The Trick of Life and Love Episode 22 Recap
> The Trick of Life and Love Recap
Gu Zhe arrived at Yu Qingqing's home, showing her his arm, which was bruised by his sister, Gu Lan. He explained that he had tried his best for their family, even getting injured in the process. Yu Qingqing, while applying medicine, questioned if Gu Lan was truly his sister due to her actions. Gu Zhe expressed understanding for Gu Lan, noting that she had faced many difficulties.
He mentioned that since Gu's Group transformed, Gu Lan had managed without losing any money, yet their father's traditional views never changed, which exhausted both him and his sister. Yu Qingqing inquired about Gu Lan's refusal to reconcile with Guanding, and Gu Zhe speculated that his sister was simply trying to challenge their father. He suggested that if Li Qian involved Li Chen, it might be more effective in persuading Gu Lan.
Ning Chengming returned to the company, approaching Li Qian under the guise of work discussion. Li Qian presented her analysis, explaining the value of the end product line to Guanding, emphasizing its fast cash flow and her efforts to save it by integrating labor costs. Ning Chengming, referencing the Equity loss as a value dispute, noted that Gu Lan, being smart, would likely not refuse reconciliation for business reasons.
He agreed with Li Qian's assessment that Gu Lan's refusal was probably due to personal factors, and that merely discussing terms wouldn't solve the problem. Ning Chengming then approved Li Qian's plan to integrate end-node human resource costs with Star & Quark and merge other product lines into Core I downstream, giving it a one-year cycle for approval.
Li Qian lightheartedly observed his change in demeanor, joking about his "magic" of being annoying during the day and normal at night, to which Ning Chengming responded that he was simply offering a hint due to her diligent work. Ning Chengming suggested going out for a midnight snack, and Li Qian took him to a barbecue stall. Ning Chengming mentioned she had never brought him to such a place before.
Li Qian, remembering his emotional cognitive disorder, immediately tried to make him happy, joking about the joys of finding good food for "corporate slaves" working late. She noticed a button missing from his sleeve, making it prone to oil, and used her hair tie to secure it. The relaxed atmosphere prompted Ning Chengming to ask if she would believe he hadn't deliberately caused the misunderstanding between her and Cao Mei.
Li Qian affirmed her belief, directly stating that she knew he wanted revenge. Ning Chengming admitted this was "kind of" true. When Li Qian asked if his anger had subsided, he playfully suggested it might after this meal, but also warned it could return with a poor report. Later, Ning Chengming chuckled as he pointed out charcoal on her face, then carefully wiped it clean for her.
Li Qian momentarily felt a sense of disorientation but quickly came to her senses, realizing that Ning Chengming wouldn't harbor feelings for her. On their way home, Li Qian thanked Ning Chengming for the meal and his guidance. She spoke about her passion for her work and the company's business, and the satisfaction of working with people she admired, a path she chose and intended to finish well.
She then fondly recalled his past strictness as a "demonic tutor," acknowledging students' initial complaints but crediting his rigor for developing the most resilient professionals. Ning Chengming admitted his past methods might not have been entirely appropriate but confirmed his intention was for students to take their studies seriously. Li Qian then offered a sincere apology for her past actions, which Ning Chengming accepted, stating, "Apology I received."
Separately, Qi Wei and Jin Yi discussed Ning Chengming and Li Qian's relationship. Qi Wei speculated that Ning Chengming's continuous challenging of Li Qian was his way of revenge for her past deception, but also noted that Li Qian, as a resilient individual, would not easily yield.
Jin Yi, however, believed Ning Chengming still harbored unresolved feelings despite Li Qian's apology, pointing out that Ning Chengming had not truly experienced a normal relationship, especially after his prior engagement to Cao Mei fell through. He noted that Ning Chengming still carried an emotional 'knot' from past deceptions, particularly regarding Li Qian's earlier pretense of being his fiancée, which was not the apology Ning Chengming truly sought, making their situation "more interesting."
That night, Ning Chengming dreamt of a playful outing with Li Qian at a botanical garden, where she teasingly took photos of him. Suddenly, Li Qian vanished, and his deceased parents appeared. His mother gravely warned him, "Xiaoming, remember there is no real love in the world. Everything is a lie," causing him to wake up in a fright.
The next morning, Ning Chengming found a sleep-deprived Li Qian at the company, exhausted from working through the night on a new plan inspired by his previous hints. He insisted she go to the downstairs gym to freshen up before returning to her work. After Li Qian had showered, Ning Chengming, ignoring her protests about needing to finish her plan, took the hairdryer and began to blow-dry her hair.
As he did, he became lost in a reverie, picturing a romantic moment with her and inadvertently scorched a small section of her hair. While Li Qian was annoyed, she quickly became embarrassed as she realized their colleagues, including Yu Qingqing, Gu Zhe, Qi Wei, and Jin Yi, were observing them with expressions of disbelief and envy. Understanding Gu Lan's true intentions, Li Qian went to negotiate with her.
