She and Her Perfect Husband Recap, Plot, Synopsis, Total Episodes

She and Her Perfect Husband Synopsis

Qin Shi, a single lawyer, is determined to pursue her career, but her parents are pushing her hard to get married.

The top law firm “Cheng Yu Hui” has a position for a family lawyer and requests to be married.

Qin Shi’s second brother, Qin Wenyu, is an unreliable headhunter who changes Qin Shi’s marital status to “married” without her permission and creates a fictitious husband for her. Qin Shi was able to join the company.

Qin Shi’s excellent performance was deeply appreciated by the founder, Lao Jin, who recommended Qin Shi to be the legal advisor of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs at a party.

Qin Shi then learned that she was “married”. She decides to set things right and clarify the facts to Lao Jin, when her “husband” Yang Hua suddenly shows up, having been ordered by his mother to have a blind date with Qin Shi’s rival.

Yang Hua is angry that he “was married”, but his mother keeps pushing him to marry, he has to find Qin Shi.

So these two people who were reluctant to marry hit it off and went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a license to get married, and became a legal couple.

Their parents find that something is wrong, and Qin Shi’s ex-boyfriend also joins the law firm at this time.

Under the crisis, Qin Shi and Yang Hua’s love grows, and they gain true love and have a happy life!

She and Her Perfect Husband Recap

Episode 1 Recap

Humans are strange creatures. Despite lacking wings, they have a deep yearning for heights. That’s why people around the world are obsessed with building skyscrapers. And among all, Asians are particularly infatuated with them. Of the world’s top ten tallest buildings, nine are in Asia, and five of those are in China. On this particular day, divorce lawyer Qin Shi was having a rough time.

She arrived at a hotel only to see Ren Meimei trying to break down the door to her husband Qin Wenyu’s room. As Ren Meimei’s representing attorney, Qin Shi stopped her from smashing the door. She had originally intended to hand the divorce papers to Qin Wenyu, but he refused to open the door and face Ren Meimei. Qin Shi persuaded Ren Meimei to leave temporarily and entered the room alone to negotiate.

Sure enough, inside the room, she discovered a woman hiding in the wardrobe. Though Qin Wenyu was her older brother, Qin Shi, acting as the attorney, upheld her professional ethics and didn't show favoritism. She took photos and brought Qin Wenyu downstairs to discuss the divorce with Ren Meimei. Qin Wenyu and Ren Meimei were financially independent and had no children. The current divorce agreement was already the seventeenth draft, yet neither was willing to be the first to sign.

Qin Shi determined the two were unlikely to divorce and warned Qin Wenyu, as a married man, to avoid spending time alone with other women. She also told Ren Meimei that if she wanted to maintain the marriage, she should give her partner respect and trust. Before leaving, she warned them that if they wanted her to be their divorce lawyer again, the fee would be doubled.

Yang Hua’s mother arranged a series of blind dates for him, but he nitpicked each woman and rejected all of them. Though she didn’t necessarily want her son to become rich and famous, she hoped he would give back to society and the family, get married, and have children. Yang Hua was tired of her nagging and seized the first opportunity to return to his room and trade stocks.

His mother followed him into the room, expressing concern that despite graduating from a prestigious university, Yang Hua stayed home all day trading stocks, drawing criticism. She arranged another blind date for him that evening at 8 p. m. with a lawyer named Li Dai. Back at the law firm, Qin Shi received a video call from Tang Yihui, who asked her to help choose clothes.

Tang also mentioned that Wu Fei, the niece of the vice president of the Bar Association, had joined the firm, and asked Qin Shi to take care of her. Tang Yihui also revealed that Bian Jing from the 11th floor was about to leave, hinting that Qin Shi had a better chance at promotion if she behaved well. She asked Qin Shi to bring her husband to a party that evening.

Qin Shi declined, saying her husband was on a business trip abroad. In truth, she had no husband—she had pretended to be married when she joined the firm, claiming her husband worked in finance. That evening at the party, Qin Shi arrived late and presented a gift to Tang Yihui, congratulating her and her husband Jin Cheng on their 20th wedding anniversary. Tang Yihui discreetly pointed out a bejeweled woman across the room—Lan Xiaoting, president of the Women Entrepreneurs Association.

Their association was changing legal advisors, and in their social circle, there was an unspoken rule against dealing with single or divorced women. Tang promised that if Qin Shi could win over President Lan, she would secure her the 11th-floor office and a partner position. Tang then brought Qin Shi over to introduce her.

Meanwhile, Yang Hua arrived at the party looking for Li Dai, his blind date, and was spotted by Tang Yihui, who recognized him from a photo as Qin Shi’s "husband. " She brought Yang Hua over to see Qin Shi. Qin Shi was shocked to see Yang Hua but quickly composed herself and walked up to kiss him. Yang Hua was stunned, and Qin Shi pulled him away.

Two years earlier, when Qin Shi joined the firm, Bian Jing had insisted that single female lawyers had no future and had helped fabricate a marriage for her by randomly picking someone online to pretend to be her husband. That person turned out to be Yang Hua. Qin Shi apologized for the deception and said they should stay out of each other’s lives going forward.

Yang Hua, however, believed this lie would have a butterfly effect on his life and mental state and demanded a “divorce. ” Qin Shi tried to stall, but Yang Hua gave her only three days to prepare.

To prevent colleagues and superiors from discovering the truth about her fake marriage, Qin Shi agreed to announce the divorce within three days but also insisted that if Yang Hua’s identity was discovered within that time, he must still acknowledge being her husband and avoid harming her professional reputation. At the party, Tang Yihui encountered Zhao Danping, President Lan’s niece, but Zhao was dismissive. Tang asked Qiao Siming to investigate her background.

They learned Zhao Danping truly was Lan’s niece, and that Li Dai had handled her divorce case—explaining Zhao’s grudge against the firm. Tang felt all her hard work was wasted, but her husband Jin Cheng comforted her, saying losing President Lan as a client wasn’t a big deal and that he believed in her abilities. When Yang Hua returned home, he found his mother had changed the lock. She told him that he could return only once he was ready to get married. His father couldn’t stop her, so he told Yang Hua to stay elsewhere for a few days.

Episode 2 Recap

As his mother had predicted, Yang Hua moved into the hotel across the street but struggled to adapt. The next morning, Tang Yihui brought Qin Shi to the yoga studio where President Lan usually practiced. Since Li Dai had offended Zhao Danping, Tang aimed to win back favor with President Lan and didn’t want to lose such a major client. Qin Shi asked why Tang was so intent on keeping President Lan. Tang confided in her.

Before marrying her, Jin Cheng had dated someone else for seven or eight years. They only broke up before he married Tang. At the time, Jin Cheng’s family strongly opposed the marriage, since his ex came from a wealthy background and marrying her would have meant an easier life. Tang had snooped into the ex’s background and discovered she had married a listed company’s CEO.

Tang felt Jin Cheng had lost out, and now she wanted to bring in President Lan and her resources to increase Jin Cheng’s worth. At the gym, Yang Hua chatted with his friend Cai Liang. He realized his mother had kicked him out not just to force him to marry, but also to push him to get a job. Cai Liang agreed that a top student like Yang Hua shouldn’t be hiding out at home and should find work.

But Yang Hua felt his current lifestyle was fine—free and stress-free, and he made more money trading than people with regular jobs. Given the high divorce rates, he didn’t see the point of marriage. Cai Liang argued that white lies were sometimes okay and that bending flawed rules for a good job wasn’t necessarily wrong. But Yang Hua disagreed, believing that these corrupt norms should be fixed, not avoided or accepted.

Tang Yihui called President Lan hoping to have morning tea, but Lan said she was away on a business trip and had handed over association matters to Zhao Danping. Tang was told to deal with her instead. Meanwhile, Li Dai tried to assign work to Wu Fei, who declined because she was already handling a case for Qin Shi. Li Dai took this as Wu Fei siding with Qin Shi.

Although a colleague warned Wu Fei about offending Li Dai, she didn’t take it seriously. Qin Shi gathered her team to report on Zhao Danping. She called on Wu Fei, but Wu Fei was unprepared. Qin Shi told her to investigate the matter thoroughly—relationships alone wouldn’t help anyone keep a job here. Qin Shi concluded that Zhao Danping was emotional, responsible, proud, and principled—someone who hated being played.

Since the firm had caused her to suffer silently, their meeting might not go smoothly. Tang urged Qin Shi to do her best and handle the matter well. Tang Yihui met with Zhao Danping and apologized for the firm representing her ex-husband. Zhao shot back sharply. Luckily, Qin Shi responded swiftly, offering an explanation and expressing hope to take on the association’s legal work.

Zhao made two demands: the firm must provide legal consulting for free and recover the 12 million yuan given to her ex-husband. Qin Shi directly asked if Zhao was testing their ethics—after all, the issue concerned professional integrity. Zhao admired their principles and agreed to work with the firm, assigning Li Dai as her legal contact. Though a bit disappointed she wasn’t chosen, Qin Shi didn’t bring up the divorce agreement.

Wu Fei, isolated after offending Li Dai and scolded by Qin Shi for poor performance, turned to her boyfriend Tao Junhui for comfort. Tao reassured her that she could always come home and live a pampered life if she got tired—he’d take care of her. Meanwhile, colleague Zhou Qianqian used Qin Shi’s name to ask Wu Fei for information on President Lan and demanded the report by the afternoon.

Zhou later presented the incomplete report to Qin Shi, but Wu Fei provided the missing details. Zhou falsely claimed they had worked on it together. Wu Fei found out that President Lan would attend a charity dinner the next evening—but Qin Shi could only attend if accompanied by a family member. To appease his mother and return home, Yang Hua decided to rent a girlfriend online and asked Cai Liang for help.

To his surprise, the person who showed up was Qin Shi. Not wanting to be involved with her, he rejected her help. Qin Shi chased after Yang Hua, saying they weren’t enemies—wouldn’t this mutually beneficial arrangement be good for both of them?

Episode 3 Recap

Yang Hua believed Qin Shi was a despicable opportunist who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, seeing others’ losses as her gain and caring only about her own interests. Qin Shi was furious but insisted she was a good lawyer—not only capable of winning cases but also defending justice and fairness. Should someone like her be held back because of an unreasonable system, unable to join a good firm or take on high-profile cases?

She admitted to lying and hurting Yang Hua but said she had no other choice. She had chosen him because of a post he once made on Weibo that moved her. But now, she felt she’d chosen the wrong person. With that, she walked away. Yang Hua, however, didn’t chase after her or apologize. Yang Hua planned to rent an apartment but had no money, as it was all with his mother.

He had to ask Cai Liang for a loan. Cai gave him all the money he had and urged him to apologize to Qin Shi. Yang Hua called Qin Shi and apologized, then asked to meet the next day. When they met, Yang Hua explained he wanted a temporary fiancée so his mother would stop pressuring him to marry.

Qin Shi proposed that Yang Hua continue to pretend to be her husband for six more months, and in return, she’d pretend to be his girlfriend to reassure his mother. They reached an agreement, and Qin Shi drafted the terms, which they both signed. Yang Hua then asked Qin Shi to accompany him home for two hours, after which he would go with her on a business trip to Pinghu.

When they returned home, Yang Hua’s mother was stunned to hear they were getting married. Yang Hua suggested a one-year relationship trial, with marriage after that if no issues arose. He also planned to add Qin Shi’s name to the property deed, live separately from his parents, and hand over all finances to her. They didn’t plan to have children. But his mother, seeing through the act, played along and supported the relationship—even saying they could marry in three months.

With Yang Hua left speechless, Qin Shi stepped in, saying she wanted to marry immediately, and that Yang Hua could live in her house and even quit work—she’d support him. The thought of her son becoming a live-in son-in-law rattled his mother, but faced with Qin Shi’s decisiveness, she couldn’t object. Having successfully convinced his mother, Yang Hua was impressed by Qin Shi. On the way back, Qin Shi handed him a file with background details about her “husband.

” According to it, Yang Hua worked in finance in Canada, and they had a two-and-a-half-year-old son. Qin Shi told him to memorize the information and not slip up in front of acquaintances. Li Dai called to say that the legal representative for the Women Entrepreneurs Association had been confirmed. Even if Qin Shi went to see President Lan, it wouldn’t change anything. She urged Qin Shi to return, saying they could discuss other matters.

Qin Shi brought Yang Hua to the charity event, and soon after, Tao Junhui arrived as a representative of New World Law Firm. In the hotel room, Qin Shi dressed up elegantly but was dissatisfied with Yang Hua’s outfit. She took him to the hotel shop to buy new clothes. Qin Shi was upset that Zhao Danping had chosen Li Dai, as she believed herself more capable. She came to the event determined to showcase her strengths.

Unlike Li Dai, Qin Shi never left herself a way out—she was committed to doing anything she set her mind to, no matter how hard. Yang Hua suggested that Qin Shi persuade Pang Dingfang, the president of Yulan Group. To help Qin Shi, he took the initiative to approach Pang Dingfang. However, at that time, Tao Junhui was also here, and Qin Shi felt a bit uncomfortable seeing Tao Junhui.

Yang Hua realized that Tao Junhui was Qin Shi's ex-boyfriend and had no intention of helping her deal with it. General Manager Lan introduced his colleague to Qin Shi, and this person was Tao Junhui. General Manager Lan asked Tao Junhui to entertain Qin Shi. Qin Shi was reluctant to have contact with Tao Junhui, so she simply pulled Yang Hua away directly. Back then, Qin Shi and Tao Junhui had been in a relationship for seven years. However, Tao Junhui's mother did not want her son to marry Yang Hua, so the two eventually broke up.

Episode 4 Recap

Tao Junhui took Qin Shi to the men's restroom and questioned her about why she lied and why she had an invitation from Ximei PR. Qin Shi refused to answer his questions. Tao Junhui thought Qin Shi now looked like a clown and had lost all her former ambition. He also said that the person happiest about Qin Shi's downfall would be him. Just then, Yang Hua showed up, and Qin Shi quickly grabbed him and left.

Ren Meimei returned home and, under Qin Wenyu’s questioning, apologized for her actions at the hotel but denied firing Vivian because of the incident. She claimed it was because Vivian didn’t meet performance standards during her probation. Ren Meimei was very angry about Qin Wenyu's attitude.

Back in her room, she remembered that Qin Shi had once told her that Qin Wenyu was playful and cared a lot about appearances and that he needed to be handled with both kindness and toughness. She had intended to bring him a blanket to show she cared, but upon overhearing him in the bathroom talking to Vivian and mentioning divorce, she became furious and beat him up. They had a fierce argument, and Qin Wenyu left home.

Qin Shi went to President Lan and expressed her desire to serve as legal counsel for the association. However, President Lan said she supported Zhao Danping’s choice and advised Qin Shi not to be too ambitious, saying that hard work alone doesn’t always yield results. Tao Junhui saw Qin Shi miss the chance to become a proxy lawyer and mocked her.

Yang Hua showed up with food for Qin Shi, and she deliberately showed affection and ate steak in front of Tao Junhui. But after returning to her room, she had an allergic reaction to the beef. Yang Hua analyzed that there were many reasons for her failure, but the main one was her being too emotional, especially after her ex-boyfriend showed up. His words annoyed Qin Shi, and she sent him to the car to get her allergy medicine.

However, the medicine in the car was expired, so Yang Hua had to go to the pharmacy to buy a new one. Tao Junhui was drinking downstairs at the hotel and ran into Yang Hua, who was on his way to buy medicine. He stopped Yang Hua to ask about his relationship with Qin Shi.

Yang Hua believed that Tao Junhui hadn’t let go of his past feelings and advised him to move on since he and Qin Shi were already married. Yang Hua hurried back to the hotel and found Qin Shi had already taken allergy medicine delivered by hotel staff and was sound asleep. After getting ready for bed, Yang Hua found it hard to sleep due to Qin Shi’s snoring and ended up resting in the car.

The next morning, Qin Shi, all packed and ready to go, found Yang Hua sleeping in the car. She thought he did it to avoid disturbing her sleep, not realizing it was her snoring that disturbed his rest. On the way back, Qin Shi was curious why Tao Junhui was at the banquet, given that he disliked meaningless social events, so there must have been someone or something important to him.

Qin Shi received a call from Ren Meimei and learned that she and Qin Wenyu had argued again. She immediately drove off to find them. Yang Hua got carsick due to the high speed and, upon arrival, quickly got out for air, even leaving his luggage in Qin Shi’s car. At the bar, Qin Shi saw Ren Meimei investigating counterfeit alcohol.

Qin Shi threatened to collect evidence and report the bar, scaring the operator, Xiao Peng, into apologizing repeatedly and promising never to let Qin Wenyu into the bar again. Qin Shi ate with Ren Meimei and advised her that if she wanted to keep Qin Wenyu, she needed to lose her temper less often. She reminded her of the 80/20 rule: hold onto the 20% that matters and ignore the 80% that doesn’t.

Episode 5 Recap

Yang Hua was allowed to go home for a meal by his mother. During the meal, she expressed approval of Qin Shi and agreed to their marriage. However, she hoped the couple could nurture their relationship, so she wanted her son to live with Qin Shi. Yang Hua discussed this with his friend Cai Liang and planned to fake cohabitation to appease his mother.

Since he didn’t have money, he asked Cai Liang to help rent an apartment and cover the rent for now. Yang Hua called Qin Shi to get his luggage. She also asked him if there was anything wrong with Lowe Yulan. With Yang Hua’s hint, Qin Shi also became suspicious of Lowe Yulan’s ties to Helowei International. She asked Lao Qiao to delay signing the contract with the Women's Entrepreneur Association.

Qin Shi then asked Wu Fei to pause her current tasks and help investigate Lowe Yulan. However, after a full day of investigation, they found nothing, which frustrated Qin Shi. Qin Shi had promised her eldest brother Qin Wenbin to join him for dinner. Realizing she was late, she rushed to his place. She stuffed herself with food upon arrival. Qin Wenyu also arrived later and did the same. After eating, Qin Wenbin brought up their father’s 70th birthday plans.

Qin Wenyu abruptly announced that he wanted to divorce Ren Meimei. Qin Shi argued with him, and neither was willing to back down. She insisted that her advice was for his own good, but Qin Wenyu didn’t agree. Qin Wenbin reminded them that they all had the same father and should be able to reason and debate without hurting each other. He apologized to Ren Meimei on Qin Wenyu’s behalf and said the matter should end there.

All other issues should be put aside for the sake of their father’s 70th birthday. Tao Junhui brought sushi to visit his girlfriend Wu Fei, who was working overtime. Since she had to return to the office afterward, they ate in the car. During their conversation, Tao Junhui found out that Qin Shi was Wu Fei’s boss and the head of the Family Department.

Wu Fei tried to learn more about her superior, but Tao Junhui pretended he wasn’t familiar with Qin Shi. Qin Shi forgot to deliver Yang Hua’s luggage and had to let him come pick it up himself. At her home, Yang Hua saw her busy researching Lowe Yulan. Qin Shi learned that Yang Hua had majored in securities and finance and asked for his help analyzing Lowe Yulan’s financial statements.

After a night of work, Yang Hua compiled a report on Lowe Yulan. While Qin Shi was sleeping, he tried to secretly take a photo with her to prove to his mother that they were living together, but she woke up and caught him. Upon learning his mother's plan, Qin Shi recorded a sweet video of them together for him to show her.

If that wasn’t enough, she said Yang Hua could move in for real in case his mother came to check. Yang Hua initially felt uncomfortable about moving in, but Qin Shi assured him it would be fine since she usually wasn’t home and he could live in the study. She wouldn’t charge rent, considering it compensation for the financial analysis he did. Qin Shi rushed to work with Yang Hua’s report in hand, leaving him alone in her home. Seeing the messy house, Yang Hua began tidying up.

Episode 6 Recap

Qin Shi took Yang Hua’s report to Tang Yihui and explained her concerns about Lowe Yulan’s investments. Tang Yihui was worried there might be issues later on, but it was too late—the contract had already been sent. Qin Shi contacted Wu Fei to intercept the package. Wu Fei found the tracking number and asked the courier to hold the delivery. Tang Yihui asked about the credibility of the report.

