demanding a written explanation for her poor attitude and deducting ten points from her monthly performance review, emphasizing that a manager’s assignments must be taken seriously.

The drama shifts to Xu Miyu's personal life when her sister arrives at the hotel. Her sister demands money for her son’s international school tuition and insists on a free meal at the hotel's buffet. Xu Miyu, who uses her salary to pay off her parents' debts, finally stands up for herself. She explains she cannot use her position for free meals and refuses to give her sister any more money.

Her sister causes a scene, shouting that Xu Miyu is heartless, while Lu Xiaoyan and other staff watch the humiliation with delight. Tan Jizhou, who is checking in, witnesses the confrontation. He intervenes by picking up Xu Miyu's dropped phone, offering her his coat, and inviting her to dinner to get her away from the scene. As they leave together, they are spotted by Ji Feng, who is seeing Jiang Zhichun out.

Ji Feng watches them go with a lingering, troubled gaze. During dinner, Xu Miyu opens up to Tan Jizhou about her childhood of constant submission to her sister and parents. She realizes how liberating it feels to finally say "no." Tan Jizhou listens patiently, telling her to treat him like a "canvas" where she can express herself freely.

Xu Miyu admits she once wanted to start a "painting" of her own, but felt unworthy and eventually realized someone else had already started a more brilliant work on that same canvas. Tan Jizhou reassures her that there are many canvases in the world and peels crabs for her—a small gesture of care she has never experienced before.

Back at the hotel, Xue Rui discusses the lobby incident with Ji Feng, mentioning that Xu Miyu’s sister had even gotten physical with her. Ji Feng is frustrated that Xu Miyu didn't come to him for help, but Xue Rui points out that she deserves some time to unwind with a friend. Prompted by Xue Rui, Ji Feng sends her a message of concern. However, Xu Miyu is already intoxicated and does not see it.

Tan Jizhou ends up carrying an unconscious Xu Miyu back to the hotel and into his room, hanging a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. After hearing rumors of the "princess carry," Ji Feng checks the surveillance footage and stays up all night, troubled by the fact that they stayed in the room together. The next morning, Xu Miyu returns to work and is summoned to Ji Feng’s office.

Ji Feng confronts her with a joint complaint letter from the staff regarding her "inappropriate conduct" for staying in a guest's room. Xu Miyu defends herself, stating it was her off-duty time and she broke no regulations. Ji Feng warns her that her lack of boundaries gives her enemies ammunition. The argument turns personal when Xu Miyu counters by asking if Ji Feng’s own cooperation with Jiang Zhichun is purely professional or driven by his own personal motives. Their heated exchange is interrupted by Xue Rui, who informs Ji Feng that Tan Jizhou is waiting to see him in the conference room.

Tan Jizhou met with Ji Feng to clear up the misunderstanding regarding the complaint against Xu Miyu. He explained that after he escorted the intoxicated Miyu to a room and settled her in, he spent the entire night in his father’s room and did not emerge until dawn. Despite this clarification, Ji Feng remained critical, arguing that Tan Jizhou should never have taken her out in the first place.

Tan Jizhou countered by noting that anyone would have stepped in seeing Miyu being harassed by her own family, adding that if Ji Feng truly valued a capable employee, he should show her more care and protection. To verify the story, Ji Feng reviewed the hotel’s surveillance footage, which confirmed that Tan Jizhou had indeed stayed out of Miyu's room all night.

Later, while walking through the executive floor with Xue Rui, Ji Feng overheard two staff members gossiping about Miyu. He immediately stepped in and sternly reprimanded them for their behavior. Xue Rui observed this and quietly cautioned Ji Feng against letting personal feelings influence his professional judgment. Meanwhile, Lu Xiaoyan was frustrated that Miyu had escaped punishment. She goaded Director Bai into filing another complaint with Ji Feng.

However, Ji Feng stood his ground, informing the director that no action would be taken against Miyu. He instead criticized Director Bai for failing to investigate the dispute properly or speak with the involved parties before escalating the matter. He warned that if Miyu decided to take action, the employees who signed the joint complaint could face charges of defamation. Realizing he was in the wrong, Director Bai quickly backed down and promised to manage the lobby staff more effectively.

Miyu later approached Lu Xiaoyan to demand the self-reflection letter she had previously assigned. When Lu Xiaoyan tried to ignore the request, Miyu docked points from her performance review on the spot. Having just been scolded by Ji Feng, Director Bai arrived and shifted her stance, criticizing Lu Xiaoyan for being disrespectful to her superior and ordering her to hand over the letter to Miyu immediately. The hotel’s Western restaurant was still struggling to finalize its dessert menu.

Ji Feng suggested incorporating traditional Chinese tea snacks. Li Qiaoqi recalled seeing Miyu make small, animal-shaped pastries and brought some for Ji Feng to sample. Ji Feng was immediately impressed by the quality. During her shift, Miyu received a call from her mother, who was once again asking for money to help Miyu’s sister pay for her child’s school tuition. Miyu refused, explaining that her own loan repayments left her with no extra funds.

Ji Feng and Xue Rui later visited the kitchen to watch Miyu prepare the snacks. When asked who taught her, Miyu explained that she learned from her mother, Jiao Xiumei, who was a master of Suzhou-style boat-shaped pastry. Interested in her skills, Ji Feng asked Miyu to arrange for her mother to come to Shanghai.

Although Li Qiaoqi worried that Xiumei might cause further trouble at the hotel, Miyu assured her that she had already set strict ground rules with her mother. Ji Feng also personally sought out Miyu to apologize for the recent incidents, though Miyu remained cool and did not immediately accept his apology. After work, Li Qiaoqi ran into Duan Aoxiang in the parking garage.

Duan Aoxiang mocked the Western restaurant’s choice of pastries, but Li Qiaoqi confidently told him that Ji Feng had a secret weapon and that within a month, their restaurant would surely surpass his hotel’s performance. Jiao Xiumei soon arrived in Shanghai and headed straight for the hotel buffet, helping herself to the free food. Tan Jizhou happened to be dining there and kindly helped her get a coffee.

When Miyu arrived at the restaurant later, Tan Jizhou greeted her, and she introduced him to her mother. Afterward, Xiumei repeatedly questioned Miyu about her relationship with Tan Jizhou, but Miyu insisted he was merely a guest and reminded her mother to be mindful of her behavior in the hotel. In the kitchen, Xiumei demonstrated the art of making Suzhou-style boat-shaped pastry. The Western restaurant chefs watched in awe as she crafted lifelike treats.

However, the labor triggered a flare-up of Xiumei's rheumatism. Ji Feng noticed her discomfort and quietly arranged for a room for her, leaving a package of medicated patches on the table for her use. Miyu realized that the thoughtful gesture had come from Ji Feng. Back in his office, Ji Feng pressured Xue Rui to finalize Xiumei’s labor contract. Xue Rui teased him, suggesting he was only doing this to win Miyu’s favor, a sentiment Ji Feng did not deny.

Around the same time, Lu Xiaoyan finally submitted her apology letter to Miyu. Miyu accepted it and warned her not to let it happen again, even offering her a box of the new pastries as a gesture of goodwill, though Lu Xiaoyan dismissively gave them away to a colleague. The trial run of the new desserts proved to be a massive success, attracting a large number of guests to the restaurant.

When the formal contract was ready, Miyu presented it to her mother. Seeing the 20,000 RMB salary, Xiumei became convinced that Ji Feng was trying to win her over because he liked Miyu. Miyu quickly corrected her, explaining that the high salary was based on the hotel’s professional evaluation and that Ji Feng was simply her boss. She emphasized that both Ji Feng and Tan Jizhou belonged to a different social class and told her mother to stop speculating.

Elsewhere, Duan Aoxiang lost a bet with Li Qiaoqi regarding the success of the new dessert chef. As his penalty, he was sent to the kitchen to wash dishes. Infuriated by the humiliation, he intentionally smashed a stack of plates, arrogantly claiming he had no problem paying for the damages.

