In Love With Your Dimples Episode 16 Recap
> In Love With Your Dimples Recap
Lu Zhiyi waited for Tang Shuangli to return home and tried to explain his absence from her birthday, but she wasn't receptive. He then pressed her about the night He Qiaosheng was drunk, questioning if she had gone home. Tang Shuangli confirmed she hadn't, explaining that He Qiaosheng's door was locked from the inside and he was too inebriated to wake, leaving her to sleep on his living room couch.
She indignantly denied anything romantic had occurred, growing offended by Lu Zhiyi's distrust. Their discussion then turned to her professional future, as Lu Zhiyi revealed He Qiaosheng had mentioned her considering a position at Zhaoyue. Lu Zhiyi forbade her from leaving Tianzhuo or joining Zhaoyue, citing a non-compete clause in her employment contract.
Tang Shuangli countered that the clause only restricted her from holding the "same type of position" and argued that her short tenure at Tianzhuo meant she wasn't a formal employee. She assured him she would uphold her principles and not take a similar role at Zhaoyue.
However, Lu Zhiyi insisted that even as a receptionist, she functioned as his assistant and had access to sensitive company secrets, implying that her move to Zhaoyue would be akin to providing He Qiaosheng with a strategic advantage. Recognizing his underlying suspicion, Tang Shuangli grew frustrated. Lu Zhiyi then shifted tactics, praising her strong work abilities and suitability as his assistant, subtly hinting at deeper feelings by asking if she truly understood his intentions.
Tang Shuangli, however, remained poker-faced, either genuinely perplexed or choosing to feign ignorance. Following this intense exchange, Tang Shuangli returned to her bedroom and discarded the paper airplane Lu Zhiyi had made. The unresolved tension and the recent kiss left both of them restless through the night.
The next day, Tang Shuangli visited Zhao Mengdi's apartment and was captivated by its luxurious feel, central location, expansive views, dual-level layout, two garden terraces, and a bathtub offering stunning sunset and stargazing experiences. Zhao Mengdi playfully remarked that Tang Shuangli's vivid description made her (Zhao Mengdi's) place sound even more valuable. Tang Shuangli expressed her desire to move in, to which Zhao Mengdi enthusiastically agreed.
They then deliberated on how to inform He Qizhan about Tang Shuangli's relocation, as Zhao Mengdi worried he might misinterpret her motives, believing she was jealous and had influenced Tang Shuangli to move. They decided to postpone the discussion. Tang Shuangli went to a nougat shop and met Lu Zhiyi by chance. She playfully accused him of knowing her identity as Lucky all along, chiding him for not revealing himself earlier.
Lu Zhiyi countered that he had given her subtle hints and was hesitant to directly reveal their past connection to avoid others suspecting he had ulterior motives. Tang Shuangli playfully questioned whether he truly lacked such intentions. As they talked, Lu Zhiyi took a piece of her nougat, reminding her of an unfulfilled promise to share sweets during a spring school trip. Tang Shuangli recalled her painful memory of that very trip, which was also her birthday.
Instead of joining her classmates, her mother forced her into a math tutoring session, leaving young Tang Shuangli to lament her lost childhood and deep-seated resentment towards exams and awards. Back in the present, Lu Zhiyi explained that he began suspecting her identity during a camping trip after seeing her unique name. His suspicions were confirmed when he later saw her at the old nougat shop, gave her a math test, and reviewed her childhood photo.
He confessed that once he confirmed her identity, her place in his heart became irreplaceable, and their reunion felt like a gift from fate. Tang Shuangli then shared that she recognized him from a little fishtail drawing in his notebook, a drawing she had made herself. She critiqued his copy as "not that good," prompting him to offer to teach her to draw, and they shared a moment drawing together.
Their tender moment was interrupted by the arrival of He Qizhan and Zhao Mengdi. The four then engaged in flying kites. Lu Zhiyi's kite repeatedly tumbled from the sky, leading Tang Shuangli to jokingly compare it to his consistently failing paper planes. Their kite eventually broke free and landed in a large locust tree, a tree of special significance from their childhood. Tang Shuangli, deciding she was done with kite flying, suggested taking Lu Zhiyi to a special place.
He then led her there, to his "house of emotions," a secluded treehouse where he would go to release his feelings. Inside, he playfully complained about "a fish" (referring to Lucky) who had stolen his candy and called him a "dumbass." Tang Shuangli, amused, called him "Chubby Lu." He Qizhan and Zhao Mengdi soon discovered them. Observing their interaction, He Qizhan remarked on Lu Zhiyi's knack for finding a secluded spot for their private meeting.
Lu Zhiyi, turning to Tang Shuangli, recounted a series of past incidents between them, declaring each an "offense" for which she owed him "revenge." These included him pushing her during bungee jumping, her hitting him due to a leech (and the leech sucking his blood), him hugging and then pushing her away in an acting class, Meatball chewing her notebook, him kissing her in the elevator, and her cactus being broken because of him.
He dramatically demanded that she "take revenge" for each one, ensuring she wouldn't "leave his sight" until every score was settled. Tang Shuangli agreed to the "revenge." Lu Zhiyi then suggested she start by reciprocating the kiss from "that night". After a moment of hesitation, Tang Shuangli kissed him. Lu Zhiyi declared, "That's some real revenge," and asked for a hug. He Qizhan and Zhao Mengdi discreetly left, joking about not wanting such intense "revenge" themselves.
