Sniper Butterfly Episode 10 Recap
> Sniper Butterfly Recap
In a past event, Li Wu was in the utility room getting water, having placed his freshly cleaned sneakers nearby. Gao Yiqiang, a student who had previously bullied Li Wu, entered the room, commenting on how clean and seemingly expensive the shoes looked, questioning if they were "fake" or acquired through "shady means." Gao Yiqiang then picked up Li Wu's sneakers and deliberately threw them on the ground. When Li Wu refused to pick them up, a physical altercation ensued.
Cheng Rui, who had bought snacks intending to apologize to Li Wu, rushed to the utility room after hearing about the fight. Gao Yiqiang tried to claim he was fighting on Cheng Rui's behalf, but Cheng Rui knew it was just an excuse. He intervened, telling Gao Yiqiang not to use him as a shield and that any issues were between him and Li Wu.
The school administrator arrived to break up the fight, leading to all four students and their parents being called in. During the meeting with the teacher, Gao Yiqiang's mother sharply denied her son's involvement. However, Mr. Qi, the teacher, revealed that his investigation showed both Zhang Jiaqi and Gao Yiqiang had been consistently bullying Li Wu for the past two weeks.
Cen Jin, Li Wu’s older sister, was shocked and upset, realizing Li Wu had never mentioned being bullied at school. When Zhang Jiaqi's mother tried to deflect blame by questioning Li Wu's family background, Cen Jin firmly stated that since the incident had occurred, they should conduct a medical examination for Li Wu's injuries and review the security camera footage. Zhang Jiaqi's mother, realizing she was in the wrong, backed down.
Unable to contain her anger, Cen Jin took Li Wu to his classroom, introduced herself to his classmates, and warned them that she would not tolerate anyone bullying her brother again, threatening police involvement if it happened. Afterward, Cen Jin apologized to Mr. Qi for her emotional outburst, explaining how difficult Li Wu's life had been and that she was truly sorry he had endured so much silently.
She vouched for Li Wu, assuring Mr. Qi that he was a good, hardworking, and obedient student. Following these events, Li Wu's academic performance significantly improved, reaching second in his class and forty-third in his grade. Cheng Rui, along with two other friends, apologized to Li Wu for their past misunderstandings and for causing him trouble. They acknowledged that they had spoken up for Li Wu during the teacher's investigation.
To show their sincerity, Cheng Rui insisted on treating Li Wu and their friends to a celebratory meal outside school, telling Li Wu to pick whatever he wanted to eat, even expensive seafood. Li Wu, feeling happy, said he was fine with anything, and they eagerly set off. Years later, in 2024, Lin Xue started her internship at Tongchen Company.
Li Wu introduced her to Yi, the head of financing and risk assessment, and Cheng Rui, the CEO, explaining that Lin Xue was his junior from Penn and possessed strong technical skills. Yi mentioned that he was close to finalizing a contract with Mr. Qin, a potential investor, and scheduled a dinner for that evening, requiring both Li Wu and Cheng Rui to attend.
He emphasized focusing on the "future industry development prospects" and "return on investment" rather than technical details, aiming to "seal the deal" that night. He instructed Li Wu to lead the conversation, with himself and Cheng Rui providing support. At the dinner, Yi introduced Lin Xue to Mr. Qin as Li Wu's talented junior from Penn, brought along to learn from him. Mr. Qin complimented the company's "talents."
Yi then encouraged Lin Xue to toast Mr. Qin, implying multiple drinks by saying a "toast is three cups." Li Wu, seeing this, subtly intervened by sending Lin Xue to the kitchen to "nudge the kitchen" for the dishes.
While Lin Xue was away, Li Wu attempted to highlight Tongchen's technical advantages, but Mr. Qin appeared uninterested, emphasizing that profitability and immediate returns were more important than focusing solely on technological innovation and R&D costs, which could affect "overall return rate." Li Wu argued that continuous technological innovation was a "guarantee for our future" against fierce competition. Yi and Cheng Rui quickly sided with Mr. Qin, agreeing that securing immediate profits was paramount.
They all toasted to a "win-win cooperation." Meanwhile, Cen Jin had dinner with Dr. Lu to express her gratitude. Dr. Lu remarked that she shouldn't be so formal, recalling a previous occasion when he was stood up due to her work, leaving him hungry in traffic on a rainy day, and even causing him to take on an extra patient. He also mentioned participating in a free clinic where he received a handmade gift from a young girl he helped.
