Make My Heart Smile Episode 9 Recap
> Make My Heart Smile Recap
After celebrating her birthday with Gu Yanluo, Ye Zhenhan found herself in bed, wondering if she was there because of him. Gu Yanluo then playfully asked her to stand up so he could check if she had grown taller. Ye Zhenhan noticed his recent preference for short-sleeved shirts and, to express her deep gratitude, offered to personally measure him and make him a few more.
Gu Yanluo was surprised she could make clothes, to which she explained her best friend was in the fashion department and could bring her ideas to life. As she was finishing the measurements, and they were about to share a kiss, Cute Bean interrupted them, announcing the clothes were washed and needed to be hung to dry. Feeling flustered and embarrassed, Ye Zhenhan quickly ran off.
Later, at a cafe, Ye Zhenhan ordered her usual "Sweet Pure" drink and gave Lu Yao an important task: to customize all the men's short-sleeved shirts in their shop according to specific measurements she provided. Lu Yao, noticing the "good measurements," playfully suggested she might have a crush on someone. Ye Zhenhan quickly denied it, explaining she had been completely absorbed with the Challenge Cup preparations and the measurements were solely for a tutoring gift for Gu Yanluo.
Lu Yao then reminded her that the Challenge Cup was a live broadcast. He worried that if she failed to answer questions in front of the camera, she would be "exposed in front of the whole world." Ye Zhenhan agreed, admitting it would be a "disastrous blockbuster" where her public image would "fall apart" instantly. While she personally didn't care much, she emphasized that it concerned her own reputation and, more critically, Charlotte College's honor.
She declared she would "risk her life" to get through it. Lu Yao, however, doubted her ability to succeed, stating that becoming an academic genius wasn't something achieved in a day or two. When Ye Zhenhan despaired, asking what to do since the competition couldn't be cancelled, Lu Yao cleverly suggested that while the contest couldn't be cancelled, there was no rule against changing the contestant, an idea Ye Zhenhan found brilliant.
Ye Zhenhan then pondered her options for avoiding the Challenge Cup. She considered feigning a cold, imagining herself forced to drink tonic soup while studying, or even faking disfigurement by getting strawberries on her face. She quickly dismissed both ideas as too easily exposed. Determined to find a more convincing solution, she accidentally crashed her delivery scooter while trying to avoid an elderly woman, resulting in a fall.
At the outpatient clinic, a nurse assured her it was just a superficial scratch and only required some medicine. However, Ye Zhenhan pleaded with the nurse for a splint, exaggerating the potential for a lasting scar on her "beautiful white arm." The nurse refused. Seeing other patients with bandaged arms, Ye Zhenhan got an idea. She went to a pharmacy and bought medical supplies, then asked Yan Jiuyue to help her wrap her arm.
Yan Jiuyue struggled with the bandages, creating a "dead knot" and went to find scissors. While he was gone, Ye Zhenhan fell asleep. Gu Yanluo repeatedly called her phone, which Yan Jiuyue was holding, but he missed the calls. Yan Jiuyue then contacted Lu Yao, asking him to send a message to Gu Yanluo explaining that Ye Zhenhan was "sick today" and that he was "borrowing her little maid for one night" to take care of her.
The next day, Ye Zhenhan went to school, feigning a severely injured arm. She told her teacher she couldn't participate in the Challenge Cup. The teacher, seeing her condition, agreed to let her sit down. However, Fang Meimei immediately accused Ye Zhenhan of "dragging Charlotte down" by getting injured at such a "critical moment."
Xia Yuanqing added to the criticism, pointing out that the Students' Union had already prepared the backing cards and banners, and changing contestants now would result in a significant loss. More importantly, she stressed that a last-minute substitute would have insufficient time to prepare, potentially costing Charlotte College its chance at the championship. Other students also murmured, complaining about the potential loss of Charlotte's five-year winning streak. Overhearing the commotion from the classroom doorway, Gu Yanluo stepped forward.
He silenced the murmuring students and declared that he would go in Ye Zhenhan's place. He asked everyone to trust him to bring back the trophy for Charlotte. The students erupted in cheers, confident in his ability to win. Feeling immensely guilty that Gu Yanluo was taking her place and helping her so much while she had to pretend to be sick, Ye Zhenhan began to try and repay him.
She gave him a short-sleeved shirt she had personally designed, which he teasingly called "just as childish as you" but accepted as a "thank-you gift." She assured him that despite her faked injury, she was tough and would handle "all the labor work" so he could focus on preparing. She even tried to bring him a "specially made mocha," but he rejected it for being too sweet, stating he only drank Americano.
He then told her to return to her room, claiming her presence distracted him. She left him breakfast, feeling further guilt as she realized Gu Yanluo was "turning sweet" and abandoning his usual "idol facade" for her sake. She later prepared a "nutritious meal" for him, only to find that he already had a "loving lunch box" from Xia Yuanqing, making her feel her efforts were "unnecessary."
She attempted to play a game with him, but he was focused on the upcoming contest. She even brought him "soup" she made for "strengthening the body and brain." He seemed preoccupied and asked why she was acting so strangely. She confessed her nervousness, admitting that she felt it was her fault and feared he might fail, causing her to "lose face in the Pacific Ocean."
Gu Yanluo simply assured her he would "do what he promised" and told her to "keep her cheeky face." She then offered him a highly effective orthopedic medicine, and he accepted it. The Challenge Cup officially began. The contestants were introduced, including last year's champion, Gu Yanluo, from Charlotte College. When asked if he had anything to say, Gu Yanluo simply replied, "No. All is equal. Let’s get it!" He was notably wearing the short-sleeved shirt Ye Zhenhan had designed.
The competition proceeded intensely through three rounds. In the final, decisive three-point question, Gu Yanluo was only two points behind. When the opposing contestant failed to answer a complex question about welfare economics, Gu Yanluo stepped up. He skillfully explained the "trap" in the question, clarifying that the theories of welfare economics focused on "welfare fairness and efficiency" as solvable market problems, concluding that "fairness and efficiency are compatible."
His brilliant answer secured him the victory with a score of 61-56. The students erupted in cheers for Charlotte's win. Gu Yanluo modestly stated that while the trophy was a personal "milestone achievement," it represented Charlotte's "inevitable outcome" from years of cultural accumulation and a "heritage" from generations of students. He proudly declared that he "did not break his promise" and "didn’t lose his face in the Pacific Ocean." That evening, a celebration was held for Gu Yanluo's victory.
Xia Yuanqing welcomed Ye Zhenhan, noting that Gu Yanluo had "saved her" and she should express her gratitude with a drink. Fang Meimei, secretly annoyed by Ye Zhenhan's presence, proposed that they "take turns" to "get Ye Zhenhan drunk so she can remember." As others pressured Ye Zhenhan to drink, taunting her about her quick recovery, she started to feel dizzy. She tried to excuse herself, but they stopped her, calling her a "shirker" for attempting to "slip away."
Ye Zhenhan then exaggerated her dizziness, pretending to be very drunk. Just then, Gu Yanluo arrived. He advised everyone to "drink moderately," stating they were still students, and then physically took Ye Zhenhan away, carrying her despite her insistence that she could walk on her own. As he carried her, Ye Zhenhan internally grumbled, calling him a "dumbass" for making her "a thorn for all girls."
In his arms, she noticed a small figure she had made for him, realizing he still kept it. She thought about how itchy her arm was, willing herself to "hold it" and not wake up, as it would be "too embarrassing."
