Wild Ambition Bloom Episode 16 Recap
> Wild Ambition Bloom Recap
Ni Xiangying deliberately tampered with the new and old product price lists she provided to Zhu Sha. After Zhu Sha finished labeling the prices according to the altered list, Ni Xiangying switched the lists back and then accused Zhu Sha of mispricing products to Ms. Shen, strongly demanding her termination. However, Ms. Shen meticulously checked each item and confirmed all prices were correct, leaving Ni Xiangying stunned.
Earlier, Zhu Sha had noticed discrepancies in Ni Xiangying's price list and sought clarification from Ms. Huang, an assistant. Ms. Huang confirmed the price list had been altered, with numbers like "13" changed to "1. 3" and "2" to "20". Zhu Sha then requested an accurate price list. While Ni Xiangying sent Zhu Sha to move inventory, she secretly swapped the price lists, unaware that Zhu Sha had witnessed her actions.
Later, Zhu Sha confronted Ni Xiangying, warning her not to repeat such behavior, or she would face severe consequences. Undeterred, Ni Xiangying went to the company's owner, fabricating a story about Zhu Sha bullying her. Knowing that Ni Xiangying had the backing of Tian Tongxin, the second son of a major company shareholder, the owner instructed Ms. Shen to transfer Zhu Sha to another department.
Ms. Shen felt this was unfair to Zhu Sha, who was a diligent and capable employee, but she couldn't defy company orders. Instead, she proposed a fair competition: both Ni Xiangying and Zhu Sha would have one month to prove their sales performance in the Stationery Department, and the one with higher sales would get to stay. After work, Tian Tongxin arrived to pick up Ni Xiangying, and they went to watch a movie.
As they drove past Zhu Sha, Tian Tongxin deliberately accelerated, splashing muddy water onto Zhu Sha’s skirt. Wen Zhiqiu, who arrived shortly after, offered Zhu Sha his handkerchief to wipe away the stains. He then attempted to engage her in conversation by showing her an ancient Chinese medicine book he'd found from an antique market, asking for her opinion. Zhu Sha, however, made it clear that she was not interested in him and advised him to give up.
Meanwhile, Mr. Liu, a manager from Shanghai Yinxi Company, was recruiting actresses. He approached Zhu Sha at Evernew Department, expressing interest in casting her in a film that praised professional women. Zhu Sha politely declined, stating she was only interested in selling fountain pens. Later, Tian Tongxin visited Ni Xiangying, bringing her flowers, and coincidentally purchased 200 John Howard Gold Pens, a quantity that nearly matched the Stationery Department’s entire monthly sales from the previous month.
After her shift, Wen Zhiqiu waited for Zhu Sha outside, while Mr. Liu persistently tried to convince her to pursue acting, even showing her a list of major films like "The Spider Cave." Zhu Sha remained firm in her focus to outperform Ni Xiangying and secure her position in the Stationery Department. Later, Zhu Sha glanced at a promotional flyer Mr. Liu had given her, and to her surprise, she saw a photo of Kang Erniu.
Overjoyed, Zhu Sha immediately asked Mr. Liu to take her to the film set. There, Kang Erniu, now going by the stage name Bai Bingxin, was struggling with a scene. The director was dissatisfied with her performance, particularly her inability to express emotional tears for a long-awaited reunion. During her second attempt, Bai Bingxin spotted Zhu Sha in the crowd, and tears welled up in her eyes out of genuine emotion, allowing her to pass the scene smoothly.
Zhu Sha and Bai Bingxin shared a tearful, emotional reunion. Zhu Sha moved into Bai Bingxin's apartment and confided in her, revealing the tragic death of Chen Dashun, the murder of her daughter Xuan by Chen Ershun, and her subsequent act of killing Chen Ershun in revenge. Zhu Sha embraced Bai Bingxin, weeping as she finally released years of pent-up sorrow and trauma.
Bai Bingxin, now aware of Zhu Sha's past, vowed to keep her secrets safe, including her new name, Zhu Sha, and her own identity as Bai Bingxin. Eighteen days into the sales competition, Zhu Sha had only sold 84 fountain pens. Ms. Shen, seeing her slow progress, suggested transferring her to the Optics Department, where workplace relationships were simpler and commissions were higher. However, Zhu Sha refused to concede defeat, determined to surpass Ni Xiangying within the remaining twelve days.
She requested to work additional hours and take pen samples and extra business cards home to devise new sales strategies. Bai Bingxin, wanting to help, invited Zhu Sha to a social ball, suggesting it as an opportunity to connect with wealthy individuals. Zhu Sha, initially focused on her research, eventually agreed, planning to bring extra business cards. Bai Bingxin also arranged for her friend, Sun Longyin from the newspaper, to help Zhu Sha with advertising.
At the ball, Zhu Sha and Bai Bingxin only had one invitation. The doorman, adhering to the strict "one invitation per person" rule, only allowed Bai Bingxin to enter. As Zhu Sha waited outside, Wen Zhiqiu arrived. Zhu Sha quickly fabricated a story about checking for a "secret mark" on invitations, snatched his invitation, and entered the ball, leaving a bewildered Wen Zhiqiu behind. Inside, Zhu Sha diligently observed the pens worn by the guests and recommended suitable alternatives.
She then spotted Xia Yuan and, startled, quickly retreated upstairs, accidentally entering a private gambling room. A man named Mr. Lu, who had been losing all night, called out to her, asking for her advice on whether to bet big or small. Zhu Sha chose "small," but Mr. Lu lost again. Confidently, Zhu Sha promised to help him win back his chips. She consistently bet "small" and instructed Mr. Lu to double his bets each time.
Despite several losses where "big" was called, on the final decisive round, "small" came up, and Mr. Lu won 50,000 silver dollars, not only recouping his losses but also making a substantial profit. A new idea sparked in Zhu Sha's mind, and she hurried downstairs. She unexpectedly encountered Ni Xiangying, who, knowing only 300 invitations were issued for the ball, suspected Zhu Sha had impersonated someone to gain entry.
Ni Xiangying then publicly searched Zhu Sha's bag, found Wen Zhiqiu's invitation, and attempted to humiliate her in front of everyone. As Tian Tongxin started to approach, Bai Bingxin deliberately spilled a drink on his suit, creating a diversion. Recognizing Bai Bingxin as a movie star, someone invited her to dance, and she used Tian Tongxin as her reluctant dance partner. At that moment, Mr. Lu appeared and vouched for Zhu Sha, diffusing the situation.
Ni Xiangying's attempt to shame Zhu Sha backfired, and when she returned to her seat, she found that Tian Tongxin had disappeared. Outside the venue, Zhu Sha returned the invitation to Wen Zhiqiu, who had been waiting for her. He invited her for a late-night supper, where he spoke about his background as a scion of a prominent Suzhou family who later studied abroad, then faced financial hardship and became an apprentice, eventually opening a large pharmacy.
Wen Zhiqiu then inquired about Zhu Sha, but she remained guarded, only stating she was from the countryside and had come to Shanghai solely to earn money. She again urged him to give up on her, but Wen Zhiqiu bought a flower from a vendor and gave it to her.
