Negotiator Episode 36 Recap
> Negotiator Recap
Qin Tianyu and a young woman shopping, a scene secretly photographed by colleagues from the law firm. Upon returning to the office, Sister Wen quickly informed Shang Bichen, and they all mistakenly assumed Qin Tianyu had a new girlfriend. Later that day, Qin Tianyu noticed Shang Bichen's dejected expression and asked if she was facing work difficulties. Shang Bichen, surprised to see him leave work early, grew more suspicious that he had been on a date.
Back home, Shang Bichen retreated to her room without a word, ignoring Tong Wei and Xie Xiaofei who were having dinner. Just then, her mother called, wishing her a happy solar birthday and expressing concern that she might feel lonely in the big city. Shang Bichen secretly shed tears but still comforted her mother, not wanting her to worry. The next day, Shang Bichen handed Qin Tianyu a letter of resignation, claiming she simply didn't want to work anymore.
However, Qin Tianyu, sensing her severe emotional distress, tried to persuade her to stay. Unable to get a clear answer, he sought Tong Wei's help, asking her to speak with Shang Bichen. During lunch, Tong Wei brought up the matter, but Shang Bichen remained silent. Tong Wei guessed her distress was due to Qin Tianyu. Shang Bichen confessed that she felt exhausted by her long-standing unrequited love for someone who didn't love her back, and thus decided to leave.
Tong Wei relayed this to Qin Tianyu, who, while unwilling to directly reject Shang Bichen, also didn't want her to resign. As night fell, Shang Bichen drank alone in her secret hideout. Qin Tianyu, unable to reach her by phone, found her drunk there. In the dim, starry light, Shang Bichen mistook the Qin Tianyu before her for a dream-like illusion. She asked him to hug her and, uncharacteristically, told him she wasn't afraid of him at all.
Qin Tianyu seized the opportunity to ask why she was resigning. In her drunken state, Shang Bichen blurted out that it was all because of him. Growing more distraught, she told Qin Tianyu that he was her entire faith in living in this city. But now, she believed he had fallen for another woman (besides Tong Wei), and despite all her efforts, she couldn't gain even a bit of his affection.
Shang Bichen wept inconsolably in Qin Tianyu's arms, calling herself pathetic. Qin Tianyu took the drunken Shang Bichen home, asking Tong Wei not to tell her that he was the one who brought her back. Tong Wei promised to take good care of his "lovely little admirer." Upon waking, Shang Bichen learned from Tong Wei that a taxi driver had taken her home, though she still felt her encounter with Qin Tianyu the previous night was very real.
At work, Qin Tianyu agreed to her resignation request but first took her to lunch to meet the girl she had mistakenly thought was his girlfriend. Qin Tianyu revealed the girl was his cousin, Qin Xiaoyu. Shang Bichen was overjoyed upon learning the truth. Qin Tianyu told her he hadn't informed colleagues about her resignation, and Shang Bichen immediately stated she would no longer resign.
Seeing Shang Bichen's happy return home, Tong Wei and Xie Xiaofei felt that good things were on the horizon for her and Qin Tianyu. Separately, General Manager Zhou privately invited Tong Wei for coffee. Impressed by Tong Wei's excellent handling of the Ye Pu and Flash projects, she sincerely hoped Tong Wei would return to CAEA.
General Manager Zhou then revealed that Tong Wei's resignation letter had not been submitted to senior management, who still considered her on unpaid leave and were very willing to welcome her back to her original position. Zhou hoped Tong Wei would seriously consider rejoining CAEA. Tong Wei discussed this with Xie Xiaofei, who knew that only at CAEA could she find the important figures necessary to avenge her parents.
Determined to return to CAEA to achieve her dream, Tong Wei submitted her resignation to Qin Tianyu. Tong Wei once again stood beneath the soaring CAEA building, ready to re-enter the company with a new outlook. However, upon arriving upstairs, she found the entire negotiation department empty, with only an intern who didn't recognize her.
Annoyed, Tong Wei went directly to General Manager Zhou's office, only to push open the door and find everyone gathered inside for a welcome ceremony specially prepared for her. Afterwards, General Manager Zhou handed Tong Wei an invitation to the annual meeting, which would be held in Suzhou this year, and noted that Cai Tianlan was on the attendee list. Zhou had specifically reserved this opportunity for Tong Wei.
Xie Xiaofei, learning that Tong Wei was going to Suzhou and might meet Cai Tianlan, prayed at home for everything to go smoothly. Cai Tianlan arrived in Suzhou as the council president and would attend the annual meeting. Cai Tianlan was indeed the "Tang Mi Cai" that Tong Wei and Xie Xiaofei had been searching for; upon arrival, he contacted Lei Xiong.
Meanwhile, Tong Wei also arrived safely in Suzhou, and her assistant, Jingjing, informed her that a written application might secure a private meeting with the president. Tong Wei returned from Suzhou, where she had gone to meet Tang Mi Cai, the man she and Xie Xiaofei had been searching for.
She discovered a devastating truth: her father had committed suicide because of his own wrongdoing, a revelation that shattered her, as clearing her parents' name had been her sole motivation for over ten years. Overwhelmed by this difficult truth, Tong Wei retreated, refusing to eat or leave her room for three days. Xie Xiaofei was deeply worried about her, realizing she wouldn't listen to him.
