Smile to Life Episode 3 Recap
> Smile to Life Recap
Keqin apologized to Xu Duocheng for accidentally sending the photo to Qin Shan. She explained that she was drunk and the contacts were too close in her WeChat. Xu Duocheng dismissed her concern for herself, saying, "I'm fine." However, she added, "It's Jiang Nan. But he's troubled by this." Keqin immediately blamed Gu Jiayi for wanting Jiang Nan's news.
Xu Duocheng then revealed that Jiang Nan had asked her to pretend to be his girlfriend to make Gu Jiayi believe it. Keqin strongly advised against it, warning Xu Duocheng that getting involved in celebrity matters would lead to a chaotic life, especially for her family and relatives, whose lives would be "completely exposed in broad daylight." Back home, Xu Duocheng found her father, Xu Daqiang, on the phone, trying to borrow 300,000 yuan to buy the Hejiahuan restaurant.
His attempts were unsuccessful. Xu Duocheng's mother expressed her belief that Father Xu was not destined to run a restaurant and questioned how he would repay the money if he did borrow it. Father Xu, however, was more concerned about his old friends and disciples. Xu Duocheng offered the 100,000 yuan in her bank account, but her parents firmly refused, explaining that the money was her dowry and reserved for her future medical expenses.
Father Xu told her not to worry. Meanwhile, Liang Zhe approached Gu Jiayi with roses, but she remained indifferent to him. Liang Zhe urged her to stop "messing around" and insisted that his interaction with a certain model was "just acting." Gu Jiayi calmly corrected him, stating, "I didn't mean that." She then asked if he had ever acknowledged her as his girlfriend over the years, or if she had ever acknowledged him as her boyfriend.
She concluded that "it's just a show," questioning why he was serious. Enraged, Liang Zhe attempted to physically assert himself, but Gu Jiayi delivered a swift kick. Infuriated, Liang Zhe warned her that he could just as easily destroy her career as he had built it, before storming off, telling her to think about it carefully. Xu Duocheng woke up to news headlines announcing Jiang Nan's withdrawal from the entertainment industry.
She quickly called Bao Rui to inquire about the situation. Across town, Jiang Nan and Bao Rui were pleased with the effectiveness of Bao Rui's "ghost idea," a fake news story that successfully drew Xu Duocheng's concern. Jiang Nan felt that Xu Duocheng was genuinely worried about him. Bao Rui contacted Xu Duocheng, inviting her to meet. At their meeting, Bao Rui thanked Xu Duocheng for helping Jiang Nan.
He explained that Jiang Nan desired to make a comeback on his own and that the current scandal was highly inconvenient. He clarified that Jiang Nan's "quitting" was a desperate measure and that he could return to the industry immediately if Xu Duocheng cooperated. Xu Duocheng asked about the requirements for her help. Bao Rui clarified that she would simply need to be Jiang Nan's "personal assistant," accompanying him to events and staying by his side.
He explained that this arrangement would allow any intimate photos to be plausibly explained and would deter Gu Jiayi, who might "pester Jiang Nan to go on hot searches every day," affecting his creative mood. Xu Duocheng agreed to the assistant role and signed a contract that stipulated she would be "on call" due to the unpredictable nature of an artist's work. Xu Duocheng then requested to advance 300,000 yuan of her salary, startling Bao Rui.
She explained her family's urgent financial situation and offered to take on additional jobs to repay the advance. Bao Rui readily agreed, saying, "Not a big deal." Xu Duocheng then requested another favor: she was worried her parents would be suspicious if such a large sum suddenly appeared in her bank account. To address this, Bao Rui visited Hejiahuan, the restaurant owned by Xu Duocheng's family.
He ordered an impressive array of dishes and then asked the waiter to summon the chef. This made Father Xu (Xu Daqiang), the head chef and owner, nervous, fearing a complaint. When Father Xu finally arrived at the table, a worried expression on his face, Bao Rui declared the food "so delicious," relieving Father Xu. Bao Rui then revealed his own ambition to open a restaurant and expressed his desire to collaborate with Father Xu, praising his culinary skills.
Father Xu clarified that he simply wanted to acquire Hejiahuan but lacked the necessary capital. Bao Rui promptly offered to invest, causing Father Xu to become overjoyed, wondering if he was dreaming. Later, Xu Duocheng praised Bao Rui's acting, stressing that her father must not discover the truth about the arrangement. Bao Rui then asked Xu Duocheng for a favor in return: to take "couple photos" with Jiang Nan for future use.
Bao Rui requested Xu Duocheng to take "couple photos" with Jiang Nan for future use, again citing Gu Jiayi's unpredictable behavior as she "always doesn't play cards according to the routine." Jiang Nan initially resisted taking selfies, deeming them "too pretentious." Bao Rui suggested more natural, candid photos, like "walking in the sunset, hand in hand," to which Jiang Nan expressed annoyance. Despite Jiang Nan's reluctance, Bao Rui insisted.
During the photoshoot, they accidentally stumbled, and Jiang Nan quickly helped Xu Duocheng regain her balance. Bao Rui seized the opportunity to capture these candid moments. Later, Jiang Nan commented that the online news about their relationship helped the situation, quashing rumors about him and fans. Xu Duocheng concurred, hoping the matter would be fully resolved and Jiang Nan would no longer be troubled. Keqin, feeling oppressed by Qin Shan, decided to resign.
Zhu Linfeng found her and expressed his regret, but also his support. He then confessed that he had loved Keqin since childhood, showing her old photos. Keqin was surprised and recognized "Little Fatty Zhu." Zhu Linfeng told her to use his name if Qin Shan ever scolded her again, but Keqin demurred, feeling that Qin Shan wasn't wrong and her own performance was lacking.
When Keqin saw the news of Xu Duocheng and Jiang Nan's public relationship, she immediately decided against resigning. She reasoned that Qin Shan would undoubtedly target Jiang Nan, and Xu Duocheng would need an "inside man" at the company. She rushed back to the office with Zhu Linfeng to retrieve her resignation letter. A security guard questioned their presence after hours, prompting Keqin to quickly lie that she was working overtime and Zhu Linfeng was her boyfriend picking her up.
Zhu Linfeng was thrilled by this. Later, Keqin called Xu Duocheng, advising her to be careful not to genuinely fall for Jiang Nan and turn the "fake act into reality." Xu Duocheng dismissed the idea, asserting that such a thing was "impossible." Driven by the need to earn more money for her father, Xu Duocheng applied for a piano teacher position. During her audition, Zhan Zhilin, the owner of the piano studio, happened to be present.
He noted her occasional errors at critical moments. Manager Yang, initially hesitant due to her performance, decided to hire Xu Duocheng, seemingly influenced by Zhan Zhilin's silent approval. Zhan Zhilin then asked if she was "Jiang Nan's girlfriend," recognizing her from the news. Xu Duocheng confirmed this. He then offered her a high salary of 600 yuan per hour for three classes a week, which greatly excited her, especially since the advertised rate was 300 yuan.
Manager Yang questioned Zhan Zhilin's unusually generous offer, subtly hinting at his interest in Jiang Nan's "girlfriend," to which Zhan Zhilin cryptically replied, "I'm not sure if she's his girlfriend yet."
