Resumen, trama, sinopsis de Never-Ending Summer

Sinopsis de Never-Ending Summer

Resilient and strong-willed top student Zhou Wan, needing to save her gravely ill grandmother, approaches her mother's stepson—the unruly boy Lu Xixiao—after her mother refuses to help, hoping to raise money for the surgery.

The summer after graduation, Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao slowly develop feelings for each other through moments of hesitation and closeness, saving each other time and again from life's hardships. But cruel reality shatters their beautiful youth, and they part ways amid misunderstandings.

Ten years later, they reunite in the workplace. Still haunted by the pain of the past, Lu Xixiao repeatedly provokes Zhou Wan—only to realize that his love for her has never changed. Together, they set out to uncover the truth behind a factory accident, and with brave, sincere hearts, they never separate again.

Resúmenes de Never-Ending Summer

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7

In 2026, Zhou Wan returned to her beloved high school, her mind drifting back to the memories of Lu Xixiao that she had tried so hard to forget. Standing on the familiar grounds, she could almost hear his voice reminding her that if she ever looked back, he would always return to her side.

Zhou Wan wondered if he would have still let her get close to him ten years ago had he known how deeply she would eventually hurt him. Her thoughts settled on the hot summer of 2016, when their turbulent story first began during a school morning assembly. That morning, Zhou Wan was leading the student body in a solemn pledge for the upcoming exams. Suddenly, Lu Xixiao dashed across the campus to evade security guards.

In his wild sprint, he accidentally kicked a water valve, sending a spectacular spray of water raining down over the students and creating a shimmering rainbow. Amidst the chaos and the excited cheers, their homeroom teacher, Mr. Zhao, barked orders to shut off the water. Unfazed, Lu Xixiao boldly grabbed the microphone from Zhou Wan's hands and casually offered a cheeky apology to the entire school.

Following the stunt, Lu Xixiao and his friend Jiang Fan were hauled into the teacher's office. Mr. Zhao reprimanded Lu Xixiao and confiscated his motorcycle keys, declaring they would only be returned if Lu Xixiao secured a spot in the Top 1,000 in the upcoming citywide mock exams. Zhou Wan was also in the office submitting her college application.

Though Mr. Zhao urged her to apply to a prestigious out-of-town university, she insisted on staying local to care for her aging grandmother. Before dismissing her, Mr. Zhao warned her to stay away from private tutoring to protect her financial aid. While Zhou Wan maintained the facade of a well-off student with a happy family, her reality was far more painful.

Her father had passed away when she was young, her mother had abandoned her, and she was left entirely alone to care for her sick grandmother. To pay for the mounting medical bills, she secretly worked part-time jobs and sold highly effective study notes under the alias "Mr. Bow." On her grandmother's birthday, Zhou Wan celebrated at home with her and her childhood friend, Jiang Yan, quietly hoping her desperate lies would never be exposed.

Desperate to get his motorcycle back, Lu Xixiao sought a way to rapidly improve his grades. Jiang Fan revealed that he had scored exceptionally well on a math test by using notes bought from "Mr. Bow" through a secret transaction involving the "English Corner" magazine at a local stationery store.

When Lu Xixiao sent a WeChat friend request to the seller, Zhou Wan recognized his reckless reputation and promptly rejected it, messaging him that she would not sell to Lu Xixiao. Lu Xixiao went to the stationery store to purchase the notes himself, only to find that the magazine had suspended publication and the store owner angrily chased him away. Left with no other options, Lu Xixiao analyzed the seller's WeChat profile picture, which featured a distinct tree on campus.

He and Jiang Fan searched the area after evening self-study. Tracking the clues, Lu Xixiao found Zhou Wan asleep in an abandoned school storage room. Awakened by his presence, Zhou Wan was startled to find Lu Xixiao holding her notebook. Playing on her name's meaning of a fully drawn bow, Lu Xixiao quickly pieced together her identity as "Mr. Bow." When she demanded her notebook back, Lu Xixiao threatened to expose her unless she agreed to sell him her notes.

Their argument was cut short when the school director approached, forcing them to squeeze into a tight hiding spot together until the director and Jiang Fan left. Zhou Wan then made it clear she would not do business with a troublemaker. The next day, Mr. Zhao re-tested Lu Xixiao on his high math scores and confronted him about rumors of selling materials. Lu Xixiao smoothly claimed his family had hired a brilliant private tutor.

Afterward, Lu Xixiao cornered Zhou Wan in the hallway. Since the stationery store route was compromised, he pointed out that only he could buy from her now. Zhou Wan eventually gave in, agreeing to a one-time transaction at double the price. Later that evening, Zhou Wan was confronted by Luo He, a ruthless debt collector, and his sidekick Xu Feng.

Her late father had left behind massive debts, and Luo He blackmailed her by threatening to reveal her secret part-time jobs to her grandmother, knowing the shock could be fatal. Terrified, Zhou Wan managed to keep him away from her home by promising to get the money soon. When she returned inside, Grandma Huang asked about her late return.

Zhou Wan lied that she was returning study materials to Jiang Yan, while her grandmother affectionately boasted about her youthful martial arts skills. With the help of Zhou Wan's exam notes, Lu Xixiao studied intensely and successfully placed in the Top 1,000 list during the citywide mock exam, earning his keys back from Mr. Zhao. Meanwhile, Zhou Wan accompanied her grandmother to the hospital, where Dr. Chen warned that Grandma Huang's blood sugar was dangerously high.

