Make A Wish Episode 8 Recap
> Make A Wish Recap
Chi Yan attended the funeral of his high school Chinese teacher, Mr. Yu Shan. Xiao Xiu, upon hearing this, was surprised, as she had thought Chi Yan and Mr. Yu were still in contact. Xu Zihao remarked that one never knows what tomorrow brings. At the funeral, Chi Yan reflected on Mr. Yu’s care during his high school years. Mr. Yu had noticed Chi Yan's exceptional talent for writing, even as he struggled in other subjects.
While acknowledging that university wasn't strictly necessary, Mr. Yu advised that it offered the easiest path in life, warning that opting out would require significantly more effort and risk. He gave Chi Yan two books, believing they would resonate with him. Mr. Yu had been one of the few who truly understood Chi Yan, helping him discover his inner voice. Xiao Xiu mentioned that she had recently seen Chi Yan's mother visiting him, which deeply angered Xu Zihao.
He explained that Chi Yan's father died when he was in primary school, and his mother quickly remarried, abandoning him. Chi Yan was raised by his grandfather, who also passed away during Chi Yan’s college years. This difficult upbringing led Chi Yan to become reclusive, focusing solely on his small bookstore and rarely returning home. Xu Zihao emphasized that despite his aloof demeanor, Chi Yan was warm-hearted.
He recounted how, as a chubby and ostracized child, only Chi Yan would run three kilometers with him every day, offering genuine companionship when others either ignored him or sought favors. After the funeral, Chi Yan noticed Xiao Xiu had followed him. She explained she was worried, promising not to be a bother. Shi Yang, Mr. Yu's son, approached Chi Yan to hand over a book that his father had intended to give him personally.
Chi Yan thanked Shi Yang and offered any assistance needed. Xu Zihao drove Chi Yan and Xiao Xiu home, exchanging phone numbers with Xiao Xiu and asking her to keep an eye on Chi Yan, knowing he was suffering internally despite his silence. Upon arriving, they found the power out. Chi Yan and Xiao Xiu used a phone's flashlight to find a candle.
Noticing Chi Yan's difficulty, Xiao Xiu, whose cat night vision was excellent, took his hand and guided him as they navigated the dark house. Chi Yan showed her his childhood room, his old toys, and a photo of himself with his father and grandfather, then suggested she sleep in his room for the night. Later, Xiao Xiu heard disturbing noises from downstairs and found Chi Yan angrily chopping the grapevines in the yard, declaring them useless.
Concerned, Xiao Xiu watched as he retrieved a glass of wine. Chi Yan explained that his grandfather had loved wine and had planted the grapevines, remembering how they used to pick grapes and make wine together every summer. He recalled his grandfather joking about never drinking it again after replanting a new vine, a premonition that had now come true.
Chi Yan described his grandfather as an ordinary, diligent man who loved to recount his army stories, which Chi Yan eventually grew tired of, only later realizing his grandfather's memory was fading. Xiao Xiu then shared about her older sister, whose life had ended at the human equivalent of twenty-eight.
She spoke of her sister’s immense kindness and love, recalling how her parents, after the accident, had pretended nothing happened, trying to forget their grief, which forced Xiao Xiu to mourn in secret. Chi Yan validated her feelings, noting that people often claim grief will pass, and memories will fade, but he firmly believed that forgetting loved ones meant their true disappearance.
He asserted that the most agonizing aspects of loss weren't grand, visible sorrows, but rather the countless small, mundane moments that would continually resurface, reminding one of the unfillable void left behind. Taking Xiao Xiu's hand, Chi Yan formally made a wish: he asked her to bring back his father, grandfather, and Mr. Yu. Xiao Xiu, however, tearfully apologized, explaining that while the Cat's Requital could grant wealth, power, and good health, it could not reverse death.
Meanwhile, Lin Mo, another cat, had taken a special medicine to maintain his human form indefinitely, which unfortunately stripped him of his cat abilities, including his sense of smell and the ability to detect other felines. A flashback showed an elder warning him that the medicine would also significantly shorten his lifespan as a cat.
