Episode 22 recap: Fourteen Middle School Officially Starts Classes
In Episode 22, the village of Gouxi holds a traditional nighttime dance around a bonfire. Fang Xiang proposes to An Yan the idea of inviting well-known figures from various industries to teach the children, aiming to discover and nurture their diverse talents. He thinks it’s a great idea and decides to present it to Director Li.
That night, Cong Jun Sheng calls An Yan, and they both gaze at the same sky. Cong Jun Sheng struggles to understand the significance of rural exchanges, especially as they face a loss of many students. An Yan shares insights about the importance of family support and expresses understanding of Principal Zhou's actions, who simply doesn’t want the school to fail on his watch.
On the last day before summer vacation, Cong Jun Sheng takes students to the city for a lesson, allowing them to experience urban life and helping them transition from village to city living. An Yan and the teachers evaluate the school and are pleased with both the dormitories and the gym. Director Li reviews Fang Xiang’s moral education report, acknowledging his abilities. He has already allocated spots to Fourteen Middle School, and the reason for withholding this information is to motivate them to work hard.
Director Li takes out his own money, pretending it’s funding for a swimming pool approved by higher authorities. Although the pool isn’t needed now, the funds can be redirected elsewhere. The villagers of Gouxi turn the soil from their hometown into vegetable gardens, which will serve as experimental gardens for the students. Many students have moved to the city and other schools, while Peace Middle School has had a low enrollment this year. Cong Jun Sheng understands the children's desires and believes teachers shouldn’t pressure them to enroll.
Principal Liu criticizes Cong Jun Sheng for his attitude resulting in low enrollment, leading to a heated argument between them. Teacher Wu writes in various fonts, prompting An Yan to reflect on the different cultural lessons for each grade: first-year students learn etiquette, second-year students focus on aspirations, and third-year students are taught to remember their roots and practice gratitude.
Fourteen Middle School officially begins its school year. Although the student count is low, the opening ceremony is essential. Miao Nasha, who has been hired for a logistics position, feels grateful to An Yan for her support and invites her over for a visit.
As the new semester starts, students settle into their studies. Teacher Yu Li Juan conducts mock exams for the new students to tailor her guidance to their needs. Cong Jun Sheng carefully considers staffing issues and suggests to Principal Zhou that personnel decisions should be communicated early. The plan for joint physics classes with Fourteen Middle School remains unchanged, with Principal Zhou fully supporting it, seeing it as a chance to promote the school.
Three male students at Fourteen Middle School compete in the hallway to see who can urinate the farthest. An Yan inquires about their behavior and learns it’s just for fun. Noticing they don’t realize the inappropriateness of their actions, An Yan pretends to call them out for a public contest on the playground, at which point they finally feel embarrassed.
Teacher Pei Qiu Yun requests a printer from Principal Wang, while Teacher Lin comes to ask for extracurricular reading materials. Fang Xiang also arrives, frustrated about the limited number of computers—only fifteen in total for the entire school. Principal Wang suspects they have conspired together. He decides to personally collect the reading materials, allowing the books to be shared among the students.
Regarding the computer issue, Fang Xiang suggests dividing the students into even and odd groups. For the printer, he proposes using the one available until they can secure funding for more. The three teachers leave, feeling dismissed. With only ten thousand yuan left in the school’s account, An Yan decides to allocate five hundred yuan to encourage students to design their projects, helping save on design costs.
Zhang Xiaowei, after finishing his sentence, rushes home to beg his wife for forgiveness, vowing never to hit her again. For the sake of their child, Miao Nasha forgives him.
Comments(Episode 22)