Love's Ambition Episode 25 Recap
> Love's Ambition Recap
Xu Yan faced her cooperative partners, whose demeanor suggested they were relishing Yan Studio's difficulties. She knew they were aware of the quality and sales success of Yan Studio's first batch of garments, yet they were causing a scene, feigning innocence. She directly addressed them, acknowledging the damaging rumors but asserting they were deliberate smears. She reminded them of their previous collaboration and the quality of their products.
Since they were so concerned about their own interests, she declared that Yan Studio's future would no longer concern them. She gave them a minute to decide: if they wished to continue, they could return, and she would process final payments according to their contracts; otherwise, she would pay them immediately. At that moment, Sophia, Baraikin's wife, arrived at Yan Studio, greeting Xu Yan warmly.
Sophia explained she was in town representing Moscow for a Sino-Russian cultural exchange and had come to visit Yan Studio, whose dresses she adored, and especially to see Xu Yan. She complimented the partners, noting their excellent judgment in choosing to collaborate with such a sophisticated and visionary brand. She shared that Chinese-inspired dresses were a new trend in Russia and asked if international expansion was part of Yan Studio's plans, offering her assistance if needed.
Sophia also needed a gown for a high-end banquet and asked Xu Yan to help her pick one from the latest collection. After Xu Yan went to help Sophia, Shen Haoming joined the remaining partners. They immediately changed their tune, praising him and his father as role models. They subtly inquired about Sophia, and Shen Haoming explained she was the wife of a Russian real estate tycoon and Xu Yan’s close friend, highly optimistic about Yan Studio’s potential.
He hinted that Yan Studio could become an officially recognized company for cultural promotion, leading to an abundance of orders. Shen Haoming then stated his wife was facing business challenges and asked the partners to look out for her. The partners, eager to align with the influential Shen, pledged their unwavering support and loyalty to Yan Studio and Xu Yan.
Later, Sophia, delighted with the dress Xu Yan helped her choose, asked if Xu Yan was in trouble, revealing that Shen Haoming had told her about the difficulties. Sophia expressed her strong belief in Xu Yan, recalling her passion for her career at Yanbo Resort and assuring her that no challenge would defeat her. Deeply moved, Xu Yan told Sophia that her words were the most comforting and empowering she had heard recently, promising to overcome the crisis.
Sophia also mentioned her husband's company was undergoing a three-month evaluation for a partnership, and Shen Haoming's company was on their shortlist. When Shen Haoming later approached Xu Yan, he acknowledged being aware of Yan Studio's challenges and following them online. Xu Yan playfully asked if he intended to lend her money. Shen Haoming clarified that while he wouldn't undermine her principles, he couldn't stand idly by.
He then showed her information about the Qinglan Cup Fashion Design Competition, suggesting it could help her company. Xu Yan recognized it as a highly influential competition. Shen Haoming explained that winning an award would bring professional recognition and a platform to advocate for authentic brocade and Yan Studio's philosophy, proving that intangible heritage is truly worthwhile. Although registration had closed, he had already signed her up, asking her to submit the necessary documents and photos.
When he asked if she felt he had overstepped, Xu Yan thanked him, accepting his favor. Xu Yan gathered her team, announcing a new strategy: half the team would focus on sales of the second batch of ready-to-wear clothing, while the other half, led by designer Lu Baoyao, would fully support the Qinglan Cup preparations.
Lu Baoyao presented her design concept, emphasizing pure handmade Su embroidery and showcasing sketches, including a piece titled "Flames" using contrasting white and red hues to convey elegance and attraction. She also detailed the strict requirements for competition photographs to highlight craftsmanship. The team praised the designs for flawlessly blending traditional Chinese style with modern fashion and intricate detailing. Observing Lu Baoyao’s emotional response to her own work, Xu Yan joked about her being moved by her designs.
Meanwhile, a staff member informed Xu Yan of an accounting irregularity, explaining that the former CFO, Mr. Dong, had vanished, leaving them unable to proceed. The staff member suggested seeking help from Lin Tao, who had previously assisted Mr. Dong and quickly resolved accounting issues. Xu Yan agreed. Later, Xu Yan discussed with Qiao Lin the ongoing difficulty of finding a new CFO and the assistant's overwhelming workload. She proposed Lin Tao temporarily fill the position.
Qiao Lin readily agreed, prioritizing the company's needs. Xu Yan assured Qiao Lin that she wasn't concerned about her feelings and would explain the situation to Yu Yiming. Xu Yan then formally offered Lin Tao the vacant CFO position, commending his understanding of the company's finances and strong skills, as admired by the assistant. She mentioned a three-month probation period and offered him to start the next day.
Lin Tao, surprised but grateful, accepted, confessing he had lost his banking job and didn't want to return home and upset his parents, hoping to find new employment in Jingzhou first. Xu Yan welcomed him to the team, and he promised to manage finances diligently, allowing them to focus on expansion without worries. Yan Studio's eligibility for the Qinglan Cup was suddenly canceled, with the organizer citing their "controversial" public image as a negative influence on the competition.
Xu Yan and her team went to the organizer's office to appeal, but were told that reinstating their eligibility was beyond the staff's authority. Their attempts to re-explain their situation and assure the quality of their clothing were met with the argument that explanations weren't enough, and public disputes would harm the competition's image. The staff advised them to focus on public relations rather than troubling the organizers.
Outside the office, the team was furious, but Xu Yan urged them to find another solution, emphasizing that participating in the competition was crucial. Qiao Lin informed Shen Haoming about the disqualification, prompting him to rethink his previous decision to avoid media attention. He instructed his assistant to schedule an interview with Sun Siwei, a move he had initially declined.
