Wild Ambition Bloom Episode 37 Recap
> Wild Ambition Bloom Recap
Chu Shaohua approached Gao Qianyi, asserting that he was a man of integrity, unlike Xia Yuan, who was solely driven by profit. She expressed her belief that Gao Qianyi would not betray his conscience and directly asked if her mother had truly sold the Miracle Pills formula to Xia Yuan. Gao Qianyi, however, stated that Xia Yuan was his boss, mentor, and benefactor, and he could not betray him.
He insisted he was no longer the man Chu Shaohua remembered and advised her to seek answers from Xia Yuan, then promptly left. Chu Shaohua traveled to her hometown of Qizhou to consult her brother, Shaozhong, about the sale of Chichun Apothecary. Shaozhong distinctly recalled their mother selling the apothecary's signboard for 160 silver dollars, not the 180 Xia Yuan claimed. He was adamant that their mother had never sold the Miracle Pills formula.
Despite their thorough search of the house, they couldn't find the original sales contract. Shaozhong remembered that three copies had been made, with one held by Lei Yuting, the middleman at Anke Hall. Upon visiting Anke Hall, they learned that Lei Yuting had passed away in 1930. The caretaker granted them access to the archives, casually mentioning that another party had also recently been there searching for items. Chu Shaohua and Shaozhong meticulously searched until they found the original contract.
Convinced of its importance, Shaozhong agreed to return to Shanghai with Chu Shaohua to testify. Meanwhile, Kang Erniu, who had been tasked by Chu Shaohua to find Zhou Yan to testify, discovered that Zhou Yan had also passed away. Wen Zhiqiu, initially worried about Chu Shaohua's unfavorable legal position, expressed relief upon learning that she had found the crucial contract in Qizhou, which confirmed Xia Yuan's contract was a forgery. The lawsuit filed by Xia Yuan against Chu Shaohua commenced.
Chu Shaohua presented the contract retrieved from Anke Hall as evidence. Xia Yuan's lawyer immediately contested its authenticity, claiming it was a forgery and that the signatures and fingerprints of Xia Yuan and Gao Qianyi on it were fake. The lawyer then demanded immediate on-site fingerprint verification, pointing out that while three of the original signatories were deceased and one missing, Xia Yuan and Gao Qianyi were present in court.
A sudden realization struck Chu Shaohua, recalling the caretaker's comment about two parties visiting Anke Hall that month. She deduced that they had been outmaneuvered; Xia Yuan must have anticipated their search and planted a counterfeit contract in the archives for them to discover. She conveyed her suspicion to the court, expressing that they had been tricked and that the contract they found was likely fake, attempting to halt the requested fingerprint verification.
Gao Qianyi was then called to the stand. He testified that the fingerprint on Chu Shaohua's submitted contract was not his, as it featured a whorl pattern while all his fingers had loop patterns. He then dramatically revealed that the fingerprint on Xia Yuan's contract "was" his, but he had been coerced into putting it there just twenty days prior, on a fabricated document.
He further asserted that the original contract from years ago had no mention of the Miracle Pills. This revelation exposed Xia Yuan's deceit, leaving him enraged. After winning the lawsuit, Chu Shaohua expressed her gratitude to Gao Qianyi for his courageous stand for justice. Gao Qianyi then recounted Xia Yuan's manipulative tactics from years past. He revealed that Xia Yuan, frustrated by Shaozhong's refusal to sell Chichun Apothecary, orchestrated a conflict between the Guandong and Qizhou Trade Guilds.
Xia Yuan had Yi Dajin swap genuine Huangqi belonging to the Guandong Trade Guild with fake Huangqi, damaging their reputation. Then, he arranged for the genuine Huangqi to be sold to Shaozhong, who took on significant debt to purchase it. Xia Yuan then collaborated with Mr. Yang of the Guandong Trade Guild to have Shaozhong arrested, thereby gaining influence over Mr. Yang and pressuring Chu Shaohua's family to sell Chichun Apothecary.
