Introduction
In this final part of the episode recap series, Xu Yan and Shen Haoming reconcile after overcoming numerous misunderstandings and hardships, as told in the third part: Love’s Ambition: Drama Recap Episodes 17 to 24.
I really love their wedding photo I used in this featured image. This wedding attire was not worn during their reception, but during the couple’s studio photos. You can see that this particular photo is in the living room. In my opinion, this photo represents the happy ending for the couple, with Xu Yan and Haoming building a future based on mutual respect and shared dreams.
Recap Episodes 25 to 32
Episode 25
The whole episode is about Yan Studio business and fashion competition. I won’t recap the details. At the end of the episode, Yan Studio won the fashion competition, so they celebrated the win. Xu Yan originally wants to thank Haoming, because he had helped her a lot during this episode (and in the previous episode), but she deliberately holds it and thanks Jiang Liang instead. She also sits next to Jiang Liang, and they converse privately. Haoming is already very angry and jealous because he did not receive verbal praise. When he sees the two of them so close, he becomes angrier.
Episode 26
You gotta watch this episode, it’s hilarious! Especially the drunken scene.
Haoming and Xu Yan are both drunk and mad at each other. Yiming and Qiao Lin end up having to accompany them home. Somehow, they end up in the same bed. How?
While riding in a taxi, the drunk Xu Yan screamed at the taxi driver the address, which was her old home’s, or Haoming’s. She ignored Qiao Lin, who told her that her home address is not that one. Meanwhile, Yiming took the drunk Haoming home, followed by Xu Yan, who crashed into her old home, with the help of Qiao Lin. At first, Qiao Lin and Yiming wanted to leave the two drunkards there, but when they saw Haoming and Xu Yan wanted to eat live fish in the aquarium, they decided to stay and put the two to bed. I am pretty sure Qiao Lin and Yiming didn’t undress the two, but somehow they were naked in bed, hahaha!
Qiao Lin and Yiming gave the embarrassed couple an account of what had happened the previous night. It was wild! When Haoming signals Yiming to leave, he hurriedly pulls Qiao Lin with him and leaves Haoming and Xu Yan alone, feeling awkward. Xu Yan wants to go, too, but Haoming takes a chance to offer to have a meal together since it’s late. She agrees. Suddenly the front door is opened and a woman’s voice… It’s Yu Lan!
Yu Lan brings some food for her son and is suspicious that he doesn’t answer despite her calling his name several times, so she tries to listen to any sound. She hears a woman’s voice say, “She left,” and finds her son and Xu Yan standing in a romantic position. Yu Lan replies, “I’m still here!” hahaha! Seeing the food, the hungry couple ended up eating with Yu Lan. Yu Lan is happy to see her son and Xu Yan together, so she asks directly for Xu Yan to attend Haochen’s equestrian competition. Xu Yan agrees and hurriedly leaves, but Yu Lan orders her son to see Xu Yan out. He ends up taking her home. The convo is awkward but cute, and they definitely enjoy their time together!
The next night, Haoming invites Xu Yan to dinner with the Russian tycoon and his wife. However, the business competitor who was there during their vacation last time still wants to mess up Jinda Group business relationship, as well as Haoming and Xu Yan’s relationship, so he tells Xu Yan that the collaboration between Jinda Group and the Russian tycoon has a three-month evaluation trial period. The competitor provokes Xu Yan and questions her if Haoming does that to keep Xu Yan and him from getting a divorce, by helping Xu Yan in Yan Studio. Eventually, it’s for his business interest. Unfortunately, Xu Yan, who already has a trust issue with Haoming, considers the guy’s words. At the end of the episode, she confronts Haoming, and they leave angrily.
Episode 27
I have mixed feelings about this episode. Somehow Xu Yan and Haoming accidentally end up in Gubei Town. I think this is lazy writing to get the couple closer together. I said it’s mixed feelings, because Gubei or the complete name is Gubei Water Town is very beautiful, it’s a modern, man-made replica of an ancient Chinese canal town. It’s also known for its fabric dyeing through the Yongshun Dyehouse, a popular attraction for visitors. The dyehouse uses traditional, plant-based techniques to create its fabrics and showcases the ancient craft of textile dyeing.
