Somewhere Only We Know Episode 17 Recap
> Somewhere Only We Know Recap
The absence of Song Qi Qi left a noticeable void in unit 323, making her roommates feel unaccustomed to the change. Bai Lin expressed her sadness to Xue Tong, wondering if Qi Qi would have still left if Zhao Xiaotang hadn't slapped her. Xue Tong believed dwelling on the past was fruitless, but Bai Lin admitted she deeply missed their friend.
Even their teacher noticed Qi Qi's absence in class after a student informed her that Song Qi Qi had suspended her studies. With Qi Qi gone, the responsibility of tutoring Peng Yu fell to Xue Tong, making her quite nervous. Mu Chenghe found Xue Tong studying hard and brought her food.
When he asked why she was still anxious about tutoring Peng Yu, Xue Tong explained that her previous lessons were just substitutes, and now, undertaking the task officially, she was afraid of embarrassing Qi Qi if she didn't do well. Mu Chenghe reassured her and encouraged her to eat and nourish her brain.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xiaotang's mother, Zhao Meizhi, called her, complaining about her tumultuous relationship with Zhao Xiaotang's father and urging her daughter to call him to apologize for their recent argument. Zhao Meizhi warned Zhao Xiaotang not to mention studying overseas, which angered Zhao Xiaotang, who declared that her plans were her own business. Zhao Meizhi grew frustrated, threatening to burn Zhao Xiaotang's books if she didn't call her father, leaving Zhao Xiaotang feeling utterly exasperated.
Bai Lin, too, was unhappy, telling Zhong Qiang that with Xue Tong and Mu Chenghe together, Qi Qi gone, and Zhao Xiaotang often absent, their four-person dorm felt like a lonely single room. Zhong Qiang playfully offered to stay with her, but Bai Lin quickly dismissed the idea, citing university rules.
As it was Friday, they couldn't find a hotel room, but Zhong Qiang mentioned he knew a place where they could spend the night, and they decided to go for hotpot first. Later, Xue Tong found Mu Chenghe working late into the night. He confided that he couldn't sleep until his work was done, admitting that even he, usually confident, felt nervous at times.
After sharing a meal, Mu Chenghe promised to take Xue Tong to watch a movie the next day as a reward for her hard work. The dorm manager soon assigned a new girl to unit 323. Bai Lin was determined to protect Qi Qi's bed, claiming the room was already full.
When the manager insisted, Bai Lin loudly feigned a severe flu, complete with exaggerated sneezes and coughs, telling the new girl that all her previous roommates had moved out due to her illness. The new girl, terrified, quickly left. Bai Lin later proudly recounted her "victory" to Xue Tong, who was told by the dorm manager that Bai Lin was unwell. Xue Tong's tutoring sessions with Peng Yu began.
Peng Yu initially seemed hesitant, but eventually admitted he understood her lessons and praised her teaching as being equally good as Ms. Song's, albeit in different styles. He also noted her serious demeanor was on par with Ms. Song's. Peng Yu’s mother expressed her gratitude and appreciation for Qi Qi's earlier efforts, adding that she trusted Ms. Song's recommendation in Xue Tong and insisted on paying her the first tutoring fee.
Concurrently, Mu Chenghe was deeply engrossed in a challenging experiment at a private lab with a colleague. He informed his colleague that he would take responsibility if anything went wrong and firmly stated that he respected science, not authority, when asked if Professor Wu knew of his absence from the university lab. Meanwhile, Mu Hai and Zhao Xiaotang were busy meeting clients to discuss a 3D printing project, strategizing to increase their price after successfully pitching the market potential.
During this, Zhao Xiaotang repeatedly ignored calls from her mother. Using her first tutoring earnings, Xue Tong bought movie tickets to surprise Mu Chenghe. He arrived late due to new data at the lab. During the movie, Mu Chenghe received another urgent call from the lab, explaining that despite the problems, they couldn't delay.
Understanding the criticality of his work, Xue Tong decided to leave the cinema with him before the movie ended, asserting that she could manage on her own. As they walked, she asked how long the experiment would last, and Mu Chenghe replied, "It will end in a few days if everything goes smoothly. It is a crucial time before the end." Xue Tong assured him it was fine, acknowledging his busy schedule.
Zhao Xiaotang received a call from her father, who was frustrated because Zhao Meizhi had been incessantly calling him after failing to reach their daughter. Her father mentioned he had set aside money for her to study abroad, but Zhao Xiaotang, ever proud, insisted she had her own funds. Later, Zhao Xiaotang invited Xue Tong to Qi Qi’s workplace.
