My Calorie Boy Episode 12 Recap
> My Calorie Boy Recap
Xu Jingjing confesses to having a crush on someone in her class, while Gao Zhan states he does not, leaving both Xu Jingjing and another student, also named Xu Jingjing, disheartened. Later, the other Xu Jingjing thanks the protagonist for her help on a project and asks directly if her crush is Gao Zhan. After Xu Jingjing deflects, the other Xu Jingjing reveals she has given up on Gao Zhan and encourages the protagonist to pursue him.
Kang Jiawei is pleased by this development, reassuring Xu Jingjing that it is better for the other girl to move on and that he will be her "teammate" in winning Gao Zhan over, though Xu Jingjing remains uncertain about her chances. Ni Dapeng continues bringing breakfast to Wang Jiayao, declaring he has moved on from the other Xu Jingjing and now considers Jiayao his "angel." Annoyed, Jiayao insists she eats at home and asks him to stop.
Lu Xiaobai overhears and teases Ni Dapeng, who resents Gao Zhan for looking down on his father's efforts during sports day. Lu Xiaobai then accidentally reveals that Gao Zhan visited a dating agency for his mother. Enraged, Ni Dapeng confronts Gao Zhan, leading to a fight that ends with Ni Dapeng injured. In Teacher Chen's office, Gao Zhan claims self-defense while Ni Dapeng angrily questions his motives. Teacher Chen punishes them by making them hold hands in the hallway.
Afterward, Gao Zhan confronts Xu Jingjing, accusing her of spreading his private life as gossip. Xu Jingjing apologizes, explaining it was an unintentional slip. To help Xu Jingjing and Gao Zhan reconcile, Kang Jiawei invites everyone to his birthday party on Sunday. Needing a gift, Xu Jingjing tries to buy a limited edition backpack for Kang Jiawei but finds it sold out.
She then convinces a reluctant Kang Jiawei to enter a "Best Couple Compatibility Challenge" at a mall to win the backpack as the grand prize. Their plan is complicated when the event host turns out to be Xu Jingjing's father. Despite Kang Jiawei's desire to flee, Xu Jingjing insists they stay, believing a familiar host gives them an advantage. They display great teamwork through various challenges and reach the finals, only to discover the final task is a kiss.
They immediately withdraw. Later, Xu Jingjing rebuffs Kang Jiawei's playful question about the kiss, declaring it would have been her first. At home, interrogated by her father, Xu Jingjing insists she and Kang Jiawei are just "male besties" and shows him the custom, hand-drawn backpack she is making as proof her only intention was to get a gift. Unbeknownst to Kang Jiawei, his mother, Zhang Wei, is getting remarried.
He overhears his father congratulating her and learns she gets along well with her fiancé's two daughters. Kang Jiawei acts indifferent but is clearly upset. The next day at the party, Gao Zhan is already there helping in the kitchen and gives Xu Jingjing a cold shoulder, even after she tries to apologize again for the dating agency incident.
During gift opening, Xu Jingjing sees that the other Xu Jingjing has given Kang Jiawei the official version of the backpack she tried to buy. Embarrassed, she tries to leave, claiming she brought the wrong gift. Kang Jiawei stops her and is touched when he sees her unique, hand-drawn version, calling it a "worldwide limited edition" and cherishing it. Later, as Xu Jingjing brings out the birthday cake, she slips and falls, smashing it.
The sight triggers painful memories for Kang Jiawei, who abruptly disappears. Xu Jingjing finds Kang Jiawei in another room, stress-eating. He confesses he hasn't celebrated his birthday since he was nine, the day his parents divorced. He recounts how his mother, an aspiring top interior designer, felt her career was derailed by marriage and a child, leading her to leave for the US to pursue her dreams.
Since then, his father's cooking became his coping mechanism, leading to a compulsive eating habit where mayonnaise serves as a "placebo" for his anxiety. He expresses his feeling of being an "accident" who ruined his mother's life. Xu Jingjing fiercely reassures him of his worth, telling him his mother will regret her decision and that he should live a happy life. His father arrives with a gift, and Gao Zhan offers a small, simple cake, wishing him a happy birthday. The next day, Kang Jiawei proudly wears the custom backpack to school, and the class is informed of an upcoming "learn to farm" trip.
