Episode Summary
Liu Meixin burns her secret recipe to keep it from He Jiaxi, later becoming a lonely empty-nester. He Jiaxi hires thugs to intimidate Liu Meixin into giving up the recipe. Liu Meixin is hospitalized due to the stress. He Jiaxi is diagnosed with leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. Liu Meixin offers her savings for treatment, and Yan Hongyu apologizes for He Jiaxi's actions.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with chaos. Liu Meixin arrives home with her daughters to find the house ransacked. The culprit? He Jiaxi, desperate for Liu Meixin's secret pickling recipe. When Liu Meixin refuses, revealing she burned the recipe to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, He Jiaxi's fury is palpable. This incident forces Liu Meixin to confront her own partiality in how she's treated her daughters, realizing why her late mother-in-law worried about her fairness.
In the aftermath, Liu Meixin becomes a lonely "empty-nester," even spending a desolate New Year's Eve alone, except for the company of Yan Xiaoman, who kindly keeps her company.
Meanwhile, Chen Guangming achieves academic success, becoming a graduate student, which greatly pleases He Jiawen. He Jiahuan attempts to organize a family gathering, but everyone, especially a pregnant He Jiaxi, declines. He Jiaxi's pregnancy delights her mother-in-law, Wang Huaimin, who anticipates a grandson.
He Jiali and her husband struggle financially after the New Year, facing persistent debt collectors. Driven by her failure to obtain the recipe from Liu Meixin, He Jiaxi resorts to underhanded tactics. She hires thugs to terrorize Liu Meixin, eventually forcing her to write down the recipe.
This cruel act lands Liu Meixin in the hospital. He Jiaxi, seemingly triumphant, visits her, fixated on the 600,000 yuan she believes the recipe will bring. Zhang Qiufang takes Liu Meixin to the hospital, and He Jiali rushes to her mother's side, caring for her until discharge. Not wanting to return home, Liu Meixin moves in with Zhang Jianguo, which ultimately helps mend the strained relationship between Liu Meixin and He Jiali.
He Jiaxi's victory is short-lived. Gao Zhiyong informs her that the recipe alone is insufficient; they need the inheritor to personally teach the process. He Jiaxi immediately confronts Liu Meixin, finding her at He Jiali's home. A heated argument ensues, escalating into a physical altercation until Zhang Jianguo intervenes.
Back home, He Jiaxi's anger turns to horror as she experiences a sudden nosebleed. Rushed to the hospital by Yan Hongyu, she receives a devastating diagnosis: a high probability of leukemia. The news devastates Yan Hongyu. He Jiaxi, sensing something is wrong, demands to know the test results.
Yan Hongyu shares the grim news with He Jiayi and He Jiahuan. They visit He Jiaxi, deeply saddened by her weakened state. He Jiaxi makes them promise not to tell her older sisters or mother, and she must terminate her pregnancy to undergo treatment.
The sisters grapple with whether to inform Liu Meixin, ultimately deciding to have the second sister convey the news gently. Liu Meixin, accompanied by her other daughters, rushes to the hospital, heartbroken. She gives Yan Hongyu her savings for He Jiaxi's treatment. Yan Hongyu, filled with guilt, apologizes profusely, even slapping himself, and receives Liu Meixin's forgiveness.
Wang Huaimin arrives to help pack, advising Yan Hongyu to sell their house quickly to fund He Jiaxi's treatment. Yan Hongyu is touched by his mother's concern. The doctor informs Yan Hongyu that a bone marrow transplant is crucial, with siblings being the most likely matches. Yan Hongyu relays this information to the family.
