The Hope Episode 16 Recap
> The Hope Recap
Eight years prior, Lei Ming's mother expressed her concern that Lei Ming, despite returning to Xingzhou, still chose to live separately and did not visit his family often. She mentioned that his father, Lei Lizhou, cared for him deeply but was reluctant to show it. Lei Lizhou, however, criticized Lei Ming's choice to work at an educational institution like Zhixiang instead of pursuing a stable teaching position, believing Zhixiang prioritized profit over students.
Lei Ming, feeling his father was biased against him and his workplace, retorted that Zhixiang also aimed to empower students through education. Lei Ming then sought his father's advice on how to guide a peculiar, self-deprecating student in his graduate class who faced social exclusion but had a strong will to learn.
Drawing from his teaching experience, Lei Lizhou emphasized the importance of showing care, encouragement, praise, and trust to build the student's confidence, providing appropriate support to alleviate pressure, and opening their heart. He stressed never giving up on any student and that a teacher's role extends beyond teaching to being a friend and family, offering care and companionship. Four months later, the student Lei Ming had discussed, Zheng Qian, came to his office on her graduation day.
Earlier, Lei Ming had politely declined her attempt to connect on social media, suggesting she use the official channels or re-enroll for more classes. Drunk, Zheng Qian confessed her long-standing affection for Lei Ming, detailing the numerous postcards, gifts, and messages she had sent him. She presented him with a graduation gift, a cuckoo, symbolizing a truth-teller, implying he was like that to her. Lei Ming firmly stated that his role was to impart knowledge and dismissed her sentiments.
Zheng Qian, deeply hurt, questioned if her appearance or inadequacy was the reason for his rejection. She also asked why he had secretly paid her tuition fees, falsely claiming it was a scholarship, and given her so much encouragement if he had no feelings for her, explaining she had persevered because of him.
Lei Ming clarified that his encouragement stemmed from her self-deprecating nature and the scholarship was to prevent her from dropping out, firmly asserting that their relationship had no romantic possibility now or in the future and asking her to let go of her "futile romantic illusions." After Lei Ming apologized, she made one last request for a hug, which he refused with another "Sorry." Following this, Zheng Qian tragically jumped from the building.
In the aftermath, reporters swarmed Lei Lizhou, questioning his son's actions and whereabouts, and whether such tragedies were linked to educational institutions hiring unqualified teachers for profit. Lei Lizhou expressed regret and stated that Lei Ming would take responsibility for the public and Zheng Qian's family, a statement that the media interpreted as an admission of Lei Ming's culpability.
As Lei Ming prepared to leave Xingzhou, Lei Lizhou confronted him, accusing him of lacking remorse and refusing to take responsibility for his actions, and reiterating his prejudice against Zhixiang. Lei Ming angrily countered that his actions were a direct consequence of following his father's own philosophy of student care.
He then launched into a furious tirade, accusing Lei Lizhou of hypocrisy, demanding to know where his father was when his mother was ill, when he needed a father, and now, when he was being condemned by the world. Lei Ming declared that he had spent his life striving for his father's approval and pride, but from that moment on, he no longer needed it because he no longer respected Lei Lizhou.
He vehemently stated he would never become a person like him and ordered his father to leave his home. Back in the present, Lei Ming woke from a nightmare, likely haunted by the past incident. Li Ran, hearing that Lei Ming had paid his tutoring fees, visited Lei Ming to thank him, but Lei Ming coldly dismissed him, telling him not to seek encouragement for the upcoming physics competition.
Meanwhile, Zheng Qian's mother continued to reject Lei Ming's attempts at compensation, refusing to accept a new storefront for her barbecue stall that he had arranged for her. Li Ran received the news that he had narrowly missed qualifying for the physics competition finals. Seeing the disappointed expressions of his classmates, Li Ran recalled Shen Yao's warning about the heavy burden of high expectations and the greater disappointment and blame that follows failure, making him feel uncomfortable.
Cheng Yushan found Li Ran and encouraged him not to give up, reminding him that he still "owed" Lei Ming 30 points on his college entrance exam. Li Ran admitted that he felt disadvantaged compared to his peers who had received extensive, expensive training since childhood, deeming his own rushed preparation for the competition "unphysical."
Cheng Yushan comforted him, explaining that the true joy and value lay not in the result but in the strenuous process—the hard work, sweat, and worn-out shoes—the indelible memories that would still excite him years later, regardless of his circumstances. She told him she knew he could still succeed. At Zhixiang, a presentation highlighted Class 11's unexpected marketing success through their study live stream, garnering significant online discussion and mainstream media coverage, attracting many advertising partners.
Despite this, Class 11's academic prospects remained dim, with AI predictions showing zero students likely to reach Qingbei's score or even the second-tier university threshold, and a mere 9/100,000 chance of all five students being admitted to Qingbei. Mr. Wang acknowledged Lei Ming's slim chances of fulfilling their original agreement (turning Class 11 into a Qingbei Training Project and getting students admitted), but proposed an "invest now" deal.
He suggested that Class 11's current advertising value, stemming from their live stream, was already a success. The condition was for Lei Ming to leave Minglong and endorse Zhixiang, turning Class 11's teaching achievements into an advertisement for Zhixiang's AI education, renaming the "Qingbei Training" to "College Entrance Exam Transformation" to manage expectations. If Lei Ming refused, Zhixiang would withdraw support for his project.
Mr. Wang, his "former boss," urged Lei Ming to accept, citing the immediate financial and reputational benefits, and warned that failure in the college entrance exam would diminish the project's value. Lei Ming, however, questioned if Mr. Wang's eagerness for commercialization stemmed from a lack of belief in the students' ability to get into Qingbei.
Simultaneously, Lei Lizhou's health had severely deteriorated, with a doctor recommending immediate transfer from the nursing home to a hospital due to an advanced urinary tract infection and the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Lei Ming agreed to the transfer. Late that night, Lei Ming messaged Sang Xia, inviting her for a drink. Sang Xia, dressing up for what she thought was a private outing, arrived to find a group gathering of teachers.
Despite her initial awkwardness, she eventually, under the influence of alcohol, told Lei Ming she was starting to believe that the students could actually get into Qingbei. With a heavy heart, Lei Ming apologized to Sang Xia (seemingly for disappointing her burgeoning faith) and then sang a melancholic song about leaving and an uncertain return, reflecting his decision to accept Zhixiang's terms for his father's medical needs. The next day, Lei Ming was unreachable.
After school, two individuals claiming to be Lei Ming's friends intercepted Class 11, promising a "surprise." Although Li Ran attempted to confirm with Lei Ming, he claimed ignorance, leading the students to follow the "friends" to Zhixiang. Upon arrival, they were immediately surrounded by cameras, with staff explaining that Lei Ming had arranged the filming for a video log to document their studies.
They were then ushered into a virtual reality experience as part of their "second training session" at Zhixiang's creative center. The students were then pressured to participate in a live stream, where they were expected to deliver scripted speeches promoting Zhixiang's AI teaching methods. When Cheng Yushan developed a high fever, Li Ran insisted she be taken to a hospital, but the staff coldly refused, reminding them they were "assets" under contract. Just as the situation escalated, Sang Xia arrived.
She forcefully intervened, asserting her legal authority as their head teacher and, when challenged, even threatened physical action, citing her Thai boxing skills. She then led the students away from the live stream, instructing them to shed the promotional clothing they had been made to wear.
