Episode Summary
Liu Guoning is chosen for the graduation speech and Sun Jiayu helps him, all while hiding that her family is moving. The younger kids work to earn money to buy Sun Jiaxin a farewell gift. After the graduation speech, Jiayu tells Guoning she is leaving, and he is devastated. They promise to stay in touch. During their final goodbye, Guoning and Jiayu exchange meaningful gifts, promising to see each other again. The episode ends with the families moving on to their next chapters.
Spoiler Alert
Growing Together Season 2, Episode 40: The Big Goodbye
Graduation and a Big Secret
The end of the school year is here. That means speeches, gifts, and a whole lot of drama nobody asked for.
Guoning's Moment in the Spotlight
Liu Guoning gets picked to give a speech at the graduation ceremony. It's a pretty big deal. He immediately goes to Sun Jiayu for help planning it out. She gives him her full support. She tells him she’ll back him up no matter what he decides to do. It’s a nice moment between them. But of course, something is lurking under the surface.
The Secret Spreads
Liu Guobao finds out the Sun family is moving away. She gets really upset about Sun Jiaxin leaving. Her mom, Dai Jing, tries to comfort her. Just then, Guoning comes home. He's totally hyped about his graduation speech. Guobao is about to spill the beans about the Sun family's move. Dai Jing stops her. She realizes Jiayu hasn't told Guoning herself. She tells Guobao to keep it a secret for now. It seems Jiayu doesn't want Guoning to know just yet.
The Kids Hatch a Plan
The younger kids are not about to let their friend leave without a proper send-off. They decide to take matters into their own hands.
A Gift for Jiaxin
Guobao, Ma Ziheng, Chu Yi, and Jiang Feihu get together. They want to buy Sun Jiaxin a farewell present. They know he doesn't have a watch phone. They decide to get him one so they can all stay in touch. The problem is, they're broke. Even when they pool all their allowance money, it's not enough.
Operation "Earn a Watch"
Ma Ziheng comes up with a plan. The four of them write up an IOU. He sends it to his dad, Ma Yingjie. Yingjie says he'll think about it. Ziheng makes his dad promise to keep it a secret. And what does his dad do? He immediately tells all the other parents. A truly classic dad move.
The parents talk it over. Dai Jing thinks it’s a good idea for them to get the gift. Liu Xiangshang has a condition, though. He thinks the kids should have to earn the money. They can't just get a handout. So, the kids start doing chores around their houses to earn cash. They finally get enough money and go buy the watch phone together.
The Inevitable Reveal
The graduation ceremony arrives. The speech goes well, but the real event happens right after.
The Speech and the Bombshell
Guoning and Jiayu deliver their speech together. They do a great job. Right after, Jiayu uses the moment to tell Guoning the truth. Her entire family is moving.
Guoning does not take it well. He just runs away. Jiayu finds him later. She explains why she kept it from him. She was worried he would be too sad. She sees now that waiting didn't change the outcome. They make a pact. They promise to video call each other every day. They also agree to keep competing with their school grades.
Saying Farewell
The goodbyes are just as emotional as you'd expect. Everyone is trying to find a way to part on good terms.
Exchanging Gifts
Guoning has gifts for the whole class. He made custom "killer" game cards for everyone. He saves a special, separate gift just for Jiayu.
The Sun family also gives gifts to the Liu family. They thank them for all their help over the past year. They confirm they are leaving in two days.
When it's time for the final goodbye, Guoning gives Jiayu his gift. It's the medal they won together for a class competition. It even has a photo of the two of them on it. In return, Jiayu gives Guoning a very precious gift that her own mother gave her. She tells him to keep it safe for her. She says she will come back for it one day.
Where Everyone Ends Up
The episode closes with a look at where everyone is headed. Shisan successfully gets into a school abroad. Tang Xiaowei decides to take her child to Hangzhou to finally meet up with Ma Yingjie. And Liu Xiangshang's new TV show officially premieres. The whole family gathers around the television to watch it together.
