Party A Who Lives Beside Me Episode 21 Recap
> Party A Who Lives Beside Me Recap
Guo Tianlei was reeling from a devastating romantic blow and drank heavily. Through tears, he repeatedly asked Yan Lina why she had broken up with him, leaving her with an expression of unspoken pain under the curious gazes of others. He poured out his heart, revealing that for three years he had slept at the company, unwilling to rent a house, all to save money for their home.
He spoke of pretending to work late and sneaking out early to avoid colleagues knowing his plight, even joking that his desk had developed a "patina" from his sleeping on it. He called himself an idiot and a big fool. Yan Lina, feeling a pang of sympathy, took the heavily intoxicated Guo Tianlei to the hotel he had originally booked for his fiancée. She thoughtfully poured him water and looked after him.
Unbeknownst to her, Yan Lina had already fallen in love with Guo Tianlei, believing he would surely find happiness. As she leaned in to gently kiss his cheek, Guo Tianlei stirred and opened his eyes in a daze. Meanwhile, Ye Xuan and Li Zenan were on a rooftop, eagerly awaiting a meteor shower. Ye Xuan, playfully boasting about being only twenty-three, teased Li Zenan, calling him an "uncle" and an "old man" whose mind couldn't grasp what she thought.
Li Zenan chased her around the rooftop in mock retaliation. Separately, He Yucheng surprised Hu Yani with a memorable birthday celebration, complete with a cake, even though she herself had forgotten it was her birthday. Later, as the meteor shower began, Ye Xuan expressed her wonder, having never seen one before. They closed their eyes to make wishes.
Ye Xuan claimed her wishes had mostly come true, except for one, but she wouldn't say what it was, explaining that wishes don't come true if spoken aloud. Li Zenan insisted he knew her wish, and with a tender kiss, they sealed a sweet night. After their romantic evening, Li Zenan went to take a shower. While he was in the bathroom, Yan Lina called Ye Xuan, claiming she needed to report urgent work to Li Zenan.
When Ye Xuan informed her that Li Zenan was showering, Yan Lina's "gossip radar" immediately became active. She quickly surmised that Ye Xuan and Li Zenan were together and even bathing. It turned out Yan Lina was making a playful bet with colleagues about their relationship. Li Zenan, overhearing the conversation from the shower, emerged to chastise them, declaring that everyone would have to work overtime the following week and that Ye Xuan would no longer answer their calls.
Ye Xuan playfully complained that she wouldn't be able to face them again, prompting Li Zenan to affectionately kiss her, soothing her concerns. The next day, Ye Xuan, who had been temporarily stationed in Wu Kai's office for a month and three days, was finally told to "pack up and leave." Her initial alarm turned to excitement when Wu Kai directed her to her own new workstation.
However, her new colleagues seemed perpetually busy, evading her requests for help, even with something as simple as using the printer. Feeling helpless, Du Xiaoyun came to her aid. Ye Xuan recognized Du Xiaoyun as the person who had previously taken the original materials during a company incident. Du Xiaoyun, embarrassed, apologized and explained that Zhang Bowen had forced her to do it when she was an intern, fearing for her confirmation if she refused.
Ye Xuan, acknowledging that the misunderstanding was cleared and Zhang Bowen had already left, assured her that she held no grudges. Du Xiaoyun then explained that after Zhang Bowen's departure, his former team members in the Design Department felt uncomfortable, so she transferred to the Marketing Department, hoping to secure a full-time position next month if she performed well. Ye Xuan offered her support, happy to have her as a potential colleague.
Hu Yani called He Yucheng to her studio for advice on outfits for an upcoming catering industry event, as she needed professional photos. He Yucheng initially seemed a bit miffed that she hadn't asked him to be her photographer. However, upon seeing her in a stunning pink suit, he couldn't resist. He quickly took over the camera from the assigned photographer, insisting on taking the pictures himself. The results were impressive, and he openly admitted to photographing her "with love."
Hu Yani was taken aback but responded by saying she preferred "mature and steady boys" and didn't feel that way about "younger boys" like him. He Yucheng, disbelieving, gently turned her head towards him, asserting that he, however, "did" have feelings for her. Faced with his sudden kiss, Hu Yani, flustered, ran off shyly. Later, Li Zenan was engrossed in a proposal while waiting for Ye Xuan to finish work.
He planned to transform Zhejiang Jas Pouch's second store into a concept completely different from its first. He mentioned an impressive case of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine shop called "Renxintang" that successfully transitioned into a medicinal cuisine restaurant, suggesting its relevance. He asked Ye Xuan to help him find more detailed information in Aoke's database, jokingly making her his "undercover agent" once more.
