Discussion posts will follow the normal Youku VIP schedule. (The drama is also available on Netflix.)

Important Links: Masterpost - All Episode Discussions - Episodes 1-2 - Eps 3-4 - Eps 5-6 - Ep 7 - Ep 8 - Ep 9

Episode 10

Does that friend of his like him? Also, the mention of losing his father, is it related to his Monte Cristo plan? Funny how both leads want to have something as a result of their lacking parents. Xinzhi wants to collect all the elements of the periodic table and Xu Chi wants to get her mom's house.

Xinzhi assumes he no longer stands a chance with Xu Chi, while she looks at the doll he gave her and wonders what his true intentions are. Xu Chi is perceptive enough to tell that Xinzhi feels something more, but because of how he handled her feelings previously, she hesitates to reach out and ask for clarification.

Her internal debate leads her to the same conclusion: she needs to move on. This prompts her to reply to Yang Rui. Never one to waste an opportunity, Yang Rui calls her immediately.

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It seems Xu Chi will try using a relationship with Yang Rui to get over Xinzhi. We all know it will not work, but it is an interesting development regardless. Xu Chi will realize her true feelings for Xinzhi, while Xinzhi will see her moving on and realize he cannot simply let her go.

Before Xu Chi turns in for the night, her upstairs neighbors get into a noisy argument.

Foreshadowing the breakup before the relationship even starts.

The next morning, the Celestial team gathers in a meeting room awaiting the results. Yang Rui secretly reaches for Xu Chi’s hand, and as promised, she does not pull away. Ma Ke soon receives news that Celestial has officially agreed to proceed with Maximse’s Plan B proposal! Everyone celebrates the victory, except for Tina.

Out on the street, Xu Chi is trying to hail a ride to Celestial when Zhao Heng pulls up, offering to drop her off.

Zhao Heng is as perceptive as ever!

He notices immediately that she lacks genuine romantic feelings for Yang Rui. Even though she claims they are simply testing the waters, he refutes her logic, explaining that love requires a spark rather than mere effort.

Their friendship is fantastic! Zhao Heng does not feel like a competitive threat to Xu Chi the way Tina initially did, likely because career ambition is not the central core of his personality. While he certainly possesses his own drive, his grounded nature allows Xu Chi to feel completely comfortable around him.

Speaking of Tina, we check in with her as she buries herself in work at her family home. A maid enters her room to retrieve a toy for Jie, Tina’s younger brother, and accidentally spills a drink. The situation escalates into a heated argument about Tina’s standing in the household.

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The constant lectures regarding her personality seem to be weighing heavily on her. Reflecting on her mother’s words, she even fetches cake from the fridge for her father when she hears him return home.

This was so frustrating to watch! Poor Tina almost fell for their manipulation, had she not accidentally overheard their conversation. Hearing her own family plot ways to systematically curb her career and ambition must sting deeply

The following day, Tina is in full work mode, but she pushes herself far past her limits.

Ironically, she passes out from low blood sugar once again, and Xu Chi steps in to assist her.

Xu Chi takes her back home and confronts her about what is really happening.

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Tina confesses that Mr. Zheng from Celestial accepted her initial proposal solely because her father intervened behind the scenes. When Xu Chi asks why, Tina reveals that her father actively opposes her independent success. He wants her to succeed only enough to play second fiddle to her younger brother without ever taking center stage.

The less we hear from her father, the better! He is such an infuriating character.

Tina admits that her desperation to reach partner by age 35 stems from her need to prove herself capable of inheriting the Siwei Group. She reveals that her father deliberately engineers work setbacks so she will grow exhausted and return to the family business. That way, her career will remain locked in traditional finance without the ability to pivot elsewhere.

Just like that, the two besties are firmly back on the same side!

Tina declares she is ready to go confront Xinzhi for hurting her friend, but Xu Chi holds her back and drags her back inside.

