Discovery of Romance Episode 2 Recap
> Discovery of Romance Recap
On her birthday morning, Xia Tian woke up at Xu Zehao's apartment, overcome with regret and unable to recall the events of the previous night, including how she ended up there and why she was half-dressed. Xu Zehao playfully asked if she had missed him since their breakup, but she firmly denied it, though he admitted to missing her.
He then invited her to have breakfast to celebrate her birthday, but Xia Tian declined, emphatically stating that she preferred to spend her special day with truly important people and expressed her strong desire to never see him again. Xu Zehao watched her leave with a hint of sadness, while Xia Tian's mind reeled from the embarrassing situation. Meanwhile, at Xia Tian's apartment, Donghao and Xiao Song grew anxious upon seeing Xia Tian's phone location in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
Guan Xin arrived, bearing a birthday cake and flowers, eager to celebrate with Xia Tian. He inquired about Xia Tian's whereabouts, but Donghao and Xiao Song feigned ignorance, fearing to reveal her suspicious location. Unable to wait any longer, Guan Xin had to leave for the hospital, taking his flowers with him. Donghao then urged Xiao Song to call Xia Tian immediately, but her phone was unreachable.
Upon Xia Tian's eventual return, Donghao and Xiao Song hurriedly lit candles and offered birthday noodles, even as Xia Tian spoke to Guan Xin briefly over the phone. Once she hung up, they launched into a severe interrogation. Under their relentless questioning, Xia Tian nervously confessed that she had spent the night at Xu Zehao's house. She explained that she had encountered him while trying to confront Guan Xin at his blind date, leading to them accidentally swapping phones.
She then went drinking, got completely drunk, and ended up falling asleep at Xu Zehao's place when she went to retrieve her phone. Donghao and Xiao Song were aghast, especially as Xia Tian admitted she had blacked out and remembered nothing. Xiao Song then presented Xia Tian with Guan Xin's birthday gift: a gift Xia Tian had once casually admired, a testament to his thoughtfulness.
However, the moment of sentimentality was cut short by Xiao Song and Donghao, who reminded her of the need to conceal the truth from Guan Xin. Donghao quickly concocted a story for Guan Xin, claiming Xia Tian had gotten drunk, wandered into a park, was picked up by the police, and spent the night at the police station. Guan Xin's calm "I see" and subsequent distant demeanor made Xia Tian realize he didn't believe the lie.
She understood he was pretending to be deceived because of his deep affection for her, wryly noting that this emotional complexity was truly a "big gift" for her thirtieth birthday. Adding to her stressful birthday, Xia Tian was then confronted by her mother, who also happened to be her landlord, demanding overdue rent.
During a lecture, her mother, a writer, used Xia Tian's personal life as an example for her article, "Love Mask," criticizing people who present a false perfect image in relationships. Xia Tian tried to charm her way out of paying the rent, even offering her personal anecdotes for her mother's writing. However, her mother saw through her tactics, explicitly stating that Xia Tian was trying to delay payment.
Although her mother eventually promised not to evict her before the end of the month, she also observed that Xia Tian would not let her boyfriend know about her financial struggles, highlighting the emotional "mask" she wore. Annoyed by her mother's public criticism, Xia Tian attempted to leave, to which her mother dryly remarked that honesty often makes people uncomfortable. Both Xu Zehao and Guan Xin found themselves grappling with how to contact Xia Tian.
Xu Zehao, holding a puppy Xia Tian had left with him, struggled to compose a birthday message, deleting several attempts that felt too awkward. He even considered asking about the puppy instead. Meanwhile, Xia Tian stared at Guan Xin's chat, wondering why he hadn't reached out to her. Donghao, concerned about their relationship, urged Guan Xin to make the first move, reminding him of Xia Tian’s pride. Guan Xin, however, expressed frustration at always being the one to initiate contact.
Despite his internal conflict, Guan Xin eventually decided to act, sending Xia Tian a message to ask if they could talk. Guan Xin met Xia Tian for dinner and explained that his blind date was a family obligation, arranged by his mother, and he hadn't wanted to disrespect his elders. He then gently pressed Xia Tian for an explanation about her whereabouts, confessing he had checked her phone's location out of concern for her safety.
