The Hope Episode 27 Recap
> The Hope Recap
As the college entrance examination approached, anxiety filled the air, leaving many students sleepless. Li Ran, Cheng Yushan, Yu Yang, and Bian Xiaoxiao all experienced nightmares on the very day their second mock exam results were to be released. The scores came out: Cheng Yushan had 598, Yu Yang 584, Li Ran 579, and Bian Xiaoxiao 512. Shen Yao maintained his top position with 665.
Many students were deeply upset by their results, with one lamenting that if her mother knew she dropped 200 points, she'd be killed, and another declaring, "If I don't pass the cutoff score in the NCEE, let's not meet in this life." Jiang Qinglang, attending a training camp, appeared visibly nervous. During his initial evaluation, he introduced himself as AKA Sunshine, from Yunti in Xingzhou City, and announced his song "Dancing with Me."
However, halfway through, he stopped, apologized to the judges, and walked off the stage, leaving them to comment that he might be under a lot of pressure. With only two months left until the NCEE, Sang Xia's psychological counseling room was overflowing with anxious students. One student shared that she couldn't sleep, constantly thinking about unmemorized knowledge points and unfinished test papers, even dreaming about unsolved problems.
Another student described the intense pressure, feeling panicked despite endless studying, noting that the more she studied, the more anxious she became, even forgetting things she once knew. She mentioned her father's demand for her to reach the undergraduate admission score, otherwise, she wouldn't be his daughter anymore. Students felt pressured to study because everyone else was, but then felt insecure when they realized they knew nothing.
Sang Xia reassured them that anxiety was normal, especially for high-achieving students, and revealed that one student hadn't had her period in two months due to stress. Bian Xiaoxiao also watched Jiang Qinglang's competition video and expressed her concern for him. Back in Class 11, despite a facade of calm, students were deeply anxious after the mock exam. Lei Ming canceled morning self-study and dedicated the first class to "How to Combat Anxiety."
He acknowledged their feelings, noting that they might be so anxious they couldn't sleep or study, and even disliked themselves in the mirror. He explained that the root of anxiety was its lack of specificity – too many difficulties and disorganized thoughts. His first step was "honesty": writing or drawing everything that made them anxious without reservation. After they completed this, Lei Ming pointed out that their lists didn't contain their goals, only "distractions" from achieving them.
His second step was "eliminating distractions and focusing thoughts" by identifying the most prominent and direct goal and "just doing it." For them, this was "scores." He instructed them to break down their ultimate score targets into smaller, weekly plans for each subject. He urged them to "stop overthinking" and "start acting," emphasizing that thinking only consumed time and energy. For example, if they had no appetite, they should just find something easy to do, and hunger would follow.
If they couldn't sleep, they should get up and do something productive like studying or reading, but not endlessly scroll on their phones. He asserted that following these steps would "put anxiety back in its place," revealing it was never as terrifying as they imagined. Lei Ming then turned the students over to Sang Xia, saying the remaining part was her domain.
Sang Xia explained that exercise and play were effective anxiety relievers due to the "endorphin effect," which generates "happiness factors" that uplift spirits. She led the students, including Li Ran, Cheng Yushan, Yu Yang, and Bian Xiaoxiao, on a vigorous bike ride to expend their energy. Afterwards, in a white room, they were given buckets with paint-filled balloons, which they enthusiastically threw and smashed against the walls, effectively releasing their pent-up emotions.
Li Ran worried about improving his score by seventy-six points, which averaged out to thirteen points per subject, a goal he felt was unattainable without dedicated teachers. Bian Xiaoxiao noted that Lei Ming's hairline was receding from stress over finding them teachers. At this point, Ms. Gao Jingjuan, the principal, stepped in with several teachers in tow.
She revealed that Mr. Xiao had persistently approached her over a dozen times verbally and submitted three written reports, even waiting outside her office, to secure teachers for Class 11. Mr. Xiao also provided internal study materials and papers for the final two months of the NCEE. He took the opportunity to apologize to Lei Ming for misunderstanding him regarding Zheng Qian, and Lei Ming returned the sentiment, acknowledging his own hasty judgment.
