Girlfriend Episode 30 Recap
> Girlfriend Recap
Ye Feimo brought Wen Xiaonuan to meet his mother, Mrs. Cheng, who had been waiting eagerly to welcome her as a prospective daughter-in-law following the couple's public relationship announcement. Wen Xiaonuan was visibly nervous, holding onto Ye Feimo's hand tightly, despite his assurances that his mother was not intimidating. Upon meeting, Wen Xiaonuan respectfully greeted Mrs. Cheng as "aunt" and presented her with a specially blended perfume, which Mrs. Cheng graciously accepted, praising its beautiful packaging.
Mrs. Cheng then revealed her surprise, having invited an international top-notch wedding planner to arrange Ye Feimo and Wen Xiaonuan's wedding, as their relationship was already public. Wen Xiaonuan, caught off guard, admitted she wasn't ready. Mrs. Cheng, exasperated with her son, demanded to know why he hadn't proposed yet, urging him to hurry before he lost such a good girl.
Seeing Wen Xiaonuan’s discomfort, Mrs. Cheng instructed her assistant, Miss Mu, to save the wedding plans for later, allowing the couple time to decide. They then prepared to head to dinner, where Mrs. Cheng hoped they could discuss further. Separately, Han Hui approached Jiang Fang with a new script titled "Twin Flowers," penned by the renowned Liu Xinhe. She emphasized its potential as a blockbuster two-female-lead film and announced her decision to entrust it to Jiang Fang.
Han Hui stipulated that her only condition for their collaboration was for Wen Xiaonuan to play the other female lead. When Jiang Fang questioned her choice, noting Wen Xiaonuan's comparatively lower acting skill and popularity, Han Hui revealed her true motive: she identified with the story's theme of a "substitute" never truly rivaling the "original," and she simply wanted to reclaim what she believed was hers.
She then leveraged Jiang Fang's ambition, pointing out that securing this film would solidify his position as Vice President of Yaohua, making him unchallengeable. Jiang Fang, however, had one demand: that Wen Xiaonuan not be harmed. Han Hui reassured him, promising a mutually beneficial, win-win collaboration. During a meal, Mrs. Cheng continued to express her fondness for Wen Xiaonuan, showering her with attention. Ye Feimo jokingly complained about his mother's newfound favoritism.
Mrs. Cheng explained that she simply wanted to ensure Ye Feimo didn't lose Wen Xiaonuan, whom she described as a kind young woman. She openly criticized Ye Feimo, labeling him "childish" and calling him "Ye Three-Year-Old." She even recounted how, as a baby, he was expressionless, never crying or laughing, which annoyed her so much she wished she could have given birth to someone else.
Ye Feimo, having lost his appetite, walked away, while Mrs. Cheng continued to talk fondly with Wen Xiaonuan. Meanwhile, Gu Yunzhou's mother, Mrs. Gu, arranged a discreet meeting with Wang Jiayi through her secretary. Mrs. Gu wasted no time in stating her purpose: to discuss Gu Yunzhou's predetermined marriage alliance with Zhao Di, a long-standing arrangement between the Gu and Zhao families. Mrs. Gu bluntly told Wang Jiayi that she and Yunzhou were from completely different worlds and were incompatible.
She pressed Wang Jiayi to consider how much Yunzhou had sacrificed his own interests to accommodate her. She emphasized that if Wang Jiayi truly loved him, she wouldn't want him to compromise his entire life. Mrs. Gu concluded by urging Wang Jiayi to make the "right decision," asserting that a relationship between two people from different worlds was destined to fail. Despite her deep love for Yunzhou, Wang Jiayi was left speechless, contemplating Mrs. Gu's words.
Later, Gu Yunzhou dropped Wang Jiayi off, suggesting he pick her up for dinner, but Wang Jiayi insisted on driving herself home. He then left for the office. Around the same time, Jiang Fang contacted Wen Xiaonuan, explaining he had a very promising project with an excellent script and a role that would be perfect for her. He offered to send the script to her and her manager, Zhou Xiaojing, for review.
Han Hui, discussing the matter with her assistant, expressed confidence that Jiang Fang would secure Wen Xiaonuan’s participation, as he wouldn't refuse such a significant career opportunity. She also believed Wen Xiaonuan, as a newcomer, wouldn't pass up such a good role, speculating on the depth of Wen Xiaonuan's feelings for Ye Feimo. Gu Yunzhou and Wang Jiayi were on a date, where he shared the news of Ye Feimo’s public relationship with Wen Xiaonuan, expressing his happiness for them.
