Our Generation Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Our Generation Synopsis
Lin Qile, nicknamed Cherry, who grows up under the loving care of her parents, both electrical construction workers, alongside her friends Yu Qiao, Qin Yeyun, Du Shang, and Cai Fangyuan in a construction site nestled in the mountains. Jiang Qiaoxi, a talented boy raised as a replacement for his late older brother by his parents, gradually integrates into this close-knit group after transferring to their school. Cherry’s family becomes a rare source of warmth in Jiang’s childhood, and she becomes an important figure in his life, beyond just being his cousin and mentor.
As time passes, the friends scatter in different directions. Cherry, whose heart is as clear as amber, begins to experience the bittersweet aspects of growing up and steps out of the protective wings of her parents into the wider world. Years later, the group reunites at a provincial experimental school, where they help each other during three years of hard work, preparing for a broader future. At this time, Jiang Qiaoxi, whose future seems promising, leaves without telling anyone to go to Hong Kong to care for his cousin, who has been bedridden due to an accident.
It is only when Cherry bravely seeks him out that she finds him. After enduring many trials, the bond between Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi deepens, and with the blessings of their friends, they eventually become a happy couple.
Our Generation Recap
Episode 1 Recap
Lin Cherry, a mischievous girl, often leads her friends into trouble. During an attempt to help her friend Cai Fangyuan get a novel from the library, she is caught by Jiang Qiaoxi, a new student. Startled, Lin Cherry quickly makes her escape. That evening, Jiang Qiaoxi arrives at her home with his father, Jiang Zheng, who is an old acquaintance and the supervisor of Lin Cherry's father, Lin Haifeng.
At dinner, Jiang Qiaoxi refuses to take off his backpack, explaining it contains a dirty coat from his cousin that he doesn't want to discard. Lin Cherry's mother, Zhao Shengjuan, offers to wash it. Worried that Jiang Qiaoxi might report her for the library incident, leading to her being "taken away" like Rapunzel, Lin Cherry tries to win him over with candy, tapes, and comics.
She also insists her friends treat him well, believing that if he is forced to leave, she will be taken with him. Lin Haifeng and Zhao Shengjuan later discuss Jiang Qiaoxi, noting his reputation as a "math genius" and hinting at a past family tragedy that still affects him. Lin Cherry gives Jiang Qiaoxi a tour of the staff dorms, introducing him to her friends.
She points out Du Shang's home, where he lives with his mother since his father was transferred. She introduces Qin Yeyun, whom she dislikes because her "broken palm" makes her hits painful, though she admits Qin Yeyun is pretty. Qin Yeyun lives with her father, Mr. Qin, who runs the convenience store after a work injury left him unable to walk properly; Lin Cherry admires him for practicing Qigong daily to heal his leg.
They also see Yu Qiao's crowded home, where he lives with his parents, grandmother, and young cousin, Yu Jin, who was taken in after his mother fell ill. Finally, they pass the house of Cai Fangyuan, who loves all things delicious and fun. As they walk, Lin Cherry expresses her fear of forgetting her memories of Qun Shan if she were to die, asking Jiang Qiaoxi to help her remember.
He reassures her that parents always remember and love their children who have passed away. When she asks if he will leave one day, he confirms he will. Believing she is doomed after a snake jumped higher than her, an omen she learned from a former neighbor, Lin Cherry writes in a school essay that she is about to die and begins giving away her possessions. Alarmed, her teacher, Miss Zhang, rushes to her home.
Lin Cherry tearfully explains her conviction, but Miss Zhang and Zhao Shengjuan compassionately reassure her that the superstition is false and she is not going to die. For a school assignment about their names, Lin Cherry explains that her name was changed from "Lin Cherry" to "Lin Qi Le" because the former was considered too simple, even though her mother had craved cherries while pregnant.
Her friends also share the stories behind their names, but Jiang Qiaoxi states his name has no special meaning. Later, at a group dinner, Lin Qi Le asks Jiang Zheng about his son's name. Jiang Zheng explains that he and his wife were unprepared for a child and he simply picked the name from a line of poetry in a newspaper when one was needed for the birth certificate. Lin Qi Le overhears her parents discussing Jiang Qiaoxi's family.
They had an older son, Jiang Mengchu, a child prodigy who died young. His death nearly led to his parents' divorce, and they only had Jiang Qiaoxi at the urging of factory leaders. However, they remain emotionally distant, with his father even misremembering his birthday on a transfer form, suggesting he is still fixated on his first son. Moved, Lin Qi Le looks up the character "Qiao" (峤) in a dictionary.
The next day, she takes Jiang Qiaoxi to the highest mountain in Qun Shan and explains that "Qiao" means "a high and sharp mountain." She tells him she once saw a beautiful, brilliant red sunset from that spot, suggesting this is the true meaning of his name. Though it begins to rain, preventing them from seeing the sunset, he asks her to describe it.
As she vividly recounts the fiery, ever-changing sky, he affirms he can see the scene she describes in his mind. She joyfully concludes that "Jiang Qiao Xi" is a meaningful and pleasant name. The friends gather to celebrate Jiang Qiaoxi's birthday. Before the party, an argument erupts at Du Shang's home, prompting Jiang Zheng to intervene and reprimand Du Shang's father. At the party, Jiang Zheng gives his son a black gift, remarking that black suits him.
Jiang Qiaoxi notes it's "black again" and reveals his mother, Liang Hongfei, will be picking him up to return to the provincial city in two days. The friends present Jiang Qiaoxi with preserved flowers they dyed black with ink. Lin Qi Le explains they chose the color because he wears it so often, believing one should like a person as they are.
However, Jiang Qiaoxi confesses he dislikes black; his late brother liked it, and his parents buy him only black things, forcing him to like it because "they don't love me the way I am." He reveals he actually likes red. Lin Qi Le promises to use her next birthday wish for his parents to love him for who he truly is. He tells her to keep her own wish—for them all to stay together—as it means more to him.
Later, Lin Qi Le brings shrimp buns to Jiang Qiaoxi's home, but his parents politely refuse them. She then overhears them planning to keep his departure a secret from her until after winter break to soften the blow. Realizing he is leaving for good, Lin Qi Le is devastated. After her father confirms that his mother is taking him back to the provincial city, she runs after their departing car, crying out his name.
Jiang Qiaoxi calls back, "Cherry, I'll be back after the winter break!" As the car disappears, Lin Qi Le reflects that people, like animals that molt, must eventually break free from their shells and let things go to move forward.
Episode 2 Recap
Lin Qile, often called Cherry, remained in Qunshan while her friends had moved to the provincial city for school. Despite not receiving any replies, she consistently wrote letters to Jiang Qiaoxi. One day, during class, she was caught writing, leading to her mother, Zhao Shengjuan, being summoned to school.
Miss Wang, Cherry’s teacher, expressed concern, emphasizing that Cherry was a promising student in her first year of high school and needed to focus on her studies for the upcoming college entrance exams, urging her parents to pay attention as children at this stage often lack learning initiative. Zhao Shengjuan acknowledged the teacher's point, and later, she told Cherry that while there was nothing wrong with writing letters, it should be done at home, not during class.
Cherry, feeling like a burden, apologized for always worrying her parents and for being left alone in Qunshan while her friends were elsewhere. Zhao Shengjuan reassured her, saying she wasn't alone, as she had her parents and the entirety of Qunshan. Lin Qile then affirmed her sincere desire to be the "last guardian of Qunshan," which her mother confirmed.
Her mother also shared wise advice that growing up is a process of breaking out of a shell, and trapping oneself in the past, especially in bygone emotions, would only lead to unhappiness. Her mother told her that letters only become truly sent when they are delivered; otherwise, they remain "knots" within oneself.
Cherry's letters to Jiang Qiaoxi detailed her life in Qunshan, mentioning the changes like the inactive water cooling towers, her longing to share sweet salvia with him, and even the passing of Chun Lu, a rabbit they had collectively named his "daughter," which she buried on the mountain peak where they once watched sunsets together, hoping it would always be with him.
Lin Qile eventually collected all her unsent letters, binding them into a book before sending it to Jiang Qiaoxi. To her surprise, he allowed his classmates to pass it around and read it. Shortly after, she received a phone call from Qin Yeyun, who urgently told her to stop contacting Jiang Qiaoxi, refusing to explain why, only stating it was "none of your business" and that Lin Qile should "just live your life" and not think about him.
When Lin Qile pressed for "the truth" and if something had happened, Qin Yeyun merely reiterated, "Don't ask anymore. Don't contact him anymore. Never." Confused and distressed, Lin Qile recalled Jiang Qiaoxi's past promise to write to her and return after winter break. Unable to bear the uncertainty, she immediately boarded a bus to the provincial city. Upon arriving at Jialin Experimental High School, she overheard students discussing Jiang Qiaoxi.
They mentioned he had previously lived in Qunshan, despite rumors of attending elementary school in Hong Kong. They also spoke of a girl who sent him a letter, which was then circulated among students, with Yu Qiao and Fei Lin Ge reportedly snatching it in class. Students also mentioned that Jiang Qiaoxi had transferred from Hong Kong to First Experimental Elementary School in the first grade, where Fei Lin Ge and Cen Xiaoman were his classmates.
Unbeknownst to them, Yu Qiao heard someone shout his name, remarking that the voice sounded just like Cherry, though his friend dismissed it as unlikely. Her unfamiliar uniform quickly drew unwanted attention. Students surrounded her, questioning why she wasn't wearing their school's attire. She explained she was from No. 11 High School and was there to see a friend.
The students immediately suspected her of being "that Cherry" who wrote letters to Jiang Qiaoxi, asking about her relationship with him and why she was at their school. Just then, Jiang Qiaoxi appeared with Cen Xiaoman. A student remarked to Jiang Qiaoxi about Lin Qile causing him "trouble," but he curtly dismissed them, saying it was "none of your business." Then, facing Lin Qile, he publicly denied knowing her. The surrounding students echoed his words, believing he wouldn't lie.
Heartbroken by his cruel denial, Lin Qile fled the scene. Distraught, Lin Qile climbed a high protective barrier. An older woman, fearing she intended to jump, urgently coaxed her down, asking if she'd failed an exam or argued with family. Lin Qile clarified she only wanted to vent and had no intention of jumping. The kind woman offered her hot water and later took her to see the beautiful evening sky, hoping to lift her spirits.
Meanwhile, Liang Hongfei, a teacher, was dealing with Jiang Qiaoxi, whose mother had called to pick him up. Liang Hongfei also addressed Cen Xiaoman, expressing disappointment in her and Jiang Qiaoxi's interaction that day, urging her to focus on studies. Cen Xiaoman apologized and asked Liang Hongfei not to blame Jiang Qiaoxi. Students gossiped about Cen Xiaoman being the class beauty and second-ranked academically, with Jiang Qiaoxi being first.
Later, Lin Qile encountered Yu Qiao, who recognized her instantly despite her appearance. Concerned about her injured foot, which she claimed was from tripping over a shoelace, Yu Qiao insisted on carrying her, teasing her with childhood anecdotes involving himself, Du Shang, and Cai Fangyuan, like an incident with a chocolate or being stuck in a locust tree. Yu Qiao took her to his home, where Cai Fangyuan and Du Shang were also present.
Lin Qile asked Yu Qiao to buy her water and paper, and he then asked what she wanted to eat. Soon after, Lin Qile's parents, Lin Haifeng and Zhao Shengjuan, arrived, relieved to find her safe. After the initial relief, Lin Haifeng declared his decision: Lin Qile would transfer to Experimental High School the following semester.
