The Flaming Heart Episode 20 Recap
> The Flaming Heart Recap
Luo Jie, preparing to leave the fire brigade, explicitly told Ma Qianli that he didn't want anyone to see him off, as he wished to avoid seeing his comrades upset. He then sternly dismissed Ma Qianli from his office. Ma Qianli, in tears, shared the news of Luo Jie's departure with their fellow firefighters, who were upset. Li Yanliang and others misunderstood, believing Luo Jie was leaving due to Huo Yan's official record of his previous rescue violation.
They wanted to confront Huo Yan and make him retract the report, thinking such a conversation could resolve the issue among brothers. Wang Dayin, however, believed Huo Yan was a good person and wouldn't act in bad faith. Back at the fire station, Huo Yan examined the flash drive he found. It contained a document titled "Han's Pharmaceuticals PD1 Monoclonal Antibody Clinical Medicine Report."
Since he couldn't comprehend the complex medical terminology, Huo Yan immediately called his friend Wang to ask for assistance in reviewing the reports. Huo Yan approached Luo Jie during lunch, seeking to understand his true reasons for leaving. He asked if it was due to Yan Lan, his own promotion to station chief, or the alarm report form about his rescue violation. Luo Jie dismissed these suggestions, stating simply that he just wanted to return home.
Later, Luo Jie encountered Chief Chen, who questioned him about his decision to leave, suspecting unresolved issues with Huo Yan. Chief Chen pressed him, reminding Luo Jie how he risked his life to save Huo Yan in a fire and urging him to reveal the real reason for his departure, threatening to withhold approval of his resignation. Luo Jie, unable to disclose the full truth, could only say that some things were difficult to explain.
Recognizing Luo Jie's resolve, Chief Chen relented, emphasizing that regardless of where Luo Jie went, he would always be a part of their team, and the team's honor and faith should never be forgotten. He then gave Luo Jie the approved withdrawal application. At the hospital, Ma Qianli, after some hesitation, sought out Bai Xiaolin and Yan Lan, explaining that Luo Jie was leaving the fire brigade.
He clarified that Luo Jie's departure was due to a conflict with Huo Yan, specifically about Huo Yan recording Luo Jie's previous rescue violation in his police record. He urged them to help find a solution. Unbeknownst to them, Han Pei was remotely listening to their conversation through a hidden bug on Yan Lan. Upon learning of the tension between Luo Jie and Huo Yan, Han Pei, seeing an opportunity, immediately called Luo Jie.
Han Pei expressed surprise at Luo Jie's call but quickly revealed his awareness of the friction between Luo Jie and Huo Yan, suggesting that they could have become "brothers" sooner if he had known. When Luo Jie asked how Han Pei knew they were at odds, Han Pei dismissed the question, implying that Luo Jie was no longer important to Huo Yan's group. Seizing the moment, Han Pei proposed that they discuss a potential collaboration.
Luo Jie, playing along, agreed to talk about cooperation. Driven by concern, Bai Xiaolin visited the fire station with Ma Qianli, intending to mend the strained relationship between Huo Yan and Luo Jie. They initiated a game of "truth or dare." Luo Jie tried to leave, but his comrades urged him to stay and participate.
Bai Xiaolin, as the questioner for the first round, posed pointed questions at Huo Yan: "If you and your bro both fell in love with the same girl at the same time, what would you say to your bro?"
Huo Yan responded, "There's nothing wrong with love," and when pressed with another question about whether he would yield a promotion opportunity to his brother, he unequivocally stated, "No." In the next round, Li Yanliang directly appealed to Luo Jie, reminding him of their shared experiences and loyalty, saying, "You saved Brother Yan when the tin house caught fire. Earthquake rescue was so dangerous. You two led us through together.
So, no matter what happens, we will not abandon each other, right?" Luo Jie, seemingly unable to voice his true feelings, chose "Dare" instead of "Truth." Yan Lan approached Director Li at the drug testing center, expressing her concerns about the increasing number of sick children and the new drug's clinical trial results.