Gu Lan, surprised by Li Qian's solo visit, questioned why Li Chen hadn't been sent. Li Qian explained that if work could always be solved by family connections, most women wouldn't need to work so hard, stating that she and Gu Lan were similar in their reliance on self-effort.
When Gu Lan pressed her on why she should agree to a reconciliation without any new offers, Li Qian calmly explained that the equity, though currently frozen, would return to Gu Lan at a value higher than the market price after the investigation, a fact Gu Lan surely knew. Li Qian concluded that the real obstacle wasn't the terms but rather other shareholders in the Gu family, implying Gu Lan was constrained.
Li Qian encouraged Gu Lan to break free from these self-imposed limitations, stating that if she separated herself from Gu's Group, she would become even stronger. Impressed by Li Qian's insight, Gu Lan remarked that having a daughter like Li Qian in the Li family made the prospect of marrying Li Chen "not so boring," hinting at her acceptance of the engagement.
Gu Lan, after her conversation with Li Qian, went directly to Li Chen's home, entering his bedroom without knocking. When Li Chen expressed his surprise and slight annoyance, she declared she was inspecting if his room was suitable for a bridal chamber. Li Chen was incredulous, asking if she was informing him of their engagement. Gu Lan confirmed it, stating the engagement would be "tomorrow or the day after tomorrow," much to Li Chen's delight.
She downplayed it as "just an engagement" and "a procedure," then explained that she saw no disadvantage in marrying him and wanted to leave Gu's Group, reiterating Li Qian's advice to seemingly bow to foolishness while remaining resolute. She stipulated that after the engagement, they would each remain independent and true to themselves, with him simply needing to dress handsomely for the occasion.
She asserted that while she might "bow to the stupid seemingly," she would ensure "they" (implying her family/detractors) could bear the consequences of her actions. Later, an intern reporter from Finance ABC named Guo Dongsheng, attempting to photograph Gu Lan, tried to sneak into the event dressed in an outdated waiter uniform. Li Qian intercepted him, identified him as an imposter, and, after hearing his predicament, kindly directed him to a discreet terrace for taking photos.
Guo Dongsheng, grateful, offered to treat her and asked for her WeChat. At that moment, Ning Chengming appeared, immediately interrupting by stating, "Sorry, she doesn't use WeChat," and pulled Li Qian away. Li Qian, surprised by his sudden anger, wondered if he was experiencing an episode. Ning Chengming, visibly displeased, questioned her enthusiasm in helping a stranger, implying she must know him.
Li Qian explained her good mood from resolving the Gu's Group reconciliation had made her more inclined to help. Ning Chengming then angrily returned the hair tie she had given him the previous night, declaring he didn't want it. When Li Qian tried to retrieve it, he held onto it, accusing her of being a "liar" and wanting her possessions back.
Exasperated by his volatile and "hot and cold" moods, Li Qian declared she had "had enough" and intended to resign, stating she never wanted to see him again. Ning Chengming, however, reminded her of their five-year "unchangeable agreement," which stipulated a two million yuan penalty for breach of contract. Their heated argument was abruptly cut short when a police officer arrived, requesting both of them to accompany him to the station for questioning.
Meanwhile, Gu Zhe, distressed, called Yu Qingqing, admitting he had been cheated again. He showed her a contract with an influencer agency, which she had previously reviewed and found acceptable. However, Gu Zhe confessed he had later signed a supplementary agreement without reading it thoroughly. Now, the agency was demanding a share of his earnings and requiring him to provide resources to them.
Yu Qingqing, exasperated by his carelessness, chastised him for not taking contracts seriously, calling him a "jerk" for his oversight. She immediately took his phone to "keep the evidence" for legal action. Just then, Gu Lan called Gu Zhe, but Yu Qingqing answered. Gu Lan instructed her to inform Gu Zhe that she would be getting engaged in three days. Yu Qingqing, shocked, asked with whom.
Hanging up, Yu Qingqing, clearly furious, declared to Gu Zhe that she would resolve his contract issue that very day, adding that after this, she wasn't sure if they would remain friends, signaling a breakup. She then confronted the agency head, "Mr. Jianghu," as Gu Zhe's lawyer. She denounced their contract as containing "overlord provisions" due to its "significantly unbalanced power and responsibility" and demanded its termination on behalf of her client.
When the agency representative tried to argue, Yu Qingqing systematically pointed out clauses indicating "fraud," "infringement of third-party interests," and "deliberate ambiguity of rights and responsibilities." She threatened to have Gu Zhe expose their unethical practices to his millions of fans in his live broadcast room, ensuring their company would be "stripped bare," and subtly warned them about a potential tax investigation, even handing over her business card, stating "tax defense is also my strong point." With the threat looming, Yu Qingqing exited, leaving a stunned "Mr. Jianghu" and the agency representative, with Gu Zhe meekly following her.
