Encounter with You Episode 16 Recap
> Encounter with You Recap
Wan Xinxin meticulously prepared for the car show, instructing a colleague to print promotional materials using a USB drive. The colleague handed the USB drive to Lu Beibei, who immediately took it to a secluded corner to call Liu Wei. Lu Beibei reported to Liu Wei that she had the USB drive and discussed how to modify the content, expressing concern that it might implicate Qin Gang.
Shi Lu overheard parts of their conversation as she passed by, leading Lu Beibei to realize her actions were discovered. Shi Lu later arranged a meeting with Liu Wei, confronting her about the scheme, clearly indicating she was aware of Liu Wei's manipulation involving Lu Beibei. Liu Wei, unfazed, dismissed Lu Beibei as useless and then offered Shi Lu a tempting deal.
If Shi Lu assisted in the planned sabotage, Liu Wei promised that Shi Lu's company would handle all global promotion for her magazine, 'Frontier Magazine,' which would instantly elevate Shi Lu's company to a top-tier industry position. Shi Lu, after a moment of consideration, accepted the offer but firmly stated that she would not fire Wan Xinxin over the incident, to which Liu Wei agreed. On the day of the car show, Wan Xinxin believed everything was perfectly organized.
However, a large crowd of people began clamoring, holding up flyers and demanding laptops, claiming the promotional material promised a free laptop for attending the show. Wan Xinxin was shocked, as her original plan was to offer free bottled water, not computers. She tried to explain the discrepancy, stating that the laptop offer was only for customers who purchased a car, but the agitated crowd insisted on the promise written on their flyers.
Qin Gang intervened, announcing to the public that he would honor the flyers' promise, taking responsibility for the error and stating that Wan Xinxin's mistake was his own. Despite Wan Xinxin's attempts to stop him, Qin Gang ordered the distribution of computers to everyone present. Afterward, Wan Xinxin was distraught, blaming herself for the significant losses. Qin Gang tried to comfort her, but she insisted on compensating him.
Feeling immense guilt, Wan Xinxin returned to the office to pack her belongings and resign. Shi Lu tried to stop her, explaining that Lu Beibei was responsible for mixing up the files and had already been fired, so Wan Xinxin was not to blame and did not need to leave. However, Wan Xinxin felt an undeniable responsibility for the outcome.
She apologized to her colleagues for the trouble and her short temper, expressing a desire to work with them again in the future, then resolutely left the company. Upon learning of Wan Xinxin's resignation and the car show fiasco, Hua Ming discretely found Lu Beibei. He introduced himself as Wan Xinxin's friend and appealed to Lu Beibei's conscience, revealing that Wan Xinxin was suffering and had resigned.
Overcome with guilt, Lu Beibei confessed that Liu Wei had paid her to switch the USB drive, although she later returned the money. Lu Beibei also revealed that Shi Lu was aware of the plot. Hua Ming then shared this information with Xu Ke, concluding that Shi Lu and Liu Wei must have colluded, and Liu Wei must have offered Shi Lu a significant benefit to secure her silence. Xu Ke, disturbed by the news, confronted Shi Lu.
He accused her of hating Wan Xinxin and destroying her, especially after Wan Xinxin had taken the car show project to repay a favor to Shi Lu. Shi Lu denied personal animosity, stating her actions were solely for the company's growth and better opportunities, asserting that she prioritized her career above all else. She defended her decision not to fire Wan Xinxin, noting that Wan Xinxin resigned voluntarily.
Xu Ke warned her against collaborating with Liu Wei, calling Liu Wei dangerous, and criticized Shi Lu for her lack of "humanity." Shi Lu angrily dismissed his concerns, declaring she did not need anyone's approval and only believed in herself and her career. Xu Ke, exasperated, told her to live alone with her career and her selfishness, then stormed out. Later, Xu Ke relayed the full story to Wan Xinxin and apologized on Shi Lu's behalf.
To his surprise, Wan Xinxin held no grudge against Shi Lu, rationalizing that adults prioritize "pros and cons." She explained that she understood Shi Lu's position and, now knowing Liu Wei was the true instigator, felt no anger towards Shi Lu. Instead, Wan Xinxin expressed immense guilt over the substantial financial losses Qin Gang incurred and felt compelled to apologize to him, separating their personal history from professional ethics.
Xu Ke was shocked by her forgiving attitude and tried to dissuade her, even revealing he had broken up with Shi Lu because of the situation, but Wan Xinxin insisted he should reconcile with Shi Lu and that her apology to Qin Gang was necessary. Wan Xinxin went to Qin Gang's 4S dealership to apologize. Qin Gang appeared nonchalant about the losses, reiterating that he was willing to pay any price to make her happy.
He even declared that if the dealership caused her unhappiness, he would simply shut it down. Wan Xinxin was stunned and urged him not to act impulsively. However, Qin Gang, ignoring her pleas, gathered all his employees and publicly announced the immediate closure of the dealership, effective the following day. He instructed his staff to handle all personnel and financial matters, including compensations and distribution of remaining funds.
Wan Xinxin was left speechless and confused by his drastic decision, as were the employees, who wondered how a seemingly fine business could suddenly close. Behind the scenes, Qin Gang had orchestrated a plan. He sent Jiang Kaiyang to talk to Hua Ming and Xu Chunli to persuade Wan Xinxin. Jiang Kaiyang met with Hua Ming and showed him the dealership's account books, revealing that the business had actually been operating at a significant loss for some time.
Jiang Kaiyang explained that Qin Gang was not closing the store because of Wan Xinxin, but rather using the car show incident as a face-saving excuse to shut down a failing enterprise. Hua Ming was taken aback by this revelation, as the company had always appeared profitable with salaries paid on time. Meanwhile, Xu Chunli tried to convince Wan Xinxin to talk to Qin Gang, praising him and reiterating that he cared deeply about her feelings. Wan Xinxin, however, still struggled with the idea of being responsible for Qin Gang's decision, despite Hua Ming’s efforts to explain the dealership's true financial state.
