After his month-long vacation, without Gennadiy's approval, Semyon was punished with three months of non-stop working at ambulance. By now, he has a beard almost as long as Gennadiy's, and even more unstable temper than before due to constant stress. Semyon is extremely angry at Gleb for being so calm (and even having time to help Levin, who just returned from the USA, to take his job back), while Semyon suffers in this endless hell. He would only forgive Gleb if he would ask Bykov to accept Semyon back: even this would be better than his current job. Gleb refuses, pointing that Bykov wouldn't react well to even hearing Semyon's name near himself, but Lobanov ignores him and decides to do everything by himself. And then turns out that Bykov is glad to accept Semyon back... but can't, since he is a part of the "deal" (Bykov received a guitar, even though he doesn't know how to play), and taking him back would break it... unless he makes another deal. Gennadiy isn't interested in taking back the guitar: he already has a new one. He doesn't yet know what he even wants for him, but he certainly would fight for the best price possible: he gives up one of his best-trained "fighters", after all! Bykov and Gennadiy continues arguing what may replace Lobanov (in his presence), but can't come up with any good idea. And then Gennadiy has an idea: he would kick Bykov in the ass, publicly, after which Bykov would thank him and leave; this would be suffice. Lobanov realises that Bykov would never agree for this, thanks Bykov for at least trying, and leaves (he has another call). Bykov actually wins Lobanov back — with which Semyon isn't happy a one bit (and which he tells to Bykov's face), since it cost Bykov all the authority he accumulated through all those years. But, as it turns out, when Gennadiy started demanding too much, Bykov just told to Kisegach, who forced him to release Semyon for free. Unfortunately, Semyon just crossed the point of no return when he publicly humiliated Gennadiy "for Bykov", and now Gennadiy openly hates him. And indeed, they quickly receives twenty hard patients at once, with Semyon — by alone — being forced to accept them, this time as Bykov's subordinate.
After Rita started preparing to officially register their marriage, Alexei, knowing that he has not much time left, writes the letter for Rita (putting it in an envelope, simply signed "for Rita"), and leaves it where she would find it. Timur thinks that this is only marginally better than telling directly, but if Alexei can't do so to her face, it works too. But the envelope gets found by Lyuba, who fails to resist temptation to read the letter. She doesn't react well when he learns what it contains, and angrily confronts Alexei about it: if you want to dump your woman, you should at least have guts to tell so to her face, not using a letter like some wimp! And she wouldn't leave him alone until Lyosha does that. Lyuba forces Alexei to go to Rita, and confess to her. But he fails to spit it out even after third try, with the last one ending in him saying that they should start collecting money for the wedding. Lyuba calls him spineless and leaves out of disgust. Lyuba, realising that she can't rely on Alexei telling the truth, decides to inform Rita by herself... but Rita thinks that it's just her being jealous, because Rita would marry and Lyuba wouldn't! Lyuba, angrily, tells her that Kupitman would propose to her, before leaving. Alexei realises that he indeed acted like a selfish jerk when tried to dump Rita via letter, but now he doesn't know just how else to deal with this situation, since he fears to devastate Rita with this. But Timur thinks that the longer he waits, the more devastating it would, especially if he wastes enough time to actually marry Rita, for her only then realising that they aren't compatible; she needs no boyfriend, she needs a husband who would actually love her, and if Alexei truly wishes her good, it's best to grab some courage and dump her now. But Alexei tries to imagine how it would work, and doesn't like the outcome a one bit, realising that it makes him look like a lousy chain here. Alexei (this time without Lyuba nearby to press him) goes to Rita... and proposes to her, again. Lyuba, who just restored Alexei's letter from fragments, is too late to give it to Rita, and only witnesses happy Rita hugging Lyosha. Lyuba decides to keep the letter for herself.
Gleb and Timur cooperates with Rita to fool Levin into believing that Bykov invented a new system (where you earn "points" for doing work, and can only leave after accumulating sixteen). It works so easy that Rita even feels slight regret. Slight. Rita, Gleb and Timur, as part of the prank, dumps everything they can on Levin, who still believes in "point system". After he accumulates sixteen points under four hours (one point per procedure), they raises the stakes and states that this is just bare minimum (which people may accumulate even faster sometimes); to earn Bykov's respect, he must beat Timur's record — thirty six points. Challenge accepted! Apparently, treating hobos awards whopping ten points (for extreme)... in which Levin happily believes, and asks — nope, begs — to give that hobo to him. They "reluctantly" agrees... and barely manages to wait until he leaves to burst into laugh. Eventually, Levin accumulates whopping fifty points (and thinks that he actually deserved whole sixty). Gleb and Timur can't resist bursting into laugh each time he opens his mouth, while Bykov resists slightly longer before revealing that this was indeed a prank. So perfect, in fact, that he sees no reason to punish anyone.
This episode provides examples of:
- The Bus Came Back: Turns out that Semyon has returned some time ago, but was punished by Gennadiy for illegal vacation (he leaved for one month without ever asking Gennadiy for permission, so he was lucky to not being fired outright) with three months of working at ambulance, so he has little time for anything else. In fact, it's a plot point that he is on the edge of breakdown, and wants to quit working under Gennadiy.
- Can't Spit It Out: Alexei wants to dump Rita, but can't spit it out to her. He tries to use a letter instead, but Lyuba busts it and forces him to say directly... with him utterly failing. First three times he tries, he comes up with various nonsensical things like him giving ultrasound to one patient, or him being late today, or even reminding that they should start collecting money for a wedding (at this point, Lyuba leaves out of disgust).
- Imagine Spot: When Timur tries to explain to Lyosha why dumping Rita now instead of pretending to love her right until their wedding (which would result in unhappy wedded life and inevitable ugly divorce) would be better for both of them, Alexei gets distracted, imagining some distant future where he dates another girl (he already lost count how many he had), while Rita is happily married and has two children (a boy and a girl). He doesn't like this outcome a one bit, since it makes him look like a lousy chain here, not Rita, and actually runs to (re)propose to Rita.
- I'm Standing Right Here:
- Semyon's presence doesn't stop Gennadiy from discussing with Bykov possible alternative ways to buy Semyon back, through some material things, like new spinning. They openly refers to Lobanov as "thing".
- Bykov and Gennadiy discusses possibility of using Kupitman's cognac to buy Lobanov back. In front of Kupitman, whom they didn't bother to even inform about the whole deal.
- Lost Him in a Card Game: Bykov had some sort of a deal with Gennadiy, which involved Gennadiy taking Semyon to his department... and Bykov taking guitar (which he doesn't even knows how to use); neither of them were sober at the time. Semyon is not amused when he finds out.
- The Prankster: The very first day after Levin returns, Gleb (in cooperation with Timur and Rita) fools him into believing that there's some "point system" to determine your effectiveness. Levin falls for it due to it being in-character for Bykov, and tries to outdo everyone else, accumulating more "points" than anyone else. When Bykov learns about this, he finds the prank funny enough to not punish anyone for it.
- Take This Job and Shove It: Lobanov, thinking that Bykov actually complied to Gennadiy's demand and allowed to publicly kick himself, just to release him, goes to Gennadiy and publicly humiliates him, as revenge for Bykov. After this, there's no going back: either Bykov accepts him, or he may start searching for new workplace altogether. Fortunately, Bykov does.