Xu Miyu sent a message to Ji Feng to express her gratitude. While Ji Feng was pleased to receive her text and considered inviting her to dinner, he hesitated, feeling their relationship hadn't reached that level yet. His assistant, Xue Rui, noticed him smiling at his phone and reminded him to focus on the hotel's performance. Although business had been booming for two months, the period before the summer vacation was approaching.

Xue Rui warned of a looming "KPI winter" and the challenges of the upcoming rainy season. Meanwhile, Nie Yucheng and Lu Zhenzhen moved into their new apartment. Nie Yucheng’s mother proudly showed the place off to her friends, boasting about the "Bianco Carrara" marble walls and the nursery they had already furnished with high-end brands. She also flaunted the expensive reading glasses her son had bought her.

During the visit, Lu Zhenzhen served takeout to avoid the effort of cooking, promising Nie’s mother she would prepare fresh meals once her busy period at work ended. After the guests left, Lu Zhenzhen found a court summons in Nie Yucheng’s pocket. He quickly snatched it away and tore it up, claiming it was a resolved issue from his previous company. Feeling the pressure of her sales targets, Lu Zhenzhen complained that Nie Yucheng wasn’t helping her enough.

To appease her, he agreed to hold his company's upcoming team-building event at Purong Hotel to boost her performance metrics. On the day of the team-building event, Ji Feng was concerned about whether Xu Miyu could handle seeing her ex-husband, but she assured him she was prepared to fulfill her duties. Lu Zhenzhen purposefully flaunted her relationship with Nie Yucheng and demanded that Xu Miyu serve them personally. However, conflict soon arose in the kitchen.

Jiao Xiumei was furious about having to prepare pastries for Lu Zhenzhen. Xu Miyu had to remind her mother to remain professional, noting that Lu Zhenzhen was a top salesperson whose clients brought significant business to every department of the hotel. As the guests arrived, Xu Miyu managed the reception with such poise that her former colleagues whispered about her transformation into a workplace elite. During a quiet moment, Nie Yucheng cornered Xu Miyu, asking her to withdraw the lawsuit.

He claimed the investment money she sought was gone, but Xu Miyu remained firm, revealing she knew about his expensive new apartment. When Lu Zhenzhen overheard them and threatened to blackball Xu Miyu from the hotel industry, Jiao Xiumei rushed in to defend her daughter. The argument escalated until Jiao Xiumei slapped Lu Zhenzhen across the face. The conflict moved to Ji Feng’s office.

Ji Feng took responsibility for the incident as a management failure and offered to cover Lu Zhenzhen's hospital costs. He urged everyone to settle the matter peacefully to preserve the partnership between the hotel and Nie's company. Once alone, Xu Miyu thanked Ji Feng for his support. Ji Feng reassured her that she had done nothing wrong, telling her that regardless of her position, she had every right to show others that she was not someone to be bullied.

Back at home, Lu Zhenzhen remained furious and insisted that Nie Yucheng hire a lawyer to fight the lawsuit. Nie Yucheng, struggling with sharp stomach pain, asked her for a glass of warm water, but she dismissed his discomfort as an excuse to avoid a serious conversation. Meanwhile, Xu Miyu and her mother shared a meal. Jiao Xiumei was convinced that Ji Feng had feelings for Xu Miyu because he stood up for her.

Xu Miyu warned her mother not to play matchmaker, explaining that her past was like a piece of gum stuck to her shoe—she simply wanted to scrape it off and move on. As the rainy season began, Tan Jizhou prepared to check out of the hotel. He apologized to Xu Miyu for his behavior while intoxicated a few days prior and expressed admiration for her goal of becoming a professional manager.

He revealed he was moving his business operations to Hong Kong to be closer to his father and invited her to join his company. Observing the exchange from a distance, Wei Wanjun began to suspect that Xu Miyu had powerful connections. The rain brought business challenges as a major client canceled an order because the garden terrace was unusable. During an internal meeting, Ji Feng proposed targeting tourists from North African desert regions who were eager to experience "rain viewing."

Although Wei Siyuan mocked the idea, the board agreed to proceed with the plan to boost occupancy by thirty percent. As the rain-viewing tourists arrived, Xu Miyu noticed a pattern in room bookings for early June. Realizing these dates coincided with the National College Entrance Exam (Gaokao), she instructed the front desk to track similar bookings.

Despite skepticism from staff who noted that the hotel was far from typical exam sites, Xu Miyu began researching local schools to see if the hotel could capitalize on the needs of exam-taking families. At home, Nie Yucheng sat in the dark, overwhelmed by health issues and the stress of the lawsuit.

When Lu Zhenzhen arrived and complained about the humidity, Nie Yucheng finally told her that he needed a CT scan the following day and asked if she would accompany him to the hospital.

Rumors are swirling at the Purong Hotel about a potential romance between CEO Ji Feng and the high-profile influencer Jiang Zhichun. Staff gossip describes them as a "power couple," a narrative that gains traction as the plum rain season continues to dampen the hotel’s occupancy. Amidst this, Xu Miyu remains focused on her work. When Lu Xiaoyan asks about discounts for the upcoming Gaokao (college entrance exam) week, Xu Miyu reveals she has already begun researching local test centers.

Xiaoyan’s cousin is set to take the exam at the newly added Xinhua Finance School. The two visit the site together, where Xu Miyu poses as an older sister to get past the security guard, confirming the walk from the hotel takes exactly eleven minutes. Back at the hotel, Xu Miyu presents a Gaokao service plan to Director Bai of the Front Office.

Bai is initially skeptical, arguing that budget hotels are more attractive to ordinary families and that a dozen potential bookings don't justify a full-scale campaign. However, during a management meeting where Ji Feng demands new strategies to address the seasonal slump, Bai suddenly brings up the Gaokao idea.

When Ji Feng asks for specific data about the test center and student demographics, Bai is unable to answer and is forced to call Xu Miyu into the meeting to explain her research. Xu Miyu delivers an impressive presentation, identifying nearly 900 potential clients at the nearby school. She proposes a fifty percent discount for students and a suite of customized services, including dedicated quiet floors, specialized nutrition plans, and adjusted breakfast hours.

She also suggests opening the gym and pool to students for free. While Director Huang objects to the low profit margins, Xu Miyu points out that their target demographic—middle-aged parents in Shanghai—overlaps perfectly with Jiang Zhichun’s fan base. She confidently predicts they can fill six floors, prompting Ji Feng to approve the project. The competition heats up when Duan Aoxiang of the rival Kuanli Hotel gets wind of Purong’s plans.

He manages to obtain a copy of Xu Miyu’s proposal and immediately contacts Jiang Zhichun’s team, offering a forty percent commission—the highest in the industry—to partner with Kuanli instead. Duan believes he can hijack the traffic Purong spent time researching. Ji Feng meets with Jiang Zhichun and learns of the situation.

To avoid a conflict with the influencer's team, Ji Feng reluctantly agrees to let Kuanli stream their promotion first, believing Purong can still benefit from the momentum once the market is warmed up. Xu Miyu is frustrated by this, fearing Ji Feng is prioritizing his personal history with Jiang Zhichun over the hotel's interests. Internal tensions also rise in the Sales department.

Lu Zhenzhen, despite being heavily pregnant, insists on managing the Gaokao livestream to ensure her department outshines the Front Office. However, her personal life is in turmoil. After missing her husband’s medical appointment due to work, she discovers that Nie Yucheng has been diagnosed with gastric cancer. Her mother-in-law is livid, accusing Zhenzhen of being a negligent wife who only provides takeout meals.

