Summer Again Episode 16 Recap
> Summer Again Recap
Xu Ao deliberately brought Tao Zhu back into the Drama Club to provoke his girlfriend, Xiao Qing, effectively using Tao Zhu as a mere tool. Behind Tao Zhu's back, Xiao Qing openly disparaged her, calling her "pompous, stupid, moonstruck, and low class." Xu Ao then admitted he indeed brought Tao Zhu back to "provoke" Xiao Qing, confirming his manipulative intent.
He further revealed that he had given all of Tao Zhu's lines to Xiao Qing and viewed Tao Zhu's role as the Tin Man as an opportunity to "pretend to be crazy and stupid," thereby adding a unique feature to their version of "The Wizard of Oz". Tao Zhu, having overheard their conversation, confronted them directly. She expressed her deep disappointment in Xu Ao, whom she had previously admired and diligently assisted without question, only to be betrayed.
Xiao Qing tried to dismiss Tao Zhu's accusations as a misunderstanding regarding "performance details." Tao Zhu then listed their insults and accusations, revealing how they had called her "pompous and stupid," tricked her into a stooge role, and used her to provoke Xiao Qing. She accused Xu Ao of making the best use of people. A friend, later identified as Wang Yiming, defended Tao Zhu, expressing shame on behalf of Xu Ao and Xiao Qing.
Xiao Qing defensively told them not to be so aggressive. Tao Zhu, asserting herself, declared that while she is nice, it doesn't mean she can be bullied or laughed at, emphasizing that playing a stooge doesn't make her a joke. Feeling her contributions were unappreciated and her dignity violated, she announced her immediate withdrawal from the Drama Club.
After Tao Zhu's departure, still dressed in her costume, she expressed her anger at Xu Ao's treatment by throwing away drinks Wang Yiming had bought for the drama club members. She firmly stated her self-esteem and questioned why Xu Ao treated her like a fool. Wang Yiming, witnessing Tao Zhu's distress, went to confront Xu Ao privately and returned with visible injuries to his face. Tao Zhu, concerned for Wang Yiming, then took him to apologize to Xu Ao.
Wang Yiming offered a reluctant apology for hitting him, but Xu Ao was completely unrepentant. He mocked Wang Yiming with a "Meteor Garden" reference and then chastised Tao Zhu for causing significant losses to the drama club by walking out, to which Tao Zhu countered that her role was insignificant anyway. When Tao Zhu confronted him about his previous insults, Xu Ao brazenly denied them, calling it "slander."
He then aggressively asserted his authority as president and senior, claiming he could criticize anyone, and taunted Wang Yiming for supposedly acting tough only to return to "apologise like a toady" and "hiding behind a girl." Incensed by Xu Ao's continued insults, particularly towards Wang Yiming, Tao Zhu warned him to "watch your mouth," declaring, "Only I can bully him. As for others, stop dreaming!"
She then kicked Xu Ao in his private parts, to which Xu Ao retaliated by ordering his friends to "beat her up." Afterward, Wang Yiming worried if Xu Ao would report them to the teachers, fearing consequences like being punished. Tao Zhu confidently declared that Xu Ao wouldn't dare, and Wang Yiming added that he wouldn't leave Xu Ao any evidence.
She then gently cleaned a cut on Wang Yiming's face, to which he playfully complained about her lack of conscience, having been injured for her sake. She then asked if her performance was "handsome," which Wang Yiming affirmed, adding that Tao Zhu was also very handsome. They then went to get milk tea together. Meanwhile, after class, Tong Xi, exhausted from daily dance practice and her mother's "cold stares," visited Lin Nanyi.
She expressed her weariness and desire for everything to end quickly. Lin Nanyi then presented her with a pair of ballet shoes as a gift, hoping it would "restore her to full health." Tong Xi was thrilled but explained that new shoes are hard and require extensive breaking in before they can be used for dancing, so she would cherish them instead. While they were talking, Ni Xiaowan happened to walk by, overhearing their conversation.
She claimed she was just "passing by" to "borrow a book" from the Blue Elephant, but a pang of jealousy was evident as she watched them. Later at home, Ni Xiaowan discovered her mother had retrieved a discarded dance skirt that Ni Xiaowan had secretly thrown away from the trash.
