Our Glamorous Time Episode 15 Recap
> Our Glamorous Time Recap
Grace and Li Zhicheng approached President Wu of Danzi Plaza to secure a storefront for Aida, but President Wu, citing Danzi Plaza's stringent requirements for new brands, deemed Aida unqualified and regretfully declined their request. Although disappointed, Grace quickly devised a new strategy. Observing a roadside advertisement, she realized Aida needed to boost its prestige.
She suggested leveraging the influence of Fancy, an American fashion brand whose founder, Don, had been searching for Chinese designers to launch a Chinese-themed secondary line. When Li Zhicheng questioned how to contact Don, Grace confidently stated their magazine had interviewed him years ago and she could obtain his contact information, immediately tasking her assistant, Cindy, to find it. She believed that a successful meeting with Don would persuade President Wu.
Meanwhile, at Aida, Gu Yanzhi presided over a meeting to discuss the Ankada project. Though some employees questioned the practicality of Lin Qian's design, a colleague confirmed her research indicated Lin Qian's sample aligned with Ankada's uniform data. To address concerns about specific fabric choices, Lin Qian presented a live demonstration.
Yayi and other employees, dressed in Lin Qian's prototype flight attendant uniforms, simulated various duties, showcasing the uniforms' comfortable fit, appropriate skirt length for modesty, and resilient shoulder and fabric design for handling heavy luggage. Lin Qian emphasized that the ultimate goal was not just aesthetics or cost, but to ensure comfort and practicality for daily wear.
Later, at a coffee shop, Li Zhicheng happily informed Grace that President Wu had changed his mind about renting them the Danzi Plaza storefront after hearing about Aida's potential collaboration with Fancy. Grace acknowledged the power of a strong brand. Li Zhicheng then announced he needed to return to Aida for Lin Qian's Ankada project presentation. Grace, surprised, asked if he had informed Lin Qian about Aida's plan to withdraw from the Ankada bid.
Li Zhicheng explained his intention to let her fully experience and enjoy her work, shielded from business complexities. Grace, with a hint of concern, warned him not to let a "surprise" turn into a "shock." Back at Aida, as Gu Yanzhi called for a vote on Lin Qian's design, the executives hesitated, no one raising a hand. Just then, Li Zhicheng arrived, apologized for his lateness, and declared Lin Qian's design "amazing," instructing them to proceed with it.
Lin Qian was overjoyed, sharing the good news with Yayi and her team. That evening, Lin Qian stayed late to refine the bidding document, and Li Zhicheng remained to accompany her, assuring her that she could submit it the next day. The following day, President Wu urgently contacted Grace, apologizing that the Danzi Plaza storefront could no longer be rented to Aida. His superior, Chairman Zheng, had allocated it to the Zhu Group.
Grace expressed her dismay to President Wu, confirming it was Chairman Zhu Boyun who had secured the deal. Over the phone, Grace relayed the unfortunate news to Li Zhicheng, regretting Ning Weikai's swift move. She vowed to find alternative storefronts and pursue the Fancy collaboration with renewed determination. Simultaneously, in his car, Ning Weikai conversed with Chairman Zhu, who revealed that Chairman Zheng was a former student he had helped overcome an attempt to sabotage his college admission years ago.
Chairman Zhu explained that his support for Ning Weikai was based on trust, seeing in him the potential he once saw in Chairman Zheng. Meanwhile, a member of the drug cartel observed that the USB drive was active again, confirming Lin Qian's location and setting off to track her to Aida. Later, on Aida's rooftop, Lin Qian found a despondent Li Zhicheng.
He admitted the failure to secure the Danzi Plaza storefront was a significant blow, feeling humiliated by the loss despite their efforts. Lin Qian reassured him, reminding him of his resilience and expressing her unwavering belief in his ability to overcome challenges, which was why she joined Aida despite its initial struggles. The next day, Cheng Feng visited Xinbaorui for an inspection.