Xu Yan and Haoming have their own plans for visiting Gubei, tho. Xu Yan wants to learn about the ancient craft of textile dyeing. Haoming, under Jinda Group, renovates the town because he took Haochen there when the kid was very young, and Haochen liked the town very much. After this open-hearted conversation, the relationship between Shen Haoming and Xu Yan seemed to be getting closer.
Episode 28
I will not recap Xu Yan and Haoming’s attempt to reconcile the batik master and his former wife, because I think it’s a filler. But no matter what, their mistakes in their relationship reflect Xu Yan and Haoming’s relationship. Our couple also learned about a marriage relationship through the batik master’s issue. Haoming apologizes to Xu Yan the artistic way, through Chinese opera, and they reconcile with hot kisses on a beautiful night backdrop.
Episode 29
Now that Haoming and Xu Yan have laid their cards on the table, and they have finally gotten back together publicly (we see people around them become aware of their reconciliation), we’ll see how they tackle problems as a couple, and I absolutely love their togetherness. Because it’s not easy to be at the top, there are bound to be people who are jealous of the winner’s success.
Remember that I wrote at the end of the previous part, Episode 24 to be exact, that there must be something going on behind the business issues. Indeed, there is a mastermind behind all, and now the drama introduces him as Uncle Qu, who has been with Jinda Group for a long time, even since Haoming was small.
This Uncle Qu has Steve working for him. Steve is the annoying dude who kept pestering Haoming and Xu Yan with the Russian tycoon’s case. He also has an insider spy close to Haoming, none other than Han Weiping, Haoming’s legal advisor. This traitor is Uncle Qu’s godson. Since there has been a rumor about an illegitimate child in Jinda Group, Weiping secretly look for any evidence about this child. Uncle Qu plans to use this child to make a big fuss and prevent Haoming from entering the board of directors. After obtaining the evidence, Weiping instantly releases it online.
Haoming is about to attend the board of directors meeting to nominate again when the news suddenly breaks out. Haochen also heard the news that he is an illegitimate child at school. He finds out that his brother is actually his father. Haochen breaks into the board of directors and questions his brother about his identity and the reason why Haoming doesn’t acknowledge him. When Haoming only tells him to go home, Haochen is very disheartened, and runs away. Meanwhile, Shen Jinsong argues in the board meeting that this matter is a family matter. Jinsong falls sick because of all the stress.
Weiping wants to kidnap Haochen, who runs away, and sends a picture of his schoolbag to Haoming. This kidnapping subplot is really stupid, imo. I think the drama wants to make a thriller scene. Not long, Haoming finds Haochen and confronts Weiping. Police and reporters come. The reporters question all the rumors of divorce and Haochen. Haoming acknowledge that he is Haochen’s biological father. Xu Yan takes the initiative to declare that she is Haochen’s mother. I don’t think Xu Yan necessarily lies to the public. She has cared for Haochen when he was her brother-in-law, and more when she found out that he is Haoming’s son. She can see herself in Haochen, being abandoned by their own parents. Her declaration put me in tears.
Back home, Haochen refuses to eat or drink. In the company, the shareholders demand an explanation from Haoming and Jinsong. Uncle Qu does not hide his purpose and directly attacks the Shen family, saying that he now has the highest shares and asks Jinsong to step down. The Shen family finally sees the true face of Uncle Qu, who has been treated as family. Shen Jinsong fainted hearing all this.
Episode 30
Because Jinsong is hospitalized, the Shen family divides their care. Yu Lan takes care of her husband, while Haoming and Xu Yan take Haochen to have a vacation at her home village and stay with Grandma Xu. Haochen is very distant from everyone in the family. Since he was diagnosed as having mild autism, the doctor warned that emotional distress and trauma can make Haochen worse to the point of self-harm or aggressive behaviors. He needs a change of environment. They can’t take him too far, just in case something bad happens to Jinsong. So, the solution is a vacation to Grandma Xu.
After being informed about Haochen, Xu Yan’s grandmother doesn’t indulge Haochen at all. She makes Haochen (and Haoming) do farm work, lol. After doing chores for some time, the relationship between the father and son was obviously a little better. Because of the farm work, Haochen has appetite again.
