Remember My Boy Episode 1 Recap
> Remember My Boy Recap
In 2007, Zhou Jingmang was sixteen, a vibrant and inspiring year marked by the successful launch of Chang'e to the moon, the anticipation of the Olympic Games, and Jay Chou releasing his eighth album, which included the popular song "Cowboy on the Run." For teenagers like Zhou Jingmang and Zhang Yang, these were days filled with imagination, innocence, and fearlessness, as they embarked on a new chapter of fulfilling their dreams.
Zhou Jingmang reflected on this period, realizing it was when they learned bravery, hard work, perseverance, and passion, allowing them to proudly declare their youth was without fears or regrets. That summer, Zhou Jingmang had her first encounter with Zhang Yang. While cycling to school, she was distracted by passersby and nearly crashed into a truck. Zhang Yang grabbed her to prevent the collision, but then unexpectedly let go, causing her to fall.
He told her to watch the road and stop causing trouble for others before leaving, leaving Zhou Jingmang fuming. Later, upon arriving at Haicheng Secondary School, she was surprised to see Zhang Yang playing basketball on the court; her sudden reaction drew the attention of other students, embarrassing her, and she quickly headed to her dormitory.
There, Zhou Jingmang met her two roommates: Shen Yinghui, the school's talented and academically strong beauty, and Qin Zhen, an outgoing, frank, and very social girl. The three quickly formed an inseparable bond, like an "equilateral triangle" of friendship. When Zhou Jingmang introduced herself, the dorm supervisor unexpectedly entered, nearly discovering the new electronic product Shen Yinghui and Qin Zhen were examining. Zhou Jingmang quickly covered for them, assuring the supervisor they would follow all rules.
Qin Zhen later expressed relief, noting her father would have been furious if the expensive new gadget had been confiscated. During the subsequent class meeting, they were introduced to their homeroom and math teacher, Shi Xiaojing, who was gentle, beautiful, and beloved by her students. She initiated a game where students passed a scrunchie and introduced themselves. Ling Chen was the first, a legendary scholar known for being handsome, smart, proud, and aloof.
He spoke of his ambition and diligence, inviting classmates to ask him for help with studies. Zhou Jingmang was surprised to find Zhang Yang sitting behind her. When it was his turn, he was awakened by a classmate and simply stated, "I'm Zhang Yang. Nothing else." Zhou Jingmang then introduced herself, expressing her love for reading and her desire to get along with everyone, asking to be called "Zhou Zhou."
Another classmate, Wang Miao, introduced himself as a boy who loved smiling. Zhuang Jie, a joker and good-natured but somewhat clumsy, was also introduced as Zhang Yang's close friend. Later, Qin Zhen encountered Yu Hui Tong, the top scorer in Chinese Literature from the middle school entrance exam, in the restroom.
Yu Hui Tong was incredibly smart and diligent, able to recite entire Chinese textbooks from memory, but she came across as unapproachable, often stating that she disliked people who were both stupid and lazy. Qin Zhen tried to be friendly, but Yu Hui Tong ignored her, continuing to recite poetry.
This led to friction with other students, who felt she was arrogant, especially after she gave an impatient answer to a classmate's question, dismissively saying, "That's how the ancient people spoke. There aren't that many 'whys'." Qin Zhen and another classmate discussed Yu Hui Tong's pride, prompting Yu Hui Tong to challenge Zhou Jingmang to a poetry recitation contest to prove her intelligence.
While Zhou Jingmang could recite passages from "Charm of a Maiden Singer" and another classical poem, it was Yu Hui Tong who effortlessly recited a passage from "Teng Wang Tower Preface" when Zhou Jingmang hesitated, leaving everyone impressed with Yu Hui Tong's vast knowledge. Xiao Teacher Ma, their Chinese teacher, called Zhou Jingmang to his office. He praised her essay, remarking on her literary talent and admitting he had not expected such a gifted writer in the class.
He had already printed her essay and posted it on the school's notice board, believing it had the quality to be published in a magazine. He encouraged her to submit it and offered to help, gifting her a pen and wishing her continued success in writing. Zhou Jingmang felt a surge of confidence.
When Shen Yinghui and Qin Zhen learned about the essay being posted, they were thrilled and insisted on going to see it and take photos as a memento. On their way, Qin Zhen criticized Yu Hui Tong for her aloofness, unaware that Yu Hui Tong was behind them. Yu Hui Tong overheard their conversation, stating she looked down on those who talked behind others' backs.
She confronted Zhou Jingmang, saying that one good essay didn't prove her superiority and challenged her to compete in the next exam, which Zhou Jingmang accepted. The next day, during military training preparations, Qin Zhen shared a tip she overheard from senior students: putting something in their shoes to prevent discomfort, as military training often caused foot pain. The three girls decided to try it.
During military drills, Zhuang Jie and Zhang Yang were fooling around, and Zhuang Jie accidentally threw a notebook, hitting the instructor. Zhang Yang immediately took responsibility to spare the entire class from punishment, resulting in him being ordered to run ten laps. Feeling a surge of guilt for her earlier critical thoughts about Zhang Yang, Zhou Jingmang bought a bottle of water for him.
However, before she could give it to him, she saw Zhang Yang capriciously change the "B" next to her name to a "D" on a notebook. She then overheard classmates discussing Zhuang Jie's notebook, which ranked the girls by their looks, with 'A' being the most beautiful and 'D' the ugliest. Realizing the insult, her guilt vanished, replaced by anger, and she tore up an apology note she had written for him.
Later that evening, in the dormitory, Shen Yinghui suddenly turned pale and clutched her stomach. The infirmary was closed, so Zhou Jingmang urgently sought out Zhang Yang and Zhuang Jie for help. They quickly transported Shen Yinghui to the hospital, where they discovered the doctor was Shen Yinghui's mother. She thanked them for their help and asked them to return to school as she would take care of her daughter.
On the taxi ride back, Zhang Yang told Zhou Jingmang that a life of "foolish laughter" was meaningless and suggested she use her free time to memorize English words. To everyone's surprise, Zhou Jingmang took his advice seriously and memorized a hundred words on the journey back to school, impressing even Zhuang Jie. As Zhou Jingmang watched Zhang Yang walk away after they returned to the dorm, she began to understand.
Although she had initially seen him as a fleeting incident in her sixteen-year-old life, she realized that the lively boy on the basketball court had, in a single moment, taken over her entire world. Eight years later, in 2015, at a high school class reunion, Zhou Jingmang felt a sense of loss when Zhang Yang was not among those present.
Qin Zhen suggested a game: everyone would write down their life plans on a slip of paper, which would then be randomly picked and read aloud. One classmate, Wang Miao, whose past self-proclaimed hatred for studying was well-known, surprised everyone when his slip revealed his plan to successfully complete his post-graduate thesis. Lin Meng, who once dreamed of being a flight attendant, shared that she was now a nurse, having achieved "half" of her ambition. When Zhou Jingmang's turn came, she picked a slip that belonged to Shen Yinghui, which simply read: "To find Zhang Yang."
