The Trick of Life and Love Episode 21 Recap
> The Trick of Life and Love Recap
Following a sudden personnel reshuffle at Star & Quark, employee Jin Yi was dismissed, a decision orchestrated by Cao Mei. This angered Li Qian, who had recruited Jin Yi herself. Li Qian confronted Cao Mei in the office, arguing that instead of dismissal, Jin Yi should be transferred to a suitable position at subsidiary Tengda. Cao Mei, however, stood her ground, asserting that the redundancy was a professional decision by HR, not driven by personal emotions.
Qi Wei secretly recorded their heated exchange. Li Qian confided in Yu Qingqing that she felt compelled to protect Jin Yi, a loyal colleague. Yu Qingqing speculated that Cao Mei's actions were a deliberate attempt to create difficulties for Li Qian, perhaps even motivated by personal feelings related to Ning Chengming, referencing a rumor that Cao Mei was Ning Chengming's fiancée. Li Qian dismissed this, stating she had no prior acquaintance or conflict with Cao Mei.
Meanwhile, Qi Wei, after observing the tense interaction, called Lu Shao, expressing his concern about Ning Chengming's recent strange behavior and suggesting he needed a medical follow-up with Doctor Wang. Qi Wei then speculated that Ning Chengming had intentionally placed Li Qian in a position half a level higher than Cao Mei not to counter Cao Mei, but to create enemies for Li Qian and retaliate for her past deception.
Ning Chengming, who had overheard this conversation, openly admitted that it was indeed his intention. He added that if Li Qian were a mere "little white rabbit" easily bullied in the workplace, she wouldn't be fit to be Assistant President of Guanding. To assert her status, Cao Mei invited Li Qian to lunch. She superficially praised Li Qian as Ning Chengming's capable assistant but subtly reminded her that she was "just a worker."
Cao Mei then revealed that she was Ning Chengming's former fiancée, a fact Li Qian feigned surprise at, though she had known it. Capitalizing on the revelation, Li Qian, adopting a subservient demeanor, pleaded with Cao Mei to intercede with Ning Chengming, claiming he constantly played tricks on her. Cao Mei attempted to downplay Ning Chengming's behavior as his usual harshness towards everyone, but Li Qian playfully retorted that her concern was Ning Chengming keeping her "in the mind."
Li Qian privately warned Yu Qingqing to avoid company politics, especially regarding Gu Lan's frozen shares. To Li Qian's dismay, Yu Qingqing revealed that she had already, under Cao Mei's instruction, sent reconciliation documents to Gu Lan's family. Meanwhile, Gu Lan, discussing the frozen shares with her father, rejected the reconciliation offer, intending to sue Guanding. She cynically proposed going through with her engagement to Li Chen to leverage the Li family's resources before an inevitable divorce.
Li Qian later confronted Ning Chengming, urging him to cease his retaliation. She argued that he had suffered no real loss and hadn't truly loved her, and that their past should simply "blow away." Ning Chengming rebuffed her, stating that her apology was insufficient and that she routinely lied to feel at ease.
In a moment of emotional honesty, Li Qian confessed she didn't want to regret having "lied to you but really fell in love with you," though she quickly tried to backtrack and insisted he treat her as an ordinary employee. Ning Chengming remained unyielding, and their exchange ended with Li Qian warning him she was no "little white rabbit."
Learning of Gu Lan's refusal to settle and her intention to sue, Yu Qingqing approached Gu Zhe, fearing that Guanding would blame Li Qian. She subtly suggested that if Gu Zhe helped Li Qian with this matter, Li Qian might reciprocate with gratitude, softening her anger towards him. Gu Zhe seemed swayed by this prospect. Ning Chengming, sensing a shift in his own emotions, contacted his psychologist, Doctor Wang.
The doctor revealed that his emotional cognitive recovery, allowing him to understand feelings like joy and anger, might be due to the influence of a "guide" since his car accident. Ning Chengming described experiencing intense happiness when tricking "the woman who lied to me" but also profound anger when she claimed to no longer love him. The doctor suggested these fluctuations indicated a significant emotional development. Ning Chengming then assigned Li Qian several tasks previously handled by Cao Mei.
Li Qian, seeing through his attempt to use her, demanded to see his confidential plan. Ning Chengming refused, leading to a physical struggle over the document. Qi Wei walked in on them, mistaking their scuffle for flirting, and quickly retreated, allowing Li Qian to snatch the plan amidst Ning Chengming's feigned helplessness. Once Li Qian left, Ning Chengming smirked, revealing the plan's contents were precisely what he intended for her to pursue.
Later, Li Qian attended a meeting, expecting it to be on the plan she'd "stolen," only to find it was about Gu Lan's lawsuit. Cao Mei was also present, asserting she was in charge. As Li Qian prepared to leave, everyone received a text message announcing Li Qian as the meeting's chair. A fuming Cao Mei stormed out. Li Qian, realizing Ning Chengming's deliberate manipulation to pit her against Cao Mei, marched into his office.
She immediately began hitting him, accusing him of intentionally making her enemies and demanding an end to his continuous retaliation. Qi Wei, interrupting again, warned them about company policy against assaulting a superior, before hastily leaving. Yu Qingqing later suggested that Gu Lan's refusal to settle might also be linked to Yu Qingqing having scratched Gu Lan's car previously, complicating Li Qian's involvement in the matter. Cao Mei, also noticing Ning Chengming's increasing focus on Li Qian, visited her.
She asked about their relationship, to which Li Qian attributed it to their former teacher-student dynamic. Cao Mei then revealed that Ning Chengming suffered from "emotional cognitive impairment" due to his parents' sudden death, which explained his distant demeanor and lack of friends. Finally, Lu Shao advised Ning Chengming to acknowledge his burgeoning feelings for Li Qian. He suggested that Li Qian's dedicated work, despite Ning Chengming's constant vexation, demonstrated more than mere guilt.
He warned Ning Chengming that continuing his punitive actions could lead to regret and a "wife chasing crematory" scenario. Ning Chengming, seemingly realizing the truth of Lu Shao's words, immediately rushed back to the company to find Li Qian. Lu Shao and Qi Wei observed his newfound expressiveness, concluding that "love can change everything."
