The Hope Episode 11 Recap
> The Hope Recap
In 2018, before the new school year began, Minglong High School held a meeting for the re-election of its Senior Year Parent-Teacher Committee. The merger of two schools meant their respective committees also needed to combine, and a vice president position was open for election. Among the candidates were Shen Hao, father of Shen Yao from Peach Plum Class 2, and Guo Yun, Jiang Qinglang's mother.
Another candidate, Ryan, father of Zhao Qingqing, highlighted his debate team experience and external relations skills, offering his company's full sponsorship for the school's computer room upgrade. Feng Yan, mother of Yu Yang, simply stated she would do whatever the school asked. Zeng Wenhao's father from Pine Cypress Class 4, an engineering businessman, also ran, pledging a significant donation if elected and using the proverb "like begets like." Ultimately, Jiang Qinglang's mother, Guo Yun, was elected.
Back at school, Lei Ming informed the students that their three-day holiday was a deliberate "trap" designed to make them realize the reality of their home routines. He explained that this final class of the ten-day training aimed to make them understand the difference in study habits between the elite Peach Plum Class and their Class 11. He presented pie charts comparing the weekend schedules of parents from both classes, showing time allocated to study/work, sports, leisure, and sleep.
Lei Ming revealed that Peach Plum Class parents were "masters of time management" who instilled value in every second, making elite college entrance just an "ordinary thing" for their children. He argued that the students' parents often unconsciously imposed their own habits, or their time was eroded by endless family trivialities, arguments, and feelings of helplessness.
One student questioned why he couldn't adopt his parents' self-discipline despite their elite habits, to which Lei Ming explained that conflicting parental instructions could result in a "two positives make a negative" outcome. Li Ran interjected, asserting that it all boiled down to family background and the "like begets like" mentality, arguing that Lei Ming's assessment was unfair to parents who worked hard to survive.
Lei Ming conceded his words might be unfair to parents, but stated that life is inherently an unfair game. He challenged Li Ran, saying that complaining wouldn't achieve fairness. Lei Ming emphasized that the true agent of change was not external forces but themselves. He concluded by telling them that for the next year, they were their own individuals, free from inherited habits or external influence.
On the matter of learning, while the "like begets like" saying might apply to leaving parents and family, the "rest of the story," he asserted, was theirs to write. For Cheng Yushan, he advised her to escape her family's original concepts, and for Li Ran, to "clear this unfair game" and establish his own fairness.
Meanwhile, at Cheng Yushan's home, her stepfather accused her of stealing 10,000 yuan that went missing, with her mother not defending her and even suggesting she might have been conned. Cheng Yushan vehemently denied it, stating she was at school for ten days of training, and challenged them to check the surveillance cameras. Her stepfather dismissed the idea, claiming it would take too long.
He then stormed into her room, throwing her belongings and accusing her of buying "crap" with stolen money. Cheng Yushan's mother tried to mediate, urging her to apologize, but Cheng Yushan defiantly declared he was not her father, adding that her real father had passed away long ago. Enraged, her stepfather ordered her to leave the house, throwing her possessions.
He then grabbed her cherished doll, suspecting money was hidden inside, and ruthlessly cut it open with scissors, leaving Cheng Yushan distraught and crying uncontrollably. At that moment, Bian Xiaoxiao arrived, using the pretense that the teacher wanted Cheng Yushan back at school, and whisked her away. Later, the missing money was found back in the shoebox. Cheng Yushan's mother wondered if her own son, Xuan, had taken it, but her stepfather quickly dismissed the thought.
Bian Xiaoxiao took Cheng Yushan to a noodle shop, where they challenged themselves to eat extremely spicy beef noodles, winning two chili peppers as a "secret gift." As they walked, Bian Xiaoxiao recounted her first visit to Xingzhou at age seven, when her father bought her a beautiful fish named Sophie. She believed Sophie was the prettiest fish in their hometown, but it was eaten by a wild cat the very next day.
From that moment, Bian Xiaoxiao vowed to stay in a big city like Xingzhou, believing that beautiful things could only survive there, even if it meant facing judgment, comparison, or contempt, and striving tirelessly to avoid being disliked. She then reassured Cheng Yushan, telling her that even though she knew Cheng Yushan wasn't particularly fond of her, she firmly believed Cheng Yushan hadn't stolen the money, offering an unwavering show of trust.
