Master of My Own Episode 7 Recap
> Master of My Own Recap
Faced with the evidence, Qiu Junlin showed no remorse and instead slandered Ning Meng. An infuriated Lu Jiming declared that he would subject Qiu Junlin to the same underhanded tactics he had used against Ning Meng, ensuring he could no longer work in the investment industry. Agitated and helpless, Qiu Junlin could only make a show of leaving.
Witnessing this, Yang Xiaoyang found a private moment to call Ning Meng, revealing that the deceitful Qiu Junlin, not Lu Jiming, was the one sabotaging her job search. Struck with remorse, Ning Meng composed a text message to Lu Jiming, only to discover he had blacklisted her. In the unsent message, she admitted her impulsiveness and regret, joking that her brain "must have been flooded" and offering to let him scold her in return.
As Ning Meng worried, she received a call from her idol, Shi Ying. Initially nervous, Ning Meng was overjoyed upon hearing Shi Ying’s intention to hire her. Shi Ying explained that her firm, Eaglestone Capital, was newly founded and in an exploratory phase, and that she recruited based on capability alone. Ning Meng clarified that she left Joint Capital because Lu Jiming valued her more as a secretary, while her dream was to be an investor.
Shi Ying noted their strategic partnership meant Ning Meng would still interact with Lu Jiming, but saw her newfound acceptance of her past experience as a positive sign. Shi Ying formally offered her a position, starting as an analyst to build foundational experience before becoming an investment manager, which Ning Meng enthusiastically accepted.
Soon after, Ning Meng changed her appearance at Shi Ying's suggestion, who advised that an image change can shift one's mindset and that dressing elegantly symbolizes capability and a balance between work and life. Settling into her new role in the Project Department with her colleague Tang Ya, Ning Meng chose a lemon tree for her desk to symbolize her fresh start.
At the opening cocktail party for the Qilin Home flagship store, Shi Ying arrived with Ning Meng, while Lu Jiming came with his temporary secretary, Yang Xiaoyang. Upon seeing Ning Meng's new look, Lu Jiming couldn't resist a sarcastic remark about her "cured" nearsightedness. Shi Ying clarified she had hired Ning Meng after she had already left Joint Capital, but Lu Jiming scoffed, comparing a secretary doing investment work to a tricycle peddler trying to drive a high-speed train.
During the ceremony, Mr. Tang, the owner of Qilin Home, gave a speech and specifically thanked Lu Jiming, not just for financial support but for teaching him how to choose between short-term and long-term interests, a lesson crucial to his success. Watching him, Ning Meng was deeply impressed. Later, they met in the restroom, where Ning Meng sincerely apologized for blaming him for the background check sabotage.
Arrogantly, Lu Jiming flicked water from his hands at her and challenged her, saying he would wait and see what she could accomplish. Ning Meng simply smiled, unfazed. Shi Ying assigned Ning Meng to lead the research on a new project: Cozap, a trending national chain of home furniture stores. Ning Meng hesitated, feeling her secretarial past left her unprepared for investment decisions.
Shi Ying encouraged her to discard the "secretary" label and embrace her new identity as an investor, clarifying that Ning Meng's role was to identify problems while she would make the final decision. Shi Ying stressed the project's urgency, as Cozap was gaining buzz and required a quick assessment to gain an advantage. Inspired, Ning Meng committed herself to the task.
Shortly after, Ning Meng's landlady informed her that the apartment had been sold, as it was now designated within a desirable school district, and she had to move out in two days. The situation escalated when the landlady entered Ning Meng’s apartment without permission to show it to the new owner. Overhearing Ning Meng's distressed phone call, Shi Ying took her to a spacious, furnished apartment near the company.
She explained she had acquired it at a discount from a company she helped go public and offered it to Ning Meng at an "employee price." Overwhelmed, Ning Meng felt she hadn't earned such generosity. Shi Ying reassured her, sharing her own past struggles with renting and explaining that the investment returns Ning Meng would generate for the company far outweighed the rent, calling it a "win-win." Overjoyed, Ning Meng accepted the offer and began decorating her new home.
Meanwhile, a helpless Lu Jiming returned home after a work dinner, acutely feeling the absence of Ning Meng's meticulous care. He dismissed the driver's offer to help him inside and slumped onto his sofa, where no hangover soup awaited him. Later, Lu Jiming attended Zeng Yuhang's birthday party, where Xu Sitian was already present.
Zeng Yuhang tried to create an opportunity for them to reconcile, but Lu Jiming showed no interest, instead leisurely discussing a vintage whiskey he had brought as a gift, making the atmosphere awkward. He then received a work call regarding digital commercialization and stepped out, unexpectedly running into Ning Meng.
