Almost Famous Episode 3 Recap
> Almost Famous Recap
You Zhiqi woke up in the academy's medical clinic. Outside the room, Wei Feng and Cheng Ming discussed his presence in the warehouse. Both explained they had rushed there upon hearing rumors of a potential fight involving You Zhiqi and students from the songwriting department. Wei Feng, curious, asked Cheng Ming about the cause of You Zhiqi's collapse.
Cheng Ming began to recount arriving to find only You Zhiqi there, the door suddenly locking, and then You Zhiqi fainting, but You Zhiqi groaned loudly from his bed, feigning a headache to interrupt their conversation and prevent the true reason for his fainting from being revealed. Inside, Wei Feng pressed You Zhiqi for the reason he fainted. You Zhiqi claimed it was due to exhaustion from military training and upcoming announcements.
Cheng Ming responded with a skeptical, "Is that so?" Wei Feng suggested they leave now that You Zhiqi was awake, but You Zhiqi quickly pretended to feel dizzy, asking Cheng Ming to help him lie down and insisting he couldn't be left alone. When Wei Feng offered to stay and care for him, You Zhiqi rejected the offer, citing Wei Feng's responsibilities as an assistant instructor, and instead insisted Cheng Ming remain. Cheng Ming agreed to stay.
As Wei Feng departed, he cryptically warned Cheng Ming to be cautious in "dangerous places." Alone with Cheng Ming, You Zhiqi demanded to know what exactly happened after he fainted and why Wei Feng was there. Cheng Ming revealed that Wei Feng had rescued him and, finding You Zhiqi too heavy for her to carry, had lifted him in a "princess carry" to the clinic.
You Zhiqi was horrified by this detail, expressing disgust at being carried "like that" by Wei Feng, whom he disparagingly referred to as "Nasal Guy," and worried about the humiliation if the news spread. He then accused Cheng Ming of almost revealing his fear of the dark. Cheng Ming confirmed she now knew about his nyctophobia and speculated it was the cause of his fainting in the dark warehouse.
She also playfully noted that she now held two of his secrets. You Zhiqi sternly warned her not to tell anyone and made her swear an oath, invoking ancestors, Buddha, and God, to keep his secret. Meanwhile, Qu Shiyun persistently tried to obtain the video of You Zhiqi being carried, which she had captured using Ding Dongdong's camera. She attempted to bargain with Ding Dongdong, offering to give up her "center" position and forgo photoshopping the footage.
She explained her intention to upload the video online to create a "hot topic" to gain popularity, possibly by framing it as a case of school bullying or manhandling to appear as a "messenger of justice." Ding Dongdong, however, firmly refused, expressing concern for You Zhiqi's privacy and questioning if making the video public would genuinely benefit him or cause harm. He asserted his artistic principles, quoting his idol, Kurosawa Akira, about staying true to one's beliefs.
Back in the medical clinic, Cheng Ming mistakenly suggested that You Zhiqi's past intrusion into the women's bathroom was a result of stress from his nyctophobia. You Zhiqi refuted this, clarifying that he had enrolled in Starry Arts Academy to live as a normal student and prove himself, not to attract excessive attention or have his personal struggles magnified by the media.
He candidly discussed his ongoing battle to overcome nyctophobia, particularly how it affected his performances in dark stage plays, leading to past criticisms. He reiterated his desire to focus on his studies and improve his acting, earnestly requesting Cheng Ming to keep his disorder a strict secret to avoid further sensationalism in his acting career. During military training, Qu Shiyun attempted to report Cheng Ming's absence to the instructor.
Wei Feng intervened, informing the instructor that Cheng Ming and You Zhiqi had gone to the medical clinic, much to the instructor's displeasure for not being informed. When You Zhiqi and Cheng Ming arrived, Cheng Ming claimed she was unwell and You Zhiqi had escorted her. However, their stories conflicted when asked about their ailments—Cheng Ming claimed a stomach ache, while You Zhiqi said his leg—exposing their deception.
The instructor, convinced they were trying to skip training, initially sentenced both to five rounds of running. You Zhiqi stepped forward, arguing against making a "sick" girl run. The instructor then challenged him to run with her if he was fit. You Zhiqi accepted, effectively taking on not only his own punishment but also Cheng Ming's five rounds. Cheng Ming, instead, was ordered to stand at attention for an hour.
While watching You Zhiqi run, Cheng Ming saw him in a new, more admirable light. After training, Wei Feng offered Cheng Ming water, gently questioning her about the medical clinic visit, but Cheng Ming deflected, unwilling to reveal You Zhiqi's secret. You Zhiqi then snatched Wei Feng's water, claiming it was a small recompense for running Cheng Ming's additional rounds.
Qu Shiyun, realizing her initial efforts to get the video from Ding Dongdong were futile, decided to try a "soft method." She found him in tears, dramatically reciting sad poetry about lost love. He revealed that his girlfriend, Li Li, had broken up with him. Qu Shiyun, declaring herself "Clarence Qu, a love expert" with "108 ways to get back the heart of a lost lover," offered to help him reunite with Li Li in exchange for his camera.
Later, You Zhiqi abruptly grabbed Cheng Ming, intensifying his demand for her absolute secrecy. He sternly warned her that if she ever revealed his disorder, he would "die," but not before "dragging her down to hell." Cheng Ming, taken aback, promised to keep quiet and re-swore her oath. She then pointed out his irrationality, contrasting his current harsh demeanor with his earlier friendly interaction with Wei Feng. Qu Shiyun effortlessly located Li Li through her social media.
She observed Li Li in a coffee shop, delivering a saccharine "love confession" to a man, hinting at a relationship with a married man by referring to his wife. Qu Shiyun interrupted, introducing herself as Ding Dongdong's classmate, and systematically deconstructed Li Li's manipulative "art of faking." She exposed Li Li's seemingly romantic words as veiled demands for financial commitment and material gain, likening her to a "sea king" who plays with others' emotions.
Upon realizing Qu Shiyun was connected to Ding Dongdong, Li Li definitively ended things with him via text message. Devastated by Li Li's final rejection, Ding Dongdong confronted Qu Shiyun, accusing her of ruining his relationship and slandering Li Li. Qu Shiyun calmly corrected him, stating Li Li was now his "ex-girlfriend," and asserted that she had actually saved him from a manipulative individual.
She explained that by exposing Li Li's true character, she prevented him from further hurt, and therefore, he should thank her by giving her the camera. However, Ding Dongdong, still in denial, declared he would only give her the camera at his wedding with Li Li, leaving Qu Shiyun exasperated. Amy discovered that the video of Wei Feng carrying You Zhiqi had been uploaded online, causing a stir among students.
You You, You Zhiqi's manager, urgently visited him, explaining the severe implications of the viral video. She dismissed his defense of being a victim of school bullying, emphasizing that in the entertainment industry, truth is secondary to public perception. She warned that revealing the truth would damage his "top idol" image, leading to a loss of fans and permanently tarnishing his career aspirations to become a powerful actor.
You You instructed him to maintain a strong, impeccable public image, never showing weakness. She gravely advised him that a top idol like him cannot afford to have true friends, subtly suggesting that someone close to him might be behind the leak. You Zhiqi was left deeply saddened by this realization, contemplating the isolating nature of his celebrity life.