When Zhenzhen refuses to take time off for Nie Yucheng’s surgery because of the critical livestream, a heated argument breaks out. The stress causes Zhenzhen to suffer a hemorrhage, leading to an emergency delivery at the hospital. Following the birth, Lu Zhenzhen feels isolated and abandoned as Nie Yucheng’s family focuses entirely on the baby in the neonatal ICU. With the promotion's livestream scheduled for the following day and the Sales lead incapacitated, Ji Feng turns to Xu Miyu.

He argues that since she developed the project from the ground up, she is the best person to convey its value to the public. Though hesitant about her lack of sales experience, Xu Miyu agrees to take over the broadcast. She requests a temporary manager to cover her lobby duties so she can focus on the event, and she prepares to lead the campaign herself.

The livestream begins with Manager Xiao of Kuanli Hotel marketing the brand as a leader in domestic luxury. However, after the first twenty orders sell out, Duan Aoxiang receives an urgent call. He learns that because Kuanli is hosting a major financial summit, the hotel only has fewer than thirty rooms actually available for students. This news is a devastating blow to his marketing efforts. Watching the stream, Xu Miyu is completely unfazed.

Since Ji Feng had previously warned her that the financial summit would overlap with the Gaokao dates, she is well-prepared. When it is her turn to present Purong Hotel's offerings, she addresses the viewers' concerns directly. She announces that Purong will dedicate floors 12 through 17 exclusively to students to ensure a quiet, focused environment similar to a school dormitory. Xu Miyu details a comprehensive service plan that includes nutritious student meals featuring Purong's signature Yan Du Xian.

She emphasizes that these meals, along with early breakfast service and late-night snacks, are included in the room rate. When asked if non-students can book these rooms, she firmly declines, stating that Purong’s priority is the examinees’ success. After the initial 300 orders are snatched up, she makes a bold executive decision to add another 100 orders, committing the entire hotel to the service of the Gaokao families.

Observing from the hotel, Ji Feng is impressed by her initiative and heads out to pick her up. Meanwhile, the situation at Kuanli remains tense. Duan Aoxiang calls his father to complain about the lack of communication regarding the summit, which sabotaged his livestream inventory. His father shows no sympathy, dismissing him as incompetent and accusing him of having no real understanding of the business. He threatens to hand over Duan's responsibilities to others if he cannot handle them.

Li Qiaoqi overhears the crushing exchange while delivering a meal and reassures a devastated Duan Aoxiang that his secret is safe with her. Ji Feng arrives to take Xu Miyu back, but Jiang Zhichun appears and invites them both for celebratory drinks. During the car ride, Ji Feng sends a message to Miyu, suggesting they return to the hotel together after the meal. At the restaurant, the atmosphere is stiff.

When Miyu attempts to order a Caesar salad for Ji Feng, Jiang Zhichun quickly intervenes, noting that Ji Feng is allergic to the mustard in the dressing. Her intimate knowledge of his habits makes the dynamic even more awkward for Miyu. Seeking a moment alone with Miyu, Jiang Zhichun sends Ji Feng out to a nearby bakery to pick up a specific cake.

She then opens up about their college days, recalling how they celebrated her debate championship at this very restaurant with Ji Feng's first paycheck. She admits that the "perfection" of their past relationship was largely due to Ji Feng’s constant accommodation, a fact she failed to cherish at the time. Zhichun confesses her desire to win him back, but Miyu remains neutral, stating she has no place to comment on their private history.

By the time Ji Feng returns with the cake, Miyu has already excused herself. He catches up to her outside, but she claims there is an urgent matter at the hotel and leaves alone. Back at Purong, Miyu throws herself into the final preparations. She oversees the assembly of 600 stationery kits—containing pencils, pens, erasers, sharpeners, and binder clips—and ensures that the internet speed in every room is tested. As the check-in date arrives, families pour into the hotel.

Miyu professionally de-escalates a loud argument at the front desk where a husband complains about the cost of an executive suite, while the mother snaps back that she booked it so his snoring wouldn't ruin their son's sleep. Throughout the day, the hotel is a hive of activity as students enjoy their inclusive meals and the staff manages the dedicated Gaokao service hotline. Later, Duan Aoxiang finds Ji Feng to vent his frustrations.

He admits he envies Ji Feng's freedom, as he feels like a failure for never meeting his father's impossible standards. Ji Feng encourages him to stay strong, reminding him that their VAM agreement is still in play. However, the smooth operation of the hotel is suddenly threatened when a frantic guest calls the front desk to report that her son's custom hearing aid has gone missing—a crisis that could jeopardize his performance in the English listening exam the following day.

At the Purong Hotel front desk, a mother is in a state of panic because her son Yuze's custom-made hearing aid has gone missing. With the English listening portion of the National College Entrance Exam scheduled for the next morning, she is aggressive and desperate, accusing the staff of negligence. Xu Miyu steps in to calm the woman, promising to resolve the situation immediately.

While Housekeeping begins a thorough search of the executive floor—checking every corner and even dismantling a toilet—Xu Miyu tries to piece together the boy's movements. She learns from the staff that Yuze returned to the hotel thirty minutes after his parents, but no one noticed if he was still wearing the device. Ji Feng arrives and takes charge of the technical search, heading to the monitoring room to review security footage. Meanwhile, Xu Miyu attempts to speak with Yuze alone.

Despite the mother's interference, the boy eventually snaps, expressing frustration over her overbearing control. Once he is away from his mother, he confesses to Xu Miyu that they had a fight and he had secretly gone to the gym to be alone. He admits he might have napped there but cannot recall when he last saw the hearing aid. Xu Miyu promises to keep his secret from his mother.

In the monitoring room, Ji Feng zooms in on the footage of the elevator and hallways. He discovers that the hearing aid was accidentally swept into a trash bag by a cleaner. He immediately orders the logistics department to stop the garbage truck, but the vehicle has already departed. Determined to recover the item, Xu Miyu hails a taxi and pursues the truck to the waste station through a heavy downpour.

At the waste station, Xu Miyu convinces the staff to dump the hotel's trash outside so she can search. She meticulously sifts through the piles, identifying the bags by color: black for the kitchen, red for housekeeping, and blue for the gym. After a grueling search in the rain, she finally finds the small device. Ji Feng arrives at the station shortly after and finds her drenched and shivering.

He scolds her for neglecting her own safety, but Xu Miyu, exhausted and defensive, tells him to stay out of her business. Moments later, the physical toll proves too much, and she faints. Ji Feng rushes her to the hospital, where she is diagnosed with acute pneumonia and a high fever. As she undergoes an IV drip of Azithromycin, the medication causes painful irritation in her veins.

Following the nurse's advice, Ji Feng stays by her side throughout the night, gently massaging her arm to soothe the pain. In a feverish dream, Xu Miyu envisions herself struggling through a sandstorm until Ji Feng reaches out to lead her forward. When she finally wakes, she finds her friend Li Qiaoqi at her bedside.

Li Qiaoqi explains that Ji Feng stayed up all night but returned to the hotel for a meeting, ensuring the hearing aid was delivered to Yuze first. Despite his exhaustion, Ji Feng insists on hosting the project progress meeting at the hotel, ignoring Xue Rui’s suggestions that he rest. Meanwhile, Li Qiaoqi escorts Xu Miyu back to her dormitory and insists she take time off.

She confiscates Xu Miyu’s phone to prevent her from checking work messages, reminding her that the hotel will continue to function even in her absence. Li Qiaoqi prepares a meal and medicine, urging her to focus solely on her recovery. Later that day, Jiao Xiumei learns of her daughter’s illness. She packs up some Su-style pastries she prepared for the guests to take to Xu Miyu, ignoring a colleague's warning about taking hotel food.

On her way out, she encounters Tan Jizhou and invites him to visit her daughter. Tan Jizhou, ever the gentleman, waits outside the dormitory until Jiao Xiumei confirms it is a convenient time to enter. Jiao Xiumei eventually makes an excuse to leave the two of them alone. While Xu Miyu prepares a simple meal of noodles for him, she and Tan Jizhou bond over their shared love of art.

