Remembrance of Things Past Episode 9 Recap
> Remembrance of Things Past Recap
Hu Jingjing's mother called her, expressing her frustration and disappointment over her daughter's financial situation. She questioned why Hu Jingjing owed so much money, especially since she was living with her cousin in Beijing and earning a decent salary. Her mother worried if Hu Jingjing had been scammed and threatened to call the police, lamenting, "Why can't you stop making me worried? If I knew you would end up like this, I wouldn't have let you go to Beijing!"
These harsh words from her loved one crumbled Hu Jingjing's last pillar of emotional support. Her mother's regret over her words came too late. Ji Nanjia comforted her aunt, explaining that Hu Jingjing was sick and had a difficult time in Beijing, being headstrong and not wanting to burden her family. Ji Nanjia assured her aunt that Hu Jingjing loved her deeply and would not blame her.
She gently told her aunt that she understood her desire for another child stemmed from missing Hu Jingjing, and reminded her that she still had Ji Nanjia. After reassuring her aunt, Ji Nanjia prepared to return. Her father gave her a drawing of Zhong Kui, a mythical guardian, telling her to frame it and hang it on the wall for protection, even though Ji Nanjia jokingly called it superstitious.
Her mother added, "You didn't even bring a down jacket, take it. If you don't like it, throw it away when you reach Beijing." Her mother also encouraged her to visit her aunt often, just to listen to her. Before leaving, Ji Nanjia meticulously listed all her bank account numbers, corresponding passwords, insurance policies with contact details, and even Alipay and WeChat Pay passwords on a piece of paper for her parents.
Her father initially protested, saying it sounded like she was arranging her final wishes and worried something had happened to her. Ji Nanjia reassured them she was fine, but that one never knew what tomorrow might bring, and having everything organized would give her peace of mind. Her parents eventually relented, promising to remember all the details.
At Yann Coffee, Lin Rui approached Jian Yifan, proposing coffee beans from a former colleague at a 15% discount, arguing their good cost performance. However, Jian Yifan revealed he had already decided to use Qiao Xichen's beans. When Lin Rui pressed for a reason, stressing the importance of quality, Jian Yifan disclosed that the R&D department's report showed Lin Rui's friend's beans were not the AA grade Kenya coffee they claimed, but were actually sourced from Yunnan.
Lin Rui vehemently denied this, insisting his friend only dealt with Kenya and there must be a misunderstanding, requesting more time to clarify. Jian Yifan, however, calmly stated that the R&D department rarely made mistakes and the decision was final. After this conversation, Lin Rui chanced upon an intimate moment between Jian Yifan and Qiao Xichen, realizing they were in a relationship. Later, Qiao Xichen met Jian Yifan after work. She suggested a "very authentic and cheap" Northeastern cuisine restaurant.
Jian Yifan playfully held her hand, asking, "What's wrong with me holding my girlfriend's hand?" Qiao Xichen, wanting to keep their relationship low-key at work, gently chastised him, saying, "Keep it on the down-low, Look, that was so close!" Over dinner, Jian Yifan shared a poignant memory of a neighbor bringing him glutinous rice dumplings on a festival when he was alone, prompting Qiao Xichen to search for recipes to make him a delicious bowl.
Qiao Xichen also, using his title "Mr. Jian" in a professional manner, asked him to approve Miao Miao joining her project. She explained that with tight deadlines and the new beans, she needed help, praising Miao Miao's excellent social skills across departments. Qiao Xichen admitted to a "selfish motive," hoping to help Miao Miao, who joined at the same time and was still a third-level employee, to earn more year-end bonuses.
Jian Yifan questioned her, reminding her about the situation with Su Qing and asking if "there are pure friendships in the workplace." Qiao Xichen dismissed this as "TV series" thinking, insisting such friendships could exist. Jian Yifan, with a slight smirk, responded, "In principle, there can be."
Qiao Xichen thanked "Mr. Jian" for his approval, and when he jokingly called it a "feast with an agenda," she denied it, saying it was a date with her boyfriend, and they clinked glasses. Shen Zichang was in a deeply "downcast" state after his quarrel with Xu Yan, even skipping work and talking back to his parents. His father confronted him, remarking on his "downcast" demeanor and accusing him of blaming his parents for his relationship problems.