Zhu Hanchong greeted him, but Cheng Feng's expression turned sour upon seeing numerous promotional photos of Cheng Meizi prominently displayed. Chairman Zhu later admonished Zhu Hanchong for his misjudgment, explaining Cheng Feng's traditional views and his dislike of his daughter being widely publicized. A furious Zhu Hanchong stormed out. Ning Weikai, however, saw an opportunity, advising Chairman Zhu that losing the Ankada order was not entirely negative.
He pointed out that Simeiqi's production lines would now be tied up by Ankada, creating a significant vacancy in the market for the upcoming May 20 shopping festival. Ning Weikai proposed hindering Aida's new brand launch to gain an advantage in the festival, an idea Chairman Zhu fully supported, trusting Ning Weikai's strategic acumen. Ning Weikai then discreetly presented Chen Zheng with the Ankada project's letter of intent, a strategic "gift" meant to consolidate his position within Xinbaorui.
Chen Zheng, delighted, accepted the document, and later triumphantly announced to his employees at Simeiqi that they had secured the Ankada project, promising them substantial bonuses. Back at Aida, Li Zhicheng stood outside Lin Qian's door. As she emerged, elegantly dressed and excited for the Ankada bid, Li Zhicheng reluctantly informed her that Cheng Feng would not be coming as Aida had withdrawn from the bidding. Lin Qian was stunned, demanding an explanation.
He cited the project's immense scale, its complexity, and the insurmountable production issues within the given timeframe. Lin Qian passionately argued that they had overcome similar challenges with the Mingsheng project and that solutions could be found. With a heavy heart, Li Zhicheng could only offer a "Sorry."
Lin Qian, her voice filled with betrayal, demanded to know when he had made this decision and why he had kept her in the dark while she tirelessly worked on what she considered her "heart and soul." She felt foolish and deeply hurt, rejecting his suggestion to work on other projects. She declared her love and responsibility for her design work, not merely as a job.
Li Zhicheng reiterated his apology, but Lin Qian, telling him to work on other projects himself, returned to her studio and began packing her belongings, resolute in her decision to leave Aida. Her colleagues, including Yayi, tried to dissuade her, expressing concern for Aida and even Li Zhicheng, but Lin Qian, asserting her contract was up and he was no longer her boss, insisted on leaving. Despite the security guards' attempts to stop her, she pushed past them and departed.
As Lin Qian carried her box of personal items away from Aida, she encountered Ning Weikai, who immediately recognized her distress and offered her a ride. At a restaurant, Lin Qian poured out her frustration and disappointment over the Ankada project, detailing her dedication to creating health-conscious designs and her heartbreak at the company's sudden withdrawal.
Ning Weikai listened, then gently explained that business decisions often prioritized profitability over design, advising her not to lose hope in herself but to learn from the experience. His words brought her some relief. As they returned to the parking lot, they were ambushed by several assailants. Ning Weikai bravely fought them off, urging Lin Qian to escape.
She grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed it at the attackers, but the drug lord arrived, incapacitated Ning Weikai, and forcibly dragged Lin Qian into a car. Inside the car, the drug lord aggressively questioned Lin Qian about a USB drive, but she feigned ignorance. In a brutal display, the drug lord stabbed Ning Weikai in the thigh, eliciting a scream of pain.
The shock triggered Lin Qian's memory: she recalled her conversation with Li Zhicheng about the seemingly broken USB drive that had mysteriously become accessible, although with some folders unopenable, and the drug cartel's ability to track her through it. Just then, Li Zhicheng called Lin Qian's phone, but the drug lord immediately hung up. Sensing something was terribly wrong from the abrupt hang-up, Li Zhicheng quickly drove to her location.
The drug lord brought Lin Qian and the injured Ning Weikai to Aida's office, holding a knife to Ning Weikai's throat to coerce Lin Qian into finding the USB drive. Lin Qian, pretending to search, tried to stall, which the drug lord quickly noticed. Enraged, he prepared to attack them both. At that critical moment, Li Zhicheng burst in, swiftly and decisively subduing the drug dealers, knocking them to the ground.
