Master of My Own Episode 27 Recap
> Master of My Own Recap
The atmosphere at Joint Capital was fraught with anxiety and speculation following Lu Tianxing's incident and Lu Jiming's prolonged absence. Investors, growing impatient, demanded explanations, their concerns heightened by the feeling that their companies were on the verge of collapse. Despite Ren Pengfei's attempts to calm them, staff members, including Zhou from the Risk Control Department, had already begun tendering their resignations, seeking new prospects amidst the turmoil, fearing the worst.
Xiaoyang, Lu Jiming's secretary, lamented the situation, fearing the company was doomed. However, the arrival of Zeng Yuhang and Xu Sitian, who introduced themselves as Lu Jiming's strategic partners, helped to stabilize the agitated crowd. They assured everyone that they were there to resolve the issues and would bring in legal and financial teams to find solutions, prompting the worried investors to eventually leave.
Zeng Yuhang and Xu Sitian then offered their support to Lu Jiming, who was grappling with a dunning notice from the bank and quietly preparing to sell his house to alleviate the financial strain.
Meanwhile, He Yueluan arranged to meet Ning Meng, informing her that he had prepaid three years' rent for the apartment You Qi was staying in and offered to help You Qi find a job, claiming You Qi was dependent on him and he didn't want her to be homeless or starve. Ning Meng, however, saw through his pretense, accusing him of self-pity and stating that You Qi was capable of fending for herself and didn't need his charity.
She vehemently criticized him for resorting to "hurt and lies" instead of direct communication in his relationship with You Qi. Her anger escalated as she accused him of similar betrayal and deceit concerning the Qinhe project. Ning Meng asserted that He Yueluan had colluded with Shuangxun, purposefully delaying contract signings to impede Lu Jiming, a scheme she believed began around the time of their meeting at Jiangnanchun Restaurant.
She warned He Yueluan that his illegal and unscrupulous actions would inevitably be exposed, a threat he dismissed, demanding proof and warning her she was too naive to catch him. Later, Ning Meng visited You Qi, bringing her food and trying to comfort her. You Qi expressed feeling lost and useless without He Yueluan, describing herself as adrift in a dark ocean.
Ning Meng reassured her, emphasizing that she was still young, capable, and could find her own direction, reminding her she didn't need He Yueluan to live well. You Qi eventually began to eat. Subsequently, Ning Meng consulted Su Weiran about market manipulation, revealing her deep dive into Shuangxun's fund management plan concerning Qinhe. She explained that if Qinhe's stock price fell below 0. 8, Shuangxun's position would be forcibly liquidated, leading to massive losses.
She suspected Shuangxun had already contacted Caihuang Capital to prevent this. Su Weiran, however, advised her to stay out of it, asserting that the authorities would handle any illegal activities and implying her concern stemmed from an unwarranted sense of guilt towards Lu Jiming. He ended the conversation by telling her not to mention Lu Jiming again.
At the hospital, Madam Liu, unable to stand by idly, offered Lu Jiming her life savings, which he gently refused, assuring her he had a plan. Madam Liu commented on his stubbornness, noting he was just like his father, Lu Tianxing. She recounted how Lu Tianxing, despite his harsh words, secretly cared for her, once scolding her for dressing too lightly only for her to later discover he had bought her two warm, albeit "ugly," sweaters, though he denied it.
She also recalled Lu Jiming’s birthday, when Lu Tianxing's temper flared at the dinner table but Lu Jiming stood up for her. This incident, Madam Liu shared, marked a turning point, softening Lu Tianxing's attitude towards her. She revealed that Lu Tianxing, despite his sharp tongue, had a soft heart and was always overjoyed when Lu Jiming returned home for meals.
She vividly described Lu Tianxing proudly showing off Lu Jiming's "Best Investor" award photo while tipsy, insisting that Lu Jiming shouldn’t be bothered with a call since he was busy, saying they had plenty of time for family gatherings. Overcome with emotion from these memories, Madam Liu broke down in tears. In Lu Tianxing's hospital room, Lu Jiming sat by his unconscious father's bedside, a memory of a fishing trip flashing through his mind.