Lin Mo was investigating the death of a cat at a school, an incident that had caused a significant stir and was followed by other cases of cat abuse. He obtained a photograph of a group of students, believing the culprit was among them. Lin Mo learned that the culprit was the first person on the left in the second row of the photo, who had reportedly transferred schools after the incident.
Chi Yan later took Xiao Xiu to the cemetery to visit his father and grandfather. Xiao Xiu observed that human burial customs were the opposite of those on Meow Planet. She described how, after death, cats on Meow Planet become light, enveloped in a golden aura, and gently float into the sky to become stars. Chi Yan remarked that, compared to Meow Planet, human existence sometimes felt more ephemeral.
Separately, Xu Zihao encountered Qin Mingming, who was struggling to find a cab. He offered her a ride to Taihao Hotel, where she was due to be a bridesmaid, an offer she reluctantly accepted. During the drive, Xu Zihao tried to impress her with his driving skills. He mentioned Mr. Yu Shan's passing, prompting Qin Mingming to express concern for Chi Yan, asking if he was very upset and if Xiao Xiu was with him.
Chi Yan and Xiao Xiu then visited his old high school. After being turned away by a security guard who stated the school was closed for the holidays, Xiao Xiu boldly climbed over the wall, with Chi Yan following. As they walked through the campus, Chi Yan pointed out familiar landmarks. He recalled a time in high school when he saw other students feeding a small white cat.
He had intervened to warn them against giving cats salty food, only to be mocked by them. He confided in Xiao Xiu that he had encountered a cat very similar to her there, but it was no longer alive. He then remembered the day that cat died, and how everyone had blamed him, leading to his ostracization and being called a "psycho."
He hadn't bothered to explain himself because, as he put it, people only believe what they want to believe, and even Mr. Yu Shan's attempt to clarify the truth in a class meeting had been useless. Chi Yan's grandfather had even suggested he transfer schools, which he hadn't opposed. He decided to continue writing but vowed never to publish his work again.
He explained that cutting off unnecessary external connections wasn't a punishment but a liberation, making him feel lighter and happier, free from external judgment and the need to compromise. Though he admitted to feeling "a little bit" lonely, he considered it a normal part of life.
Xiao Xiu, while not fully grasping his words, affirmed her belief in him, stating that only a truly good person could be chosen by a cat for an offering of gratitude, and he had never used his wish for any ill purpose. Before leaving the school, Xiao Xiu plucked a flower and placed it on the grass, wishing the departed cat a happy afterlife as a star, introducing herself in the process.
Unseen, Lin Mo observed their departure, his emotions visibly stirred. Soon after, Xu Zihao called Chi Yan, asking where he and Xiao Xiu were and if they wanted to have a meal together. He also mentioned that he had given Qin Mingming a ride earlier that day to her bridesmaid duty and felt they had gotten along harmoniously. Later, Xiao Xiu impulsively climbed a tree to rescue a cat but accidentally disturbed a beehive.
Chi Yan quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher to drive the bees away, but not before getting stung, leaving a large bump on his head, and Xiao Xiu was also left disheveled. Meanwhile, Qin Mingming, also revisiting her alma mater, saw Chi Yan and Xiao Xiu holding hands as they left, which visibly saddened her. Xu Zihao continued to insist on driving Qin Mingming home, perplexed by her apparent dislike for him, yet confessing that simply seeing her brought him joy.
Qin Mingming, without elaborating, apologized and asked to be left alone, not wanting to hurt his feelings. That night, a thunderstorm broke out, terrifying Xiao Xiu. She rushed into Chi Yan’s room, insisting on sleeping with him. Seeing her cat ears appear due to fright, Chi Yan relented, allowing her to stay. He held her and comforted her until she eventually fell asleep. As the night deepened, Lin Mo covertly entered the house.
