Master of My Own Episode 22 Recap
> Master of My Own Recap
Su Weiran opened up to Ning Meng about his past relationship after she agreed to listen. He revealed that after graduation, he and his ex-girlfriend moved abroad, where they faced significant challenges. They struggled to adapt to a new life and were constantly short on money, leading to frequent arguments. Both felt they were sacrificing more for the other, enduring hardship while loving each other.
He then described how a wealthy second-generation immigrant aggressively pursued his ex-girlfriend, detailing the appalling tactics such individuals used to win hearts. Although his ex-girlfriend initially found it hard to let go of him, he discovered she was seeing this man and confronted her. She then chose the wealthy man. Su Weiran went through a very difficult period, feeling her betrayal profoundly changed his life.
From that point on, he dedicated all his time and energy to work, determined to prove himself and achieve success, which he now felt he had done. He admitted that he hadn't dated since and had lost faith in love until he met Ning Meng again. He told her that seeing her always reminded him of his past self, who believed in the beauty and purity of the world and in the realization of original dreams.
He thanked her for helping him regain the ability to love and then asked Ning Meng to be his girlfriend. Han Yimeng was about to depart and said goodbye to Lu Jiming at the airport, urging him to take care and stay safe. She advised him not to be consumed solely by work and to take action on certain things.
She expressed her belief that Lu Jiming and Ning Meng were compatible, noting how relaxed and comfortable he seemed when he was with Ning Meng, emphasizing that true feelings cannot be faked. She implored him to face his heart directly before leaving. Zeng Yuhang echoed Han Yimeng's sentiments, questioning if Lu Jiming felt any reluctance about Han Yimeng leaving. Lu Jiming admitted he didn't, feeling at ease after Han Yimeng had clarified things.
Zeng Yuhang persisted, telling Lu Jiming to genuinely confront his feelings. Lu Jiming, sighing, claimed he was already doing so. Zeng Yuhang then pressed him, asking if he admitted to liking Ning Meng, to which Lu Jiming nodded. Zeng Yuhang, impressed, then revealed a crucial piece of information: he believed Ning Meng also had some feelings for Lu Jiming.
Though Lu Jiming briefly smiled with a hint of satisfaction, Zeng Yuhang cautioned him not to celebrate too soon, explaining that those feelings were from a long time ago and Ning Meng's current thoughts were uncertain. He urged Lu Jiming to act quickly, reminding him that Ning Meng was now even more exceptional and had many suitors. Lu Jiming casually dismissed the urgency, but then emphatically stated that no one else was allowed to pursue her.
Meanwhile, Ning Meng was making significant strides in her career. She learned that the initial pre-sale batch of the Mobi artist crossover series had completely sold out, indicating great success. She also discussed future plans for Mobi with Shi Ying, suggesting they seek a broker for restructuring to potentially list on the A-share or New Third Board, showcasing her diversified investment thinking.
Ning Meng then presented Shi Ying with a new project opportunity: Lehui, an enterprise specializing in small household electrical appliances that was seeking funding for its new multi-functional Donlim Pot. Ning Meng's friend introduced her to the project. The company was led by a female entrepreneur, Liu Huimin, who personally designed all of Lehui’s products, making them unique in the small appliance industry. Impressed, Shi Ying encouraged Ning Meng to pursue it.
Ning Meng then requested to independently manage the project if Lehui proved viable, much like she had done with Mobi, taking full responsibility for finding capital and executing the plan. Shi Ying gave her full approval. Ning Meng met with Liu Huimin, who detailed her entrepreneurial background: she previously co-owned an appliance OEM business with her ex-husband, but became a homemaker after pregnancy.
After their divorce, fueled by her experience cooking at home and her ex-husband's lack of support for her new ideas, she refocused on designing convenient kitchen appliances. Liu Huimin explained she intended to use the raised funds for initial production, with market launch costs covered by her divorce settlement, which was pending due to her ex-husband’s business affairs. Ning Meng confirmed the settlement's due date was clearly stipulated, and Liu Huimin vouched for her ex-husband's honesty.
Liu Huimin expressed her nervousness about such a large financing project after years away from entrepreneurship, and Ning Meng offered her support, leveraging her experience in capital management and operation. Both expressed hope for a successful collaboration. Back at his office, a distracted Lu Jiming sought dating advice from his driver, Song, who comically compared pursuing a girl to driving, emphasizing the importance of timing and avoiding "rear-end collisions" and random lane changes.
Lu Jiming also asked Xiaoyang for gift ideas. Xiaoyang suggested handbags and elaborated on gift choices for different relationships, though Lu Jiming found the suggestions unhelpful. Annoyed, Lu Jiming decided to book a restaurant himself for two people that evening at seven, requesting a private room with a night view and pre-ordered flowers.
