The Hope Episode 6 Recap
> The Hope Recap
Lei Ming, reflecting on his strict upbringing in 1993, recalled how his father, Mr. Lei, instilled in him a meticulous approach to time management, asserting that the way one handles time dictates how one handles life. His father's focus was so intense that Lei Ming often came home to find him tutoring other students, with only a cold bun left for his dinner. His mornings began with a precise countdown, multitasking to gain an advantage, a method his father championed.
He remembered his father's words that time never waits for the weak and prefers to be controlled rather than chased. This intense self-discipline was a result of his father's belief that being frugal with time would lead to time being generous in return, and managing oneself was a vital ability to be a beacon in darkness.
Lei Ming's father often recited classical texts about enduring hardship to achieve greatness, explaining that when Heaven bestows great responsibility, it first inflicts suffering, toil, hunger, and disorder to sharpen one's character. His father emphasized that life is a race against time; one must learn to manage and master it, remaining resilient and prepared for challenges to achieve a remarkable life. Lei Ming, now an adult in 2018, continued these habits, waking precisely at 5 AM.
He rode his repaired old motorcycle, a prized possession from 2003 he had bought with his own savings. He remembered his father's disapproval and refusal to celebrate his admission to Qingbei University, instead demanding a liability waiver for potential motorcycle accidents. Despite this, Lei Ming found contentment in his disciplined routine, even on his birthday, though he was facing financial difficulties as evidenced by several overdue credit card bills and rent notices.
News reports also highlighted the struggles of Zhixiang Education, where Wang Yunyang, the head of their education sector, announced declining revenue and plans for increased investment in online education and AI. On the first day of training, Lei Ming, now a teacher, led the five students of Class 11—Li Ran, Cheng Yushan, Jiang Qinglang, Bian Xiaoxiao, and Yu Yang—in planting a bay tree. This unusual activity during morning exercises drew a crowd and some ridicule from other students.
Li Ran questioned the value of planting a tree instead of studying. Lei Ming clarified that this tree would be where they would hang their Qingbei admission letters a year later, symbolizing the starting point of their miracles and proving their doubters wrong.
He then announced three rules for the ten-day training focused on Chinese, math, and English: a guarantee of at least a fifty-point increase, strict prohibition of cheating (with immediate expulsion for offenders), and a directive not to call him "teacher," as he felt the title was too noble for him. He suggested alternatives like "Lei," "Brother Lei," or "Mr. Lei," as long as it wasn't "teacher."
Back in the classroom, while other classes were diligently studying, Class 11 students were largely idle. Bian Xiaoxiao was even live streaming, and Cheng Yushan was asleep. Lei Ming, observing them through the school's monitoring system, arrived and confiscated their phones, explaining that phones were the biggest obstacle to their Qingbei aspirations, not intelligence, scores, or parents. His first lesson was "phone withdrawal," where he set all their phones to maximum volume.
The constant notifications triggered a strong urge in the students. Yu Yang was the first to break, needing to reply to his mother to prevent her from worrying excessively. Lei Ming agreed, but only if Yu Yang screen-mirrored his phone for everyone to see. He explained this was the "craving" stage of addiction, where the unknown content compelled them to check. Bian Xiaoxiao, after seeing negative comments on her live stream when she reluctantly mirrored her screen, experienced significant embarrassment.
Lei Ming used this to illustrate the "response" and "reward" mechanisms of phone addiction, teaching them to avoid triggers, stop craving, refrain from responding, and never allow themselves the reward of checking their phones. He then mandated that all phones be placed in a designated box upon entering the classroom, with the class monitor (Li Ran) facing a three-day phone confiscation if anyone failed to comply.
Shortly after, Yu Yang's mother, Auntie Feng, rushed in, worried because she couldn't reach him. Lei Ming instructed her to contact Sang Xia for future updates, emphasizing that constant communication would hinder Yu Yang's studies. He also dismissed Class 11 early for lunch to allow them to eat without crowds. Sang Xia expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of Lei Ming's phone withdrawal method, noting how many adults struggle with time management.
Lei Ming, drawing on his own tough upbringing, claimed it was not optimism but experience, then requested Sang Xia to obtain permission for the monitoring room, implicitly offering her psychological health class time in return. During lunch break, Li Ran overheard other students disparaging Yu Yang, accusing him of cheating to get into Mingying and being a "Mama's boy." Jiang Qinglang confronted these students. Jiang Qinglang later managed to borrow a phone from a friend to play games.
Meanwhile, Bian Xiaoxiao overheard her "plastic sisters," Pan Ya, Yang Lin, and Sun Jia, criticize her for forgetting to promote Mubei. They then suggested she film Cheng Yushan to gain popularity. Jiang Qinglang intervened, criticizing Mubei's poor academic record and a past incident where he mispronounced a classical phrase about students, implying that following such an idol might affect their intellect.
He told Bian Xiaoxiao that she was "not like them" and offered himself as a subject for her videos if her friends pressured her again. Elsewhere, Li Ran, Yu Yang, and Cheng Yushan attempted to unlock the phone box with a wire. Lei Ming caught them in the act. Lei Ming then took the three students to the monitoring room, where Sang Xia had distracted the staff by offering to treat them to their favorite peach-flavored milk tea.
Calling it Minglong's "top secret," Lei Ming showed them live feeds of other classes. He compared Peach Plum Class 2, a high-achieving class with no special talent students, to Pine Cypress Class 4, an average class with a third of students capable of reaching second-tier universities.
He highlighted the stark difference in their pre-class habits: Peach Plum students cleared their desks, pre-studied, and prepared thoroughly to maximize every minute of learning, while Pine Cypress students wasted their break time, arriving exhausted and uninterested in class. Lei Ming explained the purpose of a countdown, likening the college entrance exam to a marathon where a visible finish line keeps runners motivated.
He also quoted an English proverb about the "wolf having a winning game when the shepherds quarrel" to illustrate the constant competition, emphasizing that someone is always trying to surpass them. He concluded that understanding this competition was crucial, and his efforts to bring them there would not be in vain if they grasped this lesson. Sang Xia then reflected, wondering if someone, too, was watching Lei Ming's back.
