My True Friend Episode 12 Recap
> My True Friend Recap
Jing Ran returns home to find his mother, Aunt Bai, recording herself on her phone. Aunt Bai is meticulously recounting important dates in Jing Ran’s life, such as his birthdate and the years he started elementary, middle, and high school, and college. She expresses fear of forgetting these details as her memory is declining, stating she needs to confirm the year he went to Italy for his Master's degree with him and add it to her reminders.
Jing Ran is deeply saddened by this sight. At the Flower Garden branch, Shao Pengcheng notices Cheng Zhenzhen's distant mood and asks what’s wrong. Cheng Zhenzhen reveals that Aunt Bai has the beginning stages of old age depression, a fact she learned from Aunt Bai’s physician that morning. She explains the physician’s advice to provide more companionship, regular treatment, and consistent medication.
Shao Pengcheng immediately blames Jing Ran for his lack of companionship and for taking Aunt Bai to a foreign country, which he believes exacerbates her condition. Cheng Zhenzhen attempts to defend Jing Ran, citing his work commitments, but Shao Pengcheng persists, criticizing Jing Ran's perceived selfishness and prioritizing work over family. He suggests that this situation might give Cheng Zhenzhen another opportunity to communicate with Jing Ran, which irritates her.
His mother, Aunt Bai, is watering her plants when she discovers her cactus has died. She is deeply saddened, reminiscing about when her late husband and a young Jing Ran were delighted by the cactus blooming, which they believed brought happy news. Overcome with emotion, Aunt Bai tearfully calls Cheng Zhenzhen, apologizing for forgetting the time difference and disturbing her sleep in China. Cheng Zhenzhen, noticing Aunt Bai's red eyes, asks what's wrong.
Aunt Bai explains her distress over the dead cactus and wonders if people, like plants, become fragile and suffer when moved to an unfamiliar place in old age. Cheng Zhenzhen reassures her that plants have strong vitality and will adapt with time and a suitable environment, emphasizing that strong belief helps one thrive anywhere. Aunt Bai is comforted by Cheng Zhenzhen's words and promises to call her anytime she needs to talk.
Jing Ran witnesses this entire phone conversation from a distance. Shao Jian, intent on securing Jing Ran's collaboration, consults Mu Yunping. Mu Yunping explains that Jing Ran is willing to work with Love & Family but has specifically requested Cheng Zhenzhen to go to Italy to discuss the details. Recalling Cheng Zhenzhen’s positive relationship with Aunt Bai, Shao Jian believes Cheng Zhenzhen might be Jing Ran’s "weakness" and the key to a successful collaboration.
He instructs Mu Yunping to summon Cheng Zhenzhen to the headquarters immediately, as he wishes to meet her himself. The next day, Mu Yunping arrives at the Flower Garden branch, commending the team for their improved performance, then informs Cheng Zhenzhen that Chairman Shao wants to meet her at the headquarters. Both Cheng Zhenzhen and Shao Pengcheng are surprised.
Cheng Zhenzhen questions how the Chairman knows her, while Shao Pengcheng demands to know the reason for the meeting, but Mu Yunping dismisses his questions. Shao Pengcheng pursues Mu Yunping outside the branch, demanding to know why his father requested Cheng Zhenzhen. Mu Yunping, in turn, questions Shao Pengcheng's intense concern for Cheng Zhenzhen, hinting at a personal involvement. Shao Pengcheng dismisses this, reiterating his confusion about his father’s choice of Cheng Zhenzhen from among so many employees.
Mu Yunping finally reveals that Jing Ran specifically requested Cheng Zhenzhen to represent Love & Family in Italy for collaboration talks. Shao Pengcheng reacts with anger, frustrated that the company would agree to such a specific demand when many other senior associates could go. Mu Yunping merely states he is following Chairman Shao's orders. Unbeknownst to them, Hao Meili is secretly listening to their conversation. Cheng Zhenzhen nervously meets Shao Jian, who offers her coffee and comments on her reputation.
He brings up her role in rescuing Mu Yunping's son, to which she humbly credits Shao Pengcheng as well, praising his intelligence and elite education. Shao Jian then explains his desire for Jing Ran to lead the interior design of Love & Family's new property. He reveals Jing Ran specifically requested Cheng Zhenzhen to represent the company in Italy for collaboration discussions. Cheng Zhenzhen expresses her apprehension, feeling unqualified as an entry-level associate with limited negotiation experience.
Shao Jian reassures her, promising support from a professional headhunting agency during the negotiations, and expresses his confidence in her. Cheng Zhenzhen accepts the mission, vowing to do her best. After Cheng Zhenzhen leaves, Shao Pengcheng bursts into Shao Jian’s office, questioning the decision to send her to Italy. He argues that Jing Ran’s true intention is for Cheng Zhenzhen to care for his mother, not to negotiate business.
