My True Friend Episode 45 Recap
> My True Friend Recap
At a Hong Shi Group meeting, Director Sun angrily questioned why his executives were unaware of Love & Family's active Weibo and WeChat public accounts. He fumed that their competitor had already broken ground and gained significant publicity with minimal cost, while Hong Shi had spent hundreds of millions on traditional media with less impact. Mu Yunping attempted to explain that Hong Shi's large-scale, long-term projects were different from Love & Family's niche, twenty-unit apartment rentals.
However, Director Sun dismissed this as an excuse, reminding Yunping that he was hired for efficient plans and immediate results, not justifications. He declared that Hong Shi's strength and funds did not negate the need for a good input-output ratio, vowing not to allow any other company to surpass them and demanding only results, with no objections, calling the attendees "useless punks" as he left.
Later, Zeng Huimin brought Mu Yunping coffee, urging him not to take Director Sun's harsh words to heart, noting his perpetually impatient temperament. She expressed concern, asking if their decision to join Hong Shi was a mistake. Mu Yunping acknowledged that Director Sun desired instant results and lacked patience. He then resignedly stated that Hong Shi had invested significantly in him, and now, regardless of whether the decision was right or wrong, he had no choice but to move forward.
Later, Zeng Huimin found a distressed and intoxicated Mu Yunping, who questioned if she would stay with him should he lose everything. Zeng Huimin lovingly reassured him of her unwavering support, stating she would quit with him if he was unhappy at Hong Shi, as long as they were together. Mu Yunping promised to take care of her and Mu Mu. Meanwhile, Shao Pengcheng and Cheng Zhenzhen met with potential sponsors for Great Love City.
Pengcheng enthusiastically highlighted their official social media accounts, boasting over a million followers and high engagement rates, promising excellent promotional opportunities for collaborating brands. He emphasized that the current apartment was merely the first phase of a much larger project, which would eventually house hundreds of thousands of tenants who could become loyal customers to their sponsors. Despite his efforts, the furniture companies politely declined, stating they would only consider collaboration once Great Love City reached their established standards.
Cheng Zhenzhen found the rejections normal, but Pengcheng, though disappointed, remained undeterred. He reflected on his father's journey of building Love & Family from a small agency, understanding that gaining approval was challenging. Cheng Zhenzhen playfully teased him about his "flippant" attitude when he first started, noting his significant growth and maturity. Zeng Huimin then called Shao Pengcheng, informing him she had arranged a meeting with Fusi Capital, an angel investment agency interested in Great Love City.
Pengcheng agreed to the meeting and asked Cheng Zhenzhen to visit his father, Shao Jian, at the hospital. At their meeting, Pengcheng presented Zeng Huimin with beauty products as a token of appreciation. Zeng Huimin expressed regret for leaving Love & Family during its difficult period, hoping for his understanding and for his forgiveness towards Mu Yunping.
Pengcheng responded with understanding, stating that Mu Yunping's actions were what most people would do, and emphasized the importance of being true to oneself. Zeng Huimin explained that President Jia of Fusi Capital was a renowned investor in early-stage projects whose ventures always successfully entered the market. She advised Pengcheng to seize the opportunity. Concurrently, at the hospital, Shao Jian praised Cheng Zhenzhen, attributing Shao Pengcheng's maturity and success to her influence and his willingness to heed her advice.
Shao Jian described Zhenzhen as a pure, kind, and responsible individual who persists in her goals. He then formally entrusted Pengcheng's guidance to her, asking her to discipline him if he erred, encourage him through challenges, and report back to him if Pengcheng was disobedient. Cheng Zhenzhen accepted this significant responsibility.
At the angel investment meeting, President Jia from Fusi Capital informed Shao Pengcheng that her team had already evaluated Great Love City, and she wanted to hear directly from him, as the project's creator, about its specific differences and advantages compared to Hong Shi and other youth apartments.
