Be Yourself Episode 20 Recap
> Be Yourself Recap
Xia Langlang began her internship at Southwest Press after deciding not to pursue postgraduate studies, a decision that prompted her to challenge herself. The press maintained a rapid work pace, and her supervisor, Zhang Yuan, appeared strict and distant. However, none of this deterred Xia Langlang. Upon her arrival, interns were typically assigned menial tasks like serving tea and making copies.
Later, back in her dorm, Xia Langlang learned that Yang Jiaqian had been recruited by a variety show production company to work as a talent liaison. Yang Jiaqian also mentioned encountering Mai Meng, who inquired about Xia Langlang's decision regarding her postgraduate exam plans. Xia Langlang, however, was no longer concerned about Mai Meng's opinion, stating she didn't need to explain anything to him and was focused on becoming a permanent employee at the press.
Yang Jiaqian admitted she wasn't truly eager to take the exam but felt pressured by her mother, who was "pushing me like a KGB." She was now a bit nervous about her new role. The next day, Xia Langlang was assigned to research historical flood data for the Southwest region, from the late Qing Dynasty to the present, year by year. She took the initiative to pre-screen and organize the information into a chart, hoping to save Zhang Yuan time.
Instead, Zhang Yuan severely reprimanded her, asking, "Do you know what it means to 'find' information? Who told you to pre-screen it? How do you know the information you deleted is meaningless?" He accused interns of trying to "run before they could walk" and questioned how she got the internship.
When Xia Langlang defended herself by saying she got it through "my hard work," Zhang Yuan dismissed it as "worthless" if done without critical thinking, pointing out that everyone works hard. He then challenged her to "show me how different you are" and reassigned her to handle hotline calls from 8 AM to 8 PM, with strict instructions not to miss any calls or messages.
Xia Langlang worked tirelessly on the hotline, even assisting a caller with a leaking bathroom by offering to contact property management on their behalf, realizing that these calls could potentially lead to significant news stories. After her shift, Xia Langlang saw Mai Meng talking with Zhang Yuan. Mai Meng revealed that Zhang Yuan was an alumnus of their university, their "Big Brother."
Xia Langlang, surprised, complained about Zhang Yuan's temper and how he "reprimanded by him all the time," including her demotion to hotline duty. Mai Meng, however, shared that Zhang Yuan had actually spoken highly of her, noting that "this year's interns are all very good. Especially a junior from Sichuan Media University. . . She has the courage to talk back to him." Mai Meng also reminded her that Zhang Yuan himself began his career by answering hotlines.
Feeling a surge of energy, Xia Langlang declared herself "as tough as a cockroach," vowing to "fight my way back to the office" and prove herself. Mai Meng advised her that building trust required "accumulating it little by little." He again asked if she had firmly decided about the postgraduate exam, and she confirmed her decision. Later, the renowned photographer Robert arrived in Chongqing for a visit.
Zhang Yuan had initially assigned male interns, Xu Rui and Wang Zhe, to assist Robert, but they quickly withdrew, citing the heavy equipment and Robert's relentless pace. Wang Zhe described Robert as "terrifying," complaining his "back hurt badly" after just one day. Zhang Yuan then turned to Xia Langlang, inquiring about her English proficiency. When she confirmed she had passed CET-6 in her sophomore year, he assigned her the role.
Upon meeting Robert, he expressed concern about the weight of his gear, but Xia Langlang confidently assured him, "Yes, I'm strong." Faced with the challenging task, she had an idea and hired Old Zhao, a "Bangbang" (a traditional Chongqing porter), to help carry Robert's equipment. After some negotiation, Old Zhao agreed to work for 100 yuan. Robert initially seemed unsure about trusting a Bangbang, but Xia Langlang explained that it was a "typical profession in Chongqing."
