Nice to Meet You Episode 44 Recap
> Nice to Meet You Recap
Yu Guanghua confronted Mu Ziyun, demanding money and asserting that his debts were their mutual marital responsibility, which she had a duty to repay. Mu Ziyun retorted, calling him a scoundrel for ruining his own family's company and then asking money from her, his "enemy." She declared she had no money and was seeking a divorce, refusing to be his ATM.
Yu Guanghua threatened to make a scene if she didn't comply, prompting Mu Ziyun to challenge him, offering to call her subordinates to "run him out like trash." Their argument escalated into a physical altercation. Later, at the police station, Gao Jie arrived to pick up Mu Ziyun. Mu Ziyun, feigning intimacy, pulled Gao Jie into a hug just as Yu Zhi arrived to pick up Yu Guanghua.
Mu Ziyun tearfully apologized to Gao Jie for having to call her, claiming she had no one else, then added, "Xiao Jie, you are finally calling me 'Auntie' again. After all, we're still family. Whatever happens, we'll always be together. You're my closest kin, aren't you?" Gao Jie, noticing Yu Zhi, quickly took Mu Ziyun away. Meanwhile, Yu Guanghua complained to Yu Zhi about Mu Ziyun's viciousness, while Mu Ziyun blamed him. Yu Zhi intervened, taking his father away.
Yu Guanghua explained to Yu Zhi that he wasn't trying to secure money for his own debts, but rather to extract funds from Mu Ziyun daily to support Yu Zhi and Grandma, claiming he could no longer be a "jerk" given their current circumstances. Yu Zhi, however, told him to stay out of such matters and prioritize caring for Grandma, to which Yu Guanghua readily agreed, promising to be a filial son.
Watching his father, Yu Zhi had a fleeting memory of a happier time with his parents, remembering a specific promise from his father about not missing important days and his younger self expressing a desire to be with his parents forever. Later, Gao Hui visited Grandma at the hospital. Yu Guanghua was eager to impress Gao Hui, praising her design skills and urging Yu Zhi to pursue her, but Yu Zhi remained indifferent.
Grandma, sensing the tension, asked Yu Zhi to walk Gao Hui out. As they left, Yu Guanghua remarked on their compatibility and how Gao Hui's family could significantly help Yu Zhi. Grandma, however, disagreed, reminding him of his own marriage to Mu Ziyun and stating that "a marriage based on self-interest will ultimately be destroyed by self-interest." She concluded that both of them needed to learn lessons about relationships.
Outside, Gao Hui inquired if Yu Zhi had any news of Yu Yi, as her calls had gone unanswered. Yu Zhi revealed he hadn't seen Yu Yi since their last encounter at the hospital, where Yu Yi was down due to the stock collateral issue. He believed Yu Yi, with his usual determination, was likely trying to find a solution and advised Gao Hui not to worry. Unbeknownst to Yu Zhi, Yu Yi was drowning his sorrows in alcohol.
Yu Zhi found him in a deplorable state, scolding him for his appearance and for not acting like a member of the Yu family, especially with Grandma ill and Rui Hua dependent on them. Yu Yi, however, declared that he could do nothing but drink.
He recounted his lifelong dream of making Rui Hua strong and achieving a successful career, but lamented that despite his meticulous planning, he had "lost the whole game" and "destroyed Rui Hua with my own hands." Yu Zhi, angered, expressed his incomprehension as to why Yu Yi had collateralized the company's stocks, effectively gambling with Rui Hua's future. Yu Yi, in turn, scoffed at Yu Zhi's judgment, accusing him of being the "least qualified person to look down on me."
He blamed Yu Zhi's repeated refusal to listen and his actions in helping Gao Jie for giving Mu Ziyun the opportunity to take over. Yu Zhi acknowledged his own share of responsibility but firmly stated he would not run away from it, nor would he resort to drinking. He challenged Yu Yi to shoulder their responsibilities together, but Yu Yi continued to drink, ignoring a call from Gao Hui.
At Fancy Rui Hua, Mu Ziyun severely criticized Gao Hui's new designs, calling them "fundamentally unsalvageable." Gao Hui tried to explain the Renaissance-inspired style and the team's iterative process, arguing that the Hui Xin series thrived on uniqueness and storytelling, and that a designer must protect her reputation from becoming "ubiquitous products." Mu Ziyun, asserting her authority as Chairwoman, dismissed Gao Hui's concerns.
She then chillingly questioned if Gao Hui would "still have any feathers left" to protect her reputation once her mother's plagiarism was exposed, reducing her to a "fallen phoenix." Mu Ziyun demanded Gao Hui "accept the reality and execute well what your responsibility requires," emphasizing it was her "last chance." Feeling helpless, Gao Hui later confronted Yu Yi at his home, expressing frustration over Mu Ziyun's relentless criticism of her work and her refusal to accept her resignation.
