Party A Who Lives Beside Me Episode 14 Recap
> Party A Who Lives Beside Me Recap
At a dinner, Mr. Lin verbally attacked Ye Xuan, accusing her of using illicit means to secure Aoke’s project. Witnessing this, Li Zenan immediately confronted Mr. Lin, retaliating physically. Xu Guoren rushed in, seemingly bewildered, and promptly escorted Mr. Lin back to a private room. Initially, Xu Guoren thought Ye Xuan was to blame for the altercation.
However, Mr. Lin’s subsequent vulgar rant, in which he spoke disrespectfully about women and accused Ye Xuan of illicit dealings, made Xu Guoren realize the truth. Angered by Mr. Lin’s hypocrisy and insults, Xu Guoren closed the private room door and then beat him up. Afterward, Li Zenan checked if Ye Xuan was alright, and she confirmed she was fine. Li Zenan later informed Zhou Feng that he had made a clear decision about their earlier conversation: he was resigning.
He stated he would submit his resignation report by email the next morning. Zhou Feng, surprised by this, asked what Li Zenan truly desired. Li Zenan responded that while he hadn't known before, he did now, and would steadily pursue his new goals. He thanked Zhou Feng for his mentorship. As they left, Li Zenan took Ye Xuan’s hand.
Ye Xuan reflected that the world felt vast, where no one would notice an ordinary person like her, yet in that moment, it also felt intimately small, as if all the world’s fortune had descended upon her. She acknowledged not fully understanding "love" but knew she wanted to walk hand-in-hand with Li Zenan forever. Li Zenan assured Ye Xuan that her safety was the greatest blessing of the day.
Ye Xuan confessed that she had been terrified when she stood up to Mr. Lin, worrying about losing her job and the project, and how she would manage in Shanghai. Yet, she concluded that even if she ended up on the streets, she wouldn't let that scoundrel get away with it. Li Zenan jokingly reassured her about paying rent. Ye Xuan then asked if he found her impulsive for intervening.
Li Zenan admitted "a little bit," wondering what she would have done if she were alone. He then shared his own experience upon first arriving in Shanghai. He often ate at Sister Xia's restaurant, appreciating her cooking as a treat during his penniless days. He recalled an incident where two drunk men harassed Sister Xia, and despite his hands trembling, he stood up for her. Sister Xia confirmed the story, adding that he nearly got disfigured.
Moved, Ye Xuan commented that fewer people were willing to stand up for others these days. Li Zenan, taking a sip of wine, earnestly told her, "You're no one else." The tender moment was quickly defused when he teasingly reminded her she was his tenant and he needed her proposals. Li Zenan, however, privately reflected on the difficulties women face alone in the city, fearing they might lose hope without support.
He expressed his desire for Ye Xuan never to lose her youthful courage, a quality he deeply admired. The following morning, Ye Xuan arrived at the office early, determined to pursue legal action against Mr. Lin if he caused further trouble. She told Yan Lina not to be afraid if anyone came to cause a scene, as she would handle it.
Shortly after, the manager of Huanongyuan called, offering apologies and explaining that Mr. Lin was hospitalized but would apologize in person once recovered. Xu Guoren, overhearing, took the phone and forcefully rejected their apology, stating they would not be cooperating with Huanongyuan. Ye Xuan was taken aback. When Yan Lina looked confused, Xu Guoren fabricated an excuse, claiming Huanongyuan’s scale was insufficient for their company, which had partnered with Aoke.
Later, Ye Xuan apologized to Xu Guoren for any negative impact on their business. He reassured her that it wasn't her fault, as they disdained cooperating with such a company. He advised her to protect herself by gathering evidence against "respectable devils" and suing them until they were ruined. He then urged her to secure the new Zhejiang Ya Xuan store project by "holding Hu Yani’s thigh."
Xu Guoren also continued to follow the web series "The Tenant Next Door," finding the latest updated plot very familiar but without any suspicion. The news of Li Zenan’s resignation was hardest for Mao Tianyu, who, unable to get a clear explanation, declared he would also resign and follow Li Zenan "to the ends of the earth."
Li Zenan chuckled, clarifying he was joking about Mao Tianyu being fired, and instructed him to remain at the company, promising to take him along once he had settled everything. He Yucheng debuted a new, strikingly retro haircut, which Ye Xuan found amusing. Her amusement quickly turned to surprise when Hu Yani appeared with an even more retro hairstyle.
Hu Yani explained to Ye Xuan that her business partner had suddenly withdrawn funding, causing a capital crunch for her new restaurant. This led her to seek investors through blind dates, where she encountered "all sorts of strange individuals." She recounted a particularly disastrous blind date with a boastful man whom He Yucheng, seated at a nearby table, overheard. He Yucheng intervened by pulling Hu Yani away, accidentally disarranging her hair, and took her to Uncle Zhang's barbershop.
Despite Hu Yani’s intention to simply wash her hair, she was persuaded by Uncle Zhang and He Yucheng to get a perm, resulting in a voluminous, retro style jokingly called "money rolling in." As immediate revenge, Hu Yani insisted He Yucheng also get a new perm, leading him to sport a similar, equally retro look. Li Zenan packed his belongings, preparing to leave.
Zhou Feng reflected on their seven-year mentor-protégé relationship, admitting he hadn't always been fair, recalling an instance where he had unfairly blamed Li Zenan for a failed project. Li Zenan, however, dismissed the past, thanking Zhou Feng for his cultivation and addressing him as "master" for the final time. Before exiting, Li Zenan recommended Ye Xuan to the Design Department. Upon returning home, Ye Xuan found Li Zenan eating noodles by the roadside.
Learning of his resignation, she mistakenly assumed he had been fired due to their recent troubles. Li Zenan quickly clarified that it was his personal decision. However, Ye Xuan became increasingly anxious when he stated his immediate plan was merely to "play," worrying about his finances and the long-term implications of leaving his director position. She even urged him to reconsider his decision.
Still concerned that Li Zenan had resigned because of her, Ye Xuan began searching online for job openings for him. To her delight and surprise, she found an invitation for an interview at Aoke in her email, feeling as though she had been "hit by a pie." The next day, Ye Xuan presented Li Zenan with the list of job postings she had diligently prepared overnight, urging him to apply for each one.
Li Zenan, however, barely glanced at the list, insisting that if she truly wanted to help him, she should accompany him on an outing. They embarked on a hike, but Li Zenan soon collapsed halfway up the mountain, claiming exhaustion and expressing a desire to go home. Ye Xuan playfully teased him for being "weak." To prove her wrong, Li Zenan immediately got up, took all their gear, and with great effort, made it to the summit.
Just as they prepared to camp, it started raining. Li Zenan, determined to use a tent he had bought seven years ago but never used, insisted on camping in the rain. Seeing his unwavering resolve, Ye Xuan, unable to make him abandon his rain-soaked plan, eventually set up the tent indoors at home, adorning it with fairy lights. She then invited a surprised Li Zenan inside, telling him they could comfortably enjoy camping and stargazing right there at home.
