Somewhere Only We Know Episode 9 Recap
> Somewhere Only We Know Recap
Xiao Zheng and Song Qi Qi spent the night together. The next morning, Xiao Zheng seemed unsure how to proceed, deliberately avoiding Song Qi Qi. As he was leaving, he handed her a book, "Poems by Lorca," wishing her a happy new year. Song Qi Qi returned the greeting and then asked if she could see him again. Xiao Zheng, after a moment of hesitation, suggested they could discuss the book after she finished reading it, before quickly departing.
Song Qi Qi, however, was clearly enamored with him. Back in the dorm, Bai Lin and Xue Tong playfully interrogated Song Qi Qi, demanding to know where she had been the previous night, hinting that someone saw her with a guy. Song Qi Qi, shy about revealing the truth, claimed she had gone to the midnight book market alone. However, Bai Lin found a copy of "Poems by Lorca," implying Song Qi Qi was lying.
Song Qi Qi insisted she was alone, but her friends found her story unconvincing. Bai Lin then excitedly told Song Qi Qi that she missed a significant development: Xue Tong and Mu Chenghe had gotten together. Xue Tong, embarrassed, denied it, but Bai Lin continued to playfully tease her, expressing her support for the match. Later, the three friends had a meal in the cafeteria.
Xue Tong ate a lot, explaining that she was preparing for the 800 metres running test scheduled in a few days. She told them that passing required finishing under four and a half minutes and warned that failing would mean no master admission exam, no postgraduate recommendation, and only an associate's degree instead of a graduation certificate. Bai Lin protested, arguing that she came to study, not to run.
Xue Tong, however, was determined and offered to help Bai Lin train. Chen Ting returned from his business trip, greeted at the airport by Mu Chenghe. Upon arriving at Chen Ting's home, they found a feast prepared by Chen Ting's girlfriend, Ma Han, who teased Chen Ting for only missing the food and not her. Chen Ting also observed that Mu Chenghe's house was unusually tidy and playfully suggested he must be motivated by a girl, which Mu Chenghe denied.
That evening, Xue Tong and Song Qi Qi ran on the track, both exhausted and worried they wouldn't pass the fitness test. Song Qi Qi felt the "spiritual victory" method was not working for her and compared her legs to Xue Tong's, who seemed to possess supernatural power, joking that their calves would prevent them from getting boyfriends. As they rested, Xue Tong inquired if Mu Chenghe would still teach their Russian class now that Chen Ting was back.
Meeting Chen Ting later, Xue Tong learned that Mu Chenghe would continue to substitute teach because Chen Ting had many things to deal with after his long business trip. Xue Tong secretly rejoiced at the news, eager to see Mu Chenghe daily. Mu Chenghe then jokingly chided Xue Tong for wishing him "good morning" in the afternoon when she ran into him.
Song Qi Qi learned she was nominated for postgraduate recommendation due to her excellent academic performance, needing only to pass the fitness test. Bai Lin and Xue Tong were thrilled for her, planning a pizza celebration. Zhong Qiang, concerned about their fitness test, volunteered to be their coach, pushing them through strenuous workouts with dumbbells to improve stamina. Despite their exhaustion, Zhong Qiang motivated them by saying he didn't want Bai Lin to blame him if they failed.
During this period, Chen Ting summoned Xue Tong to his office and informed her that she was also a candidate for postgraduate recommendation. He clarified that while her grades and teacher recommendations were strong, there was only one final spot, and Song Qi Qi was her direct competitor. Xue Tong was surprised and conflicted, realizing she and her best friend were now rivals. Xue Tong found herself in a deep dilemma and decided to confide in Zhao Xiaotang.
Zhao Xiaotang sensed Xue Tong was pretending to be strong and pressed her to reveal her worries. Xue Tong admitted that she and Song Qi Qi were both nominated for the single postgraduate recommendation spot. Zhao Xiaotang, while helping Xue Tong open a bottle, encouraged her to face the competition head-on. She asserted that avoiding the conflict wasn't kindness but hypocrisy, and that such an attitude would make her feel belittled if she were Xue Tong's competitor.
The dreaded 800 metres fitness test began. Bai Lin, having previously volunteered to lead the pace for her friends, complained about the difficulty but tried to motivate others. Song Qi Qi took the lead, sprinting towards the finish line with all her might, followed closely by Xue Tong and Bai Lin. However, Bai Lin eventually fell behind, urging Xue Tong to go on without her.
Song Qi Qi finished first, with a time of 4:07, and Xue Tong finished second at 4:10. But due to overexertion, Song Qi Qi was sent to the infirmary, where a doctor diagnosed her with metabolic acidosis, explaining it was caused by intense exercise leading to organ oxygen deprivation and lactic acid buildup. The doctor assured them it was not serious and advised rest and plenty of water.
Bai Lin fussed over Song Qi Qi, promising to cater to her every need. In the infirmary, Xue Tong initiated a conversation about the postgraduate recommendation, hoping it wouldn't strain their friendship. Song Qi Qi confessed her true feelings, explaining her intense effort. She revealed her long-held dream of becoming a teacher at Donghu University, which required a master's degree. The postgraduate recommendation would also exempt her from tuition fees, a crucial factor given her family's modest background.