He recommended switching to expensive, imported medication costing 3,000 yuan a month. Determined to find the money, Zhou Wan agreed to the change. Zhou Wan's financial situation grew even worse when one of her tutoring clients discovered she was actually a high schooler who had lied about being a university student. The parent politely let Zhou Wan go, advising her to focus on her own exams. Later, Lu Xixiao spotted Zhou Wan's mother, Guo Yan, with another man.

When he ran into Zhou Wan shortly after, he asked if the woman was her mother, but Zhou Wan denied it. Noticing she was holding a TOEFL vocabulary book, he asked if she was planning to go abroad. Zhou Wan did not answer directly, but instead asked him to meet her on Monday at the school's abandoned swimming pool.

Years ago, a young Zhou Wan stood on the street, desperately pleading with her mother, Guo Yan, not to leave for Guangzhou. Despite her tears and heartbreaking questions about whether her parents abandoned her because she was not a good girl, Guo Yan chose a life of comfort elsewhere.

Offering empty promises of pretty dresses and delicious treats, she left Zhou Wan to be raised by her grandmother, leaving a deep emotional scar that would fuel Zhou Wan’s current desperation to secure expensive imported medicine for her ailing grandmother. In the present day, Zhou Wan's search for tutoring work took a shocking turn when she witnessed her mother, now living a luxurious lifestyle under the name Guo Xiangling, eagerly trying to get close to Lu Xixiao.

After Guo Xiangling left, Zhou Wan questioned Lu Xixiao about their connection. Although he quickly denied that they were mother and son, his defensive reaction confirmed her suspicions. Filled with resentment, Zhou Wan snuck into the teacher's office late at night and found Lu Xixiao's emergency contact form, which officially listed Guo Xiangling as his guardian.

Realizing her mother had abandoned her for a wealthy family, Zhou Wan stood before the memory of her late father, whispering a plea for forgiveness for the dark plan of revenge she was about to set in motion. Posing as Lu Xixiao's English teacher and vice homeroom teacher, Zhou Wan made a phone call to Guo Xiangling. She politely questioned why neither parent had RSVP'd for the upcoming parent-teacher meeting.

When Guo Xiangling expressed surprise at how the school obtained her number, Zhou Wan smoothly lied, claiming it was retrieved from the emergency contact files. She successfully convinced Guo Xiangling to attend the meeting on the 25th of the month to discuss Lu Xixiao's college plans, promising that she would personally ensure Lu Xixiao agreed to her attendance. Meanwhile, Lu Xixiao found himself distracted by a situation at the local market.

A fish vendor named Yu was transferring his shop because the smoke from a neighboring grilled fish stall was ruining his business. Seeing that the goldfishes would be abandoned to their fate, Lu Xixiao decided to intervene. He asked his friend Ping to borrow a pet house belonging to Doggie to temporarily hold them, ignoring Ping's jokes about Doggie defending his property rights. Lu Xixiao then bought the fish along with their aquatic plants.

During a sweltering morning gate check at school, Lu Xixiao reminded Zhou Wan of their scheduled meeting at the swimming pool that night. When they met by the big tree near the pool, Zhou Wan proposed a deal. Having noticed him studying advanced English books, she offered to be his study partner to help him prepare for his plans to go abroad in exchange for tutoring fees. However, Lu Xixiao scoffed at the idea and refused.

When he later failed to show up for tutoring, Zhou Wan tracked him down at a local motorcycle repair shop, where he had skipped evening study to play arcade games. She challenged him to a best-of-five arcade match, declaring that if she won even a single round, he would have to accept her tutoring. Confident in his local high-score record, Lu Xixiao agreed, only to lose the final round after Zhou Wan strategically adjusted her setup with lighter accessories.

Bound by his pride, he had no choice but to comply. Back at home, Zhou Wan's grandmother expressed concern over her high stress levels, having caught her staring at an old photo and muttering about Guo Yan. Zhou Wan brushed it off as a recurring dream and made sure her grandmother took her medicine before leaving. With their agreement secured, Zhou Wan waited at the abandoned swimming pool one evening with study guides and a small fan.

Lu Xixiao arrived on time, running all the way. She walked him through his weaknesses in reading comprehension and cloze tests, and when she asked why he wanted to go abroad, Lu Xixiao admitted he simply wanted to escape his family's overbearing control. They agreed to continue their tutoring sessions until the day of the parent-teacher meeting. One afternoon, Zhou Wan noticed the goldfishes at Yu's aquarium shop, now isolated in individual plastic bags to make them sell better.

Feeling a deep empathy for their trapped state, she bought them all. That evening, she arrived late to her tutoring session with a water-logged backpack because the plastic bags had sprung leaks. Worried the fish would suffocate, Lu Xixiao led her to the school's broken chemistry lab to find proper glass containers. They happily began transferring the fish into beakers, only to be interrupted by the sudden shouting of the school security guard. Panicked, they bolted out of the lab.

As they ran from the guard through the dark school grounds, they reached a high ledge. Paralyzed by her fear of heights, Zhou Wan hesitated to jump. Lu Xixiao stood below, urging her to trust him and promising to catch her. Taking a leap of faith, she fell into his arms, and the two quickly escaped into the night, leaving the frustrated guard behind.