Zhao Shengjuan urged her daughter to move to the provincial city, stressing how great it would be to attend school with Yu Qiao and their other friends. Yu Qiao's mother, Ms. Zhang Ping, also chimed in, remarking that Lin Qile loved being lively and together with everyone, and wouldn't be truly happy alone in Qunshan.
Although Lin Qile insisted she could be happy anywhere, the elders assured her they had watched her grow up and would arrange the school transfer, even if her parents hadn't asked. The elders also mentioned that Jiang Qiaoxi's father, Mr. Jiang, would have been helpful regarding Lin Qile's house matters, but he was unable to come as Jiang Qiaoxi had just been brought back by Liang Hongfei after running off with a girl from his class.
Later that night, Du Shang, still carrying Lin Qile due to her injured foot, accompanied Yu Qiao and Cai Fangyuan to a park. They playfully broke in after closing, just as they used to do as children. Lin Qile, still agile, climbed easily. Inside, they reminisced about their childhood longing to see a "big white goose," and now presented the park's swans as a substitute, noting one swan was particularly brave and showy, just like young Lin Qile.
Yu Qiao passionately pleaded with her to move, stating, "It's not you who need us, but we who need you," expressing that the provincial city hadn't ruined them all. Lin Qile playfully declared her "hatred" for them, demonstrating their close bond as they carefully exited the park, with Yu Qiao being the last to climb out. As they left the park, Lin Qile unexpectedly encountered Jiang Qiaoxi.
He revealed that Qin Yeyun had informed him of her presence, prompting him to come find her. Lin Qile, still deeply hurt, sarcastically asked if they even knew each other. Jiang Qiaoxi apologized and explained that his public denial earlier was because he "had no better solution" and believed it was the "optimal solution" to prevent her from being in the spotlight or getting hurt by others.
Lin Qile angrily countered, questioning his "optimal solution" and pointing out he could have simply said they were old friends, and clarified that her letter wasn't a love letter and Chun Lu was a rabbit. Jiang Qiaoxi insisted he "couldn't say it like that" due to the presence of others.
The reality, as Lin Qile had heard from Yu Qiao and her friends, was that Jiang Qiaoxi had changed significantly since moving to the city; he had distanced himself from them and now only associated with high-achieving students like Cen Xiaoman, who was second in class to his first. This further highlighted the extent to which he had cut ties with his past friendships.
Episode 3 Recap
Lin Qile confronts Jiang Qiao Xi, clarifying that the journal she sent was not a love letter but an obituary for "Chun Lu," a fictional daughter from a childhood game. She explains that she only included memories of Qun Shan because she knew he liked the place, but insists he was not special to her, as she had similar experiences with her other friends.
Stating her decision to transfer to Experimental High School is for her friends and has nothing to do with him, she declares that they should act as strangers from now on. Lin Qi Le dedicates herself to her studies, earning admission to the Provincial Experimental High School. As her family prepares to move, her mother finds a piece of clothing Jiang Qiao Xi had entrusted to her years ago.
A flashback reveals a distraught young Lin Qi Le, who feared the provincial city was a "monster that eats children." To reassure her, Jiang Qiao Xi had given her the clothing—a prized item from his cousin—as a promise that he would return. In the present, however, Lin Qi Le coldly tells her mother to discard it, claiming it's no longer needed.
Upon arriving in the provincial city, Lin Qi Le’s family, along with those of Jiang Qiao Xi, Yu Qiao, Du Shang, and Qin Ye Yun, settle into the same housing community. Her friends take her to a lively night market, but Lin Qi Le panics when they briefly disappear to buy food without telling her. Upon their return, her friends playfully kneel and present her with snacks, teasing her for being less fearless than she used to be.
As they run home, they pass Jiang Qiao Xi's window. He sees her, and though her pace falters for a moment, she quickly sprints ahead, determined not to show any lingering feelings. During the class assignment process, Lin Qi Le, Yu Qiao, and Cai Fang Yuan are placed in Science Class 18, while Qin Ye Yun is assigned to Arts Class 4.
To her dismay, Lin Qi Le discovers that Jiang Qiao Xi is also in her class, having ranked first in the school and been accepted into the provincial Olympiad team. Their former class monitor from Qun Shan, Feng, enthusiastically greets her, unaware of the tension between her and Jiang Qiao Xi. Lin Qi Le later confides in Qin Ye Yun, expressing frustration with herself for foolishly writing Jiang Qiao Xi such a long letter.
She resolves to remember that he is no longer the person she once knew and vows to never forgive him or treat him with the same closeness again. Both families gather for a celebratory dinner for Lin Qi Le's admission and Jiang Qiao Xi's Olympiad success. Lin Qi Le is seated next to Jiang Qiao Xi as the adults fondly reminisce about their childhood closeness.
During the meal, Du Shang suggests that everyone should address her by her formal name, Lin Qi Le, at school to avoid complications, but she defiantly insists on being called "Lin Cherry." Later, in the hallway, Jiang Qiao Xi tells her that using her nickname isn't good for her, but she retorts that knowing him isn't good for her either, reminding him of their agreement to be strangers.
In English class, when Lin Qi Le is selected for a dialogue exercise, Jiang Qiao Xi volunteers to be her partner. Asked about his most cherished memory, he describes a friend taking him to a mountain to see a sunset, where she gave his name a new, beautiful meaning related to the view. A flashback confirms Lin Qi Le was that friend. In class, she feigns ignorance, claiming she doesn't understand his advanced English.
Jiang Qiao Xi then translates his answer and pointedly corrects his initial greeting from "Nice to see you" (for reunions) to "Nice to meet you" (for first encounters). When a classmate asks about the person he mentioned, he simply calls her "a very important person." Later, at the water fountain, Jiang Qiao Xi approaches Lin Qi Le, asking to borrow her water card.
When she asks if they are close enough for such a request, he formally introduces himself: "My name is Jiang Qiao Xi. Nice to meet you." She pointedly replies, "I can't say the same," and refuses to lend him the card, solidifying her rejection of his attempts to reconnect.
Episode 4 Recap
Lin Qi Le quickly developed a reputation for being cold when she refused to lend her water card to Jiang Qiao Xi, despite his polite request. Fellow students were taken aback by her bluntness. Cen Xiao Man and another classmate discussed Lin Qi Le's behavior. One classmate suggested it stemmed from embarrassment in English class due to Jiang Qiao Xi's advanced vocabulary, believing Lin Qi Le's self-esteem was hit.
However, Cen Xiao Man believed it was more likely a reaction to the other classmate, who had previously spoken ill of Lin Qi Le and was also a friend of Jiang Qiao Xi, causing Lin Qi Le to direct her anger towards him. They advised the classmate to apologize to Lin Qi Le.
Later, Jiang Qiao Xi's father hosted a dinner to celebrate Jiang Qiao Xi's success in the Olympiad math competition and Lin Qi Le's admission to the provincial city school. Lin Qi Le's mother, Sheng Juan, offered her the option to skip if she felt uncomfortable, reassuring her it was simply adult social etiquette. However, Lin Qi Le decided to attend with her parents.
During the dinner, Lin Qi Le was seated next to Jiang Qiao Xi, who consistently looked after her, serving her dishes and peeling crabs, which Lin Qi Le found puzzling. Subsequently, Lin Qi Le was summoned to the fourth-floor stairwell by Fei Lin Ge, who claimed he wanted to apologize for mistaking her for someone else before she transferred. However, his apology quickly turned into an accusation.
He implied Lin Qi Le disliked Jiang Qiao Xi and then vehemently criticized "that Cherry" for sending Jiang Qiao Xi a "disgusting" letter, blaming her for any misunderstandings. Lin Qi Le told him to stop his disrespectful comments. Just then, Yu Qiao arrived and pushed Fei Lin Ge. When Fei Lin Ge attempted to retaliate, Lin Qi Le swiftly kicked him, knocking him down again.
The Class Monitor appeared, warning Lin Qi Le and Yu Qiao that Fei Lin Ge might report them, which could lead to serious trouble. Yu Qiao, unfazed, confidently stated that with Lin Qi Le's ability to turn "black into white," they had nothing to worry about. Despite this, Lin Qi Le found it strange that the teacher hadn't called on her, and Fei Lin Ge seemed to have taken no action.
Yu Qiao jokingly suggested it was because she was too intimidating. Jiang Qiao Xi later confronted Fei Lin Ge, questioning why he was attacked. Fei Lin Ge recounted his version of events, claiming he merely tried to apologize to Lin Qi Le but was met with violence. He reiterated his belief that "Cherry's" letter was the cause of the misunderstanding and that her actions were "disgusting."
Jiang Qiao Xi sternly rebuked Fei Lin Ge, pointing out that insulting someone's friend in front of them would naturally provoke a reaction. He warned Fei Lin Ge to stay out of his personal affairs, especially concerning Lin Qi Le, stating unequivocally that he and Lin Qi Le "will become friends." Lin Qi Le tried to encourage a connection between Qin Ye Yun and Yu Qiao, noticing Qin Ye Yun's interest.
While Lin Qi Le and Yu Qiao were talking about games, Lin Qi Le suggested Qin Ye Yun should hang out with them more, remarking on her absence from their previous dance machine outing. Qin Ye Yun then proposed a trip to the aquarium with Yu Qiao, who readily agreed. However, Yu Qiao then insisted that Lin Qi Le also join them, arguing that Qin Ye Yun would be upset if she didn't.
Though reluctant to be a third wheel, Lin Qi Le eventually agreed. On the day of the trip, Qin Ye Yun did not show up, claiming she had other plans, leaving Lin Qi Le and Yu Qiao to go alone. Lin Qi Le later found Qin Ye Yun watching TV at home, revealing her "other plans" were simply watching TV. Lin Qi Le found the situation between Qin Ye Yun and Yu Qiao confusing.
Later, Yu Qiao's father confronted him about a phone bill showing "love tests," suspecting Yu Qiao had a crush on Qin Ye Yun. Yu Qiao denied it, blaming his younger brother, who then admitted to using the phone. Subsequently, their friends teased Yu Qiao about Qin Ye Yun, causing Qin Ye Yun to become upset and run away. Lin Qi Le sought out Qin Ye Yun, who was angry and frustrated by Yu Qiao's obliviousness.
Lin Qi Le tried to persuade Qin Ye Yun to confess her feelings to Yu Qiao, but Qin Ye Yun feared that doing so would jeopardize their friendship and was content with their current dynamic. Lin Qi Le visited Qin Ye Yun at her home, bringing her a small doll as a gift. Qin Ye Yun initially hesitated to accept but found the doll endearing and noted its resemblance to herself and Lin Qi Le with their braided pigtails.
Qin Ye Yun's father also encouraged her to spend time with Lin Qi Le instead of constantly watching TV. Qin Ye Yun then agreed to hang out at Lin Qi Le's house. During the physical education class, while running the 800-meter dash, Lin Qi Le collapsed from heatstroke and was taken to the infirmary. Jiang Qiao Xi, who was retrieving a drink, rushed to her side upon hearing the news.
The nurse confirmed Lin Qi Le was suffering from heatstroke and needed rest. As Lin Qi Le lay recovering, she recalled a childhood memory of Jiang Qiao Xi caring for her when she was ill, bringing her warmed peanut milk when her parents were away. She remembered asking him to always stay with her when she was sick. Startled, she opened her eyes to find Jiang Qiao Xi by her bedside.
