Liars in Love Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Liars in Love Synopsis
To prevent the Snapdragon farm she grew up on from being demolished, Jiang Lai disguises herself as a pregnant woman to get close to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu sees through her identity and lies but, to avoid the pursuits of superstar Chen Yiyi, plays along and pretends to be her boyfriend. The two engage in a "contract relationship", gradually developing genuine feelings amidst the lies.
However, internal family conflicts within the Zhou family and a cross-generational conspiracy create significant obstacles for their love. Additionally, the arrival of Li Tingjiang further tests their relationship. Not only does he ally with Zhou Yu's stepmother, Sun Wei, in a bid for power, but he also tries to sway Jiang Lai by rekindling their past feelings from their student days. Faced with these challenges, what choices will Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai ultimately make?
Liars in Love Recap
Episode 1 Recap
Jiang Lai, a Scumbag Tester whose job is to help women escape love's lies, once mistook Zhou Yu for a scumbag and staged a scene where she pretended to be a pregnant woman abandoned by him. She later reflected on her work, noting that while she had never encountered an innocent man among her clients' targets, it wasn't that good men didn't exist; rather, the relationships she dealt with were already shattered by deceit.
Jiang Lai and a friend later discussed the incident, her friend pointing out how unfortunate the man she had wrongly accused was. Jiang Lai blamed it on inaccurate photos. The friend mentioned that a resort was planned near their farm in Lingxi Village, which could boost business for the farm.
Jiang Lai expressed her desire to save money and renovate the farm, but her friend reminded her that Auntie Yuqin didn't want her back in the village and the farm was struggling. Jiang Lai insisted she couldn't leave her aunt alone.
Her friend then playfully suggested that if Jiang Lai continued as a Scumbag Tester, she would end up giving up on men and would be alone, raising chickens and pigs in her old age, a prospect Jiang Lai dramatically embraced. However, their conversation was interrupted when Jiang Lai's aunt called in distress, reporting that a group of people from Lingxi Village had come to demolish the farm. Meanwhile, office gossip at Zhou's Group circulated about Mr. Zhou Jr.
, Zhou Yu, returning from the Africa branch, speculated to be for the Lingxi Resort project, which was currently under Vice President Sun's purview. Colleagues anticipated a "dog-blood drama" between the stepmother (Auntie Wei) and the eldest stepson (Zhou Yu), believing that Zhou's Group was on the verge of a major change. Zhou Yu met with Chairman Zhou and Auntie Wei. Chairman Zhou welcomed Zhou Yu back, noting his resemblance to his mother.
Auntie Wei humbly stated that she should be learning from Zhou Yu, who had successfully revived the Africa branch in three years. Chairman Zhou announced that Zhou Yu would initially be put in charge of the Dream City Department Store. Zhou Yu, however, expressed his desire for the Lingxi project, emphasizing it was his mother's hometown.
He proposed a bet to Auntie Wei: if he could increase Dream City Department Store's turnover by 30% within three months, the Lingxi project would be his. If he failed, he would resign and leave Zhou's Group permanently. Chairman Zhou commended his audacity, and Auntie Wei accepted the bet, raising the stakes by putting her Vice President position on the line. Back at the farm, Jiang Lai questioned her aunt about the demolition crew.
Her aunt explained that Jiang Lai's "damned father," Jiang Yushu, had leased the Snapdragon Farm to Zhou's Group for 20 years to build a resort. Unable to contact Jiang Yushu, her aunt had single-handedly driven away the initial crew. Jiang Lai realized that since the farm was legally under her father's name and he had leased it, Zhou's Group had a legitimate claim. Their only hope was to find her father and somehow terminate the contract.
Moments later, Jiang Lai and her aunt were chased by debt collectors looking for Jiang Lai, a reminder of her father's gambling debts. A flashback showed a young Jiang Lai receiving a Snapdragon flower from a seller, and her aunt, on the phone, angrily scolding Jiang Yushu for leaving their 8-year-old daughter alone. The aunt found young Jiang Lai and promised to always be by her side, to which Jiang Lai vowed to protect the farm and find her father.
Jiang Lai and her friend devised a plan. They needed Jiang Yushu's contact information, which would be on the lease contract stored in Zhou's Group's legal information room. Access to this room required a General Manager-level card, and Zhou Yu was their target. Jiang Lai's friend showed her a photo of Zhou Yu.
Jiang Lai found him vaguely familiar, but her friend dismissed it, explaining that Zhou Yu had lived abroad since childhood and only recently returned to take on the GM role. The friend pointed out that Zhou Yu typically kept his access card in his jacket pocket. Their next move would be that night, when Zhou Yu attended a dinner party; all hotel lounges had surveillance, which would be streamed to Jiang Lai's phone.
At the dinner, Qin Shuang, the former brand ambassador for Dream City Department Store, attempted to regain her position by seducing Zhou Yu in his lounge. Zhou Yu, however, firmly rejected her, stating that the company's investigation had confirmed her past relationships with ex-boyfriends. He warned her to stay away.
Later, as Zhou Yu mingled at the dinner, Jiang Lai attempted to discreetly steal his card, but her opportunity was disrupted by Qin Shuang's public outburst, where she dramatically accused Zhou Yu, making it seem as if he had assaulted her. Seizing the moment, Jiang Lai, unable to get the card, declared herself Zhou Yu's girlfriend and publicly kissed him, stunning the crowd and the media. Her friend, watching the live feed, exclaimed, "Access card?
How could it be like this?" realizing the kiss hadn't secured the card. Zhou Yu's assistant quickly gathered information on Su Qing, Zhou Yu's never-met fiancée, learning she was 23 and the marriage was pre-arranged, but Zhou Yu had left for America years ago, and they had never met. Utilizing this information, Jiang Lai then approached Zhou Yu, impersonating Su Qing. She acted casually, asking for water and commenting on her "debut."
Zhou Yu, however, was wary, questioning her dramatic public declaration of their relationship. He then brought up that the real Su Qing had tried to break off their engagement two years prior. Jiang Lai's friend, providing background information, noted that Su Qing had always lived in Germany and never returned to China, making Zhou Yu's statement about her two years ago suspicious.
Jiang Lai, as "Su Qing," deftly countered, claiming she hadn't been in the country then but had changed her mind after seeing his photos, finding him more handsome in person. Zhou Yu, unimpressed, simply stated he didn't like her, listing her eyes, nose, and mouth as features he disliked, and dismissed her. " Su Qing" then warned him to handle the scandalous news from the night, for both their sakes.
Later, Zhou Yu's assistant provided him with Su Qing's actual profile and social media accounts. Zhou Yu, now suspecting a setup, asked if the assistant thought "she" (referring to the impersonator) had a problem. He instructed his assistant to deal with the gossip and ensured he would not have to see "her" again. Jiang Lai and her friend discussed their failed attempt to get the card.
Jiang Lai was frustrated that Zhou Yu hadn't carried it and jokingly questioned his taste, given his blunt rejection of her looks. Her friend showed her a photo of Jiang Lai kissing Zhou Yu that was circulating in an entertainment gossip group.
Jiang Lai, unfazed, quipped that she would "just pretend I kissed a goose," but then reiterated her concern about not getting the card and what to do next, wondering if Zhou Yu simply didn't carry it outside the office. The following day, at Zhou's Group, employees were openly gossiping about Zhou Yu, calling him a "playboy CEO" for "four-timing" with Qin Shuang, "Miss Su," a woman named Chen Yiyi, and the pregnant woman.
His assistant reported that the board was highly displeased, questioning his fitness to manage Dream City, and Chairman Zhou had been furious. Zhou Yu immediately denied the accusations, stating he didn't know the "pregnant woman" and that she was a fake. He quickly deduced he was being targeted by an orchestrated plot involving the fake pregnant woman, the actress (Qin Shuang), and "Miss Su."
He ordered his assistant to keep all women away from him, specifically mentioning the four women, and to find the fake pregnant woman to uncover who was truly behind the elaborate scheme.
Episode 2 Recap
Hoping to finally obtain the access card to the Legal Information Room, Jiang Lai disguised herself as an interviewee to infiltrate Zhou's Group. During her faux interview, she met Special Assistant Li and observed other employees, including a man she vaguely recognized, which made her determined to act quickly. Meanwhile, Su Qing, Zhou Yu's fiancée, was repeatedly denied entry to his office by staff who stated Zhou Yu had explicitly forbidden it.
Despite this, Su Qing eventually managed to enter, but her attempts to seduce Zhou Yu and search his office for a "new key card" were unsuccessful, and she was later escorted out of the building. Another persistent woman, Chen Yiyi, also caused a commotion, trying to see Zhou Yu and openly discussing her hopes of marrying him, but Zhou Yu firmly rejected both women and instructed his staff to remove them and prevent Su Qing from returning.
Zhou Yu's father, Zhou Mingde, summoned him to discuss the resort project, criticizing his handling of a recent scandalous video and a "fake pregnant woman" incident. Zhou Mingde revealed that a partner had withdrawn from the resort project, necessitating Su's Group's involvement. He pressured Zhou Yu to marry Su Qing to secure the project, coldly suggesting he was "selling his son for money." Zhou Yu retorted, reminding his father that Zhou's Group's current standing was owed to his maternal grandfather.
Despite Zhou Yu's defiant attitude, Zhou Mingde insisted on the marriage as the only way to get the project and arranged for him to have dinner with Su Qing. An urgent phone call then sent Zhou Yu rushing out. Jiang Lai, tailing him in a taxi, initially thought she was "catching an adulterer." Zhou Yu was frantic, learning that his maternal grandfather had gone missing from his afternoon nap. Surveillance footage showed the elderly man had left on his own.
Jiang Lai offered her help, prompting Zhou Yu to ask for the police to be called while he searched his maternal grandfather's room for clues. There, Jiang Lai spotted a photo of Zhou Yu with another man, noting their striking resemblance. Following a clue about "Huahuo Ballroom" and a "Dearest wife" inscription for May 5th, which Zhou Yu recognized as his late grandmother's birthday, they tracked the old ballroom's original location to a shop.
The staff member confirmed an old man was dancing inside, refusing to leave and unable to recall family contact information. Inside, Zhou Yu's maternal grandfather, exhibiting signs of dementia, welcomed Zhou Yu, believing it was his wife's birthday. On their way out, his maternal grandfather mistook Jiang Lai for his wife and Zhou Yu for their grandson, asking Zhou Yu to assist "his grandma." Jiang Lai played along, and they successfully brought his maternal grandfather home.
Grateful, Zhou Yu thanked Jiang Lai. Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Lai boldly requested to become his secretary at Zhou's Group, believing it would allow her to better approach him to obtain the access card to the Legal Information Room and, ultimately, the contract she sought. Soon after, they heard a cat meowing. Jiang Lai found a small kitten and discovered cat food in Zhou Yu's car, despite his claims of not liking animals.
She persuaded him to take the kitten, named Mimi by him, arguing it wouldn't survive on its own. Zhou Yu, despite his protests, agreed to be responsible for Mimi and later arranged for the kitten to be boarded long-term at a pet hotel, ensuring it received the best care. The next day, Su Qing officially joined Zhou's Group's secretariat, a move that sparked office gossip about "pregnancy traps" and "marriages of convenience."
She immediately sought out Zhou Yu in his office, attempting to feed him breakfast and trying to access the Legal Information Room, but he rebuffed her attempts, stating only high-level executives could enter that room. As Jiang Lai observed these events, she overheard office chatter suggesting Zhou Yu was a "scumbag." She then saw a video of a man being confronted by a "pregnant" woman.
Mistaking the man in the video, Zhang Ming, the advertising director, for the "scumbag" she needed to expose for a client, Jiang Lai decided to stage her own "fake pregnant woman" scene in the company café. During her performance, Zhou Yu walked in. In that moment, Jiang Lai realized with a jolt that the original "scumbag" she had initially confronted in the previous episode, and the target she was now unknowingly exposing, was none other than Zhou Yu himself. Amused, Zhou Yu simply told her to exaggerate her act and try not to be recognized, before asking her if she wanted to join him for lunch.
Episode 3 Recap
To clarify the rumors of him abandoning his wife and child, Zhou Yu arranged a meeting with Jiang Lai, who was pretending to be the fake pregnant woman. He demanded she record a public apology video to restore his reputation. During this time, Jiang Lai, acting as Zhou Yu’s secretary, was also attempting to locate an access card in his office, observing his habits and movements.
She narrowly avoided detection when Zhou Yu unexpectedly returned, pretending to be taking out trash to escape. Meanwhile, Assistant Chen informed Zhou Yu that the pregnant woman had been found. Zhou Yu instructed his legal department to file a lawsuit against her. Zhou Yu's fiancée, Miss Su, suggested investigating further, sensing a misunderstanding.
Assistant Chen revealed that the woman, Jiang Lai, was a "scumbag tester" hired by Miss Zhu, the girlfriend of Zhang Ming, another company employee, whom Zhang Ming had cheated on during pregnancy. Zhou Yu then requested Jiang Lai's phone number. Zhou Yu called Jiang Lai, identifying himself as the person she had framed at the café, and insisted they meet the next day. Jiang Lai was frustrated, feeling she had trapped herself.
At their meeting, Jiang Lai, wearing a mask, feigned illness and allergies. When pressed, she admitted that Miss Zhu had hired her to get revenge on Zhang Ming, providing chat records as proof. Zhou Yu offered to drop the lawsuit if Jiang Lai recorded a public apology video clearing his name. Despite initial hesitation about her profession, Jiang Lai quickly agreed to record the video. As she left, Zhou Yu expressed concern about potential infection from her apparent flu.
Later, Zhou Yu mistakenly believed Jiang Lai, in her role as his fiancée, was deliberately avoiding him due to the fake pregnant woman incident. Jiang Lai, meanwhile, was trying to evade Miss Su at the office and Zhou Yu after work. When confronted by Zhou Yu, Jiang Lai pretended she was maintaining distance to better "grasp his heart." Zhou Yu then asked if she was avoiding him because of the fake pregnant woman.
Jiang Lai internally panicked, realizing he suspected her. She tried to dismiss it as a misunderstanding and offered to have the pregnant woman explain in person. Zhou Yu attempted to call the "pregnant woman," but the phone was off. Jiang Lai, acting as his fiancée, tried to suggest the phone might have died, but Zhou Yu was already convinced it was a deliberate move by a swindler.
In her fiancée persona, Jiang Lai then declared her complete trust in Zhou Yu, stating he was not a scumbag and she needed no evidence. Privately, Jiang Lai was distraught, realizing she couldn't appear as both herself and the fake pregnant woman simultaneously. When Zhou Yu texted her (as the fake pregnant woman) still insisting on a face-to-face explanation with his fiancée, Jiang Lai turned to Qi Wei for help.
After discussing various unworkable options like faking illness or sending someone else, Qi Wei suggested a drastic solution: faking Jiang Lai’s death. This "once and for all" plan was executed, with Qi Wei informing Assistant Chen that Jiang Lai, a scumbag tester, had died from congenital heart disease, having failed to save enough for medical expenses.
Soon after, an apology video from the "pregnant woman" was posted online, with Jiang Lai sincerely apologizing for inadvertently harming Zhou Yu's reputation while seeking justice for a betrayed woman. Office colleagues reacted, some intrigued by the "ruthless move," others disappointed at the lack of a "marriage of powerful families versus shotgun marriage" drama. The misunderstanding was officially cleared, and Jiang Lai, as Zhou Yu’s secretary, felt a sense of relief.
That evening, Zhou Yu informed Jiang Lai, still in her role as his fiancée, that his father, Zhou Mingde, had invited them to dinner. Jiang Lai, worrying about her dirty clothes, initially tried to postpone, but Zhou Yu insisted. He helped her pick a suitable outfit and styled her hair for the occasion. At the dinner, Zhou Yu’s stepmother was also present.
Jiang Lai deftly handled a social faux pas when Mr. Wu mistakenly drank from the finger bowl, quickly covering for him by claiming it was an elaborate Chinese custom she herself was still adjusting to after living in Germany. This impressed Zhou Mingde. When Zhou Mingde offered to have the stepmother show Jiang Lai around, Jiang Lai politely declined, stating her desire for private time with Zhou Yu.
Jiang Lai then subtly brought up the Lingxi Village resort project, which Zhou Mingde was interested in. She learned that Zhou's Group wanted Su’s Group (her supposed family) to invest. Zhou Mingde offered the resort project as a wedding gift to Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai, to which Jiang Lai eagerly requested to see the documents and contract. However, Zhou Mingde suggested they focus on their relationship for now. He then inquired about "her father's" health, mentioning "old ailments."
Jiang Lai struggled to remember, offering vague answers, while the stepmother revealed the father suffered from vertigo. Jiang Lai quickly covered, saying the vertigo "was" seasonal. The stepmother then elaborated that ginseng and an Arabian remedy had cured his vertigo, but he now suffered from knee osteoarthritis in winter from running. Zhou Mingde then suggested Jiang Lai call her father. Jiang Lai tried to stall, citing the time difference, but Zhou Mingde corrected her on the time zone.
Zhou Mingde called Su and put him on speaker. Jiang Lai, still as his fiancée, spoke to her "father," exaggerating about the strict security at Zhou Yu's company preventing her from seeing him without an access card. Impulsively, Zhou Mingde handed Jiang Lai his access card, assuring her she could now go anywhere within Zhou's Group. Jiang Lai, as his fiancée, gratefully thanked Zhou Mingde and reassured her "father" about the family's kindness.
Zhou Mingde then told Su that Zhou Yu was very fond of Qing and they were waiting for Su to return to set the wedding date. Just as the dinner seemed to settle, Assistant Li arrived to deliver a tender document to Zhou Yu. Jiang Lai, fearing being recognized by Assistant Li, discreetly hid under the table, pretending to search for a lost earring. Before she could be discovered, a fire alarm blared, forcing everyone to evacuate.
