Love's Ambition Episode 16 Recap
> Love's Ambition Recap
Xu Yan confessed to Yu Lan and her father about her background and all her lies. Yu Lan expressed her disappointment, stating, "I liked you and trusted you so much. How could you have been lying to us for so long?" Xu Yan apologized, offering to "take all the consequences," but Yu Lan warned her that if the truth got out, "it'll affect Haoming and the company's reputation. You can't handle the result."
Xu Yan assured them, "I'll comply with your wishes. I won't make any excuses." Her father added that while he wouldn't interfere with their personal issues, she "must understand this: it absolutely cannot affect the company's prestige and reputation." Xu Yan agreed to publicly claim she was starting a business until the divorce was finalized. Tearfully, she said goodbye, asking them to tell Haochen she was too busy to return if he inquired.
Shen Haoming later met with Mr. Huang, who inquired about Xu Yan's resignation and current plans. Shen Haoming explained she was starting her own business. Mr. Huang then revealed, "Even now, Xu Yan regularly visits my mother-in-law. Every time my mother-in-law sees her, she's overjoyed." He admitted he had initially believed Xu Yan was only being attentive to his mother-in-law for business purposes, but he was mistaken. "
I didn't expect she'd be truly remarkable," Mr. Huang commented, adding that Xu Yan "genuinely cares" for Shen Haoming as family. Shen Haoming thanked him, feeling a new appreciation for Xu Yan's sincerity. Xu Yan began a new phase in her life. One day, her drain was leaking, and after calling maintenance, Yu Yiming unexpectedly arrived to fix it. Xu Yan was surprised to see him.
After he successfully repaired the pipe, he stayed to chat, offering to help with anything she might need, be it work or personal matters. He expressed concern that she had moved without informing him or her sister, reminding her that he was her "fellow townsman and classmate." Xu Yan tried to politely decline, stating she could handle things herself and didn't want to trouble anyone, to which Yu Yiming noted she was "always so formal."
He then gently chastised her for eating unhealthy instant noodles and frozen dumplings, offering to cook her a proper meal with her sister. Xu Yan, misinterpreting his concern, explicitly told him she knew he used to like her, but she only considered him a "fellow townsman and classmate." Yu Yiming immediately clarified, "You're misunderstanding." He confirmed his past feelings for her but stated he now considers that a "most innocent and beautiful memory from 18" and has "moved on."
He emphasized that he just wanted to "help you, no reason needed" as a friend, and she should feel comfortable asking him or her sister Qiao Lin for help. As Yu Yiming was finishing up in the bathroom, Shen Haoming arrived at Xu Yan's home. Xu Yan, holding the divorce agreement, confronted him, asking, "What brings you here?" He presented her with a "Divorce Supplementary Agreement," expecting her to review and sign it.
She offered to send it back after signing, but Shen Haoming insisted on discussing it "clause by clause." Yu Yiming then came out of the bathroom and introduced himself. When Shen Haoming identified himself as Xu Yan's husband, Yu Yiming quickly excused himself, saying, "I'll leave you two alone," before departing. Shen Haoming then informed Xu Yan of a critical clause in the supplementary agreement: "even if we do divorce, you need my approval before making any public announcements.
Considering my company's reputation, mind your words and actions." Xu Yan questioned if her behavior had been inappropriate, and Shen Haoming alluded to her connection with Yu Yiming, who he knew was Qiao Lin's boyfriend. Xu Yan, unimpressed by his surveillance, retorted, "You shouldn't be in business. You should be a spy." She then firmly told him to meet her at the Civil Affairs Bureau the next day, the 8th. He agreed, reminding her to sign the agreement.
The next day at the Civil Affairs Bureau, they were informed that a one-month "divorce cooling-off period" was required for agreement divorces to allow couples time to reconsider. Their application was accepted but would only be finalized on the 8th of the following month, with the option for automatic withdrawal if they reconciled. At a family dinner, Shen Haochen declared the food was "awful," stating he missed "my sis-in-law's Longjing Tea Shrimp."
Yu Lan explained that Xu Yan was too busy with her new business to cook for them every day. Haochen retorted that Shen Haoming must have angered her, earning a reprimand from Yu Lan about his tone. Later, Shen Haoming's father encouraged Yu Lan to eat some fish, but she commented that she preferred "Yan's steamed fish" and the current cook "always [doesn't get] the technique right. The flavor's not the same."
Shen Haoming, meanwhile, appeared unaffected by the family's complaints and ate his meal contentedly. After resigning, Xu Yan began searching for a new job. She offered to reduce her salary by 20%, negotiate her probation, and adapt to any schedule, promising to "prove myself worthy." However, she was met with rejection. A former colleague, "Gezi," expressed regret, explaining that her previous prestigious position meant that "once you are out of the structure, it's hard to get another opportunity."
During a board meeting, a vote was held regarding Shen Haoming's admission to the board. Six members initially voted in favor. However, before his father cast his vote, some board members gossiped about Shen Haoming's personal life, mentioning his wife's resignation and rumored divorce and asset division. One member, claiming he "always knew that guy's not an easy one," spoke of Shen Haoming's "wild" past in England, where he was "surrounded by women," deeming him unfit.
Another commented on the irony that "Chairman Shen didn't even let him into the board. He's his biological son!" Ultimately, Shen Haoming's father cast the decisive vote against his son. With seven votes against and six in favor, Shen Haoming failed to join the board. Shen Haoming confronted his father, reminding him of their prior agreement: a board seat in exchange for resolving company crises and developing new projects.
