Something Just Like This Episode 24 Recap
> Something Just Like This Recap
The quality inspection department arrived at Rui Live’s office, informing Duan Ran and Qian Xixi that they had received a consumer complaint regarding the alleged sale of fake and unauthorized Perfect Blue cosmetic products. They announced their intention to seize and investigate all Perfect Blue products. The consumer, Fei Fei, present during the inspection, claimed that after using the foundation bought from Rui Live, she began to grow a beard.
Qian Xixi, however, defended the company, stating that they possessed a legitimate business license and all their products had passed quality inspections, making it impossible for them to sell counterfeit goods. She also questioned how Fei Fei could be certain the product was from Rui Live. The officials reiterated that they were conducting a spot check based on the verified complaint and requested cooperation. Duan Ran agreed to the inspection, confident in their products.
Fei Fei then specifically accused Yu Shi and Su Su of sarcasm and mockery, accusing her of trying to scam them during previous interactions. The officials proceeded to collect samples for testing and confiscated all Perfect Blue products, requiring Qian Xixi to sign the documentation. Duan Ran and Qian Xixi then separately confronted Yu Shi and Su Su about the incident. Duan Ran questioned Yu Shi's uncharacteristic mistake in handling a customer complaint, especially after being so cautious.
Yu Shi confessed that he had fallen in love with Su Su, and her recent dating activities had left him distraught, affecting his work. Meanwhile, Su Su admitted to Qian Xixi that she had been heartbroken after breaking up with a "scoundrel" and had handled Fei Fei's complaint poorly due to her emotional state. Both expressed sincere regret and offered to make amends. Duan Ran and Qian Xixi did not reprimand them harshly.
Duan Ran, however, sensed something deeper, noting the unusually rapid spread of online negativity and the swift arrival of the quality inspection department. He suspected a "black sheep" within the company and immediately requested all employees' attendance records. Later, Duan Ran revealed to Qian Xixi that a live streamer named Xiao Xiao had unexpectedly backed out of her contract.
He listed the few individuals who knew about Xiao Xiao's potential signing—Cola, Little Duckling, Yuanbao, Zhang Jiayun, and Mr Five—suggesting that if there was an issue, it stemmed from one of them. He advised Qian Xixi to be vigilant, but stressed that resolving the Perfect Blue crisis was the immediate priority.
Yu Shi and Su Su went to Fei Fei's home to apologize, even bringing hair removal tools, but Fei Fei refused to open the door and angrily cursed at them. Undeterred, Yu Shi encouraged Su Su not to give up, likening their persistence to "Liu Bei's three visits to Zhuge Liang," implying they would return repeatedly. However, Fei Fei suddenly poured a bucket of water on Yu Shi from above.
Su Su was furious, feeling Fei Fei had gone too far, but Yu Shi calmly explained that Fei Fei's agitated behavior might be a symptom of a more serious emotional disorder, such as bipolar disorder, which could manifest in extreme mood swings, from agitation to deep depression, potentially leading to dangerous actions. Concerned by this, Su Su rushed back to Fei Fei’s door, worried about her well-being.
Duan Ran and Qian Xixi met with Mr Mu Jr to discuss the escalating crisis. Qian Xixi informed him that the "beard issue" had gone viral and the company was temporarily closed due to the inspection. Initially, Mr Mu Jr maintained that Perfect Blue, a decades-old company with strict quality control, was blameless, suggesting Fei Fei was an "anti-fan" hired by a competitor. He promised Perfect Blue's full support to Rui Live.
However, after Su Su and Yu Shi finally managed to enter Fei Fei's apartment, they found her in deep distress, clutching a bottle of pills. Fei Fei tearfully explained that her boyfriend, Zhang Si, had broken up with her because of the beard caused by the Perfect Blue foundation. Su Su, seeing Fei Fei's suicidal ideation, implored her not to harm herself over a "scoundrel" like Zhang Si.
Shortly after, Mr Mu Jr received the devastating news that the quality inspection report confirmed their liquid foundation indeed contained excessive hormones. Faced with this revelation, Mr Mu Jr immediately changed his stance, abandoning Rui Live to prioritize Perfect Blue's reputation and manage the crisis for his own company. Meanwhile, Mr Ding and Chen Lang, secretly orchestrating the downfall of Rui Live, discussed their plans.
Mr Ding expressed pleasure at causing Duan Ran distress, and Chen Lang affirmed his commitment to making Duan Ran suffer. Chen Lang also revealed that he had a "spy" within Rui Live, planning to poach their trained broadcasters once the company collapsed. During this tumultuous time, Ou Yang called Duan Ran to offer assistance, saying she'd help if needed. Qian Xixi, overhearing the call, became visibly jealous, leading to a playful argument with Duan Ran.
They were interrupted when Su Su and Yu Shi returned, prompting Duan Ran and Qian Xixi to pretend to bicker about trivial matters. Su Su then reported that Fei Fei had rejected their apology and blamed their product for her breakup, leaving Duan Ran worried. Separately, Jiang Zheyang, concerned about Qian Xixi, wanted to visit her at Rui Live.
Ou Yang, however, advised him to focus on his upcoming audition with Jing Jie and offered to contact Duan Ran again, promising to accompany Jiang Zheyang if their help was truly required. Chen Lang held a public press conference, disclaiming all responsibility from Perfect Blue and deflecting the blame onto Rui Live, citing "logistics and warehousing problems" as the cause of product spoilage.
He then met with Mr Mu Jr to negotiate Perfect Blue’s next season’s exclusive streaming rights with Cloud Live. Chen Lang capitalized on Rui Live’s predicament, demanding a 25% share of the profits/commission and a detailed quality report for all products, insisting Cloud Live's own inspectors would verify everything. Despite recognizing the vast difference in approach between Chen Lang and Duan Ran, Mr Mu Jr reluctantly agreed, realizing he had no other option.
News outlets were flooded with stories accusing Rui Live of being an unscrupulous platform. Duan Ran acknowledged the company's critical weaknesses: a lack of a comprehensive supply chain, insufficient staff for quality inspection of every product batch, and inadequate after-sales service. He organized an urgent plan to recall all sold Perfect Blue products in Xiamen. Su Su, feigning illness, requested leave. Zhang Jiayun remained at the office to handle customer refunds.
The other live streamers—Little Duckling, Cola, Mr Five, and Bai Siyu—set out to visit customers door-to-door, collecting returned items. Many customers were angry, while others were unreachable. Unbeknownst to her colleagues, Su Su had left the company, determined to find Zhang Si. She believed that if the Perfect Blue product genuinely caused his breakup with Fei Fei, then they had a responsibility to help Fei Fei get him back. Meanwhile, a dejected Qian Xixi overheard two girls discussing the Perfect Blue scandal, one of whom mentioned having an unopened bottle of the problematic foundation.
