Please Classmate Episode 5 Recap
> Please Classmate Recap
Li He emerges from his room, using his phone, prompting his mother to ask about his QQ message. He denies being nervous, claiming the class monitor sent important exam questions he feared missing. His parents tease him, joking that he was found in a recyclable trash can, implying he's not usually concerned with academics. Annoyed, Li He takes a large portion of food and retreats to his room.
Meanwhile, Ning Zeyu, taking out the trash, overhears the lively conversation from Li He's family. Li He's father invites Ning Zeyu, whose lawyer parents are working late, to join them for dinner. Li He's parents warmly welcome him. Li He complains about Ning Zeyu's presence, noting he always appears when his father cooks pork ribs. Li He's mother jokingly says there's too much food and Ning Zeyu is there to help.
During dinner, Ning Zeyu and Li He exchange food with smiles. Li He's father encourages Li He to learn from Ning Zeyu academically. Li He shows Ning Zeyu a photo Yuan Caixi sent him, asking if it's a book and if he can buy it at the school bookstore. Ning Zeyu's smile vanishes as he recognizes it as the photo he had sent to Yuan Caixi.
In a flashback or a separate introduction scene, Luo Xiyan, the homeroom teacher, introduces herself. Ning Zeyu, who placed first in the entrance exam, and Yuan Caixi, who placed second, introduce themselves to the class. Yuan Caixi declares Ning Zeyu her academic rival, stating she has always been first in middle school. Yuan Caixi later has dinner with her aunt, mother, and brother, Yuan Haoxi.
Her aunt praises Yuan Caixi for getting into Sen Yong high school but subtly criticizes her mother's choice to marry Yuan Caixi's deceased father, whom she calls "short-lived" and lacking in material wealth, only possessing a guitar. Yuan Caixi defends her family's happiness, stating that family togetherness is more important than material possessions. Yuan Caixi then sarcastically agrees with her aunt's materialistic views, suggesting her mother should find a rich stepfather so she and Yuan Haoxi don't have to work.
Offended, the aunt and her own daughter, Xiao Ai, leave. The school principal and Director Ma welcome Bureau Chief Zhang for an inspection. The principal assures the Chief that the merged classes are getting along well. However, during morning cleanup, student Zhang Ye and another student get into a fight because Zhang Ye's watering made the ground muddy. Director Ma quickly diverts Bureau Chief Zhang's attention away from the conflict.
Ning Zeyu, acting as a lab coordinator, collects equipment in the chemistry lab. Li He buys the chemistry book Yuan Caixi mentioned. He thanks Yuan Caixi, who tells him to thank Ning Zeyu, as he was the one who told her the book's name the previous night. Ning Zeyu, passing by, sarcastically wishes Li He could score 31 on his next exam, implying Li He usually scores lower.
As the chemistry teacher learns of the leaders' approach, she rushes into the lab, urging students to start their experiments. Li He accidentally spills something on his workstation. Yuan Caixi tells him to proceed while she cleans it up. Li He lights an alcohol lamp and, unbeknownst to Yuan Caixi who is momentarily looking down, adds an unknown substance.
By the time Yuan Caixi notices and calls out, it's too late; the fire intensifies rapidly, filling the lab with thick smoke. Students evacuate in a panic. Bureau Chief Zhang and the other leaders notice the smoke and the fleeing students, rushing towards the lab. Inside the burning lab, Yuan Caixi feels dizzy and collapses, the fire triggering a traumatic memory of a childhood fire. Li He, realizing Yuan Caixi is still inside, quickly re-enters to find her.
He picks her up and carries her out to safety. Outside, Yuan Caixi notices Li He's leg is injured and takes him to the infirmary to clean and disinfect the wound. While cleaning, Yuan Caixi praises Li He's bravery, telling him his act of heroism makes him "better than perfect" despite the accident. Li He, noticing Yuan Caixi's earlier paralysis, asks if she's afraid of fire.
Yuan Caixi reveals she survived a fire as a child and was saved by a friend. She expresses a desire to overcome her past prejudices against him and start fresh. Li He admits he initially thought she was a "bookworm" but now finds her "pretty good" and tries to ask more about the friend who saved her. Ning Zeyu, also at the infirmary to get a band-aid, checks on Yuan Caixi's foot, which she says is fine, before leaving.
Later, Bureau Chief Zhang addresses the Principal and Director Ma. She acknowledges the morning conflict and the lab fire but commends the students for their mutual assistance and resilience in the face of danger. She expresses her initial worries about the merged classes but is now moved by their display of kindness and support, concluding that the school's efforts are "not bad." In the classroom, Director Ma confronts Yuan Caixi, Ning Zeyu, and Li He about the lab incident.
Yuan Caixi apologizes for improper operation. Ning Zeyu, as the safety inspector, takes responsibility for not checking equipment. Li He claims he spilled hydrogen peroxide, causing the accident, and insists on taking all blame. Director Ma intervenes, making them sit. She notes two issues: sports students lack basic lab knowledge, and academic students exhibit panic and poor self-preservation skills. However, she expresses deep relief and pride in their mutual assistance during the crisis.
She announces an extra meal for everyone in the cafeteria. In the cafeteria, Li He helps Yuan Caixi, whose foot is injured, find a seat. Ning Zeyu approaches Yuan Caixi, noticing her swollen foot. He hands her a bag of medicine, advising her on ice packs, pain relievers, and rest. Yuan Caixi playfully reminds him about "keeping distance" between genders when he tries to check her foot too closely. Yuan Haoxi later joins Yuan Caixi, complaining about her delay.
Li He leaves. Yuan Caixi instructs Yuan Haoxi not to tell their mother about her injured foot, but Yuan Haoxi demands "hush money." When their mother enters, Yuan Haoxi tries to expose Yuan Caixi's injury, but Yuan Caixi tries to downplay it. Their mother retrieves medicine for her. Yuan Haoxi discovers a drawing from Li He with a playful "mother-to-be single flower" (a term for someone who has never been in a relationship) and a "Sisyphe VVVVIP discount card."
Yuan Caixi later uses the card in a bookstore, where Li He had earlier negotiated with the owner for a custom "VVVIP card" for 10% off. She and Yuan Haoxi discuss Li He, with Yuan Caixi acknowledging his reliability and kindness during the fire, prompting Yuan Haoxi to jokingly suggest "marrying him" in gratitude. Yuan Caixi admits her previous prejudices against sports students were due to lack of understanding, and that they have many good qualities.
Later, Yuan Caixi, Ning Zeyu, and Li He are working on a lab report. Yuan Caixi helps Li He with his report, explaining complex chemical concepts about organic decomposition and hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent, demonstrating that even Li He, despite his academic struggles, is making an effort.
