Love Me Like I Do Episode 8 Recap
> Love Me Like I Do Recap
Liu Xizhao brought Wen Xian home. Upon learning of Liu Xilai's trip to Shanshui Village from this encounter, Wen Zhicai immediately ordered an investigation into the true purpose of Liu Xilai's visit. Meanwhile, Wen Xian, still recovering from her illness, preferred the quiet of her studio to her father's incessant nagging at home. Early the next morning, Liu Xilai awoke and looked at Tian Tian, who was still asleep beside him.
He reflected on her encouraging words from the previous night, and a tender affection for her began to blossom in his heart, subtly changing his feelings towards her. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a door opening outside. He quickly woke Tian Tian, and together they intercepted the person attempting to leave the house. Liu Xilai confidently addressed him as Luo Ci, confirming that he was indeed the reclusive artist Xia Feng.
Luo Ci, surprised, asked how Liu Xilai had uncovered his identity. Liu Xilai explained that their repeated "chance" encounters in the village were too frequent to be coincidental, and he had noticed Ziyunmo paint on Luo Ci's hand on several occasions. Although impressed by Liu Xilai's keen observation, Luo Ci still refused to grant Qiansheng Group the authorization for his artwork. Determined to persuade him, Tian Tian followed Luo Ci to his vibrant flower field.
She offered to help him weed, deliberately avoiding the topic of authorization. Liu Xilai, initially reluctant and showing little aptitude for manual labor, eventually joined in, learning how to properly use a hoe from Tian Tian. His sincere effort in the arduous task began to make an impression on Luo Ci.
Liu Xilai then spoke about the special significance of the vervain flowers and the cutesy cat to Luo Ci, revealing his understanding of Luo Ci's deep emotional connection to his art. He shared his own story, explaining that his cutesy cat, Dafu, was a cherished gift from his grandmother and had been a comforting companion during his loneliest times after her passing, much like a family member.
Luo Ci resonated with this sentiment but was hesitant to commercialize such a personal memory. Liu Xilai proposed establishing a "Dafu Fund" from a portion of the cutesy cat designer toy sales, dedicating it to charity and supporting homes for stray animals. This, he argued, would make Dafu's legacy even more meaningful by allowing more lonely people to experience the joy of companionship.
Convinced by Liu Xilai's heartfelt proposal, Luo Ci finally agreed to authorize Qiansheng Group, hoping Liu Xilai would uphold his promise to support animal welfare. Due to the village's remote location, Luo Ci arranged for a tractor to transport Liu Xilai and Tian Tian to the nearest town. Liu Xilai initially tried to maintain a dignified squat in the tractor but eventually, at Tian Tian's suggestion, he gave in and sat comfortably for the hour-long ride.
Meanwhile, Kevin, having been dismissed from Qiansheng Group, found his attempts to secure other jobs repeatedly blocked. He suspected Liu Xilai was deliberately obstructing his career. At this opportune moment, Wen Zhicai called Kevin, proposing a collaboration that hinted at a plan to disrupt Qiansheng Group. Not long after, Liu Xizhao received alarming news: the media had publicly exposed Qiansheng Group for allegedly using Xia Feng's cutesy cat designs without authorization. Liu Xizhao immediately called Liu Xilai.
Despite the poor phone signal, Liu Xilai calmly reassured his brother that he had already secured the authorization and would publicly announce it at the product launch event scheduled for the following day. He instructed Liu Xizhao to remain calm and prepare for the event, confident that everything was under control. Liu Xilai and Tian Tian had planned to return to the city that evening, but their journey was plagued by misfortune. The tractor broke down unexpectedly mid-route.
The driver informed them that a bus station was a mere twenty-minute walk away. However, after walking for over half an hour, Liu Xilai, utterly exhausted, struggled to continue. Despite his claims of being a long-distance running champion, his legs were visibly shaking. Tian Tian, seeing his struggle, insisted on taking the heavy luggage. When they finally reached the bus station, they were dismayed to discover that buses only operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and today was Sunday.
To make matters worse, a heavy downpour began, forcing them to seek shelter in an abandoned factory. Their phones had no signal, making it impossible to return to the city that night. While sheltering in the factory, strange howling sounds emanated from within, startling Liu Xilai, who instinctively hid behind Tian Tian. Tian Tian, calmer, investigated and found the sounds were merely the wind blowing into empty plastic buckets, which then echoed through the abandoned space, making it seem scary.
She then offered Liu Xilai a cup of ginger tea to ward off the chill and later, a self-heating hotpot to replenish their energy. Impressed by her resourcefulness and thoughtful nature, Liu Xilai openly expressed his admiration for her tenacious personality, also noting her delicate inner self and ability to provide a sense of security. Determined to find a way out, Liu Xilai decided to contact his friend, Li Huai.
He found a wooden box, stood on it, and stretched his arm high, hoping to catch a fleeting signal to send a message. In his eagerness, he slipped, almost falling, but Tian Tian quickly caught him. In the clumsy save, Liu Xilai accidentally kissed Tian Tian's forehead, a familiar yet awkward "forehead kiss" exchange between them.
He managed to send a WeChat message to Li Huai, informing him of their predicament in Peng Town and, in a characteristic display of his confidence, "allowing" Li Huai to drive his luxurious high-end pickup truck to rescue them. Coincidentally, Li Huai was already nearby on a house call. He received Liu Xilai's message and quickly replied that he would pick them up later.
As he sped towards Peng Town in Liu Xilai's car, the slippery road conditions caused him to accidentally scrape off Shan Rousi's rearview mirror. In his haste to reach Liu Xilai, he left his business card with Shan Rousi, instructing her to contact him for insurance claims, and then drove off, leaving a very frustrated Shan Rousi, especially since the car was borrowed and she was concerned about returning it damaged.
Back at Qiansheng Group, concern grew as Liu Xilai remained uncontactable amidst the heavy rain in Shanshui Village and the disruption to public transportation. Liu Xizhao and Wen Xian worried about his ability to return for the morning press conference.
They brainstormed drastic solutions if Liu Xilai couldn't make it, including Wen Xian's suggestion for Liu Xilai to attend the conference in a cutesy cat costume and communicate via an AI toy, or Liu Xizhao's more extreme, though quickly dismissed, idea of setting the company on fire to postpone the event. These desperate ideas highlighted their growing anxiety.
