My True Friend Episode 15 Recap
> My True Friend Recap
Aunt Bai returned home, surprised to find her son, Jing Ran, already there. She immediately chided him for coming back so early, urging him to spend more time with Cheng Zhen Zhen and seize the opportunity to pursue her, stating that such chances shouldn't be missed. Jing Ran explained that it wouldn't be appropriate for a man to linger at someone else's hotel. Aunt Bai continued to praise Zhen Zhen's honest and kind nature, highlighting that she's a proper girl.
She then revealed Zhen Zhen's Weibo ID, "Sincere Intentions," which she found charming, noting that Zhen Zhen doesn't engage in online flirtation or interact with random people. Jing Ran was surprised by the revelation of Zhen Zhen's online identity. He then quietly went through Zhen Zhen's social media, recalling their first formal meeting, her past attempts to connect with him, and a message from her online persona wishing him well abroad.
He realized that "Sincere Intentions" had been by his side all along, a realization that made him smile silently and marvel at the wonder of fate. Zhen Zhen had spent the night diligently helping Shao Pengcheng analyze various house listings. Early the next morning, Jing Ran arrived at Zhen Zhen's hotel. Zhen Zhen, flustered at her unkempt appearance, quickly ended her video call with Shao Pengcheng, closed the door, and quickly freshened up.
Shao Pengcheng on the other end of the line speculated if she was getting dressed up for him. Jing Ran apologized for arriving early and asked if he had disturbed her sleep. He then presented her with a flower and invited her to go for a walk, leaving Shao Pengcheng wondering where she had gone after she disconnected.
Shao Pengcheng brought the client family to view a house he believed offered the best value, citing its school district access and price below 3. 5 million yuan. While the family initially appreciated some aspects like the south-facing master bedroom, the son's mother quickly voiced concerns about the house being too small to accommodate six people, particularly the visiting parents.
This sparked a heated argument between the two sets of in-laws about finances, traditional gender roles in house buying, and the difficulties of young people in Shanghai. As Shao Pengcheng tried to mediate, Hao Mei Li arrived with her own client, ostensibly to view the same property. She loudly proclaimed its value and urged her client to make an offer quickly, implying other interested parties.
Shao Pengcheng's clients became agitated, realizing Mei Li was attempting to create a sense of urgency. The daughter-in-law's mother then accused Mei Li and Shao Pengcheng of orchestrating the situation, having seen Mei Li winking at him. The "ruse" was fully exposed when Mei Li's client pretended to transfer a deposit, which turned out to be a mere five yuan via WeChat.
Enraged, the client family denounced Love & Family as untrustworthy and accused the agents of fraud, threatening to report them before storming out. Mei Li chased after a furious Shao Pengcheng, trying to explain that she was just employing a "small sales skill" to "stimulate" the clients and help him close the difficult deal. She even blamed him for not understanding her cues.
Shao Pengcheng vehemently rejected her methods, stating that she had destroyed the trust he painstakingly built with the clients and warned her to stay away from him in the future. In Rome, Jing Ran took Zhen Zhen to his favorite coffee shop, a place he frequented every morning. While they were enjoying coffee, Zhen Zhen received a video call from Shao Pengcheng. He immediately scolded her for not returning his messages promptly, reminding her of their "partner rules."
When Zhen Zhen revealed she was having coffee with Jing Ran, who was also visible in the call, Shao Pengcheng's mood soured. Annoyed, he accused her of ignoring him because she was with Jing Ran. Zhen Zhen dismissed his attitude and pressed him for the reason for his call. Shao Pengcheng informed her that the house deal for the six-person family had fallen through, largely due to Hao Mei Li's clumsy attempt to use a fake buyer, which was exposed.
He also acknowledged that the son's mother still felt the house was too small and expressed sympathy for the families who had pooled their life savings but still couldn't find a suitable home. Overhearing their conversation, Jing Ran offered to help, asking Zhen Zhen to send him the house plan, saying he would find a solution. Zhen Zhen was delighted, realizing that interior design was Jing Ran's expertise, and he assured her it wouldn't interfere with his own work.