He then tentatively suggested that he also wanted to take Wang Jiayi home to meet his parents. Wang Jiayi hesitated, recalling her earlier encounter with Mrs. Gu, and put off the idea, claiming she wasn't ready. She then gently reminded him of his abandoned hobbies, like rock climbing and art exhibitions, but Yunzhou brushed it off, assuring her that spending time with her was his priority.
He even surprised her with a new red velvet cake, knowing it was her favorite, showcasing his continued affection. After reviewing the "Twin Flowers" script, Wen Xiaonuan was deeply moved by it. However, Zhou Xiaojing, having also read the script and done some research, immediately suspected Han Hui's intentions.
She warned Ye Feimo that Han Hui, the other confirmed female lead, was likely using the film's plot, which featured a substitute character similar to Wen Xiaonuan's past role, to maliciously allude to Wen Xiaonuan and Ye Feimo's relationship and tarnish Wen Xiaonuan's reputation through media manipulation. They both agreed that Wen Xiaonuan should not participate in the project to protect her.
Zhou Xiaojing expressed concern that Wen Xiaonuan, being genuinely drawn to the script, might insist on taking the role and potentially strain her relationship with Ye Feimo if rejected. True to Zhou Xiaojing's prediction, Wen Xiaonuan soon called Jiang Fang to express her strong interest in the role, only to learn that Han Hui was the other female lead.
Wen Xiaonuan then discussed the project with Zhou Xiaojing, who, despite acknowledging the script’s quality and suitability for Wen Xiaonuan, strongly advised against it, citing the high risk of malicious speculation and harm to Wen Xiaonuan from Han Hui, Ye Feimo's ex-girlfriend. Wen Xiaonuan, however, remained resolute, stating her intention to prove herself through her acting and that her choices were based on the work itself.
Wang Jiayi went to Gu Yunzhou's office but encountered his childhood friend, Cheng, and Zhao Di. Cheng playfully teased Zhao Di about her immediate contact with Yunzhou upon returning to the country, and reminisced about Zhao Di and Yunzhou being the most popular couple in school, suggesting they would have been married if Zhao Di hadn't studied abroad.
As Cheng led Zhao Di to Gu Yunzhou, Zhao Di subtly made a point of asserting her long-standing, pre-arranged connection with Yunzhou to Wang Jiayi. This encounter, combined with the earlier conversation with Mrs. Gu and her own observations of Yunzhou's sacrifices, triggered a painful realization for Wang Jiayi that she and Yunzhou were fundamentally incompatible. Overwhelmed by emotion, she tearfully decided to end the relationship, powering off her phone to prevent Gu Yunzhou from reaching her.
Gu Yunzhou, unable to contact her and bewildered by the sudden turn of events, grew increasingly worried. Wang Jiayi retreated to a secluded spot, silently weeping, feeling the familiar sting of being separated from loved ones due to differing social statuses, just as in her first relationship. Determined to understand, Gu Yunzhou eventually found Wang Jiayi and confronted her. Through her tears, Wang Jiayi explained that their worlds were too different.
She argued that he had familial responsibilities and that, as love and passion inevitably faded, he would realize she wasn't the right partner for him. What he truly needed, she stated, was someone of an equally prominent background who could support his career. She suggested a peaceful parting to avoid further pain. Gu Yunzhou, however, refused to accept her decision.
He passionately declared that his love for her was real and vowed to prove it through his actions, refusing to give up on their relationship. Later, Wen Xiaonuan attempted to discuss the "Twin Flowers" project with Ye Feimo, but he immediately dismissed it. She questioned why both he and Zhou Xiaojing were so against the project, despite its quality and suitability for her. She directly confronted him, asking if his opposition stemmed from his ex-girlfriend, Han Hui.
Ye Feimo admitted it was, explaining that he knew Han Hui's manipulative tactics and didn't want Wen Xiaonuan to be harmed. Wen Xiaonuan insisted on her autonomy as a professional actress, stating that her choices were based on the script's merits, not external factors. She articulated her desire to play the role well and to prove her own capabilities, rather than always benefiting from his company, Anning, or his connections.
She wanted to achieve success independently, to eventually stand as his equal and fight alongside him. Ye Feimo reiterated his concern, highlighting that Yaohua invested in "Twin Flowers" and Han Hui was the lead, leaving full control in Jiang Fang and Han Hui's hands.
He urged her to consider the situation from a business perspective, not just a romantic one, to which Wen Xiaonuan formally, as an artist under Anning, submitted her application to star in "Twin Flowers," asking him to seriously consider her request.
