How to pronounce "台阶"

[Footprints of Change]

[Episode 29]

Why didn't you invite your boyfriend in?

He just came to bring me the keys.

I left in a hurry and forgot to take them.

Beichuan has night classes at school tonight.

He's quite funny.

He seems very attached to you.

I need to talk to him about this when I get back.

That was too rude.

How could he come here directly?

What book did you say you wanted to show me?

I'll go get it.

Is Shan Huajing home?

Search warrant.

Who is it?

Ms. Shan.

Which one of you is Shan Huajing?

I am.

Ms. Shan,

if there's nothing else, I'll get going.

Wait.

What's your relationship with Shan Huajing?

Why are you in her home?

We went to the same school.

She's my senior.

I just came to chat with her.

What's in your bag?

Open it.

You can go now.

Why are you crying?

I'm not feeling well.

Then go home and rest.

We need to talk to Shan Huajing.

Okay.

Section Chief Shan,

I just need a quick word with Xining.

Xiang Beichuan, what are you doing here?

I'm asking you.

Are you crazy?

Jie.

Well,

Ms. Shan is in trouble. Did you know?

Okay.

I'll let you know once I book the flight.

Alright, thank you.

I'm hanging up now.

This batch of goods has a strict time limit.

Sea freight takes 40 days.

If we wait another 30 days to send it out,

it'll miss the sales window.

Could you please

help us

talk to your supervisor?

Shan Huajing's case hasn't been cleared yet.

All our business dealings related to her

are temporarily frozen.

Sorry about that.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Have you eaten?

Yes, I have.

You should go to work now.

Don't be late.

Are you...

I'm fine.

I'm alright.

Beichuan.

What is it, Mr. Guo?

Congratulations on your new book.

Although it's your first work,

I can see

you have great literary talent.

Your writing is smooth, and your ideas are profound.

I've read so many novels,

but yours is the only one

worth reading repeatedly—

it keeps me captivated.

Mr. Guo, you flatter me.

Guys, come out!

Professor Xiang is here!

Come on!

Professor Xiang!

Weren't you all asking for his autograph?

Line up and get it one by one.

Hurry!

Okay.

Professor Xiang, congratulations.

Your work is really excellent.

Could you sign this for me?

Thank you.

Sir, this is for my brother.

His name is Zhao Xiaohu.

Everyone, how about this?

Please return to the classroom now.

I'll see you in class.

Professor Xiang,

the students and I

have a wish for you:

May you keep writing tirelessly, dedicating yourself fully,

pouring your sweat onto both the podium and the literary world.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr. Yan.

Xining, come in.

Here's the money you lent me before.

No need. Keep it for yourself.

I'll be away for a while.

Take care of yourself.

Where are you going?

Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong—

I have friends in all these places.

I'll leave you a phone number later.

If anything urgent comes up,

just give me a call.

Okay. I'll be going then.

[Beichuan's New Book Signing: Rise and Fall of the Tide]

Thank you.

Thanks.

Hello. This is mine.

Thank you.

Hello, Professor Beichuan.

Thank you.

Professor Xiang, I really admire you.

Thank you.

Jerk,

isn't this your paper?

This jerk's paper got published.

Sir, I'll take ten copies.

Why so many?

Can you even read them all?

I'm giving them to others as gifts.

Come on.

We don't need to be so vain.

You're not vain?

You don't want to be famous?

To be honest,

fame doesn't matter much

to me.

My main task

is to turn my observations into papers

that readers can engage with, and that's enough.

I'm vain.

I'm proud that your book got published.

This is called "when fortune comes..."

"We forget each other."

Don't talk to me today.

Why are you angry?

A strange twist of fate

brought Beichuan and me together.

He walked with me for a long stretch.

But as I kept going,

I drifted further and further.

When I looked back,

Beichuan was still in the same place.

It's not that he couldn't keep up with me.

I lost him.

Actually, I was the one who got lost.

Now, for me,

parting

is more dignified.

Jiuling,

you were right.

I'm really not cut out for business.

I've already closed down this company,

and the equipment in the factory has all been mortgaged to the bank.

