Flourish In Time Episode 1 Recap
> Flourish In Time Recap
On her first day of high school, Lu Miao was determined to shed the label of "Jiang Haoyue’s sister," a shadow that had dimmed her life for years. Jiang Haoyue, her neighbor and childhood friend, always outshone her, despite them eating the same food and attending the same schools. Lu Miao resolved to find her own identity, asserting that she would create her own presence.
To avoid him, she tried circuitous routes, navigating a bustling market and even attempting to scale a wall, but still ran straight into him. When he questioned her avoidance, Lu Miao explained her desire to breathe "her own air" and not be known simply as his sister. Surprisingly understanding, Jiang Haoyue agreed to wait for the bus at a different stop. Her attempts proved futile when she boarded a bus only to find Jiang Haoyue already on it.
As Lu Miao dozed off, he used her instant camera to capture a photo of her sleeping face. He commented on the expensive film, suggesting it be saved for a meaningful event like the freshman speech she hoped to give, and offered a new closing line for it: "The past is meaningless. For the fate you dislike, from now on, don’t accept it." Lu Miao dismissed the idea as childish.
After Jiang Haoyue exited the bus, Lu Miao discovered the photo mischievously stuck to her back, pointed out by a friendly new classmate, Chen Guoguo. When confronted, Jiang Haoyue offered only a sarcastic apology. Later, at the opening ceremony, Jiang Haoyue captivated the student body with his speech, which included the poignant line he had suggested to Lu Miao. Many female students were instantly smitten, but Lu Miao remained unimpressed, privately dismissing his words as cliché.
When another student marveled at the speech, Lu Miao blurted out that she had given him the idea, only to be mocked by the student who thought she was delusional. Fueled by indignation, Lu Miao vowed that one day, she too would stand on the auditorium stage and achieve a level of excellence that would make Jiang Haoyue look up to her.
Following a math class where she had fallen asleep, Lu Miao decided to punish herself by skipping lunch and visiting the auditorium to "breathe the honorable air" of the stage. While there, she accidentally damaged some equipment. In a panic, she dropped her camera and fled into a dressing room as a school staff member entered. The staff member picked up the camera, but Jiang Haoyue, recognizing it, intercepted him and claimed it as his own.
Suspecting Lu Miao was in trouble, he found her trapped inside the dressing room, playfully taking pictures of her predicament before eventually opening the door. Their interaction was cut short when Mr. Yang, the Dean of Educational Administration, walked in on them, questioning their presence and speculating they were in a relationship. In Mr. Yang’s office, Lu Miao denied any relation to Jiang Haoyue, concocting a story about being overcome by the school flag’s sacred pattern and accidentally damaging property.
Jiang Haoyue surprisingly corroborated her lie. However, Mr. Yang, observing that both students shared the same guardian, Lu Yongfei, concluded they were step-siblings from a blended family who were reluctant to admit their relationship. Lu Miao was sentenced to a week of cleaning duty. As they left, Jiang Haoyue noticed Lu Miao’s untied shoelace and expertly tied it for her with a special knot.
This moment was observed by Lu Miao’s deskmate, Xie Ziye, who later pressed Lu Miao about her relationship with Jiang Haoyue. Lu Miao confessed her desire to escape his shadow and live a brilliant life of her own. Later that day, Jiang Haoyue witnessed his father skillfully handle a group of troublemakers outside their mahjong parlor but remained aloof toward him. While walking alone, Jiang Haoyue was ambushed by the same thugs, who discovered his prosthetic leg during the assault.
Just as the situation escalated, Lu Miao stumbled upon the scene and rushed to his defense. Jiang Haoyue shielded her with his body, and in their moment of peril, a young man on a bicycle intervened, heroically driving off the assailants. Afterwards, Jiang Haoyue urged Lu Miao not to tell their parents, suggesting she say he was simply in a bad mood. The traumatic event solidified Lu Miao’s perspective.
She told Jiang Haoyue that from now on, they would go to and from school together, declaring that personal glory was no longer as important as he was. This profound shift prompted Jiang Haoyue to ask, "You acknowledge me as your brother now?" Eight years prior, a nine-year-old Jiang Haoyue was struck by a car driven by Lu Miao’s father, Lu Yongfei, resulting in the amputation of his leg.
At the hospital, Jiang Haoyue’s distraught father confronted a guilt-ridden Lu Yongfei, who, along with his wife, committed to taking full responsibility for Jiang Haoyue’s lifelong care. From that day forward, Lu Yongfei declared, Jiang Haoyue would be his son too. Shortly after, an eight-year-old Lu Miao was brought to meet Jiang Haoyue, instructed by her father to call him "brother" and not stare at his leg. She quickly warmed up to him, sharing her chocolate and eagerly suggesting they raise chicks together, accepting him as her new older brother.
