Somewhere Only We Know Episode 19 Recap
> Somewhere Only We Know Recap
Xue Tong's friends, Bai Lin and Zhao Xiaotang, rallied around her after her breakup with Mu Chenghe. Bai Lin urged her to drink, assuring her that a breakup was not the end of the world and she would get over it. Bai Lin promised to fill Xue Tong's schedule with activities. Though Xue Tong insisted she was fine, Bai Lin knew she was bottling up her emotions and advised her to let it all out.
Bai Lin then took Xue Tong shopping for new clothes, saying that making herself beautiful was the first step to recovery. Later, Zhao Xiaotang took Xue Tong to an archery range to help her release pent-up emotions. Zhao Xiaotang suggested envisioning the target as her ex, Mu Chenghe, and letting out her anger.
Xue Tong admitted she knew her breakup with Mu Chenghe was inevitable due to their many incompatibilities, recalling her own advice to Bai Lin that no one is irreplaceable. Mu Chenghe’s laboratory was indeed reclaimed. His visa for Germany came through, and he received his air ticket, confirming his imminent departure from Donghu.
He expressed surprise at how quickly things progressed, to which Professor Han encouraged him to embrace the opportunity in Germany, highlighting the superior resources and team available there. Professor Han also noticed Mu Chenghe looked pale and urged him to go home, take a hot shower, and prepare for his move after finishing the lab packing. Mu Chenghe returned home, looking blankly at the empty room and feeling a void as he began to pack.
Xue Tong struggled in class, appearing distracted and even bringing the wrong textbook, earning a reprimand from her teacher. She tried to calm herself in her dorm, only to receive a video call from Chen Yan, who excitedly shared news about a successful animal foundation application and her upcoming summer return. Chen Yan, unaware of the breakup, praised Mu Chenghe and Xue Tong's relationship, leaving Xue Tong feeling even more melancholic.
Meanwhile, Chen Ting confronted Mu Chenghe about the breakup, urging him to open up. Mu Chenghe confirmed the split, stating he was leaving for Germany in two days and wanted to see Xue Tong one last time because he was worried about her. However, when he tried to call her, her phone was off. Unbeknownst to him, Xue Tong had already visited his apartment, packed her belongings, and left, leaving Mu Chenghe to return to an even emptier, sorrowful space.
Later, Chen Ting summoned Xue Tong to his office. He instructed her to relay a message to Bai Lin, stressing that she must stop skipping classes due to her relationship and submit her proposal by the end of the semester. Chen Ting also offered Xue Tong advice, acknowledging her breakup with Mu Chenghe. He encouraged her to move on, focus on her future, and prepare for her postgraduate recommendation.
Xue Tong assured him she understood, stating she now intended to focus on her future and was considering literary translation for her proposal. At her shared apartment with Zhong Qiang, Bai Lin was cooking, praising herself as a good wife, while Zhong Qiang was engrossed in a video game. She eagerly suggested a fun outing for tomorrow, but Zhong Qiang seemed less enthusiastic, expressing that their daily routine of movies, dining, and shopping was getting repetitive.
Bai Lin grew emotional, questioning his love for her, which Zhong Qiang quickly denied, reaffirming his affection. Xue Tong called Bai Lin to inform her that Chen Ting had mandated the submission of proposals, a task Bai Lin found overwhelming and annoying, but agreed to meet Xue Tong the next day to work on it.
This meant canceling her plans with Zhong Qiang, who suggested she go back to university in the morning to focus on her proposal, and he would pick her up in the evening. As for Mu Chenghe, Chen Ting met him at the airport to see him off. Chen Ting mentioned he had spoken with Xue Tong, reassuring Mu Chenghe that she was doing well and had grown from the experience.
He also advised Mu Chenghe to take care of himself in Germany, especially regarding his diet and alcohol consumption, expressing concern for Mu Chenghe's tendency to keep things to himself. Mu Chenghe departed without seeing Xue Tong. Back home, a sorrowful Xue Tong was comforted by her mother, who had already sensed her daughter's heartbreak. Xue Tong tearfully confessed the breakup, and her mother gently stroked her hair, wishing for her quick recovery.
