Zi Tong and Zhi Sheng continue to butt heads at work. She takes some advice on how to become a more competent assistant in order to prove herself to Zhi Sheng and unexpectedly runs into her old frenemy, Wu Qian Ni.
Recap
Zi Tong watches as her mother trains Qian Ni, treating her the way she used to treat Zi Tong. Afterward, Zi Tong asks Qian Ni why her best friend would do this to her. Qian Ni responds that she never viewed Zi Tong as a friend.
Now, Zi Tong storms off angrily after she finds out that the confrontation with the rival courier company was all a set-up by Zhi Sheng. She heads back to the GoGoVan headquarters, where she wordlessly grabs some medication from the first-aid kit and goes back to her desk.
Zhi Sheng asks Zi Tong why she left without telling him she was going on her lunch break. She ignores him. The phone rings — it’s the reporter from last episode, interested in getting an interview with Zhi Sheng. Zi Tong asks Zhi Sheng without looking at him what he wants to say. He tells her to tell them she’s busy. After Zi Tong hangs up, Zhi Sheng coaches her on the different ways she should respond based on the reputation of the media outlet calling.
Zhi Sheng notices the medication on Zi Tong’s desk and asks why she has it. “Why else?” she responds as she starts to lift up her sleeve. Zhi Sheng suddenly remembers that Zi Tong was in the fight. Did she get injured? He asks to see, but Zi Tong reminds him that he’s afraid of blood. Is he sure he wants to see?
Zi Tong pretends to lift her sleeve and Zhi Sheng runs away. Zi Tong smiles.
Zhi Sheng spies on Zi Tong with a small telescope through the blinds in his office windows. When he realizes that Zi Tong isn’t bleeding at all — it’s just a bruise — he forces her to let him put the medication on for her, threatening her with a salary reduction if she doesn’t cooperate.
A few other employees — including Ren Guang and Jia Qi — spy on them through the windows and gossip about how ambiguous they look. Yu Qian shoos them away, but takes a look for himself. From his angle, it looks like Zi Tong and Zhi Sheng could be making out. He thinks that Zhi Sheng promoted Zi Tong so he could keep the person he likes by his side.
Zhi Sheng asks Zi Tong again what she was doing during lunch. She refuses to tell him, but he already knows that she was doing deliveries on the side. They exit his office. Zhi Sheng tells Zi Tong that she’s not allowed to do deliveries anymore and tells Yu Qian to cancel her courier account. During work hours, Zhi Sheng expects to have Zi Tong’s full attention and time. Zi Tong protests, saying that she should beable to do whatever she wants when she’s not at work, but Zhi Sheng won’t accept that. He wants her to be well-rested during her off hours so that she can devote herself fully to work at work.
Zi Tong asks what she needs to do in order to get her courier account back. Zhi Sheng responds that she has to fulfill her assistant obligations to his satisfaction for a whole week. It’s not enough to just do what he tells her — she should think about what she should be doing as a CEO’s assistant. Zi Tong accepts the challenge.
Yu Qian thinks Zhi Sheng is being too harsh on Zi Tong. It’s hard to fault her for wanting to make more money when she’s putting in the effort to do it. But Zhi Sheng thinks back to how he saw her taking money from the panhandler’s tin and scoffs.
Yu Qian looks at Zi Tong as he exits Zhi Sheng’s office, wondering if she really is the kind of person Zhi Sheng said she is. She catches him looking at her and stares back. He walks away awkwardly.
Zi Tong’s convenience store coworker and his friend cautiously ask her why she looks unhappy (making sure to preface with the disclaimer that he doesn’t actually care). Zi Tong stares at them for a long moment, intimidating them, but then asks if they know how to be a competent CEO’s assistant. The coworker gets his friend to help coach Zi Tong. Zi Tong is skeptical that the friend can actually help, but he accurately guesses how Zhi Sheng responded to Zi Tong’s work attire so she asks him for suggestions.
The next morning, Zi Tong stares at herself in the mirror and steels herself for the day. No matter how much she dislikes this job, she has to make it work. It’s been so long — no one will remember her. “Remember, you are nothing,” she tells herself. “Nothing.”
When she walks into the office, heads turn and Zhi Sheng gapes. She’s put on makeup and dressed professionally in a pink pantsuit. That was the friend’s first lesson. The friend’s second lesson was that she had to be one step ahead of the CEO and always appear busy, even if she wasn’t. So Zi Tong steps into Zhi Sheng’s office with his morning coffee and color-coded documents to be signed, then shows him his already dry-cleaned suit and shoes, before he can even ask for them.
