Reborn Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Reborn Synopsis

Transfer student Qiao Qingyu, who, with the help of rebellious school heartthrob Ming Sheng, gradually uncovers the truth behind her sister's "murder" by the entire village six years prior. As they navigate this journey, the two find mutual redemption and grow together. This narrative not only offers audiences a touching core of multifaceted emotional guardianship, but the young protagonists in the drama also challenge the survival rules of the adult world, imparting pure courage and genuine strength to today's youth.

Reborn Recap

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In 2007, in Nanqiao Village, Shunyun County, a worn-out bus was bumping along a winding path. Qiao Qingyu’s mother was squeezed onto the bus with the family and their luggage, preparing to head to the city to open a restaurant. The bus was packed with passengers, some even carrying live ducks, and the air was thick with the smell of duck droppings. Qiao Qingyu didn’t understand what the future would be like.

She pushed open the window to stick her head out and breathe. When she was young, she wanted to grow up, but now that she had grown up, she started to miss those little moments from childhood. The noodle shop finally opened, but business didn’t seem to be good on the first day. Although her father and Qiao Qingyu stood at the entrance handing out flyers, very few customers came in.

The only one who did was a woman who tried to dine and dash. Qiao Qingyu’s mother struggled to control her temper and quickly forced a smile. That night, due to the lack of rooms, Qiao Qingyu had to share a room with her younger brother. When the lights were out, he asked her if she regretted coming to the city with their mother.

She could’ve gone to a top middle school back in their hometown, but now she had to start all over in a completely unfamiliar place. Finally, on a day off, Qiao Qingyu went alone to a nearby park to write a letter. She had a close friend named Ma Mingkai, who had left his contact information when they parted.

After finishing the letter, Qiao Qingyu picked up a leaf beside her and tucked it into the envelope, just as she was about to get up and leave. Suddenly, a street punk jumped down from a tree and snatched the letter she had just written, claiming the leaf she picked up belonged to his tree. Qiao Qingyu was speechless—the sign on the tree clearly stated that it belonged to the local environmental bureau.

Faced with such a weirdo, Qiao Qingyu quickly walked away. The boy wasn’t ready to give up and kept chasing after her, asking if she was Beiyu’s younger sister. Beiyu’s death had cast a heavy shadow over the entire family. That night, her younger brother couldn’t help asking Qiao Qingyu if she missed their sister. Even though their mother had brought them to this city, the pain of losing a loved one hadn’t gone away.

On her first day after transferring schools, Qiao Qingyu arrived at the classroom to see two students putting up a notice criticizing a student named Ming Sheng. Qiao Qingyu immediately realized this Ming Sheng was the same punk who had jumped out of the tree and accused her of stealing his leaf.

Nearby students Qiao Jinyu and Ye Zilin found out Qiao Qingyu was a new transfer student and tricked her into helping with classroom duties, then led her to clean the swimming pool. It was Qiao Qingyu’s first time at the pool, and with no experience, she accidentally slipped into the water. Ming Sheng reached out to pull her out, but Qiao Qingyu refused and immediately grabbed a life ring tossed over by another girl and climbed ashore.

After school, Ming Sheng followed Qiao Qingyu again, asking her to help him with his homework. At first, Qiao Qingyu firmly refused, but when she heard that Ming Sheng knew the truth behind Beiyu’s death, she no longer refused and agreed to help him with the homework. In fact, her sister’s untimely death had saddened everyone, and Qiao Qingyu had always wanted to find out how exactly her sister died.

When Qiao Qingyu’s school handed out books on puberty self-protection, her mother blacked out certain sections that contained knowledge about adolescent health. As a result, Qiao Qingyu couldn’t clearly read the text during class. When she got home, she asked her mother why she did that, but her mother insisted it was all for her own good. Unable to win the argument against her mother’s absurd behavior, Qiao Qingyu felt upset deep down.