Annoyed by his presence, she immediately told him to leave, claiming they weren't close and it would be awkward if the nurse returned. Jiang Qiao Xi tried to stay, reminding her of her childhood wish for him to be with her when she was sick. Lin Qi Le, however, dismissed his words as "useless" and insisted he depart. As Jiang Qiao Xi was leaving, the nurse returned.
The Class Monitor attempted to cover for him by claiming he was ill, but Jiang Qiaoxi, committed to honesty, clarified that he was there to check on Lin Qi Le before finally departing.
Episode 5 Recap
Cherry came out of the infirmary and was stopped by Cen Xiaoman, who was holding the peanut milk that Jiang Qiaoxi had bought for Cherry. Cen Xiaoman had learned that Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi had been childhood playmates. She told Cherry that she and Jiang Qiaoxi were just ordinary classmates, and anything beyond that would have to wait until after college. Right now, she wanted to be friends with Cherry, because Jiang Qiaoxi’s friends were her friends too.
But Cherry said she already had plenty of friends, so there was no need. While cleaning, Lin Qile ran into Jiang Qiaoxi. There was a stray cat on their school campus, and Jiang Qiaoxi would visit it whenever he had time. But Cherry was upset—she thought Jiang Qiaoxi wouldn’t think about the mountain rabbit anymore now that he had the kitten.
Jiang Qiaoxi explained that it was a completely different matter: he liked the kitten, but that didn’t affect how he felt about the rabbit. Still, Cherry felt like he was using the kitten as a replacement for the rabbit. The two got into an argument, and in a fit of anger, Cherry picked up a rock to throw at Jiang Qiaoxi. Fortunately, Yu Qiao and the others arrived in time to stop her.
The principal saw what was happening and came over to ask what was going on. Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi apologized to each other, then Cherry left with Yu Qiao and the others. Ever since Jiang Qiaoxi left the mountains, Cherry had been writing in her diary every day to record how much she missed him. She wanted to keep track of everything that happened here so that one day she could tell Jiang Qiaoxi about it.
Later, she tried hard to forget about Jiang Qiaoxi, because she had never received a call or letter from him. In fact, Jiang Qiaoxi had written many letters to Cherry, hoping to give them to her personally. But his mother found them and, in a fit of anger, tore up every one. Jiang Qiaoxi went to participate in the Math Olympiad. Before leaving, he had asked Cherry to take care of the kitten for him.
Though she was stubborn and didn’t agree out loud, she couldn’t help but go check on the kitten and bring it food. Qin Yeyun, Yu Qiao, and a few others had agreed to watch TV together at home. Qin Yeyun brought some things to Yu Qiao’s house. Yu Qiao’s younger brother, Yu Jin, had collected cards from six packs of crispy noodles and wanted to give them to Qin Yeyun.
Qin Yeyun called him into the room—no one knew what was said—but she stormed out, and Yu Jin cried, shouting that he didn’t like Qin Yeyun anymore. Cherry arrived at Yu Qiao’s house shortly after. She had run into Qin Yeyun earlier and didn’t know what had happened, but after hearing from Yu Qiao, she lost the mood to watch TV—because she now understood why Qin Yeyun was upset.
When Cherry got home, her mother told her that Qin Yeyun was there and seemed unhappy. Qin Yeyun brought up the kitten. She understood how Cherry felt—that the kitten represented Cen Xiaoman, and she herself was the rabbit. The reason she was angry was because Cherry was jealous, though Cherry refused to admit it. One day after school, it started raining heavily. Cherry thought of the kitten and couldn’t resist going to check on it.
Unexpectedly, the kitten had run into a deep, narrow ditch. She jumped down and saved the kitten, but couldn’t climb back up herself. Fortunately, Jiang Qiaoxi arrived in time. He jumped in to help Cherry up, but Cherry was furious. She had kindly taken care of the kitten for him, but all he did was mock her. So she left in anger without pulling Jiang Qiaoxi up. But halfway through her walk, she started to worry and snuck back to check—only after seeing Jiang Qiaoxi climb out safely did she finally feel at ease.
Episode 6 Recap
Cherry and Yu Qiao, along with a few others, returned to the mountains. Jiang Qiaoxi called out to Cherry, but she ignored him. Qin Yeyun saw Jiang Qiaoxi and handed him her bicycle, telling him to go after Cherry. Cherry saw Jiang Qiaoxi from the bus—he was riding on the highway, which was very dangerous—so she decided to get off. Later, the two took a bus back together.
On the ride, Jiang Qiaoxi confessed to Cherry that during the years after he left the mountains, whenever he wanted to contact her, he found that his mother had cut the telephone line at home. He studied hard to make his mother proud and only wanted to return to the mountains during the holidays, but his mother never agreed. In the end, he had no choice but to sneak out of the house.
He even accidentally hurt himself while jumping out the window, though it wasn’t serious. He took a bus back to the mountains, full of hope to reunite with his old friends, but the moment he got off the bus, he was stopped by his mother. She threatened him, saying that if he had any contact with people from the mountains again, she would make sure he never saw them again.
Jiang Qiaoxi had no choice but to go home with her. The misunderstanding between Jiang Qiaoxi and Cherry was finally cleared up, but Cherry said she hadn't forgiven him yet—whether she would or not depended on his future behavior. Jiang Qiaoxi was overjoyed to have a chance at being forgiven. Yu Qiao and the others also understood the difficulties Jiang Qiaoxi faced and no longer blamed him, though they still pretended not to be close to him in public.
Cherry asked Yu Qiao to help arrange a meeting with Jiang Qiaoxi in the evening. Yu Qiao pretended to ask Jiang Qiaoxi for help with a math problem, then passed along the time and place. Jiang Qiaoxi said he could make it. Cen Xiaoman noticed their interaction and seemed to sense something. That night, Jiang Qiaoxi dressed up nicely, and so did Cherry. She arrived early at the agreed location and ran into Qin Yeyun on the way.
Qin Yeyun was also well-dressed because she, too, had someone she wanted to see. Qin Yeyun knew that Yu Qiao would be at the basketball court at that time, so she went there to find him. The two chatted for a while, but Yu Qiao still hadn’t realized Qin Yeyun’s feelings for him. Just as Jiang Qiaoxi stepped out of his house, he saw his mother.
He no longer wanted to be controlled by her—he was determined to go to the meeting. But once again, his mother threatened him, saying that if he went, she would have Cherry’s parents transferred away, ensuring that he would never see Cherry again. Jiang Qiaoxi had no choice but to go back home with her. Later, Jiang Qiaoxi’s father returned, and the couple got into a heated argument. The fight was so intense that it alarmed the neighbors.
Yu Qiao rushed to Cherry’s house and told them about the fight and its cause. Cherry’s parents immediately went to Jiang Qiaoxi’s home. Jiang Qiaoxi’s father apologized, and Cherry’s parents expressed that the children's friendship was very pure. Yu Qiao then went to find Cherry to tell her that Jiang Qiaoxi couldn’t make it and walked her home. Cherry saw her parents coming out of Jiang Qiaoxi’s house and worried they might be blamed by his mother because of her.
She felt very sorry. But her parents didn’t think the children had done anything wrong, and the three of them went home together. Jiang Qiaoxi was taken by his mother to attend a Math Olympiad training camp. When Cherry’s mother saw how reluctant she was to part with him, she told Cherry that people often can’t change their circumstances. But Cherry asked her mother whether feelings could remain unchanged even in difficult circumstances. Cherry’s parents gave her a definite answer.
Manager Jiang went to the convenience store to buy cigarettes. He wanted Qin Yeyun to pass a message to Cherry—that there’s a time for everything. Qin Yeyun said that it wasn’t Cherry who was affecting Jiang Qiaoxi anymore, but Jiang Qiaoxi who was affecting Cherry.
Episode 7 Recap
Lin Qile went out for breakfast with her parents, along with Yu Qiao’s parents and the other kids’ families. All of them were colleagues who had come from the mountains, and their children had grown up together since they were little. So none of the adults believed that the kids were involved in any kind of early romantic relationships. In fact, Yu Qiao’s parents really liked Cherry—when they were young, she often protected Yu Qiao and the others.
Cherry suspected that someone had tattled on her meeting with Jiang Qiaoxi. Later, Yu Qiao found out the truth. The worksheet he used to arrange the meeting with Jiang Qiaoxi had gone missing, and he suspected that Fei Lingge had stolen it. Cen Xiaoman and a few others had been gossiping about it in private, so it seemed pretty clear what had happened.
After school, Yu Qiao used the excuse that a teacher was looking for Fei Lingge and led him away. Worried he might be in danger, Cen Xiaoman followed them. Unexpectedly, Cherry ended up kicking the door right as Fei Lingge opened it, knocking him over by accident. Cherry just wanted to know what Fei Lingge had done, but he didn’t confess. Cen Xiaoman arrived and took him away.
Later, Fei Lingge gave the teacher the photos he had secretly taken of Yu Qiao and Cherry at the aquarium and reported them for being in an early relationship. It was only then that Yu Qiao realized they had been framed, which explained why their classmates had been giving them strange looks. The teacher asked them to call their parents.
Yu Qiao’s mother and Cherry’s mother came to school and explained to the teacher that the two had grown up together and had a sibling-like relationship, not a romantic one. Still, they promised to provide proper guidance. Later, Yu Qiao’s mother specifically went to the classroom door to tell Yu Qiao to take good care of his “little sister” Cherry—fortunately, Zhao Shengjuan pulled her away just in time.
Now that Lin Qile’s identity was revealed, everyone knew she was the girl who had written letters to Jiang Qiaoxi. In fact, Cen Xiaoman had known for a while but hadn’t said anything. After Yu Qiao’s worksheet was stolen, several girls were gossiping about Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi. Yu Qiao overheard and nearly got into a fight, but a male classmate stopped him. Cherry wanted to visit Jiang Qiaoxi, so she asked the boys for help.
Most of them made excuses to turn her down. In the end, only Yu Qiao and Cai Fangyuan couldn’t escape her grasp and followed her to the training camp. Meanwhile, Jiang Qiaoxi had also heard about Cherry while at the training camp and was very worried. Just then, Cherry showed up at the school to see him. Since they were students from a different school, sneaking in got them caught by the security guards, who started chasing them.
Yu Qiao diverted the guards’ attention to help Cherry escape. Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi spoke using metaphors about the kitten and the rabbit. Cherry said she was doing well and could handle what was happening. She hoped Jiang Qiaoxi would be okay too. Seeing how strong she was, Jiang Qiaoxi finally felt at ease. During the monthly exam, Cherry scored fifth from the bottom. Cai Fangyuan was third from the bottom.
Yu Qiao’s grades had dropped sharply during this period, and he ranked fifteenth from the bottom. One male classmate suggested that Yu Qiao should stop spending so much time with Cherry, claiming she was affecting his grades. Yu Qiao actually pushed the boy, and was later called to the office by the teacher. Once the teacher learned that the incident was related to Cherry, she was also called in.
The teacher suggested that Cherry spend less time around boys to avoid gossip. But Cherry said she had a clear conscience. They had all grown up together and were like family—she didn’t feel she had done anything wrong. The teacher had no choice but to ask her not to let it affect her studies. According to school policy, the bottom fifteen students had to attend remedial classes. If a student’s grades were too poor, they would be transferred to Class 18. Cherry said she would study hard and respect the school’s rules.
