Wild Ambition Bloom Episode 18 Recap
> Wild Ambition Bloom Recap
After sending off Tian Tongxin, Kang Erniu changed into a different outfit and arrived at Zhou Jieren's house. She confronted him, accusing him of making her wait and asking what he wanted. Zhou Jieren was alarmed, asking what she intended. Kang Erniu then threatened to expose their past, hinting that she would seek out his wife. Panicked, Zhou Jieren quickly offered her 50 silver dollars, warning her never to return or he would make her life miserable.
Kang Erniu took the money, but brazenly stated that she would come back once it ran out. Meanwhile, Chu Shaohua, disguised as Kang Erniu, had drawn Zhou Jieren out of his hotel. While Sun Longyin provided cover, Zhou Jieren mistakenly believed Kang Erniu was trying to extort more money from him. He rushed back to the hotel, only to find the real Kang Erniu playing the piano in the lobby, which completely dispelled his suspicions.
Back home, Kang Erniu excitedly reported her success to Chu Shaohua, declaring, "I'm back. Success! Dispelled all his suspicions? I promise he'll never want to see me again." She then revealed her biggest triumph wasn't the 50 silver dollars, but a jade ring, announcing, "Tongxin proposed to me! He's a loose tongue when he drinks. I seized the chance to encourage him and he got carried away. I've been waiting for this day for ages!"
She asked Sun Longyin to publish the news, specifically commissioning a headline: "Deputy General Manager of Tian's Apothecary Marries Film Star Bai Bingxin." Sun Longyin, who harbored feelings for Kang Erniu, reluctantly agreed, though clearly heartbroken. Chu Shaohua asked Kang Erniu if she truly considered the implications, but Kang Erniu was determined to "nail this down once and for all before he changes his mind." Kang Erniu then presented Chu Shaohua with a "gift": several newspapers.
She explained that Sun Longyin had obtained them through his Beijing contacts. The papers carried the astonishing news that the Sanshou Gang had been wiped out, and their leader, Ertu, had confessed to the murders of Chen Ershun, his mother Ms. Zhang, and his granddaughter Chen Xuan. Ertu admitted he committed the killings to avenge his past humiliation of being held hostage, raiding Huashun Apothecary and annihilating the Chen family. Overwhelmed, Chu Shaohua broke down in tears.
Kang Erniu comforted her, saying, "All that is past. You no longer have to worry anymore." With the truth finally revealed, Chu Shaohua could at last reclaim her true identity, declaring, "At least, I can be Chu Shaohua again." Sun Longyin, still pained, congratulated Kang Erniu on her engagement. Kang Erniu thanked him for his help and proposed, "Let's be friends forever." He accepted with a heavy heart.
Chu Shaohua then asked Sun Longyin to help locate Song Ping, a survivor of the Chen family massacre who might still be in Qizhou. The next morning, Chu Shaohua met with Wen Zhiqiu to discuss her new role at Wen's Pharmacy. She agreed to work there, but added a significant condition: "I want 10 percent of service-based share." Wen Zhiqiu was surprised but readily accepted.
Chu Shaohua then revealed her true name, explaining her alias, Zhu Sha, as a poison that brings doom to "demons and spirits." Wen Zhiqiu conceded, "You were drawn by my craftiness." Chu Shaohua officially began her work at Wen's Pharmacy, where Wen Zhiqiu was waiting to greet her. He gave her a tour, and as she entered the backyard workshop, memories of her time at Chen Ji Apothecary resurfaced, leaving her feeling upset.
He explained his vision to use Western pharmaceutical principles to "reform and improve traditional ready-made prescriptions" and elevate Chinese medicine to "greater heights." When Chu Shaohua expressed skepticism about achieving such goals with their "crude tools," Wen Zhiqiu countered with philosophical sayings about growth from small beginnings. He then pointed out her initial excitement and subsequent disappointment, yet noted her ambition. Despite her denial, he stated, "You're ambitious.
Challenge is ambition's best companion," believing an established business would not satisfy her as much as the challenge of transforming his pharmacy into Shanghai's best. The Shanghai newspapers extensively covered Tian Tongxin and Kang Erniu's engagement, with reporters hounding Tian Tongdao and Tian Tongxin for comments, but they remained tight-lipped. Kang Erniu excitedly showed Chu Shaohua the numerous articles, complete with photos, boasting about the widespread coverage. Chu Shaohua pointed out another article: "Tian Tongxin's love life fully exposed.
List of ex-girlfriends revealed," detailing over a dozen names. Kang Erniu dismissed it, stating she only cared if the Tian family had money. Chu Shaohua highlighted the Tian family's silence on the engagement, suggesting their disapproval. Kang Erniu, however, maintained that this was "precisely what I expected" and was determined to proceed. Chu Shaohua tried to persuade her by mentioning Ni Xiangying's experience, how she had turned down gifts and even sent back Tian Tongxin's breakup check, showing dignity.
Kang Erniu scoffed, asserting, "Money brings dignity." Chu Shaohua disagreed, "Money will never bring dignity." Wen Zhiqiu then took Chu Shaohua on a tour of Shanghai's apothecaries, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. Shaohua diligently observed, noting that out of 43 apothecaries, 32 were TCM, with Tian's Apothecary owning six of them in prime locations. She concluded that Tian's Apothecary was their biggest rival if they wanted to dominate Shanghai's TCM market.
