Love Together (Trial Marriage) Episode 22 Recap
> Love Together (Trial Marriage) Recap
Ye Chengshu was deeply engrossed in his architectural designs for Yushan Street, striving to create a healthy living environment for the residents, including an innovative floating island concept. His intense focus meant he often neglected meals and rest. Gu Lingse, observing his tireless work, frequently checked on him, urging him to take breaks and eat. She even mentioned that he was too busy to eat, just like his father, always consumed by work.
One evening, as Ye Chengshu grappled with design challenges like building overload and weak subgrade, Gu Lingse found him and suggested they take a break, get some sleep, and then go out together, hoping a change of scenery would help him overcome his creative block. Overwhelmed by her unwavering support, Ye Chengshu tenderly kissed her while she slept nearby, a sweet moment amidst his struggles.
When Ye Chengshu and Gu Lingse eventually stepped out for dinner, they unexpectedly encountered Director Meng and Jiang Han. It became clear that Jiang Han was the "big boss" Director Meng had been working for. Director Meng had been actively campaigning for Jiang Han in the Yushan Street renovation project, attempting to persuade residents to sign a consent form by promising ten times the usual compensation.
Jiang Han, seeking to win the bid squarely against Ye Chengshu, acknowledged Director Meng's efforts, especially in dealing with holdouts like Lady Xu who refused to sign despite not needing money. Jiang Han gave Meng a reward, emphasizing his desire for 100% certainty to avoid any risk of losing the bid. During their awkward encounter, Jiang Han provocatively noted that Ye Chengshu and Gu Lingse were back together. Ye Chengshu realized that Director Meng was in Jiang Han's employ.
Jiang Han declared that he had his own methods, and for this bid, they would each have to demonstrate their respective talents. Though Ye Chengshu appeared outwardly calm, he felt a deep unease. Gu Lingse tried to comfort him, reminding him to focus on their meal. Ye Chengshu remarked that Jiang Han was sharp and had mastered his father's business tactics, but in front of him, it was like "teaching a fish to swim."
They decided to put the competition aside for the moment and enjoy their dinner. Meanwhile, since her father Gu Huaiheng's imprisonment, Gu Peiya and her mother had been living under Jiang Han's care. Gu Peiya had gradually developed romantic feelings for Jiang Han, who consistently showed her affection, even picking her up from work and assuring her she was the most important person to him.
He was also managing the Mulin County project, claiming it was a company project that he had to oversee in Ye Chengshu's absence. Gu Peiya promised to make him soup daily to prevent him from burning out. However, Gu Peiya's mother grew increasingly dissatisfied with their dependent situation and frequently clashed with the household staff. She pressed Gu Peiya to marry Jiang Han quickly, believing it would secure their position.
Gu Peiya rejected this idea, feeling that marriage shouldn't be a transaction, and urged her mother to become more independent. Her mother, however, scoffed at the idea of "pure love" and advised Gu Peiya to be "muddled" sometimes, suggesting that all relationships involved mutual gain, whether it be fame, wealth, or love. Later, while bathing Xiba, her father's dog, Gu Peiya discovered a USB drive hidden in its collar.
This discovery made her realize that Jiang Han's kindness and care towards her might have been driven by ulterior motives, likely connected to her father, Gu Huaiheng, and potential evidence he possessed. Distraught and heartbroken by this realization, she was left with a difficult choice. Recalling her mother's advice about relationships being transactional, Gu Peiya decided to maintain the status quo with Jiang Han, keeping her discovery of the USB drive a secret.
She concluded that if she played along, Jiang Han would continue to treat her well. Back at Yushan Street, residents were excitedly preparing for New Year's Eve. Ye Chengshu and Gu Lingse announced their renewed relationship to the community, with Ye Chengshu openly declaring his love for Gu Lingse and promising to treat her well, respect her, and let her live life on her own terms, asking for everyone's blessing.
Uncle Zhao playfully expressed his preference for Gu Lingse as a daughter rather than a daughter-in-law, to which Ye Chengshu humorously suggested he could be his son-in-law and vowed to earn his agreement. Even Beichen, after some teasing and a playful warning to Ye Chengshu to treat Gu Lingse well, gave his full support and was playfully pressured into calling Ye Chengshu "sister's husband."
Meanwhile, Quan Zimo and Ming Rixin, having learned from their assistant Fox that Gu Lingse had been seen at a book signing, were determined to find her. Fox, who had been "tormented" by Beichen at the Yushan Playground, was in the hospital, unable to help further. With Fox out of commission, Ming Rixin took charge, and they pressured Secretary Jin to drive them to Yushan Street.
Ming Rixin made a phone call to her brother, wishing him a happy New Year and explaining that she and Quan Zimo were on their way to find Gu Lingse, not to visit his parents as he seemed to suspect. After assuring him she would inform him if she ever decided to marry, she hung up, prioritizing their mission to locate Ye Chengshu and Gu Lingse.