So what are you planning to do next?

I'll just accept my fate

and go back to my old trade—

the textile industry.

I'll open a small factory

and focus only on production.

Then in the future, when we get stock from you,

you'll have to give us a discount.

Of course.

You can't make a profit from us.

I'll give you factory price.

Alright.

By the way,

the lease on this place isn't up yet.

You guys can keep using it.

Thank you.

I've been limping along with you—

I'm almost crippled.

You should rent a single-story house next time.

Your leg isn't good.

This won't do.

Right.

Once you get that small factory running,

you'll be really busy.

Mr. Lu left with ease.

This is both a farewell

and a beginning.

Xiang Beichuan,

I lost pretty badly.

All I have left is the visa Yan Jun gave me.

I want to give it a try.

I hope I can succeed.

Let's

break up.

I hope everything goes well for you.

[One year later]

Xiang Beichuan!

I've missed you so much!

Did you miss me?

I didn't.

You're lying.

Why would I lie to you?

Why didn't you miss me?

Why should I miss you?

I went to the old house looking for you.

Why did you move out?

Yes.

I moved out.

Why are you looking for me?

To date you.

I've made money.

I've made lots and lots of money.

Come on. Let's go to the mall.

The outfit you're wearing is the one I bought you before.

I'll get you a new one,

a designer brand,

and pair it with a bag.

Tonight, we'll go out to eat

at the best restaurant in Shanghai.

Order whatever you want.

Let's go.

What's wrong with you?

[Fuxing Restaurant]

Mr. Yan.

Come, have a seat.

How's the jet lag?

Not so good.

Have you seen Xiang Beichuan?

Yes, I have.

How did it go?

Pretty well.

Pretty well, huh?

I ordered

sweet and sour spare ribs

and smoked fish for you.

They're all your favorites.

The taste hasn't changed.

They haven't changed their chef?

It's still Chef Liu.

Mr. Yan, I heard

you're still working at the old house.

You're such an accomplished entrepreneur—

why didn't you move to a top-tier office building?

I quite like the old house

because

it holds so many wonderful memories.

How about you?

Where are you working now that you're back?

I had Jiuling renew the lease

on Mr. Lu's old office.

One reason is convenience;

another is that

I started my business here before,

and now that I'm back, I want to start fresh here again.

Looks like we're both sentimental people.

We're still neighbors.

We'll have to help each other out at work.

Don't worry. If there's anything I can do,

just let me know.

During this past year,

have you been in touch with Beichuan much?

He and his senior opened a cultural company.

I wonder how it turned out.

I haven't kept in touch with Beichuan much.

I invite you to dinner,

and you don't ask how I'm doing

but keep asking about Xiang Beichuan. That's not appropriate.

I was just about to ask.

How have you been?

Not good.

I've been single all this time.

That can't be true.

You're so handsome

and charming,

surrounded by beautiful women.

You're the least likely to be single.

I've been single in spirit all this time.

It's just that I've had a lot of social events.

Alright, it's been a year since we last met.

We've caught up enough.

Are you hungry?

Waitress.

Hurry up with the dishes.

Alright, sir.

Li.

Mr. Yan.

Xining is back.

Take good care of her.

Alright.

Split it between you two.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Yan.

Enjoy your meal.

You really deserve your name.

This is the new

clothing export company I set up after coming back.

Take a look

and see if you're interested in collaborating.

Whatever your first deal is

after coming back,

I'll fully support you.

I'll toast you with tea.

Just have some wine—why tea?

I can't. I'll be driving later.

Fine,

tea it is.

Beichuan.

I'm here.

If you're thirsty, pour yourself some water.

Why are you living here?

I'm seeking inspiration among mortals.

What are you talking about?

Mortals?

Are there immortals?

You're classifying people

into different ranks.

I need to criticize you for that.

You have a point.

There's quiet within the noise,

and noise within the quiet—

it's good for your writing.

But

living here

means no girls will come by.

If you ever get a girlfriend,

how could you live here like this?

Who says a man

must have a woman by his side?

And who says a woman

must have a man?

