The Trick of Life and Love Episode 7 Recap
> The Trick of Life and Love Recap
Ning Chengming observed Li Qian's ears had turned red, which made her flustered and take a step back. She quickly claimed to be a capable cook, despite their earlier discovery that her fridge was full of expired food. Ning Chengming suggested they eat out, hoping a visit to one of their 'frequently visited' restaurants might help him regain some memories. Li Qian, anxious about being recognized, first proposed ordering takeout.
She then swiftly dismissed popular local spots like `Wenhuige Restaurant` and `Qinyi Dining Room`, fearing encounters with acquaintances, before settling on another restaurant. Meanwhile, early that morning, Li Chen sneaked back home but was caught by his father, Li Jingfan, and his older brother, Li Jun. Li Jingfan questioned his absence from the previous night's family gathering. Li Chen, feigning grievance, claimed he was with clients trying to secure an investment.
Li Jun, noticing Li Chen was wearing his suit, demanded he take it off. During their struggle, a confidential folder Li Chen was holding fell to the ground. Li Chen dramatically warned his brother that opening it would obligate him to a 20 million investment. Unmoved, Li Jingfan simply picked up the folder himself. Inside, he found detailed personal information about Ning Chengming. Li Jingfan demanded an explanation, but Li Chen remained silent.
Later, Li Qian called Gu Zhe to request a day off. Gu Zhe, relieved, readily approved, even suggesting she take two days, as he was struggling with how to explain the cancellation of their company's acquisition to her. However, Yu Qingqing, who overheard the conversation, sternly warned Gu Zhe that his dishonesty would lead to disastrous consequences once Li Qian uncovered the truth.
At the restaurant Li Qian had chosen, the owner greeted her with exaggerated familiarity, a characteristic Li Qian explained he employed with all his customers. Ning Chengming asked to order their 'usual dishes.' With a discreet glance, Li Qian signaled the owner, who then rattled off suggestions: `Stir-fried Lotus Root Slices`, `Crab Roe Tofu Casserole`, and the house specialty, `crispy hairtail`. Li Qian praised his excellent memory.
After the meal, Ning Chengming noted that other tables received `potato and chicken pieces` as their special, prompting Li Qian to explain the owner’s unique approach of customizing dishes for each guest. Ning Chengming confirmed that the taste of the food felt familiar to him. While dining, Ning Chengming noticed a wall covered in couples' photographs, some dating back to the previous year.
He began to stand up to get a closer look, but Li Qian quickly held him back, silently fretting that he might inquire about their 'own' photos from earlier times. She then called the owner over, pointedly asking why their previous pictures were no longer on display. The perceptive owner immediately understood and, with a quick wit, explained that a recent renovation had regrettably led to some photos, including theirs, being accidentally misplaced.
To make amends, he insisted on taking a new photo of them. A slightly awkward Li Qian and Ning Chengming posed for the picture, with Ning Chengming gently putting his arm around Li Qian at the owner's jovial instruction, and their fresh snapshot was promptly added to the wall. Following this, Li Jingfan summoned his son, Li Jun, to discuss Ning Chengming.
Li Jun provided a detailed account of Ning Chengming’s background: a finance and economics graduate from Imperial College London, a respected academic figure in China, who, two years prior, had unexpectedly abandoned his academic career to found the investment firm Guanding, now a rising star in the industry. Li Jingfan, however, dismissed this trajectory as irresponsible and driven by greed, especially considering Ning Chengming's orphaned past.
He found it highly suspicious that Ning Chengming, known for his cold and reserved demeanor, exhibited such unusual closeness with Li Qian, suggesting a carefully planned agenda. Li Jingfan then instructed Li Jun to thoroughly investigate Ning Chengming's true motives for approaching Li Qian and also canceled the planned acquisition of Gu Zhe's company. After leaving the restaurant, Ning Chengming suggested a trip to a nearby supermarket for groceries, citing the expired food in the fridge.
Li Qian enthusiastically agreed, seeing it as a perfect opportunity to minimize the "long-term risk" of encountering acquaintances by cooking at home instead of dining out. En route, she reflected on how their chosen supermarket was sufficiently distant to avoid recognition on a weekday. Ning Chengming inquired about ingredients for his recovery, proposing expensive options like sea cucumber or ginseng, but Li Qian firmly insisted on buying pig's feet.