In the chaos, Zhou Yu's father asked Jiang Lai where Zhou Yu was, to which she claimed he had gone back inside to look for her. Outside, Zhou Yu, having searched for Jiang Lai, finally found her. He then pulled out a ring and proposed to her, asking, "Let's get married."
Episode 4 Recap
Jiang Lai rejected Zhou Yu's proposal, stating plainly that she did not like him. As she now possessed the access card, she declared she had no more time for games. Zhou Yu was left bewildered, unable to comprehend her sudden change of heart, especially after she had previously expressed a desire to marry him.
He was shocked when she dismissed her earlier words as "in the past" and bluntly told him he wasn't her type, criticizing his eyes, nose, and mouth. As Jiang Lai walked away, Zhou Yu was stopped by the event staff, demanding the balance payment for the elaborate proposal ceremony she had just disrupted. Another man, the actual client who had arranged the proposal, arrived, distraught at the mess.
Jiang Lai, quickly thinking, apologized and offered to pay for the expenses, then pretended to accept his proposal to appease him. Internally, Jiang Lai felt regret for deceiving Zhou Yu but saw no other option. Her accomplice, pleased with the performance, commented on how well her voice changer worked and noted that Jiang Lai had left Zhou Yu behind.
Later, Jiang Lai recounted how she had obtained Chairman Zhou Mingde's access card by taking advantage of a car alarm malfunction, allowing her to snatch his phone and replace Su Qing's father's contact with her own. Her accomplice praised her ingenuity, asking if the alarm was also her doing. Jiang Lai dismissed it as an accident but revealed the access card, thrilling her accomplice.
Jiang Lai then announced their next move: head straight to Zhou's Group to retrieve the contract, believing it would lead them to her father. Despite her accomplice's observation that Zhou Yu seemed completely smitten, Jiang Lai clarified that he desired to marry "Su Qing," not her, expressing her exhaustion from maintaining multiple identities.
When questioned about the illegality of stealing the phone, Jiang Lai admitted to acting impulsively but assured her accomplice that she would change the number back and turn herself in to the police for leniency once her mission is complete. Still reeling from Jiang Lai's rejection, Zhou Yu recalled her dismissive words about his appearance.
Determined to secure the resort project without relying on the Su family, he instructed Chen Jun via phone to retrieve the project contract from the 17th-floor legal information room, explaining that he was too agitated to sleep because of "someone." Meanwhile, Jiang Lai, also seeking the contract, infiltrated the company. She soon realized Zhou Yu was already there, leading to a tense game of cat and mouse.
Jiang Lai narrowly avoided detection multiple times, once by pretending to be a maintenance worker. Her accomplice, observing from a distance, informed her that Zhou Yu was in pursuit, prompting Jiang Lai to take the stairs while her accomplice stalled him. Jiang Lai eventually reached the legal information room, only to find the contract gone. As she tried to escape, Zhou Yu caught up to her.
Posing as Su Qing, Jiang Lai feigned being lost and looking for missing earrings, blaming her "night-blindness" for wandering into the design and legal departments. She playfully accused Zhou Yu of not loving her enough for failing to notice her earrings, then, in a sudden turn, declared her willingness to marry him now. Zhou Yu, however, firmly stated he was unwilling. Jiang Lai, frustrated, called him a "cheapskate."
As she continued her charade, she contemplated that if she had known the contract wasn't there, she wouldn't have been so haughty. Zhou Yu offered her a ride home, but she curtly declined, muttering that anyone who married him would be unlucky. Later, Zhou Yu and Chen Jun discussed Jiang Lai's enigmatic behavior, with Chen Jun suggesting she was "playing hard to get" and advising Zhou Yu on the "push and pull" dynamics of relationships.
Continuing her search for the contract, Jiang Lai snuck into Sun Wei's office. Hidden, she overheard Sun Wei on the phone, instructing someone to send Liu Li's photo out on May 20th as a "gift" for Zhou Yu.
Jiang Lai realized Sun Wei intended to sabotage Zhou Yu's upcoming Dream City 520 event, an initiative designed to boost turnover by 30% within three months, a condition of a bet Zhou Yu had made with Sun Wei for control of the resort project. Jiang Lai approached Zhou Yu to warn him that Liu Li, the event's curator, had "dirty secrets" and should not be involved.
However, she couldn't provide concrete evidence without revealing her own illicit methods, and Zhou Yu remained skeptical, dismissing her concerns. Undeterred, Jiang Lai and her accomplice delved deeper, uncovering Liu Li's unsavory past, including a hushed-up incident of drugging individuals. They found disturbing chat logs and evidence of drug trading within his private groups. Realizing she couldn't present this information as Su Qing, Jiang Lai devised a plan.
She created a new identity, "Lily," a 20-year-old college student, and arranged a meeting with Liu Li at Mio Bar on Wutong West Road, asking Zhou Yu to witness the encounter. At the bar, Liu Li was immediately overly familiar and offered "Lily" a specialty drink, which she declined, citing an alcohol allergy. He then poured her a Coke, insisting she drink it. " Lily" subtly spilled the drink on Liu Li, sending him to the restroom.
Zhou Yu, who was supposed to be observing, finally arrived. Jiang Lai furiously accused Liu Li of drugging the Coke. Zhou Yu, still unconvinced, drank the Coke himself to prove her wrong, showing no ill effects. Confused, Jiang Lai asked him to sit down, determined to try again. Liu Li returned, complimented "Lily's" nervousness, and invited her to become his model, proposing a toast to their "common artwork."
As Jiang Lai drank the second glass, she realized the drug must have been in that one. She began to feel dizzy as Liu Li led her out, helping her into his car to take her to a private gallery. Fading, Jiang Lai wondered why Zhou Yu still hadn't intervened.
Episode 5 Recap
As Liu Li drugged Jiang Lai and attempted to abduct her, Zhou Yu sprang into action. He instructed Chen Jun to head to Liu Li's apartment while he rushed to the gallery, noting that Liu Li had taken Jiang Lai. Jiang Lai, disoriented and fading in and out of consciousness in Liu Li's car, pondered why Zhou Yu hadn't appeared to save her, regretting her predicament and thinking, "Jiang Lai, you really screwed yourself over this time."
Liu Li, wanting to be alone with Jiang Lai, drove her to the gallery. Zhou Yu arrived just in time, confronting Liu Li and rescuing a still-groggy Jiang Lai. He used ice water to help clear her head, then sternly warned her never to put herself in such danger again. Jiang Lai, however, felt her risky gambit was worthwhile.
She asked about Liu Li, and Zhou Yu assured her the police were already on their way, as he had called them while en route. Zhou Yu offered to drive Jiang Lai home, but she insisted on going to the company immediately. Despite her ordeal, Jiang Lai was determined to address the crisis surrounding the upcoming May 20th event.
Zhou Yu's staff had already received a stern reprimand regarding their background check on Liu Li, and with only five days remaining until the event, they were scrambling to find a replacement artist. Recognizing that resolving this crisis would bring her closer to Zhou Yu, Jiang Lai took matters into her own hands and left the office. Jiang Lai sought out artist Jiang Fan, presenting him with the new May 20th event proposal.
Jiang Fan agreed to take on the project if the payment was satisfactory, but he emphasized that his creative process was unpredictable; inspiration could strike in minutes or years, and he admitted he hadn't been in a relationship for a long time. When Jiang Lai pressed for ways to help him find inspiration, Jiang Fan simply asked if she had a boyfriend.
Returning to Zhou Yu's office with coffee, Jiang Lai playfully introduced herself as his "perfect, understanding, and considerate fiancée," confidently presenting her new May 20th plan. Zhou Yu initially assumed she was thanking him for rescuing her, but Jiang Lai corrected him, asserting that she had actually saved him by exposing Liu Li's problematic character before the event could damage the company's revenue.
She then recommended Jiang Fan, acknowledging his reputation for inconsistent productivity but assuring Zhou Yu that she had a solution. She requested his "collaboration in resource allocation," prompting Zhou Yu to inquire how he could help. To spark Jiang Fan's inspiration, Jiang Lai arranged for her and Zhou Yu to act like a couple at an amusement park while Jiang Fan observed them.
They tried various romantic poses on a carousel, but Jiang Fan remained unsatisfied, even asking Zhou Yu to "ride better, like you're in a relationship." Zhou Yu, unsure of what that entailed, struggled to meet the artist's expectations. Finally, Jiang Lai guided Zhou Yu into a close embrace from behind her on the carousel, a pose Jiang Fan quickly captured, visibly pleased. Later, Jiang Lai and Zhou Yu sat on a swing.
Despite Zhou Yu's discomfort, Jiang Lai insisted, reminding him that Mr. Jiang was watching. Jiang Lai then enthusiastically pushed Zhou Yu on the swing, ignoring his protests. Soon after, Jiang Fan departed, and when Jiang Lai called him, he happily announced that he had found his inspiration. Later, Jiang Lai discovered Zhou Yu's cat at a pet boarding facility. She learned that his adoption requirements were exceptionally high.
Seeing an opportunity, Jiang Lai tried to convince Zhou Yu to take the cat home himself, fabricating stories about potential adopters abusing animals. However, Zhou Yu simply dropped her off at her own place, frustrating Jiang Lai, who vowed to eventually make him invite her inside. Back at his apartment, Zhou Yu focused on Jiang Fan's action plan. When his cat appeared unwell, he messaged Jiang Lai with photos.
Jiang Lai, recognizing another chance, insisted she needed to examine the cat in person. Upon entering Zhou Yu's apartment, she immediately spotted the contract. As she examined the cat, Zhou Yu, concerned about small bumps, pointed them out. Jiang Lai, feigning seriousness, identified them as nipples, causing Zhou Yu considerable embarrassment. Once the cat's health was (falsely) assured, Zhou Yu again called a cab for Jiang Lai, preventing her from lingering.
Frustrated but not defeated, Jiang Lai left, pondering how to finally gain access to his home. Meanwhile, the company celebrated the overwhelming success of the May 20th event, which had doubled last year's sales. Colleagues discussed bonuses and suggested a celebratory party. Jiang Lai eagerly volunteered to propose a team-building dinner to Zhou Yu. During their conversation, Jiang Lai highlighted her crucial contribution to the event's success and suggested a dinner to reward the team and boost morale.
Zhou Yu agreed, offering to have Chen Jun arrange it, but Jiang Lai insisted on handling the arrangements herself. Unbeknownst to Jiang Lai, a woman named Yiyi was coercing Chen Jun for Zhou Yu's home address, threatening to disrupt an upcoming pop-up shop if she didn't get it. Chen Jun, under pressure, seemed to comply. Jiang Lai enthusiastically chose a vibrant venue for the team-building dinner, privately gloating that she would finally get Zhou Yu drunk and seize the contract.
The dinner commenced with lively chatter, food, and drinks. Jiang Lai initiated a toast and then encouraged everyone to individually toast Zhou Yu with a "special blend" she had prepared. Some colleagues observed her determined efforts to ply Zhou Yu with alcohol, with one commenting, "Miss Su is getting Mr. Zhou drunk," and another remarking, "This is love." As the evening progressed, Jiang Lai herself became heavily intoxicated.
Zhou Yu carried her back, but she defiantly insisted on sleeping in his bedroom, refusing to go home. The next morning, Jiang Lai awoke in a bed, hearing the meows of a cat. Confused, she looked around, realized she was naked, and wondered where she was and where her clothes had gone.
Episode 6 Recap
Jiang Lai woke up naked in Zhou Yu's bed, immediately panicking and wondering if something intimate had occurred between them during her drunken state. She observed her surroundings, concluding that Zhou Yu must be "incapable" as she felt nothing. When Zhou Yu entered the room, she demanded he leave and questioned the whereabouts of her clothes. He calmly handed her garments, reminding her that it was his room.
Noticing his pained expression and rubbing his waist, Jiang Lai mistakenly assumed her intoxicated actions from the previous night were the cause. Zhou Yu then played a video, revealing a very drunk Jiang Lai kicking him and then confidently stripping while declaring herself "a fairy who would never get drunk."
Misunderstanding that something had happened between them, Jiang Lai then agreed to Zhou Yu's past marriage proposal and suggested they live together, hoping this would make it easier to find the contract she was looking for. However, Zhou Yu rejected the cohabitation, explicitly stating that nothing had actually happened between them, which left Jiang Lai feeling deflated. Shortly after this revelation, Chen Yiyi arrived at Zhou Yu's apartment with breakfast, only to find Jiang Lai already there.
Confused and openly jealous, Chen Yiyi questioned why Jiang Lai was in Zhou Yu's home and what they had done the previous night. Later at the office, colleagues discussed Chen Yiyi's upcoming pop-up store, noting her impressive two-year streak as a top-seller. They admired her wealth, beauty, acting talent, and business acumen, though one colleague assured Jiang Lai that Zhou Yu and Chen Yiyi were merely professional partners.
Zhou Yu then asked for someone to accompany Chen Yiyi to the pop-up store, and Jiang Lai volunteered. There, Chen Yiyi seized an opportunity to humiliate Jiang Lai, instructing her to remove an imaginary mole from a large poster of Chen Yiyi. She forced Jiang Lai onto a ladder, giving her confusing and contradictory directions, repeatedly calling her manipulative. As Jiang Lai struggled, Chen Yiyi accidentally fell from the ladder, feigning a serious arm injury.
Chen Yiyi immediately used her supposed injury to her advantage, complaining to Zhou Yu about being alone and unable to care for herself. When Zhou Yu offered to hire a nurse, Chen Yiyi adamantly refused, insisting she move into his house because her injury occurred at his mall due to his employee.
Jiang Lai, seeing through Chen Yiyi's theatrics, tried to expose her by pointing out that the doctor had deemed the injury minor and highlighting the importance of the upcoming pop-up store. However, recognizing Chen Yiyi's successful ploy to infiltrate Zhou Yu's home, Jiang Lai quickly pivoted, cleverly volunteering to move in as well, under the guise of caring for Chen Yiyi.
Reluctantly, Zhou Yu agreed to let both women stay, expressing his discomfort with sharing his living space, noting he only had one guest room. Jiang Lai suggested Chen Yiyi could sleep on the sofa, inwardly acknowledging that Chen Yiyi's machinations were her ticket into Zhou Yu's residence. That evening, Chen Yiyi attempted to occupy Zhou Yu's bedroom, but Jiang Lai intervened, forcing them to share the guest room.
Chen Yiyi, determined to keep Jiang Lai away from Zhou Yu, then faked a fear of the dark during a power outage, forcing Jiang Lai to stay by her side and prevent her from searching for the cause of the outage. The next day, while Jiang Lai was trying to clean Zhou Yu's room to find the contract, Chen Yiyi blocked her, taunting her about her acting skills and assuring her that Zhou Yu would never be deceived.
Later, Chen Yiyi deliberately let Zhou Yu's cat, Mimi, outside, claiming she thought the cat was bored and wanted to play. Upon Zhou Yu's return, he discovered Mimi was missing. Chen Yiyi feigned innocence, claiming Mimi scratched her and then ran away. Despite the heavy rain, Jiang Lai went out to search for the cat. Zhou Yu soon found her, drenched, and questioned why she didn't find shelter.
Jiang Lai, seizing the moment, accused him of only caring for Chen Yiyi. Zhou Yu, feeling a pang of guilt, reassured her, promising, "I won't do this again," and held the umbrella over her. Jiang Lai silently celebrated, feeling a step closer to achieving her goals. Eventually, Mimi returned home on its own, a "smart cat" according to Zhou Yu.
Despite Chen Yiyi's apologies and assurances that such an incident "will never happen again," Zhou Yu, having had enough, ordered her to pack her belongings and leave, informing her that a nurse was hired and Chen Jun would pick her up. Chen Yiyi protested fiercely but was ultimately forced to depart. With Chen Yiyi finally gone, Jiang Lai felt a sense of relief.
While attending to Zhou Yu, who was still experiencing back pain (a lingering effect of Jiang Lai's drunken kicks), and preparing him instant noodles, Jiang Lai unexpectedly discovered the "Lease contract of Snapdragon Farm."
Episode 7 Recap
Jiang Lai, believing she had successfully acquired the contract, abruptly ended her relationship with Zhou Yu. When he offered her instant noodles, she refused them, criticizing him for constantly making decisions for her and stating that they were not compatible. Zhou Yu, taken aback, questioned her sudden change of heart. Jiang Lai insisted they part ways, telling him not to waste his time on her as he deserved someone better.
Angered, Zhou Yu asked what she thought of him, suggesting she could not just toy with him. Jiang Lai calmly responded that she had initially considered giving them a chance, but no longer found it necessary. Zhou Yu retorted that it wasn't her decision, prompting her to again accuse him of being self-important before she left his place.
Feeling victorious about securing the contract and being free of him, her elation quickly turned to dismay when she later discovered she had mistakenly taken the wrong document, realizing her efforts were in vain. Determined to rectify her mistake and retrieve the correct contract, Jiang Lai approached Zhou Yu the next morning with a completely altered demeanor, now exceptionally affectionate and persistent.
She told him that after much reflection, she recognized him as an indispensable part of her life and expressed concern for his well-being. Zhou Yu, bewildered by her sudden shift, asked if she had schizophrenia. Jiang Lai claimed she only acted this way since meeting him. When Zhou Yu told her to get out of the car, she refused, insisting on accompanying him on his business trip, to which he warned her not to regret it.
Jiang Lai, fully prepared with her travel essentials, saw the trip as an opportunity to reconcile and get the contract. Meanwhile, Chen Yiyi, accompanied by Chen Jun, worried about Zhou Yu’s anger. She reminisced about a kinder Zhou Yu from their childhood before he went abroad. Now, he seemed cold, and she believed he was merely "fooled" by Su Qing, whom Chen Yiyi considered scheming. Chen Jun probed Chen Yiyi's persistent feelings, noting it was only a childhood friendship.
