Somewhere Only We Know Episode 21 Recap
> Somewhere Only We Know Recap
Xue Tong woke up in the morning with a stiff neck, unable to move freely. Enduring the pain, she managed to get out of bed to tutor Peng Yu. During their English lesson, Peng Yu, a cheeky student, noticed her stiff neck and tried to get out of class by suggesting she go home to rest. Xue Tong, however, insisted on continuing the lesson, citing his poor grades.
After the tutoring session, Xue Tong returned to school and encountered Liu Qi in the cafeteria. Liu Qi immediately noticed her discomfort and suspected she had a stiff neck from playing on her phone at night. He offered to take her for a cupping session, mentioning the same place they had gone for foot washes, assuring her it was very effective.
Xue Tong declined, but Liu Qi continued to offer advice on how to improve her condition, explaining that a stiff neck indicated heavy dampness in her body. He promised to help her find a solution if she still felt uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Bai Lin approached Zhong Qiang after his training, apologizing for her behavior in the tattoo shop and claiming she was "possessed" at the time.
Zhong Qiang found her current demeanor "still weird" and tried to leave, stating he had an afternoon training session for an upcoming competition. Bai Lin, however, insisted on them having a meal together and taking a walk on the beach. She dragged him to a restaurant to eat steak, his favorite.
Zhong Qiang, clearly uninterested in eating, attempted to talk to her about their relationship, but Bai Lin constantly interrupted him, recalling their past plans and demanding he bring home a medal. Realizing he wanted to suggest a breakup, Bai Lin became desperate, apologizing for her past mistakes, especially forcing him to get a tattoo. Zhong Qiang clarified that he didn't want to break up but needed them to "calm down for a while."
Bai Lin grew frustrated, accusing him of being a liar for not daring to say "breakup" directly. Zhong Qiang, unable to continue the conversation, eventually walked away, leaving a distraught Bai Lin. Bai Lin returned to the dorm room, teary-eyed and miserable. She asked Xue Tong if she was annoying, to which Xue Tong gently reassured her, calling her "the cutest." Bai Lin confessed that Zhong Qiang wanted them to "calm down for a while," and she couldn't accept it.
Xue Tong suggested that a period of calm might actually be beneficial for them. She reminded Bai Lin that they were almost seniors and should think beyond just dating, focusing on their future plans. Bai Lin admitted she had no plans, only Zhong Qiang, and felt lost without him. Xue Tong acknowledged Bai Lin's insecurity but emphasized that Zhong Qiang, being a freshman, couldn't help her with everything. She urged Bai Lin to focus on her thesis proposal and exams.
Still clinging to hope, Bai Lin tearfully pleaded with Xue Tong to help her cover Zhong Qiang's apartment with their photos in an attempt to win him back. Reluctantly, Xue Tong agreed, but only after Bai Lin promised it would be the last time she’d resort to such actions, and that she would accept whatever the outcome. Later, in class, Liu Qi sat next to Xue Tong, continuing to offer advice about her stiff neck.
He explained that poor blood circulation was the cause and demonstrated his ability to spread his toes, teasing her for her lack of exercise. He enthusiastically invited her to jog with him every night, promising a more interesting experience than running on the track and suggesting they could chat. Xue Tong initially declined, but back in her dorm, she began doing yoga. That evening, Liu Qi took Xue Tong for a run along a scenic route he had mentioned.
However, Xue Tong, not accustomed to intense physical activity, quickly became breathless and struggled during the five-kilometer run, eventually opting to take a taxi back while Liu Qi continued. Mu Hai, working on his project, expressed concerns about a lack of startup funds. Zhao Xiaotang, who had returned to his side, confidently told him not to worry. She had converted all the money saved for her overseas studies into Chinese yuan, intending to fully support his venture.
Mu Hai was touched, but also worried about the practicality of using her savings. He wondered if the contract with potential investors would be signed. Zhao Xiaotang, ever the optimist, insisted there would be a way. Excited about the progress they had made in their recent factory visit, she declared that every drink they shared from then on would be a "celebration drink." Unbeknownst to Mu Hai, Zhao Xiaotang took the initiative to meet Director Yan for investment.
Director Yan, however, seemed more interested in Zhao Xiaotang personally than the project, suggesting she join his company due to her "young, beautiful, and capable" qualities. He implied that she should drink with him before discussing the project. Mu Hai arrived unexpectedly, interrupting their meeting. He confronted Zhao Xiaotang, questioning why she didn't involve him and asserting his superior understanding of the contract.