Wu Kai continued his strict management style, even with Du Xiaoyun, prompting Ye Xuan to offer her a friendly word of encouragement. Du Xiaoyun, in turn, helped Ye Xuan search for the "Renxintang" proposal. They found it and immediately messaged Li Zenan. To their surprise, the designer credited on the proposal was Xu Guoren. Li Zenan and Ye Xuan, having previously underestimated Xu Guoren, expressed their astonishment at his low-key demeanor. Xu Guoren, without denying it, recounted the story.
He explained that Li Xinxia, fresh out of university, had just joined Aoke's Design Department as an intern. She was outspoken and somewhat hot-headed, constantly offending people. When the head of the Design Department started creating obstacles for the Marketing Department's "Renxintang" project, Li Xinxia, naive and straightforward, stood up for her colleagues, incurring the wrath of her superior. As a result, she became alienated and isolated by other colleagues.
Xu Guoren, then in the Marketing Department, admired her spirit and started inviting her to meals. When rumors of their relationship spread, the director, in a company that at the time frowned upon "office romances," suggested firing Li Xinxia while keeping Xu Guoren. Unwilling to see Li Xinxia wronged, Xu Guoren resigned. Li Xinxia followed suit, and together they left Aoke to establish 88 Ed.
Although the original "Renxintang" project documents were lost over time, Xu Guoren presented a bold new vision: instead of a second Zhejiang Jas Pouch restaurant, they should create a new beverage brand using the existing second store as its concept flagship. Li Zenan enthusiastically supported the idea, noting Zhejiang Jas Pouch's strong beverage sales and the advantage of developing within their expertise, especially with current funding limitations.
He also confidently stated that Hu Yani, having given them full authority over the second store, would simply appreciate the surprise. Later, Ye Xuan observed Li Zenan working diligently, lost in admiration. Li Zenan noticed her staring, jokingly suggesting she find a boyfriend to distract her. When she described her ideal partner as "down-to-earth and steady," Li Zenan playfully pointed to Guo Tianlei.
Guo Tianlei and Yan Lina, visibly uncomfortable, quickly deflected the conversation, making Ye Xuan realize their reactions were "strange." After work, Guo Tianlei waited for Yan Lina at the entrance, eager to apologize for his drunken behavior the night before. He hinted that he remembered her kissing him, but Yan Lina quickly interjected, assuring him that nothing had happened and that she had left immediately after he fell asleep. Guo Tianlei accepted her explanation.
He then tried to talk to her again, but she repeatedly cut him off, as if anticipating his words. As Ye Xuan and Li Zenan were leaving, Ye Xuan remarked on how much Xu Guoren seemed to have changed, yet still retained his "timid, stingy, and henpecked" traits.
Li Zenan reframed these as positive qualities: his timidity was carefulness in managing 88 Ed's projects; his henpecked nature was a loving deference to Li Xinxia; and his stinginess had ensured the company's survival. Ye Xuan, admitting she was "learning," conceded that "the client is always right." Li Zenan expressed his admiration for Xu Guoren's happiness in working with his loved one towards a common goal.
Ye Xuan reflected that her time at 88 Ed had been the happiest period since she arrived in Shanghai, and she now understood and respected all of Li Zenan's past decisions, which she had once questioned. Li Zenan then asked Ye Xuan about her vision for the future. She replied that she wanted to be with someone she loved, working together towards a shared goal, and cherishing their hard-won happiness.
Li Zenan then shared his ambition: to make 88 Ed a renowned name in the industry within three years, and then to "poach" Ye Xuan, the "future advertising world's number one demon client," back to work with him. Ye Xuan playfully responded that it would depend on whether they could afford her then, before complaining of hunger and demanding he treat her to a meal.
That evening, Guo Tianlei took Yan Lina to a makeup store, intending to buy her a lipstick as an apology gift. Yan Lina, initially selecting an expensive "man-slaying" shade, put it back to save money, noting she could get it cheaper from a reseller. Guo Tianlei, however, insisted on buying it for her. He mused that he used to think lipsticks were very expensive, but now realized they only cost "three or four hundred."
Yan Lina shyly thanked him, and in a fleeting moment, Guo Tianlei tried to confess his feelings, attempting to say "be a boyfriend." But Yan Lina, sensing his intention, quickly thanked him again and hailed a taxi, leaving before he could finish his thought.
