The Hope Episode 8 Recap
> The Hope Recap
The students awoke to Lei Ming's lively lesson in the classroom, where he introduced them to his unique method of learning English through 100 Chinese songs he had personally adapted. He explained that English is a simple language, and his method aimed to build a bridge between Chinese and English, incorporating frequently tested collocations and easily confused vocabulary.
Lei Ming demonstrated how to use the songs to remember grammar and then announced that from that day forward, an English song would be sung during every afternoon self-study session, with Jiang Qinglang, the English representative, supervising. Sang Xia, initially skeptical of his "weird pedagogy," eventually found herself unconsciously dancing along outside the classroom. Lei Ming believed that English songs, unlike dull textbooks, offered a rich tapestry of "wildest imagination," "inconspicuous love," and "struggle against pain."
On the third day of the training camp, a new mathematics teacher, Hu Chong, arrived. He was initially hesitant to teach only five students, but Lei Ming persuaded him to stay. Hu Chong had trouble with the computer, so Li Ran, the class monitor, helped him set it up. Hu Chong immediately laid down strict rules: "no singing, no dancing, no jokes," and no "cozying up," advising students to go to Lei Ming for "unfun entertainment."
He introduced himself as a retired teacher who had taught Lei Ming and possibly even the students' parents, proudly calling himself "the human question bank" because he had seen every real exam question. Jiang Qinglang scoffed, mentioning the "Miao Question Bank" app. Hu Chong challenged him, proving his rapid recall by instantly solving complex past exam questions that Jiang Qinglang struggled to find on his phone.
Hu Chong emphasized that there are "no shortcuts in Mathematics" and that true understanding comes from tackling many difficult problems. To everyone's surprise, he then announced an immediate 30-minute exam. Earlier, Lei Ming had to work hard to convince Hu Chong to join. Hu Chong had complained about being exhausted from decades of teaching, especially from difficult students like Lei Ming.
Knowing Hu Chong's affinity for even numbers, Lei Ming enticed him by pointing out that if all five of his carefully selected students from Class 11 got into Qingbei University, Hu Chong's impressive total of Qingbei students would reach an even 56. Lei Ming offered a 10-day trial, promising to leave him alone if he wasn't satisfied, and teased him about a "secret Easter egg" awaiting him.
During the exam, Hu Chong rapidly dismissed most students' papers but stopped at Cheng Yushan's. He asked if she had encountered the second-to-last question, a first-year university-level inverse function problem, before. Cheng Yushan replied that she had seen its solution in a bookstore. Recognizing her extraordinary talent, Hu Chong, pleased, declared that he would indeed teach Class 11. During lunchtime, Li Ran delivered soup to Shen Yao as per their arrangement.
Shen Yao, still asserting his dominance, instructed Li Ran to also return the empty lunchbox to Mr. Jin, who was waiting at the entrance. Yu Yang observed this interaction with growing fear, as he was secretly a victim of bullying by Shen Yao's group. A flashback revealed Yu Yang being harassed by former classmates, with Shen Yao overseeing and asking what "benefits" Li Ran had given Yu Yang.
One of the bullies warned Yu Yang that while they would delete his compromising photos this time, they would "mess him up" if he disobeyed again, even in Class 11. That evening, Li Ran went to Lei Ming to retrieve his phone. After some lighthearted banter about Li Ran's reluctance to sing English songs, Lei Ming handed over the phone. Li Ran immediately saw missed calls from an unknown number.
He called back and learned from a police officer that Lu Jianhong, the person who had extorted money from him, had been found and his money recovered. The officer also asked Li Ran to tell his teacher to stop frequently calling the station, complaining that Lei Ming had been persistent in pursuing the case. Li Ran then saw Lei Ming leaving work and approached him, but his shyness prevented him from expressing his gratitude.
