[NORTHWARD]
[Episode 34]
Mr. Xie.
Well,
w-we saw what happened next
on the news.
The accident was not all your fault.
Tianming is gone,
leaving us orphaned and widowed.
I really had no choice.
but to contact the media.
I never thought it would make you lose your job
and get a barrage of criticism.
Forget about it.
Take care of yourselves from now on.
If you run into any difficulties, feel free to come to me.
I'll do my best to help you.
Well...
Bee has sent someone to meet us,
saying they'd help us pay off the mortgage.
So please take this card back.
No... That's what they should do.
I wanted to make amends.
Just keep it.
You'll need it for the children's future education.
Who committed the crime should pay the price.
I can't bear to take your card.
Fenghua has left.
We have to move too.
Do you know why she left?
Wasn't she just doing well?
You'll have to ask her about that.
She handed over her work
and satisfied everyone.
But she didn't
say a word about her feelings.
Honestly, we all felt quite frustrated.
After the meeting,
she left right away even before we
said goodbye properly.
We're still
reeling from it now.
There's one more thing.
P-Please don't get mad at me
after you hear it.
Go ahead.
Fenghua probably sold the parcel delivery station
because of me.
Why?
Someone once came to meet me.
They wanted me to mess with Bee
and ruin their reputation.
They also gave me 300,000 yuan.
After Fenghua found it out,
she asked me to return it, but I refused.
Then she gave me 300,000 yuan herself
and told me to keep it secret from everyone.
Not until she sold the parcel delivery station
did I realize that she was running out of money.
I'm sorry, Mr. Xie.
Tumor?
I guess
she's been sick for quite a while
and arranging the affairs before death.
She even transferred her parcel delivery station.
I knew she was feeling under the weather.
She told me it was anemia, and I believed her.
How could I be so dumb?
Well...
Should we go back too?
I need to
finish He's funeral arrangements first.
I gotta ensure they receive the compensation.
Otherwise,
Fenghua would also be worried.
Then I'll go back first.
Anyway, I also feel pretty exhausted lately,
not in the mood for job hunting.
You wanted to go back
a long time ago, didn't you?
All of you
are deserters,
leaving me here alone.
Aren't you tired?
Yes, I am.
I'm dead tired.
But I don't want to lose.
We should get back up
from wherever we fell.
Fine.
Take your time getting back up.
I'm out of this.
Let's not tell anyone
about Fenghua's situation for now.
Go back and check on her condition.
If it's not good,
I'll head back immediately.
I'll force her to come to Beijing for treatment no matter what.
Have you decided what to do?
Not yet.
You plan to keep idling about, right?
Please don't worry,
I can't stay at home for long.
Or I'll suffocate.
Why don't you learn a trade?
Learn what?
Carpentry
or tailoring, anything will do.
Just have a skill to rely on
and live off, at least.
It's better than just messing around in society, right?
I can go work as a construction laborer.
You don't have the strength for that.
You could learn to be a mason.
It's said skilled ones can earn quite a bit in a day.
Or you could ask Wanghe's father
to teach you how to drive. That works too.
I'm full.
Enjoy your meal.
You're full too?
Take care.
Goodbye, Mr. Zhou.
Your dishes taste so good.
Xingchi.
[By the Canal]
Mr. Zhou.
Have you eaten yet?
Yep.
Want some plain noodles.
Come on.
Here you are.
Be careful, it's hot.
It's okay. I got this.
No hurry.
It's hot.
I often cooked for myself in Beijing too.
But the noodles I made were nowhere near as good as yours.
I always felt
there was a difference.
Of course there was a difference!
Listen.
These noodles may look plain,
but it's all about the details, you know?
How to make the lard,
how to cook the broth,
how to fry the shrimp roe,
and also what brand and what type of soy sauce to use,
there are knacks for them.
What knacks?
Do you think I can tell you?
It's a secret, a secret recipe. Understand?
I haven't even told Haikuo.
Haikuo doesn't even like plain noodles.
There were several times in Beijing
when we said we wanted to eat Huaiyang cuisine.
Haikuo refused, saying he was so over it.
Actually, we all felt
homesick
in Beijing,
but Haikuo didn't seem to feel the same
except for that one time.
