Somewhere Only We Know Episode 8 Recap
> Somewhere Only We Know Recap
The arrival of Christmas Eve spurred various plans. Their teacher admonished students for celebrating too many festivals, from the recent "end of the world" to Christmas, implying they were too idle. Later, Bai Lin, having been held up by her strict teacher affectionately called "Grandma Wolf," met up with her roommates. She and Zhong Qiang planned to go see a movie.
Xue Tong, however, said she had to work overtime, and their other roommates were not joining, and she also had to abandon her plan to go to Mu Chenghe's lab because he was too busy. Bai Lin, ever the enthusiastic matchmaker, declared her most important mission in this "new era" was to find suitable partners for her friends. Meanwhile, Xue Tong had a chance encounter with Mu Chenghe.
She cautiously inquired about his evening plans and offered to do her homework in his lab, but he gently turned her down, citing a busy schedule and the lab being crowded. Still on her matchmaking quest for Xue Tong, Bai Lin approached Li Jiahang, asking if he knew any eligible single men. He claimed he didn't. When Bai Lin later asked about the upcoming New Year's party, Li Jiahang became unexpectedly serious.
He reproached her for her lack of dedication and revealed that this event would be his final one before leaving the Students' Union. He earnestly asked her to approach it with seriousness, and Bai Lin, chastened, promised to execute the task flawlessly. As preparations intensified, Bai Lin proactively recruited students, like Wu Man Xiao, to perform a "Home Hip-hop" dance, assuring them that the school would permit such a modern performance.
While reviewing the program with Li Jiahang, she suggested replacing an older song, "Callous to the End," with a rap number and extending a dance segment she found particularly appealing. Her dedication, however, strained her relationship with Zhong Qiang. He called her on Christmas Eve, but she was too engrossed in Students' Union duties to meet him, leaving him feeling hurt. The next day, a remorseful Bai Lin sought out Zhong Qiang at the swimming pool.
She apologized for missing their Christmas plans, explaining her commitment to helping Li Jiahang with his final event. Zhong Qiang, though still feeling somewhat slighted, accepted her apology. He declined her peace offering of snacks, stating his coach was present. Ever persistent, Bai Lin then asked him if his team had any "good single men" who "liked girls," to which he simply replied, "None."
Still determined to find a partner for Xue Tong, Bai Lin later learned that Liu Qi, whom Xue Tong had previously liked, was performing at the New Year's party after losing a bet. Seizing the opportunity, Bai Lin called Xue Tong and assigned her the task of supervising Liu Qi's rehearsal, much to Xue Tong's discomfort. Liu Qi also realized Bai Lin's matchmaking intentions.
Both Xue Tong and Liu Qi made it clear that they were not suitable for each other, agreeing they were better off as friends. Despite the awkwardness, Xue Tong helped Liu Qi overcome his stage fright by advising him to recite the periodic table out loud, a technique that surprisingly worked for him. Separately, Song Qi Qi received a request from Peng Yu to deliver a photo to Mu Chenghe.
She asked Xue Tong to take it, and Xue Tong, with a hint of eagerness, rushed to Mu Chenghe's office. Mu Chenghe, still working late, greeted her with a warm smile, playfully noting her silent arrival. As Xue Tong handed him the photo, he observed her absence from it, deeming it "imperfect." He then took another photo and began to sketch on it, possibly adding her, while Xue Tong playfully tried to peek.
Caught, she quickly announced she was returning to her dorm. Bai Lin, increasingly suspicious of Song Qi Qi's recent behavior, decided to investigate. She and Xue Tong observed Song Qi Qi leaving, realizing she was lying about going to her part-time job at the convenience store as it wasn't her usual working day. Convinced Song Qi Qi was hiding a new relationship, they hailed a taxi to follow her.
Their amateur sleuthing quickly went awry when confused directions led their taxi driver to drop them off in an unfamiliar, deserted area. Stranded, Bai Lin expressed fear of encountering trouble. Xue Tong briefly considered calling the police but dismissed the idea, realizing the embarrassment of admitting they were lost while secretly following a friend. With no other recourse, Xue Tong called Mu Chenghe.
He arrived, clearly upset by their "childish behavior" and lack of safety awareness, and sternly ordered them into his car. In the car, Bai Lin cautiously asked if he was still angry. Mu Chenghe, softening, offered them oden he'd bought from a convenience store, expressing concern that they hadn't eaten. At that moment, Song Qi Qi appeared, carrying food, claiming she had been at the convenience store and bought a book.
Bai Lin remained skeptical, but Xue Tong, perhaps too tired to argue, accepted Song Qi Qi's explanation. The following day, Xue Tong went to Mu Chenghe's lab, only to learn he had worked through the night on experiments and had left at dawn. Later, she bumped into Xiao Tang, a scholarship student who also often worked late in the lab.
Xiao Tang emphasized that she disliked interruptions during her experiments, which made Xue Tong realize why Mu Chenghe had been so displeased the previous night, understanding she had inadvertently disturbed his critical work. At the New Year's party, Li Jiahang encountered Xiao Tang, who explained she had to finish experiments for an American university. He noted that she had even forgone a postgraduate recommendation for this opportunity, expressing that it seemed a pity.
Xiao Tang responded, "You can't own everything," implying she had no regrets about her choice. Finally, the New Year's party began, hosted by Bai Lin and Li Jiahang. Bai Lin announced that this year's gala would be "totally different and refreshing," foregoing traditional performances like recitals and classical dances. Outside, Xue Tong found herself unable to enter due to the limited capacity, growing increasingly anxious. Just then, Mu Chenghe appeared.
He asked if she would accompany him to "see an interesting thing," and she agreed. He led her to a secluded, elevated spot, a place he and his father had often visited, describing it as Donghu City's closest point to the sky. There, he explained, they could best receive the annual New Year's message from the Voyager space probe.
Initially, Xue Tong was only mildly impressed, but as Mu Chenghe explained the Voyager's extraordinary 35-year journey and its profound message to humanity—that despite being small in the vast universe, "we become great because of love"—she became captivated. He added that the Voyager had "another sixty-seven years of life," implying she could listen to its messages for many years to come, and played a recording of its message.
Inside the hall, Song Qi Qi watched the gala with Xiao Zheng, whom she had invited. However, partway through, Xiao Zheng decided to leave, citing the late hour. Despite Song Qi Qi's attempts to convince him to stay for another performance she thought he'd enjoy, he remained firm, so she offered to walk him out. As they headed for the exit, the drama club began their performance of "Rhinoceros in Love."
The passionate lines from the play's confession resonated deeply with Song Qi Qi. Inspired, she turned to Xiao Zheng, declaring, "Loving you was the best thing that I’ve ever done," then embraced and kissed him. Following this intense moment, they left the hall together and went to a hotel. A poignant scene unfolded backstage for Li Jiahang.
He had brought a real puppy, which he had affectionately named "Xiao Bai," intending to give it to Bai Lin, knowing her fondness for dogs. He approached her, eager to present his gift and reflect on his final Students' Union event. However, Zhong Qiang suddenly arrived, wishing Bai Lin a Happy New Year and surprising her with a toy dog. Bai Lin, delighted, promptly named the toy "Xiao Bai."
Seeing her happiness with Zhong Qiang and his gift, Li Jiahang, with his real puppy still in hand, felt a wave of disappointment. He simply offered Bai Lin a wistful "Happy New Year" and left. From a distance, he looked at his puppy and resignedly murmured, "She already has a Xiao Bai."