You're not going to say you like me next, are you?

Get lost.

I saw Ye Xining today.

She's back.

How did she react when she saw you?

She ran over to me from far away

and gave me a hug.

That's great!

It means she still loves you.

I don't know.

I still don't understand

why she was so determined

to break up with me a year ago.

You're driving me crazy with this attitude.

Do you still love her?

Of course not.

Bro,

you're quite something.

I've been hesitant to tell you this,

but from the very beginning,

I felt you two weren't right for each other.

Why?

Why?

It's a feeling I can't explain.

You two need to figure it out yourselves.

I have a cousin

who teaches at a university.

I think you should meet her.

Really.

I think she's someone

who could live with you in a partition room.

Just think—

in summer,

you ride your little bike with her

to go grocery shopping

or watch a movie.

She'd feel so happy.

She's not that materialistic.

Do you think

the differences between women

can be that big?

Of course.

What about between men?

It's the same.

I don't think so.

Xiang Beichuan...

This little house is just a storage now.

Nobody lives here.

I made some money and moved out.

You're going to live here now that you're back?

Yes.

You'll live here?

Alright then.

I'll clean it up for you tomorrow.

Then you can move in.

Okay.

Now that you're back from Europe,

who's handling the shipments?

I hired two people over there

to handle our shipments.

Will that work?

They're very professional. There's no problem.

Xining,

tell me the truth.

Why did you really

come back this time?

If it's for work,

you didn't need to come back at all.

So it must be for love.

You came back for Beichuan.

I didn't come back for him.

Xining,

I read a book the other day,

and it said some really good things.

It said that

a woman shouldn't imagine a man as perfect,

because he can't be perfect in real life.

That would just put too much pressure on him.

For a woman,

if she loves too intensely,

she becomes too sensitive.

Even the tiniest crack

gets magnified by her.

And what about men?

It's the same.

Think about it—

if a man treats you like a goddess—

but you're not actually a goddess

and have so many flaws—

doesn't that make you exhausted and under a lot of pressure?

And his love

will also be intense.

Then he'll become very sensitive.

Then

even the tiniest crack

will get magnified by him as well.

So are you saying

men and women

shouldn't love too intensely?

No.

Then what are you saying?

Love is about managing

and exercising restraint.

Mr. Guo,

I believe this is my class.

Professor Xiang.

Come here.

Beichuan,

about the apartment,

I've always been grateful to you.

Today,

they insisted I substitute for you.

I said I wouldn't come,

but everyone in our department

insisted.

They said only my teaching skills

are on the same level as yours.

Mr. Guo,

you're substituting for me?

I know about

that thing of yours.

Others might think

it's kind of shady,

but to me,

you're very brave

when it comes to love.

I've always thought you're a truly genuine person.

What thing?

How come I don't even know about this myself?

Love in Partition Room.

Love in Partition Room?

Professor Xiang, could you come out for a moment?

It's been a pleasure working with you.

Thank you.

I hope we can work together again.

Sure thing.

Take care, Mr. Liu.

Alright.

Take care.

How is it?

How's the booth?

Look.

Ours is a step higher than the others'.

Normally, that would make it 5,000 yuan more expensive,

but I got it without adding a cent.

It was mainly because your products are good.

The brand you represent is great.

That's why our products sell well.

That's why they gave us the best spot.

Right?

Alright, Jiuling.

Stop praising me.

We're going to do better and better.

Right now,

I'm going to build my own brand.

I'm currently looking for a factory location.

Don't worry.

I'll work with you from now on.

Of course. We make such a great team.

That's right.

Beichuan,

have a seat.

Mr. Zhong, what's going on?

I need to get back to class.

You should

take a look at this first.

[Zhuohua]

Mr. Zhong,

I'm resigning.

Beichuan,

you're a young teacher I personally selected.

I have

high expectations for you.

And now you're resigning?

You're not Yan Jun.

You don't know how to do business.

Jobs are hard to find these days.

If you resign,

how will you survive?

Mr. Zhong,

I think what you said about me is right.

I am indeed sometimes too rigid.

