My Huckleberry Friends Episode 5 Recap
> My Huckleberry Friends Recap
Yu Zhouzhou, Mi Qiao, and Zheng Yanyi were busily decorating the Anime Club when Benben, Yu Zhouzhou's childhood best friend, suddenly arrived. Yu Zhouzhou excitedly dropped what she was doing and ran to greet him. Zheng Yanyi playfully cautioned Benben about their behavior in the club. Yu Zhouzhou asked when Benben had returned, to which he replied it had been a while, prompting her to wonder why he hadn't visited her sooner.
Yu Zhouzhou introduced Benben to Zheng Yanyi as her good friend, and Benben insisted he was her "best" friend. Yu Zhouzhou then introduced Mi Qiao as her best friend, which led Mi Qiao to assert that she was Yu Zhouzhou's "one and only confidant." Yu Zhouzhou defused the friendly rivalry by declaring both of them to be her most intimate and important friends. Benben then invited them all out for barbecue, but Mi Qiao declined.
Yu Zhouzhou promised to return quickly and left with Benben. Mi Qiao, feeling slighted, wondered aloud why Yu Zhouzhou was attracted to such a "type" and how she could abandon her friends. She also questioned Lin Yang's absence, as he had promised to come. At his barbecue stall, Benben introduced Yu Zhouzhou to his friends, Fei and Yu. Yu Zhouzhou learned that Benben was no longer attending Zhen Hua High School.
He explained that after a period of trying to make his own way, his father gave him two choices: work at his company or return to school. He compromised by enrolling in a vocational high school nearby, studying tourism and hotel catering management. Benben then proudly recounted to his friends how Yu Zhouzhou, at the age of seven, had bravely defended him from a group of rogues, making her his "omnipotent heroine."
Yu Zhouzhou modestly dismissed the story as an old memory. Benben remarked on how much Yu Zhouzhou had changed but still had the same smile, and Yu Zhouzhou noted his own growth. He shared his full name, Murong Chenzhang, which Yu Zhouzhou found unique for a real name, suggesting it sounded like an internet nickname. Benben asked her to continue using his childhood nickname, but to avoid doing so in front of others.
Later that evening, after Benben had walked Yu Zhouzhou home, a dejected Lin Yang, who had been waiting nearby, watched them part ways with smiles and laughter, choosing not to reveal himself. The death anniversary of Yu Zhouzhou's mother was approaching. Yu Zhouzhou's maternal uncle, concerned about her emotional well-being, had been closely monitoring her. He spoke with his wife about his worry for Yu Zhouzhou.
The next morning, Benben was waiting downstairs on his motorcycle, offering to take Yu Zhouzhou to school. She initially hesitated, citing school regulations against motorcycles, but Benben insisted, promising to tell school officials he was her guardian, and Yu Zhouzhou reluctantly agreed. On his way to school, Lin Yang spotted Yu Zhouzhou with Benben and furiously tried to catch up on his bicycle, but to no avail.
In class, Jiang Chuan teased Lin Yang about seeing Yu Zhouzhou with a "tall and handsome" man that morning, claiming he was from a rich family and had pursued her for years. Lin Yang, annoyed, dismissed the man's looks. He then tasked Jiang Chuan with investigating Benben's background, offering to pay for his drinks for a month, then two, which Jiang Chuan happily accepted.
Meanwhile, Director Pan announced that Yu Zhouzhou and Zhou Shenran from Class Two had been selected to represent Zhen Hua High School on a return visit to a Japanese school. Director Pan asked Yu Zhouzhou to complete a detailed family information form to facilitate passport applications, a request that caused her considerable discomfort. He reassured her that the information would remain confidential and emphasized the rarity of such an opportunity.
In Class Two, students grumbled about Zhou Shenran's selection over Lin Yang, speculating that his mother had used her connections. Some students then joked about Zhou Shenran and Yu Zhouzhou making a suitable pair. Zhou Shenran, however, abruptly insulted Yu Zhouzhou, calling her a "bastard." Lin Yang, enraged, lunged at Zhou Shenran, and it was only Jiang Chuan's quick intervention that prevented a physical altercation.