Therefore, she felt compelled to compete for the spot and considered Xue Tong her rival. Song Qi Qi further stated that her rival wasn't just Xue Tong, but also Xue Tong's father, as she had been told by the department that Xue Tong would receive extra points due to her father's influence, despite their similar grades. Stunned and hurt by Song Qi Qi's implication that she would use her father's connections, Xue Tong angrily left the infirmary.
Xiao Zheng visited Song Qi Qi at the convenience store where she worked, noticing her fatigued appearance. He then shared his "almost good news": he too was nominated for a postgraduate recommendation, but like her, was competing for a single spot against another candidate—his roommate and best friend. Xiao Zheng empathetically listened to Song Qi Qi's worries about her competition with Xue Tong.
He patiently advised her that competition is a natural and necessary part of life that prevents complacency and that being friends doesn't preclude being rivals. His words brought her comfort. Meanwhile, Xue Tong, determined not to receive special treatment due to her father's influence, went to Chen Ting's office with an application to withdraw from the postgraduate recommendation.
Chen Ting explained that while her father was a factor, the selection was fundamentally based on academic merit, and without good grades, no amount of influence would suffice. He also clarified that multiple comprehensive factors were always considered, not just grades. Nevertheless, he urged Xue Tong to reconsider, asking her to take the application back and think about it for another two days before making a final decision.
To mend the strained relationship between Song Qi Qi and Xue Tong, Bai Lin invited them to eat pizza. Song Qi Qi offered to treat, but Xue Tong objected, insisting they choose something else. Xue Tong's unusual behavior, particularly her strong aversion to pizza, led Song Qi Qi to mistakenly believe Xue Tong was upset about the postgraduate recommendation and was subtly looking down on her family's financial status.
Song Qi Qi retorted defensively, asserting that her need for the recommendation was a "reality" and being pitied was worse than losing. Xue Tong then revealed that she had already applied to withdraw from the recommendation process, trying to explain that her intention was not to pity Qi Qi, but to avoid winning unfairly due to her father's influence, and that her dislike for pizza was unrelated. The misunderstanding only deepened, leaving Xue Tong deeply hurt.
She burst into tears and ran out. Shortly after, Xue Tong received a call from Mu Chenghe. He was calling to share his good news: his research project had not only won an award, but he had also met Professor Eric Waltz, a highly respected figure whom he likened to Hawking. Professor Waltz had expressed keen interest in Mu Chenghe's project. Mu Chenghe excitedly shared these details, but noticed the sadness in Xue Tong's voice, inquiring if anything was wrong.
Xue Tong dismissed it as nothing, merely asking about the arrangements for the upcoming Russian class, as he mentioned he might not be able to teach it due to meetings. Noticing the tearful tone in Xue Tong's voice during their phone call, Mu Chenghe grew concerned. He canceled his meetings and rushed back to school. Upon arrival, he learned from Bai Lin that Xue Tong was deeply distressed over the postgraduate recommendation competition with Song Qi Qi.
Mu Chenghe contacted Xue Tong again and met her, bringing her favorite canned peaches to comfort her. Xue Tong expressed her confusion and regret over her father's death, saying she still didn't understand why he acted so bravely and lamenting that if he were still alive, they would be happy.
She told Mu Chenghe about her decision to withdraw from the recommendation, explaining her reluctance to receive special treatment due to her father or to win at the expense of her friend. Mu Chenghe gently advised her that giving up was a valid choice if it brought her peace. Xue Tong, however, admitted that even giving up didn't make her happy, and she felt neither her father nor Song Qi Qi would want her to quit.
She reflected on the complexities of adult choices, where not all options are right, but there is always a wrong one. Xue Tong then asked Mu Chenghe to take her somewhere. They visited a former pizza shop, which was now closed, further upsetting Xue Tong.
On their way back, Xue Tong fell asleep and dreamt of her father, who encouraged her to eat pizza and assured her of his love and pride in all her decisions, urging her not to be burdened by his memory but to live her life fully. Waking up, Xue Tong told Mu Chenghe that she now understood what the wrong choice was, signaling a newfound clarity. Reinvigorated by her dream, Xue Tong sought out Song Qi Qi.
With Bai Lin present, Xue Tong finally revealed the deeply personal reason for her aversion to pizza: every Friday, her father would secretly take her to a pizza shop, but one fateful Friday, while she waited, she received the devastating news of his death. From that day, she swore never to eat pizza again, finding the memory too painful.
Song Qi Qi expressed regret for not knowing, and Xue Tong assured her it wasn't her fault, as she had never shared the story. Xue Tong explained that she realized her father would be saddened to know she avoided something she loved because of him. Song Qi Qi apologized, and Xue Tong, tearfully grateful, thanked her. Xue Tong concluded that the recent events had helped her gain clarity, and she was now determined to compete for the postgraduate recommendation.
She affirmed that while she couldn't control the "merit points" associated with her father, if she earned the spot, it would be purely on her own merit, with a score higher than Song Qi Qi's, even without any added advantage. Song Qi Qi thanked Xue Tong for her honesty and then playfully admitted that she hadn't given her full effort in the fitness test. The two friends, with their misunderstanding resolved and their rivalry reframed as a healthy competition, prepared to run again, ready to face the future together.
