Ten Years Late Episode 18 Recap
> Ten Years Late Recap
Jin Ran, Yuan Lai, Zhao Chengzhi, and Shen Shuangshuang cornered Panther, who was attempting to flee. Panther initially denied any wrongdoing and threatened to call the police. However, Shen Shuangshuang, introducing herself as a lawyer, intimidated him with a detailed explanation of defamation laws, including severe penalties of imprisonment for ten years or longer and fines of up to 500,000 yuan. She strategically mentioned that the punishment would be lighter for an accessory compared to the main instigator.
Panicked, Panther confessed that Lingling had hired him for 20,000 yuan. Yuan Lai revealed she had recorded his entire confession on her phone. Afterwards, Shen Shuangshuang admitted to the others that she had exaggerated the penalties to scare Panther. As Jin Ran prepared to leave, he asked Zhao Chengzhi to join them, but Chengzhi declined, wanting to "stay for a while," which Jin Ran understood meant he intended to remain with Shen Shuangshuang.
Yuan Lai and Jin Ran later discussed the revelation, agreeing that Lingling, being just an assistant with a modest salary, couldn't have afforded to pay a gossip reporter without someone else pulling the strings. Jin Ran surmised that the mastermind behind Lingling was Li Jing, a conclusion that greatly surprised Yuan Lai. Meanwhile, a heavily intoxicated Shen Shuangshuang was approached by a stranger at a bar. Zhao Chengzhi intervened, asserting he was her boyfriend.
A drunken Shen Shuangshuang, however, tried to stop the stranger from leaving, declaring she didn't have a boyfriend. The stranger mocked Zhao Chengzhi, calling him a "fake boyfriend," which provoked Chengzhi into hitting the man. Furious, Zhao Chengzhi sternly told Shen Shuangshuang, "Let's go home!" and carried her out. Later, Shen Shuangshuang, seemingly having processed the incident, commented that things are more delicious when you fight for them.
Jin Ran met Zhao Chengzhi at a coffee shop, where Chengzhi reminisced about his first encounter with Yuan Lai on their first day of university, recalling her long legs as she chased a taxi and her introduction as a literature student while he was a law sophomore. He confessed he had been smitten with her ever since. Jin Ran advised Chengzhi to "forget about Yuan Lai" and "take care of your goddess," referring to Shen Shuangshuang.
Chengzhi admitted that Shen Shuangshuang, with her passionate, bright, and energetic personality, reminded him of Yuan Lai from years ago. He expressed his fear of unintentionally treating Shuangshuang as Yuan Lai's substitute, leading him to feel like a "jerk" regardless of whether he accepted her or not.
Jin Ran dismissed Chengzhi's "fake gentleman" act, telling him to stop clinging to Yuan Lai, asserting that Shen Shuangshuang was inherently different from Yuan Lai, and warned him that clinging to Yuan Lai would leave him with no chance with anyone, "not in this life and the next." Xinyi presented her detailed proposal to Carnot, highlighting the increasing number of female gamers, which reached 41% last year, and their appreciation for the game's beautiful scenes and exquisite character costumes.
She proposed leveraging Xu Bingbing, a female gamer, to portray a "comrade-in-arms" image through cosplay and showcasing her e-sports skills. Xinyi argued this approach would attract both male and female players and boost merchandise sales, proving more appealing than a distant "goddess figure." Carnot's representative was impressed, acknowledging that they had "found a treasure" in Xu Bingbing and promised to report to their boss soon.
News quickly spread online exposing SN Entertainment for fabricating the scandal between Xu Bingbing and Deng Wei, with renowned producer Li Jing being the mastermind behind the "farce." Li Jing promptly arranged a meeting with Jin Ran, who maintained a cold demeanor, advising her to direct any matters regarding charges to Feitu's legal department. Li Jing accused Jin Ran of orchestrating the public exposure.
Jin Ran denied it but stated that the article contained "the truth," which was why Li Jing "dare not" sue them. He then demanded that Li Jing "withdraw the lawsuit" and publicly apologize to Feitu. When Li Jing refused, Jin Ran threatened to meet with his "friends from the press" and provide them with "two photos" he possessed, implying further damaging revelations, which led to Li Jing's reluctant compromise.
Back at the law firm, Zhao Chengzhi observed Shen Shuangshuang chatting with a man on WeChat and noticed a bouquet of flowers on her desk. His jealousy evident, he told her she shouldn't chat on WeChat during "working time" and that flowers were "unprofessional" for a "law firm." Shen Shuangshuang retorted that it was "lunch break" and she was entitled to her free time. She mocked his "dragon ball" on his desk, calling him "double-standard" and "naive."
She then confirmed with the man on the phone that she would meet him the following evening. Carnot ultimately decided to continue their partnership with Xu Bingbing. Xu Bingbing personally thanked Xinyi for advocating for her, apologizing for her past "naivety" and promising full cooperation going forward. Xinyi acknowledged the apology but stated her "prejudice has not disappeared." The company's crisis was successfully averted, thanks to Jin Ran's efforts.
Vincent lauded Jin Ran, calling him his "lucky charm" as SN had withdrawn their lawsuit and agreed to a public apology. Vincent also informed Jin Ran that a new shareholder had been confirmed, commending Jin Ran's "broad social connection" for filling the company's financial gap. Jin Ran, however, attributed the success to the investor's foresight in recognizing Feitu's promising future.
