My Huckleberry Friends Episode 24 Recap
> My Huckleberry Friends Recap
Lin Yang rushed to the rooftop, their secret base, only to find Yu Zhouzhou and Mi Qiao in tears, embracing each other. He asked what was wrong, and Mi Qiao stood up to tell him she had congenital heart disease and might have to suspend her studies. She warned Lin Yang to treat Yu Zhouzhou well when she was gone, or she would make a voodoo doll of him in the hospital and prick it daily.
After Mi Qiao left, a confused Lin Yang learned from Yu Zhouzhou that Mi Qiao was serious. Yu Zhouzhou then explained Mi Qiao's true nature: someone who exaggerates minor pains but endures real pain silently. They decided to seek out Benben, who had been constantly by Mi Qiao's side, to understand the severity of her condition. Meanwhile, Benben, whose full name was Mu Rong Chenzhang, was doing exceptionally well as an intern at a hotel.
Manager Lu praised his bed-making skills, noting he finished 15 seconds ahead of schedule with high quality. Manager Lu offered him a full-time position as an assistant manager, prioritizing him among all interns. However, Benben hesitated, explaining he had an important catering sideline business (his barbecue stall) and also had to care for Mi Qiao, making a full-time commitment difficult. Manager Lu gave him a week to decide.
Just then, Yu Zhouzhou and Lin Yang arrived, confronting Benben about hiding Mi Qiao's illness. Benben tried to downplay it, saying Mi Qiao didn't want them to worry. Before he could elaborate, Mi Qiao's father called, informing him that Mi Qiao had been hospitalized again. Benben then admitted that Mi Qiao had not been well recently but had been hiding it. The trio rushed to the hospital.
Despite their tense expressions, Mi Qiao tried to make light of the situation, joking that she was used to it and they shouldn't be so nervous. Yu Zhouzhou insisted Mi Qiao couldn't be so headstrong anymore; she had researched cardiology and believed Mi Qiao needed CRTD surgery. Mi Qiao, however, refused, expressing fear of not surviving the operation.
She said she had no appetite, but Yu Zhouzhou suggested they make dumplings for her during the upcoming "dog day" (the hottest part of summer). At Zhen Hua High School, Director Pan was giving two Education Committee leaders a tour, proudly stating that the school maintained a proper learning environment with clear boundaries between male and female students.
As they passed the animation club classroom, Director Pan opened the door, only to find Ling Xiangqian and Chu Tiankuo alone inside, their hands seemingly about to touch. Pan was furious, feeling all their preparations for the inspection were ruined. In his office, Director Pan loudly reprimanded them. Ling Xiangqian tearfully explained that she had gotten sand in her eye, and after others failed to help, Chu Tiankuo took her to the animation club to remove it.
She admitted to feeling stressed lately and asked Chu Tiankuo to stay with her longer, requesting "power" through a high-five when Director Pan walked in. Director Pan, convinced they were involved in an early romance, dismissed her explanation. He declared the situation serious, especially since the leaders witnessed it. He intended to strip Ling Xiangqian of her class monitor position and Chu Tiankuo of his Student Union presidency.
Chu Tiankuo, who had been silent, reacted strongly to the news of losing his presidency, which offered bonus points for the college entrance exam. He insisted it was Ling Xiangqian who had asked him to stay, claiming he was innocent. Ling Xiangqian stared at him in disbelief. Later, Ling Xiangqian's mother severely chastised her for receiving a demerit, losing her class monitor role, and forfeiting the bonus points, comparing her declining grades to Yu Zhouzhou and Xin Rui.
She also disparaged Chu Tiankuo's family. Meanwhile, Chu Tiankuo avoided punishment, and his father praised him for prioritizing his studies, asserting that "with good grades, you fear nothing." Jiang Chuan, worried about Ling Xiangqian, confronted Director Pan after school, trying to defend her. Director Pan simply stated that Ling Xiangqian herself had admitted to the relationship, making any further argument useless.
Enraged, Jiang Chuan went to Chu Tiankuo's house and shouted for him to come out, but Chu Tiankuo remained hidden. That night, Jiang Chuan got drunk at a KTV with Lin Yang, lamenting his helplessness and Ling Xiangqian's apparent "confession." On the "dog day," Benben, Yu Zhouzhou, and Lin Yang gathered to make dumplings for Mi Qiao.
Yu Zhouzhou secretly sent Mi Qiao a text message, explaining that they had put three pistachios in one triangular dumpling, signifying good luck for whoever ate it, hoping to build anticipation. However, Mi Qiao didn't see the message. When they arrived with a large pot of celery and beef dumplings, Mi Qiao was dismayed, as she detested celery. Since she refused to eat, the three friends had to eat the large portion themselves.
Suddenly, Lin Yang received a call from Jiang Chuan, whose emotional state was deteriorating. Worried, Lin Yang rushed off, leaving Yu Zhouzhou and Benben to tackle the remaining dumplings. Feeling stuffed, they spotted the last triangular dumpling. Yu Zhouzhou and Benben dramatically pretended to fight over it, piquing Mi Qiao's curiosity. Believing it must be delicious, Mi Qiao quickly snatched and ate it, much to her surprise and delight, finding the three pistachios inside.
Her joyful laughter finally eased the worries of Yu Zhouzhou and Benben. Yu Zhouzhou later reflected that Mi Qiao's joy might give her the courage to face the upcoming surgery. Mi Qiao's condition had worsened to the point where surgery was unavoidable. The doctor advised Mi Qiao's father that her DCM was recurring, and she was no longer suitable for school, recommending immediate suspension and CRTD surgery.
Seeing her father's sadness as he sat alone in the hospital corridor, Mi Qiao made a silent decision. She later told him she would accept the surgery and suspend school, reasoning that with their family's inherited high IQ, she could easily catch up with her classmates later. The next day, Mi Qiao and her father went to Zhen Hua High School to process her suspension.
Director Pan expressed a bittersweet farewell, acknowledging her as a frequent troublemaker but admitting he would miss her. Mi Qiao promised to return as a "new Mi Qiao." Director Pan, however, preferred the original Mi Qiao. As a parting gift, Mi Qiao left him her peach wood sword, saying it could "exorcise evil and relieve itching." She then went to her classroom to bid farewell to her classmates.
While everyone else tearfully wished her well, Zheng Yanyi remained absorbed in his studies, avoiding eye contact. Mi Qiao, understanding his reluctance, chose not to disturb him. That evening, Benben gathered his friends at the barbecue stall, allowing them to believe he had accepted the hotel assistant manager position, a role his friends referred to as a "trainee lobby assistant manager."
His friends, who had heard he was the only one in his vocational high school's hotel management program to be hired, celebrated his success. As they prepared to close the stall for Benben's new venture, they tallied their earnings for the year, only to discover they had been operating at a loss. Despite this, they cherished the happy times they had shared.
Benben then secretly called Manager Lu, declining the hotel offer because he had "a more important thing to do." He decided to remain with his friends and the barbecue stall, implying a renewed commitment to stay by Mi Qiao's side.