Ming Sheng kept calling Qiao Qingyu “Beiyu’s little sister,” which made some people start to wonder if Qiao Qingyu actually had a sister. According to the gossip from her deskmate, Qiao Qingyu originally thought Ming Sheng was just a delinquent who never did homework or took anything seriously. But in the deskmate’s description, Ming Sheng was actually a handsome, multi-talented, naturally gifted student who didn’t do homework simply because he didn’t need to.

He had even won first place in physics and chemistry competitions and was adored by many girls. Anyone who got too close to Ming Sheng would draw envious looks. Although Qiao Qingyu helped Ming Sheng with his homework, it was only because she wanted to investigate the real cause of her sister’s death. On the sports field, Ming Sheng was sprinting around playing basketball, making almost every shot and drawing countless cries of admiration.

One ball, intended for Ming Sheng, was accidentally thrown off course and hit Qiao Qingyu on the head. The boy who made the bad pass didn’t apologize; instead, he mocked Qiao Qingyu for being unlucky. Ming Sheng was displeased to see Qiao Qingyu being laughed at, but given his personality, he couldn’t openly defend her and could only force a laugh with the crowd. During breaks, Qiao Qingyu would sometimes chat with Ming Sheng about her sister.

Later, she learned from her mother that her sister had died from appendicitis, and so she decided not to help Ming Sheng with his homework anymore. But Ming Sheng seriously told Qiao Qingyu that her sister had been treated at Renmin Hospital, and that his father was the director of that hospital. After speaking, Ming Sheng shoved the homework notebook back into Qiao Qingyu’s hands, urging her to finish it soon.

Qiao Qingyu was skeptical of what Ming Sheng said, so she borrowed a classmate’s phone and looked up the director of Renmin Hospital. The name listed was “Ming Qiuxin”—sure enough, the surname was Ming. It seemed Ming Sheng was telling the truth. Qiao Qingyu’s cousin Jinrui came to visit from their hometown, bringing along his fiancée. Qiao Qingyu’s mother, Li Fanghao, had a complicated expression and hid in the kitchen slicing fruit, not coming out for a long time.

Qiao Qingyu wanted to ask her cousin about her sister’s illness. Her cousin also said it was appendicitis, but when Qiao Qingyu pressed further, confused as to why villagers said Beiyu had AIDS, her cousin became saddened and claimed that it was because he hadn’t taken good care of Beiyu, which led her further astray. The explanations didn’t add up, and Qiao Qingyu faintly felt there was more to the story.

In class, a classmate even secretly asked Qiao Qingyu whether her sister had died of AIDS. Qiao Qingyu was stunned. Why was there gossip about her sister spreading throughout the entire school? It felt like she was right back in the village again, being judged and pointed at. Panic-stricken, Qiao Qingyu pulled Ming Sheng aside after class and asked whether he had revealed her sister’s condition. Ming Sheng had no idea what was going on. However, rumors in school only intensified, and Qiao Qingyu began to be ostracized by her classmates.

That day, Ming Sheng waved an envelope in front of Qiao Qingyu’s face, claiming it contained Qiao Beiyu’s medical records. He said he wouldn’t let her see it because he was afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle the truth. Qiao Qingyu, nervous and anxious, tried to grab it, but accidentally fell into the swimming pool. Qiao Qingyu couldn’t swim at all, yet without hesitation, she jumped into the pool to retrieve the envelope that had fallen in.

Ming Sheng was startled by Qiao Qingyu’s reaction. Knowing she couldn’t swim, he immediately jumped in after her, trying hard to pull her out. But Qiao Qingyu ignored him and struggled toward the envelope. In the end, everyone managed to pull Qiao Qingyu to safety. When she opened the envelope, she saw there were only two blank sheets of paper inside—there was no medical record at all. Once again, Ming Sheng had tricked her. Qiao Qingyu felt mocked and humiliated.

Wanting to get to the truth, she went to Renmin Hospital and asked the doctors if someone could really die from appendicitis surgery. Both doctors said it was highly unlikely—appendicitis was a simple and routine operation. This left Qiao Qingyu even more confused. Why did her sister die from something so minor? Maybe there was more to it than anyone had told her. At the hospital, Qiao Qingyu ran into Ming Sheng again.

