Nothing But Thirty Episode 30 Recap
> Nothing But Thirty Recap
Xu Huanshan called Lin Youyou's hotel and received a message she had left for him. Following the address she provided, he went to a bar where he found Lin Youyou performing on stage, playing the guitar and singing. He watched her quietly, which brought tears to her eyes. After her performance, Xu Huanshan asked her why she was singing there, and she explained that she needed to earn a living while waiting for him.
She revealed her plan: if she used up her hotel room money before he showed up, she would return to Beijing. She was surprised and pleased he appeared just then. Later that night, Xu Huanshan walked Lin Youyou back to her hotel. Outside, she invited him up, but he firmly refused, telling her that while he couldn't deny she was in his heart, he was married to a loving wife and had a wonderful son whom he cherished.
He stated he couldn't make a mistake and didn't want to hurt her, so this would be their last meeting. He vowed not to return to the hotel or the bar, and to cease all contact with her. Lin Youyou expressed her disappointment, asking if this was all she got after waiting so many days, and confirmed his decision. She then said, "Okay, got it. I promise you won't ever see me again."
After he left, she angrily took her guitar inside and then went out to drink, getting completely drunk. Gu Jia held a video call with her former colleague Ellen to discuss marketing strategies for her tea business. Wang Manni, who was also on the call, had sent Gu Jia a list of influential online accounts, suggesting they focus on lifestyle influencers as they might be more effective for promoting tea to women.
Gu Jia thanked Wang Manni and urged her to rest, but Wang Manni asked her not to hang up, explaining she just wanted to listen to their discussion as she envied their fulfilling work environment. After their discussion, Gu Jia decided to proceed with contacting the confirmed accounts to inquire about their media kits, noting that the estimated cost for promotion would be between 200,000 to 300,000 RMB, a matter she would discuss with her husband.
Xu Huanshan found Lin Youyou heavily intoxicated on the street, fending off a stranger. He took her back to her hotel room and helped her to sober up. While attending to her, he received a call from Gu Jia. He lied, claiming he was out drinking with his former colleague, Sun Xu, and was staying to take care of him for the night.
Gu Jia, unaware, told him not to drink too much and offered to pick him up if needed, before he assured her to sleep first. After the call, Xu Huanshan prepared to leave, but Lin Youyou stopped him, insisting he couldn't let go of her and wouldn't have stayed all night if he didn't care. Despite his protest that she had drunk too much, she maintained her awareness and, confronting him, said, "Xu Huanshan, you care about me.
I know you care about me. Thank you for caring about me." She then pulled his face towards hers and kissed him. Xu Huanshan did not resist, ultimately succumbing to her advances and spending the night with her. The following morning, Xu Huanshan stealthily returned home, sitting in the living room feeling guilty. Gu Jia emerged, having heard him enter, and expressed her relief, having been worried sick all night.
She asked if he had drunk too much, but noted he didn't smell strongly of alcohol, believing his story about only having a little while looking after Sun Xu. She reassured him about the increasing orders for the fireworks factory and predicted Sun Xu would eventually return to work for him, urging him not to feel so stressed. She then asked for marketing expenses for her tea business, explaining the e-commerce plan she developed with Ellen.
Xu Huanshan, feeling relieved by her lack of suspicion, readily agreed to approve over 200,000 RMB, stating the company had just received some funds. Zhang Zhi visited Wang Manni's home, where her parents greeted him enthusiastically. He presented her with a job offer, explaining he heard she hadn't found suitable employment since returning from Shanghai and that an open position in his unit as a document organizer would be a good fit.
Wang Manni jokingly asked if it was "using the back door," but he assured her he submitted her resume through official channels, highlighting her qualifications. Wang Manni was annoyed he arranged it without consulting her, to which Zhang Zhi sheepishly admitted her mother had given her resume to the matchmaker. He emphasized the job's suitability for her and her parents' satisfaction, which she grudgingly accepted, agreeing to try it.
After he left, Wang Manni's mother immediately pressed her about Zhang Zhi, praising him as an ideal marriage partner because he'd even helped her find a job. She recounted how Tao Qian, a former high school rival, had pursued Zhang Zhi unsuccessfully, contrasting it with his current attentiveness to Wang Manni. Her father also chimed in, saying they valued Zhang Zhi's character and his potential to treat her well, not his status or wealth.
He then questioned if her quick agreement to the blind date meant she wasn't serious, which Wang Manni denied. Feeling a sense of unease that evening, Wang Manni visited her trusted elderly barber, Uncle Yu. She asked him if he regretted never marrying, to which he replied that happiness doesn't come from marriage itself, but from the individual, and comparing oneself to others only leads to unhappiness.
