Rising With The Wind Episode 21 Recap
> Rising With The Wind Recap
After leaving Zhaoyang's place, Yang Jian called his friend Jiu, asking him to work overtime. Jiu agreed without asking for details, knowing Yang Jian wouldn't call him in the middle of the night unless it was urgent. Yang Jian instructed Jiu to pick up his car from a friend named Qi and meet him downstairs at Zhaoyang's place in half an hour, also asking him to bring a change of clothes.
The next day, Yang Jian and Jiu found the man who had been tracking Zhaoyang. They confronted him using surveillance footage they had obtained. The man admitted he was following Zhaoyang because he wanted to scold her; he had lost over 300,000 yuan on "influencer concept stocks" and believed she and the president of Baoxing Investment, her alleged boyfriend according to online news, had conspired to inflate the stock price and defraud investors.
Yang Jian warned him not to follow Zhaoyang again, telling him to address his complaints to Shangchun Art Project or Baoxing Investment instead. From this incident and the man's explanation, Yang Jian suspected Xu Si was behind a scheme involving Zhaoyang. Meanwhile, Jiang Hu met with Song Zhi from TT Media.
Jiang Hu presented her proposal to resolve TT Media's issues, which involved terminating Zhaoyang's contract without a monetary termination fee and establishing a partnership where TT Media would receive a percentage of Teng Yue's sales. Song Zhi was initially hesitant, questioning the terms. Jiang Hu argued that Zhaoyang's 30% commission was just a sample price, and her future value was questionable after the recent scandal.
She also revealed she had already handled the crisis PR for TT Media and noted that Song Zhi wouldn't have received a message from Xu Si if she hadn't been open to a deal. Song Zhi was surprised by Jiang Hu's approach, commenting that Jiang Hu made her "boyfriend" negotiate with his "ex-girlfriend" for business, mistakenly believing Jiang Hu was Xu Si's girlfriend. Jiang Hu corrected her.
Song Zhi then stated she understood why Xu Si treated Jiang Hu differently—because Jiang Hu was sharp and daring enough to take risks for her business. As part of her plan, Jiang Hu also intended to buy back the copyright for Zhaoyang's "Flowing Scenery" design from Aneda, explaining to Xu Si her admiration for the design, which extracted traditional Chinese painting elements for canvas shoes.
Jiang Hu followed up by meeting with Tang Ya, an Aneda representative, to discuss purchasing the "Flowing Scenery" copyright. Jiang Hu articulated why the design was perfect for Teng Yue, explaining how Zhaoyang's unique style didn't fit Aneda's overall product line, which was why the design was never produced despite Zhaoyang being sent to competitions. Impressed by Jiang Hu's detailed understanding, Tang Ya agreed to consult with Zhaoyang's former design director before providing a definite answer.
Jiang Hu knew that producing a non-serialized design from a former employee carried supply chain risks for Aneda, but she remained resolute. Believing Xu Si had harmed Zhaoyang, Yang Jian bypassed security at the Baoxing Investment building by claiming to be a relative of the boss needing the restroom urgently. He stormed into Xu Si's office and punched him.
A shocked Xu Si demanded to know what was happening as Jiang Hu arrived and intervened, pulling the two men apart to de-escalate the situation. Yang Jian called Xu Si a "bastard," blaming him for Zhaoyang being tracked and targeted. Jiang Hu took Xu Si home to his apartment. Xu Si immediately began complaining of pain and asked Jiang Hu for water, despite only having a facial injury.
He insisted she help him because her "partner", Yang Jian, had caused the injury. Jiang Hu tried to explain it was a misunderstanding, stating that Yang Jian is Zhaoyang's protective brother and thought Xu Si had trapped Zhaoyang in the stock scheme. When Jiang Hu tried to leave, Xu Si stopped her, demanding she arrange his dinner every day until his face healed and joking that it wasn't too late for her to call the police on his "blackmail."
Jiang Hu reluctantly agreed. Xu Si then claimed he couldn't attend the upcoming press conference due to his injury and left Jiang Hu in charge, expressing confidence that she would secure Zhaoyang's participation. Jiang Hu muttered that he was a "nuisance." Wu, the manager of the Teng Yue flagship store, gave Zhaoyang a tour of the Teng Yue factory.
Wu admitted that while Jiang Hu's management methods might seem "amateurish," she was exceptionally responsible and had managed the factory effectively on her own. They met Master Zhang Sheng, the factory's deputy director and a master shoemaker specializing in shoe lasts, who was preparing posters Jiang Hu had designed. Master Zhang praised Zhaoyang's reputation and highlighted his own expertise in creating lasts specifically suited for Asian feet, a key feature of Teng Yue's legacy "Free Unicorn" products.
