Don't Leave After School Episode 19 Recap
> Don't Leave After School Recap
During a chemistry lesson, the students were noticeably dispirited, preoccupied by recent events. The chemistry teacher sternly reprimanded the class for their lack of focus, prompting Li Dalai to talk back. After class, Li Dalai returned the notes he had borrowed from Wei Lai, then questioned Fang Xue about Wei Lai's prolonged absence. Meanwhile, at his home, Wei Lai, still confined to his room, secretly reviewed study materials when his stepmother entered with some fruit.
She remarked on his previous confidence, noting that now he couldn't run away even if his father didn't lock him up. Wei Lai brushed off her sarcasm, and she urged him to hide his books before his father returned, fearing another outburst if his father saw he hadn't given up on school. Wei Lai, however, declared he couldn't be bothered, leading his stepmother to comment on their shared stubbornness.
Back at school, Mr. Ying, observing the class's low morale, decided to uplift everyone by organizing a "Rooftop Confession Time" for the upcoming weekend, where students could shout out their innermost thoughts. He encouraged them to prepare what they wanted to say. During lunch, Tang Tiantian and other friends discussed their potential confessions, while Fang Xue stood lost in thought, barely touching her food.
Noticing her distant behavior, her friends tried to engage her, asking if she had decided what to shout. Fang Xue mumbled, still seeming preoccupied by Wei Lai's absence, which her friends attributed to his family problems. Fang Xue then excused herself and left. Later, in Mr. Ying's office, he spoke to Fang Xue about her recent chemistry quiz, which she had failed completely.
Fang Xue admitted her long-standing struggles with chemistry and Mr. Ying suggested she seek help from Wei Lai, then remembered Wei Lai was not at school. He advised her to practice more and ask other teachers or classmates for help. Mr. Ying also noted her change in demeanor, advising her to adjust and reorganize her thoughts, as he understood what she was going through. Elsewhere, Qiao Mai was confronted by the same individual who had previously blackmailed her.
The blackmailer demanded she recite legal articles, threatening to expose her cheating to her teachers, classmates, and parents, including details about how she, a top student, entered the school using illicit means, thereby successfully coercing her. That evening, Fang Xue and Cheng Jing overheard other students discussing Wei Lai's potential withdrawal from school, mistakenly attributing it to Fang Xue. Angered by their gossip, Cheng Jing threw something against the partition, silencing the students.
Returning to their dorm, Cheng Jing found Fang Xue despondent. She urged Fang Xue to snap out of her melancholy, reminding her that life goes on even if Wei Lai leaves. Cheng Jing advised Fang Xue to focus on the upcoming "Rooftop Confession Time" as a way to uplift herself. The next day, Fang Xue showed Cheng Jing her draft for the rooftop confession, which still heavily revolved around Wei Lai.
Cheng Jing, frustrated by Fang Xue's lack of progress, called her sentimental and embarrassed, telling her that Wei Lai's departure was a reality she couldn't change and angrily demanded she rewrite it. That night, Fang Xue stood alone on the rooftop, recalling Wei Lai's past words about a simple slogan being meaningful and how it suited her for cheering herself up.
On the weekend, Mr. Ying led the students to the main building's rooftop for the confession event, attracting curious students from other classes. Ms Lei provided lozenges for everyone's voices. After an energetic start by Mr. Ying, who passionately declared his ambition to be the best teacher and recounted losing his girlfriend to a film director, other students followed, sharing their aspirations, from getting into a technical college to attending USC.
When it was Qiao Mai's turn, she bravely confessed that her high grades were fake, obtained through cheating, driven by vanity and the intense pressure from her family and school. She admitted to hating studying and exams, feeling that such a life was too tiring, unlike Wei Lai's excellent path. Her classmates showed support and encouraged her.
