What If Episode 8 Recap
> What If Recap
Chen Nan signed a contract with Xiao Jie for 1. 2 million yuan, surprising Xia Guo, who had been negotiating with the influencer at a lower price. Xia Guo confronted Chen Nan, questioning why she took over the negotiation despite previously recommending Xia Guo for it. Chen Nan defended her actions, claiming Xia Guo was too slow and her earlier negotiation was meant to facilitate Chen Nan's final deal.
Chen Nan then accused Mr. Xue of using Xia Guo to drive down prices and target her. Xia Guo denied being forced by anyone, stating she felt Chen Nan was the one who pushed her away. Suddenly, Chen Nan's assistant reported that the group had not approved the contract with Xiao Jie. Instead, they had approved a different endorsement contract signed by Mr. Xue with a popular young Olympic champion.
Chen Nan confronted Mr. Xue, accusing him of deliberately signing another person to force her to default on her contract with Xiao Jie. She also reiterated that he used Xia Guo to lower Xiao Jie's price and buy time for himself. Mr. Xue countered that his actions were for the company's benefit, arguing that subordinates report to superiors, but superiors are not required to report to subordinates.
He questioned Chen Nan's motive for suddenly raising Xiao Jie's price and stated his goals were aligned with the group's interests, which were satisfied with the outcome. Chen Nan left, feeling outmaneuvered. Mr. Xue then spoke to Xia Guo, telling her the situation was not as simple as she might think. He explained he signed a more valuable endorser for the company at a suitable price, and that Xiao Jie was never presented as the only option.
Xia Guo felt both Chen Nan and Mr. Xue had used her – one as a pawn, the other treating her like an idiot. After the incident, Chen Nan resigned. Office gossip suggested her departure was linked to Xia Guo joining Mr. Xue's side, with some colleagues accusing Xia Guo of using Chen Nan as a stepping stone, comparing it to the story of the farmer and the snake. Others defended Xia Guo.
Amidst the rumors, news spread that TNE Group had canceled their contract with Haowei, with the cancellation email arriving shortly after Chen Nan's resignation, fueling speculation that Chen Nan had poached the client, which was considered a serious breach of industry ethics. Xia Guo, determined to win back the TNE project, asked Mr. Xue to let her handle the negotiation.
She had prepared thoroughly and felt it was a project she needed to fight for, especially since the company had lost it so unexpectedly. Mr. Xue warned her that taking on this task at this time was risky; if she failed, she might be accused by others in the company of being complicit with Chen Nan. Xia Guo accepted the risk, confident she could succeed and silence any rumors.
Xia Guo attempted to contact TNE's director, Ms. Lin, first by phone, only to be told Ms. Lin was fully booked for three months. Undeterred, Xia Guo tracked Ms. Lin down at a coffee shop. Ms. Lin was annoyed by the intrusion, calling it an invasion of privacy, and firmly stated that TNE's decision was final and they would not collaborate with Haowei. She warned Xia Guo that further persistence would result in TNE never working with Haowei again.
Hitting a wall with TNE, Xia Guo arranged to meet Chen Nan. Chen Nan initially refused to help, emphasizing she had no connection to Haowei anymore. Xia Guo appealed to their past relationship and Chen Nan's own teachings about the pragmatic nature of the workplace, suggesting Xue Yuming's actions were simply to maximize company profit and that Chen Nan's departure might be for the best.
Chen Nan acknowledged Xia Guo's growth and even offered her a position at her new company, but Xia Guo declined, stating she needed to prove herself at Haowei and clarifying her relationship with Mr. Xue was strictly professional. Chen Nan then opened up about her reason for leaving: after 11 years at Haowei, she felt overlooked compared to a "parachuted" general manager who only cared about KPIs. She felt she had to choose between him leaving or her leaving.
She admitted to using Xia Guo but acknowledged it meant she owed her a favor. Chen Nan then revealed a crucial piece of information: Mr. Xue had a good personal relationship with the chairman of Huanshi Group, a company whose malls were highly sought after, and TNE's main strategy for the year was to secure a spot in a Huanshi mall. Xia Guo immediately understood the implication and thanked Chen Nan for her help.
Armed with this information, Xia Guo proposed a plan to Mr. Xue. Drawing on Chen Nan's lesson about workplace pragmatism, she suggested they use his connection with Huanshi Group to help TNE secure a desirable spot in their mall. In return, TNE would re-sign the contract with Haowei. She explicitly framed this as her turn to "use" him, just as he had used her.
Mr. Xue admitted securing a spot in Huanshi was difficult and he wasn't sure he could succeed, but after reviewing Xia Guo's proposal, he agreed to try. Xia Guo, feeling bold, asked about receiving a bonus if she succeeded and offered to treat him to a big meal. Meanwhile, in the hometown, Yu Jian's relationship with Wen Ya seemed to be progressing.
Yu Jian's mother was particularly impressed when Wen Ya suggested modifications to Yu Jian's design sketches, and he not only accepted them but praised them, noting that he rarely allowed anyone to change his designs. His mother commented that Wen Ya was "something else." Yu Jian and Wen Ya planned to go out to check a site together. Back in Shanghai, Xia Guo received a photo message from Li Ping, implicitly showing Yu Jian and Wen Ya together.
