What If Episode 4 Recap
> What If Recap
Upon returning to her apartment, Xia Guo discovered that her mother had already rented it out. Upset, she called Yu Jian, who immediately told her to come home with him. Since his mother was home, Yu Jian had Xia Guo stay over discreetly, promising to prepare his sister Yu Yan's room for her the next day. Staying overnight felt strange to Xia Guo, as she hadn't done so since she was little.
Yu Jian reassured her, reminding her not to face troubles alone. The next morning, Yu Jian's mother returned home unexpectedly to retrieve her phone and found Xia Guo there. Xia Guo quickly claimed she had forgotten her keys and Yu Jian had brought her back. She added that Yu Jian had already returned to the hospital. Xia Guo offered to accompany her to the hospital shortly. Later, the family discussed Xia Guo's living situation.
Yu Jian and his father were agreeable to her staying, treating her like their own child, especially since Yu Yan's room was empty. However, Yu Jian's mother was concerned about gossip, feeling it was inappropriate for them to live together before marriage. When Xia Guo clarified that she wanted to rent Yu Yan's room, Yu Jian's mother initially objected but then agreed, reasoning that Xia Guo moving in as a tenant would prevent rumors.
She insisted that Xia Guo's mother, Wang Yan, should be the one to pay the rent, as she was the one who had rented out Xia Guo's apartment, leaving her nowhere to stay. Yu Jian pointed out that if Wang Yan didn't pay, Xia Guo would still be the one paying. Ignoring him, his mother insisted Wang Yan should pay.
Xia Guo stepped in, firmly stating that since she was renting, she would pay the rent herself and needed to return to work. After Xia Guo left, Yu Jian's father explained that his wife's real intention was for Wang Yan to return the money she had collected from Xia Guo for her previous apartment rent. Yu Jian later told Xia Guo not to worry about the rent his mother mentioned, but Xia Guo insisted she would pay.
Yu Jian then suggested giving her money that she could then give to his mother, essentially a roundabout way of him covering it. Xia Guo felt she had found a good place and that he was overthinking; by choosing to stay in Leshan, she had chosen to share life's challenges with him, so she wouldn't accept him paying her rent. Yu Jian promised he would give her a better life than those who went to big cities.
Xia Guo challenged him to start by buying her a Ciba cake. Meanwhile, in Shanghai, Xia Guo's parallel life was also progressing well. She was settling in and thriving at Haowei Group. At the company's annual celebration, themed around organic produce, the general manager, Mr. Xue, gave a speech highlighting the company's growth. The highlight was the Best Employee awards presented by the chairman, Mr. Lu Wan. Xia Guo was among the recipients.
Mr. Lu praised Ms. Nan for bringing Xia Guo from Leshan and lauded Xia Guo's quick success, particularly her idea for the 'lucky bags,' which helped offline sales and launched new products. Mr. Lu encouraged her, saying Shanghai was the right place for her to grow, attributing her success partly to her own sharp mind. Ms. Nan added that while Xia Guo had made small mistakes initially, she had improved significantly. Mr. Lu acknowledged the challenges the Marketing Department faced.
During toasts, Mr. Xue mentioned a doctor friend, Dr. Jiang, who had just returned overseas. Later, the chairman announced the company's priority for the next year was expanding the production line and told Ms. Nan's department to prepare for big tasks. Other managers commented on Ms. Nan's good fortune in having a capable assistant like Xia Guo, with one suggesting Mr. Xue seemed particularly impressed by her.
Mr. Xue agreed that Xia Guo was capable and said he would be fortunate to have an assistant like her. Following the general praise, Ms. Nan pulled Xia Guo aside, directly asking if she wanted to be Mr. Xue's assistant, referencing the earlier exchange. Xia Guo denied it, believing Mr. Xue was joking. Ms. Nan felt their relationship was already too close for jokes and reminded Xia Guo of her initial conflict with Mr. Xue.
She accused Xia Guo of letting Mr. Xue order her around and interfering with offline sales, sarcastically calling her an 'asset.' Ms. Nan sternly reminded Xia Guo that she was the one who brought her from Leshan and could send her back, warning her to be careful. Ms. Nan also mentioned needing a doctor (alluding to Mr. Xue's earlier comment) and told Xia Guo to stop any 'funny business' and that she wasn't blind.