In the interview, Shen Haoming clarified that he was not making exceptions for anyone but felt compelled to speak due to his wife's situation. He explained that while being low-key was generally good, being overly so had left Yan Studio vulnerable to malicious individuals who used cheap knockoffs to tarnish Xu Yan’s reputation.
When Sun Siwei brought up influencers' comparisons that suggested no difference between Yan Studio's high-priced items and the cheaper counterfeits, Shen Haoming drew a parallel to Jinda Group's properties, which, despite not engaging in price wars, used national standard materials to ensure long-term value. He asserted that Yan Studio, like Jinda, insisted on handmade brocade to convey cultural value, not to exploit consumers, dismissing the influencers' claims as nonsense and cyberbullying.
He concluded by saying that Xu Yan's vision was clear, and he learned from her perseverance, praising her for dedicating herself to creating handmade textiles and providing job opportunities for rural women, enabling family reunions and reducing the number of left-behind children. He called her a meaningful entrepreneur, his role model, and his pride. Later, Steve, seeing the shift in public opinion, was annoyed by the negative comments now circulating about him online.
Meanwhile, Xu Yan's team celebrated as Shen Haoming's interview went viral, causing a surge in followers, video traffic, and orders, with many previous cancellations being reversed. The news of Sophia wearing a Yan Studio dress to a banquet also trended, generating supportive comments that distinguished their craftsmanship from knockoffs. Xu Yan declared they could no longer make compromises and decided to actively fight back against those behind the scenes using social media.
During a live stream, Yan Studio's streamer, Guan, introduced Lu Baoyao, who shared her personal story as an Yi girl raised with traditional embroidery, where elders crafted garments filled with love and hope for every milestone. Lu Baoyao highlighted how Yan Studio helped bring this craft out of the mountains, transforming "finger-tip skills into finger-tip economy." Guan emphasized that their handcrafted brocade, produced by three villages, was vastly different from mass-produced counterfeits.
They firmly stated that despite defamation, they would continue to integrate intangible ethnic culture into modern life and strive to showcase their work at the Qinglan Cup. They formally declared war on those maliciously creating negative narratives, vowing to use legal action to defend their rights and calling for public support. Soon after, Xu Yan received a call from the Qinglan Cup organizing committee, informing her that due to numerous public requests, Yan Studio's eligibility had been reinstated.
Baraikin met with Shen Haoming, expressing his decision to partner with Jinda Group. He explained that he valued not only a partner's commercial strength but also their character and attitude towards family. He was particularly moved by Shen Haoming's wise management of his marriage and Xu Yan's relentless drive. He confirmed his satisfaction with Jinda’s strength and sincerity and asked Shen Haoming to maintain their performance during the evaluation period.
He also complimented Xu Yan's aesthetic sense, mentioning that the gown she provided to Sophia had put her in the spotlight. Lin Tao, now working at Yan Studio, encountered Yu Yiming, who was waiting for Qiao Lin. Lin Tao quickly explained his temporary role as accountant and assured Yu Yiming he had truly moved on from Qiao Lin, offering to be hit if it would provide Yu Yiming any satisfaction.
Yu Yiming acknowledged that Qiao Lin had already explained the situation and, shaking Lin Tao's hand, expressed hope that he would contribute to Yan Studio and keep his word. Later, Qiao Lin thanked Yu Yiming for clarifying things with Lin Tao, easing her mind, and he subtly corrected her, saying he did it for her.
Xu Yan then focused on the upcoming Qinglan Cup, expressing her determination to reach the finals and secure a top-eight position, which would grant them the opportunity to showcase their work on the main stage with elaborate aesthetics, reaching a wider audience. She also set an ambitious goal of winning a gold award.
During a rehearsal, while Shen Haoming affirmed that the staging, music, and rhythm were all perfectly adjusted, Xu Yan felt that something was still missing, a lack of emotional impact. Shen Haoming probed her, asking what truly moved her when she started Yan Studio. Inspired, Xu Yan recalled Lu Baoyao’s story of Yi girls receiving handmade garments from their elders, imbued with love.
Shen Haoming agreed that this raw emotion would resonate deeply with the judges, as all finalists would possess technical perfection. Xu Yan, now with renewed clarity, declared that their show would embody "inheritance and nurturing"—a "bloodline that connects craftsmanship and people," passed down through generations. She immediately called Qiao Lin, asking her to gather the team for a late-night meeting to adjust their presentation plan.
Yan Studio achieved excellent results in the competition, winning the "Most Commercial Value Award" and experiencing a significant boost in reputation and sales. At a celebratory event, Xu Yan, after thanking her team, playfully built suspense before choosing to publicly single out Jiang Liang, calling him Yan Studio's first investor and crediting him for providing courage and strength during their lowest point. Shen Haoming, who had not yet been praised, was visibly annoyed and jealous of their close interaction.
Jiang Liang responded by announcing that his company, Yuanhang, would double its investment and pledged to stand by Yan Studio through thick and thin, further sweetening the celebration with news of a lucky draw with no prize money limit. During the festivities, Shen Haoming informed Xu Yan that Ivan, a renowned Spanish designer, was impressed by Yan Studio's performance at the Qinglan Cup and wished to meet her. Xu Yan asked what they needed to prepare, and Shen Haoming suggested samples, documents, and learning some basic Spanish to show sincerity, offering to teach her some phrases like "Hola."
