Smile to Life Episode 19 Recap
> Smile to Life Recap
Xu Duocheng confessed to Jiang Nan that after being diagnosed with ALS, she was incredibly distraught. It was then that she stumbled upon a half-written musical score on the street. The melody imbued her with a magical strength, and she vowed that if she ever found the composer, she would confide her condition to him. It turned out that person was Jiang Nan, which she believed was fate.
Xu Duocheng revealed that at the time of her diagnosis, her "whole world had collapsed," and no one could truly understand her feelings. She recounted how she lied to her father, telling him the doctor said she just needed more exercise when he asked about her lack of strength, not wanting him to worry. She then detailed how she found the score and how its "power" inspired her.
Jiang Nan playfully asked for copyright fees, but Xu Duocheng reminded him of her earlier promise to the score's owner about never giving up on dreams. He then fully composed the unfinished score, much to Xu Duocheng's delight. Meanwhile, Liang Zhe met with Zhan Zhilin to discuss plans against Jiang Nan. Liang Zhe aimed to let Jiang Nan climb to the peak only to "fall even harder," enjoying the "pleasure of the drop."
He planned to insert his own person into the "Cool Singing Producer" show to create hype around Jiang Nan. Zhan Zhilin suggested a suitable candidate, and they toasted to their scheme. Jiang Nan and Xu Duocheng were openly affectionate, much to Bao Rui's chagrin. Bao Rui reminded Jiang Nan about his upcoming "Cool Singing Producer" recording.
They bid farewell to Du, who was going home to get married, giving him a gift and urging him to bring his wife back soon. Bao Rui, teasing Jiang Nan, stressed the importance of his return to the stage after a long hiatus. Jiang Nan reassured Xu Duocheng that he felt fearless with her by his side. At the show, other singers in the makeup room discussed a surprise contestant, Jian Xing, and wondered about Alex's intentions.
Jiang Nan had a flashback to an incident years ago where he had hit Jian Xing with a bottle, causing a scandal that led to his contract termination with Shengyu and the disbandment of his group, 2BeOne. Xu Duocheng, wanting to ensure everything went smoothly for Jiang Nan, went backstage to check the program order.
She was alarmed to discover that Jian Xing's song was identical to Jiang Nan's planned performance and that Jian Xing was scheduled to perform before Jiang Nan. Suspecting foul play, she quickly informed Jiang Nan, who decided to change his song at the last minute. This unforeseen change frustrated Jian Xing, who had intended to humiliate Jiang Nan. Later, Xu Duocheng confronted Jian Xing backstage, accusing him of copying Jiang Nan's song.
Jian Xing denied it and became agitated, warning Xu Duocheng that Jiang Nan would be ruined. When Jian Xing became aggressive and pushed Xu Duocheng, Jiang Nan, witnessing her being harassed, rushed to intervene. Their struggle was captured on camera by Qiqi, who happened to be passing by. The footage quickly made headlines, painting Jiang Nan in a negative light. Xu Duocheng was enraged by the distorted facts, but Jiang Nan, accustomed to such media sensationalism, remained stoic.
Bao Rui was furious that Truth Company was framing Jiang Nan as a plagiarist, criticizing Qin Shan for not helping them. Jiang Nan suspected Du, as only a few people knew the song. Alex called, expressing his disappointment but acknowledging Jiang Nan's talent. Bao Rui tried to defend Jiang Nan, but Alex maintained that Jiang Nan was at fault for initiating physical contact and warned that he wouldn't get another chance if he couldn't handle the situation.
Jiang Nan, however, stood by his actions, asserting he had a valid reason for hitting Jian Xing and would not regret it, even if it meant being eliminated from "Cool Singing Producer." Alex decided not to remove Jiang Nan from the show, recognizing the incident's potential to generate buzz. Jiang Nan instructed Bao Rui not to intervene with the media yet, believing Jian Xing came prepared. Jiang Nan then took Xu Duocheng to dinner at her father's restaurant.
Meanwhile, Qin Shan confronted Qiqi at Truth Company for publishing a sensationalized article about Jiang Nan without her approval. Qiqi, asserting her authority as co-editor-in-chief under Liang Zhe, dismissed Qin Shan's concerns about journalistic integrity and declared that all future work would report directly to her, with a focus on producing weekly "hot topics" linked to performance. Qin Shan was left fuming but powerless against Qiqi's new mandate, backed by Liang Zhe.
At dinner with Xu Daqiang and his wife, Jiang Nan and Xu Duocheng explained the recent events. Xu Daqiang initially scolded Jiang Nan for resorting to violence but quickly grew protective and angry upon learning Xu Duocheng had been pushed. Both parents expressed unwavering trust and support for Jiang Nan. Later, Xu Duocheng remarked on Jiang Nan's unusual calm demeanor, prompting him to reflect on his past.
He recounted how, after 2BeOne disbanded, the entourage of people surrounding him vanished, teaching him to cherish what truly matters—Xu Duocheng. Xu Duocheng then asked about the reason for 2BeOne's disbandment. Jiang Nan revealed that five years ago, he, Zhan Zhilin, and their band manager, Sister Yun (who was also Shengyu's boss), attended a business dinner. When a female executive got drunk, Jiang Nan helped see her off.
Jian Xing, witnessing this, drunkenly accused Jiang Nan of being a "gigolo" who slept his way to success, directly to Zhan Zhilin. Enraged, Zhan Zhilin picked up a bottle and struck Jian Xing. Xu Duocheng realized it was Zhan Zhilin, not Jiang Nan, who had assaulted Jian Xing. Jiang Nan explained that Zhan Zhilin's father disapproved of his music career, and if news of the fight at a music event reached him, Zhan Zhilin's musical aspirations would be crushed.
Therefore, Jiang Nan took the blame. Jiang Nan suspected Jian Xing's current actions were orchestrated by Liang Zhe, fueled by jealousy over Gu Jiayi's affections for Jiang Nan. Xu Duocheng urged Jiang Nan to tell Zhan Zhilin the truth. Later, Jiang Nan took Xu Duocheng to a bar where he and Zhan Zhilin used to perform before their debut.
The owner, Brother Cheng, a loyal friend, greeted them warmly and reminisced about their old performances, bringing them Wahaha drinks as his "private collection." Meanwhile, Liang Zhe met with Zhan Zhilin, revealing his plan to further amplify Jiang Nan's "beating incident" by arranging a live broadcast for Jian Xing with media presence.
Zhan Zhilin acknowledged Jian Xing as a mere "pawn" and lamented how their once-close group had become so fractured, but Liang Zhe ignored the sentiment and continued to celebrate his perceived victory over Jiang Nan.