Despite the new teachers offered, Lei Ming stated that Class 11 "really doesn't need teachers" anymore because he had found a "better solution": the "Little Bee Learning Method." He explained that students would "go out and attend classes like bees collecting nectar." He analyzed each student’s weaknesses and recommended specific teachers: Cheng Yushan, weak in classical Chinese, should attend Mr. Huang Mingfen’s class in Peach Plum Class 1, known for his strong, albeit dry, expertise.
Li Ran, good at physics but weak in chemistry, was advised to attend Mr. Yang Jiang’s class in Peach Plum Class 2, a Master of Physics and Chemistry from Xiangtan University, who could bridge both subjects. Yu Yang, strong in liberal arts but stuck at 70 points in geography, needed new stimulation from Mr. Ma Ciyun in Pine Cypress Class 1, whose visual, engaging, and efficient classes were perfect for breaking through plateaus.
Bian Xiaoxiao, with a weak math foundation, was recommended Mr. Hao Ran in Pine Cypress Class 5, a self-taught math teacher and former railway worker, ideal for strengthening fundamentals. Meanwhile, a real estate agent brought a potential buyer to Lei Ming's house. The buyer appeared overly eager, dismissing flaws like slight water leakage (calling it good luck that "attracts wealth") and external noise (calling it a "lively atmosphere").
The buyer even agreed to pay immediately and allow Lei Ming to stay until the end of the year, pushing to sign the contract that day. Lei Ming, sensing something amiss, asked the agent to contact the buyer later, but the man insisted on signing "right now." Later, Lei Ming confronted Sang Xia, realizing she was the mysterious buyer.
Sang Xia initially denied it, claiming she bought it because a feng shui expert told her it had "good feng shui" and "gathers positive energy," bringing prosperity. Lei Ming, however, rejected her offer, stating he found a "more suitable buyer": Zheng Qian's mother. He explained that with the compensation from Zhixiang and her savings, she now had enough to open a new store, and Lei Ming’s house was ideal for it. He declared this "the best arrangement."
During a faculty meeting, Ms. Gao Jingjuan praised Lei Ming and Sang Xia, highlighting how Minglong Experimental High School had pioneered innovative teaching methods now adopted across Xingzhou City. She acknowledged the challenging "Black Friday" period before the NCEE, a time of anxiety and academic bottlenecks. She then announced a school-wide adoption of Class 11’s model, transforming the "Little Bee Learning Method" into a "Big Bee Learning Method."
The new system would allow all Year 12 students to choose classes based on their needs, fostering collective learning and complementary strengths. Teachers would offer specialized open classes based on their expertise. Mr. Xiao lightened the mood by humorously asking Lei Ming, as part of an English lesson example, if his previous "I love you" was serious. Mr. Lou, usually focused on administration, was seen enthusiastically preparing a physics lesson on rectilinear motion, expressing how he missed teaching.
As the new system took effect, the "Peach Plum" and "Pine Cypress" signs on the class plaques, which designated different academic tiers, were covered with white paper. When asked how to handle this, Mr. Lou responded, "Don't deal with it. Just leave it as it is." He added that from Class 1 to Class 11, class names should simply be numerical, implying the end of academic stratification.
This moment symbolized the reconciliation between the formerly distinct Mingying and Longhai campuses, becoming "only Minglong." Back at the training camp, Jiang Qinglang prepared for his performance. He recalled a past argument with his mother, who had urged him to withdraw, claiming his performance wasn't good. He had accused her of never supporting him, always wanting him to fail to prove she was right.
His mother clarified that she wanted him to sing what he truly desired, not just to conform to the organizers. Standing on stage, Jiang Qinglang announced he wanted to sing a song he genuinely cared about, defying the planned "Little Balloon." Despite initial chaos from the director and a temporary music cut, he continued to sing his heartfelt, self-composed song.
The lyrics expressed his journey: starting from different families but being equal, learning from Mr. Lei Ming that "success has no shortcuts," and bravely pursuing his dreams. He proclaimed that he no longer cared about others' gazes and was "fully armed" to "change fate's courage," steering his own life. The performance ignited the audience and was broadcast live at the school, captivating the students and staff.
His mother, watching from the audience, finally displayed a look of genuine pride and relief. At school, when an administrator asked who covered the class plaques, it was revealed that the students had done it on Li Ran's instruction. Ms. Gao concluded the day by directing everyone's attention to an emergency notification on the multimedia screens, marking another unexpected turn in the dynamic school environment.