Chen Yiyi, however, admitted her continued attraction to his handsomeness. Zhou Yu’s assistant, Chen Jun, expressed her excitement for the business trip with Zhou Yu, though she noted the difficulty of securing a deal with Mr. Yang of DW, recalling previous failed attempts. Jiang Lai confidently asserted that with Zhou Yu leading, success was guaranteed, even if they had to pursue Mr. Yang.
Chen Jun later called Zhou Yu, who curtly informed her he was heading to the office alone and she should come by herself. Realizing Zhou Yu had left for his business trip without her, Chen Jun felt abandoned. Just then, Chen Yiyi arrived, demanding to know Zhou Yu's whereabouts. Upon learning he had departed, she concluded he was on a "vacation" with Miss Su under the guise of a business trip.
Infuriated, Chen Yiyi offered Chen Jun her car, insisting they follow Zhou Yu to ensure he wasn't alone with Su Qing. Later, in the car, Jiang Lai apologized to Zhou Yu for her harsh words the previous night. Zhou Yu, unconvinced, then told her to get out of the car. When she pleaded for a bicycle, he simply drove off, leaving her to walk five kilometers to the hotel.
Upon arriving at the hotel, Zhou Yu requested two rooms, emphasizing the importance of personal space. Jiang Lai, fearing her true identity would be exposed during check-in, feigned that her ID was in the car, prompting Zhou Yu to handle the process for both. As Mr. Yang arrived, Zhou Yu introduced himself as Dream City’s General Manager. Mr. Yang, having previously rejected Dream City, expressed his displeasure at being approached during his personal time.
Jiang Lai quickly intervened, introducing herself as Su Qing, Zhou Yu’s fiancée, and claimed they were there on their honeymoon. Mr. Yang noticed Jiang Lai’s Peacock Lovers' Association badge. Jiang Lai enthusiastically showed him pictures of "her" peacocks, claiming to be a fellow enthusiast. This unexpected shared interest visibly intrigued Mr. Yang, making him more receptive to future discussions. Later, Jiang Lai expressed her exhaustion from walking to Zhou Yu’s room, reminding him of her assistance with Mr. Yang.
Zhou Yu, however, remained unmoved, stating Mr. Yang’s initial reaction was anticipated, and then asked for her help with something else. Zhou Yu took Jiang Lai on a tandem bicycle ride around the lake. Jiang Lai complained about his slow pace and his apparent lack of urgency in finding Mr. Yang, asking why he wasn’t working. He simply responded, "No hurry."
Jiang Lai eventually grew tired and wanted to stop, and Zhou Yu pulled her onto the back of his bicycle. Meanwhile, Chen Yiyi and Chen Jun were also cycling around the lake. Chen Yiyi, despite her earlier claims of working out, struggled with the ride. She reiterated her demand for Chen Jun to keep her presence a secret from Zhou Yu, framing it as merely "not telling" rather than "lying," to deliver a "big surprise."
Spotting Mr. Yang cycling, Jiang Lai identified him as a cycling enthusiast, explaining why he was there. Zhou Yu, though initially annoyed by Mr. Yang's presence, used the opportunity to approach him again, appealing to his sense of fairness and mentioning Jiang Lai’s exhaustion. Mr. Yang challenged Zhou Yu to catch him for three minutes of his time.
With Jiang Lai's continued "peacock enthusiast" performance and Zhou Yu's persistence, Mr. Yang was impressed by their sincerity and agreed to have his team follow up on the cooperation, with a caveat that the terms needed to satisfy his head office. Jiang Lai, feeling responsible for the success, asked Zhou Yu if their previous argument could now be forgotten. He firmly stated that the two matters were separate.
Shortly after, Chen Jun called Zhou Yu, excitedly detailing her research into Mr. Yang’s cycling hobby and suggesting a strategy. Zhou Yu calmly informed her he had already secured the deal. Disappointed but quickly recovering, Chen Jun proposed a romantic sunset bike ride. Zhou Yu declined, telling her he had other plans, and invited Jiang Lai to dinner as a thank you. Jiang Lai, delighted, anticipated a lavish meal at his expense.
Later, while Zhou Yu was taking Jiang Lai to dinner, she spotted her university friends, Xia and Xiaolan, also having a reunion at the same hotel. To avoid being recognized and exposing her fake identity, she quickly excused herself to the restroom. Her friends noticed her absence from their reunion, wondering if it was due to Li Tingjiang, her senior from the Peacock Lovers' Association, and speculated about their past.
Meanwhile, Chen Yiyi, also at the hotel, found her own university friends. She called Zhou Yu, asking why he wasn't back and implying she had a surprise for him. She accused him of being with Su Qing and questioned his preference for Su Qing over her, given their longer history. Zhou Yu curtly reiterated that he only saw Chen Yiyi as a sister before hanging up. While Jiang Lai was trying to avoid her friends, she clumsily twisted her ankle.
Li Tingjiang, her college senior and also known as Special Assistant Li, quickly came to her aid. Jiang Lai, maintaining her "Su Qing" persona, thanked him. As Li Tingjiang and Jiang Lai spoke, he warned her that her impersonation of Su Qing was dangerous and offered help if she had any problems, but Jiang Lai asked him to pretend not to know her situation. Zhou Yu then appeared and saw them together.
Li Tingjiang explained that he was there for a class reunion and mentioned he had brought slippers for Miss Su's sprained ankle. Zhou Yu, after thanking Li Tingjiang for caring for his fiancée, pointedly asked him to close the door on his way out. Li Tingjiang then remarked to Zhou Yu that his chairman would be pleased to know of their strong relationship. Once alone, Zhou Yu asked Jiang Lai about her relationship with Li Tingjiang.
She assured him that Li Tingjiang had merely passed by and helped her up. Zhou Yu then sternly warned her not to be alone with him again, as it was inappropriate for his fiancée to be physically familiar with another man in public. Jiang Lai playfully accused him of being jealous, a notion he denied. Gently, Zhou Yu then applied medicine to Jiang Lai's sprained ankle and massaged it, asking if it still hurt. Witnessing Zhou Yu's tenderness, Jiang Lai felt her feelings for him begin to change.
Episode 8 Recap
Chen Yiyi, repeatedly rejected by Zhou Yu, became heartbroken and drank heavily by the sea, attempting to threaten Zhou Yu with her life. Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai, worried, split up to search for her. Zhou Yu found Yiyi, who was still very drunk. She clung to him, demanding he agree to be her boyfriend and threatening to make him regret it if he refused.
Zhou Yu told her that using threats to force a relationship was ridiculous and that someone who didn't care about her wouldn't suddenly care if she died. He further described the gruesome details of a body found in the water, which visibly disturbed Yiyi. He then helped her out of the water, but she refused to leave unless he promised to be with her. Zhou Yu, exasperated, threatened to push her back into the lake if she didn't cooperate.
As they were leaving, Jiang Lai's college classmates spotted them. Mistaking Zhou Yu for Jiang Lai's boyfriend, they teased her about dating a "boy toy." Jiang Lai played along, saying he had no other good qualities besides being handsome and she was embarrassed to introduce him, but she enjoyed his company.
Her classmate, Li Tingjiang, later warned Jiang Lai about the complications of Zhou's Group and the dangers of her impersonation, offering help if she needed it, but Jiang Lai refused. Meanwhile, Chen Yiyi continued to insist on being Zhou Yu's girlfriend, but Zhou Yu firmly reiterated that he only saw her as a sister. He then left her with Chen Jun. Chen Yiyi had prepared a lakeside dinner and fireworks for Zhou Yu.
However, a staff member mistakenly believed Jiang Lai was the invited guest and led her to the table. Jiang Lai, meanwhile, attempting to change her hotel room, was informed by the staff about a lakeside dinner arranged for "her". She initially thought it was Zhou Yu's doing, and upon seeing June 18th, mistakenly believed it was his birthday.
She then asked to use the kitchen to prepare boiled glutinous rice balls in fermented glutinous rice, a birthday tradition from her hometown. Thus, both Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai, each believing the other had arranged the event, spent a romantic dinner together. During dinner, Jiang Lai presented Zhou Yu with the dish, wishing him a happy birthday.
Zhou Yu corrected her, stating it wasn't his birthday, and questioned where she got the date, mentioning he'd seen it at her maternal grandfather's. As fireworks erupted, Jiang Lai felt emotional, thinking Zhou Yu was incredibly romantic, unaware that Chen Yiyi had arranged them earlier. Jiang Lai internally believed Zhou Yu had forgiven her and looked forward to continuing her search for the contract.
After dinner, Zhou Yu called for ginger soup for "Su Qing," only to be informed by the front desk that no guest named Su Qing was registered, and the lady he had dined with was Jiang Lai, occupying room 604. Although shocked, Zhou Yu remained calm and continued to observe her deception.
Later, when Jiang Lai tried to check his phone, Zhou Yu subtly probed her by asking if she was "jealous," and she playfully responded, claiming he had her whole heart and offering to go to her home or even his. In the car, while Zhou Yu reached for her seatbelt, Jiang Lai mistook his action as an invitation and leaned in to kiss him, only for Zhou Yu to pull away, appearing shy.
The next morning, Jiang Lai initially planned to feign illness to skip work and find the contract but changed her mind when Zhou Yu suggested going somewhere. He took her to Snapdragon Farm for "work." Jiang Lai immediately started complaining about the smell and her goatskin shoes, faking stomach pain and a twisted ankle to avoid entering, fearing she would be recognized by the farm staff. Zhou Yu was unfazed and brought a wheelchair, stating he would push her in.
When she tried to cover her face, claiming the sun was too strong, he pointed out it was a cloudy day. A farm employee named Ge approached them, trying to sell tickets and guide services, but Jiang Lai acted unfamiliar with the place, much to Zhou Yu's amusement.
Zhou Yu then provocatively told Jiang Lai that the farm had been leased by his company and would soon be demolished, with all the animals sold for meat, even mockingly suggesting they pluck peacock feathers for decoration, knowing her aversion to such cruelty. Suddenly, an elderly woman, an aunt, confronted Zhou Yu, accusing him of being an egg thief and hitting him.
When Zhou Yu identified himself as being from Zhou's Group, she became even angrier, believing the wealthy from his company were arrogant and still dared to steal her eggs. Amidst the chaos, Jiang Lai secretly called someone, instructing them to smash Zhou Yu's car window and retrieve the contract from inside, as Zhou Yu had mentioned earlier his car was outside.
The person she called, after seeing the expensive car, commented on its grandeur and decided against smashing the window, thinking about the high cost of compensation. That night, Jiang Lai brought Zhou Yu milk and massaged his shoulders, telling him to drink the milk and sleep, secretly hoping the milk would make him sleep soundly so she could act on her plan. Later, Jiang Lai feigned a fall in the bathroom and called for Zhou Yu's help.
He entered and helped her, getting her a towel and then carrying her to the bed. He then offered to massage her back, and she directed him, praising his technique. However, Zhou Yu suddenly stopped, claiming he was tired. When Jiang Lai questioned him, he asked if she felt tired when she massaged him, and when she admitted she did but didn't complain, he accused her of being hypocritical and stated his dislike for liars.
Jiang Lai realized he might know her secret. Zhou Yu gave her a chance to confess, promising forgiveness for any lies she had told. Jiang Lai, however, maintained her facade, asserting that as his fiancée, she had always been honest with him. Disappointed, Zhou Yu left the room. Jiang Lai internally apologized to him, vowing to explain everything once she found her father, and redoubled her efforts to obtain the contract.
The next day, as Jiang Lai attempted to steal the contract, Zhou Yu confronted her. He reiterated his offer of forgiveness if she confessed, but Jiang Lai, feeling compelled to continue for the sake of the farm, remained silent. Zhou Yu then directly exposed her, revealing his knowledge of her true identity: "Su Qing, or rather, Jiang Lai."
Episode 9 Recap
Zhou Yu confronted Jiang Lai, revealing that he knew her true identity. He presented evidence, stating she was Jiang Lai, 25 years old, whose mother had passed away, and who was raised by her father, Jiang Yushu. She lived with her aunt, Jiang Yuqin, at Snapdragon Farm and worked as a professional scumbag tester. Jiang Lai, taken aback, apologized, explaining she had no other choice as she couldn't find her father, and only the contract could make him appear.
She emphasized that Snapdragon Farm was very important and she had to protect it. Zhou Yu expressed his disgust at her hypocrisy, but Jiang Lai retorted that he was the one who first called her Su Qing, and her father had given her the card to access the legal room. Zhou Yu threatened to involve his lawyer, prompting Jiang Lai to desperately ask what she could do to earn his forgiveness.
Zhou Yu then laid out his terms, demanding that Jiang Lai continue to impersonate Su Qing and maintain a fake romantic relationship until he secured the resort project. In return, he would not pursue charges for harassment, defamation, or the illegal theft of company secrets. Jiang Lai agreed but added a condition: she wanted to see the Snapdragon Farm's rental contract.
Zhou Yu revealed that the contract carried a penalty for breach that Jiang Lai could not afford, and his investigation showed her father had accumulated too many debts, making it impossible to save the farm. He offered to add a supplementary clause to the contract, promising her 500,000 yuan if she cooperated. Jiang Lai refused the money, instead insisting that he promise to preserve Snapdragon Farm during the resort's development.
Zhou Yu dismissed her demand, stating the resort's plan would not change for one person, and asked why she was so fixated on it. Jiang Lai countered by asking why he insisted she continue to impersonate Su Qing. Zhou Yu warned that if she didn't sign, he would hand the matter over to his lawyer. Jiang Lai, however, remained defiant, suspecting he had a hidden agenda for signing a "couple contract" with a "female swindler."
Unbeknownst to Jiang Lai, Zhou Yu's assistant and another colleague had overheard their conversation and were shocked by Jiang Lai's true identity. They worried about the company's reputation and the Zhou family's standing if the truth were exposed. Zhou Yu, however, stated he didn't care about the Zhou family's reputation, only the group's.
He explained that Su's Group was likely waiting for them to become a laughingstock before canceling the engagement, which was originally arranged by his now-retired grandfather and was something they desired. He decided to turn the situation to his advantage, instructing his assistant to draft a new contract, the specifics of which he would send later.
Having overheard this, Jiang Lai, with no other option and realizing it was futile to contact her father, agreed to Zhou Yu's terms, emphasizing that the farm was all she had. Zhou Yu then modified the contract, agreeing to "appropriately preserve" the farm's facilities during the resort's development. They both signed the "couple contract."
After the contract was signed, Zhou Yu immediately asserted his new "rights," ordering Jiang Lai to clean every room, referencing a clause in their contract that stipulated she, as Party B, must perform all housework while residing at his home. Jiang Lai reluctantly complied, annoyed by his quirky habits, like his particular way of eating strawberries, and his demand that she clean the cat's litter box.
That night, Zhou Yu couldn't sleep and summoned Jiang Lai to play music for him, instructing her to turn it off once he fell asleep to avoid being woken up. Exhausted, Jiang Lai drifted off first. Zhou Yu woke her, and when she apologized for falling asleep, he complained that the music wasn't "surround sound." Observing her as she slept, Zhou Yu found her "cute" when she wasn't being aggressive.
Jiang Lai, still half-asleep, mumbled for him to continue playing the music. The next day, Zhou Yu took Jiang Lai to a coffee shop and, to her irritation, allowed her to pay for their drinks, citing the "farm" as a reason. This public display immediately sparked a new wave of gossip among their colleagues, who witnessed the exchange. The rumors quickly spread through the company, labeling Zhou Yu a "kept man" for letting his "fiancée Su Qing" pay for coffee.
Zhou Yu's father called, reprimanding him for damaging his reputation and the family's image, demanding he resolve the situation with "Su Qing" immediately. Meanwhile, an operative named Xu Linlin reported her observations of Zhou Yu and "Su Qing" arguing at the coffee shop to Sun Wei, who instructed her to continue monitoring the situation, speculating that without the Su family's support, Zhou Yu wouldn't be able to achieve much.
At the office, Zhou Yu pulled Jiang Lai close, explaining that someone was watching them from outside. Jiang Lai protested, asking if pretending to be a couple also meant enduring sexual harassment, and sarcastically wondered if they were filming a spy movie. Zhou Yu reiterated the need to appear as a loving couple due to the pervasive company rumors, to which Jiang Lai demanded additional compensation.
Moments later, Xu Linlin peeked into the office, confirming the "gossip" that the couple had reconciled. She quickly rushed off, eager to share her "first-hand scoop." Zhou Yu's assistant confirmed Xu Linlin was indeed sent by Sun Wei, praising Zhou Yu's foresight. When the assistant expressed doubts about Jiang Lai's continued cooperation, Zhou Yu confidently stated that Jiang Lai had no choice if she wanted to save her farm.
To further solidify their facade, Zhou Yu took Jiang Lai to a mall. He reminded her that if Sun Wei managed to acquire the resort project, her farm would be in jeopardy. There, in front of staff and onlookers, he lavished her with expensive bags, playing the role of a doting boyfriend. Jiang Lai reluctantly played along, maintaining the illusion of a loving couple.
Xu Linlin, still on their tail, reported that Zhou Yu and "Su Qing" seemed to have reconciled and were acting very intimately. She was once again instructed to continue her surveillance without letting her guard down. After they managed to lose their tail, Jiang Lai complained about Xu Linlin being "scary like a ghost" and her mouth hurting from all the forced smiling. Zhou Yu, also feeling the strain, offered her candy.
Later that day, Jiang Lai received a text from her senior, Li Tingjiang, inviting her to dinner. She enthusiastically accepted. The following morning, Jiang Lai dressed up, and Zhou Yu, though claiming she looked "just so-so," was visibly captivated. She politely declined his offer to drive her, noting it wasn't on his way to his meeting. He insisted he needed to go to the office first anyway.
At the office, after reviewing successful sales data for a pop-up store, Zhou Yu instructed his assistant to book a table at a romantic Western restaurant for a "date" with Jiang Lai that evening. He explained the need for a "romantic Western-style" atmosphere and emphasized the importance of maintaining their act outside the company. Jiang Lai, stuck in evening traffic on her way to the meeting venue, a V Hotel, muttered about "ruthless Zhou" making her run errands after hours.