Later, Bai Lin was overwhelmed by the task of writing her proposal and decided to copy one from Xue Tong's notes before leaving to meet Zhong Qiang. Xue Tong urged Bai Lin to take her studies more seriously, reminding her that college was for more than just dating and that her future, including graduation, was at stake if she didn't focus.
Realizing the gravity of her situation, Bai Lin decided to call Zhong Qiang and inform him she needed to prioritize her future and studies. Zhao Xiaotang received her admission offer from a US university. While celebrating, a slightly inebriated Mu Hai expressed his reluctance for her to leave, suggesting they drink together. Meanwhile, Bai Lin unexpectedly returned home early, telling Zhong Qiang she missed him.
She discovered a picture of him with another girl on his phone, sparking a heated argument. Zhong Qiang explained it was just a group photo from a team gathering, but Bai Lin, convinced he was cheating, accused him of lying and being a jerk. To placate her, Zhong Qiang eventually agreed to give her his phone password. Separately, Xue Tong, while tutoring a child, discovered her own inspiration for her proposal topic.
The child, excited about Harry Potter, mentioned that J. K. Rowling, originally an English teacher, was inspired to write the series after seeing a mysterious wizard at a train station. This sparked an idea for Xue Tong: she realized she could write about her own experiences, especially her relationship with Mu Chenghe, for her proposal.
Mu Hai arranged to meet Zhao Xiaotang at Dujiang Pier, a place they frequented in their youth, to fulfill a promise from after their college entrance exam. He confessed that he didn't show up that day, or for three years, because he had two pimples on his face and felt too embarrassed to see her, wanting her to remember him as beautiful. He explained he later tried to find her but couldn't.
Zhao Xiaotang found his explanation absurd, questioning how two pimples could lead to a three-year disappearance without a word. Nevertheless, she agreed to meet him at the pier. Upon seeing him, she noticed he had two pimples again, which he quickly tried to hide. He had already bought two tickets for every ferry ride that evening, hoping she would stay. They reminisced about their younger days, taking ferry rides, and eating spicy malatang.
Mu Hai asked if she still hated him, and she replied she didn't, especially since she was also planning to leave. He wondered if she would have stayed if he had shown up back then, and she admitted she probably would have left anyway. They agreed to part ways gracefully, smiling as they did.
Zhao Xiaotang lamented that she had tried to forget him for three years, even his phone number, but hearing his voice recently brought all memories flooding back. She expressed frustration that after forgetting everything else, she now had to forget his voice too. Ultimately, Mu Hai decided to let her go with a smile, acknowledging that they were both too selfish to give up their dreams for each other.
He then asked her to take a photo of him, capturing his "jerkish" smile, as he had once vowed not to be a 'jerk' like her, but now found himself making a similar departure. During a family meal, Xue Tong's aunt subtly probed about her mother's male colleague, Uncle He Ping, asking if her mother was seeing someone.
The aunt expressed concern for Xue Tong's mother, who had raised her alone, but stressed the importance of careful consideration, especially given Xue Tong's grandmother's presence. Later that night, Xue Tong directly asked her mother if she and Uncle He Ping were dating. Her mother dismissed it as a joke, attributing the idea to gossip from Xue Tong's grandmother and aunt, and denied any romantic involvement. Xue Tong was left to believe it was impossible.
In a surprising turn, Zhao Xiaotang returned to the dorm early, stating she preferred working on her proposal over listening to family chatter. She then revealed to Xue Tong that she had decided not to go to the US for her studies, despite all her preparation. She felt there were more important things for her to do at home, implying it might be due to a newfound "power of love."
Mu Hai, still recovering from a leg injury, was forcefully taken to the bathhouse by his friends, who complained that he hadn't bathed in days and smelled terrible, joking that he'd become a "zombie."
