Love's Ambition Episode 22 Recap
> Love's Ambition Recap
Jiang Liang persistently tried to explain to Xu Yan that his actions were merely out of concern for other girls, encouraging them to be positive. Realizing his words might sound insincere, he quickly tried to salvage his image, stating that he had not yet met someone he truly loved and would treat such a person with genuine sincerity.
Xu Yan understood his intentions and thanked him for sharing his cinematic dreams that day, remarking that he seemed far from a lonely person. However, in her mind, Jiang Liang remained an excellent investor, and she wished no other sentiments to compromise that positive professional relationship, suggesting they stick to discussing work. Jiang Liang agreed, accepting her subtle rejection. Meanwhile, Shen Haoming had been secretly observing them, filled with jealousy.
As Xu Yan prepared to leave, he stepped forward to assert his claim on her in front of Jiang Liang, but Xu Yan, unlike before, simply walked away, leaving the two men to their unspoken rivalry. Shen Haoming hurried to catch up with Xu Yan in the elevator, repeatedly pressing the buttons. He expressed his joy at hearing her reject Jiang Liang, noting that she also mentioned their own problems could be resolved.
Xu Yan calmly clarified that the only resolution she sought was divorce. She assured Shen Haoming that she would minimize public fallout, fulfilling her promise to his parents, and requested his cooperation for a smooth divorce process next month. When Shen Haoming subtly placed his foot in the elevator door, Xu Yan kicked it away without hesitation, telling him not to obstruct public resources.
Later, Qiao Lin found Xu Yan and asked her to reconsider her relationship with Shen Haoming, as she had seen Xu Yan return with Jiang Liang. Xu Yan dismissed any romantic interest in Jiang Liang, stating it was purely a work relationship. When pressed about Shen Haoming, Xu Yan reiterated that their marriage had started without true love and was merely a matter of mutual benefit, so parting ways was the best choice.
She insisted her entire focus was on work, with no time for other thoughts. Qiao Lin, sensing Xu Yan was avoiding the topic, urged her to think clearly about her feelings before making any decisions. Despite her firm words, Xu Yan found memories of Shen Haoming, including a flashback of him expressing his genuine love and regret with a ring, constantly replaying in her mind.
Separately, Fang Lei, consumed by her unrequited love for Shen Haoming, had resorted to daily drinking. Han Weiping, seeing her distress, advised her to prioritize self-love, urging her to become an independent woman with her own career and the courage to leave when necessary. Fang Lei, however, declared she would rather remain single forever if she couldn't be with Shen Haoming.
Han Weiping, frustrated, tried to offer her an alternative vision of a shared independent old age in a nursing home, which Fang Lei rejected angrily. Then, Han Weiping suggested a dark path, asking if Fang Lei would be interested in helping to ruin Shen Haoming, to which Fang Lei questioned the motive. Han Weiping replied it was because of Fang Lei, as he didn't want her to sink deeper into the abyss.
At Yan Studio, Xu Yan convened a meeting with her partners. Reviewing the successful initial videos, she proposed moving to the ready-to-wear production phase. Acknowledging that five Chinese brocade pieces had garnered the most positive attention, Xu Yan explained the challenge: the fabric was handwoven by ethnic minorities, exquisite but with extremely low output.
She proposed a small-batch, high-quality, pre-sale strategy to prioritize reputation and financial security in their initial phase, suggesting they could leverage the difficulty of brocade production as a unique selling point in online promotions. She set a goal of 100 pieces for each of the five styles. The team discussed online marketing tactics, including reward-based activities and collaborating with influencers and bloggers to generate traffic and extend production time.
Jiang Liang met with his sister, who confronted him about constantly helping "female friends," especially Xu Yan, given that their companies were negotiating a partnership that could be jeopardized. Jiang Liang, unfazed, openly stated his intention to help Xu Yan, disregarding his sister's concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Meanwhile, Shen Haochen's equestrian coach recommended him for an upcoming championship. Shen Haochen, excited, insisted his "sister-in-law" Xu Yan handled all his affairs and asked his coach to contact her.
