My Huckleberry Friends Episode 9 Recap
> My Huckleberry Friends Recap
Mi Qiao stormed into the classroom, furious that Director Pan had rejected her extensively revised script without even a proper look, declaring him her "deadly enemy" after she had even tried to curry favor by tearing down a poster. Xin Rui suggested they dance instead, but Mi Qiao dismissed the idea, saying it wouldn't be an anime club performance then.
Yu Zhouzhou then proposed a clever solution: she could register a cello performance, which would technically be a music program, and covertly incorporate their stage play. Mi Qiao praised Yu Zhouzhou's "devious" plan, likening it to "doing one thing under the cover of another thing." Yu Zhouzhou, however, revealed the idea actually came from Lin Yang, who had provided detailed revision advice.
Mi Qiao remarked on Lin Yang's devotion to Yu Zhouzhou, comparing him to the sun and Yu Zhouzhou to a sunflower, warmed by his attention. Shortly after, Director Pan intercepted Lin Yang, expressing satisfaction with the overall program list but noting a lack of vocal solos, particularly a solo performance. He announced his intention to add his own singing act to "liven up the atmosphere" and allow students to see a "real Director Pan," beyond his usual strict demeanor.
Despite Lin Yang's polite attempts to caution him about potentially undermining his authority, Director Pan insisted on the program's significant meaning and instructed Lin Yang to arrange it well. Yu Zhouzhou retrieved her cello, but her long hiatus from playing left her skills quite rusty, eliciting strange looks from her friends.
To illustrate the desired sound, Mi Qiao played a pre-recorded piece of cello and piano ensemble, which was praised for its "fabulous" and "picturesque" quality, highlighting the inadequacy of a solo cello for their performance. Yu Zhouzhou had earlier noticed Xin Rui's introverted admiration for the Anime Club's activities and formally invited her to join. Later, seeing Xin Rui's interest in the Anime Club's manga, Mi Qiao reinforced the invitation, promising access to all books.
Xin Rui eagerly agreed, and Mi Qiao, impressed by her promptness, even waived the customary popsicle "fee," welcoming her to "open the new world's door." Recognizing the need for a pianist for their cello-and-piano guise, Yu Zhouzhou approached Ling Xiangqian, explaining their plan to use the musical performance as a cover for their anime drama. Ling Xiangqian was hesitant, fearing Director Pan's reprisal and her mother's strong disapproval.
Her mother, concerned about Ling Xiangqian's academic performance, had explicitly forbidden her from playing the piano, deeming it a "useless activity" that wouldn't contribute to her college entrance exam scores, even lamenting that she "should have sold this piano long ago." Chu Tiankuo, aware of Ling Xiangqian's reservations about joining the performance, found her contemplating and encouraged her to follow her heart. He echoed Lin Yang's sentiment that the arts festival should be about student expression, not strict rules.
When Ling Xiangqian confessed her childhood love for piano but dislike for playing for grades or her family's academic pressure, Chu Tiankuo advised her not to be "too utilitarian" and not to "care about exterior details," assuring her that Director Pan wasn't a "monster" and that he would support "whatever choice you will make." Encouraged, Ling Xiangqian decided to participate. With her exceptional piano skills, the Anime Club's performance quickly improved.
Meanwhile, Xin Rui, though now a member of the Anime Club and enjoying the camaraderie, continued to suffer bullying from Xu Zhiqiang, who forced her to steal cigarettes from her family's store and even took a manga book she had borrowed from the club. Her mother, meticulously checking the shop's accounts, soon suspected theft, warning that she would "let him die" if she caught the thief.
Xin Rui, despite lying to her mother, was deeply distressed, telling Xu Zhiqiang that it was her "last time" stealing as her mother was "more fierce than you when beating someone." Lin Yang hurried back to the rehearsal room to retrieve a forgotten notebook containing a note from Yu Zhouzhou with many "regulations." There, he encountered Zhan Yanfei practicing her hosting. She inadvertently saw the note and confronted Lin Yang, asking, "Do you have a crush on Yu Zhouzhou?"
Before he could answer, she declared that "Yu Zhouzhou has a crush on someone now." Observing his stunned reaction, Zhan Yanfei quickly clarified that Yu Zhouzhou had told her this "when I was in primary school" during a time when "it was popular to say who likes whom." Lin Yang, recalling recent events, immediately suspected that person might be Benben.
Zhan Yanfei then confided in Lin Yang about her own insecurities as a host, admitting she wasn't "reconciled" to being judged for her "old-fashioned" style and that she had actively sought the hosting role from Director Pan. Lin Yang reassured her that "everyone has recognized your improvement."
The next day, Lin Yang waited for Yu Zhouzhou on her way to school, determined to confirm if she indeed had feelings for someone else, stating he could tolerate all her demands except her liking another person. He directly asked, "You have someone you like, don't you? Is the boy called Benben?"