Jiang Lai eventually arrived late at the V Hotel, noticing Zhou Yu was also there. She delivered the documents he requested. Zhou Yu then invited her to dinner, but she declined, stating she already had plans with a friend, and quickly left. Meanwhile, Li Tingjiang met Jiang Lai at the very same V Hotel restaurant, complimenting her appearance. They reminisced about their school days, particularly their shared fondness for the cafeteria's fried beef, and ordered steak.
In another part of the restaurant, Zhou Yu was seated at a meticulously arranged table for two, complete with dimmed lights, top-tier food, and expensive wine, all orchestrated by his assistant. Zhou Yu received a message from his assistant asking about his eating preferences, signed 'Brother Chen Jun'. Just as he waited, Zhou Yu received a phone call. It was Jiang Lai, using a disguised voice, feigning an emergency about an open window and their cat.
Zhou Yu abruptly left the restaurant, leaving his assistant bewildered and alone to enjoy the extravagant meal. Xu Linlin reported to Sun Wei that Zhou Yu had been called away by "Su Qing," prompting Sun Wei to wonder if Zhou Yu had truly fallen for her, though she quickly dismissed the idea, convinced he had merely been deceived and that she herself was prettier than "Su Qing."
Zhou Yu returned home and found Jiang Lai, immediately confronting her about her dinner with a "friend." Unaware that he knew, Jiang Lai launched into an elaborate, fabricated story about her friend's revenge on an ex-fiancé and maid, culminating in a celebratory drink. Zhou Yu, silently displaying a photo of Jiang Lai and Li Tingjiang on his phone, cut her off, pointedly asking why he hadn't known Li Tingjiang had an ex-husband.
Jiang Lai stammered, attempting to cover her tracks, before trying to steer the conversation back to how good the food from her "date" was. Zhou Yu pressed her directly about why she had eaten with Li Tingjiang. She insisted he was just her senior. Zhou Yu retorted that their relationship appeared to be more than just senior and junior. Jiang Lai firmly stated it was her private matter and that their contract granted her "social freedom."
Zhou Yu countered, emphasizing that it was a critical time and her every action affected him. He questioned why she had lied if she believed she had done nothing wrong. Defeated, Jiang Lai conceded, informing him that she would be returning to school with her senior that weekend. Zhou Yu sarcastically asked if she now needed to report every time she went to the toilet.
Episode 10 Recap
Zhou Yu's meticulously planned perfect date was stood up by Jiang Lai. Upon returning home, he found Jiang Lai already intoxicated, lamenting and questioning why he did not like her and instead liked Su Qing, becoming quite agitated. A waiter then presented a bill for six bottles of wine totaling 66,000 yuan, which Zhou Yu reluctantly paid.
The following morning, still feeling the sting of rejection and Jiang Lai's apparent preoccupation with her crush, Li Tingjiang, Zhou Yu used their contractual agreement to demand she prepare a special seedless strawberry and dragon fruit juice for him. Jiang Lai complained about the tedious task but ultimately complied, presenting it to him with mock reverence. The next day, Jiang Lai dressed up for a date with Li Tingjiang.
Zhou Yu, consumed by jealousy, cancelled his business engagements and, with his assistant Chen Jun, transformed into a covert detective, tracking their every move and constantly disrupting their date. Their date included enjoying sugar-coated haws, where Jiang Lai reminisced about college days. Zhou Yu disrupted this nostalgic moment by purchasing the last haw from the vendor and then orchestrating for a child to ask Jiang Lai for her partially eaten one.
Later, as Jiang Lai and Li Tingjiang went pedal boating, Zhou Yu and Chen Jun followed closely. Chen Jun nervously confessed he couldn't swim, but Zhou Yu ignored him, focused on observing the couple. He grew increasingly frustrated as Chen Jun reported Li Tingjiang feeding Jiang Lai snacks and them leaning close together. Zhou Yu took over pedaling, urging Chen Jun to report their actions, desperate to keep them in sight.
While at a barbecue stall, Li Tingjiang received repeated calls on his phone. He dismissed them as unimportant, despite the caller expressing how much they missed him, which Jiang Lai noticed. Unbeknownst to Jiang Lai, the calls were from Zhou Yu's stepmother, who was Li Tingjiang's secret lover. The stepmother and Li Tingjiang discussed her intentions to eventually give Zhou Yu control of the resort project, expressing her anticipation for his performance with Dream City.
Following another call, Li Tingjiang abruptly announced he had "other plans" and needed to leave, offering to take Jiang Lai home. She insisted she could manage alone at the barbecue, and Li Tingjiang apologized before departing. Left alone at the barbecue stall, Jiang Lai, now disheartened after realizing Li Tingjiang had a secret lover, began to drink heavily. Zhou Yu then appeared, criticizing her for drinking alone.
He reminded her of her previous drunken antics and prevented her from consuming more alcohol. Jiang Lai, feeling utterly lost and rejected, tearfully confided that Li Tingjiang had left her for someone else. Meanwhile, a conspiracy targeting Zhou Yu was being set in motion. Li Tingjiang met with Zhou Yu's stepmother, confirming their secret romantic relationship.
He reassured her that she was the only one in his heart, after initially lying about having dinner with colleagues when questioned about his evening. They discussed sabotaging Zhou Yu's new venture by exposing Huang Yonghua, the vice president of Dream City Department Store, for embezzlement. Their plan was to leak Huang Yonghua's fraudulent transactions, triggering a full audit of Dream City, which would freeze all funds.
This would leave Zhou Yu without capital, hindering his ability to make progress on the project within the crucial three-month deadline. Soon after, news of false accounting within Dream City reached Zhou Yu. Chen Jun informed him that the company's funds were frozen pending an investigation, which would severely impact quarterly sales. Zhou Yu immediately requested all the financial details. Jiang Lai, having heard the office gossip, insisted on helping him, even knowing the potential dangers.
She revealed that the false accounting involved the rental contract of Snapdragon Farm and vowed to investigate, with or without his permission. Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai then infiltrated Huang Yonghua's company, which had been established with Zhou's Group investment. Zhou Yu explained the necessity of discretion to find concrete evidence from subsidiary contracts without alerting Huang Yonghua.
Once inside the archives, despite the overwhelming amount of documents, Zhou Yu quickly located the incriminating evidence and handed it to Jiang Lai. Their discovery was short-lived, however, as security guards, alerted to their presence, began a chase through the building and ultimately into the parking lot.
Episode 11 Recap
Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai covertly infiltrated a company under investigation, searching for crucial evidence of fake accounts. They were ambushed by the security team. As they struggled and searched for the phone containing the company's account data, Zhou Yu instructed Jiang Lai to take it, intending to distract their pursuers himself and emphasizing the importance of the evidence. Jiang Lai firmly refused, declaring she would not sacrifice his safety for anything.
Zhou Yu then proposed that since they were after him, he would go out first while Jiang Lai hid and waited for Chen Jun. Jiang Lai then located the hidden phone. During the ensuing struggle to protect the evidence, Jiang Lai, refusing to abandon Zhou Yu, threw the phone as a diversion.
The guards retrieved it and resumed their assault until Chen Jun arrived, calling for a halt, announcing that he had alerted the police, and dispatching his team to prevent their escape. Though injured, Zhou Yu affirmed that he would not leave Jiang Lai behind either, reciprocating her earlier sentiment. Back home, the two cared for each other’s wounds. Zhou Yu tended to Jiang Lai’s injured foot, apologetically noting the pain the basic medication might cause.
He chided her for her recklessness, but Jiang Lai retorted that she had acted to help him, adding that a simple "thank you" would suffice. She then checked on his injuries, teasing him about being shy when he tried to cover his back. Jiang Lai gently applied medicine to his back, ensuring she was very gentle, to which Zhou Yu confirmed it didn't hurt.
This intimate moment was interrupted when Zhou Yu realized the crucial phone was lost, making re-entry into the company even harder. However, Jiang Lai revealed she had successfully backed up the data to the cloud. Their moment of relief was interrupted by a knock on the door. Jiang Lai moved to answer it, but Zhou Yu stopped her, concerned about her foot. Li Tingjiang entered, having heard of their attack, and offered to take Jiang Lai to the hospital.
Zhou Yu quickly interjected, stating he had already treated her and dismissively asked Li Tingjiang to leave, his jealousy evident. After Li Tingjiang left, Zhou Yu remarked on his perceived over-involvement as Jiang Lai’s senior, to which Jiang Lai reminded Zhou Yu that he, as her contract boyfriend, was also being a little nosy, specifically regarding their contract, which Zhou Yu assured her he remembered. At the office, the company was in a difficult situation.
An employee was looking at pictures of Chen Yiyi when another colleague teased him about his affections. The employee, Chen Jun, clarified he was merely reviewing the spokesperson’s new materials for work. The colleague then suggested he shouldn't overwork, as Mr. Zhou's bet was nearing its deadline, and the leadership might change. Chen Jun mentioned that the Dream City accounts had been resolved.
Zhou Yu explained that while the evidence had been submitted, the results were pending, meaning Dream City’s funds remained frozen, halting all investment projects. The complaining colleague, expressing dissatisfaction with the work pace, advised another junior employee, Tingting, to prioritize earning money over hard work. Jiang Lai, overhearing, chastised him for his lax attitude during the company's critical period, urging unity. Zhou Yu arrived, dryly remarking on the colleague’s swift change in demeanor.
He then asked Chen Jun about the remaining revenue target, which was eight percent. Jiang Lai then proposed that Zhou Yu film a couple's vlog with Chen Yiyi to leverage her six million followers and boost sales. Zhou Yu immediately refused, feeling unhappy that Jiang Lai was constantly pushing him towards Chen Yiyi. Jiang Lai pressed, highlighting Chen Yiyi's viral content and influence.
Zhou Yu responded with a hint of sarcasm, questioning if Jiang Lai was eager for him to debut and joking about his age. Jiang Lai stressed the urgency of the bet, emphasizing the vlog's potential to showcase Dream City’s advantages and quickly generate traffic, appealing to his dedication to the farm and resort as it was their only free promotional opportunity. Zhou Yu reluctantly agreed to the plan.
Later that night, as Zhou Yu's assistant, Miss Su, presented the filming details (shop locations) to him, she observed a change in him. She speculated he was concerned about Jiang Lai's feelings and warned him not to get too deeply involved due to Jiang Lai’s identity, noting her status as a "ticking time bomb". Zhou Yu, visibly annoyed, criticized the chosen shop locations as unoriginal and instructed his assistant to rework the plan overnight.
The next day, during the vlog pre-production, Chen Yiyi affectionately called Zhou Yu "Yu" and "Zhou Yu Gege", introducing him as Dream City's CEO and her childhood sweetheart. Zhou Yu, stiffly, introduced himself. Chen Yiyi led him to a "wall of wishes," explaining its romantic significance, which was not on Zhou Yu’s original itinerary. Chen Yiyi then revealed the actual theme of the video was a "couple's date" to brand Dream City as a romantic destination.
Zhou Yu, angered by the unauthorized change, confronted her. Jiang Lai intervened, subtly urging him to endure for the company's sake, and suggested he choose the remaining activities. As filming continued, Chen Yiyi took a bite of Zhou Yu's food and then provocatively asked if anything was on her mouth, leaning close to him. After the shot was called, Zhou Yu abruptly walked off set.
Jiang Lai stopped him, reminding him it was only pre-production and he hadn't completed the program. Zhou Yu confronted her, asking if she genuinely wanted to push him towards Chen Yiyi. Jiang Lai insisted they were working, to which Zhou Yu expressed disinterest. Jiang Lai, teasing him about his lack of relationship experience, offered to help him find "the feeling of love" and took him to a roller skating rink, calling it a proven "dating spot."
Zhou Yu, though he could skate, playfully challenged Jiang Lai, then they both skated energetically. After their session, Zhou Yu complained of aching legs. Jiang Lai offered him water, and he announced he was retreating to his room, avoiding dinner.
Jiang Lai, observing his retreat and his earlier words about running away, later consulted Miss Su, noting that Zhou Yu’s "coach-like" performance in the video lacked excitement, and they needed to "figure something out" to improve it for the actual shoot. On the day of the formal filming, Chen Yiyi feigned exhaustion, requesting a break, but Zhou Yu insisted on teaching her to skate.
Jiang Lai then strategically set up decorative lights, creating a romantic atmosphere, which the crew acknowledged made Chen Yiyi and Zhou Yu look like a great couple. However, Chen Yiyi soon got injured and declared she wouldn't continue filming. Zhou Yu, finally unable to suppress his feelings, seized a private moment and confessed his feelings to Jiang Lai, saying "Jiang Lai, I like you." Jiang Lai reminded him they weren't filming and he didn't need to say lines.
Zhou Yu then reiterated his heartfelt confession, to which Jiang Lai replied, "I have someone special in my life," rejecting him. In the aftermath of the confession, Zhou Yu was tormented by Jiang Lai’s rejection, replaying her words in his mind and agonizing over whether Li Tingjiang was the person she liked, while others wondered about the sincerity and meaning behind Zhou Yu's recent actions.
Meanwhile, Chen Yiyi, though disappointed by Zhou Yu’s perceived indifference, was surprised by his thoughtfulness when her assistant brought her Yulan Cake, wonton, and steamed buns, claiming they were from Zhou Yu. Her assistant suggested they eat on a quiet lawn to avoid paparazzi, and Chen Yiyi agreed, but asked her assistant not to follow. Chen Yiyi complained to her assistant about Zhou Yu’s coldness, convinced he didn’t care for her, despite her beauty.
The assistant made excuses for Zhou Yu, suggesting he was simply not good with words. Chen Yiyi, though angry, decided to move on, confident in her attractiveness, and enjoyed the food. To avoid recognition, the assistant ingeniously covered Chen Yiyi’s face with a hat and scarf, allowing her to eat freely. The next morning, Zhou Yu left for work, urging Jiang Lai to eat breakfast. Jiang Lai decided to put aside emotional concerns and focus on winning the bet first.
At the office, Zhou Yu’s assistant found him researching "How to win someone over after being rejected." The assistant reported that their couple's vlog with Chen Yiyi was a hit, topping entertainment charts and boosting Zhou’s Group’s trending status, but noted that the comments were almost exclusively focused on Zhou Yu rather than Dream City, with many describing him as an "extra straight man."
Zhou Yu instructed his assistant to continue monitoring the publicity and to proceed with all planned promotional activities, aiming to capitalize on the momentum. Jiang Lai, though still feeling a little embarrassed by Zhou Yu’s confession and rejection, reaffirmed her commitment to working hard for the resort. Later, while working late, Zhou Yu treated Jiang Lai to instant ramen. Jiang Lai worried about fulfilling the bet without adequate funds and tentatively asked if Zhou Yu had any personal emergency funds.
She then clarified she meant using it for promotion, not buying up company shares, but Zhou Yu pointed out that Sun Wei might not acknowledge such methods. Zhou Yu then urged her to finish her noodles, deflecting the question about his considerable wealth. The next morning, Miss Su brought breakfast for the hardworking team. One colleague, tired of the long hours, expressed a longing for a vacation and suggested a team outing. Jiang Lai readily agreed, and Zhou Yu approved a team-building activity for the following day, urging everyone to rest and have a good time.
Episode 12 Recap
To reward his diligent team members, Zhou Yu organized an outdoor team-building event. Li Tingjiang unexpectedly joined, openly vying for Jiang Lai's attention with his calculated gestures, which fueled Zhou Yu's anger, turning the outing into a subtle competition for Jiang Lai's affections. During the journey, when Li Tingjiang's car "broke down," Zhou Yu told him to drive himself, but Li Tingjiang made excuses, stating his car was under repair.
While riding in the car, Li Tingjiang offered food to Jiang Lai, and noticing her car sickness, Zhou Yu reminded her to take medicine. Li Tingjiang then tried to help her with air circulation, while Zhou Yu subtly expressed his annoyance.
Later, staff members gossiped about the "beautiful forbidden love" triangle involving Jiang Lai, Zhou Yu, and Li Tingjiang, with the general sentiment being that both men liked Jiang Lai, but Jiang Lai preferred Li Tingjiang, yet they couldn't be together due to a marriage alliance. At the camping site, while fishing, Zhou Yu impressively caught a fish, earning cheers from the team, while Li Tingjiang struggled. Zhou Yu accidentally slipped and asked Jiang Lai to help him up.
As Li Tingjiang tried to assist Jiang Lai with a heavy item, Zhou Yu curtly told him it wasn't necessary. Li Tingjiang then confronted Jiang Lai about ignoring him since their last date and asked her to meet him at the back of the mountain at 8 PM. Chen Yiyi, observing the scene, asked Zhou Yu to help her assemble a camping table.
Zhou Yu then instructed Li Tingjiang to assist Chen Yiyi, but Li Tingjiang refused, stating he was on vacation. Zhou Yu, despite Chen Yiyi's request, decided to go himself to help her. Later, as rain began to fall, the team decided to play King's Game. During the game, Zhou Yu seemed to be consistently lucky, winning multiple rounds. When it was Li Tingjiang's turn, Zhou Yu, as the "King," ordered him to drink.
Jiang Lai, finding herself in a similar situation, chose to drink rather than answer a question, and eventually left the game, heading to the restroom. Meanwhile, a phone call revealed that Li Tingjiang's phone was off, and he was reportedly at the team-building event. As night fell, Jiang Lai went to the back of the mountain for her meeting with Li Tingjiang. Before she reached him, she overheard Li Tingjiang speaking with another woman.
Li Tingjiang cautioned the woman about being seen by company staff, and after a brief conversation, he shared a passionate kiss with her before escorting her away. Jiang Lai watched, heartbroken, as this unfolded. When Li Tingjiang eventually met Jiang Lai, he acted as if nothing had happened, projecting stars using a device and apologizing for his past abrupt departure. He asked for another chance, promising to fulfill all his past unkept promises.