This part was hilarious! The way they argue over who has it worse was so funny.

Xu Chi confides that while she knows Xinzhi set a firm boundary, his mixed signals keep causing her feelings to waver. Tina grows incensed on her behalf and attempts to march out to confront Xinzhi once again.

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Xu Chi admits she agreed to try things with Yang Rui largely because of Xinzhi’s reaction to seeing them together. She wants to be the first to move on and make him feel the weight of his own choice.

Random fangirling moment, but how gorgeous is Zhao Jinmai! The way the light hits her in this shot is stunning! What a talented darling!

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Tina reflects on Xu Chi's words long after she leaves. As if summoned by her thoughts, Zhao Heng calls her completely out of breath.

Poor boy sprinted from the 17th floor when he heard the news.

She is touched by his call, even while maintaining her fiery exterior. He explains that he ran all the way down from the 17th floor before realizing he lacked her address and that security would not admit him anyway.

She basically invites him directly over to her place!

In the next scene, the doorbell rings at Tina’s apartment. After a quick check in the mirror, she opens the door to find...

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Touched by his gesture, she snaps at him to mask her embarrassment. Zhao Buka steps inside, declaring himself her personal magical elf. She continues snapping at him, which is clearly her defense mechanism kicking in. She is so accustomed to guarded relationships that she does not know how to process genuine affection and her own budding feelings for Zhao Heng.

Zhao Heng has become an absolute expert at handling her moods! Among the snacks he brought, he remembered the ice cream, exactly as she requested.

this was nice. I liked seeing this.

The following day, Xu Chi and Tina are back in business mode, staging a playful face-off in the company lobby. They promise to give their absolute all as friendly rivals.

Later, Yang Rui and Xu Chi attend a strategy meeting regarding the proposal. Yang Rui asks her to let him take the lead, but it quickly becomes apparent that he made numerous key decisions without consulting her. The entire presentation unravels when the client walks out, largely because Yang Rui refused to listen to Xu Chi’s helpful interventions during the meeting.

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Overall Thoughts

The friendship dynamic between Xu Chi and Tina is officially restored, and I could not be happier! Watching them bond over their shared struggles and compare whose situation was worse was hilarious!!!

Tina learning the truth about her father's sabotage hurts but I am glad the situation allowed for my besties to go back to being besties again.

Meanwhile, Zhao Heng continues to prove why he is the best guy in this drama! From calling out Xu Chi’s rebound attempt with Yang Rui to running down 17 floors out of worry. I love him so much.

On the work front, Yang Rui's fake confidence completely ruined his presentation with the client. Using a rebound relationship to get over Xinzhi was always going to end badly, but seeing Yang Rui dismiss Xu Chi's professional input in that meeting proves he is definitely not the right fit for her!

Discussion posts will follow the normal Youku VIP schedule. (The drama is also available on Netflix.)

Important Links: Masterpost - All Episode Discussions - 1-2 -

Episode 3

forgive me for getting a blurry shot.

We start the episode with a cute bonding moment between Bu Tianna (I’ll refer to her as Tina going forward) and Xu Chi. Their dynamic is one of friendly rivalry: Tina subtly praises Xu Chi for managing a project on her own while Xu Chi pretends to be humble. Xu Chi tells Tina she wants to keep "pretending" they are friends to avoid the office drama involving Deng Anran. Tina jokes that they can be partners, but definitely not friends!

China really likes their do nice and it will comeback to you. I love seeing the budding friendship between my girls <3

It’s time for the 3-month assessment, kicked off with a friendly outdoor weekend activity! The Maximse newbies are taken outdoors, given a map, divided into teams, and tasked with racing to the finish line. Zhao Heng and Tina are on the Blue Team, while Xu Chi is on the Red Team.

I thought Zhao Heng was with the yellow team to start, but nope he is with the blue one.

do I see interest brewing from Yang Rui in our girl Xu Chi? Zhao Heng and Tina ship being set up?

