Way Back Into Love Episode 18 Recap
> Way Back Into Love Recap
Xu Jiaxiu went to a convenience store to buy drinks. An elderly man asked for his help in choosing chocolate for his wife, who was allergic to alcohol. Xu Jiaxiu carefully selected a liquor-free option for him. Returning home with two bottles of drinks, Xu Jiaxiu noticed Lu Jia blocking the kitchen entrance. Peeking inside, he saw a chaotic scene, realizing she hadn't finished preparing the meal.
Lu Jia insisted he wait on the rooftop, promising the food would be ready soon. On the rooftop, Lu Jia presented him with a homemade cake, which Xu Jiaxiu devoured, praising her cooking. He promised to be her "most reliable portable power source," always supporting her. The next day, Xu Jiaxiu brought Lu Jia to a golf course, surprising her by revealing a meeting with Song Juanxi. Xu Jiaxiu introduced Lu Jia as Voya Technology's CFO and his girlfriend.
Lu Jia felt awkward and discreetly moved away. Song Juanxi approached her, apologizing for past events in Beijing and mentioning upcoming collaborations with Xu Jiaxiu. Lu Jia calmly stated there were no misunderstandings, and anything unpleasant had ended when she left Beijing. Xu Jiaxiu then called her over to teach her how to play golf.
Later, on their way home, Lu Jia confessed to Xu Jiaxiu that she had worked with Song Juanxi's company, Sixinte, during her time in Beijing, and knew him to be a philandering man. Xu Jiaxiu, however, dismissed it as Song Juanxi merely fulfilling "social needs" by bringing different female companions to various events, without genuine emotional investment. Xu Jiaxiu then took Lu Jia to watch a movie.
They unexpectedly ran into Lu Hongwei, Lu Jia’s father, and Jiang Wenting, who were also there, excitedly buying popcorn and soda. Lu Hongwei was visibly embarrassed to be seen by his daughter. To ease the awkwardness, Lu Jia and Xu Jiaxiu decided to switch to a different film. After the movie, in the car, Lu Jia dozed off, repeatedly calling out for her mother in her sleep. Xu Jiaxiu felt a pang of sympathy for her.
Lu Jia then recounted how her mother had passed away when she was six. She described her childhood grief and her initial fierce rejection of any new "step-mother," even trying to wash her dirty skirt herself to prove she didn't need one. However, she eventually realized her father's sadness was deeper, a permanent loss of a loved one. Seeing her father happy with Jiang Wenting now brought her immense joy and relief.
Xu Jiaxiu, understanding her journey, promised to always protect her. That day marked the official launch of the "Pickup" application. Janice, despite being incredibly nervous, pressed the launch button. Downloads immediately surged, exciting the entire team. Meng Tiantian happily found many old classmates through the app, and even Xu Jiaxiu's grandmother downloaded it. Unfortunately for Zhou Yunbo, creditors quickly located him via Pickup, causing him much distress.
While Pickup's download numbers rapidly increased, Xu Jiaxiu worried about the company's future financial stability. Ye Angyang reported having preliminary discussions with five potential investors, highlighting Sixinte as the most professional, offering the best platform and financial resources. Zhou Yunbo enthusiastically endorsed Sixinte as an "industry leader," launching into a lengthy, often-ignored monologue about investment strategies and the upcoming "roadshow" and "primary selection" phases, complete with analogies like "the tortoise and the hare race."
Xu Jiaxiu instructed Ye Angyang to prepare a business plan specifically for Sixinte. Later, Shao Yifeng visited the office, claiming to enjoy the "snack-eating atmosphere." Janice, busy, gave him some snacks and dismissed him. However, Shao Yifeng commented on Pickup's interface, pointing out that it wasn't convenient for one-handed operation. He demonstrated how other apps offered a swipe-to-exit function, which immediately enlightened Janice.
She profusely thanked him, offering to buy him any snacks he desired, and promptly instructed her team to prepare Pickup's first update to include single-handed operation. Back home, Lu Jia observed her father, Lu Hongwei, and Jiang Wenting returning from grocery shopping, with her father asking Jiang Wenting to go home.
Frustrated by her father's "stubborn" and "ambiguous" behavior, Lu Jia firmly encouraged him to formalize his relationship with Jiang Wenting, assuring him that she fully supported it and believed her late mother would too. When her father hesitated, citing Jiang Wenting's own children as a concern, Lu Jia boldly declared she would "handle it." She then called out to Jiang Wenting from downstairs and directly asked if she would mind having "another daughter," moving Jiang Wenting to tears.
Witnessing this, Lu Hongwei finally invited Jiang Wenting to come home for dinner. Meanwhile, Ye Angyang announced that Pickup had successfully passed Sixinte's primary selection, reducing their competitors by half. However, this news caused Lu Jia internal conflict. She found herself distressed about the renewed connection with Song Juanxi and Sixinte, worrying whether Xu Jiaxiu might misunderstand her past association with Song Juanxi, and if Song Juanxi's presence in Dongzhou had "ulterior purposes" beyond business.
Pickup's download numbers continued to soar, soon surpassing 500,000. Janice, deeply appreciative of Shao Yifeng's "enlightenment," now treated him as the company's "mascot," indulging his requests for snacks. When asked to buy snacks for him, Lu Jia volunteered, further emphasizing that Shao Yifeng was to be "spoiled." As Lu Jia left a convenience store, she encountered Song Juanxi.
He complimented Pickup's success and its recent update, then offered his help for the upcoming roadshow, hinting at a desire to rekindle their past relationship by suggesting they could "hang out as we used to." Lu Jia firmly declined his help and clarified that their relationship had always been strictly professional, dismissing his attempts to initiate a friendship. With the roadshow approaching, Xu Jiaxiu began his preparations.
Lu Jia, unable to attend as his "girlfriend," tried to tie his tie as a gesture of support, but struggled. Xu Jiaxiu patiently guided her hands, teaching her the proper technique. Later, it was revealed that Xu Jiaxiu had quietly removed the "banning office romance" clause from the employee handbook, implicitly acknowledging his relationship with Lu Jia within the company.
