Love's Ambition Episode 5 Recap
> Love's Ambition Recap
Qiao Lin sent a text message to Xu Yan, informing her that she would book a flight home the next morning and wished her sister well. Xu Yan read the message with no strong feelings. Later, Shen Haoming asked Xu Yan why he had never heard of her cousin. Xu Yan dismissed it, stating, "She's a distant relative. We weren't so close. Never mind," implying there was no need to invite her to the wedding. Shen Haoming simply replied, "Alright.
Your call." Qiao Lin, having moved out of the hotel Xu Yan arranged for her, texted Xu Yan to return the money, stating, "I moved out and canceled the hotel. Here's the money." Frustrated by her sister's indifference, she muttered, "Can't you take a hint? Bad sister! Bad Xu Yan! I'm done with you." Meanwhile, her ex-fiancé, Lin Tao, texted her, apologizing for his parents scolding her and pleading, "Come back, please?" Qiao Lin angrily texted back, "Get lost."
Lin Tao then visited Qiao Lin's parents, Mr. Qiao and Yazhen, asking if Qiao Lin had told them anything before leaving for Jingzhou. When they said no, Lin Tao revealed that he and Qiao Lin had broken up, leaving her parents shocked.
Unable to reach Qiao Lin or Xu Yan by phone, Mr. Qiao decided to book tickets to Jingzhou immediately to find Qiao Lin, asking for Xu Yan's address, which was two years old and proved unhelpful upon their arrival. At the wedding dress shop, Xu Yan instructed the two people she hired to pose as her parents to remain quiet and polite, and to make an excuse about meeting friends if Shen Haoming's parents came home with them.
As Xu Yan, Shen Haoming, and his mother, Yu Lan, discussed wedding dress options, Mr. and Mrs. Qiao arrived. Xu Yan froze, imagining a disastrous confrontation where her true identity was revealed and Shen Haoming’s family rejected her. Snapping back to reality, she immediately tried to send Shen Haoming's family away, quickly explaining that Shen Haoming's third uncle was arriving at 5 o'clock and they needed to pick him up.
Yu Lan acknowledged this, saying they wouldn't come up to the apartment then and would meet for dinner the next day. As Shen Haoming and his parents left, Mr. Qiao called out "Qiao Yan!" and asked about Shen Haoming. The hired parents quickly introduced themselves as being from a wedding planning company and discreetly told Xu Yan to transfer the remaining payment, before swiftly departing.
Mr. Qiao then confronted Xu Yan, expressing his outrage that she was getting married without informing them. Xu Yan defiantly told them she was not inviting them to her wedding, asserting, "Grandma is my only family." Mr. Qiao, angered by her words and her perceived disdain for her biological family now that she was marrying into wealth, declared, "You're no longer my daughter." When he asked for Qiao Lin's address, Xu Yan promptly sent it to him.
Mr. Qiao and Yazhen found Qiao Lin at her shared apartment in Jingzhou. Qiao Lin apologized for hiding her breakup and moving to Jingzhou, explaining that it happened too suddenly, and she didn't want them to worry. However, her parents insisted she return home, emphasizing the difficulties of making a living in Jingzhou without connections or a diploma. Qiao Lin retorted that it was better than suffering at Lin Tao's home.
She then brought up Xu Yan, accusing her father, "You drove her away, okay?" and asked if they knew she had a boyfriend. Mr. Qiao angrily dismissed it, stating Xu Yan wasn't inviting them to her wedding. Qiao Lin was shocked to hear of the wedding. She went to Xu Yan's apartment, where she overheard the hired fake parents claiming to be Xu Yan's parents who lived overseas.
When Xu Yan arrived, Qiao Lin confronted her, "You've been lying all along. You hired fake parents and told everyone that they live abroad." Xu Yan admitted to her actions, explaining that Shen Haoming's mother looked down on her background and this was the only way she could marry him. She confessed, "before meeting Shen Haoming, my life was colorless. He's the only one willing to look after me. The only one."
