Love Me Like I Do Episode 5 Recap
> Love Me Like I Do Recap
Liu Xilai had specially prepared a new room for his younger cousin, Liu Xizhao, who had just returned from overseas. Seeing the framed photo of the two brothers with a red background and the red Superman bedsheets and duvet cover, Liu Xizhao was reminded of a childhood incident. His father had taken away his Superman toy, declaring that Liu Xilai disliked red and that no red items were allowed in their home.
This memory resurfaced a long-standing question for Liu Xizhao: "Who is your son after all? Did you pick me up?" He felt as though he had always lived in Liu Xilai's shadow. During a family dinner to celebrate Liu Xizhao's return, their father asked if Liu Xizhao was satisfied with the room.
Liu Xilai mentioned that changing the red Superman bedsheets for Liu Xizhao when they were children had made him cry all night, implying he was making up for it now. Their father then admonished Liu Xilai not to sacrifice his own comfort for Liu Xizhao, indicating Liu Xilai's continued aversion to red. Liu Xizhao, feeling sidelined, jokingly asked his father, "Who is your real son after all? Did you pick me up?"
Liu Xilai offered Liu Xizhao a position at the company or to start a new business for him, but Liu Xizhao refused, stating he wanted an easy job where money would fall from the sky. Liu Xilai playfully suggested he wanted to be "the feng shui tortoise in the wishing pool." Just then, Wen Xian arrived, initially to see Liu Xizhao, but then expressed surprise at seeing Tian Tian at a family gathering.
Liu Xizhao also joked if Liu Xilai had upgraded his assistant to a girlfriend. Liu Xilai explained that Tian Tian was a special talent he hired, working in different capacities during the day and night. Tian Tian clarified that she was a designer during the day and a special assistant to the CEO after work, though their explanations left others puzzled.
Wen Xian commented on Tian Tian's hard work, to which Liu Xilai responded that it was part of her job to fully reflect her value. At the company, Director Zheng Qian announced exciting news: the design department would be launching the Shan Hai Jing series of designer toys, with the Nine-tailed Fox as the main focus. Designers were expected to submit their proposals by Friday and prepare for overtime, with hotel rooms booked for their convenience.
Eager to contribute, Tian Tian asked Director Zheng if she could submit her own design. Director Zheng told her to focus on organizing competitor data and studying company materials, subtly implying she wasn't ready to design, and noted that Tian Tian's frequent summons by Liu Xilai left her with little time. As they spoke, Assistant Tang called, summoning Tian Tian to Liu Xilai’s office.
There, Liu Xilai, while on a video call with international clients, rested his hand on Tian Tian’s wrist to support himself, allowing him to communicate more easily. Tian Tian observed his diligent and sharp business acumen, resolving to excel in her own design work. Tian Tian worked overtime on her design drafts and showed them to Director Zheng.
Director Zheng was impressed by her unique style and lively lines, giving her permission to submit a proposal for the Shan Hai Jing series by Friday. Tian Tian was ecstatic and immediately immersed herself in design work. However, Liu Xilai's constant calls for assistance consumed much of her time, leaving her design proposal slightly incomplete by the deadline. During the presentation, Director Zheng critiqued other proposals, finding them unoriginal.
When Tian Tian tried to explain her incomplete design, Director Zheng curtly dismissed her, emphasizing that this was a professional setting, not a casual student assignment. She suggested that Tian Tian's talent remained in imagination and advised her to give up if she couldn't dedicate enough time, as it would "burden no one." Tian Tian, understanding the director's point, resolved to solve her work-life balance issue.
Later, Tian Tian confronted Liu Xilai, arguing that she needed more time for design work during the day. She used the analogy of instant coffee versus handmade coffee to explain her need for hands-on experience over just reading documents. Liu Xilai, misinterpreting her metaphor, simply instructed Assistant Tang to replace all instant coffee in the pantry with handmade coffee, completely missing Tian Tian’s underlying message.
Tian Tian felt like she was "a chicken trying to talk to a duck," believing her dream was slipping away despite telling herself she had made the "right choice" to work for Liu Xilai. As Tian Tian pondered how to secure more daytime hours for design, Liu Xilai called, urging her to come to his home for an "emergency rescue" related to Wen Xian's visit.
Liu Xilai admitted he used Tian Tian as a "jinx" against Wen Xian, as he was aware of Wen Xian's affections but didn't know how to handle them. Upon arrival, Tian Tian realized his intention and demanded a clear commitment: from then on, she would be a designer during the day and only work as his special assistant at night. Liu Xilai reluctantly agreed.
Tian Tian quickly took control of the situation, expertly deflecting Wen Xian's passive-aggressive remarks about her multiple roles. As she helped clean up the mess Wen Xian had made, moving paintings and art pieces, she accidentally fell from a ladder. Liu Xilai rushed to help her, and in the process, Tian Tian unexpectedly kissed his forehead. Both were momentarily stunned and embarrassed, while Wen Xian fumed with anger.
After Tian Tian left, Liu Xilai was astonished to discover that he no longer experienced dizziness when seeing red. He was overjoyed, immediately ordering red bedding and canceling all his appointments for the following day to schedule an urgent evaluation with Doctor Li Huai. Doctor Li Huai found the sudden remission of Liu Xilai's psychogenic hemophobia unusual.
During a hypnotic session, Liu Xilai recalled a fragmented memory of a little girl holding his hand and kissing his forehead after his childhood car accident, which had brought him comfort. Li Huai suggested that Tian Tian's accidental forehead kiss might have recreated that soothing experience, potentially triggering the unexpected improvement in his condition by opening his psychological block.
While Li Huai cautioned that it was too early to declare a cure and further observation was needed, Liu Xilai, feeling significantly better, decided to "seize the day" and enjoy his newfound freedom from his red phobia. He later showcased a Sisley painting he claimed to have bought as a welcome gift for Liu Xizhao. However, Liu Xizhao, interpreting the "green foxtail" in the painting as a subtle insult, jokingly called Liu Xilai a "cunning person," sensing a hidden meaning.