We leave Zhao Heng helping Tina apply first aid to her twisted foot so she can get back into the competition. Each team plans the route that will get them to the finish line most efficiently, while the program coordinators watch and grade their leadership and teamwork skills.

It’s a close race, but the Blue Team ultimately takes the win, with Zhao Heng piggybacking Tina all the way to the finish line!

With the weekend over, the newbies head back to the office, where they watch a video recap edited by Zhao Heng.

Zhao Heng and his moves. I love the face she made at the end.

She invites him for lunch only, tells him she saw right through his calucaltions and tells him to stop.

Tina sees right through all his schemes like the clever girl she is, though Heng remains utterly shameless in his pursuit even after being exposed. Xu Chi witnesses the whole exchange and teases her.

I love that they're getting closer! Zhao Heng is emerging as a shameless pursuer

Wholesome moments aside, Tina and Xu Chi discuss their fellow newbie Susu, who might quit after being asked to move to the support office. It's a stark reminder of how competitive this workplace really is. To stay ahead, Xu Chi needs to keep delivering, and her first priority is making sure the Bolo Culture Project succeeds.

Except things aren't going so smoothly. Mr. Shen is satisfied with the initial proposal, but he invites her to visit the Qingyi Literature office to see the root of the problem firsthand, giving her just two hours to prepare! She rushes through packing, breaks a wheel on her suitcase, and struggles to catch a ride.

Luckily, by the power of plot, Xinzhi happens to be heading to the airport and gives her a lift. Along the way, he gives her practical advice on choosing the most efficient suitcase for business travel. I love how he offers guidance on anything that could help her career, their interactions are never just empty small talk, but always productive.

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Even here, he reminds her to focus on what the client wants first. Knowing her mentor is absent, he steps in to help, which explains why she respects him so much.

Upon arriving in Guangzhou, Xu Chi witnesses firsthand how chaotic and tense things are at Qingyi Literature. Facing a situation like this for the first time, she feels totally out of her depth. When she tries to consult Mr. Shen, he loses his temper, demanding real solutions instead of corporate jargon.

Facing her first major hurdle, Xu Chi tries reaching out to Lin Long, but her messages and calls go completely ignored.

You're on your own Xu Chi

We briefly see Lin Long making amends with her husband and trying to manage her stress for the baby's sake. It works temporarily, but it’s far from sustainable, we later see her complaining to her work bestie about having to use client-management tactics on her own husband! In true villainess fashion, she declares: "Once I’m back, I’m taking back everything that was mine." Girl, calm down, you are so paranoid.

Meanwhile, Xu Chi is still agonizing over her problem, her mind racing as she replays everything Mr. Shen said. She drafts a message to Ye Xinzhi asking for advice before realizing it could be a breach of confidentiality, and that relying too heavily on him might hurt her growth. She recalls the message.

I love that he wants to nurture her talent

Cut back to Xu Chi with her brand-new, Xinzhi-approved suitcase and carry-on! It seems she figured out what Mr. Shen actually needs. She lays out his worries and requirements so clearly that he is thoroughly impressed and even apologizes for blowing up at her earlier. Taking it all in stride, shepresents her revised proposal, reassuring him that she is handling the initial phase, but a larger team at Maximse will take over once approved to make it worth his investment.

All in all, a massive success for Xu Chi on the Bolo Project!

Episode 4

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Xu Chi is officially promoted to Senior Business Analyst! Her hard work paid off, her efforts were recognized, and she will now join the Bolo Culture Project team as an SBA alongside Sasha, Cindy, and others. Lin Long watches her speak during the meeting with envious eyes. You reap what you sow.

Unable to handle the news, Lin Long goes to complain to Lu Le again sounding like a broken record.

Her friend is at least being rational

Back in the shared workspace, Xu Chi and Lin Long exchange a tense congratulation, marking a point of no return for their relationship.

