My Lonely Planet Episode 18 Recap
> My Lonely Planet Recap
Miao Yu, aiming to foster better relationships and a positive work environment among colleagues, decided to organize a team-building activity, which turned out to be mountain climbing. Ken expressed his discontent, remarking that previous team constructions had just been "extra work," but acknowledged that Mr. Miao's management style had "really changed." Luo Li, showing her thoughtfulness, mentioned she had brought snacks to share later.
Miao Yu announced the first activity: a run along a ring road, with the last person to return being responsible for setting up the tents. Both Ken and Luo Li groaned about the running, even wishing they were back at work. However, Luo Li also praised Mr. Miao, noting he does "everything seriously" and is "reliable."
Ken agreed, adding that Mr. Miao is "so serious and responsible about his relationship," but his ex-girlfriend "didn't cherish him," and his next girlfriend "must be very happy." Zhou Xixi, who felt somewhat distant from the others, persevered despite feeling unwell, determined not to appear unsociable, even though the long run was proving difficult. Luo Li, with her usual perceptiveness, noticed Zhou Xixi's distress during the run and kindly offered a way out.
She asked if Zhou Xixi was alright, to which Zhou Xixi initially insisted she was fine. However, Zhou Xixi soon admitted she "can't walk anymore" and was "tired," prompting Luo Li to suggest a break. Zhou Xixi then confided that she was "having menstrual cramps," and Luo Li worried she might faint. Zhou Xixi explained her reluctance to stop, fearing the others would think she was "asocial" since they all "get along very well."
Luo Li, however, dismissed her concerns, calling Zhou Xixi "square-toed" and suggesting they "return by the original way," as no one else but Mr. Miao truly wanted to run. When Miao Yu spotted them and jokingly accused them of "cheating," Luo Li quickly covered for Zhou Xixi, claiming she herself was suffering from dysmenorrhea and had asked Zhou Xixi to keep her company. Miao Yu, prioritizing health, accepted this explanation and told Zhou Xixi to "take good care of her."
Zhou Xixi thanked Luo Li, who downplayed it, then confessed that she "didn't think a lot before speaking" and was perhaps too direct at work, offering for Zhou Xixi to "hit her" if she ever annoyed her. Zhou Xixi, in turn, admitted she was indeed "a square-toed person" who didn't "know how to communicate with others." Luo Li humorously concluded they were "the two of us," a perfect pair.
She then offered practical advice about drinking ginger and black sugar soup for dysmenorrhea, and they found common ground, bonding over shared interests in fashion, specifically shoes, feeling like they were "meeting for the first time." Soon, Ken joined them with food, proclaiming that this interaction was "the significance of team construction" and proposing they play Truth or Dare, which everyone readily agreed to. Later, at the mountaintop, after setting up their tents, everyone gathered to play Truth or Dare.
The game started lightheartedly, with questions like "What color is your underwear?" and dares to "hug the one at your left." When it was Zhou Xixi's turn, she was asked "Who will you think of before you sleep?" and she revealed it was a celebrity whose Weibo she checked nightly. For Wang Chen's turn, the question was "Where did you kiss last time?"
She answered "At home," but when the others pressed if it was with her ex or her pet, "Lady Meow," she clarified it was neither, causing the conversation to awkwardly shift. Finally, when it was Miao Yu's turn, he looked directly at Wang Chen and declared, "Wang Chen, I like you." However, everyone dismissed it as just a "Dare," laughing and remarking that he played it so convincingly they "nearly believed it."
Frustrated by this failed public declaration, Miao Yu and Wang Chen later sat together, with Miao Yu lamenting that he had planned to "announce our relationship," but everyone had "mistook it as Dare," concluding that "they never thought we can be together." As they watched the stars at midnight, Wang Chen remarked on the "unbelievable" journey that led them from disliking each other to being together. Miao Yu agreed, finding it both "inexplicable" yet "reasonable."
Despite Wang Chen's usual reluctance to display personal feelings on social media, Miao Yu, asserting his "no plan B" approach, convinced her. They then decided to announce their relationship by simultaneously posting on their respective social media accounts. The next morning, Ken, Luo Li, and Zhou Xixi woke up together in one tent, expressing their surprise. After some discussion, one of them exclaimed in disbelief, "Chen and Mr. Miao stayed together last night?"
Despite this, they quickly dismissed the idea of them being a couple, insisting that "Mr. Miao is not that kind of person" and is "honest," believing such a romantic pairing was impossible for them. Meanwhile, in their own tent, Miao Yu tenderly watched Wang Chen as she slept, appreciating the happiness of waking up beside his beloved. After they both fully awoke, they soon noticed an unusual quietness. Wang Chen commented, "Why it's so quiet? It's weird.
Is it they haven't seen the moments? They should have. My WeChat should have a lot of messages now. At least my parents should know it." Upon checking their phones, they discovered there was no signal on the mountain. Miao Yu realized, "No signal. The message hasn't been sent out." Their plan to publicly announce their relationship had failed once again. Fluffeee eventually secured a potential investor, Mr. Yu. Miao Yu introduced Wang Chen as his partner.
Mr. Yu initially praised their workspace and products, contrasting them with companies that present well on paper but disappoint in reality, recognizing them as "good businessmen." However, he immediately voiced his strong reservations about "companies operated by a couple," expressing concern that such partnerships tend to "fail when they argue," potentially "waste the money input by the investors."
Miao Yu started to disclose their relationship, but Wang Chen quickly stopped him, assuring Mr. Yu that they would "put their energies into work" and that he shouldn't "worry." Satisfied, Mr. Yu agreed to prepare the contracts. Afterward, Miao Yu asked Wang Chen if she was "sure they keep it secret," expressing concern that she might feel "wronged" by their "secret relationship." Wang Chen prioritized Fluffeee, stating, "We can't wrong Fluffeee."