They found common ground in their shared pursuit of career fulfillment, acknowledging that finding a supportive and understanding partner was challenging, but finding joy in their work made up for other imperfections in life. Dr. Lu, having brought fresh strawberries from his trip, insisted on delivering some to Cen Jin's apartment, as he had too many. After the dinner, Li Wu, Cheng Rui, and Yi saw Mr. Qin off.
Li Wu then voiced his concerns to Yi, stating that Mr. Qin's "development philosophy" didn't align with Tongchen's long-term vision and that he "might not be the right investor" for them, suggesting they continue looking for other investors. Yi dismissed Li Wu's concerns, stressing that securing investment was the immediate priority, comparing it to "not shopping for clothes." He asserted that funds were crucial for the company's expansion and "speeding up commercialization" was the most practical choice.
Cheng Rui intervened to prevent further argument, suggesting they discuss it at work the next day since they had all been drinking. He offered Li Wu a ride home with him while their driver took Yi. Li Wu, left to ponder their differing views, absorbed Cheng Rui's neutral perspective, which acknowledged both ideals and reality. Later, Li Wu and Cen Jin happened to arrive at their apartment building on the same elevator.
Dr. Lu, who was helping Cen Jin carry the large box of strawberries, recognized Li Wu from their previous encounter at the hospital. Cen Jin introduced Li Wu as her brother. Li Wu, noticing Dr. Lu's presence and the smell of alcohol, asked Cen Jin why she was returning with him. Dr. Lu explained that Cen Jin had invited him to dinner and he was simply helping her with the fruit.
Li Wu also noticed that Dr. Lu lived in the apartment directly opposite Cen Jin's, which Cen Jin confirmed, explaining she had helped him find it. Dr. Lu then informed Li Wu that his medical test results were ready and invited him for a follow-up consultation next Monday, or offered to send the report if he was busy. Li Wu appeared hesitant and said he would "see what I can do" regarding his schedule.
At Cen Jin's apartment, Dr. Lu suggested making jam to use up the large quantity of strawberries, fearing they would spoil in the refrigerator. Cen Jin admitted she didn't know how to make jam, so Dr. Lu offered to help, assuring her it wasn't too late in the evening. As Dr. Lu expertly prepared the jam, he explained the importance of controlling the heat and constant stirring, describing it as a "training your patience" process.
He reflected on how he had grown more patient over the years, contrasting it with his younger self who would have simply bought jam from a store. Cen Jin also tried her hand at stirring. Dr. Lu, observing Cen Jin and Li Wu's close relationship, inquired if they had known each other for a long time. Meanwhile, from his apartment's peephole, Li Wu watched Cen Jin’s door, wondering why Dr. Lu was taking so long to leave.
After Dr. Lu finally finished the jam, he instructed Cen Jin to refrigerate it once it cooled. Later, Li Wu called Dr. Lu, asking him to accompany him for his follow-up consultation on Monday morning, to which Dr. Lu agreed to go with him before heading to work.
As Cen Jin saw Dr. Lu off at the elevator, Li Wu, mistakenly believing they were leaving together again, rushed out of his apartment, only to collide with Cen Jin, who explained she was just escorting Dr. Lu. Li Wu then quickly concocted an excuse, asking to borrow some purified water, and followed Cen Jin into her apartment.
Upon seeing the freshly made jam on the table, Li Wu, knowing Cen Jin preferred "sour flavors," asked if she would enjoy something so sweet. Cen Jin responded that it tasted "fine" and explained that Dr. Lu had made it. Sensing his presence was unwelcome, Li Wu eventually left. Meanwhile, Chun Chang attended a camping trip with Shen Yiyang's group.
She introduced herself as a co-owner of a bar with a friend, offering the group a free private room for their activities and drinks at cost. She then directly asked Shen Yiyang if he was single, which his friends enthusiastically confirmed for him. Her second question was why he hadn't accepted her WeChat friend request. Amid playful teasing from their friends, who called Shen Yiyang "pretentious," he finally accepted her request.
Later that night, as they prepared for bed, Shen Yiyang, noticing Chun Chang's "too thin" tent, suggested they swap because "the wind is strong at night" and he was afraid her tent might "get blown away." Chun Chang accepted. Still not feeling sleepy, Shen Yiyang sat outside his tent, browsing Chun Chang's Moments on his phone. When she approached him with a drink, asking if he was still awake, he quickly closed his phone, saying he was just boiling water and about to sleep.