Episode 8 Recap
Lin Qile didn’t do well on her exam, but her parents didn’t blame her. Zhao Shengjuan even made pig brain soup to help nourish her. Lin Qile studied with Yu Qiao and Cai Fangyuan, but she was very weak in physics. The entire class had finished the test and left, leaving only her behind. Even when the teacher explained it to her one-on-one, she still couldn’t solve the problems. After school, she locked herself in her room and kept trying.
Yu Qiao came to see her and said that if she agreed to cheer for him at the basketball game, he would teach her his method for studying physics. Cherry agreed, and Yu Qiao took her to the basketball court to throw balloons as practice. Halfway through, Qin Yeyun came storming in, angry because Yu Qiao’s phone had set three custom ringtones for her. Yu Qiao was clueless—he guessed it was his younger brother, Yu Jin, who had done it.
To cheer her up, Cherry handed over Yu Qiao’s phone and let Qin Yeyun remove the ringtones herself. Unexpectedly, Qin Yeyun found a message with a “compatibility test” result between Yu Qiao and Cherry. Furious, she threw the phone back at Cherry and stormed off. After seeing the message, Cherry explained it was all a misunderstanding and chased after Qin Yeyun. She comforted her, saying that their main focus now should be studying.
But when Qin Yeyun mentioned Jiang Qiaoxi, Cherry didn’t know how to respond. Yu Qiao had signed Cherry up to be a cheerleader because he knew Qin Yeyun had signed up too. He wanted to use this opportunity to ease the tension between them. Over the past few days, Cherry had been ignoring the boys.
Seeing her constantly trying to coax Qin Yeyun, Yu Qiao guessed that there had been a falling out between the two girls, and that they were caught in the crossfire. What he didn’t expect was that the real reason Qin Yeyun was angry was because of him. Cherry originally planned to explain the situation to the teacher and withdraw from the training, since she wanted to focus on studying.
If she ended up at the bottom of the next monthly exam again, she would really be transferred to Class 18. But when she saw Qin Yeyun on the training field, she immediately changed her mind. She trained together with Qin Yeyun, but the rest of the team was on Cen Xiaoman’s side, so the two of them were isolated. When it came time to form groups, no one wanted to team up with them.
The teacher had to forcibly assign the two of them together. There was no cohesion between them, and their lift practice didn’t go well—partly because Cherry was unfamiliar with the moves. Cherry told the teacher that Qin Yeyun would teach her, not giving her any chance to refuse. Over the next few days, Qin Yeyun used her spare time to help Cherry train. Gradually, the two of them became more in sync, and Cherry made great progress.
During the team rehearsal, the teacher even praised her. But Cen Xiaoman deliberately fell down—she had stepped on Cherry and then pretended to fall herself. In front of everyone, she acted pitiful and said she didn’t blame Cherry. Cherry was left completely confused by the situation. Cen Xiaoman and her clique mocked Cherry in the locker room, and Qin Yeyun overheard them. She stood up for Cherry, saying that if Cen Xiaoman didn’t want to dance, she should just quit.
That way, Qin Yeyun could recommend herself as captain. If they left, there would be new members to replace them. She was confident she could teach Cherry, and if she could teach Cherry, she could teach anyone. Cherry overheard what Qin Yeyun said and was really happy—Qin Yeyun was still on her side. When it came time to pick outfits, Qin Yeyun didn’t show up. Everyone chose the prettiest clothes for Cen Xiaoman, and Cherry wasn’t given any say.
When she opened her outfit to check, she found defects. She went back to the shop to exchange it, but the bus didn’t wait for her and drove off. Frustrated, she took out her phone but didn’t know who to contact. She decided to walk back on her own, but along the way, she lost her direction and ended up at the seaside.
Episode 9 Recap
Cherry came home feeling both angry and sad. Zhao Shengjuan came to her bedroom to check on her and understand what had happened. Cherry said she would never play with Qin Yeyun again. Zhao Shengjuan comforted her, saying that the small shop run by Qin Yeyun’s family was closed, probably because something had happened at home—otherwise, Qin Yeyun wouldn’t have left her alone to pick up the performance costume.
Cherry’s father received a call from Manager Jiang and learned that Qin Yeyun’s father had been hospitalized, so they rushed to the hospital. Yu Qiao and several other kids were also there. Their families were very close, and when they heard about Qin Yeyun’s family difficulties, they all contributed money, pretending it was a reimbursement from the factory. But Uncle Qin knew that after the accident back then, the factory had given a one-time compensation.
Even so, none of them revealed the truth. Cherry accompanied Qin Yeyun home. The two of them apologized to each other and cleared up the misunderstanding. Qin Yeyun was very grateful that Cherry stayed by her side. After returning from his business trip, Manager Jiang went straight to the hospital to visit Old Qin. But Old Qin had been in the restroom for a long time and hadn’t come out. Qin Yeyun’s uncle was very anxious.
Qin Yeyun knew her father probably didn’t want to see anyone at the moment, so she asked Manager Jiang to head back first. That evening, Qin Yeyun looked at the money Manager Jiang had given her earlier. Only then did she realize that her father’s hospitalization expenses wouldn’t be reimbursed at all—it was the uncles and aunties who had paid out of their own pockets. Qin Yeyun placed the money under her father’s pillow.
While tidying up at home, Qin Yeyun found her father’s diary. It was full of notes and thoughts about her. Even though she had grown up without her mother’s company, she had never lacked a father’s love. In addition to everyday records, Old Qin had written down his goals. All his hard work to earn money was for Qin Yeyun. He had even planned for their future home purchase. As she read the diary, tears streamed down Qin Yeyun’s face.
Because she had been taking care of her father and hadn’t rested well, Qin Yeyun fell during rehearsal. Cen Xiaoman knew that Jiang Qiaoxi would return on the day of the performance, so she took the opportunity to suggest that the group with Qin Yeyun and Cherry be removed from the stage to avoid affecting the others. Cherry didn’t mind much, but the other two group members were very upset.
After all their efforts, they had lost the chance to perform. Wu Shuang, in particular, was very disappointed. Qin Yeyun apologized to everyone, but Cherry wasn’t mad. She said that if she had to choose between performing and Qin Yeyun, she would definitely choose Qin Yeyun. Wu Shuang was moved by her words and cried—not out of sadness, but because she realized that while she had considered Cen Xiaoman a friend, Cen Xiaoman didn’t care about her at all.
Just to prevent someone she disliked from going on stage, she didn’t even mind hurting her own friend. Wu Shuang finally saw through Cen Xiaoman. She wasn’t a real friend to anyone; she only pretended to be friendly to form cliques and isolate others. After understanding the truth, she told Cherry that they still had a chance: they could switch the person being lifted in the routine—and that person would be Cherry.
They then took the initiative to find their teacher and request a chance to perform again. The teacher agreed, because she was also a woman and deeply understood the little mind games between girls. But now, it was just a performance. She hoped everyone would do their best and not let themselves down. Wu Shuang returned the bracelet that Cen Xiaoman had given her, signaling that from now on, she would draw a clear line between them.
The performance went smoothly. Jiang Qiaoxi also saw Cherry’s performance and couldn’t take his eyes off her. No matter how hard Cen Xiaoman tried, she couldn’t get even a single glance from him. Cherry knew Jiang Qiaoxi would be returning to school, so she had asked her mom to prepare lotus root fritters and date buns in advance. But Jiang Qiaoxi had been with her mom the whole time, and she never got a chance to give them to him.
Episode 10 Recap
Qin Yeyun contacted Yu Qiao and the others, hoping they could help stop Jiang Qiaoxi. Cai Fangyuan mustered up his courage to block Jiang Qiaoxi in front of Aunt Liang. Cai Fangyuan lied, saying that Teacher He asked Jiang Qiaoxi to get some study materials from the office. Aunt Liang didn’t believe it and wanted to call Teacher He.
But an urgent matter came up at work, so she had to return to the company and instructed the driver and Jiang Qiaoxi to get the materials and then send him back to the training camp. As they returned, they happened to run into Teacher He, who said there were no materials left behind. With no other choice, Jiang Qiaoxi had to leave with the driver.
After getting in the car, Yu Qiao, Yingtao, and a few others came chasing after him. The driver stopped the car and told them he needed about half an hour to eat a bowl of noodles nearby. Jiang Qiaoxi was very grateful to the driver, as he finally got some alone time with Yingtao. The two went into a small alley, where Yingtao took out food made by her mother, and they shared a meal together.
Unfortunately, this scene was seen by Cen Xiaoman. She was furious and decided to put an end to it. She went to the teacher, intending to ask that Yingtao be removed from Class Eighteen. But before she could say anything, the teacher instead encouraged her to help Yingtao more and not let her be separated from the class. Cen Xiaoman realized she couldn’t handle this alone anymore, so she decided to expose it publicly.
She arranged for two female classmates to go to the alley, hoping that this would make Yingtao’s life difficult both in school and in class. Yu Qiao and the others saw the two girls and warned Yingtao first, then did their best to block the girls along the way. After receiving the message, Yingtao quickly took Jiang Qiaoxi and left. When the two girls arrived at the alley, they found no one there.
Jiang Qiaoxi had Yingtao sit on his shoulders, and they ran while being chased by a dog. They didn’t see an oncoming electric scooter and everyone fell. Jiang Qiaoxi’s head started bleeding, and Yingtao fainted at the sight of the blood. They were taken to the emergency room by the driver. Jiang Qiaoxi’s wound was stitched up, and Yingtao kept apologizing along the way, very worried about him. Later, Manager Jiang came and comforted Yingtao.
Cen Xiaoman felt very wronged when she heard about the incident. She cried in the classroom, also worried about Jiang Qiaoxi. When Yingtao returned to school from the hospital, Yu Qiao and Qin Yeyun told her about Cen Xiaoman crying. They were worried that if Yingtao returned to the dormitory now, the girls in the class might make things hard for her. But Yingtao was no longer afraid. She was ready to face everything head-on.
Meanwhile, Jiang Qiaoxi also had a showdown with his father. He said he would no longer compromise under his mother’s threats. He was determined to be friends with Yingtao openly, just like when they were kids. If his mother transferred Yingtao’s parents to a construction site in Fujian, he would report her for abusing her power. Yingtao also told Cen Xiaoman that she was determined to be friends with Jiang Qiaoxi.
They would eat together, watch the sunset together, play games together—just like when they were little. These words left Cen Xiaoman speechless. Other classmates also started to talk, saying Jiang Qiaoxi willingly got hurt. It seemed their relationship was genuinely close. When President Liang found out about Jiang Qiaoxi’s injury, she was furious. She got the electric scooter owner’s number from the driver and learned the full details of the accident.
She went to Yingtao’s house and asked Zhao Shengjuan, as a parent, to properly educate her child. Yingtao was very angry and wanted to speak up, but her mother stopped her. Yingtao couldn’t bear to see her parents suffer humiliation because of her.
Episode 11 Recap
Yingtao caught up with President Liang with the money, saying it was for medical expenses. President Liang asked if Yingtao had anything she wanted to say to her. Yingtao said she just wanted to be friends with Jiang Qiaoxi. But President Liang believed Yingtao would affect Jiang Qiaoxi. She recalled how, when they were kids, Yingtao tricked her into the backyard, hoping she would love Jiang Qiaoxi more.
Jiang Qiaoxi is not a substitute for his older brother—he is a living person with his own interests and passions. However, President Liang felt helpless. The child she risked her life to give birth to had now turned against her because of an outsider. President Liang warned Yingtao that if she continued to act willfully, Jiang Qiaoxi would lose his mother, and she herself would lose her son. Her words left Yingtao conflicted.