Next, Gu Shang, known for not loving studies, dedicated a somewhat off-key rendition of "Loving You Is Not Just for Two or Three Days" to Cheng Jing, which quickly turned into a boisterous chant for them to "get together." The commotion was cut short by the sudden arrival of Ms Lei, causing everyone to scatter. Gu Shang was caught and brought to her office.
Meanwhile, Qiao Mai faced a fellow student who criticized her for revealing the truth about her cheating and mentioning Wei Lai. Later, Fang Xue found Qiao Mai silently washing her face and offered comfort, assuring her that many people cheat and that repentance was key. Fang Xue shared her own experiences of overcoming difficulties, telling Qiao Mai that classmates would not judge her unfairly.
In a chemistry class following the rooftop event, the teacher called Qiao Mai to the board to solve a problem. Despite having personally reviewed similar questions with her, Qiao Mai made a mistake. The teacher harshly criticized and mocked her, calling her a "wrong example" and suggesting her brain was not working. She publicly shamed Qiao Mai, linking her current struggles to her past cheating and calling her a "C- student" who somehow got "A+ scores."
Overwhelmed by the public humiliation, Qiao Mai erupted in anger, smashing items in the classroom before running into the corridor and breaking a glass panel. Her classmates rushed out, horrified to see her covered in blood before she collapsed to the ground. That night, Fang Xue and her dormmates discussed Qiao Mai's incident, expressing shock and sympathy.
They reflected on the immense pressure of senior year, acknowledging that Qiao Mai's constant worry about rankings and family expectations had led her to cheat. Some also recalled observing Qiao Mai being pushed and shoved by an external student, which they now understood in light of her struggles.
The next day, Mr. Ying informed Fang Xue that Qiao Mai would not be returning to school due to her condition, and her parents believed she would likely miss the college entrance exams. Mr. Ying expressed deep regret and self-blame for not noticing her struggles sooner, entrusting Fang Xue to help reassure their classmates.
At the hospital, Fang Xue tried to give the nurse some audio tapes she had recorded, hoping they would help Qiao Mai, as they used to comfort Fang Xue herself when she was upset. The nurse was hesitant, citing Qiao Mai's unstable emotional state, but Mr. Ying encouraged her to try.
However, when the nurse played a tape, it was Fang Xue's own voice discussing "activity flow" and the "periodic table" before she became flustered and rushed to the toilet, embarrassed. Later, Fang Xue told Mr. Ying that she understood Qiao Mai's fragility, describing her life as a "sandwich" crushed between bogus grades and pressure from family and school, leaving her unable to find herself, emphasizing that people should live more freely.
Fang Xue also agreed to deliver Wei Lai's report card to him during the break. Meanwhile, Ms Lei conducted separate interviews with Gu Shang and Cheng Jing about the rooftop incident. Gu Shang, to protect Cheng Jing, took full responsibility, claiming he had feelings for Cheng Jing and harassed her on his own, instructing her not to tell anyone, despite Ms Lei's attempts to make Cheng Jing implicate him.
Later, Cheng Jing received Gu Shang's written reflection, where he detailed his actions and confessed his feelings. She reacted with anger and frustration, then stormed off. Another day in class, Tang Tiantian informed Fang Xue that Wei Lai had broken his leg attempting to climb over a wall to return to school. She also revealed that Wei Lai was soon to go abroad, with his visa almost ready, and might never return.
Fang Xue, after a brief pause, acknowledged the news. Later, Fang Xue went to Wei Lai's house. Standing downstairs, she bravely called out to him, pouring out her heart, expressing how she had initially been angry at him for leaving, but now realized she had misjudged him. She told him that he was an outstanding person in her heart and would have a bright future, regardless of where he went or what he studied.
Tears streamed down her face as she spoke, and she ended her emotional confession, saying she would miss him, before walking away choked with emotion. Inside, Wei Lai sat on his balcony, deep in thought, looking at a note, seemingly oblivious to Fang Xue's heartfelt shouts due to the headphones he was wearing.