They discuss the Getty Center and the masterpieces it houses, from the works of Van Gogh to Degas. Tan Jizhou is impressed by her deep understanding of Western art, which she explains was a personal interest she pursued for her career. They exchange WeChat contacts so that Xu Miyu can help him keep an eye on his father's health at the hotel.

Ji Feng remains concerned about Xu Miyu and calls Li Qiaoqi for an update, learning that she is recovering well but needs rest. Soon after, Xue Rui mentions an upcoming industry exhibition at the SNIEC and offers Ji Feng two tickets. Thinking of Xu Miyu, Ji Feng later invites her to attend with him. However, Xu Miyu declines, stating she already has plans.

She has decided to accept an invitation from Tan Jizhou to visit an exhibition at the M+ Museum in Hong Kong instead, hoping the trip will help her clear her mind. Over the weekend, Xu Miyu travels to Hong Kong with Tan Jizhou. Although he has booked an "Executive 80" sea-view room for her through his company's partnership, she insists on switching to a standard room and paying for her own expenses, including her flight.

They spend the day at the museum, marveling at a premiere exhibition of royal pearls. Tan Jizhou remarks that the pearls' elegant and pure glow reminds him of her. Back in Shanghai, Ji Feng goes for a run along the Bund, feeling a sense of isolation as he learns that Xu Miyu has followed through with her trip to Hong Kong with Tan Jizhou.

In Hong Kong, Xu Miyu and Tan Jizhou spent the evening at a bar. Tan Jizhou expressed concern that Miyu might regret her impulsive decision to join him, but Miyu admitted that while it was indeed an impulse, she hadn't felt this happy in a long time. However, when Tan Jizhou leaned in for a kiss, Miyu was suddenly haunted by the memory of her kiss with Ji Feng on the island.

Unable to reciprocate his feelings, she apologized and fled the bar. Upon returning to the Purong Hotel, Lu Xiaoyan informed Miyu that Ma Kesi had sent two invitations for a private horse racing event—one for her and one for Ji Feng. When Ji Feng arrived at the front office to collect his, he noticed Miyu's return and asked if it had rained in Hong Kong, concerned that she might catch a cold after her recent illness.

Miyu distantly replied that the weather had been fine. Meanwhile, Li Qiaoqi encountered Duan Aoxiang outside Kuanli. He was in a pathetic state, desperately chasing a business partner alongside his manager to save a contract. To cheer him up, Li Qiaoqi took him for a ride on her motorcycle. Despite getting motion sickness, Duan Aoxiang’s mood improved. He shared a whimsical dream of opening a BBQ stand and asked Li Qiaoqi to be his head chef.

While she made it clear she wouldn't leave her five-star hotel career for a stall, she realized he was trying to pursue her, a sentiment he didn't deny. At the horse racing event, Ji Feng arrived first, unsure if Miyu would show up. When she finally appeared, looking elegant, Ma Kesi congratulated her on her promotion to Front Office Manager and introduced them both to his social circle.

During the party, Miyu left her phone on a table to visit the restroom. Ji Feng’s mood soured when he saw a message pop up from Tan Jizhou, announcing his arrival in Shanghai. Ma Kesi, sensing Ji Feng’s feelings for Miyu, encouraged him to invite her to dance. As Miyu returned, she was being pestered by an insistent man. Ji Feng stepped in, claiming to be her partner, and led her to the dance floor.

The dance was filled with tension; when Ji Feng tried to ask her out for later, Miyu remained cold, suggesting he was simply drunk. After the dance, Miyu was cornered by Mrs. Duan, an acquaintance from her past. Mrs. Duan dismissively called her "Mrs. Nie" and suggested that a husband’s infidelity should be overlooked as long as he provides for the family.

She even implied that Miyu was only at the event because she had found a new "benefactor" in Ji Feng. Ji Feng quickly intervened, clarifying that Miyu was invited by Ma Kesi himself because of her professional merits. Offended by the socialites, Miyu firmly reintroduced herself as Xu Miyu and left the party alone, declining Ji Feng’s offer for a ride.

Agitated and fueled by alcohol, Ji Feng returned to the party to drink before rushing to the employee dormitories, fearing Miyu was meeting Tan Jizhou. He confronted a returning Miyu, questioning why she constantly retreated and refused to acknowledge her feelings for him. Overcome with emotion, Miyu finally stopped running and embraced him. The two shared a passionate kiss and spent the night together in her room.

The next morning, Miyu met Manager An, who had just returned from maternity leave. An shared the struggles of motherhood and explained that while the hotel offered her a less demanding role in the executive office, she chose to remain a Front Office Manager. She told Miyu that watching her rise from housekeeping to the front office had been a personal inspiration, encouraging her to keep facing challenges head-on. Later, Ji Feng messaged Miyu to meet, but a crisis erupted.

Xue Rui showed Miyu a news report about a fatal accident at a scenic spot previously promoted by Jiang Zhichun. As Jiang Zhichun faced a wave of cyberbullying, her assistant called Ji Feng in a panic, saying she was missing. Ji Feng found Jiang Zhichun on a rooftop, devastated that her company’s board was planning to drop her.

After Ji Feng encouraged her to stay strong, Jiang Zhichun embraced him, expressing regret for being too selfish to stay with him in the past. Ji Feng personally escorted Jiang Zhichun home, but photos of them together were leaked online and went viral. Miyu saw the news while eating with colleagues and felt a deep sting of betrayal. When Ji Feng returned to the hotel and tried to explain the emergency, Miyu remained stoic.

She told him that as single adults, their encounter the previous night didn't need to be taken seriously. She then coldly informed him that she would be applying for a cross-department transfer, which required his approval, and walked away. Later, while walking alone along the Bund, Miyu received a message from Tan Jizhou. Over coffee, he apologized for his behavior in Hong Kong and asked for a fresh start. He expressed his desire to pursue her properly and take her to see the world, hoping she would finally give him a chance to be by her side.

Following the events in Hong Kong, Xu Miyu meets with Tan Jizhou to clarify her feelings. She apologizes for any mixed signals she may have given and formally rejects his pursuit. Tan Jizhou gracefully accepts that feelings cannot be forced and expresses a wish to remain friends, which Miyu appreciates. A flashback to the Svelto Hotel in Ubstan reveals Ji Feng’s (Kenny) past as the Acting General Manager.

He demonstrates his professional expertise during a crisis involving Nie Yucheng, a VIP guest celebrating his tenth anniversary. When the hotel runs out of the rare Screaming Eagle wine Nie requested, Ji Feng intervenes with a guest named Gray Tino. He tactfully persuades Tino to exchange the wine for a 1968 Haut-Brion, noting it matches Tino's birth year. This gesture saves the anniversary dinner and impresses the guests.

The evening takes a dark turn when Nie’s wife, Lu Zhenzhen, discovers a pair of women’s underwear in their bed. Suspecting her husband, she demands an explanation. To protect the hotel’s reputation and cover for the guest's infidelity, Ji Feng steps in and blames a service error. He goes as far as publicly demoting the housekeeper, Natalie, to appease Lu Zhenzhen.

Privately, he reassures Natalie of her innocence but refuses Lu Zhenzhen’s request to see surveillance footage, choosing to prioritize service over domestic conflict. Despite his impeccable performance and being named "Manager of the Year," Ji Feng faces a professional glass ceiling. The Swei Group appoints Andy Smith as the permanent General Manager, citing his experience. Ji Feng is instead offered a role leading a new project in South Africa, a move that highlights the group's bias against local talent.

In a parallel look at Xu Miyu’s past marriage, her life is defined by the demands of her husband and her original family. Her sister, Li Qiaoqi, and brother-in-law, Yao Zhigang, frequently exploit her, even staging a fraudulent home visit at Miyu’s house to help their daughter get into an international school.