Jiang Lai confronted him, telling him that someone "juggling two relationships" should not pretend to be a devoted lover. Suddenly, Zhou Yu appeared, announcing he was there to pick up his "fiancée." A heated exchange ensued between the two men, each asserting his claim over Jiang Lai. Jiang Lai, however, stepped in, telling Li Tingjiang that their relationship was in the past and he should cherish the person currently by his side, to avoid hurting either her or that woman.
Li Tingjiang denied the other woman was his girlfriend and pleaded for more time to resolve the situation. Jiang Lai reflected on her past work experiences, noting how unfaithful men always asked for "more time" and "another chance," and how women, driven by lingering hope, often believed them. She declared that she was different; she would not be like them. Soon after, Zhou Yu found a visibly upset Jiang Lai and tried to comfort her.
When he asked if she regretted rejecting Li Tingjiang, she admitted she was simply angry at herself for having misjudged him for so many years, believing him to be reliable, sincere, and responsible. Zhou Yu, making light of the situation, jokingly offered to retrieve her if she decided to jump into the water, confessing he couldn't swim himself. He then encouraged her to vent her frustrations by throwing stones into the water, symbolizing the release of her worries.
Though Jiang Lai initially found his suggestion childish, Zhou Yu helped her throw a stone far away. The next morning, Chen Yiyi, the star, complained about being left behind and not informed. Chen Jun, Mr. Zhou's secretary, appeared with breakfast, explaining that Zhou Yu and others had returned to the company for business, and he didn't want to leave her alone. Later, while looking for Chen Yiyi, Chen Jun spotted her with a man and they were pursued by paparazzi.
Chen Jun helped Chen Yiyi and the man evade the photographers, realizing that his close association with her, as a public figure, could cause trouble for her. Later, Jiang Lai's friend consoled her, expressing satisfaction that Li Tingjiang had revealed his true nature as a "scumbag." She advised Jiang Lai that letting go of bad relationships would open the door for true love.
Jiang Lai denied being sad about Li Tingjiang but admitted she felt "weird" and unsure how to face Zhou Yu. Her friend speculated about a romantic relationship developing between Jiang Lai and Zhou Yu, given their living arrangements, but Jiang Lai firmly denied it, emphasizing their professional, contractual relationship.
Her friend warned her that a relationship with Zhou Yu was "absolutely impossible," as Jiang Lai was merely playing the role of "fake Su Qing" to his "real Zhou Yu," and their lives would diverge once the contract ended. Upon returning to their shared apartment, Zhou Yu confronted Jiang Lai about her absence from work that day. She claimed to have clocked in for fieldwork, but he informed her that he had not approved it, telling her to be more mindful next time.
Episode 13 Recap
After failing to meet sales targets, Zhou Yu lost a bet and was forced to resign from his position. Simultaneously, Snapdragon Farm faced a demolition crisis, prompting Jiang Lai to rush there to intervene. Jiang Lai received a call from Ye Tingting, who reminded her that it was the last day of the bet and urged her to focus on work to save her farm. Despite their efforts, which saw Dream City Jewelry's turnover exceed 100 million yuan, reaching 30.
1% growth, a last-minute return of a jewelry order worth over 100,000 yuan caused Zhou Yu to lose the bet. News of this setback reached Ma Shan, who called Zhou Yu to inform him of the disaster. Vice President Sun, who had orchestrated the demolition attempt, arrived at the farm, declaring her intent to tear it down. Jiang Lai bravely confronted the demolition crew, standing in front of the machinery and daring them to drive over her.
She questioned why the resort project was being demolished so suddenly and asked if Zhou Yu was still in charge, only to be told by the crew that he had likely already resigned. The crew leader stated that Vice President Sun was in charge and they were simply following the contract. Jiang Lai's Aunt, Jiang Yuqin, intervened, stopping Jiang Lai from further confrontation.
Vice President Sun, seeing the resistance, ordered her crew to retreat, remarking that Jiang Lai had been lucky this time. Meanwhile, Zhou Yu, after losing the bet, had made a final request to the chairman as his son before resigning. Vice President Sun, after being dismissed by the Chairman who seemed aware of her manipulation, was told by the Chairman that he had "another plan" for the resort.
The HR department was instructed by the chairman's assistant to halt Zhou Yu's resignation process due to complicated procedures, and the chairman also ordered an investigation into Snapdragon Farm. Zhou Yu's colleagues discussed his resignation, some hoping he would return, believing he was too capable to be truly gone. After the chaotic events, Jiang Lai searched frantically for Zhou Yu, as he had been missing all day. She found him sitting by the riverside, seemingly dejected.
He thanked her for finding him and explained his phone was muted. Jiang Lai worried about Zhou Yu, noting his uncharacteristic actions like preparing her breakfast and cleaning the cat's litter box. Chen Jun tried to reassure her by recounting Zhou Yu's past resilience in Africa, where he reportedly visited a cannibal tribe after a major project loss. This only deepened Jiang Lai's concern, making her wonder what he might do now that he was unemployed.
Determined to help him, Jiang Lai began a relentless campaign to cheer him up, waking him with motivational speeches and encouraging him to exercise. She emphasized the power of nature and the normalcy of life's ups and downs, even demonstrating how simple activities and healthy habits could boost dopamine and serotonin for happiness. Zhou Yu, amused, asked if his happiness was truly that important to her, to which she playfully replied, "For now."
He then light-heartedly proposed she be his girlfriend if it would make him happy, to which she deflected, attributing his racing heart to his physical activity. Later, while Jiang Lai was baking a cake, hoping that sweets would also lift his spirits, Zhou Yu claimed he was checking a smoke alarm light that wasn't flashing, standing precariously on a chair. He dismissed her handmade cake, stating he had to go out.
Jiang Lai watched him leave, wondering what he was up to. It turned out Zhou Yu was covertly meeting Ma Shan. Ma Shan, relieved to see him, reported his findings: the person who returned the expensive jewelry order was the owner of a spa that operates on a membership system, and the only company member with a card there was Vice President Sun.
Zhou Yu told Ma Shan to keep this information secret and return, adding that he should get a new helmet as his current one didn't suit him. Zhou Yu then found Jiang Lai and surprised her by taking her to the farm, specifically to her "secret base"—a treehouse. Jiang Lai revealed it was a place she visited whenever she was sad.
She shared a poignant childhood memory about her family's debts, her father's absence, and how her Aunt Jiang Yuqin took her to the farm. She recalled how her father's only gift, a string of wind chimes, brought her solace as she listened to their sound while gazing at the stars and moon, slowly healing her mood. Jiang Lai assured Zhou Yu she would always be there for him, though she playfully insisted her concern was mainly for her farm's future.
When a rat appeared in the treehouse, Zhou Yu, feigning fear, jokingly asked if he could stay in her arms, which she agreed to. Their moment was interrupted by Aunt Jiang Yuqin, who was shocked to find them together, recognizing Zhou Yu as being from Zhou's Group. Jiang Lai tried to explain that Zhou Yu was no longer with the company, having resigned. Zhou Yu's car had broken down, and he asked to stay the night, offering to pay.
Aunt Jiang Yuqin, initially hostile, softened when Jiang Lai reminded her that Zhou Yu could help save the farm. She reluctantly agreed to let him stay, but strictly stipulated market prices for food and accommodation, with no discounts. She then instructed her dog, Hongbao, to keep a close eye on them to ensure they maintained their distance. Internally, Aunt Jiang Yuqin wondered if Jiang Lai's actions were solely to save the farm.
Over the next few days, Jiang Lai and Zhou Yu continued to bond. They playfully discussed blood types and zodiac signs, discovering shared interests. Jiang Lai then made Zhou Yu participate in farm work, adhering to the "no work, no food" rule. She tasked him with feeding the pigs, initially teasing him that the pigs wouldn't eat from a stranger.
However, Zhou Yu surprised her by quickly gaining the pigs' trust and happily feeding them, which made Jiang Lai laugh heartily. Zhou Yu, though exhausted, admitted farm work was far more tiring than office work. Jiang Lai also shared another childhood memory, recounting how she once cried when she realized a tree she was comparing her height to was also growing.
Finally, she revealed the emotional origin of Snapdragon Farm's name: as a bullied child, she found solace in a kind flower shop owner who gave her a snapdragon, making her feel less unwanted. Her Aunt then brought her to the farm, where she planted the flower, eventually naming the farm after it, making it their home. Zhou Yu, deeply moved, promised to help her reclaim Snapdragon Farm, stating he didn't want the girl he liked to be without a home. With new resolve, Zhou Yu spoke on the phone, confirming preparations were complete, and declared that it was time to fight back.
Episode 14 Recap
Zhou Mingde discovered that Kevin, the director of a beauty center that Sun Wei and Mrs. Wang had invested in, was the whistleblower behind the fake accounts. He confronted Sun Wei, accusing her of harming the company’s interests by reporting Huang Yonghua, which led to significant economic losses, a damaged reputation, and stalled projects. Sun Wei claimed her subordinates were responsible and that she was unaware, but Zhou Mingde questioned how her subordinates would know Huang Yonghua.
He then threatened her, suggesting she should go to jail in Huang Yonghua’s place. Desperate, Sun Wei begged for another chance, reminding Zhou Mingde of her past sacrifices and, more pointedly, of "the car accident." This instantly infuriated Zhou Mingde, who accused her of threatening him. He summarily dismissed her from company affairs, telling her to go home.
He then instructed his assistant to cancel his next appointment, stating he would go somewhere alone and did not wish to be followed. Zhou Mingde later arrived at a vantage point overlooking the resort cluster, where he was unexpectedly joined by Zhou Yu. Zhou Mingde explained his past passion for transforming barren land into oases, connecting it to Zhou Yu's recent efforts to save the farm.
Zhou Yu revealed his vision for the land: a green ecological resort cluster, not commercial development, as a long-term strategy. Zhou Mingde mentioned that he had proposed a similar development to Zhou Yu's grandfather years ago but lacked influence within the Zhang family at the time. Zhou Yu acknowledged that as the current chairman of Zhou's Group, Zhou Mingde now had the power to pursue his ambitions.
Zhou Mingde then invited Zhou Yu and "Su Qing" to dinner at home that weekend, emphasizing the need to advance the resort project. Jiang Lai, still impersonating Su Qing, arrived with Zhou Yu for dinner at Zhou Mingde's home. They were greeted by Zhou Mingde's sister, who expressed her delight and introduced her playful son, Chengzhen, to Jiang Lai. During dinner, Zhou Mingde's sister recalled Zhou Yu's childhood fondness for Kung Pao chicken, which she had specially prepared.
Chengzhen later caused a disruption with a toy cockroach, leading to his mother sending him away with Aunt Liu. Zhou Mingde then inquired about Zhou Yu and "Su Qing"'s marriage plans. Jiang Lai and Zhou Yu stated they were taking their time and had their own pace, but Zhou Mingde pressed for an early wedding so he could hand over the company to Zhou Yu. Jiang Lai, caught off guard, asserted that such a decision required her father's input.
Zhou Mingde mentioned he had tried to call her father earlier and expected him to call back. Just as he finished speaking, Zhou Yu received an urgent call informing him that his grandfather had suffered an accident. Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai immediately left for the hospital. At the hospital, Dr. Chen reported that Zhou Yu's grandfather had fallen but was past the critical stage, though he cautioned them to be prepared given the grandfather's advanced age.
When the grandfather woke up, he was relieved to see Zhou Yu and expressed that his only remaining concern was Zhou Yu's well-being. Jiang Lai introduced herself as Su Qing, Zhou Yu's girlfriend. The grandfather lamented that he might not live to see their wedding. To comfort him, Jiang Lai promptly announced that she and Zhou Yu were planning to get married soon. The grandfather was overjoyed, promising to wait for their wedding celebration.
Later, Zhou Mingde called Zhou Yu, insisting that Sun Wei would handle a grand wedding for Zhou Yu and Su Qing. However, Zhou Yu stated they preferred a simple wedding to fulfill his grandfather’s wish. Zhou Mingde insisted on a grand Zhou family wedding, mentioning Su Qing's parents would also be attending. Jiang Lai (as Su Qing) maintained that she needed to personally discuss the marriage with her parents, to which Zhou Mingde agreed.
Meanwhile, Jiang Lai's father, Jiang Yushu, unexpectedly arrived at the farm. Jiang Lai's aunt, Yuqin, was furious, harshly questioning his intentions and dismissing the fruits he brought as worthless. She accused him of squandering rent money and perpetually seeking "big business" ventures, reminding him of his past failed "old flavor cake" business and his general irresponsibility. Jiang Yushu claimed he only returned because he missed Jiang Lai and blamed his divorce for his absence, which further angered Yuqin.
While Jiang Lai was on the phone with Zhou Yu, her father, Jiang Yushu, overheard her mention of him and her wedding plans. He later approached Jiang Lai, directly asking if she was getting married. Jiang Lai dismissed him, saying it was none of his business. Jiang Yushu then presented her with a series of long-overdue birthday gifts: a teddy bear for her fifth birthday, a princess crystal ball for her sixth, and a white dress for her twenty-fifth birthday.
He expressed deep regret for his past neglect and hoped she would find someone to love and protect her unconditionally. Jiang Lai, however, rejected the gifts, stating that some things, once missed, lost their meaning. Jiang Yushu then feigned financial distress, showing her rotten peaches and complaining about supporting his child's education, hinting at the farm’s struggles. Jiang Lai retorted that she and her aunt had been the ones to eat those rotten peaches in the past.
He attempted to justify his past actions by claiming he was earning money for her dowry so she wouldn't be looked down upon. He then expressed sorrow at not being the first to know about her wedding and pleaded for one last chance, implying his declining health and his wish to see his daughter married. Jiang Lai, softening slightly, agreed to inform him when the wedding date was set.
Later, at the bridal shop, Sun Wei deliberately made Jiang Lai try on numerous wedding dresses, criticizing each one. To subtly get rid of Sun Wei, Jiang Lai "accidentally" spilled coffee on her, prompting Sun Wei to leave to clean up. Exhausted, Jiang Lai expressed her exasperation with the wedding process. Just then, Li Tingjiang entered the fitting room, asking for assistance with the buttons on his shirt.
Jiang Lai was startled to see him, and he confronted her, stating that she was not Su Qing and was making a mistake. As he grabbed her, her hair got caught, and at that moment, Zhou Yu arrived with the matching wedding veil, having been informed by the consultant that "Miss Su" was inside. To avoid being discovered with Li Tingjiang, Jiang Lai quickly faked a fall. Zhou Yu rushed to her side, concerned.
When Sun Wei returned, she tried to leave, but Zhou Yu asserted that if she was too busy, he and "Su Qing" would handle the wedding details themselves, despite her protests about Zhou Mingde's instructions. Zhou Yu assured her he would manage his father. Zhou Yu then gently placed the wedding veil on Jiang Lai, telling her she looked "especially beautiful." While Jiang Lai was trying on dresses, Jiang Yushu called her, but her phone was in her bag.
He then entered the bridal shop and, recognizing Zhou Yu, greeted him. He expressed how beautiful Jiang Lai looked in the wedding dress and asked Zhou Yu to take a photo of them together, reiterating his regret for not being present in her life and hoping she found happiness. Jiang Lai, tired of his theatrics, urged him to just take the photo. Shortly after, Li Tingjiang also arrived at the bridal shop, inquiring about Jiang Lai.
He was informed that "Miss Su" had booked the entire place, specifically "Su Qing." Realizing the deception, Jiang Yushu commented, "You're indeed my good daughter," confirming his intention to exploit Jiang Lai's impersonation of Su Qing.
Episode 15 Recap
Jiang Lai's father, driven by financial ambitions, mortgaged his farm in an attempt to secure a twenty percent share in a plant-based meat investment. He promised to deliver one million within a week, confident that he was finally on the path to making a fortune. Meanwhile, Zhou Mingde summoned Zhou Yu to discuss a crucial task. He wanted Zhou Yu to win back Zhang's Restaurant, a long-term partner of Dream City that had suddenly decided not to renew its lease.
Zhou Mingde emphasized that this was Zhou Yu's opportunity to return to Zhou's Group, considering Dream City just a stepping stone to the resort. Zhou Yu assured his father that he, like Zhou Mingde, always prioritized the group's interests. Later, a woman, seemingly Zhou Mingde's wife, discussed Zhou Yu's potential return to the group with someone on the phone, expressing her desire to ensure his path wasn't too smooth.
Lacking any visual information about Zhang Ming, the elusive owner of Zhang's Restaurant, Zhou Yu sought out Jiang Lai for her unique ability to discern people in disguise. He found her helping her father at the farm, where her father mistakenly believed they were discussing marriage. Zhou Yu invited Jiang Lai to dinner, revealing his need for her help to secure the lease renewal, which would allow him to return to the company.
He explained that Zhang Ming, who was solely dedicated to culinary research, avoided public appearances but would disguisedly inspect his various branches monthly. Jiang Lai, confident in her skills, agreed to help.
They staked out a seafood restaurant, and Jiang Lai successfully identified Zhang Ming by observing his subtle behaviors, such as his carefully trimmed fingernails, suitable for both cooking and a specific finger-picking guitar-playing style, and his habit of testing the waitstaff, contrasted with his indifference to his "musical instrument" props. During their discussion, Zhang Ming stated he couldn't personally decide on the renewal, explaining that the restaurant was facing severe losses because seafood inexplicably died overnight in the tanks.
He mentioned that despite multiple checks on water quality, oxygen generators, and surveillance footage, the issue persisted, making it seem as if the place was haunted. Zhou Yu proposed that if he and Jiang Lai could "catch the ghost," Zhang Ming should reconsider the renewal. Zhang Ming, intrigued, agreed. That night, Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai stayed at the restaurant. They caught the culprit, who turned out to be the owner of the neighboring barbecue restaurant.
