Rewriting Destiny Episode 5 Recap
> Rewriting Destiny Recap
Xia Yubing was still unwell, experiencing vomiting and diarrhea, which she attributed to Xu Ziyan's "poisonous" chicken soup. She also suffered from the heat as Xu Ziyan had forbidden her from consuming cold foods like smoothies and watermelon due to their "cool-natured" properties, especially since she was on her period. When Xue Mu brought her watermelon, Xu Ziyan promptly threw it away, scolding her for her lack of self-care.
He then picked her up and carried her back to their room, declaring his right as her husband to do so, much to her chagrin. Worried about her snack store's declining sales in the summer heat, Xia Yubing sought ways to attract customers. She instructed a servant to hire a storyteller to publicize Xia Liuqing's butter biscuits, believing that exaggerated advertising would boost their popularity.
She also consulted Ye Wenzhao, who pointed out that people dislike sweet foods in hot weather. He suggested they find something to counteract the sweetness without compromising the pastry's taste, predicting that such a product would sell well. Xia Yubing soon discovered Xu Ziyan's secret to enjoying sweets: he always paired them with a special tea to cut through the richness. She found the tea quite palatable and approached him, attempting to appease him with food and a shoulder massage.
She inquired about the tea, which Xu Ziyan revealed he had concocted himself. Xia Yubing proposed a partnership: his tea recipe would be his contribution, and she would give him thirty percent of the profits. Although he initially pointed out that the store belonged to his family, Xia Yubing highlighted its lack of profitability.
They eventually reached an agreement to collaborate on "Qiang Tea" products, which proved to be a resounding success, drawing in many customers and revitalizing the snack store's business. Xia Lan, envious of Xia Yubing's booming snack store, opened an identical teahouse directly opposite it. Her establishment not only copied Xia Yubing's butter biscuits and scented tea but also offered smoothies at a steep 40% discount as an opening promotion, drawing away all of Xia Yubing's customers.
Enraged by this blatant imitation, Xia Liuqing grabbed a sword and attempted to confront Xia Lan, but Xia Yubing intervened to calm her. Xia Lan brazenly declared her actions fair competition and mocked them, while Xia Yubing retorted that merely copying others would never lead to true success. Xia Lan, determined to outshine Xia Yubing, vowed to "deal with them both."
The competition quickly devolved into a fierce price war, with prices plummeting from 30 coppers to a mere 10 coppers per bundle. Xia Yubing's store was left with dwindling customers and excess inventory. Ye Wenzhao advised against continuing the unsustainable price war, noting that Xia Lan, likely sourcing her materials for free as tea was a main business of the Xia family, had an unfair advantage. Xia Yubing agreed, realizing they needed to "develop a new product."
Returning home early due to the lack of business, Xia Yubing discussed their predicament with Xu Ziyan. He conceded that while Xia Lan's products might be of inferior quality, their low prices were still drawing customers. Xu Ziyan proposed enhancing their scented tea with medicinal properties to attract new clientele, suggesting it could "heal people." Xia Yubing, however, dismissed this idea, sarcastically asking if they were reverting to selling medicine and feeling depressed by the prospect.
That night, Xia Yubing was startled to find Xu Guangling (Xu's father) wearing a facial mask. He had brought her food, concerned about her appetite. Upon learning that the mask was for skincare, offering "whitening, removing freckles, and tightening your skin," Xia Yubing realized its potential. This product, dubbed "Fairness Cream," was a creation of Xu Guangling himself.
Despite Xu Ziyan's initial hesitation to let Xia Liuqing try it, citing the potential toxicity of medicinal products and his father Xu Guangling's own past adverse reactions to self-experimentation, Xu Ziyan later vouched for this specific product's safety, having seen his father use it for years. Xia Yubing devised a plan for its promotion. Xu Ziyan then unveiled a new "Beauty Scented Tea" with a wider range of medicinal benefits, capable of treating various ailments and improving skin.
