Somewhere Only We Know Episode 22 Recap
> Somewhere Only We Know Recap
Xue Tong was tutoring Peng Yu, who found studying during the summer break annoying. Peng Yu suggested they go to the planetarium, reminding Xue Tong that Mu Chenghe had once promised to take him. When Xue Tong refused, stating Mu Chenghe should fulfill his own promise, Peng Yu revealed that Mu Chenghe had gone abroad and insisted that Xue Tong, as a teacher, should keep her word. Xue Tong reluctantly agreed.
Later, Xue Tong was on the phone with Liu Qi, informing him she couldn't go to the movies because she was helping Bai Lin clear out things related to Zhong Qiang from her apartment. Liu Qi insisted on joining them, saying he couldn't let two girls do the heavy lifting. At Bai Lin's apartment, as they helped move boxes, Bai Lin shared that she wouldn't be returning home for the summer and planned to catch up on her studies.
She jokingly suggested Xue Tong stay with her, and Liu Qi, teasingly, asked about his own accommodation, to which they playfully dismissed the idea of him sleeping on the sofa. Bai Lin offered to cook dinner to thank them, but Liu Qi quickly objected to her cooking skills.
Meanwhile, Mu Hai and Zhao Xiaotang were also busy, setting up the signage for their new venture, Begonia Innovative Technology Co., Ltd. Zhao Xiaotang mentioned she had turned down her US scholarship, prioritizing her current endeavors. Mu Hai was deeply moved by her commitment, acknowledging it as her personal choice. Xue Tong kept her promise and took Peng Yu to the planetarium, inviting Liu Qi along.
When Liu Qi arrived, Peng Yu, unimpressed, asked who he was, to which Liu Qi proudly introduced himself as Xue Tong's boyfriend. Inside, Peng Yu showcased his knowledge of pulsars, confidently stating that Mu Chenghe had taught him everything. Xue Tong, however, became contemplative as she looked at an image of Voyager 1, lost in her own thoughts. Peng Yu later asked Xue Tong about Mu Chenghe's return, but she simply stated they no longer had any connection.
Leaving the planetarium, Liu Qi remarked that spending a day with a child was more exhausting than a day of construction work. He then acknowledged that Mu Chenghe had brought her to the planetarium before and offered to take her again if she wished. Xue Tong declined, saying she wouldn't return. Liu Qi, undeterred, promised to accompany her wherever she wanted to go.
He leaned in to kiss her, but Xue Tong's wide-eyed gaze made him pull back, mumbling that it was "too early." Chen Yan, Xue Tong's childhood friend, returned from abroad. Xue Tong eagerly met her at the airport. Chen Yan explained she was back to follow up on a documentary project she had filmed in Tanzania, which a domestic website wanted to turn into a series. She playfully teased Xue Tong about her new boyfriend.
Later, at dinner, Xue Tong introduced Chen Yan to Liu Qi. Chen Yan and Liu Qi exchanged a fist bump, with Chen Yan explaining it as an American greeting. Liu Qi, apologizing for his dirty hands from work, also offered to treat everyone to a foot massage, but Chen Yan, citing jet lag, politely declined, promising to take a rain check. Chen Yan then asked to stay at Xue Tong's place for the night, and Liu Qi readily agreed.
Upon arriving at Xue Tong's home, both girls noticed Xue Tong's mother was wearing makeup. Her mother explained it was for a work event, and Chen Yan complimented her, offering to do her makeup another time. That evening, Chen Yan showed Xue Tong her Pink Floyd tattoo, which she had gotten with an ex-boyfriend.
She morbidly joked that if she were to encounter a wild animal during her travels and only her arm remained, Xue Tong would be able to identify her by the tattoo. She also mused that sometimes wild animals were less frightening than people. Xue Tong later helped Chen Yan proofread subtitles for her documentary. Chen Yan, observing Liu Qi, expressed her approval, stating she liked anyone Xue Tong liked.
Zhao Xiaotang's mother, Zhao Meizhi, called her "again" about their broken TV, insisting that Mu Hai fix it. Zhao Xiaotang advised her mother not to bother him, suggesting she wait for her return. Ignoring her daughter, Zhao Meizhi called Mu Hai directly. Mu Hai promptly fixed the TV, much to Zhao Meizhi's delight.
