Love's Ambition Episode 11 Recap
> Love's Ambition Recap
Shen Haoming and Zhou Zeyuan raised their glasses. Shen Haoming mentioned his mother had spoken of Zhou Zeyuan, noting his involvement in new medical technology and Ms. Ma's investment in him. Zhou Zeyuan, with practiced flattery, expressed gratitude that someone as busy as Shen Haoming would remember a "small businessman" like him, then credited Xu Yan for the introduction. He toasted Xu Yan, but she politely declined, stating she had to drive.
Shen Haoming inquired about how long Xu Yan and Zhou Zeyuan had known each other. Before Xu Yan could reply, Zhou Zeyuan interjected, claiming a long history, having met when they first started their businesses in Jingzhou. He further embellished, saying that although they hadn't met often recently, they had stayed in contact, and he was even very close to Xu Yan’s parents, often chatting with them via overseas calls.
Shen Haoming, remarking on their closeness, suggested they should meet more often. Xu Yan, attempting to distance herself, quickly took the blame, saying she had neglected her friends due to work. Zhou Zeyuan then explicitly asked Shen Haoming for help with his company. Xu Yan tried to warn Shen Haoming against investing in Zhou Zeyuan’s medical tech company, citing Jinda Group’s lack of expertise in the medical field.
However, Zhou Zeyuan smoothly countered by stating that Xu Yan’s father, Mr. Xu, had already encouraged the meeting, believing in the importance of embracing new technologies. Shen Haoming, acknowledging his limited communication with his in-laws, expressed openness to good projects. Feeling overwhelmed, Xu Yan excused herself to the restroom. In the restroom, Zhou Zeyuan cornered her, accusing her of betraying their "consensus" and obstructing his plans despite his efforts to cover for her.
He threatened to expose her lies to Shen Haoming by suggesting her husband might call her father overseas. Xu Yan defiantly declared she would not let Shen Haoming be dragged into his scam, willing to face ruin herself. Zhou Zeyuan mocked her, claiming she was afraid to lose the privileged life she had “schemed so hard to get.” Xu Yan, however, retorted that she had nothing to lose.
Zhou Zeyuan then offered an alternative: Xu Yan could pay him directly to keep her secrets, giving her one night to think, or he would expose her online. He ominously warned her that a person "drowning in debt is a devil" and would haunt her. Later that night, Xu Yan received a phone call from Zhou Zeyuan, which she quickly ended, telling him she wouldn't help him and to solve his own problems.
Shen Haoming, noticing her distress, asked if it was a work call and offered his help. Xu Yan lied, saying it was about guest cancellations for a show. Shen Haoming, seeing her exhaustion, suggested she drop one of her two shows, but Xu Yan, passionate about both her news anchoring dream and her "Family Feast" show, couldn't part with either.
Shen Haoming reassured her, supporting her decision to keep both, emphasizing that his stance was always to support her choices and that mistakes didn't matter as they could simply start over. Unbeknownst to them, Zhou Zeyuan sent a threatening text message to Xu Yan, reminding her of the consequences of refusing him. One day, Zhou Zeyuan confronted Xu Yan in a parking garage, frantically demanding money.
He revealed his company was out of cash, couldn't pay salaries, and was being investigated by investors. He threatened to drag her down with him if he collapsed. Just as the confrontation escalated, Qiao Lin appeared and aggressively intervened, threatening to call the police, which made Zhou Zeyuan flee. Afterward, Qiao Lin comforted Xu Yan, expressing regret for past misunderstandings, especially regarding Lin Tao.
She also revealed that Yu Yiming had told her about Xu Yan secretly paying her tuition, for which she was deeply grateful. The sisters reconciled, and Qiao Lin vowed to protect Xu Yan from any future bullies. They shared a warm moment, and Qiao Lin insisted on treating Xu Yan to an expensive cake. Xu Yan’s father, Qiao Jianbin, called her to a hotel, where he and her mother were waiting with Zhou Zeyuan.
Zhou Zeyuan, presenting himself as a concerned mediator, urged Xu Yan to be honest with her parents. After Zhou Zeyuan left, Qiao Jianbin angrily confronted Xu Yan, accusing her of fabricating her parents' professions and hiring actors for her wedding. He expressed deep shame, feeling she had abandoned all moral principles to marry into wealth.
Xu Yan, however, asserted her genuine love for Shen Haoming, stating she married for love, not money, and that she learned to rely solely on herself from childhood. Her parents dismissed her arguments, saying they had taken her back and raised her, so she couldn't blame her current mistakes on them.
Xu Yan countered, claiming her only mistake was not exposing their own flaws earlier, and accused them of feigning concern while possibly seeking to extort money from her by threatening to expose her to the Shen family. Furious, Qiao Jianbin disowned her, stating she no longer belonged to the Qiao family, to which Xu Yan calmly responded that her name was Xu Yan.
