Mr. Honesty Episode 1 Recap
> Mr. Honesty Recap
Fang Zhiyou, a man who chooses to tell the truth above all else, engaged in a business meeting with Melissa. When asked for his opinion, he bluntly stated that her purple coat made her look like a "giant eggplant," and criticized her "Barbie pink" lipstick and plastic surgery. Angered by his honesty, Melissa called him "nuts" and threw water on him.
Later, Fang Zhiyou explained his philosophy, differentiating between lies of pandering, showing off, or self-defense, and reaffirming that he always chooses to speak the truth. While leaving, Fang Zhiyou encountered Xu Yiren and her boyfriend, Gao Ming, in an elevator. Gao Ming was on the phone, telling his girlfriend in France that he missed her, but told Xu Yiren he was speaking to his parents. Fang Zhiyou promptly exposed Gao Ming's deceit.
Realizing the truth, a shocked Xu Yiren broke up with Gao Ming on the spot. He Yuwen, Fang Zhiyou's partner, expressed her frustration over his actions, informing him that Melissa was furious, though she hadn't canceled their contract. He Yuwen said she would apologize to the client herself and, in exchange, tasked Fang Zhiyou with negotiating a contract with a supplier. Meanwhile, Xu Yiren was called back to her office for an urgent client meeting. The client was Fang Zhiyou.
Her boss made an excuse for her tardiness, claiming a pipe had burst at her home. Fang Zhiyou, having just seen Xu Yiren on a date, exposed the lie. Citing her lack of integrity, he canceled the major business deal, leading Xu Yiren's boss to fire her on the spot. Returning home, Xu Yiren found her apartment flooded from an actual burst pipe. Her aunt, the landlord, was furious.
Xu Yiren confided in her best friend, Xia Di, calling Fang Zhiyou "Thanos" for the destruction he'd caused in her life. During their chat, the HR department from Fang Zhiyou's company, Square & Circle, called Xia Di's phone—listed as Xu Yiren's emergency contact—to invite Xu Yiren for an interview. During the interview, the interviewer turned out to be Fang Zhiyou.
When he asked why she left her previous job, Xu Yiren lied again, claiming her company was unprofitable and withheld her salary. Recognizing her and her dishonesty, Fang Zhiyou immediately dismissed her. Later, He Yuwen expressed her exasperation with Fang Zhiyou for being unable to hire an assistant, as he kept firing them for minor deceptions like having someone else clock in for them. He insisted that not lying was his minimum requirement.
Afterward, Xu Yiren angrily confronted Fang Zhiyou, blocking his car and blaming him for her misfortunes. Fang Zhiyou calmly broke down her situation, asserting that her problems were her own fault: her boyfriend cheated, she lied at work, and she lacked competence in the interview. He argued he had only spoken the truth. Xu Yiren tearfully admitted she knew her relationship was failing but that he had cruelly shattered her "only light," something a stranger had no right to do.
Struggling to find an assistant for the difficult Fang Zhiyou, He Yuwen had a chance encounter with Xu Yiren. Impressed by her, He Yuwen offered her the assistant position, explaining the high salary was due to Fang Zhiyou's difficult nature. Her primary role would be to manage his interpersonal relations and prevent him from being overly blunt. Offered a one-month trial with a generous severance package, Xu Yiren accepted.
On her first day, Fang Zhiyou was furious to see Xu Yiren and accused He Yuwen of hiring her deliberately. He Yuwen asserted her authority and proposed a bet: if Xu Yiren made no mistakes in one month, Fang Zhiyou had to keep her. He reluctantly agreed. He Yuwen then warned Xu Yiren that if she told a single lie, she would be fired immediately.
In a team meeting, Fang Zhiyou declared that a client-approved design was "not working" and ordered it redone. Xu Yiren tried to intervene but was told to "get out." Later, in his car, she struggled with the seatbelt; instead of helping, he brusquely told her to sit in the back. Forced to work overtime, Xu Yiren canceled dinner plans with Xia Di.
At the restaurant, Xia Di realized she had booked for the wrong month and gave her reservation to a stranger, Gu Bo, who she found "so cool." After work, Xu Yiren asked to be dropped at the bus stop. Fang Zhiyou complied, but secretly watched from a distance to ensure she got on the last bus safely before he drove off. Late that night, a rival, Li Zhe, saw Fang Zhiyou still working and vowed to make him pay.
The next morning, Xu Yiren found Fang Zhiyou asleep in his office chair. Initially wanting to curse him for her troubles, she noticed he was having a nightmare and her anger turned to concern.