He admitted to secretly cutting the power to the seafood tanks via a kitchen window as an act of revenge after a previous conflict with Zhang Ming. After resolving the "ghost" problem, Zhang Ming revealed that the ultimate decision regarding the lease renewal rested with his sister, Zhang Yan. He promised to arrange a meeting and share an insider secret that would help them. Zhang Yan, however, chose a club as the meeting venue.
Zhou Yu went there accompanied by his assistant, Chen Jun. Before leaving, Jiang Lai spotted them and wanted to join, but Zhou Yu sent her away, saying the meeting would be boring and she should rest, making Jiang Lai suspicious. At the club, Zhang Yan was overly flirtatious with both Zhou Yu and Chen Jun, insisting on drinking and arranging for other girls to entertain them.
In a chaotic turn, Chen Yiyi burst into the private room, visibly angry at Zhou Yu's presence in such a place. Zhou Yu, thinking quickly, introduced Chen Yiyi as his fiancée, diffusing the awkward situation and causing Zhang Yan to dismiss the other girls.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Yu also proposed a second collaboration, suggesting that Zhou's Group could provide a spokesperson for Zhang's company's new clothing line, leveraging their raw material suppliers and entertainment company, much like Zhang Yan's ex-husband's company found success by choosing the right artist. As Chen Yiyi re-entered the room after a brief bathroom break, her forceful demeanor inadvertently impressed Zhang Yan.
Simultaneously, in the hallway, Jiang Lai intervened when Chen Yiyi was harassed by a man who mistook her for someone else. After the incident, Zhang Yan, impressed by Chen Yiyi's strong personality, declared that Chen Yiyi was the perfect fit for her brand's spokesperson. Having successfully secured both the restaurant lease renewal and the spokesperson deal, Zhou Yu's return to the workplace was marked by a promotion to Vice President, and a mysterious plan he held within was reactivated.
Episode 16 Recap
Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai went to visit her grandpa. Upon arriving at the hospital, they found him missing. Jiang Lai, worried, asked the nurse to help locate him. They soon found grandpa playing with a child named Yi Yi. Grandpa, suffering from Alzheimer's disease, was confused, repeatedly calling the child "Ranran" and expressing a desire to go home to his grandma. Jiang Lai was startled and tried to intervene, still believing the child was "Ranran."
After the child and his guardian left, Zhou Yu comforted Jiang Lai, explaining that grandpa's memory was affected by his illness. Jiang Lai then asked who "Ranran" was, and Zhou Yu revealed that Zhang Ran was Jiang Lai's uncle's son, who had tragically died in a car accident the day before returning home from abroad. Grandpa had fallen ill after Zhang Ran's death, clearly missing him greatly.
Jiang Lai reflected on the profound grief, wondering if painful clarity or confused escape was more bearable, to which Zhou Yu replied both were painful. Grandpa's confused cries for "Ranran" were heard again. Meanwhile, Li Zhuo, president of Zhuokang Instant Meat Company, visited Zhou Yu to pitch his "New World Plant-Based Meat" project. Zhou Yu initially rejected the proposal.
However, Li Zhuo then produced the property ownership certificate for Snapdragon Farm, revealing that Jiang Lai’s father had mortgaged it to him. Li Zhuo used this as leverage, implying he could "help" with its development if Zhou Yu cooperated. Under this subtle threat, Zhou Yu reluctantly agreed to consider the project, stating his assistant would contact Li Zhuo.
Concerned, Zhou Yu discussed the situation with his assistant, emphasizing that Snapdragon Farm was paramount to Jiang Lai and that she would be devastated to learn her father had mortgaged it to such a person. He instructed his assistant to investigate Zhuokang Instant Meat Company and then arranged a meeting with Jiang Lai's father.
Later, Jiang Lai’s aunt received a call about a farm vehicle blocking the road, and Jiang Lai called her father, who claimed to be moving goods but quickly hung up when Zhou Yu's voice was heard in the background. Jiang Lai and her aunt went to find her father and Zhou Yu. Her father admitted that due to significant investment losses, he had mortgaged the farm temporarily to repay his debts, fearing the creditors would target Jiang Lai.
When Jiang Lai arrived and overheard some of the conversation, Zhou Yu quickly improvised, stating they were discussing wedding plans to surprise her. Jiang Lai's father, delighted, urged Zhou Yu to put thought into it, but Jiang Lai was irritated, questioning Zhou Yu's words. Zhou Yu, however, genuinely declared his intention to marry only her, assuring her he would handle any issues with Su Qing. While Jiang Lai's father was briefly absent, Zhou Yu resumed the conversation.
He recognized that Jiang Lai’s father’s plan to repay the debt over ten years was too long and risky, especially given that Jiang Lai would eventually find out. He offered to cover the one-million-yuan debt as a loan, with no expectation of repayment, on the sole condition that Jiang Lai's father transfer the ownership of Snapdragon Farm to Jiang Lai once it was recovered. Jiang Lai's father, however, was reluctant, expressing a desire to find another solution.
Jiang Lai's father, having attempted to retrieve the farm's property certificate, returned home bruised and battered, admitting he had initiated a confrontation and was at fault for owing the money. He vowed to work multiple jobs and manage the farm diligently to repay the one million yuan debt. Jiang Lai was deeply troubled by her father's predicament. She tried to raise funds from various sources, but it was still far from enough.
She stubbornly refused to seek help from Zhou Yu, explaining to her friend that she wouldn't ask him precisely because he "would" genuinely help, but she believed their current contractual relationship as "fake Su Qing" and "real Zhou Yu" was temporary, and she didn't want to complicate matters further.
Despite her developing feelings for Zhou Yu, her past experiences with "scumbags," and even Li Tingjiang's perceived casualness in love, made her wary of Zhou Yu's sincerity, fearing his feelings might be fleeting. Her friend encouraged her to give herself a chance, reminding her that she deserved love. Li Tingjiang, having learned from Xia that Jiang Lai borrowed 50,000 yuan from her, sought out Jiang Lai, noticing a burn on her hand and offering assistance.
Jiang Lai denied any difficulties, fabricating a story about needing to buy an expensive item and her money being tied up in a fixed deposit. Li Tingjiang pressed her, asking how much she needed and offering to give her the money, advising her not to borrow from others. Jiang Lai declined, stating she had sufficient funds, and thanked him. Li Tingjiang reiterated his willingness to help, reminding her of their shared college background.
Still in need of quick money, Jiang Lai agreed with her friend to return to their former profession of "scumbag testing." They accepted a risky case targeting Gong Fan, an eccentric, pet-loving, and antisocial individual residing in the same complex as Zhou Yu. Gong Fan had a strict routine of walking his dog, "Guaiguai," at 5:30 PM daily. Jiang Lai's initial attempts to engage him by feigning a connection to his past pet failed when Gong Fan grew suspicious.
Later, applying advice she ironically received from Zhou Yu about "catering to preferences and delving deeper" to disarm a difficult person, Jiang Lai baked pet-edible cakes and brought her cat to the park to successfully make contact with Gong Fan and obtain his contact information. Meanwhile, Zhou Yu noticed Jiang Lai's uncharacteristic punctuality in leaving the office precisely at 5 PM every day. His assistant also commented on her rushing off, wondering who she was so eager to meet.
Realizing that the fifteen-minute commute home would align with Gong Fan's dog-walking schedule, Zhou Yu grew suspicious that Jiang Lai might be hiding something from him and decided to go home to investigate. His assistant, mistaking Zhou Yu's urgency, offered support, which Zhou Yu politely declined while also criticizing his assistant's fashion choices.
Episode 17 Recap
Jiang Lai was attempting to charm a man as part of her old profession to pay off her father’s debts when Zhou Yu caught her. She met a man, Gong Fan, who was selling handmade juice. Zhou Yu appeared, and Jiang Lai introduced Gong Fan as Mimi's vet, and Gong Fan played along, claiming Mimi was depressed and needed sun.
Zhou Yu then confronted Jiang Lai, questioning her story about dealing with a difficult person at work and accusing her of tricking men. He revealed he knew about her using watermelon juice with laxatives and asked if she was still punishing "jerks" with Qi Wei's help, wondering if he wasn't paying her enough. Jiang Lai, realizing he knew, asked him to leave.
Gong Fan offered Jiang Lai his juice, but Zhou Yu quickly intervened, stating Jiang Lai was allergic to kiwi and should drink watermelon juice. Feeling unwell, Gong Fan soon departed. Zhou Yu tried to apologize to Jiang Lai and comfort her, but she walked away, upset. Jiang Lai asserted she hadn't done anything wrong, adding that love shouldn't be tested by lies.
Zhou Yu then directly asked if she was engaging in these activities to pay her father’s debts and questioned how much money she could earn to cover such a large deficit. Jiang Lai insisted it was her own business. Zhou Yu warned her that her father might be exploiting her, to which Jiang Lai countered that Zhou Yu was also using her, reminding him of their "contract that represents lies."
She pointed out that while she and her father at least shared a blood connection, without the lies, she and Zhou Yu had nothing. This argument created a significant distance between them. The next day, Gong Fan visited to thank Jiang Lai, but she was not present, so he spoke with Zhou Yu. Gong Fan revealed that he had learned the previous night that Jiang Lai had approached him to steal his dog, Guaiguai, for his girlfriend.
He thanked Jiang Lai for helping him realize that he cared more about his girlfriend than the dog. Later, Zhou Yu's assistant, Chen Jun, clarified that the client's real motive was to use the dog as an excuse to get Gong Fan to see her.
Chen Jun also explained that the argument between Jiang Lai and Zhou Yu made Gong Fan realize his true feelings for his ex-girlfriend, and that Gong Fan had initially been drawn to Jiang Lai because she resembled his ex when they first met. Meanwhile, Chen Jun informed Zhou Yu that Jiang Lai had borrowed money from Xia, indicating her financial situation was more serious than she let on, leading Zhou Yu to suspect something was amiss with the farm.
Jiang Lai's father, Jiang Yushu, encountered Li Tingjiang at the farm and, using Jiang Lai's name, presented his vegan meat project. Li Tingjiang, sensing a problem, arranged a private meeting with Jiang Lai to understand the situation directly. Separately, Chen Jun reported to Zhou Yu about Li Zhuo's "Zhuo Kang vegan meat company," noting it was a newly registered company with extensive, misleading advertising designed to lure naive investors.
Zhou Yu tasked Chen Jun with infiltrating the company to gather solid evidence, emphasizing that Jiang Lai should not be informed. Chen Jun, disguised as a delivery driver, managed to enter the company premises, which he quickly realized was merely a small workshop. He cleverly orchestrated an accident with delivery boxes and, while pretending to confirm details via phone, used the opportunity to observe the workshop's operations and raw materials, leading him to suspect fraudulent activities.
Chen Jun also tried to inquire about the tension between Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai, as well as between Jiang Lai and Li Tingjiang, but Zhou Yu sternly dismissed his questions, telling him to focus on the task. At home, Jiang Lai confronted her father, Jiang Yushu. She told him that Zhou Yu knew he had mortgaged the Jinyucao Farm and intended to buy back its ownership.
Jiang Yushu vehemently opposed this, claiming it was his debt to repay and that Zhou Yu's intervention would diminish Jiang Lai's standing in the Zhou family after marriage. However, his true thoughts were revealed: he feared losing his investment if Zhou Yu bought the farm back. Jiang Lai, seeing through his excuses, directly accused him of prioritizing his scheme with Li Zhuo over her welfare.
She reminded him how she had fought with Zhou Yu because of him, only to find he had been lying for money all along. Jiang Yushu attempted to embrace her, but Jiang Lai recoiled, calling him "disgusting" and a "complete loser" who failed as a husband, father, and even at being himself. As Jiang Yushu lunged at her, Zhou Yu arrived and intervened.
Zhou Yu then revealed that Li Zhuo's company had been shut down and Li Zhuo himself arrested for fraud. Due to Jiang Yushu's failure to honor his agreement, Li Zhuo had transferred the farm's ownership to Zhou Yu. Jiang Yushu was shocked and refused to believe it, frantically trying to call Li Zhuo, whose phone was off.
As Jiang Yushu spiraled into a tantrum, Zhou Yu presented Jiang Lai with a transfer agreement for the Jinyucao Farm, urging her to sign it to secure its ownership. Jiang Yushu tried to stop her, but Zhou Yu firmly declared that he would never allow Jiang Yushu to harm Jiang Lai again and he would keep his word. After witnessing her father's deceit and the unraveling of his schemes, Jiang Lai was heartbroken.
She confided in Zhou Yu, expressing her anguish over her father's lifelong pattern of lying and neglect, recounting how he always treated "father" as a mere title, never caring for her after her mother’s passing. She spoke of false promises to take her to a better life, only to realize he was selfishly deceiving her even then. Zhou Yu tenderly comforted her, promising he would not let her father hurt her again.
He vowed never to abandon her and to always stay by her side, no matter what challenges arose, asserting that it was not just his desire but his firm commitment. With this heartfelt exchange, their relationship solidified. Later, Sun Wei reminded Zhou Mingde about Zhou Yu's upcoming wedding to Su Qing. She inquired about Su Qing's parents' requirements, implying that Zhou Mingde should take action as the head of the family.
Zhou Mingde realized he had been unable to reach Mr. Su recently and needed to finalize the wedding plans. He decided to call Mr. Su again, noting the time difference. When he finally connected with Mr. Su, he commented on Zhou Yu and Su Qing's seemingly good relationship, suggesting they proceed with the wedding arrangements. Mr. Su's surprised response, "What? Has Qing gone back?" left Zhou Mingde stunned.
Episode 18 Recap
Zhou Mingde placed a call to Mr. Su, the real Su Qing’s father, suggesting it was time to put Zhou Yu and "Su Qing’s" wedding on the agenda, noting how well the two had been getting along. Mr. Su was surprised by the call, stating that his daughter Qing was still abroad and would only return the next day.
This directly contradicted Zhou Mingde’s observation that "Qing" had been with him just yesterday, instantly sparking his suspicion that the woman he knew was impersonating Su Qing. This revelation prompted him to privately investigate Snapdragon Farm. After the call, Zhou Mingde inquired about Mr. Su’s reaction, to which he was told Mr. Su was very angry.
Later, Jiang Lai, still posing as Su Qing, seemingly unaware of Zhou Mingde’s burgeoning suspicion, discussed her father’s health, mentioning his dizziness that worsened with seasonal changes. She also casually probed about Zhou Mingde’s plans for a resort in Lingxi Village, inadvertently providing a crucial clue. Zhou Mingde connected the dots, realizing that the "Su Qing" he knew was indeed a fake.
He inwardly fumed, believing that without the Su family’s investment, he would no longer have reason to favor his son. Meanwhile, a mysterious man named Song Biao reappeared, confronting Sun Wei in her car. He demanded money, citing a past car crash he orchestrated for her. Sun Wei firmly refused, reminding him that she had already paid him and their cooperation was over. Song Biao threatened to expose her if she didn't comply, implying a cornered dog could bite.
Sun Wei, undeterred, threatened to expose Song Biao and the Zhou family's illicit dealings if he continued to provoke her, stating they would "die together" if necessary. Song Biao, after warning her to "wait and see," left. Amidst these escalating tensions, Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai enjoyed a moment of peace, making pottery together. Zhou Yu playfully teased Jiang Lai for being more focused on her craft than on him.
He then made a ceramic snapdragon, a flower Jiang Lai cherished, promising her that the pottery flower, unlike real ones, would never wither and would always remain with her. Later, Jiang Lai confided in Zhou Yu, expressing her desire to quit her job, as she no longer wanted to continue her deception as Su Qing. She emphasized her commitment to honesty in their relationship. Zhou Yu reassured her, praising her work capabilities and promising to resolve the situation.
He informed her that he had already sent an email to the real Su Qing, initiating the process of breaking off their engagement, no matter the cost, so that Jiang Lai could regain her true identity. Jiang Lai, however, worried about the company's reaction when her true identity was revealed. Zhou Yu promised to handle everything, asking her to always trust him and never hide any difficulties, assuring her he would always be by her side.
As Song Biao's attempts to extort money from Sun Wei proved fruitless, he decided to target "Su Qing," believing that threatening her would be the most effective way to pressure Sun Wei and the Zhou family, who highly valued the alliance with the Su family. His men located "Su Qing" (who was actually the real Su Qing) shopping with her friend Chen Yiyi.
The real Su Qing and Yiyi were picking out clothes, with Su Qing kindly offering Yiyi a dress that suited her. Song Biao's men observed them, waiting for the opportune moment when "Su Qing" was alone. By a strange coincidence, they mistakenly kidnapped the real Su Qing, believing her to be Jiang Lai. Unaware of the mix-up, Sun Wei, after receiving news of "Su Qing's" kidnapping, frantically contacted Li Tingjiang for help.
She revealed that Zhou Yu's fiancée was a fake and was now abducted, showing him photo evidence. Li Tingjiang was appalled by the boldness of the kidnappers, who Sun Wei claimed were solely after money, leveraging past "business dealings" with the Zhou family.
Sun Wei vehemently refused to inform Zhou Mingde or call the police, explaining that the kidnappers were involved in illegal activities tied to the Zhou family, and exposing them would implicate Zhou Mingde, giving him leverage over her. Panicked, she even suggested paying the ransom or fleeing the country with Li Tingjiang, threatening to expose Zhou Mingde if she was forced to go down.
Li Tingjiang calmed her, assuring her that as long as money was the motive, there was still time. He promised to handle the situation if she gave him all the information without any lies. Internally, Li Tingjiang realized he couldn't directly tell Zhou Yu the news he received from Sun Wei, but he knew Jiang Lai (whom he thought was kidnapped) was in grave danger. He decided to send Zhou Yu an anonymous email about the kidnapping.
Upon receiving the anonymous tip, Zhou Yu, desperate to save Jiang Lai, tried repeatedly to contact her, but her phone was unreachable. He then called Chen Jun, asking about Chen Yiyi's whereabouts, as Jiang Lai had been with her last. Chen Jun tried to contact Yiyi but failed, assuming she was just engrossed in shopping. Zhou Yu then rushed to Yiyi's favorite clothing store.
