Our Generation Episode 2 Recap
> Our Generation Recap
Lin Qile, often called Cherry, remained in Qunshan while her friends had moved to the provincial city for school. Despite not receiving any replies, she consistently wrote letters to Jiang Qiaoxi. One day, during class, she was caught writing, leading to her mother, Zhao Shengjuan, being summoned to school.
Miss Wang, Cherry’s teacher, expressed concern, emphasizing that Cherry was a promising student in her first year of high school and needed to focus on her studies for the upcoming college entrance exams, urging her parents to pay attention as children at this stage often lack learning initiative. Zhao Shengjuan acknowledged the teacher's point, and later, she told Cherry that while there was nothing wrong with writing letters, it should be done at home, not during class.
Cherry, feeling like a burden, apologized for always worrying her parents and for being left alone in Qunshan while her friends were elsewhere. Zhao Shengjuan reassured her, saying she wasn't alone, as she had her parents and the entirety of Qunshan. Lin Qile then affirmed her sincere desire to be the "last guardian of Qunshan," which her mother confirmed.
Her mother also shared wise advice that growing up is a process of breaking out of a shell, and trapping oneself in the past, especially in bygone emotions, would only lead to unhappiness. Her mother told her that letters only become truly sent when they are delivered; otherwise, they remain "knots" within oneself.
Cherry's letters to Jiang Qiaoxi detailed her life in Qunshan, mentioning the changes like the inactive water cooling towers, her longing to share sweet salvia with him, and even the passing of Chun Lu, a rabbit they had collectively named his "daughter," which she buried on the mountain peak where they once watched sunsets together, hoping it would always be with him.
Lin Qile eventually collected all her unsent letters, binding them into a book before sending it to Jiang Qiaoxi. To her surprise, he allowed his classmates to pass it around and read it. Shortly after, she received a phone call from Qin Yeyun, who urgently told her to stop contacting Jiang Qiaoxi, refusing to explain why, only stating it was "none of your business" and that Lin Qile should "just live your life" and not think about him.
When Lin Qile pressed for "the truth" and if something had happened, Qin Yeyun merely reiterated, "Don't ask anymore. Don't contact him anymore. Never." Confused and distressed, Lin Qile recalled Jiang Qiaoxi's past promise to write to her and return after winter break. Unable to bear the uncertainty, she immediately boarded a bus to the provincial city. Upon arriving at Jialin Experimental High School, she overheard students discussing Jiang Qiaoxi.
They mentioned he had previously lived in Qunshan, despite rumors of attending elementary school in Hong Kong. They also spoke of a girl who sent him a letter, which was then circulated among students, with Yu Qiao and Fei Lin Ge reportedly snatching it in class. Students also mentioned that Jiang Qiaoxi had transferred from Hong Kong to First Experimental Elementary School in the first grade, where Fei Lin Ge and Cen Xiaoman were his classmates.
Unbeknownst to them, Yu Qiao heard someone shout his name, remarking that the voice sounded just like Cherry, though his friend dismissed it as unlikely. Her unfamiliar uniform quickly drew unwanted attention. Students surrounded her, questioning why she wasn't wearing their school's attire. She explained she was from No. 11 High School and was there to see a friend.
The students immediately suspected her of being "that Cherry" who wrote letters to Jiang Qiaoxi, asking about her relationship with him and why she was at their school. Just then, Jiang Qiaoxi appeared with Cen Xiaoman. A student remarked to Jiang Qiaoxi about Lin Qile causing him "trouble," but he curtly dismissed them, saying it was "none of your business." Then, facing Lin Qile, he publicly denied knowing her. The surrounding students echoed his words, believing he wouldn't lie.
Heartbroken by his cruel denial, Lin Qile fled the scene. Distraught, Lin Qile climbed a high protective barrier. An older woman, fearing she intended to jump, urgently coaxed her down, asking if she'd failed an exam or argued with family. Lin Qile clarified she only wanted to vent and had no intention of jumping. The kind woman offered her hot water and later took her to see the beautiful evening sky, hoping to lift her spirits.
Meanwhile, Liang Hongfei, a teacher, was dealing with Jiang Qiaoxi, whose mother had called to pick him up. Liang Hongfei also addressed Cen Xiaoman, expressing disappointment in her and Jiang Qiaoxi's interaction that day, urging her to focus on studies. Cen Xiaoman apologized and asked Liang Hongfei not to blame Jiang Qiaoxi. Students gossiped about Cen Xiaoman being the class beauty and second-ranked academically, with Jiang Qiaoxi being first.
Later, Lin Qile encountered Yu Qiao, who recognized her instantly despite her appearance. Concerned about her injured foot, which she claimed was from tripping over a shoelace, Yu Qiao insisted on carrying her, teasing her with childhood anecdotes involving himself, Du Shang, and Cai Fangyuan, like an incident with a chocolate or being stuck in a locust tree. Yu Qiao took her to his home, where Cai Fangyuan and Du Shang were also present.
Lin Qile asked Yu Qiao to buy her water and paper, and he then asked what she wanted to eat. Soon after, Lin Qile's parents, Lin Haifeng and Zhao Shengjuan, arrived, relieved to find her safe. After the initial relief, Lin Haifeng declared his decision: Lin Qile would transfer to Experimental High School the following semester.
Zhao Shengjuan urged her daughter to move to the provincial city, stressing how great it would be to attend school with Yu Qiao and their other friends. Yu Qiao's mother, Ms. Zhang Ping, also chimed in, remarking that Lin Qile loved being lively and together with everyone, and wouldn't be truly happy alone in Qunshan.
Although Lin Qile insisted she could be happy anywhere, the elders assured her they had watched her grow up and would arrange the school transfer, even if her parents hadn't asked. The elders also mentioned that Jiang Qiaoxi's father, Mr. Jiang, would have been helpful regarding Lin Qile's house matters, but he was unable to come as Jiang Qiaoxi had just been brought back by Liang Hongfei after running off with a girl from his class.
Later that night, Du Shang, still carrying Lin Qile due to her injured foot, accompanied Yu Qiao and Cai Fangyuan to a park. They playfully broke in after closing, just as they used to do as children. Lin Qile, still agile, climbed easily. Inside, they reminisced about their childhood longing to see a "big white goose," and now presented the park's swans as a substitute, noting one swan was particularly brave and showy, just like young Lin Qile.
Yu Qiao passionately pleaded with her to move, stating, "It's not you who need us, but we who need you," expressing that the provincial city hadn't ruined them all. Lin Qile playfully declared her "hatred" for them, demonstrating their close bond as they carefully exited the park, with Yu Qiao being the last to climb out. As they left the park, Lin Qile unexpectedly encountered Jiang Qiaoxi.
He revealed that Qin Yeyun had informed him of her presence, prompting him to come find her. Lin Qile, still deeply hurt, sarcastically asked if they even knew each other. Jiang Qiaoxi apologized and explained that his public denial earlier was because he "had no better solution" and believed it was the "optimal solution" to prevent her from being in the spotlight or getting hurt by others.
Lin Qile angrily countered, questioning his "optimal solution" and pointing out he could have simply said they were old friends, and clarified that her letter wasn't a love letter and Chun Lu was a rabbit. Jiang Qiaoxi insisted he "couldn't say it like that" due to the presence of others.
The reality, as Lin Qile had heard from Yu Qiao and her friends, was that Jiang Qiaoxi had changed significantly since moving to the city; he had distanced himself from them and now only associated with high-achieving students like Cen Xiaoman, who was second in class to his first. This further highlighted the extent to which he had cut ties with his past friendships.