The next lessons were to act like his AI and make him feel like everything is under control, and to be so attentive to him that it’s like he’s the only person in the room — everyone else is just a potato. Lesson #5: respect the boss. Zi Tong opens Zhi Sheng’s car door for him.
Zhi Sheng pouts at night over dinner, depressed that Zi Tong has exceeded all his expectations. His aunt smacks him on the head, chiding him for putting his head on the dinner table. Yu Qian says he should reinstate Zi Tong’s courier account since she fulfilled his condition, but Zhi Sheng doesn’t want to.
Fang Qing smacks Zhi Sheng again when she hears this. If he agreed to do something, then he needs to follow through. She detests men who say what they don’t mean.
Zhi Sheng wakes up in the middle of the night from a nightmare of a body, blood, and broken glass. Fang Qing finds him breathing heavily and drinking water in the dining room and guesses that he had another bad dream. He always has bad dreams whenever “that day” approaches.
The last day of Zi Tong’s trial week, Zhi Sheng notices the price tag hanging out of Zi Tong’s blazer. He comments in English that it’s rare to see people wearing clothes with price tags still on. She responds in English that it shouldn’t matter whether she bought or borrowed the clothes as long as she looks professional. He’s surprised her English is so good. (Ironically, I think Puff’s accent sounds more fluent than Jiro’s!)
Zhi Sheng comments that Zi Tong seems to know a lot considering she only has a high school degree. Zi Tong responds that she’s had a lot of jobs. He asks if she’s worked a lot because her grades were low. Zi Tong changes the topic and asks if he’s going to restore her courier account now that the week is up. Zhi Sheng reminds her that there’s still one day left and there’s something he’s sure she won’t be able to do: smile.
Zi Tong glares at Zhi Sheng and imagines smacking him into submission, then tries to force a smile that ends up looking like a painful grimace. Zhi Sheng frowns and says that it’s probably better if she doesn’t try to smile.
A little girl walks by herself and notices a masked man following her. She astutely runs up to a woman, Fang Qing, and hugs her, pretending she’s her mom and saying that a bad man is following her. Fang Qing asks if she’s alone. The girl looks around, spots a grandpa sitting nearby, and points saying that’s her grandfather. But then the grandpa waves to another kid, and she gets caught in her lie.
Fang Qing praises the girl for having the sense not to talk to strangers, but reassures her that it’s okay to talk to her. She pulls out her teacher badge. The girl says that she was with her grandfather, but he got lost. Fang Qing asks her coworker to take her lunch, deciding that she needs to help the girl find her family. Her coworker teases her about hoping to run into a single father.
Da Quan searches desperately around for the girl, but no one he talks to has seen her. The girl spots him and goes running up, chastising him for disappearing on him. Da Quan thanks Fang Qing profusely and asks Xin Yan if there’s something she should say to her. Xin Yan holds out some candy, saying that’s Fang Qing’s reward. Da Quan chides her for being rude, but Fang Qing just laughs and accepts it, gently teasing Xin Yan for having watched one too many TV dramas.
Tian Lin is trying to make a deadline when his father returns home with his daughter. The first person Xin Yan asks for is her grandmother. Then she asks for her aunt, Zi Tong, wanting to go to the taekwondo studio to learn taekwondo from her and then sleep with her at night. Da Quan gently lies and says that Zi Tong has been too busy working lately to do taekwondo, and says he’ll take Xin Yan to the studio later, but Xin Yan wants to go now.
Tian Lin walks around the corner, looking uncertain. Xin Yan’s face seems to fall slightly when she sees her father, but she quietly says, “Dad, I’m home,” when Da Quan prompts her. Da Quan tries to motion for Tian Lin to pay Xin Yan some attention, but all Tian Lin says is “oh” as he walks by to refill his mug.
Da Quan grabs Tian Lin and reminds him that his relationship with Xin Yan is important. Then he tells him about how Xin Yan almost got kidnapped. Tian Lin’s first response is to ask why Da Quan didn’t watch her better, but Da Quan responds that it shouldn’t have been his responsibility anyway. They turn to look at Xin Yan, who stares up at them with big eyes. Da Quan forces Tian Lin to sit down and talk with his daughter.
Tian Lin doesn’t seem to know how to interact with Xin Yan, who looks down and starts playing with the dobok keychain on her backpack. They sit in awkward silence.
