Negotiator Episode 8 Recap
> Negotiator Recap
Having learned the full truth from Xia Shanshan, Xie Xiaofei drove to Tong Wei's apartment building late that night and called her to come downstairs. He held a bouquet of yellow roses, telling her the flowers signified his apology. He earnestly wished to apologize to her, explaining he was "extending an olive branch," and declared that if she didn't forgive him that night, he wouldn't leave.
Tong Wei accepted his apology but refused the flowers, deeming them "inappropriate" given their purely business relationship, which she clarified no longer even existed. She reiterated that the project's failure was her responsibility, not his. When Xie Xiaofei expressed frustration over her continued coldness after his apology, Tong Wei retorted that her job was "to negotiate, not to please people" before turning to go back inside. As she walked away, Xie Xiaofei muttered, "So arrogant."
From her window, Tong Tiantian secretly took photos of the scene below, commenting that Xie Xiaofei had "ruined his own chances at love." The following morning, Xie Xiaofei spotted Tong Wei leaving and swiftly followed her. He tailed Tong Wei to a boxing gym, where he offered himself as a target for her to release her anger. However, Tong Wei declared him unworthy of her attention and walked away.
Xie Xiaofei persistently followed her, getting into her car and refusing to alight, leaving Tong Wei no choice but to drive him home. As he followed her, he asked, "Do you dislike me this much?" but she continued to ignore him. Frustrated, Xie Xiaofei muttered that Tong Wei was "the only one that can make me this mad."
Once they arrived at Tong Wei's home, Xie Xiaofei still refused to leave, fabricating an excuse about needing to use the restroom to follow her upstairs. Meanwhile, when Tong Wei was not at home, Tong Tiantian had been in Tong Wei's room earlier, trying on her clothes and rummaging through her makeup. She commented disdainfully, "What's so great about a stupid lip balm?" before showcasing Tong Wei's collection, presumably to her friends.
While doing so, she discovered an antique fountain pen in a drawer, casually noting, "This is new," and took it without understanding its significance. Ignorant of its true value, Tong Tiantian later sold the pen to a pawn shop for a mere two thousand yuan. Upon her return, Tong Wei found Tong Tiantian's phone in her room, confirming her suspicion that Tiantian had once again invaded her privacy.
She confronted Tong Tiantian about using her perfume, stressing the importance of asking permission, which Tiantian denied. More critically, Tong Wei discovered the drawer where she kept her cherished antique fountain pen – a priceless keepsake from her parents – was open, and the pen was gone. Tong Wei inquired about Tong Tiantian's whereabouts from her aunt and uncle, but her aunt immediately defended her daughter, insisting she couldn't be a thief. At that moment, Tong Tiantian arrived home.
Tong Wei angrily confronted her, and Tiantian initially refused to confess. However, Tong Wei produced Tiantian's phone, which compelled her to admit she had sold the pen. When pressed for the pen's location, Tong Tiantian defiantly expressed her strong dislike for Tong Wei, confessing that she had deliberately sold it. Hearing the escalating argument, Xie Xiaofei emerged from the restroom. Noticing a magazine featuring Song Aili, he recognized Tong Tiantian as a fan.
Seizing the opportunity, he offered a video call with Song Aili as bait, successfully getting Tong Tiantian to reveal the antique pen's location. The antique shop owner, having purchased the valuable pen from the unknowing Tong Tiantian for a meager sum, was contentedly deciding to keep it. Tong Wei and Xie Xiaofei hurried to the shop, hoping to repurchase the pen. Tong Wei attempted to explain that her sister had stolen it, but the owner dismissed her story.
Xie Xiaofei discreetly led Tong Wei outside, urging her to compose herself, before re-entering the shop alone. He sincerely bowed to the owner, conveying the immense sentimental value the pen held for Tong Wei, and offered to procure a comparable collection of pens from the United States as an equal exchange. The owner eventually accepted his offer.
Meanwhile, angered by her father's punishment for selling the pen, Tong Tiantian spitefully informed Qin Tianyu that Tong Wei and Xie Xiaofei were frequently seen together. Prompted by this news, Qin Tianyu quickly sought out Tong Wei. Xie Xiaofei successfully retrieved the antique pen. Tong Wei, now holding a degree of respect for his efforts, offered to treat him to a thank-you dinner. As Xie Xiaofei gleefully stayed by Tong Wei's side, they were suddenly confronted by Qin Tianyu.
Xie Xiaofei immediately became hostile towards Qin Tianyu, explicitly telling him not to touch Tong Wei as he was not her boyfriend. Tong Wei tried to explain that Xie Xiaofei had provided significant help, which was why she had promised to treat him to dinner. Qin Tianyu then offered to join them. Xie Xiaofei immediately objected, stating his discomfort with Qin Tianyu's presence and his desire to enjoy a private meal with Tong Wei.
Tong Wei watched the two men in a standoff, unsure how to intervene. Suddenly, Xie Xiaofei confessed his feelings for Tong Wei, acknowledging Qin Tianyu's affection for her and declaring his intention to compete fairly for her. Finding the situation absurd, Tong Wei, exasperated, left them both. Having made a formal decision to pursue Tong Wei, Xie Xiaofei was determined to have her return to the project.
He called his father, Xie Tianyou, in the United States, promising to successfully secure the Ke Wan project. His only condition was that Tong Wei be reinstated as the lead negotiator. Xie Tianyou, somewhat surprised by his son's change in demeanor, nonetheless trusted his resolve. He became curious about the woman who had managed to alter Xie Xiaofei's previous nonchalant attitude and instructed Xie Xiaotian to investigate Tong Wei's background.
The investigation revealed that Tong Wei possessed both striking beauty and an impressive professional record. Xie Tianyou, as a father, recognized that Xie Xiaofei had undoubtedly developed deep feelings for her. Tong Wei was once again at a boxing gym, releasing her frustrations. Xie Xiaofei appeared before her, playfully declaring his intention to pursue her. Exasperated by his relentless presence, Tong Wei, giving in to his earlier suggestion, punched him.
Xie Xiaofei, however, seized the moment to plant a kiss on her forehead. As he continued to follow her persistently, Tong Wei eventually spotted a police officer on the street and requested help to stop Xie Xiaofei. On a sunny afternoon, Tong Wei received a phone call from Xie Xiaofei. He used the pretense of needing her to translate documents to convince her to leave her home. Once in his car, Tong Wei realized she had been misled.
Xie Xiaofei drove her to his late grandmother's former home in the Suzhou countryside. Tong Wei fell asleep during the long drive, and as Xie Xiaofei paused the car, he leaned in to kiss her, but she unexpectedly woke up. They then walked together, and Xie Xiaofei explained that the land had been his grandmother's. He recounted joyful childhood memories of staying there, eating crispy rice and catching crabs, a happiness that ceased with his grandmother's passing. These precious recollections had since shaped his ambition to develop an eco-friendly resort, designed to be a place filled with love and human connection.
