Almost Lover Episode 19 Recap
> Almost Lover Recap
He Xiaoran returned to her Wusu apartment and, as she tidied up, her thoughts kept drifting to Xiao Shangqi, making her long for his quick return. She resumed her work at Wusu NRTA, intentionally taking on numerous fieldwork assignments, hoping that staying busy would help her organize her feelings. Her colleague Li Hui noticed He Xiaoran's relentless work pace and expressed concern, fearing she was using work to numb herself.
However, He Xiaoran assured her that she was fine and firmly believed Xiao Shangqi would keep his word and return to Wusu. During an interview with Professor Liu, He Xiaoran raised questions about children who suffered trauma from their native families, particularly their tendency to become extremely dependent on intimate relationships, viewing them as a lifeline for love.
She inquired if such deep-seated dependency could ever be truly healed, recalling a flashback of Chen Fei'er desperately pleading with her to "share" Xiao Shangqi, saying she had never known happiness. Meanwhile, Xiao Shangqi was grappling with mounting company issues and the delicate recovery of his father, Xiao Zhenyun, who remained susceptible to stress. Overwhelmed and exhausted, Xiao Shangqi found himself wanting to reach out to He Xiaoran but hesitated, not wanting to burden her.
The next morning, when Xiao Zhenyun adamantly refused assistance from the hospital's nursing staff, Xiao Shangqi stepped in to shave his father and trim his nails, cherishing this rare father-son moment. Xiao Zhenyun then signed the Deju termination contract.
Seizing this intimate moment, Xiao Zhenyun candidly confessed his failures as a father, acknowledging he had prioritized Xiao Xian's injury and made decisions for him without truly trusting his son's capabilities, while inadvertently neglecting Xiao Shangqi, leading to a growing distance between them.
Xiao Shangqi, in turn, admitted his own shortcomings as a son and explained that his relationship with He Xiaoran had taught him that even family members with blood ties need to rely on and support each other to build a strong bond. All three men, finding common ground, resolved to work together, confident they could overcome any challenge.
Feeling a sense of peace, Xiao Zhenyun then asked about He Xiaoran and urged Xiao Shangqi to return to Wusu immediately to explain his situation to her. As Xiao Shangqi and Xiao Xian were leaving the hospital, Xiao Shangqi realized he had forgotten the contract in the ward and went back to retrieve it. In the interim, Zhao Mingxuan entered Xiao Zhenyun’s room.
He tried to coerce Xiao Zhenyun into making Xiao Shangqi apologize for their previous conflict, implying that doing so could salvage their collaboration with Yunlan. Xiao Zhenyun defiantly refused, asserting that Zhao Mingxuan’s actions only revealed his fear of Xiao Shangqi. Enraged, Zhao Mingxuan lashed out, disparaging the Xiao brothers, calling Xiao Xian a "cripple" and Xiao Shangqi "dumb," and boasting that he would make them kneel before him.
He threatened that if Xiao Zhenyun continued to oppose him, the consequences would befall his sons. He then leaned in and revealed a "big secret" to Xiao Zhenyun. Just then, Xiao Shangqi rushed back to the ward, witnessing nurses hurrying into the room. Inside, he found Zhao Mingxuan present and his father in critical distress. Despite the medical team's desperate efforts, Xiao Zhenyun tragically passed away.
The doctors attributed the immediate cause of death to heart failure and stated that any further verification would require a formal medical application for an autopsy. Zhao Mingxuan quickly offered condolences, falsely claiming they had been chatting pleasantly when Xiao Zhenyun suddenly deteriorated, and that he immediately called for help but it was too late. Distraught, Xiao Shangqi was consumed by grief, reflecting on his complex relationship with his father and the poignant moments they had just shared.
Back in Wusu, He Xiaoran anxiously waited all night for Xiao Shangqi, who had messaged her about his return. When he neither arrived nor answered her calls, her worry intensified. The next morning, she went to Lin Zong, now the acting general manager of Jifeng, inquiring about Xiao Shangqi.
Lin Zong informed her that he had a brief call with Xiao Shangqi that morning, noting that Xiao Shangqi sounded very tired, that Yunlan's core business was undergoing adjustments, and that he likely wouldn't be able to return to Wusu anytime soon. Hearing this, He Xiaoran, remembering the seven-day promise they made, felt a profound disappointment. Meanwhile, Xiao Zhenyun's death had plunged Yunlan into a severe crisis.
During a tense meeting, shareholders angrily criticized Xiao Shangqi for the terminated Deju contract and demanded to know his and Xiao Xian’s strategy to navigate the company through this predicament, unwilling to risk their own financial stability. After the meeting, a caretaker found a tie clip under Xiao Zhenyun's bed. Both Xiao Shangqi and Xiao Xian confirmed it didn't belong to either of them.
Recalling Zhao Mingxuan's hostile visit, Xiao Shangqi immediately suspected that an argument with Zhao Mingxuan had triggered his father's fatal heart attack. He passionately insisted on calling the police to investigate, but Xiao Xian vehemently opposed, arguing that given their father’s age, various factors could lead to heart failure, and that preserving the dignity of their father's funeral was paramount, rather than creating further public scandal without concrete evidence.
Xiao Shangqi, emotionally broken, vowed to find the truth, heartbroken over the time they had just begun to reclaim. In Wusu, He Xiaoran was abruptly called to the NRTA, where she learned of major changes impacting the "Dajiabang For Everyone" program. Her colleagues, Li Hui and Sui Mingwei, confirmed their suspensions. The program was being entirely revamped, its name changed, and only new staff were being retained. This unsettling news had already led to a physical altercation involving Sui Mingwei.
Mr. He, attempting to manage the situation, explained that he had spent the afternoon advocating for new placements for the veteran staff, expressing particular worry about Sui Mingwei's temperament. Sui Mingwei angrily confronted Mr. He, accusing him of deliberately sending him and Li Hui on vacation to facilitate the program's unannounced overhaul. He then directly asked if Mr. He had secured a promotion for himself.