Later, Xu Yan and Shen Haoming attended a meeting with the coach. Xu Yan confirmed her support for Shen Haochen's equestrian dreams and raised concerns about his current horse being too small for jumping, ensuring the coach would make necessary adjustments. Afterward, Xu Yan made an excuse about an unfinished meeting and left promptly, despite Shen Haochen's attempt to keep her there.
Shen Haochen expressed his frustration to Shen Haoming, urging his older brother to apologize to Xu Yan for his mistakes. Yu Lan, Shen Haoming's mother, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing Xu Yan's sincere love for their family and Shen Haochen. She reminded Shen Haoming how deeply Xu Yan cared for them all, especially him, and how she admired Xu Yan's resilience and determination.
Yu Lan regretted her initial harsh treatment of Xu Yan and now desperately wanted her to return as the Shen family's hostess. She implored Shen Haoming to do whatever it took to win Xu Yan back, reminding him that he had never intended to let her go when they married. Separately, Lin Tao witnessed Yu Yiming comforting a female colleague, who had just experienced the death of her first patient as a resident doctor.
Misinterpreting their interaction as intimate, Lin Tao secretly took photos and sent them to Qiao Lin, describing Yu Yiming as a "scumbag" and a "male coquette" who was insincere. Qiao Lin, however, dismissed Lin Tao's accusations, affirming her trust in Yu Yiming's character. Lin Tao, still clinging to his belief that Qiao Lin was his fiancée, even offered to be her personal punching bag.
Qiao Lin firmly explained to Lin Tao that their relationship was over, that they were incompatible, and that she was now happy with her sister and startup team. She wished him well and urged him to move on with his own life. Shen Haoming's assistant then offered his perspective, asserting that Xu Yan's recent successes and willingness to help him with the Bailaijin couple indicated she still cared deeply for him, seeing her desire for divorce as merely "anger talking."
The assistant suggested an "indirect strategy" to win Xu Yan back: enlisting the help of her friends. Shen Haoming, recalling that Xu Yan had a male friend, considered this. Haunted by Lin Tao's accusations and her own insecurities, Qiao Lin confronted Yu Yiming. She confessed her feelings for him but also acknowledged the "real differences" in their social standing and careers, mentioning the female colleague as a "more suitable" match. She offered to step aside if he preferred someone else.
Yu Yiming quickly explained that the colleague was distressed after losing her first patient and that he was merely comforting her. He assured Qiao Lin there was nothing more than a professional relationship. Although Qiao Lin trusted him, she expressed lingering doubts about their "real problems" and proposed a week-long separation to think things through. Yu Yiming, distressed, tried to stop her, but Qiao Lin left, fearing to hear more.
Seeing Qiao Lin's unhappiness, Xu Yan advised her to confront love directly, explaining that all emotions, including "bitterness, insecurity, pride, and pain," were part of it, and that avoiding them would only cause internal turmoil. Qiao Lin agreed to reflect on her feelings. Later, Yu Yiming arrived at Yan Studio with flowers, asking about Qiao Lin. Xu Yan reassured him that Qiao Lin was not avoiding him but was busy with makeup classes and upcoming exams.
She reiterated Qiao Lin's concerns about their differences and urged Yu Yiming to also calm down and think if he could truly accept her. Yu Yiming understood and promised to wait patiently for Qiao Lin, entrusting Xu Yan to give her the flowers. Finally, Shen Haoming contacted Yu Yiming, and they met. Shen Haoming directly asked if Yu Yiming still liked Xu Yan.
Yu Yiming clarified that his past feelings for Xu Yan were from many years ago, and while he had a soft spot, he was now with Qiao Lin. Shen Haoming then revealed his current predicament: he was in a "divorce cooling-off period," similar to Yu Yiming's "breakup cooling-off period" with Qiao Lin. They realized their shared struggles in love.
Yu Yiming reminisced about Xu Yan's radiant happiness when she told him she was married, while Shen Haoming confessed he had always loved Xu Yan but was now lost on how to win her back, though he was determined not to let go. Yu Yiming, recognizing Shen Haoming's emotional blindness, acknowledged his own similar flaw in taking so long to realize his feelings for Qiao Lin.
They agreed to form an alliance, becoming "love-chasing buddies," to support each other in winning back the two sisters they loved. They toasted to their new partnership, calling each other "brother-in-law."