Yu Qian remembers that today is the last day of Zi Tong’s trial period. He asks Zhi Sheng if he plans on restoring her courier privileges. Zhi Sheng notices that he seems to care about Zi Tong a lot and teases him, asking if he’s interested in her and threatening to tell his girlfriend. But he says that there’s still seven more hours left in the day.
Zi Tong knocks on the door and reminds Zhi Sheng that they have to leave for the TV station in five minutes. He’s participating in a talk show where he’ll be asked to share how he achieved his success. Zhi Sheng gloats that he’s the only entrepreneur who has been invited. Zi Tong impassively points out that they only invited one person from each field.
Zi Tong and Zhi Sheng head out to his car. Before he can get in, Wang Xin Hui, the freelance reporter who has been trying to get an interview with him, approaches and introduces herself. She tries to flirt with him, saying that she’s confident he would accept her interview once she met him in person. But Zhi Sheng shoots her down, saying that someone who relies on her appearance probably isn’t that good of a reporter. He’s not going to give up his first interview to her.
Qian Ni is called in last minute for the celebrity panel as the athlete replacement for a sprinter who couldn’t make it. When Zhi Sheng arrives, he’s sat down next to her. Zi Tong makes eye contact with her in the mirror. “Long time no see,” Qian Ni says.
Zi Tong stares back without responding. Qian Ni is called away by a crew member. Zi Tong silently reminds herself, “If you don’t care, then you won’t get hurt.”
While Zhi Sheng, Qian Ni, and a third celebrity are interviewed, Zi Tong stands behind the camera, remembering the last time she talked to Qian Ni. Qian Ni had told her she never viewed her as a friend. Zi Tong had asked if that’s why she could so heartlessly steal her boyfriend, her mother, and her everything. Qian Ni responded that she didn’t steal anything. Zi Tong was the one who was unable to keep the person she liked, and her mother was the one who invited Qian Ni. Zi Tong accuses Qian Ni of intentionally injuring her. Qian Ni was one of the few people who knew about her condition. Qian Ni claims that Zi Tong attacked first, but Zi Tong retorts that she betrayed her.
“How can I betray you if we aren’t even friends?” Qian Ni asked. She told Zi Tong it was probably best if she didn’t come again. Coach said that Zi Tong would never get better and that the only person who can represent Chongyun is her.
Now, Zi Tong stares at Qian Ni on stage. She’s realized that it’s not the betrayal itself that hurts, it’s the person who betrayed you.
Qian Ni approaches Zi Tong after the interview, smiling and saying that she never thought she’d see her here. Based on her clothes, it looks like she has a pretty good job now. Zi Tong walks past her without bothering to respond. Ting Wei comes running up, late, and recognizes Zi Tong, who pauses.
Qian Ni notices the tag hanging out of Zi Tong’s clothes and smirks. Did she borrow the clothes to dress up because she knew she’d see her today? Ting Wei pulls out his wallet and offers to lend her money. Zi Tong turns to walk away, but Qian Ni asks if she’s still training. Zi Tong turns back and tells her it’s none of her business. Qian Ni pretends she only asked out of concern for Zi Tong. She shouldn’t force herself to train — she might injure herself and never be able to walk again. Also, she tells Zi Tong that she shouldn’t dress up and pretend to be rich — it’s embarrassing.
“Who said she’s pretending?” Zhi Sheng asks as he walks up. He cuts off Zi Tong’s tag and tells her that if she really likes the clothes he gifted her, she should at least take the tag off first. He glances at Qian Ni and pretends to forget her name, then puts his arm around Zi Tong and excuses them.
Once they’ve gone far enough away, Zi Tong tells Zhi Sheng to remove his hand. When he doesn’t do so immediately, she forces them to stop and repeats her request. He lets go. She looks down at the price tag in her hand. Zhi Sheng reassures her that he’ll pay for it, and tells her not to take what he said seriously. As a CEO, it’s his responsibility to protect his employees, and he’s the only one who is allowed to bully his employees.
Zhi Sheng asks how she knows Qian Ni. Does she hold a grudge against her? Zi Tong says it’s none of his business. Zhi Sheng starts to walk away, but Zi Tong yanks him back by the coattail. “Thank you,” she says, stony-faced.
At night, Zhi Sheng looks up Zi Tong and Qian Ni’s names.