Shao Pengcheng asserts that it’s inappropriate for a company employee to be tasked with such a personal responsibility, and he worries about Cheng Zhenzhen’s ability to handle the job and the pressure. Shao Jian angrily reminds him of company rules and Cheng Zhenzhen’s obligation as an employee to fulfill company missions, even implying she is more professional than Shao Pengcheng. Shao Pengcheng accuses his father of being a dictator.
Exasperated, Shao Jian demands to know the nature of Shao Pengcheng’s relationship with Cheng Zhenzhen, which Shao Pengcheng refuses to disclose. Shao Pengcheng then asks to be sent to Italy as well, but Shao Jian adamantly refuses, ordering him to focus on his work selling houses. Mu Yunping provides Cheng Zhenzhen with the negotiation documents and her plane ticket, advising her not to feel pressured.
He suggests that her warm relationship with Jing Ran's mother, Aunt Bai, could be her greatest asset in negotiations, emphasizing the importance of using emotions over professional knowledge. Cheng Zhenzhen is somewhat taken aback, asking if she should "use" Aunt Bai, but Mu Yunping clarifies it’s about a mutually beneficial collaboration between two strong parties. As Cheng Zhenzhen leaves the headquarters, she encounters Shao Pengcheng, who is also exiting.
Cheng Zhenzhen cheerfully talks about her newly received salary and her plans for shopping in Italy, even offering to buy him a present. Shao Pengcheng, however, becomes irate, chastising her for her excitement and making negative predictions about her trip, before storming off, leaving Cheng Zhenzhen bewildered by his sudden outburst. Later that night, Hao Meili secretly breaks into the Flower Garden branch’s archive cabinet.
She locates Shao Pengcheng's employee file, discovering that he is an American University graduate and lives in an extremely expensive apartment in Rosewood International Apartment, costing 150,000 yuan per square meter. Shocked, she realizes that Shao Pengcheng is the Young Master of Love & Family and takes photos of the file with her phone. Jing Ran returns home early, much to Aunt Bai's delight. Over dinner, he shares the "good news" that Cheng Zhenzhen is coming to Italy.
Aunt Bai is initially ecstatic but then becomes skeptical, finding it impossible that an ordinary employee like Cheng Zhenzhen would be sent to negotiate with him. Jing Ran assures her it's true, explaining that Love & Family has long sought his expertise for their new property's interior design. He tells her that he considers Love & Family a professional company and that while they are sending someone to discuss collaboration, the final decision rests with him.
Aunt Bai deduces that his willingness to collaborate is so Cheng Zhenzhen can come, which Jing Ran somewhat confirms by mentioning the headhunter’s recommendation. Overjoyed, Aunt Bai thanks him profusely and immediately begins planning to buy food and gifts for Cheng Zhenzhen, insisting Jing Ran accompany her to the market in two days.
Shao Pengcheng treats Cheng Zhenzhen to breakfast, joking that he wants to give her a "booster" before she travels to Italy, and expressing a playful concern about her dealing with Jing Ran's "oppressiveness." He then presents her with a pair of shoes, explaining it’s to help her navigate life's path more smoothly and avoid pitfalls. He implies that the "path" she’s currently on might not be suitable.
Shao Pengcheng further explains that the shoes are meant to replace the white sneakers Jing Ran gave her in college, suggesting that replacing memories is more effective than trying to delete them. He also tells her that he considered going to Italy with her but decided against it because he needs to "carefully think through something" after she leaves and will tell her his decision upon her return.
Cheng Zhenzhen is intrigued, but he insists on keeping it a secret until then, teasing her not to regret not knowing now. On her flight to Italy, Cheng Zhenzhen studies documents about Jing Ran's architectural designs. She is approached by a fellow passenger, Leo, a freelance commentator who speaks Mandarin.
He recognizes Jing Ran from a photo and, upon learning Cheng Zhenzhen is a real estate agent from Love & Family flying to Rome to persuade Jing Ran to become their head designer in China, expresses doubt that Jing Ran would leave Italy after so many years. Leo gives her his business card, offering to show her authentic Italian cuisine in Rome.
Upon her arrival in Rome, Cheng Zhenzhen is warmly welcomed by Aunt Bai at Jing Ran's home, where a lavish meal awaits. The next day, Jing Ran proposes they collaborate, hoping to keep Cheng Zhenzhen close to his mother. That evening, news outlets report on Jing Ran's potential partnership with Love & Family, speculating on his return to China and highlighting Cheng Zhenzhen’s role in this development, questioning the nature of their relationship.