Exhausted and tanned from the demanding day, Xia Langlang returned to her dorm, feeling disheartened. She told her roommates she felt like she was "holding a bad deck of cards" and "can't turn the table." Her friends tried to comfort her. Despite her fatigue, Xia Langlang returned the next morning, surprising Robert, who noted she was "the only one who came on the second day" and praised her strength.
After their work together, Robert complimented her as "very kind-hearted and helpful" and expressed confidence that he had captured some "good ones" for his photos, thanking her. He even joked that she could become a "great Bangbang." Zhang Yuan announced the start of the internship's elimination phase, where only two interns would be offered permanent positions, and the two interns ranked last would be eliminated. The theme for their monthly feature challenge was "People and City."
Xia Langlang discovered she was currently ranked last. Her dorm mates offered various ideas for topics, from interviewing a "high-quality idol" to investigating "Chongqing's plastic surgery market" or "Fujian businessmen in Chongqing," with some even offering family connections. Inspired by her previous encounter, Xia Langlang decided to write about Old Zhao, the Bangbang. She went to find him, bringing him fruit and cigarettes, and later treating him to lunch.
Old Zhao initially downplayed his life, stating, "Ordinary people like us don't have a wonderful story." He eventually shared that he worked as a Bangbang primarily to earn money for his daughter's education, who was studying in "Chongqing University Town." He also spoke about the decline of his profession due to "express delivery and escalators," noting that many of his colleagues had returned to their hometowns.
Despite the challenges, he insisted he would "keep going" to support his daughter, even if she pursued a doctoral degree. He firmly believed that "as long as the slopes of Chongqing are still there, we the Bangbangs will not be extinct." Zhang Yuan reviewed Xia Langlang's initial draft, titled "Zhao the Bangbang," finding it "superficial" and "lacking depth." He urged her to revise it promptly.
Working late, Xia Langlang received a text from Bin, a male acquaintance, asking to meet for dinner near her office. She declined, stating she was "working overtime," and later sent him a voice message privately acknowledging that she needed to "make it clear" that she wasn't interested in seeing him and had already gone back to school.
Xia Langlang felt increasingly disheartened as she saw other interns, like Wang Zhe, achieving high scores by leveraging family connections for their topics, such as interviewing the CEO of Yangfan Group, who was Wang Zhe's father's high school classmate, or another intern whose sister helped secure a story on "environmental protection guards." Feeling isolated and defeated, she told Mai Meng, who found her after a meeting at the press, that she was "working overtime," though she was not.
He confronted her about her low ranking, having learned it from Zhang Yuan. Xia Langlang's pessimism grew, expressing that "maybe I'm not cut out for a journalist" and that her "four years of college were in vain." She felt she was "holding the worst cards," unlike her peers. Mai Meng tried to encourage her, insisting "no hard work will go in vain."
Xia Langlang, agitated, asked him to leave her alone, lamenting her long "persistence" and the immense effort she had made "to let go of someone and move on." Mai Meng retorted, "How do you know that I don't know?" Later, Mai Meng sent her an encouraging text, reminding her that "the Xia Langlang I know. . . can always overcome all obstacles."
The next morning, Xia Langlang brought Old Zhao breakfast and asked to spend the day with him, simply observing his life. She witnessed him celebrating his daughter's achievement of a "First-class scholarship" by treating his fellow Bangbangs to a "fifteen-yuan set meal." This moment was a revelation for Xia Langlang, making her realize that "true effort is to work hard without concerning themselves about the temporary return. Only by keep running can your effort be seen by God."
Inspired, she contacted Robert, asking for permission to use his "photos of Bangbang in my article," which he gladly granted. Despite facing setbacks, Xia Langlang persevered, understanding that "she still stands a chance to win the game as long as she keeps playing." Her revised article, "The Disappearing Bangbang," which featured Robert's photographs, earned her the top score in the monthly assessment.
Her colleagues celebrated, noting she was the first intern to publish a long feature and praising her for securing photos from a renowned photographer like Robert. Mai Meng also saw the published article, filled with pride, and secretly tucked away the newspaper for safekeeping.
