Mr. Fighting Episode 7 Recap
> Mr. Fighting Recap
Fu Zi's father, concerned about Niu Meili's loneliness, attempts to set her up on a date. Niu Meili vehemently rejects the idea, asserting her choice to remain single and expressing frustration with his insensitive matchmaking attempts. She clarifies that while she may lament her solitude to him, her only confidant in Beijing, she ultimately cherishes her independent life and does not require a partner.
Later, Gu Dapeng visits Niu Meili at her former pizza shop, which she now uses as her living space and headquarters for her "culture industry." He brings expensive gifts, including cubilose, to apologize for getting drunk and snoring loudly the previous night. Niu Meili assures him he only fell asleep.
Gu Dapeng, impressed by Niu Meili's well-equipped apartment, suggests she could open a restaurant or a pub, prompting Niu Meili to jokingly offer him lodging or even to buy him a house, highlighting his newfound wealth. Gu Dapeng reveals his recent fortune comes from a demolition project involving his watermelon sheds. Niu Meili, while acknowledging her love for money, advises him to manage his finances carefully, warning him against potential exploitation by others.
She offers to help him and Fu Zi’s father manage his money, declaring them "brothers." To demonstrate her financial acumen, she then persuades Gu Dapeng to buy a bottle of rare wine from her for ¥3800 ($550 USD), claiming it's a valuable investment that will appreciate significantly. Gu Dapeng, convinced, pays for the wine.
Meanwhile, Fu Zi consults her father for advice on how he managed to make her so plump, as she needs to help Hao Zeyu gain 10 kilograms for a movie role Director Peng has made a condition. After light-hearted teasing about her childhood eating habits, her father suggests that the secret isn't just "what" one eats, but "how"—with an aggressive, buffet-style approach. Niu Meili gives Fu Zi ¥11,245.
77 ($1,600 USD) from her savings for Hao Zeyu's expenses but imposes a strict daily budget of ¥200 ($30 USD), with Fu Zi responsible for any overages. Fu Zi reluctantly accepts the challenge. Fu Zi takes Hao Zeyu to an all-you-can-eat buffet, where they eat to the point of exhaustion and fall asleep at their table.
They are promptly woken by the manager, who scolds them for occupying the space after closing for three consecutive days and bans them from all branches of the restaurant company. Undeterred, Fu Zi then takes Hao Zeyu to her former supermarket, using her past connections to aggressively gather numerous free samples. Hao Zeyu is mortified by her behavior, feeling they are begging, and angrily scolds her before leaving the supermarket in shame.
Fu Zi, disheartened, reflects on the unexpected difficulty of making someone gain weight. Determined to succeed, Fu Zi decides Hao Zeyu must minimize calorie expenditure by remaining sedentary. She attempts to feed him constantly, starting with large amounts of butter. This initially boosts his weight to 67. 76 kg (149. 4 lbs), but he quickly loses the gained weight after experiencing diarrhea, blaming the butter and his sensitive stomach.
Frustrated by the limited budget and her inadequate cooking skills, Fu Zi realizes she needs her father’s culinary expertise. She tricks her father into coming to Hao Zeyu's apartment, praising his cooking as legendary. Fu Zi's father, furious about being manipulated and feeling exploited by Hao Zeyu, who already has him as a driver and Fu Zi as his "nanny," initially refuses to cook and threatens to hit Fu Zi.
Niu Meili arrives, having already ordered groceries via a delivery app, and the ingredients are delivered quickly. Despite their efforts, Hao Zeyu, displeased with the unfolding situation, declares he won't eat the food and leaves. Fu Zi's father, still fuming, orders Fu Zi and Niu Meili to eat the food he had prepared.
After Hao Zeyu leaves, Niu Meili takes out an IOU (related to a previous car purchase for Fu Zi's father) and pleads with him to cook for Hao Zeyu. Fu Zi's father vehemently refuses, threatening to sell his car to repay her and sever ties. He complains that Niu Meili is exploiting him and his daughter for Hao Zeyu, but Niu Meili defends herself, stating it's for Hao Zeyu's future.
Later that night, Hao Zeyu returns home to an empty apartment but finds the meal prepared by Fu Zi's father and an encouraging note from Fu Zi on the table. Moved by the gesture, he finally sits down and eats.