Miyu endures this deceit, viewing her sacrifices as an "equal exchange" for family stability, until the illusion is shattered by the discovery of Nie Yucheng’s infidelity with another woman. In the present day, Miyu faces fresh trouble when her parents, Wei Siyuan and Jiao Xiumei, arrive in Shanghai. Fearing they will lose their high income now that the hotel's chefs have learned to make boat-shaped pastries, Wei Siyuan confronts Ji Feng. He demands 200,000 RMB as "emotional compensation."

Ji Feng agrees to provide the funds—offering 150,000 RMB from the hotel and 50,000 RMB of his own—but only on the condition that the money is used to pay off Miyu’s outstanding online loans. Miyu overhears this and is deeply moved by Ji Feng’s protection, leading her to finally confront her father and settle her financial obligations to the family for good.

Encouraged by Jiang Zhichun, who urges her not to let fear of the past ruin her future, Miyu meets Ji Feng at the Bund. She finally confesses her love, admitting that despite her divorce and her insecurities, she doesn't want to miss her chance with him. The two share a passionate kiss and decide to move in together. The next morning, Miyu suggests they maintain professional boundaries at work.

She announces her intention to transfer to the sales department to further her goal of becoming a professional manager. Although Ji Feng is concerned about the difficulty of the role and the imminent return of Lu Zhenzhen from maternity leave, Miyu is determined. She begins her new role with cold calls, successfully securing her first interested client by the end of the day, while Ji Feng continues to support her career progression from afar.

Xu Miyu reports her progress to Manager Lin, hoping to arrange a meeting with a potential client. However, Lin is dismissive, claiming that small companies are only looking for free perks and are not worth the effort. Undeterred, Miyu overhears her colleagues discussing a newly opened AI industrial park in Shanghai. While others complain about the heat and refuse to do door-to-door sales, Miyu sees an opportunity.

She spends her evening researching the park and preparing a sales kit, even missing messages from Ji Feng. The following day, Miyu arrives at the industrial park on her bicycle to find Ji Feng already there. He offers to act as her assistant for the day, and they discuss why she chose the AI sector.

Miyu explains that the hotel's client list hasn't been updated in years and that these startups, though small now, represent a vital new track for the hotel's future. Ji Feng agrees, noting that the hotel must adapt as the customer base evolves. Their research is interrupted when Xue Rui calls Ji Feng about an important client, Mr. Liu, who has arrived unexpectedly. Miyu insists that Ji Feng return to the hotel, confident she can handle the field research alone.

After finishing with his client, Ji Feng picks up Miyu. Guessing that she faced many rejections, he shares his "black history" of once having the worst sales record in the department to encourage her. He reassures her that sales is a process where incremental effort eventually leads to a breakthrough.

To avoid office gossip during this critical period, Miyu asks to be dropped off away from the staff dormitory, wanting to keep their relationship low-profile so her professional achievements aren't overlooked. Miyu’s persistence pays off when she secures an order from Sheng Yi Intelligent Technology. Although the contract is only for 100 room nights a year, Director Qian is satisfied with the breakthrough.

Noting that the higher-ups have been pushing for new business, he promotes Miyu to New Business Supervisor to lead the AI sector. During a celebratory dinner, Miyu expresses her anxiety to Ji Feng, feeling as though she is a pawn in Director Qian’s office politics. Ji Feng advises her that while moving into a new field inevitably upsets others, her core strength lies in her knowledge of the products and clients.

Lu Zhenzhen returns to work after her maternity leave and is surprised by Miyu's promotion. Manager Lin mocks Miyu’s deal, calling it the smallest order in the department's history, while Zhenzhen adds that AI startups are usually too frugal to afford five-star hotels. When Miyu tries to request basic promotional gifts for Sheng Yi’s anniversary from the warehouse, she is told the client isn't qualified because the profit is too low.

Determined to maintain the relationship, Miyu buys a bouquet of flowers with her own money. At the anniversary event, Mr. Sheng is touched by her sincerity and introduces her to Mr. Lu, the head of Lubot, who is looking for a venue for a major product launch. Duan Aoxiang is furious to learn that Miyu is in contact with Lubot. He orders a new quotation, demanding the price be slashed by fifty percent to steal the business from her.

Meanwhile, Lu Zhenzhen approaches Ji Feng, offering to join Miyu’s project team under the guise of mitigating risks. Ji Feng rejects her offer, telling her to focus on resolving her own backlog of customer complaints and leaving the Lubot project to Miyu. In a bid to sabotage Miyu, Zhenzhen conspires with Duan Aoxiang. She calls Miyu, claiming she is tied up and needs Miyu to deliver urgent materials to Jiqing Chemicals the next morning.

The goal is to keep Miyu away so Duan Aoxiang has a window to sign Mr. Lu. However, the plan fails. The night before the scheduled signing, Mr. Sheng and Mr. Lu invite Miyu to join their dinner party. Ji Feng accompanies her to ensure she closes the deal. The next morning, Zhenzhen is shocked to find Miyu in the office with a signed contract.

Miyu reveals that she managed to deliver the files to Jiqing Chemicals and had already finalized the Lubot deal the previous night. Purong Hotel hosts the Lubot pre-sale event, which proves to be a massive success. During the event, Mr. Lu praises Miyu for her professional yet "relaxed" approach, noting that she lacks the rigid arrogance typical of large corporations.

Ji Feng explains that Purong aims to give guests a sense of a "desirable life" that lifts them slightly off the ground in joy. Mr. Lu realizes that while their industries seem different, they both strive to improve lives through precision and care. Satisfied with the partnership, Mr. Lu requests that Miyu personally handle all of Lubot's future needs.

Wei Siyuan reviews the latest financial reports and realizes that the hotel’s profits have already reached 10 percent, bolstered by the recent college entrance exam season and the popularity of the boat-shaped pastries. Fearing that Ji Feng’s momentum will soon fulfill the 30 percent profit requirement of the VAM agreement, he demands immediate intervention. Director Qian assures him that he will tighten the audit process to stifle further growth.

The effects are felt immediately: the setup for an upcoming forum is abruptly halted, and Xu Miyu hears from frustrated colleagues that many of their high-end clients are being lured away by Kuanli while their own proposals are being rejected for trivial reasons. During an evening walk, Xu Miyu expresses her desire to help Ji Feng navigate the internal sabotage from the Sales Department.

However, Ji Feng reassures her that she is already doing enough by managing the friction with Lu Zhenzhen and Director Qian. Later, Xu Miyu meets with Tan Jizhou, who remarks on her remarkable transformation. He remembers her once being like a startled bird, constantly trying to please everyone, but now finds her confident and radiant.

Tan Jizhou confesses that his "Years" art exhibition in Hong Kong is in jeopardy because the standardized venues there cannot capture the fluid, atmospheric sense of time he envisions. Xu Miyu suggests using Purong’s irregular banquet halls, proposing to merge the two spaces to create a "time tunnel" effect. Thrilled by the idea, Tan Jizhou embraces her in a moment of pure excitement. When Xu Miyu brings the proposal to Ji Feng, she is met with a firm rejection.

Ji Feng argues that the cost of merging the halls is too high and the risk of failure is too great given the hotel’s current precarious situation. Their professional disagreement quickly turns personal, with Xu Miyu questioning whether Ji Feng is speaking as her boss or her boyfriend, accusing him of not trusting her capabilities. The tension lingers into the night; Xu Miyu becomes so absorbed in refining her plan that she misses a movie date with Ji Feng.

Through a series of reflections, Ji Feng realizes how their professional conflicts are beginning to kill the romance, making their relationship feel more like a rational partnership than a love story. Xue Rui notices Ji Feng’s distraction while discussing a potential collaboration with the New Zealand-based Yuntian Group.

