The Demon Master Episode 41 Recap
> The Demon Master Recap
An Chuxia was trying on a wedding dress, feeling she had put on some weight recently, to which Qin Ao, the CEO of Jueshe company, commented that girls are cute like that. When he offered to help her with the zipper, Han Qilu unexpectedly arrived and immediately ordered Qin Ao to let go, asserting that An Chuxia was his woman and demanding Qin Ao stay away from her.
An Chuxia, highly embarrassed, tried to explain that it was just work, but Han Qilu dismissed her explanation. Later that night, a heavy rain started, and Qin Ao, considerate, walked An Chuxia home with an umbrella, only to be spotted by Han Qilu once more. Han Qilu approached them, clearly upset that Qin Ao was "sending her here." After Qin Ao departed, An Chuxia found Han Qilu's jealousy amusing, remarking that his "jealousy issue is raging again."
Han Qilu, however, was serious, explaining that An Chuxia was risking a rare internship opportunity. He was surprised she didn't realize Qin Ao was the CEO of the company where she had applied. An Chuxia seemed to not grasp the severity of the situation. Even during a later video call, Han Qilu cautioned her about Qin Ao, stating that even if he was her boss, she couldn't do everything he said.
An Chuxia, sensing his lingering anger, promised to follow his instructions, and Han Qilu demanded she report to him every two hours. Qin Qing was directing a play rehearsal, emphasizing "passion" to the cast. She received a phone call, which she initially seemed to dismiss as interrupting rehearsal, but her tone quickly softened. She agreed to talk for an hour, stating she wouldn't do that for anyone else, before excusing herself and leaving.
Li Shendong, surprised by her gentle demeanor, commented, "Since when does she speak so gently? She must be secretly in a relationship." After overhearing comments about love changing people, Li Shendong, feigning to retrieve his school bag, discreetly followed her. Just as An Chuxia ended her video call with Han Qilu, Qin Qing appeared with tickets for her play.
She enthusiastically declared Han Qilu the source of her inspiration and insisted he attend, not allowing him to refuse, then happily left before he could respond. Li Shendong, who had been observing, interpreted Qin Qing's actions as a sign she still harbored feelings for Han Qilu. Han Qilu, uninterested, simply handed the ticket to Li Shendong, suggesting he go to the play with Qin Qing instead. Han Qilu waited outside An Chuxia's company, worried when she didn't report to him.
He expressed his fear of losing her and emphasized her need to protect herself, as he couldn't always be by her side. Meanwhile, Qin Qing waited outside the theater for Han Qilu, enduring mockery from other girls who noted he hadn't even promised to come. Li Shendong, witnessing this, intervened, silencing the mocking girls and then urged Qin Qing to go inside, joining her with the tickets Han Qilu had given him.
Due to the long wait in the cold, Qin Qing fell ill with a fever. Li Shendong carried her back to his guest room. Upon waking, Qin Qing was surprised to find herself there. Li Shendong brought her food, and she was astonished by his excellent cooking, exclaiming, "Who would have thought that you're quite a good cook." She jokingly called him a "stinky winter melon," and he retorted that she ate "like a horse."
Highly impressed by his culinary skills, Qin Qing proposed, "You can't eat such delicious food only for once. Come to cook for me." Li Shendong hesitated, joking about encountering her "secret lover," to which Qin Qing clarified that her "secret lover" was actually her older brother, Qin Ao, playfully calling Li Shendong a "drama queen" for his "self-cultivation of an actor."
The next morning, Qin Qing sought out Li Shendong, who was playing billiards with his friends, the Sheng De's famous group of four. The friends revealed that Li Shendong needed to earn tuition money if he wanted to attend Le Cordon Bleu, as his father wouldn't pay. Qin Qing immediately asked him, "How about you become my chef?" adding, "I just don't want your cooking skills to go to waste."
When Li Shendong hesitated, his friends urged him to accept, remarking that it was "what you want, too," which puzzled Qin Qing. After agreeing, Qin Qing told him, "I want a menu tailored to my taste." Li Shendong then suggested they go to a restaurant that evening so he could understand her preferences.
