Discovery of Romance Episode 16 Recap
> Discovery of Romance Recap
Xia Tian started her day by herself, lost in thought. Xiao Song teased her, correctly guessing she was waiting for Guan Xin, before heading to Xu Zehao's company. Xia Tian then sent Guan Xin a message expressing how much she missed him. At the same time, Guan Xin was with Lu Xi, helping her shop for furniture. He casually texted Xia Tian back, saying he missed her too, while Lu Xi picked out a new mattress.
A salesperson at MOOSOO, seeing them together, mistakenly thought they were a couple and tried to sell them a high-end T10 AI smart mattress. Lu Xi felt the mattress was too extravagant, but Guan Xin insisted on a good quality bed and mattress for her rest, given her hard work. He then clarified to the salesperson that they were not a couple, but he was helping Lu Xi choose.
Although initially hesitant, Lu Xi tried the mattress and found it very comfortable. Guan Xin immediately purchased the mattress, along with a single bed and a gel pillow, demonstrating his familiarity with the brand's products. He then helped arrange the delivery and spent time setting up Lu Xi's small apartment, assembling the bed and organizing her belongings.
Lu Xi offered Guan Xin water and told him she felt a strong sense of familiarity with him, noting how much he resembled her brother. Guan Xin, realizing the profound connection she felt, simply suggested he might resemble someone she previously knew. Lu Xi elaborated that her brother used to help her bear her pain, and that sharing pain is a more intimate act than sharing happiness, reserved only for those one truly loves and trusts.
Guan Xin absorbed her words. Just then, Donghao called, asking Guan Xin to return to the hospital for emergency patients and wondering if he was again with "that girl." Guan Xin assured Donghao he had things under control and would return soon, then told Lu Xi he had to leave as everything was taken care of. Meanwhile, at Xu Zehao's company, Xiao Song was diligently working to finalize project details. She overheard Xu Zehao angrily reprimanding his employees for incompetence.
Mr. Yu apologized to Xiao Song for the chaotic scene, but Xiao Song dismissed it, encouraging the team to stay motivated. After working late, Xiao Song joined Mr. Yu and other colleagues for drinks at a familiar bar. There, they coincidentally encountered Tan Xu and his girlfriend. Tan Xu's girlfriend loudly berated him, calling him cheap and stingy for using coupons at a bar and choosing restaurants with discounts when dining with her friends, making her feel embarrassed.
She questioned whether he valued her enough to spend money on her, mentioning they even split bills. Unable to tolerate her accusations, Xiao Song intervened. She told the girlfriend that her words were excessive and revealed that Tan Xu's frugality was rooted in his charitable efforts. She explained how Tan Xu had worked part-time since high school, saved money in college to support less fortunate students, and continues to aid children in impoverished areas.
Xiao Song concluded by stating that Tan Xu’s girlfriend did not deserve him. Angered, Tan Xu's girlfriend stormed out. Tan Xu apologized to Xiao Song for the scene and thanked her, but Xiao Song simply stated she had only spoken the truth about what she knew. Her colleagues applauded her boldness. Later that night, a very drunk Xiao Song called Xia Tian to pick her up.
Xia Tian then called Donghao, who, assuming both women were intoxicated, suggested Guan Xin come along to help. Xia Tian brought a babbling Xiao Song home, who, in her drunken state, mumbled, 'Did Missy ever truly love me?' Donghao and Guan Xin soon arrived, and Xia Tian was visibly pleased to see Guan Xin. Unseen by them, Xu Zehao stood silently downstairs, watching Xia Tian's apartment once again.
Late that night, Guan Xin noticed a message on Xia Tian’s phone from Xu Zehao, simply asking, "Are you asleep?" This deeply disturbed Guan Xin. The next morning, Xu Zehao woke up with a hangover, saw the empty bottles, and immediately checked his phone. He was mortified by the message he had sent Xia Tian, berating himself for his actions.
