Somewhere Only We Know Episode 5 Recap
> Somewhere Only We Know Recap
As a token of appreciation, Mu Chenghe invited Xue Tong to visit the planetarium. Inside, Xue Tong was as lively as a sprite, expressing her thoughts freely. She remarked that seeing the starry sky and universe made her feel insignificant, and lamented the severe air pollution that now obscures the stars. She also confessed that she would not have thought of visiting such a place on her own, as she found it potentially dull.
Mu Chenghe listened with a gentle smile, occasionally using his physics knowledge to explain various wondrous phenomena. He demonstrated Einstein's theory of general relativity, showing how the distortion of time and space creates gravity and mutual attraction between objects. Xue Tong praised his clear explanation, noting that even the children clapped. Mu Chenghe playfully suggested his teaching style was suited for "children like her."
Xue Tong then became engrossed in a display, prompting Mu Chenghe to ask if she knew about Voyager 1. He explained that it was a space probe launched by NASA in 1977, carrying humanity's messages to explore the farthest reaches of the universe without a specific destination. He added that its power would likely be depleted by 2025, after which it would drift further into deep space, no longer able to send back information.
Hearing this, Xue Tong felt a profound sense of loneliness, yet also acknowledged the mission's grandeur. They encountered Bo Wen, a volunteer guide, who greeted Mu Chenghe, revealing that Mu Chenghe was also a volunteer guide there, occasionally providing individual explanations. Bo Wen informed them about a children's modeling competition, where participants built models for prizes. Inspired, Xue Tong wanted to create a Voyager 1 model herself, but Mu Chenghe expressed doubt about her ability.
She insisted he help, but he deemed it inappropriate for a guide to assist in a children's competition. Undeterred, Xue Tong struggled with the model until Mu Chenghe, seeing her difficulty, stepped in to help her, pointing out the instructions. During their time, Xue Tong asked if he had ever visited the National Astronomical Observatory. He admitted he hadn't, and she playfully suggested he would benefit from her company this time, which he humorously countered.
Returning to school, they noticed a bulletin board announcing the upcoming Sino-Russian Cultural Exchange Week. Xue Tong, keenly interested, proposed that their Russian class participate in a choir to sing a Russian song, despite the event conflicting with their regular class schedule on Friday afternoon. She light-heartedly suggested it would be a good reason to skip class.
Mu Chenghe, after some playful banter where Xue Tong jokingly implied no one wanted to attend his classes, agreed, seeing it as an opportunity to showcase what they had learned. He entrusted Xue Tong with the responsibility of organizing the choir, which she eagerly accepted. Meanwhile, Bai Lin, Li Jiahang, and others were on a mountain trip, having planned to watch the sunrise. However, it had been raining since their arrival, leaving Bai Lin in a foul mood.
She grumbled to Li Jiahang, the organizer, about the unpredictable mountain weather. Later that night, while scrolling through Weibo, Bai Lin stumbled upon a photo of Zhong Qiang intimately posing with another woman. Her world seemed to crash as she realized Zhong Qiang had a girlfriend. Heartbroken, Bai Lin ran alone up the mountain in the pouring rain. Li Jiahang, who harbored a secret affection for Bai Lin, worried for her safety and followed closely behind.
As they reached the summit, the clouds suddenly parted, revealing a breathtaking sunrise, a truly magnificent sight. Just as Bai Lin was celebrating, Zhong Qiang appeared. He explained that the woman in the photo was his ex-girlfriend, and he had gone back to break up with her, taking a "last photo" out of momentary weakness.
Despite her initial disbelief, Zhong Qiang passionately confessed his deep feelings for Bai Lin, declaring he had liked her since the first time he saw her and couldn't live without her. He even climbed onto a dangerous ledge to prove his sincerity, offering her a bag of sand he had collected from the beach. Overwhelmed, Bai Lin forgave him, admitting she had stopped blaming him the moment he came looking for her.
When he asked her to be his girlfriend, she joyfully accepted, and they embraced. Li Jiahang, witnessing this, quietly descended the mountain alone. Later, Tao Tao asked Li Jiahang about Bai Lin's whereabouts, and he simply stated that her friend had picked her up. Back in her dorm, Bai Lin was ecstatic with her new relationship, sharing her happiness with her roommates.
She gushed about Zhong Qiang, recounting a romanticized version of their mountain encounter, complete with pouring rain, a sudden sunrise, and Zhong Qiang's dramatic appearance, attributing it all to true love and destiny. She even brought back gifts, ensuring that Zhao Xiaotang would not receive any. The next day, during Russian class, Xue Tong eagerly anticipated Mu Chenghe's arrival to lead the cultural week activities.
