Let's Meet Now Episode 17 Recap
> Let's Meet Now Recap
Today was Song Rongrong's interview with Xu Wang. She was visibly nervous, her smile a little stiff, and her eyes unfocused. Xu Wang brought up her going alone to buy sweet potatoes that night. Song Rongrong quickly explained that she went because she was craving them, and brought some back for them as an afterthought. Xu Wang then urged her not to go out alone so late in the future.
Xu Wang then apologized to her, admitting his bad state at the training gallery caused him to speak subconsciously, and reassured her that she was a good person, hoping she wouldn't doubt herself because of his words. Song Rongrong replied that it was okay, and she was actually glad he could briefly vent his emotions in front of her. The interview began with Song Rongrong's colleagues joining in.
They immediately steered towards sensitive and taboo topics, asking about his adaptation to the new team, his continued contact with friends from his previous team (specifically mentioning Su Yang), and if an upcoming competition's date, which coincided with a "special day," would affect him. They probed further, directly asking if his two-year championship drought was due to his parents' accident. Overwhelmed by the intrusive questions, Song Rongrong abruptly ended the interview, pulling Xu Wang away.
Her colleagues chastised her, warning her of the severe consequences of taking the guest away, but Song Rongrong remained unfazed, not caring at all. Outside, Song Rongrong felt guilty for not being "cooler" and more assertive, apologizing to Xu Wang. He thanked her for her intervention. She urged him to ignore the questions, but Xu Wang confessed that many people had asked him similar things, confronting him with cameras and microphones.
He revealed that he started learning shooting at eleven and, despite his parents never demanding high achievements, he achieved outstanding results. However, since his parents' death, he hadn't won any gold medals, leading everyone to assume their absence was his psychological barrier. He knew this wasn't true but had no way to prove it except through winning. He emphasized that his parents should not be labeled as his "psychological barrier" but rather his motivation.
Song Rongrong then shared a story about her own college high jump competition, where she was afraid to jump until her teacher reminded her that losing wouldn't be catastrophic. She advised Xu Wang not to put so much pressure on himself, stating that winning was good, but losing wasn't the end of the world. She believed his parents would want him to enjoy the process of the competition.
Xu Wang smiled, acknowledging her words made sense, and remarked on her unexpected fierceness, comparing her to a rabbit that bites, then playfully saying he wanted to give her a carrot. Later, Song Rongrong recounted the interview to Ji Qiu, who supported her actions. Song Rongrong was relieved their director hadn't blamed her. She asserted that even if she lost her job, she would make the same choice again, standing firm on what was right.
Xu Wang, having seemingly found some peace, texted Song Rongrong, saying the interview issue was resolved and he shouldn't worry about impacting her work. He later reflected that his parents would be proud of him even if he didn't win first place. The next day, Xu Wang's training performance significantly improved, surprising even Gao Yuan. That evening, Song Rongrong, Ji Qiu, Fu Qile, and Zhou Ziqian went to see a horror movie.
Fu Qile tried to switch seats with Zhou Ziqian after a game of rock-paper-scissors to sit next to Ji Qiu, but Zhou Ziqian refused. Before the movie started, Zhou Ziqian playfully pretended to be scared and asked Ji Qiu to protect him, despite privately thinking horror movies were like kindergarten shows. During the movie, Fu Qile was genuinely terrified, gripping Zhou Ziqian's clothes. Zhou Ziqian, fearing his act wasn't convincing, joined in the screams.
Ji Qiu offered him her arm to hold, which he slyly accepted. After the movie, as they left, Zhou Ziqian gave Ji Qiu a room-temperature drink, playfully scolding her for being too meddlesome. They then encountered Jiang Yu, Ji Qiu's senior from university. Song Rongrong excitedly mentioned that Ji Qiu was single and praised Jiang Yu as the handsome face of their university debate team, hoping Ji Qiu could develop a relationship with him.