She pleaded with him to help her obtain her sister’s medical records. Ming Sheng explained that hospitals have strict confidentiality policies regarding patient files, and that his relationship with his father was very tense—they barely spoke to each other. After parting with Qiao Qingyu, Ming Sheng went to see his father. This time, it wasn’t to ask for living expenses, but to get his signature on his college application form.

His father directly altered Ming Sheng’s application, hoping he would switch to science and study medicine like him. Ming Sheng disagreed. He reminded his father that the reason he had entered biology competitions and won awards wasn’t because he lacked effort or talent, but to prove that he was capable. He simply didn’t want to study medicine—he didn’t want to become like his father. Ming Sheng angrily questioned his father: didn’t he have anything to do with Beiyu’s death?

At school, Qiao Qingyu was being ostracized and had assumed Ming Sheng was the one who revealed her sister’s illness. But Ming Sheng never explained himself. Even though he felt sorry for Qiao Qingyu, sometimes he felt helpless and unable to help her. Qiao Qingyu knew that Qiao Beiyu had once lived with their grandmother, so during the holidays, she went to Nanqiao Village. There, she pieced together bits of information from the neighbors.

They said Beiyu used to go to school alone, had great talent in dance, but for unknown reasons ended up at a junior college. Because of her beauty, she often became the subject of gossip. While tidying up Beiyu’s desk, Qiao Qingyu found a jar of candies labeled with her own name. It was clear her sister had always thought of her and had saved the treats for her.

Her sister was not the disgrace others made her out to be. Qiao Qingyu was determined to find out what really caused Qiao Beiyu’s death. Ming Sheng was still conflicted about his college choices. He didn’t actually dislike the idea of being a doctor, but his resentment toward his father made him reject the profession out of spite.

On his way to hand in his application to the homeroom teacher, he suddenly remembered his father’s words: if you make a decision on impulse, you’ll regret it for life. Ming Sheng finally turned around, picked up his application form again, and decided to make changes. Back in her hometown, Qiao Qingyu met Aunt Qin.

Aunt Qin usually seemed mentally scattered, but when she saw Qiao Qingyu, she became emotional and hugged her tightly, calling out Beiyu’s name over and over. Qiao Qingyu was startled by her enthusiasm. Later, people around her said Beiyu had been very close to Aunt Qin, and the two had a good relationship.

Thinking back to Aunt Qin’s excitement and joy at mistaking her for Beiyu, Qiao Qingyu felt that her sister must have been a very kind and gentle person. Qiao Qingyu wanted to obtain her sister’s medical records and even wrote a letter of authorization, hoping that Ming Sheng could use some connections to get a copy of the diagnosis report.

The village doctor went to treat Qiao Qingyu’s relative, Aunt Qin. Everyone within miles sought out this doctor. As Qiao Qingyu walked the doctor out, she immediately asked if she knew anything about Qiao Beiyu. The doctor said that right after summer break started, Beiyu had a miscarriage and was treated at the village clinic. The doctor had even contacted Beiyu’s mother for help, but as soon as the mother arrived, she slapped Beiyu.

At first, Beiyu was full of hope when she saw her mother, as if seeing her lifeline. But without asking anything, her mother slapped her, leaving Beiyu heartbroken and in tears. Ming Sheng received a text from his father, asking him to come to the hospital after school. Ming Sheng had originally planned to help Qiao Qingyu get Beiyu’s medical records, so he went to the hospital. This time, his father unusually invited him to a nearby burger place.

Ming Sheng scoffed—it was something from his childhood; he didn’t even like burgers anymore. He remembered how happy it looked when other kids’ parents ate and played with them, but his father was always too busy to come home and take care of him and his mom. Eventually, his mother couldn’t take it anymore and left him with his grandfather before leaving the family.

Ming Sheng grew up with his grandfather, but when his grandfather was near the end of his life, his father didn’t even discuss the treatment plan with him and decided everything on his own. Ming Sheng couldn’t accept that and still held a grudge. After leaving the hospital, Ming Sheng went to sit in his usual spot on the big banyan tree, quietly staring into the distance.

