Stop! Miss Hua Episode 16 Recap
> Stop! Miss Hua Recap
After Qin Donghai expressed his jealousy over Chen Jingran smelling Hua Mingyue, she clarified that Chen Jingran was merely analyzing her natural scent for new product research. Qin Donghai, admitting his intense jealousy, playfully suggested he had more experience in "analyzing body fragrance" and could teach Chen Jingran the proper method.
The next day, after Qin Donghai asked her out, Hua Mingyue meticulously prepared for what she believed was her first-ever date, selecting an outfit and styling her hair, eager to surprise him. To her dismay, Qin Donghai took her to the First Factory, where he explained they would conduct market research for a new line of affordable products. Hua Mingyue, dressed in unsuited high heels and frustrated about having to wear a helmet, initially felt disappointed.
Qin Donghai, however, assured her she looked beautiful and clarified that for him, facing a challenge together was a more meaningful date. At the factory, former colleagues greeted Hua Mingyue warmly, calling her by her old nickname "Xiaoqin" or "Mingyue," expressing how much they missed her. Hua Mingyue reciprocated their warmth, emphasizing that despite her new role as chairman, she was still "Hua Xiaoqin" to them.
She arranged for He Yanyan, who expressed interest in seeing a large company and admired Chen Jingran, to be transferred to the company's new research and development center, where Chen Jingran would guide her. Meanwhile, Hua Mingchen was live-streaming to sell oranges when he saw Ye Xue Er leaving with her luggage. He immediately ended his stream and followed her.
During the market research at the factory, Qin Donghai and Hua Mingyue engaged with employees, collecting feedback for a new, affordable skincare product called "Hua Xiaoyang." Hua Mingyue assured the workers that despite improvements, the product's price would remain accessible. When Hua Mingyue twisted her ankle due to her high heels, Qin Donghai gently carried her, an act that drew envious glances from their colleagues.
They reconciled over past misunderstandings, with Hua Mingyue apologizing for her impulsiveness and Qin Donghai for his awkwardness. She asked him to return and help her, to which he readily agreed, promising to always be by her side. In a board meeting, despite an initial objection to Qin Donghai’s presence by a director, Hua Mingyue asserted his role as a special consultant who prepared the market research.
Qin Donghai presented comprehensive data, including 98,000 surveys and video interviews, demonstrating a vast and untapped market for affordable products. Consumers, including Flora's own factory workers, expressed a strong desire for quality products they could afford. He concluded that the potential for cheap products was immense and their launch was imperative.
Although some directors raised concerns about risks and competition, Hua Mingyue countered that risk was inherent in all ventures and their focus on quality and affordability would secure market share. The board ultimately agreed to proceed but imposed a strict condition: the affordable product line must achieve a net profit of 100 million within one year, or Hua Mingyue would personally bear the financial difference. She accepted without hesitation.
Following this, Hua Mingyue appointed Chen Jingran as the Research and Development Director for affordable products and Qin Donghai as the Chairman's Assistant, entrusting him with all aspects from production to sales. After the meeting, Hua Mingyue discussed with Qin Donghai that while the project plan seemed sound, they needed a new bottle factory to reduce costs.
Qin Donghai volunteered to find a suitable supplier, and later that day, he asked Hua Mingyue for a chance to take her on a perfect date. Elsewhere, Hua Mancheng met with Yao Shengnan, where they discussed Hua Mingyue’s new venture. Hua Mancheng dismissed Hua Mingyue as easily manageable but identified Qin Donghai as a difficult obstacle, noting that Hua Mingyue had changed significantly since meeting him.
He revealed his plan to separate Qin Donghai from Hua Mingyue, believing this would make her easier to defeat. In the meantime, Hua Mingchen continued his pursuit of Ye Xue Er, who had opened a pet shop. Knowing his fear of small animals, she challenged him with harsh employment terms, including low pay, no days off, and no coverage for work-related injuries, demanding tenfold compensation for any damage.
Despite these conditions, Hua Mingchen accepted, claiming he had overcome his fears by caring for ducks and pigs in the countryside, and was hired. Qin Donghai, having made arrangements for a romantic date, texted Hua Mingyue that he was waiting for her. However, just as Hua Mingyue was about to leave, she received an urgent call about a serious quality issue with the new bottle fillers Qin Donghai had sourced. She immediately canceled her plans and convened an emergency meeting.
At the meeting, it was revealed that a significant portion of the vacuum bottle caps were defective, rendering the first batch of products unusable. The board members quickly placed blame on Qin Donghai, suggesting he might have taken kickbacks. Hua Mingyue defended him, reminding them she initiated the change in suppliers and vouched for his integrity. However, the directors, including Hua Mancheng, accused her of favoritism and warned that her personal relationship was compromising company interests.
They demanded she fire Qin Donghai, threatening to block the launch of the affordable product line if she refused. Meanwhile, Chen Jingran called Qin Donghai to inform him of the bottle factory problem, prompting Qin Donghai to leave the restaurant. He tracked down Boss Zhang, the bottle supplier, who confessed he had been blackmailed by an anonymous party with evidence of his tax evasion and forced to supply defective goods.
Qin Donghai ordered Boss Zhang to replace all the faulty bottles immediately and pay his back taxes, promising to handle the broader issue. Upon returning to Flora Group, Qin Donghai was stopped by security and informed that Hua Mingyue had personally issued his dismissal an hour earlier. Back at his residence, Chen Jingran found Qin Donghai seemingly upset. Qin Donghai, however, maintained that Hua Mingyue's decision to fire him was the correct one and that he didn't blame her.
Chen Jingran then revealed his breakthrough: he had recreated Hua Mingyue's unique calming body scent, which was a natural blend of various botanical elements like lavender, aloe, gardenia, jasmine, gerbera, basil, and jojoba, along with γ-amino acids and theanine. He explained that this combination, either from her plant-based skincare routine or genetic predisposition, accelerated melatonin production, effectively curing Qin Donghai's severe insomnia.
Chen Jingran then presented a concentrated perfume he had developed based on this discovery, which he claimed was even more potent. Qin Donghai, skeptical but exhausted, tried the perfume and instantly fell into a deep sleep, sleeping for ten hours. The next morning, Chen Jingran triumphantly declared that Qin Donghai could now sleep without Hua Mingyue.
Later, Qin Donghai's comrades expressed sympathy for his "first heartbreak," but Qin Donghai insisted he was not sad and had more important matters to attend to. He realized that someone was maliciously trying to remove him from Flora Group to sabotage the affordable product launch, with the ultimate goal of undermining Hua Mingyue's position as chairman. He vowed to uncover the mastermind behind this plot.
Feeling guilty after learning from Boss Zhang that Qin Donghai had diligently overseen the production and arranged for replacement bottles, Hua Mingyue sent Qin Donghai a message, asking to meet at the restaurant to clear up their misunderstanding. She waited for hours, receiving a bouquet of flowers and a note from Qin Donghai expressing his desire to make their first date memorable, unaware that his plans had been interrupted.
As the restaurant closed and Qin Donghai still hadn't arrived, she sent another message, stating that if he didn't come to her, she would find him. Unknown to Hua Mingyue, Qin Donghai was being followed. When he spotted her on the street, he yelled for her to get out of the way, speeding past her on his motorcycle to avoid putting her in danger.
His sudden departure left Hua Mingyue confused and enraged, as she later recounted to a friend how he had coldly sped past her after she had fired him, believing he had turned his back on her.