Later, Lei Ming had a blind date arranged by his aunt, only to find that his date was Bai Lu, Sang Xia's best friend. Sang Xia was also present, having known about the date beforehand and having tried unsuccessfully to contact Lei Ming via WeChat about student issues, complaining that he "kept silent at the critical moment." Lei Ming and Sang Xia inadvertently started discussing work.
Bai Lu, feeling ignored, decided to go to the shop next door for rice noodles, telling Sang Xia to call her if Lei Ming "picked on" her. Sang Xia then presented Lei Ming with the "House, Tree, Person" drawings the students had made during training to analyze their psychological states. She explained that Cheng Yushan's drawing, placed low on the page with a dark, sealed house, indicated insecurity, a strong psychological defense, and hostility towards her family.
Bian Xiaoxiao's drawing, with its single lines and the person facing the house, suggested a tendency to please and an effort to communicate with family. Yu Yang's drawing, showing a person trapped in a window, reflected despair, anxiety, or an unwillingness to engage. Jiang Qinglang's drawing, featuring a house without a chimney but a large sun, implied that warmth came from outside the home, indicating a superficial family life where his true desires were hidden.
Most concerning was Li Ran's drawing, which was full of uncertainty, with the house, tree, and person scattered and askew, signifying torn self-awareness, intense internal conflict, and a tendency to act rashly. His roughly drawn house suggested he had no concept of or desire to understand "home," and the scarred tree bark represented numerous psychological traumas, leaving him wanting to escape but unsure where to go.
Sang Xia criticized Lei Ming for only addressing half the problem by not including parents in understanding their own issues. She then declared that she would be holding a parent-teacher meeting, not asking for his opinion, and assured him she could postpone other school commitments to make it happen. The parent-teacher meeting commenced, with Sang Xia immediately announcing that parents, not students, were the focus. When asked to rate themselves as "good parents," all parents confidently raised their hands.
Sang Xia then distributed a questionnaire designed to identify different parental types, encouraging self-reflection.
She outlined four categories: "parents of excessive competition," who use their children's achievements to validate their own status; "parents of manipulation," who control their children's lives from major decisions to minor habits, subtly "kidnapping" them with love and sacrifice; "parents of evasion," who avoid family problems and responsibilities, leading to a loss of trust and security for their children; and "parents of excessive indulgence," who lack discipline, leading to a lack of responsibility and potentially bad habits in their children.
Sang Xia shared cautionary tales, including a child who ran away after parents invaded his privacy and another who committed suicide after his mother failed to defend him against accusations or his father's verbal abuse. She gently suggested that despite their confidence, parents might be "so wrong on each question." When parents protested, Lei Ming stepped in. Sang Xia then advised parents to "not pay excessive attention to your children," quoting Kahlil Gibran, "Your children are not your children.
They come through you but not from you." Lei Ming added that parents should avoid constantly instructing their children, making excessive arrangements, or binding their care to their children's success, warning against "kidnapping your children with your love." He concluded by saying that the upcoming year would be a battle for their children, and what they truly needed might be different from what parents assumed, offering parents the chance for a daily "make-up exam" on their parenting.
Later that day, Shen Yao's mother picked him up, giving him an address, Yueli Bay No. 8, Building B, Room 1003, and instructing him to ask his father if he would come home for his birthday dinner. Shen Yao, visibly distressed and clutching his wrist, asked if he could avoid going.
Reluctantly, he went upstairs and heard sounds of a piano, laughter, and cheering from inside the apartment, confirming his father was with another woman, whom guests called a "talented girl," and jokingly referring to the music as his father and the woman's "love song." Shen Yao returned to the car, telling his mother his father had "no reaction." His mother questioned the woman's age, estimating "25?" and her profession, "seems to do music."
Noticing Shen Yao's hand, she then commented that his father "is dating girls younger" but found out the apartment was rented, not bought, predicting his father would get "tired of her within three months." Shen Yao simply replied, "Mom, I'm hungry," indicating his profound unhappiness. Meanwhile, it was also Li Ran's birthday. His grandmother warmly wished him a happy birthday, serving him longevity noodles.
She proudly showed him her savings, "almost six figures," accumulated by frugality, including renting out their old house as a warehouse. She urged him to focus on his studies and not worry about saving money, assuring him that their life would "grow better." She then presented him with a small cake, explaining it was a free gift she received when buying a larger one for Shen Yao, adding that "it'll be the same in the belly."
Li Ran closed his eyes and wished his "granny a long life," while his grandmother wished he "could enter Qingbei." Despite their cramped living conditions, their small celebration was filled with warmth and love, a stark contrast to Shen Yao's lonely birthday.
