Episode 16 recap: Peng Yu An launched a campaign to win back Xu Nuo's heart and deliberately approached Zhao Jin.
After Xu Nuo's mother left, Xu Nuo went to Zhao Jin's doorstep, but Zhao Jin was still with his father. So he gave Xu Nuo the password to his house and let her come in. Xu Nuo entered Zhao Jin's house, took a tour, and cooked herself a bowl of noodles. While she was eating, Zhao Jin hurriedly returned. Xu Nuo refused Zhao Jin's attempt to kiss her but took the initiative to kiss him on his neck.
Xu Nuo talked about her mother's inability to accept Zhao Jin and mentioned that she hadn't found a solution yet. Zhao Jin said that no matter what, she shouldn't use that as a reason to run away. Peng Yu An went crazy practicing boxing at the boxing gym. Xu Yang took a picture of him and sent it to Shi Ran, who advised him to stay away but also asked if he would fight for her sake.
Zhao Qin and Xiao Bai watched a melancholic love movie together. Zhao Qin felt deeply involved and expressed her desire for Xiao Bai to make a happy movie in the future. Xiao Bai said they would strive for it. Xu Nuo's mother went to the laundry shop and found that Ren Jun hadn't woken up yet.
Xu Nuo and Zhao Jin had coffee together, sitting by the seaside, basking in the sun. Zhao Jin felt particularly happy. Xu Nuo mentioned that she liked walking in quiet alleyways on a rainy afternoon. Zhao Jin suggested that it would be even better if it was snowing, and he promised to accompany her in the future.
Xu Nuo returned to the flower shop, and Shi Ran complained that she took two hours for lunch. Shi Ran tentatively asked Xu Nuo if she knew about Zhao Jin and his ex-wife. Xu Nuo found Shi Ran's behavior strange that day. Shi Ran expressed concern that Xu Nuo might be jumping into a fire pit, to which Xu Nuo replied that she had already jumped in.
Ren Jun encountered a difficult customer while delivering clothes and complained to Xu Nuo's mother after returning home. Xu Nuo's mother felt even more aggrieved, and they ended up arguing. Ren Jun admitted that he had started playing cards again but repeatedly claimed that he wasn't gambling. Shi Ran went to pick up Xu Yang from work, while Peng Yu An continued his crazy boxing practice, which frightened Shi Ran.
When Shi Ran and Xu Yang were having dinner alone, Shi Ran asked Xu Yang if Zhao Jin had a child. Xu Yang assured her that he didn't.
It is said that Shi Ran saw Zhao Jin with a child, so Xu Yang went with Shi Ran to find Zhao Jin and clarify the situation. Zhao Jin explained that the child was brought by his ex-wife and had nothing to do with him. However, Shi Ran still believed that he shouldn't keep it a secret from Xu Nuo. Zhao Jin decided to find an opportunity to tell Xu Nuo himself. Tian Mu Chu, Zhao Jin's ex-wife, came to the flower shop but left without buying anything. Zhao Qin happened to encounter her and anxiously asked Xu Nuo what she was doing there, but Xu Nuo didn't pay much attention to it.
Peng Yu An came to the company, but Cong Shan was too busy to pay attention to him. Peng Yu An had no choice but to leave disappointed. He called Ren Jun, who asked him to meet at the laundry shop. In front of Xu Nuo's mother, Peng Yu An not only gave her a bottle of high-end wine but also brought up the topic of investing in the laundry shop.
Zhao Jin became nervous when he heard from Da Hao that Peng Yu An went to the laundry shop. He immediately called Xu Nuo, and Xu Nuo also felt that things were getting complicated. Zhao Jin believed that he shouldn't hide behind Xu Nuo anymore and it was time to meet Peng Yu An and Xu Nuo's mother. However, Xu Nuo stopped him because she was worried that Peng Yu An might harm him if he saw Zhao Jin.
After Peng Yu An left, Ren Jun scanned the QR code on the bottle of wine and found out that it was only worth 69 yuan. Xu Nuo's mother seemed to understand Peng Yu An's tactics and simply said that she wouldn't go on the day they signed the contract. Zhao Qin questioned Zhao Jin about why Tian Mu Chu came back and why he didn't tell Xu Nuo about it. Zhao Jin said there was no need.
Tian Mu Chu video-called Zhao Jin, saying that Shi Tou (presumably a nickname for their child) missed him and invited him to attend Shi Tou's birthday. Seeing Zhao Jin readily agreeing without any defense, Zhao Qin became very worried and didn't understand why they were making their relationship so complicated.
However, Zhao Jin believed that Xu Nuo was more mature than Zhao Qin and that he would handle this matter well. Peng Yu An found Shi Ran and specifically gave her a valuable handbag, asking her to help him win back Xu Nuo. He confidently believed that Xu Nuo's relationship with Zhao Jin was just a momentary impulse, and as long as she had a change of heart, he would pretend that nothing had happened.
Shi Ran felt that she couldn't help him with this matter.
I won't comment on the quality of this drama or the actors' performances. I just want to express my thoughts on the main storyline of this drama.
Many viewers say that the plot is very realistic, and indeed, extramarital affairs are something we often hear about in reality.
However, the moral values of the main characters, especially the protagonists, are not suitable for public broadcasting on the screen. It feels like there's a subtle suggestion for the audience to disregard morals.
It's acceptable for a woman to fall in love with a man, but the female lead falls in love with the male lead without breaking up with her boyfriend first. She secretly meets the male lead and engages in ambiguous behavior behind her boyfriend's back, while being seen by friends as true love.
Is this kind of plot really worthy of societal praise?
The male lead is also despicable. Knowing that the female lead has a boyfriend, if you're not brave enough to openly fight for her, then you shouldn't intervene, let alone provoke the female lead's boyfriend.
In reality, if such a situation occurred, the boyfriend would have long beaten up the person involved. There's hardly any man in this world who would tolerate someone having an affair with his woman. Therefore, the behavior of the male lead should not be encouraged, or else there will be more bloodshed in this world.
In conclusion, everyone has their own significant other. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine if your significant other behaved like this before breaking up. Could you accept it? Personally, I couldn't accept my significant other behaving in such a way.
It damages morality and decency! If this kind of plot was just a subplot in a TV drama, it could be seen as a contrast and background. But as the main storyline of a TV drama, it becomes a serious problem.
Just think, if this kind of love, as portrayed in the drama, is accepted and praised, how many instances of infidelity will occur in society in the future?
Speaking honestly, after watching TV dramas for decades, this is the first time I've wanted to punch the main characters because their moral values as characters are seriously flawed. Personally, I believe this kind of love should never be idolized.
Lastly, I also have some doubts about how a main storyline promoting promiscuity was approved by relevant authorities.