Our Times Episode 33 Recap
> Our Times Recap
Pei Qinghua was deeply engrossed in his work, focused on the external packing quotation for Huayan's new computer, to the point of neglecting his meals. His disciple, Yue San, repeatedly urged him to eat his fish stew tofu, which had already been reheated multiple times, expressing his frustration at having to act like Pei Qinghua’s nanny. Pei Qinghua eventually agreed to eat in the car on his way to a meeting with Mr. Tan.
Later, after a meeting, Pei Qinghua noticed a pot of flowers, meant to relieve uneasiness of mind, on his desk. Xiang Yi Fei informed him that Ms. Tan had arranged for them. Pei Qinghua cast a warning glance at Xiang Yi Fei, who promised not to disclose anything. Yue San later received a call from Ms. Tan, whom he deduced was Tan Yuan, Pei Qinghua’s girlfriend, as she seemed to know a lot about him.
Tan Yuan, acknowledging Yue San's sharp wit, instructed him to ensure Pei Qinghua ate on time, emphasizing it as her direct order. She also advised against serving Pei Qinghua fish, as he was unable to remove the bones himself. Meanwhile, Qian Qian returned home with new clothes, having seemingly celebrated her birthday alone. However, Lu Hainiu surprised her with a beautiful necklace, declaring he would spend anything to make her happy, and recited a romantic poem dedicated to eternal love.
At Jefferson, Lydia checked on Abby in her new office, emphasizing that Abby was the pioneer in the upcoming price war and had the full support of the company. Lydia also informed Abby that the headquarters had unprecedentedly approved her proposal for a "Chinese Special Edition."
Despite this success, Abby remained unexcited, stating that this was merely the beginning and that the subsequent advertising and sales strategies were crucial for achieving a significant market impact, making it too early to celebrate. She vowed to do her best. Xiao Chuang pressed Lu Hainiu for overdue project payments, highlighting that the workers had stopped working and that he and Zhang Ping Ping were almost detained at the factory.
Lu Hainiu offered various excuses, claiming that outstanding payments totaling nearly 20 million yuan from several retailers prevented him from paying. He admitted to using funds allocated for factory construction to cover emergency expenses, promising to pay the workers once these tail-end payments were received within approximately a month. Xiao Chuang, frustrated, gave him a strict deadline of half a month.
At Jefferson, Abby learned from her secretary that their packaging supplier had accepted an urgent order from Huayan, to be delivered by the end of August. This made Abby realize that Huayan was likely planning an earlier launch for their new model, targeting the school season, a move that would put them in direct competition.
To preempt this, Abby proposed launching an aggressive advertising campaign, using the "Chinese Special Edition" as a unique selling point and emphasizing their price advantage to attract customers without revealing all confidential information. Lydia fully supported Abby's strategy, recognizing that a delay would leave them far behind Huayan. Jefferson's pre-launch advertisements caused alarm at Huayan.
Pei Qinghua argued that Jefferson's strong brand image and reputation, combined with their unexpected low-priced "Chinese Special Edition," made them a significant threat, as customers would perceive it as a bargain despite Huayan’s potential lower price. Tan Qizhang concurred, directing Pei Qinghua to further reduce their product's price and launch even earlier.
Pei Qinghua, identifying packaging as a key area for cost-cutting, opted for three-layered corrugated paper instead of seven-layered, calculating that the cumulative savings on carton boxes, polystyrene boxes, and wrapping paper for large volumes would free up crucial pricing space. He then called the factory to expedite production. During this busy period, Xiao Chuang called Pei Qinghua, who noticed Xiao Chuang’s somber tone and offered assistance, suspecting trouble at Linghang.
Xiao Chuang downplayed it as a minor issue, promising to visit Beijing soon, or suggesting Pei Qinghua visit Guangzhou, acknowledging they hadn't seen each other in a long time. Pei Qinghua agreed to visit after Huayan’s new model launched. Later, Xiao Chuang, feeling depressed, confessed to Zhang Ping Ping that he was unsure of Abby's feelings since her return to Beijing, as their communication had been sparse and superficial.
Zhang Ping Ping suggested a phone proposal, but Xiao Chuang dismissed it, insisting on creating a perfect and unforgettable surprise for Abby, as it was a "memory of a lifetime" for a woman. A news report exposed Linghang VCDs as being produced in the rudimentary factories of Chen Village, highlighting a "gray chain" in the booming VCD market and creating a stark contrast with Linghang's lavish advertising. Xiao Chuang, knowing this would cause problems, immediately confronted Lu Hainiu.
He demanded they pool all their remaining funds to restart the factory and hold a press conference to salvage Linghang’s reputation. Lu Hainiu vehemently disagreed, arguing that losing all their money would leave them with nothing, and that with their existing assets, they could "make a comeback" even if their reputation was tarnished. An enraged Xiao Chuang nearly struck Lu Hainiu, accusing him of callousness and betrayal, reminding him of his own contributions to Linghang’s success.
Lu Hainiu countered that Linghang was Xiao Chuang's venture, and he saw no reason to risk his own financial security. Zhang Ping Ping warned Xiao Chuang that Lu Hainiu, who controlled their finances, was no longer the same loyal partner. Surprisingly, Lu Hainiu soon returned, apologizing to Xiao Chuang and admitting his mistake. He agreed that Linghang’s reputation was their "foundation" and vowed to follow Xiao Chuang’s lead, appealing to their long-standing brotherhood.
