Dai Qiye’s unexpected death in a car accident caused the “Sunshine Plan” to come to a halt. The lack of unity among the bank presidents exacerbated the situation, with many speculating that Dai Qiye committed suicide out of fear. Su Jianren, as one of Dai Qiye’s students, couldn’t bear to hear such malicious comments and got into a heated argument with them on the spot. The situation spiraled out of control, prompting Zhao Hui to hastily end the meeting.
Meanwhile, Zhao Hui’s daughter, Zhao Rui, suffered from worsening eye problems, further dampening Zhao Hui’s mood. Having lost his wife early, Zhao Hui relied solely on his daughter, making her his only concern in the world. Shen Jing noticed her husband’s low spirits and worried that he might get dragged into the turmoil, but Xie Zhiyuan vehemently denied it.
During Dai Qiye’s funeral, Shen Jing didn’t accompany Xie Zhiyuan as many classmates gathered to pay their respects. Representing the family, Teacher Ouyang thanked everyone and engaged in deep conversations with Zhao Hui and others afterward. Zhao Hui, Miao Che, Su Jianren, and Xie Zhiyuan were all proud students of Dai Qiye and had achieved significant success in their respective fields. Understanding their personalities, Teacher Ouyang warned them to cherish their reputations and uphold moral standards.
Later, they spotted a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Li Ying outside. Zhao Hui, especially, was stunned, feeling like he had seen a ghost. Xie Zhiyuan revealed that the woman’s name was Zhou Lin and that he had mistaken her for Li Ying before. Despite offering to introduce Zhou Lin to Zhao Hui, Zhao Hui firmly refused.
After attending Dai Qiye’s funeral, the four men gathered for dinner at a nearby restaurant. Xie Zhiyuan, eager to persuade Zhao Hui to approve several trust products for distribution, tried to curry favor, but Zhao Hui remained unmoved. Su Jianren, seemingly the most influential among the four due to his family background, was also the most easily influenced by Xie Zhiyuan. In contrast, Miao Che, with a clear mind and a good relationship with Zhao Hui, disregarded Xie Zhiyuan’s behavior.
After the meal, Zhao Hui and Miao Che, along with Xie Zhiyuan and Su Jianren, left separately. Su Jianren expressed dissatisfaction with Miao Che’s elitist attitude, while Xie Zhiyuan echoed and boasted about his influence, claiming that others were no match for him if he wanted to become a bank president. Furthermore, Xie Zhiyuan revealed that he indeed knew Zhou Lin and could arrange for her to meet Zhao Hui at a moment’s notice.
On the other hand, Zhao Hui, fueled by alcohol, mentioned Dai Qiye’s cause of death, suspecting it to be related to Jiaxiang Industrial. He couldn’t fathom why Cao Jiaxiang wouldn’t attend the funeral if he and Dai Qiye had a good relationship. Frustrated by these thoughts, Zhao Hui insisted on having Miao Che investigate the matter, which Miao Che agreed to do. Meanwhile, Cao Jiaxiang wept alone in his office.
A few days later, the job assignments were announced. With only two spots available in the public department, the competition was fierce, and everyone was curious about the list. Surprisingly, Cheng Jiayuan, whose qualifications were mediocre, was selected, sparking skepticism among colleagues, though Cheng Jiayuan remained silent. Despite feeling disappointed inside, Tao Wuji personally helped his friend pack up and accompanied him to the public department.
Cheng Jiayuan apologized to Tao Wuji, who comforted him, urging him not to burden himself psychologically. Su Jianren, after reviewing Cheng Jiayuan’s resume, felt that such a person lacked potential and assigned him to be trained under Lao Ma, reminding Cheng Jiayuan to cherish the opportunity, as the public department never tolerated mediocrity, hoping he would prove himself through hard work in the future.
After failing her job interview, Tian Xiaohui’s mother decided to visit relatives in the hopes of securing a job opportunity in a trust company. Although Tian Xiaohui was reluctant to trouble others, she had no choice but to accompany her mother to the Shen family’s residence. While helping out in the kitchen, Tian Xiaohui mistakenly thought Shen Jing was a maid, but they soon engaged in a pleasant conversation. At that moment, a minor dispute arose between Tian Xiaohui’s mother and Shen’s mother, prompting Tian Xiaohui to intervene, only to discover that Shen Jing was her cousin.
