Never Say Goodbye Episode 22 Recap
> Never Say Goodbye Recap
Ou Kexin successfully orchestrated the departure of Rong Yao and Zhao Ran from the fishery. As they were leaving, Zhao Ran, still bewildered, questioned the unfolding events, but Rong Yao simply instructed him to save their discussion for when they returned to the station. Meanwhile, Tieguanyin, infuriated by Mu Qing's cunning, lashed out at Linda, calling her "useless" before shooting her.
Mu Qing approached Linda, asking if she was harmed, but Linda defiantly rejected his concern, telling him to leave her alone before walking away. Following these tense moments, Mu Qing and Ou Kexin fabricated a story for Li Ruosheng. When he demanded an explanation, Mu Qing asserted that Li Ruosheng had misidentified the man, Rong Yao, claiming he was not a police officer but rather a loyal employee of Mr. Zhao for over a decade, merely a look-alike.
Li Ruosheng initially expressed skepticism but ultimately accepted the explanation, reasoning that if Rong Yao had been a cop, Mu Qing and Ou Kexin would not have escaped safely. Ou Kexin then confirmed that Linda's direct superior was indeed Tieguanyin, expressing her surprise at Tieguanyin's illicit dealings behind her father's back.
Li Ruosheng inquired about the gunshot, and Mu Qing explained it was Tieguanyin, who, feeling exposed about her private operations, shot Linda in a fit of rage, though Mu Qing assured him Linda's injury was only a minor graze. Li Ruosheng then suggested informing Mr. Ou about Tieguanyin's unauthorized business. Mu Qing adamantly rejected this, explaining that to truly defeat Tieguanyin, they needed a decisive strike, requiring them to exploit her greed.
Their plan was to feign cooperation, earn her trust, and then seize the opportune moment to take her down, a strategy he likened to "playing the long game to catch a big fish." Ou Kexin complimented Mu Qing's tactical skills, leading to some playful banter between them, with Ou Kexin admitting her own flirtatious actions were merely a means to get closer to him.
Li Ruosheng, feeling out of place, eventually left, and Mu Qing and Ou Kexin briefly continued their performance before acknowledging it was all an act. Shortly after, Li Ruosheng conveyed his apprehension to Mu Qing, warning that collaborating with Tieguanyin was a betrayal of Mr. Ou and an irreversible step.
He urged Mu Qing to explore other options, but Mu Qing insisted that his current approach was the "least risky way," arguing that a direct confrontation with Tieguanyin would lead to their downfall. He reiterated their strategy of "using their opponent's strength against them," which Li Ruosheng eventually accepted. Meanwhile, Tieguanyin was meticulously bandaging Linda's wound, explaining that the gunshot was a consequence of Linda's carelessness in attracting Mu Qing and Li Ruosheng's attention.
She emphasized that Linda needed to endure the pain to learn discretion and become more cunning, likening her expectations for Linda to a type of fish that appears peaceful but is fiercely predatory. Tieguanyin informed Linda that Li Ruosheng had called to check on her, and Mu Qing requested new product samples, instructing Linda to deliver them the following morning.
As Linda delivered the samples to Mu Qing and Li Ruosheng, Mu Qing offered to change her dressing, but she declined. Tieguanyin observed Linda's reaction to Mu Qing's gesture and discerned a shift in her feelings. She pointed out that Mu Qing had saved Linda's life twice and had specifically requested Linda's presence during their upcoming business discussion. Tieguanyin subtly probed Linda, asking if she was developing feelings for Mu Qing.
Linda denied it, but Tieguanyin persisted, suggesting that Mu Qing's charm, thoughtfulness, and capabilities could easily sway anyone. She then explicitly told Linda that the success of their plan to take down Mu Qing depended entirely on Linda's performance. Tieguanyin and Linda later arrived at Li Ruosheng's casino. Li Ruosheng welcomed Tieguanyin, who praised his rapid business success. Mu Qing, continuing his act, called Linda his "lucky star" and asked Tieguanyin if he could "borrow" her.
Li Ruosheng immediately objected to Mu Qing's claim on Linda, arguing it was inappropriate to 'borrow' his subordinate as if she were a personal item. Tieguanyin left the choice to Linda, reminding her that her actions would determine the outcome with Mu Qing. Linda, stating she could not refuse her "lucky star," chose to sit beside Mu Qing, visibly irritating Li Ruosheng.
As Mu Qing began discussing business with Tieguanyin, Li Ruosheng interrupted, asserting his authority as the "master" and Mu Qing as the "servant." When Tieguanyin asked Linda to pour tea, Linda served Mu Qing first, further provoking Li Ruosheng, who, refusing the tea, stormed out while reiterating his superior position. Mu Qing then presented his dark web network to Tieguanyin, guaranteeing untraceable transactions for her goods, even from Mr. Ou.
Tieguanyin acknowledged his success in revitalizing sales channels but questioned the dark web's capacity and security. Mu Qing assured her of its safety, provided no one tampered with it, and highlighted the mutual financial benefits of their alliance. Tieguanyin, still cautious, questioned whether her partnership was solely with Mu Qing or with both him and Li Ruosheng, expressing concern about their apparent conflict. Mu Qing dismissed Li Ruosheng's outburst as a temporary display of temper.