He called someone for advice, expressing his concern over Tong Wei's zombie-like state and his fear of what might happen if she remained alone. He suggested reaching out to Shan Shan, Tong Wei's best friend. Xie Xiaofei found a pregnant Shan Shan at her yoga class, who immediately left with him upon hearing Tong Wei needed her. At Tong Wei’s door, Shan Shan insisted Xie Xiaofei kick it open despite his worries for her pregnancy.
Inside, Shan Shan found Tong Wei in despair and urged her to confront her pain, reminding her that her parents weren't bad people despite their flaws and that she needed to let go and continue living. Tong Wei repeatedly told them to leave. Shan Shan then cried outside the room, calling Tong Wei a "bastard" for not wanting her as a friend and worrying about Tong Wei.
Xie Xiaofei tried to calm Shan Shan, reminding her to be careful for her baby. Tong Wei’s aunt and uncle then arrived, equally distraught to learn she hadn't eaten in days. They broke into her room and confronted her, reminding Tong Wei of their thirteen years of care as her adoptive parents and how her current self-destructive behavior disregarded their love. Xie Xiaofei added that Tong Wei's adoptive parents relied on her.
Tong Wei's uncle then gently told her that in their hearts, her parents were good people, and that was enough. Moved by their words, Tong Wei thanked them and asked everyone except Shan Shan to leave so they could talk privately. Tong Wei then apologized to Shan Shan for her past harsh words and for breaking off their friendship due to Shan Shan's choices.
Shan Shan responded that Tong Wei wasn't wrong, admitting she was the type of woman who depended on men, but Tong Wei assured her she understood that Shan Shan’s decisions were driven by love and later, by her baby. Tong Wei confessed that she once believed everything could be perfect, including her family and friends, but her recent experience taught her that nothing in this world is flawless.
She had spent years trying to clear her father's name, convinced he was a good person incapable of crime, and completely broke down upon learning the truth. She acknowledged that her friends and family helped her recover step by step. Shan Shan expressed happiness that the "old Wei Wei" was back, even improved, and asked Tong Wei to promise to remain her best friend forever.
Meanwhile, Xie Xiaofei received news that his loan application was unexpectedly rejected, which would halt his project and prevent him from paying workers. He suspected Song Yong, Chen Xi's father and head of Ke Wan Corporation, was retaliating for Xie Xiaofei's previous humiliation of Chen Xi. A concerned friend advised him that her father couldn't help if Ke Wan was involved. Chen Xi confronted her father about his interference in Xie Xiaofei's loan.
Song Yong admitted to targeting Xie Xiaofei to avenge Chen Xi and Ke Wan's honor, pressuring Chen Xi to marry Yang Xiao, whose family could benefit Ke Wan. Chen Xi, realizing her marriage could be the key, agreed to marry Yang Xiao, internally telling Xie Xiaofei that this was the best she could do for him. Yang Xiao, overjoyed, proposed to Chen Xi, who accepted and urged a quick marriage.
Xie Xiaofei's friend later informed him that his loan was suddenly approved, coinciding with Chen Xi and Yang Xiao's engagement. Xie Xiaofei realized Chen Xi's sacrifice and rushed to see her, but his friend stopped him, advising him to accept her help without disrupting her life, as he couldn't offer her happiness. Cai Tianlan, whom Lei Xiong was trying to persuade to help Xie Xiaofei, praised Xie Xiaofei's resilience in enduring hardships and preparing for retaliation after hitting rock bottom.
Cai Tianlan met Xie Xiaofei at Haoke Restaurant, where Xie Xiaofei was working. Cai Tianlan admired Xie Xiaofei's father but stated he preferred to live his remaining years in peace and would not involve himself in business matters, though he offered personal help to Tong Wei and Xie Xiaofei. Tong Wei arrived, realizing Cai Tianlan was indeed the elusive "Tang Mi Cai" and a close friend of her deceased parents, as well as the CAEA council president.
Despite Lei Xiong's attempts to mediate, Cai Tianlan reiterated his decision to stay out of the business dispute. Dejected by Cai Tianlan's refusal, Xie Xiaofei expressed to Tong Wei that his efforts felt like running a marathon to a mirage, leaving him without a purpose. Tong Wei encouraged him not to give up, promising to find a way to persuade Cai Tianlan together.
Xie Xiaofei jokingly retreated to his room, pretending to have a breakdown and wanting to make Tong Wei worry too. Separately, Shang Bichen received an unexpected phone call from President Sun's secretary, inviting her to lunch. At the restaurant, President Sun introduced her to his nephew, Situ Zhi Gao, a lawyer, clearly setting up a blind date. Shang Bichen, surprised, tried to express her reservations, but President Sun insisted they get to know each other as friends.
After lunch, Situ Zhi Gao expressed his pleasure in meeting her and noted his sweaty hands from nervousness, hoping to keep in touch. Later, Shang Bichen was texting, reflecting on her 301 days of unrequited love for Qin Tianyu. Situ Zhi Gao texted her, asking to use her first name. In a humorous mix-up, Shang Bichen accidentally replied "Stupid Donkey" before quickly apologizing. Amused, Situ Zhi Gao said he preferred "Stupid Donkey" and suggested she call him that instead.