However, a substitute teacher, Mr. Liu, a Russian postgraduate, announced that Mu Chenghe was away on a temporary business trip and he would be covering the class. He instructed Xue Tong to find and download the film "Ivan's Childhood" onto Mu Chenghe's USB drive for the next lesson. Xue Tong inquired about Mu Chenghe's return, but Mr. Liu had no information. Meanwhile, Song Qi Qi, working at a shop, inadvertently accepted fake money from two suspicious customers.
Her boss, upon discovering the counterfeit bill, reprimanded her and docked the amount from her salary, emphasizing it as a lesson learned. Later, Song Qi Qi, wanting to see a stage play called "Rhinoceros in Love," tried to buy tickets but found them sold out for days. She even considered trying to buy scalped tickets, but ultimately didn't. Determined to keep the choir project going despite Mu Chenghe's absence, Xue Tong took the initiative to lead the practice.
She first sought out Mu Chenghe's lab, where she met Xu Jie, Mu Chenghe's colleague. Xu Jie informed her that Mu Chenghe was at an off-campus wind tunnel participating in an experiment related to his previous mechanics conference, an opportunity that indicated recognition for his research, though the results were still pending. Xu Jie also remarked that Mu Chenghe was far too busy for an elective course.
Xue Tong then enlisted Bai Lin's help to secure a classroom for rehearsals, which Li Jiahang, looking somewhat crestfallen, provided. In the classroom, Xue Tong tried to rally her classmates, who were initially apathetic and worried about wasting effort if Mu Chenghe didn't return or if the substitute teacher wouldn't allow them to participate. One student, Wu Man Xiao, was particularly vocal in her doubts. Xue Tong then approached Mr. Liu, the substitute teacher, to confirm their participation.
However, he stated he had no knowledge of a choir contest and couldn't make such decisions. Despite the setback and wavering morale among her peers, Xue Tong remained undeterred. She returned to the class, confidently announcing that they would participate regardless of Mu Chenghe's presence, and even hinted at his potential early return. Her enthusiasm reignited the students' spirits, and they eagerly volunteered, nominating Xue Tong as the lead singer.
Wu Man Xiao, perhaps a little miffed at not being chosen, volunteered to be the conductor, standing on a chair to be visible to all. Their practice sessions then began in earnest. However, their efforts were cut short when a Student Union member regretfully informed Xue Tong that the Cultural Week event had been shortened, leading to the cancellation of the choir competition.
The news left Xue Tong and her classmates deeply disappointed, though they cherished the memories of their shared efforts. Upon Mu Chenghe's return from his business trip, he informed Xu Jie that his research had captured the attention of the renowned Professor Waltz, who had personally called him. This acknowledgment filled Mu Chenghe with renewed drive and confidence, strengthening his resolve to persevere with his research and must achieve significant results.
He enthusiastically expressed his determination to Xu Jie, even stating he would work non-stop for three days and nights if necessary, and Xu Jie readily agreed to help him. Xue Tong later met Mu Chenghe to return his USB drive. Mu Chenghe, apologizing for his earlier unresponsiveness, explained his busy schedule.
He was initially preoccupied with discussing Professor Waltz's research topic with Xu Jie and casually set aside the USB drive, stating he would look at the Russian class materials later. However, recalling their previous discussion, he inquired about the choir. Xue Tong regretfully informed him that they had signed up but were not selected, to which Mu Chenghe responded with encouragement, saying it was normal for beginners.
During the next Russian class, with fewer students present, Mu Chenghe took the opportunity to share something interesting. He mentioned discovering two songs, "Deep Sea" and "Holy War," on his USB drive. He explained that both songs, sharing the same melody, originated during the Soviet era and were composed by the famous Alexandrov during a time when the Soviet people were reeling from the Nazi blitz.
He described how the lyrics embodied a defiant, indomitable spirit, and how hearing the songs always instilled in him a sense of positive determination. At the students' prompting, he even sang a portion of "Holy War" in Russian. Afterward, Xu Jie found Mu Chenghe still working late into the night. Mu Chenghe acknowledged his exhaustion but insisted on reviewing the research. Xu Jie then noticed a message from Xue Tong on Mu Chenghe's phone, complimenting his singing.
Mu Chenghe promptly replied with a "Thank you." Meanwhile, Bai Lin, who was also in class, was on the phone with Zhong Qiang, playfully telling him that Xue Tong had "forced" her to attend class and she was there to keep her company, reaffirming her love for him. She then questioned Xue Tong if she knew about Mu Chenghe's return beforehand.
