Nothing But Thirty Episode 13 Recap
> Nothing But Thirty Recap
Chen Yu arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau sharply dressed for his divorce from Zhong Xiaoqin. He waited until 11 AM, when Zhong Xiaoqin finally appeared, impeccably dressed in a white dress with elaborate hair and makeup. Chen Yu immediately chided her, pointing out they had agreed to meet at eight. Zhong Xiaoqin calmly retorted that she was the one who always waited for him, so waiting three hours this time wasn't so bad, implying it evened the score.
Inside, the staff inquired about their reasons for divorce, but Zhong Xiaoqin simply stated they were getting divorced. When asked about children, they both confirmed they had none. The discussion turned to property division. Zhong Xiaoqin initially suggested Chen Yu take the car since she couldn't drive, and the house since it was acquired through his work. She proposed splitting their 300,000 yuan in savings, giving Chen Yu some for living expenses and taking the rest.
However, Chen Yu interjected, stating that the house and savings should be divided equally. After receiving their divorce certificate, Zhong Xiaoqin felt a deep sense of irony, reflecting on the joy they had felt when getting married in the same building just three years ago. As they left, they discovered a parking ticket on their car.
Zhong Xiaoqin remembered receiving a similar ticket on their wedding day three years prior, a day they had jokingly said they would never return to the bureau again. Despite Zhong Xiaoqin's initial refusal, Chen Yu insisted on driving her home to collect her belongings. Upon returning home, Zhong Xiaoqin began meticulously dividing their household items. Chen Yu then asked her to sit down and discuss the house.
Despite her name not being on the property title, Chen Yu acknowledged that while he made the down payment, she contributed to every monthly mortgage payment. He insisted half the house belonged to her and proposed they sell it and split the proceeds once the property became available at the end of next year. Zhong Xiaoqin, taken aback by his unexpected generosity, initially declined, saying he bought it before they married and she could live with her parents.
Chen Yu, however, expressed concern about her mother's reaction to their divorce. He also clumsily offered the house as "compensation for the situation with our baby," which Zhong Xiaoqin found insensitive. She informed him she would not be staying for the next two days and would look for another place quickly, asking him to help sort her belongings. As Zhong Xiaoqin carried her luggage out of the apartment, she saw Gu Jia and Wang Manni waiting for her.
They were taking her to a hot spring to celebrate her birthday, joking that while yesterday was for her husband, today, the day after turning thirty, was for her friends. Gu Jia questioned why both Zhong Xiaoqin and Wang Manni were bringing suitcases for just one night. Sitting in the car, Zhong Xiaoqin silently wished for every day after her thirtieth birthday to be filled with happiness, reflecting that she had truly had enough of her old life.
She recognized that the idea of divorce might have begun after she lost the baby and felt a sense of relief when it was finalized. Later that day, Zhong Xiaoqin's mother arrived at the apartment with a pot of Yan Du Xian soup. Chen Yu opened the door and explained that Zhong Xiaoqin was out with friends at a hot spring.
Unaware of the divorce, her mother complained about not being able to reach Zhong Xiaoqin by phone, to which Chen Yu replied that her phone was broken and he would buy her a new one the next day. Her mother praised Chen Yu, calling him a good son-in-law.
She then brought up a serious matter, suggesting that since Zhong Xiaoqin was turning thirty, Chen Yu should give her a proper gift: adding her name to the house's property title when it became available the following year. Chen Yu agreed without hesitation, much to her mother's delight. At the hot springs, the three friends celebrated Zhong Xiaoqin's birthday. They discussed their wishes as they approached or turned thirty.
Gu Jia admitted she desired a greater sense of security, feeling their family's assets were precarious. Wang Manni expressed her wish to stay in Shanghai and consider a Hong Kong promotion to bridge the gap with Liang Zhengxian, though Gu Jia cautioned her to protect her feelings. Then, Zhong Xiaoqin, speaking with unexpected depth, revealed that she had gotten divorced that very morning, showing them her divorce certificate. Gu Jia and Wang Manni were shocked.
Zhong Xiaoqin confessed she had been fed up with her daily life for a long time, possibly since losing their baby. She admitted the final act of divorce was impulsive, but the moment the stamp was placed, she felt a profound sense of relief and freedom. She even saw it as the best gift for her thirtieth birthday, expressing happiness that without children, she wouldn't have to endure an unhappy marriage indefinitely.