After escaping the pursuit of the school administration, Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao find a quiet moment to talk by the swimming pool. Looking at the water, Zhou Wan admits that Lu Xixiao is quite different from the pampered, lazy rich boy she had originally imagined—someone who would simply bask in the sun, skip studying, and eventually inherit a family business with a dozen secretaries.

Lu Xixiao jokingly agrees that such a lifestyle was indeed his plan, but he is intrigued when she notes that he seems too kind to ever hurt anyone. Their conversation shifts to the albino tree near the pool, which Lu Xixiao noticed she had set as her social media profile picture. Zhou Wan is surprised he noticed it, explaining that others found it ugly and banished it to this lonely corner.

Lu Xixiao gently points out that since they both appreciate it now, the tree is no longer lonely. After their talk, Lu Xixiao rides his motorcycle alongside Zhou Wan's bus to escort her all the way home. Meanwhile, Lu Xixiao spends time at a motorcycle workshop, half-heartedly reciting English vocabulary about friendship and adversity. When his friend tries to coax him into hanging out, Lu Xixiao refuses, reminding him of his plans to study abroad.

He strictly warns his friend not to let his family or the school know about his departure, preferring to keep his plans a secret. On their last tutoring session, Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao pass by a local fish vendor. Seeing beautiful goldfish crowded inside small plastic bags, Zhou Wan pauses, expressing a quiet wish to rescue them all, though she lacks the funds.

Hearing this, Lu Xixiao immediately calls out to the vendor, Old Yu, and generously purchases every single goldfish along with a large tank. Seeking a spacious home for them, he decides to release them into the school's swimming pool. However, Lu Xixiao accidentally releases aggressive betta fish into the same water. Realizing they will fight, a worried Zhou Wan jumps into the pool to separate them and move the little bettas to a safer spot.

Lu Xixiao joins her in the water, admitting he never watched much television as a child because his family complained it was too noisy. As they swim among the colorful fish, the dull pool transforms into a vibrant fairytale world. To prevent her from catching a cold, Lu Xixiao finds some club T-shirts for them to change into. While changing, Zhou Wan asks him why he wants to go abroad in secret.

Lu Xixiao replies that there is simply no one here he cares to stay for, and asks about her future plans. Zhou Wan admits she doesn't have the luxury of choice. Knowing how brilliant her grades are, Lu Xixiao urges her to be cautious with her future, unlike himself who merely lives day by day. Zhou Wan softly reflects that they are both only eighteen, facing a world where they have very few choices.

Before they leave, she asks him if he will attend the upcoming parent-teacher meeting and club festival to release balloons. Though he initially dismisses the activity as childish and meaningless, Zhou Wan's gentle confession—that she wants to release balloons with him—leaves him stunned. He questions if she is deliberately trying to get close to him, but before she can answer, a security guard spots them, forcing them out. The midnight escapade quickly catches up with them.

The next morning, the school administration broadcasts a public reprimand over the speakers. Stepping up to the microphone, Lu Xixiao boldly shoulders the entire blame, claiming he incited Zhou Wan to join him under the pretense of a lab experiment. Zhou Wan’s classmates are stunned to see the usually indifferent Lu Xixiao willingly take the fall for someone else.

When Zhou Wan later expresses her gratitude, Lu Xixiao brushes it off, noting that a blemish on his record means nothing since he is leaving the country anyway, whereas she cannot afford any distractions before the college entrance exams. To show her gratitude, Zhou Wan treats Lu Xixiao to a meal at Uncle Kang's modest noodle shop. Unaccustomed to such humble eateries, Lu Xixiao is fascinated by everything on the menu.

Uncle Kang, an old motorcycle enthusiast, immediately spots Lu Xixiao’s impressive bike and strikes up a warm conversation, reminiscing about the Xingfu 250 he rode in his youth. Zhou Wan orders their special Three Delicacies Noodles, a signature dish that her grandmother, who usually works at the shop, often prepares. Since her grandmother is away that day, they enjoy their meal in peace.

Uncle Kang offers to drive her grandmother to the school's parent-teacher meeting the next day, but Zhou Wan politely declines, explaining that her grandmother is unwell and the event is not important enough to trouble her. Unfortunately, their dinner does not go unnoticed. Jiang Yan, Zhou Wan's childhood friend, is consumed by jealousy upon seeing them together. He takes it upon himself to inform Zhou Wan's grandmother about her recent behavior.

When Zhou Wan returns home, her grandmother is furious, scolding her for skipping classes, getting publicly disciplined, and wasting time with a boy instead of focusing on her dream of entering Huaqing University. Zhou Wan tearfully admits that she has no desire to move far away and face loneliness, and that getting into the prestigious university does not matter to her.

Softening, her grandmother reminds her that while her destiny is in her own hands, all she truly wishes is for Zhou Wan to be safe, healthy, and happy. Zhou Wan later confronts Jiang Yan about his betrayal. Jiang Yan defends his actions, admitting he is terrified of how close she is getting to Lu Xixiao, a boy who belongs to a completely different world.

Zhou Wan insists she knows what she is doing but firmly states that some matters are beyond a friend's help. Sensing the growing distance between them, Jiang Yan sadly recalls the day they first met, when she was crying in their secret hideout. Zhou Wan reassures her first friend that this difficult period will soon pass, promising not to shut him out if he swears never to snitch again.