Sensing Ji Feng's jealousy regarding Tan Jizhou, Xue Rui takes him out for a meal of "Assorted Cold Dish with Aged Vinegar," teasingly suggesting that Ji Feng's bad mood is fueled by "sourness" toward a romantic rival. He warns Ji Feng not to let personal feelings cause the hotel to miss a genuine opportunity. Meanwhile, Li Qiaoqi encourages Xu Miyu to stay firm, noting that her artistic vision is just as valid as Ji Feng’s.

Motivated, Xu Miyu stays up late to complete a comprehensive proposal filled with detailed risk assessments and data to prove the exhibition's profitability. Xu Miyu’s meticulous work eventually convinces Ji Feng, who not only approves the exhibition but also promotes her to Sales Manager to help her bypass further bureaucratic hurdles. Meanwhile, Tan Jizhou faces pushback from his CFO and ex-wife, Cindy, regarding the two million penalty for canceling their Hong Kong venue.

Tan Jizhou insists that the move to Shanghai is worth the "tuition fee" to achieve his artistic vision. Back at Purong, Wei Siyuan is alarmed to learn that the monthly profit has reached 18. 6 percent. To hinder Ji Feng’s success, Director Qian decides to manipulate the internal management of the exhibition. He assigns Lu Zhenzhen to oversee the internal logistics and coordination, effectively limiting Xu Miyu's role to only communicating with the client.

As the exhibition setup begins, Tan Jizhou holds a press conference where he praises Purong Hotel for providing the tangible respect and understanding his art requires. While the exhibits are moved into storage under heavy security, a suspicious employee from the engineering department is seen loitering near the hall. Despite the underlying corporate schemes, the creative team continues their work.

Tan Jizhou introduces his core staff, including Cindy, to Ji Feng and Xu Miyu, specifically highlighting Xu Miyu's attentive and insightful nature. As the centerpiece of the exhibition, a work titled "Years," is finally mounted, Tan Jizhou invites Xu Miyu to personally cover the painting with a curtain as a gesture of gratitude for the possibility she created for him.

Xu Miyu took charge of the final arrangements for Kevin Tan’s upcoming art exhibition, "Gilded Years." With Ji Feng tied up in a critical online bidding meeting with New Zealand’s Yuntian Group, Miyu oversaw the preparations, setting a strict 7:00 AM standby for all departments. Meanwhile, Kevin spent the evening with his father, Daniel, reflecting on his career shifts as he approached forty.

Daniel encouraged his son's bravery in exploring different paths, though he eventually voiced the truth they both knew: Kevin had sacrificed a massive sum in contract penalties in Hong Kong just to relocate the exhibition to Shanghai because of his feelings for Miyu. Dedication kept Miyu at the hotel overnight, but at 5:00 AM, she discovered that the exhibition's centerpiece, a painting titled "Years," had vanished.

Surveillance footage revealed a suspicious power outage at 3:00 AM that had cut the feed. Kevin’s associate, Cindy, was livid, blaming the hotel's lax security and questioning their professionalism. Miyu was stunned to learn the full extent of the risks Kevin had taken—including a two-million-dollar loss and his professional reputation—just to hold the show at Purong. Unknown to Miyu, the disappearance was a calculated strike by Wei Siyuan and Director Qian Xun.

During a private gathering, Qian Xun assured Wei that the painting was safely hidden and would only be returned after the exhibition was ruined, a scandal they intended to use to force Ji Feng out of the hotel. Despite the gravity of the situation, Wei remained wary, noting that Ji Feng had been unusually quiet while supposedly preoccupied with his meeting.

Determined to save the show, Miyu turned to her former colleagues in the Housekeeping department, asking Yin Xiang and others to discreetly search every corner of the hotel. When the search yielded nothing, she persuaded Kevin to use an alternative work titled "Gaze." Though the piece didn't perfectly match the "Years" theme, Miyu argued that the concept of "gilded years" was broad enough to encompass various life transformations.

She then rushed out to retrieve the backup piece, hoping to return before the media lost patience. As the exhibition opened, Lu Zhenzhen bypassed regular security to admit two reporters, including a man named Zhao Xu, who held irregular permits bearing Wei Siyuan’s official seal. Inside, Kevin led guests through the display, but when they reached the final hall and saw "Gaze" instead of the promised masterpiece, the planted reporters began to heckle him.

They demanded to know if the hotel had lost the art, prompting Qian Xun to invite Ji Feng to the stage to explain the "incompetence." To everyone's shock, Ji Feng stepped up with calm confidence and ordered the main exhibit to be unveiled, revealing the original "Years" painting perfectly intact. He framed the brief disappearance as a deliberate, metaphorical part of the presentation—a lesson that things lost in time can return when least expected.

While Kevin and Cindy were relieved, Miyu arrived late with the backup painting, only to realize the crisis had been resolved without her knowledge. The resolution was the result of foresight by Ji Feng and Xue Rui. Xue Rui had spotted a suspicious engineering employee named Qin Ming and followed him to the hidden artwork earlier. Rather than acting immediately, Ji Feng allowed the scheme to play out to trap the masterminds.

Confronted with the evidence, Qin Ming confessed that Qian Xun had orchestrated the theft and produced a recording of their conversation as proof. Ji Feng further exposed the plot by presenting the pre-written smear articles and the unauthorized media permits. Trapped, Wei Siyuan feigned outrage and shifted the blame onto Director Huang from the Finance department, claiming his seal had been misused. The victory felt hollow to Miyu.

She confronted Ji Feng, angry that he had used her and Kevin’s hard work as bait in his power struggle. She felt betrayed by his lack of trust and his willingness to risk the client’s interests just to eliminate corporate rivals. Despite Ji Feng’s explanation that he needed her reactions to look authentic to deceive the culprits, Miyu was too hurt to forgive him. Later, Ji Feng visited Kevin to offer a formal apology.

Kevin accepted but warned Ji Feng not to let Miyu down, noting the high stakes of the VAM agreement between Purong and Kuanli. That evening, during a celebratory dinner, Kevin publicly thanked Miyu for her dedication and pulled her into a warm hug, leaving a jealous Ji Feng to watch from the sidelines.

During the post-exhibition celebration, Cindy shared a heartfelt moment with Tan Jizhou. Reflecting on their past, she admitted she had once believed giving up their marriage to become his Chief Financial Officer was a romantic sacrifice to ensure a stable, long-term relationship. However, watching the way he looked at Xu Miyu helped her finally understand what true love looked like from an outsider's perspective.

Tan Jizhou teased her about the sudden confession, and they exchanged well-wishes, hoping each would eventually find genuine happiness. Later, Tan Jizhou invited Xu Miyu to dance. He observed her expression, noting it reminded him of a melancholy painting, and correctly guessed that Ji Feng was the "canvas" she had once mentioned being unable to start. Xu Miyu did not deny it.

Tan Jizhou shared that, in his experience, real love required unconditional trust and protection rather than just utility, promising that he would always choose to protect her regardless of the enemy they faced. That night, a drunken Ji Feng detoured past Xu Miyu’s apartment. Finding the lights off, he stumbled back to the hotel. As he struggled with his room card, he was reminded of the first time he had forgotten it and how Xu Miyu had helped him.

In his intoxicated state, he reflected on how he had missed the best timing to be with her. Though he hadn't said it when it mattered most, he finally admitted to himself that he truly liked her and didn't want to lose her again. The following day at Purong Hotel, Ji Feng called a general meeting to announce the consequences of the recent security breach.

He took decisive action by firing the Sales Director, Qian Xun, for serious misconduct and dismissing the Finance Director, Huang Chengmin, for his complicity. While Liu Zidong was appointed as the acting Finance Director, Ji Feng left the Sales Director position vacant for further board discussion, leaving both Lu Zhenzhen and Xu Miyu in suspense. Wei Siyuan immediately sought out Wei Wanjun at her villa to complain, claiming that Ji Feng was targeting his loyalists and undermining his authority.

