Episode Summary
Episode 19 sees Grandpa Dong moving in with Dong Erlin to keep an eye on Chen Ling's money. Wang Binzi and others face crop failure except for Dong Dalin, leading to Chen Ling suggesting a shady solution. This causes conflict, a public withdrawal from Dong Dalin's co-op, and further tension fueled by Chen Ling. Dong Dalin is left disheartened but receives support from Jiang Menglian. Chen Ling visits her son, Dong Xin, and is pleased with his progress.
Spoiler Alert
"Green Hills Are Home" Episode 19: Recap & Spoilers
Things are getting juicy in "Green Hills Are Home"! Episode 19 is all about family drama, money troubles, and some seriously questionable business ethics.
Grandpa Dong and Grandma Dong were all set to move in with Dong Dalin, but then Dong Yan spilled the tea: Chen Ling is transferring land. Suddenly, Grandpa Dong's got a change of heart and decides they have to move in with Dong Erlin instead, so he can keep a close eye on that money of hers. Sis-in-law Feng, bless her heart, immediately calls Chen Ling to warn her about the parental unit's arrival. Meanwhile, Dong Yan's stirring the pot, pointing out that Grandpa Dong's IOU from Chen Ling is basically a mess and needs to be rewritten ASAP.
Speaking of messes, Wang Binzi and the gang show up at Dong Dalin's place with their new corn, hoping he'll take it to the city and sell it right away. After all, he's the face of "Green Farming"! But Dong Dalin's not having it. He's all about keeping his reputation intact and insists on waiting for Lüfeng Company to test the corn.
Turns out, Dong Dalin's the only one who passes the test with flying colors. The others? Not so much. Zhao Assistant drops the bomb that a recent rainstorm saved Dong Dalin from pesticide issues, but it also means Wang Binzi and his buddies worked their tails off for nothing. Dong Dalin's feeling the weight of their misfortune.
But wait, there's more! Chen Ling conveniently bumps into Wang Binzi, Zheng Qiangzi, and Liu Hong, who are whining about their failing crops. A lightbulb goes off in Chen Ling's head, and she suggests they mix the good corn with the bad to sell it. The guys are immediately on board and run off to pitch the idea to Dong Dalin.
Meanwhile, Dong Dalin finds out why Grandpa Dong pulled the moving switcheroo and confronts him. Then Dong Yan tries to sweet-talk Grandpa Dong into lending her 100,000 for a mortgage. Dong Dalin tries to move his parents back to his place, but Grandma Dong puts her foot down, so they're stuck with Dong Erlin for now.
Later that night, Wang Binzi and the crew try to convince Dong Dalin to go along with their corn scheme, but he refuses to compromise his principles. This leads to a major blow-up, and they threaten to quit the co-op. Desperate, they turn to Chen Ling, hoping she'll help them transfer their land and find them jobs at the construction site.
Chen Ling agrees but makes it clear that she needs to publicly distance herself from poaching Dong Dalin's people. So, Wang Binzi, Zheng Qiangzi, and Liu Hong stage a whole parade through the village, announcing their departure from the co-op. Jiang Menglian and Zhao Assistant witness the spectacle and realize Dong Dalin's in a tough spot.
Never one to miss an opportunity, Chen Ling calls Dong Dalin to let him know about Wang Binzi's land transfer request and to mention that Grandpa Dong's basically holding her hostage for her money. Dong Dalin, feeling bad that Chen Ling can't even go home, promises to bring his parents back to his place.
But on his way, Dong Dalin sees the "we quit" parade and loses it. He storms over to Dong Erlin's to pack up his parents' stuff. Grandpa Dong refuses to budge, accusing Chen Ling of stealing his money and trying to steal Dong Dalin's people. Dong Dalin ends up drowning his sorrows at home until Jiang Menglian and the crew show up with food and drinks, offering encouragement and reminding him to stay strong.
Finally, Chen Ling visits Dong Xin in the city and is thrilled to see her son actually studying! She's even happier to hear he's spending money, proving she made the right choice. She tries to give Feng Qiulan some cash, but Feng Qiulan refuses.