Later, Jiang Hu met with Zhaoyang at the factory and gave her the officially stamped contract terminating her agreement with TT Media. When Zhaoyang asked how she achieved this, Jiang Hu simply said she "talked business." Jiang Hu also informed Zhaoyang that the non-compete clause with Aneda required a 200,000 yuan termination fee, which Teng Yue would cover. Surprised that Jiang Hu had arranged all this without consulting her, Zhaoyang questioned her certainty.
Jiang Hu reminded Zhaoyang of her childhood fondness for Teng Yue shoes and her habit of drawing them, appealing to her desire to see the brand revitalized. When Zhaoyang dismissed this as a "naive emotional trick," Jiang Hu revealed she had spoken with Tang Ya at Aneda about acquiring the "Flowing Scenery" copyright for Teng Yue to produce.
Jiang Hu gave Zhaoyang until noon the next day to decide if she would join Teng Yue, prompting a stunned Zhaoyang to call her "crazy." The next day, Shangchun Art Project and Teng Yue held a joint press conference. A livestreamer reported from the event on the stock volatility and quality issues. A Shangchun representative apologized for their marketing errors.
Off-stage, Xu Si's assistant, Wu Guanglei, explained to Jiang Hu that Xu Si had persuaded shareholders Hua Wenhai and Cao Jing to stop selling their shares to ensure stability. He added that Xu Si had personally handled negotiations to convince all key shareholders to cooperate with Teng Yue, noting that despite his difficult demeanor, Xu Si's investment principle was always mutual benefit.
Jiang Hu took the stage and explained that the partnership with Zhaoyang was a strategic event marketing campaign to help the "outdated national brand Teng Yue" re-enter the market, not market manipulation. She publicly took responsibility for the stock volatility, linking it to Teng Yue's instability during its transformation. Onlookers commented on her bold, "suicidal" move, noting she was putting all the blame on herself like her father would have, but acknowledged the immense market attention it gained.
They also recognized that Xu Si had played a crucial role behind the scenes, using his connections to secure shareholder support, and that Teng Yue's success ultimately depended on Zhaoyang. The press conference was set to conclude with Zhaoyang, introduced as Teng Yue's chief designer, hand-drawing the joint logo on stage. However, she was late, causing Jiang Hu visible anxiety. Someone mentioned that Jiang Hu had told them to call Yang Jian if Zhaoyang couldn't be reached.
Just as suspense peaked, Zhaoyang appeared and walked onto the stage to enthusiastic applause, successfully concluding the event. Later, Zhaoyang and Jiang Hu sat on the factory rooftop. They reflected on the unexpected turn of events that made them partners. Zhaoyang spoke of her passion for drawing canvas shoes, musing on the universal desire for comfortable, beautiful footwear that bridges social divides. She stated her commitment to continuing her parents' legacy of serving the needs of ordinary people.
When Jiang Hu asked how she remained so confident, Zhaoyang quoted a saying: "Cowards never set off. The weak die on the way. Only we're left advancing forward." She then accepted her role as Jiang Hu's employee, and Jiang Hu called this her "employment gift." That evening, Yang Jian helped Zhaoyang pack. She explained she had to move because she terminated her contract with TT Media.
Yang Jian asked for her honest opinion of the Teng Yue factory, and she admitted it was surprisingly better than Aneda's OEM factories and that she was impressed by Jiang Hu's management. Relieved, Yang Jian then revealed the full extent of Jiang Hu's sacrifices: she had not only taken the blame for the Shangchun issue but had also signed a sales commission agreement with TT Media and purchased Zhaoyang's design from Aneda to free her.
Zhaoyang was shocked by the weight of this debt. Yang Jian invited Jiang Hu over for a hotpot dinner. He awkwardly offered her a bank card as compensation for the financial losses she incurred helping Zhaoyang. Jiang Hu refused the money, stating their friendship was separate from business. She argued that Zhaoyang was a designer hired by Teng Yue, making her contract a personnel matter for the company, and Yang Jian, as their proxy operator, shouldn't bear the cost.
She insisted she could earn the money back. When Yang Jian persisted, Jiang Hu shut him down, explaining that if Zhaoyang knew he had paid for her freedom, it would negatively impact her view of them both. Jiang Hu then asked Yang Jian directly if he had romantic feelings for Zhaoyang. He initially denied it, but Jiang Hu saw through him. Yang Jian admitted he "dared not have that kind of thought" about Zhaoyang.
Calling him timid, Jiang Hu advised him that Zhaoyang is a straightforward person who is "consistently cold inside and out." She told him he needed to be direct ("hit a straight ball"), as roundabout tactics wouldn't work, pointing to their years of awkward interaction as proof that his long-term, indirect approach was ineffective.