She also conveyed her worry about Yu Yi's state and Rui Hua's buyout, offering to help him. However, Yu Yi, still deeply depressed, rejected her, stating he wasn't interested in her "game of using or being used" and that he no longer had any "value" for her, telling her not to seek him out again. Meanwhile, Wu Xiaoci discovered Gao Hai spending time with Pan Yue.
Enraged, she confronted Gao Hai, accusing him of being ungrateful for all she had done for his career. Gao Hai defended Pan Yue, reminding Wu Xiaoci that Pan Yue was his daughter's mother and he only wanted to help her. Tired of the conflict, Gao Hai declared he no longer wanted to live with Wu Xiaoci and demanded a divorce.
Si Cheng encouraged Gao Jie to enter the Saint Laurent competition, citing their "Wheel of Time" design's first prize win in New York. Despite Gao Jie's hesitation about her current inability to draw, Si Cheng emphasized that the competition valued design vision, where her talent excelled. He promised her that her loss of drawing ability was temporary, vowing to become her "hands" if needed, completing all her designs.
Gao Jie expressed gratitude but felt he shouldn't "lower his stature" for her, given his own successful career and design studio, Shui Zhiyao. Si Cheng reiterated his commitment, saying he would use "every day in the future to help you lower your guard and truly accept my feelings for you." He then suggested they travel abroad together to select sapphires for President Lei. Gao Jie declined, citing pressing company orders and her need for "some space."
Si Cheng reluctantly agreed but made her promise to wait for him if she had to visit the mines. Later, Gao Jie began packing her suitcase, while Yu Zhi was shown deep in thought, looking at the "Tree of Life" pendant. Gao Jie, during her packing, rediscovered the "Believe in Love" wedding ring design and carefully put it away, seemingly to avoid further distress.
Yu Zhi went to Mu Ziyun's office, informing her that he was there to represent Madam Lin Xue and reclaim the Custom Order Group by dissolving all lease agreements. He presented the necessary documents and warned he was prepared to go to court if she refused to sign. Mu Ziyun questioned his urgency and, after asking for time to consider, defensively boasted about her close, familial relationship with Gao Jie, claiming Gao Jie would "always support me unconditionally."
Yu Zhi, however, saw through her pretense, telling her that her insistence on their bond only revealed her lack of confidence. He declared that he had already decided to understand Gao Jie anew, on his own terms. Driven by an overwhelming longing and a desire to not let their relationship end, Yu Zhi went to Shui Zhiyao in search of Gao Jie.
A staff member informed him she wasn't there, but Yu Zhi, convinced she was hiding, entered a closed office, mistakenly believing the occupant to be Gao Jie. He began a heartfelt apology, admitting he had listened to others and done "foolish things," confessing that he hadn't stopped thinking about her for a single moment. He pleaded with her to set aside their past unpleasantness, "treat each other with honesty," and "get to know you again."
To his utter embarrassment, when he fully opened the door, it was Chen Pinzhen, who mockingly repeated his words. Chen Pinzhen, there for an interview, refused to tell him Gao Jie's whereabouts, accusing him of bullying Gao Jie and causing her immense misery.
Si Cheng also confirmed Gao Jie was not there, and Chen Pinzhen further advised Yu Zhi to "let go of Gao Jie," emphasizing how much he had hurt her, even to the point of her losing her design ability. Dejected, Yu Zhi left. He then noticed that the "Tree of Life" background wall had been erased from the office, realizing with a pang how deeply hopeless and disappointed Gao Jie must have felt towards him in the past.
Soon after, Mu Ziyun called Yu Zhi to inform him that she had signed the agreement to terminate the Custom Order Group's lease and instructed him to come and complete the process. At home, Wu Xiaoci cried over old family photos, then tore them up in a fit of despair, lamenting how "unfair" and "wronged" she felt, especially after all she had done for Gao Hai. Gao Hui, entering, learned that Gao Hai had asked for a divorce.
Distraught by her mother's complaints, Gao Hui left the house, her thoughts turning to Yu Yi, realizing he was perhaps the only person who truly cared for her. She soon found a drunken Yu Yi being harassed by someone. Without hesitation, she removed her high heel and threw it at the assailant's shoulder, then pulled Yu Yi away to safety.
Still consumed by despair, Yu Yi told her to stop seeking him out, reiterating that he had no value for her anymore. Gao Hui, deeply saddened, confessed that she had gone to their usual restaurant for seafood porridge and visited their usual bar, all because she profoundly missed him. Yu Yi, his "man's pride" wounded, declared he could not always be her "backup" and began to turn away.
Mustering her courage, Gao Hui embraced him tightly from behind, realizing the depth of her feelings for him. Yu Yi responded by kissing her. Grandma's health continued to decline, with her doctor explaining that her refusal to eat or drink was due to her overwhelming worries. Yu Yi sat by her bedside, apologizing for his actions, acknowledging that redeeming the stocks would require a substantial amount of money. Yu Zhi, reflecting on the situation, declared his resolve to start a new business, firmly believing that as long as "Rui Hua's spirit" endured, Rui Hua would ultimately return.