Qin Shi said she fully trusted the author and would take full responsibility for any resulting issues. Li Dai came to the office to stop Qin Shi, hoping the contract would proceed smoothly. Qin Shi showed her the report, and Li Dai was shocked. Lao Jin then called, having learned about the contents of the report. He asked Tang Yihui if she had invested in Lowe Yulan and was shocked to learn she had invested 25 million yuan.

Lao Jin rushed back to the office and asked Li Dai and Qin Shi for their opinions. Qin Shi believed the situation looked grim and that retrieving the investment early would be difficult. Lao Jin asked who wrote the report. Qin Shi said it was her husband, Yang Hua. Lao Jin asked her to tell Yang Hua to keep the data confidential.

He told Tang Yihui not to panic and that since Lowe Yulan hadn’t defaulted yet, they should act quickly, even if it meant paying a penalty. Tang Yihui called President Lan and asked to redeem the investment early. Lan said Pang Dingfang was abroad and would handle it after returning. Li Dai was also worried and confided in Lao Qiao, who told her the 25 million yuan was the firm’s liquidity.

Lao Qiao commented on the rivalry between Li Dai and Qin Shi, saying their abilities were equal, but Qin Shi had the upper hand as she was married with a child, unlike the single and childless Li Dai. Li Dai had been trying to find a partner and had contacted a matchmaking agency. Coincidentally, the same man who previously missed a date was recommended again, and she realized his name was the same as Qin Shi’s husband.

She asked Qin Shi about her husband’s job and confirmed her suspicion. News of the firm’s cooperation with Lowe Yulan leaked, leading other partners to suspect liquidity problems. Tang Yihui and Lao Jin were worried. Tang Yihui asked who leaked the news, but both Qin Shi and Li Dai denied it. Qin Shi thought the leak might be a blessing in disguise, as it could pressure President Lan to return the 25 million yuan, though it would offend him.

After calming Tang Yihui, Qin Shi left the office with Li Dai and privately suggested she and Lao Qiao get their stories straight. Qin Shi had guessed they were the source of the leak. Although Li Dai didn’t admit it, she nervously contacted Lao Qiao afterward. Yang Hua learned that his mother had arranged a matchmaking company for him. She still wanted him to go on blind dates without telling Qin Shi.

But Yang Hua had already told his match that he had a girlfriend. His mother didn’t object but began testing Qin Shi’s profession and workplace. Qin Shi took the opportunity during Wu Fei’s report to ask how well she knew people at Ximei PR. Wu Fei said she had known one of them since childhood. Qin Shi then asked if she knew Tao Junhui.

Wu Fei didn’t admit he was her boyfriend, only mentioning that his girlfriend was the daughter of Ximei PR’s boss. Qin Shi asked her to find out what cases Tao Junhui was handling at New World Law Firm, suspecting that he might be working on Lowe Yulan’s case. Ren Meimei, feeling troubled, brought some alcohol to visit Qin Shi but unexpectedly found Yang Hua at her home.

When Qin Shi learned that Ren Meimei had found out about her cohabitation with Yang Hua, she rushed home. Meanwhile, Li Dai asked Lao Qiao about the appearance of Qin Shi’s husband. Lao Qiao wasn’t sure if the man at the banquet was her blind date but suggested she check the photo frame on Qin Shi’s desk. Li Dai sneaked into the office only to find it locked—Qin Shi had already left for the day.

Episode 7 Recap

Qin Shi hurried home and pulled Yang Hua aside to ask him questions. She found out that he had already said everything that needed to be said, but he had identified himself as her boyfriend, not her husband. Qin Shi made introductions, and only then did Yang Hua realize that Ren Meimei was both Qin Shi's classmate and her second sister-in-law. During dinner, Ren Meimei tried to get Yang Hua's contact information, but he refused.

Yang Hua explained that he strictly limited his WeChat friends to fewer than six people because he believed the simpler life was, the fewer worries it brought. His minimalist lifestyle philosophy astonished Ren Meimei, who felt such a lifestyle made it impossible to fall in love or get married. To prevent Yang Hua from talking too much and making a mistake, Qin Shi looked for a chance to send him away.

After he left, Ren Meimei asked about his age and complained that Qin Shi had kept her relationship a secret. As Qin Shi's best friend, Ren Meimei had been worried ever since Qin Shi and Tao Junhui broke up, fearing she no longer believed in love. Now that she learned Qin Shi had a boyfriend for two years, she felt like a fool. Drunk, Ren Meimei vented her frustrations about being kept in the dark and her unhappy marriage.

That night, Wu Fei called Tao Junhui and found out he was still working overtime at the office. She urged him to go home and rest. Wu Fei also told him that Qin Shi had been asking about him. Tao Junhui guessed Qin Shi wanted to know what case he was handling and suspected it was related to Loway Yulan. However, Tao Junhui said he had to keep the case details confidential and couldn’t share them with third parties.

Wu Fei guessed he must be working on the Loway Yulan case. Qin Shi asked Ren Meimei to keep her relationship a secret and not tell their parents. She also informed her that Second Brother Qin Wenyu had gotten involved with Vivian, a repeat offender recently released for fraud, and warned Meimei to watch out so that Qin Wenyu wouldn’t be deceived.

Tao Junhui drove to Qin Shi’s apartment and recalled when the two of them had moved into their new home together. Now, everything had changed. Seeing Yang Hua returning with groceries, Tao Junhui realized he was living with Qin Shi and intentionally told him he used to live there too. Yang Hua bumped into Ren Meimei just as he returned home.

As Qin Shi’s best friend, Ren Meimei warned Yang Hua to abandon his low-desire, anti-social lifestyle and treat Qin Shi well. Back home, Yang Hua was tidying the messy living room when he saw the drunken Qin Shi trying to go out. He had to help her back to bed. Later, when he heard a noise and saw Qin Shi getting ready to go to work again, he had no choice but to return her to her room once more.

To prevent her from leaving again in the middle of the night, he ended up sleeping outside her bedroom door. The next morning, Qin Shi was curious why Yang Hua had slept on the floor. Yang Hua was grateful to Qin Shi for offering him a place to stay but felt that things between them should be resolved quickly.

Qin Shi knew she had the habit of going to work when drunk and wanted to prevent more people from discovering their secret. She planned to change the door code and told Meimei and her colleagues that Yang Hua’s leave had ended and he would be on an overseas business trip, meaning he wouldn’t appear again for a while. Even though Qin Shi offered free accommodation, Yang Hua insisted they draft a co-rental agreement.

Qin Shi noticed he had bought a mint plant and asked about its meaning. Yang Hua said mint symbolized "noble character," but Qin Shi believed most flower meanings were related to love. Sure enough, they found mint symbolized "eternal love," which made things a bit awkward between them. Zhao Danping came to the firm on behalf of President Lan. Since Lao Jin had gone to Xi’an, Tang Yihui told Qin Shi to hurry to the office for a meeting.

Episode 8 Recap

At 10 a. m. , Zhao Danping arrived as scheduled. Tang Yihui apologized for the rumors about the firm and Loway Yulan, explaining that their investigation revealed the person who started the rumor wasn't from the firm. However, the rumor spread after a call with a senior lawyer from the firm. With Qin Shi’s video and lip-reading analysis, they confirmed that the call said Loway Yulan was collapsing and planned to drag Cheng & Hui down with it.

Although the assistant lawyer was directly responsible, Tang Yihui admitted their management oversight and sincerely apologized to President Lan. Zhao Danping, despite being displeased with Tang Yihui’s handling, returned the investment and emphasized that what they cared about was Loway Yulan’s reputation. From now on, she didn’t want to hear any connection between Cheng & Hui and Loway Yulan. Otherwise, she would reserve all rights to pursue legal action.

Though the situation offended President Lan, Tang Yihui was still pleased to recover the investment. Qin Shi’s investigation of the security footage revealed that Assistant Lawyer Gao overheard a conversation between Li Dai and Lao Qiao, which was how he got the information. When questioned by Tang Yihui, Qin Shi covered for him.

The situation was resolved well, and Tang Yihui agreed to recommend Qin Shi as a candidate to move to the 11th floor, though the final decision would depend on a vote by all partners. Tang Yihui noted that Qin Shi was lucky to have such a husband and marriage, as it was almost impossible now for single female lawyers to make the partner candidate list.

The road of a professional woman was tough, and every choice and balance was a test. Tang Yihui hoped Qin Shi would seriously consider these matters. To prevent Qin Wenyu from being scammed, Ren Meimei and her mother-in-law withheld all his money. The mother-in-law also taught Ren Meimei never to go soft on her husband. Li Dai, upon learning that Lawyer Gao had been fired, feared it was because he overheard her conversation with Lao Qiao.

Lao Qiao assured her that the matter was resolved and the higher-ups weren’t pursuing it, warning her not to get further involved. Back at the office, Li Dai found a flash drive on her desk showing footage of her and Lao Qiao, realizing it was a warning from Qin Shi. Li Dai received a call from the wedding planning company and found out the originally scheduled Yang Hua already had a girlfriend. She asked whether Mr.

Yang Hua, whom they arranged for a blind date, had proof of being single. The company said they verified all members’ identities. This confirmed to her that Yang Hua was indeed unmarried. She secretly went to Qin Shi’s office to look for a couple photo but was interrupted by Qin Shi. The two exchanged sharp words and neither was willing to give up the opportunity to move to the 11th floor and become a partner.

Yang Hua returned home to pack, catching his mother out of the house. His father supported his decision to live independently but thought it wasn’t the right time and that marriage shouldn’t be rushed. Love should not be impulsive or irrational. Yang Hua’s parents had fallen in love at first sight but only got together after a year of dating. His father admired Qin Shi’s beauty and capability but worried his wife’s temper might negatively affect her.

From his father, Yang Hua learned that his mother had been calling around and found the law firm where Qin Shi worked. She had already gone to the firm and asked to meet Qin Shi. Blocked from entering without an appointment, she ran into Li Dai. Pretending to be helpful, Li Dai received her and deliberately told her that Qin Shi and Yang Hua were married.

Just as she was about to deny it, Qin Shi returned after being notified by Yang Hua. Qin Shi gave her two choices: wait for Yang Hua to come pick her up or have a chat with her. Qin Shi brought Yang Hua’s mother to the meeting room. She accused Qin Shi of lying about being married to Yang Hua. Qin Shi countered that they had always been in a relationship with marriage as the premise.

Yang Hua’s mother said it was clear there was no real romance between them and, although Qin Shi was excellent, Yang Hua was not good enough for her. She only wanted to know what their real relationship was. Yang Hua arrived and tried to explain but was stopped by Qin Shi, who said they were indeed planning to get married—not for love, but because love lasts only eighteen months while marriage is for a lifetime. Neither believed in love, so they had agreed to marry straightforwardly without dating.

Episode 9 Recap

Yang Hua’s mother said she wasn’t opposed to his marriage but hoped he’d marry someone he truly loved. She believed that a marriage without true love, like the one Qin Shi proposed, would end in divorce. Qin Shi argued that Yang Hua’s mother had never considered her son’s feelings. Being single, married, or divorced should all be accepted. A mother should offer understanding to protect her child from societal bias, not use that same bias to harm him.

Yang Hua’s mother wanted to take him home and promised never to pressure him into marriage again. Qin Shi warned her not to show up at her workplace again or discuss her personal matters with colleagues. Yang Hua escorted his mother out, then returned to the firm and carried the barefoot Qin Shi back to her office in front of their amazed coworkers. Back in her office, Yang Hua cleaned her feet and watched as she put on new shoes.

He apologized for his mother’s words and promised to have a proper talk with her at home. Li Dai analyzed the situation with Yang Hua’s mother and Qin Shi. She asked Lao Qiao why Yang Hua would hide his marriage from his mother. Lao Qiao speculated that if a married man went on a blind date, the marriage probably wasn’t as perfect as it seemed.

Li Dai guessed that either Yang Hua was hiding a secret or he was just a jerk. She assumed that if Yang Hua was really single, then Qin Shi probably hadn’t gotten married at all. Yang Hua’s parents prepared a hearty meal for him. He apologized for worrying them and criticized his mother for confronting Qin Shi so rudely. He acknowledged her love but said it didn’t justify hurting Qin Shi.

While family background influences a person, it didn’t stop Qin Shi from becoming an excellent lawyer. Even if he didn’t marry her, he still wanted to move out and live independently. His father fully supported his decision and admired Qin Shi, agreeing there was no rush to get married but encouraging them to keep dating. Qin Wenyu went out to a fancy meal with his new girlfriend but found he couldn’t pay with either his phone or bank card.

He made an excuse for his girlfriend to pay. He then tried calling Ren Meimei, but she didn’t answer. When he went to his older brother’s house, he was turned away. He finally borrowed 400 yuan from his sister-in-law just to get by. He thought his friends might help, but they were too afraid of Ren Meimei to intervene. After having a few drinks with his father, a drunk Yang Hua returned home.

Qin Shi told him about the firm’s partner gathering and asked him to attend. But Yang Hua, eager to shower, said they could talk later. Even after showering, he remained drunk and started reciting romantic poems to Qin Shi, making her burst into laughter. The next morning, Qin Shi asked Yang Hua to accompany her to the gathering. Yang Hua asked if she had kept the Loway Yulan matter secret because it involved a lawyer’s 25 million yuan debt.

He wondered what a good lawyer would do if her own interests conflicted with the public's. He challenged her—if the firm covered up the truth to protect itself, would she still think she was a good lawyer when ordinary people lost everything? Qin Shi replied that all investments carried risk, and Yang Hua should understand that. Thinking of his past, Yang Hua agreed.

Still, he didn’t want to attend the event, until Qin Shi played the poem he had drunkenly recited. Cornered, he had no choice but to go. Qin Shi brought Yang Hua to Tang Yihui’s house and used the opportunity to introduce him to the firm’s partners.

Episode 10 Recap

Li Dai also came to the gathering and took Qin Shi’s tea as soon as she arrived, but Qin Shi didn’t take it to heart. Partner Lao Ma inquired about Yang Hua’s occupation and company, but Qin Shi found an excuse to avoid the question. Li Dai subtly probed into Yang Hua’s work abroad, but Qin Shi didn’t give a direct answer. From Li Dai’s words, Qin Shi learned that she was recommended by Mr.

Hua and also came to vie for a partner position. Dinner began, and Jin Cheng mentioned that the eleventh floor of the law firm is the core layer of the company, with a total of seven lawyers. This time, they were selecting one lawyer from the Family and Criminal departments to join the eleventh floor. He hoped that everyone who joins the eleventh floor could become lifelong partners of Cheng & Hui.

During dinner, Yang Hua encouraged Qin Shi to chat more with the partners, but Qin Shi lamented about having no topics, which Li Dai overheard and used as an opportunity to mock her. Yang Hua defended Qin Shi, saying she was different from Li Dai, which left Li Dai very frustrated. Qin Shi tried to join the partners’ discussion, but they were all talking about cigarettes, alcohol, and tea — topics a female lawyer like her couldn’t get into.

On the other hand, Yang Hua, who was among the family members, couldn’t blend into the ladies’ circle either. Eventually, they were both asked how, as a female lawyer, Qin Shi viewed the pressures of the industry. Qin Shi replied that she could handle easy things without effort, but struggled with difficult ones. Meanwhile, Yang Hua said that for Qin Shi, work was a kind of enjoyment and when working, she was at her most charming.

One partner believed that professional women are fundamentally unreasonable, and that women should stay home and raise children. Qin Shi disagreed and used a childhood watermelon-sharing story with her brother to explain that sincerity can be seen through exchange — seeing if the other person is equally happy. She asked the partners whether balancing family and work was harder than building a career.

Forcing professional women to return to the household was, in her view, just a disguised form of promotion with a pay cut. Qin Shi also believed that whether to work or not is entirely a personal choice, unrelated to gender. She questioned each partner, stating that choosing between career and family is not something only women face — men deal with it too. The partners accused her of having a bias against men.

Yang Hua stepped in to smooth things over, explaining that Qin Shi was just too passionate about her work. In today’s society, men do have more advantages and are encouraged to focus on their careers, but it’s not an absolute rule. He believed Qin Shi was an outstanding lawyer and if he had to choose between family and career, he’d choose family. His remarks left the partners speechless and greatly impressed Qin Shi.

Li Dai deliberately called to expose Yang Hua for hiding his married status while going on blind dates. Yang Hua remembered that Li Dai was once his blind date. The two went off alone to talk. Li Dai questioned Yang Hua about going on blind dates while being married, but he didn’t explain much. At that moment, Qin Shi and Tang Yihui showed up.

Li Dai outright said that when Yang Hua appeared at Tang Yihui’s 20th wedding anniversary, it was for their blind date, not to surprise Qin Shi. In that situation, Qin Shi quickly asked whether Yang Hua’s actions that day were his idea or if his mother deliberately embarrassed her. Yang Hua admitted it was his mother’s doing. However, Li Dai still suspected they had faked their marriage and were never actually married.

To patch the lie, Yang Hua claimed he had been unemployed for a year and didn’t want Qin Shi to look down on him, so he kept it a secret. Jin Cheng saw the news that Lowe International Fund never established any personal foundation in China, and all domestic projects had nothing to do with Lowe International. Meanwhile, President Lan was packing to go abroad, but Tao Junhui intercepted her midway with a team.

He said that President Jiang of Yunya Group asked him to investigate Lowe Yulan and found many issues since last year. He now had reason to suspect Lowe Yulan of deceiving investors and forging business data. Lowe Yulan had already been sued by Lowe International, and President Lan was barred from leaving the country. The person in charge, Pang Dingfang, was under judicial investigation.

Cheng & Hui Law Firm refused to take on any cases related to Lowe Yulan, mainly to protect its reputation. Whether a case is winnable isn’t up to the lawyers — they can only help clients recover losses and avoid risks. From Jin Cheng’s perspective, although they could win the case, Lowe Yulan couldn’t repay the debts, so lawyers couldn’t help clients recover their money.

Qin Shi always felt Cheng & Hui had many flaws but was still a breath of fresh air in the industry. Yang Hua believed Jin Cheng’s refusal wasn’t out of personal relationships, while on the other side, Li Dai speculated with her team that Jin Cheng was just waiting for a better time to take on the case. Because of the last partner gathering, things between Qin Shi and Yang Hua became more complicated.

To smoothly move into the eleventh floor, Qin Shi hoped Yang Hua could temporarily act as a perfect househusband. But their previous lie included having a 2. 5-year-old son, so they had to invent some scenarios accordingly.

Episode 11 Recap

Yang Hua told Qin Shi that his mother wanted to visit their place, which puzzled Qin Shi. It turned out Yang Hua had told his mother he planned to live independently, but didn’t mention the relationship with Qin Shi was fake. His mother believed that someone from a divorced family like Qin Shi wouldn’t manage a household well and wanted to see their life with her own eyes to feel reassured. Qin Shi thought this was hard to handle.

If they refused her, she wouldn’t give up. If they accepted, they’d have to be prepared for surprise inspections. Upon asking, Yang Hua said his mother had a strong sense of pride, which gave Qin Shi an idea. The next day, Qin Shi used overtime as an excuse to hide at Ren Meimei’s place, while Yang Hua’s mother arrived at their apartment. She inspected the place and asked if they shared a bedroom.

Yang Hua said Qin Shi’s work kept her busy, so they had different rest schedules and slept in separate rooms. But then she found condoms in Qin Shi’s bedroom and accused her son of lying. She warned him not to get someone pregnant before marriage and embarrass her. With that, she stormed off angrily. At Ren Meimei’s place, Qin Shi played video games to kill time.

Ren Meimei unexpectedly got a call from Vivian asking to meet and dressed up for the occasion. Although Ren Meimei admitted she still had feelings for Qin Wenyu, years of entanglement had left her heartbroken. If she decided to divorce this time, she wouldn’t look back. But Qin Shi believed they wouldn’t divorce because neither could live without the other.

