Be Yourself Episode 13 Recap
> Be Yourself Recap
Fan Xiaoyu, working a part-time modeling job during her summer vacation, faced constant criticism from the director, who once remarked that her smile looked more bitter than a frown. Returning to her empty dormitory with fast food, she realized it was her birthday. A wave of happy birthday messages from her roommates, who were all home for the holidays, like "Xiaoyu, happy birthday. Wish you beauty, good health, and excellence!" , brought a moment of warmth.
As she silently made a wish and blew out a virtual candle on her phone screen, a message from her father, Fan Debiao, popped up, casting a somber mood over her. The new semester began, and a package arrived for Xiaoyu. Inside was an insurance policy from her father. Seeing her name on the document, she remained silent, inwardly resisting her father's gesture. Later, Lu Xuwen took her out for a belated birthday meal.
During their conversation, she learned of his recent obsession with "Goodnight by Bedside" online chat services, which immediately sparked a business idea. She approached Fan Qingzhou to help her set up an online voice shop on Taobao, envisioning it as a platform offering various voice services that were "easy, simple, and for the benefit of mankind."
She had already calculated potential earnings, such as sending goodnight messages for one yuan each, which could net 900 yuan a month from thirty people, or charging fifty yuan an hour for online chatting. Fan Qingzhou, initially hesitant and arguing about the pay split, eventually agreed to help, seeing it as a way to generate operating funds for their shared app. Xiaoyu's four roommates enthusiastically joined as original major shareholders, distributing flyers across campus to promote the new venture.
After three days, the shop had yet to receive a single order. Xiaoyu realized her mistake. Recalling her roommate's observation that online groups for insomniacs and the heartbroken were predominantly female, and that these women might prefer a male voice for late-night chats, Xiaoyu decided to expand. She enlisted Fan Qingzhou, Zhou Yu, Lei Dongqiang, and Lu Xuwen to create a "Male Idol Group" category.
Although Fan Qingzhou was reluctant, he eventually agreed to participate, viewing it as a necessary step for their app's operating expenses, and Lu Xuwen initially refused but was persuaded. Soon after, Xiaoyu received her first order: a private message from Fulu Shouxian Nursing Home. They wanted a customized "Chongyang Festival Accompanying" event, requesting her team to chat and interact with the elders. Despite the limited budget, Xiaoyu accepted the order, prioritizing the establishment of their shop's reputation.
Xia Langlang was tasked with reporting the off-campus activity to their counselor, Mai Meng. When she went to his office, she found him with a beautiful young woman, leading to an initial misunderstanding. Mai Meng clarified that it was his cousin, who was preparing for the university's art entrance exam, and asked Langlang to show her around the campus. The entire team gathered to brainstorm activities for the nursing home visit. Xiaoyu's boyfriend, Zhou Yu, also joined to take photos.
Xiaoyu gave a rousing speech, urging everyone to see the nursing home as just the first step in a long journey, from which they would eventually expand their services to kindergartens. Various ideas, including massage, Tai-Chi sharing, cooking dumplings, and reading sessions, were proposed and dismissed. Eventually, Lei Dongqiang suggested playing mahjong with the elders. This plan, however, backfired spectacularly when Lei Dongqiang and Fan Qingzhou, being too skilled, won all the elders' money, particularly upsetting Hu Zhengfan.
Xiaoyu reprimanded them, but Fan Qingzhou defended their actions, stating that deliberately losing would be disrespectful to the elders' decades of mahjong experience, a sentiment surprisingly echoed by Lu Xuwen. With mahjong out of the question, Zhou Yu proposed a Karaoke love song duet contest.
During the contest, Hu Zhengfan, a former hotpot restaurant owner and singer from Xiaolongkan, Shapingba, known for his "Mohican hairstyle" in his youth, took the microphone and delivered an old song, captivating the elderly residents, though the atmosphere grew stiff. Xiaoyu, observing Hu Zhengfan, learned more about his past from a nurse. He had divorced young and raised his son alone, pouring all his energy into his hotpot business.
His son later left for college in Beijing and never returned to Chongqing. Hu Zhengfan, now alone, had moved into the nursing home more than two years prior, with no visits from his son. Xiaoyu noticed a marked date on his calendar, which she later learned was his grandson's first day of school. The nurse revealed that despite his quiet and somewhat reclusive demeanor, Hu Zhengfan secretly followed his son's and daughter-in-law's social media, indicating a hidden longing.
The nurse mused that Hu Zhengfan likely carried guilt over his son's upbringing due to the divorce and lack of parental presence, yet he also harbored unspoken grievances. Seeing Hu Zhengfan sitting alone, Xiaoyu was struck by a powerful resemblance to her own father. At that moment, Fan Debiao sent a message, informing Xiaoyu of his arrival in Chongqing at 11 AM the next morning and asking her to meet him at the Nanping Marriott to sign the insurance contract.
Xiaoyu, feeling a mix of anxiety and impatience, rushed to the hotel. After waiting for a long time in the lobby while her father was busy with a client, she eventually left, sending a curt message that she wouldn't wait if he was too busy. Later, Fan Debiao unexpectedly arrived at her school. Xiaoyu, softened by her observations of Hu Zhengfan's solitude, greeted her father with a newfound tenderness.
Fan Debiao apologized for not seeing her at the hotel and for his current wife's past behavior, acknowledging Xiaoyu's long-held resentment. Xiaoyu, in turn, voiced her concern that he might face a lonely old age like Grandpa Hu. She earnestly expressed her hope that her half-brother, Fan Mingyu, would not experience the same lack of paternal companionship she had and would grow up with his father by his side.
Deeply moved, Fan Debiao reaffirmed the importance of the insurance, not as a handout, but as a "small treasury" for her future, as his business was becoming increasingly challenging, and he worried about his long-term ability to care for her. Xiaoyu, though still asserting her independence, ultimately signed the insurance contract, demanding in return that he remain capable until she could be independent herself.
On the last day at the nursing home, the team decided to forgo elaborate activities and simply engage in genuine conversations with the elders. Remembering Hu Zhengfan's loneliness, Xiaoyu orchestrated a special surprise. She pretended to deliver a postcard from his son in Beijing. When Hu Zhengfan asked her to read its contents aloud, Xiaoyu, though nervous, read her own heartfelt words.
As she read, her father's face appeared in her mind, expressing understanding for the difficulties of balancing work and family, and hope for a new chapter beyond past hurts. Hu Zhengfan, recognizing Xiaoyu's thoughtful gesture, thanked her. Xiaoyu, gazing at his resilient face, bowed in return, silently grateful for the profound life lessons he had unknowingly provided. The team successfully completed their mission at the nursing home, leaving behind a group photo.
Later, as Fan Debiao was preparing to leave, Xiaoyu refused a card of money from him, reaffirming her commitment to self-reliance. She also gave him a thermos mug, urging him to prioritize his health over business engagements. Fan Debiao, appreciative, told her he would carry it everywhere and mentioned that a successful project meant he could visit Chongqing more often. Xiaoyu initially replied, "Not good, is it?" before adding, "Still fine."
Reflecting on her experience, Xiaoyu later recounted how Hu Zhengfan had finally attempted to contact his son, who, to his surprise, responded positively. She mused that people often magnify cracks in relationships with their closest kin while overlooking the steady flow of kindness. Parents often juggle so much for their children that their hands are too full for embraces, and likewise, clinging to the past prevents people from embracing the present. While love and care might sometimes be delayed, Xiaoyu resolved that, from that day forward, she would ensure such heartfelt connections would never be absent from her own life.
