Episode Summary
Zhao Chuxi grapples with the death of his close friend, Qin Ran, who left him a final letter. He's then unexpectedly assigned to be the guide and bodyguard for Jian Ying, the head of the Sanjiang Group, a task arranged by Qingyi. The episode reveals a past conflict between Jian Ying's mentor, Li Chengqian, and Zhang Shengbai, and Jian Ying's mission to build the Sanjiang Group. Chuxi spends time with Jian Ying, while Xiluo appears as Xu Shaoqing's fiancee at a business event.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with Zhao Chuxi reeling from the death of his closest friend, Qin Ran. He's found sitting on the cold floor of a hospital hallway, overwhelmed by grief. Yellow Hair approaches him and hands him a letter, Qin Ran's last words. Sanqiang, seeing Chuxi's state, pulls Yellow Hair away to give Chuxi space to read the letter privately.
In the letter, Qin Ran expresses her sorrow and resignation, calling herself a deserter. The loss of her father had broken her spirit, leaving her world feeling empty. She thanks Chuxi for the warmth and care he showed her, cherishing those memories. She apologizes for the 400,000 yuan she borrowed, promising to repay him in the next life. Finally, she asks Chuxi not to mourn her with tears, but to live on strongly and take care of himself. Overcome with emotion, Chuxi breaks down, sobbing.
Meanwhile, Sanqiang and Er Pang are at home making dumplings, a comfort food Er Pang's grandmother recommended for bad moods. They had hoped to share the meal with Chuxi, but he's too consumed by grief to eat or sleep, restlessly tossing and turning in bed.
A phone call from Zhou Bin breaks the silence. He summons Chuxi to the Jinhua Hotel to accompany a VIP. Chuxi pulls himself together, changes into a sharp suit, carefully places Qin Ran's letter in a drawer, and heads out. Sanqiang is somewhat relieved to see him taking action, and Chuxi asks him to save some dumplings for later.
At the hotel, Chuxi meets a woman of elegant bearing. Zhou Bin introduces her as the head of the Sanjiang Group, hailing from Sanjiang. Chuxi is to be her guide and bodyguard during her stay. The woman introduces herself as Jian Ying, instructing Chuxi to call her Aunt Jian. Zhou Bin assures Jian Ying of Chuxi's martial arts skills, guaranteeing her safety. Jian Ying briefly tells Chuxi to pick her up at the hotel tomorrow before departing.
Chuxi is left puzzled by Jian Ying's intentions. Simultaneously, Qingyi calls Jian Ying, asking if she has met Chuxi. Jian Ying confirms the meeting but maintains that Qingyi, not Chuxi, should take over the Sanjiang Group. Qingyi disagrees, believing that the Li family owes Chuxi too much and that Chuxi is better suited as a strategic leader, while he himself is more of a strategist.
Jian Ying insists that Chuxi must pass her evaluation, especially given her own poor health. She needs to ensure a smooth handover. She also reflects on the past feud between her mentor, Li Chengqian, and Zhang Shengbai. Back in the winter of 1986, during a severe cold snap that disrupted transportation and caused food prices to skyrocket, Li Chengqian refused to exploit the situation for profit, while Zhang Shengbai disagreed, leading to a falling out.
Worse, Li Chengqian's subordinate, Jing He, was secretly bribed by Zhang Shengbai to betray his boss. Zhang Shengbai demanded Li Chengqian pay up or transfer company shares. Forced into a corner, Li Chengqian set out to return to his hometown to raise funds despite a blizzard. He suffered an accident on the way and was saved by Zhao Fugui. Li Chengqian remained in Fenghuang Village as a teacher but continued to plan his business empire. He entrusted the creation of the Sanjiang Group to his disciple, Jian Ying. Over the years, Jian Ying, following her mentor's vision and leveraging his network and resources, built a leading business empire in Sanjiang. Qingyi, following his father's instructions, contacted Jian Ying to arrange a meeting with Chuxi.
In the following days, Chuxi takes Jian Ying and her assistant, Furong, around the city, sampling local delicacies like spicy hot pot. Chuxi's seemingly frugal habit of always having Furong pay becomes a running joke between them. Jian Ying remains smiling and doesn't seem to mind. Meanwhile, at a business event hosted by Zhang Shengbai, Xiluo makes a grand entrance as Xu Shaoqing's fiancée, mingling with guests alongside him.
