Remember My Boy Episode 18 Recap
> Remember My Boy Recap
On Christmas, the friends gathered for hotpot. Zhang Yang, who had secretly drawn a mango and "sorry" on his shirt earlier in the dorm, sat next to Zhou Jingmang. She noticed the drawing, and for a moment, seemed taken aback. Li Yu Xiang had earlier remarked that only he, Shen Yinghui, and Zhou Jingmang truly enjoyed spicy food, suggesting that friends share similar tastes.
Zhou Jingmang, however, had challenged this, insisting that differing tastes don't hinder friendship, even trying to eat spicy food herself, which Zhang Yang clearly saw through. Just then, the restaurant's power went out, plunging them into darkness amidst shouts of people confessing feelings. Zhang Yang leaned in and whispered an apology to Zhou Jingmang, admitting he hadn't intentionally signed her up for the race and complimenting her attire. Before she could react, he placed a whole apple on her plate.
When the lights came back on, Li Yu Xiang asked about the apple. Zhou Jingmang, trying to cover for Zhang Yang, claimed she had picked it up herself from the counter during the blackout, even though apples there were usually pre-cut. The friends then raised their glasses, toasting to their high school lives and their friendship. After dinner, the friends headed outside.
While Shen Yinghui, Yu Hui Tong, and Li Yu Xiang went to browse a nearby cart, Zhang Yang and Zhuang Jie stayed behind. Zhou Jingmang, returning from the bathroom, joined them. Zhang Yang continued to tease Zhou Jingmang about the earlier "sorry" and the crystal apples, asking if she forgave him. Zhuang Jie then shared his plans to study abroad, skipping the university entrance exam to learn English and take his exams overseas.
Zhang Yang, in turn, revealed he intended to take arts exams, but not for a specialized art school; instead, he aimed for a comprehensive university, looking at Zhou Jingmang as he spoke, perhaps hoping to attend the same school as her. Meanwhile, Li Yu Xiang, who was playing a shooting game, reflected on his feelings for Zhou Jingmang, realizing she would never look at him, and decided to give up.
His friend remarked that such a surrender would likely only be temporary. The morning after Christmas, Zhang Yang and Zhou Jingmang were engaged in morning reading, reviewing English vocabulary. Teacher Zhou interrupted them and instructed both to come to his office. Outside the office, Zhang Yang, sensing Zhou Jingmang's apprehension, reassured her he wouldn't let anything happen and insisted he was the one who pressured her to study.
Teacher Zhou, however, dismissed his claim, noting Zhou Jingmang's nervousness and sensitive nature, and stating that it would be worse if it affected her studies. He initially told Zhou Jingmang to return to class, promising to inform her of her punishment later. Yet, Zhang Yang intervened, concerned for Zhou Jingmang, and stated they should both go in to explain.
Once inside, Zhang Yang again took full responsibility, but Teacher Zhou remained skeptical, acknowledging they were listening to a vocabulary CD but suggesting other activities might have occurred. To prove their sincerity, Teacher Zhou issued an ultimatum: Zhang Yang had to score over 100 on his English final, and Zhou Jingmang needed to maintain her current academic performance. Failure to meet these conditions would result in Teacher Zhou contacting Zhou Jingmang's parents and imposing a demerit on Zhang Yang.
Zhang Yang accepted the terms, initially attempting to protect Zhou Jingmang from parental involvement, but Teacher Zhou solidified the dual consequences. Worried about Zhang Yang, Zhou Jingmang waited outside Teacher Zhou's office. Zhang Yang emerged, casually explaining that the situation was resolved and, as a "thank you" gift, he wanted her to help him study. He clarified the conditions: he needed to score above 100 in English, and she needed to maintain her grades.
Failure to meet these conditions would result in Teacher Zhou contacting her parents and imposing a demerit on him. Later, Yu Hui Tong tried to offer Zhang Yang her English study materials, subtly disparaging Zhou Jingmang's English skills and warning Zhang Yang about the potential social gap if their academic paths diverged. Zhang Yang, however, dismissed her concerns, expressing his trust in Zhou Jingmang.
Subsequently, Zhou Jingmang approached Teacher Shi, requesting a seat change to sit next to Zhang Yang, explicitly stating her desire to help him avoid expulsion, explaining that if he received another demerit, he would be expelled. Teacher Shi, drawing on her own experience, offered gentle advice, likening feelings to water in a cup that must be held steadily as one matures, and encouraged both students to strive for personal betterment.