Miao Yu then playfully suggested she should "behave like other girls and be more dependent," giving him "some space to show himself," to which Wang Chen teased him about referring to an ex-girlfriend, which he denied. Miao Yu then proposed a "secret signal" for their private conversations, "God covers tigers," but Wang Chen playfully dismissed it, reminding him they were "secret lovers, not informants."
This exchange highlighted their growing affection and the sacrifices they were making for their shared business venture, intensifying their love. As Miao Yu prepared to leave, Wang Chen stopped him, noticing a prominent kiss mark on his neck. Miao Yu jokingly asked if he was "too handsome," but Wang Chen insisted he "should change his clothes" to a "turtleneck" to cover it. Miao Yu realized his turtlenecks had been discarded.
Wang Chen tried to conceal it with makeup, playfully noting his concealer was "overdue" before finding a suitable turtleneck for him. Later, while giving instructions to Ken, Miao Yu subtly reminded Wang Chen not to reveal his neck. The kiss mark, a symbol of their affection, also sparked an idea for Wang Chen. At a design meeting, her new design, inspired by the "kiss," was presented.
Colleagues praised its "lovely" and "best" qualities, wondering if she had "met someone," but Wang Chen vaguely attributed the idea to sudden inspiration. The design received unanimous approval and was immediately moved into the development procedure, with Wang Chen emphasizing that their "kiss" design had a "core" and thus the potential to be popular, much like famous brand symbols.
She passionately declared that Fluffeee was not just a trendy brand and she "didn't care whether it would be popular," stating, "If we can't make it well, I'd rather give it up." However, Miao Yu's contract signing with Mr. Yu faced an unexpected obstacle.
Mr. Yu initially cited his assistant taking the "official seal" on a business trip as the reason for the delay, but later revealed his underlying concern: he had "heard in the industry that your designer is very emotional, idealistic, and cares little about cost." Miao Yu staunchly defended Wang Chen, emphasizing her "own pursuit" as a designer and assuring Mr. Yu that he would "manage" the operational aspects and "won't disappoint the investors."
Mr. Yu acknowledged this, stating he was "looking forward to their achievements." Mr. Yu's concerns about Wang Chen's design philosophy proved accurate. In a design meeting, when the team suggested using "terylene blending" fabric for an "undershirt" as a solution for printing issues, Wang Chen vehemently rejected it. She argued that while sweaters were "flexible and stiff," an undershirt would be "too soft," declaring, "We don't want to be a street vendor.
If we can't make it well, I'd rather give it up." This uncompromising stance on quality clashed with Miao Yu's more pragmatic approach, leading to their first significant argument. Later, Miao Yu attempted to discuss the "undershirt" issue, agreeing that Fluffeee should be a "brand with good reputation and popularity" and "no quick money."
However, he emphasized the "urgent affairs" of survival, explaining that their initial financing could only "support them for six months at most" due to high expenses for premium materials and longer production cycles. Wang Chen, refusing to "rush design," questioned why he was "so stubborn" and hurt him by asking if he wanted to make Fluffeee "the next Walnut." Miao Yu was deeply wounded, asking, "You think me in this way? You think I'll make the same mistake, right?"
Wang Chen immediately apologized, attributing her harsh words to her "Coffee" personality speaking without thinking. After this argument, Wang Chen sought advice from Ling Sansan, who noted that Wang Chen and Miao Yu were "not themselves today" and couldn't work. Sansan encouraged her to resolve the conflict, but Wang Chen felt overwhelmed by their "many different ideas and focuses." She decided to go home to apologize to Miao Yu but found him absent.
During this time, she inadvertently discovered a contract for Miao Yu's house sale. Wang Chen had believed Fluffeee's operating costs were covered by investment, but now tearfully realized that Miao Yu had sold his house, pouring all his savings into the business. She understood why Miao Yu was "so urgent" about generating revenue, regretting her earlier accusation of him "seeking quick success."
Miao Yu later confirmed he had indeed sold his house, treating it as his "angel round investment" to protect her from the pressure. He explained that all startups involve risks and, as a former CEO, he believed in Fluffeee's future and that "every penny" he invested "will be paid back." Wang Chen, deeply touched, promised to "look forward" but made him vow to "tell her everything related to Fluffeee" from that moment on. The misunderstanding cleared, their relationship grew stronger.
Faced with Mr. Yu's reservations, Miao Yu diligently researched the investor's entrepreneurial journey. In their next meeting, Mr. Yu questioned why Miao Yu only presented a "design drawing" instead of physical "samples." Miao Yu explained that "good products need time" and that "quality depends much on energy," asserting that "fast new arrivals without good quality" would "damage the life of the brand" in the long run.
He emphasized that a designer brand "should have its own attitude" and not rely on constant new arrivals to "attract customers." Miao Yu then skillfully referenced Mr. Yu's own history, reminding him that when he started in the catering industry, everyone thought Sichuan cuisine in the south could only be a "short-term" endeavor for "quick money." He highlighted Mr. Yu's "insistence" and "courage" in making it "a high-end Sichuan cuisine brand with good reputation and popularity."
Mr. Yu was impressed that Miao Yu had "even investigated his development history," confirming that he indeed "relied on insistence and courage" and that "quality is the absolute principle." Convinced by Miao Yu's sincerity and shared belief in quality, Mr. Yu declared the "design concept good" and that they "must work hard." He then signed the contract, marking the success of Fluffeee's investment. Miao Yu gratefully assured him, "We won't disappoint you."
