Second Chance Romance Episode 23 Recap
> Second Chance Romance Recap
Feng Rui treated Tan Siting to a lunch, pre-ordering their favorite dishes because of her short break. Siting appreciated the gesture, noting her need to stay in shape for her students. Feng Rui even brought her coffee and offered to drive her back, claiming he was faster than a DiDi driver. After her bankruptcy, Shuhan packed her belongings and left her home. When her mother couldn't reach her, she called Xiao Yuan.
Meanwhile, Shuhan tried to project a strong image to her boyfriend, Zu, claiming she was fine and about to meet a friend. She ended the call quickly, saying she was in a rush. Xiao Yuan, already aware of his sister's predicament, began searching for her. Shuhan had earlier realized she was swindled when she found Sun Tiantian had unfriended her. Having mortgaged almost all her assets for a high-return investment, she immediately sought help from Xiao Yuan.
Together, they reported the case to the police, where they learned that Sun Tiantian was already a discredited individual and could not have left the country as she had claimed. Shuhan's attempt to make quick money to help her boyfriend with projects had backfired, leaving her financially ruined, grappling with issues with residents, and facing constant payment collection notices from the bank. She had even resorted to selling her luxury items, but it was insufficient.
Xiao Yuan eventually found Shuhan in a hotel room, looking distraught amidst empty bottles. The hotel staff informed him that Shuhan was three days overdue on payment and would be evicted. Xiao Yuan paid the fees. Shuhan confessed that she had mortgaged her house for a loan but couldn't repay it, leading to its repossession, and she had also lost her car. Overwhelmed with shame, she felt she couldn't return home after boasting about a successful project to her parents.
Xiao Yuan comforted her, reminding her that family would always be there and that they could redeem her house and car in the future. As Shuhan refused to go back to their parents' home, Xiao Yuan rented an apartment for her for three months. He set three rules: her phone must always be on, she must immediately tell him if she needs money, and no more reckless investments.
After Xiao Yuan informed Tan Siting about Shuhan's recent state, Siting made time to meet Shuhan for a meal. Despite Shuhan's attempts to smile, she was close to tears several times. Siting encouraged her to pull herself together, reminding her that she still had her boyfriend, Zu, and good friends.
During their conversation, Siting also mentioned that she had initially planned to return to France with Feng Rui, but Gao Hui's sudden illness had canceled those plans, and she hoped for smoother times ahead. Xiao Yuan pursued Sun Tiantian's case, obtaining her personal information from the police. He then brought these leads to his high-tech company, where he worked with his colleague Bao to attempt to track Sun Tiantian's IP address and account.
Gao Hui's husband, realizing he hadn't shown her proper care since their marriage, began to have a change of heart after she fell ill. He personally cooked and delivered food to her. Despite her busy and assertive professional life, Gao Hui's personal life was simple, even in her large villa, where she often lacked basic comforts like a cup of hot water.
Le, suspecting his birth mother was still alive, pieced together clues from his Grandma (who mentioned his mother was a ballet dancer who went abroad) and his own online research. He deduced that Tan Siting was his birth mother but felt conflicted about how to confront her. He confided in his friends, expressing his sorrow about being abandoned for dance. His friends tried to cheer him up and shared their excitement that his mother was alive.
Le then revealed his mother was Ms. Tan, the ballet teacher, whom his friends recognized from a recent interview, praising her beauty and talent. They urged him to forgive her, hoping to get an autograph. Le, however, remained undecided. Later, Feng Rui discussed the matter with Le, confirming that Tan Siting was indeed his birth mother and loved him deeply.
Feng Rui explained that sometimes in life, people are faced with difficult choices, forced to leave loved ones or give up dreams. He encouraged Le to take his time and trust his own feelings rather than focusing solely on what he had heard. Grandma visited Le at school, asking about his studies and trying to persuade him to stay at her house, even offering video games.
Le politely declined, emphasizing his recent midterm scores in Chinese and Math as proof of his focus on academics, and assured her he would visit "sooner or later." Grandma also inquired about Tan Siting and Feng Rui. Before leaving, she asked to take a photo with Le. Shuhan received a phone call from the police, informing her that Sun Tiantian had been arrested. However, they cautioned that recovering the transferred funds would be difficult.
Later, a news report confirmed the major fraud case, stating that Sun Tiantian had defrauded numerous individuals and companies, including Shengnuo Real Estate, where Shuhan was the CFO. Shuhan met with Zu, who expressed concern about Shengnuo's damaged reputation, which was severely impacting their project and investors. Shuhan took responsibility for her "misjudging someone" and pledged to arrange for her finance team to pay the penalty fee for their breach of contract. She then sent her resignation letter to Zu.
Shortly after, Zu called Shuhan, refusing to accept her resignation. He reassured her that the situation was not as dire as she believed and urged her to call him back. Feng Rui informed Tan Siting that Le now knew she was his mother, recounting Le's direct questions about her identity and love for him. Siting was deeply moved by Le's perceptiveness and thanked Feng Rui for raising him so well, which helped alleviate her guilt.
Feng Rui suggested that they both co-parent Le and formally meet as a "family of three" to create a "sense of ritual." Siting, emotional and overjoyed, agreed and offered to cook the first meal for them. Feng Rui concurred, emphasizing the special meaning of a meal prepared by his mother. Feng Rui then spoke with Le about his primary school graduation, offering him a gift. Le requested a list of game discs.
Feng Rui subtly introduced the idea of a family dinner, mentioning Siting's recent interest in cooking and inviting Le to try her dishes. He clarified that it was a joint invitation from both of them. Le, trying to appear nonchalant, agreed to go, saying, "Who's got a problem with food?" Shortly after, Siting received a message from Feng Rui confirming Le's acceptance, and she happily responded, ready to begin preparing the meal.