He then sent Song away and drove himself to Eaglestone Capital, only to find Ning Meng was out on a project inspection and wouldn't be back until late. To conceal his true intention, he pretended he was there to discuss investment projects with Shi Ying. Shi Ying mentioned Ning Meng was already independently handling the Lehui project, having secured the right to find funds herself.
Lu Jiming feigned disinterest in investing in Lehui, stating he would let Ning Meng manage it fully. He then spent the rest of the time presenting other projects to Shi Ying, trying to stall for Ning Meng's return. Finally, Ning Meng returned to Eaglestone Capital. Shi Ying, sensing the situation, quickly made an excuse to leave, giving Lu Jiming and Ning Meng privacy.
Lu Jiming praised Ning Meng's increasingly sharp investment insight and called her an outstanding investor, acknowledging her growth. Ning Meng, calm and composed, correctly guessed that Lu Jiming had something important to tell her beyond professional matters. As Lu Jiming stammered, struggling to find the right words to invite her out, Su Weiran suddenly appeared, holding a bouquet of flowers. He immediately announced that Ning Meng had agreed to be his girlfriend, surprising Lu Jiming.
Su Weiran then mentioned he had just picked up a new car and planned to take Ning Meng to dinner. Lu Jiming witnessed Ning Meng getting into Su Weiran's car and driving away, leaving him crestfallen. Heartbroken, Lu Jiming cancelled his dinner reservation and instructed the restaurant to discard the pre-ordered flowers. Heartbroken, Lu Jiming channeled his frustration into a vigorous run on the treadmill.
Zeng Yuhang found him and tried to comfort him, urging him to confess his feelings to Ning Meng, arguing it was not too late as they had likely just started dating and Ning Meng might have acted on impulse. This seemed to ignite a realization in Lu Jiming, who immediately rushed out to find Ning Meng. He confronted her, asserting that he found Su Weiran unreliable and accusing her of being swayed by small favors.
Ning Meng, visibly annoyed, questioned his right to interfere in her personal life, accusing him of maliciously speculating about others and being a busybody. Lu Jiming clarified that he and Han Yimeng were merely family and friends, not romantically involved, countering her insinuation that he was taking out his recent heartbreak on her.
Finally, summoning his courage, Lu Jiming confessed his feelings, explaining that his past contentious behavior, such as repeatedly insisting she return as his secretary or opposing her strategic cooperation with Shi Ying, stemmed from his deep care for her and his reluctance to be separated from her. He acknowledged his regret for not expressing himself sooner. However, it was too late. Ning Meng firmly stated that she already had a boyfriend and that they should mind their own business.
She then asked him to respect her. Defeated, Lu Jiming returned to drown his sorrows in alcohol. In the days that followed, Lu Jiming’s demeanor changed dramatically. He became quiet and distracted, no longer losing his temper, which alarmed his colleagues. Xiaoyang, concerned, noted that the company felt lifeless and missed Lu Jiming’s previous outbursts. She even worried about being fired, perceiving Lu Jiming's unusual quietness as the "calm before the storm."
Xiaoyang later called Ning Meng, describing Lu Jiming's symptoms and suspecting he was heartbroken, especially after Lu Jiming had asked about gifts for girls. Ning Meng, however, coldly stated she no longer understood him as she had left the company long ago. Despite the personal turmoil, Ning Meng continued to focus on the Lehui project.
She had successfully structured the limited partnership, securing Mr. Liang (with advertising resources) and Mr. Zhou (with e-commerce resources, who had previously wanted to invest in Mobi) as limited partners, with Eaglestone Capital as the general partner, investing 20% into Lehui. Ning Meng found the process surprisingly smooth, almost to the point of suspicion. Shi Ying later suggested Ning Meng visit Jiming Capital to explore other projects, but Ning Meng declined, citing her focus on Lehui and sending Xiaoya instead.
Mr. Zhou later met Ning Meng, expressing his desire to invest directly in Lehui, bypassing Eaglestone Capital despite being a secured limited partner. He questioned why he needed to invest through them if he was the primary investor. Ning Meng explained that her company provided essential post-investment management, resource integration, and synergy, which direct investment lacked.
Unconvinced, Mr. Zhou proposed that Ning Meng should yield 10% of the shares to him, in exchange for a substantial "project introduction fee" paid directly to her personal account, urging her to keep it quiet. Ning Meng found this unethical and insisted on adhering to the original investment structure, believing it was best for all parties involved. Mr. Zhou, however, saw it as disadvantageous for himself and threatened to pull out, forcing Ning Meng to find a new investor.