And as you said,

as a teacher,

it's not enough to just know my subject—

I should also know how to deal with people.

But to be honest,

I don't really want to learn that,

and I don't want to be too sophisticated.

Can you forgive me?

Don't worry.

I'll submit a formal resignation

to the department later,

and I hope you'll approve it.

Downstairs are our summer items,

and this is the fall collection.

But it's our best-selling item in the store.

Do you have any in season?

In season?

Yes.

Well...

Mr. Yan.

Jiuling.

Well, Jiuling,

could you go take a walk outside?

I need to have a word with Xining.

That won't do.

I'm staying with Xining.

Just sit down and say it.

-I'm not an outsider. -It's okay. Just say it.

Just say it.

Have you seen this?

No.

There's a page I folded the corner of.

Open it and take a look.

[Love in Partition Room]

Tong Tong?

She published her work?

You know Tong Tong?

She used to pester Xiang Beichuan a lot.

What did she write?

How could she write such nonsense?

She included all of us in it.

She even said she's with Xiang Beichuan now

and that they're living together.

Let me see.

"He gently took off my…"

What is this? This kid.

Hugging and... kissing?

She's just a kid.

Look at how she wrote about me.

It says I just want sex every night

and that I'm like a horny dog.

Good thing she didn't mention me.

"There's always an old woman following the girl around..."

What is this?

What nonsense is this?

This is all made up.

We know it's all made up,

but the readers and the school

don't.

Beichuan can't get fired over this,

right?

Getting fired would be the mildest punishment.

I have to go and see this Tong Tong.

Do you have her contact info?

Not right now,

but I should be able to find it.

Xining,

aren't you on bad terms with Beichuan

after you came back from abroad?

Do you still like him?

I don't like him.

Then why are you helping him?

Didn't she call you an old woman?

Scold her.

Find her address.

Such a despicable person.

This kid.

You can sit over there.

Miss Ye?

What are you doing here?

We're good friends of Professor Xiang.

We called you here today

to figure out how to handle this situation.

How's Professor Xiang doing?

I called the school.

He's already resigned.

How could this happen?

Didn't you know

this would happen

when you were writing that so-called novel?

I was writing a novel.

Novels are purely fictional.

Who would actually take it as being about themselves?

But you mixed real people's looks, jobs,

and personalities

with fictional plots.

It's impossible not to make people think it's about a specific person.

And you included all of us.

Yes.

You even wrote that I'm like a horny dog.

We barely know each other.

I didn't write about you.

You're the one reading yourself into it.

It has nothing to do with me.

Tong Tong,

we've consulted a lawyer.

If a lot of people believe

your novel is about a specific person,

and that person suffers negative consequences

because of your work,

they could sue you

for defamation.

I don't know these things.

I thought that as long as I put at the beginning of the novel,

"This story is purely fictional;

please don't read yourself into it," it would be fine.

Besides,

Professor Xiang is such a good person.

How could I possibly harm him?

Professor Xiang

has now resigned because of you.

Back when you were selling shirts in the school dorm,

Professor Xiang used his school apartment quota

to protect you,

so you didn't get punished by the school.

What did you say?

You can check with the school if it's true or not.

What you need to do now

is write a formal statement

clarifying that the story's main character isn't Xiang Beichuan.

That way, even though he resigned,

he won't be too embarrassed

when he meets his old colleagues

or students in the future.

I know.

I'll do it.

I don't need you to tell me that.

Don't act like you're the only one who cares about him.

What are you here for?

Professor Xiang...

I'm sorry.

I don't accept your apology.

You can go back to class now.

I've already been disciplined by the school.

Professor Xiang,

here's...

here's all my royalties.

I'm giving it all to you.

It's all because of me

that you lost your job.

Take it, just to get by.

Stop following me.

Do you really have to keep ruining me

over and over until I'm completely disgraced?

I don't.

Xiang Bei...

Stop following me.

Tong Tong,

are you really going to destroy

the last bit of student-teacher bond

we have left?

I...

As a girl,

I hope you can show some self-respect.

Alright.

Can we still be friends?

Are you out of your mind?