Zhao Xiaotang later confronted her mother for calling Mu Hai, but Mu Hai defended Zhao Meizhi, explaining that her mother was often lonely and had not had a man to help with things like this for years. He reassured Zhao Xiaotang that he was happy to help and wanted to build a happy family with her, playfully asking if she'd shave her head for him as a sign of commitment, referencing a past argument.
Xue Tong and her friends planned a visit to Song Qi Qi, who was volunteering as a teacher at Liuya Primary School in Jia Nan Village. They packed many snacks for her. Liu Qi drove them in a robust van, jesting about its suitability for rural roads. After getting lost due to poor phone signal, Chen Yan, fluent in the local dialect, successfully asked a local for directions.
Upon arrival, they were joyfully reunited with Song Qi Qi, who greeted them warmly. Liu Qi flirted with Xue Tong, proclaiming she was the finish line of his "marathon." Song Qi Qi explained she had been teaching for two months, with students across various elementary grades. She apologized for her recent silence, saying she needed time to adjust her emotional state.
The girls planned to sleep together, but a student informed Liu Qi that Ms. Song had arranged for him to stay at her house for the night. Song Qi Qi, with a mischievous smile, bid Liu Qi goodnight, sending him off alone. The next day, Zhao Xiaotang and Chen Yan decided to explore a nearby wetland. Chen Yan reiterated her decision not to pursue studies in the US, emphasizing that her current reasons for staying were more important to her.
Meanwhile, Xue Tong, Bai Lin, and Song Qi Qi embarked on a hike up Mo Gan Mountain. Xue Tong and Bai Lin asked Song Qi Qi about her decision to volunteer there. Song Qi Qi revealed she had visited the area with Xiao Zheng previously and learned about the school's need for teachers. She confirmed that she was no longer in contact with Xiao Zheng.
Liu Qi then arrived to meet Xue Tong, and Bai Lin and Song Qi Qi tactfully left them alone. Xue Tong praised Song Qi Qi, assuring her she would be a wonderful teacher. That night, the girls gathered, and Chen Yan recounted a profound experience in Tanzania: finding an injured lioness with a newborn cub. Despite their initial desire to intervene, the nature reserve's rules prohibited interference in natural deaths. They returned later to find both animals had died.
Chen Yan reflected on the difficult lesson that death is a natural and beautiful part of life, and sometimes non-interference is the greatest act of protection. Before leaving, the friends took a group photo with Song Qi Qi, encouraging her to finish her teaching stint quickly and return to school, assuring her that her bed in the dorm was waiting. Later, as Liu Qi walked Xue Tong home, he leaned in for a kiss at her doorstep.
Just then, Xue Tong's mother unexpectedly returned and witnessed the scene. Liu Qi was mortified, while Xue Tong's mother, though surprised, understood her daughter was in a new relationship. The following day, while Xue Tong and Chen Yan were shopping, Xue Tong spotted her mother on a date with Uncle He. When her mother called Xue Tong on her phone, she casually referred to Uncle He as a "colleague."
Deeply disturbed, Xue Tong returned home and gazed at her father's framed photo. Chen Yan urged her to confront her mother directly. Accompanying Xue Tong to the prison where her mother worked, Chen Yan noticed a gaunt young man attempting to visit his mother but being turned away as visiting hours were over. Chen Yan offered him words of comfort. Inside, Xue Tong finally confronted her mother.
Her mother, with great difficulty, confessed a long-held secret: Xue Tong's father had an affair with a saleswoman from Li Hua Shopping Mall before his death. They had even discussed divorce, but chose to stay together for Xue Tong's sake. After his heroic death, her mother felt compelled to uphold his image as a hero for their daughter. Xue Tong was left stunned and heartbroken by the revelation.
As Xue Tong left the prison, still reeling from the conversation, Liu Qi called. He informed her that his parents had arrived in Donghu unexpectedly a day early and were waiting for her to join them for dinner. With no other choice, Xue Tong reluctantly headed to the dinner, while Uncle He drove Chen Yan home. At dinner, Liu Qi's parents were exceptionally warm and welcoming towards Xue Tong.
Later that night, while Xue Tong was on a video call with Liu Qi back in her dorm, Mu Chenghe's name suddenly flashed across her phone screen, leaving her wide-eyed in disbelief. Liu Qi, on his end, had just pledged to give Xue Tong a loving family, promising to "pay back what the world owes her."
