Nothing But Thirty Episode 40 Recap
> Nothing But Thirty Recap
Gu Jia, refusing to let Lin You You continue to threaten her son, arranged a meeting for herself, Xu Huanshan, and Lin You You. She explained that Xu Huanshan had admitted his mistakes, and she intended to remove anyone threatening her child's safety from the city. She believed some matters needed to be discussed openly among all three for true understanding.
Xu Huanshan apologized to Lin You You, taking full blame for their affair and pleading for forgiveness and to be released. He stated unequivocally that he loved Gu Jia and would spend the rest of his life making sincere amends, regardless of whether she forgave him or chose to divorce him. He affirmed he would not leave her. Lin You You retorted, accusing Gu Jia of coercing Xu Huanshan into saying these things.
She challenged Gu Jia, questioning if she truly understood the man beside her. Lin You You asserted that Xu Huanshan's greatest passions were fireworks and eating, but Gu Jia restricted his diet and prevented him from playing soccer. To prove her point, Lin You You showed Gu Jia a series of photos on her phone, depicting numerous dinners she shared with Xu Huanshan. She proudly stated that the number of photos represented the number of nights they had spent together.
Gu Jia calmly countered, revealing that Xu Huanshan suffered from moderate fatty liver at just over thirty, which was why she enforced a strict diet, even adhering to it herself to support his health. She then asserted that every expense Xu Huanshan incurred for Lin You You—from dinners and hotel rooms to rent—came from their joint marital property.
Gu Jia claimed her right to demand restitution, but then mockingly dismissed it, saying she would consider it her "treat" for Lin You You's youth, given her recent graduation and presumed lack of funds. Unfazed, Lin You You pulled open her shirt to reveal a blue fireworks tattoo on her chest. Seeing this, Gu Jia was profoundly hurt, remembering Xu Huanshan’s past vows to design unique fireworks and devote all his works to her, loving her for life.
Overcome with pain, Gu Jia retreated to her bathroom, seeking solace in a drunken bath. Zhong Xiaoqin and Wang Manni arrived to comfort her, urging her not to let Lin You You get the better of her. Gu Jia tearfully expressed how "laughable" she felt for believing all of Xu Huanshan's fireworks were exclusively for her and their family.
She questioned if her constant efforts to be his supportive "portable charger," knowing more than him to keep conversations flowing, had instead become a source of pressure. She confessed that being sober was too agonizing, preferring to drink away the pain rather than face it. Meanwhile, Wang Manni received a call from her client, Yi Yi, whose car had a flat tire.
Yi Yi demanded Wang Manni's assistance, reminding her of her pledge to provide attentive service to secure the outstanding payment. Unable to change the tire herself, Wang Manni called a repair shop. As Yi Yi's neck was also injured in the incident, Wang Manni took her to the hospital. There, Yi Yi was diagnosed with a slight misalignment and fitted with a neck brace.
Wang Manni's meticulous care, including helping Yi Yi remove her accessories for a CT scan, impressed Yi Yi, though Wang Manni clarified her efforts were "for the money." Despite her neck injury, Yi Yi insisted Wang Manni drive her to a KTV to meet friends. Outside the KTV, a hungry Wang Manni, who hadn't eaten all day, was seen making a debt collection call while eating instant noodles.
Seeing her, Yi Yi, feeling a pang of guilt, told her to leave. Wang Manni had shared her recent struggles, including losing her dowry savings to a con artist, facing criticism from her boss, and feeling ridiculed by colleagues. She also confided in Yi Yi about Gu Jia's husband's infidelity. Yi Yi, in turn, revealed her inclination towards aesthetic medicine, attributing it to a lack of emotionally impactful events in her life that would naturally bring her to tears.
The next day, Frank severely reprimanded Wang Manni in front of her colleagues, citing her lack of performance and declaring his intention to fire her. At that moment, Yi Yi arrived at the office. She settled her debt and declared that Wang Manni was now her friend, insisting that Wang Manni handle all future business with the company. Yi Yi warned that if Wang Manni were fired, she would cease all future financial dealings with Frank's company.
Frank’s demeanor immediately shifted, and he instructed Wang Manni to escort Yi Yi to the accountant. As Yi Yi left, she reiterated that Wang Manni was her dedicated contact. Concurrently, Zhong Xiaoqin's online novel gained immense popularity, ranking among the top five monthly bestsellers on the website. An editor contacted her, informing her that several renowned film companies were interested in purchasing the film rights for a TV drama adaptation, with an offer reaching 2.
2 million yuan, excluding book royalties. Zhong Xiaoqin was overjoyed but expressed reservations about selling the rights, as the novel contained elements related to Chen Yu. She wanted him to read it first, offering to discard it entirely if he found its content upsetting. She later retrieved the manuscript, worried about his reaction. That night, after Zhong Xiaoqin had fallen asleep, Chen Yu secretly read the entire novel.
The following morning, over breakfast, Chen Yu told her he had read it and found it excellent. He assured her he didn't mind the content, emphasizing it was fiction, not a factual account. He even acknowledged that reading it helped him reflect on his past mistakes and playfully joked about becoming a "kept man" given her newfound success. Zhong Xiaoqin was deeply touched and happy by his support.
The quiet morning was interrupted when Xu Ziyan climbed into Gu Jia’s bed, waking her to ask if she and his father were divorcing. He told her that if they did, he would choose to live with his father, explaining that since Gu Jia loved him the most, if he chose his father, she would be unable to leave them. Gu Jia was heartbroken by her son's words and sought counsel from her father at the nursing home.
Upon learning of Xu Huanshan's infidelity, Gu's father was furious and immediately summoned Xu Huanshan. Xu Huanshan, upon meeting Gu's father, fell to his knees, vehemently refusing to divorce Gu Jia. He tearfully explained that Gu Jia had lost her mother at a young age, and he could not bear for Xu Ziyan to suffer the same fate as a child from a broken family. He desperately pleaded with Gu's father for another chance and help.
Soon after, Zhong Xiaoqin received the first installment of her novel's royalty payment, totaling 1. 56 million yuan. Her first act was to replace their old, problematic door lock with a 4,800-yuan digital lock, which she mentioned was a product from Wang Manni's company. Chen Yu was surprised by the cost, but Zhong Xiaoqin, brimming with excitement, then took him on a shopping spree.
During their outing, she generously purchased a 30,000-yuan massage chair for him, explaining it was to relieve his chronic cervical spondylosis, a condition exacerbated by his video editing work. She lovingly told him that with her newfound financial success, he could pursue his dreams, such as becoming a reporter and searching for Tibetan antelopes, without worrying about financial burdens. Chen Yu was deeply moved by her thoughtfulness.
In an effort to resolve the ongoing crisis, Gu's father personally met with Lin You You. Speaking from his own experiences as a man and as a father, he sincerely advised her to consider letting go. He informed her that Xu Huanshan had unequivocally expressed his commitment to returning to his family and urged her to understand when to back away from a difficult situation.
Gu's father warned that continuing to cling to Xu Huanshan would ultimately lead to her losing everything and eventually blaming or even hating each other. Lin You You, however, remained resolute, stating that she could not let go, convinced she would never encounter another man she loved as much as Xu Huanshan.
