Master of My Own Episode 12 Recap
> Master of My Own Recap
Lu Jiming peered through the peephole of Zeng Yuhang's door and, upon seeing Ning Meng's return, quickly stepped out, feigning a casual departure. Ning Meng, hearing the sound, merely turned to open her own door, indifferent to his presence. As she prepared to enter, Lu Jiming swiftly blocked her path. He imperiously suggested that after her contract with Shi Ying expired, she should return to his company, Joint Capital.
He promised he wouldn't force her to be his secretary again, but would let her dedicate herself fully to investment. Ning Meng listened in bewilderment, her anger rising. She firmly stated she would not return, emphasizing that she was not his "plaything" and demanding respect, instructing him not to call her for anything unrelated to work in the future.
After being rebuffed by Ning Meng, Lu Jiming turned to Zeng Yuhang to complain, baffled by Ning Meng's anger despite his offer for her to engage in investment. Zeng Yuhang pointed out that Ning Meng simply desired respect, not for him to impose what he thought was best on her. He explained that respect encompassed her personality, wishes, and choices, reminding Lu Jiming that he was there to apologize, not to deliver an ultimatum.
Zeng Yuhang made Lu Jiming practice saying "I'm sorry," noting it would be his first time. Lu Jiming, looking dejected, initially hesitated to apologize directly, claiming it was too late that night, but promised to clarify things the next day. The following morning, Lu Jiming intercepted Ning Meng as she was heading to work, asking for her decision. Ning Meng, in a hurry, stated she had already made herself clear and asked him to move aside.
He insisted he had shown great sincerity by coming early, but she tried to evade him, even turning to take the stairs when he blocked the elevator. Lu Jiming pursued her, blocking her path again. Ning Meng then directly asked if he was begging her to return to Joint Capital. He arrogantly denied it, claiming he was merely "allowing" her to return. However, as Ning Meng started to walk away, he conceded, admitting he was begging.
He then attempted to save face, stating he respected her choice and she could stay wherever she pleased, prompting Ning Meng to accept his "making peace" gesture, declaring the matter settled. Their fragile truce quickly broke when Lu Jiming immediately questioned Ning Meng about her relationship with Su Weiran, asking if they were "bound together in investment."
Ning Meng retorted, asking if he was "a cop on the Pacific Ocean," implying he was too nosy, and asserted that she had known Su Weiran since university and didn't need Lu Jiming's judgment on his character. Lu Jiming, undeterred, claimed her "insight" was poor and she couldn't discern if someone was reliable. Ning Meng countered sharply that having "endured three years" with him, anyone else, no matter how unreliable, would be more reliable.
Offended, Lu Jiming demanded clarification, but Ning Meng instead asked him to stop following her, accusing him of being a "perverted stalker." He denied it, stating he could take the subway if he wished, leading to a bickering match where Ning Meng mocked him for taking the subway when he usually complained about a Maybach's comfort. Their argument continued about who had "tolerated" whom, with Ning Meng calling him "petty."
As they navigated the crowded subway station, Lu Jiming, unfamiliar with the mobile app for entry, complained about the masses, personally experiencing the difficulties of Ning Meng's daily commute. He continued to lecture her, urging her to exercise "calm judgment as an adult" and always perform an "investment risk assessment" for any project, especially those from her senior, Su Weiran. Amidst the pushing crowd, he pressed her again to explain what she meant by "tolerating" him.
Later, Lu Jiming arrived at the office looking disheveled, having apparently taken the subway, and immediately requested his dry-cleaned suit and a fresh pair of shoes. Meanwhile, Shi Ying handed Ning Meng documents for Phoenix Home Textile, instructing her to prepare for a meeting at Joint Capital that afternoon to see if Lu Jiming would be interested in a joint investment.
Shi Ying explained Joint Capital's strong brand, extensive funding channels, and stable relationships with limited partners, making cooperation with Lu Jiming the "best solution" given Eaglestone's own strengths in project resources. During their discussion at Joint Capital, Lu Jiming showed keen interest in Phoenix Home Textile, acknowledging the trend of transforming traditional manufacturing. He agreed to a two-week joint due diligence assessment. Shi Ying mentioned Ning Meng's lack of on-site experience and need for guidance.
Unexpectedly, Lu Jiming offered to go personally, claiming his friend Zeng Yuhang happened to have a project in the same area. He confidently stated he'd only need "one-tenth" of his effort to guide Ning Meng, much to Shi Ying's surprise. Ning Meng's colleague later noticed a change in Ning Meng's attitude towards Lu Jiming, who seemed less hateful and somewhat happier, prompting her to jokingly ask if Ning Meng had developed Stockholm syndrome.
Ning Meng denied it, saying she was not sick and saw it as her own personal growth, believing Lu Jiming had learned his lesson and wouldn't treat her like a maid again. Despite this, when Lu Jiming later appeared at Zeng Yuhang's door, inviting Ning Meng to drive with them to the due diligence site, she politely declined, stating she was from the project department, not logistics, and had already purchased a high-speed rail ticket due to motion sickness.
Lu Jiming, visibly frustrated by her refusal, muttered that she "just doesn't get it." Upon arriving at the Phoenix Home Textile factory, Lu Jiming, Zeng Yuhang, and Ning Meng were greeted by the general manager, Yuan Jie. Yuan Jie proudly introduced the company's history, founded by his father in the late 1990s, evolving from a small workshop to a large enterprise covering 30,000 square meters.