Li Ping urged Xia Guo to have a sense of crisis. Seeing the photo and the message, Xia Guo felt her fears materializing. She reflected on how distance had created a blind spot in her relationship with Yu Jian and questioned who she could truly trust. Office colleagues, discussing Xia Guo's success with TNE, suggested that her long-distance relationship with Yu Jian might not last, given her rising career and the distance.
They even offered to introduce her to eligible bachelors in Shanghai. In a parallel storyline in the hometown, Yu Jian had returned without Xia Guo, frustrating his parents who were worried about the continued strain in their relationship.
Yu Jian's mother confessed that "she" was the one who had suggested changing the house deed name so that Yu Jian and Xia Guo would have a place to live after getting married, implying the conflict stemmed from her well-intentioned but intrusive actions. Yu Jian's father advised his wife to stop interfering and let the young couple work things out themselves. Yu Jian agreed to continue trying to resolve things with Xia Guo after finishing his work.
Undeterred by Xia Guo's refusal to come home, Yu Jian's mother traveled to Shanghai to see Xia Guo. She found Xia Guo living in a modest apartment and urged her to come home, offering to help her pack. Xia Guo politely but firmly refused, stating that Yu Jian needed to take responsibility for his actions and that they needed to resolve their issues themselves without parental intervention.
Yu Jian's mother complained about Xia Guo's own mother making her pay rent and not supporting her children during difficult times. Xia Guo defended her mother's right to manage her property as she saw fit and insisted that she and Yu Jian could build a good life together on their own. Yu Jian's mother expressed her only desire was for them to marry, have a child, and make her a grandmother, feeling that would give her purpose.
Xia Guo reiterated that their relationship issues were theirs to solve. Yu Jian's mother left, still concerned. Separately, Wang Yan had arranged a blind date for Xia Guo. Xia Guo arrived at the restaurant and met the man, Zhong Jie, a bank business manager who introduced himself and listed his assets and stable income.
Xia Guo quickly realized her mother had tricked her into coming but agreed to chat casually with Zhong Jie, who also seemed to suspect he was set up. Their conversation was going well. Suddenly, Yu Jian appeared at the restaurant. Seeing Xia Guo with another man, he orchestrated a minor distraction (getting a child to spill something) to pull Xia Guo away.
He confronted her, upset that she hadn't responded to his messages and calls for ten days and was now on a blind date. Xia Guo argued that she was free to date if they had broken up, but Yu Jian insisted he hadn't agreed to break up. They argued about their problems – the lack of communication, the house deed issue, their families' expectations, and Yu Jian's feelings of inadequacy when faced with financial pressures and his mother's demands.
Yu Jian expressed frustration that everything he did for her seemed wrong. Yu Jian returned to Zhong Jie, angrily telling him Xia Guo was his wife and warning him away. Zhong Jie was amused and revealed that Xia Guo had "already told him all about Yu Jian" during their chat. He recounted how Xia Guo had described Yu Jian as an excellent designer, quiet but transformed when it came to her, always trying to make her happy.
Zhong Jie shared specific romantic anecdotes Xia Guo had told him about their relationship – from sharing strawberries in spring, drinking medicinal soup in summer, making osmanthus wine in autumn, to peeling warm chestnuts in winter. He highlighted how Xia Guo had described Yu Jian as the most reliable person and the one she wanted to spend her life with. Hearing this, Yu Jian rushed out to find Xia Guo.
He found her sitting alone, offered her a dessert, and apologized for his actions, admitting he was wrong again. Xia Guo expressed her dislike for apologies, saying they make her feel obligated to forgive. Yu Jian acknowledged he had disappointed her and felt he kept doing things wrong, but reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to her. He promised to give her happiness, saying they would rent or work to earn money, and he would never give up on their relationship.
Overwhelmed and deeply moved by her words to Zhong Jie and his earnest apology, Yu Jian proposed marriage, expressing his desire to live a life together forever. He then took her to a newly delivered furnished apartment he had rented for three years, envisioning it as their matrimonial home and describing their future life together there. He playfully dismissed her question about the rent, saying what was his was hers.
Xia Guo, also having good news, shared that she had received an interview notification from Shuangli Company. They reflected on their journey and the challenges of a long-distance relationship, realizing that misunderstandings were the true enemy of love, best overcome by trust and striving to become stronger for each other. Later, the first co-branded product between Haowei and TNE officially went into production, signaling the success of Xia Guo's plan.
Xia Guo met Mr. Xue, who wasn't surprised to hear she'd received help from Chen Nan, noting their complex, "mutually exclusive" relationship dynamics. Xia Guo inquired about her bonus, and Mr. Xue confirmed it was being processed. He then offered her an expensive necklace as a personal gift, acknowledging her help and rapid progress. Xia Guo hesitated to accept such a valuable gift. As she was receiving it, she got a call from Yu Jian.
Yu Jian called to tell her that something had happened at home and he could no longer come to Shanghai as planned. Immediately after hanging up, Xia Guo received another call from an unknown number displaying "Hi Xia Guo".