She expressed frustration that at her age, everyone was pressuring her to marry and have children. Uncle Yu suggested that those who urge others often don't know why themselves, simply following social norms out of fear of being left behind or talked about, especially in their close-knit community. Wang Manni admitted she had initially planned to accept her fate after turning thirty, finding a suitable partner and settling down, but now felt a reluctance to accept such a life.
Uncle Yu, reflecting on his own unmarried life, shared that while he lived freely and didn't regret his choices, he wouldn't encourage her to follow his path, especially as a woman, as it would be more challenging. He then advised her to consider Zhang Zhi as a good choice. He contrasted the individualistic lifestyle of Shanghai, where people lived for themselves, with the communal nature of her hometown, where one couldn't simply live for oneself.
Chen Yu was in a state of deep depression, spending his days on the balcony eating snacks and neglecting his appearance, ever since Zhong Xiaoqin moved out. His brother, Chen Xu, visited and confronted him, calling him out for abandoning himself and mocking his sudden surrender to a minor setback after enjoying a life of ease. Chen Yu, exasperated by Chen Xu's lecture, angrily told him to leave.
Chen Xu then called Zhong Xiaoqin, relaying his brother's distressing state and questioning her apparent indifference. Moved by the news, Zhong Xiaoqin went to see Chen Yu. On her way, she met his colleague, Man Ge, who revealed that Chen Yu had not yet returned to his position at work and had recently broken his arm, living alone and neglecting to cook. Man Ge urged Zhong Xiaoqin to encourage Chen Yu to speak with his chief editor about reinstatement.
Upon finding Chen Yu on the balcony, she questioned his well-being and lack of food. Chen Yu confessed that he had been struggling at work since last year and, having lost his wife, felt he had nothing left to strive for, wanting only to embrace decadence for a while.
Zhong Xiaoqin sharply rebuked him for giving up, reminding him of his mother's hard work running a hostel to support them and relieve his burdens, warning him not to become another source of worry for her like Chen Xu. Later, finding Chen Yu still lethargic, Zhong Xiaoqin prepared dumplings for him. She thoughtfully counted them and, presenting the plate, challenged him to guess if the number was odd or even. He offhandedly said, "Even."
She then told him to count as he ate, promising that if the number was indeed even, it meant he could still be saved and should pull himself together to go to work the next day. Chen Yu discovered the number was, in fact, even. The following day, feeling revitalized, Chen Yu went to see his supervisor, Sister Lu.
Despite knowing there were no openings in the editing department, he surprised her by applying for a journalist position, even expressing willingness to join the mobile or breaking news groups, emphasizing he could handle the demanding work. Sister Lu, surprised by his resolve to return to a frontline role, agreed to consider his request and keep an eye out for suitable opportunities. Zhong Xiaoqin found herself struggling to keep pace with Zhong Xiaoyang's energetic lifestyle.
One evening, as she dozed off during a movie, Zhong Xiaoyang playfully pointed it out and suggested playing a game. Zhong Xiaoqin, exhausted from her workday, admitted she couldn't keep up with his constant desire to play. She questioned him about his job search, expressing concern that he seemed to lack a strong drive to work.
He casually mentioned considering buying a share in a motorbike shop, believing in making money from hobbies, and confessed he didn't feel life pressure until he thought about supporting a girlfriend. Zhong Xiaoqin grew frustrated, calling him lazy and feckless, questioning if he thought his youth or relying on his parents' money justified his attitude.
He clarified he was spending his New Year's lucky money, which only highlighted their age difference as Zhong Xiaoqin had been giving lucky money for years. Realizing they couldn't have a productive conversation, Zhong Xiaoyang attributed her mood to lack of sleep and decided to leave, promising to return when she was in better spirits. Gu Jia discussed the disappointing results of her tea promotion with Wang Manni via video call.
She had spent hundreds of thousands on influential online accounts, but the engagement was largely from paid posters, rendering the money essentially wasted. She apologized to Wang Manni for the poor outcome, but Wang Manni reassured her that it wasn't her fault. Later, Gu Jia admitted her misjudgment to Xu Huanshan, explaining that the online advertising campaign hadn't yielded good results and felt like a waste of money.
Xu Huanshan, impatient and critical, told her it was normal to fail since she had no experience in the tea industry. He then advised her to give up on the tea factory, suggesting she accept her limitations and focus on being a housewife and taking care of their son, remarking on how much company money had already been invested without return. Stung by his harsh words, Gu Jia retorted that she had also put immense effort into the fireworks company. She firmly declared that from then on, regardless of the outcome, she would not spend any more company money on her tea business.