Annoyed, Yu Zhouzhou accused him of "talking nonsense" and reiterated her strict boundaries: "I don't allow you to come to me in any way, like walking, running, and jumping. I don't allow you to talk and smile to me. Don't touch anything of me." When he jokingly asked if he could only "roll" to her, she retorted, "You can do it. Don't be late for school."
As the Anime Club's rehearsals intensified, the members felt the dialogue in their Li Bai and Du Fu adaptation was "too much." Ling Xiangqian emphasized the importance of precisely matching music to each scene and line. Xin Rui suggested adding narrative elements, proposing that someone else deliver the dialogue as "asides" to create more control and better effect. She further suggested using ancient poetry as these asides, citing examples from Li Bai and Du Fu to enhance the classical theme.
Recognizing Zhan Yanfei's suitability for such a historical tone, Ling Xiangqian recommended her for the role. Although initially hesitant, Zhan Yanfei found the concept "interesting" and agreed to try. Her recitation of Du Fu's "The Pressgang at Stone Moat Village" with musical accompaniment deeply impressed everyone, making the Anime Club's program even more refined. The day of the arts festival arrived. Although the Anime Club's program did not strictly adhere to Director Pan's initial guidelines, it had been surprisingly approved.
Ling Xiangqian, still confused by this sudden change of heart, questioned Lin Yang. Unbeknownst to her, Lin Yang had secretly orchestrated Director Pan's approval, presenting the program as a "musical with historical themes" that Pan himself had praised, and had deliberately deflected credit for this to avoid bothering Yu Zhouzhou, dismissively claiming it wasn't due to him.
To covertly bring in props and costumes, Mi Qiao led the group to a "secret path," the outer room of the boys' bathroom, close to the backstage. She scouted ahead and, to her surprise, found Benben and his basketball teammates showering and roughhousing inside, with Xiao Yu even showing off his "forehand shots." Flustered and red-faced by the unexpected encounter, Mi Qiao impulsively locked them in to secure the changing area. The boys, especially Benben, were furious, shouting at her.
Meanwhile, Xin Rui was nowhere to be found; her phone went unanswered. Yu Zhouzhou and Mi Qiao worried she might have abandoned them due to nervousness. In reality, Xin Rui's mother, having discovered the stolen cigarettes, had locked her in her room. Desperate to perform, Xin Rui jumped from her second-story window and raced to school. With Xin Rui still missing, Mi Qiao, in a moment of panic, suggested asking Benben for help.
Though initially irate about being locked in, Benben was persuaded by Yu Zhouzhou's plea, who likened the role to their childhood "role-play." He eventually agreed to play the dear horse. The performance began with Zhan Yanfei's eloquent narration, setting the scene for their adaptation of Li Bai and Du Fu's story during the Anshi Period. The actors immersed themselves in the fight scenes and the recitation of ancient poems.
During the performance, Benben, still annoyed at Mi Qiao, took a subtle revenge by suddenly "playing dead" as Li Bai's dear horse, an unscripted move that momentarily threatened to derail the show. Zhan Yanfei, however, cleverly improvised, narrating Li Bai's tearful departure after his horse's "death" and smoothly saving the scene. As the performance neared its conclusion, Yu Zhouzhou's cello stand unexpectedly broke, leaving her momentarily unsure what to do.
At that precise moment, Lin Yang appeared, "rolling" onto the stage to discretely support her cello, staying true to her previous demand. They exchanged a warm glance, a beautiful, shared moment. Unbeknownst to the students, the Anime Club's opportunity to perform had been a selfless gift from Director Pan. With the venue rental time expiring, only one of the final two acts – the Anime Club's musical or Director Pan's solo – could be performed.
Lin Yang had been prepared to fight for their slot, but Director Pan, showing remarkable selflessness, unhesitatingly yielded his own meticulously prepared song, "You Are My Eyes," to ensure the students could showcase their work, proclaiming, "This festival is for students. And Class Three has prepared for this program for a long time. They must perform it."
Knowing Director Pan's long-standing preparations, his old friend Wu Wenlu had discreetly arranged with Lin Yang to allocate one final minute for Director Pan's performance. With Lin Yang's announcement, Director Pan took the stage, movingly stating that his students, who had spread across China, were "my eyes." His powerful rendition of the song brought the arts festival to a heartwarming close.
From the backstage, Xin Rui watched the joyous faces of her peers perform, her own expression filled with poignant disappointment. Despite successfully escaping her mother's lockdown and racing to school, she had arrived too late to play her role. She silently mouthed the lines along with the performers, her heart aching for the stage she had worked so hard for, only to miss her opportunity. After the festival concluded, Zhan Yanfei sought out Lin Yang to clarify Yu Zhouzhou's "crush."
She revealed that the person Yu Zhouzhou had liked in elementary school was not Benben, but a "cartoon figure," specifically Uesugi Kazuya. Upon hearing this, Lin Yang could only shake his head with a bitter smile, realizing he had been "jealous for nothing." Zhan Yanfei then assured him, "So, you still have a chance."