Shen Zichang lashed out, claiming his parents never approved of Xu Yan and were trying to "screw up" their marriage. Exasperated, his father laid out their family's finances: their combined life savings amounted to only about 500,000 yuan, explaining that as an elementary school teacher and a logistics worker, they simply couldn't afford a down payment for a house in Beijing.
When Shen Zichang suggested selling their current home, his father firmly rejected the idea, questioning where he and his mother would live. Shen Zichang was stunned, admitting he "didn't know our family was so broke." His father further explained that his mother "hates being looked down on" and would never reveal their financial struggles to Xu Yan.
He even suggested they could sell their current home, buy two smaller apartments (one in the city for Shen Zichang and Xu Yan, and one in Yan Jiao for them), but Shen Zichang refused, unwilling to make his parents move from their long-time residence for his marriage. He promised to find a solution himself. Determined to make things right, Shen Zichang went to Xu Yan's apartment to apologize.
He explained that his mother didn't intend to insult her, but their family truly couldn't afford another house. He suggested they rent a nice, large apartment, quoting, "Renting a house doesn't mean renting the life." Xu Yan, however, was skeptical. Despite her reservations, Xu Yan declared they would "forget about getting married for now" and instead save for a down payment themselves.
She outlined a strict budget: with both their mothers contributing some savings, they could save two million yuan for a down payment in five years if they were extremely frugal. Shen Zichang was taken aback by her ambitious plan, especially since he earned only 8,000 yuan a month but would have to save 6,000, leaving him with only 2,000 for personal expenses.
Xu Yan, living at home and using public transport, would save 5,000, bringing their combined monthly savings to over 10,000 yuan. Xu Yan vowed to work hard, asserting that they would buy their own house someday without anyone's help. Despite Shen Zichang's initial reluctance to embrace such extreme frugality, even forgoing their planned restaurant meal for instant noodles at home, Xu Yan's determination seemed to reignite his hope, and he called her "great."
Lu Yining made a dramatic return to the company shortly after giving birth, greeting everyone with cheerful confidence. Colleagues in the break room gossiped, wondering if she was back to challenge Jian Yifan, some speculating she wouldn't have returned without "absolute confidence." Lu Yining immediately asserted her presence, presenting a work plan to Jian Yifan where they would serve as co-directors, dividing the marketing department into two groups.
She claimed extensive knowledge of Yann Coffee, comparing it to "another child" of hers, and offered Jian Yifan her assistance as he was new. Jian Yifan subtly countered, stating his familiarity with Yann Coffee from his time at Wake Coffee, where they were "opponents." In a power play, Lu Yining "generously" offered Jian Yifan her existing office, asking for a temporary meeting room for herself.
Jiang Hao later explained to Jian Yifan that the original intention was for him to be a temporary replacement to avoid upsetting a pregnant Lu Yining. Jiang Hao and Lu Yining then met, discussing their shared goal of undermining Jian Yifan.
Jiang Hao, acknowledging his position was tied to his wife Han Yiting, expressed his desire to make Old President Han realize he "bet on the wrong horse" by recruiting Jian Yifan, and stated that he and Lu Yining "must join hands." Lu Yining, feeling immense pressure with limited job protection during her lactation period, readily agreed to the alliance, affirming her determination to win this "last chance."
Meanwhile, Lin Rui, after failing to secure a managerial position and being put under Jian Yifan as a specialist, began to view Jian Yifan as a rival who suppressed him due to Qiao Xichen. He listened intently to the office gossip about Lu Yining's return. When Lu Yining needed help with her office belongings, Lin Rui eagerly offered his assistance, praising her as a "discerning leader."
Ji Nanjia, considering preparing for pregnancy, visited a doctor to inquire about using a sperm bank. She learned that non-marital artificial insemination is not legally permitted in China, and the doctor advised her to try natural conception first. This seemed to prompt a shift in her perspective. Previously dismissive of Ou Yang's advances, she accepted his invitation to a 'script-kill' game. Although she felt awkward and out of place among his friends, it marked a potential new beginning for them.
