Our Dazzling Days Episode 22 Recap
> Our Dazzling Days Recaps
After their initial negotiation, Meng Ge advises Xia Lei to withdraw from the acquisition project, but Xia Lei believes he is well-equipped to handle it. Soon after, Fan Weijie actively seeks out Xia Lei, attempting to mend their relationship.
Xia Lei, still resentful, directly states that while he can accept their business failure, differing visions, and eventual separation, he cannot forgive Fan for secretly selling the website they built with their collective effort—an act that remains a thorn in his side. Fan Weijie, while sincerely apologizing, also reiterates that Xia Lei's original shares had been integrated into the assets of Jiangnan Machinery Plant during a business merger and are currently held by him.
Fan suggests that Xia Lei could benefit both parties by appropriately raising the acquisition price during the current deal, implying he could then compensate Xia Lei. Xia Lei, without hesitation, firmly rejects this proposition, citing his personal and professional standards, and his refusal to fall into a trap or compromise his ethics with someone who once destroyed his future. Worried about Zhang Xiaoman's future, Zhuang Huimin brings her husband’s championship belt to Watanabe’s boxing gym.
She offers to repay Xiaoman's training expenses if Watanabe agrees to stop scheduling fights for him, fearing the young man will be destroyed like her husband, Maeda. Watanabe, however, views Xiaoman as his new cash cow and refuses to let go of such a valuable asset. He coldly argues that Xiaoman is more valuable than the belt, and that the path he is on is one of his own choosing.
To Watanabe, money is the ultimate reflection of human nature, and he has no intention of stopping the matches. As winter sets in, the irregular schedule of boxing matches strains communication between Yan Xiaodan in France and Zhang Xiaoman in Japan. Xiaodan is overwhelmed by her architecture studies and feels the pressure of the shorter days, while Xiaoman is consumed by rigorous training with a professional coach, hoping to earn enough to join her.
Communication becomes increasingly sparse; Xiaoman misses her birthday, and when a riot breaks out in France, leaving a terrified Xiaodan being followed by a vagrant, he is unable to provide comfort. During their brief, static-filled phone call, Xiaoman is in a noisy gym and can barely hear her, and the call soon disconnects due to signal issues. Driven by worry and the lack of contact, Xiaodan eventually decides to fly to Japan to see him.
Seeing Xiaoman bloodied and exhausted in the boxing ring is a wake-up call for Xiaodan. She realizes her own ambition forced him into a life he never wanted, turning a boy who loved his hometown into a scarred fighter. She sends him a breakup text, believing they are caught in a cycle and it is time to face different lives.
Desperate, Xiaoman attempts to secure a French visa but is rejected due to his immigration intent, as authorities fear he might overstay illegally. In a final, heart-wrenching call, Xiaoman suggests she return to China or join him in Japan, but Xiaodan reveals she has accepted a job offer at a prestigious architecture firm in France. They part ways, with Xiaoman urging her to take care of herself as she begins her life alone.
Back at the East Chemical Plant, Ding Guoqiang grows increasingly concerned after months of silence from Xiaoman. He eventually learns the truth from Yan Wenyuan that the kids have broken up. Ding is devastated, knowing how much Xiaoman sacrificed for Xiaodan only to be left alone in Japan.
Yan Wenyuan tries to remain calm, suggesting that they must give the children time to process the situation themselves, even as Ding worries that Xiaoman is too stubborn to move on and won't give up until he hits rock bottom. The old grudge between Xia Lei and Fan Weijie causes friction at Fenlier. Kong Peng, fearing the project is dragging, reassigns it to another team and accuses Xia Lei of letting his personal history cloud his judgment.
Xia Lei retaliates by reporting Kong Peng to higher management, exposing a biased valuation report that ignored significant litigation risks, a report issued by a firm hired by Kong Peng. A heated confrontation follows, with Kong Peng accusing Xia Lei of biting the hand that fed him and seeking revenge on Fan Weijie. Despite the pressure, Xia Lei remains firm, asserting that he never violated business rules or compromised his professional ethics.
Meng Ge later suggests that Xia Lei should at least reclaim his shares from the factory acquisition, but he stays silent. At the KOB Boxing Gym, Watanabe decides to profit by arranging for Xiaoman to throw a fight against Miyamura Masao. However, Yu Qiangbei has his own plans, engaging in a "black-eats-black" scheme and secretly encouraging Xiaoman to seize the opportunity to win this "comeback fight" and return home with dignity, having bet his entire fortune on Xiaoman.
During the match, Watanabe, unable to find Yu Qiangbei, rushes to the ringside and tries to bribe Xiaoman to lose in the third round. Xiaoman refuses, stating he never throws fights and wants to live a different life. He wins the fight, reclaiming his pride but infuriating the gym owner. That night, Xiaoman is cornered by Watanabe’s men. During the struggle, he falls into the freezing sea.
Though he survives the ordeal after being rescued, his time abroad comes to an end. In 2007, a battle-worn and limping Xiaoman is repatriated, returning home to the East Chemical Plant.