Xia Tian, conflicted, eventually admitted to swapping phones with a man she met at the blind date location (who was her ex-boyfriend, though she omitted this detail to Guan Xin) and had ended up falling asleep at his place after getting drunk out of anger over Guan Xin's blind date. She insisted nothing untoward had happened and pleaded for his forgiveness.
Guan Xin, visibly upset, reminded her of her tendency to act coquettishly when drunk, which could easily be misinterpreted, recalling how she behaved during their first meeting in a park. Angered by his implications, Xia Tian retorted that his blind date was the sole reason for her drinking, and she questioned if he believed she was indiscriminately casual with others when drunk.
Although Guan Xin clarified that he liked her during their first drunken encounter, Xia Tian felt profoundly misunderstood and frustrated, leading her to abruptly end their dinner and leave. Still fuming from her conversation with Guan Xin, Xia Tian called Xu Zehao and confronted him at a pet store, where he was bathing the puppy she had left in his care.
She furiously demanded to know exactly what had transpired the previous night, accusing him of taking her clothes off since she woke up partially dressed. Xu Zehao, mockingly, brushed off her accusations, reminding her of their past intimacy and her own behavior when drunk. Xia Tian insisted she needed to know the full truth to explain to Guan Xin, openly declaring her deep love for Guan Xin, which Xu Zehao dismissively questioned.
She then firmly stated that nothing had happened between them, a fact Xu Zehao confirmed, much to her relief. Reassured but still angry, Xia Tian sharply criticized Xu Zehao as arrogant, selfish, and egoistic, reiterating her desire to never see him again, and leaving the puppy in his care with a stern warning not to abandon it. After their heated exchange, both Xia Tian and Xu Zehao individually reflected on their past relationship, dredging up a litany of petty grievances.
Xu Zehao pondered why Xia Tian judged him so harshly, while Xia Tian complained about his habit of taking the first sip of her bubble tea. Xu Zehao countered by listing her overly specific bubble tea preferences and defending his first sip as a quality check. Xia Tian then brought up his messy nail-cutting habits.
Their thoughts highlighted how minor irritations, combined with a lack of earnest communication, contributed to their breakup, though Xu Zehao initially celebrated the "joy" of their separation. Xu Zehao then reminisced about their first meeting ten years ago on a train. He cherished a photo from that day, recalling how Xia Tian, direct and charming, openly admitted her liking for him. They discovered a shared passion for interior and wood furniture design, instantly connecting.
He remembered her lively personality, even as she critiqued another passenger for fangirling. This first encounter, a moment of love at first sight, became a cherished memory that Xu Zehao recalled every time he traveled by train. In stark contrast, Xia Tian now loathed train travel because their breakup, years later, had also occurred at a train station, tainting the memory for her. The narrative then shifted to the painful memory of their breakup at Lingxi Station.
During their train journey, Xu Zehao was engrossed in work, oblivious to Xia Tian's growing sadness and attempts to engage him. She silently nursed her grievances, eventually moving to a different seat. At the station, Xia Tian broke down in tears, feeling neglected and unloved. She confronted Xu Zehao, accusing him of prioritizing work over her and questioning his commitment. He, in turn, defended his demanding workload and tried to dismiss her feelings as unreasonable.
Xia Tian, tired of always being the one to initiate and wait, declared she had had enough and initiated the breakup, choosing their starting point, the train station, as their end. Xu Zehao was taken aback, unable to grasp her reasons, and pointed out his busy schedule. Xia Tian retorted that his ignorance was precisely why they were breaking up, accusing him of not caring about her emotional distress.
She expressed her weariness of being the only one holding on while he remained emotionally distant, warning him that she wouldn't come back if he let her go. Despite his plea, Xia Tian walked away, ending their five-year relationship. Reflecting on the breakup, Xu Zehao conceded their love might have faded but insisted it didn't warrant a separation.
He then revealed that five years ago, after their breakup, Xia Tian had, in a moment of despair, tried to reconcile with him, desperately calling from a phone booth in the rain and coming to his apartment. Xia Tian, however, believed that Xu Zehao had subtly pushed her to end the relationship through his emotional indifference. At his construction site, Xu Zehao also faced a colleague's blunt advice about the importance of financial stability for a lasting relationship.
He wondered if, given another chance to choose, their outcome might be different, acknowledging their youth and inexperience as first loves. But for Xia Tian, now content with her current life, there was no need for a second chance.