He recalled his father's frustration when he startled the fish. Holding his father's hand, tears welled in Lu Jiming's eyes as he promised to earnestly learn how to fish, vowing never to scare away another catch. Later, Lu Jiming called a meeting with his staff, apologizing for his recent absence due to family matters and acknowledging the trouble it caused.
Despite his apology, the staff expressed understanding, acknowledging his difficulties, and offered to work harder to salvage projects, even suggesting they could gain understanding from limited partners and project parties. However, Lu Jiming announced his decision to dissolve Joint Capital, explaining that his current personal and financial circumstances made it impossible to continue operating the company, and that this decision was the best for the company, its projects, and everyone involved.
He expressed deep gratitude to his loyal staff for staying and assured them he had arranged new opportunities for everyone. He had transferred ongoing projects to reliable companies, ensuring no reduction in salary for those involved. For others, he had prepared recommendation letters and would contact top headhunters. He specifically advised Mr. Liu, the HR manager, to consider a standing offer from Mr. Xu Senior. Xiaoyang and Song, his secretary and driver, were instructed to go with Mr. Liu.
Xiaoyang, in tears, pleaded to stay as his secretary, lamenting that she had envisioned working there until retirement and even joking about how she had mastered his coffee preferences. Lu Jiming, while touched, gently pushed her to accept the new opportunity, playfully remarking she wouldn't find a boss with a worse temper than his. Song, too, offered to continue driving him, only to learn Lu Jiming had sold the car.
Lu Jiming thanked them all for tolerating his temper over the years and sincerely wished them success in their futures. As Ning Meng arrived at the almost deserted office, Xiaoyang, still emotional, urged her to comfort Lu Jiming, who looked isolated and despondent. Ning Meng approached him and directly asked about the source of the funds he used to acquire the stocks. Lu Jiming confessed he had invested all his own money and then borrowed additional funds from the bank.
He had counted on a "Plan B" involving a private placement in a new energy vehicle to secure his cash flow, expecting to recover both principal and interest, but his luck was terrible, and the stocks were liquidated. Ning Meng, knowing his cautious nature, questioned his decision to take such a risk. Lu Jiming admitted it was an unprecedented gamble for him, but he took it "Because it's for my dad."
He apologized for He Yueluan's betrayal, but Ning Meng reassured him it wasn't his fault, lamenting only that she hadn't seen through He Yueluan earlier. Lu Jiming stoically accepted his business losses. Ning Meng then made him a cup of coffee, brewed to his exact preference. Sitting opposite each other, they reminisced.
Ning Meng playfully reminded him of his notoriously strict coffee-making rules and other quirks, acknowledging that it took her significant effort to learn his habits, even joking that advanced mathematics was simpler than mastering his preferences.
Lu Jiming recalled how he had protected her from an aggressive client during a business trip, taking the drinks himself and later sending her on a wild goose chase for specific cigarettes, which he admitted was his way of getting her out of an unpleasant and chaotic environment. He even admitted that her innocent inability to take a hint then had made him genuinely angry and consider firing her.
Just for this, she added, she had tolerated every time he called her drunk in the middle of the night thereafter. He explained that he initially dissuaded her from investing because he believed the complex capital market was unsuitable for an "innocent girl" like her. However, he then sincerely admitted, "you are already a very talented investor." Lu Jiming mused that he had no immediate plans and would likely "end his investing career."
As Lu Jiming prepared to leave, he intentionally left behind his numerous award trophies. Ning Meng, finding this regrettable, collected them and chased after him, telling him, "In my heart, you're still the best investor." As she placed the trophies into a box, she discovered the lemon pendant he had given her. Lu Jiming retrieved it and, handing it back to her, embraced her.
