The Trick of Life and Love Episode 25 Recap
> The Trick of Life and Love Recap
Ning Chengming contacted his psychologist, Dr. Wang, via video, concerned that Li Qian was still unsettling his emotions and questioning if his condition had recurred. Dr. Wang assured him that these feelings were merely "adolescent love psychology," a delayed response due to his past emotional and cognitive disorder, which had impaired his understanding of romantic social interactions.
The doctor advised Ning Chengming to acknowledge his true feelings for Li Qian and confess them to her, providing her with a sense of security in their relationship. Meanwhile, Yu Qingqing noticed Li Qian looking perplexed. She observed that Ning Chengming had been sending Li Qian gifts, which was uncharacteristic of him. Li Qian wondered if there was anything left for Ning Chengming to gain from her.
Yu Qingqing suggested that Li Qian's words might have exacerbated Ning Chengming's condition, causing him to perceive being kind to Li Qian as anger and scolding her as praise. Li Qian found this "reverse game" logic plausible, realizing that when Ning Chengming was good to her, he was actually angry, and when he was angry, he was happy. Just then, Ning Chengming entered Li Qian's office, prompting Yu Qingqing to discreetly leave them alone.
Ning Chengming told Li Qian that he would not agree to their relationship being strictly superior-subordinate. Misinterpreting this as a "reverse" agreement due to his perceived condition, Li Qian assured him she would strictly comply. Ning Chengming, taking this as a positive sign, then confessed that while he was initially displeased with her deception, he now understood this feeling was "like."
Li Qian again misinterpreted his "like" as its antonym and reassured him of her strong stress resistance, promising not to disrupt his work or life, then asked him to leave. Confused by her unhappiness, Ning Chengming left. As he exited, Yu Qingqing, who had been listening at the door, noted his dejected demeanor and warned Li Qian not to be too harsh, fearing Ning Chengming might act erratically.
Li Qian decided to minimize contact with Ning Chengming to avoid triggering his condition further. Separately, Li Chen met with Gu Zhe. Li Chen mentioned his father's high expectations for the engagement party and his own commitment to staying within budget. Gu Zhe, who had been successfully live streaming, agreed to promote Li Chen's upcoming drama.
Gu Zhe then raised his concerns about Li Chen's engagement to his sister, Gu Lan, fearing it was a decision made out of anger towards their father. He expressed his deep desire for Gu Lan's happiness, reflecting on her sacrifices for him. Li Chen admitted that his and Gu Lan's engagement was initially a pretense, but he had genuinely developed feelings for her. He found Gu Lan's unpredictable personality exciting, quoting Kitano Takeshi, though Gu Zhe didn't recognize the name.
Li Chen affirmed his commitment, saying he wouldn't leave Gu Lan unless she left him first. Gu Zhe, reassured, then asked Li Chen for advice on how to pursue a girl. Li Qian received an email from Yu Qingqing, informing her that Cao Mei had rejected the contract renewal with Jiechi due to high pricing. Yu Qingqing argued that the price was standard, but Cao Mei insisted Jiechi wouldn't agree and blamed Yu Qingqing for handling the matter.
Li Qian explained to Yu Qingqing that while Guanding needed to cut costs post-acquisition, quality control was non-negotiable. She decided to personally visit Jiechi to seek a resolution. Unbeknownst to them, Ning Chengming was aware of Cao Mei's plan to replace Jiechi with a new supplier. He had already preemptively instructed Qi Wei to investigate Cao Mei's previous suppliers and contact Tianchen, a former collaborator familiar with Guanding's standards, to mitigate risks if Jiechi fell through.
Ning Chengming allowed Li Qian to pursue the Jiechi renewal, hoping her efforts would expose Cao Mei's true intentions and help Li Qian gain credibility within the company. Meanwhile, Lu Shao inquired about Ning Chengming's relationship with Li Qian. Ning Chengming recounted Li Qian's peculiar responses to his overtures, which he found illogical. Lu Shao interpreted Li Qian's strange behavior as implicit concern, believing she thought Ning Chengming was "insane" due to his past emotional disorder.
He cautioned Ning Chengming against explaining his recovery, as it would cause him to lose her subtle care. He advised Ning Chengming to "cope with shifting events by sticking to a fundamental principle." Feeling he needed more concrete steps, Ning Chengming pressed for a detailed execution plan. Lu Shao and Qi Wei emphasized the most crucial strategy: "to be shameless." Lu Shao then presented Ning Chengming with a book on modern love strategies.
Li Chen visited Li Qian to invite her to his engagement ceremony with Gu Lan, also mentioning that their father hoped she would attend. Li Qian declined, explaining she had a crucial meeting with Jiechi regarding contract renewal. She expressed her good wishes for Li Chen and Gu Lan, and also confided that she didn't strongly dislike their father, but found it awkward to suddenly reintegrate into the family after so many years apart.
Li Chen understood and offered his unwavering support for her choices. The next morning, Ning Chengming and Li Qian coincidentally met in the elevator. Ning Chengming, having seemingly stayed up late reading the love strategy book, appeared tired. He recalled the "elevator chapter" from his book. When the elevator doors opened, Qi Wei and other employees were waiting. Ning Chengming had hoped for a crowd so he could "protect" Li Qian.
However, Qi Wei, noticing their presence, quickly urged the other employees to leave, deliberately leaving Ning Chengming and Li Qian alone. Inside, Ning Chengming indulged in a detailed fantasy of passionately kissing Li Qian. His silent laughter and unusual behavior caught Li Qian's attention. She brought him back to reality, reminding him they were at the company. Later in the office, Li Qian maintained a professional distance while reporting the day's schedule.
Ning Chengming, remembering Lu Shao's advice to "cope with shifting events by sticking to a fundamental principle," made an excuse about the unhealthiness of prolonged sitting to move closer to Li Qian. He insisted on accompanying her to the Jiechi meeting, dismissing her concerns about his packed schedule by stating he had already completed all his tasks, including reviewing five supplier reports and a new project plan. He then asked if she was avoiding him, which she denied.
Ning Chengming inwardly acknowledged the advice from the love strategy book and Lu Shao about being "shameless" to win her over, though he felt a pang of discomfort. Annoyed by his persistence, Li Qian tossed a document at him and left. Later that day, Li Chen and Gu Lan's engagement ceremony was underway. Gu Zhe and Yu Qingqing were also present. Li Chen and Gu Lan engaged in playful banter, showing slight nervousness about the event and their parents' reactions.
Gu Lan playfully told Li Chen he had two hours to back out if he changed his mind. Gu Zhe, concerned about Yu Qingqing witnessing Li Chen and Gu Lan's affectionate moments, tried to dissuade her from going in. However, Yu Qingqing insisted, explaining that giving Li Chen her gift was her only condition for forgiving Gu Zhe. A server then informed Li Chen that Yu Qingqing was waiting outside.
Li Chen hesitated, wary of Gu Lan's reaction, but Gu Lan, feigning indifference, encouraged him to go, reiterating that their engagement was "just acting." Despite her brave face, she looked slightly unhappy after he left. Yu Qingqing presented Li Chen with a small notebook filled with photos of his past works, including his award-winning "Jianghu Wuyu" ("Stories of the Martial World").
She expressed her deep admiration for his kind nature and his inspiring works, acknowledging her good fortune in knowing him through Li Qian. Yu Qingqing then congratulated Li Chen, wishing him the same happiness found in his stories. Li Chen thanked her and reciprocated the well wishes for her future happiness.