To distract Lin Yang, Jiang Chuan called Mi Qiao to the basketball court to inquire about Benben. Mi Qiao admitted she knew little about Benben, only that he attended a vocational high school. She expressed her confusion about Yu Zhouzhou's association with him. Mi Qiao noticed Lin Yang's genuine concern for Yu Zhouzhou but also sensed the awkwardness in their relationship, which piqued her curiosity.
She reminded Lin Yang of his past unreliability, citing an incident where he failed to bring a promised cake, which she jokingly suggested allowed Benben to "take the chance to take Zhouzhou away." Mi Qiao further noted that Benben seemed to have known Yu Zhouzhou for a long time. Lin Yang claimed he had known Yu Zhouzhou since kindergarten, but Mi Qiao mocked his lack of progress.
Jiang Chuan offered to secure funding for the Anime Club if Mi Qiao helped them, but she refused, insisting that Lin Yang first reveal what truly happened between him and Yu Zhouzhou. Lin Yang, after some hesitation and being interrupted by Jiang Chuan, ultimately denied anything had happened. Mi Qiao, frustrated, walked away, telling him to seek her help only when he was ready to be honest.
Lin Yang then conceded that something had indeed happened but he could not disclose it. After school, Mi Qiao was counting her coins, pleased to find she had enough for a bowl of spicy hot pot. Suddenly, Benben rushed past, accidentally knocking her coins into a drain. Chasing after him, Mi Qiao found Benben being confronted by his ex-girlfriend. Mi Qiao quickly intervened, pretending to be Benben's new girlfriend, effectively rescuing him from the awkward situation.
Benben offered to treat her to barbecue as thanks. Mi Qiao, not easily swayed, warned him that "Zhouzhou is no longer the one you knew before" and that he would have to pass her approval to pursue Yu Zhouzhou. Benben, in turn, revealed he had known Yu Zhouzhou for over ten years, since he was six. Mi Qiao countered that Yu Zhouzhou had never mentioned him, implying their connection was superficial.
She then asked if he knew Lin Yang, to which Benben replied, "Sort of." Mi Qiao suggested that he and Lin Yang should compete fairly for Yu Zhouzhou's affection. Benben dismissed Lin Yang, declaring him unworthy. That evening, Lin Yang's family was having dinner with Zhou Shenran's family. Zhou Shenran's father asked Lin Yang to look out for Zhou Shenran. Zhou Shenran, however, proudly stated that his mother taught him to fight back against anyone who bullied him.
As the mothers temporarily left the table, Zhou Shenran's father brought up the Japan trip. Zhou Shenran mentioned Yu Zhouzhou with contempt, referring to her and her mother as "disgusting" and implying she had manipulated her way into the trip. Lin Yang, containing his anger, suggested he and Zhou Shenran play a game and led him outside. Once outside, Lin Yang, with a forced smile, asked Zhou Shenran to repeat his insults.
Zhou Shenran, misinterpreting Lin Yang's tone, repeatedly insulted Yu Zhouzhou and her mother, eventually calling them "bitches." Lin Yang grabbed Zhou Shenran's collar, demanding he repeat it again. Just then, both mothers returned. Zhou Shenran seized the opportunity to expose Lin Yang's secret: he had changed his academic stream to arts specifically for Yu Zhouzhou. Lin Yang's mother was furious.
Lin Yang defiantly stated it was his freedom, but his mother angrily retorted that he had no freedom when it came to Yu Zhouzhou and ordered him to stay away from her. The next day, Zhou Shenran confronted Yu Zhouzhou, ordering her not to fill out the information form for the Japan trip, stating he didn't want to go with her.
It is revealed that Yu Zhouzhou and Zhou Shenran are half-siblings, with Yu Zhouzhou being an illegitimate child, which explains Zhou Shenran's deep resentment. He verbally attacked her, comparing her to her mother, who he claimed clung to influential people, and added that Lin Yang's parents had promised his mother that Lin Yang would no longer contact Yu Zhouzhou.
Zhou Shenran then aggressively told Yu Zhouzhou that his father was not her father and once again called her a "bastard," adding that he should have "beaten her to death yesterday." Lin Yang, witnessing this, immediately intervened and punched Zhou Shenran. The incident escalated to the teacher's office, where Lin Yang, unrepentant, declared that he found Zhou Shenran "unpleasing to my eyes" and had "wanted to hit him long time ago," asserting Yu Zhouzhou was merely a bystander.
