Episode 18 recap: Lian Man Er's restaurant is open for business.
Lian Man Er and their companions sold the liquor they had, which provided them with enough money to buy a shop. However, when they arrived at the location, they discovered that the shop had already been sold. Shen Nuo, referring to Lian Man Er as their cousin, immediately understood the situation and decided to act along with Shen Nuo, stating that if they couldn't acquire the shop, they wouldn't be able to preserve the ancestral legacy.
The boss, deeply moved by Lian Man Er's words, wanted to give them the shop. However, Lian Hua Er arrived and exposed Lian Man Er's lie, revealing that they were the ones who had secured the shop.
Lian Man Er returned home and informed Shi San that they hadn't been successful in purchasing the shop. Shi San knew how important the shop was to Shen Nuo and became anxious. Lian Man Er expressed that they had already done a lot for Shen Nuo, and it was clear that Shen Nuo had been using and deceiving them.
Shi San informed Lian Man Er about Shen Nuo abandoning their account book for the sake of Lian Man Er's liquor. Lian Man Er only then realized that Shen Nuo had done these things for them. Shen Nuo asked Lian Man Er why they had given up, stating that if they couldn't acquire the shop, how could they enter Jinyang Trading Company.
Unexpectedly, Lian Man Er suddenly kissed Shen Nuo. Lian Man Er asked Shen Nuo why they hadn't revealed these things earlier, suggesting that if the outcome was already determined, they should enjoy their time together before that. During the meal, Shi San kept serving dishes to Lian Ye Er, and Lian Man Er also served food to Shen Nuo, making Shi San feel somewhat awkward.
Lian Man Er's father mentioned that Chunzhu's family had an empty shop in the eastern market, but they were unsure about the specifics. Lian Man Er's father was concerned as both families were in the restaurant business and it might not be ideal to open shops close to each other. Shen Nuo believed that competition between them would lead to progress, and Lian Man Er agreed.
They went to see the shop, but it turned out to be located in a remote corner and was in a very dilapidated condition. Shi San brought an associate along, but upon seeing the place, the associate immediately ran away, claiming that the previous shop owner who had been here couldn't sustain the business for more than two months and even left without paying wages.
Mr. Zhangfang also ran away. Lian Man Er remembered that during the last family separation, Second Uncle had exceptional accounting skills. So Lian Man Er went to find Second Uncle, hoping to persuade him to become their accountant. Second Uncle was actually willing to earn money, but he was concerned that Lian Man Er's grandmother wouldn't agree. Lian Man Er assured him that they had a plan. They staged a play with Yu Xiang Jin, pretending to be bandits who intercepted them and claimed that they owed him money, threatening to take Lian Xiu Er as collateral.
Naturally, Lian Man Er's grandmother wouldn't agree to give her daughter to them, but she agreed to let Second Uncle become their accountant. Shi San came to help Lian Ye Er with work and noticed the purse he had intended to give her before. It was then that he understood Lian Ye Er's feelings for him.
Shi San embraced Lian Ye Er, realizing that he also had feelings for her. Lian Hua Er's shop opened, and it had a great location, a grand appearance, and good business. On the same day, Lian Man Er's shop also opened, but they didn't have any customers, which made Lian Man Er very frustrated.
Lian Man Er's mother comforted him, saying that success doesn't come all at once. Lian Man Er's mother wanted to visit her parents' home to see how things were and mentioned the lack of fresh vegetables in winter. Lian Man Er remembered the fresh vegetables he grew near the hot springs and decided to sell them at the restaurant.
To everyone's surprise, they could still find fresh vegetables in winter, so they all came to Lian Man Er's restaurant. Lian Hua Er mentioned to her husband that General Wu wanted to dine at their place, urging him to establish a good relationship with the general. However, Song, the Fourth Young Master, thought it was inappropriate.
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