With You Episode 8 Recap
> With You Recap
The school was abuzz with preparations for the upcoming parents' meeting. Jiang Niannian, worried about her academic performance, pondered whether to send her dad or mom, noting that the results would be "too cruel." Her younger brother mockingly questioned her "EQ" for grappling with this dilemma. Determined to spare her parents, Jiang Niannian went to the market.
There, she spotted a pig butcher with a full beard and brazenly asked him to "be my dad" for the meeting, a request he initially found "inappropriate" (from subtitles). Meanwhile, Lu Xinghe was found by the sea, sketching. A young boy challenged him on the usefulness of painting, but Lu Xinghe firmly declared his aspiration to be a painter and mentioned his mother’s support for him to attend the Fine Art High School and then the Fine Art University.
Geng Geng, encountering Lu Xinghe later, felt a pang of sadness as he confessed Zhenhua High School didn't suit him and expressed his intention to transfer to an art training school, citing his pursuit of "freedom." Back at school, Zhang Ping, the class supervisor, meticulously prepared for the parents’ meeting, hoping to make a good impression.
He sought Geng Geng’s advice on which tie would make him look more "mature," though Geng Geng candidly told him both were "worse" before settling on one as "good." Both Geng Geng and Yu Huai found his new attire amusing, lightheartedly teasing him, to which Zhang Ping promised to praise Geng Geng during the meeting. The parents' meeting began, with Zhang Ping formally welcoming everyone and distributing academic transcripts, followed by a "brief analysis" of the mid-term exam results.
Jiang Niannian's hired "dad," the pig butcher, lively and fond of showing off, seized an opportunity to speak as the meeting neared its end (from plot summary). He complimented the school's atmosphere and the teachers’ professionalism. He then launched into a vivid analogy, comparing the process of educating children to "butchering a pig," emphasizing the necessity of "skills" and a nuanced approach to find the "bones" rather than simply hacking.
He argued that educators shouldn't "force them to do what we want" but rather "guide them to a good way," a sentiment Zhang Ping agreed with. During his speech, Zhang Ping checked Jiang Niannian's parent identity form and, to his surprise, discovered that her actual father was a surgeon (from plot summary).
Later, Yu Huai commented on the "surgeon" using such "terms," only for Jiang Niannian to admit she had "employed him from the market," leaving Yu Huai impressed by her daring act. On the playground, Geng Geng shared with Yu Huai her "strange" observation of seeing classmates with their parents, revealing "what they were like out of the school." Yu Huai admitted he was feeling "bothered by his mom." Geng Geng playfully suggested he teach her basketball, praising his "good" skills.
Yu Huai, while acknowledging his talent, humbly said "interest is the best teacher" and his long-standing passion. He then shifted to a more serious tone, stating that if he had to choose between basketball and physics, he would pick physics, explaining that "We don't have another choice. Only when we enter a good university can we do what we want."
He reflected on Lu Xinghe, noting they were "same sometimes" in their determination but criticizing Lu Xinghe's approach as "avoiding the reality." The conversation grew intimate when Yu Huai asked Geng Geng, "Let's always be desk mates," and she softly agreed. Their moment was interrupted by Jiang Niannian, who confessed that her "dad" was actually a butcher she "employed. . . from the market," leading Yu Huai to exclaim how "brave" she was.
Later, Yu Huai’s mother approached Zhang Ping during the meeting. Zhang Ping praised Yu Huai's intellect and autonomy in studies. However, his mother insisted his seat be changed to sit "beside a boy," revealing that Yu Huai had lied about Geng Geng's gender as his deskmate, knowing she "wouldn't let him sit beside a girl." Zhang Ping attempted to reassure her, stating, "But his desk mate is Geng Geng," subtly downplaying any perceived threat.
Overhearing this, Geng Geng was later approached by Yu Huai's mother, who apologized, "I'm not aiming at you. Don't blame me. I know you're good." The tension escalated dramatically at home. When Yu Huai expressed frustration with his mother, calling her "annoying," she retorted by accusing him of being "annoying."
She then emotionally detailed his father's sacrifices working in Africa and her constant worry that his studies would be jeopardized by early romance, referencing a past incident with a deskmate named Chen. She declared, "If you go astray, we both will lose hope. This family will be ruined." Feeling his "freedom" was being stifled by his mother's interference, Yu Huai stormed out of the house into the rain, ignoring her desperate pleas for him to stop.
Deeply shaken by the day’s events and worried about a potential seat change, Geng Geng took a taxi home and cried uncontrollably (from plot summary). Initially, she asked the driver to "drive a bit slower." The driver noticed her distress and compassionately urged her to "cry if you want to."
Overwhelmed with emotion and having no desire to return home, Geng Geng then instructed the driver to "drive as hard as you can" until the fare reached "50 yuan," asking him to drive wherever he liked (from plot summary).