The reason he liked climbing that tree was because his mother used to climb up with him. She told him that whenever he felt upset, sitting in the tree would help calm his heart. That evening, Qiao Qingyu went to the village internet café, logged into her QQ account, and found an electronic medical report Ming Sheng had sent her. It showed Qiao Beiyu’s test result: HIV positive. So it was true—Beiyu had died of AIDS.

Qiao Qingyu felt incredibly sad. So the rumors in the village were actually true. As for why Beiyu had a miscarriage and how she contracted such a terrifying disease, it seemed to be connected to that boy. Before going to bed, Qiao Qingyu told her younger brother Qiao Jinyu what she had seen in the report. The school wasn’t in session for a few days, so Qiao Qingyu and her family stayed in their hometown.

During the day, Aunt Qin once again mistook Qiao Qingyu for Beiyu and, like the wind, dragged her outside the village, saying they could run away together. Qiao Qingyu noticed Aunt Qin was holding a notebook with Beiyu’s name on it—it was her sister’s notebook. How did Aunt Qin end up with it? Questions filled her mind. That night at dinner, Aunt Qin and Uncle didn’t eat together.

Qiao Qingyu overheard Uncle scolding Aunt Qin, while Aunt Qin was crying nonstop. That night, Qiao Qingyu and her brother quietly left home and went to Qiao Beiyu’s grave. Beiyu, who was so beautiful in life, was now buried beneath a small, low mound of earth. The siblings saw traces of burned paper nearby—it seemed someone else still remembered their sister. On the way back from burning joss paper for their sister, they saw Uncle’s house on fire.

It looked like Aunt Qin had set the fire. Qiao Qingyu, her brother, and their parents helped Uncle clean up the burned house. The entire place was scorched black. In the rubble, Qiao Qingyu found a half-burned diary. In it, Beiyu had written about a boy from the village she once deeply loved. That boy meant a lot to her. Qiao Qingyu read about a girl’s longing and pure feelings for love.

Her sister Beiyu was not the promiscuous person people made her out to be. Qiao Qingyu began to sympathize with her and swore to herself that she would find out the truth. School resumed in the city, and Qiao Qingyu returned with her parents. During the school health check, just as she took off her shoes to measure her height, a classmate played a prank and hid them.

Qiao Qingyu couldn’t find her shoes anywhere and had no choice but to return to class barefoot. Ming Sheng saw what happened. After school, worried she would have to ride the bus barefoot, he took off his own shoes and gave them to her. When her mother saw Qiao Qingyu come home wearing a boy’s shoes, she harshly questioned her. Qiao Qingyu didn’t want to explain that she had been bullied at school, but her mother wouldn’t let it go.

At that moment, her brother Qiao Jinyu came home and told their mother that because of what had happened to Beiyu, both he and Qiao Qingyu were being bullied at school every day. Hearing this, their mother’s anger vanished. She felt heartbroken and apologized to Qiao Qingyu. That evening, Qiao Qingyu saw her mother locking an important notebook in a drawer. There had to be a secret in it. She asked her brother to help her get it out—they had to find out as soon as possible who the boy was that Beiyu had once been involved with.

Qiao Jinyu was feeling a little guilty—if their mother found out he had stolen the drawer key, he’d surely get a beating. Qiao Qingyu reminded him that even if something happened, she wouldn’t let him take the blame. During a class break, Qiao Qingyu returned to school and happened to see three or four boys stuffing trash into her backpack. Furious, she immediately took the trash and stuffed it into Ming Sheng’s backpack instead.

Qiao Qingyu wasn’t afraid of any retaliation from Ming Sheng, but she knew that if she kept silent and tolerated it, the bullies would only escalate their behavior. Feeling uneasy, she told her deskmate Wang Mumu about her worries. Mumu, who had known Ming Sheng since childhood and lived nearby, said that Qiao Qingyu might have misunderstood him—Ming Sheng had always been cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and he had a strong sense of justice.

