When You Be Me Episode 8 Recap
> When You Be Me Recap
The hotel welcomed Mu Xiangxiang for her work-study program with an exaggerated display, which Qiao Nan, currently in Mu Xiangxiang's body, cynically dismissed as typical of Qiao Rui, who had arranged the welcome. Qiao Rui, seeing "Mu Xiangxiang," felt a strange familiarity, noting her resemblance to how Qiao Nan used to be.
During her orientation, "Mu Xiangxiang" (Qiao Nan) presented a list of demands: light, easy work, no standing, flexible hours, and a daily wage of at least 200 yuan, citing various ailments like asthma, wrist pain, alcohol allergy, and social anxiety. Qiao Nan, observing "Mu Xiangxiang" (himself) smiling at Qiao Rui, became irritated, accusing her of deliberately sabotaging his reputation and being a "scum girl."
Mu Xiangxiang, in Qiao Nan's body, reassured him that she was simply trying to secure the job, promising to be a good worker from the next day. Later, Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) gave Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body) 500 yuan she had saved, accurately guessing that Qiao Nan's temper had angered their aunt-in-law, forcing her parents to pay.
Concerned, she wanted to go home, but Qiao Nan quickly stopped her, worried her parents might discover the rent situation. Despite Qiao Nan’s protests, Mu Xiangxiang picked him up and carried him home, insisting she needed to see her parents. Upon their arrival, Mu Defeng, Mu Xiangxiang's father, warmly welcomed Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body), thinking he was Mu Xiangxiang's classmate, and invited him to stay for dinner.
During the meal, Qiao Nan instinctively retrieved kimchi from the refrigerator and later, when dust fell from a loose ceiling board (due to the aunt-in-law jumping rope upstairs), effortlessly pulled a covering into place. Each time, he explained that Mu Xiangxiang had told him about these things. Mu Defeng and his wife were charmed by Qiao Nan's polite and thoughtful demeanor. Qiao Nan, touched by the home-cooked meal, began to cry.
Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) quickly fabricated a story, claiming Qiao Nan's mother had passed away when he was young, and he lived with an abusive stepmother, rarely experiencing such warmth. This saddened Mu Xiangxiang's parents, making them feel even more pity for Qiao Nan. When asked about his family, Qiao Nan revealed he was from the prestigious Yuanqiao Hotel Group.
The meal was interrupted by the arrival of Mu Xiangxiang's aunt-in-law, who made snide remarks about "Mu Xiangxiang" (Qiao Nan in Mu Xiangxiang's body) having found a "golden son-in-law." She then began to order Mu Defeng and his wife around, demanding their attention and calling Xiaoyu out to work. Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body) bristled with anger but was discreetly restrained by Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body).
After dinner, Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) thanked Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body) for defending her parents and for his easy camaraderie with them. Qiao Nan, holding one of his old buttons, teased her, asking if she was secretly in love with him, to which she shyly deflected by hugging a small pillow. He couldn't help but smile.
They then reminisced over Mu Xiangxiang's childhood mementos, including a singing competition prize (Nandu New Youth Cup) and a microphone her father gave her. Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) discussed how her asthma prevented her from singing on stage but how swimming helped alleviate her condition because the humid environment improved her asthma.
As Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body) was leaving, the aunt-in-law again made a sarcastic comment about "Mu Xiangxiang" securing a wealthy suitor and continued to boss Mu Defeng and his wife.
Exasperated, Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan’s body) confronted her, warning that if she dared to mistreat her family again, she would open a competing hotpot restaurant across the street with heavy discounts, make them lose a lot of money, buy out the aunt-in-law's current hotpot place, leaving her destitute and begging for mercy. Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body), witnessing this display of courage, felt immense pride, thinking that such boldness was exactly what he admired in a woman.
Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) then took the Director to the Taekwondo training room, pledging that the club members would study while training, a method she explained had scientific backing (endorphins improving memory and focus). She challenged the Director to test her knowledge, vowing that if she couldn't answer, the club would disband.
To everyone's astonishment, Mu Xiangxiang answered complex chemistry questions about the periodic table, electronegativity, unsaturated hydrocarbons (alkenes, alkynes, and styrene), and substances that decolorize potassium permanganate solution with ease. Impressed, the Director agreed to keep the club but set two conditions: winning the summer Taekwondo inter-school competition and improving every club member's grades by thirty points in the diagnostic exam by the end of the semester. Mu Xiangxiang confidently accepted.
Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body), though grateful, chided Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) for rashly agreeing to win the championship. He explained that due to his asthma, he couldn't compete in Mu Xiangxiang's body. Therefore, to secure the victory, Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body) needed to restore Qiao Nan's muscle memory in his own body. Mu Xiangxiang took on the task, diligently guiding Qiao Nan through rigorous training sessions. They also mutually supervised each other's studies.
Meanwhile, Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body) continued working at the hotel. While his performance generally pleased the manager, Qiao Nan found his own "effeminate" movements during training unbearable to watch. One day, two customers began to harass "Mu Xiangxiang," making lewd comments and touching her hand. Enraged, Qiao Nan slammed his foot on their table, breaking it.
The manager demanded an apology, but Qiao Nan defiantly refused, stating he would never apologize to a pervert, and quit on the spot. Back home, Qiao Nan recounted the incident to Mu Xiangxiang (in Qiao Nan's body), who fully supported his actions, stating that blindly enduring was not always the answer and that resistance could be a form of justice. She thanked Qiao Nan for giving her the courage to stand up to their aunt-in-law and for protecting her body.
Qiao Nan then asked who was more manly between him and Qiao Rui, and Mu Xiangxiang, after a moment, confirmed that Qiao Nan was "the manliest." Suddenly, Qiao Yuanshan called Mu Xiangxiang's phone, demanding "Mu Xiangxiang" (Qiao Nan in Mu Xiangxiang's body) return to the hotel, criticizing her for confronting a customer who was now causing a scene. Qiao Nan, in Mu Xiangxiang's body, argued that such customers should be dealt with decisively.
He proposed releasing the surveillance footage of the harassment to authoritative media outlets, banning the customer permanently from all hotel chains, and using the incident for free publicity. Qiao Yuanshan, recalling a past incident where "Mu Xiangxiang" (the real Mu Xiangxiang) had caused a scene at his new store opening (which she explained was her way of "choosing her boss"), praised her independence and bravery, saying she was far more promising than his "good-for-nothing son," Qiao Nan.
This remark annoyed Qiao Nan (in Mu Xiangxiang's body), who quickly defended Qiao Nan, revealing that he was her classmate and had gotten her the job. This led Qiao Yuanshan to suspect that Qiao Nan and "Mu Xiangxiang" were secretly dating. At the hotel lobby, Qiao Rui arrived and furiously confronted the troublemaking customer, beating him up.