Back in China, Shao Pengcheng was eating wontons at a street stall with Luo Zuer, who expressed her discomfort with the unrefined setting. She told him that she would even try eating there if he liked it, because "if you like someone, you will be subtly changed by them."
She expanded on her definition of liking someone: doing anything for them, feeling happy in their presence, uneasy in their absence, angry when ignored, and jealous when they are with another person. Shao Pengcheng tried to gently dissuade her, reiterating that there was no romantic possibility between them and they should simply remain friends. However, Luo Zuer insisted on her personal motto: "If you like someone, you should let that person know."
Her words deeply resonated with Shao Pengcheng, prompting him to reflect on his own feelings for Zhen Zhen, realizing he might be the "more stupid" one for not acknowledging them. Jing Ran and Zhen Zhen worked together on the house design. Jing Ran presented his innovative "Rubik's cube" room concept. He proposed swapping the south-facing bedroom with the north-facing living room to optimize light for daytime use, reasoning that light is more important for daytime living.
For the small bedroom, he suggested using a "Japanese capsule room concept," creating two independent levels with a foldable table for versatility, adaptable for a couple or a family with children. He also introduced "compositional furnishings" for the living room, a new concept he developed that hasn't been mass-produced, allowing furniture to transform into a sofa, dining table, or bed to maximize space functionality.
Zhen Zhen was greatly impressed by the clever and practical design, believing it would satisfy all six family members. She immediately called Shao Pengcheng, excitedly informing him that Jing Ran had redesigned the house and that she would send him the plans to present to the clients, urging him to show them quickly. Shao Pengcheng, still annoyed, grumbled about her complimenting Jing Ran but not his own efforts, though he promised a reward if the deal was successful.
Later, Jing Ran explained to Zhen Zhen his motivation for studying in Italy: to integrate Western design philosophy, prioritizing user functionality and efficient space utilization over superficial aesthetics, especially for smaller homes, hoping to achieve a world-class view.
He acknowledged that the challenge of the six-person family case had deepened his understanding of domestic demands for interior design and confirmed his decision to accept such challenges, adding that he believed families of six would be his largest client group in the future. Zhen Zhen was overjoyed and excitedly asked if this meant he would accept Love & Family's invitation to return to China and work with her.
Jing Ran confirmed that he was having a headhunter analyze the collaboration and intended to give a positive response. He then invited Zhen Zhen to accompany him to a client dinner party the following evening, suggesting it would be a nice break for her after days of hard work. Zhen Zhen happily agreed. Shao Pengcheng brought the six family members back to the house, where they initially expressed skepticism after the previous incident.
The daughter-in-law, Miss Yu, admitted their reluctance to buy such a small space but also their fear of not finding anything better within their budget. Shao Pengcheng empathized with their situation, acknowledging the disparity between their dreams of multi-generational living and the harsh realities of limited space and funds. The parents softened, recognizing the struggles of the younger generation. Shao Pengcheng then unveiled a revolutionary design plan, featuring "multifunctional Rubik's cube furniture."
He demonstrated how a bed could be integrated into a rotating TV unit, and how a storage cube could transform into a staircase leading to a multi-layered space, effectively creating three independent living areas within the house. He showcased innovative storage solutions, including suspended, movable cupboards and a rotating shoe cabinet with an invisible pull-out stool, all designed to maximize every inch of space.
He even showed a children's room created by a movable wall in the main bedroom, complete with a viewing hole for parents, and a bathroom with separate dry and wet areas for convenience. The entire family was astonished and delighted by the creative and refined design, marveling at how a small house could be so ingeniously transformed, greatly expanding the usable area.
When asked about the cost, Shao Pengcheng assured them that the entire renovation, including the special furniture, would be around 300,000 yuan, remaining well within their budget. Overjoyed, the family exclaimed that the design made the house feel fifty percent larger and would allow all six of them to live comfortably together, making their dream come true. They immediately agreed to buy the house without hesitation. Shao Pengcheng humbly credited the success to the hard work of his partner, Cheng Zhen Zhen, and a very talented interior designer, Jing Ran.
