Be Yourself Episode 16 Recap
> Be Yourself Recap
Fan Xiaoyu, unable to keep her secret any longer, confessed to Xia Langlang about Fan Qingzhou's declaration of love. Fan Xiaoyu admitted she had kept it a secret for a whole winter vacation and was dying to tell Xia Langlang in person. Xia Langlang then asked if they had "sealed their love with a kiss."
Fan Xiaoyu revealed she still hadn't told Yang Jiaqian, feeling like a bad friend for "stealing her friend's crush" and calling herself a "bad woman" and a "tourbillon." Xia Langlang consoled her, saying it wasn't stealing, but rather Fan Qingzhou choosing her. Fan Xiaoyu, however, insisted Fan Qingzhou was the "bad guy."
When asked how she planned to tell Yang Jiaqian, Fan Xiaoyu explained that she had tried many times but couldn't bring herself to do it because Yang Jiaqian was already "disqualified from the postgraduate recommendation" and "isn't acknowledged as her idol's fangirl anymore," fearing Yang Jiaqian would have a mental breakdown. Xia Langlang, observing Fan Xiaoyu's distress, remarked that "Karma is really a bitch," and she had never seen Fan Xiaoyu so timid.
The four roommates attended class, but not before Huangfu excitedly told them she'd found a Fengshui master online who revealed their dorm's "fengshui position to increase luck in love" to change her romantic misfortunes. Xia Langlang playfully said Huangfu didn't need it, given her sweet relationship with Zhou Yu. Huangfu retorted that everyone in the dorm was single, including Fan Xiaoyu, and she constantly quarreled with Zhou Yu, making her suspect the dorm's Fengshui.
She even joked to Xia Langlang that if they'd changed it sooner, Xia Langlang might have a child already, which Xia Langlang immediately rejected. Huangfu insisted she would set up the talisman for Yang Jiaqian, who was still holding onto her unrequited feelings for Fan Qingzhou amidst her other setbacks, and asked Xia Langlang for the "lucky position," which was southeast.
In class, Mai Meng, now the substitute professor for Professor Bai, lectured on the "Principle of Least Interest," explaining that the person less interested in a relationship holds more power. Xia Langlang listened intently, while Huangfu whispered to her that this was a sign the Fengshui was working, encouraging them to adopt the principle to gain control. Later, Xia Langlang visited Mai Meng at his dorm to return books, finding him struggling to pan-fry a fish.
She offered to help, demonstrating her cooking skills, which she learned from cooking for her mother. They shared the meal. During their meal, Zhou Yu was on the phone with Huangfu, telling her he loved listening to the same music as her and that her "big bright eyes" were his phone's screensaver. Afterwards, Xia Langlang asked to use Mai Meng's bathroom. There, she discovered various female accessories, including a headband, which immediately dampened her cheerful mood.
She quickly made an excuse about an unfinished paper and left, leaving Mai Meng puzzled by her sudden departure. Fan Qingzhou and Fan Xiaoyu were still struggling to find a way to tell Yang Jiaqian about their relationship. Fan Xiaoyu confessed to Xia Langlang that the secret was tormenting her, making it difficult to even look Yang Jiaqian in the eye.
She hadn't seen Fan Qingzhou in days because they both felt miserable being together while the issue with Yang Jiaqian remained unresolved. Xia Langlang promised to help them find a solution. Later, Xia Langlang and Huangfu subtly probed Yang Jiaqian's feelings. Huangfu expressed concern about Yang Jiaqian's persistent affection for Fan Qingzhou, and Xia Langlang agreed, noting Yang Jiaqian's desperate liking for someone who didn't reciprocate her feelings.
Yang Jiaqian admitted she knew Fan Qingzhou seemed to like Fan Xiaoyu, but firmly stated that as long as they weren't officially dating, she still believed she had a chance and wouldn't give up easily. Shortly after, Xia Langlang received a mysterious parcel containing a thermos cup with no sender information. Her roommates playfully speculated about its meaning, suggesting "together forever" or "you will never get me."
The next day in class, her classmates noticed that her new thermos cup was identical to the one Mai Meng was using. Xia Langlang tried to brush it off, attributing it to similar colors. During class, Mai Meng offered Xia Langlang a large collection of books, including professional texts and novels, that he had organized during his spring cleaning. He suggested she take them all, as she was always borrowing from him.
After bringing the two boxes of books back to the dorm, Huangfu teased Xia Langlang about being Mai Meng's favorite. Upon opening the boxes, Xia Langlang was surprised to find the pink rabbit-ear headband and a neck massager—the same female accessories she had seen in Mai Meng's bathroom. She quickly took a photo and sent it to him.