At that time,
Haikuo was mistreated at work.
He drank all night...
I want to go home!
Be careful...
Don't fall.
I want to go home!
Go home... We're just going home now.
I'm gonna swim back to the Flower Street!
It's dangerous!
Are you crazy?
Come down...
It's a deep river!
Don't mess around!
Are you nuts?
In Beijing,
I'm just like grass.
Go home!
I'm going back to my father.
Even if I fail, he still treats me like a treasure.
Who compared you to grass?
I'll go fight him.
I'm hungry.
I want to eat the plain noodles my dad makes.
I'm useless.
I couldn't hold out in Beijing anymore,
so I ran back home first.
But I think Haikuo will also come back one day.
Why?
Wanghe is like a shark.
He thrives in big cities.
Haikuo and I are like freshwater fish.
Only on the Flower Street, by the canal,
do we feel like ourselves.
Enjoy the noodles.
I think
you should feel lucky.
Lucky about what?
For such a materialistic girl,
breaking up early is much better than getting married and then divorcing.
The last time she came to meet me,
I just didn't like her.
But you were still in a relationship,
so I didn't feel it was my place to say it.
You're my mother.
My real mother.
You didn't even tell me when you thought I had chosen the wrong girlfriend.
Whether two people are suitable for each other can only be told by themselves.
Other people's opinions don't matter that much.
So,
when you find someone suitable again,
you won't ask for my opinion either, right?
What do you mean?
After all these years,
h-haven't you found someone suitable?
Dad has never dated anyone.
When others tried to set him up,
he refused to meet anyone.
So what?
Your dad is more devoted than me.
Should I give him an award or something?
I know you're feeling down because of your breakup.
I understand, but don't take it out on me.
That's not what adults should do.
Though Xiaohui said it was because of the house
that she broke up with me,
I feel like
it's not just about the house.
Are you trying to say
that because of your dad and me,
you have been traumatized
and therefore
can't start an intimate relationship?
Is that it?
What do you think?
I admit
that you're feeling unhappy now
partly because of your dad and me.
But who says
people must live in perfect harmony?
Can't there be other choices?
And who says
women can only stay at home to support their husbands, raise children,
and stick to old clichés
for their whole lives?
I feel bad for you,
and I understand what you've been through.
However,
I'm so sorry.
Because I have never
regretted my choices.
In fact, I'm even proud of myself.
I sincerely hope you can be like me,
not caring about anyone's opinions
and living for yourself bravely.
One day when you understand what I just said,
I believe you'll applaud yourself.
Mom,
I'm not as mature as you think.
All these years, you've been chasing your dreams,
and we could only support you.
But have you ever considered our feelings?
Actually, I'm quite envious of others.
In our neighborhood,
other families all live in harmony,
But our family
has always been missing one member.
I don't even dare to mention you to Wanghe and others
because I'm afraid
it'll occur to them
that I have a mom.
You've never told me any of this before.
Why didn't you tell me?
You're my mom.
I should
do my best to fulfill my duty as a son,
trying not to cause you any trouble or stress you out.
But Mom,
I also hope
you can fulfill your duty as a mother,
and, like other moms,
remember that you have a son now and then.
But it seems like
you barely remember the existence
of the person named Zhou Haikuo.
It's just that I'm too busy.
All these years on set,
I've been too swamped even without time to sleep properly.
Y-You know that.
How long does it take you to reply to a WeChat message?
I know you're busy,
too busy to say thank you after receiving the flowers
I sent you on Mother's Day.
My dad,
he's a man of few words
who barely says anything nice.
But when he knew I had a fever in Beijing,
he came here overnight without hesitation
and didn't leave until my fever broke.
Mom,
I came to meet you
after breaking up with my girlfriend
not for some lecture.
Even if you don't say a word,
a hug from you
would be enough.
You know what?
All I need now
is just a mom.
[By the Canal]
Mr. Shao.
What's with that face?
Haven't you seen a beautiful woman before?
Where are the two of them?
In Beijing.
I came back alone this time.
So, you will...
I will not leave again.
Really?
Can't I also be a deserter
like you?
Yes, you can!
Welcome home!
Let me help you with that.
