Mr. Honesty Episode 5 Recap
> Mr. Honesty Recap
Following up on Xu Yiren’s scheme from the previous day, Liu Tianyang visited Fang Zhiyou's office, expressing his belief that Xiang Wei and Sun Ziyang were not experienced enough for the Huaxing International Movie World project and that he wished to serve as Fang Zhiyou’s assistant. He also mentioned that after the Xingcheng project, he felt Fang Zhiyou no longer trusted him and suggested that Fang Zhiyou should communicate with him directly, rather than through Xu Yiren.
Upon hearing this, Fang Zhiyou called for Xu Yiren. Startled, she internally fretted about being fired, especially since she had only received one month's salary. However, Fang Zhiyou simply instructed her to organize a file for an afternoon meeting. Distraught throughout the day, Xu Yiren later decided to apologize to Fang Zhiyou while working overtime. She found him asleep in his office and, after a moment of finding his sleeping face cute, she accidentally knocked over an architectural model.
As she frantically tried to fix it, Fang Zhiyou woke up, told her to stop, and then suggested they reassemble it together, mentioning he never builds models with anyone else but conceding that an extra pair of hands would make it faster. Xu Yiren quickly identified a part of the model as a platform for Fang Zhiyou’s castle design, revealing she had seen many of his designs and found the castle particularly fantastic and unique.
Meanwhile, Li Zhe, having learned Xu Yiren was Fang Zhiyou’s assistant, instructed his own assistant to keep an eye on her, noting that although Xu Yiren's background appeared simple, such people can often be the hardest to discern. As they worked on the model, Xu Yiren explained she learned to make models as a child because she lacked toys and would copy what her classmates made, a childhood experience she felt Fang Zhiyou couldn’t understand.
Fang Zhiyou then shared that he also had no one to play with as a child, leading him to choose painting as a solitary activity. He asserted that he preferred being alone, viewing socializing as a source of endless noise and unavoidable hypocrisy.
Xu Yiren countered that everyone needs friends to share joy and sorrow, and deduced that Fang Zhiyou’s often-told "I have a friend" story was actually about himself, noting his care for that friend's father as proof of their bond. When she asked why he lost contact with the friend after he went abroad, Fang Zhiyou offered no reason, merely stating he suddenly felt tired.
Later, He Yuwen returned home to find her father, He Yuliang, ending a phone call with Mr. Huang, the head of Huaxing. He Yuwen confronted her father, expressing her disapproval of his "stealthy tricks" and demanding a fair bidding process for the Huaxing project, in which their company, Square & Circle, would also be participating.
He Yuliang dismissed her idealism, arguing that a project's success isn't solely determined by a design and that Fang Zhiyou's inflexible demeanor would prevent him from ever succeeding, despite being his most talented student in a decade. Frustrated, He Yuwen declared she would rather ruin her own life on her own terms than be anyone's puppet.
Afterward, Xu Yiren approached Fang Zhiyou, confessing her anxiety and that her real motivation for helping with the model was her fear of being fired over the Liu Tianyang incident. Fang Zhiyou revealed he knew she had lied to Liu Tianyang by claiming Fang Zhiyou had sent her. Xu Yiren admitted she orchestrated the situation to achieve a perfect ending where no one was harmed, as both men were too proud to make the first move.
Fang Zhiyou granted her one last chance, warning he would fire her if she lied again. The next day, Xu Yiren found Fang Zhiyou resting at the back of his office. She stealthily approached, thinking he looked handsome. Aware of her presence, Fang Zhiyou quietly challenged, "Dare you come closer?" This startled Xu Yiren, causing her to stumble, and Fang Zhiyou quickly stabilized her by holding her waist.
Later, Xu Yiren received a call from Li Zhe, who explained he had found her lost wallet and offered to return it at a Japanese restaurant. Upon meeting, Li Zhe remarked that Xu Yiren didn't seem like someone who worked in architecture, as he rarely encountered such beautiful women in the field. Flattered, Xu Yiren joked about joining his company.
She learned that Li Zhe knew her boss, Fang Zhiyou, and while acknowledging Fang Zhiyou's demanding reputation, she defended him as a sincere person who deeply values relationships, dismissing the rumors of his bad temper. He Yuwen took Fang Zhiyou to play golf, hoping to give him a break. They unexpectedly encountered He Yuliang and Mr. Huang. He Yuliang attempted to provoke Fang Zhiyou, suggesting he lacked confidence.
While He Yuliang strategically tried to lose to Mr. Huang, Fang Zhiyou, oblivious to the social maneuvering, skillfully scored a hole-in-one. He thanked Mr. Huang for the "good luck" and boldly stated that Square & Circle would compete vigorously for the Huaxing project based on merit, then promptly excused himself. He Yuwen confronted him, concerned about how his actions would be perceived. Fang Zhiyou, annoyed by her "tricks," countered that he had already shown her consideration by not leaving sooner.
He Yuwen argued that building client relationships was crucial, especially against her highly respected father, but Fang Zhiyou firmly declared that he wanted fairness for his design and refused to engage in such games, stating, "I don't want to be He Yuliang." Later, as Xu Yiren and Li Zhe were about to see a movie premiere, Fang Zhiyou abruptly called, demanding she appear before him immediately.
He took her to a luxury store and told her to pick out a purse. Assuming it was for a client, Xu Yiren inquired about the recipient. Fang Zhiyou sarcastically described a woman in her twenties who "likes to talk back," "gossips," has "bad taste," dresses "like a middle-aged lady," and has "a bad figure."
When Xu Yiren suggested a simple bag, Fang Zhiyou pointedly asked if "she" liked it, revealing the gift was for her as a replacement for her lost wallet. Annoyed by his insults, Xu Yiren defiantly asked the sales assistant for the most expensive purse in the store, which Fang Zhiyou promptly purchased. Back home, Xu Yiren worried about the expensive gift.
Her friend Xia Di immediately deduced that Fang Zhiyou must have a crush on Xu Yiren, asserting that a person's willingness to spend money is a direct sign of affection. Xia Di, a self-proclaimed "expert in girls' love," revealed that her comic based on Fang Zhiyou was about to be serialized and demanded Xu Yiren act as her spy to gather material on his behaviors and hobbies.
When Xu Yiren refused, Xia Di resorted to playful blackmail, threatening to use Xu Yiren as a comic prototype and expose her embarrassing childhood secrets. During a field trip to the Huaxing International Movie World, Xu Yiren secretly observed Fang Zhiyou for Xia Di’s comic, noting his work obsession, his use of an old-style camera, and his tendency to sketch, suspecting he had a "sixth sense" as he always seemed to know she was watching.
They encountered Fang Shiyu, Fang Zhiyou's younger sister, who was handing out flyers for a school activity after being ditched by her classmates. Shiyu coerced them into wearing animal costumes and took numerous photos, exclaiming how gorgeous Xu Yiren looked and what a perfect match they made. She urged her brother to cherish Xu Yiren, noting that mutual affection is rare.
Shiyu then borrowed money from Fang Zhiyou for a movie and instructed him to drive Xu Yiren home safely and give her a bonus. Later, as Fang Zhiyou and Xu Yiren headed to an exhibition, Xia Di called, pressing her to find out Fang Zhiyou's ideal type.
