Negotiator Episode 28 Recap
> Negotiator Recap
Zhao Chenxi had dinner with her parents, where her mother expressed concern that Zhao Chenxi's demanding work schedule was interfering with her dating life. Her mother highly recommended Yang Xiao, but Zhao Chenxi's feelings differed greatly from her mother's wishes. Her father also mentioned that he planned to hand over the company to Zhao Chenxi in the future and hoped she would have a reliable partner by her side to assist her.
Later, Zhao Chenxi's mother brought her milk before bed, advising her not to overemphasize "feelings" in marriage, drawing from her 20 years of experience. She urged Zhao Chenxi to choose a man who loved her more, believing it would ensure a happier life, and suggested giving Yang Xiao a chance. Zhao Chenxi, however, found it difficult to forget Xie Xiaofei and therefore accept Yang Xiao, but agreed to give him a chance.
Meanwhile, after a day of fruitless job hunting, a dejected Xie Xiaofei returned home. Understanding Shang Bichen helped him by submitting his resume online, and hearing her own job search experiences made Xie Xiaofei realize the importance of accepting any work, even at a lower level. Earlier, Xie Xiaofei had been struggling to locate 'Tommy Cai', a crucial figure for his family's business.
With help from Shang Bichen, who noted a photo's retro style, and Tong Wei, they traced the photographer who identified the man in the photo as Lei Xiong. They found Lei Xiong living in seclusion in Suzhou. Lei Xiong revealed he was merely a proxy shareholder for Tommy Cai and had never met Tommy Cai in person, dashing Xie Xiaofei's hopes of a quick resolution to his family's financial woes.
Separately, Xia Shan Shan discovered she was pregnant and shared the happy news with Old Qi. While both were pleased, Old Qi hesitated when Shan Shan pressed for marriage, asking for a week to consider. Later, Tong Wei and Xia Shan Shan met for afternoon tea, celebrating Shan Shan's pregnancy, though Shan Shan expressed concern about Tong Wei's job search. Around the same time, Xie Xiaofei received a call from Haoke Catering Group, inviting him for a manager interview.
Overjoyed, he shared the good news with Tong Wei, and later excitedly offered to treat both Tong Wei and Shan Shan to a meal. Yang Xiao then took Zhao Chenxi to a quiet restaurant to celebrate their five-year acquaintance. He confessed his feelings to her, recalling their first meeting at an amusement park. Zhao Chenxi was touched but confessed she couldn't forget Xie Xiaofei.
Understanding her dilemma, Yang Xiao took her to a claw machine, trying to prove that happiness could be actively pursued. When the machine malfunctioned, Yang Xiao angrily yelled at the staff. Zhao Chenxi, following him out, reminded him of her mother's advice to choose a man who loved her more and, despite not loving him yet, agreed to give him a chance.
The next morning, Xie Xiaofei arrived at Haoke restaurant for his 'manager' interview, only to be given a delivery uniform and told his actual job was a 'preparatory manager' which meant delivering food. Despite his initial hesitation, the promise of 150 yuan a day convinced him to accept. His first delivery was challenging, requiring him to climb 13 flights of stairs due to a broken elevator.
On a subsequent delivery, he found an elderly woman who had collapsed and promptly called 120 for help. Facing a demanding boss and arduous work, Xie Xiaofei, shedding his former pride, resolved to work diligently for Tong Wei and their future. Qin Tianyu then brought Tong Wei to the Fu Tong Law Firm to seek her help with the Yep and Quick cooperation. He also offered her a full-time legal consultant position, understanding her current employment difficulties.
Initially, Tong Wei hesitated, feeling he pitied her, but Qin Tianyu argued that while other large companies might avoid her, their long-standing partnership at the firm would ensure harmonious collaboration. Convinced, Tong Wei accepted the offer. She later informed Xie Xiaofei about her new job, which made him jealous, but she managed to reassure him. A colleague warmly greeted Tong Wei, recalling her crucial role in securing Mr. Chen Mo's partnership.