Director Yan observed their interaction, remarking that young people should be "street-smart," and noted that Zhao Xiaotang was more so than Mu Hai. He then excused himself. Mu Hai angrily accused Zhao Xiaotang of insulting him, stating he was "not that desperate to rely on a woman." Hurt and frustrated, Zhao Xiaotang left the money he needed, telling him to achieve his dream on his own.
Liu Qi, feeling threatened by Fan Shimao's growing closeness to Xue Tong, asked a friend to investigate him. The friend identified him as Fan Shimao, a freshman from the Foreign Language Department. In Ms Lang's class, Bai Lin was visibly distracted. Ms Lang gently called her attention, reminding her to concentrate. After class, Xue Tong found Bai Lin and they discussed their thesis proposals.
Fan Shimao then arrived, bringing interview materials for Xue Tong and offering to help with the school magazine layout. He also offered to walk Xue Tong back, citing the heavy materials, but Xue Tong declined his offer. Liu Qi, observing Fan Shimao's persistent attention to Xue Tong, grew increasingly annoyed. Later, Bai Lin went to the swimming pool, looking for Zhong Qiang. A team member, Zhao Xiao Qiao, falsely told her that Zhong Qiang had taken the day off.
Moments later, Zhao Xiao Qiao was seen calling Zhong Qiang, confirming his presence and hinting that he was hiding from Bai Lin. Liu Qi cornered Fan Shimao in the hallway, calling him by the nickname "Vaseline" and warning him explicitly to "not go after Xue Tong." Fan Shimao, startled, nearly fell. Xue Tong later learned about Liu Qi's aggressive behavior towards Fan Shimao and confronted him, calling his actions "improper."
Liu Qi tried to dismiss it, claiming Fan Shimao fell on his own and offered to apologize, then invited Xue Tong for another run. Xue Tong, however, refused. Bai Lin, still heartbroken, went back to the swimming pool. She remembered Zhong Qiang's past promises of staying by her side forever and gifts like a "mutual love" necklace and a "key to his heart" that he gave her.
She changed into her swimsuit and stood on the diving board, calling Zhong Qiang. When he arrived, she was filled with hope, believing he still cared for her and asking him to reconcile. Zhong Qiang, however, looked disgusted and told her to "stop torturing him," confessing he was "done playing" and desperately asked her to let him go. Devastated, Bai Lin jumped into the water. Panicked, Zhong Qiang immediately jumped in to save her.
Later, in a conversation, Zhong Qiang revealed he considered either drowning with her or breaking up completely at that moment. Bai Lin then revealed her secret: she actually knew how to swim, implying her jump was a desperate plea for attention. Zhong Qiang rescued her and brought her to safety, but then left without looking back, signaling the definitive end of their relationship.
Back at the dorm, Bai Lin was in despair, throwing away everything related to Zhong Qiang, crying that he was "unworthy." Xue Tong and Zhao Xiaotang comforted her, telling her she would find someone better. Bai Lin, realizing the preciousness of life, decided she wanted to "start a new life." They planned to go to karaoke or jogging to cheer her up. As the three girls headed to the elevator, it suddenly broke down, trapping them inside.
They tried to call for help, but their phones had no signal. Outside the dorm, Liu Qi and Mu Hai were waiting, Liu Qi for Xue Tong, and Mu Hai for Zhao Xiaotang. When their calls went unanswered, they realized something was wrong and rushed inside. After some effort, they managed to pry open the elevator doors, rescuing the three girls. Zhao Xiaotang, still upset with Mu Hai from their earlier argument, warned him "not to touch her."
Mu Hai sincerely apologized for his harsh words. Liu Qi, taking advantage of the moment, confessed his deep feelings to Xue Tong. He revealed that after she started dating Mu Cheng He, he was heartbroken and began running marathons on a specific route, hoping to forget her, but it was impossible. He admitted he constantly wished to do something for her and was glad he was the one to open the elevator door for her.
He then asked her to be his girlfriend, and Xue Tong accepted. Mu Hai then took Zhao Xiaotang to see his new office space. He excitedly described his plans for the different sections of the office, from workspaces to meeting rooms and a pantry. Zhao Xiaotang congratulated him on his dream coming true.
Mu Hai acknowledged that the success was partly due to her, as the company's owner decided to invest after seeing their proposal, overcoming Director Yan's attempts to hinder them. He then called Zhao Xiaotang his "lucky charm." Later, Liu Qi took Xue Tong to the scenic running route he had mentioned. After they completed the five-kilometer run, Xue Tong, having changed into comfortable sportswear, conceded that the scenery was indeed beautiful.
Liu Qi then repeated his heartfelt confession, asking Xue Tong to officially be his girlfriend and promising to always be the first one to appear by her side, in any situation. Xue Tong happily agreed.
