The Hope Episode 10 Recap
> The Hope Recaps
Jiang Qinglang's parents arrived at the school to take him home, but his mother observed his reluctance to leave Class 11, a look of strong determination she hadn't seen in him since he was ten years old, when he was learning to swim. She decided to trust Lei Ming and Sang Xia, hoping that in Class 11, Jiang Qinglang would not only put in effort but also achieve significant results.
She provided him with fresh clothes and some low-sugar, zero-fat snacks to share with his classmates before he rejoined the group. Back in the classroom, Lei Ming revealed the true nature of their recent test. He explained that out of forty questions, only the twelve prime-numbered ones were within their syllabus, and the rest were intentionally beyond their current capabilities. The students, to their relief, realized they had answered all the prime-numbered questions correctly, validating their hard work.
Lei Ming declared the ten-day training concluded, congratulating them on reaching this stage. He announced a three-day break for them to go home and review, with strict instructions to maintain their training routine and not to contact teachers or come to school. Class monitor Cheng Yushan was put in charge of supervision. As the announcement finished, Jiang Qinglang enthusiastically returned, proclaiming his decision to stay in Class 11.
On the first day of the break, the students dutifully clocked in online at 5:30 AM. Cheng Yushan, despite her supervisory role, found her own studies frequently interrupted as she had to help her mother serve customers, refill tea, and cut fruit in their busy tea shop. At Li Ran’s home, his grandmother accidentally shattered a valuable crystal decorative vase that Mr. Shen had brought back from Japan.
She dismissed it as minor and told Li Ran not to worry, but another housekeeper suggested that Li Ran discreetly check its price online. Jiang Qinglang, trying to study at home, was constantly disrupted by his parents' bickering, first over a trivial matter like opening a window, and later when his mother caught him texting a friend. Overwhelmed by the arguments, he eventually yelled at his parents to leave him alone.
Lei Ming visited his father at a nursing home and unexpectedly encountered Captain Hou, one of his father’s former students. Hou informed Lei Ming that his father had been quiet about their visit and warned him about his father's worsening memory, suggesting he might even forget Lei Ming soon.
Hou then presented Lei Ming with the necessary business and hygiene licenses for his food stall and informed him that his impounded cart was ready for pickup, emphasizing that he must operate within the designated mobile vendor zone. Lei Ming's thoughts drifted back to his childhood, recalling how his father, a dedicated teacher, often prioritized his students over family, even when Lei Ming’s mother was ill.
His mother had explained that his father was like a gardener, nurturing his students as his most precious fruits. Later, a caregiver at the nursing home informed Lei Ming that his father's numerous potted plants were attracting bugs and disrupting the landscaping plan, suggesting they be discarded. Lei Ming decided to take all the plants home with him. The students' disciplined routine began to fray on the second day of the holiday, with some missing their early morning check-ins.
Li Ran, after observing his grandmother anxiously checking her passbook, realized the broken vase was a financial burden. He accepted a rush order for phone repairs, which offered double pay, hoping to earn enough to help. Meanwhile, Bian Xiaoxiao faced the displeasure of her cousin, whose room she was occupying. He complained about his belongings, including vehicle models and posters, being moved. Her aunt defended Bian Xiaoxiao, but her cousin hinted at his aunt's financial dependence.
Yu Yang found himself trapped in a volatile dinner with his divorced parents. His mother, Auntie Feng, had invited Mr. Huang, the gatekeeper, to dinner, which Yu Yang's father also attended. The ex-spouses exchanged cutting remarks, with his father mocking Auntie Feng’s cafeteria job and her perceived relationship with Mr. Huang, while criticizing Yu Yang’s expensive tutoring and his lack of knowledge about "Class 11."
He pushed Yu Yang to abandon his studies and become a truck driver like him if he failed his exams. The relentless arguments drove Yu Yang to lock himself in his room. Through the closed door, he cried out that if he didn't pass his exams this year, he would indeed go with his father to drive trucks, leaving his mother collapsing in despair.
Lei Ming, seated at a barbecue stall, witnessed the boss lady being confronted by her brother, who demanded money and accused her of exploiting her daughter for profit. When the brother turned aggressive, Lei Ming intervened and forcefully drove him away. On the third day of the holiday, Li Ran looked up the price of Mr. Shen’s broken crystal vase online and was stunned by the exorbitant cost.
Unexpectedly, Shen Yao's father invited Li Ran to attend a physics competition class with Shen Yao, noting the teacher was highly sought after and Li Ran could "experience the atmosphere." Li Ran agreed. During the class, they were given a preliminary paper. While Shen Yao performed well on the foundational problems, he struggled with the challenging final question. Li Ran, despite having a weak foundation and making errors on some regular problems, surprisingly solved the advanced problem.
He explained his unique method of deducing formulas by eliminating options and validating them with other questions, earning praise from the teacher, who called him a "genius." Shen Yao's father, however, was visibly angered by Shen Yao's comparative performance, chastising him and suggesting that Li Ran, who lacked the opportunity to study competition physics, might surpass him. Shen Yao tightly clenched his fists.
Later, Shen Yao's father told Li Ran that his problem-solving style was uncannily similar to Li Ran's own father's. This remark triggered a flood of painful childhood memories for Li Ran, recalling his father’s past protests against an "unscrupulous factory" with shouts of "blood for blood" and "work injury compensation is morally justified," followed by episodes of domestic violence towards him and his mother.
Lei Ming later returned to the nursing home and was informed by Mr. Wang, another resident, that his father had been in the bathroom for over an hour, and Mr. Wang was hesitant to knock due to a past incident. Lei Ming opened the door to find his father distressed, attempting to wash his soiled pants after an episode of incontinence. Lei Ming tried to reassure him and offered to help.
His father, in a state of confusion, threw the pants at Lei Ming. As Lei Ming moved to close the door to assist him, his father, disoriented and agitated, asked Lei Ming who he was, and then repeatedly pleaded with him not to tell his son about the incident.