No!

[Footprints of Change]

[Episode 29]

Why didn't you invite your boyfriend in?

He just came to bring me the keys.

I left in a hurry and forgot to take them.

Beichuan has night classes at school tonight.

He's quite funny.

He seems very attached to you.

I need to talk to him about this when I get back.

That was too rude.

How could he come here directly?

What book did you say you wanted to show me?

I'll go get it.

Is Shan Huajing home?

Search warrant.

Who is it?

Ms. Shan.

Which one of you is Shan Huajing?

I am.

Ms. Shan,

if there's nothing else, I'll get going.

Wait.

What's your relationship with Shan Huajing?

Why are you in her home?

We went to the same school.

She's my senior.

I just came to chat with her.

What's in your bag?

Open it.

You can go now.

Why are you crying?

I'm not feeling well.

Then go home and rest.

We need to talk to Shan Huajing.

Okay.

Section Chief Shan,

I just need a quick word with Xining.

Xiang Beichuan, what are you doing here?

I'm asking you.

Are you crazy?

Jie.

Well,

Ms. Shan is in trouble. Did you know?

Okay.

I'll let you know once I book the flight.

Alright, thank you.

I'm hanging up now.

This batch of goods has a strict time limit.

Sea freight takes 40 days.

If we wait another 30 days to send it out,

it'll miss the sales window.

Could you please

help us

talk to your supervisor?

Shan Huajing's case hasn't been cleared yet.

All our business dealings related to her

are temporarily frozen.

Sorry about that.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Have you eaten?

Yes, I have.

You should go to work now.

Don't be late.

Are you...

I'm fine.

I'm alright.

Beichuan.

What is it, Mr. Guo?

Congratulations on your new book.

Although it's your first work,

I can see

you have great literary talent.

Your writing is smooth, and your ideas are profound.

I've read so many novels,

but yours is the only one

worth reading repeatedly—

it keeps me captivated.

Mr. Guo, you flatter me.

Guys, come out!

Professor Xiang is here!

Come on!

Professor Xiang!

Weren't you all asking for his autograph?

Line up and get it one by one.

Hurry!

Okay.

Professor Xiang, congratulations.

Your work is really excellent.

Could you sign this for me?

Thank you.

Sir, this is for my brother.

His name is Zhao Xiaohu.

Everyone, how about this?

Please return to the classroom now.

I'll see you in class.

Professor Xiang,

the students and I

have a wish for you:

May you keep writing tirelessly, dedicating yourself fully,

pouring your sweat onto both the podium and the literary world.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr. Yan.

Xining, come in.

Here's the money you lent me before.

No need. Keep it for yourself.

I'll be away for a while.

Take care of yourself.

Where are you going?

Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong—

I have friends in all these places.

I'll leave you a phone number later.

If anything urgent comes up,

just give me a call.

Okay. I'll be going then.

[Beichuan's New Book Signing: Rise and Fall of the Tide]

Thank you.

Thanks.

Hello. This is mine.

Thank you.

Hello, Professor Beichuan.

Thank you.

Professor Xiang, I really admire you.

Thank you.

Jerk,

isn't this your paper?

This jerk's paper got published.

Sir, I'll take ten copies.

Why so many?

Can you even read them all?

I'm giving them to others as gifts.

Come on.

We don't need to be so vain.

You're not vain?

You don't want to be famous?

To be honest,

fame doesn't matter much

to me.

My main task

is to turn my observations into papers

that readers can engage with, and that's enough.

I'm vain.

I'm proud that your book got published.

This is called "when fortune comes..."

"We forget each other."

Don't talk to me today.

Why are you angry?

A strange twist of fate

brought Beichuan and me together.

He walked with me for a long stretch.

But as I kept going,

I drifted further and further.

When I looked back,

Beichuan was still in the same place.

It's not that he couldn't keep up with me.

I lost him.

Actually, I was the one who got lost.

Now, for me,

parting

is more dignified.

Jiuling,

you were right.

I'm really not cut out for business.

I've already closed down this company,

and the equipment in the factory has all been mortgaged to the bank.