Her friends, seeing her newfound resolve, toasted to her happiness. An urgent call informed Gu Jia that an explosion at Xu Huanshan's friend Shen Jie's fireworks factory had resulted in fatalities. Xu Huanshan, who had just returned, immediately went with Gu Jia to Shen Jie's home. They found Shen Jie's wife, Xiao Rui, in hysterics; Shen Jie had already been arrested by the police.
Xiao Rui tearfully explained that two workers had died and that she had booked tickets to take their child to Sydney that evening, where they owned a house under her mother's name. She was grateful they hadn't bought a larger home, recalling Shen Jie's advice to prioritize safety and leave if anything happened. She entrusted Shen Jie's elderly father, who was currently on vacation and unaware of the tragedy, to Xu Huanshan's care, giving him a credit card for expenses.
Xu Huanshan was deeply saddened, remembering how he had once offered to lend Shen Jie money when his company struggled. On the way home, Gu Jia reflected on the volatile nature of the fireworks business, comparing it to fireworks themselves—beautiful but capable of scattering into nothing after an explosion.
She emphasized that their own company was similarly precarious, explaining that her efforts to join the "madam group" and start a bakery were precisely to diversify resources and make their family's foundation more secure. Xu Huanshan, finally understanding her motivations, agreed to let Gu Jia fly to the factory to personally inspect everything for reassurance. The next morning, Zhong Xiaoqin returned to work. She found a new phone on her desk, apparently from Chen Yu, which lifted her spirits.
She shared handmade soaps from the hot spring hotel with her colleagues. Zhong Xiaoyang, however, immediately noticed her noticeably heavier makeup and longer eyeliner, remarking that she usually didn't wear such bold makeup to work and that it didn't suit her. Zhong Xiaoqin retorted that it was none of his business and playfully accused him of being an "indecent man" for commenting on women's appearances, to which he conceded he wouldn't say more if she saw him that way.
Chen Xu was released from detention, and Chen Yu was there to pick him up. Chen Xu initially expressed frustration that Chen Yu didn't smoke or carry a lighter, then joked about the lavish meal Chen Yu was treating him to, wondering if it was a "last meal" before more trouble.
Chen Xu then inquired why Zhong Xiaoqin hadn't come to pick him up, mentioning his gratitude for her paying his traffic fine on her birthday, which had clearly upset her at the time. Chen Yu was surprised to learn this, as Zhong Xiaoqin had never mentioned it. Chen Xu continued to praise Zhong Xiaoqin's good temper, causing Chen Yu to drink heavily, clearly affected by the guilt.
Liang Zhengxian surprised Wang Manni by arriving in Shanghai earlier than expected, sending her a text message and then calling. He expressed how much he missed her and her fried eggs with tomatoes, insisting on coming to her new place despite her protests that it wasn't yet cleaned after her move. Upon his arrival, he commented on the apartment's distant location, which Wang Manni explained was due to rising rent.
They encountered Master Yang, the helper who previously moved Wang Manni and was now assisting her with carpooling arrangements for her commute. Liang Zhengxian seemed suspicious, but Wang Manni clarified that it was a local car-sharing service, similar to Uber, where people heading in the same direction would "huddle together for warmth" to save costs and time. Inside, Wang Manni cooked Liang Zhengxian's favorite tomato scrambled eggs.
After he enjoyed the meal, she presented him with an expensive, large brand-name suitcase, engraved with "Vanuatu," a place significant to their relationship. She expressed her hope that he liked it. Earlier, Wang Manni had discussed with her friends the purpose of this gift; she had chosen an engraved suitcase to subtly ascertain if Liang Zhengxian had other women.
Her reasoning was that if he frequently used a suitcase with their shared "story" written on it during his travels, it would indicate he was truly unattached. Liang Zhengxian was delighted, appreciating the sentiment and the opportunity to "naturally" share their story. Pleased with the gift, Liang Zhengxian offered to rent a new apartment for Wang Manni, expressing concern that her current place was too far from work and he worried about her sharing rides.
He also subtly reassured her that his offer wasn't a reciprocal gesture for her expensive gift. Wang Manni politely declined, stating she was comfortable in her current home and suggested that whenever he visited Shanghai, she could simply stay in a hotel with him, making it clear she didn't want him to bear additional expenses for her living situation. Liang Zhengxian accepted her decision and dropped the topic.