Mai Meng, startled, quickly replied that they were "free gifts from the supermarket" during a promotion, which he had no use for, so he included them with the books. Xia Langlang pondered his explanation but secretly tried on the rabbit-ear headband. Unable to enjoy their mutual affection due to the unresolved issue with Yang Jiaqian, Fan Qingzhou proposed a strategy to make Yang Jiaqian fall for someone else, even if it meant sacrificing his own image and making significant changes.
He was seen practicing calligraphy and attempting to embody a different persona to achieve this. Meanwhile, it was Zhou Yu and Huangfu's 300-day anniversary. Huangfu, dressed in a new dress, excitedly showed it to her roommates and explained the significance of celebrating every anniversary. She then went to a store and bought a pair of ergonomic, noise-canceling headphones in a "Love Voice" gift box for 3000 yuan, a limited edition gift for couples, to give to Zhou Yu.
However, when she arrived at the cafe, Zhou Yu was engrossed in a game with his friends, ignoring her calls and not even acknowledging her arrival. Huangfu was furious, scolding him for forgetting their anniversary and being more interested in games than her. She threatened to throw away the white dress he loved. Zhou Yu, realizing his mistake, immediately apologized, praising her dress and promising to make her his priority.
He then sweet-talked her, declaring her gift was the best and that he would only listen to her. Eventually, Huangfu's anger subsided. However, despite Fan Qingzhou's efforts to completely change his image and persona, Yang Jiaqian's deep affection for him remained unwavering, forcing him to brainstorm new and different approaches. Meanwhile, rushing to class, Xia Langlang was accidentally knocked down, resulting in her backpack breaking and her rented camera for her photography course getting damaged.
The camera repair costs were substantial, prompting her to consider taking on unsuitable part-time jobs like a "private escort service" or a "stuntwoman." She told Huangfu she couldn't gather the money quickly and planned to use a credit card for the first time. Unexpectedly, Mai Meng visited Xia Langlang's dorm and transferred a significant amount of money to her. Xia Langlang, thinking it was a mistake, questioned him.
Mai Meng explained that he had overheard Yang Jiaqian discussing Xia Langlang's financial predicament and didn't want her to be "chased by loan sharks." He offered to be her interest-free creditor, emphasizing that, like her, he also came from a modest background and had worked during college. He urged her to focus on her studies, as "talents, knowledge, and insight" were the true means for students from ordinary families to change their lives.
He admired her "strong adaptability and vitality," calling her "not pretentious or fragile," but advised her to "kindle your potential anywhere outside of classroom." He reiterated he could be her creditor until she got her first real salary. Xia Langlang was deeply touched by his extensive care, which included lending money and books. She thanked him, also mentioning the thermos cup he had given her. Mai Meng looked puzzled, asking, "What cup?"
He then explained that his thermos cup was a "free gift from the bank for applying for a credit card," and praised its "great heat preservation." Xia Langlang, realizing her misinterpretation of the cup's significance, felt a wave of embarrassment. While accompanying Zhou Yu and Xia Langlang to repair the camera lens, Huangfu was shocked to see Fan Xiaoyu and Fan Qingzhou walking together, holding hands. She was about to confront them, but Xia Langlang held her back.
Huangfu expressed deep concern for Yang Jiaqian's feelings, while Xia Langlang empathized with Fan Xiaoyu's difficult situation. Their differing perspectives clashed, and Huangfu reluctantly kept quiet for the moment. However, back in the dorm, seeing Yang Jiaqian's troubled expression, Huangfu couldn't bear it. She went to Zhou Yu, demanding the photo of Fan Qingzhou and Fan Xiaoyu as evidence to show Yang Jiaqian. Zhou Yu, who usually indulged Huangfu's requests, initially felt they should stay out of other people's affairs.
But when Huangfu insisted it was for Yang Jiaqian's sake, Zhou Yu, realizing he couldn't avoid the "mess," allowed her to search his laptop for the photo. As she searched, Huangfu stumbled upon numerous street photography photos of other women, many of them in white dresses. Enraged with jealousy, Huangfu deleted all the folders, provoking a furious outburst from Zhou Yu. His sudden anger terrified Huangfu.
She reflexively used her usual breakup threat, but Zhou Yu's stern gaze made her voice falter. He expressed his deep anger and fatigue, recounting all the sacrifices he had made for her, from listening to the same music and sending morning texts to celebrating all her "weird anniversaries" and tolerating her dramatic behavior. He told her that deleting his years of photos was "too far," and declared, "You want to break up? Let's break up."
Devastated and in tears, Huangfu stormed out of the cafe. She returned to the dorm, where, upon seeing Xia Langlang and her other roommates, she finally broke down, sobbing that Zhou Yu had broken up with her and she never wanted to like him again. This incident highlighted that while there might be countless reasons to dislike someone, love often defies logic.
Huangfu's threats of breaking up were actually a manifestation of her intense and serious affection, proving that in love, the "Principle of Least Interest" often crumbles under the weight of genuine emotion.
