Episode 5 recap: Strain in the Couple's Relationship
In Episode 5, when Na Wei returns home, Shen Lin anxiously asks about the outcome. Na Wei looks dejected, leading Shen Lin to mistakenly believe that Qin Lingling is going to fire him for no reason. She begins to rally behind her husband, insisting that she can mediate with Qin Lingling. When Na Wei sees her so worked up, he admits that his position and stock options remain unchanged.
Shen Lin realizes he was just joking and expresses her frustration about his behavior. On their day off, Li Xiaoyue and Na Juan come over for dinner, and Shen Lei also arrives, explaining that Xie Meilan couldn't make it because she’s working overtime.
Shen Lin pulls Shen Lei into the kitchen to ask about his relationship with Xie Meilan. Shen Lei says their relationship is great, but Meilan might still be grieving the loss of a family member. Shen Lin advises him to pay more attention to Xie Meilan, emphasizing that relationships require maintenance.
During dinner, Shen Lei notices how well Li Xiaoyue and Na Juan get along and shows a hint of envy. Everyone praises the braised dishes Shen Lin prepared. As they chat after the meal, Na Juan and Shen Lei have differing views on work. For Na Juan, earning 100,000 a month isn’t “involution”; it’s striving for a career. In contrast, Shen Lei earns less than 10,000 but enjoys his job and doesn't feel caught up in competition.
Na Wei tries to ease the tension, saying what's best is what suits you. Later that evening, Shen Lei asks Meilan when she might be free to visit Shen Lin’s place. She responds vaguely, not committing to a time. The next day, Shen Lei receives a call from his superior, asking him to play basketball with the department head.
Shen Lei comes up with an excuse to decline the invitation, leaving Xie Meilan confused. She feels that Shen Lei's efforts to repair things aren't as impactful as making an impression in front of the department head.
The following day, they visit a cemetery, and Shen Lei thinks traditional burial plots are too expensive, preferring a garden burial instead. Xie Meilan is frustrated and walks away. To appease her, Shen Lei suggests they could choose the most expensive option. Meilan sarcastically points out that if he had been willing to spend that money back then, his mother could have received targeted therapy.
A man named Zhao Pengju comes to Na Wei asking for repayment. Initially puzzled, Na Wei remembers a time when Wang Ruizhi had Liu Yan use his ID to register a subsidiary, which only required a name and no involvement. He realizes he owes money. Zhao Pengju had been dealing with Xu Yichao from the company Meican, but when Xu claimed the company had no funds and then disappeared, Zhao Pengju had no choice but to approach Na Wei, the legal representative.
Zhao Pengju gives Na Wei three days to sort things out. Na Wei tries to gather more information, but Liu Yan's former subordinate is clueless. He contacts Liu Yan and learns that the registration had never been updated. Liu Yan warns him not to let Qin Lingling find out, as Xu Yichao is the brother of Xu Yimei, Wang Ruizhi’s girlfriend, and she is the mistress Wang was involved with outside of his marriage. When Qin Lingling discovered this, she caused a scene and gave Xu Yimei money to study abroad.
Xie Meilan takes a week off from work, claiming she needs to handle personal matters, but tells Shen Lei she’ll be on a business trip for a week. With only two days left until the repayment deadline, Na Wei lies to Shen Lin about a business trip to Tianjin, but he actually goes to find Wang Ruizhi, who no longer wants to deal with these issues and can't even provide the contact information for Xu Yimei and Xu Yichao.
Shen Lei visits Shen Lin, who advises him to secure the cemetery plot first; she’ll cover any shortfall. Meanwhile, Xie Meilan is at the hospital, planning to terminate her pregnancy. She feels hurt by Shen Lei and doesn’t intend to keep the baby.
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