It's so good to be back.
I can smell the familiar aroma of food every day again.
Did you tell Wanghe about your return?
Nope.
If I told him, he definitely wouldn't let me return.
I snuck back myself.
That incident of his is over now, right?
He did lose his job.
But he can rest for a while.
Given his amazing capabilities,
as long as he keeps his spirits up,
he can make a comeback anytime.
The company made him a scapegoat in public.
I'm just worried about his mental state.
He'll be fine.
That guy is really tough.
I believe
no setback in this world can take him down.
He's been faking it.
If I get into trouble like this, I'll surely break down.
He can't sit idle.
What about you? Have you decided what to do?
Not yet.
Why not come work with me?
That would be a shame! No way.
What do you mean? Are you discriminating against women?
How am I any worse than Wanghe?
I'm just reluctant to work for you.
It would turn our relationship into a boss-employee one.
I'm hungry.
Make me something to eat.
What would you like to eat?
Eel noodles, braised shredded tofu,
lion's head meatballs, sweet and sour spare ribs.
Okay.
I'll make you all these dishes. But I'll hit you if you can't finish them.
How about
we go to Beijing?
Why?
Our son's in such big trouble.
I'm afraid he can't pull through.
Well,
if he really did that,
he deserves to be sacked.
If he's been wrongly accused,
it's good to leave that kind of company anyway.
I'm just worried about our son's feelings.
Everyone will suffer
more or less in life.
Taking a fall like this at his age is actually a blessing.
He's still got the strength to get back up.
Anyway, I have confidence in our son.
Alright...
Stop overthinking it. It's time to sleep.
Look at this Xie's face.
You can tell he's not a good guy at first glance.
I dug into Xie's info.
Seems like he's been in jail before.
He's obviously been made a scapegoat.
You don't believe this?
Bee Group paid a high price
to get Xie to take the blame.
How could someone like this become an executive at Bee Group?
He'll end up back in jail sooner or later.
People like him will do anything for money.
As a delivery rider, seeing this kind of news,
I can't help but feel scared.
Yet here I am,
still on the way to deliver.
The victim is gone.
To prevent such tragedies from happening again,
I, on behalf of myself,
hereby make the following proposals
to online food delivery platforms
represented by Bee for their future planning
and development.
First, optimize the system
to allow for flexible time.
In cases of bad weather,
accidents, or other special circumstances,
delivery riders can get special treatment
with their ratings and incomes not being affected.
Second, ensure safety.
For office buildings, hospitals, and other places with difficult access
and navigation issues,
try to set up smart food pickup lockers.
Third, provide humanitarian care.
Offer insurance and medical assistance to delivery riders,
and when necessary, provide educational support
for their family members.
Last but not least, I hope
Bee and all food delivery companies
can take this incident
as a serious lesson
and not repeat the same mistakes
in pursuit of excessive profits.
[Stop acting like a good person. Were it not for you, he wouldn't be dead.]
[He's using tricks to clear his name.]
[I think it's another case of malicious marketing.]
[Why can't we listen to his advice calmly?]
[Stop acting like a good person. Were it not for you, he wouldn't be dead.]
[Venting your anger here won't fix anything. I think Xie Wanghe is right.]
[Especially the proposal for smart food pickup lockers. That's great. No more worries about lost food deliveries.]
[So what if we think it's good? They're unaware of it.]
[@Bee Delivery, @Eat Well, @Yuntu]
[Take notes, guys!]
[Here's your chance. Don't miss it.]
[Everybody, @ them!]
[I can't live without food delivery riders.]
[I just gave a bottle of water to a delivery rider.]
[Positive energy!]
[Bee Delivery Initiated a Proposal to Online Food Delivery Platforms]
[Repost]
[I'm waiting for food delivery right now. No rush.]
[Delivery riders need better insurance coverage.]
[Yes, fewer tricks, more care.]
[Humans don't have to make things difficult for humans. What if your family member is a delivery rider?]
[My dad got laid off and became a food delivery rider. He's working really hard.]
[I've been late for 3 orders today. I'm so exhausted.]
[Be careful on the way. Cheer up.]
[Get some rest. Take care.]