After Ms. Nan left, Mr. Xue approached Xia Guo, asking if she had been scolded and commenting on the complexity of workplace relationships. He advised her to be smart, not waste time on things she wasn't good at, and to do what she believed was right without regret. He then wished her luck for the upcoming lucky draw. The lucky draw commenced. Prizes included laptops and smartphones. Mr. Xue won the first prize, a new smartphone.
Ms. Nan playfully suggested he donate it and redraw, which he agreed to. She then pushed him to donate ten more phones for a special round, which he generously doubled to twenty. Xia Guo won one of the special prize phones. After the annual celebration, Xia Guo returned to her apartment building and was surprised to find Yu Jian waiting outside. They hadn't spoken much since a previous disagreement.
Yu Jian explained he hadn't dared contact her because she hadn't been replying to his messages. He apologized for being silly on the phone. To resolve the tension, Xia Guo suggested they share some scallion oil noodles, which she loved when hungry. Yu Jian noted how professional she had become, like someone from headquarters, as she described the technical details of her company's noodle product.
They planned to visit the hospital the next day and then explore Shanghai together, since Yu Jian had taken leave. He mentioned that Yu Yan was home taking care of their parents and that he planned to move to Shanghai to be with Xia Guo after his father recovered from being transferred to a rehabilitation hospital after the New Year.
Xia Guo then gave Yu Jian the phone she won at the annual celebration, explaining how Ms. Nan had spurred Mr. Xue to donate it and more. Yu Jian had a gift for her too – a ring. He called it a promise and said he would get her a bigger one once he was living in Shanghai. They promised to stay together forever.
During Yu Jian's stay in Shanghai, he found the city's prices remarkably high, noting the cost of apples and seafood. He also found some aspects of big city life strange, joking about dogs having personal carts. He felt the sense of happiness was lower compared to their hometown. Xia Guo acknowledged the high costs but said ordinary people in Shanghai worked hard and managed. She jokingly said her happiness spiked on payday, especially with a bonus.
Yu Jian teased her about being money-focused and said his happiness would be high if she cooked for him. Later, planning to eat, Yu Jian mistakenly went to the BFC branch of Tensai restaurant while Xia Guo was waiting at the Hengshan Road branch. While waiting for her to arrive at BFC, he saw Mr. Xue and Emma seemingly cut the queue. When he confronted them, Mr. Xue explained he was a member and didn't need to queue.
An argument started, with Yu Jian insisting members should still queue. Xia Guo arrived and quickly introduced Yu Jian to Mr. Xue and Emma. A staff member clarified the restaurant had separate sections: one for walk-ins (Eastern) and one for members who booked ahead (Western), and Mr. Xue was a member. They explained membership required significant spending and an invitation. Yu Jian found the system overly complicated. Xia Guo defused the situation by suggesting they go to a different restaurant.
At the new place, Yu Jian was still upset, feeling he had embarrassed Xia Guo. She reassured him it was a misunderstanding and told him not to think too much of it. He complained about Mr. Xue and Emma's arrogant attitude. Xia Guo defended Mr. Xue, saying he was kind to employees and had even introduced her to Dr. Jiang when they needed medical help. Yu Jian felt she had changed, always defending Shanghai.
He complained about the city's inconveniences, like long waits for food, getting lost, and the exhausting pace reducing sleep. Xia Guo acknowledged her own initial struggles in Shanghai, like not understanding the taxi driver or dealing with difficult clients and colleagues, but emphasized that everyone was striving to survive. Yu Jian asked if living in such a complex city was truly good and not tiring for her.
Xia Guo insisted she was living her own life and had her own feelings, mentioning her Best Employee award as proof of her capability. Yu Jian expressed concern, admitting he could tell she was only sharing good news on video calls and that his heart ached for her. Xia Guo responded that if he truly cared, he should come to Shanghai to be with her. She playfully teased him about wanting to back out of his promise. They embraced.
Xia Guo reassured him that Shanghai wasn't as scary as he thought, that he was capable, and that she would always be there for him. Yu Jian stayed in Shanghai for a few days before preparing to return home. He spoke to his mother, who was being looked after by Yu Yan, confirming Xia Guo was doing well. He mentioned he would head back in two days. The narrator reflected on the anxiety of separation reinforcing their love and the hope that they could both strive harder to be together.
