Episode 32 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 32 recap

In which Han Sheng Zhi finds redemption and a Competition reveals the past

Ep 32: Yu Le Xuan offers friendship and advice

Han Sheng Zhi is suspicious but also touched that the scholars have come to his aid. He asks Yu Le Xuan if he hates him. But Yu Le Xuan smiles and says that actually there are things to admire about Han Sheng Zhi too. He says he hopes Han Sheng Zhi can become a fair and just Student Council President, leaving the latter pensive.  

Lei Ze Xin tells Yu Le Xuan that Feng Cheng Jun is acting really weird and looking at him is getting on his nerves. Yu Le Xuan laughs, and tells him to look at something else then. (🐼:Haha).

Ep 32: A piggy back from Feng Cheng Jun

Principal Feng summons Feng Cheng Jun and "Wen Bin" to discuss matters. Han Sheng Zhi is there too. It's about another Competition, which will involve both brain and brawn - competitors must find a missing map on the mountains in groups of two. The stamina aspect has Xue Wen Xi hesitant, but when she finds out that the prize is 100 nobility points and $1,000 prize money, she is keen. (🐼:😅). The stamina training is rather tough and of course Feng Cheng Jun offers her a piggy back after it(🐼:😍).

The teams for the Competition are drawn by lots. The pairings include Feng Cheng Jun and Lei Ze Xin; Yu Le Xuan and Mo Xiao Huan (🐼: much to the former's dismay);and "Wen Bin" and Han Sheng Zhi. Both Mo Xiao Huan and Xue Wen Xi find the running training difficult. 

Having turned over a new leaf, Han Sheng Zhi treats everyone to honeyed water, but Lei Ze Xin remains unimpressed. He also says, in dorm room 2, that he refuses to bed down beside the other two because they are spineless. Xue Wen Xi cajoles him, telling him not to be petty, and offering to cook something delicious for him the next day. Feng Cheng Jun doesn't seem to like it too much when Xue Wen Xi cajoles Lei Ze Xin though (🐼:someone is jealous, haha!)

Meanwhile Teacher Ding leaves the Academy to do some investigating during the Competition. He finds who he is looking for - Mr Qin (one of the names on that mysterious note) and the two are tearfully happy. Teacher Ding then asks what happened in the past with their master, Mr Xue...

Ep 32: Ready to race!

The day of the Competition arrives and the scholars get ready to race. 

The scene cuts away to Teacher Ding and Mr Qin, who explains that Mr Xue's memorial to the Emperor was somehow switched to a forbidden text. They suspect foul play from Li Hu and some of the other classmates at the time. They both click at the same time - Teacher Li is Li Hu(!) Teacher Ding rushes back to the Academy, because if Li Hu wasn't the culprit, he must be at the Academy to seek vengeance for Mr Xue...

Meanwhile at the Competition, a masked man takes down Han Sheng Zhi, Feng Cheng Jun, and ambushes Lei Ze Xin using poisoned powder (but not before the latter identifies him). Teacher Ding arrives at the mountain and Xue Wen Xi sees him confronting Teacher Li. Turns out Teacher Li was a student of Mr Xue, and is seeking vengeance by killing the sons of Governor Feng, Commander Lei and Lord Han. Teacher Ding tells Teacher Li that more investigation is needed and he is hurting the innocent, and that in fact Commander Lei spared Mr Xue's family. And "Wen Bin" is Mr Xue's son.

Ep 32: Yu Le Xuan worried over Lei Ze Xin

Xue Wen Xi asks "is this true?" Turns out she has no idea of her past, her mother having kept it from her. The Competition ends with none of the hot favourites winning. Teacher Ding comes up with a plausible story for why they meet "obstacles" and passed out. Later, Teacher Li and Teacher Ding explain to Xue Wen Xi that her father was Xue Ding Kun, the idealistic reformer who wanted equality of education for all.  She wants to find the truth about how her father died, but the teachers urge her to be cautious. When Lei Ze Xin wakes, he tells Teacher Ding that Teacher Li was the masked man, but he tells him to keep his secret, as Teacher Li was a friend of Lei Ze Xin's older brother. Teacher Li also explains that he is a fugitive, but has been investigating and providing clues to Li Ze Xin so that the cold case can be solved, so they are both after the same result.  

Ep 32: Han Sheng Zhi drinks to "Wen Bin"

Having made friends with all, Han Sheng Zhi invites the scholars to the Han manor for a feast and drinks. He also invites Miss Mu. He can't look away from her, but tries to be a bigger person and doesn't interrupt when "Wen Bin" and Miss Mu drink to each other. 

He asks Feng Cheng Jun to talk with his sister. Xue Wen Xi looks on, unhappy. Han Sheng Zhi also drinks to "Wen Bin" and tells "him" to make Miss Mu happy. She tells him he needs to pursue Miss Mu himself - he is a bit stunned when Miss Mu shoots him a smile.

Feng Cheng Jun awkwardly sits with Miss Han. She asks him to be honest. He asks for her forgiveness...He says that while he admires her, he can't marry her against his own feelings, as that would also be unfair to her. (🐼:Didn't they already have this conversation?) She is heartbroken, but quite gracious💔 

Ep 32: Another piggy back from Feng Cheng Jun

At the feast, Xue Wen Xi gets very drunk. Feng Cheng Jun piggy backs her back to the Academy. He gently tells her that the misunderstandings with Miss Han have been cleared up and he will never make her sad again. And they will face everything together in the future. (🐼:Awww)

Miss Mu seems to be looking with some favour on Han Sheng Zhi again. As she leaves Han manor, she observes a black clothed assassin leaving Lord Han's rooms from the back door. She follows him... 

Thoughts

🐼: This episode gives Han Sheng Zhi a second chance and I found that I was ok with that, despite heartily disliking him in earlier episodes. More aspects of the past are becoming clearer now, though I had already guessed that Xue Ding Kun must be Xue Wen Xi's father. There isn't that much mystery to the rest either, as it's clear that the ultimate villain (past and present) is Lord Han.