That night, Lu Xixiao texts Zhou Wan, asking about the start time for the club festival after seeing her social media posts. Despite her inner conflict, she replies that it begins at three-thirty. Zhou Wan has already quietly contacted Lu Xixiao's stepmother, Guo Yan, inviting her to the event. The next afternoon, the school playground is buzzing with families taking celebratory photos.

Zhou Wan helps her friend Meng Meng take a family photo, all the while anxiously scanning the crowd for Lu Xixiao. Just as the countdown begins and she fears he won't show, Lu Xixiao appears carrying a massive, towering cluster of colorful balloons. He smiles, wanting to ensure all her wishes can be granted at once. Zhou Wan is deeply touched, yet haunted by a silent guilt, knowing her initial approach to him was fueled by a desire for revenge.

The warm moment is soon interrupted by the arrival of Guo Yan. Lu Xixiao's demeanor instantly turns icy. When she tries to hand him a balloon and wish him well, he mockingly tells her to save her efforts and focus on giving his father another son instead of playing the part of his mother. Guo Yan quietly asserts that he is her only son.

Watching this cold exchange from a distance, Zhou Wan later asks Lu Xixiao about his intense hatred for his stepmother. Lu Xixiao bitterly explains that his father only values women who are pretty, obedient, and easy to control. When Zhou Wan asks what would happen if his stepmother ever displeased his father, Lu Xixiao coldly replies that his father would simply discard her.

Later that evening, after the school activities have concluded, Guo Yan arrives at the street outside Zhou Wan and her grandmother's apartment. Zhou Wan walks down to meet her, looking at her biological mother and quietly addressing her as "Mom."

Guo Yan, who had not seen her daughter in over ten years, finally met with Zhou Wan. Rather than expressing maternal warmth or asking about Zhou Wan's grandmother, Guo Yan immediately remarked on how tall her daughter had grown. Her concern lay entirely elsewhere. She urgently questioned Zhou Wan about her relationship with Lu Xixiao, demanding to know if Zhou Wan had revealed their familial connection to him and how close the two of them had become.

Zhou Wan quietly responded that they were merely friends and that Lu Xixiao knew nothing about her mother's other daughter. Sensing a threat, Guo Yan made her intentions clear. Believing Zhou Wan was using Lu Xixiao to extort her, she offered a bank card, promising financial support on the condition that Zhou Wan stayed away from the Lu family forever. Desperate to cover her grandmother's mounting medical expenses, Zhou Wan accepted the card.

Guo Yan cold-heartedly warned her to keep her word as an adult, mocking that it would be quite amusing if the arrogant Lu Xixiao discovered he was only worth the price of a prescription. Bound by her promise, Zhou Wan began to distance herself from Lu Xixiao. Meanwhile, Lu Xixiao had spent his free time at Ping's motorcycle workshop, hand-crafting a metal pendant shaped like an arrow.

His friend Jiang Fan teased him about the unusual gift, but Lu Xixiao was determined to give it to Zhou Wan. However, his plans were shattered when he overheard Jiang Yan advising Zhou Wan to stay away from him. Lu Xixiao listened in silence as Zhou Wan coldly declared that she and Lu Xixiao were not friends, had never been, and never would be. Hurt and bitter, Lu Xixiao hid the arrow necklace away.

As the college entrance exam loomed just nine days away, Zhou Wan actively avoided Lu Xixiao at school, running off quickly during class breaks. This sudden shift left Lu Xixiao deeply tormented. Back at the workshop, Jiang Fan noticed his distress, pointing out the terrible timing of their romance just as Lu Xixiao was preparing to go abroad.

When Lu Xixiao asked a hypothetical question about why a girl would suddenly ignore a friend and deny their bond for no reason, Jiang Fan immediately deduced he was talking about Zhou Wan and advised him to go ask her directly. On his way home, Lu Xixiao spotted a group of thugs, led by He Wenhui, cornering Zhou Wan. He rode his motorcycle directly at them to break up the confrontation, mocking He Wenhui's reliance on his father's status.

After driving the thugs away, a heavy downpour began. Lu Xixiao offered Zhou Wan a ride, but she steadfastly refused to get on his bike, keeping her promise to her mother. Frustrated and angry, Lu Xixiao threw his jacket to her and sped off into the rain. Safely back in the classroom, Zhou Wan dried off with the help of her friend Meng, who lent her a spare uniform.

Meng noticed the arrow keychain on Zhou Wan's backpack and playfully teased her about being Cupid, prompting Zhou Wan to refocus on her studies. Later, when Lu Xixiao arrived late to class, the sarcastic teacher told him he might as well go home to review. Lu Xixiao jokingly apologized, promising to stay out of trouble for the remaining days of high school.

Soon after, the school director informed the class teacher that Lu Xixiao had been asking about the academic certificates required to study abroad, despite his family never mentioning such plans. Overhearing the conversation and wanting to protect him, Zhou Wan stepped in. She lied to the director, claiming that she was the one planning to go abroad on a whim and had asked Lu Xixiao to gather the materials for her.

The director accepted the explanation and praised her ambition, leaving Lu Xixiao's teacher to tell him to follow her example. At home, Lu Xixiao's family helper, Ms. Chen, returned his washed t-shirt with "so hot" written on it. Though he admitted to himself that the shirt held a special significance, he quietly instructed her to throw it away.