The couple's saving plan quickly created new friction. Xu Yan enforced extreme frugality, scolding Shen Zichang for minor expenses like a can of soda, making him miserable. To do her part, Xu Yan reluctantly sold one of her prized designer bags. Feeling down, she called Shen Zichang for support, only for him to lie that he was busy at school. In reality, he was out with his friends.
When Xu Yan discovered his deception, she was furious, feeling her sacrifices were being disrespected. She angrily left him, refusing to hear any explanation. News of a sexual harassment accusation against Jian Yifan by a female subordinate at Yann Coffee quickly spread, making national headlines. Qiao Xichen, hearing Lin Rui's advice to "stay out of it," was called into a meeting with HR.
She firmly defended Jian Yifan, stating he never acted disrespectfully, but HR refused to disclose the whistleblower's identity. Given the virality of the scandal and its negative impact on the company's reputation, HR asked Jian Yifan to take a break, framing it as "protection" for him and the company. The Pink Ribbon project was temporarily reassigned to Lu Yining due to its sensitive nature with a women's rights organization.
Jian Yifan, believing it was a disguised punishment, refused the break and requested one week to prove his innocence, offering to resign if he failed. HR agreed. Qiao Xichen confronted Jian Yifan in the parking lot, expressing her unwavering trust in him and her belief that he was framed. Jian Yifan, touched by her support, reassured her he would find a way to clear his name within the week.
He urged her to focus on her work and avoid conflicts, fearing Lu Yining might target her due to their relationship. His friend Ou Yang, echoing his grandpa's saying, "Evil never wins," offered his help, including a friend who specialized in audio analysis. The analyst quickly identified that the incriminating audio was "obviously edited" with "unsmooth editing points."
Jian Yifan then asked his friend to revert the audio to its original, unedited state, hoping to trace the source of each clip and determine if they all came from the same person. Back at the office on a weekend, Qiao Xichen found Miao Miao chatting with another colleague. When asked, Miao Miao gave evasive answers, claiming she had a cold and hadn't replied to Qiao Xichen's calls or messages. Qiao Xichen directly asked Miao Miao, "Are you the whistle-blower?"
After initial hesitation, Miao Miao confessed, "It's me. I passed the recordings and chat records to the HR department." Qiao Xichen was shocked, denying Miao Miao's claim that Jian Yifan had harassed her. Qiao Xichen, deeply hurt, reminded Miao Miao of their shared journey at Yann Coffee and how she considered Miao Miao her "best friend." She then revealed Jian Yifan was her boyfriend and again demanded to know if Miao Miao had lied to her.
Miao Miao justified her actions, confessing, "Yi Ning made me do this." Lu Yining had promised her a project manager promotion if Jian Yifan left. Miao Miao argued that with her own abilities, she would "never get a promotion" and admitted that despite her outwardly carefree demeanor, she "longed for" career advancement.
She cynically stated that "the cruelest thing" was seeing what you want "within reach" and implying that in the workplace, making more money was the ultimate goal, not integrity. She then advised Qiao Xichen to "not get involved" for her "own good." The sudden shift in Miao Miao's demeanor and her cynical view of workplace loyalty deeply unsettled Qiao Xichen.
As Jian Yifan and Ou Yang drove away, Ou Yang repeated his earlier question, "Do you still insist that there are pure friendships in the workplace?" Jian Yifan's silence and expression suggested he was reflecting on the harsh realities of corporate life. He realized that the business world was a battlefield, where sincerity could be exploited, and seemingly trustworthy colleagues could deliver a fatal blow.
This abrupt turn of events nearly overwhelmed Qiao Xichen, but Jian Yifan's mind remained clear, quickly deducing that Lu Yining was behind the scheme, likely involving Lin Rui. While Lin Rui's betrayal was despicable, Jian Yifan understood that his hard work going unrewarded made him susceptible to Lu Yining's manipulations.
He knew that the manipulated audio evidence alone wouldn't directly prove his innocence to the public, who often just wanted to see a clear victory of good over evil, rather than the complex truth itself.