Ni Xiaowan was horrified and tried to discard it again, but her mother explained her intention to repurpose the "good material" into small purses to sell, even suggesting Ni Xiaowan keep one for herself, which she vehemently refused. Feeling overwhelmed, Ni Xiaowan ran out of the house, lamenting why Tong Xi seemed to get everything so easily while she struggled, wishing only for a "better life." This incident intensified her resentment towards Tong Xi.
On the day of the Arts Festival, Tao Zhu and Wang Yiming arrived early to secure good seats, equipped with banners (Wang Yiming had a pink one, which he found "a little weird" for himself, and Tao Zhu had a blue one). They decided against going backstage to avoid disturbing Tong Xi, but planned to cheer loudly for her, practicing the chant, "Tong Xi, Tong Xi, best in the world!" Meanwhile, Lin Nanyi was with a nervous Tong Xi backstage.
This was her first formal ballet performance, and her mother was in the audience. Lin Nanyi reassured her, comparing dancing to painting, where natural flow comes from being in sync with the rhythm. As a staff member called Tong Xi for makeup, Lin Nanyi encouraged her to relax, promising to wait in the audience and telling her not to be scared. Tong Xi wondered if a good performance would make her mother happier.
Separately, Tong Xi's father arrived at the venue with flowers and asked the class monitor if he could sit in the designated Xi Hai High School section, requesting the monitor to inform Tong Xi of his presence. Ni Xiaowan, under the pretense of concern, entered Tong Xi's dressing room with a bowl of porridge, insisting she eat it.
Despite Tong Xi's repeated refusals, Ni Xiaowan persisted, then "accidentally" spilled the porridge all over Tong Xi's original ballet shoes, rendering them unusable. Tong Xi, realizing the malicious intent, calmly told Ni Xiaowan to leave, stating she would handle it herself. With her original shoes ruined, Tong Xi was forced to wear the new, stiff ballet shoes gifted by Lin Nanyi. On stage, the unyielding shoes caused her to stumble and fall during her "La Bayadere" ballet solo.
Despite the setback, Tong Xi refused to give up. Drawing strength from her mother's unfulfilled dream of performing on stage and Lin Nanyi's encouragement, she bravely removed the new shoes and completed her entire performance barefoot, her toes aching. As soon as her dance concluded, Lin Nanyi rushed onto the stage, carried her off, and took her towards the infirmary, leaving Ni Xiaowan seething with frustration.
On the way to the infirmary, Tong Xi commented on their dramatic exit, feeling like they were "making an idol drama." She recounted Ni Xiaowan's deliberate act of spilling porridge on her old shoes, expressing gratitude for Lin Nanyi's new pair which allowed her to perform.
She reflected that Ni Xiaowan "wasn't like this" when they first met, with Lin Nanyi noting that "people change," but Tong Xi decided to let the matter go, relieved that "the most important thing" hadn't been lost. During their conversation, Lin Nanyi attempted to confess his feelings to Tong Xi, but was interrupted by a phone call from Tong Xi's father.
At the hospital, Tong Xi's mother immediately scolded her for her sprained ankle, criticizing her carelessness during a "simple movement" in "La Bayadere" and expressing concern about how she would dance during the "100 days" of recovery, implying Tong Xi would become a failure like her. Tong Xi's father tried to intervene, but her mother continued to berate Tong Xi, accusing her of being sixteen or seventeen with "no plan," acting "impulsively," and being unable to "do anything well."
She then lashed out at Tong Xi's father, stating that she raised Tong Xi alone and would not spoil her, fearing Tong Xi would end up "a failure like me" or "useless like you." Hurt by her mother's selfish remarks, Tong Xi confronted her, explaining that she had initially been happy about her mother's birthday gift, believing it showed underlying care despite the strictness.
However, she now realized her mother only cared about ballet and the fulfillment of her own dreams through Tong Xi, not Tong Xi's actual pain or fatigue. Feeling that she could never satisfy her mother because she was never truly treated as a daughter, Tong Xi declared, "I don't want your love." She then angrily walked out of the hospital alone, despite her father and Lin Nanyi's attempts to stop her.
Tong Xi's father called Lin Nanyi, who promised to search for her. Lin Nanyi then called Tao Zhu, asking if Tong Xi had contacted her, and continued his search for Tong Xi.
