Episode Summary
Zhou Shui and Dai Daji's ad agency is thriving, but Dai Daji's mom's visit brings pressure to buy a house. They struggle to afford the down payment, leading to family conflict and Dai Daji seeking help from Shen Jingshu. Zhou Shui faces a career dilemma: choose between directing a film or shooting a lucrative commercial to fund the house purchase.
Spoiler Alert
"Such a Good Love" Episode 21: Hustle, Houses, and Harsh Realities
Alright, buckle up because episode 21 is a rollercoaster of ambition, family drama, and some serious life choices.
The episode kicks off in Beijing, 2012. Zhou Shui and Dai Daji are still reeling from Shen Jingshu and Yaling's departure. This seems to spark something in Dai Daji, who's suddenly super motivated to make serious money – the kind that buys respect and prevents ending up like their friends. Fast forward, and these two have leveraged their industry connections to start their own ad agency, "Exceptionally Cultural Advertising." Dai Daji is the CEO, and Zhou Shui is the sole director. They've even moved back near the CCTV building. The episode highlights how far they've come in three years.
Then it jumps to 2016. Dai Daji's mom comes to visit Beijing. Dai Daji picks her up in a Mercedes-Benz. Zhou Shui and Dai Daji are now living the high life in a fancy apartment with a cleaning lady. At the mall, Zhou Shui encourages Dai Daji's mom to pick out whatever she wants. While Zhou Shui and Dai Daji are in a conference call, Dai Daji's mom spots a handbag she likes, but it costs 30,000 yuan! Shen Jingshu suddenly appears and buys it for her. Zhou Shui is busy taking pictures of Dai Daji's mom, and Dai Daji and Shen Jingshu exchange WeChat contacts and Dai Daji tries to send her the money for the bag, but both Dai Daji's mom and Shen Jingshu refuse to take it. Shen Jingshu then leaves in a Rolls Royce worth millions, leaving Dai Daji's mom shocked.
Zhou Shui tries to keep Dai Daji's mom happy, but she's still worried about the future. She finds a house she likes, but the down payment is 1.5 million yuan. Zhou Shui and Dai Daji can't afford it, so Dai Daji's mom tells Zhou Shui to call his parents so they can discuss it together.
In the fall of 2024, Tong Leyi is looking at apartments with her new boyfriend. Dai Daji overhears them discussing finances and is surprised at how calculated their relationship seems. Tong Leyi is planning to marry her previous boyfriend, Yaoming, but Dai Daji thinks they're treating their relationship like a business transaction and advises her to think it over.
Back in 2016, Zhou Shui's dad arrives in Beijing, but Dai Daji's mom is upset that Zhou Shui's mom didn't come. Zhou Shui's dad explains that she had to stay behind to manage their shop. Dai Daji's mom has gathered 600,000 yuan from selling their old house and expects Zhou Shui's family to cover the rest of the 1.5 million yuan down payment. Zhou Shui's dad says they bought a house in Chongqing last year for their retirement, so they're short on cash. Dai Daji's mom gets angry and demands that they sell the Chongqing house. Zhou Shui disagrees, and Dai Daji's mom throws a fit and leaves. Zhou Shui's dad decides to sell their retirement house and the hotpot restaurant to provide for Dai Daji.
Zhou Shui and Dai Daji calculate that they still need 1 million yuan for the down payment. They start borrowing money, but it's difficult to ask. Dai Daji asks Shen Jingshu for money, but Shen Jingshu doesn't have cash. Her boyfriend, Mr. Liao, only gives her cards to buy things, and she's always watched by a driver. Mr. Liao doesn't give Shen Jingshu money, but gives her the illusion that she is rich. Shen Jingshu invites Dai Daji to get cosmetic surgery, but Dai Daji declines because she has a meeting. Dai Daji feels sorry for Shen Jingshu, and thinks she should save some money for herself. Shen Jingshu wants to help Dai Daji and asks Mr. Liao to give her the advertising contract, but Mr. Liao wants her to have a son for him in return.
The next day, Dai Daji and Zhou Shui get a real estate company's advertising contract with a budget of 2 million yuan. Zhou Shui gets an offer to direct a movie called "Worthy of Love" with a 20 million yuan investment. The plan was to shoot the movie after the commercial, but the real estate company wants to move the commercial shoot to February 16th. The movie starts filming on the 15th, which means Zhou Shui can't direct both. The film crew won't budge, so Zhou Shui has to choose between his dream and buying a house.
Spoilers and Thoughts:
- Shen Jingshu's situation is bleak. She's living a lavish lifestyle, but it's completely controlled by someone else. Dai Daji's concern for her feels genuine.
- The clash between traditional expectations and modern ambitions is a major theme. Dai Daji's mom's old-fashioned views on marriage and homeownership are creating a lot of tension.
- Zhou Shui is at a crossroads. Does he chase his artistic dreams or prioritize financial stability and family expectations? It's a tough call.
- Tong Leyi's appearance hints at future relationship drama. Her pragmatic approach to relationships is likely to clash with Dai Daji's more idealistic views.
This episode sets the stage for some major conflicts and decisions. Will Zhou Shui and Dai Daji be able to balance their personal ambitions with their family obligations? And will Shen Jingshu ever break free from her gilded cage? Stay tuned!
