Love's Ambition Episode 8 Recap
> Love's Ambition Recap
Xu Yan successfully prepared the vegetable balls and presented them to Madam Yu, Huang's mother, who was initially absorbed in her own clay balls. Xu Yan introduced herself, offering Madam Yu a homemade osmanthus cake, explaining it contained jam made by her own grandmother. She tried to connect with Madam Yu, revealing that they were both born in the Year of the Ox and that both Madam Yu and her grandmother were among the first people to support Xinjiang.
Madam Yu then recited a patriotic phrase about being "born in new China and grew up under the national flag." Moments later, Madam Yu's memory faltered, and she mistook Xu Yan for a thief trying to steal her vegetable balls. Xu Yan calmly reassured her, explaining she had brought vegetable balls, Madam Yu's daughter's favorite. After Madam Yu lovingly counted her own ten clay balls, she tasted Xu Yan's vegetable balls and the osmanthus cake, finding them delicious.
Xu Yan attentively kept Madam Yu company, who seemed delighted during their time together. To encourage Madam Yu to take her medication, Xu Yan even pretended to take medicine herself. Despite her occasional confusion, Madam Yu was perceptive enough to feel genuine affection for Xu Yan, deeply moved by her kindness. While washing Madam Yu's hair, Xu Yan recalled washing her own grandmother's hair, who would often fall asleep during the process.
She continued gently, not immediately noticing that Madam Yu had begun to cry. Later, Madam Yu, in a moment of clarity, called Xu Yan "daughter" and offered her some of her beloved vegetable balls, instructing her to heat them before eating and to take good care of herself. Xu Yan understood these vegetable balls carried the weight of Madam Yu's profound love.
A nurse later confirmed that Xu Yan had been regularly visiting Madam Yu for over a week, and Madam Yu remembered Xu Yan by name, the cake, and their shared photos, embracing her. Huang observed his mother's newfound happiness, a state she hadn't experienced in a long time. Knowing Xu Yan was Shen Haoming's wife, Huang praised Shen Haoming for having such a supportive and capable wife who had greatly helped his mother's condition.
Shen Haoming expressed surprise, stating Xu Yan hadn't mentioned her visits. Huang asked him to convey his gratitude to Xu Yan. Huang clarified that their golf game was solely for personal thanks and not for discussing work. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Haoming acknowledged Huang's busy schedule and subtly brought up Shouke's challenges, such as its immature structure, lack of professional talent, and being on the periphery of the real estate industry, despite being well-funded.
He then proposed a strategic alliance: if Shouke were to join forces with Shifeng, currently locked in fierce contention with Mingyuan Group, it would be a "win-win cooperation" that would inevitably lead to Mingyuan's defeat. He further explained that Shouke could leverage Shifeng to upgrade its corporate structure, securing its entry into the core circle of the industry. Impressed, Huang agreed to a dinner meeting to discuss the matter further after their golf game.
Meanwhile, Sun Siwei overheard her colleagues discussing a news story about a woman who defrauded three men by holding fake weddings with hired actors posing as family. Sun Siwei noticed that the "parents" in the wedding photos strikingly resembled the people from Xu Yan's wedding. She found it suspicious, as Xu Yan had only ever mentioned having a grandmother.
Under the guise of seeking inspiration for a friend's upcoming wedding, Sun Siwei subtly accessed her director's phone and secretly viewed photos from Xu Yan's wedding, which the director had taken covertly due to strict rules. Following a tip from her assistant, Sun Siwei tracked down Gao Liangjie, one of the hired actors from the news story, at an address on Yunshui Street.
Gao Liangjie initially denied any involvement, claiming Sun Siwei had mistaken him for someone else and presenting his ID to prove his name was Gao Liangjie, emphasizing his "unwavering integrity." Unfazed, Sun Siwei informed him that she didn't need his admission, implying she had compelling evidence, and proposed they cooperate. Xu Yan was competing for a news anchor position in the finance department.
Sun Siwei, also vying for the role, mentioned to Xu Yan that her news demo would be "absolutely genuine" and "unforgettable." Xu Yan, during her own audition, eloquently explained complex financial concepts like physical settlement, cash settlement, and leverage using simple analogies, and articulated the host's role in conveying truth. Her colleagues were highly impressed, praising her confident and natural delivery.
Later, Sun Siwei, claiming her scheduled guest was stuck in traffic, coerced Xu Yan into being a last-minute guest on her recorded news demo, despite Xu Yan's concerns about lack of preparation. The director intervened, assuring Xu Yan he would cover her duties, and she reluctantly agreed. On air, Sun Siwei introduced Xu Yan, then dramatically pivoted to the wedding fraud news. To Xu Yan's horror, she introduced Gao Liangjie, the very "hired actor" from the news, as her guest.
Gao Liangjie immediately acknowledged Xu Yan, claiming they knew each other well. Xu Yan appeared visibly flustered, denying any prior acquaintance or remembering how they might have met. Sun Siwei pressed Gao Liangjie, asking about his motive for impersonating a wedding guest.
He explained that his services were sought for various reasons, such as livening up weddings for small families or helping hosts save face, but asserted that in the cases of marriage fraud, he only learned about the scams after the fact and deeply regretted his involvement. Sun Siwei then displayed a photo of Gao Liangjie acting as a bride's father at a wedding, subtly implying it was Xu Yan's.
Xu Yan, enraged, accused Sun Siwei of going too far and maliciously targeting her. Sun Siwei, ignoring Xu Yan’s protests, directly challenged Gao Liangjie to admit if he was Xu Yan's fake father. In a dramatic twist, Gao Liangjie denied being the person in the wedding photo, claiming it was merely someone who "looks a lot like him."
He asserted that if he possessed such "aura and demeanor," he wouldn't be working as a hired actor, and added that many people in the world look alike. Thinking she had an ace up her sleeve, Sun Siwei presented a close-up photo of a birthmark on the fake father's arm from the wedding. When challenged, Gao Liangjie revealed a matching birthmark on his own arm. However, instead of cornering him, this move backfired spectacularly.
Gao Liangjie's unflappable denial, combined with the confusing evidence, derailed Sun Siwei's entire accusation. Realizing she had been completely outmaneuvered, a furious Sun Siwei accused Xu Yan and Gao Liangjie of conspiring against her. Xu Yan, now composed, splashed water on Sun Siwei's face and walked away. A flashback confirmed Xu Yan's foresight: after her earlier conversation with Sun Siwei about the "unforgettable" demo, Xu Yan had called Gao Liangjie, who assured her he would never betray her.
Following the incident, Sun Siwei was suspended by the director for the chaotic demo and for illicitly obtaining photos. Sun Siwei called her mother, complaining that Xu Yan was bullying her, but her mother advised her to handle her own work matters. Xu Yan confronted a fuming Sun Siwei, remarking that her overly aggressive tactics made her appear "ugly."
Sun Siwei retorted that Xu Yan, despite her advantageous marriage, was "not fit to shine her shoes" and dismissed her as a "liar" whose "little tricks" could not fool her. Xu Yan, embracing the insult, declared that even as a "liar," she possessed the ability to reduce Sun Siwei to "a dog begging for food." Just then, Shen Haoming arrived. Xu Yan cleverly provoked Sun Siwei into physically assaulting her right as Shen Haoming witnessed it.
Shen Haoming immediately called Chen Lin, instructing him to assemble the Legal Department to pursue disciplinary action against Sun Siwei for workplace bullying. The episode concluded with Xu Yan confidently hosting the financial news.