The teacher suggested they apologize to each other, but Lin Yang refused, insisting he had done nothing wrong. Zhou Shenran then threatened to call his mother and go to the hospital, to which Lin Yang dared him, promising to hit him again so he could "get all the diagnoses you need in the hospital." Faced with the standoff, Yu Zhouzhou ultimately apologized to both Zhou Shenran and Lin Yang, taking full responsibility for the fight.
After leaving the office, Lin Yang wanted to talk to Yu Zhouzhou, but she had already departed with Benben. Later, Jiang Chuan informed Lin Yang about Murong Chenzhang, describing him as a "celebrity in vocational high school" who already had his "own business," sarcastically noting that Benben was "a little better than Lin Yang." Jiang Chuan also pointed out the irony of both Lin Yang and Benben claiming to be Yu Zhouzhou's childhood sweethearts.
Lin Yang's mother informed him that his transfer paperwork was complete and he would not be attending Zhen Hua the following week, reiterating her demand that he stay away from Yu Zhouzhou.
Lin Yang argued for his personal freedom, but his mother recounted his history of prioritizing Yu Zhouzhou over his own prospects, from quitting a math competition in elementary school to choosing not to attend High School Affiliated to the Normal University and now unilaterally switching to the arts stream. She accused him of "burying his future" for her.
Lin Yang countered that he "owed her," but his mother dismissed Yu Zhouzhou's mother's death as an "accident" that shouldn't dictate his future. She declared she could no longer trust him due to his repeated lies. Lin Yang, unable to sway his parents, attempted to see Yu Zhouzhou, but Benben intercepted him, sending Yu Zhouzhou on an errand for chili powder. Benben fiercely told Lin Yang to "go away from Yu Zhouzhou" and warned him against interfering.
Lin Yang revealed that tomorrow was the first anniversary of Yu Zhouzhou's mother's death and expressed his desire to prevent her from being sad. Benben scornfully accused Lin Yang of being pretentious, reminding him that Yu Zhouzhou's mother's death was "because of you." Lin Yang admitted he was transferring schools and acknowledged his fault in Yu Zhouzhou's mother's death, accepting her potential hatred. He explained that if his absence would help her heal, he was willing to leave.
Benben, recognizing Lin Yang's sincerity, nonetheless asserted that when it came to truly protecting Yu Zhouzhou, Lin Yang was far from his equal, and he strictly warned Lin Yang never to return and bother Yu Zhouzhou again. After their confrontation, Benben called Yu Zhouzhou, still angry about Lin Yang's presence, telling her that Lin Yang's actions could never compensate for the harm he caused. Yu Zhouzhou insisted she had moved past the incident and no longer blamed him.
Benben expressed his frustration, saying he had been secretly watching her, seeing her sadness and tears, and urged her to let him and others manage her affairs. Separately, Lin Yang sent Yu Zhouzhou a text message, apologizing and informing her of his transfer. The day before the anniversary, Yu Zhouzhou's uncle and aunt discussed getting flowers and planned to act naturally around her, hoping she might forget the date. They secretly tore the 17th from the calendar.
The next morning, they went to the cemetery and found someone had already visited. They assumed it was Yu Zhouzhou, but it was Lin Yang, who, driven by guilt, had visited earlier to pay his respects to Yu Zhouzhou's mother. At home, Yu Zhouzhou silently wept, clutching a photograph of her mother. Later that day, Benben made every effort to cheer Yu Zhouzhou up, taking her to a bar that he claimed was his girlfriend's place.
Yu Zhouzhou, appreciating his intentions, tried to appear less sad. She requested to sing "Farewell." As the familiar melody filled the air, memories of her mother flooded back, particularly moments of her childhood and how she and her mother were bullied by Zhou Shenran's family. Overcome with emotion, Yu Zhouzhou broke down in tears, though she tried to maintain a brave smile. Still feeling melancholy, Yu Zhouzhou told Benben she didn't want to go home.
They then snuck into an amusement park, attempting to start the Ferris wheel. Benben fumbled with the controls while Yu Zhouzhou kept watch. His ineptitude soon attracted a security guard. As they turned to flee, the Ferris wheel slowly began to move. Lin Yang's figure appeared outside the control room, and the three exchanged knowing smiles. Yu Zhouzhou boarded the Ferris wheel as Benben sprinted away, pursued by the security guard.