Pengcheng outlined three unique points: first, Great Love City offered apartments categorized, designed, and renovated according to clients' diverse needs (youth, senior, etc.), along with comprehensive management and services; second, Love & Family would only charge agency and management fees, with rent paid directly to property owners, thus avoiding the illegal fund-pooling practices common in the market; and third, as a real estate agency, Love & Family could quickly secure quality clients and provide reasonably priced housing, thereby helping to upgrade consumer habits and improve urban living standards.
Impressed by his presentation, President Jia revealed that Great Love City was already designated as one of their unique investment projects. She pledged to initiate A-round equity investment once a model home was executed and its financial performance aligned with Pengcheng's projections. Pengcheng was genuinely surprised by the smooth and positive outcome. Meanwhile, at Hong Shi, Mu Yunping's colleague informed him of Director Sun's aggressive desire to crush the competition early.
He presented Yunping with a file containing information about Zhao Jianguo, the head of Great Love City's renovations, instructing him to pay this individual to spread false media reports about quality issues in their model apartments, thereby buying Hong Shi time. Mu Yunping immediately objected, stating he could not perform such an unethical act as it was "beyond his morals."
His colleague, however, coldly reminded Yunping that having "betrayed his previous boss," he had no moral high ground, and warned him of Director Sun's displeasure if his valued employee was not aligned with his directives. He asserted that if Yunping refused, someone else would carry out the task and urged him to reconsider.
Shao Pengcheng was pleased to discover that Great Love City's official account had gained over ten thousand new followers, with many suggesting advance leasing for their limited model apartments. Hao Meili proposed inviting potential sponsors to tour existing homes designed by Jing Ran, such as Miss Yu's, to visually demonstrate the quality of their work. Pengcheng agreed and decided to hold a press conference to introduce their design concepts and showcase the model homes, a plan supported by Xiao Ning.
At the press conference, Cheng Zhenzhen led potential investors to a residence beautifully redesigned by Jing Ran, highlighting its innovative and space-saving features, which greatly impressed them. She explained that Great Love City's approximately 20 model units would feature diverse design styles and extended an invitation to the afternoon's press conference. As Shao Pengcheng was introducing the Great Love City model apartments, describing their communal spaces, reading area, bar, and outdoor garden, Zhao Jianguo, the renovation head, unexpectedly burst in.
He tearfully claimed to have been diagnosed with leukemia after working on the project, implying that the renovation materials were poisonous and demanding accountability. Jing Ran immediately intervened, assuring everyone that all materials used met the highest international environmental standards. To address the situation, Pengcheng swiftly directed Xiao Ning to accompany Zhao Jianguo to a reputable hospital for a thorough re-examination, promising to arrange immediate treatment if the diagnosis was confirmed.
In the aftermath, reporters aggressively questioned Jing Ran, suggesting that Great Love City's alleged funding shortages might have led to the use of inferior materials. The incident quickly escalated, becoming widely publicized. Troubled by the controversy, two investors decided to postpone further discussions until Shao Pengcheng fully resolved the issue, while another demanded the immediate withdrawal and destruction of their promotional flyers, expressing severe disappointment and distrust.
Cheng Zhenzhen apologized, asserting that Love & Family would never use substandard materials and promised a thorough investigation. Simultaneously, at the hospital, Dr. Zhong advised Shao Jian against an early discharge, as his recovery was incomplete. Despite this, Shao Jian insisted on leaving to support Shao Pengcheng, whose Great Love City project was now embroiled in a major scandal. Pengcheng rushed to the hospital, having been alerted to his father's intentions.
He urged Shao Jian to remain in the hospital and trust his son's capabilities to manage the crisis. Shao Jian, however, viewed the incident as a calculated act of sabotage by a competitor, finding Zhao Jianguo's opportune appearance and precise accusations at the press conference highly suspicious and seemingly pre-arranged. Hao Meili later concurred with Shao Jian's assessment, believing Zhao Jianguo's actions were abnormal and strategically damaging.
