My Huckleberry Friends Episode 26 Recap
> My Huckleberry Friends Recap
After Mi Qiao’s passing, Benben isolated himself from everyone. Yu Zhouzhou was very worried about him, and she and Benben's two friends went to his dormitory to find him. His friends reported that they hadn't seen him in a long time; after Mi Qiao died, he told them he needed to be alone and often just slept, never coming out.
They found his phone off, but after persistent knocking, Benben finally opened the door, revealing a messy room and a disheveled appearance. He lay on his bed, distraught and listless, unable to get motivated for anything. Yu Zhouzhou was just as sad as him and offered him food, but he refused, saying he wasn't hungry. He told her he was fine and wouldn't harm himself but felt like doing nothing, finding everything boring.
Yu Zhouzhou reminded him of his past words about bruises eventually fading. Benben, however, expressed that he didn't want Mi Qiao to disappear from his memory, adding that he had tried hard but was still in pain, feeling like his life was over. Yu Zhouzhou, also tearful, urged him to give time to heal. As Gaokao drew nearer, the academic pressure intensified for both students and teachers.
The teacher distributed a guide for choosing colleges and majors, advising students to focus on their studies for now, as better scores would lead to more options. Wu Wenlu, finding the tense atmosphere unbearable in the office, sought out Director Pan for a chat to relieve his own stress. He found Director Pan singing. Director Pan revealed he had committed to the school leaders to achieve 15 to 20 admissions to Peking University or Tsinghua University, excluding recommended students.
Wu Wenlu, however, advocated for reducing student pressure, reminding Director Pan that even they, in their youth, didn't always pursue their true passions (Director Pan had wanted to go to a music academy but ended up in a teacher-training college), and explicitly asked if he had any regrets. Wu Wenlu emphasized that each person's path is their own choice, and there are other paths besides top universities.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chuan, usually cheerful, grew melancholic about his Gaokao prospects, especially since he wished to attend the same university as Ling Xiangqian, but his current grades made it uncertain. He watched a singing competition on TV, envious of contestants who clearly knew their dreams, while lamenting his own uncertain future. Lin Yang, whose excellent grades definitely guaranteed him a recommendation to Peking University, was more concerned about Yu Zhouzhou's choice, wanting to go to the same school as her.
He asked Yu Zhouzhou about her plans, but she admitted she felt lost, unsure of her desired university or future career. She mentioned she might prefer a warmer city, even a university closer to home, to which her uncle and aunt (who she lives with) commented on how good Peking University is.
Benben, no longer confined to his bed, began obsessively cleaning his dormitory and the entire building, mopping floors countless times and going through mops, refusing help from his friends. He also watched videos of him and Mi Qiao's past interactions, deeply missing her. Yu Zhouzhou gave him Mi Qiao's belongings from the Anime Club. Among them, he found a magazine featuring a photograph of "the end of the rainbow," taken by Mi Qiao.
He realized Mi Qiao knew about this place, and this discovery ignited a new purpose within him. He decided to travel to explore the world and see the sights Mi Qiao had longed to visit, with her photo on his motorcycle, bringing "her" along in spirit.
Before leaving, he hugged Yu Zhouzhou, saying he would be gone for an unknown duration, perhaps forever, and entrusted Lin Yang with Yu Zhouzhou's happiness, threatening to return even from the Himalayas if she wasn't cared for. He also told his friends to keep their barbecue stall ready, so he would know where to find them if he ever returned.
Zheng Yanyi, struggling under the academic pressure, confided in Yu Zhouzhou that he felt sick from studying, couldn't sleep, and hated the sight of textbooks. He regretted his promise to his parents to prioritize Gaokao over his love for art, fearing failure if he pursued art college. His parents, he explained, saw an art major as a "shame" for a key class student.
Wu Wenlu, discovering Zheng Yanyi had reluctantly chosen a finance major simply because of its low admission score, called him to his office. Wu Wenlu expressed anger at his lack of self-belief, acknowledging Zheng Yanyi's exceptional talent in art and encouraging him to cherish it. Yu Zhouzhou, who overheard their conversation from outside the office, felt it was the right time. She subtly placed the acceptance letter for Zheng Yanyi’s comic, which Mi Qiao had secretly submitted, on his desk.
Overjoyed and in tears upon finding the letter, Zheng Yanyi later told Yu Zhouzhou that Wu Wenlu had convinced his parents to allow him to pursue art, and he had decided to repeat a year to fully dedicate himself to studying art for next year's entrance exams. He credited Yu Zhouzhou and Mi Qiao for giving him the courage to make this decision. In a class meeting, Wu Wenlu returned students' college volunteer forms, expressing his deep dissatisfaction.
He criticized their casual choices and urged them to thoughtfully consider their future majors. He emphasized that pursuing a disliked major, even at a prestigious university, would lead to dissatisfaction and wasted youth. He encouraged them to contemplate "what kind of people you want to be in the future," highlighting that each individual is unique and their dreams should not be confined to a "single color." He asked them to take the forms back, rethink, and resubmit them.
Zhan Yanfei, driven by her dream to become a host, pushed herself to extreme lengths, fainting from exercising without eating to lose weight for her art exam. Yu Zhouzhou and Lin Yang rushed her to the infirmary, where a doctor attributed her condition to low blood sugar and warned them that she was in danger. Zhan Yanfei explained that while her voice was good, her image needed improvement, and this was her only chance.
Despite Yu Zhouzhou's concern, Zhan Yanfei insisted her efforts were for her "dream," not just her "image." Yu Zhouzhou encouraged her, reminding her that she was already healthy and perfect as she was. Yu Zhouzhou later wished her good luck for her upcoming art exam.
After the exam, Zhan Yanfei confided in Yu Zhouzhou, expressing her frustration with body image pressures and her desire to simply be herself, not just "Little Swallow," lamenting that she felt she had no more chances. Jiang Chuan, inspired by the singing competition, decided to participate. On the "Happy Boys" stage, he declared his love for Ling Xiangqian, recounting their shared childhood from kindergarten through high school, describing her as the most beautiful person in his life.
He promised to stand by her side and protect her forever, even though he felt ordinary in her eyes. Despite a staff member urging him to talk less and sing, he insisted on finishing his confession. He then sang "I Am Ugly, But I Am Gentle." Days later, he gathered his friends, including Ling Xiangqian, to watch his performance on TV, only to find his heartfelt confession had been edited out, leaving only his passionate singing.
However, seeing Ling Xiangqian smile made it all worthwhile for him. Troubled by a complex geography problem about Coriolis force, Yu Zhouzhou sought Lin Yang's help. He suggested they visit the municipal science museum to experience it firsthand, quoting Deng Xiaoping's famous saying, "Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth." At the museum, they engaged with the simulation system and marveled at the starry sky.
Lin Yang also teased her by taking a photo of her lying down, saying her face looked big. The experience gave Yu Zhouzhou a sudden sense of clarity about her future. Lin Yang asked her to be firm in her choice, reminding her of his father's advice: if uncertain, strive to do everything to the best of her ability and await the best opportunity.
He reiterated his desire to attend the same university as her because she was an integral part of his dream. Playfully, Yu Zhouzhou then declared her dream was for him to delete that photo he’d taken of her. Lin Yang readily agreed, only for Yu Zhouzhou to reveal she had already sent it to Jiang Chuan.
Upon returning to school, Yu Zhouzhou informed Wu Wenlu that she had decided to apply to Peking University, explaining that she had made a promise to someone who considered her a part of his dream, and she wished to help him fulfill that dream first, believing her own aspirations would become clear later. Lin Yang, hidden around a corner, overheard her words and beamed with a bright smile.
