Episode Summary
Tang Zhenmin and Liu Xiaoling are divorced, and Zhang Qiulin returns from abroad, also divorced. He shows interest in rekindling a romance with He Jiahuan, causing tension with her husband, Fang Tao. Chen Weiguo's liver cancer is confirmed as terminal, leading to emotional turmoil for He Jiawen and her sisters. He Jiaxi is laid off, adding to the family's struggles. Liu Xiaoling becomes a nightclub singer.
Spoiler Alert
After confirming that Tang Zhenmin and Liu Xiaoling are divorced, Zhang Qiufang brings Zhenmin back home and explains the situation to Tang Weimin. Weimin is heartbroken about potentially losing his son, Yangyang, but feels powerless to intervene in the custody arrangement since Xiaoling is the child's mother. However, Yangyang expresses his desire to go home with both his parents.
Meanwhile, Zhang Qiulin returns from abroad, a successful and sophisticated businessman. It's revealed that he and Meng Lisa are also divorced. Fang Tao, who is picking up He Jiahuan at the airport, coincidentally gives Qiulin a ride. Jiahuan is shocked to see Qiulin but doesn't acknowledge him at that moment.
Fang Tao, unaware of their history, first drops Jiahuan off at work and then takes Qiulin to his destination. During the ride, Qiulin subtly inquires about Fang Tao and Jiahuan's relationship, learning that they are married. His seemingly casual questions raise Fang Tao's suspicions.
The Tang and Zhang families gather to welcome Qiulin back. Tang Weimin, still upset about his brother's divorce, scolds him at the dinner table. Qiulin, however, sees divorce as a non-issue, a release for couples who can't make it work, and reveals that he got divorced not long after going abroad. Separately, Fang Tao tells Jiahuan about Qiulin's divorce, which makes Jiahuan uneasy.
The next day, Yan Hongyu drives He Jiawen and her husband, Chen Weiguo, home. Weiguo seems better, but his health is deteriorating. The sisters have been helping out, but Jiawen is resentful of He Jiali for not visiting. Weiguo comforts her, saying that their eldest sister and brother-in-law live far away and probably couldn't make it.
Liu Xiaoling, having left her job and struggling to find a business opportunity, uses her beauty to get a job as a singer at the Crown Nightclub. One of Tang Zhenmin's friends, drunk and disorderly, harasses Xiaoling. Yangyang bites the man's arm in defense of his mother. The club manager, Li, steps in to help Xiaoling get rid of the troublemakers.
At the department store, management informs He Jiaxi that there's only one position available in the non-staple food section, meaning either she or Wang Huaimin will be laid off. Jiaxi discusses it with Huaimin, who is adamant that she has seniority and that if she were to take early retirement, the position might go to someone else. Hongyu suggests they start a small business, but Jiaxi finds the idea overwhelming.
Zhang Qiulin seeks out He Jiahuan, clearly intending to rekindle their old romance. He subtly suggests that she should correct a wrong marriage. After coffee, Qiulin wraps a red scarf around Jiahuan's neck. Fang Tao witnesses this from afar, but by the time he gets out of his car, they're gone.
Chen Weiguo goes out with his son to see the snow and suddenly collapses, unconscious. He's rushed to the hospital, where a new examination confirms he has advanced liver cancer. Jiawen is devastated. Determined to save her husband, she decides to take him to a major hospital in the provincial capital and borrows money from her eldest sister.
Fang Tao confronts Jiahuan about the incident with Qiulin. Jiahuan explains that she and Qiulin are childhood neighbors, and she's angry at his jealousy. Fang Tao, hearing her explanation, is instantly relieved and takes her out to dinner.
Just as He Jiali is getting money from a box to give to Jiawen, she receives a call from her third sister, He Jiayi. Although Jiayi's situation isn't as good as before, she wants to help. After Jiawen packs, all the sisters arrive with money, deeply moving her.
Since He Jiaxi lost her job and has nothing to do, Liu Xiaoling gives He Jiaxi some advice, saying that now is an era where everyone shows their abilities, and she has to rely on her own skills. Meanwhile, Chen Weiguo arrives at the provincial capital hospital with He Jiawen. The liver cancer causes him unbearable pain. The doctor tells Jiawen that this disease is a difficult medical problem. Weiguo takes an excessive dose of painkillers, enduring the pain. He hugs Jiawen tightly, remembering a fortune teller once said they wouldn't grow old together, and Jiawen weeps uncontrollably.
