Somewhere Only We Know Episode 16 Recap
> Somewhere Only We Know Recap
Song Qi Qi fell ill with acute wind-cold after being caught in the rain. A male colleague from the convenience store where she worked took her to the hospital and attended to her. Xiao Zheng called, and the colleague informed him of the situation, telling him that Qi Qi had acute wind-cold and needed to take medicine with warm water. Xiao Zheng arrived shortly after, telling the colleague he would take over.
The colleague reminded Xiao Zheng to ensure Qi Qi took her medicine once she awoke, as he had already prepared the water. Xiao Zheng stayed by Song Qi Qi’s side. When she woke and asked why he was there, he responded, "You're up." She assured him she was much better and told him to leave, but he insisted he wouldn't go until she was well.
Song Qi Qi reminded him of their earlier agreement, but he brushed it off, stating that someone needed to care for her while she was sick. He urged her to stop overthinking and take her medicine. Song Qi Qi recalled a time in high school when she was sick and he took her to the hospital. Xiao Zheng claimed he found her pitiful being alone.
She then reminded him that he once told her he wanted to write a great novel and gave her a copy of "Kafka on the Shore." Xiao Zheng proceeded to tell her a story from his novel about a skilled barber and a girl with a bright smile who disappeared. Song Qi Qi critiqued parts of his story, prompting Xiao Zheng to admit it was his novel.
He explained his repetitive life in Donghu and how he felt compelled to change, though he initially bought an electric bike instead of writing. Song Qi Qi observed that he had finally begun writing. When she pressed for the story's continuation, Xiao Zheng confessed that he met her, and "everything changed."
She clarified she was asking about the barber, and he explained that the girl never returned, and the barber, after waiting for ten years, became blind due to a family disease, but still kept his shop open, sitting by the window, waiting. Song Qi Qi suggested naming the girl "Xiao Qi" and offered to be his first reader if he finished the novel. Xiao Zheng admitted he was stuck because he didn't understand the world of a blind person.
Meanwhile, Xue Tong and Bai Lin were taking selfies, playfully teasing each other. Mu Chenghe and his cousin, Mu Hai, joined Xue Tong, who was hesitant to stay but was told by Mu Chenghe that Zhao Xiao Tang was also coming. Over dinner, Mu Hai presented his investment project on 3D printing technology, highlighting its advanced development in America and its potential as a future trend in industrial design and the medical industry, despite current material limitations.
He expressed his desire to find "like-minded people" to join him. Mu Chenghe asked Zhao Xiao Tang if they were starting a business, to which she clarified she was only helping Mu Hai. Mu Chenghe, while acknowledging his limited understanding of the field, wished Mu Hai success. Mu Hai then invited Mu Chenghe to join his venture, emphasizing their family bond and trust. Mu Chenghe politely declined, stating his preference for lab research, but Mu Hai encouraged him to reconsider.
Zhao Xiao Tang later shared with Xue Tong that she had just discovered Mu Hai's cousin was Mu Chenghe, and Xue Tong remarked on what a small world it was. Mu Hai tried to persuade Zhao Xiao Tang to have Xue Tong convince Mu Chenghe, even offering more money, but Zhao Xiao Tang firmly refused, citing her friendship with Xue Tong as a reason not to interfere. Zhao Xiao Tang returned home, where her father, Xu Yao Hua, was visiting.
Her mother, Zhao Meizhi, immediately brought up her strong opposition to Zhao Xiao Tang's plan to study abroad, citing the good local university and the high expenses involved. Zhao Xiao Tang insisted her major required international study for better development and told her mother not to criticize what she didn't understand. Zhao Meizhi accused her daughter of rudeness and asked Xu Yao Hua to intervene. He attempted to calm the situation, suggesting they eat first and discuss it later.
However, Zhao Xiao Tang declared her decision was final and she was merely informing them, not seeking their approval. Zhao Meizhi vehemently disagreed. Angered by the escalating argument, Xu Yao Hua slammed his chopsticks down and left. Zhao Meizhi blamed Zhao Xiao Tang for her father's departure, but Zhao Xiao Tang retorted that her father's disinterest in the family was due to her mother, not her. Zhao Meizhi was left distraught and vulnerable.
Upset, Zhao Xiao Tang left her house and encountered Mu Hai, who had seen her father leave. Knowing her family situation, Mu Hai offered comfort and suggested they go for a drink. At the bar, Zhao Xiao Tang drank heavily. She bitterly asked Mu Hai if he wanted to see her cry and apologized for disappointing him. He said he simply wanted her to be happy. Mu Hai asked if she still harbored hatred for her father, Xu Yao Hua.
She implied that her father likely hated her more, believing he would be better off without her. She struggled to express her complex feelings about her mother, admitting confusion. Mu Hai tried to reassure her that she couldn't choose her family, but Zhao Xiao Tang defiantly declared her intention to leave. As she continued to drink and cry, she confessed to feeling like the unwanted result of her parents' long-term mistakes, believing her existence constantly reminded them of their wrongdoings.
She confessed to hating herself as much as she imagined they regretted her, wondering if their lives would be better if she simply disappeared. Mu Hai found her tears beautiful and pleaded with her not to disappear, stating he would live miserably without her. In a moment of raw emotion, Zhao Xiao Tang defiantly said she would disappear, precisely because she didn't want him to live well. She then called him an animal, to which he admitted, "I'm an animal.
