My Bargain Queen Episode 28 Recap
> My Bargain Queen Recap
Ning Meng, acting on Chen Manhui’s suggestion, invited Sheng Zhening to dinner. During the meal, Ning Meng subtly probed Chen Manhui about recent interesting events in her department. Chen Manhui revealed that Xia Qian was rumored to be dating a male hotel employee, whom she had seen working overtime with Xia Qian until midnight and sharing midnight snacks. Sheng Zhening found this amusing, knowing he was the man in question.
Soon after, Xia Qian discovered that data from her computer had been stolen, causing her immense self-reproach for not encrypting the files. Sheng Zhening, however, reassured her, stating that a simple password wouldn’t deter those intent on theft. Xia Qian suspected an insider job, noting that few people knew the information was on her computer. Meanwhile, colleagues, fueled by Chen Manhui’s instigation, began to spread rumors, implying Xia Qian, driven by love-hate, was the "spy" who leaked the data.
Some speculated if the man seen with Xia Qian, whom she claimed was from the Marketing Department (a person who didn't exist), was her accomplice. Fu Shuangshuang, upon hearing about the Evergreen App data leak, directly questioned Qin Hebo about his possible involvement. Qin Hebo was visibly hurt by her lack of trust, feeling his "bad guy" image was deeply ingrained. He denied responsibility, highlighting his recent strenuous efforts to find a designer for their own application.
Fu Shuangshuang acknowledged his hard work but suggested it didn't preclude him from sabotaging others. Qin Hebo argued it was the nature of competition, but then confessed that he cared for her deeply and wanted to keep his promise to stop being a bad person. When the office bullying targeting Xia Qian came to Sheng Zhening’s attention, he refused to let her suffer.
He called a departmental meeting, ostensibly to discuss bullying, but used the opportunity to publicly clarify that he was the man who had worked overtime with Xia Qian. He openly declared that they were once a couple, and despite their breakup, he still loved her and was "pestering her." He asserted that if Xia Qian were a spy, he would be her accomplice.
After the meeting, Xia Qian confronted Sheng Zhening, questioning his "silly words" when their priority should be catching the real thief. Sheng Zhening explained that he had always opposed their "fake breakup" and couldn’t bear to see her wronged. Xia Qian then revealed she had a plan to catch the true culprit and requested his assistance.
The next day, Mr. Wang announced that the police had found the thief's fingerprints on Xia Qian's computer and would collect everyone's fingerprints for comparison. Panicked, Liu attempted to leave the office to warn his contact but was caught in the act. Liu confessed he had never met the individual, only communicated by phone, receiving payment for the stolen data before losing contact.
Xia Qian theorized that Lihe Capital was the most probable suspect, or perhaps Langyue in collaboration with Lihe Capital, as Langyue stood to benefit the most from the leak. Sheng Zhening concurred. During a meeting to address the data leak, Chen Manhui proposed scrapping the current App design and starting anew. Xia Qian vehemently disagreed, arguing that a complete redesign would incur significant costs and time, which they couldn't afford, especially with Langyue's impending App launch.
She suggested improving upon the existing design by incorporating real user feedback she had gathered, such as adding social functions. Mr. Wang, implicitly swayed by Sheng Zhening's public support for Xia Qian, decisively approved Xia Qian's plan, leaving Chen Manhui no room to argue. Meanwhile, He Zhijuan, concerned about Ning Meng, cut short his advanced studies and returned home early. He immediately took Ning Meng to a maternal and infant store to purchase baby essentials.
He Zhijuan was overly cautious, meticulously inspecting baby bibs for pure cotton and silicone spoons for non-toxic materials, worried about potential contamination during transportation. He confessed his nervousness as a first-time father, and Ning Meng affectionately called him "cute," sharing a dream she had about their future baby. Sheng Zhening continued to openly pursue Xia Qian, frequently bringing her midnight snacks during her overtime shifts.
He asserted that he no longer feared being seen, having already publicly declared his enduring affection for her. They discussed the products to be featured on the App, with Xia Qian emphasizing that she would personally test each item for quality assurance. During this discussion, Sheng Zhening playfully brought up a specific product, suggesting its online listing could reduce customer embarrassment.
