Ten Years Late Episode 21 Recap
> Ten Years Late Recap
Jin Ran met with Gu Sa at a coffee shop and asked why Yuan Lai was put in charge of the Green Path Plan. Gu Sa explained that Yuan Lai was capable, having proposed the project and overseen its development, making her the most suitable candidate. Jin Ran then mentioned he had recently discovered a new major shareholder named Gu in Sains, who joined after Feitu and Sains reached an overseas filming agreement.
He subtly suggested it could be Gu Sa, but she denied it. Jin Ran clarified he didn't care who the shareholder was, only that Yuan Lai wouldn't be harmed. Gu Sa dismissed his concerns, saying no one would hurt Yuan Lai. Gu Sa reminisced about a Miami vacation with Jin Ran and her son, Alex, from years ago. She brought up how Jin Ran insisted Alex attend summer camp while sick, which led to his condition worsening.
Jin Ran defended his actions, stating he wanted Alex to become stronger and not be affected by his parents' divorce. Gu Sa countered that for Alex, a good father was more important than a mother, implying Jin Ran was that role model. She mentioned Alex often spoke of Jin Ran and seemed to value him more than his own mother. Jin Ran promised to visit Alex in Japan.
Gu Sa then invited Jin Ran to return to Japan, highlighting their shared business interests there. Jin Ran firmly stated that their relationship was purely professional—comrades-in-arms and good partners—and he had decided to leave his past in Japan behind when he returned to Shanghai. He explained his return to China wasn't just for business but for an important person, for whom he wished to change his lifestyle.
Gu Sa warned him that the world isn't about equal exchanges, and that a past incident, specifically the Meiji acquisition, had irrevocably tied them together. She questioned whether Yuan Lai, if she knew about Jin Ran's past actions, would still accept him, as they were from different worlds. Jin Ran, however, was resolute, declaring he would wait for Yuan Lai even if she couldn't accept him.
Gu Sa predicted he would eventually grow bored of such a peaceful life, but Jin Ran insisted that day would never come. Later, Jin Ran waited outside Yuan Lai’s home. She arrived, asking how long he had been there and why he hadn't called, sensing he had just been with Gu Sa. Jin Ran embraced her, confessing his fear of not being able to keep her, worried that despite their ten years of love, current challenges might pull them apart.
He expressed concern that if she truly knew his past, his "true self," she might choose to leave him. Yuan Lai reassured him, saying she trusted him and believed he wouldn't do anything excessive, and they exchanged "I love you"s. At work, Xin Yi's team achieved the top spot in the quarterly appraisal, leading her colleagues to believe she would be promoted to deputy director. However, the director only offered her encouragement, while other team members received promotions and raises.
Xinyi confronted him, frustrated that her achievements were not recognized. The director cited her rejection of a regional manager position, which required frequent business trips, as the reason. He suggested her pregnancy made her unsuitable for demanding roles and stated her current salary was already at the highest level for her position. Xinyi argued that declining a travel-intensive role shouldn't prevent her advancement within the existing organizational structure.
The director acknowledged the deputy director position was vacant but emphasized the need for fair competition, promising to consult with senior management. Meanwhile, Zhao Chengzhi and Ding Ang were at a pool hall offering a half-price discount for women. Chengzhi tried to flirt with several women but was unsuccessful. Ding Ang teased him, pointing out that a man with a woman already in his heart tends to be less appealing to others, subtly hinting at Chengzhi’s feelings for Shen Shuangshuang.
Chengzhi vehemently denied it, claiming Shuangshuang was the one who liked him and that his heart belonged to his "paradise" of single life. He reminded Ding Ang that he was the one who pushed him into a blind date with Shuangshuang, leading to her persistence. Ding Ang retorted that while he asked Chengzhi to go on the date, he never told him to fall in love.
Chengzhi accused Ding Ang of being trapped in the "fortress of marriage" and wanting everyone else to suffer the same fate. Ding Ang corrected him, proudly stating he had "happily entered the palace of marriage" and cherished the sweetness of his relationship. Chengzhi, distracted, then started giving pool tips to other women. Jin Ran called Yuan Lai to inform her that he couldn't attend their scheduled meeting with Lin Shan because he had to meet Mr. Wang, a board director.
He told her to coordinate directly with Lin Shan regarding procurement. Yuan Lai informed him that after accounting for various expenses, the 700,000 yuan budget would only cover 70,000 saplings. Jin Ran questioned the high cost and disproportionate administrative expenses. He suggested applying to Mr. Wen for an additional 1. 3 million yuan, bringing the total budget to 2 million.
However, as Jin Ran drove through a highway tunnel, his call with Yuan Lai was cut off, and she missed the crucial information about the increased budget. She confirmed she would proceed based on the original 700,000 yuan. Shen Shuangshuang confronted Zhao Chengzhi, questioning his refusal to take on a plagiarism case. She argued that a young designer had complete blueprints, clearly indicating Sains had stolen his work.
Chengzhi dismissed the blueprints as insufficient evidence and stated the designer couldn't afford their fees. He argued that Sains was a major corporation, and it wasn't worth "fighting the entire forest for a single tree." Shuangshuang defiantly declared she preferred to "hang on a single tree." Later, Gu Sa had a phone call, agreeing to a 2 million yuan budget, noting that Jin Ran would handle direct communication with Lin Shan.