While there, Zhao Xiaotang confided the true reason behind slapping Qi Qi: she didn't want Qi Qi to suffer the same fate as her mother, who became a mistress, destroying another family and her own life. Xue Tong was shocked to learn about Zhao Xiaotang's complicated family background. Later, Xue Tong visited Mu Chenghe, who was working late. She confided that she realized she didn't truly understand the people around her, including Qi Qi, despite spending so much time together.
Mu Chenghe reassured her that Qi Qi just needed time to figure things out. Upon returning home, Zhao Xiaotang found her mother, Zhao Meizhi, had prepared stewed belt fish for her, expressing how much she missed her. Zhao Xiaotang, moved by her mother's aging appearance, ate the fish and shared that she had contacted her father, who advised Zhao Meizhi not to stay cooped up indoors.
Zhao Meizhi mentioned her savings for Zhao Xiaotang's overseas education, but Zhao Xiaotang brushed it aside. Zhao Meizhi then thought of inviting Zhao Xiaotang's father to eat but decided against it, lamenting that he disliked being bothered and the fish would get cold. Professor Wu, having learned that Mu Chenghe had been working with Professor Han, was furious.
He confronted Mu Chenghe, reminding him to be practical and warning that his doctoral graduation was in Professor Wu's hands due to his lack of respect. Mu Chenghe, however, stood his ground, stating, "I respect science, not authority," further enraging Professor Wu. As Mu Chenghe's birthday approached, Zhao Xiaotang accompanied Xue Tong to pick out a gift. They decided on a small maze model, and Xue Tong planned to bake a cake for him herself.
Bai Lin and Zhong Qiang found a clean and comfortable apartment to rent. They discussed decorating and hosting Xue Tong and Zhao Xiaotang for hotpot and sleepovers, though Zhong Qiang humorously noted he'd be left to clean up. They quickly settled on the house, and Zhong Qiang called the agent. Xue Tong went to Zhao Xiaotang's home to bake the cake. The lemon-flavored cake didn't turn out as expected, looking more like a cake-flavored lemon.
While decorating, Xue Tong questioned Zhao Xiaotang about her relationship with Mu Hai. Zhao Xiaotang clarified they were merely business partners and that a romantic relationship was impossible, having tried it before and realizing they were not suited for each other. Despite Xue Tong's assertion that Zhao Xiaotang still liked him, Zhao Xiaotang denied it. Xue Tong then meticulously decorated Mu Chenghe's home with balloons and lights.
Zhao Xiaotang, visiting his home for the first time, was surprised by how "warm" it felt, attributing it to Xue Tong's care. They found Bulgarian rose seeds that Xue Tong and Mu Chenghe had bought on Valentine's Day. As Zhao Xiaotang and Mu Hai left, Mu Hai commented on the unusual pairing of Xue Tong and Mu Chenghe, suggesting they were from different worlds, but then acknowledged their mutual affection.
He also expressed concern that Xue Tong's elaborate birthday surprise might backfire, knowing Mu Chenghe's indifference to such ceremonies. Zhao Xiaotang asked why he hadn't warned Xue Tong, and he admitted he didn't want to dampen her spirits. Mu Hai invited Zhao Xiaotang to his place for a drink, but she declined, wanting to go home. Xue Tong waited eagerly with the cake for Mu Chenghe, but he didn't appear.
After texting him with no reply, she decided to take the cake to his lab to celebrate with everyone. Upon her arrival, Mu Chenghe and his colleagues were deeply immersed in the experiment. Despite his colleagues' exhaustion, Mu Chenghe insisted they continue working. Xue Tong, with the help of Mu Chenghe's colleagues, started a small celebration, singing "Happy Birthday" and urging Mu Chenghe to make a wish.
He blew out the candles quickly, wishing only for the data to be ready that day. He then coldly returned to his research without even cutting the cake, telling Xue Tong to go home. The other lab members looked on awkwardly. Xue Tong, embarrassed, eventually left the cake with his colleague and went home. The next morning, Mu Chenghe finally returned. His first action was to reprimand Xue Tong for coming to the lab unannounced.
Xue Tong, deeply hurt and confused, explained she had texted him, but he hadn't replied. She felt it wasn't fair for everything to be her fault, especially after he had recently told her things were going smoothly. Mu Chenghe retorted that he wasn't a genius and things don't always go smoothly, pointing out that everyone in the lab had to stop working and celebrate his birthday just to make her happy, even though they hadn't eaten.
Xue Tong, on the verge of tears, expressed her hurt and questioned what truly mattered to him if her efforts were so meaningless. The argument escalated, with Xue Tong calling his actions immature for forcing others to work when they needed rest, contrasting it with her "childish" act of celebrating his birthday. Mu Chenghe, claiming exhaustion, told her to rest. Xue Tong, utterly wounded, told him he didn't need to wait until tomorrow to discard things he deemed meaningless, implying the gift and celebration.
