Flourish In Time Episode 4 Recap
> Flourish In Time Recap
Jiang Haoyue returned to school after completing his chemistry training. He found Lu Miao and Shi Che after their recent competition, which they hadn't won. Despite the loss, Shi Che, ever the outgoing one, enthusiastically suggested a celebratory meal, which a group of them, including members of the basketball club, attended. At the restaurant, Shi Che overtly displayed his interest in Lu Miao.
He insisted on trying a super spicy chili sauce, even though Lu Miao mentioned he'd always been afraid of spicy food, declaring that a "real man" couldn't be afraid of chili. He then inquired about Lu Miao and Jiang Haoyue’s sibling relationship, noting that he had initially thought Lu Miao had a crush on someone, only to later realize Jiang Haoyue was her brother. Jiang Haoyue immediately recognized Shi Che as a formidable rival.
Lu Miao staunchly defended her brother, calling him a "high mountain flower" and her role model, in contrast to Shi Che’s playful jabs about Jiang Haoyue being a "stick-in-the-mud" or an "eternal glacier." Later, Lu Miao and Jiang Haoyue discussed Shi Che, with Lu Miao describing him as an outgoing person who is friendly with everyone.
Jiang then inquired about Lu Miao's training, to which she happily declared her rival had lost, crediting her lucky charm, though Jiang attributed it to probability. Shortly after, Qu Wei transferred to their school and took the recent exam. To everyone's surprise, Qu Wei secured the top spot in the grade, pushing Jiang Haoyue to second place.
Qu Wei, delighted with his victory, confidently approached Jiang Haoyue, asking if he would finally admit defeat, but Jiang Haoyue responded with cold indifference. Meanwhile, Xie Ziye's informal ranking list of male students was updated, with Qu Wei now at the top. Xie Ziye explained to a bewildered Lu Miao that while Jiang Haoyue had dominated the list for years, Qu Wei's sudden appearance offered a "freshness" that captivated everyone.
The school began its selection process for the Chemistry Tryout, with only one spot available. This put Jiang Haoyue and Qu Wei directly against each other once again. Their homeroom teacher, Mr. Chen, lamented their rivalry, echoing the sentiment of "A great man cannot brook a rival." Qu Wei, acknowledging Jiang Haoyue's superior physics skills, questioned why he insisted on competing in chemistry instead of pursuing dual firsts in both subjects.
He emphasized that chemistry experimental operations, crucial for the contest, required accumulated experience that Jiang Haoyue likely lacked. Jiang Haoyue, however, remained resolute in his decision to vie for the chemistry spot. Lu Miao, having experienced her own academic struggles with failing two subjects and barely passing others, tried to guide Jiang Haoyue through his emotional burden. She offered him "psychological construction," urging him not to let the gossip or the setback affect his confidence.
She even suggested he might reconsider and opt for the Physics Contest. Jiang Haoyue found his sister's concern endearing, showing no signs of anxiety. Lu Miao, despite her own academic challenges, diligently searched for ways to help Jiang Haoyue improve his chemistry, justifying her efforts to her mother by saying, "helping others may make our own day." Separately, Jiang Haoyue's father approached Lu Miao's father for a loan.
Lu Miao's father, who was not wealthy and had a wife and daughter to support, in addition to looking after Jiang Haoyue, explained he had no spare funds. However, it seemed Jiang Haoyue's father held some leverage over him, compelling him to offer a small sum of a few hundred-yuan bills. Jiang Haoyue's father, visibly disgusted by the meager amount, angrily accused him of treating him like a beggar and stormed off.
Lu Miao's mother, Lin Wenfang, intervened briefly, attempting to de-escalate the tense exchange. Back at school, Qu Wei approached Jiang Haoyue and handed him a set of his organized chemistry notes. Qu Wei dismissed the basic knowledge as "child's play," stressing that the final experimental section of the competition relied heavily on accumulated experience. He expressed his desire for Jiang Haoyue to perform at his best, so he wouldn't "lose too badly." Jiang Haoyue accepted the notes, acknowledging the gesture.
