Pretty Man Episode 21 Recap
> Pretty Man Recap
Following Zhen Jie's manipulation, a misunderstanding arose between Qiao Anhao and Lu Jinnian, making their relationship increasingly strained. That night, Lu Jinnian visited Jia Mu at the hospital. Gazing at his half-brother, he softly murmured, wishing for time to stop at that moment so he could be with Qiao Anhao forever and never part, acknowledging that she ultimately belonged to Jia Mu, no matter how much he cherished every second with her.
Meanwhile, the meticulous birthday celebration Qiao Anhao had prepared for Lu Jinnian was ultimately missed, her efforts unappreciated. The next morning, Qiao Anhao felt unwell again, experiencing nausea after Zhao Meng offered her breakfast. Lu Jinnian noticed her recurring sickness and immediately decided to take her to the hospital, though Qiao Anhao attributed her nausea to having eaten something spoiled. At the hospital entrance, Lu Jinnian received an urgent call regarding a company emergency.
Qiao Anhao urged him to prioritize his work, assuring him she could see the doctor alone. As Lu Jinnian left, Qiao Anhao received a call from Qiao Anyi, who, at Han Ruchu's suggestion, asked her to come to the hospital to massage Jia Mu and show herself as a good daughter-in-law. Qiao Anhao quickly agreed, postponing her own check-up. Before Qiao Anhao arrived, Han Ruchu made a strict agreement with Song Xiangsi.
Han Ruchu relented to Song Xiangsi's pleas to stay and care for Jia Mu, but only on the condition that Song Xiangsi would leave permanently and never cling to Jia Mu once he woke up. Song Xiangsi promised to keep their agreement a secret. Later, Han Ruchu met with Qiao Anhao, feigning concern about her recent examination and happily announcing that Jia Mu was expected to wake up soon.
As they discussed plans for Jia Mu's recovery, Qiao Anhao suddenly felt sick again and rushed to the restroom to vomit. Observing Qiao Anhao's repeated nausea, Han Ruchu grew suspicious and instructed her nanny, Ms. Yun, to discreetly obtain a sample of Qiao Anhao's body fluid. A subsequent pregnancy test confirmed Qiao Anhao was pregnant. Infuriated, Han Ruchu swore she would not allow Lu Jinnian and Qiao Anhao to succeed.
She then sent a box of premium bird's nest to Qiao Anhao, instructing her to consume a bowl every morning and night on an empty stomach, secretly laced with sleeping pills to harm Qiao Anhao's unborn child. Filming for "Nation's Hubby" concluded, and the cast and crew gathered for a wrap-up celebration. During the dinner, Qiao Anhao again felt unwell and had to rush to the restroom to vomit.
Lu Jinnian, though concerned about her frequent nausea, did not suspect she was pregnant. Neither of them realized her condition. Meanwhile, Song Xiangsi remained by Jia Mu's bedside, torn between her desire for him to awaken and her dread of fulfilling her promise to Han Ruchu, which would force her to disappear from his life forever. Unaware of Han Ruchu's malice, Qiao Anhao dutifully consumed the bird's nest, becoming increasingly sleepy.
One morning, when Qiao Anhao failed to stir, Lu Jinnian entered her room and discovered her bedsheets soaked with blood. He rushed her to the hospital, where a doctor informed him that Qiao Anhao was two months pregnant, but a large amount of sleeping pills in her system had caused the fetus to lose its heartbeat, necessitating an immediate surgical abortion to save her life. Heartbroken and blaming himself, Lu Jinnian signed the consent form.
Han Ruchu also learned of the abortion and was pleased. Qiao Anhao, waking up after the procedure, was unaware of what had truly happened. Zhao Meng told her she had simply fainted from severe menstrual pain, a problem Qiao Anhao had experienced before, leading her to believe it was due to exhaustion from filming. Later, as Lu Jinnian prepared soup for Qiao Anhao, he noticed the empty bird's nest jar.
Suspicious, he had Shen Mingzhe test the remaining bird's nest, which confirmed the presence of a large quantity of sleeping pills. Lu Jinnian realized Han Ruchu was responsible for the tragedy and, consumed by anger, ordered a secret investigation into Han Group. After a period of rest and recuperation, Qiao Anhao's health improved. She and Lu Jinnian attended a press conference for "Nation's Hubby."
Dressed in a striking black sheer dress, Qiao Anhao responded to reporters' questions about her relationship with Lu Jinnian, playfully confessing, "The one I like is Mr. Lu." A surprised Lu Jinnian then responded, "Actually, the person I've been waiting for. . . is Ms. Qiao." After the event, Zhao Meng commented on their "truths and lies" to the press, stating their answers were merely to create buzz.
Later, Lu Jinnian, Qiao Anhao, Zhao Meng, and Shen Mingzhe went to KTV. Qiao Anhao sang, her eyes frequently drawn to Lu Jinnian, her affection for him evident. Song Xiangsi, however, sat apart, drinking by herself, lost in thought about the difficult path ahead once Jia Mu awakened and she had to leave him.
As Lu Jinnian and Qiao Anhao walked home, Qiao Anhao noticed a store named "SHMILY," remembering it as the word engraved on a necklace Lu Jinnian had given her. She expressed surprise that such a store actually existed, unaware that Lu Jinnian was its owner, having opened it to hold "beautiful memories." The following day, Qiao Anhao received an anonymous package containing her gynecological test results and a surgery consent form, which indicated a miscarriage and an abortion procedure.
Confused and disturbed, she contacted a hospital acquaintance to verify the records. The hospital confirmed there was no record of her having undergone such a surgery there, suggesting it might be a sick prank from a fan. Soon after, Qiao Anhao received a phone call from the person who had sent the package, asking to speak with her privately.