A relative reassured him that she had secretly arranged his preparatory courses and plane tickets behind his father's back, reminding him of the favor he owed her. Meanwhile, Zhou Wan visited the clinic to collect her grandmother's expensive medicine. When her grandmother questioned where a student could get so much money and urged her to focus solely on her exams, Zhou Wan lied, claiming the funds came from her tutoring savings.

In a parallel confrontation with her mother, Zhou Wan defended her actions, pointing out that Guo Yan had abandoned them and paid no child support for ten years. Guo Yan defensively argued that she hadn't had it easy either, dismissing the money left by Zhou Wan's father as insignificant. On Mobilization Day, Class 7 celebrated the upcoming exams, but Jiang Yan, the scheduled student representative, was nowhere to be found.

With the speech about to begin, the teacher asked Zhou Wan to take his place. On stage, Zhou Wan delivered a moving speech about graduation, parting classmates, and wishing everyone a bright and successful future. While Zhou Wan spoke, a violent physical confrontation erupted between Jiang Yan and Lu Xixiao behind the school.

Jiang Yan warned Lu Xixiao to stop pestering Zhou Wan and ruining her life, but Lu Xixiao pinned him to the ground, asserting that he knew Zhou Wan far better than Jiang Yan did and warning him to keep his mouth shut. Afterward, Zhou Wan found both of them bruised and injured.

Learning that Jiang Yan had initiated the fight, she coldly told him that she did not need his protection and warned him to stop interfering in her life if he wanted to remain her friend. After graduation, Jiang Yan returned home to his demanding mother, who pressured him to secure a direct master-PhD track at Tsinghua. Seeing his disheveled state, she scolded him for looking messy on stage, unaware that he had missed the speech entirely.

At the motorcycle shop, Jiang Fan congratulated Lu Xixiao on graduating. He then casually mentioned how incredibly loyal Zhou Wan had been, revealing that she had covered for him by telling the school director that she was the one going abroad. Stunned by the truth, Lu Xixiao dropped his tools and raced back to the school, only to find the gates quiet as they narrowly missed each other.

In a tender, fleeting moment of longing, the boundary between reality and dreams blurred as a gentle voice whispered a desire to touch, savoring a familiar scent and welcoming a long-awaited reunion.

Before his scheduled departure for his studies abroad, Lu Xixiao decides to hand over his cherished motorcycle and asks his close friend, Jiang Fan, for a crucial favor: to take custody of the large fish tank containing the goldfish he and Zhou Wan had rescued at school. Jiang Fan is initially hesitant, claiming he does not know Zhou Wan well enough, but Lu Xixiao teasingly reminds him that she recorded his name over fifty times for uniform violations.

Jiang Fan ultimately agrees and asks Gu Meng to contact Zhou Wan. However, the message gets muddled, leaving Zhou Wan with the impression that Jiang Fan simply wants to meet up to give her something. Since Zhou Wan has been looking for an opportunity to return Lu Xixiao's washed school uniform, she accepts the meeting.

A phone call between Lu Xixiao and Jiang Fan reveals the misunderstanding, as Jiang Fan mistakenly told Zhou Wan to come and collect the massive tank herself. Annoyed, Lu Xixiao heads to his mother's apartment to move the tank, only to run directly into Zhou Wan. The encounter is awkward. Zhou Wan explains she had no idea he would be there and returns his clean uniform.

When she asks if he still lives there, Lu Xixiao defensively brushes her off, though he does thank her for helping cover up his travel plans in front of the school director. Just as they declare themselves even, Jiang Fan arrives. To settle the issue of the fish tank, Jiang Fan jokingly holds a custody hearing.

Since Zhou Wan's home has no space and Lu Xixiao cannot take it on a plane, they both readily agree to let Jiang Fan keep the tank at his house. On the morning of the 2016 national college entrance examination, Grandma is a bundle of nerves but happily accompanies Zhou Wan to the exam center. Outside the crowded gates, parents wear traditional Qipaos to bring their children good luck.

Zhou Wan gently urges her grandmother to go home and rest, but just as she approaches the security gate, Grandma suddenly collapses. Terrified and with no other family members around, Zhou Wan abandons her entrance to rush her grandmother to the hospital. Although the doctors manage to stabilize her, Dr. Chen explains that Grandma's diabetes and complications, including uremia, have triggered a severe heart attack.

Facing urgent surgery the following day, Zhou Wan makes the difficult decision to skip the remaining exams to remain by her grandmother's side, quietly resigning herself to trying again the following year. Meanwhile, Lu Xixiao stands alone in the international departures terminal, harboring a quiet hope that his family, and perhaps even Zhou Wan, might show up to bid him farewell. His hopes are dashed when his phone rings with urgent news of a massive family crisis.

His father's business is in ruins, and his father, Lu Zhongyue, is attempting to sell off his late mother's villa to cover the debts. Forcing himself to cancel his flight, Lu Xixiao returns home only to find movers already clearing out his mother's cherished art collection under his father's orders. Though he tries to protect the paintings, the workers ignore his protests, leaving the villa nearly empty.

As the exam results are announced, the contrast between their broken dreams and the celebration of others is stark. Zhou Wan has no scores, and Lu Xixiao's dreams of studying abroad are shattered. The two of them walk through the festive fireworks, feeling the bitter irony of their circumstances. To survive, Lu Xixiao lives off his savings from selling his remaining luxury items and takes a job at a local motorcycle repair shop run by Ping.