However, Wei Wanjun was unmoved. She criticized Wei Siyuan for his outdated management style and his failure to uphold the hotel’s standards despite the opportunities she had given him. She made it clear that Purong Hotel needed to embrace change to survive in Shanghai, and that Wei Siyuan had no one to blame but himself for his current predicament. Determined to save the hotel’s standing, Xu Miyu approached Ji Feng with a bold proposal.

She wanted to travel to New Zealand to meet with Eric Liang of the Yuntian Group. By securing their tendering meeting for Purong Hotel, she believed they could close the final four-percent gap required by the VAM agreement. Although Ji Feng worried about the immense pressure this would place on her, Xue Rui pointed out that no one was better suited for the task. Ji Feng eventually signed the approval and had Xue Rui notify her of the trip.

Before heading to the airport that evening, Ji Feng went to Xu Miyu’s apartment to end their cold war. He apologized for the exhibition incident, but Xu Miyu was not looking for a simple apology. She told him that they were no longer teenagers playing games; she needed a partner who treated her with transparency and fairness. She pointed out that he still kept her in the dark despite everything they had been through together.

Believing they both needed to clear their heads, she suggested they stay apart for a while. Meanwhile, Lu Zhenzhen visited Nie Yucheng in the hospital, not to comfort him, but to hand him divorce papers. She told him their fate had run its course and that he could no longer provide a future for her or the child. Nie Yucheng, realizing that Lu Zhenzhen had never truly cared for him during their marriage, finally gave up and signed the agreement.

When his mother later tried to stop Lu Zhenzhen from taking the baby, Lu Zhenzhen revealed the harsh truth: the child bore no resemblance to the Nie family because he wasn't a Nie at all. A medical report later confirmed Nie Yucheng's paternity was zero. The next day, Lu Zhenzhen met with Wei Siyuan, bringing the baby along. She presented a DNA identification report proving that the child was actually Wei Siyuan's.

Using this as leverage, she demanded to be promoted to Sales Director. She warned him that if he didn't help her, his wife would find out about the son. She also pointed out that with his other allies gone, he needed someone like her to counter Ji Feng’s influence, especially if Ji Feng intended to promote Xu Miyu. Xu Miyu eventually returned from New Zealand having successfully secured the Yuntian Group contract, outperforming several major competitors.

During the next hotel meeting, Ji Feng praised her success but surprised the room with a different appointment. Instead of Xu Miyu, he introduced Meng Jie as the new Sales Director. Wei Siyuan then interrupted the meeting to announce his own move: citing the need for experienced local support for the new director, he officially promoted Lu Zhenzhen to the position of Deputy Sales Director.

Wei Siyuan pressured Ji Feng to promote Lu Zhenzhen to the position of Deputy Director of Sales. While Ji Feng appeared to comply, he privately instructed Xue Rui to ensure that Meng Jie remained the Sales Director and that Xu Miyu was the primary lead for the upcoming Yuntian Group tendering meeting. He made it clear that Lu Zhenzhen should have no room to interfere in the actual execution.

Ji Feng also sent a warning to Xu Miyu to be cautious, acknowledging that her professional friction with Lu Zhenzhen was far from over. Meanwhile, Wei Siyuan met with Lu Zhenzhen to discuss their next move. Lu Zhenzhen noted that Ji Feng was currently on high guard as he had staked everything on the bidding event.

She suggested waiting until the bidding companies moved into the hotel; once the staff became overwhelmed with the guests' needs, they would find the perfect opening to strike. As Xu Miyu left work, she was intercepted by Nie Yucheng’s mother, who pleaded with her through tears. She revealed that Nie Yucheng had undergone major surgery and multiple rounds of chemotherapy but had suddenly lost the will to live, refusing food, medicine, and his IV drips.

Though Xu Miyu insisted their relationship was over, she eventually visited the hospital. Seeing Xu Miyu there sparked a change in Nie Yucheng; he finally agreed to eat and decided to fight for his life. Shortly after, Xu Miyu received a call from Lawyer Su informing her that she had won her divorce settlement.

Upon learning that Nie Yucheng was financially struggling due to his medical bills, she graciously agreed to a stay of execution on the payment to help him through the crisis. Personal matters aside, Xu Miyu visited Tan Jizhou at his newly opened art gallery and studio in Shanghai. During the tour, she noticed a canvas where the paint was still wet. Despite his initial hesitation, Tan Jizhou unveiled the work to reveal a beautiful sketch portrait of her.

He insisted it was a gift of gratitude for her help with his exhibition, though the depth of his feelings was evident. When he asked why she hadn't questioned his decision to move his career to Shanghai, she kept her distance, describing the city as an ideal place for any artist. The Yuntian Group bidding event soon commenced, and representatives from various firms began checking into the Purong Hotel. Among them was Marcos Yang from Liberty Group.

Xu Miyu personally welcomed him and, remembering his severe pollen allergy, offered to replace the real flowers in his room with silk ones. During his stay, Marcos encountered CEO Niu of Jinkun Group. Marcos later warned Ji Feng to be careful, explaining that Niu’s assistant had been fired from Liberty Group years ago for misconduct and that Jinkun Group had a questionable reputation. In response, Ji Feng ordered an immediate tightening of information security.

Greed took hold as CEO Niu approached Wei Siyuan with a plan to bug Marcos’s room to steal Liberty Group’s bid price. Wei Siyuan demanded twenty million yuan for the risk, insisting on a ten percent upfront payment. To carry out the deed, Wei Siyuan turned to Lu Zhenzhen, offering her five million yuan and a promotion to Director if she planted the device.

Recognizing the legal peril but desperate to secure a future for her child, Lu Zhenzhen negotiated the price up to eight million yuan, to which Wei Siyuan agreed. While the hotel bustled with preparations, Xu Miyu’s sister, Xu Miyao, arrived to apologize for her past behavior. She shared that she had quit her job in Shanghai and moved her daughter, Manman, back to their hometown to help their parents run their B&B.

Xu Miyu encouraged her sister’s newfound ambition, gifting her books on management and teaching her how to use specific keywords to research business cases online. During their time together, Xu Miyu left her phone with her sister while she went to the kitchen to cook. The bidding process featured high stakes, with firms like Fengling Group, Liberty Group, and Jinkun Group submitting multi-billion yuan offers.

The atmosphere turned sour during lunch when CEO Niu caused a scene, demanding king crab that the kitchen did not have. While the representatives took their break, security discovered a bug hidden inside the vase of silk flowers in Marcos’s room. Ji Feng initiated a security sweep, using a detector to check the phones of everyone who had access to the floor.

When the device was brought near Xu Miyu, it triggered an alarm—her phone had successfully paired with the bug via Bluetooth. Despite the evidence, Ji Feng personally escorted her to the investigation room. Xu Miyu admitted she was the one who handled the vase, but she vehemently denied any knowledge of the bug or how the pairing occurred. Though she was clearly distressed, Ji Feng assured her that he believed in her innocence, even as she was required to undergo formal questioning.

Following the eavesdropping scandal, Wei Siyuan met secretly with Niu Qiankun to discuss their progress. Although Niu was anxious that the listening device had been discovered so quickly, Wei Siyuan reassured him that he had already found a scapegoat to take the blame. He warned Niu to avoid further contact for the time being to evade suspicion. Ji Feng met with Marcos to offer a formal apology on behalf of Purong Hotel, promising to waive all accommodation costs.

While Marcos valued their friendship, he insisted that as a representative of the Liberty Group, he could not let emotions dictate his response and intended to involve the police. Ji Feng pleaded for three days to uncover the truth, and Marcos reluctantly agreed, warning Ji Feng that he might eventually have to choose between the hotel’s reputation and Xu Miyu.

