Shining For One Thing Episode 2 Recap
> Shining For One Thing Recap
Lin Beixing wakes up to an angry call from her Curator, who reminds her about the regular meeting and chastises her for repeatedly being late. The Curator threatens to fire her if she doesn't arrive within ten minutes. Frustrated, Lin Beixing realizes she forgot about the meeting. She then thinks to herself that since she has already memorized all the answers, it's better to go back to the past than to wait around and be fired.
She deletes a message on her old phone, which then transports her back to the year 2010. Lin Beixing finds herself back in her high school classroom in 2010. She quickly starts writing down answers to exam questions. Her best friend, Tengteng, approaches her, offering a physics exam paper she has already revised, and expresses concern, believing Lin Beixing is upset because Zhan Yu rejected her confession the previous day.
Tengteng suggests she could talk to Zhan Yu for Lin Beixing during the upcoming graduation photo session. However, Lin Beixing dismisses her friend's worries, asserting that she has much more important things to do. All senior three students gather for their graduation photo. Lin Beixing, confident she will now be the top student, has an internal thought addressing a "little boy," implying she will take his academic standing.
During the photo session, Mr. Gao, the director of student affairs, singles out Lin Beixing's class, criticizing their disorganization, improper uniforms, and poor academic performance, threatening to not take their photo. Lin Beixing challenges him, stating that other classes are also noisy and questioning why her class is always singled out. She boldly declares that the college entrance examination is "not a big deal."
When Mr. Gao sarcastically invites her to share her "exam preparation experience," Lin Beixing seizes the opportunity, grabs the megaphone, and loudly announces that this year's Chinese composition topic for the college entrance examination is "The Crow and the Pitcher," insisting that what she says is absolutely true and warning everyone that they will regret it if they don't believe her.
On June 7th, 2010, the first day of the college entrance examination, Lin Beixing is riding a bus after her exam. She bumps into Zhang Wansen and asks him if the composition topic she announced was indeed correct. She then boasts that because of her, their school's average score has increased by dozens of points. Observing that Zhang Wansen frequently gives speeches, she confidently asks him to write the outstanding student representative's speech for her.
Back home in 2010, Lin Beixing's mother asks about her exam, joking that she doesn't expect much from her or her brother. Lin Beixing confidently suggests she could get into Peking University or Tsinghua University and expresses a wish to eat at "Tuguagua." Her mother mentions it's already 6:30 PM, and her father still hasn't returned. Suddenly, a message appears on her phone: "Something happened at the lighthouse."
Lin Beixing then abruptly wakes up in 2021, her mother rushing her to get ready for work. The driver, who has arrived, mentions failure to wake her despite many alarms, and the Curator has already called. At the zoo, the Curator discusses the declining profits and proposes a "retro fireworks convention," a type of event they held ten years prior.
As he talks, Lin Beixing recalls a past fireworks convention where Zhan Yu won first prize, bought her shoes, and wanted to sing for her, but she told him not to because it was "shameful." During the meeting, a colleague subtly pushes the task of writing the event proposal onto Lin Beixing, and she reluctantly accepts.
Later in 2021, Lin Beixing receives a message from Zhan Yu stating that he has canceled their hotel and honeymoon trip, and that he will tell her family what she dares not say. Annoyed, Lin Beixing deletes the message, which once again transports her back to 2010. She finds herself at a fireworks convention, encountering Zhan Yu who attempts to give her a pair of shoes. She firmly rejects them, stating she doesn't want them.
At the fireworks convention, Zhang Wansen accidentally hits Lin Beixing with a water polo. He apologizes, and she tells him they are "even" after he also helps block other incoming water attacks. The next morning, Tengteng eagerly questions Lin Beixing about her previous evening's outing with Zhan Yu. Lin Beixing, however, states that she didn't go out with him and no longer wishes to speak to him.
Despite Tengteng praising Zhan Yu's qualities, Lin Beixing dismisses him, citing his poor academic performance and her decision to no longer be interested in him. When Zhan Yu appears, Lin Beixing defiantly declares that she has no interest in what he does or how he lives his life in the future.
Tengteng tries to mend things, even suggesting Zhan Yu apologize by taking a photo with Lin Beixing, but Lin Beixing refuses, firmly stating her desire to "live for myself this time," to "cherish the college entrance exam," and to "turn over a new leaf." Following the college entrance examination, Lin Beixing encounters Zhang Wansen again on a bus. She checks if he caught a cold from their previous, wet encounter.
