Pretty Man Episode 12 Recap
> Pretty Man Recap
Accompanied by Xu Jiamu, Qiao Anhao anxiously prepared to confess her feelings to Lu Jinnian. However, as they approached the entrance, she overheard reporters discussing Lu Jinnian and Song Xiangsi's intimate onscreen romance that had seemingly turned into reality, with one reporter stating, "They finally admitted it!" Qiao Anhao was instantly heartbroken, believing Lu Jinnian didn't love her. She felt it was unrequited love and that he had never loved her.
She dejectedly left, throwing the love letter on the ground, her mood extremely low. Xu Jiamu tried to comfort her, but Qiao Anhao, resigned, decided not to reveal her feelings to Lu Jinnian and asked Xu Jiamu to keep her secret. Later, Qiao Anhao, overwhelmed by repeated disappointments, agreed to an arranged marriage with the Xu family. She was seen taking off a necklace Lu Jinnian had given her, ready to bury her feelings deep inside.
Xu Jiamu, later asking if her confession was successful, learned from Qiao Anhao that it was not, as Lu Jinnian loved someone else. Qiao Anhao wondered if things would have been different had she confessed her love four years prior. Meanwhile, Lu Jinnian's assistant, Mingzhe, excitedly informed him that a video clip of him and Song Xiangsi's interview had garnered over 100 million views, and newspapers featuring their "reel to real" romance were sold out.
Lu Jinnian, in a foul mood, dismissed Mingzhe, later thinking to himself, "Qiao Qiao, in the end, I still couldn't have you." Concurrently, news of the impending marriage between the Qiao and Xu families was reported. Xu Jiamu angrily confronted his mother, Han Ruchu, asking why she released such news without his permission.
Han Ruchu disregarded his objections, asserting that he was an adult, and it was time for him to marry Qiao Anhao and begin his career at the company, planning the wedding for the month after his graduation. She believed the match was perfect due to their equal social status. When Xu Jiamu rejected the idea of marrying her, she simply stated that it didn't matter, as the news had already spread, giving them time to manage the situation.
Separately, Song Xiangsi also saw the news of the Xu-Qiao engagement, her heart sinking. Years passed, and everyone graduated. Qiao Anhao narrated that her seven-year secret crush on Lu Jinnian seemed to grow more distant as he became increasingly successful and dazzling, winning multiple awards. When Lead Culture Media faced difficulties, he stepped in, bought stocks, and became the company's CEO.
To get closer to Lu Jinnian, Qiao Anhao adopted the stage name Qiao Yi and entered the entertainment industry, with Zhao Meng as her manager. She affirmed that despite the passage of time, her love for Lu Jinnian endured. Three years later, Xu Jiamu, as the successor of Han Group, attended a business dinner with investors, where Song Xiangsi was also present. They formally greeted each other, pretending to be strangers.
When investors pressured Song Xiangsi to drink, Xu Jiamu offered to drink on her behalf, but she coldly rebuffed him, reminding him they were not friends and questioning his right to interfere. During a break, Xu Jiamu confronted Song Xiangsi in the hallway. She accused him of pestering her and said they had severed ties long ago, claiming it was better for both of them. Xu Jiamu questioned if she dumped him for money, fearing he'd expose her.
Song Xiangsi defiantly told him to stop bothering her. He then offered to invest in her project if she told him how much money she wanted, insulting her by suggesting she sold her body for status and climbed the ranks with the help of wealthy older men. Song Xiangsi retorted, accusing him of being a spoiled rich heir who was nothing without his mother and family money, and that he was inferior to the investors they had been flattering.
She declared her intense hatred for him and wished never to see him again. After Song Xiangsi left the dinner, Xu Jiamu, heavily intoxicated, wandered out and was involved in a horrific car accident, rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Han Ruchu, upon hearing the news, rushed to his side, distraught, accusing Xu Niande of responsibility if anything happened to their son.
The doctor informed them that Xu Jiamu's condition was stable but his life was still in danger, and he needed continuous observation. Later, the doctor informed them that Xu Jiamu was in a vegetative state, though he could regain consciousness after years or decades. Han Ruchu refused to accept this, demanding that the best neurologists be found. News of Xu Jiamu's accident quickly spread.
Lu Jinnian's assistant and Song Xiangsi both learned of it and separately went to the hospital to visit him. However, when Qiao Anhao and her friend Lan Qing arrived, Han Ruchu lied, claiming Xu Jiamu was not badly hurt and would wake up in a few days, dismissing media reports as exaggerations and asking them to leave. Han Ruchu then arranged for Xu Jiamu to be transferred to a different hospital.
Lu Jinnian and Song Xiangsi were both informed that Xu Jiamu had been transferred, unable to find him at the first hospital. Back at the Han Group, Han Ruchu faced a severe crisis. Competitors were spreading rumors about Xu Jiamu's critical condition, causing the company's stock price to plummet. She told her secretary to schedule a board meeting for the next day. Realizing the urgency, Han Ruchu and Xu Niande discussed solutions.
Han Ruchu proposed using the long-planned marriage between the Xu and Qiao families as the solution to secure the Qiao Group's investment and stabilize their stock. Xu Niande found this ridiculous, given Xu Jiamu's condition, and doubted the Qiao family would agree. Han Ruchu then proposed announcing that Xu Jiamu had regained consciousness. Although this initially reassured the stockholders, a witness and a nurse quickly debunked the fake news online, causing the company's credibility to be questioned further.
Han Ruchu, unfazed, revealed her next step: announcing the marriage of Qiao Anhao and Xu Jiamu on Monday and finding a stand-in for Xu Jiamu, claiming he had facial injuries to limit public appearances. Xu Niande strongly opposed, fearing betrayal from the stand-in. Han Ruchu then suggested Lu Jinnian, citing his similar appearance and height to Xu Jiamu, and his loyalty due to his friendship with Xu Jiamu.
Xu Niande doubted Lu Jinnian would agree, believing he wasn't interested in their "upper-class lifestyle." Han Ruchu, insistent that this was a matter of life and death, declared that she knew how to persuade both Lu Jinnian and Qiao Anhao. Lu Jinnian's assistant later located Xu Jiamu at Han Hospital. Han Ruchu then confronted Qiao Anhao, who was upset that the news about Xu Jiamu's recovery was fake.
Han Ruchu admitted that Han Group was in dire straits and she had no choice but to lie. She then revealed the painful truth: "The doctor said he might become a vegetable." Qiao Anhao was distraught and disbelieving. Han Ruchu pleaded with Qiao Anhao, telling her that only she could help by marrying a stand-in for Xu Jiamu.
Qiao Anhao was shocked by the idea of marrying a "fake Xu Jiamu" and a "complete stranger," to which Han Ruchu replied, "He's not a stranger. He's Lu Jin Nian." When Qiao Anhao asked why him, Han Ruchu finally revealed the long-held secret: Lu Jinnian and Xu Jiamu shared the same biological father.
