Don't Leave After School Episode 1 Recap
> Don't Leave After School Recap
The quiet halls of the teaching building were suddenly filled with commotion as the dismissal bell rang. Amidst the noise, a water pipe in the men's restroom burst, quickly flooding the area. This chaotic scene was the culmination of events that began three months prior. Fang Xue, having scored 399 on her college entrance exam—just one point shy of the Tier 3 university cutoff—was forced by her family to re-enroll for another year.
Entering Xiang Jiang Middle School as a re-enrolled student opened up a new world for her. She experienced many firsts, like being publicly criticized, vying for food in the cafeteria, and even learning that essential balm could be consumed by some of the more intense students. Meanwhile, Ms Lei, the director, was in her office discussing the re-enrolled class, Class 1, Senior 4, with a new acting teacher.
Ms Lei described the class as a collection of problematic students: Gu Shang, expelled for fighting; Chu Yanfen, an art student who "fools around every day"; Li Erbao, a "Xiang Jiang Living Fossil" re-enrolling for his fifth year; and Tang Tiantian, who excelled at everything but studying.
Ms Lei singled out Fang Xue, noting her abysmal score of 399 and her tendency to cause trouble since the term began, emphasizing that the new teacher needed to pay special attention to her. The acting teacher expressed her inexperience with re-enrolled students, but Ms Lei assured her that only patience was needed. The new acting teacher, clearly resentful of her assignment, took her frustration out on the students.
When Fang Xue forgot her exercise book, the teacher angrily sent her to retrieve it. On her way back, Fang Xue accidentally bumped into someone, causing her to fall into a puddle and dirty her shoe. While cleaning her shoe in the restroom, it accidentally dropped into the sewer. Her friend, Tiantian, discreetly brought sodium dithionite from a nearby chemistry lab, knowing it reacted violently with water, hoping it would dislodge the shoe.
However, the shoe remained, and Fang Xue inadvertently blew up the men's restroom downstairs, causing two floors to flood. This incident cemented her reputation as a notorious figure at school. In the aftermath, Ms Lei condemned Class 1, Senior 4, listing their various misbehaviors. To prevent further disruption to the Senior 3 classes, the school decided to relocate the re-enrolled students to a branch campus.
When the students visited the branch campus, they discovered it was a dilapidated building, sparking immediate outrage and division among them. Arguments escalated, with some students like Li Dalai blaming Fang Xue and insulting her family's funeral business. Fang Xue, feeling guilty, decided to take matters into her own hands and went to Ms Lei's office to plead on behalf of her classmates.
Around the same time, Wei Lai, a top student, dropped out of a prestigious university and came to Xiang Jiang Middle School to re-enroll. He specifically requested to be placed in Mr. Yin's class, the biology teacher, who taught Senior 3. During her meeting with Ms Lei, Fang Xue promised that her classmates would no longer cause trouble.
Ms Lei, skeptical of Fang Xue's ability to even guarantee herself, gave the class one last chance: they had to achieve an average score of 500 in the upcoming mock exam, a target nearly 10 points higher than their current average. Fang Xue’s classmates despaired, feeling it was an impossible feat.
Hearing about Wei Lai’s high academic standing and his new enrollment, Fang Xue and her friends saw an opportunity to boost their class average by persuading him to transfer to their Senior 4 class. Fang Xue tried to persuade Wei Lai to transfer to her class, first by offering him oranges. He politely refused, prompting some students to mock her for "chasing a boy." Undeterred, Fang Xue learned that Wei Lai had a passion for collecting insects.
With the unreliable help of her friend Gu Shang and others, she attempted to gather bugs for him. However, in her clumsiness, she accidentally broke one of his precious fossils while trying to present her collection. Wei Lai, annoyed, explicitly told her to stay away and refused her request to join her class, stating he couldn't help.
Back in her classroom, with the mock exam just days away and Wei Lai’s refusal, the students lost all hope and began packing their belongings, ready to accept their fate. Fang Xue, burdened by guilt, wandered off. On the playground, she witnessed Wei Lai and his friend being bullied by other students over a basketball court. The bullies taunted Wei Lai about dropping out of university, collecting "broken stones" and doing "dirty work."
Unable to stand by, Fang Xue intervened, throwing a basketball at the bullies, which led to her grandfather being called to Ms Lei's office. Ms Lei reprimanded Fang Xue, calling her a "gremlin" for the trouble she caused, suggesting she quit school and go home. Fang Xue's grandfather apologized to Ms Lei for his granddaughter's behavior. Afterward, Fang Xue and her grandfather sat on the steps outside.
Fang Xue tearfully confided that she no longer wanted to study, feeling stifled in the school despite her parents' good intentions. Her grandfather listened patiently, assuring her that he would support her decision, even if it meant confronting her father. He urged her to think carefully about her future if she quit. News of Fang Xue's intention to withdraw quickly spread.
Wei Lai received a call from a friend who relayed the news, also recounting the full story of the pipe incident—how Fang Xue was pushed into a puddle, lost her shoe, and used the chemicals in an attempt to retrieve it, inadvertently causing the explosion. Wei Lai appeared thoughtful and guilty upon hearing the detailed account. Later that evening, Fang Xue was alone, dejectedly painting over graffiti in the corridor, wanting to finish before her official withdrawal.
Yin Hao (Mr Yin), the biology teacher, approached her, questioning her decision to quit so soon after the semester began. He warned her that withdrawing would make it difficult to return, and that Ms Lei would likely give her a zero on the upcoming mock exam, further lowering her class's average score. Yin Hao emphasized that dropping out or re-enrolling were significant life choices that required careful consideration.
He advised her not to give up so easily and offered to paint the wall himself, urging her to go back and study to improve her score, even if by just one point. Inspired by his words, Fang Xue decided to stay. The next day, as the mock exam was about to begin, Fang Xue's classmates were still pessimistic, believing their situation was merely a "sideshow."
Suddenly, Wei Lai walked into Class 1, Senior 4, announcing that he had applied to transfer to their class. This unexpected arrival boosted everyone's morale, turning what they thought was a "sideshow" into the "main show." Fang Xue thanked Wei Lai, and he encouraged her to do well in the exams. Despite Wei Lai's transfer and everyone's efforts, the class's average score still fell short by less than 0. 5 points.
The students once again packed their belongings, resigned to moving to the branch campus. As their bus began to pull away, Fang Xue was talking to Wei Lai. He confessed that he was the one who accidentally pushed her into the puddle that led to the restroom incident, expressing his regret for not saying anything sooner. Just then, Yin Hao rode up on his bicycle and dramatically cut in front of the bus.
He announced that he had successfully petitioned the principal: the students would not have to move to the branch campus. He then introduced himself as Yin Hao, their new official class teacher.