His father bluntly stated he had "reconsidered" and found Shen Haoming "unfit," citing dissatisfaction with his "self-control, decision-making skills, and maturity." He then brought up Shen Haoming's past, chastising him for insisting on keeping Haochen at 19, despite his parents' advice, and disregarding the potential "stain" on his future and the child's. Shen Haoming countered that he "never saw Haochen's birth as a stain."
His father vehemently disagreed, stressing that he and Yu Lan had covered it up, but competitors would use it to portray Shen Haoming as a "reckless playboy, irresponsible and impulsive." The father then turned to Shen Haoming's marriage, accusing him of choosing "a fraud" and deliberately hiding "her background, education, life history," which he deemed intolerable.
Shen Haoming admitted, "Lying was my mistake," but argued his relationship with Xu Yan was "equal," and he "accepted everything about her," implying he wouldn't have divorced her if she hadn't suggested it. His father dismissed this, then ordered him to "go to Cheng'an County. Handle the delayed project at our branch there. Resolve it before you return." Xu Yan secured a live streaming job through Liao.
At the studio, Mr. Qiu, frustrated with his team's inability to find suitable hosts, met Xu Yan. Liao introduced her as a popular former news anchor. Xu Yan, after reviewing the script, adapted it to her "own interpretation," which Mr. Qiu initially approved, emphasizing the need for a "distinctive style." During her audition, however, Xu Yan maintained her formal news-anchor tone, meticulously introducing the "Comfort Home Textiles" brand and products.
Mr. Qiu quickly interrupted, admonishing her, "Ms. Xu, are you reporting news or selling products? You need vocal projection. . . explosive energy in your words. . . make the viewers feel urgent. . . not buying now means losing a fortune."
Xu Yan attempted to defend her "composed hosting style," citing examples of academic presenters, but Mr. Qiu dismissed these as "established star hosts" and reminded her she was a "newcomer," warning her current approach would only attract "twenty viewers." He then personally took over, trying to "brainwash" her to "forget the news anchor voice" and adopt a more aggressive sales approach, repeatedly making her shout promotional phrases. Overwhelmed by the unfamiliar high-energy style, Xu Yan requested a break.
Mr. Qiu instructed her to practice and pulled her from that night's broadcast, announcing he would host instead. Shen Haoming arrived at the Hongyun branch in Cheng'an County. The manager, Mr. Zhang, showed him his "humble" office, apologizing for the limited conditions of the smallest Jinda subsidiary, even noting the restroom was in the yard. Zhang explained their budget couldn't cover a hotel stay and this office was considered "special treatment."
Shen Haoming immediately requested all residential building files, eager to work. Zhang briefed Shen Haoming on the project delay, attributing it to increased material and labor costs, and a contractor from Anqiang Construction, Mr. Wu, who allegedly borrowed money for the project then fled with it. Shen Haoming asked about backup plans, and Zhang explained they had activated emergency funds and requested a new budget from headquarters.
When Shen Haoming wanted to verify the information, Zhang pressed him to approve the budget quickly, as the emergency funds were running low. Shen Haoming quickly discovered that the files, including inspection reports, construction logs, and building blueprints, were chaotically mixed together. Zhang reiterated their lack of funds, even for a secretary, and offered his personal assistance.
Meanwhile, other staff members openly gossiped about Shen Haoming, viewing his assignment as an "exile" and seeing him as a "discarded" son, especially since his own father had denied him a board seat. They doubted his ability to manage the project, given his "accommodation and office conditions," believing he would merely "go through the motions" before returning. Shen Haoming, in his spare time, checked Xu Yan's social media, only to find it completely blank.
Xu Yan hosted another live stream, but Mr. Qiu was still dissatisfied. He observed her excessively promoting the "7-day no-reason return policy" without adequately highlighting the product's quality or the brand's "factory persona." He interrupted her again, pointing out that emphasizing returns would lead to "a bunch of return orders." He reminded her that with the "factory persona," she should have focused on the superior "materials," the "exceptional fabric quality," and the "factory scale."
Xu Yan apologized, explaining she had initially followed the script and planned to add more details later. Mr. Qiu retorted that scripts were merely guidelines, and a host needed to be adaptable, stressing that she was failing to combine selling points with calls to action effectively. Overwhelmed, Xu Yan apologized repeatedly. Mr. Qiu then decided to demote her, instructing her to "assist Sun as co-host" and let him guide her. Xu Yan quietly accepted the decision.
Qiao Lin eventually found Xu Yan at her new workplace, concerned to see her live streaming and asking about Shen Haoming. Xu Yan was suffering from a stomach ache, but Qiao Lin was more focused on Shen Haoming, calling him a "scheming" and "cunning" "dog." She expressed disbelief that he could be so heartless after Xu Yan "loved him, married him, helped his career, [and] took care of his entire family."
Xu Yan, however, was philosophical, acknowledging, "But at first, I did wrong. In this world, apologizing doesn't guarantee forgiveness for wrongs." She found a silver lining, saying she had "realized Shen Haoming isn't the person I imagined him to be," and his love for her "isn't what I thought it was." Xu Yan looked forward to the cooling-off period ending so they could "finalize the divorce and. . . have no more ties, or mutual deception."
Qiao Lin questioned her decision to quit her previous job, which she had "worked hard for," but Xu Yan only alluded to Shen Haoming's involvement. Qiao Lin worried about the demanding hours of live streaming and Xu Yan's poor health, but Xu Yan insisted she was fine, noting she was new to the industry and would adapt. She concluded by saying she felt "relaxed now," unlike before when she "always feared to be revealed, living in perpetual anxiety." Qiao Lin, though still concerned for her sister's well-being, seemed relieved to see Xu Yan's newfound peace.