During a meeting about the upcoming layoffs, Tong Wei presented an alternative plan to the initial compensation offer. She proposed establishing an "angel fund" to utilize the severance money, helping the laid-off founding members launch their own startups with financial and resource support from Yep. Tong Wei explained that since Chen Mo and his team were driven by emotions, this approach would allow them a dignified exit, create a win-win scenario, and enhance Yep's reputation ahead of its NASDAQ listing.
The proposal was met with enthusiasm and approved by the team. Later, Qin Tianyu surprised Shang Bichen with a visit to a phone store to celebrate their one-month dating anniversary. He bought her a new phone, expressing his desire for it to be filled with their shared memories. Tong Tiantian and her boyfriend were at a restaurant when Xie Xiaofei, wearing a uniform, tried to avoid their notice.
Tong Tiantian, however, spotted him and confronted him, asking why he was working as a waiter when he had told Tong Wei he was a manager at a major restaurant group. Xie Xiaofei admitted he was actually a delivery boy, filling in due to staff shortages. He confessed that despite applying to numerous companies as Tong Tiantian had advised, only this one hired him, initially promising a managerial role but assigning him delivery duties.
He pleaded with Tong Tiantian not to tell Tong Wei, stressing his need to maintain his dignity and repay his debts. Tong Tiantian's boyfriend supported Xie Xiaofei's desire to save face. While agreeing to keep his secret for now, Tong Tiantian cautioned him that he couldn't hide it forever. Xie Xiaofei assured them he understood.
Tong Tiantian later confided in her boyfriend, expressing sadness over Xie Xiaofei's family bankruptcy and his current job, and worrying about the impact on Tong Wei's relationship. Unbeknownst to Xie Xiaofei, his resume had been sent to Ke Wan's company, where Yang Xiao learned of his job applications. The chairman, intending to 'avenge' Zhao Chenxi, instructed Yang Xiao to collude with other major companies to blacklist Xie Xiaofei, making it nearly impossible for him to find employment elsewhere.
At her office, Zhao Chenxi and her colleague Luo Bin were present when Luo Bin deliberately ordered takeout from Xie Xiaofei's restaurant, revealing Xie Xiaofei's current job as a delivery person. Luo Bin attempted to persuade Xie Xiaofei to join their company, disparaging delivery jobs. Xie Xiaofei, however, responded defensively, declaring his intent to excel in his current career to prove them wrong. Zhao Chenxi tried to intervene, suggesting his talent was being wasted.
Xie Xiaofei rejected her pity, explaining that after his life had fallen apart, he had lost his fighting spirit. Now, he wanted to demonstrate to Tong Wei that he could bounce back from any setback. He insisted he was content and happy. He then playfully reminded Zhao Chenxi that she had once remarked he looked like a delivery boy, jokingly asking if she was now satisfied.
Before he left for his next delivery, Zhao Chenxi informed him that Yang Xiao had confessed his feelings to her. Xie Xiaofei offered his congratulations and best wishes before hurrying away. After Xie Xiaofei's departure, Luo Bin revealed to Zhao Chenxi that Yang Xiao was responsible for Xie Xiaofei's troubles.
He claimed Yang Xiao, aware of Xie Xiaofei's downfall, had actively ensured Xie Xiaofei would distance himself from Zhao Chenxi, and then used Ke Wan's influence to blacklist him from other companies. Luo Bin confessed he had arranged for Xie Xiaofei to deliver their food specifically to expose Yang Xiao's actions. Zhao Chenxi confronted Yang Xiao, demanding to know why he had lied to her and been so ruthless to Xie Xiaofei, driving him to become a delivery boy.
Yang Xiao tried to blame the chairman but then dismissively suggested Xie Xiaofei deserved the lesson for his past actions towards Zhao Chenxi. Zhao Chenxi expressed profound disappointment in Yang Xiao. Shang Bichen's mother approached Shang Bichen, expressing concern about her relationship with Qin Tianyu. Her mother had observed Qin Tianyu's attentive behavior towards Tong Wei, particularly how he opened a car door for her, leading her to doubt his sincerity towards Shang Bichen.
