Hello, My Shining Lover Episode 23 Recap
> Hello, My Shining Lover Recap
Following the online leak of Chen Fei'er's old photos, public opinion turned hostile, damaging her reputation and leading to many advertisers threatening contract termination. Chen Fei'er secluded herself for days. Ai Li contacted Du Guruonan, asking her to come and console her friend. Du Guruonan urged Chen Fei'er to pull herself together, but Chen Fei'er expressed fears of losing her money, job, and love.
Du Guruonan immediately reassured her, declaring her love and promising to support her financially, as she herself was about to sign with Ruiqi. She vowed to protect Chen Fei'er and never leave her. Chen Fei'er found comfort in Du Guruonan's presence, saying she wouldn't know what to do without her. After Ai Li departed, Ji Mo came to find Du Guruonan downstairs to learn about the situation.
He reassured Du Guruonan that he would continue to employ Chen Fei'er and would not terminate her contract. Du Guruonan confided that Chen Fei'er was deeply affected by her past being exposed online, fearing she might do something drastic or be unable to accept her past self. Du Guruonan admitted she couldn't show her own fear, as Chen Fei'er relied on her. Ji Mo reassured her that Chen Fei'er would overcome this.
Du Guruonan commented that everyone carries scars that don't heal easily, but at least Chen Fei'er has her. Ji Mo shared psychological insights, explaining that people are both fragile and strong, and a shattered heart can be rebuilt, so Du Guruonan shouldn't be overly pessimistic. Du Guruonan, however, remarked that even rebuilt hearts bear cracks.
Ji Mo clarified that being broken is an inevitable part of life, and Chen Fei'er needed to rebuild herself, as only through such experiences can one truly understand their desires. Ji Mo then offered to walk Du Guruonan home. Due to Shen Qiansha's interference, Ruiqi Group abruptly terminated Sida's endorsement contract and chose Song Zihao as the new spokesperson.
Zhao Yucheng, who was moments away from signing the revised contract with Sida that explicitly allowed him to pursue acting, was furious. As Zhao Yucheng canceled his meeting with Song Zihao to confront Shen Qiansha, Song Zihao gloated to Du Guruonan about Sida losing the endorsement, implying her efforts were in vain. Du Guruonan retorted, calling him a petty person gloating over a minor success. Zhao Yucheng then confronted Shen Qiansha, demanding to know why she sabotaged Sida's opportunity.
Shen Qiansha explained that she believed the contract would restrict Sida to being a singer, despite her desire for him to be an actor. Zhao Yucheng revealed that he and Du Guruonan had already ensured the new contract allowed Sida to be an actor and would even adjust schedules for his acting commitments. He harshly rebuked Shen Qiansha, accusing her of selfishness, impulsiveness, immaturity, and arrogance, stating that true love means supporting someone's dreams, not creating obstacles.
Shen Qiansha, realizing her mistake, tried to call her father to reverse the decision, but Zhao Yucheng informed her it was too late, as his father’s decisions were final, and Sida had irrevocably lost the opportunity. Later, Sida spoke with Zhao Yucheng, expressing understanding that the decision was beyond Zhao Yucheng's control.
Sida admitted feeling somewhat relieved that the "backdoor" attempt failed, believing that if he didn't secure the endorsement, it was due to his own capabilities, making him feel more at ease. He expressed confidence that more opportunities would arise once he improved. Zhao Yucheng was glad Sida didn't blame him, but was also saddened that Sida wouldn't accept Zhao Yucheng's personal motives in trying to help him.
Realizing her good intentions had disastrous consequences, Shen Qiansha was filled with regret and sat crying on the stairs. Sida found her and gently comforted her, telling her not to blame herself. He explained that he believed his own lack of ability was the reason, and the company had initially wanted to replace him, only reconsidering due to Du Guruonan's influence.
Sida reassured Shen Qiansha, stating he was grateful for her encouragement, which had empowered him to reveal his acting ambitions to Du Guruonan, who surprisingly supported him. He expressed contentment, believing that if something was not meant for him yet, it would eventually come when he was strong enough. Now, feeling unburdened, he could fully pursue his acting dream, emphasizing that the past was behind them and the future was paramount.
Overwhelmed, Shen Qiansha hugged him tightly, still feeling immense guilt, causing Sida to struggle for breath. Unseen, Song Zihao stood nearby, observing Shen Qiansha embracing Sida with complex emotions. Ji Mo convened a company meeting, where board members vehemently protested keeping Chen Fei'er as a spokesperson due to mounting negative public opinion and severe business impacts, including a 90% rise in complaints and demands for higher prepayments from suppliers.
They blamed Ji Mo's "stubborn insistence" and demanded her immediate removal, labeling her "rotten meat." Ji Mo, however, staunchly refused, stating his belief that the negative impact would be fleeting, citing his understanding of public psychology, "short-term memory," and the "forgetting curve." He noted the sharp decline in negative comments about Chen Fei'er since the initial week. When challenged on his competence, Ji Mo boldly promised to increase sales by 30% within three months, vowing to resign if he failed.
Despite his assistant's skepticism about the ambitious goal and the "high price of love," Ji Mo declared his unwavering commitment to protect anything Du Guruonan valued, and immediately tasked his assistant with gathering all department reports to devise a detailed three-month plan. Despite his assistant's skepticism that reviewing all documents would take at least a week, Ji Mo insisted, ready to work late. Separately, Du Guruonan visited Chen Fei'er, who remained in despair.