While working at the shop, Lu Xixiao hears from Jiang Fan that Zhou Wan "blew" her exams, though he does not yet know the reason. Their lives cross paths with He Wenhui, an arrogant customer who arrives at the shop picking a fight over a steering damper and mocking Gu Meng. Recognizing Lu Xixiao, He Wenhui mocks his family's fallen status and challenges him to a high-stakes motorcycle race, demanding that Lu Xixiao kneel and apologize if he loses.

Despite He Wenhui's expensive imported modifications and dirty driving on the track, Lu Xixiao relies on his superior cornering techniques. On the critical final bend of the S-track, Lu Xixiao overtakes his opponent to win the race. A sore loser, He Wenhui refuses to keep his promise and retreats with his crew. The next morning, as Zhou Wan prepares to leave for work, a ruthless rent collector corners her, aggressively demanding rent before it is due.

Desperate to protect her grandmother from being disturbed, Zhou Wan threatens to contact his boss, Fen-jie, to expose his illegal early collection. While they are arguing, the thug receives a call from He Wenhui. Hearing Lu Xixiao's name mentioned, Zhou Wan becomes deeply suspicious. Her fears are realized that evening when she stumbles upon He Wenhui's thugs cornering and attacking Lu Xixiao in a dark alley.

Zhou Wan quickly dials the police, borrows Gu Meng's electric scooter, and bravely rides directly into the violent clash to rescue a battered Lu Xixiao. Zhou Wan takes Lu Xixiao to a quiet spot to tend to his wounds, gently applying bandages and warning him to keep them dry. To repay her, Lu Xixiao treats her to two bowls of noodles. Sitting face-to-face, the ice between them begins to melt.

Zhou Wan asks why he missed his flight, but Lu Xixiao shifts the focus, asking why she has been avoiding him. Zhou Wan quietly replies that not everyone has the luxury of living life exactly as they please. After returning the scooter to Gu Meng, Zhou Wan heads back to the hospital. Meanwhile, a distracted Lu Xixiao accidentally pours water into the wrong tank at the repair shop.

It is only then that Jiang Fan tells him the truth: Zhou Wan skipped the Gaokao because her grandmother was hospitalized and she is now drowning in steep medical bills. Deeply moved, Lu Xixiao immediately goes to the hospital and quietly pays off Grandma's outstanding bills. Discovering this, Zhou Wan confronts him outside. While she accepts a drink from him, she firmly insists on transferring the money back via WeChat, stating that she wants to stand on her own feet.

Lu Xixiao assures her he did not act out of pity, asking if he could simply support her as a friend. To soften her guard, he buys her an ice cream and takes her to an arcade, successfully winning her a pink Kobito doll and presenting her with a necklace that matches her bow-and-arrow accessory. Their peaceful moment is interrupted when Lu Xixiao receives an alert that someone has broken into his late mother's house.

Determined to stop his stepmother, Guo Yan, from selling the beloved villa, Lu Xixiao asks Zhou Wan to come along. Arriving at the estate, they witness Guo Yan and a real estate agent showing a wealthy buyer, Mr. Li, around the property. As Lu Xixiao prepares to angrily storm the front door, Zhou Wan restrains him, advising him to keep a level head. She suggests finding a side entrance so they can slip inside and quietly sabotage the sale.

To stop Lu Xixiao's stepmother, Guo Yan, from selling his late mother's house, Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao team up to stage a spooky prank. While Guo Yan is showing a prospective buyer, Mr. Li, around the property, the electricity suddenly cuts out, though the fish tank lights remain on. Suddenly, the eerie sound of clicking high heels and echoing piano music drifts down from upstairs. Terrified by the noises in an supposedly empty house, the buyer is thoroughly spooked.

On his way out, he panics upon seeing fresh, blood-red handprints smeared on the wall and flees the scene. Once the house is empty, Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao meet up, delighted by the success of their plan. Zhou Wan was responsible for the noises upstairs, while Lu Xixiao painted the handprints. While looking around, Zhou Wan admires the beautiful paintings in the studio, and Lu Xixiao proudly claims they are his work.

However, when she mentions also seeing paintings in the second-floor room and notices that one of the four seems to be missing, Lu Xixiao's demeanor shifts instantly. Angered by her intrusion into his late mother's private room, he coldly demands to know who let her in and orders her to leave. Zhou Wan's estranged biological mother, Guo Yan, soon discovers that Zhou Wan helped Lu Xixiao disrupt the house viewing.

She meets Zhou Wan at a local tea house, coldly accusing her of breaking their agreement to stay away from Lu Xixiao in exchange for her grandmother's medical bills being paid. Zhou Wan defends that they are merely friends, but Guo Yan remains skeptical. When the topic of the university entrance exam arises, Zhou Wan explains she had to miss it because her grandmother suffered a sudden heart attack triggered by uremia. Guo Yan dismisses it as unfortunate fate.

When Zhou Wan brings up her late father's insurance money, expecting some of it to go to her grandmother, Guo Yan falsely claims the policy was marital property and solely in her own name. Desperate to keep her grandmother's treatment funded, Zhou Wan promises to treat the financial help as a loan, but Guo Yan forces her to block Lu Xixiao on her phone right then and there. At the Lu residence, family tensions rise.