Prompted by Song Rongrong, Jiang Yu asked for Ji Qiu's contact information. Fu Qile and Zhou Ziqian were clearly displeased, subtly criticizing Jiang Yu's appearance. Ji Qiu initially dismissed the exchange as polite, believing Jiang Yu wouldn't actually contact her, but to her surprise, Jiang Yu immediately messaged her, inviting her to watch a movie that weekend. Meanwhile, Xu Wang asked Song Rongrong to model for promotional photos for his bookstore.
Song Rongrong gladly accepted but was initially tense during the shoot. Xu Wang's encouragement helped her relax, and they captured some good shots. The photographer took a candid photo of them talking, noting how much they looked like a couple and suggested using it for the brochure. Song Rongrong felt it was inappropriate, and Xu Wang respected her opinion. Song Rongrong later discussed her feelings with a colleague, explaining her decision to temporarily distance herself from Xu Wang.
She worried her presence, especially after his previous rejection of her confession and with other girls often coming to stare at him, was putting pressure on him and distracting him before his upcoming competition. She felt she was being "perceptive." Zhou Ziqian, unable to sleep, was irritated by the thought of Ji Qiu going on a sweet date with Jiang Yu.
He and Fu Qile, unbeknownst to each other, both decided to go to the same movie theater to disrupt the date. At the ticket counter, they were shocked to learn that Jiang Yu and Ji Qiu had bought "couple tickets," which fueled their anger. During the movie, Jiang Yu and Ji Qiu chatted about their university days.
Jiang Yu mentioned he thought Ji Qiu disliked him, but she clarified it was "awe" and that she now found him approachable and good as a friend. Fu Qile and Zhou Ziqian, sitting behind them, strained their necks, wishing they could separate the two. As the movie ended, fans recognized Zhou Ziqian and asked for a photo. Ji Qiu noticed them, and Zhou Ziqian, trying to cover their presence, claimed Fu Qile had insisted on treating him to the movie.
Jiang Yu then asked Ji Qiu to dinner the following weekend. Fu Qile and Zhou Ziqian watched their conversation with a sense of loss. After Jiang Yu left, Ji Qiu chose to join Fu Qile and Zhou Ziqian for Oden. That night, Zhou Ziqian sought advice from Gao Yuan and Xu Wang on whether a boy should confess to a girl he likes.
Gao Yuan advised caution, sharing a story of a friend who lost a friendship after confessing to a long-time female friend because the girl didn't reciprocate, highlighting that the longer the friendship, the higher the risk. He concluded that "childhood sweethearts often lose to newcomers." This left Zhou Ziqian troubled. Ji Qiu was also grappling with whether to invite Zhou Ziqian to dinner. She accidentally sent him a message asking if he was free.
Before she could recall it, he replied that he was available and would come to find her. Meanwhile, Fu Qile, watching a video of Ji Qiu, felt a pang of unease. When Zhou Ziqian arrived, Ji Qiu pretended she wanted his advice on movies for a date with Jiang Yu. She also gave him a wristband, thanking him for his help in a previous variety show, and playfully referred to him as her "little brother."
Zhou Ziqian, feeling awkward, directly asked if she only saw him as a younger brother, then quickly covered it up as a joke. Ji Qiu continued to test his reaction, asking if he thought she should go on her weekend date with Jiang Yu and if he knew any fun places.
Despite his internal reluctance, Zhou Ziqian, remembering Gao Yuan's advice about the risks of confession in long-standing friendships, feigned support, telling her to enjoy herself and offering to ask Gao Yuan for recommendations. Ji Qiu left, visibly disappointed, as Zhou Ziqian wished her a smooth date. The next morning, Xu Wang observed Zhou Ziqian's strange behavior, remarking that he seemed to have fallen for someone. Zhou Ziqian then revealed that he had dreamed of Ji Qiu, and upon waking, felt an intense desire to see her.