Xiao Chuang, touched by this apparent reconciliation, agreed to face the crisis together. Pei Qinghua presented Tan Qizhang with a preliminary estimate of reduced expenses in transportation, packaging, and advertising, believing they could still shave off another 1,000 yuan per unit to secure a competitive price advantage. Mr. Tan approved the final price for the Huayan Tempest at 8688 yuan.
Simultaneously, Zhang Ping Ping frantically informed Xiao Chuang that workers at the factory were threatening to dismantle equipment, and Lu Hainiu was unreachable, supposedly meeting retailers in Shanghai. Upon arriving at the site, Xiao Chuang discovered that essential materials like steel bars and cement had been removed, with a banner demanding payment before resuming work, forcing the factory to halt operations.
With only tens of thousands of yuan left in the company accounts, Xiao Chuang decided the immediate priority was to hold a press conference to counter the negative publicity, rather than attempting to restart production without sufficient funds. During a phone call, Tan Yuan informed Pei Qinghua about the upcoming American Labor Day holiday, a three-day long weekend in early September.
This sparked an idea for Pei Qinghua, who immediately proposed to Tan Qizhang to launch the Huayan Tempest on September 2nd, two weeks ahead of schedule. His strategy was to exploit Jefferson's closure during the Labor Day weekend, effectively launching when their competitor was off-guard.
Tan Qizhang endorsed the aggressive tactic, despite concerns about the tight production schedule, and tasked Pei Qinghua with coordinating the factory while he managed company-wide sales and promotion efforts, plunging Huayan into a frenzy of activity. As September began, the eve of Huayan Tempest’s launch was marked by intense activity and palpable tension, with staff working late into the night, loading trucks and preparing for the next day.
Pei Qinghua rallied his team, urging them to maintain their spirits and professionalism, and to greet customers with bright smiles while chanting their slogan: "With 8688 yuan, bring Huayan Tempest home." At Jefferson, Lydia found Abby still working late, despite the impending Labor Day holiday. Abby confessed her restlessness and unresolved feelings for Xiao Chuang, stating her intention to fly to Guangzhou during the holiday to propose to him herself, as he hadn't made a move.
Lydia, though surprised by a woman proposing, supported Abby's decision, prioritizing her happiness. Meanwhile, Xiao Chuang, trying to salvage Linghang's reputation, engaged in heavy drinking with reporters. Drunk and distraught, he vomited on the street and impulsively demanded his mobile phone to call Abby and propose, declaring he no longer cared for a grand ceremony. However, he hung up before dialing, overcome by a feeling of unworthiness, believing he had given her nothing.
Zhang Ping Ping tried to comfort him, offering to leave Guangzhou and Lu Hainiu to follow him to Beijing if they weathered this crisis. Xiao Chuang, however, staunchly refused to abandon Linghang, vowing to fight to the very end. Simultaneously, Abby's secretary informed her of a missed call from Xiao Chuang's number, but Abby, focused on her work and preparing for her trip, dismissed it.
With Lu Hainiu still unreachable, Xiao Chuang and Zhang Ping Ping headed for the press conference, only to be intercepted by Chen and his villagers, who demanded 3. 85 million yuan in processing fees owed by Lu Hainiu. A call to finance revealed the grim truth: Lu Hainiu had absconded with 30 million yuan, including recent tail-end payments, and fled with Qian Qian.
Chen, in despair over his ruined factory, held-hostage mother, and lost home, insisted that Linghang was responsible for the payment and threatened violence. Xiao Chuang calmly explained that they were both victims of Lu Hainiu’s deceit and that fighting would solve nothing; they needed to find Lu Hainiu to get the money back. To buy time for Zhang Ping Ping, Xiao Chuang fabricated a story about Lu Hainiu owning a villa in Luohu, where he might be hiding.
Chen, however, grew suspicious and insisted that Xiao Chuang stay while Zhang Ping Ping went alone to find Lu Hainiu. Xiao Chuang reluctantly agreed, sending Zhang Ping Ping off. Meanwhile, at Huayan, the factory buzzed with excitement as the final batch of Huayan Tempest computers was loaded, with promises of double bonuses for the team. Pei Qinghua, having had a restless night, rushed to the launching site.
Abby, on her way to the airport for Guangzhou to meet Xiao Chuang, learned of Huayan Tempest’s early launch from flyers. She immediately redirected her driver to Zhongguan Village, where she witnessed the overwhelming success of Huayan’s launch, with Pei Qinghua actively promoting the affordable 8688 yuan computer. Abby felt a profound sense of defeat in the price war.
Back at Linghang, Xiao Chuang confessed to Chen that his story about Lu Hainiu’s villa was a lie, designed to help Zhang Ping Ping escape. Enraged, Chen threatened Xiao Chuang, feeling that his life was already ruined. Just then, Zhang Ping Ping returned, claiming she had found Lu Hainiu at a second-hand shop and had tied him up. Chen, eager to verify, took his men to the location. Zhang Ping Ping discreetly warned Xiao Chuang to flee no matter what.
Chen, still wary, forced Xiao Chuang into his car. Seizing the moment, Zhang Ping Ping brandished a knife, took Chen hostage, and urged Xiao Chuang to escape. Xiao Chuang refused to leave her, and together they managed to get into Chen's car, initiating a desperate high-speed chase. Zhang Ping Ping skillfully drove them into a patch of tall grass, momentarily shaking off Chen’s pursuit.
Relieved, they laughed and reminisced about their adventures, with Xiao Chuang even playfully suggesting that he needed to find a wife for Zhang Ping Ping. Their moment of reprieve was tragically short-lived as Chen’s vehicle reappeared. Their car was violently rammed and forced off the road, plunging into a deep river and disappearing from sight.