. . An animal who's willing to do anything for you." Later, they embraced and spent the night together. Song Qi Qi asked Xue Tong to substitute for her tutoring Peng Yu over the weekend, as she had a date. Xue Tong agreed, reminding Qi Qi not to miss classes, while Bai Lin offered to help with attendance. Mu Chenghe accompanied Xue Tong to Peng Yu's house. Peng Yu, delighted to see Mu Chenghe, affectionately addressed him as "Mr. Mu."
He teased Xue Tong for forgetting her book. Peng Yu, suspecting a relationship, asked Mu Chenghe if he and Xue Tong were "seeing each other." Peng Yu eagerly showed Mu Chenghe his airplane models, identifying Su-27 and Su-30.
Mu Chenghe explained that the "Su" in the aircraft names referred to their designer, the Sukhoi Design Bureau, and detailed how Soviet and Russian aircraft were named after their design bureaus, each specializing in different aircraft types, such as Kamov for helicopters, Tupolev for transport aircraft, and MiG for bombers. Despite Xue Tong's attempts to start the lesson, Peng Yu continued to ask Mu Chenghe questions.
Mu Chenghe eventually promised to take Peng Yu to the planetarium another day to further discuss the topic, asking him to focus on English for now. Peng Yu, in an attempt to exclude Xue Tong, requested that she not be brought to the planetarium. Later, Song Qi Qi blindfolded Xiao Zheng, explaining she needed to experience the barber's feelings in darkness.
Xiao Zheng felt that the brief time she was gone felt much longer in darkness, observing that "the time in the world of darkness is longer than ours." They discussed the barber story, concluding that the barber's ten years were cruel and he deserved to wait for the girl. Xiao Zheng continued the narrative, describing how the girl eventually returned. The barber, now blind, pretended he could still see while giving her a haircut.
The girl, who knew he was blind, didn't expose him. She told him his haircuts were the best and asked for a beautiful cut because she was getting married the next day. As her "black and shiny short hair" was cut uglier and uglier, she smiled through her tears, which fell like shattered stars. The next morning, Qi Qi woke to find Xiao Zheng had already left for work. The following day, Song Qi Qi returned to the dorm.
Bai Lin lightly chastised her for her absence, while Qi Qi brought them breakfast. In class, Xue Tong and Bai Lin discussed Zhao Xiao Tang's decision to study abroad, abandoning a postgraduate offer from Donghu University. Qi Qi gently reminded them to keep their voices down. Suddenly, Wang Zhi Hui, Xiao Zheng's wife, entered the classroom, loudly demanding to see Song Qi Qi. She confronted Chen Ting, questioning the educational standards of Donghu University.
Chen Ting tried to calm her, suggesting Song Qi Qi might be a victim. Wang Zhi Hui vehemently rejected this, accusing Song Qi Qi of trying to destroy her marriage and threatening to call the police and have her jailed, explaining that Xiao Zheng, whom her father had supported, was now seeking a divorce.
Xue Tong and Bai Lin urged Song Qi Qi to deny any knowledge of Xiao Zheng's marriage, hoping to frame her as a victim, but Song Qi Qi quietly admitted, "I did." Her friends were shocked, still trying to get her to deny it, but Song Qi Qi insisted Xiao Zheng had never lied to her. She confessed that she had loved him since she was sixteen, came to Donghu University, and wanted to be a teacher because of him.
She knew he was married and wouldn't divorce for her, but she didn't care because she loved him "like her life." She declared that nothing else mattered to her. Later, outside, Bai Lin and Xue Tong discussed Zhao Xiao Tang's surprising anger, noting she seemed angrier than Wang Zhi Hui when she slapped Song Qi Qi. They regretted not being more attentive to Qi Qi earlier, feeling they had unintentionally contributed to her predicament.
Chen Ting called Xue Tong, informing her that the school had dealt with the matter and asking them to comfort Qi Qi. Xue Tong and Bai Lin tried to console Qi Qi, offering her comfort or a drink, but Qi Qi maintained she was fine.
She explained that she had anticipated this day ever since she decided to be with Xiao Zheng, and now that it had arrived, she felt a sense of relief and unburdened, though she admitted she didn't know what she would do next. As she spoke, she plucked a white hair from Xue Tong's head, calling it an "eyesore," and cut it off.
Zhao Xiao Tang, drinking alone, overheard other students discussing the scandal, lamenting, "a rotten apple spoils the barrel," reflecting her anger at Song Qi Qi. Song Qi Qi received a phone call from Xiao Zheng. He told her they should no longer contact each other, stating, "I love my wife very much" and "I'm not serious about you." He then apologized and told her to "take care."
Heartbroken, Song Qi Qi went to Chen Ting and submitted her application for academic suspension. Xue Tong and Bai Lin pleaded with her not to leave, promising to stay by her side and fear nothing. However, Song Qi Qi was resolute, explaining she needed time away to be alone and had already made up her mind. Chen Ting, seeing her determination, accepted the application.
As Song Qi Qi packed her belongings in the dorm, she realized she had more things than her luggage could hold and asked Bai Lin to lend her an extra suitcase. Bai Lin, tearfully, insisted that Qi Qi return the suitcase herself when she came back, rather than sending it. Both Bai Lin and Xue Tong hugged Song Qi Qi, sharing tearful goodbyes. Bai Lin, overcome with emotion, yelled at Qi Qi to "Get lost!" out of her deep sadness.
As Song Qi Qi was leaving, Zhao Xiao Tang unexpectedly appeared, offering to help with her luggage. Zhao Xiao Tang apologized for impulsively slapping her, admitting she might have done the same in Qi Qi's position. Song Qi Qi acknowledged their similarities. Zhao Xiao Tang reiterated her apology, expressing her certainty that Song Qi Qi would "be back for sure." They parted ways.