Later, Ji Aoting instructed Yuan Lai to pick up the new shareholder at the Lixing Hotel, but Yuan Lai was unable to find her, learning later that the shareholder had moved to another hotel. Meanwhile, Zhao Chengzhi posted a message in a group chat lamenting his "empty and lonely" state. Seeing this, Yuan Lai promptly added Shen Shuangshuang to the group, playfully commenting that Chengzhi "has Shuangshuang now" and shouldn't be lonely.
Zhao Chengzhi then posted a selfie with a panda, feigning that he had sent it to the "wrong group." Shen Shuangshuang retaliated by posting a selfie with a different man, also claiming "wrong group," and then immediately left the chat. Frustrated, Zhao Chengzhi tried to exert control by assigning Shen Shuangshuang more work projects, but she simply stated it was "off-duty time" and he should discuss work "tomorrow."
The other group members mocked Zhao Chengzhi, who defensively claimed he was "having a glass of champagne" to celebrate being "reborn" now that Shen Shuangshuang was "finally out of my life." Upon Yuan Lai's late return, Jin Ran congratulated her on the positive developments.
Yuan Lai inquired why he hadn't informed her of his countermeasures sooner, to which Jin Ran explained he didn't want to "promise on something I'm not sure" as his plan relied on a favor from a friend. Yuan Lai playfully called him "mysterious" and teased him about how many secrets he kept. Separately, Zhao Chengzhi and Shen Shuangshuang had another run-in at a coffee shop.
Zhao Chengzhi, concerned about healthy eating, ordered a "whole-wheat hamburger" but was told it was sold out. Shen Shuangshuang teased him about his diet, and they bickered playfully, with Zhao Chengzhi asserting he was her master, to which Shen Shuangshuang retorted, "You're not my dad." Vincent convened an impromptu high-level meeting for the new shareholder. To everyone's surprise, the new shareholder was Gu Sa, Jin Ran's "benefactor" from his time studying in Japan.
Vincent and Ji Aoting were taken aback by their acquaintance. Jin Ran was then called away for a client, leaving Ji Aoting to ask Yuan Lai, as someone who "knows the local area," to show Gu Sa around. As Yuan Lai accompanied Gu Sa, she was flooded with memories of seeing Gu Sa leaning on Jin Ran's shoulder in Japan, an incident that had previously caused their breakup.
Gu Sa, perceiving Yuan Lai's discomfort, preemptively addressed the past, acknowledging Yuan Lai's "resentment" and "misunderstandings because of me." She clarified that the "misunderstanding is solved" and expressed happiness for Yuan Lai and Jin Ran, praising Jin Ran as "the best man I've ever met," smart, diligent, and "gentle and loving," whom she had always considered "family." Gu Sa explained her return was not about Jin Ran but to explore "opportunities" in China's "promising" tourism industry.
She then asked Yuan Lai to join her in the children's section to shop for clothes for her son, Alex. Yuan Lai mentioned her video call with Alex, who had happily told her that "Daddy is in love with a very beautiful girl," prompting Gu Sa to emphasize that a child's smile is "more important than anything." Later, Jin Ran discussed Gu Sa's meeting with Yuan Lai, surprised that Gu Sa had revealed "everything," including the "huge misunderstanding" from Japan.
Yuan Lai, unfazed, expressed her admiration for Gu Sa as a woman who could "strike a balance between career and the child alone out there," and declared her intention to learn from her, stating she didn't mind Jin Ran's past with Gu Sa. Jin Ran appeared subtly concerned by Yuan Lai's casual acceptance. Gu Sa then visited Jin Ran at the office, implying Alex missed him, and invited him to Japan to see a house she intended to buy.
Jin Ran declined, reiterating his focus on China's tourism opportunities and declaring he didn't "want to do things we used to do," emphasizing he "cherish what I have with Yuan Lai now." Gu Sa seemed disappointed. The close relationship between Jin Ran and Gu Sa soon sparked gossip among Feitu employees, who speculated that Gu Sa was a "rich woman that Jin Ran depended on in Japan" and that "rich men like him don't know what loyalty is."
As Yuan Lai observed Jin Ran and Gu Sa together, Gu Sa called out to Yuan Lai, proposing they shop together again, then embraced Jin Ran goodbye directly in front of Yuan Lai before leaving. Xinyi's successful handling of the recent ad crisis earned her the director's praise and a promotion to "head of the South China region."
However, Xinyi revealed she was pregnant and couldn't accept the demanding role, explaining that frequent travel would "influence my work" and she was "afraid I can't accept that." Elsewhere, Yuan Lai and Gu Sa coincidentally met while shopping for Jin Ran's birthday gift. A sales assistant recommended a "sports watch" for Jin Ran, describing it as "young and energetic," "functional," and suitable for his "open and positive" personality and love for sports. Yuan Lai agreed this matched Jin Ran.
Gu Sa, however, suggested a "mechanical watch," arguing it was "more suitable" for Jin Ran's efficient, low-profile character, and hinted that "people's preferences change" from college days, implying the mechanical watch would "never run out of fashion" unlike the sports watch which was "only popular for a while." Despite Gu Sa's suggestions, Yuan Lai purchased the sports watch, thanking Gu Sa but stating she believed Jin Ran would prefer her choice.
Gu Sa then proposed they celebrate Jin Ran's birthday together, mentioning a friend from Japan who could cook Jin Ran's favorite steak. Yuan Lai replied that she and her friends already had plans but invited Gu Sa to join their celebration.