We briefly see Lin Long dealing with her increasingly terrible husband, who lent 500k to his parents without consulting her. Furious, she storms out for a drive.

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Celebrating her news alone, Xu Chi leaves work late. On her way, she comes across none other than Xinzhi, drunkenly leaning against a tree!

I guess it kept bugging him. I love drunk scenes just because they allow for honest conversations

He asks her to drive him home, and she agrees, taking care of him until he passes out on his bed. (That bed looks so comfortable, honestly.)

hugging the trashcan was funny, and that bed looked so comfy

Xinzhi wakes up the next morning to find Xu Chi passed out in his wing chair. She wakes up startled and apologizes for staying over, explaining that a work emergency popped up late at night and she fell asleep without realizing it. He tells her not to worry, so she teases him about his drunken behavior instead. He hands her water to shut her up! She doubles down by mentioning that her friend Tina calls him a "poser."

Their dynamic feels so natural and comfortable, they are both mature professionals who don't easily get flustered.

It turns out the reason they keep bumping into each other is that they live in the same neighborhood, except she stays in a small rental room while he lives in a high-end apartment. She tries to rush home to change, but he insists on having his room service handle her dry cleaning and offers to buy her breakfast as thanks.

Xu Chi is very goal oriented.

Xinzhi drives her to the company, never missing an opportunity to pass along more advice on how to be an effective consultant.

They never pass a chance to tease each other!

Tina and Xu Chi banter back and forth, both acknowledging each other's talents. Xu Chi comfortingly points out that even if Tina landed a project through her connections, it’s still a credit to her ability, no one would throw money down the drain unless they saw real potential.

Back at the office, Lin Long continues to wallow in her anger. Zhao Heng tries to comfort Tina by messaging her "We'll get ahead of Xu Chi," only to find he’s been blocked! She completely ignores him. I love them, their dynamic is so fun, and I'm a sucker for a shameless chaser.

The only person left brooding in the public workspace is Lin Long, blinded by her desire for revenge. Having accidentally witnessed Xu Chi helping a drunk Xinzhi, she starts asking around about him and discovers he is a married man. She plots how to weaponize this information, even resorting to eavesdropping on Xu Chi’s private calls. MARRIED???

Driven by her villain arc, Lin Long assumes Xinzhi must be secretly pulling strings for Xu Chi behind the scenes. She snoops around Xu Chi’s desk, reads some seemingly confidential files, and goes straight to Sasha.

oh lin long, you are diffing yourself a hole

Sasha takes the allegation seriously and calls Xu Chi in to explain herself. When asked how she knows Xinzhi, Xu Chi replies that they met during the summit Lin Long took her to. Sasha then asks about the confidential files received in the mail, treating them as irrefutable proof.

AAAHHH OMG OUR SMART GIRL SET HER UP! LET’S GO! NO ONE MESSES WITH MY GIRL! She put up with Lin Long's terrible attitude for far too long, and now it's time to show her the door!

Lin Long remains relentless, showing Sasha photos of Xu Chi and Xinzhi together and accusing her of being his mistress. Sasha calmly replies that Xinzhi has been divorced for a year, and that she heard it from him directly!

EXPOSE IT ALL, XU CHI

Xu Chi lays out all her grievances against Lin Long to Sasha, putting on the perfect "pitiful junior" act. She tells Sasha she will leave the matter entirely in her hands and excuses herself back to work.

Overall Thoughts

XU CHI IS SO CLEVER! I am so thrilled she managed to outsmart Lin Long and completely clear her path! Watching her turn Lin Long’s own paranoia against her was the most satisfying moment of the show so far.

I also love how naturally her bond with Xinzhi is developing. From his practical travel tips to their morning-after banter, their interactions are grounded in mutual respect and great chemistry. Plus, Tina and Zhao Heng continue to steal every scene they're in! their dynamic adds the perfect level of fun to balance out the intense corporate drama!