Chu Shaohua's timely discovery of the fake Huangqi had been what secured Shaozhong's release. Gao Qianyi also mentioned that a person named Wu, originally involved in exposing the fake Huangqi, disappeared and later fled with money after being penalized, which inadvertently set the stage for Kang Erniu's life to take a new turn. Chu Shaohua was stunned to realize the extent of Xia Yuan's manipulations.
Gao Qianyi, revealing his plans to retire to his hometown, explained that he had long contemplated leaving Xia Yuan, especially after learning of Komura Morikazu and other Japanese individuals becoming shareholders in Shouyuan Apothecary. He felt compelled to act, stating that national interests and integrity superseded personal loyalty. Chu Shaohua deeply admired his integrity and extended an open invitation for him to join Chichun Apothecary if he ever decided to return to business. Gao Qianyi then bid her farewell.
Meanwhile, Komura Morikazu, citing recent political statements by Chiang Kai-shek, informed Xia Yuan that a war between China and Japan was inevitable. He ordered Xia Yuan to acquire the Miracle Pills formula before the formal outbreak of hostilities, and Xia Yuan agreed to make the necessary arrangements. Later, Chu Shaohua and Kang Erniu were discussing new factory locations when Shaohua mentioned her unsettling feeling of being watched, suspecting Ma Juncai's men.
While Kang Erniu went to get cilantro for their wontons, she saw an assailant emerge from a car, aiming a gun at Chu Shaohua. Kang Erniu bravely rushed to intervene, attempting to disarm the attacker, and was shot in the process. Chu Shaohua immediately took Kang Erniu to the hospital. Doctors confirmed that the bullet had not hit any vital organs, and Kang Erniu was stable after surgery, much to Chu Shaohua's relief.
Wen Zhiqiu also rushed to the hospital upon hearing about the attack. Ma Juncai was furious, as his intention was merely to intimidate Chu Shaohua, not to cause injury. He chastised his men for the mishap, particularly for failing to account for Kang Erniu's presence and for the gun accidentally discharging. He ordered them to lay low while he handled the police. Ma Juncai then called Chu Shaohua, feigning concern for her Deputy General Manager, Miss Bai (Kang Erniu).
He cryptically warned Chu Shaohua to be extra careful when out alone, especially at night, hinting at his involvement in the attack. He then tried to propose a business partnership, but Chu Shaohua, realizing his culpability, abruptly hung up. Following Xia Yuan's instructions, Xu Shufen had previously confronted Kang Erniu at a café, offering her 20,000 silver dollars to leave Xia Yuan.
Kang Erniu, surprisingly, countered by offering Xu Shufen 200,000 silver dollars to leave Xia Yuan, which led to Xu Shufen's servants assaulting Kang Erniu. Now, Xia Yuan informed Xu Shufen that he wanted a divorce. Xu Shufen confronted him, accusing him of manipulating her and caring only for money. Xia Yuan, admitting his intentions, provided her with sufficient funds.
Xu Shufen, seeing through his true character, signed the divorce papers and left with her children, feeling liberated to finally live as Xu Shufen. Kang Erniu's condition steadily improved, and she was scheduled for discharge the following day.
Chu Shaohua, preparing to go into hiding due to Ma Juncai's persistent threats and informing Kang Erniu that she would be unable to return to the factory for the time being, then, fearing for her life and the potential loss of the Miracle Pills formula, entrusted Kang Erniu with a backup copy of the formula.
She made Kang Erniu promise two things: first, not to open the envelope until Chu Shaohua's death; and second, to ensure the Miracle Pills' legacy continued. Although Kang Erniu initially expressed doubts about her worthiness, Chu Shaohua reassured her of her unwavering trust, citing their deep bond. Kang Erniu accepted the responsibility, hoping she would never have to open the envelope. After Chu Shaohua departed the hospital, Kang Erniu immediately called Xia Yuan, confirming she had obtained the formula.
It was revealed that the entire sequence of events—from Xu Shufen's public confrontation with Kang Erniu to the shooting incident—had been an elaborate ruse orchestrated by Xia Yuan to install Kang Erniu as a mole beside Chu Shaohua. The next morning, Xia Yuan arrived at the hospital to pick up Kang Erniu.