So what are you planning to do next?

I'll just accept my fate

and go back to my old trade—

the textile industry.

I'll open a small factory

and focus only on production.

Then in the future, when we get stock from you,

you'll have to give us a discount.

Of course.

You can't make a profit from us.

I'll give you factory price.

Alright.

By the way,

the lease on this place isn't up yet.

You guys can keep using it.

Thank you.

I've been limping along with you—

I'm almost crippled.

You should rent a single-story house next time.

Your leg isn't good.

This won't do.

Right.

Once you get that small factory running,

you'll be really busy.

Mr. Lu left with ease.

This is both a farewell

and a beginning.

Xiang Beichuan,

I lost pretty badly.

All I have left is the visa Yan Jun gave me.

I want to give it a try.

I hope I can succeed.

Let's

break up.

I hope everything goes well for you.

[One year later]

Xiang Beichuan!

I've missed you so much!

Did you miss me?

I didn't.

You're lying.

Why would I lie to you?

Why didn't you miss me?

Why should I miss you?

I went to the old house looking for you.

Why did you move out?

Yes.

I moved out.

Why are you looking for me?

To date you.

I've made money.

I've made lots and lots of money.

Come on. Let's go to the mall.

The outfit you're wearing is the one I bought you before.

I'll get you a new one,

a designer brand,

and pair it with a bag.

Tonight, we'll go out to eat

at the best restaurant in Shanghai.

Order whatever you want.

Let's go.

What's wrong with you?

[Fuxing Restaurant]

Mr. Yan.

Come, have a seat.

How's the jet lag?

Not so good.

Have you seen Xiang Beichuan?

Yes, I have.

How did it go?

Pretty well.

Pretty well, huh?

I ordered

sweet and sour spare ribs

and smoked fish for you.

They're all your favorites.

The taste hasn't changed.

They haven't changed their chef?

It's still Chef Liu.

Mr. Yan, I heard

you're still working at the old house.

You're such an accomplished entrepreneur—

why didn't you move to a top-tier office building?

I quite like the old house

because

it holds so many wonderful memories.

How about you?

Where are you working now that you're back?

I had Jiuling renew the lease

on Mr. Lu's old office.

One reason is convenience;

another is that

I started my business here before,

and now that I'm back, I want to start fresh here again.

Looks like we're both sentimental people.

We're still neighbors.

We'll have to help each other out at work.

Don't worry. If there's anything I can do,

just let me know.

During this past year,

have you been in touch with Beichuan much?

He and his senior opened a cultural company.

I wonder how it turned out.

I haven't kept in touch with Beichuan much.

I invite you to dinner,

and you don't ask how I'm doing

but keep asking about Xiang Beichuan. That's not appropriate.

I was just about to ask.

How have you been?

Not good.

I've been single all this time.

That can't be true.

You're so handsome

and charming,

surrounded by beautiful women.

You're the least likely to be single.

I've been single in spirit all this time.

It's just that I've had a lot of social events.

Alright, it's been a year since we last met.

We've caught up enough.

Are you hungry?

Waitress.

Hurry up with the dishes.

Alright, sir.

Li.

Mr. Yan.

Xining is back.

Take good care of her.

Alright.

Split it between you two.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Yan.

Enjoy your meal.

You really deserve your name.

This is the new

clothing export company I set up after coming back.

Take a look

and see if you're interested in collaborating.

Whatever your first deal is

after coming back,

I'll fully support you.

I'll toast you with tea.

Just have some wine—why tea?

I can't. I'll be driving later.

Fine,

tea it is.

Beichuan.

I'm here.

If you're thirsty, pour yourself some water.

Why are you living here?

I'm seeking inspiration among mortals.

What are you talking about?

Mortals?

Are there immortals?

You're classifying people

into different ranks.

I need to criticize you for that.

You have a point.

There's quiet within the noise,

and noise within the quiet—

it's good for your writing.

But

living here

means no girls will come by.

If you ever get a girlfriend,

how could you live here like this?

Who says a man

must have a woman by his side?

And who says a woman

must have a man?