He asked Xia Qian if she had experience with it, and upon her negative reply, suggested they "try it out" when they had time. Chen Manhui, consumed by jealousy, sneaked into the office at night to steal Xia Qian's product selection plan. She had earlier, during the day, deceived Xia Qian into giving her the App layout, claiming Mr. Wang needed it urgently. However, Chen Manhui's attempt to present the stolen product selection plan backfired spectacularly in a subsequent meeting.
She proposed a facial mask as a key product, extolling its ingredients, but Xia Qian swiftly exposed it, revealing the mask had recently been pulled from the market due to dangerously high levels of preservatives and fluorescers. A colleague even questioned if Chen Manhui was a shareholder or received kickbacks for pushing such a product, leaving Chen Manhui publicly humiliated.
Xia Qian later confronted Chen Manhui, accusing her of lacking professional ethics and resorting to underhanded tactics to climb the corporate ladder. Still troubled by Qin Hebo’s past actions, Fu Shuangshuang sought advice from Jiayu. Jiayu quickly saw through Fu Shuangshuang’s thinly veiled story, recognizing that she was talking about herself and Qin Hebo. She advised Fu Shuangshuang to trust her intuition, reminding her of her first impression of Qin Hebo's kindness when he rescued a sick tabby cat.
Jiayu urged her to decide if she "wanted" to believe him. Prompted by this, Fu Shuangshuang directly confronted Qin Hebo, asking why he stole Evergreen’s VIP client data despite his promise to change. Qin Hebo confessed that his words on the rooftop were sincere; he truly wanted to sever ties with Mr. Xue and shed his past identity. Mr. Xue had agreed to let him go, but only if he completed one final task: stealing Evergreen’s VIP customer data.
Qin Hebo accepted the deal to uphold his promise to Fu Shuangshuang, hoping it would allow him to be with her. He regretted that his actions had backfired, viewing it as a "punishment from God," and reflected on the absurdity of trying to become a good person by doing something bad. That evening, Fu Shuangshuang, now understanding Qin Hebo’s predicament, tried to confess her feelings to him.
However, Wu Zhiwen suddenly contacted Qin Hebo via phone, informing him that Evergreen’s App was launching the next morning and urging him to launch their App earlier to gain a competitive edge. Qin Hebo refused, stating that at this stage, a mere hour or two wouldn't change market dynamics; ultimately, consumers valued service and quality above all else. This phone conversation interrupted Fu Shuangshuang, preventing her from confessing at that moment.
Qin Hebo subsequently cut his business trip short, returning earlier than expected, telling Fu Shuangshuang over the phone he was worried about her eating alone. With the development complete, Evergreen Hotel’s App was quickly launched. Sheng Zhening, using work as an excuse, called Xia Qian to his office to show her the newly designed brand logo—a charming "little cow" with an ear stud featuring the numbers "8910," a "personal favor" implying their inseparable connection.
Xia Qian pointed out the impropriety of such a gesture during work hours. Later that day, Sheng Zhening made a grand public gesture, presenting Xia Qian with a bouquet of flowers in front of their colleagues, causing a stir of envy. He thanked her publicly for being the hardest worker and the one most deserving of appreciation. Witnessing this, Chen Manhui’s jealousy intensified. She complained to Ning Meng, who was engrossed in browsing baby clothes online.
Chen Manhui sharply reminded Ning Meng that her pregnancy was fake and her charade couldn't last much longer. She then wickedly suggested that Ning Meng frame Xia Qian for a "miscarriage." This elaborate scheme, Chen Manhui argued, would serve a dual purpose: it would provide a plausible explanation for Ning Meng's fake pregnancy ending and, more importantly, destroy Sheng Zhening’s relationship with Xia Qian.
Ning Meng initially hesitated, stating that He Zhijuan was already treating her well and she didn't want to make him feel guilty, only wishing for Xia Qian's departure. However, Chen Manhui persisted, emphasizing that Ning Meng and He Zhijuan were young and would eventually have real children, and that a mother's emotional state could affect the fetus. Eventually, Ning Meng reluctantly agreed to the plan.
