Sniper Butterfly Episode 26 Recap
> Sniper Butterfly Recap
Cen Jin's colleagues playfully tease her after seeing photos on social media of her holding hands with a man at a wedding. They press her for details, speculating about his identity and commenting on his handsome appearance, but Cen Jin quickly dismisses them, urging them to focus on work. Later, Cen Jin's mother shows the same photo to Cen Jin's father, believing the man is Li Wu, though her husband isn't so sure.
She expresses her concern over their apparent relationship. She then visits Cen Jin's apartment, where she encounters Li Wu returning home early from a meeting. He assists her in opening Cen Jin's door, knowing the password, which Cen Jin's mother finds rather suspicious given he had "moved away" and implies it suggests they are too close. After dropping off some food for Cen Jin, her mother asks to see Li Wu's apartment across the hall.
While inside, she spots a white shirt with a missing button on his sofa and recognizes it as the one Cen Jin had worn at home a few days prior. Li Wu calmly explains that it is a common, basic work shirt that many people own, easily leading to such coincidences. When Cen Jin arrives home from work, she playfully greets Li Wu at his door.
However, Cen Jin’s mother suddenly appears and calls her daughter back into her own apartment for dinner. During the meal, Cen Jin’s mother explicitly states her strong disapproval of the relationship, citing their significant age difference and differing upbringings as major future obstacles. Cen Jin defends her choices, asserting that as adults, they have the right to date and will address any problems as they arise.
Her mother, still frustrated, brings up Lu Weiyan, questioning why Cen Jin didn't disclose his training program. Cen Jin, irritated by her mother's continued meddling, retorts that love isn't solely about compatibility. In a fit of anger, her mother takes away the food, leaving Cen Jin still hungry.
Back at her own home, Cen Jin's mother vents her fury to Cen Jin's father, reiterating her absolute opposition to Cen Jin and Li Wu's relationship, deeming it inappropriate given Li Wu's past connection to their family. Cen Jin's father attempts to defuse the tension, suggesting that Cen Jin, as an adult, should be trusted to make her own decisions and that the situation might not be as dire as her mother perceives.
However, his attempts only fuel her suspicion that he knew about the relationship all along. She instructs him to remain on her side and not to "tip off" their daughter, declaring her intention to quash the relationship immediately. Later that evening, Li Wu calls Cen Jin from his balcony, expressing concern about her mother's anger.
Cen Jin reassures him that her mother's harsh words are not truly malicious, as she has a "sharp tongue but a soft heart," and that she will eventually calm down. Li Wu, however, worries that his perceived immaturity might be a source of her mother's concern and promises to become more mature.
Cen Jin dismisses his worries, telling him that she finds him mature for his age and jokes that if he matures further, he'll be "overcooked," and that they will face any challenges together. At Tongchen, Li Wu leads a meeting, pushing his team to quickly resolve issues and complete system refinements, including focused training and sectional tests, as they approach a critical investment phase. Afterward, Zhang Chenyang, the technical team leader, visits Li Wu to announce his resignation.
Despite Li Wu's efforts to retain him, emphasizing Zhang Chenyang's indispensable expertise and the company's current staff shortage, Zhang Chenyang remains firm, citing a lack of capability for the role. Li Wu, reminding him of his contractual one-month notice period and the need for a proper handover of confidential work, is met with Zhang Chenyang’s complete indifference.
Cheng Rui, learning of Zhang Chenyang’s sudden departure, expresses concern about how Li Wu will manage, noting the suspicious timing and speculating that Zhang Chenyang has already found another job. Li Wu acknowledges the immense pressure but asserts that they are in the final stretch and cannot afford any mistakes, relying on the impending investment from Yuanshi Capital to alleviate their financial strain. Cheng Rui vows to handle all logistical support so Li Wu can concentrate on the technical aspects.
Meanwhile, Cen Jin meets her father for dinner and candidly explains her relationship with Li Wu. She reveals they dated previously, before Li Wu went abroad, but she broke up with him when she discovered he was secretly considering giving up his study abroad exchange program for her, a decision that deeply hurt him.
Cen Jin confesses that she has always been in love with Li Wu, and his unwavering sincerity and passion provide her with a profound sense of security, qualities she has not found in other men, including Lu Weiyan. Relieved by his daughter's genuine happiness and clear conviction, Cen Jin's father expresses his support and promises to be her "strongest backup."
He takes on the task of winning over Cen Jin's mother, acknowledging her stubbornness, especially remembering the past "Wu Fu incident," but affirming his commitment to patiently "overcome rigidity with flexibility" to gain her acceptance. Cen Jin returns home to find her mother, with luggage, soaking her feet in the living room, a clear sign of her intention to move in and wage a "protracted war" against her daughter’s relationship.
Her mother even watches a video about the challenges of age-gap relationships online. Cen Jin, seeing through her mother’s thinly veiled intentions to monitor her, retreats to her bedroom. Later, Li Wu calls her from downstairs, just having returned from working late, expressing how much he misses her and requesting a brief meeting. Believing her mother is asleep, Cen Jin cautiously slips out of her apartment.
They share a tender hug and kiss in the hallway before Li Wu persuades her to spend the night at his place. The next morning, Cen Jin attempts to leave Li Wu's apartment before her mother wakes up. Li Wu playfully tries to keep her for a few more minutes, and when Cen Jin asks about his chronic headaches, he jokes that she is his "medicine" and that they have not returned since their reunion.
After a quick goodbye, Cen Jin stealthily returns home, only to find her mother already awake. Cen Jin quickly improvises, claiming she has just returned from a morning run, a habit her mother notes she was previously unaware of, before rushing off to prepare for work. At the office, Li Wu learns that Zhang Chenyang is absent without explanation.
Cheng Rui then shows Li Wu a video of Kejun Company's product launch, which shockingly showcases technology identical to Tongchen's core system. Simultaneously, Yi sends a message announcing his withdrawal of shares from Tongchen due to "divergence in management." Li Wu and Cheng Rui realize they have been betrayed by both Yi and Zhang Chenyang, who conspired to steal their technology.
They consult a lawyer, who advises them that without a completed patent application, a lawsuit for infringement would be a difficult and prolonged battle, potentially lasting several years (one to two years minimum, possibly three to five), and would drain their resources. The lawyer also strongly advises against a public statement, especially during their crucial financing stage, as it could backfire catastrophically.
Compounding their problems, Mr. Guo of Yuanshi Capital calls Li Wu to confirm the withdrawal of their investment from Tongchen, though he assures them they will not be held accountable. Cheng Rui suggests asking his uncle, Shen Yiyang, for help, but Li Wu declines, stating that Shen Yiyang has already assisted them extensively, and they must find their own solution.
