When You Be Me Episode 11 Recap
> When You Be Me Recap
Qiao Nan, currently inhabiting Mu Xiangxiang's body, explained that for their souls to swap back, they must share the same dream, which is a rare occurrence with a probability of one in fifty million. He elaborated that such a dream requires deeply etched memories, born of either profound love or intense hatred.
He cited his bitter rivalry with Cao Wei for the tenth place on the chart of Combat Effectiveness in Luoma Street, recalling how he'd often dream of thrashing Cao Wei. He also reminded Mu Xiangxiang that their last instance of dreaming of each other occurred after their harrowing near-drowning experience. Mu Xiangxiang, in Qiao Nan's body, jokingly suggested they could simply fight.
Qiao Nan, however, quickly retreated, reminding her that in her current body (Mu Xiangxiang's body), he was no match for her. He then concluded that "unquenchable hatred" was not a viable path for them. Instead, Qiao Nan proposed they pursue the "deep love" route. He insisted that Mu Xiangxiang's heart and mind, even during meals, sleep, and homework, should be exclusively focused on him.
He grandiosely declared himself her Liang Shanbo, her Zhi Zunbao, and her Yang Guo—the figure she would mistakenly fall for for a lifetime. Mu Xiangxiang found his demands exaggerated, believing they only needed to strengthen their mutual impressions. Qiao Nan agreed, saying that was essentially his point. To begin fostering this connection, Qiao Nan suggested a shopping date.
He explained that activities like shopping, eating, and drinking together are effective ways to enhance intimacy, discover each other's preferences, and accumulate cherished memories, all of which would help them dream of each other. Mu Xiangxiang mentioned it was her first time buying a birthday gift for someone and asked what Gao Yan might like. Qiao Nan casually dismissed Gao Yan’s preferences, asserting that his sole concern was Mu Xiangxiang.
He then pulled her into a store to pick out clothes for himself (for Mu Xiangxiang's body, which he inhabited) for the upcoming birthday party. Even though Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) claimed she had plenty of clothes, Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body) selected a revealing outfit and tried it on. Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) promptly rejected it as inappropriate and "too novelty."
Annoyed, Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body) challenged her definition of "novelty," returned to the fitting room, and reappeared in an even more outlandish, feminine ensemble. Feeling defeated, Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) apologized for her earlier remarks and for engaging in the "novelty" competition, implicitly acknowledging Qiao Nan's upper hand.
Later, while they were eating noodles, Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan’s body) observed Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang’s body) picking out chili from his bowl, because Mu Xiangxiang’s body (which Qiao Nan was inhabiting) couldn't tolerate spicy food. Qiao Nan, however, then scooped chili into Mu Xiangxiang’s (in Qiao Nan’s body) bowl and added vinegar, reminding her that his (Qiao Nan’s original) body enjoyed spicy flavors.
To her surprise, Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan’s body) found herself relishing the spicy noodles, a novel and surprisingly enjoyable experience. After their meal, Qiao Nan took Mu Xiangxiang to a love movie in a cinema with "love seats," anticipating that she would be moved to tears and seek comfort on his shoulder. Ironically, it was Qiao Nan who became deeply emotional and started crying during the film, while Mu Xiangxiang ended up consoling him and feeding him popcorn.
Following the movie, they participated in a "Draw and Guess" game. Mu Xiangxiang's drawings were repeatedly misinterpreted by Qiao Nan. When it was Qiao Nan's turn to draw, Mu Xiangxiang guessed every answer correctly. The final clue depicted "soul swapping," which they both instantly identified, winning them two tickets to the Van Gogh Painting lover-themed exhibition, which included access to a special "starry corridor." At the exhibition, they entered a starry corridor.
Mu Xiangxiang confided in Qiao Nan that she had always loved looking at the stars since childhood. She reflected on how, before meeting him, her usual approach to difficulties was compromise and submission, always believing that stepping back would resolve issues. But meeting Qiao Nan, she realized that a bit more courage could prevent unnecessary suffering, allowing her to discover a new, more assertive self. She thanked him and expressed her happiness for the day.
A nearby photographer, captivated by the scene, took their picture for his upcoming "lover-themed exhibition." Mu Xiangxiang quickly clarified that they were not a couple, but Qiao Nan did not refute it. Instead, he admired the photo and asked the photographer to send him a copy, much to Mu Xiangxiang's surprise. Back home, Mu Defeng noticed Mu Xiangxiang's beaming happiness and her mention of "stars," immediately suspecting she was involved in a puppy love with Qiao Nan.
He recognized the same joyful expression his wife had during their own courtship. He suggested his wife talk to Mu Xiangxiang, but they ultimately decided to postpone the conversation until the next day. That night, Mu Xiangxiang initiated a video call with Qiao Nan, suggesting they coordinate their dream content to strengthen their impressions of each other and improve their chances of having the same dream.
After Qiao Nan proposed a dream where he heroically saves her from a lecherous customer, and Mu Xiangxiang suggested a peaceful dream of cycling to school together, they eventually agreed to dream about their shared experience in the starry corridor. Mu Xiangxiang also requested the photo from the exhibition, believing that reviewing it before sleep would increase the likelihood of dreaming about it, a technique she used for memorizing texts.
Mu Defeng and his wife, listening from outside the door, initially considered intervening but ultimately decided to postpone the conversation until the next day, not wanting to disrupt their daughter's rare moment of joy. That night, both Mu Xiangxiang and Qiao Nan gazed at their photo from the starry corridor before drifting off to sleep. The next morning, Qiao Nan eagerly called Mu Xiangxiang, only to discover she had dreamed of memorizing a textbook, not the starry corridor.
Qiao Nan was furious and went to school with a dark expression. Mu Defeng and his wife, observing Qiao Nan's sour mood, misinterpreted it as a sign that the two had broken up, concluding they no longer needed to address their daughter's suspected puppy love. At school, Qiao Nan confronted Mu Xiangxiang, expressing his frustration that she had failed to dream of the starry corridor, while he had, albeit with an unexpectedly intense experience.
He accused her of not being serious about the soul swap efforts and not making him a deep enough impression. To ensure a deeper impression, he demanded that she act as his "flower protector" (escort) for the entire day, watching, caring for, and protecting him from any danger, hoping it would help her connect emotionally and dream of him. Mu Xiangxiang reluctantly agreed, promising to anticipate his needs as best she could.
After class, Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan’s body) hurried to the cafeteria and ordered Qiao Nan’s favorite dishes, including prawns and sweet and sour ribs, for him. However, by the time Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang’s body) arrived, Mu Xiangxiang had already finished eating and was preparing to leave to organize her class notes. Qiao Nan angrily ordered her to sit down and eat with him, emphasizing that the point was to eat together.
Noticing another male student peeling shrimp for a female classmate, Qiao Nan then demanded Mu Xiangxiang peel his shrimp for him. Mu Xiangxiang refused, asserting that he had hands and feet and was perfectly capable of doing it himself. Offended, Qiao Nan left the cafeteria without touching his food. Later, as a heavy rain began, Qiao Nan was visibly upset that Mu Xiangxiang was nowhere in sight.
Soon after, Mu Xiangxiang appeared with a single umbrella, explaining she had gone to buy it. Qiao Nan, feigning awkwardness, remarked that one umbrella might be "inappropriate" for the two of them.