Internal tensions flared when Lu Zhenzhen confronted Wei Siyuan, demanding the payment he had promised for her role in the scheme. Wei Siyuan was dismissive, arguing that the client was dissatisfied because the plan had gone awry. Later, Ji Feng and Wei Siyuan engaged in a heated debate before the investigation group. Wei Siyuan pointed out that Xu Miyu was the only person with access to the room and the ability to pair the bug with her phone.

Ji Feng defended her, accusing Wei Siyuan of framing an innocent employee. Their argument nearly turned physical until Wei Wanjun arrived, announcing she would personally lead the board’s investigation and ordering Ji Feng to step aside. Determined to protect Xu Miyu, Ji Feng managed to enter the monitoring room by tricking the staff into leaving for a meal. Upon reviewing the footage, he saw that the video indeed only showed Xu Miyu entering room 1822 with the vase.

To buy time for a proper investigation, Ji Feng deleted the surveillance files just as Wei Siyuan and the investigation team arrived. His actions were deemed an obstruction of the investigation, and the board of directors subsequently fired him from his position as General Manager. Xu Miyu was interrogated by the investigation group. While she admitted to delivering the vase, she adamantly denied any knowledge of the bug. She was suspended pending further investigation and warned of potential criminal charges.

As she left the hotel, she found Tan Jizhou waiting for her. He offered to take her to Hong Kong to escape the corporate infighting, promising to provide her with a stable life. However, Xu Miyu declined, stating that she no longer wished to rely on a man for protection and that their desired futures were no longer compatible. It was then that Tan Jizhou revealed Ji Feng had been fired for deleting the surveillance footage to help her.

Xu Miyu rushed to Ji Feng’s apartment, where the two shared a heartfelt embrace. She blamed him for being impulsive and risking his career, but Ji Feng insisted that his priority was clearing her name. They decided to conduct their own investigation, focusing on Wei Siyuan and Niu Qiankun.

While retracing her steps, Xu Miyu recalled a specific moment in the hallway when she had helped a new maid named Dai Hui pick up a dropped cloth, leaving the vase unattended on the floor for a brief moment. Seeking more information, Xu Miyu met with the housekeeping supervisor, Qingping, to ask about Dai Hui. Qingping described Dai Hui as introverted but hardworking, mentioning that she had been recommended for the job by a fellow countryman from Ningxin.

Later, Xu Miyu encountered her ex-husband, Nie Yucheng. He shared a crucial piece of information: he had overheard Lu Zhenzhen speaking with Xu Miyu’s sister, Xu Miyao, on the phone, which seemed highly suspicious. Xu Miyu immediately went to find Xu Miyao at her rental apartment. She arrived just as debt collectors were harassing her sister over Yao Zhigang’s gambling losses. Under pressure, Xu Miyao confessed that she had been tricked by Lu Zhenzhen.

Desperate for money to pay off the debts, she had agreed to install spyware on Xu Miyu’s phone in exchange for 500,000 RMB. Meanwhile, Ji Feng followed Lu Zhenzhen and witnessed her being publicly berated by Wei Siyuan’s wife, confirming that Lu and Wei were involved in an extramarital affair. Comparing their notes, Xu Miyu and Ji Feng realized that Lu Zhenzhen was also from Ningxin, making her the "fellow countryman" who had introduced Dai Hui to the hotel.

They enlisted Qingping’s help to corner the truth. Qingping required all housekeeping staff to write down their detailed schedules and interactions from the previous week. Under the mounting pressure and the threat of severe punishment, Dai Hui’s conscience broke, and she admitted that Lu Zhenzhen had instructed her to plant the bug. Finally, Xu Miyu and Ji Feng confronted Lu Zhenzhen and Xu Miyao at a cafe.

Lu Zhenzhen initially maintained her arrogance, denying any involvement and claiming she didn't even know Dai Hui. However, Ji Feng produced a written confession from Dai Hui and a bug instruction sheet found in Lu’s possession. He pointed out that the paper carried her fingerprints and threatened to involve the police.

Realizing she was caught, Lu Zhenzhen confessed to the conspiracy with Wei Siyuan and Niu Qiankun, revealing her motive was to secure 8 million RMB for a future for her child. In a final act of spite, she revealed that she had already divorced Nie Yucheng and that the child she was carrying actually belonged to Wei Siyuan.

Xue Rui discovered a memory card in Wei Siyuan’s room containing a recording of his conversations with Lu Zhenzhen. While not direct proof of the bugging, it provided significant leverage. Meanwhile, Xu Miyu met with Mrs. Wei at a cafe and showed her a 100-day photo of Lu Zhenzhen’s son, explaining the complicated web of their relationships. She warned Mrs. Wei that Lu’s next target was Wei Siyuan.

Mrs. Wei’s anger shifted toward her husband after Miyu played a recording in which Wei Siyuan called his wife a "mother tiger" and spoke of his plan to take the money and flee to Australia with Lu and the baby after Purong was acquired. Realizing the depth of her husband’s betrayal, Mrs. Wei decided to join forces with Miyu to punish him. At the hotel, Xue Rui lured the assistant away, allowing Ji Feng to enter Wei Siyuan’s office.

Ji Feng played a recording of Wei Siyuan discussing the bugging incident with his wife and urged him to turn himself in. Wei Siyuan remained arrogant, dismissively claiming that private domestic conversations proved nothing and continuing to insist that Miyu was the culprit. However, his defiance crumbled when Ji Feng revealed that the anonymous email address linked to the bugging device had already been traced to Wei Siyuan’s own computer.

As the investigation team arrived with Wei Wanjun, Wei Siyuan knelt before his aunt, begging for mercy and blaming Ji Feng for forcing his hand. Deeply disappointed, Wei Wanjun refused to listen and ordered the team to call the police. Ji Feng was reinstated as the General Manager of Purong, determined to lead the hotel to new heights. The bidding for the Yuntian Group project was successfully completed, with Liberty Group winning the contract.

Ma Kesi thanked Ji Feng for his perseverance and for protecting their interests even at the risk of the hotel's reputation. Ji Feng, in turn, expressed his gratitude to Ma Kesi, noting that the long-term partnership agreement they signed during Purong’s most difficult period had given him the confidence to move forward. As the hotel buzzed with life again, even the young Mr. Duan praised the service and the food.

Tan Jizhou also stopped by to say a final goodbye to Miyu, leaving her a ticket to an art exhibition as a symbol of their shared past. As Lu Zhenzhen packed her belongings after being fired, she encountered Xu Miyu by the elevator. Lu accused Miyu of being a hypocrite who secretly took what she wanted while pretending to be a saint.

Miyu countered that the difference between them lay in their methods; Lu Zhenzhen chose unethical shortcuts that eventually required a heavy price. This confrontation triggered a painful memory for Lu from high school. On a rainy night years ago, her mother had turned her away from her new home because she didn't want her current husband to know she had a daughter.

Her mother had told her that if she wanted security, she had to climb high and grab everything for herself regardless of the cost. As the police arrived to arrest her for conspiring to install bugging equipment and stealing trade secrets, Lu finally realized how terribly wrong her mother’s advice had been. In the small town, life settled into a new, positive rhythm.

Xu Miyao found success as a local tour guide, frequently bringing customers to the family business, while Jiao Xiumei found her own confidence as a chef. Back at Purong, Xue Rui decided to resign and step out of his comfort zone to pursue a new career path. Ji Feng understood that his colleague needed to move on and offered his sincere blessings for the journey ahead.

Miyu soon shared her own good news with Ji Feng: she had been accepted into the EHL Hospitality Business School in Switzerland. She admitted that her past insecurities and self-esteem issues had made her view Ji Feng as condescending, but she now understood that she needed to become a stronger professional to match him. Ji Feng supported her decision completely, confessing that meeting her had given him a sense of home and convinced him to finally settle down.

They realized that true love is about helping each other become the best versions of themselves. Although Miyu would be away for her studies, they remained committed to one another, finding strength in their shared journey toward the future.