In the office, a colleague accidentally bumped into Yuan Lai, scattering her documents. Gu Sa saw that Yuan Lai’s contract draft still reflected the 700,000 yuan budget but chose not to mention the discrepancy. She simply asked Yuan Lai if she was meeting Lin Shan and if Jin Ran had verified the figures. Yuan Lai confirmed the figures had been checked and that Jin Ran was meeting a board director.
Gu Sa offered her help, emphasizing her close friendship with Lin Shan to smooth things over. Jin Ran visited a jewelry store and selected a diamond ring from the "Admire series," specifying a size 10 and indicating it was for a special proposal. Separately, Ding Ang surprised Xinyi with an elaborate proposal. He had booked a new French restaurant on the Bund and sent her a text message. Upon arriving, Xinyi found the restaurant empty.
A drone delivered a game controller, which activated a toy car carrying another remote. When she pressed a button, a screen began playing a video montage of her. Xinyi called out for Ding Ang, who then appeared with a rose petal cake and a bouquet of flowers. He affectionately apologized for not having proposed earlier, explaining that he knew she had concerns about the changes marriage would bring.
He reassured her that as newcomers to marriage, they would face challenges but promised to be a good husband, give her all his love, and be her constant support. Kneeling, Ding Ang asked, "Xu Xinyi, will you marry me?" Overcome with emotion, Xinyi tearfully accepted, and they embraced while fireworks lit up the sky. Reflecting on Gu Sa's warnings about the Meiji acquisition and Yuan Lai's potential reaction, Jin Ran became somber.
He looked at the engagement ring he had bought. He then called Yuan Lai, asking her to have dinner with him the following night at a specific restaurant, assuring her he would never let her leave him again. Yuan Lai happily accepted. The next morning, Gu Sa went to Jin Ran’s office, asking him to explain some figures in the third-quarter financial report.
Jin Ran, stating he had an important appointment, suggested she consult Mr. Ji, who would be more knowledgeable, and offered to have his assistant arrange a meeting. As he left, Gu Sa lingered and noticed the ring box on his desk, picking it up. Later, Yuan Lai met Xinyi, who was trying on wedding dresses. Yuan Lai teased Xinyi about her swift engagement. Xinyi, in turn, joked about Yuan Lai's eagerness to marry and asked about Jin Ran.
Yuan Lai mentioned Jin Ran had invited her to dinner that night, saying he had something to tell her. Xinyi excitedly revealed that Ding Ang had said the same thing before proposing to her, sparking a hopeful anticipation in Yuan Lai. Meanwhile, Chengzhi stumbled upon Shuangshuang and Peter discussing a legal case at a coffee shop. He deliberately interrupted, claiming he hadn’t received some contracts from Shuangshuang and demanded she resend them immediately during her lunch break.
Peter introduced himself as a partner at KNW. Chengzhi, trying to belittle Peter, suggested he worked in PR. Shuangshuang then clarified that Peter's mentor was the renowned lawyer Michael Lee. Feeling competitive, Chengzhi boasted about his own law firm and background. Shuangshuang and Peter largely ignored him and continued their discussion. Chengzhi then scolded Shuangshuang for showing "company information" to outsiders. Peter clarified the documents were about a 2016 KNW case for Sains.
Chengzhi, annoyed, insisted she return from her lunch break within a strict timeframe. As Yuan Lai helped Xinyi, Xinyi jokingly accused Yuan Lai of being desperate to marry. Yuan Lai playfully denied it, threatening to block Xinyi's social media once she started posting about baby things, while she herself would post about travel and food. Gu Sa then approached Yuan Lai, explaining she was temporarily overseeing the Green Path Plan for Lin Shan.
Yuan Lai presented Feitu's project data, which revealed Jin Ran had led ten out of sixteen major collaborations. Gu Sa commented on his outstanding abilities, mentioning his past involvement in 23 M&A projects in Japan, totaling over 50 billion USD, a period Jin Ran had never discussed with Yuan Lai. She specifically highlighted his "most outstanding" achievement: helping Hanguang acquire the tech company Meiji, valued at 54 billion yuan, for a mere 16 billion.
Yuan Lai, impressed but curious, asked how he managed such a feat. Gu Sa dismissed it as a "long story" involving "cruel business" not suitable for a "simple girl" like Yuan Lai, which only intensified Yuan Lai's desire for details. Back at the law firm, Shen Shuangshuang presented her settlement plan for the Sains plagiarism case.
Citing a similar lawsuit in 2016 that cost Sains dearly in both money and reputation, she argued the company would be highly motivated to settle quietly. She proposed demanding five million yuan, confident they would agree to avoid a repeat of the past. Her logic and thorough research won the support of her colleagues. Driven by her growing suspicion, Yuan Lai sought out Rex to understand the Hanguang-Meiji acquisition.
Rex confirmed it was a well-known case where Meiji’s valuation had been inexplicably driven down. He explained that Hanguang’s chairman had hired a highly skilled individual, placing him as an executive within Meiji. This executive then deliberately made a critical error in a major project, leading to a breakdown in Meiji's capital chain and a rapid two-thirds drop in market value. Hanguang then seized the opportunity to acquire Meiji.
Rex noted that while it was investigated as a commercial crime, no evidence ever proved the executive's mistake was intentional. All major decisions had been officially signed by Meiji's owner, Kevin. Rex tragically revealed that Kevin, unable to cope, committed suicide, and his wife soon followed, succumbing to depression, leaving behind their young daughter. This revelation profoundly deepened Yuan Lai's suspicion of Jin Ran.
