My Calorie Boy Episode 21 Recap
> My Calorie Boy Recap
After Wang Jiayao reported that Xu Jingjing was missing with her phone off, Kang Jiawei skipped class to find her, relying on his memorization of all her Weibo posts. He located her at Tom's World, intent on winning every doll. Xu Jingjing persuaded Kang Jiawei to help her catch a specific dog doll she found pitifully ugly, but he failed.
Later, while eating watermelon by the road, Xu Jingjing called it the worst summer of her life, citing her ongoing conflict with her father and exhaustion from drawing classes and part-time work. She confessed that even seeing Gao Zhan daily no longer brought her joy.
Kang Jiawei agreed it was his worst summer too, and they both admitted their relationships were fabricated; Kang Jiawei had lied about dating Xu Jingjing to avoid being outdone by Xu Jingjing's apparent closeness with Gao Zhan, and Xu Jingjing's "date" with Gao Zhan was a staged photo. Kang Jiawei revealed he had already told Xu Jingjing the truth.
Xu Jingjing noted that after Kang Jiawei showed her Xu Jingjing's Douban posts, she could sense Xu Jingjing's deep confusion, which mirrored their own past feelings. Kang Jiawei playfully suggested Xu Jingjing's summer was terrible only because she hadn't spent time with him. They finally acknowledged their long-standing online friendship, revealing their usernames—Kang Jiawei as "Give-up Virtuoso" and Xu Jingjing as "Mayonnaise with Rice"—and celebrated their first true meeting.
Hoping to encourage Xu Jingjing, Kang Jiawei sent her information about a local dance event. After class, he intercepted Xu Jingjing to urge her to attend. Xu Jingjing clarified that neither she nor Kang Jiawei blamed her for the misunderstanding, but Kang Jiawei was concerned about why she hadn't replied to his messages. Xu Jingjing declined the invitation, prioritizing her summer homework over the "dream opportunity."
Kang Jiawei insightfully suggested she lacked the courage to be herself, drawing from his own past struggles. He advised that accepting herself was easier than pretending and that she would grow to like herself by doing what she genuinely excelled at. Later, Xu Jingjing and Kang Jiawei waited at the event, but as Xu Jingjing failed to appear, they grew disheartened. Xu Jingjing was particularly disappointed, having skipped work to support "Alice, The Loneliest Whale," the online dancer she admired.
They bickered, with Xu Jingjing blaming Kang Jiawei for potentially upsetting Xu Jingjing. Eventually, Xu Jingjing arrived, not to perform, but to apologize to Xu Jingjing for the Douban incident, explaining she couldn't delete the account because of cherished memories. Xu Jingjing dismissed the apology, insisting that Xu Jingjing's participation was more important and that the real regret would be missing this chance. Feeling unworthy, Xu Jingjing confessed she saw herself as a "fake" and a "thief."
Xu Jingjing reassured her that she was not a fake and that the only thing that would disappoint her was if Xu Jingjing didn't dance. Xu Jingjing ultimately performed, delighting the audience as she removed her helmet, revealing herself as "Alice, The Loneliest Whale." After her performance, she met a young fan in a wheelchair named Huanhuan.
Huanhuan's father, Mr. Zhang, introduced himself and explained that a childhood illness prevented Huanhuan from attending school, but she had become a huge fan of Xu Jingjing's online dance videos. Mr. Zhang then apologized to Xu Jingjing for previously accusing her of cheating to get into the advanced class, admitting he had underestimated her. He clarified the camera on his desk was to let Huanhuan see him when he worked late, not to monitor students.
Xu Jingjing apologized for her misunderstanding. Mr. Zhang thanked them for making Huanhuan happy before reminding them to focus on their upcoming Grade 12 studies. Reflecting on this, Xu Jingjing understood Mr. Zhang's strictness stemmed from projecting his hopes for Huanhuan onto them, regretting how she had taken her own health and opportunities for granted. Later, Kang Jiawei, conscious of his calorie intake, left Xu Jingjing and Xu Jingjing to have dinner.
Xu Jingjing admitted she was curious why Xu Jingjing had copied her. Xu Jingjing explained she longed to be as popular as Xu Jingjing, feeling that despite being seen as a "goddess," she had no true friends. She used a pickled mustard green fish analogy: while the fish is the main ingredient, true fans love the dish for the pickled greens, implying Xu Jingjing's natural charm ("the greens") outshone her own perceived excellence ("the fish").
Xu Jingjing countered that "excellence is also a kind of cuteness" and that Xu Jingjing was most adorable when being herself. She urged her to forget the past and remember only the day's applause. Inspired, Xu Jingjing asked if she could keep the account that represented her "dark history," reasoning that "to be yourself, you have to accept yesterday's self." Outside, after Xu Jingjing and Xu Jingjing hugged goodbye, Kang Jiawei appeared.
He had stayed away to give them space but revealed he had accomplished an important task: he had finally won the dog doll Xu Jingjing wanted. He jokingly offered it to her if she would be his "domesticated elf" for another year. As they acknowledged they would no longer be deskmates in Grade 12, they bantered about being relieved, though their reluctance to part was clear. Kang Jiawei promised to visit her often.
He then reassured Xu Jingjing that she was the brave, kind, and talented protagonist of her own life and shouldn't be swayed by others. They thanked each other for helping them become better people, and Kang Jiawei loudly declared that Xu Jingjing would always be his best friend. Xu Jingjing mused that her summer hadn't been so bad after all.
On the first day of Grade 12, Xu Jingjing repaid her mother some of the tuition money with her summer earnings before leaving for school. There, Xu Jingjing asked for her help repairing the cracked whale headgear to give to Huanhuan. Miss Chen initially confiscated it but returned it after hearing the story. In class, Kang Jiawei apologized to Xu Jingjing for being assigned as her deskmate again, but she reassured him it was fine.
Meanwhile, Gao Zhan informed Xu Jingjing he had requested they be deskmates so he could continue tutoring her. Miss Chen announced the upcoming coming-of-age ceremony for students and one parent, stressing its importance. Later, Xu Jingjing lamented her poor exam performance, having neglected her studies over the summer. Her relationship with her father remained strained, and she expected her mother to attend the ceremony. Meanwhile, her parents looked at her art.
Her father finally admitted her talent, and her mother suggested the ceremony was a perfect chance for reconciliation. For Xu Jingjing's gift, her father, guided by her note that "Great White is the most important thing" in drawing, bought 100 containers of "Great White" art pigment after a shop clerk identified it for him, a purchase witnessed by Kang Jiawei.
Meanwhile, Miss Chen delivered the repaired headgear to Huanhuan and successfully persuaded a hesitant Mr. Zhang to return to the school, inviting him to help guide the Grade 12 advanced class. On the day of the ceremony, Xu Jingjing told her friends her mother was busy and had sent her father, though she doubted he would come. On his way, her father narrowly avoided a car accident.
The ceremony began with the principal reintroducing Mr. Zhang, who addressed the assembly, apologized for his past shortcomings, and pledged his full support. The ceremony proceeded with all Grade 12 students reciting the "Soar as an Adult" oath, collectively declaring their readiness to embrace their futures.
