Negotiator Episode 15 Recap
> Negotiator Recap
Xie Xiaofei's impulsive declaration of love disrupted the negotiations for Xie Corporation, causing unforeseen damage to Tong Wei and CAEA. During the meeting, Ke Wan proposed a marriage alliance between Xie Xiaofei and Zhao Chenxi. Xie Xiaofei, after expressing that love cannot be forced, shockingly "agreed" to the alliance but declared he would never love Zhao Chenxi because he deeply loved Tong Wei, who was present. This revelation led Tong Wei to announce a pause in negotiations.
After everyone else had left, Xie Xiaofei asked Tong Wei if his actions had touched her, but she sternly questioned his motives. She explained that his stunt had created an enemy for Xie Corporation before it even had a chance to enter the Chinese market and had damaged CAEA's reputation, undoing all their hard work. Xie Xiaofei retorted that his own family had "sold his emotions," so he saw no reason to cooperate.
Tong Wei could not understand why he had chosen such a destructive method and insisted on taking full responsibility for the negotiation's failure herself. Enraged, Xie Xiaofei shouted that he had done it on purpose to retaliate against her, because he hated that she prioritized her work over their relationship. Tong Wei, exasperated, simply told him to stop being so childish. Meanwhile, Qin Tianyu, Yang Xiao, and Zhao Chenxi were also reeling from the unexpected turn of events.
Qin Tianyu speculated that Xie Xiaofei and Tong Wei had been together, and his public confession was an act of revenge after their recent breakup, as Tong Wei had reportedly chosen her career over him. Yang Xiao worried about how this exposure would affect Tong Wei's career at CAEA. Zhao Chenxi, however, was too overwhelmed to discuss the project's future, only stating she "just want some quiet" before leaving.
Zhao Chenxi then received an urgent call, learning that her mother's illness was flaring up again after her brother informed her about the negotiation's failure. Yang Xiao expressed his concern, noting that Zhao Chenxi was constantly sacrificing her own emotional well-being to comfort her mother and satisfy her father. He urged her to allow herself to be angry or cry, but Zhao Chenxi explained that her mother had no one else to depend on.
After returning home and successfully calming her mother, who was upset about her daughter's public rejection and worried about her husband's favor, Zhao Chenxi retreated to her room, where she finally broke down, weeping over Xie Xiaofei's rejection and his unwavering love for Tong Wei. Elsewhere, Xiao Xiang approached President Zhou, spreading gossip about Tong Wei and exaggerating the incident's negative impact on CAEA. He even brought up a past scandal involving Xia Shanshan to highlight the seriousness.
President Zhou, however, calmly stated she was aware of the situation and would handle it, dismissing Xiao Xiang. Xie Xiaofei, drinking alone at Luo Bin's club, was spotted by President Zhou, who chastised him for his recklessness while Tong Wei was left to deal with the fallout. Xie Xiaofei claimed he would take full responsibility and asked her not to make things difficult for Tong Wei.
President Zhou countered that he was the one making it difficult, explaining that the Xie Corporation case was crucial for CAEA, and his actions implied Tong Wei had improper personal ties with a client, which was unprofessional conduct. Xie Xiaofei dismissed himself as merely "some playboy who can mess up her life and her work," believing Tong Wei had no expectations of him.
However, President Zhou revealed that Tong Wei had always praised his ambition and talent, and despite company rules, she had entered a relationship with him because she truly loved him. She further explained that Tong Wei, having lost her parents at a young age, yearned for a stable family life—something Xie Xiaofei, in his current state, could not provide.
President Zhou admitted she had advised Tong Wei to end the relationship because Tong Wei could not afford the heartbreak if it failed. President Zhou urged Xie Xiaofei to stop causing trouble for Tong Wei before leaving. Xie Xiaofei, now reflective, acknowledged that he had been too stubborn and had failed to understand Tong Wei's true feelings. Returning to his hotel, Xie Xiaofei sent a message to Tong Tiantian, asking her to steal Tong Wei's passport.
Tiantian successfully obtained the passport but demanded to be taken to America as well. Xie Xiaofei initially agreed but then explained that he had important business matters to attend to and wouldn't be able to host her properly. Tiantian, driven by a desire for Xie Xiaofei and Tong Wei's happiness rather than personal gain, eventually relented. Xie Xiaofei thanked her, but privately worried he would disappoint her.
Soon after, Xie Corporation employees frantically tried to contact Xie Xiaofei on behalf of his furious father, who was in the U. S. and upset about the potential loss of the Chinese market. Xie Xiaofei, defiant, switched off his phone and unplugged the landline, refusing to engage. Meanwhile, Xia Shanshan met with Tong Wei, expressing her concern.
Tong Wei felt Xie Xiaofei's public confession was an act of revenge stemming from their breakup, which Tong Wei had initiated due to his inability to accept her prioritizing her job. Xia Shanshan, although Tong Wei's friend, sided with Xie Xiaofei, arguing that Tong Wei shouldn't abandon someone with such sincere feelings for her because of work.
Tong Wei, however, explained her history of self-reliance, stating that she couldn't risk her hard-earned career for a relationship that might not succeed, feeling it would let down both herself and her deceased parents. Despite admitting her love for Xie Xiaofei, Tong Wei believed he would ultimately be a "passing traveler" in her life. She assured Xia Shanshan that she was fine and would overcome the heartbreak. Back at her company, Tong Wei found herself the subject of office gossip.
President Zhou summoned her to her office, where President Qu, a senior executive from Hangzhou, was also present. President Qu directly attributed the project's failure to Tong Wei, accusing her of abusing her position for personal reasons and demanding an explanation for the negative impact on CAEA's professional standing. Tong Wei accepted full responsibility and offered her resignation. President Zhou, however, intervened, arguing that Xie Corporation and Ke Wan had privately arranged a marriage alliance, essentially using CAEA.
She also reasoned that dismissing Tong Wei would implicitly acknowledge CAEA's sole blame for the failure and leave the company short-staffed. Ultimately, President Qu agreed to let Tong Wei write a suspension report while President Zhou submitted her own letter of reflection to headquarters. Tong Wei confided in a colleague that she would have preferred dismissal to writing the difficult report, especially given President Qu's direct involvement. Elsewhere, Yang Xiao took Zhao Chenxi to an arcade to lift her spirits.
She enjoyed the games but declined to play the claw machine, stating that "the fairy of luck never smiles on me," fearing disappointment. Yang Xiao insisted he could win her a toy, but Zhao Chenxi remained unconvinced, preferring to end the day on a happy note. Despite her claims, she admitted to feeling much better after their outing, though she still felt aggravated thinking about her brother's inevitable smugness regarding the failed project.
Two days later, Tong Wei sat in her office, struggling to write her suspension report. Just then, Xie Xiaofei called, demanding to see her immediately. He threatened to come up to her office if she didn't come down within two minutes, knowing it would cause a scene. Tong Wei, left with no choice, descended to meet him.
Upon their meeting, Xie Xiaofei informed her that he was there to say goodbye, as he was returning to America the following day, and hoped she would come to the airport to see him off.
