Negotiator Episode 10 Recap
> Negotiator Recap
After Xie Xiaofei recorded Tong Wei's unexpected confession of affection, he playfully declared her his girlfriend when she tried to retrieve the voice recorder and stumbled into his arms. Later that evening, as they celebrated at a bar, Tong Wei expressed deep reservations about their relationship.
She explained that she had always led a meticulous and controlled life, especially concerning her career, and their secret relationship, particularly given company rules against employees dating employers, made her feel a disconcerting loss of control. Although she admitted her perception of him had changed during their trip to Suzhou, she worried that their relationship would only lead to endless complications.
Desperate to keep her, Xie Xiaofei promised to maintain absolute secrecy, vowing not to let anyone at the company discover their relationship and to avoid any trouble. He earnestly pleaded with her not to even contemplate breaking up. Later, as he drove her home, Xie Xiaofei attempted to secure a goodbye kiss.
Tong Wei initially hesitated, giving him only a light flick on the forehead, but then, with a shy smile, she quickly gave him a peck before hurrying inside, leaving him utterly delighted. Meanwhile, at home, Tong Tiantian, feeling guilty about selling Tong Wei's pen, bought an expensive new one and secretly left it outside Tong Wei's room. Discovering the pen, Tong Wei understood Tiantian's heartfelt apology.
She then texted Xie Xiaofei, asking him to do her a favor by contacting his ex-girlfriend, Song Aili, seeing it as an opportunity for him to make amends for a past mistake. The next day, Tong Wei picked up Tiantian from school and took her to dinner, hoping to reconcile. Tiantian confessed her strong dislike for Tong Wei, explaining that bringing her back from New York had caused her to miss a significant opportunity in the fashion industry.
Tong Wei apologized and promised to secure Tiantian a ticket to the next fashion show. Tiantian, however, remained stubborn, stating she still disliked Tong Wei's arrogant demeanor. At that moment, Xie Xiaofei arrived, presenting Tiantian with an autographed photo of Song Aili, which thrilled her. Tiantian then brought up rumors about Tong Wei and Xie Xiaofei, questioning their relationship. As they left the restaurant, Tiantian noticed Xie Xiaofei affectionately touching Tong Wei's head, instantly realizing they were a couple.
Xie Xiaofei, without hesitation, openly admitted that Tong Wei was his girlfriend. Mindful of company policy, Tong Wei implored Tiantian to keep their relationship a secret. Tiantian, ever the pragmatist, demanded a "fee" for her silence, pointing out that she had spent her entire allowance on Tong Wei’s replacement pen. Tong Wei agreed to transfer 2000 yuan to Tiantian, who then happily began referring to Xie Xiaofei as her "brother-in-law."
Upon their arrival at the company's underground parking lot, Xie Xiaofei attempted to be intimate with Tong Wei, but she quickly pulled away, reminding him they were at work and needed to maintain a professional distance. In the elevator, they unexpectedly encountered Jiang Ke, who greeted Tong Wei with an enthusiastic hug. A visibly jealous Xie Xiaofei swiftly intervened, separating them.
Jiang Ke, observing Xie Xiaofei's uncharacteristically early arrival, teased him about his vibrant social life, mentioning his past in New York with "celebrities, models, and tons of girlfriends." Tong Wei, amused, played along with the banter, leaving Xie Xiaofei flustered and struggling to defend himself. At the law firm, Shang Bichen, while making tea, overheard her colleague, Sister Wen, discussing Qin Tianyu.
Shang Bichen was eager to know if Qin Tianyu had a girlfriend and learned that he harbored strong feelings for Tong Wei. Sister Wen recounted how Tong Wei, as a freshman, had challenged Qin Tianyu, then the star president of the university debate club, eventually defeating him after a year of diligent practice. Since then, Qin Tianyu had been relentlessly pursuing her. Shang Bichen felt a pang of despair, realizing her own chances with Qin Tianyu were slim.
Nevertheless, Sister Wen encouraged her, assuring her that Qin Tianyu recognized her potential and believed she could become his assistant. Meanwhile, Qin Tianyu received confirmation that Tong Wei had indeed rejoined the project team. Realizing that Xie Xiaofei's pursuit of Tong Wei was serious, Qin Tianyu decided he could no longer stand by idly. During the project meeting, Tong Wei and Xie Xiaofei displayed remarkable synergy as they discussed negotiation strategies.
Xie Xiaofei proposed a bold initial demand to Ke Wan—requesting 80% or more stock for Xie Corporation—to create leverage. This would allow them to later "take a step back" and achieve a more favorable compromise. Tong Wei readily endorsed the strategy, explaining the tactic of having one party lead the negotiation while the other handled the "dirty work."
Their seamless coordination was noticed by colleagues, with one remarking that President Fei and Tong Wei seemed to be working from a shared script. Xie Xiaofei proudly proclaimed it a "heavenly match," prompting a colleague to suggest he refrain from using such idioms to avoid misunderstandings. Shortly after, Tong Wei was called away to meet Qin Tianyu, who had brought her father's diary. Feeling uneasy about them being alone, Xie Xiaofei attempted to eavesdrop outside Tong Wei's office.
He was intercepted by Xiao Xiang, whom he tried to deter by pretending to admire the plants. Unaware of Xie Xiaofei’s true relationship with Tong Wei, Xiao Xiang maliciously insinuated that Tong Wei and Qin Tianyu were a couple and spoke ill of Tong Wei. Enraged, Xie Xiaofei grabbed Xiao Xiang by his tie but, remembering Tong Wei’s previous advice about controlling his temper, quickly released him, feigning adjustment of Xiao Xiang's tie before the startled man departed.
Inside her office, Tong Wei was thrilled to receive her father's diary from Qin Tianyu, hoping it would shed light on the past. However, her excitement turned to disappointment when she discovered that several crucial pages had been torn out. Tong Wei's emotional state, triggered by the discovery of her father's incomplete diary, was further complicated by Xie Xiaofei's lingering foul mood.
Still agitated by Xiao Xiang's remarks, Xie Xiaofei twice interrupted Tong Wei in her office, urging her to return to the meeting. Back in the meeting room, he confronted her, visibly upset by her prolonged conversation with Qin Tianyu. Tong Wei, recognizing his jealousy, chuckled and calmly clarified the situation. Xie Xiaofei, asserting his role as her boyfriend, demanded that she refrain from meeting Qin Tianyu alone. Tong Wei firmly rejected this demand as unreasonable, stating she could not comply.
She advised him that if he truly wished to maintain their relationship, he needed to exhibit more maturity rather than behaving like an impulsive child. Though momentarily chastised, Xie Xiaofei secretly vowed to prove himself the man truly worthy of her. Later, after a taxing day, Tong Wei accompanied Xia Shanshan to a beauty salon. Xia Shanshan, in high spirits, shared that her wedding dress was ready as she eagerly awaited becoming Mrs. Qi.
The massage therapist complimented Tong Wei's improved complexion, prompting Xia Shanshan to playfully ask if Tong Wei had found a new man. Tong Wei chose to keep her relationship with Xie Xiaofei private for the time being. Xia Shanshan then offered her friend advice, earnestly urging her to seek a stable and reliable partner suitable for marriage. As the two friends left the spa, Tong Wei unexpectedly spotted Qi Ruhai with his ex-wife. While Xia Shanshan quickly insisted she was already aware of the situation, her forced smile hinted at a deeper discomfort, leaving Tong Wei concerned for her friend.