Mumu was right. Although Qiao Qingyu had put the trash in Ming Sheng’s backpack, there was no retaliation. Ming Sheng made the boys who had stuffed trash into Qiao Qingyu’s bag clean his own backpack and warned them never to bother her again. To make them apologize, he even took a cooking pot from the school kitchen and made the bullies frog-jump across campus while apologizing repeatedly. Seeing Ming Sheng stand up for her, Qiao Qingyu finally felt relieved.

When she got home, she even cleaned the shoes he had lent her earlier. Ming Sheng arrived late to class and snuck into the classroom. Seeing his sneakers in the drawer freshly cleaned put him in a great mood. When Qiao Qingyu asked to borrow his phone, he handed it over generously. But when she mentioned wanting to return the letter she had taken, she lied and said she needed time to search for it at home.

After school, Ming Sheng ran into Mumu. Since they were childhood friends, he asked her why a boy would keep avoiding returning something to a girl. Mumu casually replied, “That must mean he likes her.” Ming Sheng’s face instantly turned red all the way to his neck. Mumu was puzzled by his reaction. Qiao Qingyu gave the phone she borrowed from Ming Sheng to her younger brother, then the two of them staged a little act.

Her brother claimed the school needed the household register to verify student records. When their mother opened the drawer, Qiao Qingyu deliberately scalded her arm with hot water. As their mother rushed to check the burn, her brother quickly snapped a photo using the phone. That night, the siblings flipped through the photos. Beiyu had spent a lot of money on hospitalization and treatment.

Qiao Qingyu was puzzled why their cousin Qiao Jinrui kept sending money to their family—he had been doing it every month, even up until now. Her brother explained that their cousin had always been good to them. The last time he visited, he had secretly slipped them pocket money. Hearing that, Qiao Qingyu didn’t think more of it. Suddenly, their mother noticed Qiao Qingyu had a mobile phone and urgently questioned where it came from.

Knowing how sensitive her mother was about her being close to boys, Qiao Qingyu didn’t dare say she borrowed it from Ming Sheng and instead claimed she had picked it up at the library. Unconvinced, her mother brought her back to school and personally handed the phone over to the teacher. From other classmates, Ming Sheng learned that Qiao Qingyu and her mother had gone to see the homeroom teacher about something she supposedly picked up.

He immediately went to find Mumu and asked her to go to the teacher and admit that the phone was hers. Seeing that it was a female classmate who claimed the phone, Qiao Qingyu’s mother finally felt at ease.

Qiao Jinrui’s friend, He Feihai, came to dine at Qiao Qingyu’s family restaurant. Upon hearing that He Feihai had been in the same class as Qiao Beiyu and knew her quite well, Qiao Qingyu quietly passed him a note, asking to meet at a dessert shop. That day, Qiao Qingyu’s class announced a basketball game, but since she was focused on meeting He Feihai, she didn’t take part in the group activity, which drew some criticism from her classmates.

At the dessert shop, He Feihai told her that when they were young, Beiyu had been obedient and well-behaved. But after she got into a junior college and came to the city, they ran into each other again, and he felt she had changed—she seemed a bit frivolous. At the time, she was with a rich businessman at a KTV. Later, He Feihai went abroad to study and lost contact with Beiyu.

When he next heard about her, it was unfortunate news. He had always felt a bit guilty for not checking in on her during their college years and regretted not learning more about her situation. Before leaving, He Feihai gave Qiao Qingyu a video of Beiyu dancing during her arts exam years ago. Watching it, Qiao Qingyu felt her sister looked stunning, but she couldn’t understand why her personality changed so drastically later on.

As He Feihai handed over the disc, Ming Sheng happened to pass by with his friend. His friend couldn’t help but mutter that while Qiao Qingyu looked quiet and shy, she seemed to be quite popular with boys. One time during computer class, Qiao Qingyu thought of checking the school’s intranet and logged into her sister Beiyu’s campus account. Sure enough, in Beiyu’s friend circle, there was a photo of her with another girl.