That evening, Yingtao received a phone call from Jiang Qiaoxi. He said he wanted to eat Zhao Shengjuan’s jujube buns and stuffed lotus root and asked Yingtao to bring them after school the next day. Yingtao barely said a word before hanging up. She didn’t agree to his request—she was hesitant. The school held a sports meet.
Qin Yeyun got a call from Aunt Shuangyan and learned that her father had insisted on being discharged from the hospital before he had fully recovered. Qin Yeyun rushed home and argued with her father. She wanted to drop out of school and even threw out her textbooks, not wanting to see her father overworked. She simply wanted him to take care of his health. Yingtao accompanied Qin Yeyun home and saw everything, feeling heartbroken for her.
That night, Yingtao helped her mother cook and asked if she had ever had any expectations for her. Her mother said she only hoped Yingtao could live joyfully—just like her name, Lin Qile. She added that the greatest thing she had ever done in her life was that Yingtao had chosen her to be her mother. This conversation helped Yingtao mature. It seemed she finally understood what she wanted.
She took the stuffed lotus root and jujube buns out of the fridge and brought them to Jiang Qiaoxi’s house. She told Jiang Qiaoxi’s mother that if he might lose his mother, then she would all the more stay by his side. President Liang was speechless, but she still accepted the food Yingtao had brought. The next day, Qin Yeyun didn’t go to school.
Yingtao and Cai Fangyuan staged a skit to try to get her to go back, but it failed. They had no choice but to go to school first. In the end, it was Aunt Shuangyan and Old Qin’s performance that swayed Qin Yeyun. She learned that Aunt Shuangyan planned to set up a fried skewer stall near her home so she could keep an eye on her father.
Moved by this, Qin Yeyun picked up her schoolbag and headed to school. Today was Yu Qiao’s 3000-meter race. Qin Yeyun went to cheer him on and happened to run into Jiang Qiaoxi on the way. The two went to school together to support Yu Qiao. During the race, Yu Qiao fell and twisted his ankle. Jiang Qiaoxi followed alongside him, just like when they were kids. He repeated the encouraging words Yu Qiao once said to him.
Yingtao, Qin Yeyun, and the others waited for Yu Qiao at the finish line. Limping, Yu Qiao made it to the end, and then Jiang Qiaoxi and the others took him to the infirmary. Fortunately, it wasn’t serious. Jiang Qiaoxi’s relationship with everyone has now eased, and he was finally able to rejoin the Mountain Squad.
Episode 12 Recap
Du Shang's mother’s skewer stall was still merged with Qin Yeyun’s father’s convenience store. Shuangyan wanted to pay rent, but Old Qin refused. Du Shang and Qin Yeyun helped tidy up the place. Qin Yeyun really liked the dishes Shuangyan made, but they couldn’t have dinner together that night because they had planned to go to the beach to set off fireworks. Unexpectedly, Du Shang’s father came to the store to buy cigarettes.
Du Shang had been beaten by his father since childhood—his father had a terrible temper. Just because the meat cooked by his mother wasn’t done properly, he started hitting and kicking her. Now that he was back, Qin Yeyun and the others were very worried about Du Shang. So they decided to cancel the fireworks plan for the time being and go to Du Shang’s house to check on him.
As soon as they arrived, they heard the sound of dishes breaking. They quickly knocked on the door and called out for Du Shang, but it was Old Du who opened the door. Du Shang was cooking with his father. Since nothing seemed wrong, they decided to leave. Jiang Qiaoxi told Du Shang to have a good meal with his family. There would be other chances to set off fireworks, and he had already prepared gifts for everyone.
The next day, Jiang Qiaoxi rode bikes to school with everyone and gave each of them a red scarf. Only Yingtao’s scarf had a little white bunny on it. Although the scarves looked a bit ugly, they were hand-knitted by Jiang Qiaoxi, so everyone wore them anyway. When they got to school, during lunch in the cafeteria, Aunt Liang stormed in angrily calling for Jiang Qiaoxi.
It turned out that he had made the decision on his own not to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympiad. Jiang Qiaoxi told Yingtao that everything would be over soon, then left with his mother. Yingtao didn’t understand what he meant, but she stood up with the others, all wearing their scarves, and watched him go. Jiang Qiaoxi went to participate in the math Olympiad, but he had a fever that day.
He was worried that taking medicine would make him dizzy and affect his performance, so he toughed it out and almost fell asleep during the test. However, even with a high fever, he still performed perfectly and got a full score, winning the championship as he had hoped. This meant he now had the opportunity to be directly admitted to Tsinghua or Peking University.
Jiang Qiaoxi finally breathed a sigh of relief—he had fulfilled his goal, or rather, his mother’s goal. When he got home, he took out all his study materials and told his mother she could tear them up however she wanted, because he had already won the championship, and from now on he would be himself again. His words angered his mother, and she slapped him. Jiang Zheng rushed home just in time to witness the scene.
The family started arguing again, and neighbors gathered outside watching. Everyone thought Jiang Qiaoxi was being immature, daring to give up the chance to be admitted to Tsinghua or Peking University. Jiang Zheng called Yingtao’s father, and their whole family hurried to Jiang Qiaoxi’s home. Yingtao saw through the crack in the door that Jiang Qiaoxi was about to hurt himself with a fruit knife and stopped him in time. Yingtao took Jiang Qiaoxi home for hot pot.
She brought him into the bedroom, where he accidentally saw her diary. It turned out that during the days he had been away from Qunshan, Yingtao had been missing him every single day. Yingtao came in carrying something and saw Jiang Qiaoxi’s tear-stained face. She handed him a tissue. She knew he had seen her diary, but she wasn’t angry.
Episode 13 Recap
Manager Jiang also came to Cherry’s home, and Cherry’s parents invited him to stay for dinner. At the same time, Jiang Qiaoxi’s mother drove out alone. She was extremely upset, and due to her emotional distress, got into a car accident on the road. Manager Jiang received the news and rushed to the hospital immediately. Cherry’s parents also went with him. Fortunately, Jiang Qiaoxi’s mother was not seriously hurt—just some soft tissue bruises and a mild concussion.
School officials came to visit Jiang Qiaoxi’s mother in the hospital and also took the opportunity to lecture Jiang Qiaoxi, urging him not to be so rebellious and to never give up such a great opportunity for direct admission to university. Cherry happened to be at the hospital bringing food. At the door of the hospital room, she overheard their conversation. She wanted to take Jiang Qiaoxi away quickly. Just then, Teacher He opened the door.
Cherry handed over the soup her mother had made and used the excuse that her parents wanted Jiang Qiaoxi to go home for dinner to quickly take him away from this place full of judgment. Jiang Qiaoxi obediently followed Cherry, but this upset his mother even more. Jiang Qiaoxi and Cherry sat by the seaside. He leaned on Cherry’s shoulder, completely enjoying the moment.
Jiang Qiaoxi had been having meals at Cherry’s home these days, so school officials came to Cherry’s house to try to persuade him again. After finally sending the officials away, Cherry’s father looked thoughtfully at Jiang Qiaoxi, who was busy in the kitchen. Jiang Qiaoxi noticed and encouraged him to speak his mind. What Cherry’s father said was different from what the school officials had said earlier.
He told Jiang Qiaoxi that it was he, as a person, who had talent—not that talent had chosen him—so he should make good use of his gifts, instead of letting the gifts lead him. Cherry didn’t expect her father to say something like that, and the look in her eyes toward him showed deep admiration. Jiang Qiaoxi took two weeks off. During those two weeks, he did the things he wanted to do.
But at school, classmates were all talking, speculating about what choice Jiang Qiaoxi would make and whether he had truly given up the guaranteed admission. Cen Xiaoman was also very worried about him, so she took the initiative to ask Cherry when Jiang Qiaoxi would return to school. Every chance she got, she would ask Cherry about Jiang Qiaoxi.
But Cherry said she didn’t know—if she cared, it was only about whether Jiang Qiaoxi was happy, whether he had eaten—not about reminding him of unhappy things. Jiang Qiaoxi cooked a meal and brought it to his mother, wanting to use the chance to have a heart-to-heart talk. But no matter what he said, his mother simply could not empathize, and even less understand his choices and decisions. Jiang Qiaoxi’s decision could not be changed by anyone.
He threw away everything related to math olympiads. He was going to do what Jiang Qiaoxi loved. Jiang Qiaoxi asked Cherry to go for a late-night snack after school, and Cherry agreed. This time, it was just the two of them—not including Yu Qiao and the others—which made Cherry very happy. During math class, Jiang Qiaoxi was secretly reading an English book and got caught by the teacher. The teacher was furious and went to the principal to complain.
Their conversation happened to be overheard by Class Monitor Feng, who unintentionally passed it on to Cherry. He, too, wanted to know whether Jiang Qiaoxi had decided to study abroad. Cherry became very angry when she saw Jiang Qiaoxi. If what they said was true, then Jiang Qiaoxi had deliberately kept it from her. After school, Cherry didn’t wait for Jiang Qiaoxi and left by herself in a huff.
Episode 14 Recap
Cherry was very upset. Qin Yeyun caught up with her to ask what was going on and finally found out that it was because Cherry had just learned that Jiang Qiaoxi was going abroad for further studies. Qin Yeyun understood that Cherry’s feelings for Jiang Qiaoxi weren’t just those of ordinary friends. If they truly were just friends, she would have reacted like herself—just hearing some news, not getting angry.
Yu Qiao and the others were with Jiang Qiaoxi and kept calling Cherry, but she didn’t answer. None of them had done anything to offend her, so her anger left everyone completely baffled. Later, Class Leader Feng came to apologize to Jiang Qiaoxi. That’s when they found out that it was him who had accidentally mentioned Jiang Qiaoxi’s plan to study abroad to Cherry, assuming she already knew.
Afterward, Cherry pretended as if nothing had happened and agreed to have a late-night snack with Jiang Qiaoxi. She even invited Yu Qiao and a few others to join. During the meal, Cherry was sarcastic and passive-aggressive. She only ate a few bites, paid the bill, and left. Seeing this, Jiang Qiaoxi quickly ran after her. He told Cherry that he wanted to take her with him.
He had already started planning his move abroad when he was still in Qunshan. As they talked, the tension between them began to ease. Cherry said she had no plans to go abroad. She felt that they each had things they wanted to pursue, so they should go do those things first. Jiang Qiaoxi told Cherry that they would be apart for a while, but not for too long.
He hoped Cherry would come find him, and he promised to come pick her up. Cherry later spoke on the phone with Qin Yeyun. Although she was still a bit upset, after calming down, she realized that everyone had their own goals, so it was better to focus on fulfilling those first. When eating together with everyone, Cherry suggested that they take a trip back to Qunshan since it was the holiday and they had enough time. Everyone agreed.
They returned to Qunshan full of joy. Upon arriving at Qunshan Elementary School, they recreated scenes from their childhood. The memories of growing up together and all the things that happened back then came rushing back. One night, Jiang Qiaoxi called Cherry out from her house. He gave her a pair of red high heels and a lipstick.
Cherry scolded him for wasting money, but Jiang Qiaoxi explained that he bought them with his Olympiad prize money and could spend it however he wanted. The reason he gave her those gifts was that he wanted to get a glimpse of what she would look like as an adult—because he might miss the moment Cherry officially became one. Cherry put on the high heels for Jiang Qiaoxi and even asked him to apply the lipstick for her.