Vivian told Ren Meimei there was nothing between her and Qin Wenyu, and if it weren’t for a hotel misunderstanding, they wouldn’t have kept in touch. She thought Qin Wenyu was pitiful — with many assets but no status. He treated her well and promised to buy her a car and house.

However, she didn’t want to break up Ren Meimei’s family and proposed a deal — if Ren Meimei bought her a house in another city, she’d let Qin Wenyu return home. Ren Meimei had already seen through Vivian’s tricks and exposed her real identity as Lü Fenghe. Qin Shi arrived with Lü Fenghe’s personal records, pointing out that her actions were potentially criminal — document forgery and fraud. She gave her 24 hours to make Qin Wenyu return home.

Lü Fenghe tried to threaten them but got slapped twice by Ren Meimei. Humiliated, Lü Fenghe showed her true colors at home. She kicked out Qin Wenyu, who had been freeloading at her place, and even slapped him twice — returning the favor from Ren Meimei. Qin Wenyu went to his mother’s place and cried. Just then, Ren Meimei arrived and he quickly pledged his loyalty, calling Vivian a con artist and insisting nothing happened between them.

Although she knew he was faking illness to gain sympathy, Ren Meimei still forgave him and took him back. Early in the morning, Yang Hua got up to make breakfast. But Qin Shi, rushing for work, didn’t have time to eat and was touched when she grabbed the packed breakfast he made. At the firm, Li Dai ran into her and mocked her for downgrading her lifestyle now that her husband was unemployed.

But Qin Shi fought back with a strong rebuttal. The firm held an emergency meeting. President Lan came with Zhao Danping, saying she chose Cheng & Hui because all other firms were representing the opposing parties in the Lowe Yulan dispute. Lao Zhou, who suffered a stroke after losing money investing in Lowe Yulan, was visited by Yang Hua. Yang Hua comforted him by saying money was external, health mattered more. Unexpectedly, Lao Zhou had basically recovered. Thanks to his daughter-in-law’s objections, he hadn’t invested too much. His illness also brought his children to visit, making him feel the lost money was worth it.

Episode 12 Recap

After some investigation, Jin Cheng and the others realized that although President Lan was the defendant, she wasn’t the actual operator of Lowe Yulan. So the accusations of fraud and illegal operation were unlikely to stick to her. However, her husband, Pang Dingfang, was another story. Since he was abroad, there was a high chance of conviction.

Jin Cheng told President Lan the worst-case scenario: if Pang Dingfang was convicted and fled with the money, never returning to China, Lowe Yulan would go bankrupt and be liquidated, and their joint assets would be seized to repay debts. The best option might be for her to divorce Pang Dingfang to avoid a mutually destructive outcome. Though the Lowe Yulan case started as a financial dispute, it had now turned into a divorce case.

Li Dai and Qin Shi both claimed not to want to take on such a thorny divorce case, but secretly began preparing. Despite Tang Yihui previously instructing Qin Shi to stay away and focus on entering the corporate department, Qin Shi still wanted to give it a try. Yang Hua’s mother constantly asked Cai Liang about him, and fortunately Cai Liang helped cover up for him, for which Yang Hua was grateful.

Yang Hua wanted to move out and asked Cai Liang to help find an apartment, but Cai Liang thought it was good for him to live with Qin Shi — few women could get along with Yang Hua. Li Dai believed Jin Cheng intended to assign the divorce case to her. But Qiao Siming analyzed that the Jin couple didn’t want Qin Shi, who had just performed well, to risk her reputation by handling a difficult case.

Wu Fei came to see her boyfriend Tao Junhui and picked him up from work. They planned to have hot pot at home and went grocery shopping together. Meanwhile, Qin Shi and Yang Hua were also buying groceries and chatting. Qin Shi expressed her desire to take on President Lan’s divorce case and believed Pang Dingfang had deliberately fled, leaving Lan to face everything alone.

Wu Fei also learned from Tao Junhui about President Lan’s financial situation and guessed that Cheng & Hui might take her case. Qin Shi and Yang Hua discussed key points of the case. Unexpectedly, they ran into Wu Fei and Tao Junhui at the supermarket. The four of them sat down to chat, but only Wu Fei was relaxed — the other three were awkward.

Wu Fei openly admitted Tao Junhui was her boyfriend and that the boss of Simei PR was her father. She hoped Qin Shi wouldn’t reveal her background at the firm. Qin Shi learned that Wu Fei and Tao Junhui planned to marry by year’s end. Wu Fei invited her to attend, but Tao Junhui declined on the spot, leaving Wu Fei embarrassed. Tao Junhui asked Qin Shi not to let Wu Fei dig into the Lowe Yulan case through him.

Qin Shi said she had only assigned Wu Fei to basic tasks, but if they were concerned, she would remove her from it. Though Wu Fei was unhappy about Tao Junhui’s comments affecting her work, she also sensed tension between him and Qin Shi and worried he was hiding something. Tao Junhui quickly brushed her off. On the way back, Yang Hua noticed Qin Shi was silent and thought she was upset about seeing her ex.

But Qin Shi actually suspected, based on Tao Junhui’s behavior, that the Lowe Yulan case was far more complicated. Zhao Danping went home and found that Lan Xiaoting wasn’t there. Worried something happened, she called Tang Yihui for help. Tang Yihui notified the firm’s colleagues to help search for her. Upon hearing the news, Li Dai took the initiative to notify Qin Shi, curious if she still wanted to get involved in the divorce case.

Episode 13 Recap

Tao Junhui asked Wu Fei whether their law firm was representing the case of Lowe Yulan. Wu Fei denied that the firm had taken on the case but hinted that Qin Shi was paying attention to it. Wu Fei then realized that Qin Shi might be taking on the divorce case of Lan Xiaoting and Pang Dingfang.

Tao Junhui also picked up on this and immediately messaged a colleague to speed up the process, suspecting that Lan Xiaoting and Pang Dingfang were about to get divorced. Lao Jin and Tang Yihui mobilized the law firm’s staff to search for Lan Xiaoting. Lao Jin, from surveillance footage, concluded that President Lan was unlikely to be contemplating suicide and was probably going out to meet someone.

Since Lan Xiaoting had gone out without informing Zhao Danping, it must have been someone she trusted and didn’t want others to know about. Yang Hua found out that the last flight from San Francisco to Pujiang had landed 20 minutes ago. When they arrived at the airport, they indeed saw Lan Xiaoting waiting for someone there. Qin Shi turned off her phone and stayed with Lan Xiaoting at the airport, waiting for Pang Dingfang.

But even an hour after the plane landed, Pang Dingfang never appeared. Lan Xiaoting finally realized she had been deceived by him. Qin Shi told Lan Xiaoting that whether one is a career woman or a full-time housewife, it’s just a role—first and foremost, a woman is an individual. In any relationship, she should never give up herself or become someone else’s accessory.

Lan Xiaoting finally understood that the perfect life she believed in was just a bubble easily burst, and she didn’t know what to do. Qin Shi comforted her, saying everything would pass and get better. Qin Shi took Lan Xiaoting back to the hotel. Lan Xiaoting thanked her for the help and hoped that the divorce case would proceed as Lao Jin had suggested, also asking Qin Shi to put in extra effort.

Although Tang Yihui wasn’t too pleased about Qin Shi getting involved in the case, she didn’t criticize her further. Exhausted, Qin Shi fell asleep before even getting home. Yang Hua had to carry her to bed. Watching the sleeping Qin Shi stirred deep emotions in Yang Hua. The next morning, Yang Hua advised Qin Shi that no job was worth sacrificing sleep and meals for, and hoped she would eat well.

They remembered the hot pot ingredients left in the car and found they had gone bad. Qin Shi told Yang Hua he could continue living at her place if he helped her tidy up in return for reduced rent, which Yang Hua gladly agreed to. Tang Yihui called in Qin Shi and Li Dai, stating that the firm would be representing Lan Xiaoting in her divorce case, which would be co-managed by Qin Shi and Li Dai.

Qin Shi and Li Dai then held a meeting with their assistants to assign tasks for the case, but Qin Shi deliberately excluded Wu Fei from the work. Both Lao Jin and Zhao Danping wanted the divorce case resolved as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Tao Junhui discussed the Lowe Yulan case with colleagues, hoping to get the financial case resolved before Pang Dingfang’s divorce, to help recover funds for their client.

Although Qin Shi and Li Dai had worked together for years, this was their first collaboration on a divorce case. They agreed to compete fairly. Yang Hua visited Lao Zhou at the hospital and happened to witness Lao Zhou refusing to help someone recover debts. Yang Hua told Lao Zhou that the debt collectors already knew the person in charge of Lowe Yulan was getting divorced and had found a law firm.

Wu Fei approached Qin Shi, requesting to join President Lan’s case, but Qin Shi declined, saying they already had enough people, and it wasn’t because of Tao Junhui. Qin Shi analyzed the odds of assistant lawyers getting promoted to mid-level positions and told Wu Fei that, with her current abilities, it would be hard to compete with the hardworking assistants from outside. Wu Fei was very disappointed by Qin Shi’s doubts about her capabilities. Through their investigation, Qin Shi and Li Dai discovered that Pang Dingfang had already mortgaged marital assets without Lan Xiaoting’s knowledge.

Episode 14 Recap

Their investigation revealed that although Pang Dingfang had been running Lowe Yulan for years, he didn’t own any shares in the group. That’s why he had been plotting to use Yulan Group shares to fill the hole left by Lowe Yulan since its founding five years ago. The cause was not only his involvement with another woman but also the threat posed by Lan Xiaoting’s nephew being named as the successor.

Tao Junhui came to speak with Qin Shi about the Lowe Yulan case. Although Qin Shi used her busy schedule as an excuse to refuse him, Tao Junhui insisted and said he would wait for her to finish work. When Qin Shi returned to her office, she found someone had delivered foul-smelling food in protest of them taking on the Lowe Yulan case, making it impossible for them to continue working, so they left early.

After learning that Tao Junhui was waiting in the parking garage, Qin Shi went to meet him after work but unexpectedly encountered a group of debt collectors. She quickly fled. Although Tao Junhui later found her and tried to get her out, the debt collectors spotted them. Tao Junhui struggled to fend them off alone until Yang Hua arrived to help at the critical moment. Yang Hua’s mother was upset about being ignored by her son.

Yang Hua’s father comforted her, saying their son is very possessive—when he values or loves someone, he won’t compromise for anyone. Qin Shi called the police and had the debt collectors taken away. They all went to the police station to give statements. During this time, Yang Hua showed his possessiveness toward Qin Shi in front of Tao Junhui.

Qin Shi and Tao Junhui discussed Pang Dingfang’s debts in the car, but both stood firm in supporting their respective clients and didn’t agree with each other. After giving their statements, Qin Shi took Yang Hua to a convenience store to eat. During their meal, she asked how he happened to show up just in time. Yang Hua said a friend had also lost money due to Lowe Yulan and informed him about the debt collectors.

He had rushed to ensure her safety, and Qin Shi was grateful. Yang Hua noticed a wound on her arm and helped treat it, and Qin Shi also treated the cut on his chin. Yang Hua tried to persuade Qin Shi to quit the case due to the danger, but Qin Shi wasn’t afraid of threats and said that protecting justice and the legal rights of every citizen was her purpose as a lawyer.

When Tao Junhui returned home, he found Wu Fei waiting. Wu Fei asked about his injury, and he told her about what had happened, guessing that the debt collectors wanted to intimidate Qin Shi into quitting the case. Wu Fei complained that she had been removed from Qin Shi’s team because of Tao Junhui’s involvement. He apologized and promised it wouldn’t happen again. That night, Qin Shi dreamed of Yang Hua—sometimes sharing a bed, sometimes having flirty conversations.

Troubled, she woke up early the next morning and went to work, even preparing breakfast for Yang Hua. When Li Dai came to work, she heard that a lawyer had been attacked the previous night and went to check on Qin Shi, only to find her napping in the office. Tang Yihui informed Li Dai and Qin Shi to drop Lan Xiaoting’s divorce case.

Their investigation had shown that although Lan Xiaoting didn’t manage Lowe Yulan, she was a shareholder and therefore liable for the company’s debts. Pang Dingfang had borrowed nearly a billion yuan from private banks in the company’s name, with Lan Xiaoting as the guarantor. Whether she divorced or not, she would lose everything. The firm decided it wasn’t worth allocating resources to the case. Tang Yihui reassigned the case and gave Qin Shi a day off and a red envelope as compensation for the attack.

Episode 15 Recap

Qin Shi called Yang Hua, unsure whether to take on Lan Xiaoting’s case. Yang Hua knew she wanted encouragement and told her she was a good lawyer—and a good lawyer’s choice might just be her own. Qin Shi went to the hotel to find Zhao Danping, saying that although Cheng & Hui had dropped President Lan’s case, she now wanted to represent her in her personal capacity and promised not to charge any fees.

Upon entering the hotel room, she discovered Li Dai was also there, having made the same decision. Li Dai told President Lan that the case was tough—99% of lawyers would advise her to give up and file for bankruptcy. But lawyers like her and Qin Shi couldn’t stand to see the weak treated unfairly. Qin Shi then explained their plan: to delay the divorce.

She asked Yang Hua to help analyze the debt, suggesting two solutions—sell assets or use the revenue from current businesses to pay off debt, which would just take time. Conservatively, based on Yulan Group’s profits, it would take three years to repay. Though the plan wasn’t ideal, it was reality. Qin Shi told President Lan she had met with Tao Junhui the previous day and shared his proposal.

Since Pang Dingfang had fled abroad, the burden of repayment fell entirely on President Lan. If she proposed a credible repayment plan, they could ensure that the businesses under her name continued operating. President Lan, though the largest shareholder, was not allowed by the other shareholders to manage the company. Before leaving, Qin Shi told her to make the choice she believed was right. Qin Shi later invited Li Dai to dinner, where they discussed the case.

Qin Shi said that although she worked at the firm, she was using her personal time to do what she believed in without harming the firm’s interests, so she wasn’t afraid of Tang Yihui finding out. They agreed to discuss cases only outside work. Li Dai admitted she owed Qin Shi a favor for letting her off the hook last time, but also revealed she knew about Qin Shi’s fake marriage with Yang Hua.

Although she wouldn’t expose it, she hoped Qin Shi would quit the competition for the eleventh floor. Li Dai candidly admitted that she targeted Qin Shi only to ensure fairness. At home, Qin Shi played a recording Li Dai gave her—Yang Hua’s mother speaking to Li Dai. Qin Shi said she wasn’t proud of hiding her marital status but insisted she hadn’t cheated in terms of ability.

There’s a glass ceiling for career women, and balancing work and family is a tough choice. When Yang Hua asked if she would reveal her marriage status if she made it to the eleventh floor, Qin Shi replied yes and said she would also fight to change workplace discrimination against single professional women. Yang Hua proposed a perfect solution—they should get married—shocking Qin Shi.

Qin Shi and her siblings returned home to celebrate their father’s birthday, but things turned chaotic due to conflicts between the ex-wife and current wife over taking pictures and defending their respective children. It was the eldest sister-in-law who stepped in and stopped the fight. At dinner, their father spoke about his three marriages and expressed his hope that everyone at the table would treat one another as family and remember each other's kindness.

He regretted not being there for Qin Wenyu while busy with work, making him suffer. Qin Wenyu said that was all in the past—he now had Ren Meimei and wouldn’t be getting divorced again. When their father heard about Qin Wenyu’s divorce threat, he got angry and was about to scold him, but Qin Wenyu quickly diverted the topic by saying Qin Shi had a boyfriend.

The whole family eagerly asked questions, and Qin Shi had to admit she had an explanation. She told her father that her “boyfriend” was abroad and that she didn’t want to get married. Seeing everyone’s marriage issues made her lose confidence in marriage. This made her father angry, and Qin Shi found an excuse to leave and avoid further questioning.

Yang Hua returned home and said he wanted to marry Qin Shi, but his mother refused to accept her and opposed the marriage. Facing her mother’s reasons, Yang Hua admitted he loved Qin Shi and wouldn’t allow anyone else to pursue her. After Qin Shi left, her mother and others surrounded Ren Meimei to ask about Yang Hua. Her older brother chased after Qin Shi, asking her to take him back to his research institute.

Episode 16 Recap

您说： Translate into English for the content that I will provide to you. Use the Translation glossary below. The translation glossary may have different from what you think, don't hesitate to use what I give. Translation glossary:[秦施:Qin Shi,阳华:Yang Hua,陶俊辉:Tao Junhui,李黛:Li Dai,吴菲:Wu Fei,姚遥:Yao Yao,任梅梅:Ren Meimei,蔡亮:Cai Liang,秦文宇:Qin Wenyu,金诚:Jin Cheng,老秦:Lao Qin,唐伊慧:Tang Yihui,秦文斌:Qin Wenbin,刚子:Gang Zi,乔思明:Qiao Siming,赵丹平:Zhao Danping,刘艳:Liu Yan], The Character gender in the content as below: [秦施:female,阳华:male,陶俊辉:male,李黛:female,吴菲:female,姚遥:female,任梅梅:female,蔡亮:male,秦文宇:male,金诚:male,老秦:male,唐伊慧:female,秦文斌:male,刚子:male,乔思明:male,赵丹平:female,刘艳:female] Use the correct he or she when translating.

If the character does not provide gender information, use he or she based on the name and the context. When translating using pinyin, please be careful to use the correct pinyin. Only output the translation content, do not include any other irrelevant information. Do not add a dividing lineat the same time keep the one exist in content. Don't forget to use the translation glossary. No need for bold or italics.

