My True Friend Episode 40 Recap
> My True Friend Recap
Despite his isolated situation, Shao Pengcheng announced the official start of the Great Love City project. He informed his team that with his father no longer the chairman, he was now "nothing more than" the agency manager and project manager. Hao Mei Li acknowledged the news, seeing it as an opportunity for them to control their own profits and losses, and for Shao Pengcheng to be the sole big shareholder, albeit also bearing all the risks.
Shao Pengcheng admitted they faced challenges—no funding, no designers, and their "Great Love City" idea had been stolen by Hong Shi Real Estate, who had already launched their own "Big City, Small Love" project. He then asked if everyone was willing to "work from scratch all over again."
Cheng Zhenzhen, Hao Mei Li, Xiao Ning, and Xi Shan all pledged their support, with Hao Mei Li pointing out that their core management concept and unique business model for youth apartments could not be stolen. Xiao Ning and Xi Shan vowed to follow him.
Hao Mei Li humorously added a condition: once the project became successful and Shao Pengcheng moved on from being an agency manager, he should recommend her for a promotion, believing her performance and experience qualified her. Shao Pengcheng sincerely thanked them for their trust, promising not to disappoint them. The team then rallied together, shouting, "We'll do our best!"
Hao Mei Li later brought snacks and health supplements, playfully distinguishing between the "flowers" (girls) who needed supplements and the "leaves" (boys) who just needed water. Shao Pengcheng subsequently met with various investors to discuss the Great Love City project, presenting their proposal for youth apartments aimed at helping young people not be burdened by high housing prices. However, his efforts were met with disinterest.
Back at the office, Shao Pengcheng informed his team of the heavy workload and their need to handle daily tasks alongside the Great Love City project. He then made a drastic announcement: he was selling his apartment. His team was shocked, asking why he would take such a step.
Shao Pengcheng explained that Hong Shi's early announcement of their similar project made securing financing difficult, and even if investors were found, the funds would take time to arrive—time they didn't have. He clarified that he was selling his house to personally invest in the Great Love City project, demonstrating his faith in their endeavor and urging his team to remain positive. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Jing Ran was caring for his mother, Aunt Bai, who was recovering.
Aunt Bai, noting Jing Ran's improved mood, brought up his breakup with Cheng Zhenzhen. She confessed that she had initially been angry with Cheng Zhenzhen but, upon reflection, realized she herself had been too harsh. She concluded that since Cheng Zhenzhen chose to leave, they should both let go. Jing Ran revealed that he had indeed "thought it through," acknowledging he hadn't fully understood Cheng Zhenzhen's dreams and ambition beyond being a traditional housewife.
He stated that sometimes "to love someone means to let them go" and declared his decision to help her achieve her dreams, which Aunt Bai supported. Later, Jing Ran met Shao Pengcheng at a bar. He announced he had started his own company and offered to design all of Love & Family's Great Love City projects for free. Shao Pengcheng directly asked if this offer was "because of Zhen Zhen."
Jing Ran denied it, stating his motivation was to help the city's young people find "warm homes." He then asked Shao Pengcheng to send him the project plan before leaving. Shao Pengcheng thanked Jing Ran for saving his mother. During a team meal, Hao Mei Li proposed an alternative strategy due to their financial constraints. Instead of building new properties, they could lease existing houses, renovate them into youth apartments, and then rent them out.
The team found this to be a clever "shortcut" given Hong Shi's head start. The primary challenge identified was finding 20 to 30 connected houses. Shao Pengcheng suggested they needn't be confined to a single complex; they could find several buildings with twenty or more rooms each, distributed across various neighborhoods. Hao Mei Li suddenly recalled a suitable Republic of China-era three-story building at Aide Road, number nineteen.
It boasted an excellent location and a spacious courtyard but was in disrepair. The owner, however, was known to be eccentric and refused to rent or sell. Shao Pengcheng and Cheng Zhenzhen agreed to investigate the property the following day. Shao Pengcheng also checked on the sale of his house, and while a potential buyer had been identified, Xiao Ning reported difficulty in contacting them, prompting Shao Pengcheng to ask him to try again.
