The Fox's Summer Episode 20 Recap
> The Fox's Summer Recap
Han Junyao had called Gu Jinyun repeatedly throughout the night without success. She then went to Gu Chengze's building to wait for him. Gu Jinyun was surprised by her presence, wondering how she knew he was there. Just then, Li Yanshu came downstairs in her pajamas to dispose of trash. Han Junyao immediately jumped to the conclusion that Li Yanshu and Gu Jinyun were cohabiting.
Gu Jinyun quickly denied it, explaining that it was Gu Chengze's house and that Li Yanshu was merely staying there as a freeloader, therefore, should contribute by doing some housework. He emphasized that she and Gu Chengze were just pure friends and that she was his subordinate, warning Han Junyao not to spread rumors, especially not to his grandmother. Li Yanshu, however, refused to engage with Han Junyao's questioning.
Han Junyao said her cooperation depended on Jinyun's behavior, and Jinyun promised to keep his phone on. Following a conversation with Uncle Han, Li Yanshu went home to check on her mother, Xia Meng, who was recovering from a minor health issue.
Xia Meng revealed that Uncle Han's hypertension was serious due to stress over the terminated contract with Sheng Hong, and urged her daughter to return to work at Han Corporation, especially since Mrs. Gu had fired her from Sheng Hong. However, Li Yanshu insisted she had her own plans and left. Meanwhile, Gu Chengze had promised Li Yanshu that he would ensure her return to Sheng Hong within three days.
Unbeknownst to him, Mrs. Gu had already found a new chief designer: the world-renowned American-Chinese designer Karen Li, known for her mysterious nature, impressive resume including a Vogue "New Talent" award at 14, and high-end custom brand "Karen-Li." Despite Karen Li's reclusiveness and high demands, Mrs. Gu was determined to secure her services, planning a grand signing ceremony to leverage Sheng Hong's prestige.
On the day of the signing ceremony, Mrs. Gu meticulously prepared the venue, inviting major media outlets to witness Karen Li's arrival. As Karen Li slowly entered the hall and removed her sunglasses, the entire room gasped in shock: Karen Li was none other than Li Yanshu, her surname being 'Li' (黎) rather than 'Li' (李).
Faced with numerous media, Mrs. Gu had no choice but to sign the contract with Li Yanshu, as she had personally sought out this talent. Li Yanshu then addressed Mrs. Gu, expressing gratitude for the invitation and hoping for a happy collaboration.
After the ceremony, with only Li Yanshu and Mrs. Gu remaining, Li Yanshu calmly informed Mrs. Gu that she no longer liked Gu Jinyun, adding that she didn't like Mrs. Gu either, but as partners, their current animosity was unprofessional. Mrs. Gu misinterpreted this, believing Li Yanshu was only interested in the Gu family's wealth and the title of "Sheng Hong's female owner."
Li Yanshu countered sharply that not every woman coveted such a position and that her previous claims of liking Jinyun were merely to provoke Mrs. Gu. She asserted that while she had no interest in Mrs. Gu's grandson, she was keenly interested in Sheng Hong's "New Face" platform as a professional designer and intended to build her career there.
Li Yanshu then advised Mrs. Gu that, as a qualified leader, she should set aside personal grudges for the company's benefit, or she was unfit for business. Infuriated, Mrs. Gu attempted to slap Li Yanshu again, but this time, Li Yanshu caught her arm, warning her that a third slap would humiliate them both, especially since Mrs. Gu had personally invited her back.
Li Yanshu acknowledged Mrs. Gu's past sponsorship had contributed to her current success, suggesting that without her overseas studies, she and Gu Jinyun might have broken up anyway. She promised to clarify things with Gu Jinyun herself, but advised Mrs. Gu to stop interfering, as her interference only made him more rebellious. Li Yanshu returned to Sheng Hong, but now as Karen Li.
This dramatic reappearance sparked widespread gossip throughout the company, with employees speculating about her cunning and manipulative nature, viewing her as a "pretender." Helena, a colleague, acknowledged Li Yanshu's talent but openly expressed her contempt, accusing her of being too scheming and simultaneously bewitching Gu Jinyun and seducing Gu Chengze. Helena declared she wouldn't let Li Yanshu handle her upcoming press launch, opting for Gu Chengze instead.
Li Yanshu responded by subtly hinting at potential poor sales if Helena did not cooperate. Gu Chengze, too, found himself questioning which identity was the real Li Yanshu. When he asked her, she admitted to having many identities and being a "pretender" who hides everything. Gu Chengze acknowledged her as scheming.
This constant scrutiny and judgment, even from Gu Chengze, deeply bothered Li Yanshu, making her feel frustrated that no matter who she was, she would always face suspicion and criticism. When Gu Jinyun called her, expressing happiness that she was rehired by his grandmother, Li Yanshu reacted with irritation, telling him he was annoying her and to stop talking. Later, Gu Chengze saved a young girl from being hit by a car, and she gave him a lollipop in gratitude.
Despite his usual germophobia, when the lollipop fell to the ground, he picked it up and ate it, much to Gao Yang's astonishment. Gao Yang observed that Gu Chengze had been acting very unusually recently, noting that he no longer seemed as harsh during meetings, and his mind would wander.
He directly linked all these changes to Li Yanshu, recalling various past incidents where Gu Chengze reacted uncharacteristically strongly to her actions, including chasing her down after a minor bump, or remaining calm when Sheng Hong's stock plummeted but angered by Li Yanshu shattering a bottle in front of him. Gao Yang even mentioned rumors circulating that their relationship was "unusual" and that Li Yanshu had even kissed Gu Chengze.
Gu Jinyun, having spent a day and night contemplating, decided he would actively pursue Li Yanshu. He made a deal with his assistant, Mike, that if Mike helped him understand Li Yanshu better, he would dutifully return to the company to learn management. Simultaneously, Mrs. Gu called Gu Jinyun, demanding his immediate return home. When he arrived, she confronted him about Li Yanshu, revealing that Karen Li was Li Yanshu and accusing Jinyun of only returning to work for her.
Mrs. Gu expressed her deep dissatisfaction with Li Yanshu, accusing her of only desiring the family's wealth and reminding Jinyun of Li Yanshu's previous bargaining. Gu Jinyun defended Li Yanshu, saying Mrs. Gu didn't understand her, and also accused his grandmother of bullying Li Yanshu again, which explained Li Yanshu's earlier anger towards him. Mrs. Gu confirmed she had indeed bullied Li Yanshu and vowed that Li Yanshu would not have an easy time at Sheng Hong.
Jinyun, in turn, told his grandmother she wasn't as smart as she thought for inviting Li Yanshu back herself. Meanwhile, Xia Meng summoned Li Yanshu to a coffee shop, questioning her decision to work for Sheng Hong instead of their family's Han Corporation, especially with her new renowned status. Xia Meng expressed her disappointment, feeling that Li Yanshu was ungrateful despite Xia Meng having "nurtured" her for years.
Li Yanshu retorted that she hadn't spent any of her mother's money studying abroad, rejecting the notion of being "nurtured" by her mother, and bluntly stated that she had no interest in Han Corporation.