Fu Zi then launches a "strategic offensive" to convince her father to continue cooking, giving him a footbath and persistently adding scorching hot water until he reluctantly agrees, albeit under duress, partly by hinting at the cost of returning Niu Meili's gifts if they sever ties. The next day, after Fu Zi almost causes a kitchen fire with her cooking attempt, Fu Zi's father steps in and prepares a lavish meal, claiming he's doing it for Fu Zi.
Niu Meili, delighted, enthusiastically declares she will share the shares of her "Niu Meili Entertainment Corporation" with them all. Hao Zeyu, however, remains unenthusiastic, even challenging Fu Zi's father to a drinking contest, jokingly vowing to eat his own vomit if he loses. Over the following weeks, Hao Zeyu's weight steadily increases, reaching 76. 96 kg (169. 7 lbs), largely thanks to a diet rich in pig's feet, with Fu Zi constantly reminding him to avoid strenuous activity.
However, the rapid weight gain soon stalls. In the kitchen, Fu Zi mentions to her father that Hao Zeyu isn't gaining weight from pig's feet anymore and suggests crucian carp soup. Overhearing this from outside, Hao Zeyu feels disheartened. Fu Zi's father, already under financial strain from buying expensive ingredients, pulls Fu Zi and Niu Meili aside for a serious talk. He complains about the exorbitant daily cost of meat, ¥200 ($30 USD), expressing fears of bankruptcy.
He criticizes their pickiness, sarcastically suggesting they are making Hao Zeyu "seek death" with unhealthy foods, and threatens to feed him "forage" or even "their own flesh" if funds run out. Disheartened by the financial burden and the perceived lack of progress, Hao Zeyu discovers "mukbang" (eating broadcast) videos while scrolling on his phone and gets an idea. He begins live streaming himself eating, aiming to gain weight for his role and earn money through viewer donations.
He introduces himself as a former talent show contestant, candidly remarking on the transient nature of celebrity, and encourages viewers to send him gifts. During the stream, he forces down large quantities of ribs, pig's feet, and chicken wings. Fu Zi, Niu Meili, and Fu Zi's father watch the broadcast, visibly distressed by Hao Zeyu's strained efforts. After the stream concludes, Hao Zeyu struggles to suppress vomit.
He excitedly shows them his earnings of ¥2,015 ($300 USD) from just a few minutes of broadcasting. Fu Zi's father compares it to old street performances, but Hao Zeyu argues that since he must eat anyway, earning money from it makes it a worthwhile endeavor. Fu Zi, however, expresses profound worry about his extreme efforts and the potential damage to his health.
On their way home, Fu Zi remains unusually quiet, visibly troubled by Hao Zeyu's desperate performance, believing his actions were fueled by overhearing her father's complaints. She finds his behavior concerning and plans to talk to him. Fu Zi's father, in contrast, sees Hao Zeyu's "crazy" determination as a promising sign and dismisses Fu Zi's worries, highlighting the significant earnings.
He argues that performing is part of an actor's job, and that earning ¥2,000 an hour by eating is far better than his own meager taxi driver wages. Fu Zi admits her heart ached for Hao Zeyu while watching him. She then asks her father to purchase easily digestible, yet visually appealing and "giant-looking," foods for future streams to protect Hao Zeyu's health, a request her father agrees to.
Despite her earlier attempts to distance herself from Gu Dapeng, Niu Meili cannot bear to watch Hao Zeyu continue to compromise his health. She reluctantly calls Gu Dapeng, subtly hinting that he should buy more of her collectible wines, framed as an investment opportunity. Gu Dapeng purchases several bottles but only takes one, leaving the rest with Niu Meili.
This decision leaves Niu Meili conflicted and heartbroken, as these wines hold deep personal significance for her, having been bought annually on her birthdays since she was twenty-one. She also reveals that she sold the wine at cost out of necessity for Hao Zeyu's food and to deter Gu Dapeng's romantic advances by appearing materialistic. Later, Gu Dapeng proudly shows off the wine he bought to Fu Zi's father.
Outraged by what he perceives as Niu Meili's blatant exploitation of Gu Dapeng's affection, Fu Zi's father confronts Niu Meili, accusing her of having no morals. Niu Meili, deeply hurt by the accusation, defends herself by explaining her true reasons for the sale and emphasizing her own sacrifice and sorrow in parting with her cherished collection.