Skip the translation of texts like '"""剧照' or 'image copyrights'. 在车上秦施询问大哥是否爱大嫂，大哥承认他们夫妻之间爱情少了一分，但是亲情多了一分，更多的是责任。而就目前而言，大哥感受到了幸福，也感到了满足。爱的二八定律第16集剧照图片版权秦施回到家中询问阳华是否喜欢自己，因为她思考了一天，都觉得结婚这件事情对她的好处大于对阳华的。阳华解释自己一是想弥补母亲言语对秦施升职影响的结果，二是为了消除母亲的各种奇思幻想，三是他和乌龟财神都很喜欢这个家，不想搬离。随后两人起草了三年婚姻的协议，还表示将婚礼简办，后续就是准备各自从家中将户口本拿出来登记领证。赵丹萍告诉兰晓亭在自己母亲眼里，兰晓亭这个姐姐非常优秀，让她非常羡慕。赵丹平认为这么多年姨妈一直为别人而活，如今有机会去尝试一直想做却不敢做的事情，在她心里，姨妈的选择比任何人的眼光都重要。即便很难，她也会一直陪伴姨妈的。秦施和李黛也认为玉兰集团董事会成员大多数都好搞定，最难对付的就是兰总的大哥兰佑国。兰佑国当年被逼下野，当了十几年的闲云野鹤，如今野心难挡。兰晓亭在大会上面对一众股东的质问，表示自己比任何人都在意玉兰集团，她以董事长的身份任命赵丹萍为玉兰集团的新任总裁，这让众股东纷纷气愤离席。爱的二八定律第16集剧照图片版权秦施和李黛也讨论赵丹平能否能接任玉兰集团总裁的事情，但是中途两人听到公司同事讨论八卦，李黛询问得知律所有人明明单身却假装结婚的事情。秦施误会李黛出卖自己，但最终却发现误会了她。唐伊慧正在办公室气愤有人拿结婚这事欺骗自己，想让秦施帮忙出主意如何惩罚史蒂文。原来史蒂文半年前就和老婆离婚了，而且还是因为出轨离婚。史蒂文原本就因为老婆是集团副总而被律所看重，如今又被指派到国外进修，还签了五年合约。唐伊慧认为已经没有办法相信对方，她可以接受失败，但没办法接受背叛。秦施侥幸逃过一劫，可回到办公室的她就被人事部老乔追着讨要婚姻证明，原来是唐伊慧安排他审核律所所有人的婚姻情况。为此秦施只好打算尽快拿到户口本领证结婚，她回家告诉父母自己要结婚的消息，秦父秦母非常开心，可得知女儿今天就打算领证，还是非常惊讶的。秦母不同意秦施立马领证，毕竟阳华他们都没见过，人品如何都不清楚，怎么放心女儿直接去领证结婚呢。阳母因为不同意儿子与秦施结婚，所以将阳华关在家外，拒绝将户口本交个儿子。阳父表示自己会帮忙做阳母的思想工作，让阳华暂时回家哄秦施。秦母认为自己就是活生生的例子，结婚的时候没有和男人提条件，那就是对自己不负责任。虽然秦母同意两人结婚，但也表示别人家里有的，他们家里也要有，婚房、婚车、婚礼等都不能缺少。爱的二八定律第16集剧照图片版权秦施和阳华回到家交流彼此情况，发现都不太顺利。秦施请求阳华陪自己回家搞定父母，然后再想办法搞定阳华母亲。阳华找到好友蔡亮帮忙出主意，蔡亮让他抓住第一印象，让他第一时间争取到岳父岳母的认可，蔡亮还出主意让他讨好岳母。还设想了各种情况，提前教阳华如何处理。随后秦施带着阳华回到家中，结果大嫂、二哥二嫂也都在。饭桌上，在蔡亮的提前培训下，阳华很好的应对着秦家人的招待。 ----------------------17-------------------------- 阳华醉酒后又开始用诗一样的语言去表述对秦施的一见钟情，这让秦家人都很吃惊。随后阳华还要坦诚自己的工作经历，被秦施及时制止。但秦父听到阳华并非海归，让两人直接摊牌了。得知阳华目前没有工作，只是在家炒股，还愿意在家当家庭煮夫，秦家人对此都非常不满意。爱的二八定律第17集剧照图片版权而秦母为此还指责秦施放弃条件那么好的陶俊辉，找现在无房无工作的阳华图什么呢。秦施气愤之下告诉父母，她和陶俊辉谈恋爱那么多年，可他从来没有将秦施家的情况告诉父母，就是因为他们家人接受不了离异家庭出来的孩子。不是自己不和陶俊辉结婚，是人家压根看不上她。阳华告诉秦父秦母，他虽然不是优秀的那个，但是他不会要求秦施改变什么，他也不会成为秦施人生目标中的一个障碍。随后秦施带着阳华离开，秦母追出来将户口本交给女儿，告诉她男人是她自己选的，今后的路也是她自己一个人走。吴菲通过调查得知秦施和陶俊辉并不是简单的校友关系，两人之前关系明明很亲密，但是在自己面前一直表现不熟的样子，这让她感受到了欺骗。陶俊辉和同事在摔跤馆联系摔打，同事们都打不过他，秦施前来和他较量一番，最终通过技巧反压陶俊辉。秦施想和陶俊辉商谈当初提出的还款条件，陶俊辉同意执行当初条件，但也附加了新的条件就是资产抵押或者第三方担保。秦施很为难，但陶俊辉也不愿放弃这些条件。爱的二八定律第17集剧照图片版权阳华为当初喝醉酒说错话的事情向秦施致歉，秦施表示不需要他补偿，但也趁机请阳华帮忙。次日秦施带着阳华找到唐伊慧，她希望唐伊慧能帮兰总的早教中心找投资，阳华帮忙分析了兰总的早教中心的财务预测情况，虽然预测稳赚不亏，但最后他也表示投资都有风险，最终的决定权在金总和唐总手中。秦施和阳华从唐总办公室离开后，秦施为了避开老乔，拉着阳华进了公司储物间，密闭空间内，两人彼此靠近，都为彼此心动不已。阳父致电阳华要见秦施，于是阳华带着秦施找到了父亲，阳父为妻子之前所做的事情道歉，也谢谢秦施让他从阳华身上看到了朝气蓬勃的一面。秦施主动坦诚来自离异家庭，但阳父并不介意此事，认为离异家庭也能培养出很优秀的孩子。阳父还将阳母偷偷藏起来的户口本带出来给阳华，他用行动支持两人结婚。老乔来找李黛八卦，表示秦施因为以个人名义当兰总的代理律师让唐伊慧非常生气，这个月的绩效等奖金都取消了，老乔还劝告李黛前往不要参与。爱的二八定律第17集剧照图片版权吴菲陪陶俊辉回家陪母亲过生日，她在陶俊辉房间看到以往的照片和奖杯，趁机询问他的大学过往。但陶俊辉不愿多聊，趁机转移了话题。 -------------------------18------------------------- 吴菲在和陶妈妈吃饭期间，一直谈论自己在新律所的工作以及与上司之间的关系，虽然陶俊辉一直刻意转移话题，但是吴菲还是告诉陶妈妈律所的上司是秦施。听到这个名字陶妈妈虽然表示并不认识，但是表露出的异常还是被吴菲观察到了。爱的二八定律第18集剧照图片版权秦施拿到自己新鲜出炉的结婚证，非常佩服自己的勇敢。另一边，阳华也和宠物龟欣赏自己的结婚证。秦施发短信询问阳华在公司杂物间想要说的话，阳华纠结一番来到秦施卧室，但他脑海中设想了和秦施告白的两种可能，但最终还是没有勇气告白。只好表示借机说上午只是想帮她按摩缓解疲劳。陶俊辉送吴菲回家，临别之际他坦诚秦施不仅是自己的前女友，还是曾经的未婚妻。两人恋爱七年分手，因为妈妈对秦施的意见很大，而秦施对婚姻也恐惧，所以最终分手。可是吴菲了解到秦施已经和阳华结婚两年，还有一个儿子，她认为秦施是个渣女，欺骗了陶俊辉。她为陶俊辉抱不平，想要帮他讨回公道。检察院已经依据刑法向法院提出没收庞定方违法所得并冻结其所有海外资产的申请，并针对其违法行为发布全球通缉。赵丹平作为玉兰集团新任总裁和兰晓亭的发言人出席新闻发布会，她传达了兰晓亭的话语，希望通过媒体向庞定方转达希望他回国履行一个企业管理者和一个丈夫的义务。还表示兰晓亭愿意承担一切债务，积极配合可行的还款方案。而老金和唐伊慧最终同意了阳华的提议，帮兰晓亭找到了新的投资。秦施将结婚证拿给老乔，还告诉他自己原来的结婚证在国外办了注销，所以在国内重新领了一个。李黛看到了秦施的结婚证，听了老乔的解释，嘲讽也只有老乔会相信秦施的话。陶俊辉来诚与慧与秦施讨论兰晓亭的还款提议，秦施感谢陶俊辉这次的帮忙，但陶俊辉也表示这只是为客人争取权益而已，并拒绝了秦施的感谢宴。阳华来律所找秦施碰到离开的陶俊辉，他为当年陶俊辉嫌弃秦施的离异家庭而不平，甚至两人差点打起来。爱的二八定律第18集剧照图片版权李黛找到秦施，询问她为了一个职位如此作为可取吗？可秦施表示二八定律中表示重要的只是少部分，其他大部分虽然是主要的，但是次要的。跟她获得的成就比起来，这些付出微不足道。阳母希望两方家长见面，为此阳华非常担心，但是秦施却表示自己父亲完全可以对付阳母。果然两方家长见面，曾经身为文工团团长的秦父就用戏剧搞定了阳母，阳母表面上表示非常喜欢秦施，还非常欣赏秦施的大方，竟然结婚的时候金银、房子、钻戒都不要。秦母为此非常不开心，当初表示他们家虽然不贪图别人家的财产，但也不允许别人家占便宜。随后秦母提出了一系列很现实的问题，这些问题都让阳母无法反驳。最后阳父表示婚礼要办，房子他们家有，车子也可以买，他们作为男方家长，会把该做的事情做好。阳母回到家中就唠叨秦家提出的要求多，但是阳父却表示人家提出的要求没有错，而且婚礼一定要办。秦施也在劝说母亲简办婚礼，可母亲完全不乐意，为此还半路气的下车离开。爱的二八定律第18集剧照图片版权阳华找好友蔡亮咨询，蔡亮也认可秦母的要求，毕竟美好的婚姻是无价的，但美好的婚礼是有价的。而且这个世界上越美好的东西越不能白给，毕竟天底下所有免费的东西都不招待见。烦恼的阳华借酒消愁，醉酒后打电话给秦施，表示以前最不喜欢被逼婚，但是现在最不喜欢陶俊辉，不喜欢陶俊辉看秦施的眼神，不喜欢秦施因为他受伤。阳华还表示秦施是无价之宝，他想把所有的一切都给秦施。他爱秦施，也会给秦施一个最想要的婚姻。 ChatGPT 说： In the car, Qin Shi asked her eldest brother whether he loved his wife.

He admitted that there was less love between them as a couple, but more familial affection and a greater sense of responsibility. At present, he felt happy and content. Qin Shi returned home and asked Yang Hua if he liked her, because after thinking about it all day, she felt that the marriage benefited her more than it did Yang Hua.

Yang Hua explained that first, he wanted to make up for the impact his mother’s words had on Qin Shi’s promotion. Second, he wanted to eliminate his mother’s strange fantasies. Third, both he and the turtle God of Wealth liked this home and didn’t want to move. The two then drafted a three-year marriage agreement and decided to keep the wedding simple. The next step was to get their household registration books from home to register the marriage.

Zhao Danping told Lan Xiaoting that in her mother’s eyes, Lan Xiaoting was an excellent elder sister, someone she admired greatly. Zhao Danping felt that her aunt had lived for others for so many years. Now that she had the chance to pursue something she had always wanted to do but never dared to, her aunt’s choice was more important than anyone else's opinion. Even if it was difficult, she would always support her.

Qin Shi and Li Dai also believed that most of the board members of Yulan Group were easy to deal with, except for Lan Xiaoting’s elder brother, Lan Youguo, who was the hardest. Lan Youguo was once forced to step down and lived a reclusive life for over a decade, but now his ambition was uncontrollable. During the shareholder meeting, Lan Xiaoting, in the face of many shareholders’ questions, expressed that she cared about Yulan Group more than anyone.

She appointed Zhao Danping as the new CEO of Yulan Group as the Chairwoman, which led to many shareholders angrily walking out. Qin Shi and Li Dai also discussed whether Zhao Danping could take over as CEO of Yulan Group. Midway through, they overheard colleagues gossiping. Li Dai asked around and found out someone at the law firm was pretending to be married while actually single.

Qin Shi misunderstood and thought Li Dai had betrayed her, but eventually realized she was wrong. Tang Yihui, furious in the office, was upset that someone had lied to her about marriage and asked Qin Shi for ideas on how to punish Steven. It turned out Steven had divorced his wife six months ago due to infidelity. He was only valued by the firm because his wife was a group VP.

Now he had been sent abroad for training with a five-year contract. Tang Yihui felt she could accept failure, but not betrayal. Qin Shi narrowly avoided a crisis, but back at the office, Lao Qiao from HR chased her for a marriage certificate. It turned out Tang Yihui had arranged for him to verify the marital status of everyone at the firm. So Qin Shi decided to get her household registration book and register the marriage as soon as possible.

She told her parents about the marriage. They were happy at first but shocked to learn she planned to register that very day. Her mother disagreed, saying they hadn’t even met Yang Hua and didn’t know his character, so how could they feel at ease with their daughter marrying him? Yang Hua’s mother opposed the marriage, so she locked him out and refused to hand over the household registration book.

His father said he would talk to her and advised Yang Hua to temporarily go home to pacify Qin Shi. Qin Shi’s mother said she was a living example—when she married without setting conditions, it was being irresponsible to herself. Although she agreed to the marriage, she insisted that their family should have everything other families had—marriage house, wedding car, wedding ceremony—none of it could be lacking.

Qin Shi and Yang Hua returned home and shared their situations with each other, both finding things not going smoothly. Qin Shi asked Yang Hua to accompany her home to convince her parents, and then they would figure out how to deal with his mother. Yang Hua sought advice from his friend Cai Liang. Cai Liang told him to make a good first impression and win over the in-laws immediately.

He also advised him on how to please the mother-in-law and prepared him for various situations. Qin Shi brought Yang Hua home, and it turned out her sister-in-law, second brother, and his wife were also there. At the dinner table, thanks to Cai Liang’s coaching, Yang Hua handled the Qin family’s reception very well.

Episode 17 Recap

After getting drunk, Yang Hua once again expressed his love-at-first-sight feelings for Qin Shi in poetic language, surprising the entire Qin family. He was about to reveal his job history but was stopped in time by Qin Shi. But when Father Qin heard that Yang Hua hadn’t studied abroad, he urged the two to be honest. They learned that Yang Hua was currently unemployed, living off stock trading, and willing to be a househusband. The Qin family was very dissatisfied.

Qin Shi’s mother criticized her for giving up someone as qualified as Tao Junhui to be with Yang Hua, who had neither a job nor a house. In frustration, Qin Shi told her parents that she had dated Tao Junhui for years, but he never told his parents about her because they couldn’t accept a child from a divorced family. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to marry Tao Junhui—it was that he didn’t want her.

Yang Hua told her parents that although he wasn’t the best, he would never ask Qin Shi to change and would never be a burden in her life. Qin Shi then left with Yang Hua. Her mother chased after them and gave her the household registration book, saying the man was her own choice, and the future path would also be hers to walk alone.

Wu Fei discovered through her investigation that Qin Shi and Tao Junhui were not just simple college acquaintances. They had been very close, but always pretended to be distant around her, making her feel deceived. Tao Junhui was practicing wrestling with colleagues, none of whom could beat him. Qin Shi came and challenged him. Using technique, she flipped him over. She brought up the previous loan repayment conditions.

Tao Junhui agreed to the original terms but added a new requirement—asset mortgage or third-party guarantee. Qin Shi was in a tough spot, but Tao Junhui refused to budge. Yang Hua apologized to Qin Shi for saying the wrong things while drunk. Qin Shi said she didn’t need compensation but asked him for a favor. The next day, she brought Yang Hua to Tang Yihui, hoping she could help Lan with early education center investments.

Yang Hua analyzed the financial forecast and said it looked profitable, but reminded them that investments always carried risks. The final decision would be up to Mr. Jin and Ms. Tang. After leaving Tang’s office, to avoid Lao Qiao, Qin Shi pulled Yang Hua into a storage room. In the closed space, they grew closer, both feeling moved. Yang Hua’s father called, wanting to meet Qin Shi, so Yang Hua brought her.

His father apologized for his wife’s previous actions and thanked Qin Shi for bringing vitality back to Yang Hua. Qin Shi admitted she came from a divorced family, but Yang Hua’s father didn’t mind. He believed divorced families could also raise excellent children. He secretly brought out the household registration book his wife had hidden, showing his support for their marriage through action.

Lao Qiao went to gossip with Li Dai, saying that Qin Shi acting as Lan’s personal lawyer made Tang Yihui furious—her performance bonus for the month had been canceled. He also advised Li Dai not to get involved. Wu Fei accompanied Tao Junhui home for his mother’s birthday. In his room, she saw old photos and trophies and took the chance to ask about his college life. But Tao Junhui avoided the topic.

Episode 18 Recap

During the meal with Tao's mother, Wu Fei talked about her work at the new law firm and her relationship with her boss. Although Tao Junhui tried to divert the topic, Wu Fei still mentioned that her boss was Qin Shi. Upon hearing the name, although Tao’s mother claimed she didn’t know her, her reaction gave her away, and Wu Fei noticed the anomaly. Qin Shi received her freshly issued marriage certificate and admired her own bravery.

Meanwhile, Yang Hua appreciated his certificate with his pet turtle. Qin Shi texted Yang Hua, asking what he wanted to say in the storage room. Yang Hua struggled with his thoughts, imagined two scenarios of confessing to her, but ultimately lacked the courage. He ended up saying he just wanted to massage her to relieve fatigue. Tao Junhui sent Wu Fei home. Before parting, he confessed that Qin Shi was not only his ex-girlfriend but also his former fiancée.

They dated for seven years and broke up because his mother disapproved of her and Qin Shi feared marriage. Wu Fei learned that Qin Shi had already been married to Yang Hua for two years and even had a son. She believed Qin Shi was a scumbag who had deceived Tao Junhui and wanted to help him get justice.

The prosecution had applied to the court for confiscation of Pang Dingfang’s illegal gains and the freezing of all his overseas assets, and issued a global warrant for his arrest. As the new CEO of Yulan Group and Lan Xiaoting’s spokesperson, Zhao Danping attended the press conference and conveyed Lan Xiaoting’s hope that Pang would return and fulfill his duties as both a business leader and a husband.

She also stated that Lan was willing to bear all the debts and cooperate with feasible repayment plans. Lao Jin and Tang Yihui ultimately agreed with Yang Hua’s proposal and helped Lan find a new investor. Qin Shi presented her marriage certificate to Lao Qiao and explained that her original certificate from abroad had been voided, so she re-registered domestically. Li Dai saw the certificate and mocked that only Lao Qiao would believe such a story.

Tao Junhui came to Cheng & Hui to discuss Lan Xiaoting’s repayment proposal with Qin Shi. She thanked him for the help, but Tao Junhui said he was merely defending a client’s rights and declined her thank-you dinner. Yang Hua arrived and bumped into Tao Junhui, angry over how he once looked down on Qin Shi because of her family background. The two nearly got into a fight.

Li Dai confronted Qin Shi, asking whether it was worth doing all this for a job title. Qin Shi replied that according to the 80/20 rule, only a small part matters most. Compared to her achievements, the sacrifices were insignificant. Yang Hua’s mother wanted both families to meet. Yang Hua was nervous, but Qin Shi said her father could easily handle his mother.

Sure enough, during the meeting, Father Qin, a former art troupe leader, used theatrical flair to win her over. Yang Hua’s mother pretended to like Qin Shi and praised her generosity for not asking for gold, a house, or a ring. This upset Qin Shi’s mother, who insisted they weren’t greedy but also wouldn’t let others take advantage. She then raised a series of realistic concerns, leaving Yang Hua’s mother speechless.

In the end, Yang Hua’s father stated that the wedding must be held, they had a house, could buy a car, and would fulfill all responsibilities as the groom’s family. Back home, Yang Hua’s mother complained about the Qin family’s many demands, but his father said their requests were reasonable and insisted the wedding must happen.

Qin Shi tried to persuade her mother to keep the wedding simple, but her mother was unhappy and even got off the car midway in anger. Yang Hua consulted his friend Cai Liang, who also agreed with Qin Shi’s mother. He said a beautiful marriage is priceless, but a beautiful wedding has a price—and in this world, the more beautiful something is, the less it should be free. Everything free is suspect.

Troubled, Yang Hua got drunk and called Qin Shi. He said he used to hate being forced into marriage, but now he hated Tao Junhui more—he hated the way Tao looked at Qin Shi and hated seeing her hurt because of him. Yang Hua said Qin Shi was priceless to him, and he wanted to give her everything. He loved her and would give her the marriage she most desired.

Episode 19 Recap

Qin Shi came to pick up the drunken Yang Hua and take him home. Cai Liang helped get the drunk Yang Hua into the car. Before parting, he spoke up for his friend, saying that although Yang Hua usually acts cold and distant, he actually likes Qin Shi a lot. He hoped that even if Qin Shi was using him, she wouldn’t hurt him.

Qin Shi brought Yang Hua home, settled him in to rest, and while watching the drunkenly asleep Yang Hua, she couldn't help but secretly kiss him. Tang Yihui used the excuse of delivering the wrong wine to meet Wu Fei’s father, who is also the head of Ximei PR, President Wu. Wu Fei later found Tang Yihui to apologize for hiding her identity, but Tang Yihui didn’t mind.

When she learned that Wu Fei intended for Cheng & Hui to take over Ximei PR’s legal affairs, she was happy but also understood that Wu Fei must have conditions in exchange. The next day at work, Qin Shi found Wu Fei sitting in her office, even claiming the office now belonged to her. Lao Qiao had received the notice that morning and took Qin Shi to a storage room, telling her she could temporarily work there for now.

Qin Shi stormed off to confront Tang Yihui but was pulled aside by Li Dai, who told her she had resigned. Wu Fei had taken Qin Shi’s position. An intern of only three months had become a senior lawyer at the firm, while Li Dai, after years of hard work, couldn’t compare to a married male lawyer, and even assistant lawyers secretly threatened her. She couldn’t agree with such a company culture and thus decided to resign.

