Episode Summary
Episode 7 sees escalating tensions as negotiations between Shoulong and Mingshu fall apart, fueled by Han Yao's manipulation of public sentiment. A protest turns violent, resulting in injuries and the arrest of Yu Nanping. Meanwhile, the return of Meng Li looms, and the team suspects a larger conspiracy orchestrated by "Shura."
Spoiler Alert
We kick off with Zhao Jizheng receiving a cryptic message at a bookstore – seems like some fresh trouble is brewing with new enemies entering the scene. Meanwhile, Zheng Qi is putting pressure on Huo Min to back down from representing the Xin Chuan Public Welfare Association in their lawsuit against Shoulong Group. But Huo Min isn't budging. Zheng Qi then drops a bombshell: Meng Li is coming back! Dun dun DUN!
The negotiations between Shoulong and Mingshu are about to begin, and Lin Shoulong is all about secrecy and prepping the team. Huo Min heads to the resettlement to find Lao Wan, only to run into Er Bing. Er Bing confesses that someone planted something on him before. Huo Min reassures him and asks where Lao Wan is. Turns out, Han Yao has been stirring up trouble, leading everyone to protest outside Shoulong Group.
Meanwhile, back at HQ, Luo Shanshan and the team find a photo on Huo Min's phone of Yu Nanping and Li Ge exchanging intel. Hu Fei thinks they're passing along the time and location of the negotiations, but Lu Chen warns him not to jump to conclusions. Hu Fei suspects there's more to the photo than meets the eye.
The negotiations get underway, but Mingshu Heavy Industries from Sha Peng only sends Cui Zimin. He throws a curveball, wanting to rework the deal, offering compressor tech in exchange for Shoulong Group's energy chip tech. Lin Shoulong immediately shuts that down. Cui Zimin plays it cool, saying they're in no rush. Outside, Han Yao is riling up the protesters, and Zhao Jizheng orders Luo Shanshan to be ready to call in the cops if things escalate. Gao Jianguo tries to calm the crowd, but Han Yao keeps stirring the pot. Then, out of nowhere, a new group joins the protest, confusing Li Ge. This new group starts egging on the crowd to target the Sha Peng representative, and things spiral out of control. Li Ge scrambles to warn Yu Nanping to get out of there.
Huo Min arrives to try and reason with Lao Wan and Aunt Huang, but then someone throws an egg at Gao Jianguo, and all hell breaks loose. A full-on brawl erupts, and even Cui Zimin gets egged! In the chaos, Lao Wan gets knocked down and is seriously injured. Yu Nanping's escape attempt is cut short when she's arrested by the National Security Bureau. Lao Wan is rushed to the hospital with a brain hemorrhage, and Huo Min has to sign off on his treatment. Lin Shoulong wants to visit Lao Wan, but Bai Keqing advises him against it, suggesting he publicly address the situation to appease the public.
After getting patched up, Cui Zimin calls someone, furious that they went too far, even targeting their own people. Li Ge tells Matt she's planning to leave, but Matt assures her that Yu Nanping won't crack under pressure.
Zhao Jizheng believes that "Shura" is pulling the strings behind the scenes. Huo Min confronts Han Yao and then visits Lao Wan in the hospital, who's still unconscious. Huo Min asks Aunt Huang to gather a list of the injured, promising this isn't over. Zheng Qi investigates Han Yao's background and realizes the Xin Chuan Public Welfare Association isn't as united as it seems. He meets with Li Ge to discuss solutions. Huo Min demands that Shoulong Group not only provide compensation but also disclose the details of their partnership with Sha Peng, citing the public's right to know, and presents a petition signed by 46 victims.
Bai Keqing's PR efforts start to pay off. Zhao Jizheng tells Luo Shanshan to share the details of the bombing with the police ASAP. Meanwhile, Han Yao is live-streaming from the hospital. Lin Shoulong visits Lin Yasheng in the hospital, using it as an opportunity to talk to the injured and claim the bombing was sabotage. Bai Keqing is spotted at a Japanese restaurant, being served by the same chef who always makes pufferfish for Li Ge. Zheng Qi visits Meng Li, who's still recovering and can't speak well. She manages to call Huo Min, who's overjoyed to hear from her but says he's too busy to visit just yet.
Basically, everyone's got their own agenda, and the lines between good and evil are getting blurrier by the minute. This episode was a rollercoaster! Can't wait to see what happens next.
