Episode 34 recap: Jiang Tian is looking to hire a designer.
Jiang Tian called Zhou Ye Wen and asked why he didn't respond to Jiang Tian all day, expressing concern that Zhou Ye Wen might have been abducted. Coincidentally, Zhou Ye Wen was with his mother, who also overheard the conversation. Zhou Ye Wen informed Jiang Tian that he would be staying with his mother for a while. Jiang Tian asked how long "a while" meant.
Jiang Tian had an argument with Hu De Xiang. Zhou Ye Wen was helping out at his mother's restaurant when a person insisted on having a drink. Zhou Ye Wen told him that there was no alcohol available and advised him to go elsewhere, but the person ignored the suggestion and went straight to the bar to get a drink. Zhou Ye Wen warned him to leave immediately or else she would call the police, and just then her mother came out.
Zhou Ye Wen's mother questioned the need to call the police, as she still had business to attend to the next day. She knew the man and he claimed that he couldn't sleep without having a drink after seeing Zhou Ye Wen's mother. He cried as he spoke, and Zhou Ye Wen's mother had no choice but to comfort him by hugging him. Wu Jing Fang mentioned that Jiang Tian's father was returning, and she decided to stay at Zhou Ye Wen's place for a few days.
When Jiang Tian gave Wu Jing Fang toiletries, she asked if Zhou Ye Wen and Zheng Qian had been in touch with them. Jiang Tian hadn't heard from them for two days and was worried that something might have happened. Wu Jing Fang reassured her, saying that her sister had been working hard there for over ten years.
While Zhou Ye Wen was giving his mother a massage, they had a conversation on the sofa. They talked about the man they had encountered at the restaurant, whose name turned out to be Qin Pang. He drank every day because his mother had passed away after slipping at home, leaving him alone. Zhou Ye Wen's mother felt that if it were Zhou Ye Wen, he might not have been as strong as Qin Pang.
Zhou Ye Wen assured her that he wouldn't encounter such a situation and promptly spat to ward off any potential jinx. Just then, her mother's phone rang, and it was Wu Jing Fang on the other end. She asked why neither of them was answering their calls. Zhou Ye Wen's mother claimed to be busy in her shop, and Zhou Ye Wen had gone to help out.
Wu Jing Fang asked Zhou Ye Wen why he hadn't been responding to Jiang Tian all day, expressing concern that he might have been abducted. Zhou Ye Wen's mother overheard and asked who Jiang Tian was and whether he was Zhou Ye Wen's girlfriend. Upon hearing this, Zhou Ye Wen quickly left the room and called Jiang Tian.
Jiang Tian asked when Zhou Ye Wen would return. Zhou Ye Wen thought about what his mother had told him about Qin Pang and hesitated a bit, considering whether to tell Jiang Tian that he planned to stay longer. However, Jiang Tian informed him that he was preparing to participate in a competition.
Zhou Ye Wen felt that it didn't matter whether they won or lost. Nonetheless, Zhou Ye Wen eventually told Jiang Tian that he planned to stay longer. Jiang Tian asked for how long, a month? Zhou Ye Wen replied that he wasn't certain but assured Jiang Tian that it wouldn't be too long.
Jiang Tian thought it was fine, as they hadn't seen each other for a long time, and it would be nice to spend a few more days together. Zhou Ye Wen was about to say something else, but Jiang Tian had already hung up the phone, and Zhou Ye Wen knew that Jiang Tian was still angry.
Lin Xiao Xiao told Jiang Tian and Wu Jing Fang that they couldn't continue like this. Just as she finished speaking, Jiang Tian's father called for Wu Jing Fang to use her Bluetooth speaker. Wu Jing Fang went to help him set it up and then returned to continue listening to Lin Xiao Xiao.
Lin Xiao Xiao believed that Hu De Xiang's studio was also facing plagiarism scandals, so why should their studio be better than Studio 33? Lin Xiao Xiao told them that it was because Hu De Xiang's studio had three engines. Wu Jing Fang asked what she meant by "engines."
Lin Xiao Xiao explained that they needed a capable designer who could take charge, as if Jiang Tian stopped working, their studio would come to a halt. Jiang Tian agreed with the suggestion to hire a designer, but due to the current situation of Jiang Tian's studio, their progress was not going smoothly.
Jiang Tian went to find Hu De Xiang, thinking that if they worked together and won an award, it would be easier to recruit people. Hu De Xiang asked Jiang Tian to have a meal with her, but Jiang Tian wanted to refuse.
Hu De Xiang told her that she wanted to introduce her to an important person, the person in charge of the current competition. Jiang Tian believed that good work couldn't be successful just by wining and dining someone, and that good work should stand out on its own merits. They waited for a long time before the person finally appeared, and he informed Hu De Xiang and Jiang Tian that they only had ten minutes.
Hu De Xiang introduced Jiang Tian to many leaders, but Jiang Tian couldn't take it anymore. She felt that they didn't need to cater to the preferences of the leaders and didn't want her work to be contaminated with any impurities. They ended up arguing because of their differing opinions, and Jiang Tian angrily left.
Jiang Tian and Hu De Xiang are already on different paths, and it's common for people to have different perspectives in a society driven by personal connections. However, that doesn't mean it's right! Can't we first align our values before speaking?
Okay, it's understandable to say that surviving in a society driven by work is tough, regardless of right or wrong, as long as one can make money. I'm also one of those people. But shouldn't there still be a bottom line, especially for a creator?
If everything is based on personal relationships, what else can others rely on to compete? In the end, who has sacrificed more? I can understand Hu De Xiang's actions, but I don't accept the criticism of Jiang Tian for not knowing what's good for him.