There, a sales associate recognized Yiyi and another girl who "looked like a star" (the real Su Qing), pointing Zhou Yu in the direction they had left. Still believing it was Jiang Lai, Zhou Yu frantically searched for her. Meanwhile, the real Su Qing was tied up, desperately asking her captors who they were and why she was kidnapped. Song Biao's men silenced her and were about to have dinner when the lights suddenly went out.
Sensing danger, Song Biao ordered his men to arm themselves. Zhou Yu intervened, fighting off the kidnappers and successfully rescuing the girl. However, upon seeing her face, he realized, "You're not Jiang Lai." The rescued girl, confused, asked, "Who is Jiang Lai?" Zhou Yu handed her over to his security personnel, ensuring her well-being. Soon after, Jiang Lai called Zhou Yu, explaining she had fallen asleep during an ear-cleaning session with Yiyi.
Zhou Yu, relieved she was safe, told her he had received an anonymous email claiming she was kidnapped. Jiang Lai apologized for the lapse in communication and mentioned she had missed calls from Zhou Yu, Li Tingjiang, and Chen Jun. She clarified that Li Tingjiang had only called her back to request a file, confirming that Li Tingjiang had indeed anonymously alerted Zhou Yu, without revealing his source or the true identity of the kidnapped individual.
Later, at Zhou Group, Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai walked hand-in-hand, displaying their affection publicly, which sparked office gossip about their high-profile romance. As they entered the Vice President's office, Zhou Mingde confronted them, revealing his knowledge of Jiang Lai's true identity, demanding whether he should call her Su Qing or Jiang Lai. He accused Zhou Yu of repeatedly postponing his wedding for Jiang Lai and of colluding with her to deceive him for the resort development rights.
Jiang Lai tried to intervene, but Zhou Mingde silenced her. Zhou Yu defended Jiang Lai, declaring his love for her regardless of her name. Jiang Lai admitted to the deception but asserted that she had not harmed the Zhou family's interests. Enraged, Zhou Mingde stripped Zhou Yu of the resort project, assigning it to Sun Wei.
However, Zhou Yu countered, revealing that Mr. Gu of Jujiang Capital had already agreed to a significant investment in the resort and, importantly, only recognized him as the project's sole person in charge. At this tense moment, the real Su Qing walked into the office, introducing herself to a stunned Zhou Mingde: "Hello, I'm Su Qing." She then acknowledged Zhou Yu, stating, "We meet again," leaving everyone in shock at her unexpected appearance.
Episode 19 Recap
Su Qing arrived at the Zhou family residence, where Mrs. Zhou warmly welcomed her. Su Qing confidently told Mrs. Zhou that she would marry Zhou Yu, suggesting they could take new family photos then. Afterwards, Zhou Mingde spoke with Su Qing privately. He acknowledged his son Zhou Yu's past actions, specifically mentioning the "fake Su Qing" incident. Su Qing dismissed it as inconsequential, reaffirming that she was the one engaged to Zhou Yu and that she loved him.
Pleased, Zhou Mingde praised her, lamenting that he had only sons, and then presented her with a letter of appointment for a position within the company. Meanwhile, Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai were by a serene lake. Jiang Lai shared that while the peaceful environment brought her a sense of relief, she still felt burdened by the lingering effects of the lies she had told. Zhou Yu reassured her, promising to face all consequences by her side.
Jiang Lai then explained her work as a "scumbag tester," revealing it stemmed from a painful experience a college roommate had with a deceitful first love, who exploited her for scholarship money and online loans. She argued that sometimes, lies are a necessary means to expose the truth and make dishonest individuals pay. Zhou Yu playfully suggested they become a "scumbag testing couple," leading to a tender moment where they shared a deep kiss, finally acknowledging their mutual feelings.
Back at the company, Jiang Lai formally introduced herself to her colleagues, having shed her "Su Qing" identity. Her coworkers, supportive of her, welcomed her with hugs. The company was in the process of selecting an architect for the resort project. An architect named Mr. Chen presented his proposal, but Zhou Yu rejected it, stating his preference for a green eco-community over a superficial landmark.
Soon after, Su Qing's impressive resume arrived, highlighting her architecture degree from Cambridge University and numerous international design awards. This sparked office chatter, with colleagues noting how extraordinary her credentials were. Office colleagues, surprised by Su Qing's application, speculated that she might be too young for the project. When Zhou Yu met with Su Qing, he questioned her motivation for joining Zhou's Group, given her accomplishments.
She playfully said she wanted to help him, then seriously expressed her belief that she was the perfect candidate for the Dream City Resort's eco-community vision. Su Qing later revealed to Zhou Yu that his father had offered her the position directly with a letter of appointment the previous day. However, she chose to apply through official channels, explaining that a person with her qualifications wouldn't relinquish control. Zhou Yu was impressed by her decision.
Su Qing requested to begin immediately and asked to have Jiang Lai as her assistant for the initial on-site surveys, citing Jiang Lai's familiarity with the city. Jiang Lai, despite feeling nervous due to her past unusual interactions with Su Qing and her own less extensive experience, accepted the offer, acknowledging her need for the opportunity.
Su Qing clarified her choice, emphasizing Jiang Lai's observational skills and deep knowledge of the city's geography and culture, which she had demonstrated earlier by correctly identifying local restaurant sources, road conditions, and mall news during a staff lunch discussion. They agreed to be "temporary partners" united by mutual benefit. Later, while on a field trip exploring the resort's surroundings, Su Qing and Jiang Lai climbed a mountain.
Su Qing struggled in her high heels, but Jiang Lai cautioned her to go according to her ability. From the peak, Jiang Lai pointed out landmarks like her peach garden, the site for Zhou Yu's planned treehouse hotel, and her aunt's Snapdragon Farm. Su Qing then directly confronted Jiang Lai about her relationship with Zhou Yu, asking if it was solely due to the resort project.
Jiang Lai admitted their relationship started through the project but had since deepened through shared experiences. Su Qing confessed her own feelings for Zhou Yu and declared her intention to compete fairly for him, acknowledging his love for Jiang Lai but wanting to pursue her feelings without regret. As they descended, Su Qing sprained her ankle. Jiang Lai's phone was dead, and Su Qing's was missing.
Jiang Lai went down the mountain to seek help, but Zhou Yu arrived and rescued Su Qing. During the rescue, Su Qing flirted with Zhou Yu, asking about his preferences despite her injury. After bringing Su Qing to safety, Zhou Yu gently chided Jiang Lai for taking risks, expressing his worry when he couldn't find her. Meanwhile, Li Tingjiang met a man in a hotel, pressing him for information about his business dealings with Zhou Mingde and Sun Wei.
Li Tingjiang informed him that his subordinates had been arrested for over 24 hours, and the police were searching for him, urging him to cooperate quickly. Later, Zhou Mingde reviewed company performance reports and was displeased that his assistant hadn't discovered Jiang Lai's connection to Snapdragon Farm. He emphasized the importance of the resort project. Sun Wei entered, bringing him a new tie.
When Zhou Mingde commented on the tie, she casually dismissed it as a "promotional item" given by a friend. After she left, Zhou Mingde, now suspicious, instructed his assistant to investigate Sun Wei's monthly expense records. Back at the company, Li Tingjiang announced that he had been appointed by the Chairman to join the resort project team to assist with work, especially with the upcoming 40th-anniversary celebration where the resort project would be a key presentation.
Episode 20 Recap
Zhou Yu's team successfully completed their project, receiving congratulations from their colleagues. Among them, Li Tingjiang, the chairman's special assistant, thanked everyone for their hard work and offered coffee. Later, Zhou Mingde's assistant confirmed that Sun Wei had not purchased two ties of the same brand in the past six months, directly contradicting her previous claim.
Zhou Mingde instructed his assistant to monitor Sun Wei closely, especially with the company's 40th anniversary approaching, acknowledging that their previous actions had already alerted her. Chen Yiyi happily met Chen Jun after work, presenting him with a variety of gifts. Despite her attempts to apply a neck pillow and eye drops, which ended in minor mishaps, Chen Jun reassured her that she was the best girlfriend to him and that her presence was all he needed.
Their loving bond was evident. Zhou Yu received a call from his father, Zhou Mingde, regarding the resort project. Zhou Mingde informed him that a new investor was interested and scheduled a dinner for that night, instructing Zhou Yu to bring Su Qing along. Zhou Mingde then urged Zhou Yu to end his relationship with Jiang Lai, believing they came from different worlds.
Zhou Yu, however, firmly stated he would cooperate professionally with Su Qing as she was an excellent architect, but his personal life was not for his father to worry about. Zhou Mingde challenged Zhou Yu, suggesting Jiang Lai wouldn't love him if he hadn't helped her secure the farm. In return, Zhou Yu questioned if the Zhou Group would exist if his father hadn't married his mother.
Frustrated, Zhou Mingde accused his son of not being like him and needing to learn "trade-offs," vowing to see how long Zhou Yu and Jiang Lai's relationship would last. Zhou Yu left, telling his father to continue his activities. Later, Zhou Yu called Jiang Lai to inform her he would be attending a dinner with his father and would be home late, advising her to eat without him and rest if she was tired.
The dinner brought together Zhou Mingde, Zhou Yu, Su Qing, and, to everyone's surprise, Su Qing's father. They toasted to their future successful cooperation, with Su Qing's father praising Zhou Yu and Zhou Mingde lauding Su Qing's resort plan as a perfect blend of humanity and architectural aesthetics. Zhou Mingde encouraged Zhou Yu to drink on Su Qing's behalf, subtly hinting at their pairing, and later suggested that the marriage between their two families should be put on the agenda.
Meanwhile, Jiang Lai received a call from Zhou Yu's assistant, asking her to deliver a resort design plan to the chairman at the same hotel. Upon arrival, Jiang Lai saw Zhou Yu, Su Qing, and their fathers dining together, appearing as a happy family. Su Qing came out to collect the plan, and though she offered to inform Zhou Yu of Jiang Lai's presence, Jiang Lai quickly declined and left, deeply hurt by the sight.
She later met a friend for skewers, confiding that she and Zhou Yu were "from two different worlds" and might not be suitable for each other. Drowning her sorrows in alcohol, a heavily intoxicated Jiang Lai expressed a desperate desire to call Zhou Yu and ask if he truly loved her. The next morning, Jiang Lai arrived at Zhou Yu's apartment and found Su Qing there.
Su Qing explained that she had stayed to care for Zhou Yu after he drank too much the previous night, assuring Jiang Lai that she had slept on the sofa and nothing had happened between them. Jiang Lai calmly responded that it wasn't what she meant, and Su Qing departed for the office. Zhou Yu soon woke up, confused and unable to recall the events of the previous night's dinner, mentioning he thought Chen Jun had driven him home.
He told Jiang Lai that the client at the dinner was Su Qing's father and that he had been heavily pressured to drink. Jiang Lai sympathized with him, and Zhou Yu suggested they visit her grandfather the next day, but Jiang Lai proposed they meet directly at the hospital to save time. Simultaneously, Zhou Mingde confronted Sun Wei in a hotel room she had secretly booked.
Sun Wei tried to make a fabricated excuse about meeting a "Mrs. Wang" for a walk and a shower. However, Zhou Mingde revealed he had already called Mrs. Wang, who was in Singapore. Caught in her lie, Sun Wei tearfully apologized, claiming she was just tired and wanted a break. Unconvinced, Zhou Mingde pressed her to reveal who she was meeting. When she refused, he announced he would wait with her to see who would show up.
Shortly after, a hotel staff member delivered room service to Sun Wei, exposing her secret rendezvous. Enraged, Zhou Mingde declared the matter far from over and confined Sun Wei to the house until she confessed the truth. At the same time, Li Tingjiang was with Song Biao in a hotel room. Song Biao revealed a shocking truth: Sun Wei had asked him to plan a car accident years ago.
When Li Tingjiang expressed confusion, thinking Zhou Yu would be Sun Wei's biggest threat, Song Biao clarified that the true mastermind was Zhou Mingde. He explained that Zhou Mingde had discovered Zhang Guodong's private will to leave the group to Zhang Ran and sought to eliminate Zhang Ran before his return to China. Song Biao further disclosed that Zhang Ran was not the only person in the car during that fatal accident.
Later, Zhou Yu awoke from a nightmare, sweating, and Jiang Lai comforted him. He again mentioned an upcoming client meeting before visiting her grandfather, but Jiang Lai suggested they meet directly at the hospital. At the office, Li Tingjiang, though on leave, asked about Jiang Lai, learning she had taken leave with Zhou Yu. He then encountered Jiang Lai as she was leaving and warned her to be careful of Zhou Yu.
Li Tingjiang suggested that Zhou Yu's return to China was not as simple as it seemed and that he might be seeking revenge for his cousin, Zhang Ran. Jiang Lai responded with a surprised "Zhang Ran?"
Episode 21 Recap
Li Tingjiang warns Jiang Lai to "watch out for Zhou Yu," explaining that Zhou Yu's return to the country is not simple, as he likely came back to avenge his deceased cousin, Zhang Ran, who tragically died in a car accident the day before he was supposed to return. Jiang Lai, upset by these accusations against her boyfriend, dismisses his concerns, stating that Zhou Yu is her boyfriend and Li Tingjiang shouldn't speak ill of him.
Li Tingjiang, however, vows to find evidence, but then suddenly collapses, and Jiang Lai rushes him to the hospital. At the hospital, Zhou Yu visits his grandpa, who is receiving visitors. Su Qing arrives, expressing regret for not visiting sooner and reminding Zhou Yu that their marriage was arranged by his grandpa. Zhou Yu advises her to humor his grandpa, who occasionally has difficulty recognizing people due to his emotional state.
His grandpa initially struggles to recall Su Qing, then welcomes her and encourages her and Zhou Yu to visit him often, explicitly telling Zhou Yu to treat her well. Shortly after, Zhou Mingde appears, pressuring Zhou Yu and Su Qing to advance their marriage plans, echoing the sentiment that Zhou Yu should treat Su Qing well.
Jiang Lai, standing outside the room, overhears these conversations and witnesses the seemingly harmonious family scene, her emotions a painful mix of bitterness and disappointment. Despite feeling the widening gap between herself and Zhou Yu, Jiang Lai, after a moment of frustrated reflection, gathers her courage. She walks into the hospital room, apologizes for intruding, and then boldly asks Zhou Yu to marry her, presenting him with a makeshift flower ring.
Zhou Yu, however, remains silent, burdened by secrets that make him fear implicating Jiang Lai. Interpreting his hesitation as a rejection, Jiang Lai forces a laugh, claims she was only joking, gives the flower ring to his grandpa, and leaves feeling utterly defeated. This encounter marks the beginning of a cold war between them. Unwilling to let their relationship stagnate, Zhou Yu attempts to reconcile with Jiang Lai.
His assistant, Chen Jun, notices Zhou Yu's despondency and tries to help, offering advice on how to approach Jiang Lai and even arranging a lunch meeting. However, Chen Yiyi unexpectedly intervenes, pulling Jiang Lai away before they can talk, claiming she suddenly wants noodles. Later, Zhou Yu manages to confront Jiang Lai, apologizing for his hesitation during her proposal.
He explains that his delay wasn't due to a lack of desire to marry her, but because he has complicated matters to resolve and feared involving her. Jiang Lai, however, tells him it's fine and that it "has nothing to do with her," expressing her feelings of being "out of place" and from "different worlds," especially after Su Qing's reappearance. Zhou Yu reaffirms his feelings, insisting his heart only has room for her.
Still emotionally distant, Jiang Lai asks for more time to reconsider their relationship. Zhou Mingde confronts Li Tingjiang in the hospital, accusing him of an affair with Sun Wei and presenting hotel check-in records as proof. Li Tingjiang, after initially denying it, concedes he has no explanation, at which point Zhou Mingde threatens to make him and Sun Wei "disappear." In retaliation, Li Tingjiang reveals that he has Song Biao in his custody.
Song Biao has confessed to Li Tingjiang all the illicit "good deeds" he performed for Zhou Mingde, including details about a car accident Zhou Mingde allegedly orchestrated. Li Tingjiang refuses to disclose Song Biao's location, ensuring his safety. Infuriated, Zhou Mingde returns home and physically assaults Sun Wei, demanding to know Song Biao's whereabouts, believing she gave Li Tingjiang the leverage. Their son, Chengzhen, witnesses the escalating argument, which a nanny attempts to downplay as work-related.
Deeply upset, Chengzhen takes a keychain with the name "Snapdragon Farm" on it and runs away. Sun Wei frantically searches for him and, upon discovering he's gone, desperately tries to contact someone for help, as Zhou Mingde had confiscated her phone earlier. Sun Wei, informed by Jiang Lai that Chengzhen is safe at Snapdragon Farm, rushes to pick him up.
Meanwhile, Chen Jun brings a reluctant Zhou Yu to the same farm for a forced "nature cure" to relax from work. Chen Yiyi also accompanies them, much to Jiang Lai's dismay, insisting on staying the night, claiming the farm is beautiful and meant to entertain friends. Chengzhen wakes up and greets Zhou Yu, calling him "Zhou Yu gege." Chen Jun recognizes Chengzhen as Zhou Yu's younger brother and confirms his mother is Sun Wei.
Sun Wei arrives, overjoyed to find Chengzhen. Li Tingjiang also appears at the farm, purportedly to thank Jiang Lai for taking him to the hospital for his appendicitis. Jiang Lai, still cool towards Zhou Yu, asks Li Tingjiang to help her move a box of goods. As a heavy rainstorm unexpectedly closes the mountain road, everyone is forced to stay at the farm for the night.
Sun Wei finds a moment to speak privately with Li Tingjiang, inquiring if Zhou Mingde has harmed him. Li Tingjiang reassures her, implying his knowledge of Zhou Mingde's secrets protects him. Sun Wei then reveals she has secured an apartment in America with their money and urges him to swiftly "take care of Song Biao" so they can escape with Chengzhen and begin anew. Unbeknownst to them, Jiang Lai is nearby and overhears their conversation.