Du Guruonan offered her favorite pork trotters, but Chen Fei'er refused to eat, feeling abandoned. Du Guruonan tried to cheer her up by revealing that Wing Fashion still wanted her and Ji Mo expected her for a photoshoot the next day. Chen Fei'er, however, accused Du Guruonan of pitying her and pleading with Ji Mo, finding her "savior" act irritating.
Losing her patience, Du Guruonan sharply reminded Chen Fei'er of all her efforts, including rushing between meetings and Wing Fashion on her behalf, contrasting it with her own silent struggles. She expressed her frustration with Chen Fei'er's self-pity. Shortly after, a package arrived containing a stress ball and a card from a "loyal little fan."
As Chen Fei'er read the encouraging message about the ball's ability to always return to its original shape, symbolizing human resilience and strength from adversity, a smile finally appeared on her face. She realized it was a thoughtful gesture from Ai Li and, her spirits lifted, declared she was hungry and asked for the pork trotters. Du Guruonan, teasingly calling her "pretentious" and "fake," happily proceeded to cut the pork trotters for her.
The next morning, Ji Mo unexpectedly arrived at Du Guruonan's apartment. Du Guruonan, having just woken up and not yet presentable, was flustered. Ji Mo brushed aside her concerns, saying he had seen her like that before. He told her he only had five minutes before his 10 AM meeting, but those minutes were crucial and insufficient; he desired to spend every minute with her from that moment on.
Ji Mo confessed his past mistakes and "too many reservations," acknowledging he had been a "jerk," and asked for a chance to prove his feelings, promising to give her a sense of security and expressing his strong desire not to miss out on their relationship again. After a moment of silence from Du Guruonan, Ji Mo playfully pulled her closer, saying he needed to "recharge."
With his confession finally made, he left for work, complimenting her beauty even when she had just woken up. Du Guruonan, still processing his words, repeated his compliment to herself, then joyfully admired her "natural beauty," "disheveled beauty," and "wild beauty" in the mirror, feeling "absolutely stunning" and playfully lamenting that her exceptional beauty made it impossible to maintain a low profile. Later, Du Guruonan received a call from a production team, enthusiastically agreeing to an audition for Sida.
She informed Sida that he was invited to audition for the male lead #2 in the highly anticipated drama, "Embracing the Future You." Sida recognized the title from a stack of scripts Shen Qiansha had, realizing it was Song Zihao's project, with Song Zihao as the male lead. Sida initially balked, wanting to avoid Song Zihao, but Du Guruonan quickly dismissed his hesitation. She declared that a true actor doesn't pick co-stars, especially a newcomer.
Du Guruonan added that she had meticulously studied the script and found the male lead #2 to be an exceptional character, potentially outshining the male lead #1, with a rich, three-dimensional portrayal and a deeply emotional arc popular with female audiences. She assured Sida that if he excelled in the role, it would be a phenomenal launch for his acting career. Impressed, Sida promised to dedicate himself to securing the part, knowing the rest was up to him.
During a rehearsal, Song Zihao had tried to assert his dominance over Shen Qiansha, telling her, "You're my woman." Later, he found Shen Qiansha dozing off on the couch while he tried to run lines. He complained about his own character being repetitive, only requiring a "deadpan expression" or "acting cool," and even jokingly suggested Shen Qiansha take over his role selection, which she quickly rejected, stating she was merely an assistant.
A crew member then brought coffee and congratulated Song Zihao, informing him that a newcomer from his company, Sida, was cast as the male lead #2. Overhearing this, Shen Qiansha was overjoyed, exclaiming that she would see Sida every day if he got the part, making her job more exciting. Song Zihao, however, was visibly displeased, already feeling overshadowed by Sida and disliking his continued involvement with Shen Qiansha. Du Guruonan marked Sida's script, particularly emphasizing the romantic scenes.
Sida confessed his struggle with "opposite-sex interaction disorder," fearing his inability to perform emotional scenes with an actress. Du Guruonan challenged him, insisting that if he truly wanted to be an actor, he must overcome this psychological barrier. Later, struggling to connect with the romantic lines during practice, Sida called Ji Mo for help, stressing that he didn't want to disappoint Du Guruonan, who highly valued this acting opportunity.
Meanwhile, Shen Qiansha was outside the rehearsal room, expressing her desire for Sida to succeed. Ji Mo arrived and recognized Shen Qiansha, calling her the "formidable woman" who had "drove Sida to his wits' end." He then introduced himself as Sida's acting coach and invited her into the rehearsal room. Du Guruonan also arrived, observing Sida’s discomfort as he reluctantly faced Shen Qiansha, unable to treat her as the script's heroine.
Despite Sida's protests, calling her "trouble" and recalling her past kiss and confession, which made him feel "sick," Ji Mo insisted that Shen Qiansha was the key to curing Sida's "opposite-sex interaction disorder." He explained it was a case of "fighting fire with fire"; by overcoming his fear of women like her, Sida would become comfortable with any co-star. Sida, clearly uncomfortable, pleaded for an alternative, but Ji Mo was resolute, instructing them to begin.
Ji Mo directed Sida and Shen Qiansha to approach each other and maintain intense eye contact, even if Sida's instincts told him to look away. Shen Qiansha encouraged Sida, telling him not to be afraid and expressing her willingness to be disliked if it meant curing his disorder. Overwhelmed with discomfort, Sida complained to Ji Mo that he felt "sick" and couldn't continue. Ji Mo, however, simply directed him to vomit "over there" if necessary, maintaining the pressure.