She suspected Qin Tianyu was merely being formal with Shang Bichen but shared a deeper intimacy with Tong Wei. Shang Bichen tried to brush off her mother's worries, explaining that large companies had policies against colleagues dating publicly. However, her mother, relying on her 20 years of experience as a teaching adviser, insisted that genuine feelings would lead one to resign rather than date secretly. She pressed Shang Bichen to urge Qin Tianyu to make their relationship public.
Shang Bichen, annoyed, tried to end the conversation, but her mother left with a warning about the consequences of not listening to elders. Shang Bichen's mother later unexpectedly arrived at the law firm, still believing Shang Bichen was dating Qin Tianyu. Shang Bichen attempted to prevent her mother from meeting her colleagues. Qin Tianyu suggested they all go for coffee to discuss the situation.
Shang Bichen explained her dilemma, detailing how her conservative hometown and proud parents expected her to marry well and work locally after her prestigious education. She, however, dreamed of building a successful career in the city, inspired by individuals like Qin Tianyu and Tong Wei. Qin Tianyu agreed to help maintain the facade with her mother but advised Shang Bichen to devise a long-term strategy for revealing the truth.
Tong Wei and her team successfully concluded the Yep/Quick layoff plan, with fifteen individuals opting for severance and eighteen choosing the angel fund investment opportunity. Qin Tianyu commended Tong Wei's exceptional work and tried to offer her a long-term contract at Fu Tong, promising to double her previous salary. Tong Wei politely declined, reaffirming her ambition to follow her idol, Jonathan, to the CAEA headquarters in the United States.
She quoted Jonathan's philosophy, "Negotiation isn't a tit-for-tat struggle; it's a meeting of the heart," and expressed her desire to challenge herself again. Qin Tianyu accepted her decision, assuring her that Fu Tong would always be a refuge if she encountered difficulties. Later, Qin Tianyu announced the project's success to the department, crediting Tong Wei, and informed everyone that their annual bonus would double. He arranged a KTV celebration, allowing colleagues to bring family members.
Tong Wei called Xie Xiaofei to invite him to the KTV celebration. Xie Xiaofei, having just received a large order that required him to deliver and then clean up, told Tong Wei he had to work overtime due to his "high position" at work, feigning busyness. He lied about being unable to attend. Unaware of his true employment, Tong Wei informed her colleagues that Xie Xiaofei was the general manager of a multinational restaurant group, explaining his absence.
Xie Xiaofei later received new instructions that he must not only deliver food but also stay to serve customers and clean up, confirming he would be working very late. At the KTV party, Qin Tianyu congratulated Shang Bichen and Zhao Xiao for receiving their qualification certificates, and other colleagues on their achievements, and formally welcomed Tong Wei to the department, expressing confidence in their future success.
During a game of truth or dare, Shang Bichen received a call from her mother, who, worried, had followed her to the KTV. Shang Bichen attempted to send her mother home, but her mother insisted on staying to meet her colleagues, promising to sit quietly. Shang Bichen then introduced her mother to her colleagues. Coincidentally, Xie Xiaofei arrived at the KTV room to deliver food. Tong Wei was shocked to see him.
Xie Xiaofei quickly tried to leave, citing a colleague's family emergency as an excuse for his presence. Tong Wei, trying to protect his secret from her colleagues, pretended to search for forgotten tableware. Xie Xiaofei sent her a text message, asking her to pretend not to know him to avoid embarrassing her in front of her colleagues. The KTV party continued with truth or dare. Qin Tianyu was dared to hug someone of the opposite gender.
Colleagues noticed him looking at Tong Wei and teased him, but Qin Tianyu instead walked over and embraced Shang Bichen, confessing, "Bichen, I like you." Shang Bichen's mother, witnessing Qin Tianyu's unexpected confession and embrace, called out "Bichen, Bichen!" in surprise.
