My Huckleberry Friends Episode 18 Recap
> My Huckleberry Friends Recap
Xin Rui was plagued by resentment from the previous night's movie, even dreaming that Yu Zhouzhou and Lin Yang secretly mocked her from the center seats, calling her a mere supporting character unworthy of Lin Yang. Waking up at three in the morning, Xin Rui began to study. During breakfast, she asked her mother for a mobile phone and a repeater.
Her mother flatly refused, calling them a waste of money and asserting that for English, knowing how to read and write was sufficient, speaking was unnecessary "dumb English." Later at school, Xin Rui felt a pang of jealousy when she saw Yu Zhouzhou's CD player. During a self-study session at the library, Xin Rui approached Lin Yang for help with English pronunciation.
Impressed by his standard accent and admirable profile, she explained that she didn't have a tape player and didn't know how to improve her speaking. Lin Yang, recalling his apology to Xin Rui regarding the movie, offered to lend her a CD he had burned himself, containing English listening materials from junior to senior high school, as a thank you for always saving him a seat.
Later, while Lin Yang and Jiang Chuan played basketball, Jiang Chuan noticed Xin Rui running nearby. He teased Lin Yang, suggesting he was getting close to Xin Rui because of his difficulties with Yu Zhouzhou. Lin Yang dismissed the idea, stating they were just classmates in the same cram school, and admitted he wished he could talk things through with Yu Zhouzhou but found it awkward.
Xin Rui then approached Lin Yang, offering to save him a seat for self-study the next day and reminding him to bring the CD. The following weekend at the library, Lin Yang gave Xin Rui the English CD. Xin Rui noticed "made by L. Y." and a smiley face drawn on it, which Lin Yang explained were his initials and a casual drawing.
When Xin Rui mentioned she didn't have a CD player, Lin Yang lent her his, and she excitedly used it to find the specific English lesson she needed. Lin Yang also showed her his collection of music CDs and recommended "Foam" by The Flowers, a song he had once single-cycled for a month after a friend's recommendation. Subsequently, Xin Rui borrowed Yu Zhouzhou's CD player, claiming a friend had given her an English study CD.
Yu Zhouzhou was genuinely happy for Xin Rui's noticeable academic progress, playfully remarking that Xin Rui would soon surpass her and was putting her under pressure. After school one day, Xu Zhiqiang intercepted Xin Rui on her way home. He accused her of changing too much, becoming unrecognizable from her former self, and claimed she was merely imitating Yu Zhouzhou, even in her affection for Lin Yang.
He sarcastically noted her improved appearance and grades but insisted she was still the "tasteless Xin Meixiang" and would never be Ling Xiangqian or Yu Zhouzhou. Xin Rui, defiant, retorted by listing his negative behaviors and declared she could be anyone but her former self. When Xu Zhiqiang asked if she was happy, Xin Rui shouted at him to shut up. The confrontation with Xu Zhiqiang visibly affected Xin Rui, leaving her quiet and preoccupied during cram school.
Lin Yang noticed her low spirits and asked what was wrong, suggesting she rest well. After class, Xin Rui accidentally twisted her ankle. Seeing her struggle to walk, Lin Yang kindly offered to take a taxi to send her home. Upon arriving at the humble Mei Xiang Grocery Store, Xin Rui felt embarrassed, believing Lin Yang would look down on her home.
However, Lin Yang was unconcerned, reminiscing humorously about how he used to envy children whose families ran snack bars, which Xin Rui countered by saying her mother would slap her for taking anything from the shop. As Xin Rui was about to enter, her mother, seeing her home early and in a taxi, immediately accused her of skipping class and scolded her. Lin Yang quickly intervened, explaining that Xin Rui had sprained her ankle and he had brought her home.
Upon learning that Lin Yang was from Zhen Hua and his parents were prominent figures, Xin Rui's mother's demeanor softened considerably. Inside, while Xin Rui's mother complained about her daughter being a "trouble" and keeping odd hours for studying, Lin Yang spoke up, praising Xin Rui's significant academic progress at Zhen Hua despite being a transfer student, and urging her mother to be more understanding. He emphasized the difficulty of making such progress in a top school.
After Lin Yang left, Xin Rui, feeling empowered, explicitly asked her parents to lower their voices if they quarreled, as it disturbed her sleep. Her mother, surprised by this newfound assertiveness, simply let it go. As the intense mid-term exams concluded, Mi Qiao and Yu Zhouzhou invited Xin Rui to relax with them, but Xin Rui declined, citing her weak foundation and need to study during the anime club's activity time.
Mi Qiao, sensing Xin Rui's ambition and intensity, felt an intangible "danger" and warned Yu Zhouzhou to be cautious of her, though Yu Zhouzhou dismissed it. Meanwhile, Lin Yang and Yu Zhouzhou exchanged texts, agreeing to talk and end their cold war. The mid-term exam results were posted, revealing Xin Rui at the top of the class, followed by Ling Xiangqian and Yu Zhouzhou.
Teachers, including the English teacher who previously favored Ling Xiangqian, now showered Xin Rui with praise, highlighting her significant improvement, especially in English composition and spoken language, even inviting her to the school radio station. Yu Zhouzhou and Ling Xiangqian noticed the shift in attitude and felt increased pressure. Ling Xiangqian confided in Chu Tiankuo, admitting she was upset that Xin Rui, whom she felt was "unworthy," had surpassed her, more so than if Yu Zhouzhou had taken first place.
She then resolved to study even harder. Chen Yao, having bought Jay Chou's new album on pre-sale, wanted to borrow Yu Zhouzhou's CD player. Yu Zhouzhou retrieved her CD player from Xin Rui, only to find Lin Yang's English CD still inside, making her feel uneasy. Just then, Lin Yang came to talk to her.
He expressed his concern about her previous disappearance, but Yu Zhouzhou retorted, questioning if his worry was for her safety or her association with Chen An. Lin Yang admitted both, but when Yu Zhouzhou accused him of "blaspheming the kindness" of her friends, their conversation quickly escalated into an argument.
Lin Yang brought up past grievances, accusing her of being "insincere" since their first meeting, specifically mentioning her perfunctory four-word entry in his elementary school yearbook and her broken promise to attend the same middle school. Hurt and angry, Yu Zhouzhou explained that those four words were her grandmother's most cherished blessing, which she had never written for anyone else, and reiterated that her absence from the promised middle school was unintentional.
Feeling misunderstood and upset, Yu Zhouzhou walked away, leaving Lin Yang frustrated. Unbeknownst to them, Xin Rui, who had deliberately followed them, overheard their entire heated exchange. Immediately after this, Chu Tiankuo approached Xin Rui, inviting her to be a temporary anchor for the school's "Voice of the English program" the next day, citing her impressive progress. Xin Rui accepted, asking if she could choose the background music, to which Chu Tiankuo agreed.
The next day, Xin Rui read the English poem "The Furthest Distance in the World" on the radio, using Lin Yang's favorite song, "Foam," as the background music. Both Yu Zhouzhou and Ling Xiangqian heard the broadcast.