[Bee Delivery Initiated a Proposal to Online Food Delivery Platforms]
[Xie Wanghe]
Mr. Meng.
Your PR approach this time is worth learning from.
The more open you are to criticism,
the more you can win people over.
I hope
such incidents won't happen again in the future.
No way.
Traffic accidents are unavoidable.
No one knows when an accident will occur.
Then we must stay on our toes.
Before the next accident happens,
we need to consider all possibilities
and prepare relevant contingency plans.
Well written.
In the past few days, our legal department and law firm
have also been working on a set of plans,
regulating official compensation
and pension payments,
Moreover,
there will be a training program.
All delivery riders, before they officially hit the road,
must pass a traffic safety test.
Otherwise, they won't be assigned orders.
Setting rules alone is not enough.
You also need your people
to implement them strictly.
Let me do it.
No, thanks.
Are you sure these items
are all your personal belongings?
You're leaving the company.
Company property cannot be taken away.
Do you want to check?
That's compulsory.
Qiu Lin,
don't go too far.
Mr. Xie used to be a leader after all.
Xie Wanghe, the Best Service Star.
Alright,
you can get lost now.
Mr. Song,
thank you for your hard work this time.
It's my duty.
As a veteran of the company,
it was my job and duty
to clean up the company
and kick out a troublemaker like you
in person.
You two,
take care.
We will.
What are you looking at?
Didn't we get through this?
Bro,
are you really
just letting him go like this?
Yep.
If you don't kill the snake when you strike,
you'll surely suffer from it later.
If he continues to work in this industry,
I'll never
feel at ease.
Do you know where his weak spot is?
Hello, Mr. Xie.
I'm Jiang Ping from Yuntu.
Hello.
Please have a sit.
Thanks.
This is my business card.
Sorry,
I know you haven't been in a good mood lately.
I once planned
to reach out after a while,
yet I was worried that other companies
might approach you and give you an offer first.
Given what happened to me,
who would be so crazy to give me an offer?
Others may not know,
but we've been keeping a close eye
on your every move at Bee.
In Haidian,
in such a short time
and under such adverse conditions,
you've been crushing our Yuntu in business.
It's literally a business miracle.
Let's skip the flattery
and just get to the point.
What do you want from me?
Well, I'm here
with you
to sincerely invite you to join us.
Actually,
given your personality,
you fit in way better with our Yuntu.
Why?
A wolf travels a thousand miles for meat;
a dog does the same for shit.
You're a wolf.
There's no need for you to lead a flock of dogs to eat leftovers, right?
You're overpraising me.
I'm just a defeated man.
Honestly,
everyone in this industry knows
that this time,
you're taking the fall for the company.
But we didn't expect
Meng to go this far,
not even leaving you a way out.
This kind of thing
would never happen
in our Yuntu.
We value talents
way more than
you could imagine.
Here are
[Employment Contract]
the terms we're offering you.
Please take a look.
[Payment] [Party B's annual salary is set at 1,500,000 yuan.]
These terms are too tempting.
I'm kind of in shock.
You're worth it.
See if you have any other questions.
I just want to know
who's the mole in Bee.
Mole?
What do you mean?
Over the past six months,
every time we launched a campaign,
Yuntu always managed to find a way to fight it.
There were several times
when you launched
countermeasures even before we made a move.
Once or twice, fine.
But every single time?
That's unusual, right?
Perhaps,
great minds think alike.
Fine.
Hope I'm just being paranoid.
But before I get to the bottom of this case,
I won't join Yuntu.
Otherwise, I'd become the mole,
and it would be impossible to explain it.
It's not that serious.
There aren't so many moles!
You've just watched too many Hong Kong movies, I guess.
Mr. Jiang,
I even suspect
that my misfortune this time
was just orchestrated by this mole.
Take your time.
I gotta go to attend to something.
Take care, Mr. Jiang.
Check, please.
Come in.
Mr. Meng, Mr. Song is here.
Welcome.
Have a seat.
We've finally managed to get through this.
Next time,
don't let those youngsters mess around again.
We all know what was going on with Wanghe.
To be honest,
it also brought me great pain
to sacrifice him this time.
Fortunately, he didn't make a fuss about it.
