My Huckleberry Friends Episode 8 Recap
> My Huckleberry Friends Recap
At elementary school graduation, Lin Yang specifically waited for Yu Zhouzhou by the school gate, hoping they could attend the Affiliated High School together. Yu Zhouzhou said she might go. Lin Yang handed her a charm with "Always Better Than Expectation" inscribed, explaining that his grandmother taught him these words as the best blessing, meaning every outcome would be better than expected. He said it was a special gift just for her.
The annual Art Festival was approaching, stirring excitement among students. One morning, Mi Qiao and Yu Zhouzhou playfully engaged in anime-inspired fighting moves. Before class, Ling Xiangqian, the class monitor, reminded everyone to prepare programs, stating that each club was expected to perform and that a mystery prize awaited the best club. The class erupted in chatter, oblivious to the bell until their teacher, Wu Wenlu, entered and quieted them, instructing them to save such discussions for after class.
He then asked Ling Xiangqian to his office. In a quiet corner of the school during morning exercises, Xu Zhiqiang impatiently waited for Xin Rui. Xin Rui's family owned a snack bar, and her timid nature made her an easy target for Xu Zhiqiang, who coerced her into stealing cigarettes for him. When she brought inexpensive ones, he was displeased and deliberately bumped her during exercises. Xin Rui frowned but endured in silence.
Lin Yang and Chu Tiankuo were on duty during exercises. Ling Xiangqian watched Chu Tiankuo with a faint smile. Lin Yang, however, used his position to playfully annoy Yu Zhouzhou, secretly delighted by her slight frown. Afterward, Lin Yang seized an opportunity to hand Yu Zhouzhou a blueberry-flavored yogurt he had prepared. Yu Zhouzhou, though reconciled with Lin Yang, found his sudden displays of closeness a bit much.
She told him to stop his antics, like deliberately checking her name tag or smiling foolishly at her. Lin Yang, thick-skinned, promised to stop, but implied his actions were out of care. He also clarified his decision to stay at Zhen Hua High School, explaining that the Affiliated High School had demanded sponsorship fees, and Director Pan had also called his parents, making him realize he shouldn't be so self-willed.
Ling Xiangqian went to Mr. Wu's office, where he handed her history exam papers and instructed her to tell students who scored below 80 to see him. Knowing she was hosting the Art Festival, he reminded her to prepare well but not let her grades slip. Back in class, she distributed the papers. Mi Qiao comically prayed for a passing grade, delighted to scrape by with a 61. Ling Xiangqian, however, looked disappointed when she saw her own score.
Mi Qiao, despite her relaxed attitude towards academics, was passionately preparing an elaborate stage drama proposal for the Anime Club. However, her enthusiasm was not shared; other members were unmotivated, preferring to read comics and play games rather than spend money and effort on costumes and props. This lack of participation infuriated Mi Qiao, leading her to call a mandatory club meeting.
Meanwhile, Lin Yang approached Yu Zhouzhou, asking her again, on behalf of Director Pan, to host the Art Festival. She firmly declined, as she had done before. During this interaction, Yu Zhouzhou noticed Lin Yang smiling at her in a "glazed-eyed" way, like an idiot, causing her to request that he not sit beside her, or even behind her. At the host rehearsal, Lin Yang, Ling Xiangqian, Chu Tiankuo, and Zhan Yanfei gathered.
Ling Xiangqian, preoccupied with homework, grew impatient with Zhan Yanfei's overly formal, old-fashioned hosting style, commenting that such a style would provoke laughter from the audience. Zhan Yanfei, who had learned hosting at the Children's Palace as a child and even hosted provincial competitions, overheard the remarks. She tearfully ran off. Lin Yang found her crying in the stairwell.
Sympathizing with her diligent efforts, he suggested they host in pairs, offering to partner with her, stating he didn't have a distinct style anyway. Back in the Anime Club, Mi Qiao lamented her members' lack of enthusiasm for her complex script. Yu Zhouzhou, prompted by Mi Qiao mentioning her past story competition (heard from Lin Yang), agreed to help simplify the script.
They decided to invite Xin Rui to join, who also showed interest and suggested incorporating classic anime characters and combining elements. While working on the script, Yu Zhouzhou had a flashback to her childhood, remembering Lin Yang offering his mother's help when she was selected for a story competition as a child.
His mother, who worked in the provincial government and had many student writers under her, offered to help her write a story, for which Yu Zhouzhou had gratefully thanked him. The school was taking the Art Festival very seriously, renting an external venue as city leaders were expected to attend.
During the dress rehearsal, Director Pan, who had just received a call from the principal warning against problematic programs like Lu Xinghe's from the previous year, spotted the Anime Club's cosplay drama. Yu Zhouzhou, acting as narrator, introduced the "Love Story of Seiya and Sailor," describing two warring families who fall in love.
Before they could finish, Director Pan abruptly stopped the performance, criticizing it as a "farce" and announcing the cancellation of their program, stating that no stage dramas would be allowed this year. He also took the opportunity to praise Zhan Yanfei's "child star" stage presence, much to Ling Xiangqian's silent annoyance. Mi Qiao was enraged. She confronted Director Pan, arguing that he hadn't even watched the entire performance.
Director Pan retorted that their costumes alone were enough to disqualify it and threatened to cancel Class 3's entire performance and even disband the Anime Club. Mi Qiao retreated in despair, crying in the classroom about the potential disbandment. Benben, upon hearing the news, impulsively suggested confronting Director Pan with his "brothers" to make him reflect. Yu Zhouzhou and Mi Qiao quickly dismissed the reckless idea, realizing it would only cause more trouble for Class 3.
They recognized that the obstacle was Director Pan, and unless he relented, they were helpless. Seeing Yu Zhouzhou's distress, Lin Yang approached Director Pan. Recalling Director Pan's earlier, subtle hint about wanting a solo singing act, Lin Yang cleverly suggested that Class 3, whose stage play had been canceled, was now planning a medley performance, specifically mentioning a song Director Pan had been preparing.
Director Pan's interest was piqued, and he immediately eased the restrictions on Class 3, agreeing that they could perform if their program was adapted well. Lin Yang then proposed that Class 3 could present a "culturally rich and positive" stage play by immediately adjusting their script. Director Pan agreed, allowing them to proceed.
Meanwhile, to console Mi Qiao, Yu Zhouzhou recounted her own humiliating experience at a provincial story competition as a child, where she made up a terrible story on the spot. Her self-deprecating humor finally made Mi Qiao laugh. Encouraged, Mi Qiao declared her determination to fight for their performance again, with Yu Zhouzhou's help, chanting with her friends, "Struggling and striving with Director Pan!" Later, Lin Yang saw Yu Zhouzhou, Mi Qiao, and Xin Rui talking with Benben.
Mindful of his agreement with Yu Zhouzhou to not disturb her, Lin Yang intercepted Benben, handing him the revised script and claiming that he had handled Director Pan. He instructed Benben to give the credit to himself, not wanting Yu Zhouzhou to know his involvement. They engaged in a playful, subtle rivalry over who understood Yu Zhouzhou better. Benben then recounted Yu Zhouzhou's "embarrassing" story competition experience, implying she cried all night.
Lin Yang, however, burst out laughing, revealing that Yu Zhouzhou often made up stories, and he knew the truth because he was there at the competition. He recalled that the story Yu Zhouzhou told was actually about a country mouse named "Benben" who dreamed of becoming a superstar and communicated with his best friend through a yellow balloon. Lin Yang, confident in his status as Yu Zhouzhou's childhood sweetheart, smirked at Benben. But his smile froze when Benben, in turn, revealed that his nickname was, in fact, "Benben."