Qin Shi tried to persuade Li Dai to stay, saying that Cheng & Hui’s unfair treatment of single female lawyers would change. She admitted that she had worked hard for years to get to the eleventh floor to change these unfair rules. But Li Dai didn’t agree with her, saying her ideas were unrealistic.

Then she called in Lao Qiao, who told Qin Shi that the final candidates for the eleventh floor were Qin Shi and Lawyer Shen, but the vote ended in a tie. What’s more surprising, the partners were not only chosen internally. Lao Qiao said that the Corporate Department was the best at protecting client resources and that unless someone was especially outstanding or had better client resources, external recruitment was not considered.

However, Tang Yihui chose Tao Junhui, both because of his strong work ability and his powerful background. Qin Shi returned to the office to get her things. Wu Fei, flaunting, said she wanted to treat Qin Shi to a meal and thanked her for teaching her in the past. Qin Shi wasn’t angered by her words but felt upset upon seeing Tao Junhui at the firm, disrupting her work.

Tao Junhui questioned why Qin Shi, after breaking up with him two years ago, had immediately married someone else and even had a two-and-a-half-year-old "child. " Qin Shi didn’t want to discuss it further. Yang Hua, worried that Qin Shi might forget to eat lunch due to her busy work, prepared a loving lunch and brought it to her at the firm.

From Qin Shi, he learned that while he was drunk the night before, he hadn’t offended her and had only recited poetry, which put him at ease. Tang Yihui met with Qin Shi to comfort her, saying it was only a temporary grievance, and she hadn’t expected Wu Fei’s condition to be Tao Junhui. But Tang Yihui reminded Qin Shi that Wu Fei did all this just to target her.

Tang Yihui brought Qin Shi to intern on the eleventh floor to showcase her capabilities, and the condition was for Qin Shi to investigate why Tao Junhui came to Cheng & Hui. Qin Shi only had a three-month internship; whether she stayed or left after that would depend on her performance. Li Dai ultimately decided to leave the firm. She contacted Yang Hua to meet and told him she already knew about the fake marriage between him and Qin Shi.

Though she didn’t agree with Qin Shi’s approach, she admitted that Qin Shi was much braver than she was. But changing Cheng & Hui’s rules was hard to do alone—it required allies. Li Dai hoped Yang Hua could help Qin Shi. Qin Wenyu took over the company but hadn’t shown up for a month. Upon hearing the news, Ren Meimei happily returned to handle affairs, as she had been bored staying home for too long.

Episode 20 Recap

Qin Wenyu returned to the company, admitted his mistakes, and acknowledged that he couldn’t manage it. He handed the company back to Ren Meimei and said he would continue searching for a mission that suited him. That night, Yang Hua thought about what Li Dai had said and learned that Qin Shi wasn’t having an easy time at the firm. He hoped to use his intellect to help her more.

That evening, Yang Hua asked Qin Shi about her work, but she didn’t tell him about the grievances she’d suffered. Remembering what Li Dai had said, he helped her relax her shoulders and tried to ask about her stress, but Qin Shi didn’t say much about her job or colleagues. Regarding her efforts on the eleventh floor, she said it would take time to plan. Before Yang Hua could learn more, Qin Shi had already fallen asleep.

The next morning, Qin Shi’s mother called and said she didn’t care about anything else, but the wedding must meet her standards. Qin Shi planned to leave the wedding preparations to Ren Meimei, with both parties splitting the costs. Yang Hua wasn’t worried about the money and asked Qin Shi about her expectations for the wedding.

But due to her family situation, Qin Shi didn’t expect much—after all, her parents’ and brothers’ marriages hadn’t made her look forward to her own. Qin Shi believed that Yang Hua played a big role in helping her get to the eleventh floor, so she gave him a little turtle as a gift—to be a companion to his turtle, "Fortune God. " Yang Hua named the new turtle “Longevity Star,” but Qin Shi gave it a fancy name, “Fairy.

” Qin Shi handed the wedding preparations over to Yang Hua. Because Ren Meimei was in charge, she discussed the banquet and wedding matters with Yang Hua and his family. But Yang Hua’s family was very practical and rejected all of Ren Meimei’s suggestions. Yang Hua felt a wedding was just a formality and not worth spending too much on.

Ren Meimei complained to Qin Shi about it, but Qin Shi said to do whatever Yang Hua decided, leaving Ren Meimei speechless. Two weeks before the wedding, Qin Shi tried on her wedding dress accompanied by her elder brothers. Seeing her in a wedding dress, her eldest brother felt reluctant to let go. He hoped Yang Hua would love and protect Qin Shi, stay by her side always.

Yang Hua said he couldn’t shield Qin Shi from the wind and rain because she was the most outstanding, responsible, and courageous woman he knew. He could only be a good friend to her, as she was his mentor, and being her partner was his honor. Because of work and to avoid having her family crowd around taking pictures, Qin Shi took Yang Hua and secretly left.

The two took photos by the roadside with their phones to appease the family. Qin Shi had to rush back to the firm, and Yang Hua, wanting to help her, directly revealed that she was currently stationed in the records room of the eleventh floor. This made Qin Shi very upset, thinking Yang Hua didn’t understand law and couldn’t help her. She said she’d tell him next time when something happened.

Yang Hua was also angry, and the two parted unhappily. Qin Shi’s current daily job at the firm was to assist other departments, managing files and arranging meetings. She had no cases in hand. Even if she was brought to meetings, it was only to order food or run errands—she wasn’t involved in case discussions at all. Back home, she vented to Yang Hua, who said he didn’t understand law and couldn’t help, which angered Qin Shi even more.

Colleagues at the firm discussed how Qin Shi, now transferred from the Family Division to the Corporate Department, was having a rough time. Tao Junhui, seeing this, brought her to his office and asked if she wanted a case—the condition being that she kneel and beg. He said she was already shameless enough asking everyone to let her work on a case.

Since she could say no to him, why couldn’t she say no to others asking her to look up materials, book flights, and get takeout? Tao Junhui questioned how she could defend clients when she couldn’t even stand up for herself. Qin Shi reflected on her recent actions due to Tao Junhui’s words and saw the encouraging messages from Yang Hua.

To prank those who treated her like an assistant recently, she offered to take a colleague to the airport but deliberately sped up and overtook cars, making the coffee- and cake-holding colleague a mess. The next day, during the firm’s meeting, colleagues again asked Qin Shi to place orders, but this time she refused and actively participated in the discussion.

Episode 21 Recap

After the meeting, Tang Yihui congratulated Qin Shi on finally finding a way to survive on the eleventh floor. Tang Yihui originally wanted her to attend an event together, but Qin Shi declined due to her wedding. Under Ren Meimei’s arrangements, the wedding took place as scheduled. In front of friends and family, dressed in a beautiful gown, Qin Shi walked slowly toward Yang Hua accompanied by her father.

She had never imagined her wedding would start with a lie, but now it felt real. She was very nervous, and Yang Hua reassured her, promising to always stay by her side. They kissed under the blessings of family and friends and successfully completed the wedding. That night, back home, they calculated the red envelope gifts and found the money received exceeded their expenses. Both were happy. Qin Shi, while sorting her dowry, unexpectedly found a letter from her mother.

In it, her mother expressed joy that Qin Shi had found her own happiness and apologized for how her own marriage had affected her daughter. She had never worked outside since getting married, but this time she worked as a part-time cleaner to save up for Qin Shi’s dowry. She hoped her daughter would be happy and that in the future her family would no longer burden her. After reading the letter, Qin Shi cried uncontrollably.

Yang Hua came to comfort her, and the next morning they woke up awkwardly in the same bed. Qin Shi’s mother urged her father to sell their house and buy a new one. She wanted to move closer to Qin Shi and farther from Qin Wenyu’s mother upstairs. She even threatened divorce if he disagreed. Yang Hua, wanting to take responsibility for what happened that night, sincerely told Qin Shi he liked her and wanted to be her boyfriend.

Qin Shi was shocked he liked her too, and they confirmed their feelings with a kiss. Soon after, they both received phone calls from their parents. Yang Hua returned home only to be urged by his mother to have children. He replied, just as he and Qin Shi had planned, that since they weren’t young, they were already preparing for pregnancy—this made both parents very happy.

Qin Shi went to her mother, hugged her, and expressed her reliance on her, saying she would support all of her mother’s decisions. Though Qin Shi supported selling the house, she learned from her father that the house they currently lived in was actually owned by his ex-wife, Liu Yan. When he divorced Liu Yan, he left without taking anything.

Originally, they had planned to stay temporarily, but due to work and investment failures, they hadn’t saved up over the years. Qin Shi believed her mother had the right to know the debt situation, so she told her the truth. Her father admitted he still owed his ex-wife 80,000 and had 300,000 in savings meant for Qin Shi’s mother.

Her mother also understood that her husband had kept it from her to avoid worrying her, so she brought out her hidden stash of money to help him repay the debt. Her father thought he had appeased his wife, but her mother still insisted on moving, now more unwilling to live in the ex-wife’s house. Qin Shi couldn’t argue with that.

Wu Fei took Tao Junhui to see their future home, saying her parents would fully support them and he didn’t need to worry about the mortgage. But Tao Junhui felt too pressured after seeing the house and persuaded Wu Fei that they should buy a two-bedroom and rely on their own capabilities. Due to the housing dispute, Qin Shi’s parents were in a cold war.

Qin Shi supported her mother, so she planned to bring her mother to live in her own home and rent a place herself. But her mother didn’t want to affect Qin Shi and Yang Hua’s life. When Yang Hua learned about this, he also understood Qin Shi’s family situation. He persuaded her to delay the rental plan, saying he would go out and work to earn money for a new home, so they could move out together.

Wu Fei’s father introduced a client to Tao Junhui—a major client named Mr. Ding. Wu Fei reminded Tao Junhui to treat him well. As soon as Mr. Ding arrived at the firm, he ran into Qin Shi. They were old acquaintances—Qin Shi had handled his divorce case before, so they were quite familiar.

Episode 22 Recap

Mr. Ding came to the law firm this time for his daughter Fangfang. Although she has had a good job in recent years, her judgment in men has been poor. Therefore, he wants her to sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage, so he can rest assured as a father. The case is jointly handled by Tao Junhui and Qin Shi, which makes Wu Fei very upset upon hearing it. Tao Junhui explains that Mr.

Ding’s previous three divorce cases were all handled by Qin Shi, and since Qin Shi was the former head of the family law department, she has more experience with such cases. Though Wu Fei eventually agrees to let Qin Shi be the co-counsel, she insists on being involved in the case as well.

Qin Shi initially plans to talk to Ding Fangfang alone about the prenuptial agreement, but Wu Fei is dissatisfied with the arrangement and intends to go with Tao Junhui instead, leaving Qin Shi to wait for further work assignments. Qin Shi promptly calls Ding Fangfang to ask about her marriage, and they agree to meet for coffee. Yang Hua goes out to look for a job.

Although his education and experience meet the requirements, the recruiter refuses to hire him upon learning that he doesn't like social interaction. This frustrates Cai Liang, who complains that Yang Hua could at least pretend to be a sociable white-collar professional for the sake of the job. Yang Hua doesn't want to trouble his friend any further, but Cai Liang also doesn’t want to see his friend struggle.

He decides to refer Yang Hua to work at his own bank, but advises him to control his temper and avoid offending clients. Tao Junhui and Wu Fei ask Qi Dagang to investigate Ding Fangfang’s fiancé, Cao Yiren. They find out that Fangfang met Cao Yiren while studying in Canada. Cao Yiren is ten years older than her, has been divorced, and has a daughter. Meanwhile, Qin Shi also tries to learn about Cao Yiren from Fangfang.

Although Cao gave most of his assets to his ex-wife after their divorce, he started his own business after returning to China and raised over 100 million yuan in under a year. Moreover, Fangfang’s current home furnishing company was built thanks to Cao Yiren’s connections. Ding Fangfang strongly disagrees with her father’s views on marriage, but Cao Yiren is unlike any man she has ever met—he always supports and cares for her, and his career doesn't require her involvement.

Qin Shi advises that if she trusts in their love and Cao Yiren’s character, she can use that as a basis to negotiate with her father. Since both Cao and Mr. Ding are businessmen, they could become allies if they find common ground—and that common ground is Ding Fangfang. Yang Hua gets a lot of attention while eating at work.

When he asks Cai Liang about it, he learns that Cai Liang had concealed Yang Hua’s marital status when onboarding him, thinking it would help him blend in better and make his sales work easier. However, Yang Hua believes the workplace isn’t meant for making friends, so he publicly announces that he is married. Qin Shi invites Yang Hua to lunch and casually asks how to analyze true love from an economics perspective.

This "true love" refers to purely emotional love, without economic factors. Yang Hua analyzes that every decision in reality involves a degree of foresight—even if someone doesn’t care about a lover’s current material conditions, they will still hope that the person has a promising future. Such considerations are instinctive for survival, and love that defies instinct does not exist.

Wu Fei reviews Cao Yiren’s background and believes he is outstanding, thinking that Fangfang is the one "marrying up" and concludes they are truly in love. But Qin Shi argues that as lawyers, they cannot determine what true love is, and that prenuptial agreements protect assets, not emotions. Their job is simply to get Cao Yiren to sign the agreement. Since they’ve taken on this case, Qin Shi insists they must work hard on it.

Wu Fei doesn’t want Qin Shi involved, but Qin Shi’s few comments irritate Wu Fei so much that she storms out, leaving Tao Junhui helpless between the two women. Seeing Qi Dagang leaving Tao Junhui’s office, Qin Shi pulls him aside and proposes a collaboration after learning he offers information consulting services. Yang Hua avoids a female colleague’s advances at the office, but is soon falsely accused of pushing her over.

Fortunately, Cai Liang clears Yang Hua’s name using surveillance footage but also urges Yang Hua to treat colleagues more kindly. Yang Hua, however, turns around and reminds Cai Liang to always remember that he is married. Yang Hua fails to fit in at work—he refuses requests from colleagues, avoids social interactions, and even declines to work overtime. This frustrates Cai Liang.

Episode 23 Recap

Qin Shi’s mother brings her favorite food, pig brain, to visit her, but Qin Shi is working overtime. So, her mother makes the dish for Yang Hua instead. Though Yang Hua doesn’t like it, he praises it and eats it anyway. Learning that Yang Hua is proactively working and planning to buy a house makes Qin Shi’s mother very happy. She tells them to focus on work while she handles things at home.

Qin Shi confides in Tao Junhui that she has been striving for a position on the 11th floor for two years. Although Jin Cheng is her direct supervisor, she rarely gets to meet him. She wants to learn more and asks Tao Junhui to let her work on cases with him. Tao agrees but assigns her multiple contract disputes—logistics, construction, and equity—and demands she prepare analytical reports on them by the next day.

Tao Junhui has dinner with his mother, who asks about his house hunting. Tao says properties in good locations are too expensive and that he’s still looking. Tao’s mother regrets giving the house he and Qin Shi bought together to Qin Shi and advises him to keep his distance from her at the firm and to cherish Wu Fei, a girl from a good family with a kind nature.

Wu Fei’s father also wants her and Tao Junhui to sign a prenuptial agreement, but Wu Fei insists that she and Tao are truly in love and refuses. Mr. Wu immediately calls Tang Yihui, who had already anticipated Wu Fei’s reaction. Tang assures him that he will get the result he wants. Jin Cheng asks Tang about her plans for Qin Shi.

Tang replies that she’s not trying to suppress Qin Shi—just trying to discipline her before she formally enters the corporate department. Yang Hua prepares dinner and personally delivers it to Qin Shi at the firm. Tao Junhui returns to work and, seeing Qin Shi asleep from exhaustion, drapes his coat over her. Yang Hua happens to witness this as he arrives, wakes Qin Shi, and takes her away. On the way back, Yang Hua remains silent.

Sensing his displeasure, Qin Shi explains that Tao Junhui was transferred in and she never got the chance to tell him. Yang Hua feels sorry for Qin Shi, who now works in the archive room, believing all her suffering stems from hiding her ambition. Qin Shi disagrees but avoids arguing. She assures Yang Hua that she has no feelings for Tao Junhui anymore and is now focused solely on gaining more case experience.

Yang Hua is bothered that Tao Junhui still seems interested in Qin Shi and is even more upset when she acknowledges Tao’s excellence and pride. He consults his pet turtle to make a decision out of jealousy. Refusing to help Qin Shi with data analysis, he insists she choose between him and Tao Junhui to see who’s better. The next day, Yang Hua discusses this with Cai Liang at work but is shocked to see Qiu Jianxiang at the bank.

Cai Liang explains he didn’t mean to hide it—he only recently learned that Qiu Jianxiang was working with the bank. Concerned that Yang Hua might quit because of this, Cai is relieved when Yang Hua says he still plans to work for at least six months to save for a house.

Episode 24 Recap

Fangfang introduces her fiancé Cao Yiren to Wu Fei. Observing their interaction, Wu Fei sees that they are natural with each other, and notes that Fangfang has become more humble and considerate—thanks in part to Cao Yiren. Wu Fei concludes they are truly in love. Wu Fei also privately asks if Cao Yiren would sign a prenuptial agreement. Cao says he wouldn’t do it just to please Fangfang’s father, but if it makes Fangfang happy, he would gladly sign.

Meanwhile, Qi Dagang investigates Cao Yiren in secret. He finds no issues in his private life. Even when entertaining clients, Cao informs Fangfang or brings her along. The assistant attorney from the family law department discovers that Cao Yiren didn’t leave his previous marriage empty-handed. He didn’t work for the first three years after getting married, and even his investments came from his ex-wife. Cao’s own family background is average.

Although he’s smart, he only worked on Wall Street for a year before quitting to get married. The marriage ended because his business partner cheated with his wife, forcing him to divorce. Qin Shi believes Cao Yiren worked hard to rise in social class, but questions whether it’s a coincidence that both his ex-wife and current girlfriend come from wealthy or prestigious families.

Later, Qi Dagang obtains new evidence and gives it to Qin Shi, who then concludes that Cao is a professional “soft rice man”—a man who lives off rich women. She tells Tao Junhui, but Tao disagrees. He says that studying business inevitably involves dealing with wealthy people and that love is mutual. Moreover, Cao hasn’t actually married any of those wealthy women, so they have no right to judge from a moral high ground.

He reminds her that Cao will be coming to the firm that day, and their goal is to get him to sign the prenuptial agreement. Cai Liang investigates Tao Junhui for Yang Hua and finds that Tao is even more outstanding than expected. In college, Tao only had one relationship—with a junior—but Cai couldn’t identify who she was. Li Dai, acting as Cao Yiren’s lawyer, comes to Cheng & Hui.

She is now fully in charge of negotiating the prenuptial agreement between Cao and Fangfang. Li Dai is very familiar with Qin Shi’s legal style and knows Qin has already looked into Cao’s background and relationship history. She plays a recording of Cao saying he had no intention of remarrying until he met Fangfang, who made him abandon his previous beliefs.

After the meeting, Li Dai goes to Qin Shi’s office on the 11th floor and is surprised to find that Qin Shi has been relegated to working in the archive room. She mocks Qin Shi a bit, then invites her to lunch to discuss Cao Yiren. During the meal, Li Dai advises Qin Shi to drop the case, insisting Cao will never sign the agreement.

Qin Shi refuses to give up and doesn’t want to admit she’s being marginalized at Cheng & Hui. Through Li Dai, she learns that Yang Hua has been studying law on his own to support her, making her regret previously speaking harshly to him under the guise of professional authority. Yang Hua researches Fangyu Financial. When Cai Liang finds out, he warns Yang Hua to stay away.

Although Cai knows Yang Hua and Chairman Qiu have a history, Qiu now handles a project that the bank’s credit department values highly, making him a major client the bank cannot afford to offend. That evening, when Qin Shi returns home, she notices that Yang Hua is preoccupied. Despite her questions, Yang Hua says nothing, leaving Qin Shi troubled. Later that night, Yang Hua reflects on Qin Shi’s past with Tao Junhui and decides to talk to her properly.