Before leaving,
[Business Strategy Plan]
he wrote me a report.
It includes
strategic plans and marketing ideas for the next few years.
Everything is clearly organized.
If
we strictly follow this plan,
defeating Yuntu
is just a matter of time.
Have someone make copies of it.
You gotta get the hang of it soon.
Okay.
Song,
keep this a secret.
Don't worry.
[Chairman's Office]
This way, please.
Mr. Jiang.
Mr. Jiang!
It's fine.
This is my brother-in-law.
He's one of us.
I'm Qiu Lin.
Mr. Jiang,
I've heard a lot about you.
Hello.
Have a seat, please.
Please take the main seat.
Let me help you.
I put it here.
Okay.
Qiu Lin, pour the drinks.
Don't send me
WeChat messages and emails lately.
And don't contact me again.
Why?
Today,
I met Xie Wanghe.
He said Meng Wei
has already resorted
to an economic investigation of the mole.
Is that true?
No way.
If this was true,
Meng would inform me in no time.
If he's not telling you,
it means he's already starting to suspect you.
You need to do a quick check yourself.
Clear out
all those clues
as soon as possible.
Don't worry.
I'll nail it.
Besides,
we only emailed each other.
Oh, right.
Have you deleted all the emails
I sent you before?
Of course.
If there's any urgent matter,
let's talk face to face.
Remember,
any electronic message
will leave a trace.
Understood.
Then is the paper file okay?
[Business Strategy Plan]
This is Bee's
future strategic plan.
Meng attaches great importance to it.
Mr. Jiang, please take a look in person.
Mr. Jiang!
Wish us
a successful cooperation!
Come on.
Mr. Jiang,
What are you doing?
Who are you?
What are you doing?
Stop shooting!
What are you doing?
Stop shooting! Get out!
Stop it!
Meng?
Don't move!
Hey!
Sit tight! Don't move.
Stop shooting!
Don't move!
Stand straight.
Well...
What's this all about, Meng?
What do you mean?
In view of your veteran status, I tolerated your past greed
and didn't take action against you.
But given what you've done today...
Spit it out.
How can I explain this to the board?
I said, stop shooting!
Don't you understand?
Stop it!
Have you watched too many Hong Kong movies?
You were right.
As soon as Song heard about the strategic plan,
he would take action.
But I'm curious.
How did you know
Song would meet Jiang Ping there?
To catch the mole,
I bought a membership card at that restaurant.
Directors and above only need to say their names.
Song loves to take all the small advantages.
He deserves this.
Is this necessary?
Executives' meals can be invoiced and reimbursed.
Why do we have to stick to one specific restaurant?
They offer a discount
of 40% for bulk purchases.
We can also bring our own drinks.
More importantly, it's close to the company.
We can sign the bills right after eating.
It saves us the reimbursement process.
What's the point?
We need to simplify processes.
Use our manpower only where it matters most.
From now on,
for small matters like this,
you can decide on your own.
No need to consult me.
When you reported it back then,
I thought
you just wanted to get some benefits.
If convicted,
how long will Song be sentenced?
Leaking trade secrets is a pretty sensitive issue.
Once exposed,
it's likely to result in lawsuits.
The market value of both Bee and Yuntu will be affected.
Before IPO,
it's better to avoid unnecessary troubles.
But we can't just let go of them, can we?
Of course not.
I've already had someone investigate it.
Before you even came to Haidian,
Song and Qiu Lin had taken advantage of their positions
to embezzle company subsidies.
They used proxy companies for the transactions.
The lawyers have already collected evidence.
Soon,
they will be charged with embezzlement
and tax evasion.
This time, Song and Qiu Lin
will end up behind bars for life.
With the moles cleared out
and this matter resolved,
you should return to your post.
Now in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai,
we need a regional director.
Hurry up.
Go back and pack up.
Go make your mark there.
I want to take some time off.
There's an urgent matter at home.
How long do you need?
I don't know.
Not now.
Our company is about to go public.
You
can't be distracted now.
Otherwise, even if I save a position for you,
others won't be convinced.
If you leave now,
all your previous efforts will be in vain.
Without you,
Bee wouldn't have made it this far.
Just enjoy the fruits of victory.
Haikuo.