Nothing But Thirty Episode 21 Recap
> Nothing But Thirty Recap
Wang Manni shared a story with Gu Jia and Zhong Xiaoqin over coffee from her ex-boyfriend Jiang Chen’s new coffee shop, conveniently located just two blocks away. Manni recounted that three years ago, when she first started working in luxury sales, she was heavily influenced by the affluent customers and material desires. This led her to believe Jiang Chen, who she felt wasn't making enough progress or money, couldn't lead her as she desired.
She ended their relationship, seeking someone who would stand in front of her and guide her, rather than someone who served her from behind. Seeing Jiang Chen now, she felt even more certain that her decision was correct, believing it allowed her to be single when she met Liang Zhenxian and embark on a more exciting life.
Gu Jia mentioned that she would be returning to the tea factory the next day, having invested all her savings and cut ties with the 'madame group,' ready for a new beginning. Later that night, as Zhong Xiaoqin was absorbed in her painting, Chen Yu, acting on advice from his brother Chen Xu, subtly manipulated the situation. He cut the power to their apartment, creating a blackout, and then led Xiaoqin to the balcony.
There, a small table was set with red wine and a candleholder. Xiaoqin, clearly unimpressed by the staged romantic setting, tried to go back inside, only to find the balcony door locked. Chen Yu pretended it was a problem with the old apartment. As he struggled to open the red wine bottle, a colleague called from downstairs, urgently asking for his help with an emergency at work.
Xiaoqin observed that some things simply aren't meant to be, no matter how hard one tries. The next morning, Xiaoqin noticed several small household items seemed to have changed. She struggled to open a tightly sealed jar and found her bag rack had been inexplicably raised, making it difficult to reach her bag. Reluctantly, she had to ask Chen Yu for help with these tasks, forcing them to interact.
Chen Yu later called Chen Xu, for the first time acknowledging his brother's usefulness. Chen Xu then advised him to win over Xiaoqin’s mother. Wang Manni went to a high-end gym and met another woman who commented on the expensive annual membership. Manni explained that Liang Zhenxian had arranged it for her, making it convenient for her to exercise before work.
The woman made some vague remarks about people’s fetishes and convenience, and how they might want the same things even when they move. During a subsequent dinner with Liang Zhenxian, Manni mentioned the gym and suggested transferring her membership to Hong Kong if she were to move there, to avoid wasting it. She also proposed joining him on his next trip to Hong Kong, viewing it as a preliminary inspection for a potential relocation.
Liang Zhenxian, however, avoided the topic, questioning if she could take immediate leave and then dismissing Hong Kong as a small place, praising the development opportunities in mainland China instead. Manni reminded him that Hong Kong held significance because he was there, but he changed the subject. Back at the tea factory, Gu Jia learned from the employees that their tea's quality far surpassed international standards, even exceeding that of larger tea manufacturers.
This was due to their adherence to traditional, additive-free processing and the pristine, pollution-free mountain environment. The challenge, however, was a lack of sales due to being marginalized by competitors. Gu Jia decided to use her own capabilities to open up new sales channels for the tea. That evening, feeling a bit scared staying alone, Gu Jia received a visit from a young girl sent by the village head.
The girl brought noodles made by her mother and called Gu Jia the village's "honorable guest," deeply moving Gu Jia. The next day, the woman Manni had encountered at the gym came into the store and specifically requested Manni's service. She proceeded to try on numerous clothes for four hours, rejecting every item she tried. Despite a colleague offering to take over, the woman insisted Manni continue serving her.
In the end, after trying on stacks of clothing, she only picked out a tie to purchase. Manni maintained her professional composure, patiently serving the demanding customer and bowing to see her off, while her colleagues found the customer's behavior extremely odd. Chen Yu visited Xiaoqin's parents, bringing gifts and actively helping in the kitchen, a stark change from his usual demeanor. He praised Xiaoqin’s mother’s braised pork, endearing himself to her parents.
Xiaoqin pointed out that her father, recently discharged from the hospital after a heart problem, couldn't drink alcohol, but Chen Yu had brought wine anyway. Xiaoqin’s mother then gave Chen Yu a notebook filled with neighborhood issues, hoping he could use his connections at the TV station to address them. On the drive home, Xiaoqin confronted Chen Yu about his recent strange behavior. She noticed he wasn't sitting as casually as he used to.
She accused him of regretting their divorce and wanting to exchange her dowry car for his half of their apartment. Chen Yu was infuriated by her accusation, denying her interpretation and exasperated by what he perceived as her calculating mindset. They argued, with Xiaoqin declaring her intention to keep her half of the apartment and even take the car's wheels if she knew how to drive. Gu Jia returned from the tea factory and discussed her experiences with Xu Huanshan.
She acknowledged the factory's rigid management, old equipment, and relaxed discipline but highlighted the valuable traditional tea-making methods and the excellent, undeveloped ecological environment as key advantages. She planned to seek help from former colleagues and pursue new investments, even preparing a detailed presentation. Gu Jia confidently pitched her sales plan to potential investors, emphasizing the high-quality tea and the untapped "brand blue ocean" in the mid-to-high-end tea market.
However, she was repeatedly rejected, with investors citing her lack of experience in the tea industry and finding nothing particularly impressive about her project. As the tea harvest season approached, the village head called Gu Jia for an update, mentioning that everyone, including children, was involved in picking tea leaves.
Sitting disheartened outside a building, Gu Jia confessed to the village head that she had tried her best but couldn't find a market for the tea and was struggling to even help herself. Zhong Xiaoyang informed Xiaoqin about an outdoor work assignment from their manager. He then took her on his motorbike to a driving school, revealing it was his belated birthday gift to her – he had signed her up for driving lessons.
He assured her there were flexible classes for office workers and offered to drive her to and from the school daily. Recalling how her inability to drive had resulted in her leaving her dowry car to Chen Yu during their divorce, Xiaoqin accepted, determined to learn how to drive.