During a tour of the exhibition hall, Lu Jiming urged Ning Meng to stay close and pay attention. Yuan Jie explained that Phoenix primarily supplied bedding to mid-to-low-tier hotels and was seeking financing to introduce automated production lines and expand into overseas markets. He also revealed that he had taken over the business last year after his father's passing, who had fallen ill from overwork.
Lu Jiming praised Yuan Jie's initiative in managing such a long-standing, large enterprise at a young age. Yuan Jie then presented blueprints for factory reconstruction, outlining plans to upgrade existing workshops into automated smart factories to improve efficiency by replacing human labor with machines. When Lu Jiming inquired about quality improvement, Yuan Jie confirmed that the primary benefit would be efficiency.
After the day's work, Lu Jiming offered Ning Meng a ride to their hotel, but she declined, stating her guesthouse was nearby and she preferred to walk. Lu Jiming and Zeng Yuhang then checked into their five-star hotel. Lu Jiming complained about Phoenix's booking standards, which allocated a five-star hotel to Zeng Yuhang, whom he called a "freeloader," while assigning a guesthouse to Ning Meng, a "hard worker."
Zeng Yuhang playfully suggested Lu Jiming had a soft spot for Ning Meng, which Lu Jiming denied, insisting it was about work convenience. Later, Zeng Yuhang called Ning Meng, relaying Lu Jiming's concern about her guesthouse's conditions. Ning Meng again declined the offer to move, stating she was not part of Joint Capital and wouldn't accept "unearned favors," and that she was comfortable in her guesthouse, before ending the call to continue working.
The next day, Ning Meng was already diligently working in the resource center when Lu Jiming arrived. He declined the offer of a separate office, stating it was more efficient for them to work together. He then began to guide Ning Meng, chastising her for reading the company's history instead of starting with the financial reports.
He meticulously explained how to analyze receivables, bad debts, and asset efficiency, and how to compare them with interview results to detect anomalies, despite his initial critical remarks about her lack of project experience. Ning Meng pointed out his contradiction, prompting Lu Jiming to explain that he was teaching her to prevent her from embarrassing herself in front of her temporary boss. At lunchtime, the factory staff offered Lu Jiming a separate meal arrangement.
He refused, stating that since it was just the two of them, they could eat together at the cafeteria and discuss work. Ning Meng, who was already planning to eat at the cafeteria, was surprised when Lu Jiming also decided to join her.
At the cafeteria, with few options left due to their late arrival, Lu Jiming declined an offer to eat out, stating it would be a waste of time and could compromise his impartiality if he accepted a lavish meal from the factory. Ning Meng observed his discomfort with the simple cafeteria food and, to help him, scalded his chopsticks with hot water.
She then shared a funny anecdote about a father and son who were drunkards, which Lu Jiming, amused, recognized as being about him. Ning Meng then produced a "secret seasoning" from her bag, a travel staple, which she claimed made any meal delicious. She offered it to Lu Jiming, who, after trying it, admitted it was "not bad."
She continued with another humorous story about a bad singer and a neighbor, which Lu Jiming found equally entertaining, commenting that while the meal was "average," her jokes "go well with the food." He even asked her to buy him more of the seasoning, playfully asking if it was reimbursable. While they ate, background conversations of factory employees complaining about the new general manager, Yuan Jie, and the changes he was implementing could be heard.
Lu Jiming, however, maintained a broader perspective, expressing that Yuan Jie seemed like a hardworking individual eager to improve the factory, a sentiment Ning Meng agreed with, acknowledging the pressure of inheriting a family business. Before leaving the cafeteria, Lu Jiming realized he'd forgotten his seasoning, but Ning Meng stopped him, telling him to forget it and instead tell her another joke.
As the day ended, Ning Meng had accumulated a large volume of data and planned to work overnight to compile a report. Hearing this, Lu Jiming surprisingly offered to come to her guesthouse to help, expressing concern that she might not be able to finish alone. Ning Meng, though surprised, accepted the offer, acknowledging that an extra hand would be helpful. At her guesthouse, Lu Jiming immediately complained about its "shabby" appearance and the uncomfortable chair.
He also complained about the limited food Ning Meng offered, though they soon settled down to focus on the work. As they reviewed the data, Lu Jiming provided further instruction, cautioning Ning Meng against solely relying on surface-level financial reports, as businesses could appear profitable on paper while struggling in reality. Suddenly, a large moth flew into the room, unsettling Lu Jiming and distracting him even as Ning Meng asked for his help with the bad debt risk section.
When the moth landed on his hand, Ning Meng pointed it out, causing Lu Jiming to jump back in alarm, inadvertently bumping into her. As she tried to swat the moth, he accused her of hitting him. The moth escaped to the ceiling, out of Ning Meng's reach. She prompted Lu Jiming, who was taller, to handle it. Reluctantly, he threw his slipper at the moth, successfully hitting it but also accidentally striking the smoke alarm.
Water instantly began pouring from the ceiling, drenching the room. They frantically scrambled to gather all the documents and her laptop, shouting instructions to each other amidst the chaos, trying to save their work from getting wet. Once the immediate crisis was over, Lu Jiming, with water dripping from his hair, suggested Ning Meng move to his hotel for the night.