Meanwhile, Shen Haoming's secretary informed him that Xu Yan had sold the luxury car he had gifted her. Shen Haoming simply acknowledged, "Got it." Xu Yan, after selling the car, transferred some money to Zhou Zeyuan. She warned him it was a one-time "hush fee," and any further attempts at extortion would lead to her calling the police.
Zhou Zeyuan scoffed, claiming the money was insufficient for his company’s massive deficit and reiterating his threat that if his company crashed, they would both be ruined, taunting Xu Yan to see if she dared to "gamble everything." Shen Haoming then called Zhou Zeyuan, inviting him to a golf game. Zhou Zeyuan, attempting to maintain control, informed Shen Haoming that Xu Yan was with him and would also be joining.
At the golf course, Zhou Zeyuan pitched his medical technology project, describing its potential to replicate top medical experts and promising a 20% annual return on a 50 million investment. Shen Haoming, though interested, stated he needed to discuss it internally and would have his secretary follow up. After Zhou Zeyuan departed, Xu Yan again voiced her concerns to Shen Haoming about the investment, citing their lack of knowledge of the medical sector and Zhou Zeyuan's company's operations.
She clarified that her connection to Zhou Zeyuan was not as deep as he claimed. Shen Haoming, however, reassured her that the required funds were not substantial, and he would use other investors, not Jinda Group's capital, thus mitigating risk. He assured her that the potential risks and losses were acceptable and within his control, urging her to be happy and carefree by his side rather than constantly worrying.
Shen Haoming had been subtly playing a waiting game with Zhou Zeyuan. Days later, as Zhou Zeyuan's company teetered on the brink of collapse, Shen Haoming's secretary finally called him, offering a personal investment with an increased 6 percentage point return rate. The funds would be managed by a professional agent and transferred in batches over three months, keeping Jinda Group officially out of the deal. Relieved, Zhou Zeyuan eagerly agreed to all terms.
Four months later, Xu Yan was flourishing in her career, now hosting two shows. It was then that she realized Zhou Zeyuan had completely disappeared from her life without a trace. Shen Haoming, reading the news, informed her that Zhou Zeyuan had been arrested in Macau for financial fraud, collusion with foreign charities, and illegally transferring investor funds. Xu Yan, relieved but curious, asked if Shen Haoming's promised investment would affect him.
He calmly explained that he had learned of Zhou Zeyuan's gambling addiction and wisely terminated their cooperation long ago, ensuring his funds, managed by professional brokers, were secure. He then gently brought up that she had sold her car. Xu Yan explained it was to pay Zhou Zeyuan, believing that a former investor, Ms. Ma, had been fooled by him.
Shen Haoming corrected her, suggesting Ms. Ma was likely aware of Zhou Zeyuan's true nature but enjoyed being surrounded by aspiring young entrepreneurs. He advised Xu Yan to simply ask him for money for any future investments, rather than selling her assets. Xu Yan remained perplexed, feeling that someone had covertly helped her with Zhou Zeyuan's downfall but she didn't know who.
Later, Qiao Lin, unaware of Shen Haoming's subtle machinations, reiterated her concern to Xu Yan, advising her to find an opportune moment to confess her past deceptions to Shen Haoming, believing his love would lead to forgiveness. Xu Yan admitted she wanted to, but hadn't found the right moment. Afterward, Qiao Lin brought Yu Yiming to dinner with Xu Yan.
Qiao Lin couldn't help but notice that Yu Yiming was unusually talkative and animated when interacting with Xu Yan, far more so than he typically was with her. Xu Yan then cautiously presented a hypothetical scenario to Shen Haoming, describing a friend who had concealed parts of her past from her husband before marriage but, now happily married, wished to confess. Shen Haoming, without hesitation, advised against it, stating that if the relationship was strong, the secret should remain hidden.
He elaborated that confession could introduce a "thorn" into a marriage, and ultimately, a happy outcome was more important than rigid principles. He then shifted the conversation to his own strategic plans, revealing that Jiang Liang and Jiang Yun of Yuanhang Fund would be returning to China the following week.
He had invited them to Jinda Group's reception and asked Xu Yan to help him prepare to make a good impression on Jiang Yun, whom he described as calm and decisive at 35. Concurrently, Shen Haoming received a call from Mr. Huang, who informed him that his father was not supporting the New District project, necessitating a fund company as a backer.
Mr. Huang suggested capitalizing on the Jiang siblings' return, but warned that Jiang Yun was known as the "Black Rose" of investing, renowned for her calm demeanor, decisive actions, and difficult temperament. He also cautioned about Jiang Liang, her brother, who, despite his playboy appearance, was a meticulous "numbers genius" with a photographic memory and integral to Yuanhang Fund's finances. Mr. Huang stated he could only provide the introduction, leaving the rest to Shen Haoming.