While Xu Yan is away on a business trip to Gubei Water Town, as well as now a family trip with Haoming and Haochen, Qiao Lin made a stupid business decision and was tricked by Lin Tao. The last time Yan Studio had a financial issue, Lin Tao, who had a financial/accounting background, was hired by Yan Studio. Lin Tao blackmails Qiao Lin, stating that the company was short of funds and even had problems in the legal aspect. Lin Tao forged a contract and showed it to Qiao Lin. Lin Tao threatened that, as the person in charge, Xu Yan is at risk of going to jail. Qiao Lin is afraid to tell anyone, even her boyfriend Yiming. Instead, she breaks up with Yiming and returns the ring. Lin Tai even told Yiming that he and Qiao Lin are in love. Of course, Yiming doesn’t believe it.
Episode 31
After Granda Xu worked Haoming and Haochen to death, lol, things eased up a bit between Haoming and Haochen. As much as everyone loves the vacation to the countryside, eventually, they have to go back to the harsh reality of the big city.
After Xu Yan returned, Qiao Lin told her about what Lin Tao did. Although Qiao Lin doesn’t know what to do, she recorded some evidence. Qiao Lin also told Yiming. They get back together and confront Lin Tao. After auditing, apparently Lin Tao submitted the right documentation, but falsified the documents he showed to Qiao Lin to blackmail her, so she would go back together with him. After the confrontation, Qiao Lin told Lin Tao she wouldn’t sue Lin Tao, but asked him to leave the company. What a weird subplot, imo.
Mr. Huang, the one whose mother-in-law is close to Xu Yan, helps Haoming take down Uncle Qu. Steve also plays tricks behind the scenes to sow discord between Uncle Qu and his godson Han Weiping.
Episode 32
After all that happened to the poor little Haochen, Fang Lei feels guilty. She comes to see Haoming and Xu Yan with a paternity test report of Haochen. Guess what… Haochen is not Haoming’s child at all! Her sister slept with an artist she met at the bar after she broke up with Haoming and got pregnant. Fang Lei, who had had a crush on Haoming since young, thought that if her nephew was connected to Haoming, she had a chance to be together with Haoming. She did not expect that her action would cause a scandal in the Shen Family. In the end, Haoming shredded the original paternity test. Later, she and Han Weiping (they are a couple) moved abroad.
The business of Yan Studio is in full swing, and the scale is getting bigger and bigger. Everyone loves the new style of Chinese clothing that integrates some traditional cultures.
Eventually, Haoming is approved to join the board of directors. His father recuperates and hopes that Haoming could lead everyone into the next glory.
Grandma Xu finally came to visit her granddaughter in the city. Even though she’s happy being with Xu Yan and Haoming, she still has a special liking for her hometown and wants to return there. Her son, Xu Yan’s father, comes with Xu Yan’s stepmother to pick up Grandma Xu. Xu Yan’s relationship with them is getting better, too. Last time, when Xu Yan found out that her father had a tumor in his brain, she gave him money for treatment. Later, when Xu Yan went to the village with Haoming and Haochen, her father returned her money, since his tumor was benign and he had surgery to remove it. Her father sold his business and stayed with Grandma Xu to take care of her. When they left with Grandma Xu, Xu Yan invites them to visit her again in the future.
Qiao Lin and Yiming get married. Their couple’s video and photos are so cute.
Xu Yan and Haoming have a happy family, and they have also reached a long-term cooperation in their careers, moving toward a new starting point.
Conclusion
In my opinion, Love’s Ambition ( 许我耀眼 ) provides a modern interpretation of love and marriage, showcasing its many dimensions beyond the simple romance we usually see in many romantic dramas. In this story, love requires honesty, mutual understanding, and forgiveness (a second chance). Character-wise, the key theme of this drama is the characters’ journey toward self-discovery, particularly for Xu Yan. She embraces her true self and redefines personal ambition. The drama also explores the profound impact of family dynamics and different upbringings on an individual’s life. Xu Yan experienced pain from neglectful parents; however, she chose to address past hurts and build healthier connections to reach true happiness.
