The Secret of Love Episode 7 Recap
> The Secret of Love Recap
After returning home the next morning, Su Yi was scolded by Xia Xiyang for not coming home all night and failing to answer her phone, as Su Xiangtai had been calling about her absence. Su Yi revealed she had obtained Li Jiashang's fingerprint while bandaging his explosion wound. Xia Xiyang, suspicious of Su Yi's prolonged stay, playfully teased her about finding "first love" and questioned if they had been "playing Gomoku" or if "something else happened besides chatting."
Su Yi dismissed it as merely having a great chat and forgetting the time. Su Yi then admitted she felt Li Jiashang's profound love for Mu Xiao, which struck her as very familiar. Xia Xiyang advised Su Yi to first ascertain Li Jiashang's innocence regarding past events and then consult her own heart about her feelings for him.
Su Yi, touching her face, expressed her lingering insecurity about her past injury, revealing her face had been disfigured and she had undergone plastic surgery. Xia Xiyang, speaking as a doctor, reassured her that the scar was beautifully stitched and served as a "crown of bravery." Su Yi, however, concluded that they shouldn't be together easily until all truths were uncovered. Later, Su Yi returned to the archive room. Using Li Jiashang's fingerprint, she successfully opened a locked cabinet.
Inside, she found a group picture from the Li Mu Research Institute, which she photographed, silently wondering what had truly happened to Mu Xiao years ago. She also quickly photographed the contents of a "List of organ donors." Shortly after, Li Jiashang saw Su Yi near the company entrance and confronted her about not answering his calls. Su Yi claimed she had been working.
When Li Jiashang pressed her about "last night," she casually dismissed it as "just a game" and questioned if he truly cared. Li Jiashang, annoyed, stated he never loses games. Su Yi, after adjusting his tie, retorted that she chose her opponents carefully and implied he was "too weak" for her. Meanwhile, Chu Mo received a cryptic warning reminding him of past consequences for being a busybody.
Subsequently, Su Yi approached Chu Mo in his car, urging him to help uncover the truth about past events. She reminded him of his past as a dedicated reporter, recalling how he pursued truths, even for a chemical explosion at Golden City and a capital chain rupture at Fenghe Real Estate, and specifically a car accident where only he believed the official narrative was false.
Chu Mo, however, rejected her plea, claiming that people change and he now preferred a "playful attitude towards life." He questioned why he should "bear the burden of public interests" or take risks when the truth had not helped him when he was injured. He then abruptly told her to get out of the car.
Su Yi challenged him, asking if he felt better after giving up and if he had never "felt bad," to which Chu Mo responded that there were "certain things" she wouldn't understand. Li Jiashang wrestled with the urge to call Su Yi, but Zheng He advised him that "whoever contacts the other person first loses," also presenting Li Jiashang with a perfume, "Serge Lutens L'orpheline Eau De Parfum Spray," which he humorously dubbed a "female destroyer."
Later, Su Yi visited Li Jiashang's office to deliver some materials. Upon entering, she noticed a strong, unusual scent, remarking it smelled like "Chinese medicine." Li Jiashang, without even glancing at the documents, dismissed them, stating he was "not satisfied" and that Su Yi's "creativity was lacking." Su Yi explained that Ming Xiu needed specific feedback to revise the proposal effectively. This exchange was witnessed by Tao Feilin, who seemed angry.
Afterwards, Su Yi confronted Tao Feilin, telling her that while they both shared the goal of performing their jobs well, they were fundamentally different, and bringing emotions into professional matters was unprofessional. Tao Feilin calmly agreed. Su Yi later visited Chu Mo's office but found it empty. On his desk, she discovered a "Li Mu Research Institute 2014 Employee Directory," which she suspected Chu Mo had intentionally left for her.
She immediately called Ding Hang, explaining that the list was from the same year her father's car accident occurred and the institute closed, and asked him to investigate anyone on it who might be connected to her father's crash. Ding Hang agreed. Later, Su Yi shared her findings with Xia Xiyang, showing her a group photo.
They identified Zhu Yue, standing close to Su Yi's father, noting that he must have been a close acquaintance whom Su Yi had never seen at Lee Group. Su Yi resolved to memorize all the faces, hoping for a chance encounter. They then recognized a younger Zhang Mingda, the man Li Jiashang had recently fired, and marvelled at his transformation. Xia Xiyang questioned why Zhang Mingda didn't recognize Su Yi, unlike Li Jiashang and Chu Mo.
Su Yi explained that she was only seven when Zhang Mingda joined Lee Group in 2003, making her practically a stranger to him now. She concluded that it was now her turn to "hide in the dark." Su Yi overheard female colleagues gossiping about her, alleging she first used Chu Mo to secure the show and was now seducing Li Jiashang to take over the new product marketing campaign.
In a subsequent meeting, Su Yi directly addressed the implied rumors, stating her project lead position was "not due to telling gossips." She then presented her proposal, advocating for the "flawless concealer" as the focus over repair products, asserting that immediate beautification was more appealing and that "beauty is a productivity." After work, Chu Mo waited for Su Yi outside but did not offer her a ride, so she took a taxi to follow him.
Chu Mo drove to the "Ocean City Mental Health Prevention Center / Ocean City Mental Crisis Research Center," waited for Su Yi to alight, and then drove away, leaving her bewildered. Ding Hang then called Su Yi with an update on the employee list.
Out of five names, he had located four: two had emigrated, one had died due to health problems, and one named Zhu Yue had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital, with his admission coinciding with the car accident. Connecting this to Chu Mo's actions, Su Yi correctly guessed the hospital was Yihe General Hospital, which Ding Hang confirmed. Su Yi immediately entered the hospital, urgently asking to visit Zhu Yue, but the nurse insisted she fill out a form first.
While she was completing it, Li Jiashang called, demanding to speak to her in person immediately and threatening to terminate the collaboration between Lee Group and Ming Xiu if she refused. Su Yi boldly declared she didn't care and hung up. After submitting the form, the nurse informed her that visiting hours had just ended and she would have to return tomorrow, despite Su Yi's protest that she had arrived before closure.
Su Yi then rushed back to Li Jiashang's residence. He claimed she had left an earring there and went inside to retrieve it. When he did not reappear, Su Yi followed him into the room and discovered a framed photograph of Li Jiashang and Mu Xiao. On the back, Li Jiashang had written a message: "If it wasn't for me, maybe Mu Xiao wouldn't have died. I will never forgive myself." This revelation deeply unsettled Su Yi.
She found Li Jiashang by the pool, where he presented her earring. As he put it on her, Su Yi commented that he didn't need to be "so dramatic" for just earrings. Li Jiashang then told her he was "serious," intending to celebrate his birthday with her, as he used to celebrate alone. Su Yi noticed a birthday cake on a nearby table, realizing it was his birthday.
She wished him a happy birthday but then told him he would have to "celebrate alone this year" and left, much to his dismay. Later, Zheng He called Li Jiashang, surprised to learn Su Yi had left, having expected a romantic moment. Li Jiashang was clearly annoyed by Zheng He's comments.
Back home, Su Yi reviewed the information she had gathered, including the various fates of the Li Mu Research Institute employees, and pondered whether Li Jiashang was responsible for Mu Xiao's death or the car accident.
