Be Yourself Episode 4 Recap
> Be Yourself Recap
During a news class, Huangfu found herself irritated by the affectionate display between Su Xiaoxiao and Chimu. Her mood brightened slightly when the teacher called on Su Xiaoxiao, who had been distracted. The teacher began by discussing the traditional "5W and 1H" of news, emphasizing the importance of truth, stating that without it, the elements of news lose their meaning and news itself ceases to exist.
While the teacher spoke, all students suddenly received a shocking video on their phones: a clip of a student couple passionately kissing in an office. As the students buzzed with discussion, Mai Meng entered the classroom, interrupting the lecture, and called Yang Jiaqian out, drawing all eyes to her, with some students even filming her with their phones.
In his office, Mai Meng confronted Yang Jiaqian, explaining that the video was taken in his office, and she was the only one with a spare key. He pressed her to identify the individuals, stressing the seriousness of the situation and the negative consequences for everyone involved if she remained silent. Yang Jiaqian insisted she was in the library that night. Mai Meng pointed out that her specific mention of "that night" implicated her knowledge of the event.
It was later discovered that the office corridor camera had been tampered with, leaving no evidence of what transpired or who filmed it. With no other proof, the truth rested solely on Yang Jiaqian, who chose to protect the involved parties by keeping silent. This was because Chimu had borrowed the office key from her for a private study session with Su Xiaoxiao that night, and Su Xiaoxiao had tearfully begged her not to expose them.
Shortly after, a second, maliciously edited video circulated, portraying a compromising conversation between Yang Jiaqian and Mai Meng in the office, severely damaging Yang Jiaqian’s reputation. Her roommates, Fan Xiaoyu and Xia Langlang, urged her to speak out and clear her name, expressing frustration that the real culprits were hiding while Yang Jiaqian suffered the public's wrath. Yang Jiaqian, on a phone call with one of the involved parties, herself expressed her despair, asking if they had considered her feelings.
Despite her friends' repeated pleas, Yang Jiaqian remained resolute, believing that a clear conscience needed no defense and that she would be fine. Worried, Fan Xiaoyu sought out Fan Qingzhou, bringing him food as a bribe, and implored him to use his hacking skills to uncover the identity of the blackmailer. Meanwhile, Yang Jiaqian returned to the office, determined to find clues.
Recollecting her teacher's words about the pursuit of truth and her own observation that people only see and believe what they want, Yang Jiaqian felt a strong urge to uncover the truth. She recalled Su Xiaoxiao's tearful plea, where Su Xiaoxiao admitted that she and Chimu had only "kissed and hugged" before going to study English.
Su Xiaoxiao had explained that Chimu needed the quiet office to study to avoid failing an exam and being forced to leave the basketball team. Later, as Xia Langlang and Huangfu joined Yang Jiaqian in the office, using their phone flashlights, Yang Jiaqian had an epiphany. She realized the video was shot from a deceptively specific angle.
She explained that the blackmailer deliberately used the "one line through three points" principle, positioning the camera to make the tall Chimu block Su Xiaoxiao, creating a misleading impression. This clever manipulation suggested that the couple had not committed anything truly egregious, otherwise, the blackmailer would have chosen a more direct angle to expose them. Simultaneously, Fan Qingzhou successfully identified the blackmailer: a "pervert" from an adjacent dorm.
He also discovered that the blackmailer had set up a timed release for further videos. The blackmailer had posted a message online, promising to remove the mosaic on the girl's body if replies exceeded a thousand, and reveal their faces if they reached two thousand, daring people to find out who they were. To prevent further leaks, Yang Jiaqian, Fan Xiaoyu, and their friends devised a plan.
Yang Jiaqian posed as a delivery person, luring the blackmailer out of his room with a "cash on delivery" package. Once outside, Fan Xiaoyu and the others confronted him, putting a garbage bag over his head and giving him a beating. Mai Meng arrived shortly after, taking the blackmailer into custody. Despite Fan Qingzhou's best efforts, the first timed release occurred.
The video's comment count surpassed one thousand, causing the mosaic covering the girl's clothing to be removed, revealing a distinct cheerleading team uniform. The revelation of the cheerleading uniform caused fresh alarm, as it made Su Xiaoxiao easily identifiable and could lead to infighting and suspicion within the cheerleading team. Overwhelmed by the pressure and the relentless gossip, Su Xiaoxiao climbed to the school rooftop, contemplating suicide.
Just as she stood there, her phone chimed with a notification, displaying a photo. In the image, the entire school—led by Yang Jiaqian, Fan Xiaoyu, Xia Langlang, and Huangfu—stood united, all wearing cheerleading uniforms. Yang Jiaqian and her friends had launched a campus-wide movement, distributing available cheerleading uniforms and encouraging students to wear them in a powerful display of solidarity against the unethical act of unauthorized filming.
This overwhelming show of support deeply moved Su Xiaoxiao, giving her the courage to step back from the edge and abandon her desperate thoughts. The following day, Su Xiaoxiao formally apologized to Huangfu and her friends for past conflicts and expressed her gratitude for their support during the crisis. She then presented Huangfu with a new application, inviting her to rejoin the cheerleading team. Huangfu, no longer constrained by her pride and a smile playing on her lips, accepted the application.