Meanwhile, at the company, Qi Wei, acting on Ning Chengming's 'great strategy,' had returned alone. When confronted by Jun, he put on a dramatic display, tearfully claiming that Ning Chengming had harshly criticized his ideas and communication style during a contract discussion, ultimately ordering him to "get back" to the office. Qi Wei professed his unwavering loyalty to Ning Chengming, asserting his belief that his leader would never irresponsibly disappear.
Shortly after, Cao Mei, Ning Chengming's ex-fiancée and the company's legal counsel, approached Qi Wei. Under the guise of casual conversation about his trip to T Country and "pretty girls," she subtly tried to extract information about Ning Chengming's whereabouts. Qi Wei, however, skillfully dodged her questions. Cao Mei then attempted to forge an alliance with him by lamenting Ning Chengming's difficult personality and suggesting they team up against his temper.
She pressed for details, emphasizing the serious implications of Ning Chengming's disappearance. Despite her persistent questioning, Qi Wei, on the verge of tears, maintained his ignorance, stating he was merely a secretary with no knowledge of Ning Chengming's location. Unable to glean any useful information, Cao Mei dismissed him. At the supermarket, Li Qian's sense of security was shattered when she unexpectedly spotted Yang Laoshi, her former kindergarten director. She immediately tried to pull Ning Chengming away, hoping to hide.
They eventually sought refuge in a storage room, where Li Qian explained that Yang Laoshi, now retired, had a notorious habit of "revealing people's pasts," particularly her own embarrassing childhood stories. Ning Chengming, however, was intrigued, wishing to speak with Yang Laoshi to learn more about Li Qian's forgotten childhood.
While in hiding, Ning Chengming was struck by a sudden flashback: he was in college, sternly scolding Li Qian for a zero on an exam and telling her not to try and fool him. Shaken, he called out Li Qian's name, and she responded, assuring him she was fine. Believing Yang Laoshi had left, they emerged from the storage room, only to be caught by her. Ning Chengming quickly introduced himself as Li Qian's fiancé.
Delighted, Yang Laoshi immediately dragged them to a "chocolate promotion" where gifts were exclusively for couples. The skeptical promotional staff demanded they perform a public act of affection to prove their relationship. Ning Chengming readily leaned in for a kiss, but Li Qian abruptly stopped him, citing the presence of "too many people." Yang Laoshi, unfazed, publicly embarrassed Li Qian by reminiscing about her childhood, claiming she was never shy when "forcing kindergarten boys to kiss her as Sleeping Beauty."
Enraged, Li Qian fiercely demanded the staff hand over the gift package, her intensity intimidating them into compliance. Afterwards, Ning Chengming expressed his amusement, finding Yang Laoshi "cute," and suggested inviting her home to uncover more of Li Qian's childhood stories, a proposal Li Qian swiftly shut down. As they walked home, Ning Chengming chose to forgo a taxi, preferring to walk and "familiarize himself with the surroundings."
Passing a playground, Li Qian paused, lost in memories of how she and her mother frequently visited, though never with Ning Chengming. A flashback showed a young Li Qian struggling on a swing, asking her mother to push her, but her mother, engrossed in her own swinging, encouraged her to manage by herself, prompting a disappointed young Li Qian to sing, "only mom is good in the world, mom is not good."
Breaking from her reverie, Ning Chengming gently inquired if he had ever met her mother. Li Qian explained their "doomed couple" status: he was an orphan, and her mother had passed away during her sophomore year, thus sparing them the awkwardness of meeting each other's parents. Sensing her melancholy, Ning Chengming began to push her on a swing, bringing a smile and laughter to her face.
As they continued their walk, Ning Chengming questioned why he couldn't kiss her, neither in public nor privately. Li Qian, ever vigilant of the "old fox," fabricated a story: they had experienced a heated argument, during which Ning Chengming himself proposed a "cooling-off period" with a strict "no intimate contact" clause to ensure clear judgment, a period that still had one month remaining. Ning Chengming agreed to honor the agreement. Just as he started to ask about her childhood again, Li Qian sternly forbade him from ever bringing up that topic.