Han Qilu continued to warn An Chuxia about Qin Ao, finding it "very strange" that as a newcomer, she had received a promotion and been entered into a major contest. He suspected something "fishy." An Chuxia, however, defended Qin Ao, dismissing Han Qilu's suspicions as stemming from Qin Qing's earlier false accusation of Qin Ao being a pervert.
She revealed that she had asked Qin Qing, who confirmed it was "nonsense," and clarified that Qin Ao was Qin Qing's older brother. Feeling criticized, An Chuxia challenged Han Qilu to be direct if he thought she was unqualified. Han Qilu clarified that he just found her treatment as an intern "far too good" and hoped he was "worrying too much." An Chuxia, visibly annoyed, ended the conversation.
An Chuxia continued her internship, viewing various wedding dress designs with Qin Ao. Qin Ao expressed that a good designer needs to have emotion for the dress before selecting materials, and shared some of his designs, including new, secret autumn samples. He then asked An Chuxia about her progress with the international wedding contest.
An Chuxia admitted she lacked confidence and experience, but Qin Ao encouraged her, saying he believed in her and felt she was "born for the stage of wedding dress design." He explained that after years in the industry, he had seen many young talents but always felt a "missing emotional privity and resonance" until he met her, which was why he exceptionally promoted her to his assistant. Following this, Qin Ao directly proposed, "Chuxia, please be my girlfriend."
An Chuxia politely declined, stating, "I'm sorry, Mr. Qin, I have a boyfriend." Qin Ao pressed further, asking if she loved him and if she was sure he loved her back. An Chuxia firmly reiterated that she would not leave Han Qilu and was even considering withdrawing from the wedding dress contest. She then hastily excused herself and left, with Qin Ao calling her name as she fled.
Li Shendong was stood up by Qin Qing, who abruptly canceled their dinner, claiming she had to go to Africa for an urgent matter. He expressed his frustration, calling her a "drama queen." Later, while discussing Qin Qing with Bai Qiuzi, Li Shendong fretted over Qin Qing's sudden trip, but Bai Qiuzi playfully teased him, suggesting his concern meant he liked her. Bai Qiuzi then shared that she had heard Qin Qing had a "secret lover."
Li Shendong, however, corrected her, revealing that Qin Qing's so-called "secret lover" was actually her older brother, Qin Ao. The name immediately struck a chord with Li Shendong, and Bai Qiuzi realized, "Isn't he Chuxia's boss?" An Chuxia, still conflicted, approached Han Qilu and apologized for not listening to him earlier, promising to keep her distance from Qin Ao.
She then revealed she was considering quitting the international wedding contest, as someone had signed her up, and she suspected foul play. Han Qilu, surprisingly, urged her to participate, assuring her that "only your husband would do something like that" and that he would take care of her safety while she focused on the competition.
The contest, organized by Jueshe company, commenced with an opening speech emphasizing the need for Chinese designers to find their unique style, rather than blindly imitating Western trends, and stating "Trends fade, style is eternal." Despite an initial moment of feeling unwell and being asked if she was pregnant, An Chuxia persevered and was ultimately announced as the winner. During her acceptance speech, An Chuxia admitted her nervousness and how she had almost given up multiple times.
She also shared her philosophy that "a wedding dress is a woman's lifelong dress for the happiest moment" and every designer must have this emotion. She then passionately declared her love for Han Qilu, announcing, "it's my fiance, Han Qilu," and attributing her success to him. She thanked him for his unwavering support, encouragement, and care, concluding, "Most importantly, it's you who makes me the happiest person in the world."
Han Qilu, deeply moved, responded, "Being able to make you happy is the most fortunate thing in my life." After her emotional speech, An Chuxia told Han Qilu to wait for her while she went to change. Shortly after she entered the dressing room, a scream was heard. Han Qilu rushed in, only to find the room empty, with only her changed wedding dress left behind.