While Lu Xixiao's grandfather supports him, his father demands he attend the Lanyue Group's 40th-anniversary family banquet to apologize to a business partner's son. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Xixiao agrees on one condition: his mother's house must not be sold. His father complies, claiming he never actually intended to sell it anyway. Back at home, Zhou Wan is sorting through her father's old documents when she stumbles upon the actual insurance contract.

To her shock, she sees that she was designated as the sole primary beneficiary, meaning Guo Yan lied to steal her inheritance and abandoned her family to live in luxury. Consumed by a desire for revenge, Zhou Wan sees news about the upcoming Lanyue Group banquet and realizes Guo Yan will definitely be there. This event is her only chance to confront her mother and secure the funds needed to save her grandmother.

Zhou Wan seeks advice from a friend on how to mend her relationship with Lu Xixiao. Her friend suggests swallowing her pride and acting pitiful. Together, they visit the repair shop where Lu Xixiao is working to deliver some seafood noodles. Though Lu Xixiao acts indifferent, his friends see through his tough exterior and tease him about how much he secretly cares for her.

Later, Zhou Wan visits her grandmother in the hospital, where her classmate Jiang Yan brings university brochures from Pingchuan City to help her explore her options since she missed the gaokao, gently reminding her that her life is her own choice. Determined to get back in Lu Xixiao's good graces, Zhou Wan corners him at the local arcade. She takes responsibility for deleting him, admitting she was wrong.

Lu Xixiao's defenses crumble, and he apologizes as well, admitting he shouldn't have lost his temper. He agrees that their history of saving a fish and playing ghosts together is too meaningful to throw away, and he adds her back on WeChat. Zhou Wan then asks for a favor, mentioning how much she loves the Phonograph Band, who are scheduled to perform at his family's banquet, and asks if she can attend.

Lu Xixiao readily agrees, telling her to come early and reassuring her that she doesn't need to worry about formal wear. While happy, Zhou Wan is plagued by guilt, silently hoping he won't hate her when he eventually discovers she is using him to get close to Guo Yan. Before the big night, Jiang Yan celebrates his birthday, first with his mother and then with his father, Mr. Lu.

Although Mr. Lu presents him with a customized fountain pen and promises future financial support, Jiang Yan firmly rejects the gifts. He politely points out that they are not a real family and never will be, declaring he will no longer accept anything from the Lu family. Later, Jiang Yan meets Zhou Wan on a rooftop to celebrate his birthday with a small cake.

For his birthday wishes, he prays for her grandmother's recovery and asks Zhou Wan to accompany him to an art exhibition next Tuesday. Although it falls on the same night as the Lanyue banquet, she accepts, confident she can manage both. For his final wish, he selflessly hands it over to Zhou Wan. Staring into the night sky, Zhou Wan silently wishes for the success of her upcoming plan to confront Guo Yan.

On the day of the grand banquet, Zhou Wan dressed in the finest clothes she could find in her meager wardrobe. Since her grandmother’s recurring illness drained all of her family’s resources, she had nothing glamorous to wear, but she braced herself for the critical task ahead. Outside the venue, Lu Xixiao was already waiting.

When Zhou Wan arrived, he casually claimed he was only there out of concern that she might get lost, bringing a soft smile to her face. As they walked in together, Zhou Wan worried aloud that she looked too underdressed for such a lavish event, but Lu Xixiao gently reassured her. Their entry was quickly disrupted when an arrogant young man named Ethan collided with them.

He sneered at Zhou Wan's presence, questioning her right to attend the same gathering, and carelessly spilled his drink onto her dress. Though Lu Xixiao's anger flared, Zhou Wan urged him to let it go to avoid making a scene. Determined not to let her suffer through the night in a stained outfit, Lu Xixiao immediately led her toward the dressing rooms.

In the dressing room, a stunning white gown was on display, its size seemingly a perfect match for Zhou Wan. To ease the awkwardness and mask his own vulnerability, Lu Xixiao bragged that his home was always filled with beautiful clothes because he frequently hosted many girls, specifically mentioning stylists, housekeepers, and designers. Zhou Wan, focused entirely on the success of her plan, readily accepted the dress. Soon after, a voice announced that the stylists and makeup artists had arrived.

Lu Xixiao told them to come in and agreed to handle the expenses. Meanwhile, guests in the main hall gossiped about the late Mrs. Lu’s artistic legacy and her husband's legendary devotion. Lu Xixiao's aunt Qilan had just returned from abroad without informing the family, joining Lu Xixiao's grandfather at the gathering. When his grandfather inquired about his university plans, Lu Xixiao promised to discuss it later.

Before they could head inside, Lu Xixiao's father, Lu Zhongyue, pulled him aside, demanding he apologize to He Wenhui over their previous altercation. Lu Xixiao complied but did so with biting sarcasm, listing out his errors, such as saving He Wenhui's life by stopping him from running a red light, exposing He Wenhui's poor racing skills in public, and merely smashing He Wenhui’s car instead of demanding formal compensation after He Wenhui scratched his.

Lu Xixiao pointed out that their fathers were only using their petty feud as a convenient excuse to resolve business friction. Realizing Lu Xixiao knew exactly how to play the game, He Wenhui backed down, and Lu Xixiao warned him to stay away. When Zhou Wan finally emerged in the elegant white gown, Lu Xixiao was spellbound, softly telling her how beautiful she looked.

