Master of My Own Episode 14 Recap
> Master of My Own Recap
Yuan Jie asked Lu Jiming if he would reconsider the investment if he could properly resolve the issue of staff placement. Lu Jiming, however, advised against such a drastic approach. He explained that a complete equipment overhaul and factory reconstruction would require a significant period of inoperability, incurring severe losses. Furthermore, there was no guarantee that new orders would match the increased production capacity after the upgrade, potentially wasting the new production lines.
Ning Meng suggested a more gradual approach to the technological reform, which would give the workers a buffer period to adapt. Yuan Jie thanked them and assured them he would seriously consider their suggestions. Before leaving, Lu Jiming encouraged Yuan Jie, expressing satisfaction with Phoenix Home Textile's products. He noted that the bedding he used at a budget hotel was from Phoenix and its quality was comparable to that of a five-star hotel.
Lu Jiming concluded that Phoenix primarily lacked precise brand positioning and marketing strategies. Later, Ning Meng visited Yuan Jie at the factory, presenting him with a booklet detailing the history of Phoenix Home Textile. Yuan Jie reflected on his childhood, recalling how his father, the old factory director, was so dedicated to the factory that he rarely saw him. His father would only come home for a meal when Yuan Jie achieved high marks or won competitions.
He admitted that his desire to rapidly advance the factory was, in part, an attempt to gain his father's attention and prove his own capabilities. Ning Meng empathized, sharing her own experiences and assuring Yuan Jie that parental love is unconditional. Yuan Jie then recounted a memory of his birthday during a typhoon, when his father left their family meal to handle flood prevention at the factory.
He had angrily accused his father of only caring about money, but Ning Meng helped him realize his father's commitment was to the workers' safety. Ning Meng added that the messages in the "Workers' Corner" showed that the employees treated Phoenix like their home, and that the old factory director, who believed the home textile industry should bring warmth and human connection, never gave up on any of them.
He saw it as "sailing a large ship" where everyone must work together in unison. Having reflected deeply, Yuan Jie decided to adopt a slower, phased technological reform to allow workers to adapt and avoid mass layoffs, thanking Ning Meng for helping him find "the most precious thing." He also confirmed that the "Fenghuang Tongxing" publication would continue as a public account.
Ning Meng then relayed a message of goodwill, assuring Yuan Jie that the doors of both Jiming Capital and Eaglestone Capital would remain open for future cooperation. That evening, Zeng Yuhang arrived at their hotel with his luggage, suggesting a celebration. Lu Jiming was reluctant, finding it illogical to celebrate a canceled investment, but Ning Meng was eager to relax.
Outdoors, Lu Jiming complained about Zeng Yuhang's choice of location, and Zeng Yuhang retorted that Lu Jiming was the one who was "blind" for letting a good employee like Ning Meng go. Intrigued, Ning Meng asked how two people with such different personalities became friends. Zeng Yuhang explained that he, Lu Jiming, and Xu Sitian were middle school classmates.
He recounted how, after getting into trouble with some local hooligans, Lu Jiming, who initially didn't want to get involved, stepped in to fight them off when he saw how badly Zeng Yuhang was being beaten. Since then, Zeng Yuhang had deeply admired him. Ning Meng then shared her own past, recalling how her father's venture into environmentally friendly rechargeable batteries failed, leading to bankruptcy and draining their family savings.
This experience, she revealed, was what motivated her to become an investor. While Zeng Yuhang stepped away to take a phone call, Lu Jiming confessed to Ning Meng that his family life had been tumultuous. He recalled constant arguments between his parents, his father's singular focus on work, and his mother's departure when he was ten.
Despite his numerous letters, she never replied, and he only later learned she had passed away from cancer during his first year of junior high. He spoke of his father's strictness and lack of warmth, expressing a longing for simple family life. He recalled enviously watching a neighbor boy his age get scolded by his mother with a spatula, wishing his own mother were still around, even if it meant being disciplined by her.
As they talked, they ran out of drinks. Ning Meng offered to buy more, but as she stood up, she tripped over an empty bottle and fell onto Lu Jiming, resulting in an accidental kiss. Both were startled and quickly pulled away, visibly awkward. The next morning, Ning Meng was deeply embarrassed to see Lu Jiming, while Zeng Yuhang playfully tried to push them together.
Upon their return to Shanghai, Xu Sitian joyfully greeted Zeng Yuhang and linked arms with him. To Lu Jiming and Ning Meng's surprise, Zeng Yuhang announced that he and Xu Sitian were in a relationship, which began after they accidentally held hands during a drunken night at an RV park. Back home, Ning Meng found herself unable to stop replaying the kiss in her mind. Confused, she called You Qi, fabricating a story about a "friend" and her male colleague.
You Qi quickly saw through Ning Meng's "I'm asking for a friend" act, teasing her about blushing. After Ning Meng admitted the kiss was real, You Qi advised her that if her "friend" wasn't repulsed by the kiss and kept thinking about it, it meant she had feelings for the person. Mortified, Ning Meng quickly hung up, leaving both her and Lu Jiming to a restless night.