She also rewarded Zhou Jingmang with a lollipop for a previous top score. Soon after, the new seating chart was posted, officially pairing Zhou Jingmang and Zhang Yang. Yu Hui Tong reacted with noticeable anger, questioning the fairness of the arrangement and hinting at jealousy, while Shen Yinghui recognized her emotion. After the seating change, Zhang Yang asked Zhou Jingmang why she had initiated it.
She explained it was to help him achieve the required 100 points in English, preventing his potential expulsion and ensuring he could take the university entrance exam. Haunted by Yu Hui Tong's earlier remarks, Zhang Yang then candidly asked Zhou Jingmang if she would still be friends with him if he failed to get into college. Zhou Jingmang avoided a direct answer, instead reassuring him that he would likely get into college and that they would work hard together.
True to her word, Zhou Jingmang began tutoring Zhang Yang daily, giving him a study notebook filled with her notes on tenses. Their efforts paid off; Zhang Yang showed remarkable progress, confidently answering Teacher Zhou's questions in class. During a mock exam session, designed to create an intense study environment for their group, Zhang Yang scored 102 in English, exceeding the target. To celebrate Zhang Yang's improved score, Shen Yinghui suggested they cook a meal at Zhang Yang's rented apartment.
Zhou Jingmang, despite privately admitting to Zhang Yang that she wasn't a good cook and would need to find recipes online, confidently declared she would prepare three dishes and a soup. At Zhang Yang's place, the spread included Shen Yinghui's curry rice, alongside Zhou Jingmang's attempts at stir-fried spinach, sweet and sour tenderloin, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes. The appearance of Zhou Jingmang's dishes was quite poor, with Li Yu Xiang even joking that her scrambled eggs looked like popcorn.
Zhou Jingmang, embarrassed, confessed to not controlling the heat well and urged everyone to eat Shen Yinghui's curry instead. However, Zhang Yang, prioritizing Zhou Jingmang's feelings, bravely ate her cooking, praising the taste and even requesting more. That night, Zhang Yang suffered from a severe stomach ache and subsequent frequent bathroom trips, indicating the true impact of the meal.
The following morning, Zhou Jingmang stood at the bus stop, debating whether to wait for Zhang Yang, and in her hesitation, missed her bus. Zhang Yang then arrived, having observed her dilemma. He informed her that he would be occupied with performances and dance classes during the upcoming break, and due to potential phone card issues, he wouldn't be able to call her.
Zhou Jingmang's face fell, and she quietly stated that if they wouldn't see or speak during the entire break, she had nothing more to say. Seeing her profound disappointment, Zhang Yang relented, promising to call her during the New Year. Her smile instantly returned. Five years later, in 2015, Yu Hui Tong left Zhang Yang and Zhou Jingmang alone at a cafe, excusing herself for work.
Zhang Yang noted that while the place hadn't changed, he questioned if all the effort others put into him was truly worthwhile. Zhou Jingmang challenged him, suggesting he could leave if he didn't think so. As Zhang Yang rose to depart, Zhou Jingmang embraced him from behind, tears streaming, declaring she had "never stopped looking" for him.
She revealed that in the past five years, she had dedicated herself to two pursuits: writing a novel and searching for him, and now, it seemed, both were on the verge of completion. After a moment's hesitation, Zhang Yang returned her embrace. Zhou Jingmang then led Zhang Yang to meet their waiting friends. Yu Hui Tong, having secured the cafe, prepared to leave for work.
The friends, relieved and happy to see Zhang Yang and Zhou Jingmang together, excitedly confirmed their surprise was ready. Shen Yinghui ushered them into her dance studio, a rehearsal room she proudly deemed "cool," expressing joy at the prospect of doing things together again, like in high school.
They then unveiled the surprise: an opportunity for Zhang Yang to dance and perform in a ballet performance, albeit with non-professional actors, which Shen Yinghui hoped would help them fulfill one of their shared dreams. However, Zhang Yang responded with a somber declaration that he "can do nothing about the dancing matter." Puzzled, his friends reminded him of his past talent, assuring him he could certainly manage a non-professional performance.
Zhang Yang then clarified, "What I mean is I can't dance." He revealed the devastating truth: he had suffered a ruptured ligament, an injury that meant he would "never be able to dance" again. The revelation left everyone stunned into silence.
