Nothing But Thirty Episode 12 Recap
> Nothing But Thirty Recap
Liang Zhengxian hosted a dinner with Wang Manni and his friends to celebrate his narrow escape from the diving incident. During the meal, Wang Manni overheard one of Liang Zhengxian's friends mention that booking a diving trip requires at least six months' advance notice. This made Wang Manni suspicious, and she directly asked Liang Zhengxian when he had purchased the diving boat tickets.
Liang Zhengxian admitted he bought them half a year ago for his ex-girlfriend, with whom he was still together at the time. He explained that he loved diving, but they broke up after he bought the tickets. He claimed he didn't tell Wang Manni because he thought she would mind, and then added that there had never been anyone like her, especially after their recent near-death experience. Feeling like a replacement, Wang Manni told him she wanted to go home.
Later, Wang Manni landed in Shanghai and called Liang Zhengxian to inform him of her arrival. To her surprise, Liang Zhengxian appeared behind her. He told her he had transferred flights from Russia just to catch up to her, which deeply touched Wang Manni. Zhong Xiaoqin prepared a lavish dinner, which surprised Chen Yu.
Noticing the setup, Chen Yu remembered her 30th birthday was approaching and asked if she wanted to celebrate at her parents' house or with Gu Jia and others. Zhong Xiaoqin expressed a desire for a private celebration, just the two of them, reminiscing about their dating days. She then asked Chen Yu if he had seen her wedding ring, which she had placed in her pocket before her surgery and couldn't find now.
Chen Yu reassured her, suggesting they could buy a new set if it was truly lost. Xu Huanshan arrived at the park for his fireworks design project and was greeted by Lin You You, an enthusiastic and recently graduated employee. Lin You You told him she loved fireworks and had specifically sought employment at the park to indulge her passion. Xu Huanshan felt a strong connection with her due to their shared interest.
The next day, Xu Huanshan noticed that Lin You You's feet were sore from wearing high heels all day. He gave her a box of high-quality, waterproof band-aids, mentioning they were his son's favorite and that his wife bought them in bulk from Japan. He briefly called Gu Jia to talk to his son about the park, then returned to his design work. Lin You You, in gratitude, offered to sing for him, playing a song on her guitar.
He found her youthful voice refreshing, making him feel young again. She also playfully questioned the wound on his face, asking if he had been in a fight. He denied it, but she teased him, suggesting that someone who "plays with fire" for a living must be naughtier than he appears. Chen Xu was caught by the police for manufacturing and selling counterfeit goods after a public report. Zhong Xiaoqin immediately called Gu Jia for help, believing she could assist.
Chen Yu was furious, chastising Zhong Xiaoqin for involving Gu Jia and expressing his embarrassment. He argued that she should never have gotten Chen Xu the job at Gu Jia's company in the first place, bringing their family's problems to her doorstep. He insisted that no one should help Chen Xu, wishing he would "rot in there."
Zhong Xiaoqin accused Chen Yu of being selfish, citing his lack of concern for his family while being overly enthusiastic about his own interests. On the morning of her 30th birthday, Zhong Xiaoqin was greeted with birthday wishes from Wang Manni and Gu Jia. Chen Yu drove her to work, where she heard him dedicate a song to her on the radio, wishing her a happy birthday.
He also mentioned he had reserved a table at a very popular restaurant for her celebration. Zhong Xiaoqin spent the afternoon pampering herself, getting new clothes, high heels, and a new hairstyle. While at the salon, her mother called to wish her a happy birthday and playfully urged her to have a child soon if she wanted to avoid feeling old. Zhong Xiaoqin, on speakerphone, quickly ended the call.
At the office, Zhong Xiaoyang had arranged a birthday cake in her favorite flavor. He playfully commented on her dressed-up appearance, remarking that she looked better before without high heels. Her colleagues gathered to celebrate, and even Director Xu encouraged her to have a baby, promising that her salary wouldn't be reduced due to pregnancy.
However, Zhong Xiaoqin silently recalled a recent conversation where Director Xu and HR discussed a "recruitment hierarchy" that placed married women over 30 with no children at the bottom due to the "risk" of pregnancy. Just as they were about to cut the cake, Zhong Xiaoqin received an urgent call from a lawyer and had to leave. Zhong Xiaoyang watched her go, a look of disappointment on his face.
Zhong Xiaoqin met the lawyer, who explained that he had been unable to reach Chen Yu and therefore contacted her about Chen Xu's case. The situation was optimistic: as it was Chen Xu's first offense and his profits were only around 20,000 yuan, he would face administrative penalties, including confiscation of the counterfeit goods, a fine of three times the value, and 15 days of detention. The lawyer confirmed that Gu Jia had already handled all the necessary arrangements.
Meanwhile, Chen Yu had bribed a friend with expensive cigarettes to secure a reservation at a high-end restaurant for Zhong Xiaoqin's birthday. However, he was then called into a meeting with his superior, Sister Lu, who questioned him about a recent dinner with a colleague named Liu Qian. Sister Lu suspected Chen Yu was looking for another job and potentially leaking internal information about their department's projects.
Chen Yu denied discussing any substantive work-related matters at the dinner, stating he still wanted to work in news and viewed any disagreements with Sister Lu as internal and resolvable. He struggled to explain why Liu Qian would know such details about their department. As the day progressed, heavy rain began. Zhong Xiaoqin tried to call and text Chen Yu, but his phone was off, and he didn't reply to her messages.
Her phone was then accidentally broken when she was bumped by a passerby while walking in the rain. Unable to reach Zhong Xiaoqin, Chen Yu went to her office but found it empty, so he headed home. Zhong Xiaoqin arrived home drenched and frustrated, unable to open the door due to its faulty lock. Eventually, Chen Yu opened it from inside. Zhong Xiaoqin confronted him about his unresponsiveness and the broken lock.
She became enraged when she realized he might have left the door open, causing their cat, Pikachu, to go missing. She frantically searched for the cat. Accusing Chen Yu of not caring about her, the cat, or anything in their home, she questioned why a person like him would get married. Chen Yu retorted that he married her for a relaxed and stable life, believing her to be warm and understanding, especially compared to his own messy family background.
Zhong Xiaoqin, however, lashed out, criticizing his lack of initiative at home compared to his dedication at work and his unwavering support for his problematic brother. She revealed her nightly struggles with insomnia since her miscarriage, relying on earplugs, and expressed her inability to tolerate the noise from his fish tanks any longer. In a fit of anger, she shattered his beloved fish tank.
Zhong Xiaoqin then declared that losing her wedding ring after the surgery had been a sign, and she could no longer endure their stagnant marriage. She demanded a divorce. Chen Yu, equally enraged, agreed and said they would go to the Civil Affairs Bureau the following morning at eight, challenging her to show up.