Around school, students and teachers alike speculated about the outcome of the Chemistry Tryout between Jiang Haoyue and Qu Wei. Lu Miao was also caught up in the anticipation, but remembering her consistent bad luck with bets, she decided to make a wager with Shi Che. She bet on Qu Wei winning, hoping that her "always lose" streak would ensure Jiang Haoyue's victory.
Unbeknownst to her, Jiang Haoyue overheard part of their conversation and became visibly upset, rejecting Lu Miao's offer to study together. Lu Miao later explained her strategic betting to Shi Che, confirming her "self-sacrifice" for her brother's success, and they agreed that the loser of the bet would grant the winner one request. Late one night, Shi Che, determined to help Jiang Haoyue, secretly entered the teachers' office to steal the Chemistry Tryout answers.
Coincidentally, Xie Ziye returned to the office to retrieve her phone and discovered him. Shi Che tried to silence her, but Xie Ziye quickly realized he was taking a Grade 2 exam paper, not a Grade 1 one, which meant it wouldn't be cheating for "them". She pretended not to see anything, and they hastily left. The next morning, Shi Che presented the stolen answers to Jiang Haoyue, assuring him of a guaranteed win.
Jiang Haoyue, however, asked if anyone else knew about it, and upon learning only Shi Che did, he promptly tore the papers, stating that some things were more important than winning. Shi Che, witnessing Jiang Haoyue’s principled stand, remarked on his integrity. Later, the attempted theft was exposed, and Director Yang, having reviewed surveillance footage, called both Shi Che and Xie Ziye to his office.
Shi Che immediately took responsibility, claiming he had mistakenly taken a Grade 2 paper instead of a Grade 1 one due to nervousness, attempting to shield Xie Ziye. Xie Ziye corroborated that the stolen paper was indeed for Grade 2. Director Yang, however, declared that the "motive" for cheating was sufficient for punishment and that the nature of their actions was "very vile." As a consequence, both Shi Che and Xie Ziye were ordered to write a 3000-word self-criticism essay.
Shi Che struggled with the task, leading Xie Ziye to offer him a sample essay and even her services for a fee. Lu Miao, feeling that her brother had inadvertently caused Xie Ziye's predicament, also offered to write Xie Ziye’s self-criticism, but Xie Ziye declined, assuring her it wasn't her fault. On the day of the Chemistry Tryout, heavy rain began to fall. Jiang Haoyue, who suffered from discomfort in his leg during rainy weather, also developed a fever.
Lu Miao's mother, believing she had found a "magic doctor," insisted on adding a mystical "aspidistra" herb to a pain-relief soup for Jiang, despite Lu Miao and her father's past experience with questionable remedies. Lu Miao dutifully delivered the soup, discovering Jiang's fever. He refused any medicine, fearing it would make him sleepy during the exam. The tryout consisted of a challenging 90-minute acid-base titration, demanding extreme precision and attention to detail.
Despite his illness and discomfort, Jiang Haoyue prevailed, achieving a rare zero-error result. After the tryout, a defeated Qu Wei confronted Jiang Haoyue, baffled by his victory. He questioned how Jiang Haoyue, in such obvious pain during the experiment, could have surpassed him, especially given Qu Wei's diligent weekly practice. Qu Wei once again pressed Jiang Haoyue on his decision to switch to chemistry. Jiang Haoyue finally revealed his true motivation: the chemistry competition offered the highest prize money.
Later, a still-feverish Jiang Haoyue met Lu Miao, who, worried, assumed he had lost due to his illness. Jiang Haoyue then confirmed his victory, much to Lu Miao's astonishment. This outcome reaffirmed her belief in her "always lose bet" theory, as her wager on Qu Wei had, ironically, led to Jiang Haoyue's success. Jiang Haoyue also noted that Qu Wei was a good person. They then played a simple game with chocolates, where Lu Miao, true to her luck, consistently lost all her chocolates to Jiang Haoyue.