Jiang Qiaoxi went abroad. Cherry saw him off at the airport. After returning home, she saw Uncle Xiao, whom she used to play with when she was little. He had gone off to build a career and had now made a name for himself, coming back specifically to visit her family. Zhao Shengjuan had prepared a lavish meal at home. By the time Uncle Xiao left, he was already drunk.
Cherry did the farewell hand dance they used to do as kids with him. Uncle Xiao reminded Cherry to study hard in college and to let him know if she ever needed anything.
Episode 15 Recap
Ever since Jiang Qiaoxi left, he gradually lost contact with the Qunshan Squad, but he continued to have long phone conversations with Yingtao. Later, even that communication faded. Qin Yeyun comforted Yingtao, saying that nothing Jiang Qiaoxi did would surprise her anymore. As the college entrance exam approached, everyone was busy preparing. Yingtao couldn’t reach Jiang Qiaoxi, so she kept texting him.
But she received no reply—until after her exams ended, when she finally got a single message wishing her well. At the time, she was at a restaurant celebrating with the entire Qunshan Squad and their families. Overjoyed by Jiang Qiaoxi’s message, she couldn’t help but immediately call him back. But the call wouldn’t go through. The parents looked a bit troubled, as if hiding something from the kids. Since losing contact with Jiang Qiaoxi, Yingtao had been deeply upset.
She even brought date-flavored steamed buns and went to knock on Jiang Qiaoxi’s door. An elderly woman passing by told her that Jiang Qiaoxi’s parents had already moved out. Yingtao panicked, worried that he would have no home to return to. But the old woman reassured her that the house was still there, and Jiang Qiaoxi could come back and stay anytime. Feng, the squad leader, invited Yingtao to go with him to the Xiaobailou building to pick something up.
At first, Yingtao wanted to refuse, but she decided to go because she wanted to see the place where Jiang Qiaoxi had once sat. She agreed to go with Feng. Feng used this opportunity to confess his feelings to Yingtao and said he wanted to take their relationship a step further. But Yingtao gently turned him down—Feng knew her heart belonged to Jiang Qiaoxi. That night, Yingtao returned to Jiang Qiaoxi’s house.
She recalled all the things that had happened when he used to live there. Just as she was about to leave, she saw Jiang Qiaoxi, dressed in black with a black hat, coming out of the house with a suitcase. Yingtao called out to him. Jiang Qiaoxi looked worn and weathered. This time, Yingtao mustered the courage to kiss him. Jiang Qiaoxi hugged her and asked her not to forget him.
Then, taking advantage of the moment, he secretly pulled the amber necklace from around her neck. Yingtao didn’t notice—she was immersed in the joy of their reunion. Jiang Qiaoxi said he wanted to eat lotus root fritters and date-flavored steamed buns. Yingtao offered to take him home. Jiang Qiaoxi deliberately left his suitcase behind. When they reached downstairs at Yingtao’s place, he said he needed to go back and get his suitcase, telling her to wait at home.
In reality, he used that time to leave again. Yingtao waited at home but he never came. She called, but no one answered. She rushed downstairs to look for him, only to find he had already disappeared. Yingtao’s parents followed after her and found her crouched by the roadside, crying. Heartbroken, they quickly helped her up and took her home. Yingtao was devastated because Jiang Qiaoxi had deceived her once again.
As the new school year approached, the five families gathered to see their children off. Yingtao and Yu Qiao got into universities in the same city. Du Shang and Cai Fangyuan went to university in Shanghai. Only Qin Yeyun stayed behind—she was worried about her father and didn’t apply to schools in other cities.
Episode 16 Recap
Several families came to see the kids off. At the dinner table, all the parents gave speeches. From now on, their children were no longer little kids—they needed to learn to face many things on their own. But they would always have their parents as their support. Chen Minghao showed up halfway through. He had been studying and living in Australia, and now came especially to see everyone off. After dinner, Yingtao and the others walked Chen Minghao out.
This time, Yingtao was different from when she was younger. Back then, when Chen Minghao left, she cried her heart out. But now, she calmly accepted the farewell. Du Shang hoped that Yingtao could be the same when facing Jiang Qiaoxi, but Yingtao couldn’t—because he was Jiang Qiaoxi. That night, Qin Yeyun stayed with Yingtao while she slept, because Yingtao was reporting to school the next day, and from then on, they would only see each other during summer vacation.
Yingtao actually felt sorry for Qin Yeyun—ever since she was little, she always kept everything bottled up inside. This time, Yingtao chose to go to school on her own and didn’t let her parents accompany her. At school, the dorms were assigned. She was placed in a room with a senior in her fourth year. When she arrived, the room was a mess. The seniors had just woken up and quickly started tidying up.
After organizing her belongings, Yingtao called her parents. Upon learning she was sharing a room with fourth-year seniors, her parents became worried, thinking it would’ve been more convenient if she were with classmates from her own year. Yingtao didn’t say much, just told them not to worry. After hanging up, tears welled up in her eyes. Yingtao was very hardworking and serious during military training, and the instructors often praised her.
One time, when she returned to the dorm door, she overheard the seniors saying they didn’t want a roommate like her. Yingtao felt targeted and quietly went to sit downstairs in the dorm building. She didn’t return until she saw the lights in the dorm go off. Just as she lay down, the seniors began telling ghost stories, but Yingtao wasn’t scared at all. Instead, she told one herself and ended up frightening everyone else.
Yingtao texted Jiang Qiaoxi about everything that had happened that day. Later that night, one of the seniors was too scared to go to the bathroom alone, so she asked Yingtao to accompany her. The two of them used a flashlight and quickly got it over with. Back in the dorm, the senior asked Yingtao to sleep beside her. Soon after, the other two seniors also woke up, and the four of them sat together and cleared the air.
It turned out that Yingtao had misunderstood them. Earlier, when the seniors were chatting in the dorm, they were actually worried that their behavior had scared Yingtao and that she wouldn’t want roommates like them. So, they planned to bond with her through ghost stories—but didn’t expect that Yingtao was even better at telling scary tales. After that, Yingtao grew closer with the seniors and eventually learned about their stories too. Senior Sisi had been having issues with her boyfriend.
With graduation approaching, they each had plans to return to their hometowns—one in Shandong, the other in Jiangsu—and neither wanted to compromise. So, Sisi’s boyfriend kept trying to reach her. He waited downstairs from the dorm with a bouquet of flowers. Sisi went down, said a couple of words to him, and ran back up. Yingtao and the others stayed in the dorm, unsure how to talk to Sisi about it.
Episode 17 Recap
Cherry got along best with Sister Xue Lijun—they were often seen together and even went to take showers together. Cherry heard gossip from Sister Lijun about what happened with Sister Sisi. Lijun supported Sisi's decision to return to her hometown for development; everyone has their own goals, and parting is normal. Cherry didn’t quite understand this. In her mind, emotions still seemed very important. Lijun asked if she liked anyone.
Cherry briefly mentioned that the person she liked was a childhood friend. When she asked Sister Lijun if she liked anyone, Lijun said she liked a celebrity. Cherry was speechless. Every night, Sisi would secretly cry in the dorm. Cherry kept texting Jiang Qiaoxi. Hearing Sisi cry, she didn’t know how to comfort her. One day in the library, Cherry was putting books back on the shelf when she suddenly realized a book had gone missing.
She searched everywhere and thought for a moment that Jiang Qiaoxi had returned, but it turned out to be Yu Qiao playing a prank on her. Yu Qiao knew Cherry still hadn’t moved on from Jiang Qiaoxi and was worried about her mood, so he came by to check on her. While the two of them were walking around campus, they bumped into Sister Lijun. After learning the situation, Lijun misunderstood and thought Yu Qiao was Cherry’s boyfriend.
Despite Cherry and Yu Qiao’s efforts to explain, it didn’t help. When Cherry returned to the dorm, she was surrounded by the senior girls. Worried they’d misunderstood, she ended up telling them the story between her and Jiang Qiaoxi. From the moment she first met Jiang Qiaoxi as a child, to their short separation, to working hard to get into the same school as him, and then to his disappearance—Cherry was heartbroken.
But Sister Lijun was furious, thinking she was too naive. She got so angry she dropped her snacks. Her personality was similar to Qin Yeyun’s—very straightforward. Since Cherry wasn’t willing to give up, she might as well keep going this way. Sisi was about to leave, so the four of them went out for a farewell meal. On the way, a male classmate suddenly confessed to Cherry, but she politely declined. Sister Lijun quickly pulled Cherry away.
Cherry said she’d join them later at the restaurant and then called Auntie Liang. Auntie Liang told Cherry not to contact her again—she didn’t know where Jiang Qiaoxi was, and as long as Cherry stayed out of his life, he and his mother could still live as mother and son. At dinner with the senior girls, everyone drank some alcohol. Sisi, unlike Lijun, didn’t try to stop Cherry from drinking.
Instead, she handed her tutoring job to Cherry, since she was leaving anyway. She supported Cherry saving money to chase after her love. Before leaving, Sisi gave Cherry her own copy of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and a stuffed toy. Because Edward’s situation was similar to Cherry’s, Sisi hoped she would slowly grow stronger. Cherry started tutoring and met a student who reminded her a bit of Jiang Qiaoxi.
The boy felt conflicted and wronged because his parents favored his younger brother. As the older brother, he was struggling. Cherry patiently guided him to focus on himself, to prioritize his own feelings and care more about himself.
Episode 18 Recap
Qin Yeyun came to see Cherry, and both of them were very happy. Qin Yeyun had become even more beautiful after starting university. Cherry took her to eat in the school cafeteria, and the other boys couldn’t help but look at her. Cherry thought Qin Yeyun had come not just to see her but also to meet Yu Qiao, so she wanted to invite Yu Qiao to eat together. However, Qin Yeyun refused.
She took Cherry to the mall to buy goods because she ran an online clothing store. This time, she was also planning to bring some clothes back for restocking. The two of them worked together and managed to get the clothes at a relatively low price. They bought drinks and happily celebrated. Cherry wanted to call Yu Qiao out to eat together, but Qin Yeyun turned her down again. She told Cherry that she had a boyfriend now.
Cherry was very surprised and kept asking about it. Qin Yeyun explained that the guy had helped her when she started her online shop. After spending time together, they naturally got into a relationship. It was just dating, nothing big, so she hadn’t made a point of telling her. Coincidentally, Yu Qiao contacted Cherry to give her something and waited for her at the school gate.
Cherry originally planned to walk Qin Yeyun back to the dorm first before going to meet Yu Qiao, since it would be hard for Qin Yeyun to carry so many clothes. But Qin Yeyun had already booked a hotel outside campus. She told Cherry not to worry and that she could manage on her own. That night, she would stay with Cherry so they could talk more conveniently. Cherry met up with Yu Qiao, who brought her a bunny-shaped cake.
He casually asked about how her savings were going. Once he confirmed that Cherry really intended to go to Hong Kong during the summer break, he became even more determined to go ahead of her to Hong Kong and find Jiang Qiaoxi. Qin Yeyun happened to pass by a cake shop, saw the bunny cake as well, and bought a piece to bring back. That evening, she and Cherry opened the cakes together.
Cherry was surprised by how in sync Qin Yeyun and Yu Qiao were—they had actually bought the same cake. Cherry and Qin Yeyun switched cakes, and she gave Qin Yeyun the one Yu Qiao had picked out. Yu Qiao managed to get in touch with one of Jiang Qiaoxi’s students. He proved his identity and finally gained the student’s trust. Later, Yu Qiao secretly went to Hong Kong to look for Jiang Qiaoxi. The student met with Yu Qiao.