You're not going to say you like me next, are you?

Get lost.

I saw Ye Xining today.

She's back.

How did she react when she saw you?

She ran over to me from far away

and gave me a hug.

That's great!

It means she still loves you.

I don't know.

I still don't understand

why she was so determined

to break up with me a year ago.

You're driving me crazy with this attitude.

Do you still love her?

Of course not.

Bro,

you're quite something.

I've been hesitant to tell you this,

but from the very beginning,

I felt you two weren't right for each other.

Why?

Why?

It's a feeling I can't explain.

You two need to figure it out yourselves.

I have a cousin

who teaches at a university.

I think you should meet her.

Really.

I think she's someone

who could live with you in a partition room.

Just think—

in summer,

you ride your little bike with her

to go grocery shopping

or watch a movie.

She'd feel so happy.

She's not that materialistic.

Do you think

the differences between women

can be that big?

Of course.

What about between men?

It's the same.

I don't think so.

Xiang Beichuan...

This little house is just a storage now.

Nobody lives here.

I made some money and moved out.

You're going to live here now that you're back?

Yes.

You'll live here?

Alright then.

I'll clean it up for you tomorrow.

Then you can move in.

Okay.

Now that you're back from Europe,

who's handling the shipments?

I hired two people over there

to handle our shipments.

Will that work?

They're very professional. There's no problem.

Xining,

tell me the truth.

Why did you really

come back this time?

If it's for work,

you didn't need to come back at all.

So it must be for love.

You came back for Beichuan.

I didn't come back for him.

Xining,

I read a book the other day,

and it said some really good things.

It said that

a woman shouldn't imagine a man as perfect,

because he can't be perfect in real life.

That would just put too much pressure on him.

For a woman,

if she loves too intensely,

she becomes too sensitive.

Even the tiniest crack

gets magnified by her.

And what about men?

It's the same.

Think about it—

if a man treats you like a goddess—

but you're not actually a goddess

and have so many flaws—

doesn't that make you exhausted and under a lot of pressure?

And his love

will also be intense.

Then he'll become very sensitive.

Then

even the tiniest crack

will get magnified by him as well.

So are you saying

men and women

shouldn't love too intensely?

No.

Then what are you saying?

Love is about managing

and exercising restraint.

Mr. Guo,

I believe this is my class.

Professor Xiang.

Come here.

Beichuan,

about the apartment,

I've always been grateful to you.

Today,

they insisted I substitute for you.

I said I wouldn't come,

but everyone in our department

insisted.

They said only my teaching skills

are on the same level as yours.

Mr. Guo,

you're substituting for me?

I know about

that thing of yours.

Others might think

it's kind of shady,

but to me,

you're very brave

when it comes to love.

I've always thought you're a truly genuine person.

What thing?

How come I don't even know about this myself?

Love in Partition Room.

Love in Partition Room?

Professor Xiang, could you come out for a moment?

It's been a pleasure working with you.

Thank you.

I hope we can work together again.

Sure thing.

Take care, Mr. Liu.

Alright.

Take care.

How is it?

How's the booth?

Look.

Ours is a step higher than the others'.

Normally, that would make it 5,000 yuan more expensive,

but I got it without adding a cent.

It was mainly because your products are good.

The brand you represent is great.

That's why our products sell well.

That's why they gave us the best spot.

Right?

Alright, Jiuling.

Stop praising me.

We're going to do better and better.

Right now,

I'm going to build my own brand.

I'm currently looking for a factory location.

Don't worry.

I'll work with you from now on.

Of course. We make such a great team.

That's right.

Beichuan,

have a seat.

Mr. Zhong, what's going on?

I need to get back to class.

You should

take a look at this first.

[Zhuohua]

Mr. Zhong,

I'm resigning.

Beichuan,

you're a young teacher I personally selected.

I have

high expectations for you.

And now you're resigning?

You're not Yan Jun.

You don't know how to do business.

Jobs are hard to find these days.

If you resign,

how will you survive?

Mr. Zhong,

I think what you said about me is right.

I am indeed sometimes too rigid.