Guan Xin, still upset, confronted Xia Tian about the message, asking how she interpreted a man texting a woman at 2:20 AM. Xia Tian calmly brushed it off, suggesting Xu Zehao was likely drunk and sent it by mistake, attempting to end the conversation. However, Guan Xin persisted and called Xu Zehao. Xu Zehao declined the call, texting back that he was in a meeting, an excuse Guan Xin found unbelievable given the early hour.
Guan Xin then sent a direct message to Xu Zehao, demanding an immediate explanation for his late-night text. Xu Zehao concocted a flimsy excuse, claiming he meant to send it to a friend and accidentally sent it to Xia Tian. Xia Tian found his explanation childish and unconvincing, pointing out that the late timestamp clearly indicated he was drunk. Guan Xin still questioned why Xu Zehao would text Xia Tian specifically when inebriated.
To alleviate the tension, Xia Tian suggested a romantic weekend getaway with Guan Xin. He agreed, but during a kiss, Xia Tian felt a growing sense of detachment, a lack of the intimacy they once shared. At work, Xu Zehao remained in a foul mood, acting like an overbearing boss. Mr. Yu tried to lift his spirits, urging him to move past Xia Tian and regain his composure, noting his behavior was affecting the staff.
Mr. Yu suggested organizing a company team-building event to boost morale and help Xu Zehao reconnect with his employees. Xu Zehao agreed, and Mr. Yu called Xiao Song to invite her. That weekend, during the company team-building, Xu Zehao was seen drinking alone. Xiao Song approached him, telling him to forget about Xia Tian and "get himself together," revealing that Xia Tian and Guan Xin were on a romantic getaway.
Unbeknownst to them, Xia Tian and Guan Xin had chosen the very same popular resort for their trip, and their rented rooms were adjacent to the company’s. During their stay, Guan Xin asked Xia Tian why she was with him. Xia Tian turned the question back to him.
Guan Xin admitted that he was immediately captivated by her during their first meeting, admiring her vibrant energy and sparkling eyes as she enjoyed food and drink, a quality he hadn’t seen in anyone else. He explained he hadn't told her sooner to avoid making her "smug." Xia Tian, in turn, described Guan Xin as polite, warm, and kind. Guan Xin then pondered if she would still love him if he were not "the polite and kind doctor."
Xia Tian affirmed her affection for "the whole him," not just those individual traits. A humorous coincidence occurred when Xiao Song, in the restroom, found herself without toilet paper and asked the person in the adjacent stall for some. To her surprise, it was Xia Tian. Xiao Song excitedly shared the news with Xia Tian that Xu Zehao was quite depressed, which was the reason for the team-building event.
Shortly after, Guan Xin encountered some of Xu Zehao's employees outside the restroom. They recognized him as Xia Tian's boyfriend and enthusiastically invited them both to join the team-building games, mentioning that Xu Zehao and Xiao Song were also there. Xiao Song then joined them, recounting her fateful restroom encounter. Unable to decline, Xia Tian and Guan Xin joined the team-building activities.
The event featured a quiz game hosted by Mr. Yu, with Xu Zehao offering a 1000 yuan prize for each correct answer. The first question asked for the meaning of a cherry tree. Xia Tian promptly answered, "the one and only love." A flashback showed Xu Zehao giving her a cherry wood ring, explaining its meaning. The second question asked for the re-release date of the movie "A Chinese Odyssey" in mainland China.
Xia Tian again knew the answer: October 24, 2014. Another flashback revealed Xu Zehao taking leave to surprise Xia Tian for her birthday on that date, fulfilling her wish to watch the re-released movie, after which they walked hand-in-hand until dawn. Guan Xin contemplated how important these memories must be for Xia Tian to recall them so vividly, wondering when their love began to shift. Hearing her answers, a revitalized Xu Zehao stood up.
The third question inquired about a special tree at the resort, chosen by Xu Zehao, that symbolizes "yearning and love." Xia Tian immediately identified it as a "twinned trunk." A final flashback showed Xia Tian and Xu Zehao together, searching for a 300-year-old twinned trunk, with Xu Zehao promising to find it for her.