Although her parents didn’t want her to reveal any information about Jiang Qiaoxi, the girl felt that Jiang Qiaoxi was very unhappy. Maybe seeing a friend would help him cheer up. Following the address she gave him, Yu Qiao found Jiang Qiaoxi in an old and run-down residential building. Jiang Qiaoxi had tanned skin and was playing cards with a few other people. He asked the others to leave and kept only Yu Qiao.
Yu Qiao didn’t know what had happened to Jiang Qiaoxi, but he had just disappeared like that, hurting Cherry and breaking everyone’s hearts. Jiang Qiaoxi said he didn’t have the face to see Cherry. He didn’t dare turn on his phone, afraid Cherry would call. Every day, he would only power it on around 4 or 5 in the morning to check the messages she had sent. Yu Qiao was very angry—Jiang Qiaoxi wasn’t disabled, so why was he hiding from everyone?
Episode 19 Recap
Yu Qiao didn’t understand why Jiang Qiaoxi was doing this. He knew that no matter how he tried to persuade him, it would be useless. As a friend, seeing Jiang Qiaoxi safe and sound gave him some peace of mind. Yu Qiao told Jiang Qiaoxi that once he went back, he would confess his feelings to Cherry. Yu Qiao returned to school and went to find Cherry. He was so tired that he fell asleep on a bench.
Yu Qiao asked Cherry to help him buy a bottle of water and insisted on giving her his wallet. When Cherry walked into the small store, she saw a photo of herself and Yu Qiao in his wallet. Just then, Yu Qiao’s voice was heard outside. He hadn’t confessed to Cherry. Instead, he told her about going to Hong Kong to find Jiang Qiaoxi, even giving her the route he had taken.
He told Cherry that he would soon be busy with his studies and wouldn’t be able to meet her for meals anymore, wishing her a smooth journey to Hong Kong. Cherry understood Yu Qiao’s feelings, but in her heart, she only saw him as a friend. She caught up with Yu Qiao, returned the wallet to him, and promised that she would buy him Ray-Ban sunglasses.
After Yu Qiao left, Jiang Qiaoxi went to the hospital to stay with his paralyzed cousin. Yu Qiao’s words lingered in his mind, causing his eyes to well up with tears. At that moment, his cousin’s wife entered with a thermal food container, softly urging him to eat while the food was still hot. Looking at his cousin’s wife’s unwavering dedication over the years, Jiang Qiaoxi felt deep admiration. Cherry hurriedly handled all the procedures and packed her bags.
Liang Hongfei, her senior, watched her and remarked that it wasn’t right for a girl to rush off to find a man. However, Cherry had her own reasons. Now that she knew Jiang Qiaoxi was in Hong Kong, if he changed addresses again, she feared it would be even harder to find him. With eager anticipation, Cherry left the school with her luggage. Her senior held her hand and repeatedly warned her to be careful.
She was concerned that Cherry, being a girl in an unfamiliar place like Hong Kong, might not be safe and kept urging her to call if anything happened. After much effort, Cherry finally found the apartment building where Jiang Qiaoxi was renting. Unfortunately, she didn’t speak Cantonese, and the doorman refused to let her in. Cherry tried everything she could, but it was all in vain.
She could only squat on the side, eyes fixed on the entrance, hoping that Jiang Qiaoxi would suddenly appear. It was late at night when the landlord, Brother Yin, came back, exhausted. He immediately spotted Cherry, sleeping on her suitcase, her face still showing signs of impatience. Brother Yin gently woke her up and, seeing her half-dazed and urgent expression, couldn’t help but ask if she was looking for someone.
Cherry, relieved like she had found a lifeline, quickly mentioned Jiang Qiaoxi’s name. Brother Yin smiled and nodded, taking her to Jiang Qiaoxi’s room, mentioning that he had seen her before. Cherry was full of surprise, but Brother Yin let her inside. As she pushed open the door, she was shocked to see the small, dimly lit room covered with photos of herself. The amber necklace was also hanging quietly beside the desk lamp. At that moment, Jiang Qiaoxi returned.
Brother Yin jokingly greeted him, saying “Your white moonlight is here.” Jiang Qiaoxi opened the door, saw Cherry, and immediately retreated, complaining to Brother Yin about acting without consulting him. Once back in the room, Cherry looked at the weary boy in front of her, her heart aching. She anxiously asked if he was Jiang Qiaoxi.
Jiang Qiaoxi coldly replied that he would squeeze in with Brother Yin for the night and would take her around Hong Kong tomorrow before sending her off. Cherry firmly refused, and Jiang Qiaoxi stubbornly said that he had a new life now. Cherry pointed at the photos, asking him why he always trapped himself in the past like this.
Episode 20 Recap
Cherry did not dislike Jiang Qiaoxi. She only wanted to know what had happened to him, but Jiang Qiaoxi did not want to speak about it. He left home and went to the construction site where he usually worked. On the way, he ran into the landlord, asking him to buy shrimp dumplings for Cherry the next day, as she really liked them. That evening, Cherry was alone at home.
The climate there had a large difference between day and night, and the air conditioner at Jiang Qiaoxi's place was broken. She felt cold and had to wrap herself in a blanket, drinking only tap water from the pipe when thirsty. The next day, Cherry woke up to a call from Du Shang. Du Shang wasn't surprised that Cherry was in Hong Kong.
He explained that they had all learned about Jiang Qiaoxi's whereabouts, but Qin Yeyun had stopped them from saying anything, so they kept it quiet. However, Du Shang felt that Cherry should know, so after discussing with Cai Fangyuan, they decided to tell her. Cherry wasn't angry, as she understood that Qin Yeyun had meant well. The landlord brought breakfast to Cherry. He tried to persuade her to stay at a hotel, but Cherry refused to leave.
Later, the landlord offered to take her to the construction site where Jiang Qiaoxi worked. Cherry quickly ate a couple of bites and went with him. On the way, they talked about Jiang Qiaoxi, and Cherry learned that the landlord was a good person. Because Jiang Qiaoxi had helped him earn money, the landlord gave him the best room at a low rent, but Jiang Qiaoxi still had to work several jobs.
The landlord didn't elaborate on the reasons, but suggested that Cherry ask Jiang Qiaoxi herself. When they arrived, Cherry immediately spotted Jiang Qiaoxi. He was squatting on the ground, eating with the other workers. Jiang Qiaoxi didn’t want to meet her like this and quickly ran away. Cherry chased after him, but her body wasn’t feeling well, and she collapsed on the ground. Later, she stood up but fainted. Jiang Qiaoxi hurriedly took her to the hospital.
Thankfully, there was no major issue; she had just suffered from heatstroke. While Cherry was unconscious, she dreamt of her childhood with Jiang Qiaoxi. She woke up crying and felt reassured when she saw Jiang Qiaoxi by her side. However, she didn’t want to stay in the hospital because she was worried Jiang Qiaoxi would disappear again. She insisted that Jiang Qiaoxi take her home. But Jiang Qiaoxi, worried about her, wanted to send her to a hotel.
However, staying at a hotel required Cherry's ID card, and Cherry pretended to be drowsy, so Jiang Qiaoxi had no choice but to carry her home on his back. Once home, Jiang Qiaoxi let Cherry take a hot shower. Since the bathroom door was broken, he stood guard by the door. After Cherry finished, she asked Jiang Qiaoxi to take a shower as well. Cherry thought his body wash smelled really good.
When he carried her earlier, that scent was on him. After returning to the room, she waited for Jiang Qiaoxi to finish his shower. When he entered, she felt like she had returned to high school, as he looked the same as he did back then. Now, with just the two of them, Cherry wanted to know what had happened to Jiang Qiaoxi over the past two years, and why she had to bear so much.
Episode 21 Recap
Cherry asked Jiang Qiaoxi to lie on the bed. She placed a cup between them and told him that she hadn’t dared to sleep the previous night, but now that he had brought her home, she could finally rest in peace. Jiang Qiaoxi responded that this was just a rented place, not really a home. Cherry reminded him that when she woke up the next morning, she wanted to see him and that he couldn’t just run away.
They finally had a peaceful sleep. Later, Jiang Qiaoxi had a nightmare and was crying. Cherry felt heartbroken seeing him like that. When Jiang Qiaoxi woke up, he avoided her gaze. Cherry wanted him to open up about what he was hiding in his heart, but Jiang Qiaoxi felt it wasn’t the right time and ran out. Cherry was upset, cried for a while, then went after him and found him sitting on the steps.
She was angry because it had always been like this—since they were kids, Jiang Qiaoxi was always waiting. But Cherry knew that in this world, not everything had to be perfect before you could begin. She could tell that Jiang Qiaoxi had a hard life, which made her feel for him even more. However, she wanted him to stop waiting to be loved and to accept himself as he was. Jiang Qiaoxi understood her well.
He knew that if he were to live a comfortable life, Cherry wouldn’t necessarily stay with him, but if he suffered, she would definitely be by his side. That was why he kept avoiding her. Cherry had originally planned to visit Jiang Qiaoxi’s cousin and his wife, but Jiang Qiaoxi lied, saying that he no longer had contact with them and that there was no need for Cherry to go. Cherry should return instead.
Not wanting to wait around anymore, Cherry didn’t know how long she would have to wait, so she decided to stop loving Jiang Qiaoxi. She packed her things and prepared to leave. Until the moment she got into the taxi, Jiang Qiaoxi did not move, not even daring to make eye contact with her. However, when the taxi drove away, Jiang Qiaoxi panicked and ran after it, but he couldn’t catch up.
He thought he had missed his chance with Cherry, but unexpectedly, Cherry came back. She told him that she had seen him chasing the taxi and asked the driver to make a detour. Jiang Qiaoxi realized his feelings. He couldn’t live without Cherry, so with her encouragement, he finally told her that he wanted to be her boyfriend. They officially became a couple. Cherry asked Jiang Qiaoxi to take her out shopping.
They could finally enjoy snacks on the street without having to hide in a narrow alley like before when they ate steamed buns and dates. Jiang Qiaoxi shared with Cherry everything that had happened to him over the years. When he first arrived in Hong Kong, he went through a dangerous crisis, and the situation was really bad. His parents had divorced and couldn't care for him, but his cousin treated him very well.
He was willing to pay for Jiang Qiaoxi’s study abroad, not wanting him to give up his education. However, his cousin soon had an accident—he was pushed from a building and has been in the hospital ever since. His wife has been holding the family together, selling their big house to pay for his treatment. They now live in a small house, and Jiang Qiaoxi’s uncle and aunt were also brought out of the nursing home.
His uncle’s health has deteriorated so much that he no longer recognizes the people around him. Later, his cousin’s wife found a friend of his cousin’s, and they communicated with the school to allow Jiang Qiaoxi to delay his studies for a year. During that year, he worked tirelessly, hoping to save enough money. Cherry hadn’t expected that Jiang Qiaoxi had gone through so much.
Episode 22 Recap
After hearing everything Jiang Qiaoxi had been through over the past two years—his family upheaval, the setbacks in studying abroad, and all the running around for his cousin—Cherry’s eyes welled up with sympathy. She gently blamed him for not telling her earlier; that way, she could have faced those hardships with him instead of letting him shoulder them alone.
While Jiang Qiaoxi was spending time with Cherry, he suddenly received a panicked call from his cousin’s wife—his cousin had gone missing! His heart sank, and he and Cherry rushed out to search. In the end, they discovered that the cousin had returned home by himself. But the once grand family house was now gone, and the entire family was crammed into a tiny “pigeon cage.”
