Master of My Own Episode 28 Recap
> Master of My Own Recap
Lu Jiming released Ning Meng from his embrace and bid her farewell, acknowledging their friendship. Ning Meng fought back tears, clutching a lemon charm as she watched him walk away. Just a few steps later, she encountered Su Weiran, who appeared consumed by rage and struggled to control his emotions. Su Weiran had photos in his hand, revealing the cause of his anger.
Ning Meng tried to explain that she had worked at Joint Capital for three years and it was natural for her to feel sad about its dissolution, but Su Weiran interrupted her, demanding to know if her grief was for Joint Capital or for Lu Jiming. He accused her of always being there for Lu Jiming whenever something happened, unable to forget him, and angrily threw her cherished lemon charm to the ground.
He expressed disbelief, stating he thought she was different, but that she, like others, liked to "two-time," even asking when she and Lu Jiming had started seeing each other and if they had "slept together." Ning Meng, shocked by his accusations, shouted her indignation and tried to pick up her charm, but Su Weiran grabbed her, eventually striking her and causing her to fall.
As he moved to help her up, Ning Meng fiercely pushed his hand away, retrieved her charm herself, and left. Upon arriving at the office, Ning Meng found a bouquet of flowers on her desk with a note that read, "Forgive me. Su." She unceremoniously threw the flowers onto the floor. Later that day, Su Weiran was waiting for her downstairs. Shi Ying, noticing Ning Meng's reluctance to engage with him, stepped in.
She informed Su Weiran that she had arranged a project discussion with Ning Meng that evening, effectively whisking Ning Meng away. In the car, Shi Ying shared her personal experiences of two divorces, explaining how she initially tried to persevere through difficult relationships, feeling she would regret it if she gave up. She advised Ning Meng that life is a series of choices, and no one always makes the right one.
She posed a crucial question to Ning Meng: whether she persisted in a project because the project itself was worthy, or because persistence itself was the goal. Shi Ying emphasized that the most important thing in love is whether one is truly happy or if they are forcing themselves. Ning Meng, listening intently, admitted to feeling emotionally drained and began to understand. After much thought, Ning Meng decided to meet Su Weiran.
She firmly informed him of her decision to break up. Su Weiran tried to apologize for his behavior that night and reconcile, promising not to lose control again. However, Ning Meng stated that his distrust of her had made it impossible for her to trust him in return. She acknowledged that they were both caught in vicious circles and could not escape past traumas, leading to an inability to trust.
Ning Meng explained that they were no longer the same people they were in college and that continuing their relationship in their current state would only lead to mutual hurt. With that, she turned and left. On a grim day, Lu Tianxing suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and was rushed into surgery. Lu Jiming waited outside the operating room, consumed by anxiety, while Madam Liu appeared utterly distraught.
Zeng Yuhang promptly informed Ning Meng of the emergency, and she immediately rushed to the hospital. There, she received the devastating news that Lu Tianxing had passed away despite the doctors' best efforts. The rain poured relentlessly, mirroring Lu Jiming and Madam Liu's unending grief. Madam Liu suggested selling the house, believing it would help alleviate the company's financial woes, but Lu Jiming refused, insisting it was his father's legacy to her.
Madam Liu reminisced about Lu Tianxing, recalling how he would spend long nights working in his study and how she often urged him to rest, only for him to claim he wasn't tired. She mourned that he was gone just as she thought he was ready to step down, calling him a "stubborn old man" for leaving them without a word. Lu Jiming stared at the empty house, a profound sense of loss weighing heavily on his heart.
Later, Lu Jiming stumbled upon a book filled with news clippings about himself. His father, Lu Tianxing, had meticulously cut out and pasted these articles, adding handwritten notes expressing his pride and encouragement. Overwhelmed, Lu Jiming burst into tears, finally realizing the depth of his father's quiet love and pride. Meanwhile, Ning Meng found herself distracted, realizing it had been a long time since she had spent quality time with her own parents.
Just then, Zeng Yuhang called, frantically searching for Lu Jiming, whose phone was off. Ning Meng had not heard from him either, but a sudden thought struck her: he might have gone to the river where Lu Tianxing often fished. Indeed, Ning Meng found Lu Jiming at the familiar riverside spot. He explained that his phone had run out of battery.
He shared memories of his father, admitting that as a child, he never appreciated his father's fishing skills and disliked eating the fish he caught, a simple pleasure he now longed for. He revealed the meanest thing he ever said to his father, during an argument after his mother passed away: that his father didn't deserve to be his dad and he wouldn't cry even if he died.
Ning Meng gently urged him to take care of himself, reminding him that his father wouldn't rest in peace otherwise. Lu Jiming confessed that Ning Meng had been right to scold him, acknowledging his bad temper, his tendency to be presumptuous, and his difficulty in expressing his true feelings, regretting that he realized this too late. Moments later, Zeng Yuhang and Xu Sitian arrived, relieved but also upset by Lu Jiming's disappearance, fearing he might do something drastic.
They tried to persuade him to join them on a trip abroad for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but Lu Jiming declined, citing his overwhelming debt and responsibilities. Seeing his refusal, Ning Meng proposed that he accompany her back to her hometown for the festival instead, suggesting it would allow him to relax and the others to continue with their plans.
Before their departure, You Qi informed Ning Meng that she wouldn't be joining them on the trip as she planned to start looking for a new job and update her resume. Ning Meng was pleased to see You Qi regaining her spirits, knowing that You Qi believed her own situation was less severe than Lu Jiming's and that she could not just "sit idly at home."
Ning Meng and Lu Jiming embarked on their journey to her hometown, a charming Jiangnan town famous for its numerous rivers, bridges, and locally made glutinous rice wine. Ning Meng shared stories of her childhood, including how she once got drunk on the sweet rice wine. She also pointed out significant landmarks along the way, such as Bazi Bridge, Dongshuang Bridge, and the Jiujie Bridge near her home, and recited a local nursery rhyme about "Granny's Bridge."
She explained that for non-locals working in Shanghai, hardships like the long journey home only made them stronger. Upon their arrival, Ning Meng's parents, initially unaware of Lu Jiming's identity, warmly welcomed him, mistaking him for Ning Meng's boyfriend. Ning Meng quickly clarified that Lu Jiming was merely a good friend she had brought back so her parents could teach him how to make mooncakes.
During dinner, as Ning Meng's mother served their signature chicken marinated in wine and Rice Vinasse Chicken, her father began to speak freely. He described Ning Meng's former boss as "very hateful" and "loathsome," unknowingly insulting Lu Jiming directly. Ning Meng was mortified, and Lu Jiming grew increasingly uncomfortable. When Lu Jiming finally revealed, "Sir, I'm Ning Meng's ex-boss," Ning Meng's father was so shocked that he dropped the food he was holding.
Ning Meng then took her parents aside and explained the recent tragedies that had befallen Lu Jiming: how his father's company was sabotaged, how Lu Jiming used all his savings to save it but lost everything, leading to his father's death from the immense shock, and how his own company was dragged down, leaving him in significant debt. Hearing this heartbreaking account, Ning Meng's parents' attitude shifted completely.
They expressed deep sympathy for Lu Jiming and resolved to cheer him up. As Ning Meng's father observed his daughter's profound concern for Lu Jiming, he couldn't help but wonder if she had developed feelings for him.
