Be Yourself Episode 7 Recap
> Be Yourself Recap
During the summer break, Fan Xiaoyu found herself without a place to stay as she had not completed the necessary application and security agreement for break housing. When the dorm manager informed her it was too late to apply and she needed to vacate, Fan Xiaoyu pleaded for an exception, but the manager insisted on following school regulations and urged her to go home to her parents, mentioning an upcoming inspection.
As Fan Xiaoyu stood outside, contemplating her options, Fan Qingzhou approached her, having observed her from his apartment. He noted she usually borrowed money and was surprised to see her still on campus. Fan Xiaoyu explained she was being evicted from the dorms, which Fan Qingzhou found to be a fair consequence of not following procedures, citing ancient Greek philosophy. Frustrated by his philosophical tangent, Fan Xiaoyu pressed him about available rooms.
Fan Qingzhou admitted he had a spare room, but the rent was likely too expensive for her. Just then, Fan Debiao sent Fan Xiaoyu a voice message, revealing he had booked a flight for her to come home the next day and asking if she was avoiding him. Fan Qingzhou, seeing her expression change after listening to the message, advised her to go home.
After considering her options, Fan Xiaoyu reluctantly decided to fly home, telling Fan Qingzhou she would visit him after the summer. Upon her return, Fan Xiaoyu's mother urged her to attend the 100-day banquet for her baby brother, hoping it would be an opportunity to mend her strained relationship with Fan Debiao. Fan Xiaoyu initially resisted, feeling independent of her father's influence, but eventually agreed to appease her mother.
The next day, Fan Xiaoyu arrived at Fan Debiao’s house, where the stepmother, Zhang Li, made a sarcastic comment about her visiting. Fan Debiao quickly intervened, clarifying that Fan Xiaoyu was family and welcome to stay. Upstairs, Fan Debiao confronted Fan Xiaoyu about blocking him after he suspended her credit card, admitting he had hoped to compel her to apologize. He mentioned getting updates on her from Xuwen.
Fan Xiaoyu, claiming it was a mistake, admitted to unblocking him two months prior and even liking one of his posts. Fan Debiao, seeing their similar stubborn temperaments, expressed happiness at her return and encouraged her to bond with her baby brother, reminding her that both his house and her mother's were her homes. He then offered her a supplementary credit card with a generous limit, which Fan Xiaoyu accepted.
Later, while Fan Xiaoyu was on a video call with friends, showing them her old room now filled with baby supplies, the nanny brought her baby brother in. Fan Xiaoyu, feeling a void, took out a treasured "magic wand" toy from her childhood, a gift from her father, to playfully entertain the baby.
The stepmother, Zhang Li, entered and snatched the toy, chastising Fan Xiaoyu for playing with such a "filthy" item near the baby and throwing it to the floor. Zhang Li then declared that Fan Xiaoyu’s room would be converted into a nursery, suggesting Fan Xiaoyu stay in a hotel when she visited, implying she was no longer truly welcome. An argument ensued, with Fan Xiaoyu accusing Zhang Li of being a homewrecker. The stepmother slapped Fan Xiaoyu.
Fan Debiao, alerted by the commotion, intervened. He told Zhang Li to take the baby out of the room, then, turning to Fan Xiaoyu, reprimanded her for "starting trouble" immediately upon her return. This extinguished any warmth Fan Xiaoyu had felt. Disappointed, she threw the supplementary card back at Fan Debiao and left, returning to her mother, who was found sleeping on the sofa. Fan Xiaoyu's mother, still hoping for reconciliation with Fan Debiao, urged her to consider him.
Fan Xiaoyu, however, resolved to become self-sufficient, only accepting her tuition fees from her mother and vowing to earn her own living and future tuition. As the new semester began, Fan Xiaoyu, now determined to be financially independent, received a bookkeeping journal from Fan Qingzhou, who advised her on managing expenses. Inspired by fellow students wearing traditional Hanfu, Fan Xiaoyu launched a Hanfu rental business, but it quickly failed, leaving her 5,000 yuan in debt.
Seeing her desperation, Yang Jiaqian, who was organizing a fan meeting for the popular singer Justin at their school, offered Fan Xiaoyu a paid assistant position. Yang Jiaqian had been given 100 tickets by the Youth League Committee and was responsible for publicity, sponsorship, and event organization, so she was authorized to hire an assistant. Fan Xiaoyu, despite the modest pay, eagerly accepted. The biggest challenge was securing sponsorship.
Fan Xiaoyu's initial attempts to contact her father's business associates (Auntie Dong, Uncle Ma, Uncle Wu) were unsuccessful, as they either declined or claimed unfamiliarity with Justin. She confided her difficulties to Fan Qingzhou, who, drawing from an anecdote about a man who successfully sold his house through a lottery, inspired her.
Fan Xiaoyu proposed a new plan to Yang Jiaqian: she would ask for ten tickets from Yang Jiaqian to be used as prizes in a lottery, raising funds by selling raffle tickets for 20 yuan each. Yang Jiaqian, needing funds for event materials like banner stands and foamboards, approved the plan. With Fan Qingzhou's help, Fan Xiaoyu created an online lottery page. The lottery proved immensely popular, quickly raising over 40,000 yuan within three days.
Fan Xiaoyu planned to allocate 20,000 yuan to the event and keep the remaining 20,000 for herself. However, Yang Jiaqian discovered that Fan Xiaoyu was selling tickets through a lottery, contrary to her understanding of fair distribution. Yang Jiaqian was furious, accusing Fan Xiaoyu of profiting from Justin's fans and exploiting their devotion. Unbeknownst to Fan Xiaoyu, Yang Jiaqian, usually reserved, was a die-hard Justin fan herself.
The situation worsened when she was called to the meeting room, where Justin personally thanked her for organizing such a successful event, giving her flowers and taking a photo with her. Upon returning to the dorm, Fan Xiaoyu saw Yang Jiaqian's upset demeanor and realized the gravity of her actions. To atone, Fan Xiaoyu donated 15,000 yuan of the lottery proceeds to a charity for brittle bone disease patients under Yang Jiaqian's name.
Justin later posted a photo with Yang Jiaqian on Weibo, thanking the "fan" for the generous donation, which became a trending topic. Yang Jiaqian, touched and elated, texted Fan Xiaoyu to express her gratitude, finally forgiving her. Having learned that making quick money was not easy, Fan Xiaoyu resolved to integrate her academic pursuits with earning a living.
She decided to become a study streamer, sharing her study sessions online, and also planned to take on part-time jobs with Xia Langlang to sustainably cover her living expenses. This marked a painful but necessary step towards her personal growth and independence from her family.
