Party A Who Lives Beside Me Episode 12 Recap
> Party A Who Lives Beside Me Recap
Mr. Wang questioned the authenticity of the director, demanding that the man he believed to be Director Xiang Qian answer him directly about his filmmaking experience. Startled, the fake director tried to excuse himself by saying he needed to use the restroom. Just then, Ji Ruxing intervened, reassuring Mr. Wang that "Director Xiang" was a renowned figure in their circle, a director she had collaborated with numerous times, always loving his work. Reassured, Mr. Wang permitted the filming to continue.
The commercial for Douke Milk Tea was eventually completed, and Mr. Wang acknowledged its quality. However, his suspicion returned, and he confronted Xu Guoren, realizing they had hired someone to impersonate Director Xiang Qian. The real Xiang Qian then appeared, furious at the impersonation, threatening to sue and immediately terminate the collaboration with 88 Ed, emphasizing the importance of integrity in business.
A dejected Xu Guoren returned to 88 Ed, where the hopeful faces of his team deepened his sense of disappointment. He bowed deeply, then, to everyone's surprise, announced that their film had been recognized by the client. He explained that when Mr. Wang was about to terminate the contract, Li Zenan had arrived, revealing Director Xiang Qian's past misconduct and arguing that he was unfit to direct the commercial.
Li Zenan also presented evidence that their commercial had been shortlisted for the finals of the Star Mang Advertising Competition. This turn of events meant that what seemed like a disaster had actually brought good fortune: the advertisement was acclaimed, and Aoke designated 88 Ed an S-class supplier. To celebrate, the team planned a dinner, but Ye Xuan excused herself, having already made plans with Li Zenan.
Later, Ye Xuan eagerly pointed out their commercial playing on a street advertisement, watching it intently. She mentioned how she had reviewed it hundreds of times during production, but seeing it publicly displayed felt "super good." She wondered if her mother would see it. Li Zenan found her reaction endearing, admitting he was even more excited when his first work aired, watching it alone for hours.
He explained that for an advertiser, the greatest achievement is seeing their work "hit the streets." He congratulated Ye Xuan on her swift success, noting it took him three years at Aoke to have his first credited work. Ye Xuan thanked Li Zenan, acknowledging that the project wouldn't have been possible without him. Li Zenan playfully asked how she would thank him, then suggested a hug. They embraced, celebrating their shared accomplishment.
Unbeknownst to them, a hidden camera captured this moment. That night, Ye Xuan was watching a horror movie when a power outage plunged her apartment into darkness, causing her to scream in terror. Li Zenan, her landlord, rushed to her door. He tried to fix the power but couldn't, promising to call property management later. Ye Xuan teased him, saying he'd be like a "robot" if he were always perfect.
Li Zenan then invited her to his apartment, but realized he had forgotten his keys. Ye Xuan, familiar with her building, easily climbed over the balcony to his unit, only to discover that Li Zenan had locked his balcony door from the inside. He confessed he locked it daily ever since he learned she could climb over. With the locksmith company unresponsive, Ye Xuan suggested Li Zenan sleep on her sofa and tossed him a blanket.
Li Zenan, too tall for the small sofa at nearly 1. 9 meters, was kept awake by outdoor cats. He tried to wake Ye Xuan to ask for an eye mask and earplugs, but she slept soundly. Admitting his fear of the dark, he resigned himself to sleeping on the floor next to her bed. The next morning, Ye Xuan accidentally stepped on him as she got out of bed, and both screamed in surprise.
Soon after, the property management, which Li Zenan had called earlier, arrived to address the power issue. The next day, Li Zenan still felt unwell. Mao Tianyu, upon hearing he had spent the night at Ye Xuan's, immediately made a teasing assumption, even offering to buy him supplements. Li Zenan denied it, clarifying they had slept separately. He then asked Mao Tianyu what young women think about, a question Mao Tianyu said all men wished they knew the answer to.
Mao Tianyu then probed about Li Zenan's relationship with Ye Xuan, but despite Li Zenan's denial, a subtle smile played on his lips when Ye Xuan's name was mentioned, which Mao Tianyu noticed before playfully leaving. Meanwhile, Ye Xuan, who had dozed off at her desk, was roused by Xu Guoren.
He informed her that the final payment from Aoke was a week overdue and asked her to personally visit Li Zenan to collect it, handing her a box of mooncakes as a gesture of sincerity. Ye Xuan, feeling troubled, ate at a convenience store. He Yucheng joined her, observing her reluctance to see Li Zenan. He correctly guessed that something must have happened between them the previous night, remarking on how obvious her discomfort was.
Ye Xuan expressed surprise, but He Yucheng's bitterness surfaced as he stopped himself from revealing his own feelings for her. Unable to articulate his unspoken love, He Yucheng left to "heal his heart" at a hotpot restaurant, confiding in a doll that if he couldn't give a girl happiness, he would give her his blessings.
At the same restaurant, a drunken Hu Yani was looking for a single young man, and the waiter, spotting He Yucheng, asked if he would be willing to share a table. The two drunkards, initially exchanging playful insults through their food, soon recognized each other. With a resolved mind, Ye Xuan arrived at Aoke with the mooncakes, but the receptionist informed her that Li Zenan was in a meeting and directed her to the pantry, giving her peculiar looks.
As she walked, she noticed many colleagues staring at her, making her feel uneasy. In the pantry, she checked her makeup, confirming it was fine, which only deepened her confusion. Unbeknownst to her, a photo of her embracing Li Zenan had been widely circulated online, leading to industry-wide rumors that 88 Ed's project was secured through "special means." During a meeting, Aoke leaders discussed the scandal.
Zhou Feng, visibly upset, instructed Li Zenan to contact the public relations department to manage the crisis, but another senior leader clarified that their primary concern wasn't the "ambiguous relationship" but a significant financial discrepancy: the commercial was quoted at 800,000 but cost less than 590,000, implying corruption on Li Zenan's part. Li Zenan presented detailed account statements, including all expenses related to Director Xiang Qian and even the funds advanced by all 88 Ed employees.
He asserted there were no "gray accounts" and that Aoke still owed 88 Ed the final payment. The leaders accepted his explanation for the finances but issued a stern warning that such incidents affected the company's image and leadership's bottom line. Any recurrence would have severe consequences for Li Zenan. Zhou Feng assured them he would handle the matter cautiously. Mao Tianyu found Ye Xuan and informed her about the anonymous email and Li Zenan's meeting with the "big boss."
When Ye Xuan expressed a desire to clarify things, Mao Tianyu warned her against it, stating she was now "the public enemy of all Aoke" and should worry about herself. Ye Xuan, despite her nervousness, insisted she still needed to collect the final payment. Meanwhile, Li Zenan, back in his office with Zhou Feng, covertly messaged Mao Tianyu, instructing him to escort Ye Xuan out.
Zhou Feng then steered the conversation to a former employee who was dismissed for similar issues, emphasizing the importance of understanding one's position. He directly asked Li Zenan about his relationship with "that girl." Li Zenan admitted he was both her Party A and her landlord. Zhou Feng then reminded Li Zenan, his protégé, that he should know "what to keep and what to let go" and explicitly advised him to maintain distance from Ye Xuan, asking for his assurance.
