The Trick of Life and Love Episode 24 Recap
> The Trick of Life and Love Recap
Lu Shao questioned Ning Chengming about the economic investigation, asking how far they had progressed and if Ma Hao had been found. Ning Chengming, visibly distracted, stated that the investigation had reached Cao Mei, but Ma Hao remained at large. Observing Ning Chengming's sullen mood, Lu Shao deduced that Ning Chengming was likely upset with Li Qian again, despite their recent "peace treaty."
Ning Chengming eventually confided in Lu Shao, admitting that Li Qian had once expressed affection for him but had now given up. He confessed to feeling "uncomfortable" and unsure of what to do next. Lu Shao advised Ning Chengming to clarify his feelings with Li Qian if he didn't like her. He then praised Li Qian’s good personality and charm, remarking that she must be very popular.
Annoyed, Ning Chengming told Lu Shao to stop meddling, stating his focus was on anticipating Cao Mei's next move now that she was under investigation. Lu Shao then shared a concerning discovery: his mother's (Ning Chengming’s aunt's) personal information had been illegally obtained and posted online, with an anonymous buyer acquiring her data.
He speculated that this leak might be connected to an incident last year when she went missing in Japan and they sought help from various groups, suggesting some non-official entities might have leaked her data. Ning Chengming immediately instructed Qi Wei to gather background details on all suppliers. He reasoned that Cao Mei would likely try to use suppliers completely unrelated to herself to distance herself from suspicion and evade the investigation, so Qi Wei needed to investigate carefully.
Meanwhile, at Li Qian's home, she, Yu Qingqing, and Gu Zhe were drinking happily. After downing a can, Li Qian tearfully declared to her friends that she and Ning Chengming had "completely ended" their relationship. Yu Qingqing, seeing Li Qian upset, joined Gu Zhe in comforting her.
Li Qian then pressed Gu Zhe to be honest, and he confessed that he had considered selling Quark Star to Li Rong because he believed Li Qian was far more capable of managing the company. Li Qian rejected this excuse, prompting Gu Zhe to reveal deep-seated insecurities, admitting he felt inferior to Li Qian and his sister, Gu Lan, and saw himself as a "burden" and a "joke" in his family's eyes.
Li Qian challenged him not to blame Gu Lan, explaining that it was precisely because Gu Lan shouldered the responsibilities of Gu's Group that Gu Zhe was free to pursue his own interests. Gu Zhe was deeply moved by their support for his passion. Li Qian and Yu Qingqing revealed they had known about his streaming for a while and were simply waiting for him to tell them himself, emphasizing the importance of courage.
That night, Ning Chengming found himself unable to sleep, his heart racing. Li Qian's words about "restarting their respective lives" replayed in his mind. He was upset that she had made such a significant decision when he believed he was the one who should decide the course of their relationship. Concurrently, Cao Mei met Ma Hao at a pier. Ma Hao, holding three large bags of cash, was about to leave.
He was distrustful of Cao Mei, accusing her of manipulating him. However, Cao Mei reminded him that it was her anonymous messages that had provided him with safe escape routes and helped him evade capture by the economic investigation personnel multiple times. She stated that the economic investigation had begun to suspect Ning Chengming. Cao Mei framed this as their opportunity, stating she knew Ning Chengming's "weakness."
Ma Hao reluctantly agreed to help her "one last time," stipulating that all future contact would be strictly by phone. The next morning, Li Qian woke up to find Gu Zhe, whose face was comically streaked from a night of heavy drinking, leading her to mistake him for a thief and playfully hit him. Moments later, Gu Zhe saw Yu Qingqing, fresh-faced after waking up, and was captivated by her beauty.
Yu Qingqing jokingly threatened to sue him for sexual harassment, to which Gu Zhe charmingly offered to take responsibility. Yu Qingqing playfully rebuffed him, declaring he wasn't her type and that she had plenty of other dates. Elsewhere, Li Jingfan was with Li Jun, looking at wedding photos for Li Chen and Gu Lan. Li Jingfan inquired about Ning Chengming, noting it had been over ten days since he last reported.
Li Jun informed him that Ning Chengming and Li Qian had argued during the economic investigation into Ma Hao. Concerned that Ning Chengming might be bullying Li Qian, Li Jingfan ordered Li Jun to investigate the matter thoroughly, threatening to "make him a new man" if he found out Ning Chengming was taking advantage of his money while mistreating his sister. Back at Li Qian’s, she was still fuming.
Yu Qingqing suggested they go out for some fun, but when Gu Zhe asked to join, both women promptly refused. Soon after, Gu Zhe received a message from a "male fan" seeking advice on how to win back a girl he had deeply upset. Unbeknownst to them, the fan was Ning Chengming, and Ning Chengming was equally unaware that his emotional guru was Gu Zhe.
Li Qian and Yu Qingqing, both nursing their own heartbreaks, seized the opportunity to give "scathing" advice, suggesting the "scumbag" fan should "bleed money" by buying expensive, limited-edition couple items to make him experience "loss of both money and love." Gu Zhe, listening intently, nervously joked that this advice might spell the end of his career as an emotional streamer. Later, Qi Wei presented Ning Chengming with detailed supplier information.
Ning Chengming identified Jiechi as a potential problematic company, suspecting a connection to Cao Mei, even though they appeared unrelated. Their contract was due for renewal next month to ensure supply, giving them leverage as renewal was needed this month. Ning Chengming decided to wait for Jiechi to make the first move.
Following this, Ning Chengming asked Qi Wei for the gifts he had purchased for a woman, causing Qi Wei to comment on the awkwardness of buying women's clothing for the first time and being asked many questions. Li Qian then arrived to deliver a report. She began a formal presentation, meticulously stating the date, time, and her position as Assistant President of Guanding Group, before listing the administrative, HR, and financial tasks completed.
However, Ning Chengming immediately spotted a minor decimal error in her report. Li Qian was mortified, having hoped to present a flawless report to avoid giving him any opportunity to criticize her. Ning Chengming quickly reassured her that it was an internal document and not a big deal, simply advising her to be more careful next time.
After a moment of awkward silence, Li Qian apologized for the previous night (their argument) and assured him it wouldn't happen again, then returned his jacket, attempting to leave. Ning Chengming stopped her, then, after a lengthy pause, presented her with a gift: a pair of sneakers. He claimed they were a company birthday gift, but Li Qian pointed out her birthday was still months away.
Ning Chengming then feigned anger at Qi Wei for the mistake, threatening to fire him, but insisted Li Qian keep the shoes, saying she "wore out shoes" quickly. Li Qian, recognizing the expensive, limited-edition sneakers, was reminded of Gu Zhe's earlier advice and began to suspect Ning Chengming might be his male fan. Ning Chengming then "accidentally" dropped a document.
As Li Qian bent down to pick it up, she noticed he was wearing an identical pair of sneakers, confirming they were indeed a matching "couple" set. Confused by his intentions, she thanked him and tried to leave again. Ning Chengming stopped her once more, offering another gift, a T-shirt, which he attributed to Qi Wei. Li Qian saw he was wearing the same style in black.
Ning Chengming again blamed Qi Wei for the matching items, asking if she liked the clothes. Still flustered and unsure what his actions meant, Li Qian quickly confirmed she liked them and rushed out of his office, leaving Ning Chengming wondering if she understood his true meaning.
