Episode 16 recap: The buried secret in Lei Ming's heart.
Back in 2008, Lei Ming's mother was still alive, helping his father speak and telling Lei Ming that his father was very worried about him and wanted him to come back. Lei Lizhou was unhappy with his son because he believed that working in an educational institution was not good for him. Lei Lizhou believed that if Lei Ming wanted to be a teacher, he should teach in a real school.
However, Lei Ming had his own arguments. Lei Lizhou always felt that Lei Ming had been rebellious since childhood. Lei Lizhou also told his son that it was important to help classmates who came from poor family backgrounds and to open their hearts, and most importantly, not to give up on any student.
Although there were times when Lei Ming did not fully agree with his father, he deeply remembered the principles his father spoke about. Four months later, a female student from the training school came to Lei Ming's office because Lei Ming had helped her a lot. The female student had silently liked Lei Ming for a long time and even gave him gifts. This time, she specially brought a graduation gift, but Lei Ming directly rejected her.
After all, he knew that the girl's feelings for him had surpassed the student-teacher relationship. In order to prevent her from thinking too much, Lei Ming rejected her directly. The girl had always had low self-esteem because of her appearance, and someone suddenly showing care for her made her gradually develop feelings for Lei Ming. However, because of Lei Ming's rejection, she couldn't accept it and chose to commit suicide by jumping off a building.
Lei Ming quickly faced a barrage of public opinion, which became his biggest burden. Lei Ming often had nightmares about the scene that happened that day. After waking up at night, he would go to a roadside snack stall and eat a bowl of noodles. It turned out that the parents of the girl who jumped off the building owned that snack stall. Lei Ming hoped to compensate them in this way. He even helped them obtain a business license, hoping that their lives would improve.
Li Ran's exams were over, but he fell just short of advancing. Li Ran felt a bit disappointed, but he pretended to be calm. His classmates didn't know how to comfort him. Li Ran remembered what Shen Yao had said to him. Indeed, when others' expectations of you increase, the harder it is for you to bear the disappointment of failure.
Cheng Yu Shan knew that Li Ran was feeling down, so she came to comfort him. Li Ran had never received formal tutoring, so there was indeed a big gap between him and others.
However, after Cheng Yu Shan's comfort, Li Ran's mood improved a lot.
Lei Ming went to Zhi Xiang Education Institution, where he used to teach. The reason Lei Ming agreed to work at Minglong School was to prove his abilities to the leaders, showing that even the worst students could get into top universities like Tsinghua or Peking University. Class 11 is already gaining some popularity online, which is another reason why Lei Ming allowed Bian Xiaoxiao to do live streaming. Mr. Wang wants to use this data for artificial intelligence analysis. However, if Lei Ming wants to sign a contract with Mr. Wang, he must leave his current school. Lei Ming has developed a bond with his classmates during this period, but Mr. Wang is only interested in commercialization. However, Lei Ming genuinely believes that the five students he called can get into Tsinghua University or Peking University.
When Lei Ming was suppressed by online public opinion, journalists also harassed Lei Lizhou. Lei Lizhou's reputation was ruined by his son, and Lei Lizhou publicly apologized. However, Lei Ming hid away. His father eventually found him, and Lei Lizhou reproached him, refusing to take any responsibility himself.
Lei Ming was also very angry. The education he received from his parents was always critical and harsh. They had a big argument. In the evening, Sang Xia received a message from Lei Ming. She initially thought it was a one-on-one meeting, but when she arrived, she found a large group of people present—colleagues who were also working hard for Class 11.
Lei Ming apologized to Sang Xia, but then abruptly changed the topic and went on stage to sing. In the end, Lei Ming gave up. The next day, Sang Xia couldn't get in touch with Lei Ming. She suddenly felt uneasy. After school, the classmates of Class 11 were picked up by Lei Ming's friends. When they arrived at a place, they realized they were being followed and filmed. It turned out that they were at Zhi Xiang Education Company.
The person in charge told them that the second training session was about A.R. and then proceeded to film them. The students of Class 11 felt uneasy, and they were asked to participate in a live recording. However, Cheng Yu Shan suddenly felt unwell. Li Ran insisted on taking Cheng Yu Shan to the hospital. At first, the others didn't agree, but it was at this moment that Sang Xia appeared and successfully took away her own students. They even removed the so-called promotional clothing.
Lei Lizhou cares most about his reputation as a teacher and how others perceive him. This concern surpasses his affection for his wife and son, who can be sacrificed. In his mind, he even considers this sacrifice as a form of honor.
It's not that he has no feelings for his son, Lei Ming. It's just that these feelings pale in comparison to the glory of the "Lizhou Miracle." He treats his son with strictness, just as he treats himself.
He never thinks he is wrong. He believes that the more his son suffers, the greater his own sacrifice. Obtaining this honor through sacrifice gives him a sense of satisfaction.