Love’s Ambition- Episodes 17-24

Love’s Ambition Episodes 17–24 Recap: Second Chances, Secret Kisses, and a Whole Lot of Chaos

After all the heartbreak from Episodes 9–16, Xu Yan and Shen Haoming finally sign their divorce papers or at least, try to. The story now follows both of them rebuilding their lives from the ground up. But as we all know, nothing between these two ever stays simple for long.

Episode 17

Both Xu Yan and Haoming start over in completely new worlds.

Haoming gets demoted and sent to a countryside branch, where no one knows he’s the chairman’s son. He has to earn respect from the workers the hard way, and slowly, they start opening up to him. Meanwhile, Xu Yan takes on a sales assistant job, not exactly glamorous, but she gives it her all.

Eventually, she becomes a livestreamer, and her channel starts gaining attention, even from the Shen family, secretly watching under fake usernames! Her biggest supporter turns out to be none other than Haochen, who calls himself “Warm Harbor.” When Xu Yan finds out, it’s actually a sweet reunion. Even Yu Lan, who once disapproved of Xu Yan, ends up defending her when others look down on her for working in sales.

Later, Haoming tries to give Xu Yan financial support, but she refuses. She’s determined to stand on her own two feet and leaves him with one final line: they’re strangers now.

Episode 18

When Xu Yan’s boss discovers her Shen family connection, he tries to use her for business gains. Xu Yan quits on the spot, classic move!

She reconnects with her sister Qiao Lin and her two friends, Guan Guan and Yao Yao, and the four of them decide to start a fashion business together. Guan Guan models, Yao Yao designs, Qiao Lin handles makeup, and Xu Yan brings her planning skills. Just like that, Yan Studio is born. And yes, Yu Yiming adorably joins in to help promote their clothes.

Episode 19

Funding becomes the new challenge, and two men step into the picture.

First, the ever-charming Jiang Liang, our flirty finance expert, gives Xu Yan some “helpful” advice and maybe flirts a little too much. Then there’s Haoming, who needs help convincing a Russian tycoon to invest in his project. The catch? The tycoon values family, and Haoming’s pending divorce could ruin his chances.

Xu Yan agrees to help, but only as business partners. Haoming even offers to invest ¥10M in her company, but she refuses anything beyond a one-time ¥1M payment. She’s serious about keeping things professional… at least for now.

Episode 20

It’s the “fake couple on a mission” episode!

Xu Yan and Haoming team up to win over the Russian investors, complete with disguises, a jealous rival, and way too much chemistry for two people supposedly divorced. Things spiral when the rival exposes that they’re not wearing wedding rings. So Haoming improvises, apologizes publicly, and proposes again on the spot. Xu Yan hesitates, but lets him slip the ring back on her finger.

To top it off, they seal the deal with a passionate kiss right in front of everyone. Acting, right? Right…?

Episode 21

This episode is lighter, filled with banter and hilarious misunderstandings.

Haoming tries every trick to delay the final divorce, including faking health problems and pretending to travel overseas, all without leaving China. When the big day finally arrives, they reach the Civil Affairs Bureau five minutes late, forcing them to restart the entire 30-day cooling-off period. Xu Yan is furious, Haoming plays innocent, and honestly, it’s one of the funniest moments in the series.

Episode 22

Love and confusion are back on the menu.

Qiao Lin notices Xu Yan acting differently after her trip with Haoming and pushes her to figure out what she really wants. Meanwhile, Haochen does his part as the mini cupid, setting up awkward reunions between his “parents.”

Yu Lan finally admits she was wrong about Xu Yan and wishes her son could win her back. Even Haoming’s old rival, Yu Yiming, ends up teaming up with him... yes, the two guys actually join forces to chase their respective girls.

Episode 23

The love triangle heats up.

Xu Yan invites Haoming for a meeting, but he “accidentally” shows up early at her apartment, snooping around like a jealous ex. Turns out her guests are just Qiao Lin and her business partners, and Haoming gets hilariously kicked out.

Later, both Haoming and Jiang Liang try to impress Xu Yan with their business knowledge, basically turning her office into a competitive flex-off. At the same time, Qiao Lin and Yiming finally confess their love and take their relationship to the next level.

Episode 24

A small crisis brings Haoming and Xu Yan closer than they’ve been in a while.

When Xu Yan’s delivery truck breaks down, Haoming shows up to help... no hesitation. He even rolls up his sleeves and helps move the boxes himself. Seeing him like that softens Xu Yan a little, though she hides it well. The ride back is quiet but tender, Haoming falls asleep on her shoulder, and this time, she lets him stay there.

But their peace doesn’t last. Yan Studio faces new troubles, hinting that someone might be sabotaging their business.

DramaZen's Opinion

These episodes really showed how much Xu Yan and Haoming have grown since their painful split. Watching them both start from scratch was surprisingly refreshing, Xu Yan diving into her new career as a livestreamer and later building Yan Studio with her friends was such a satisfying arc. She’s finally standing on her own, proving she doesn’t need the Shen family name to succeed.

Meanwhile, Haoming trying to rebuild his reputation while secretly helping Xu Yan? Classic drama setup, but it totally worked. The Russian investor arc was hilarious and heart-fluttering at the same time, the fake-couple act, the sudden kiss, and that emotional wedding ring moment felt straight out of an old-school romance drama.

By Episodes 22 to 24, you can really feel the tension softening between them. Xu Yan begins to see that Haoming has changed, even if she doesn’t want to admit it yet. The small moments, like him helping her with the delivery truck or falling asleep on her shoulder, made these episodes feel more heartfelt than dramatic.

Overall, Episodes 17–24 gave us a perfect mix of business hustle, second-chance romance, and quiet emotional healing. It’s clear that Xu Yan and Haoming’s story is far from over, but now, they’re finally meeting each other as equals.