I hear 'quand même' so often. What does it mean exactly? Thank you.

Bonjour Lia !

Oh là là ! How long have you got?
The expression "quand même" has many different uses and meanings, depending on context, but its main meaning I would say is close to "still / anyway", as in:
"Still, you gave it back. / You gave it back anyway." (Tu l'as rendu quand même) or
"He bothered me. - Yes but still..." (Il m'a embêté. -Oui, mais quand même...).

You can also hear "quand bien même..." meaning "even if":
"Quand bien même il serait riche, je ne l'aimerais pas plus!"

I hope that answers your question :)

Did you conditionnel because of the guards at the beginning?