Lei Ming, noticing Li Ran's hesitation, encouraged him to speak, but Li Ran could only stammer that it was "nothing." A flashback revealed Lei Ming's determination: he had called Lu Jianhong, threatening him with legal action over illegal construction and fraud, which ultimately secured the return of Li Ran's money. On the fourth day, Bian Xiaoxiao was cornered by her "friends." She explained that Class 11 confiscated phones, making it difficult to reply to messages.
Her friends quickly reminded her of their "mission" to prank Cheng Yushan, handing her a detailed "prank script" and encouraging her to film it for her online account. Bian Xiaoxiao reluctantly agreed. Meanwhile, during the afternoon self-study, Jiang Qinglang tried to lead the class in singing English songs, but no one joined him, so he pulled Bian Xiaoxiao into it.
Jiang Qinglang's mother, Mrs. Guo, arrived at the school, first visiting Principal Lou to request Jiang Qinglang's transfer back to Peach Plum Class 4. She was informed that the transfer to Class 11 was official and not easily reversible. Mrs. Guo then confronted Lei Ming and Principal Gao, questioning the new class's legitimacy and Lei Ming's teaching methods, particularly the singing of "catchy songs." She threatened to report it to the parent-teacher committee.
Sang Xia intervened, pointing out that Jiang Qinglang hadn't used his phone for three days, a sign of progress. Mrs. Guo, however, dismissed this, stating her son was "not your experiment subject," and told Jiang Qinglang to pack his bags. Lei Ming proposed a wager: if Jiang Qinglang scored over 90 on a comprehensive Chinese, Math, and English exam at the end of the camp, he could stay.
Mrs. Guo, a doctor, initially rejected the "gamble," but Lei Ming reframed it as "respecting uncertainty" and "giving the future an opportunity," sweetening the deal by promising Jiang Qinglang's return to Peach Plum Class 4 if he failed. Principal Gao allowed Jiang Qinglang to make the final decision, and he chose to "give it a try," to which his mother reluctantly agreed.
Later, Mrs. Guo called Jiang Qinglang, having already arranged for his return to Peach Plum Class 4 to sit beside top-ranked Liu Xiaodan. Jiang Qinglang felt betrayed, but his mother maintained she was "objectively analyzing" his low scores and believed he couldn't pass. Jiang Qinglang insisted his effort mattered and asked, "What if I pass?" His mother conceded, saying she would "concede" if he passed. That night, with Sang Xia away, multiple conflicts erupted in the classroom.
Jiang Qinglang, desperate about the upcoming exam, offered Yu Yang 500 yuan to help him cheat. Li Ran overheard and firmly refused on Yu Yang's behalf, reminding them of Lei Ming's rule that cheating would result in expulsion. The argument quickly escalated as Jiang Qinglang accused Li Ran of arrogance due to his wealth, prompting Li Ran to retort that he never flaunted his money, unlike Jiang Qinglang, who seemed to harbor resentment towards the rich.
At the same time, Cheng Yushan discovered Bian Xiaoxiao's prank script and confronted her. Bian Xiaoxiao, distressed, explained that her "friends" had forced her, and Jiang Qinglang interjected to confirm her story. The classroom tension exploded. Jiang Qinglang redirected his anger at Li Ran, questioning his belief in Lei Ming's ability to get them into Qingbei and mocking Li Ran's low scores.
He disparaged Li Ran, calling him the "Steve Jobs of Longhai" and suggesting that university meant nothing to him since he could simply study abroad, unlike others who had "no choice." Li Ran fired back, accusing Jiang Qinglang of only getting into Mingying because of his mother. Jiang Qinglang retorted that Li Ran only got into Minglong by "playing the victim."
As their argument turned into a physical brawl, Yu Yang tried to intervene but was accidentally injured in the commotion. Cheng Yushan and Bian Xiaoxiao rushed to Yu Yang's aid, while Li Ran, in the chaos, turned and accused Cheng Yushan of pushing Yu Yang.