Episode 25 Recap

Yang Hua hesitated repeatedly but ultimately knocked on Qin Shi’s door, intending to have a good talk with her. Yang Hua took the initiative to admit his mistake to Qin Shi, but also explained that his words and actions stemmed from jealousy toward Tao Junhui. He was jealous of Tao Junhui accompanying Qin Shi through seven years, sharing many unforgettable memories, and even of him having met Qin Shi earlier.

Qin Shi found this version of Yang Hua adorable and forgave him. The two embraced and let go of their burdens. Wu Fei brought Tao Junhui to visit Ding Fangfang, hoping to help him meet Cao Yiren and learn more about him in person. Upon meeting Cao Yiren, Tao Junhui introduced himself as a lawyer and Ding’s legal representative. He expressed that a prenuptial agreement was a fair option.

However, Cao Yiren stated he could give Fangfang the life she wanted through his own abilities, and that the one who truly needed a prenup was Ding, who had gone through multiple divorces—not Fangfang. Cao Yiren didn’t refuse to sign a prenup, but said he would do so only if Fangfang asked him to.

Tao Junhui thought it was unfair to make Fangfang choose between her fiancé and father, but Cao Yiren insisted on being the 20% important person in the “80/20 rule,” keeping the decision in his own hands. He also told Tao Junhui that marriage meant nothing to men. Qin Shi checked the company run by Cao Yiren and discovered its profit margin was extremely low, with returns only possible after long-term scaling.

Yang Hua commented that Cao Yiren’s company could operate without its own funds by packaging services into a financial product and utilizing bank credit products to generate profit. Yang Hua believed marriage was very important to men because the institution itself was a product of a patriarchal society, designed to ensure that men with greater social capital could pass down their wealth to their biological descendants.

As a man himself, Yang Hua felt that in today’s internet age, men no longer held absolute advantages and had nothing to be proud of. Watching Yang Hua speak so candidly, Qin Shi was moved and impulsively invited him to sleep beside her. Realizing what she said, she became embarrassed and tried to take it back, leaving Yang Hua disappointed.

On their way home, Wu Fei told Tao Junhui they could give up on the Ding Fangfang case, as she could persuade Ding to protect his assets in other ways. Tao Junhui, however, said Ding’s approach fundamentally reflected a lack of trust. In front of him, Wu Fei firmly stated she absolutely trusted him. Tao Junhui said if Wu Fei’s father asked them to sign a prenup, she could just hand it to him.

Wu Fei lied, saying no such thing happened. Qin Shi messaged Tao Junhui, asking him to investigate the background and financing of the Guangxia Haozu product from Cao Yiren’s company. Yang Hua eventually entered Qin Shi’s bedroom, and Qin Shi tacitly allowed them to share the bed. Qin Shi recalled Li Dai’s words and asked Yang Hua why he wanted to study law to help her. Yang Hua said he didn’t need a reason to help her.

When he asked why she liked him, Qin Shi replied that his heart was pure and simple, and just maintaining such sincerity and kindness was already admirable. Hearing Qin Shi’s affirmation made Yang Hua very happy, and the two finally fell asleep in each other’s arms. Wu Fei’s father approached her for a talk. He had investigated Tao Junhui and Qin Shi’s past and noticed from President Lan’s case that Tao Junhui was someone who prioritized career over personal ties.

Wu Fei knew her father wanted Tao Junhui to sign a prenup, but she firmly opposed it. Her father handed her a folder of materials and told her to look it over and then talk to him again. The next morning, after arriving at work, Yang Hua found Cai Liang and told him that the Fangyu Financial project shouldn’t go forward.

Cai Liang believed it was a mature product from a seasoned financial company and not their core business, so Yang Hua shouldn’t interfere. But Yang Hua insisted their job was to act in the client’s best interest and not turn a blind eye. Just then, he received a call from Lao Zhou, who wanted to learn more about the Songjiang Tri-Supply trust product. Yang Hua directly advised Lao Zhou against it, warning that the product was risky.

Wu Fei eventually opened the folder her father gave her and saw photos of Tao Junhui and Qin Shi. Seeing Tao Junhui’s affectionate gaze toward Qin Shi in the pictures made her furious. Tao Junhui brought an environmental monitoring report of business apartments operated by Cao Yiren’s company and stated that over twenty of them had excessive formaldehyde levels. This wasn’t just an isolated incident.

Episode 26 Recap

Cao Yiren said the problems wouldn’t affect him much if handled properly, but Tao Junhui exposed that his partners and investors didn’t know about it. Tao Junhui’s investigation revealed that Cao Yiren’s leverage was already at a warning level, and even a slight increase in the vacancy rate could lead to a financial collapse. Marrying Ding Fangfang would allow him to leverage Ding’s financial influence and resources to change the situation.

With everything laid out, Tao Junhui told Cao Yiren to come to the law firm that afternoon to sign the prenup and suggested he take his time to decide. Previously, Wu Fei had brought the photos to Tang Yihui, accusing her of being despicable for accepting her father’s request to monitor Tao Junhui. But Tang Yihui explained that Mr. Wu was simply concerned for his daughter and wanted to understand Tao Junhui’s character.

She added that the security camera on the eleventh floor had always been there, and one’s actions or inactions depended on themselves. She reasoned that Tao Junhui’s attitude toward Qin Shi was understandable and advised Wu Fei not to be jealous. She told Wu Fei that the secret to a happy marriage was not expecting anyone to love you more than your parents do—only you can bring yourself happiness.

Then, she handed Wu Fei the prenuptial agreement and told her to use it to see if Tao Junhui truly loved her. As Qin Shi was asking Tao Junhui about Cao Yiren and Ding Fangfang’s prenuptial agreement, Wu Fei arrived in a fury. Qin Shi quickly stepped aside. Wu Fei remembered Tang Yihui’s words and handed the agreement to Tao Junhui. Without hesitation, he agreed to sign it.

But Wu Fei tearfully said the agreement was unfair, that Tao Junhui shouldn’t be soft-hearted, and shouldn’t be kind to everyone. In contrast to Wu Fei’s emotional outburst, Tao Junhui remained calm, saying that life was bound to have disappointments. He didn’t care what others thought—only Wu Fei’s opinion mattered. Due to Yang Hua’s words, Lao Zhou abandoned the bank’s investment project, which infuriated Manager Jia, as the bank lost a high-value client because of Yang Hua.

Yang Hua stood firm, saying he acted only in the client’s interest. Manager Jia said the bank could no longer keep him and asked him to leave. Without hesitation, Yang Hua went home. When he got home, Yang Hua found the kitchen in a mess. Qin Shi had wanted to cook for him, but her cooking skills failed her. In the end, they ordered takeout.

Yang Hua had always taken care of Qin Shi, so she wanted to return the favor during a work break. Qin Shi didn’t want Yang Hua to give up his career for the family—she hoped they could both become better versions of themselves and supported all of his decisions. Li Dai delivered Cao Yiren’s signed prenuptial agreement to the Cheng & Hui Law Firm and casually told Qin Shi that Cao Yiren had met with President Ding before signing it.

Because of this, Qin Shi approached Tang Yihui, believing they were being taken advantage of in this case and felt manipulated. Tang Yihui, after hearing Qin Shi’s reflections upon reaching the eleventh floor, made three rules for her: she could not make arbitrary decisions, could not conceal any information related to the firm’s interests, and must not shirk responsibility in assigned tasks. Qin Shi was helping the public with legal aid in a plaza.

After finishing, she was about to find Yang Hua but unexpectedly learned he had been dismissed. After hearing his explanation, Qin Shi took him back to the bank and confronted Manager Jia. She cited labor laws and asked him which rule Yang Hua had violated. Manager Jia couldn’t give a specific answer. Qin Shi declared herself a senior lawyer from Cheng & Hui and told Manager Jia he had no right to bully someone close to her.

Because of Qin Shi’s fierce defense, Yang Hua felt deeply moved. Later, Qin Shi, Yang Hua, and Cai Liang went out for dinner. During the meal, Cai Liang told Qin Shi about Yang Hua’s past with Qiu Jianxiang. Yang Hua had impressed Qiu during a competition and followed him to Canada, where he became a fund manager two years later.

Episode 27 Recap

Cai Liang told Qin Shi that Yang Hua was once the youngest and most high-performing fund manager in Qiu Jianxiang’s team. If not for the incident with “Yongli No. 21,” Yang Hua would’ve become the king of the fund world. Tao Junhui and Wu Fei had a family dinner with both sets of parents. Wu Fei’s parents gifted them a wedding apartment and wanted to finalize the wedding plans.

Tao Junhui’s mother had no objection and asked her son for his thoughts. Tao Junhui said he had no objections and would follow Wu Fei’s wishes. After returning home, Tao’s mother asked if he had had a fight with Wu Fei, as he seemed preoccupied. She then learned that they had signed a prenup. While she didn’t oppose the agreement, she said money wasn’t important—what mattered most was her son’s happiness.

After dinner with Cai Liang, Qin Shi and Yang Hua headed home. On the way, Qin Shi said she believed Yang Hua wasn’t at fault for the failure of Yongli No. 21. But Yang Hua insisted he was the actual handler and believed that making mistakes wasn’t scary—it only showed he had room to improve. Mistakes and failures bring experience; what’s truly frightening is the human heart, jealousy, and greed.

Yang Hua had once been admired by many, but eventually realized he was nothing. Qin Shi comforted him, promising to always stay by his side. Qin Shi suddenly received a distress call from Qin Wenyu. When she arrived at his home, she found Ren Meimei threatening to jump off the building.

After calming her down, Qin Shi learned that Qin Wenyu had drugged her, hoping to get her pregnant because his mother promised to give him a sports car if he had a child. Ren Meimei was furious, but Qin Wenyu revealed the agreement between her and his mother—if she had a child, she would receive 20% of the company’s shares. Seeing they were scheming against each other, Qin Shi brought out a divorce agreement and urged them to sign it.

Unexpectedly, Qin Wenyu quickly signed and expressed his long-suppressed grievances. Always caught between his excellent older brother and sister, he felt useless, and the constant presence of a divorce agreement from his wife made him feel worthless. Ren Meimei felt sorry for him, and after a brief emotional exchange, they both apologized—giving up the car and shares—and quickly made up.

The next morning, Yang Hua brought snacks to Cai Liang and apologized for the pressure he had caused him over the years. Cai Liang was flattered and surprised. He said the bank president had asked about Yang Hua, and it was likely that Yang Hua would be promoted to Director of the Investment Department.

Yang Hua later found out that Qiu Jianxiang had been prosecuted for illegal benefit transfers, and his colleagues at the bank, now seeing him in a new light, wanted to mend their relationship with him. Lao Qiao came to inform Qin Shi that Lawyer Zhang from the firm would be on a business trip to Wuhan next week, so she could move into Zhang’s vacated office.

From Lao Qiao, she also learned that the current star at the firm was He Dongna, who was demanding a public apology and compensation from Tianhang Hotel for evicting her. If the hotel didn’t apologize within three days, she planned to sue. Qin Shi had looked into the matter and suspected He Dongna had come through another connection, as Tang Yihui would normally not take on such a case.

Lao Qiao told her that He Dongna was a friend of the CEO of Ximei PR. Qin Shi guessed this was a case Wu arranged for Tao Junhui. Tang Yihui assigned a large legal team, including Tao Junhui, to He Dongna, which puzzled Qin Shi. Lao Qiao then revealed the real reason: He Dongna’s husband was Hu Ping, a venture capital boss who made his fortune through financial investments.

Tang Yihui’s true intention in prioritizing the case was likely because of Hu Ping. Qin Shi believed the case’s high media exposure could be a great opportunity to gain fame—and that was exactly what she needed.

Episode 28 Recap

Lao Jin had to rush on a business trip due to a case, but Tang Yihui wanted him to meet with Hu Ping because the firm couldn't find a suitable person to discuss investment matters with Hu Ping. After all, Tang Yihui was eager for Cheng & Hui to secure financing and go public. After thinking it over, Tang Yihui suddenly remembered someone who might be able to help.

Tang Yihui found Qin Shi and hoped Yang Hua could step in, as she believed Yang Hua worked in investment banking abroad. Qin Shi was worried Yang Hua’s cover might be blown and initially wanted to decline. But upon hearing that Tang Yihui wanted her and Tao Junhui to handle He Dongna’s case together, she was tempted and agreed. Qin Wenyu and Ren Meimei planned to go on a trip and wanted his mother to temporarily take over the company.

However, when Qin Wenyu’s mother learned they were going on vacation instead of planning to have a child, she became instantly displeased. At the bank, a female colleague asked Yang Hua for help, hoping he could take her to the investment department. Yang Hua bluntly refused. The colleague revealed that she knew Yang Hua had been the fund manager responsible for the failure of the Yongli No. 21 investment.

She tried to threaten him with this, but Yang Hua, unfazed, simply walked away. Li Dai, acting as Qiu Jianxiang’s attorney, asked him about the sell-off involving the fund he managed. Qiu Jianxiang denied any conflict of interest with the other fund and insisted he never took bribes or did anything foolish. He stated that all his decisions were based on his own judgment.

Perhaps only one person in the world understood his actions, but that person likely wouldn’t help him. Qin Shi and Yang Hua dressed up for the banquet, only to find it was a large event. Tang Yihui, upon seeing them, told them to make a good impression that evening. After she left, Qin Shi grew nervous about Yang Hua being exposed, but Yang Hua remained calm and composed.

He comforted Qin Shi and took the initiative to greet the businesspeople at the event. Meanwhile, He Dongna arrived late and told Tang Yihui that her husband couldn’t make it due to other commitments. However, the deputy general manager who came in his place was in charge of many investment projects. To Yang Hua’s surprise, it was Vice President Wang, an old acquaintance. Confronted with him, Yang Hua couldn’t hide his anger and found an excuse to leave.

Qin Shi, under the pretext of Qiu Jianxiang returning to China, asked VP Wang about the past. He explained that Yongli No. 21 was the most well-known fund of Hengli back then, and the most brilliant fund manager was Yang Hua. Wu Fei speculated that Yang Hua was the one responsible for the failure of the fund. Yang Hua called Qin Shi and said he couldn’t help her this time—he had already left.

Concerned, Qin Shi informed Tang Yihui and left to look for him. She eventually found the dejected Yang Hua by the roadside. He broke down in tears and hugged her silently. Qin Shi then took him to a small spicy hot pot place near her university to cheer him up with her favorite food.

Wu Fei was delighted to see Yang Hua flee the banquet and deliberately asked VP Wang about the past, learning that Yang Hua left Hengli right after the incident. This confirmed for her that Yang Hua had indeed been the fund manager at the heart of the crisis. Unable to reach Yang Hua, Li Dai went directly to his home.

Episode 29 Recap

Wu Fei suspected Yang Hua never actually worked in investment banking after leaving Hengli and accused him of lying. What she didn’t know was that Tao Junhui had already investigated Yang Hua when he first learned of his existence. Knowing Wu Fei hadn’t eaten much that evening, Tao Junhui suggested they go for dinner.

They ended up at the same spicy hot pot place near the university and coincidentally ran into Qin Shi and Yang Hua, who had just finished eating. Wu Fei took the opportunity to taunt Qin Shi, asking if she knew what VP Wang had revealed about Yang Hua. Qin Shi wasn’t interested. At that moment, the hot pot shop owner accidentally spilled a tray, and Tao Junhui burned his hand protecting Qin Shi.

Qin Shi kindly offered to take him to the hospital, but Wu Fei rejected her help outright and warned her to stay away from Tao Junhui. On the way home, Yang Hua admitted that Tao Junhui was a good man and said if Qin Shi wanted to return to him, they could divorce. Yang Hua also worried that people at the firm might begin to question his resume after tonight’s incident.

But Qin Shi said it was her fault—she had selfishly dragged Yang Hua to a social event in pursuit of her ambitions, resulting in him facing someone he didn’t want to see. Yang Hua confessed he wasn’t angry but had come to realize he was a coward. Wu Fei took Tao Junhui home, worried about his burned right hand and how it might affect the wedding. She offered to stay and take care of him.

Tao Junhui then suggested postponing the wedding, saying he wanted to buy a home on his own to give her a proper family. Wu Fei thought he was upset about the prenuptial agreement and said she didn’t care about any material things—she only cared about him. She didn’t want Qin Shi to remain at Cheng & Hui, as she could tell Tao Junhui still cared about Qin Shi even though she was married.

Wu Fei couldn’t accept Tao Junhui’s kindness toward Qin Shi. Yang Hua told Qin Shi that in his youth, he was arrogant and dismissive of others. Wang Jason had been Qiu Jianxiang’s favorite fund manager and had long planned to succeed him, but Yang Hua’s arrival disrupted those plans. Hai Bo Biotech was not a stock he and Qiu Jianxiang had intended to pick, but the fund’s fundamentals were very good.

After the failure, Yang Hua investigated and found irregularities in stock transactions. Wang Jason knew everything but told Yang Hua not to speak up—he’d handle it with the board. To this day, Yang Hua still doesn’t understand why Qiu Jianxiang betrayed him. After returning from Canada, Yang Hua diligently searched for jobs but was turned down by every company. Facing setbacks, he fell into despair.

After six months, Yang Hua’s mother pushed him to go job hunting, and only then did he start trading stocks from home. Seeing Yang Hua so defeated, Qin Shi comforted him, saying it’s okay to fall—whether he chooses to stand up or lie low, she’ll be by his side. They would face difficulties together. Moved by her words, Yang Hua teared up and embraced her. The next morning, Qin Shi prepared breakfast and left for work.

Noticing Yang Hua still looked gloomy, she called Cai Liang and asked him to look after him. Yang Hua’s father came by early and mentioned that Li Dai had come the night before. She hoped Yang Hua could set aside his grievances and help his mentor Qiu Jianxiang. But Yang Hua’s mother blamed Qiu Jianxiang for ruining her son, making him unwilling to work for four years. Yang Hua’s father said he believed Yang Hua should help.

Life isn’t just about winning—it’s also about enduring setbacks. A happy life requires one to learn to forgive. After all, forgiving others is also forgiving oneself. Yao Yao, who was the duty manager at the hotel the night He Dongna checked in, came to the firm to clarify the facts. According to Yao Yao, when the bathroom glass broke, He Dongna wasn’t in the shower.

It wasn’t the hotel that forced her to leave—He Dongna insisted on leaving and even refused help getting to the hospital. Yao Yao said the hotel was willing to settle the dispute but would also provide evidence to clarify things if needed. Regarding He Dongna’s case, Tao Junhui and others reported their findings to Tang Yihui. They discovered Yao Yao’s employment history showed no major issues, so getting the hotel to fire her wouldn’t be easy.

Wu Fei wanted to pressure the hotel through public opinion, but Tao Junhui urged caution. Public opinion is a double-edged sword—without evidence, it could backfire. After the meeting, Wu Fei scolded Tao Junhui for opposing her in public. She cared only about Tianhang Hotel’s reputation and not the truth. Qin Shi had just moved into a new office and overheard Wu Fei and Tao Junhui’s conversation. Tang Yihui came by to congratulate her and took the opportunity to ask for help.

Episode 30 Recap

Wang Jason joined Cheng & Hui for project evaluation. Tang Yihui instructed Lao Qiao to assist with administrative and financial matters, while Qin Shi would handle operations and legal coordination. Qin Shi led Wang Jason to the meeting room, and when he asked about Yang Hua, she politely declined to discuss personal matters at work. Wang Jason inquired about Cheng & Hui’s case selection criteria, and Qin Shi bluntly said it all depended on money.

Speaking about He Dongna’s case, she said the firm wasn’t making money from it. The firm safeguarded fairness, not justice. Clients could be good or bad, victims or perpetrators—a lawyer’s job was to protect their basic rights. Wang Jason invited Qin Shi to lunch alone, but she made up an excuse to decline. Yang Hua visited Qiu Jianxiang in prison, asking why he had instructed him to invest heavily in Hai Bo Biotech and whether he profited from it.