Qiao Lin, despite understanding some of her sister's pain, maintained that lying was wrong. Xu Yan argued that without the deception, they would force her to break up with Shen Haoming, and all her hard work in Jingzhou would be for nothing. She passionately stated, "Either I lose everything, or gain everything," and declared her desire for both career and love. Qiao Lin, unable to change her sister's mind, left, stating, "I can't watch you go down that path.
I won't come again." Shen Haoming later called Xu Yan, expressing concern that her guest list only included four people—her "parents," Huanhuan, and Mr. Zhou. Xu Yan explained that her "parents" lived abroad and rarely visited relatives, making it awkward to invite distant family members. Shen Haoming then suggested bringing Grandma to Jingzhou, but Xu Yan demurred, claiming Grandma was old and the trip would be too much for her.
She promised to ask Grandma about it but insisted on going alone to avoid disrupting her plans with her. Shortly after, Xu Yan received a call from Yazhen, who informed her that she and Mr. Qiao had decided they wanted to attend her wedding, regardless. Xu Yan returned to her hometown and met Mr. Gao, a former tailor who had returned to the village to run an orchard, tavern, and fishing pond.
He asked if she was still a chef in the city, and Xu Yan, maintaining her facade, explained she ran a food show, implying it was "like those on TV." She then visited her Grandma, who was precariously picking osmanthus flowers from a stool. Xu Yan quickly took over, chiding her Grandma for the danger. Grandma was delighted to see her and Xu Yan prepared a fruit platter for her.
Xu Yan then shared the happy news that she was getting married next month. Grandma was overjoyed, expressing that she had "finally lived to see" Xu Yan accomplish this life milestone. However, seeing Xu Yan's sadness, Grandma perceived something was wrong. Xu Yan confided that her parents had come to Jingzhou, and she did not want them at her wedding due to their lifelong lack of emotional connection.
Grandma, understanding Xu Yan's struggles, promised to call them back and ensure they wouldn't go to Jingzhou, guaranteeing Xu Yan a "proper, splendid, and beautiful" wedding. As Xu Yan looked at the sweet osmanthus jam Grandma had made for her, she began to cry, realizing how much Grandma cared. Grandma comforted her, explaining she made the jam to give Xu Yan strength to face life's hardships.
Xu Yan hugged her tightly, promising to bring Grandma to Jingzhou and ensure she lived a good life. A flashback to Xu Yan's childhood showed Grandma encouraging her academic success, emphasizing that "studying hard is your only way to change your life." Another flashback revealed Grandma giving Xu Yan her life savings, with her birthday as the password, to cover her university tuition and living expenses, despite Xu Yan's protests.
Grandma insisted she use it for extracurriculars like dancing and music. Xu Yan also recalled a New Year's Eve with Grandma where she vowed to bring Grandma to Jingzhou after graduation and have her sit at the head table at her wedding. Later, while in college, Xu Yan called Grandma, who expressed concern about her spending too much money. Xu Yan reassured her, mentioning her two high-paying part-time jobs and telling Grandma to simply enjoy life at home.
Shen Haoming, later at his company, asked for the risk analysis report on Plot 178. Fang Lei, a new employee in the investment strategy department, presented the report. Afterwards, Shen Haoming's cousin, Fang Lei, revealed she had returned from abroad and joined the company, playfully asking if he was surprised. Shen Haoming, though surprised, reminded her of company HR policies regarding reporting to direct supervisors.
Fang Lei then reminded him of a past event from his sophomore year: he had won a prize at the Collegiate Kayak League—a jacket—which she "snatched" from him because she liked it. Shen Haoming corrected her, "I didn't give it to you. You snatched it." Fang Lei continued, recalling his words when he left London, telling her to focus on her studies and return after graduation, which she now had done.
Xu Yan, reflecting on her path, told herself, "Only through diligence and hard work can I overcome one mountain after another. Only by becoming strong can I achieve permanent success. Only by achieving all goals can I make up for all my mistakes and make up to those I've let down." She knew she was not being entirely fair to Shen Haoming but felt that to achieve her goals, she would do anything necessary. The return of Shen Haoming's cousin, Fang Lei, now working at his company, created an unspoken sense of crisis for Xu Yan's aspirations.
