Don't Disturb My Study Episode 8 Recap
> Don't Disturb My Study Recap
Zeng Jianfei formally requested to drop out of school, telling his teacher, Wang Qibei, that he had made up his mind after much thought. Despite Wang Qibei's reassurance that his grades were sufficient for a basic university, Zeng expressed a desire to explore the world and pursue his interests outside of academics. Recognizing Zeng's youthful idealism, Wang Qibei did not approve the dropout application.
Instead, he offered to hold Zeng's student status, allowing him to take a break to experience the outside world and return to school if he had a change of heart. Outside the office, Lin Xiaoran confronted Zeng, criticizing his decision and his belief that non-academic interests, like grooming dogs, were a viable substitute for education. Zeng retorted, calling Lin a "pedantic old fogey" and asserting that "all roads lead to Rome."
When Lin accused him of being flippant with his life, Nan Xiangwan intervened, telling Lin to stop interfering in Zeng's personal choices. She then jokingly challenged Zeng to get into Guanhua University, warning him not to embarrass himself. Frustrated, Lin suggested to his friends that they should collectively "build a wall" for Zeng to hit—a harsh reality check that would force him to return.
That evening, seeing her mother exhausted from doing extra laundry to save for her college tuition, Nan Xiangwan volunteered to deliver a customer's clothes, insisting it would be a break from studying. She took the parcel to an address that, to her surprise, was in the new apartment complex across the street from her family's old building. Upon arrival, she discovered the building's elevator was out of order and had to climb many flights of stairs.
At the same time, Lin Xiaoran was singing and dancing in the shower. Hearing the doorbell, he assumed his mother had forgotten her keys and opened the door while still shirtless, only to find a stunned Nan Xiangwan on his doorstep. Embarrassed, Lin Xiaoran quickly shut the door to get dressed, only to reappear moments later with his shirt on inside out.
When Nan Xiangwan pointed it out, he comically insisted it was a habit and that the visible stitching accentuated his physique, before inviting her in. Inside, Nan Xiangwan complimented the decor and mentioned that her family's old building across the street was slated for demolition in a few years. She advised him to tell his parents not to sell their apartment anytime soon, predicting its value would significantly increase.
Lin then explained that his parents were divorced and his father, who lived in America, wasn't involved in such decisions. While in the living room, Nan Xiangwan spotted a childhood photo of Lin Xiaoran with a little girl. Surprised by how different she looked, she learned the girl was Chen Shiyun. Lin dismissed the photo as something their parents had staged, admitting he disliked it but his mother found it cute.
After Nan Xiangwan left to make other deliveries, Lin worried that she might have misinterpreted his relationship with Chen Shiyun because of the picture. Meanwhile, Liu Yubai's father took him on a tour of his company, emphasizing that he was aging and the business would one day be his. He pressured Liu Yubai to study diligently and get into Guanhua University to secure the company's future. Liu Yubai appeared overwhelmed and sighed in relief only after leaving the building.
Just then, Nan Xiangwan cycled past, and though Liu Yubai called out to her, she didn't hear him. The filming of the school's promotional video ran into trouble when the student from Class Five paired with Liu Yubai struggled with stage fright, unable to clearly recite the school motto or look at the camera. Frustrated by the delays, the director's liaison, Liao Shichang, asked Chen Shiyun to step in, explaining that the video had a tight deadline.
Though a friend was envious of the opportunity, after successfully filming her part, Chen Shiyun confessed to her teacher that she was nervous and disliked being on camera, wishing she could remain unnoticed. The promotional video featuring Liu Yubai and Chen Shiyun was released and became an instant hit. Nan Xiangwan's mother saw it on TV and praised Chen Shiyun's beauty and academic success, holding her up as a role model.
Online, classmates and strangers alike commented on Liu Yubai and Chen Shiyun's good looks, calling them a "perfect match." Chen Shiyun's friends showed her dedicated fan forums on Baidu Tieba and told her they had defended her from negative comments on Weibo. However, Chen Shiyun was distressed by the sudden public attention and politely asked them to stop talking about the photos, admitting she truly disliked it.
Inspired by Chen Shiyun's sudden fame, Liu Jiaojiao began taking numerous photos of herself, hoping for similar popularity, which reminded Nan Xiangwan that Liu Jiaojiao would later become an online streamer. Elsewhere, Lin Xiaoran grew visibly annoyed by classmates' constant talk of Chen Shiyun's popularity and stormed off. He later found Nan Xiangwan and expressed frustration that she wasn't concerned about why he was upset. Seeing she was studying English, he assumed she was preparing to see Liu Yubai.
When she confirmed her priority was improving her grades, Lin offered to tutor her himself, arguing that while Liu Yubai was at a high academic level, he was an "intermediate" step up and thus a more suitable tutor for her. The situation escalated when old, unflattering photos of a much heavier, younger Chen Shiyun were leaked. While with Nan Xiangwan, Lin Xiaoran saw one of the photos on his phone and exclaimed in shock at her past appearance.
Immediately after, Nan Xiangwan received a call from Yu Meili, who told her the "ugly photos" had been posted on the school and local Tieba forums and were spreading rapidly on Weibo, attracting a wave of cyberbullying. Nan Xiangwan, who rarely used social media, initially dismissed it as a minor issue that would blow over. However, students soon began openly gossiping and pointing at Chen Shiyun in the hallways.
The Class Two Monitor called a meeting to address the "serious cyberbullying," but his detailed plan for students to collectively report negative content was met with complete silence. Chen Shiyun, clearly stressed, began eating alone in the classroom to save time for studying, making Nan Xiangwan feel as if the college entrance exam was the next day.
In class, Lin Xiaoran was too distracted by the situation to answer a question from Wang Qibei, who disappointedly reminded the students that with only 200 days left, they needed to manage their time wisely. After class, Li Shuai and Zhang Chao reported that they couldn't trace the person who posted the photos because the IP addresses were all fake. Desperate, Lin Xiaoran pleaded with Nan Xiangwan for help.
He brought up how she had seemingly orchestrated Teacher Li's removal, believing she had a special ability to solve difficult problems. Nan Xiangwan denied this, crediting the students, but Lin persisted, asking her to help Chen Shiyun as a personal favor.
When Nan Xiangwan hesitated, pointing out she wasn't close with Chen Shiyun, Lin Xiaoran revealed the real reason for Chen Shiyun's camera shyness: as a child, her parents had overfed her, and she had struggled for years with medical help to lose the weight. Moved by the story, Nan Xiangwan agreed to help, but only on her "conditions." Eager for any assistance, Lin readily accepted. Nan Xiangwan declared she wanted his "time."
Lin misinterpreted this as a desire for his company, but she quickly clarified her terms: "Aside from studying and basketball practice, all your free time will be spent serving me." He would have to take over her cleaning duties, fetch her meals, and handle all her miscellaneous tasks so she could focus solely on her studies. His friends were shocked, declaring she was demanding he become her "slave." To their astonishment, Lin Xiaoran agreed without a moment's hesitation.
