Mr. Honesty Episode 25 Recap
> Mr. Honesty Recap
Xu Yiren arrived at the Fang residence with Fang Zhiyou and his sister, Shiyu, and quickly discerned that Shiyu was feigning her leg injury to get them there. When their father, Mr. Fang, arrived, Fang Zhiyou was adamant about leaving immediately. However, Shiyu reminded him that it was their father’s birthday and pleaded with him to stay for dinner. Xu Yiren also persuaded him, pointing out that leaving would be rude on her first visit.
Shiyu added that the home felt "quiet" now, unlike the "happy and lively" atmosphere when their mother was alive. Fang Zhiyou reluctantly agreed to stay for dinner, making it clear he was only doing so for Xu Yiren and his late mother's sake and that there were to be "no more" additional requests. He then confronted Xu Yiren, revealing he knew she had conspired with Shiyu, and playfully vowed to "deal with her later."
During dinner preparation, Xu Yiren asked Fang Zhiyou if he planned to discuss his father’s Alzheimer's medication with him, but Fang Zhiyou insisted his father would speak up if he wanted to. In the kitchen, Xu Yiren explained she was happy to cook because Shiyu liked her food and she also wanted to leave a good impression on Mr. Fang.
Fang Zhiyou teased her, saying he was beginning to regret letting her stay, prompting Xu Yiren to jokingly ask if he was jealous of his own sister. Meanwhile, He Yuwen met with Chen Qiming. She confessed that in college, she had "strained every nerve" to surpass Fang Zhiyou, only to fall in love with him.
Chen Qiming admitted his own jealousy of Fang Zhiyou's talent and the high regard their teacher, Mr. He, had for him, revealing he likely wouldn't have his current position at Liangshan if Fang Zhiyou hadn't betrayed Mr. He. He then pointed out that Fang Zhiyou had now hurt her as well. He Yuwen, however, maintained her anger was focused on the past, stating she could "never forgive" Fang Zhiyou for betraying Mr. He.
She then announced her decision to return to Square & Circle, explaining that while she initially joined for Fang Zhiyou, it had become her career. Having lost love, she couldn't afford to lose her career too. She clarified she left her father’s company, Liangshan, because of her father’s own actions, not just to follow Fang Zhiyou. Back at the Fang house, while looking through childhood photos, Fang Zhiyou discovered a contract for the transfer of his father's law firm.
He confronted his father, who admitted he had been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Mr. Fang reassured him he wouldn't be a burden and only asked him to care for Shiyu. Hearing that Li Zhe was back and causing trouble, Mr. Fang offered to "help," prompting Fang Zhiyou to sarcastically ask if he meant to "put him in jail, too."
Fang Zhiyou furiously demanded his father apologize to the people he had wronged, but Mr. Fang refused, fearing it would make him "lose all reputation." Bitterly disappointed, Fang Zhiyou accused his father of caring only for "status and reputation" and declared he "shouldn't have had any hope" for him. While the men argued, Xu Yiren asked Shiyu about their father’s health, specifically if he had been forgetful.
Shiyu admitted she and her father were distant and preferred not to interfere in each other's lives. Xu Yiren advised her to care more for her family, sharing that she missed her own late father. In a touching gesture, Shiyu told Xu Yiren that once she married Fang Zhiyou, Mr. Fang would be her father too.
The argument escalated, and despite Xu Yiren having prepared a full meal, Fang Zhiyou declared he had no appetite and pulled her out of the house. Left with their disappointed father, Shiyu quietly sang "Happy Birthday" to him alone. Later, Xu Yiren comforted a distressed Fang Zhiyou, who embraced her tightly, saying, "Luckily, I have you."
Elsewhere, Xia Di was thrilled to hear her comic was pre-ordered for a second season but grew anxious about the poor sales of physical books. Gu Bo reassured her, promising her new book would be a success and playfully offered to buy "twenty thousand books" himself if it didn't sell well. When Xia Di's mother called, Gu Bo expertly handled the conversation, leaving Xia Di amazed.
Xu Yiren tried to persuade Fang Zhiyou to "let it go" regarding his father, given the illness, but he remained resolute, determined to keep his promise to Li Zhe to see justice done. At Xu Yiren’s suggestion, Fang Zhiyou agreed to discuss He Yuwen's return. He met her at a basketball court, where they wagered on a game: if he lost, she could return to Square & Circle. Fang Zhiyou intentionally played to a tie.
He Yuwen declared that a tie counted as her win but insisted on paying a price for her past actions, offering to give up her shares to come back. Fang Zhiyou warmly welcomed her back, calling her his "best partner" and affirming that the company truly needed her. He Yuwen officially returned to Square & Circle, promising the staff she would always prioritize the company's interests and announcing plans to hire a new assistant.
Entrusting the company to her, Fang Zhiyou took Xu Yiren to see his father’s doctor. The doctor confirmed Alzheimer's has no cure and that treatment focuses on slowing its progression, emphasizing that family "care and concern" is paramount. Later, Fang Zhiyou expressed his deep internal conflict, trapped between his father and Li Zhe. He reflected on the irony that the perpetrator might forget everything, while the victim suffers for a lifetime.
This strengthened his resolve to get his father to "vindicate Li Zhe's father" before it was too late. Days later, Xu Yiren found a stack of unsent letters in Fang Zhiyou’s home that he had been writing to Li Zhe monthly since he moved away. Shortly after, during a hospital visit, Mr. Fang's condition had clearly worsened, as he tragically mistook his own son for Li Zhe.
Deeply moved and determined to end the painful rift, Xu Yiren went to see Li Zhe and gave him the letters. She clarified that Fang Zhiyou hadn't sent her, but she came because she knew Fang Zhiyou was also a victim, deceived by his own father. She urged Li Zhe to stop "lying to himself" and admit he still saw Fang Zhiyou as his "best friend."
Xu Yiren then revealed Mr. Fang's diagnosis, explaining how distraught Fang Zhiyou was, yet still determined to secure an apology and justice for Li Zhe's family before his father's memory faded completely. She ended by telling Li Zhe he no longer had to walk his difficult path alone.