She pointed out that patients participating in the trials were developing angiomas, growths on the skin surface, which she believed was a side effect of the new drug and required immediate correction. Director Li, however, vehemently denied any issues, insisting that the new drug was safe and that the angiomas were isolated incidents unrelated to the medication. He quickly dismissed Yan Lan, citing an upcoming meeting. Shortly after Yan Lan left, Han Pei arrived at Director Li's office.
Director Li initially tried to withdraw his cooperation, reminding Han Pei that he had already risked his professional integrity by covering up the previous clinical trial report for him. He pleaded with Han Pei to let him go, emphasizing the potential disastrous consequences for his company if the truth came out. Han Pei, unfazed by the ethical dilemma, first tried to bribe Director Li, and when that failed, he resorted to a severe threat.
He played an audio recording of Director Li's daughter, indicating he had her under surveillance, effectively blackmailing Director Li into continuing to falsify the drug data. Under duress, Director Li had no choice but to comply. Before his final departure, Huo Yan made one last emotional plea to Luo Jie to stay, offering to take full responsibility and punishment for the rescue violation.
He asked Luo Jie to keep an eye on their younger comrades, specifically to guide Wang Dayin towards the Fire and Rescue Academy and to rein in Li Yanliang's reckless bravery during missions. Luo Jie, in turn, entrusted Huo Yan with caring for Ma Qianli, the youngest of the group.
He also told Huo Yan to take care of himself, revealing that he knew Huo Yan grinds his teeth due to stress and advising him to confide in his brothers more. Despite the heartfelt exchange, Luo Jie remained firm in his decision and quickly left, trying to conceal his reluctance.
Later, Luo Jie met with Liu Xuan and finally revealed that he had left the fire brigade and was returning to work at his family's pharmaceutical company, no longer a firefighter. Liu Xuan expressed her full support for his decision, which deeply touched Luo Jie. Moved by her unwavering encouragement, he proposed that she become his girlfriend. She playfully made him repeat the proposal multiple times before accepting.
Luo Jie then returned to the fire station to gather his belongings, symbolically removing his firefighter's badge. He paused to reflect on his cherished memories at the station, offering a final salute before walking away. Huo Yan, on his day off, met Luo Jie at a small restaurant. Luo Jie, now identifying himself as "Mr. Luo," ordered Baijiu, a new habit for him.
Acknowledging Luo Jie's unwavering decision to leave, Huo Yan presented him with a thank-you letter from Zhou Ying, a person they had both rescued. Luo Jie was visibly moved, asking about Zhou Ying's recovery, and gratefully accepted the letter as a keepsake. Luo Jie then apologized to Huo Yan, admitting he was at fault for letting everyone believe his departure was due to their conflict.
He finally revealed his true purpose: he had returned home to investigate a matter involving Yan Lan and his family's company, specifically related to Han's Pharmaceuticals. He emphasized that he intended to protect Yan Lan from a familial standpoint, not romantically. Luo Jie expressed no regrets about leaving the fire brigade, stating that he had dedicated his best years to Dongshan Station.
Huo Yan, however, pointed out the emotional toll his departure took on their comrades, many of whom were losing sleep over it. Huo Yan then disclosed that he was already aware of Han Pei tracking Yan Lan. He revealed that Han Pei had hidden a crucial flash drive and a listening device on Yan Lan, and the flash drive was now in his possession.
The drive contained complex medical reports related to Han's Pharmaceuticals' PD1 monoclonal antibody, which neither of them could fully comprehend. Luo Jie confirmed his current strategy, explaining that he was already collaborating with Han Pei as a means to slowly get closer to him, but noted Han Pei seemed to know a lot about their movements, making him a dangerous individual. Huo Yan then reassured Luo Jie that he had successfully removed the bug from Yan Lan. Luo Jie sighed, realizing he still owed Yan Lan an explanation, to which Huo Yan humorously retorted that Luo Jie owed him even more.