Xia Yubing was thoroughly impressed, recognizing that the combined use of the Fairness Cream and the Beauty Scented Tea would offer a powerful "internal and external" approach to skincare, promising even greater effectiveness. The newly launched Fairness Cream and Beauty Scented Tea quickly became best-selling products, drawing huge crowds and greatly increasing Xia Yubing's business. Xia Lan, observing their rapid success, was filled with jealousy. Soon after, officials from the Office of Administration arrived at Xia Yubing's store.
They announced that a report had been filed alleging that her Fairness Cream caused widespread allergic reactions. Despite Xia Yubing's vehement protests that her product was safe and she was being framed, her store was immediately sealed, her goods confiscated, and she was taken into custody. At the Office, she was formally accused of selling harmful products. Xue Mu, acting as an officer, attempted to defend her, suggesting further investigation.
However, Xia Lan, present at the proceedings, subtly implied that Xue Mu was biased due to his personal connection to Xia Yubing. The authorities ordered Xia Yubing's store to be closed indefinitely for rectification, pending no further reports of issues. Back home, Xu Ziyan expressed his deep concern for Xia Yubing, who recounted the allergy accusations, reaffirming his belief that their products were entirely safe. Xu Ziyan began investigating the allergy claims.
He compared a Fairness Cream sample from their store with one used by an allergic patient, confirming they were "really different." He concluded that the problematic products were "not from Xu's Snack Bar" and suspected someone had "switched the products," wondering if there was a "mole" within their operation. Meanwhile, Xue Mu visited Xia Yubing, offering her a government subsidy form.
Xia Yubing, however, noticed that the form was signed by her parents, who were merely employees, not owners, raising her suspicions about the true nature of Xue Mu's assistance. Xia Yubing, now suspecting foul play, confronted Xia Liuqing, accusing her of switching the Fairness Cream and leaking the recipes for their butter biscuits and scented tea. Xia Liuqing vehemently denied the accusations, demanding evidence, and Ye Wenzhao came to her defense.
In a dramatic turn, Xia Yubing declared, "From today on, we are no longer partners," to which Xia Liuqing defiantly agreed, reminding Xia Yubing that she initiated the split. Following this public fallout, the two sisters went their separate ways. The following day, Xia Liuqing approached Xia Lan, offering her what she claimed were the "real recipes for the Fairness Cream and the scented tea."
Xia Lan, oblivious to the deception, gleefully accepted, believing Xia Liuqing had defected out of anger towards Xia Yubing's public accusations. Ye Wenzhao witnessed this exchange, and despite his strong initial belief that Xia Liuqing would never conspire with Xia Lan due to their mutual animosity, the sight of them together forced him to confront the apparent reality. Xia Lan had the recipes verified by Dr. Chen, who confirmed their authenticity. Eager to capitalize, she immediately prepared for mass production.
However, when discussing the lengthy production time for Fairness Cream, Xia Lan revealed she intended to use existing stock from her warehouse instead of waiting, implying she would pass off these existing products as those made from the new authentic recipes. She then began aggressively selling her "real" Fairness Cream, promoting it with her scented tea for "internal and external" beauty, while disparaging Xu's Snack Bar's products as "fake ones."
While Xia Lan launched her deceptive sales campaign, Xu Ziyan intensified his investigation into the allergic reactions. He visited one of the affected women and discovered that she, like many others with similar symptoms, had purchased her Fairness Cream from a vendor known as Lady Yu. This discovery aligned with his earlier finding that all recalled allergic products originated from establishments around the Rainy Terrace, leading him to suspect its involvement.
Simultaneously, Ye Wenzhao, also conducting his own inquiries, found himself at the Rainy Terrace. There, he observed Fairness Cream and spoke with a woman, presumably Lady Yu, who emphasized her meticulousness with beauty products. As Xu Ziyan was leaving, he coincidentally encountered Ye Wenzhao right at the entrance of the Rainy Terrace. Both men immediately shared their critical findings: the allergic patients had all purchased their products from Lady Yu. Recognizing the shared lead, they agreed to combine their efforts for further investigation.