Zi Tong video chats with Xin Yan, promising to take her out once she has time. Xin Yan makes her pinky promise through the screen. After they hang up, Zi Tong sighs as she looks at her bank account. She still needs $58,000 more. Her phone chimes — her courier account has been reactivated. She smiles, then picks up one of the ACL recovery research papers on her table.
Qian Ni returns to the taekwondo studio, where He Cai Feng, her coach and Zi Tong’s mother, waits up for her disapprovingly. She tells Qian Ni to cancel all her upcoming media appearances. Her focus right now should be on training. Qian Ni responds that she doesn’t train just for gold medals. An athlete’s career can be short — she has to think of her future. Her coach should know better than anyone that dreams can’t feed an empty stomach.
Cai Feng fumes after Qian Ni goes upstairs.
Da Quan and Xin Yan tour her new school, where they run into Fang Qing, who teaches at the same school.
At work, Zhi Sheng stares at an article on Qian Ni and Zi Tong’s fateful tournament match. He looks at Zi Tong thoughtfully, surprised that she’s capable of losing control.
Li Ming Huan, the man Zi Tong saved from committing suicide, is a new courier at the company. Ming Huan’s eyes light up when he sees Zi Tong, though she doesn’t recognize him until he reminds her of what she told him up on the rooftop: if he doesn’t care, then he won’t get hurt, and if he doesn’t get hurt, then he won’t feel bad. Thanks to her, Ming Huan decided to resign from his previous job and become a courier. Zi Tong doesn’t seem to care. He tries to tell her that he became a courier because of her.
Zi Tong looks Ming Huan in the eye and tells him that his life is his own and his choices are his own. He shouldn’t say he’s doing it for anybody to try and push the responsibility onto them. Ming Huan quickly says that’s not what he means. He’s just grateful to her for saying she would help him. Zi Tong says that she didn’t mean anything by it — she just wanted him to sign. But Ming Huan doesn’t care what her intention was. She was the only person who said she would help him and it was moving. She nods and continues showing him around the office.
They go outside, where Zi Tong overhears Yu Qian asking Zhi Sheng when he plans on firing her. Zi Tong promptly turns back around and goes inside. Ming Huan hurries to keep up, offended on her behalf. Zi Tong repeats her mantra of not caring in order to not be hurt and not feel bad.
Xin Hui, the reporter, finds Zi Tong as she’s leaving work. Xin Hui has heard that Zi Tong needs money. How does she feel about selling a story to her? Zi Tong stares at her for a long moment, then asks what she’s offering.
Xin Hui works through the night on a breaking story about Zhi Sheng’s fear of blood and how he marketed the company through false news stories. During the day, the phones at GoGoVan ring off the hook with people wanting to follow up on Xin Hui’s story.
Zhi Sheng is furious with Zi Tong’s betrayal, but Zi Tong says that he’s the one who started it. She heard everything they said out on the balcony. Yu Qian tries to clear things up, but Zhi Sheng stops him. So because of that, she betrayed him? Zi Tong responds that there’s no trust between them. How can there be betrayal? Zhi Sheng fires Zi Tong on the spot.
The GoGoVan coworkers watch as Zi Tong packs her things and speculate that she’s the one who went to the media. Jia Qi confronts her about it as she leaves. Zi Tong asks so what if she did and so what if she didn’t? If she said she didn’t, would Jia Qi believe her? She leaves.
Yu Qian tries to figure out ways for Zhi Sheng to get around his fear of blood so they can fake it to the media. But Zhi Sheng ignores his suggestions and instead tells him to prepare immediately for an executive meeting.
Things aren’t looking good for the company. Clients are concerned and couriers are quitting in droves. Jia Qi hesitantly asks Zhi Sheng if the headlines are true. Zhi Sheng acknowledges that they are: he has hemophobia.
Commentary
Welp, the previews for the next episode kind of spoil everything. So… don’t look at that? Or do? Depends on how surprised you like to be about plot “twists.”
I kind of don’t get why Zhi Sheng’s fear of blood is such a big deal. From a personal perspective, it shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of? Though maybe that’s why Zhi Sheng is okay acknowledging it in front of his managers. I suppose the primary impact from a business perspective is that Zhi Sheng has been outed as a fraud when it comes to his crime-stopping ways, and that would reduce confidence in him as a person and transitively, as a CEO, so that’s why there’s such a big fuss?
Xin Yan is so precious. I can’t wait to see more of the storyline with her, Fang Qing, and Tian Lin.
The Drama Llama 