Wen Zhiqiu corrected her, stating Tian's Apothecary, with its 58 branches and leading reputation, scale, revenue, and seniority, should be considered "potential partners" rather than competitors. He then unveiled his "Qingshen Pill," a formula he found in a handwritten copy of the Yongle Encyclopedia, claiming it to be a superior "refreshing and brain-stimulating" medicine. He proposed partnering with Tian's Apothecary to stock Qingshen Pill across their branches, believing it would boost Wen's Pharmacy's reputation and sales.
Chu Shaohua questioned why Tian's would agree, given their successful "Western Bunao Pill." Wen Zhiqiu reminded her that her actions had previously prevented him from discussing this with Mr. Tian, making it her responsibility to convince him now. Following Kang Erniu's intel that Tian Tongdao was fully in charge of Tian's Apothecary, Chu Shaohua went to visit him. Tian Tongdao was on the phone, rudely complaining about a chef's absurd English description of a cat and mouse incident.
To get his attention, Chu Shaohua subtly knocked over a pen holder. Tian Tongdao, annoyed, finally hung up and acknowledged her as "the friend of that rising star," referring to Kang Erniu. Chu Shaohua presented her business card from Wen's Pharmacy and introduced Qingshen Pill, explaining its efficacy for "dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and mental confusion," and showing licenses and positive customer feedback. Tian Tongdao dismissed her, boasting about the immense sales of his Western Bunao Pill.
Chu Shaohua boldly countered, stating that his Western Bunao Pill "hardly has any real therapeutic effect" and its sales were "solely from nonstop advertising," with "the repeat purchase rate practically zero." Enraged, Tian Tongdao accused his brother, Tongxin, of leaking information. He proudly declared that Tian's Apothecary dealt "exclusively in legitimate herbs" and would not stock "fakes or bad remedies" from "small pharmacies."
As he ordered her out, Chu Shaohua left a sample of Qingshen Pill, asking him to try it. He immediately picked it up and contemptuously threw it on the floor. Chu Shaohua left, seething with anger. Passing by Jujing Apothecary, Chu Shaohua decided to try her luck there. She was surprised to discover that the owner was Xia Yuan, whom she knew from Qizhou.
Xia Yuan expressed pleasant surprise at seeing her alive after hearing rumors of her demise during the Chen family massacre. He noted Wen's Pharmacy was small and offered her a position at Jujing Apothecary. Chu Shaohua politely declined, mentioning her "small stocks" in Wen's Pharmacy. Xia Yuan respected her ambition. Chu Shaohua, seizing the opportunity, analyzed Jujing Apothecary's market position, arguing that despite its growth, it lacked an "exclusive secret remedy" to truly challenge Tian's Apothecary.
She then proposed Qingshen Pill as that remedy and suggested a collaboration with Wen's. She candidly admitted she had just been rejected by Tian's Apothecary. Xia Yuan, with a meeting to attend, promised to consider the proposal. Back at Wen's Pharmacy, Chu Shaohua recounted Tian Tongdao's "discourteous, rude, and arrogant" behavior to Wen Zhiqiu. Wen Zhiqiu, finding it amusing, admitted he sent her "just for fun."
Chu Shaohua, still fuming, vowed to "make him pay back double for today's humiliation," a sentiment Wen Zhiqiu supported. Later, Mei Sandu, the manager of Jujing Apothecary, called Wen Zhiqiu to schedule a meeting for tomorrow to discuss the Qingshen Pill collaboration. Wen Zhiqiu, surprised, questioned Chu Shaohua about her visit to Jujing Apothecary and her acquaintance with Xia Yuan, subtly hinting at a deeper connection.
Meanwhile, Xia Yuan instructed Mei Sandu to gather all available information on Wen Zhiqiu and Wen's Pharmacy. Mei Sandu expressed skepticism about partnering with a "weak" pharmacy like Wen's, especially with Tian's dominance in the market. Xia Yuan, however, believed Wen's Pharmacy had a "major advantage" (implicitly referring to Chu Shaohua) that made the partnership worthwhile. He also asked Mei Sandu to inquire about Xia Chu's situation in France.
The next day, Chu Shaohua accompanied Wen Zhiqiu to Jujing Apothecary, cautioning him about Xia Yuan's meticulous and shrewd nature. Upon entering, Wen Zhiqiu, seemingly intent on asserting dominance, loudly criticized the small storefront, the "cheap" prices, and even the quality of their ginseng and a painting.
Mei Sandu, visibly annoyed, corrected his misconceptions, particularly about the painting, revealing it to be an authentic Southern Song Dynasty piece by Zhao Boju that Xia Yuan had refused to sell for 20,000 silver dollars. When Xia Yuan finally joined them after seeing off guests, he stated he had another commitment and wanted to "cut to the chase."
He agreed to sell Qingshen Pill at Jujing Apothecary, but with two strict conditions: it could not be branded with Wen's Pharmacy's name, and all raw materials must come from his Shouyuan Apothecary's herbs. Despite Chu Shaohua's visible attempts to interject and her exasperated expression, Wen Zhiqiu readily agreed to both terms.