Following this, the four decided to try an escape room. However, shortly after the game began, Tang Shuangli suffered a claustrophobic attack. Lu Zhiyi quickly came to her aid, and with his emergency rescue, she gradually regained consciousness. Meanwhile, Gu Ling, feeling deeply hurt by Lu Zhiyi's cold demeanor, sought solace in alcohol with He Qiaosheng. She poured out her heart, lamenting her failure to win back Lu Zhiyi and expressing a desire to give up, labeling herself a failure.
He Qiaosheng, driven by his own agenda to pursue Tang Shuangli and undermine Tianzhuo, urged Gu Ling not to abandon her efforts at this crucial juncture. He proposed a cunning strategy: if Tang Shuangli joined Zhaoyue, Lu Zhiyi would be isolated, potentially opening a window for Gu Ling to reconcile with him. Alternatively, Gu Ling, as a Tianzhuo shareholder, could threaten to withdraw her investment if Lu Zhiyi refused to fire Tang Shuangli.
This move, He Qiaosheng explained, would either alienate Tang Shuangli from Lu Zhiyi due to her pride or inflict significant damage on Tianzhuo, benefiting his own company in the fierce competition for the Hush case. Gu Ling, recognizing the double benefit for He Qiaosheng, acknowledged the scheme. Later, at a hotpot dinner joined by He Qizhan, Zhao Mengdi, and Lu Zhiyi, Tang Shuangli tried to announce her impending move.
However, Zhao Mengdi subtly kicked her under the table, signaling her to remain silent. Despite the interruption, Lu Zhiyi sensed an unspoken secret between the two women and, after dinner, pulled Tang Shuangli aside to press her for answers. Lu Zhiyi cornered Tang Shuangli, demanding she confess her "conspiracy" with Zhao Mengdi, even threatening to call Zhao Mengdi, who was with He Qizhan at the time. Tang Shuangli relented, finally revealing her plans to move out.
Simultaneously, Zhao Mengdi, discussing Tang Shuangli's secret meeting with He Qizhan, speculated that Lu Zhiyi was probing about the move, while He Qizhan, ever romantic, was convinced Lu Zhiyi was confessing his love. Back with Tang Shuangli, Lu Zhiyi inquired where she intended to move. She confirmed her plan to stay with Zhao Mengdi for the time being.
Lu Zhiyi then offered his own place, which Tang Shuangli quickly declined, jokingly stating she didn't want to be forced to move again if she encountered "another woman" there. She provocatively questioned if all his admirers were "humans," directly alluding to Gu Ling, leaving Lu Zhiyi momentarily speechless. Later, He Qiaosheng called Ye Lin to his aid. She arrived to find both him and Gu Ling heavily intoxicated. Grumbling, Ye Lin helped him escort Gu Ling home.
Subsequently, while Ye Lin prepared noodles for him, He Qiaosheng attempted to clarify the situation. He explained that Gu Ling was Lu Zhiyi's ex-girlfriend and a Tianzhuo shareholder, and that he had been following Ye Lin's previous advice to persuade Gu Ling to divest her shares, aiming to weaken Tianzhuo. He emphasized his actions were strategic, not romantic, and Ye Lin, though initially displeased, seemed to accept his reasoning.
At another moment, Lu Zhiyi and Tang Shuangli were seen playfully blowing bubbles. Tang Shuangli shared her deep appreciation for childhood memories, describing them as "lost beauty" for her generation, often stifled by endless tutoring and academic pressures. She expressed her longing for the genuine happiness of childhood, free from adult complexities and machinations, finding true joy in such simple, authentic moments. Lu Zhiyi, too, admitted to finding happiness in their current, carefree interaction.
Later that evening, He Qizhan visited Zhao Mengdi's apartment to fix her bedside lamp. Noticing she streamed from her bedroom, he cautiously advised her against letting male fans see such a private space, distinguishing himself by claiming he was "not the same." As rain approached, Zhao Mengdi offered He Qizhan an umbrella, secretly hoping he would use it as an excuse to pick her up for work the next day.
The following morning, He Qizhan arrived to return a bicycle and was surprised to find Lu Zhiyi helping Tang Shuangli pack her belongings. He confronted Tang Shuangli, upset that she was moving out without informing him, questioning if she was unhappy living there.
Tang Shuangli explained her desire for a "change of environment" and her reluctance to continue being a "freeloader" at his place, dismissing his suggestion that her mother was forcing her back to the US or that she was moving in with Lu Zhiyi or He Qiaosheng. She firmly stated her determination to move to Zhao Mengdi's. He Qizhan, astonished, argued that Zhao Mengdi would surely have told him.
Tang Shuangli sheepishly admitted she had tried to tell him during their hotpot dinner, but he was too absorbed in eating. Feeling betrayed and angry, He Qizhan sarcastically agreed to store some of her excess luggage, reminding her that "the property title is in Tang's name," before storming off. The next day, Zhao Mengdi received a ride to work from an Uber driver, arranged by "Mr. He."
At the office, she attempted to greet He Qizhan, but he pointedly ignored her, walking past as if she were invisible. Upset, Zhao Mengdi confided in Tang Shuangli, who admitted He Qizhan now knew about the move. Zhao Mengdi panicked, accusing Tang Shuangli of putting her in a terrible position, fearing He Qizhan would mistakenly believe she was jealous and had orchestrated Tang Shuangli's departure, thereby ruining any chance of a relationship with him.
Tang Shuangli tried to reassure her, asserting that He Qizhan wasn't petty. Just then, Lu Zhiyi appeared, inquiring if Tang Shuangli still had any belongings left from her "found another job" phase. Tang Shuangli decisively stated that she had changed her mind and would remain working at Tianzhuo. Lu Zhiyi observed her with a knowing look, commenting that she had truly managed to "turn the situation around."
