The Hope Episode 1 Recap
> The Hope Recap
In 2018, as Xingzhou prepared for the new school year, there was ongoing debate about the college entrance exam's fairness. Some believed that the era of bright students from humble backgrounds was over, making it difficult for ordinary people to get into prestigious schools. Others asserted that destiny was in one's own hands, maintaining that the exam remained the fairest competition.
Meanwhile, Lei Ming promoted himself in a park, enthusiastically convincing parents that with enough effort, anyone could succeed, regardless of their starting point. He claimed to help aspiring students get into top universities like Qingbei. The unveiling ceremony for the newly merged Minglong Experimental High School took place, sparking discussions about whether Principal Lou Jingzhi, formerly the head of Longhai High School, would even attend, given his new role as vice principal.
To everyone's surprise, Principal Lou arrived, explaining he was delayed by handover tasks at Longhai. The merger combined Mingying High School, known as the "Qingbei of Xingzhou" with a 98% first-tier university acceptance rate, and Longhai High School, which had only a 20% second-tier acceptance rate. This merger was intended to promote educational equality, but a week prior, Principal Gao Jingjuan of Mingying had conducted a diagnostic test for all third-year students across both schools.
Based on the results, she re-sorted classes and privately advised lower-ranked students, mostly from Longhai, to pursue alternative paths instead of the standard college entrance exam. This caused considerable controversy among parents, with some supporting the "teach students according to their aptitude" approach, while others protested the perceived unfairness.
In a televised interview, Principal Lou countered these claims, asserting that no student, regardless of their academic standing, would be abandoned, referencing the "Lizhou Miracle" of Lei Lizhou, who had successfully sent hundreds of struggling students to university through free tutoring. Back at the school, Principal Gao Jingjuan and Principal Lou Jingzhi discussed their divergent educational philosophies.
Gao Jingjuan advocated for vocational and general education, viewing it as "teaching students according to their aptitude" and a way to develop skilled personnel and broaden career paths. However, Principal Lou argued that this approach would be seen as a "de facto expulsion" by parents and students from Longhai, effectively abandoning them.
He proposed creating an "experimental class" to achieve another "Lizhou Miracle," aiming for students with scores below 350 to get into first-tier universities within a year, thereby fostering a "Minglong spirit." Principal Gao, though skeptical that such a miracle could be replicated, agreed to allow both methods to proceed simultaneously, stating that teaching could be experimental but students could not. She asked what Lei Ming's requirements were.
He requested a classroom, an office, the right to choose his own teachers and students, and to participate in the next day's opening ceremony. He also asked for an assistant. In response, Principal Gao assigned Sang Xia, a psychology teacher with a history of unconventional teaching methods and numerous parent complaints, to be the homeroom teacher for the new class. Despite Sang Xia's initial protests about her busy schedule, Gao insisted.
In a cafe, while Lei Ming was discussing nursing home options for his father, who suffered from Alzheimer's and believed Lei Ming was still in college, he noticed a young woman, Cheng Yushan, from Longhai High School, who had changed into a short skirt and was meeting a man. Lei Ming, distracted, overheard their conversation. Cheng Yushan asked the man if he could take her to Shanghai and help her find a job.
The man made inappropriate advances, but Cheng Yushan cleverly exposed his deception by revealing his local ID, bank cards, and apartment access card, proving he was not an out-of-town businessman. After she left, Lei Ming picked up a dropped math test from her seat, noticing it had only a few correct answers, but the last major question was perfectly solved, indicating her potential.
Lei Ming decided that his father, who loved teaching, would prefer to be in a place with many people where he could still "teach," opting for the more affordable, shared-room nursing plan instead of the high-end private care. The next day, during school entry, students from Mingying were allowed through without checks, while Longhai students faced strict bag inspections. Li Ran, a Longhai student, attempted to smuggle numerous cell phones by pretending to be a Mingying student.
However, Lei Ming, now working at the school, exposed his scheme by pulling the phones from his clothes. Li Ran was then singled out as a disciplinary example during the opening ceremony. Called on stage for a public apology, he instead defiantly read the same laudatory speech just given by the student representative. Afterward, Principal Gao announced the creation of a new experimental class for students aiming for Double First-Class universities. She then introduced Lei Ming to give a presentation.
Lei Ming, holding an uprooted sapling, took the stage and invited all third-year students to the track for a game. Students grumbled about the heat, but Lei Ming explained it was a "sociological game" where they would move forward or backward based on honest answers to his questions.
He asked if they had extracurricular talents, if their parents could help with homework, if they had private tutors, if they felt confident about finding a job after graduation, and if their families were happy. He then asked them to step back if they often spent birthdays alone, worried about non-academic issues, lacked a quiet study environment, if their parents often missed parent-teacher conferences, or if they had no concept of their future careers. As the game progressed, most Mingying students moved to the front, while Li Ran and Cheng Yushan, both from Longhai, found themselves at the very back of the track.