Seeing this, the cousin was full of guilt, feeling like a burden on the family. But his wife hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face. To her, he was never a burden; his getting better day by day was the family’s greatest hope. Later, when Cherry visited the cousin at the hospital, he smiled and told her that even though they were meeting for the first time, he had already “met” her through Jiang Qiaoxi’s stories.
Just then, a former subordinate of the cousin came by—grateful in front of others, but vicious and mocking behind their backs. Jiang Qiaoxi happened to overhear the malicious phone conversation from that ungrateful colleague, and his anger exploded. He rushed over and gave the man a solid beating. Cherry and the cousin’s wife hurried to pull Jiang Qiaoxi away. Shaking with rage, the cousin’s wife strode up to the man, slapped him hard, and shouted at him to get lost.
Watching this, Cherry was full of admiration—she thought the cousin’s wife looked incredibly cool, like a righteous heroine from a martial arts tale. Afterwards, the cousin’s wife took Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi to a luxurious hotel to welcome Cherry. Jiang Qiaoxi felt it was unnecessary to spend so much money, but Cherry understood—it was her way of reminding them not to forget the good days they once had.
However, when it came time to pay the bill, Jiang Qiaoxi found that his cousin’s card was frozen, and he didn’t have enough cash on hand, leaving him in a tight spot. Cherry, with her sharp eyes, noticed Jiang Qiaoxi’s awkwardness when he couldn’t pay the bill and quickly pulled out her UnionPay card to cover it. Seeing this, the cousin’s wife felt a rush of complicated emotions—sweet, bitter, sour, and spicy all at once.
To lighten the mood, she brought Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi to a roadside lottery stand and bought three liuhecai tickets, asking Cherry to pick one first. Jiang Qiaoxi shook his head repeatedly, thinking the odds of winning were one in tens of millions—completely pointless. But Cherry didn’t want to spoil the cousin’s wife’s fun, so she cheerfully picked a ticket and tucked it carefully into her chest pocket, as if holding a pocketful of hope.
When it was finally time to check the winning numbers, Jiang Qiaoxi hadn’t expected anything—but to their surprise, Cherry actually won fourth prize. Overjoyed, her little face lit up with delight. She figured this windfall should be put to good use, so she planned to use the money to buy Yu Qiao a new pair of glasses, letting him share in the joy of this unexpected happiness.
Episode 23 Recap
Cherry dragged Jiang Qiaoxi along to help Yu Qiao pick out glasses. Jiang Qiaoxi tried on several pairs, but no matter the style, he looked strikingly handsome in all of them, leaving Cherry dazzled and indecisive. Just then, Jiang Qiaoxi earnestly said he wanted to buy the glasses for Yu Qiao as a thank-you — he was genuinely touched by Yu Qiao’s thoughtful words last time. Cherry found his words a bit odd.
She too was grateful to Yu Qiao — after all, if not for him, how could she have found Jiang Qiaoxi so quickly? She jingled the leftover money in her hand and asked Jiang Qiaoxi what he wanted — she wanted to buy him something. His answer both surprised and delighted her: he wanted a set of cookware. It turned out that during their years apart, Jiang Qiaoxi had often imagined cooking a delicious meal for Cherry.
Those recipes had etched themselves into his mind like mathematical formulas, just waiting for this moment to come. They stepped into a supermarket to begin their shopping adventure. For Jiang Qiaoxi, though it was the first time this scene was happening in real life, it had played out countless times in his imagination. At one shelf, Cherry noticed him pausing and assumed he wanted cigarettes, so she generously agreed.
But Jiang Qiaoxi looked confused and asked her what she meant — only then did Cherry realize the shelf was stocked with condoms. Her face instantly turned bright red. Later, they used the remaining money to buy green plants, supplements, and a bottle of red wine favored by the cousin’s wife. On the way home, Jiang Qiaoxi suddenly asked Cherry whether she would support him going back to university in Hongyang.
Cherry asked for his thoughts, and he explained that he still remembered what he had learned before, felt confident about retaking the college entrance exam, and didn’t want to be separated from her anymore — he wanted to protect their relationship properly. When they arrived at the cousin’s home, his wife had prepared a hearty feast. The whole family gathered joyfully around the table, basking in warmth and laughter.
The cousin happily shared that he’d be discharged from the hospital soon and had managed to recover much of the money owed to him — the family had weathered the storm. He advised Jiang Qiaoxi to quit his part-time job and start planning for his future. Hearing this, Jiang Qiaoxi mentioned his plan to return to school in Hongyang. The cousin became anxious, slapping his thigh and saying that love was important, but ability was even more crucial.
Jiang Qiaoxi quickly assured him he would think it over carefully and not act on impulse. Back at the rental, Jiang Qiaoxi tied on an apron and lovingly prepared dinner for Cherry. She expertly assisted by washing vegetables and passing condiments. They worked together seamlessly. Brother Yin happened to pass by and joked with a grin, “Wow, look at you two, husband and wife in perfect harmony — you’re making the rest of us jealous!”
Cherry warmly invited him to join them for dinner, and he gladly accepted, bringing a treasured bottle of whiskey. After tasting the dishes, he jokingly “scolded” Jiang Qiaoxi for choosing love over friendship. At Cherry’s request, he recalled how Jiang Qiaoxi had been when he first arrived — crying while watching Titanic, which moved Brother Yin deeply. In the end, Brother Yin earnestly reminded them to treasure each other now that fate had brought them together.
Late at night, while everything was still, Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi lay in bed, too stirred to sleep. Cherry softly whispered his name again and again, her voice full of longing and tenderness. Jiang Qiaoxi tightly held her hand and shared how it was hearing her call his name that awakened him from confusion — he realized he was not someone’s shadow, but Jiang Qiaoxi, unique and irreplaceable.
He thanked Cherry deeply, calling her his little sun — warm and bright, lighting up his once-dark world. They gazed into each other’s eyes, overflowing with love, and embraced tightly, sharing an intimate and heartfelt moment as adults. In the middle of the night, Cherry woke up, thoughts racing, unable to sleep. She quietly called Qin Yeyun to share her feelings. Qin listened, her heart full of both anticipation and fear.
Cherry gently advised her: one must find someone they truly love — only then will they be fearless. The next day, unable to bear the pain of parting, Cherry refused to let Jiang Qiaoxi escort her to the airport. There, they embraced tightly, reluctant to let go. Jiang Qiaoxi promised her that no matter whether he returned to Hongyang or stayed at HKU, he would see her again soon.
Back at school, Cherry continued to chase her dream of becoming a teacher, guiding children with knowledge. When she called Yu Qiao to pass on Jiang Qiaoxi’s thanks, Yu Qiao felt conflicted and claimed to be busy preparing for exams, telling Cherry to have Jiang Qiaoxi thank him personally. From then on, Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi entered a period of sweet long-distance interaction. Even her senior dormmates finally got to see the dazzlingly handsome Jiang Qiaoxi during a video call.
Episode 24 (Ending) Recap
Qin Yeyun’s online shop was thriving. Uncle Qin, delighted, took on the role of her personal customer service rep, busily helping out and enjoying every minute. One day, with nothing better to do, Uncle Qin and Aunt Shuangyan were flipping through the chat history between Cherry and Qin Yeyun. They happened upon a sweet photo of Cherry and Jiang Qiaoxi.
Seeing the young couple finally together after all their ups and downs, they were overjoyed and quickly sent their heartfelt blessings. Smiling, Aunt Shuangyan asked Qin Yeyun if she had any plans for her own love life. Qin Yeyun playfully winked and said she wasn’t thinking about dating right now—she was focused on earning money to buy a car.
She wanted to take her family and friends on road trips in the future—and of course, Yu Qiao was definitely on her “passenger list” too! That day, Cherry was fully focused on preparing materials for her graduation internship. Out of habit, she wanted to share her progress with Jiang Qiaoxi. But when she opened their chat, she noticed he was offline—this was the first time that had happened since they got in touch. Her heart skipped a beat.
Panic surged through her. Was Jiang Qiaoxi going to “disappear” again? She quickly picked up the phone and called him. Thankfully, he answered soon. Jiang Qiaoxi explained that he had just been busy with something else and then asked her what she most wanted to see. Without hesitation, Cherry replied, “Of course, your handsome self!” Jiang Qiaoxi chuckled and told her to go to the balcony.
Cherry rushed there with surprise and delight, and sure enough, standing downstairs was the familiar figure of Jiang Qiaoxi, looking up at her with a gentle smile—the man she had missed day and night. It turned out Jiang Qiaoxi had wrapped up his studies at the University of Hong Kong in record time and had successfully landed a job at a financial firm under Hongyang. He was back for good and had no intention of leaving again.
Cherry’s eyes welled up when she heard this. Soon after, the two moved into a cozy new home and began their sweet life together. Cherry became a well-loved elementary school teacher, winning the hearts of her students with her patience and sincerity. Jiang Qiaoxi continued to care for her as always—no matter how busy he was, he never failed to prepare a loving breakfast for her every morning.
That day, they were supposed to go check out a wedding venue, but Jiang Qiaoxi received a call from work. He quickly got dressed and rushed out, explaining that due to the booming economy, the company had several important projects that needed him to handle negotiations. Qin Yeyun accompanied Cherry to look at wedding venues. Jokingly, she teased Cherry, asking if Jiang Qiaoxi might fall for someone else. Cherry didn’t take it seriously at all.
In her heart, the fact that Jiang Qiaoxi made her breakfast every morning without fail—no matter how late he stayed up—was proof enough of his sincerity. Qin Yeyun laughed and teased again: if Jiang Qiaoxi was coming home late, could he be making dinner for someone else? Cherry pretended to be annoyed and playfully chased after her. Meanwhile, Jiang Qiaoxi met with his old classmate Fei Lingge to collaborate on an online game project.
Jiang Qiaoxi reminded Fei Lingge to pay attention to the contract, but Fei Lingge was dismissive. Although the boss valued the project, he had hidden traps in the contract, intending to pocket the profits once it succeeded. Jiang Qiaoxi raised objections, but the boss said he was too “green.” Jiang Qiaoxi came home and saw Cherry looking gloomy. Confused, he couldn’t figure out why. Just then, the florist delivered the flowers he had preordered.
He took the opportunity to bring out the engagement ring he had prepared, hoping to cheer her up—but Cherry still didn’t seem enthusiastic. It was only when she reminded him that he remembered—they were supposed to visit the wedding venue that day. Just then, the news reported an incident involving the airline Yu Qiao worked for. It was a bird strike during a flight piloted by Yu Qiao. Qin Yeyun was shocked.
When Yu Qiao returned to Hongyang, friends gathered for a dinner, and Qin Yeyun nervously circled around him several times, only relaxing once she confirmed he was safe. At Jiang Qiaoxi’s suggestion, the group went outdoors to light fireworks. Yu Qiao also handed Jiang Qiaoxi a letter Cherry had written years ago and that he had carefully kept all this time.
Qin Yeyun mustered the courage to confess her feelings to Yu Qiao, and he finally realized how deeply she felt for him. Jiang Qiaoxi’s parents were divorced and both lived overseas, so they weren’t in close contact. He brought Cherry home and formally served tea to her parents, addressing them with respect. Before the stock market crash, Jiang Qiaoxi sold off all his shares and resigned, narrowly avoiding the crisis. After careful planning, the two were finally married. Dressed in a white wedding gown, Cherry ran toward Jiang Qiaoxi, and they embraced with deep affection.