And as you said,

as a teacher,

it's not enough to just know my subject—

I should also know how to deal with people.

But to be honest,

I don't really want to learn that,

and I don't want to be too sophisticated.

Can you forgive me?

Don't worry.

I'll submit a formal resignation

to the department later,

and I hope you'll approve it.

Downstairs are our summer items,

and this is the fall collection.

But it's our best-selling item in the store.

Do you have any in season?

In season?

Yes.

Well...

Mr. Yan.

Jiuling.

Well, Jiuling,

could you go take a walk outside?

I need to have a word with Xining.

That won't do.

I'm staying with Xining.

Just sit down and say it.

-I'm not an outsider. -It's okay. Just say it.

Just say it.

Have you seen this?

No.

There's a page I folded the corner of.

Open it and take a look.

[Love in Partition Room]

Tong Tong?

She published her work?

You know Tong Tong?

She used to pester Xiang Beichuan a lot.

What did she write?

How could she write such nonsense?

She included all of us in it.

She even said she's with Xiang Beichuan now

and that they're living together.

Let me see.

"He gently took off my…"

What is this? This kid.

Hugging and... kissing?

She's just a kid.

Look at how she wrote about me.

It says I just want sex every night

and that I'm like a horny dog.

Good thing she didn't mention me.

"There's always an old woman following the girl around..."

What is this?

What nonsense is this?

This is all made up.

We know it's all made up,

but the readers and the school

don't.

Beichuan can't get fired over this,

right?

Getting fired would be the mildest punishment.

I have to go and see this Tong Tong.

Do you have her contact info?

Not right now,

but I should be able to find it.

Xining,

aren't you on bad terms with Beichuan

after you came back from abroad?

Do you still like him?

I don't like him.

Then why are you helping him?

Didn't she call you an old woman?

Scold her.

Find her address.

Such a despicable person.

This kid.

You can sit over there.

Miss Ye?

What are you doing here?

We're good friends of Professor Xiang.

We called you here today

to figure out how to handle this situation.

How's Professor Xiang doing?

I called the school.

He's already resigned.

How could this happen?

Didn't you know

this would happen

when you were writing that so-called novel?

I was writing a novel.

Novels are purely fictional.

Who would actually take it as being about themselves?

But you mixed real people's looks, jobs,

and personalities

with fictional plots.

It's impossible not to make people think it's about a specific person.

And you included all of us.

Yes.

You even wrote that I'm like a horny dog.

We barely know each other.

I didn't write about you.

You're the one reading yourself into it.

It has nothing to do with me.

Tong Tong,

we've consulted a lawyer.

If a lot of people believe

your novel is about a specific person,

and that person suffers negative consequences

because of your work,

they could sue you

for defamation.

I don't know these things.

I thought that as long as I put at the beginning of the novel,

"This story is purely fictional;

please don't read yourself into it," it would be fine.

Besides,

Professor Xiang is such a good person.

How could I possibly harm him?

Professor Xiang

has now resigned because of you.

Back when you were selling shirts in the school dorm,

Professor Xiang used his school apartment quota

to protect you,

so you didn't get punished by the school.

What did you say?

You can check with the school if it's true or not.

What you need to do now

is write a formal statement

clarifying that the story's main character isn't Xiang Beichuan.

That way, even though he resigned,

he won't be too embarrassed

when he meets his old colleagues

or students in the future.

I know.

I'll do it.

I don't need you to tell me that.

Don't act like you're the only one who cares about him.

What are you here for?

Professor Xiang...

I'm sorry.

I don't accept your apology.

You can go back to class now.

I've already been disciplined by the school.

Professor Xiang,

here's...

here's all my royalties.

I'm giving it all to you.

It's all because of me

that you lost your job.

Take it, just to get by.

Stop following me.

Do you really have to keep ruining me

over and over until I'm completely disgraced?

I don't.

Xiang Bei...

Stop following me.

Tong Tong,

are you really going to destroy

the last bit of student-teacher bond

we have left?

I...

As a girl,

I hope you can show some self-respect.

Alright.

Can we still be friends?

Are you out of your mind?

No!