The Big Boss Episode 8 Recap
> The Big Boss Recap
One day after school, Zhu Shanqi saw Xue Xiaodong sitting alone and decided to approach him. She wanted to do so in a natural manner. She saw a mug on his desk, pretended to sprain her ankle, and swept the mug to the floor, shattering it. She then feigned a startled apology. While pretending to clean up the broken pieces, her finger was cut, and Xue Xiaodong kindly put a band-aid on it, which she internally vowed never to remove.
She seized the opportunity to invite Xue Xiaodong for afternoon tea, offering to buy him a new mug. Though he initially declined, she insisted on compensating him. Xue Xiaodong, however, had already seen through Zhu Shanqi's intentions. Her acting skills were mediocre, and she had been smiling suspiciously at him from her seat before approaching him. He revealed that the mug she broke was a very expensive, limited-edition item.
Zhu Shanqi was later shocked when she discovered the mug's exorbitant price online. She was "doomed" and couldn't even afford a fake. Classmate Shen Wei, who witnessed the entire incident, capitalized on this, knowing Zhu Shanqi would need a replacement. Shen Wei, who was selling fake mugs online, branded them as "love stops tragedy" and marketed them as a way to "attract the attention and win the heart of the person you love."
Meanwhile, Huang Nan and Huang Yi also saw a business opportunity in the "mug incident." They launched a "mug trend" campaign, encouraging students to break the mugs of their crushes as a way to initiate conversation. They ended up distributing many mugs to various retailers across the school. Later, Ye Muqi approached Liao Danyi, dropping her usual arrogant demeanor and asking him to "be with me" and "come a little closer."
Liao Danyi, looking at her as if she were an idiot, flatly refused. Ye Muqi then revealed her true intention: she wanted to copy his English answers. When he refused, she returned to her seat dejectedly, telling Zhu Shanqi that their "negotiation failed" and they had no answers for the upcoming English exam. Xue Xiaodong, who confessed that his management team usually did his schoolwork and he hadn't prepared, joined them.
Realizing they could only rely on themselves, Ye Muqi, Zhu Shanqi, Xue Xiaodong, and several other classmates formed a cheating alliance. They discussed methods for creating tiny cheat sheets and hiding them in various places, from beverage packages and towels to pencil cases, their arms, handheld fans, and even their clothing. As their "Boss," Ye Muqi rallied them, declaring she wouldn't give up on any of them, and they cheered, "Good luck with cheating!"
However, during the exam, their cunning English teacher was one step ahead. She meticulously checked all the students, collecting pencil cases and prohibiting drinks, effectively eliminating all their cheat sheet hiding spots. Huang Nan and Huang Yi, giving up, submitted blank papers and left, singing as if carefree. The other students struggled, and ultimately, their attempts to cheat ended in failure.
Soon, the mid-term exam results were released, and Class 10 once again had the worst performance in the entire school. Director Yan sternly reprimanded them, declaring that their mistakes were not just wrong, but "outrageously wrong," even suggesting the textbooks could sue them. In Ye Muqi's mind, this scolding transformed into an elaborate court trial. Director Yan was the presiding judge, and the failed students were the defendants. Various academic "representatives" testified against them.
A Chinese literature figure, Mr. Xu Zhimo, criticized Ye Muqi's answer for the "four great writers of the early Tang Dynasty" as "The Eastern Heretic, the Western Venom, the Southern Emperor, and the Northern Beggar," and her classification of Du Fu as belonging to the "egg pie school."
"Newton," representing science, pointed out Zhu Shanqi's answers for biology (starch mixed with iodine becomes a "steamed bun") and chemistry (distinguishing nitrite from salt by "tasting them; the thing that poisons you is nitrite"), labeling it "pseudoscience." English representatives highlighted Ye Muqi's translation of "warm in winter and cool in summer" as "east warm, summer cool," and Huang Nan and Huang Yi's answer for "What happens when an earthquake hits?" as "You die, I die, everybody die."
Even a dinosaur representing history recounted Ye Muqi's answer for the princess who married Songtsen Gampo for peace as "Snow White." Just as Director Yan, the judge, was about to pass sentence, Liao Danyi appeared as their defense lawyer. He pleaded with the judge to give "these idiots" a chance to make amends, acknowledging their serious crimes but suggesting there was a reason for their poor grades.
Back in reality, Director Yan continued his reprimand, mentioning that failing more than four subjects would lead to suspension. To Ye Muqi's horror, she had failed all seven subjects. Many other classmates also performed terribly. However, Director Yan delivered a piece of good news: the principal, showing mercy, had granted them an opportunity for make-up exams in three days. Passing these would prevent suspension.
To help his classmates pass, Liao Danyi, as the class's study representative, decided to hold make-up lessons that night at "this idiot's house," referring to Ye Muqi. The usually arrogant and mischievous students, now facing potential expulsion, eagerly clung to Liao Danyi, begging for his help. That evening, everyone gathered at Ye Muqi's house. Liao Danyi announced that Ye Muqi's brother, Ye Yihan, would also assist with the tutoring.
Ye Muqi was surprised to learn from Liao Danyi that Ye Yihan was once the top student in the city. Ye Yihan humbly downplayed his past achievements. To prove his academic prowess, Ye Yihan agreed to demonstrate a "trick" for solving problems. He spread a test paper on the table, grabbed pens, and expertly threw them like darts, with the pen tips landing precisely on the correct answers. Everyone was astonished, including Ye Muqi.
However, Ye Yihan's teaching method quickly veered off course, transforming into an impromptu hotpot cooking session. Liao Danyi, clearly frustrated by the distraction, gently told Ye Yihan to go and rest, taking over the serious task of tutoring himself. The students continued studying late into the night. Eventually, most of them succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep. Only Ye Muqi remained awake, diligently working on problems with Liao Danyi's guidance.
As they leaned closer while solving a problem, their hands brushed, and both immediately pulled away, feeling an "uncomfortable," "sick" sensation. They quickly refocused on their studies. Three days later, the make-up exams arrived. The students, brimming with confidence after their intensive night of tutoring, successfully completed the exams. After the results came out, Ye Muqi and the others all passed.
Ye Muqi reflected on the experience, realizing that "there is justice in this world," "hard work pays," and ultimately, "doing is better than saying." She proudly noted that she achieved the minimum passing score for all seven exams, attributing it not to luck, but to her newfound "strength."
