Be Yourself Episode 23 Recap
> Be Yourself Recap
As university life neared its end with the arrival of the internship period, the students gathered for a speech from their teacher, Mai Meng. He spoke of the university's internship report and appraisal as a summary of their four years, a moment of reflection before entering society. He expressed his desire to always be their teacher, friend, or even a trusted older brother.
Xia Langlang watched Mai Meng with a complex mix of emotions, while Fan Xiaoyu felt a unique sadness, realizing everyone would soon embark on their separate paths, some with plans, others with arrangements already in place. Later, an unexpected turn of events saw Huangfu's interview moved up, and she realized she'd forgotten her voice recorder. Luckily, Xia Langlang offered hers, resolving the immediate crisis.
Xia Langlang then had to rush back to her company for a monthly summary meeting, and Yang Jiaqian was already swamped with a busy schedule, including an artist photo shoot in Jiangbei District that might last all night. This left only Fan Xiaoyu, who remained coy about her internship plans, mysteriously stating, "It's still too early to tell yet. You will know when the time comes." Fan Qingzhou received a call from Fan Xiaoyu, a smile playing on his lips.
After saying goodbye to his friends, he and Dongqiang headed out to meet her. Fan Xiaoyu had been busy with her new venture: a bubble tea shop. Her parents and boyfriend had invested, and she sourced recipes and ingredients from Taobao to cut costs, aiming for a "very profitable business." She had strategically located her small shop opposite a popular hot and sour rice noodle place, hoping to leverage its constant customer traffic.
She confidently told Fan Qingzhou that a bowl of hot and sour rice noodles and a cup of bubble tea were "the best companions." Initially, with her roommates' help with deliveries, business seemed promising, even securing a recurring order of fifty cups daily from one company. However, the good times didn't last. The milk tea business failed to take off, forcing Fan Xiaoyu to transfer ownership of the shop.
This left her with mounting debt and a crushing blow to her confidence. She felt like a "loser," having failed at multiple ventures, while her friends were securing good jobs. She offered to repay Fan Qingzhou for his investment, but he was patient. He then invited her to join Little Table, his own startup, praising her unique business mind and assuring her that the company had a promising future.
Fan Xiaoyu, feeling a renewed sense of purpose, accepted, declaring herself Little Table's new Chief Financial Officer, ready to "tap her potential." Back at the dorm, Fan Xiaoyu gave her roommates cash, calling it "salary" for their earlier help. She revealed the milk tea shop had closed, and that the "shareholders lost the most." She vowed to repay them through her success at Little Table. As the new CFO, Fan Xiaoyu wasted no time.
She called the first shareholders' meeting on a weekend, asserting the need to "inject momentum" and revamp their work culture. She even rearranged Fan Qingzhou's apartment to create a dedicated office space, moving personal belongings and adding a fish tank for good luck, believing "water will bring fortune." She implemented strict company rules, from clocking in and out to personal hygiene.
Dongqiang found her regulations more stringent than the dorm matron's, but Fan Qingzhou supported her, emphasizing that rules applied to everyone, regardless of personal feelings. The trio, wearing specially designed team uniforms, went to meet investor Mr. Wang. They presented their app's updated interfaces and enhanced interactivity. However, Mr. Wang's secretary, Ms. Liu, conveyed his disappointment; the product still hadn't met his expectations and lacked sufficient differentiation. Mr. Wang left for the airport without meeting them.
A dejected Dongqiang suggested they go for a drink, but Fan Xiaoyu insisted on more meetings. Noticing the team's low spirits, she decided to buy everyone some food. Meanwhile, after work, Xia Langlang returned books she had borrowed from Zhang Yuan. She was surprised to learn that Mai Meng had compiled and annotated them for her women's news project, revealing his thoughtful effort. Zhang Yuan suggested she return the books to Mai Meng in person.
Back at the apartment, Fan Xiaoyu returned with food to find only Fan Qingzhou still working diligently. She reflected on the difficulties of entrepreneurship and expressed admiration for his unwavering commitment. She asked him about his motivation, to which he replied, "To make a perfect app, watching my ideas come true bit by bit. Don't you find it fun? And then someone will get help and be happy because they use this app. I will also be happy."
She promised to join him in pursuing his fun once Little Table stabilized. Later, in the dorm, Fan Xiaoyu discussed her failed milk tea shop with her roommates. She learned that a competitor, despite having inferior products, had dominated the market through aggressive marketing and "click farming." This made Fan Xiaoyu realize the crucial role of such tactics in a competitive market.
During a team meeting, a financial review revealed that Little Table only had enough funds to last two more months. Dongqiang proposed seeking additional investors. However, Fan Xiaoyu argued for an "all-in" marketing strategy, suggesting they use the remaining funds for "click farming" to boost rankings and downloads. She cited her milk tea shop's downfall as a lesson, claiming she failed because she didn't "hire a click farm to get good reviews."
Dongqiang vehemently opposed, and even Fan Qingzhou, despite his usual patience, firmly rejected the idea, emphasizing that he valued reputation and "slow growth" over "winning with dirty tricks." Disappointed by their refusal, Fan Xiaoyu left, telling them they could "grow as slowly as they want." Fan Qingzhou told Dongqiang to give her some time to calm down. Around the same time, Xia Langlang confided in Fan Xiaoyu about her lingering feelings for Mai Meng.
Fan Xiaoyu advised her that "every relationship ends so that we can see our future direction more clearly," urging her to seek "proper closure" before moving forward. Taking her friend's advice, Xia Langlang went to Mai Meng's dorm to return the books and the money she owed him. She found him struggling to pan-fry fish and, offering some cooking tips, helped him prepare a meal.
She then informed him that she had applied for a news reporter position in Beijing and, if successful, would likely graduate early and move there. Mai Meng congratulated her and offered to see her out, but Xia Langlang politely declined, ensuring a definitive farewell. Days later, Dongqiang received exciting news: Mr. Wang had agreed to meet again and potentially invest two million yuan.
But their celebration was cut short when a colleague noticed a suspicious, massive surge in Little Table's download numbers. They immediately suspected Fan Xiaoyu and called her. She admitted to using company funds for "click farming," arguing it was a necessary risk for "high exposure" and "quick returns," even claiming she'd invested her own savings. Dongqiang was furious, accusing her of jeopardizing the company, and Fan Qingzhou expressed his deep disapproval of her unauthorized and unethical actions.
The next day, disaster struck. Little Table was removed from the app store due to abnormal download activity. A newly hired colleague resigned, and devastatingly, Mr. Wang withdrew his investment, citing the "fake high data" as the reason. Little Table was back to square one. Dongqiang, having endured years of hardship with Fan Qingzhou, was enraged and gave Fan Qingzhou an ultimatum: choose between him and Fan Xiaoyu.
In tears, Fan Xiaoyu apologized, admitting her actions were "arbitrary" and "too eager for quick success." However, her apology felt "feeble" in the face of the destruction she had wrought. A devastated Fan Xiaoyu returned to her empty dorm. On her desk, she found the money she had given her roommates earlier, now returned in three separate paper bags, each labeled "sisters' funding." Seeing this gesture of unwavering support, she smiled, finding a glimmer of hope in their enduring friendship.