Wanting to shield her from the suffocating crowd, he led her away to a quiet outdoor area where he had arranged a private solo performance of a song she had wanted to hear. As they danced together, Lu Xixiao guided her steps, and they spoke about the tragic love story behind the music—a tale of two people who shouldn't have been together but fell in love anyway, only for the woman to hurt the man who ultimately died protecting her.

While Zhou Wan dismissed the man's sacrifice as foolish, Lu Xixiao explained that the composer believed the man accepted it as his destiny, even if it was a flawed one. Overwhelmed by the intense connection, Zhou Wan asked if it was too late to stop before things went too far. She quietly questioned what he would do if she ever hurt him, to which Lu Xixiao softly replied that he would do nothing. Inside, the formal ceremony began.

Lu Zhongyue stood on stage to celebrate Lanyue Group’s 40th anniversary, introducing a cherished painting by his late wife, which he incorrectly called Midsummer. Hearing his father misrepresent her work, Lu Xixiao stepped onto the stage to correct him, explaining that the piece was actually titled Blazing Summer, part of a wider seasonal series representing her most passionate emotions. During his speech, Zhou Wan received an urgent phone call from Dr. Chen at the hospital.

The doctor delivered the hopeful news that her grandmother's indicators were ideal for a kidney transplant, but warned that she needed to secure 300,000 yuan for the surgery as soon as a donor matched. Desperate and realizing she had no other choice, Zhou Wan knew she had to seize this moment. When security guards questioned her presence for lack of an invitation, she bypassed them and walked straight onto the stage, seizing the microphone.

Standing before the stunned audience, Zhou Wan introduced herself as a student from Yangming High School. She turned to the banquet's hostess, Guo Yan (who introduced herself at the event as Guo Xiangling), and boldly addressed her as "Mom." The crowd erupted in murmurs, and Guo Yan froze in absolute terror, fearing her hidden past would be exposed.

However, Zhou Wan smoothly pivoted, explaining that after losing her father early, she had struggled deeply until Ms. Guo began anonymously sponsoring her education and helping with her grandmother's medical bills. She praised Guo Yan as a saintly benefactor who was more than a mother to her. Under the pressure of the applauding crowd, Guo Yan had to play along.

Standing close, Zhou Wan whispered that she only wanted her father's 300,000 yuan insurance money for her grandmother's surgery, urging Guo Yan to finish the performance with her. Forced into a corner, Guo Yan hugged her tightly and tearfully expressed her pride in Zhou Wan's future. While the drama unfolded at the banquet, Jiang Yan was waiting for Zhou Wan at the Pingchuan Art Museum.

When the museum closed and she still hadn't arrived, he hurried to the hospital, fearing something had happened to her grandmother. However, her grandmother explained that Zhou Wan had merely delivered lunch before leaving for some personal errands. She handed Jiang Yan the lunchbox bag to take back, inside of which he discovered a formal invitation to the Lu family banquet.

Staring at it, Jiang Yan realized where Zhou Wan had gone and wondered about her true connection to Lu Xixiao. Following her speech, Lu Xixiao angrily dragged Zhou Wan away from the venue, speeding off on his motorcycle. They stopped in a desolate, quiet area, where Lu Xixiao confronted her, deeply wounded. He accused her of using him solely to get close to Guo Yan, pointing out that she had calculated exactly how to hurt him.

Zhou Wan quietly apologized, but Lu Xixiao bitterly asked if she wanted to be his sister so badly. He demanded to know if she had ever felt any genuine affection for him during their time together. Zhou Wan cold-heartedly claimed she had never thought about it. Stung by her rejection, Lu Xixiao suddenly pulled her close and kissed her passionately, leaving her stunned.

He then rode away in a fury, though his concern for her safety eventually forced him to turn back, only to find she had already left. Zhou Wan took a taxi home, where she found Guo Yan waiting for her. Guo Yan coldly warned her that she was no Cinderella and that she needed to stay away from Lu Xixiao.

She offered a deal: if Zhou Wan attended a breakfast with Lu Xixiao's family the next morning, followed her instructions, and then left Pingchuan forever, she would receive the 300,000 yuan. Zhou Wan agreed but demanded an immediate 6,000 yuan to cover her grandmother's upcoming dialysis. Guo Yan handed over the money, demanding that Zhou Wan vanish from her sight starting tomorrow. After Guo Yan left, Jiang Yan stepped out from the shadows, having overheard their entire conversation.

Zhou Wan broke down and confessed everything, explaining that Guo Yan was her birth mother who had abandoned her and stolen all their money after her father’s death. She asked if he thought she was a bad person, but Jiang Yan comforted her, promising to keep her secret just as they had done when they were children. The next morning, Lu Xixiao sat at the breakfast table with his father, grandfather, and aunt.

When his grandfather asked about his future, Lu Xixiao firmly announced his plan to study art abroad and apply to his late mother's alma mater. This sparked another fierce argument with his father, who demanded he stick to studying finance. His aunt managed to defuse the tension just as their guest was announced. Zhou Wan entered the room. The aunt welcomed her warmly and praised Guo Yan for her charitable deed, teasingly addressing Guo Yan as her future sister-in-law. Guo Yan then prompted Zhou Wan to greet her "brother." Zhou Wan looked at Lu Xixiao and quietly murmured, "Brother."