Qiu Jianxiang firmly denied ever touching money he shouldn’t have. Yang Hua left after hearing this, without committing to helping him, which left Li Dai frustrated. Li Dai asked Qin Shi for help. Since she had helped keep Yang Hua’s resume and their marriage a secret, Qin Shi agreed. At home, she told Yang Hua that she met Wang Jason at the firm—he was there on behalf of President Hu.

Yang Hua warned her that Wang Jason was manipulative and advised her to keep her distance. Yang Hua felt he was no longer much help, but Qin Shi said she liked that he had stayed true to himself. The next day, Qin Shi ran into Tao Junhui as he headed out to investigate the case. Seeing his injured right hand, she offered to drive.

Meanwhile, Wang Jason came looking for Qin Shi, only to find Lao Qiao had been assigned to receive him—this greatly displeased him. Overhearing Tao Junhui and Wu Fei’s argument, he claimed he wanted to repay their kindness by helping Tao Junhui investigate the case. Qin Shi believed both Yao Yao and He Dongna had reasons to lie, and that third-party evidence was key.

Qin Shi went undercover to inspect Tianhang Hotel and video-called Tao Junhui to show him the condition of the room. After checking, she reported that there were no surveillance cameras in the room and no additional evidence from staff or security. Meanwhile, Wu Fei contacted He Dongna to ask if she had any witnesses to confirm her story. He Dongna agreed to provide them.

Back at the firm, Tao Junhui saw his friend Gang Zi, who revealed Wu Fei had asked him to investigate Yang Hua. He handed over Yang Hua’s records, confirming he had been unemployed for the past four years. Tao Junhui told Gang Zi to keep it secret, especially from Wu Fei. Qin Shi got a special spice pack from the hot pot shop auntie to make a non-spicy version for Yang Hua at home.

Yang Hua asked about Hu Ping’s investment, knowing that failure might affect Qin Shi’s future as a partner. When Qin Shi brought up Li Dai’s request for Yang Hua to help Qiu Jianxiang, she instead advised him not to do it. Unexpectedly, Yang Hua said he was the best person for the job. Qin Shi promised to support him no matter what he chose and encouraged him to follow his heart.

She reminded him they should speak out and resist injustice. When Yang Hua questioned her motives, Qin Shi confessed she was trying to persuade him because of Li Dai’s request. After returning to work, Yang Hua told Cai Liang that he didn’t plan to join the investment department—he just wanted to remain a junior employee. Cai Liang was disappointed, thinking it was a missed opportunity for both of them.

Wu Fei stormed in and accused Qin Shi of investigating her client. Tao Junhui stepped in, explaining that he had asked Qin Shi to do it. Wu Fei called Qin Shi despicable for using Tao Junhui to win the case. As the two women began arguing, Tao Junhui quickly pulled Wu Fei away.

Episode 31 Recap

Tao Junhui brought Wu Fei to his office and explained to her that a strategy meant to avoid mistakes could lead to uncontrollable consequences. It was also for the benefit of their client He Dongna. They currently had no evidence, and being overly hasty would only cause bigger problems. For that reason, Tao Junhui pointed out that the third-party witness suggested by Wu Fei—President Duan—had a questionable character, which was well known in the industry.

If they proceeded with a lawsuit, it would be an unfavorable situation for them, and settling out of court would be best. Tang Yihui called in He Dongna to discuss the case. He Dongna insisted on not accepting any form of settlement, even if Tao Junhui produced surveillance footage from the Tianhang Hotel. She still refused reconciliation and insisted on filing the lawsuit immediately.

She also said it wasn’t her who wanted to sue; it was Tianhang Hotel who insisted on going to court. Old Qiao told Wang Jason all about Qin Shi’s work and family situation, which made Qin Shi very troubled. Old Qiao believed Wang Jason was an ally, especially since he was evaluating Cheng & Hui for a potential investment. But Qin Shi said the law firm might not even take on He Dongna’s case, and Mr.

Hu might not invest in Cheng & Hui either. Coincidentally, Wang Jason came to see Qin Shi. She originally wanted Old Qiao to continue dealing with him, but Wang Jason said this was a personal matter. After Old Qiao left, Wang Jason asked Qin Shi why she seemed hostile toward him and expressed a desire to have an honest conversation.

Qin Shi straightforwardly asked whether it was Qiu Jianxiang who had pushed Yang Hua to invest in Haibo Biotech and why, despite promising to testify for Yang Hua, all the blame was eventually shifted onto him. Wang Jason bluntly stated that even if they had protected Yang Hua back then, nothing would have changed. Fund managers like them relied on Qiu Jianxiang to survive, and safeguarding Qiu Jianxiang meant better career prospects.

Yang Hua failed so badly back then because he didn’t understand the unspoken rules of the industry. Though Wang Jason wasn’t proud of what they did, he wouldn’t have made a different choice. After reminiscing about the past, Wang Jason invited Qin Shi to dinner again, but she saw no need. Wang Jason couldn’t understand why Qin Shi would package someone unemployed as a career elite and lie about being married with children abroad.

He was confused and even planned to ask Tang Yihui about it. To avoid exposure, Qin Shi explained that he misunderstood her and reluctantly agreed to have dinner with him. Tao Junhui no longer wanted to represent He Dongna in the case, but Wu Fei refused to give up and told him that Tang Yihui had promised her that if Tao Junhui handled the case well, he could directly become a law firm partner.

Meanwhile, Tang Yihui revealed the deal between her and Wu Fei to Qin Shi and mentioned that Wu Fei had even asked Qin Shi to leave the firm. Though Tang Yihui didn’t want to lose such a valuable asset over He Dongna’s case, considering the backing of Mr. Wu behind He Dongna, she let Qin Shi interact with Wang Jason to deal with Wu Fei.

Tang Yihui also secretly informed Qin Shi that He Dongna was preparing for a divorce, so her case would not directly affect Mr. Hu’s investment in the firm. Yang Hua prepared to testify in court for Qiu Jianxiang. Qin Shi reminded him of important details and worried that he might be nervous on the stand. Yang Hua analyzed Qiu Jianxiang’s investment behavior based on the information he had and answered the judge’s questions.

When Qiu Jianxiang left, he expressed his gratitude to Yang Hua. Elsewhere, Yao Yao, representing the hotel side, was slandered and unable to provide solid evidence. When Li Dai and Yang Hua saw her appear in court, they helped her leave to avoid being surrounded by reporters at the courthouse entrance. Seeing Yao Yao again, Yang Hua couldn’t help but recall the past—Yao Yao had broken up with him because he was moving to Canada for work.

Yang Hua later accompanied Li Dai to the hospital to visit Qiu Jianxiang, who was admitted due to a heart attack, and informed her that he suspected Qiu Jianxiang might have Alzheimer’s. Qin Shi met Wang Jason alone. Under his questioning, she explained that she lied because of work. Wang Jason admired her ambition and capability, saying she didn’t need to settle for the 11th floor of Cheng & Hui.

Once his assessment of Cheng & Hui was done, his next assignment would be in Zurich, and he invited her to go with him. Qin Shi declined with a gentle excuse. The hospital confirmed that Qiu Jianxiang indeed had Alzheimer’s. Yang Hua had accurately guessed this from Qiu Jianxiang’s behavior. Yang Hua believed that for Qiu Jianxiang, work always came before family and children.

Qin Shi returned to the office in a fury after hearing from Wang Jason that Yang Hua was once almost Qiu Jianxiang’s son-in-law, and that back then, Yang Hua wasn’t single and even had a childhood sweetheart. This made her very angry. The Cheng & Hui team celebrated a major victory in He Dongna’s case. Li Dai told Qin Shi they had run into Yao Yao at the courthouse and that Tianhang Hotel had abandoned her. She also noted that Yang Hua and Yao Yao seemed to share a close connection.

Episode 32 Recap

Li Dai told Qin Shi that she had asked Qiu Jianxiang about blacklisting Yang Hua in the financial circle, but he didn’t admit it. Li Dai suspected someone had used the past to target Yang Hua on purpose. Wang Jason found Qin Shi and said Mr. Hu had handed over the Cheng & Hui investment project to him, so he now had the final say.

He asked Qin Shi to seriously consider his suggestion and accompany him to the Hangzhou branch for an inspection, making his intentions obvious. In an attempt to please Wu Fei, an assistant lawyer from the Family Department secretly took intimate photos of Qin Shi and Wang Jason and sent them to Wu Fei, who then forwarded them to Yang Hua.

Tao Junhui also happened to witness the intimate moment between Qin Shi and Wang Jason and later privately confronted Qin Shi, accusing her of losing all principles for money and status. He asked when she was getting divorced from Yang Hua, and said Yang Hua’s background was completely fabricated. Realizing Tao Junhui had uncovered the truth, Qin Shi quickly pulled him into her office to explain everything.

Tao Junhui disdained the lie and how it allowed Wang Jason to take advantage. Qin Shi candidly admitted her ambition, saying she wanted to become a law firm partner and a winner in life so she could live the life she wanted, free from others’ judgment. Tao Junhui advised her that this was just a job and not worth sacrificing herself. He also warned her to stay away from Wang Jason.

Yang Hua saw the photos but didn’t suspect Qin Shi. Instead, he rushed to pick her up from work and prepared her favorite hotpot. Qin Shi asked him about his relationship with Yao Yao. Yang Hua, remembering Cai Liang’s advice, did not admit that Yao Yao was an ex-girlfriend—he only said they were childhood friends. Yang Hua’s father also found out about Yao Yao and called to remind him to properly explain things to Qin Shi.

Yang Hua didn’t know how to explain, and Qin Shi, sensing his attitude, grew more upset. The next day, Yang Hua and Cai Liang discussed Qin Shi and Wang Jason. Yang Hua knew Qin Shi would never fall for someone like Wang Jason, but he was still concerned about the intentions behind sending the photos. Qin Shi eventually agreed to accompany Wang Jason to the Hangzhou branch, which worried Tao Junhui.

When he tried to persuade her otherwise, she refused, citing work reasons. A hotel staff member, unwilling to speak up for Yao Yao out of self-interest, came to her privately to apologize. But Yao Yao said that compromising doesn’t necessarily bring the results they want. A guest live-streamed a suicide attempt at the hotel, and Yao Yao took charge of the emergency. She instructed staff to quickly locate the guest’s room and triggered the fire alarm to evacuate the hotel.

During the evacuation, they found the suicidal guest, but the guest became agitated, lashed out at Yao Yao, and even pulled out a knife. Yang Hua received a message claiming that Qin Shi was cheating on him that day. He and Cai Liang rushed to Hangzhou to find her. Tao Junhui, worried about Qin Shi, also searched the hotel and law firm but couldn’t find her. He eventually called Yang Hua for help.

Cai Liang unexpectedly learned that someone had been injured at the hotel where Yao Yao worked—and it was Yao Yao. Faced with Qin Shi being unreachable and his ex-girlfriend injured, Yang Hua ultimately chose to return to Shanghai. Wu Fei’s father told her that He Dongna was in the middle of a divorce with Mr. Hu, something Tang Yihui likely already knew and might have even reached an agreement with Wang Jason about.

Wu Fei sneaked into Qin Shi’s office looking for related agreements and accidentally found the marriage contract between Qin Shi and Yang Hua on her computer. Tao Junhui found the hotel where Qin Shi and Wang Jason were staying. He intended to rescue Qin Shi, only to find her standing right behind him. Meanwhile, Wang Jason thought the woman in his room was Qin Shi—but it turned out to be He Dongna.

Episode 33 Recap

He Dongna found out that Wang Jason had fallen for Qin Shi and furiously scolded him. Just then, President Hu arrived to catch them in the act. He told He Dongna that the divorce agreement would be delivered to her office the next day, and that he would have custody of their child. Because of Qin Shi's cooperation, President Hu decided to meet with Tang Yihui in person the next day to discuss the investment.

It turned out that when Lawyer Liang informed Tang Yihui and others that He Dongna was preparing to divorce President Hu, he also revealed the affair between He Dongna and Wang Jason. However, President Hu and He Dongna could never agree on the division of assets, and their child also had autism. President Hu didn’t want to divorce through litigation for fear it would negatively affect the child, so he orchestrated everything in hopes of resolving the divorce discreetly.

Qin Shi learned that Tao Junhui had spent the whole afternoon looking for her and thanked him specially. Tao Junhui suddenly hugged her and advised her to use her brain more and stop taking on everything. Wu Fei found out that Tao Junhui had gone to Hangzhou to look for Qin Shi. Concerned, she called him, but Tao Junhui didn’t reveal his whereabouts, leaving Wu Fei very disappointed. Gang Zi, under Tao Junhui’s orders, drove Qin Shi back to Shanghai.

On the way, he told Qin Shi that they had informed Yang Hua about her situation, but surprisingly, Yang Hua wasn’t at all worried about his wife’s safety. When Qin Shi got home, she found Yang Hua with an injury on his forehead and showed concern. She questioned why he hadn’t cared about her or worried about her safety. Yang Hua explained that he trusted Qin Shi wouldn't betray him for work and believed in her principles.

Seeing how calm and composed Yang Hua was, without the slightest sign of worry, Qin Shi said nothing but was clearly dissatisfied. Yang Hua’s father criticized him for being foolish upon hearing his son's actions. He said that even people as strong as warriors have soft spots. When a powerful woman suddenly acts spoiled and willful in front of someone, it means she trusts and relies on that person.

He told Yang Hua that instead of praising how amazing Qin Shi was, he should make her feel comfortable enough to be her true self around him. Following his father’s advice, Yang Hua prepared a gift to cheer Qin Shi up. Yao Yao was praised by hotel management for her decisive handling of a client suicide incident and was promised a reward. The hotel also found dashcam footage that could clear her name in the He Dongna case.

However, Yao Yao resented management’s inconsistency—making staff lie in court and tolerating sexual harassment from VIP guests. She demanded a public apology and submitted her resignation, stating she would wait for the apology. Old Qiao informed Qin Shi that Tang Yihui had arranged a personal car for her and even gave her a bonus of 100,000 yuan.

Puzzled, Qin Shi found out that Yang Hua had been so desperate to find her that he got into an accident and went to the law firm to ask about her. He even handed over all the evidence of Wang Jason’s profiteering from Yongli No. 21 to President Jin, asking him to forward it to President Hu. President Jin sighed, saying the couple had gone through a lot for each other.

Qin Shi had originally agreed to help President Hu just to ensure Wang Jason would be blacklisted from the financial industry. Cai Liang was blaming Yang Hua for the car accident when Qin Shi arrived and gave him the bonus she received from Tang Yihui to make up for his loss. Qin Shi questioned Yang Hua about not telling her he went to Hangzhou and even got into a car accident, and about involving President Jin.

Yang Hua said it was simply something he ought to do. Unable to contain her emotions, Qin Shi kissed Yang Hua in public to express her feelings. Cai Liang took the couple out for a celebratory meal. Yang Hua gave Qin Shi a custom pen as a gift, wishing her great success in signing more contracts in the future.

President Jin handed the Tianhang Hotel merger case to Qin Shi, making her the lead and letting her choose her own team. Qin Shi chose Tao Junhui as her co-counsel, and he didn’t refuse. Wu Fei confronted Tao Junhui about his trip to Hangzhou to "save the damsel in distress" and questioned why he lied. Tao Junhui didn’t want to discuss it at the firm, but Wu Fei wanted to leave Cheng & Hui with him.

Seeing his silence, Wu Fei stormed off in anger. Tao Junhui later told Qin Shi he wanted to back out of being her co-counsel, which made her furious. She said she picked him because of his experience with mergers. Due to Wu Fei’s mishandling of the He Dongna case, Tang Yihui was dissatisfied with Wu Fei, which could drag Tao Junhui down as well. Qin Shi urged him to think rationally.

She needed to present a career-defining case from the 11th floor to become a partner and wanted to change the unfair promotion practices toward single female lawyers. For her dream, Tao Junhui agreed to help her. Qin Shi led a team meeting to discuss the Tianhang merger. Tang Yihui wanted Yang Hua, with his finance background, to help, but Qin Shi rejected the offer. Tao Junhui suggested starting the investigation with the data Yao Yao handled.

Episode 34 Recap

President Yin of Tianhang Hotel visited Yao Yao to offer a special reward. He also said that He Dongna had withdrawn her lawsuit and was willing to publicly clear Yao Yao’s name and apologize in person. But Yao Yao refused to reconcile with someone who once betrayed her and told President Yin that if the hotel truly wanted her to stay, he should resign to take responsibility.

Because Yao Yao was critical to the merger, Qin Shi decided to visit her personally. At home, she told Yang Hua about her plan and took the opportunity to ask about his past with Yao Yao. Yang Hua explained they grew up together in the alley and dated in college before losing touch. Qin Shi grew increasingly jealous the more she asked.

Qin Shi and Tao Junhui met with Yao Yao, but she didn’t want to endorse the hotel due to President Yin’s actions. Qin Shi showed her a list of employees laid off in the past six months—mostly in their forties. These people struggled to find comparable jobs and carried heavy family burdens. Qin Shi said Yao Yao once stood by them. While she might not change the hotel’s decisions, she could influence these people's fates.

Qin Shi had tried to use Yao Yao’s sense of justice, which she had learned about from Yang Hua, to persuade her. But Yao Yao, though empathetic, disapproved of staff betraying her. She believed everyone should protect their own interests rather than rely on others. Qin Shi asked her to cooperate with Tianhang’s PR for one month to help the merger, and afterward, she could resign. They also promised to fight for better compensation for laid-off employees.

Qin Shi and Yang Hua had dinner at Tang Yihui’s home. During the meal, Tang Yihui shared good news with the law firm partners—President Hu planned to invest, Cheng & Hui was selected as one of the top ten national law firms, and finally, Qin Shi became the youngest female partner in the firm’s history. Qin Shi was thrilled and thanked Yang Hua for supporting her. Tao Junhui attended a university reunion and later revisited the campus.

Seeing the familiar surroundings reminded him of his college days. His classmates teased him about Qin Shi and asked why they broke up. Wu Fei arrived and overheard the conversation. She confronted Tao Junhui, asking if he still loved Qin Shi and revealing that Qin Shi and Yang Hua were in a fake marriage. But from Tao Junhui’s response, she realized he already knew. Wu Fei then decided to tell Tang Yihui about it.

Qin Shi was about to confess the fake marriage to Tang Yihui when Tao Junhui called and urged her not to admit it. President Jin brought the partner agreement for Qin Shi to sign. Though he admired her abilities, based on his wife Tang Yihui’s own struggle to balance work and family, he hoped Qin Shi would carefully consider the consequences of choosing between career and family. Qin Shi promised to find balance. Yang Hua had already chosen family, and they would face any problems together.

Episode 35 Recap

Tang Yihui discussed her investment deal with Yang Hua and said if her friend had lied to gain trust and then used that trust for personal gain, it would constitute fraud. Yang Hua, troubled by her words, rushed to stop Qin Shi from signing the contract and accused President Jin and Tang Yihui of testing her. In fact, Qin Shi had not hastily signed but wanted to be honest with President Jin.

She admitted hiding her marital status but hoped the firm would give equal opportunities to single female lawyers. Tao Junhui went to Wu Fei’s home, but she didn’t want to see him. Her father asked if a third party caused their issues. Though he acknowledged Tao Junhui’s talent, he reminded him that power lies in the hands of a few and that without strength and support, it’s hard to become a partner at Cheng & Hui.

He advised him to make wise choices. Tang Yihui, angry over being deceived, was persuaded by President Jin to let it go. However, she didn’t plan to let Qin Shi leave easily. Qin Shi, worried about her job, confessed to Yang Hua that she almost signed the agreement out of impulse and felt like a hypocrite. Yang Hua comforted her by sharing the real reason he broke up with Yao Yao—because Qiu Jianxiang wanted him as a son-in-law.

Although he promised never to leave Yao Yao, he still wavered. At that time, he was cowardly and hypocritical. Later, the Yongli No. 21 incident made him realize that genius means nothing when faced with greed. But Qin Shi was different—she stayed true to herself and made the right choice. He said she would succeed anywhere. The next morning, Qin Shi, after much internal struggle, went to the firm to admit her mistake and apologize to Tang Yihui.