Soon after, a subordinate reported Li Ruosheng's furious behavior. Tieguanyin, wanting to monitor the situation, instructed Linda to accompany Mu Qing as he went to intervene. Mu Qing instructed Linda to wait outside the room while he entered. Inside, he and Li Ruosheng staged a loud argument, with Li Ruosheng smashing objects. Li Ruosheng accused Mu Qing of being ungrateful and conducting "dirty work" with Tieguanyin in his presence.
Mu Qing provoked Li Ruosheng to hit him, leading Li Ruosheng to strike Mu Qing with a bottle. Hearing the commotion, Linda rushed in, believing the conflict was real, and insisted on taking Mu Qing to the hospital. At the hospital, Linda expressed concern, calling Li Ruosheng "ruthless." Mu Qing feigned despair over his three years of assistance ending in such a manner.
Linda, convinced Mu Qing was acting to protect her, urged him to reconsider his new path and not fight with Li Ruosheng over her. She embraced him, thanking him and expressing that he would always hold a place in her heart, leaving Mu Qing in an awkward position. After Linda left, Ou Kexin arrived and playfully teased Mu Qing about "another Qingqing" (referring to Linda, whose full name is Liu Qingqing) departing.
She challenged him about his apparent intimacy with Linda, but Mu Qing clarified it was all an act. Ou Kexin revealed her own strategy: to feign jealousy and argue with Mu Qing, moving back to her father's house. She explained this would divert Mr. Ou's attention from Mu Qing's dealings with Tieguanyin and also signal to both Mr. Ou and Yan Jing his importance to her, thereby protecting him from their machinations. Mu Qing agreed to the plan.
Ou Kexin then playfully accused Mu Qing of feeling "disappointed" when she had previously spoken only about "work," a claim Mu Qing defensively denied, though Ou Kexin insisted it was evident on his face. Linda later reported to Tieguanyin that she had witnessed the "fierce fight" between Mu Qing and Li Ruosheng, a report that pleased Tieguanyin, who believed their apparent falling-out would make them easier to control.
To verify the authenticity of the conflict and for safety, Tieguanyin instructed Linda to initially release only 20% of the drugs to Mu Qing, explaining they needed to "test them out." Meanwhile, Mu Qing informed Director Liu (via phone) that he had reported his "bitter scheme" with Li Ruosheng and planned to locate Tieguanyin's factory to "sever the group's lifeline," with Director Liu agreeing to provide support when needed.
The feigned conflict between Mu Qing and Li Ruosheng intensified, with Li Ruosheng sending people to vandalize Mu Qing's factory, and Mu Qing retaliating by having Li Ruosheng's windows smashed. Observing these developments, Yan Jing and Congtou discussed the situation. Congtou noted Tieguanyin's substantial financial gains from Mu Qing's dark web, far exceeding any previous losses, which he openly admitted made him jealous. Yan Jing characterized Tieguanyin as driven by "greed," aligning herself with anyone who possessed wealth.
He also acknowledged the effectiveness of Li Ruosheng and Mu Qing, who, with minimal resources, had significantly boosted sales and profits. While Congtou dismissed Li Ruosheng as a "fool" dependent on Mu Qing, Yan Jing hinted that Li Ruosheng might eventually realize that his "lackey is more capable than him," suggesting a potential challenge to his authority.
Yan Jing further commented on the growing closeness between Mu Qing and Tieguanyin, before Congtou concluded that the entire situation was ultimately "Mr. Ou's concern." Mr. Ou questioned Ou Kexin's sudden return home, wondering why she was trying to "please him." Ou Kexin, however, claimed she simply missed her father. Mr. Ou sensed her unease and asked if Mu Qing had upset her.
Ou Kexin agreed with Mr. Ou's earlier advice about the importance of caution in relationships and stated her decision not to see Mu Qing for a few days. She then fabricated a story that Mu Qing's ex-girlfriend (referring to Linda, whose full name is Liu Qingqing) was causing trouble, and coincidentally, this woman worked for Tieguanyin. Ou Kexin explained that the ex-girlfriend, who was quite pretty, had even attracted the attention of Li Ruosheng.
Upon learning of the ex-girlfriend's connection to Mu Qing, a conflict had erupted between Li Ruosheng and Mu Qing. She added that Tieguanyin was actively trying to recruit Mu Qing to utilize his network, and despite Mu Qing's outward reluctance, Ou Kexin believed he was secretly "more than happy to be working with his ex."
She asked Mr. Ou to judge if this ex-girlfriend was a "troublemaker," further expressing her jealousy of Tieguanyin's attractive female associates and admitting that it led to her "avoiding Mu Qing." Ou Kexin then positioned her return as an opportunity to spend time with her father. When Mr. Ou asked if she was "backing out" of her relationship with Mu Qing, she strongly denied it, proudly asserting that Mu Qing's popularity and charm only validated her "good taste."
She unveiled her plan to "ignore him for a few days," a tactic she referred to as "playing hard to get," and requested to stay with Mr. Ou so Mu Qing could experience life without her. Mr. Ou happily agreed, prompting Ou Kexin to express her gratitude, declaring that "only my dad would always love me."
Following this, Mr. Ou confronted Yan Jing, demanding to know why he hadn't been informed that "Mu Qing's ex-girlfriend" was working for Tieguanyin, especially since it had upset Ou Kexin enough to return home. Yan Jing apologized for his oversight, to which Mr. Ou concluded that "this woman is not that simple."