Noticing his music player, she asks to listen, and the two quietly sit together, sharing the music. Back home in 2010, Lin Beixing waits for time to pass, noting that it's 6:30 PM and her father still hasn't returned, the same time as a previous loop. She hopes to remain in the past. However, a new message appears on her phone, revealing that Zhang Wansen of Class One jumped off the lighthouse.
She immediately wakes up at her desk in 2021. The Curator has sent her materials for the upcoming fireworks convention, and in an old photo from a past convention, Lin Beixing spots Zhang Wansen. Realizing his connection to the time loops, she becomes determined to understand "what the ending trigger is."
She deletes a message on her phone, and is transported back to 2010, to the day her mother hands her 20 yuan and asks her to buy stewed pig's foot, wishing her good luck with her exams. As Lin Beixing walks back from the store, Zhang Wansen suddenly grabs her hand and pulls her into a frantic run, glancing back nervously at some strangely dressed individuals.
Exhausted, Lin Beixing asks why he dragged her, lamenting that she dropped her drink and recalling how unlucky she feels whenever she encounters him, even mentioning the water polo incident. Zhang Wansen quickly states that the water polo incident is "two days later" and then admits he was at an internet café when Mr. Gao unexpectedly showed up, forcing him to flee.
Lin Beixing scolds him for being so careless with the college entrance examination so close, knowing that Mr. Gao frequently patrols internet cafés. Zhang Wansen then offers to walk her home. Tengteng approaches Lin Beixing, enthusiastically suggesting they attend a fireworks convention at the zoo the following day, proposing it as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for Lin Beixing to reconcile with Zhan Yu. Lin Beixing expresses disinterest, dismissing Zhan Yu as a "narcissist."
When Zhan Yu himself appears and coldly states that he is not interested in anything she does to gain his attention, a provoked Lin Beixing defiantly announces that she has a "new target" – Zhang Wansen, the "top scorer in our grade," who is "much better than him." She then declares that she will bring Zhang Wansen to the fireworks convention with her the next day, much to the surprise of Tengteng and Zhan Yu.
The next day, Lin Beixing waits for Zhang Wansen at the Nanchuan Zoo's fireworks convention entrance. She eagerly approaches him, offering to walk with him since walking alone is boring. Tengteng soon spots them, surprised by Lin Beixing's newfound closeness with Zhang Wansen, and introduces herself to him. Lin Beixing then buys a headpiece for Zhang Wansen. When they observe a water fight, Lin Beixing excitedly encourages Zhang Wansen to join, then tells him to aim for "them."
She then intentionally throws a water polo at Zhan Yu, causing him to fall into a nearby pond. A furious Zhan Yu confronts her, shouting, "Why can you embarrass me every time?" He angrily demands if she intends to continue making him look foolish, echoing Lin Beixing's own past words to him. Silently leaving the confrontation, Lin Beixing expresses a desire to sit alone. Zhang Wansen approaches her and invites her to ride the ferris wheel.
As they ride, Lin Beixing asks him if she is "kind of annoying" and if she ruined his fun. He honestly agrees, but she quickly dismisses it. She then offers him a piece of advice: "If you fall in love in the future, you must not chase that person all the time. Always chasing him will give him many stress and become a burden to him, just like me."
While watching the fireworks light up the sky, Lin Beixing asks Zhang Wansen a profound question: "If there was a chance to start your life all over again, would you accept it?" Zhang Wansen replies that he would, but adds that it is "not up to me." After the high school graduation photos are taken, Mr. Gao instructs everyone to return home and study for the upcoming college entrance examination.
Lin Beixing, however, stops Zhang Wansen, insisting that their previous group photo doesn't count and asks to take a picture of just the two of them. She takes a selfie with him, noting the poor quality but promising to send it to him later. Before they part, she delivers a stern warning to him: "Zhang Wansen, after the exam, go back home immediately. Don't go to the lighthouse. Got it?" He confirms he understands.
Later, Lin Beixing is at home, anxiously staring at her phone. Her mother is discussing her brother's whereabouts. Suddenly, the familiar message appears on her screen: "It seems to be Zhang Wansen of Class one. He jumped off the lighthouse." Immediately, she is transported back to the year 2021. Back in 2021 at her workplace, Lin Beixing now understands the event that repeatedly ends her trips to the past.
Determined to prevent Zhang Wansen's fate, she attempts to delete the message about him jumping from the lighthouse, hoping to return to ten years ago once more. However, despite her repeated attempts to delete the message, she finds herself unable to travel back in time, questioning why she can no longer return.