Later that evening, Cheng Zhenzhen noticed Shao Pengcheng's subdued expression and inquired about the financing talks. He downplayed it, calling her his greatest motivation. Cheng Zhenzhen then expressed her excitement about Jing Ran's offer to provide free designs, remarking that she "just knew that Jing Ran would do that." Shao Pengcheng, showing a hint of jealousy, retorted that Jing Ran's cooperation was not for her but a result of his (Shao Pengcheng's) actions, emphasizing his own sacrifices for the project.
The next day, Shao Pengcheng and Cheng Zhenzhen arrived at Aide Road, number nineteen, to find an elderly man, Mr. Zhong, attempting to smash his door lock with a stone. Neighbors explained that local real estate agents, frustrated by Mr. Zhong's persistent refusal to rent or sell his house, had maliciously glued his keyhole shut. Some neighbors eyed Shao Pengcheng and Cheng Zhenzhen with suspicion, wondering if they were involved.
Shao Pengcheng clarified that they were not responsible and, borrowing tools from a neighbor, skillfully helped Mr. Zhong remove the damaged lock and install a new one. Once inside the large, somewhat neglected courtyard, Cheng Zhenzhen cautiously suggested that Love & Family could rent the house and restore it to its "original state." Mr. Zhong, however, adamantly refused, accusing them of "unfathomable intentions" and trickery, just like other agents.
He declared he was neither selling nor renting and explained that no matter how skilled the renovation, it could not restore his "former experiences" or "past frame of mind." Shao Pengcheng, understanding Mr. Zhong's sentiment, left his business card, offering assistance should similar incidents occur, and they departed, leaving the new lock, medicine, and water they had purchased.
Outside, Cheng Zhenzhen felt that Mr. Zhong had been subtly moved by the mention of restoring the house, believing there was a deeper "story" behind his stubborn refusal. Shao Pengcheng agreed and suggested they inquire at the local neighborhood committee. There, a staff member confirmed Mr. Zhong Zhi Heng was a once well-known painter during the early days of the Republic of China. After purchasing the house in the 1990s, he mysteriously stopped painting and became increasingly reclusive.
The staff member advised them against pursuing the property, given Mr. Zhong's unwavering stance. Undeterred, Shao Pengcheng and Cheng Zhenzhen decided to search for more information about him at the library. Meanwhile, Xiao Ning took Miss Luo to finalize the purchase of Shao Pengcheng's apartment. To their dismay, the real estate agent informed Miss Luo that she was not eligible to buy property in Shanghai, as she was neither a resident nor had she paid five years of social insurance.
Miss Luo was indignant, believing her wealth should suffice, and compared the situation to easily acquiring a Shanghai-licensed car without meeting such requirements. Feeling pressured, Xiao Ning proposed a risky solution: a fake marriage with a qualified buyer, followed by a divorce with a pre-arranged property settlement in her favor. He warned her of the inherent risks, such as a refusal to divorce or claims on the property.
Miss Luo, after contemplating, turned to Xiao Ning, asking if he met the qualification. He confirmed he had just completed his fifth year of social insurance payments. She then suggested they fake a marriage, offering him an additional ¥200,000 as a thank-you fee beyond his commission, stating her trust in his character. Xiao Ning hesitated, but the offer gave him pause. Back at the library, Shao Pengcheng and Cheng Zhenzhen tirelessly searched through old records.
They eventually discovered a painting titled "Young Woman and Little Dog" by "Zhong Zhi Heng" (also known by his original name, Zhong Ah Mao). Shao Pengcheng immediately connected the "little dog" in the painting to the "loyal dog" mentioned on the sign outside Mr. Zhong's house, deducing that the dog, and the young woman in the painting (seen from behind, depicted with adoration by the artist), were significant to Mr. Zhong's past and the story buried in his heart. Cheng Zhenzhen quickly took a picture of the painting.