Tang Yihui said that punishment for mistakes was deserved, but she would give Qin Shi one last chance—starting over as an associate lawyer. As a result, the Tianhang merger case was reassigned to Tao Junhui. With the deal nearly finalized, Yao Yao’s cooperation was no longer needed. President Yin used her personnel file to pressure her, demoting her from client department supervisor to training team leader—practically laying her off.

Tao Junhui criticized Qin Shi for losing her chance to be a partner because she let her emotions affect her decisions, saying she was too kind and shouldn’t have admitted the fake marriage. Feeling wronged, Qin Shi turned to Yang Hua for comfort. He quickly soothed her and told her the Tianhang merger would fail because, in his view, Hu Ping would not invest in the smart IoT city project, and his decision would impact the outcome of the merger.

Qin Shi motivated herself to start fresh and actively helped her colleagues in the family department. Wu Fei came to work and saw Qin Shi as an assistant, mocking her for being unscrupulous. But Qin Shi stood her ground and asked Wu Fei if she knew how she became a senior lawyer. As for how long she’d last in that role, Wu Fei knew the answer herself.

Qin Shi said Wu Fei’s success was thanks to her father—an insult to all hardworking assistant lawyers. She advised Wu Fei to show abilities worthy of her privileged background if she truly thought herself superior. Angered, Wu Fei resigned and Tang Yihui gladly accepted it. Cai Liang was shocked to learn that Yang Hua was planning to buy a house, intending to propose to Qin Shi with it.

Episode 36 Recap

When Qin Shi said that Cheng & Hui were in urgent need of President Hu's investment, Yang Hua did everything he could to analyze the data and managed to get in touch with President Hu, sending him the materials. As expected, President Hu became very interested in him. He arranged a meeting with Yang Hua and apologized for the trouble his previous divorce had caused Qin Shi.

President Hu also mentioned that it was a sentence in Yang Hua’s evaluation report that led him to abandon the Smart IoT City project. The two then discussed investment matters, and President Hu expressed his hope that Yang Hua would consider his job offer. Previously, the Family Department helped Wu Fei’s assistant lawyer get promoted to a mid-level lawyer. She apologized to Qin Shi.

Qin Shi said there’s nothing wrong with using shortcuts to please a superior, but success achieved this way is not solid. If one relies on their own efforts, every bit of it is a solid foundation. Qin Shi hoped she would hold on to her principles in the future. Due to an arrangement by Director Tang, Tao Junhui, along with several lawyers from the firm, hosted a reception for General Manager Yin of Tianhang.

General Manager Yin told Tao Junhui that due to a personnel file issue, Yao Yao was planning to sue Tianhang Hotel, and Li Dai eventually became Yao Yao’s attorney. The person who facilitated this was actually Qin Shi, as she couldn’t reach Yao Yao and asked Li Dai to take on the case.

After meeting Yao Yao, Li Dai immediately contacted Qin Shi and informed her of what she had learned, finally telling Qin Shi that Yao Yao had a five-year-old son who had previously lived in Australia and was now preparing to return to China.

Li Dai asked Qin Shi whether her fake marriage with Yang Hua had turned real, and advised Qin Shi to stay out of Yao Yao’s business since dealing with an ex-girlfriend is something she should avoid or even cut ties with completely. After work, Qin Shi unexpectedly ran into a drunk Tao Junhui. Seeing him slumped near the elevator, she couldn’t bear to leave him there and decided to drive him home.

But since she couldn’t reach Wu Fei, she didn’t know where to take him. Qin Shi called Yang Hua for help. She initially planned to drop Tao Junhui at a hotel for the night, but the drunken Tao Junhui clutched her hand, saying he would never let go and wanted her to give him a chance—to marry him.

He embraced Qin Shi, saying he once believed he could move on, marry another woman, and have children, but in his heart, he had always loved her. Tao Junhui knew that her marriage to Yang Hua was fake, and they could get divorced. He also suggested they could start a law firm together as partners. Qin Shi explained that she didn’t want a divorce, but when questioned by Tao Junhui, she didn’t admit to loving Yang Hua either.

Yang Hua arrived just in time to witness the scene. He took Qin Shi away and told Tao Junhui to make his decision after sobering up the next day. Back home, Qin Shi explained everything to Yang Hua and hoped he wouldn't take Tao Junhui’s drunken words seriously. Yang Hua solemnly asked Qin Shi whether she loved him and whether, without the marriage, she would have chosen Tao Junhui.

Although Qin Shi emphasized that they were already married, Yang Hua still pulled out their marriage agreement and said that she had violated it—he wanted a divorce. Qin Shi questioned Yang Hua’s decision, but Yang Hua said he didn’t care about Tao Junhui’s drunken confession. Instead, it made him realize that their marriage was a burden for Qin Shi.

He wanted to be someone she could rely on, not a shield, and he didn’t want to see her living in lies. The next morning, Yang Hua and Qin Shi finalized their divorce, and he said he would move out as soon as possible. After the divorce, Qin Shi regretted not admitting that she had fallen in love with Yang Hua.

When she met with Ren Meimei, she admitted that someone like her was not born to love or maintain a close relationship. If what Yang Hua wanted was precisely that, then she wasn’t confident she could give it. But Ren Meimei told her that as long as she loved Yang Hua, that was enough—there is no right or wrong in love, only willingness. Qin Shi then confessed to Ren Meimei about the fake marriage, and that she agreed to the divorce because she didn’t want any future relationship to be based on a lie.

Episode 37 Recap

Tao Junhui handed over the follow-up work of the Tianhang acquisition case to other lawyers, as he was preparing to leave town for other work. Tang Yihui grew suspicious of Tao Junhui’s attitude, but President Jin understood and planned to assign another lawyer at the firm to handle Tianhang’s labor dispute case. Tang Yihui approached Qin Shi, asking her to take over the labor dispute case.

Qin Shi was reluctant, feeling that accepting the case would make her a lackey for the capitalists. But Tang Yihui reminded her that a lawyer’s duty is to protect the client's rights, not to judge their morals. Qin Shi eventually agreed, and Tang Yihui promised that if she completed the case well, she would be welcomed back to the 11th floor.

When Cai Liang heard that Hu Ping wanted Yang Hua as his chief financial advisor, he encouraged him to consider it from a family perspective—and maybe help out a brother too. But Cai Liang was shocked to learn that Yang Hua and Qin Shi had divorced and couldn’t understand their decision. Qin Shi felt distressed returning to an empty home.

She saw a note with a string of numbers left in Yang Hua’s room but couldn’t figure out what it meant. Li Dai brought Yao Yao to meet Qin Shi for a pre-trial settlement. Qin Shi said that Tianhang believed Yao Yao’s resignation was a breach of contract and demanded two million yuan in compensation, with a very firm stance.

Yao Yao accused Qin Shi of accepting favors from Tianhang and said she clearly didn’t understand what kind of person Yin Zhiqiang was—this was helping the wicked. But Qin Shi told them that if Yao Yao refused to pay compensation, she would still need to promise not to take a similar position in the hotel industry for ten years and to pay 250,000 yuan in training fees.

Li Dai complained to Yang Hua about Qin Shi’s approach, but Yang Hua said lawyers are supposed to maximize benefits for their clients, and Qin Shi did nothing wrong. Li Dai, however, believed that lawyers should also uphold justice, not just fairness, and she didn’t want to see Qin Shi become a lawyer without any moral boundaries. She added that Yang Hua was the only one who could influence Qin Shi’s judgment.

Li Dai told him that although Qin Shi hadn’t admitted her feelings for him, her actions spoke louder than words. Yang Hua decided to think carefully before going to persuade Qin Shi. Yao Yao picked up her son, who had just returned from abroad, at the airport. Looking at his innocent smile, she temporarily forgot her worries. Tao Junhui learned that Qin Shi had taken on the Tianhang labor case.

He wanted to help her drop it due to her status as an assistant lawyer, but Tang Yihui refused directly. Unable to contact Qin Shi, Tao Junhui sent her a text asking her to reach out. Yang Hua, after reviewing some case files, suspected that Yao Yao’s case might not be a labor dispute and advised Li Dai to look into that angle.

Li Dai questioned Yao Yao about her personal grudge with Yin Zhiqiang, and Yao Yao admitted he had once helped her. Qin Shi also wanted to resolve their personal conflict first and called Yao Yao, who revealed that Yin Zhiqiang had used his position to harass female employees. She strongly opposed such behavior and had refused to attend any of his so-called social events, leading to a worsening relationship.

Yang Hua accidentally bumped into a child, who falsely accused him of hitting him. The child’s mother wouldn’t let Yang Hua go, but Yao Yao’s son Sunny came forward and asked them to check the security footage. Yao Yao, thinking her son was in trouble, rushed over and unexpectedly met Yang Hua. Tang Yihui scolded Qin Shi for investigating Tianhang and warned her that the law firm only needed a good lawyer, not a good person.

Ren Meimei found out she was pregnant, and Qin Wenyu was moved to tears upon learning he would become a father. Yang Hua studied many relevant legal cases and concluded that if the case went by legal procedures, Yao Yao would definitely lose. Since the problem lay with Yin Zhiqiang, they should find a way to take him down.

Li Dai also suggested investigating Yin Zhiqiang’s misconduct, but Yao Yao said even if they found female employees who were victims, they probably wouldn’t be willing to testify. Tao Junhui saw Qin Shi on the rooftop and asked whether she had ever thought of leaving Cheng & Hui. He didn’t think it suited her. He wanted to retake the Tianhang labor case so that Qin Shi wouldn’t have to compromise her professional ethics.

Episode 38 Recap

Tao Junhui apologized for his drunken behavior that night. He respected Qin Shi’s choices but believed that feelings and career should be viewed separately. He hoped she wouldn’t reject his help at work. He then invited her to eat at the spicy hotpot restaurant near their old school, but she declined due to work. Yao Yao met with Yang Hua again. As they talked about the past, both felt emotional.

Yao Yao admitted that she used to be very insecure and didn’t know how to cherish what she had. After seeing Yao Yao off, Li Dai called Qin Shi and said that Yao Yao’s son looked exactly like Yang Hua. She warned Qin Shi to keep a close eye on Yang Hua, or she’d regret it when she saw him happily with someone else and their child. Qin Wenyu went missing.

Ren Meimei contacted Yang Hua and Qin Shi for help. They learned he went to collect debts, but visited the last place alone. Qin Shi and Yang Hua went to a bar to look for him and eventually found out he was in a hotel next door. Ren Meimei rushed over and saw a drunken Qin Wenyu in bed with someone else. Qin Shi brought the heartbroken Ren Meimei home.

That night, Yang Hua finally understood why Qin Shi feared marriage—because seeing the problems in Qin Wenyu and Ren Meimei’s relationship made him realize a broken marriage can wear someone down. They both kept their pain and regrets to themselves. The next day, Qin Shi confronted Yao Yao, accusing her of misleading Yang Hua into thinking the child was his. Qin Shi said the case had a chance of turning around and asked to cooperate with Yao Yao.

She warned Yao Yao that she didn’t care who Sunny’s father was, but she must not target Yang Hua, or she wouldn’t let her off. After Qin Shi left, Yang Hua walked out of Yao Yao’s house—he had heard everything. Yang Hua told Yao Yao that she could trust Qin Shi because she was a good lawyer. Qin Wenyu found Ren Meimei’s divorce papers at home.

He checked his phone and saw the explicit photos from the bar had been sent to him. He realized Ren Meimei had learned the truth. Qin Shi visited Qin Wenyu, who claimed he had been set up and didn’t know anything. Although Qin Shi said she believed him, she didn’t know where Ren Meimei was. Ren Meimei left a message for Qin Shi saying she needed to get away.

She didn’t know what all her forgiveness had gotten her, or what she was still clinging to in the marriage—maybe it was just love. But now, she had completely lost her trust in Qin Wenyu and didn’t want to continue. Qin Shi said she couldn’t help Qin Wenyu this time, and that she had told him many times to take responsibility for his life. Whatever Meimei chose now, she hoped he could start living like a real man.

Episode 39 Recap

Yao Yao was ready to withdraw the lawsuit. Tang Yihui suspected that Qin Shi might be behind it, as recently someone at Tianhang had been privately collecting evidence of Yin Zhiqiang sexually harassing employees. When Li Dai learned that Yao Yao was withdrawing the lawsuit, she called to question Qin Shi, who reminded her that it might be more effective to go after Yin Zhiqiang from the angle of sexual harassment.

Faced with Tang Yihui, Qin Shi stated that Yao Yao’s intent to sue Yin Zhiqiang was a civil case, which had nothing to do with Cheng & Hui. However, the meeting between Qin Shi and Li Dai led Yin Zhiqiang to misunderstand the situation, and he refused to sign a legal contract with Cheng & Hui. As a result, Tang Yihui hoped Qin Shi would step in and persuade Yao Yao to withdraw the lawsuit.

Qin Shi said she couldn’t do that. Yin Zhiqiang had sexually harassed many women over the years, and if securing a contract meant siding with someone like him, then the contract wasn’t worth having. What Qin Shi had always liked about Cheng & Hui was that the firm never put profit first, and she wasn’t about to abandon her professional ethics. In the end, Qin Shi chose not to compromise and decided to leave the law firm.

Tao Junhui saw her off and learned that she was taking on Yao Yao’s case against Yin Zhiqiang. He believed she was bound to lose because the burden of proof was too difficult. Tao Junhui felt Qin Shi’s resignation was impulsive and overly stubborn, and she hadn’t thought through her next steps. He wanted to fight for her. Just as Qin Shi left the firm, she ran into her old mentor.

She felt sorry for disappointing her, but her mentor didn’t see it that way. After leaving the firm, she realized that fairness in society isn’t up to one person. As long as someone thinks it's meaningful and acts on it, that alone is great progress. What’s hard for people is holding on to what they believe is right. Even in failure, Qin Shi’s stand was honorable. Qin Shi met with Li Dai and Yao Yao.

She told Li Dai that from today, she would be leading the case since she had resigned from Cheng & Hui. However, since Yin Zhiqiang already knew their plan, gathering evidence would now be more difficult. Even so, the three women decided to proceed with the lawsuit together to take down Yin Zhiqiang, that scumbag. Qin Shi eventually started her own firm. When Tao Junhui found out, he came to visit her and said he had already persuaded Mr.

Jin to speak up for her. After eating something that triggered an allergic reaction, Qin Shi was helped by Tao Junhui, who went to the car to get her allergy meds and accidentally discovered her divorce certificate. He proposed to Qin Shi right away, but she said that marriage wasn’t a must in life, and she wasn’t ready for it. She couldn’t lie to herself or to him.

Qin Shi said she wouldn’t give up on Yao Yao’s case and urged Tao Junhui not to give up on Wu Fei either, as Wu Fei was more suited to him than she was. Yang Hua agreed to Hu Ping’s request to become his personal financial advisor but decided to postpone starting by a week in order to deal with Yin Zhiqiang.

Cai Liang couldn’t understand Yang Hua’s choices—he didn’t like Yao Yao but still helped her; he liked Qin Shi but set her free. Yang Hua explained that Qin Shi actually wanted marriage but was terrified of it. She feared failure and didn’t believe she could be happy. The best way to avoid failure was to reject marriage altogether, which is why she kept resisting it.

Yang Hua asked Gang Zi to investigate the project Yin Zhiqiang was overseeing and reported the issues to their group. Yin Zhiqiang was soon going to face the consequences. Female employees who used to fear Yin Zhiqiang’s influence were now willing to step up and testify. From Gang Zi, Qin Shi learned that it was Yang Hua who had arranged the investigation, and she couldn’t help but feel jealous that Yang Hua was helping his ex.

Qin Shi and her team found out that over the years, about forty women had been sexually harassed by Yin Zhiqiang, but only a bit over twenty were willing to testify, and just eleven were willing to jointly prosecute. Gang Zi thought that wasn’t nearly enough. Assistant lawyer Haitao wanted to email a video he had secretly recorded at a KTV where Yin Zhiqiang was harassing a female employee.

Tao Junhui accidentally discovered this and warned that if the email was sent and the law firm found out, Haitao could lose his license. Hearing Haitao say he didn’t want his own sister to one day be bullied like that and not even dare report it, Tao Junhui decided to make the decision for him.

Episode 40 (Ending) Recap

Qin Shi received internal news from Tianhang that Yin Zhiqiang had been transferred to lead the operations supervision team—a department considered the company’s cold palace. It looked like Tianhang would no longer protect him. Meanwhile, Cheng & Hui had reassigned the case to an assistant lawyer. That night, Qin Shi, Li Dai, Yao Yao, and others celebrated. Li Dai admired Qin Shi for being able to drink and laugh with her romantic rival.

Gang Zi updated Yang Hua on the case, and Qin Shi grabbed the phone to ask Yang Hua about his choice between her and Yao Yao. Yang Hua’s silence only made Qin Shi angrier. Yao Yao planned to take her son Sunny back to Australia and entrusted the case to Qin Shi and Li Dai. She also planned to take Yang Hua with her, but Qin Shi was certain Yang Hua wouldn’t go with Yao Yao.

At that moment, Yang Hua came to pick up Yao Yao. It turned out Yao Yao wanted to give Qin Shi a jolt to push her toward Yang Hua. Qin Shi watched Yang Hua and Yao Yao leave together and tried to act indifferent, but in the end, she couldn’t fool herself. She rushed out to catch them, but they had already left. Qin Shi wandered alone in the pouring rain until her eldest brother found her.

She finally broke down and cried in his arms. The next morning, Qin Shi woke up at home and saw both of her brothers there. They had brought her home the night before and stayed to take care of her. Her eldest brother could tell there was something wrong between Qin Shi and Yang Hua and advised her not to be scared by the despair in others' lives.

That wasn’t her life, and she should believe she could find her own happiness. Ultimately, happiness comes from a sense of inner security. Qin Shi’s mother came to visit and told her that Yang Hua had been quietly taking care of her. He had explained their marriage and divorce to her parents and said he didn’t want Qin Shi to use a fake marriage to run from real happiness, which is why he let her go.

To Yang Hua, marriage itself wasn’t important—what mattered was Qin Shi, and he was willing to take care of her for a lifetime. Upon learning all this, Qin Shi rushed to the airport to find Yang Hua but just missed him as he left with Yao Yao. Seven months later, Qin Shi and Li Dai gave an interview and said that there had been a resolution in the sexual harassment case involving Yin Zhiqiang.

He had been suspended, and in some individual cases involving charges of attempted rape and forcible molestation, the prosecution had formally filed charges. Tang Yihui invited Qin Shi back to Cheng & Hui and offered her a direct promotion to senior partner, allowing her to name her own compensation package. Pang Dingfang had died in a car accident abroad with his lover, and President Lan wanted to travel overseas to inherit all his assets.

He specified that Qin Shi handle the matter. Now, Cheng & Hui’s hiring policy treated all employees equally, regardless of marital or parental status. Mr. Jin said they wanted Qin Shi not just because of her talent, but because she was a principled and conscientious lawyer. Qin Shi was touched by the couple’s words and felt her efforts had been worthwhile, but she still declined the offer.

She planned to continue working independently but agreed to collaborate with the firm on President Lan’s case. Tao Junhui became head of Cheng & Hui’s Northwest branch. He ran into Qin Shi at the firm and they exchanged well wishes. Wu Fei, now an assistant lawyer, reconnected with Tao Junhui and hoped for a new beginning. After much hardship, Ren Meimei successfully gave birth to a daughter and started a new life with Qin Wenyu.

Qin Shi had done a lot of thinking. She now believed that while being alone could be free, being with someone could also be comforting. One day, returning home, she was surprised to see a new neighbor moving in across the hall—Yang Hua. They reconciled. Qin Shi asked if Yang Hua had helped out because of Yao Yao or her. Yang Hua said it had always been Qin Shi in his heart.

He had even bought a stock on their wedding anniversary and planned to hold it long-term. After all the ups and downs, they finally confirmed their feelings and vowed never to let go of each other again.