Their secret discussion is abruptly interrupted when Chen Yiyi's shriek, after encountering a "big spider" in the bathroom, alerts them to her presence. During the commotion, Chengzhen notices a prominent scar on Zhou Yu's shoulder that he remembers from childhood is now gone. Zhou Yu quickly dismisses it as a "secret." Jiang Lai catches this peculiar exchange, deepening her suspicion.
Episode 22 Recap
Jiang Lai sought an answer from Zhou Yu regarding the secret he carried and how it related to his current actions. She questioned if this secret was connected to something he needed to do. Zhou Yu confirmed it was, stating he didn't even know what his future held and didn't want Jiang Lai to share his risks. Jiang Lai, however, reminded him of his promise to face everything together, expressing her desire to be with him through it all.
She declared she understood his decision. While at the farm, Jiang Lai also informed Zhou Yu that the kidnapping of Su Qing seemed linked to a man named Song Biao, whose whereabouts Li Tingjiang knew. Meanwhile, at Zhou Yu’s office, Su Qing visited him. Zhou Yu’s assistant, Special Assistant Li, presented him with a pottery gift of snapdragons from a pottery shop, which Su Qing examined.
She then spoke with Zhou Yu about the National Resort Seminar, noting that such meetings were more suited for his father, Zhou Mingde, and humorously complaining about her discomfort. Zhou Yu agreed, saying he also couldn't stand such meetings. Su Qing presented Zhou Yu with a carefully chosen gift, saying it reminded her of him during her business trip. Zhou Yu accepted, offering to treat her to dinner. Su Qing then revealed her intention to return to England.
She explained that the resort design was complete, and she needed to finalize the detailed work with her studio team. When Zhou Yu questioned if her personal involvement was necessary, Su Qing admitted that he was her only reason for staying in China. As she left, she remarked on Jiang Lai’s good taste in men and wished for good cooperation. Later, Su Qing visited Jiang Lai at the farm to say goodbye.
She told Jiang Lai that she had given Zhou Yu a gift that morning, which he accepted without opening. However, Su Qing noted that Zhou Yu cherished a pottery gift of snapdragons, which she believed was from Jiang Lai and meant for her, as Jiang Lai liked snapdragons. Su Qing elaborated that the ceramic snapdragons would never wither and would always be by Jiang Lai's side.
Jiang Lai asked if Zhou Yu knew about her departure, and Su Qing confirmed she had told him. Su Qing praised the healing atmosphere of the farm and revealed that preserving its original appearance was Zhou Yu's only mandatory requirement for her design proposal. Realizing Jiang Lai hadn't known this, Su Qing expressed envy for Zhou Yu's deep affection, admitting she had never truly been a contender for his heart.
Jiang Lai, in turn, commended Su Qing's excellence and shared her decision to study architecture to personally renovate the farm. They parted, expressing their pleasure in having met. Sun Wei, preparing to flee the country with her son, was confronted by Li Tingjiang in a hotel room. Li Tingjiang asked if "that person" was willing to take her away, but Sun Wei declared she wanted to leave him.
Li Tingjiang asserted that everything she had came from him, and she would have nothing without him. Sun Wei retorted that being with him was truly having nothing. She confessed to having been materialistic and driven by money and fame, believing she could gain everything by working for him. However, she realized that losing herself made all material gains hollow. Li Tingjiang scoffed, saying only success, wealth, and status mattered, not a person's inner self.
Sun Wei insisted that someone did care about her and that she was tired of the hypocritical life with him. Li Tingjiang reminded her they were "on the same boat" and wouldn't let her go. Sun Wei countered by revealing she had emailed evidence of all the illicit things she had done for him over the years to her most trusted person, threatening that if she didn't leave, he would go down with her.
Li Tingjiang dared her to proceed, and Sun Wei left in a taxi, saying farewell. Zhou Mingde arrived at a hotel, where he encountered Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu confronted him, implying Zhou Mingde was looking for someone. He then brought up the car accident three years prior, mentioning his nephew, Zhang Ran, who was about to return home but had an accident before reaching the airport. Zhou Yu suggested the crash was suspicious.
Zhou Mingde dismissed the suspicion, merely expressing relief that Zhou Yu himself was unharmed. Zhou Yu angrily asked if Zhang Ran deserved to die. He then declared that since Zhou Mingde claimed ignorance, they would reveal the truth while everyone was present. Zhou Yu then interrogated Song Biao, demanding to know the mastermind behind the three-year-old car accident. Song Biao confessed that he caused the accident that killed Zhang Ran, and the mastermind was Sun Wei.
Zhou Yu pressed him, asking if there was anyone else, but Song Biao insisted Sun Wei alone was behind everything, including the kidnapping of Su Qing and the car accident. Moments later, Zhou Yu received a text from Chen Jun informing him that Sun Wei had died. Soon after, Chen Jun personally delivered the news to Zhou Yu, hinting at Zhou Mingde's involvement. News reports confirmed Sun Wei, Zhou's Group Chairman's wife, died in a car accident.
Later that night, Li Tingjiang visited Jiang Lai, who was alerted by her barking dog, Hongbao. Li Tingjiang urged Jiang Lai to leave with him and go abroad, suggesting they could start over. Jiang Lai firmly rejected him, stating that shattered mirrors cannot be remade, a truth even children knew. Li Tingjiang persisted, asking if things would have been different had he not gone abroad.
Jiang Lai then revealed she had overheard his conversation with Sun Wei and reiterated that she should have ended her feelings for him when he left, so she could remember him as a "sincere and honest person" instead of the unscrupulous person he had become. Li Tingjiang challenged her description and then, critically, asked about Zhou Yu, hinting, "What if this Zhou Yu is not real?" He followed up by saying Jiang Lai had never truly known this Zhou Yu.
Jiang Lai, taken aback by this insinuation, reaffirmed her love for Zhou Yu, stating she would never choose Li Tingjiang or go with him, even if she didn't fully know Zhou Yu or if they were separated. She asked Li Tingjiang to leave. As he departed, Li Tingjiang vowed to expose Zhou Yu's true colors.
Jiang Lai was left to ponder Li Tingjiang's words about Zhou Yu not being "real," leading to the stark realization that Zhou Yu was in fact Zhang Ran. Zhou Mingde visited Zhou Yu's grandfather in the hospital. The grandfather angrily told him to "get out." Zhou Mingde then coldly provoked the old man, bringing up Sun Wei's death and comparing it to Zhang Ran's, both dying in car accidents, implying a sinister connection.
The grandfather accused Zhou Mingde of killing "my Ran." Zhou Mingde confessed that he didn't directly kill Zhang Ran but ordered Sun Wei to cause the car accident. The grandfather, enraged, denounced him as a "heartless bastard." Zhou Mingde then callously threatened his father, asserting that he had eliminated all who knew the truth and that it was now time for the grandfather to "go." The grandfather then collapsed. Doctors rushed in, and Zhou Mingde identified himself as Zhou Yu's father to authorize emergency surgery for the critically ill man.
Episode 23 Recap
As Jiang Lai confronted Zhang Ran in Li Tingjiang's office, directly asking, "You're not Zhou Yu. You're Zhang Ran. This is your secret, isn't it?" their conversation was abruptly interrupted. Zhang Ran received a devastating phone call from the hospital, informing him that his grandfather, Zhang Guodong, had passed away. The nurse added that his father, Zhou Mingde, had signed the surgery consent form on Zhang Ran's behalf, claiming Zhang Ran was on a business trip.
At the hospital, Zhang Ran was consumed by grief, expressing his sorrow to Jiang Lai. He lamented that he couldn't have arrived sooner for his grandfather to know his true identity, heartbreakingly saying, "I lost my grandpa, Jiang Lai. Why couldn't I get there faster? If I got there faster. . . Then he would know who I am, Jiang Lai. He didn't even know who I am."
Jiang Lai comforted him, showing him a wooden carving the nurse had given her, on which his grandfather had personally carved their names. She assured him, "He always knew." Recalling how Zhou Mingde had signed the consent form and fabricated a business trip, Zhang Ran grew suspicious. He declared that something was amiss with his grandfather's death and vowed to investigate, revealing, "Everything is going as planned" in his mind.
Meanwhile, a friend informed Jiang Lai via phone that Li Tingjiang had visited a private medical institution and obtained a DNA test report, and was now on his way to the company. Jiang Lai rushed to the office and learned from Tingting that Li Tingjiang had indeed gone to the chairman's office. There, Li Tingjiang confronted Zhang Ran, realizing to his dismay that the hair sample he submitted had been swapped.
He menacingly told Zhang Ran, "What is fake can never become true. Let's see how long you can last." Later, Zhang Ran reflected on his near miss, admitting, "I was careless after all. It was a perfect plan. Why didn't I expect him to swap them?" He revealed to Jiang Lai that he had preemptively replaced the original sample with Chengzhen's hair. Despite Jiang Lai's concern that Li Tingjiang now held leverage over him, Zhang Ran calmly stated, "It's fine.
It's almost over. Almost." Zhou Mingde met with Zhang Ran (Zhou Yu), informing him of his upcoming birthday celebration and his intention to pass the company leadership to him, claiming fatigue. He also subtly reminded Zhang Ran of Zhang Guodong's past disapproval of him. Separately, Jiang Lai's friend tried to persuade her to take a new case as a "jerk detector," a role Jiang Lai had retired from to pursue architecture.
The friend, having already accepted a deposit, urged Jiang Lai to meet the client. The client, initially introducing herself as Fiona, revealed her true identity as Zhang Kexin, Zhou Mingde's ex-wife and Zhang Ran's aunt. Zhang Kexin then explained her intention to take down Zhou Mingde, asserting that while he was cunning, he could be provoked using someone he knew well. Jiang Lai enthusiastically agreed to help, stating, "It feels better if you can punish the scumbag personally."
Their plan was to challenge Zhou Mingde's principles repeatedly, as Zhang Kexin believed that "accusations of violence are fatal" for someone like him. Jiang Lai agreed that "facts are most convincing" over staged events. At Zhou Mingde's birthday banquet, Zhang Ran (Zhou Yu) offered a sardonic toast, alluding to his grandfather's death and stating his wishes for a long life had not come true for his own biological father.
Zhang Kexin made a dramatic entrance, mockingly stating her presence was out of "filial piety" to offer "incense" for her recently deceased father, Zhang Guodong, implying Zhou Mingde was disrespectful for celebrating so soon. Later, Zhang Ran presented Zhou Mingde with a gift labeled "From Zhang Ran." Inside was a photo of Zhang Guodong, Zhang Ran's parents, and Zhang Ran, which deeply unsettled Zhou Mingde.
Driven to a frenzy after finding the photo, which Zhang Kexin had placed in his office, Zhou Mingde interrogated his assistant about her whereabouts. Zhang Kexin had earlier confronted him regarding his erasure of her family's traces from their ancestral home. He then tracked Zhang Kexin to a filming location where Chen Yiyi was doing a live stream. After a brief warm reunion with Chen Yiyi, Zhang Kexin deliberately mentioned her "poor nephew, Zhang Ran."
Enraged, Zhou Mingde dragged Zhang Kexin away. She vehemently reminded him during this public altercation that he married into her family, and without her family's tragic fate, he would not control Zhang's Group. She also accused him of forcing her to relinquish her shares. Zhou Mingde, violently grabbing her, declared that Zhou's Group was his creation and now belonged only to him. Unbeknownst to him, Chen Yiyi's phone was still live-streaming the entire altercation.
A staff member quickly shut off the stream, but not before the violent outburst was broadcast. Jiang Lai noted that although the live stream was cut short, it was "enough to damage Zhou Mingde." With his reputation shattered, Zhou Mingde's downfall seemed imminent.
Episode 24 (Ending) Recap
The public was in an uproar after a live-streamed incident showed Chairman Zhou Mingde beating his ex-wife, with the event topping trending searches. While recovering in the hospital, Zhou Mingde dismissed the public opinion as fleeting and ordered his assistant to monitor the situation, also instructing him to investigate Zhang Kexin's activities abroad, as he sensed unseen manipulation.
Jiang Lai and her allies, however, recognized the gravity of the situation, viewing it as an opportune moment to uncover incriminating evidence against Zhou Mingde. They deduced that Sun Wei, having previously left Zhou Mingde, must have possessed such evidence and, in her plan to flee abroad with her son, the evidence might have been entrusted to Chengzhen. Jiang Lai visited Chengzhen, who was deeply saddened and withdrawn following his mother's death.
She comforted him by explaining that loved ones, though gone, remain with us in a special form. Believing a small bag given by his mother to be that special item, Chengzhen handed it to Jiang Lai. Inside, Jiang Lai discovered a USB drive containing critical evidence against Zhou Mingde. Meanwhile, Zhang Ran, still disguised as Zhou Yu, visited Zhou Mingde in the hospital.
He confronted Zhou Mingde about the past, recalling the car accident that killed his parents and the real Zhou Yu. He dramatically revealed his true identity as Zhang Ran, explaining that Zhou Mingde had orchestrated the accident to eliminate him, fearing his return would interfere with plans to usurp the Zhou family. Zhang Ran recounted how he narrowly survived while the real Zhou Yu perished.
He revealed that his aunt, with the help of a hospital director, had kept his survival and Zhou Yu's death a secret, enabling him to assume Zhou Yu's identity to seek revenge and reclaim the Zhang family's legacy. He further informed Zhou Mingde that his aunt, Zhang Kexin, had discovered Zhou Mingde was responsible for his own son Zhou Yu's death, a fact Zhou Mingde vehemently denied.
Zhang Ran concluded by declaring that Zhou Mingde would face legal repercussions and mockingly asked if he was satisfied with having killed his own son. Zhou Mingde demanded proof, to which Zhang Ran confidently replied that he possessed it. Shortly after Jiang Lai obtained the USB drive and confirmed its contents, she was ambushed by racers who snatched her bag containing the crucial evidence.
Zhang Ran quickly deduced that the incident was not accidental and strongly suspected Li Tingjiang, given his past involvement in hiding Song Biao and the suspicious circumstances surrounding Sun Wei's death. Zhang Ran believed Li Tingjiang had murdered Sun Wei, likely for personal gain, possibly by leveraging Song Biao's missing daughter. Despite losing the specific evidence related to Zhang Ran's attempted murder, Zhang Ran affirmed his resolve to expose Zhou Mingde using his true identity.
He declared that if he lacked the courage to confront Zhou Mingde as Zhang Ran, he could not truly reclaim his family's honor, even if it meant sacrificing his current shares and status as Zhou Yu. Meanwhile, Li Tingjiang, now in possession of the stolen USB, brazenly confronted a furious Zhou Mingde in his hospital room. Li Tingjiang mocked Zhou Mingde's predicament and his inability to recognize his "son" (Zhang Ran), before revealing he had the USB drive.
He detailed how the evidence implicated Zhou Mingde in manipulating Sun Wei to arrange Zhang Ran's car accident. Li Tingjiang threatened to hand the evidence to the police, ensuring Zhou Mingde's downfall, if his demands were not met. Cornered, Zhou Mingde asked what he wanted. Li Tingjiang initially demanded all of Zhou Mingde's shares, eventually settling on 25%, and stated they would settle the matter at the upcoming shareholders' meeting.
Unbeknownst to Li Tingjiang, Zhang Ran had anticipated such a move and pre-emptively installed a hidden listening device in Zhou Mingde's hospital room, recording Li Tingjiang's entire incriminating conversation. At the shareholders' meeting, amidst rampant company gossip regarding Zhang Ran's true identity and alleged attempts to seize assets, Zhou Mingde surprisingly announced his resignation as chairman, citing the need to avoid further trouble for the company.
He then declared he had transferred 25% of his shares to Li Tingjiang and recommended him as the acting chairman, a motion quickly approved by a show of hands. However, just as Li Tingjiang was thanking the board, the hidden recording from Zhou Mingde's hospital room was played, exposing Li Tingjiang's cynical threats and extortion attempts against Zhou Mingde for the company shares. Zhang Ran's aunt, Zhang Kexin, immediately moved to dismiss Li Tingjiang, which was seconded by other directors.
Zhang Ran, present at the meeting, asserted his authority by reminding everyone that the company's origins were as "Zhang's Group." He then revealed his control over "Jujiang Capital," solidifying his position and rendering Li Tingjiang powerless. Zhang Ran further exposed Li Tingjiang's embezzlement of 50 million from the company, presenting evidence that also implicated Sun Wei. He revealed that Song Biao had surrendered and his daughter, found by the police, had testified against Li Tingjiang, ensuring his legal downfall.
Finally, Zhang Ran confronted Zhou Mingde, informing him that the police would soon arrive and he would spend the rest of his life in prison. Zhou Mingde, defeated, asked Zhang Ran to care for Chengzhen, to which Zhang Ran agreed, promising to look after the boy. Following these dramatic events, a celebration was held, marking Zhang Ran's triumphant return and Jiang Lai's significant role. Zhang Ran, addressing Jiang Lai, confessed his love.
He acknowledged their relationship began with deceit but evolved into a fated connection, admitting his past fears of loss and uncertainty. He thanked her for her unwavering support and promised his eternal presence. Jiang Lai reciprocated, vowing to always choose him and suggesting they cast aside past lies for a new beginning. Zhang Ran then, as Zhang Ran, formally proposed marriage.
Jiang Lai, after a playful moment of pretending to reject him in return for his past rejection, joyfully accepted, thanking him for empowering her to be brave and steadfast. She expressed her belief in their lasting bond, seeing herself as cherished rather than an "unwanted snapdragon," and Zhang Ran pledged his future to protecting her, proclaiming this moment as their true beginning. Amidst cheers from friends and family, they became engaged.
Later, on a farm that Jiang Lai was managing, Zhang Ran confirmed her intention to live there with him. Jiang Lai reaffirmed her devotion, declaring she would accompany him wherever he wished to be and in whatever he chose to do.
