The Fox's Summer Episode 13 Recap
> The Fox's Summer Recap
Gu Chengze was in a foul mood when the doorbell rang. Expecting Li Yanshu, he was surprised to find Gu Jinyun at the door. Gu Jinyun noticed a pair of high heels in Gu Chengze’s shoe cabinet while changing into slippers and expressed his astonishment, even asking if the woman was an underwear model. Seeing Gu Chengze's reluctance to explain, Gu Jinyun did not press the issue.
His real purpose for the visit was to ask Gu Chengze to lighten Li Yanshu’s workload or even transfer her to his department, hoping it would make it easier for him to date her. Gu Chengze firmly rejected this, stating his policy against mixing work and personal relationships. Gu Jinyun even jokingly suggested Gu Chengze fire Li Yanshu for his convenience, which Gu Chengze dismissed as absurd. Just then, the doorbell rang again.
Gu Chengze knew it was Li Yanshu, but Gu Jinyun, unaware, excitedly assumed it was Gu Chengze’s girlfriend and eagerly rushed to open the door. Gu Chengze quickly moved to block him, and as they both struggled for the door, they found no one outside. Li Yanshu, after ringing the bell, had seen Gu Jinyun’s shoes and retreated to her neighbor’s apartment, observing from a distance.
She only returned to Gu Chengze’s apartment after ensuring Gu Jinyun had left, having been tricked by Gu Jinyun's fake departure. However, unbeknownst to them, Gu Jinyun unexpectedly returned. Upon seeing Li Yanshu in her pajamas in Gu Chengze’s home, Gu Jinyun impulsively punched Gu Chengze. Gu Chengze and Li Yanshu explained the entire situation to Gu Jinyun, clarifying that Li Yanshu was merely lodging there temporarily and nothing was happening between them.
Gu Chengze explained that Li Yanshu's presence was no different from a pillow, and he didn't need to inform Gu Jinyun about every "pillow" he added to his home. Gu Jinyun countered that this "pillow" used to be his, sparking Li Yanshu's outrage against their "objectification of women." Gu Jinyun, still unconvinced, asked if Gu Chengze had even a tiny bit of affection for Li Yanshu. Gu Chengze admitted only feeling pity for her.
Li Yanshu then declared her complete disinterest in Gu Chengze, explaining their relationship was strictly employer-employee and landlord-tenant, and asserted that she would not even be friends with a man as particular and meddlesome as him, even if he came out of the closet.
This escalated into a bickering match, with Li Yanshu accusing Gu Chengze of being a demanding robot who complained about her messing up his "library-like" home, and Gu Chengze ordering her to shut up according to their tenant agreement. Gu Jinyun, amused by their squabble, was eventually told to leave by both of them. As he departed, Gu Jinyun vowed to keep a watchful eye on them.
Gu Chengze then chided Li Yanshu for agitating Gu Jinyun, to which she sarcastically replied that she had no brain, like a pillow. That night, Gu Jinyun tossed and turned, tormented by dreams of Li Yanshu and Gu Chengze together. The next morning, he confronted Gu Chengze and insisted on moving into his house.
Gu Chengze presented a complex and lengthy set of "Tenant Rules," specifying meticulous organization and penalties for violations, noting that even Li Yanshu managed to follow them, and that these rules were specifically designed for her. He then added that if Gu Jinyun moved in, he would also provide nightly tutoring on company management, including detailed financial reports. Hearing this, Gu Jinyun quickly changed his mind about moving in, feigning an urgent matter and swiftly leaving.
Gu Jinyun finally managed to get Li Yanshu to agree to a date. However, Li Yanshu made it unequivocally clear that there was no going back for them because her feelings for him had faded.
Gu Jinyun, brimming with self-confidence, argued that no woman could resist a man of his quality, comparing himself favorably to Gu Chengze, whom he described as a difficult, workaholic germaphobe with a bad temper, who had no girlfriend despite his grandmother’s repeated efforts to arrange blind dates.
Li Yanshu explained that seven years had passed since they last saw each other, and he had no idea what she had experienced or become during that time; he simply no longer understood her, even about simple things like her preferred movie genres or food (she preferred spicy hot pot over Western food). She admitted they had happy times but offered friendship, reiterating that they could never return to their past relationship.
She also criticized his public and childish pursuit, which was negatively impacting her work and life. Falling into despair again, Gu Jinyun confined himself to his room, refusing to eat or go out. Mrs. Gu, concerned, called Gu Chengze to reason with him.
Gu Chengze convinced Gu Jinyun to take a walk, and as they reminisced about their childhood (where Gu Chengze often took the blame for Gu Jinyun's mischievous acts), Gu Jinyun admitted his reflection on his own selfishness and unreliability. Gu Jinyun then asked Gu Chengze for help in understanding Li Yanshu better and winning her back.
Gu Chengze initially expressed reluctance to involve himself in romantic matters, suggesting that if she had rejected him, he should not pursue her so forcefully. Gu Jinyun argued that Li Yanshu had not rejected him, but merely wanted him to understand her more, citing an old photo she kept as proof of her affection and insisting that Gu Chengze, lacking romantic experience, could not understand the complexities of a woman’s heart.
Gu Chengze maintained his stance of not getting involved, but Gu Jinyun threatened to resign from the company if Gu Chengze did not assist him, leveraging Gu Chengze’s previous promise to support him if he took his management responsibilities seriously. He even implied that Gu Chengze might have other feelings for Li Yanshu.
After much persuasion and a veiled threat of resignation, Gu Chengze reluctantly agreed to help Gu Jinyun pursue Li Yanshu, on the condition that Gu Jinyun diligently returned to the company and focused on learning management. To fulfill his part of the agreement, Gu Chengze began to show an unusual and intense interest in Li Yanshu, meticulously collecting information about her.
For instance, he even gave Gu Jinyun a bag of Li Yanshu's trash, explaining that to truly understand a person, one must analyze their refuse to learn about their habits, health, and even menstrual cycle. Gu Jinyun was initially disgusted by this task but eventually agreed to the challenge. Gu Chengze also started asking Li Yanshu personal questions, like the brand of her face mask and pajamas.
This peculiar behavior led Li Yanshu to suspect that Gu Chengze might have a different sexual orientation. She discreetly shared her theory with Secretary Gao, who was already widely rumored to have a close, almost subservient relationship with Gu Chengze, even earning the nickname "Eunuch Gao" among staff. Li Yanshu's suspicions further fueled the office gossip, leading to a series of comical misunderstandings.
Secretary Gao, anxious to dispel rumors about his own sexuality, vehemently denied any romantic involvement with Gu Chengze, insisting he had a girlfriend. However, Gu Chengze’s constant demands on Secretary Gao's time, including a last-minute request to accompany him to a business banquet, forced Secretary Gao to fabricate excuses, even claiming it was his girlfriend’s birthday—a reason he admitted to having used before. He even recounted how Gu Chengze had previously forced him to assist Li Yanshu, leading to his then-girlfriend breaking up with him.
