Something Just Like This Episode 12 Recap
> Something Just Like This Recap
Duan Ran had intended to cook a bowl of noodles for Qian Xixi, but she scoffed at the appearance of his cooking, so he prepared a bowl for himself instead. Qian Xixi expressed displeasure that he only made it for himself, to which Duan Ran retorted that she had previously found his cooking unappealing.
Duan Ran then explained his growing understanding of e-commerce live streaming: initially, the main concerns were cash flow and broadcasters, but once those were secured, the focus shifted to increasing engagement and popularity. Qian Xixi realized that Duan Ran had been trying to leverage Jiang Zheyang's popularity and traffic, though Duan Ran insisted it was a relationship of mutual support. He elaborated that no one generates more buzz than a top-tier celebrity like Jiang Zheyang.
With enough buzz comes traffic, which can turn ordinary individuals into successful broadcasters. Once they have a head broadcaster, suppliers would eagerly seek them out. Qian Xixi agreed with Duan Ran, acknowledging that a major star like Jiang Zheyang could quickly generate sales hype online in a way that others couldn't match.
Seeing that Qian Xixi hadn't eaten, Duan Ran offered her his noodles, gently patting her head and remarking that he, her brother, was the person who cared for and loved her the most in the world. Qian Xixi, however, seemed preoccupied, having just conceived a plan to help Xiaobai sell Yuanbao coffee.
Qian Xixi knew that Xiaobai was a big fan of Jiang Zheyang, and she herself was an elementary school classmate of his, with his real name being Jiang Jinsuo. She began recording short videos for various live streams, reminiscing about their childhood and inviting Jiang Zheyang for coffee, turning these invitations into a viral greeting. This sparked a craze online, with many people asking Jiang Zheyang for coffee dates.
In one video, Qian Xixi invited him for coffee at the sports village that weekend. Jiang Zheyang saw the video, recognized Qian Xixi, and expressed a desire to meet her, despite Ou Yang's belief that Qian Xixi was merely trying to capitalize on his fame. Jiang Zheyang, however, seemed unconcerned by this. On Saturday, Qian Xixi and Xiaobai waited at the old stadium for Jiang Zheyang to arrive for coffee, streaming their wait live.
Xiaobai grew disheartened as Jiang Zheyang didn't show up. Some viewers accused Qian Xixi of being a fraud and doubted Jiang Zheyang would appear. Unexpectedly, Jiang Zheyang eventually arrived, calling out Qian Xixi's name. Overjoyed, Qian Xixi rushed to embrace him. Jiang Zheyang greeted Qian Xixi's friends, and instantly, the live stream became incredibly lively. Back at the company, Duan Ran felt a twinge of discomfort, watching Qian Xixi's live stream viewership surge tenfold.
At that moment, he, too, wished he could be there. Qian Xixi and Jiang Zheyang reminisced about their past. Qian Xixi recalled how she used to call him "Little Fatty," which motivated him to exercise and transform into a handsome man. Xiaobai expressed her disappointment at having missed Jiang Zheyang twice – he arrived just after she left and left just before she returned.
Qian Xixi comforted Xiaobai, telling her that Jiang Zheyang had praised Xiaobai's Yuanbao coffee as delicious, so their effort was a success. With her newfound earnings, Xiaobai planned to rent an apartment near the company. Qian Xixi, in turn, considered renovating her old house and moving out of Duan Ran's place, as she didn't want to live with his family indefinitely. To celebrate their success, Qian Xixi approved a generous 200 yuan for their celebratory dinner.
Overwhelmed with excitement, she drank too much. Upon returning home, Duan Ran's mother doted on Qian Xixi, offering her water, while pointedly ignoring her own son. With coffee sales reaching over a million, Qian Xixi formed a group called "The Coffee Sisters" to continue selling coffee through live streams. Meanwhile, Duan Ran learned that Jiang Zheyang and his mother were attending an art exhibition. He seized the opportunity to approach Jiang Zheyang's mother, Madam Wu.
Knowing she frequently shopped at QE Mall, he introduced himself, implicitly linking himself to the mall, and complimented her on raising such an outstanding son. Chen Lang soon arrived, greeting them and claiming the exhibition host was a friend of his, who wished to meet Madam Wu. Chen Lang then whisked Madam Wu away to meet the artist, leaving Duan Ran sidelined. The artist even presented Jiang Zheyang with several paintings.
Duan Ran was annoyed by Chen Lang's interference and deliberately provoked him by mentioning how he had once sold his car at an inflated price to a foreigner just to raise funds, which ultimately saved Rui Live. Chen Lang, aware of Duan Ran's strong emotional attachment to the car, intentionally praised the car's excellence, much to Duan Ran's irritation. Both Duan Ran and Chen Lang employed various tactics to win over Jiang Zheyang's mother, catering to her preferences.
Duan Ran arranged for chefs from a famous vegetarian restaurant to cook for her at home and offered free services at a friend's pet salon for her dogs. Chen Lang even accompanied her dogs for a bath and grooming. However, his attempt to flatter her went awry when he fed the dogs ham. Madam Wu became extremely anxious, fearing her dogs would shed, and quickly made them vomit, leaving Chen Lang thoroughly embarrassed.
Duan Ran had dinner with Ou Yang, discussing Qian Xixi's use of Jiang Zheyang's image. Ou Yang grew increasingly annoyed by Duan Ran's repeated references to "our Xixi" and warned him that she would sue Qian Xixi if she continued to exploit Jiang Zheyang's image. Duan Ran immediately defended Qian Xixi, promising to reprimand "his Xixi" upon returning home. Ou Yang then offered to help Duan Ran, but he politely declined, preferring to handle the matter himself.
Ou Yang then offered a subtle but valuable piece of advice: Jiang Zheyang's mother finds great satisfaction in accomplishing things that Ou Yang strongly opposes. Later, the general manager of Hualu Coffee visited Qian Xixi. Expecting a major client, Qian Xixi was surprised when he proposed an acquisition of Rui Live.