Qiao Qingyu quietly left a message for that girl, asking to meet, and the girl readily agreed. Qiao Qingyu did meet the girl, who had been Beiyu’s close friend and roommate. She said that Beiyu was naturally beautiful and instantly attracted many boys in college. Although she had a stunning face, she was also very naïve. The boys who pursued her were mostly drawn to her looks.

Beiyu had once dated a man who drove a luxury car, but when she realized he was a playboy, she broke up with him and later got involved with a male hairdresser. The rich guy couldn’t forget Beiyu and went to the hair salon to cause trouble for her boyfriend, even threatening to smash up the shop.

The hairdresser, afraid of getting caught up in the mess, quickly caved and begged for mercy, even falsely claimed that Beiyu had come on to him. Beiyu ended up being beaten badly by the wealthy man and cried for a long time after returning to the dorm. Because Qiao Qingyu’s family ran a restaurant, some boys at school played pranks by deliberately ordering takeout from her family. When Qiao Qingyu personally delivered the food, she was bullied again.

Ming Sheng saw it happen and felt upset, but for various reasons, he couldn’t step in. Later, he deliberately threw his basketball at the boy who had bullied her. On Beiyu’s school intranet page, Qiao Qingyu saw a man called “Hei Ge” (Brother Hei). In their photo together, Beiyu was smiling sweetly. Qiao Qingyu wanted to know if this was the man her sister had written about in her diary.

She began looking into this “Hei Ge,” and soon, this man unexpectedly showed up outside Qiao Qingyu’s school waiting for her. He was exactly like Beiyu’s former friend had described—he drove a luxury car, had once doted on Beiyu, pursued her with flowers and gifts, but after hearing that she was close to a hairdresser, he took revenge on the man and even beat Beiyu up.

Qiao Qingyu was very cautious and refused to get in his car, instead suggesting they go to a milk tea shop nearby. However, “Hei Ge” quickly started to get handsy, saying he and Qiao Qingyu were fated to meet. He claimed he had seen her years ago while waiting for Beiyu and now was forcing Qiao Qingyu to be his girlfriend.

Qiao Qingyu realized that Hei Ge didn’t know Qiao Beiyu from Nanqiao Village, so she lost all interest in learning more from him. What she truly wanted now was to find the person who had taken away her sister’s innocence. Qiao Qingyu immediately tried to leave, but Hei Ge refused to let her go. As Qiao Qingyu struggled to get away from him, luckily, a classmate named Wang Mumu quietly snuck in through the back door and pulled her away.

The two of them ran for a long time until they finally shook off that thug. From then on, a pure friendship was formed between them. Hei Ge later found Qiao Qingyu’s family restaurant and waited there all afternoon. Fortunately, that day Qiao Qingyu had schoolwork and didn’t go to help at the restaurant.

Hei Ge, unwilling to give up, handed a hundred-yuan bill to Qiao Qingyu’s mother and even introduced himself as Qiao Beiyu’s former boyfriend, asking why Qiao Qingyu wasn’t helping at the restaurant. Hearing this, Qiao Qingyu’s mother was startled. She could tell at a glance that Hei Ge was no good. To prevent her daughter from being harassed, she quickly found someone from their hometown to help at the restaurant and no longer let Qiao Qingyu come work there.

Besides waiting at the restaurant, Hei Ge also sent flowers to the school. The girls in class began whispering among themselves. Qiao Qingyu felt nauseated at the sight of the flowers and threw them straight into the trash. After school, she sprinted all the way home, afraid Hei Ge might tail her again.

Ming Sheng noticed Qiao Qingyu’s strange behavior, and after hearing from others that she had gotten into trouble with a gangster, he quietly started walking her home every day, only leaving once she was safe. Qiao Qingyu was deeply grateful for his help. That night, Qiao Qingyu asked her younger brother Qiao Jinyu if he knew why Qiao Beiyu had run from Nanqiao Village to Shunyun—was she trying to avoid someone?

And why did she go back to the village later? Her brother said that yes, he had seen their sister. Back then, she said she didn’t want to continue high school in their hometown, that it was enough to just stay close to their parents. But their mother believed a girl at the very least needed a diploma. She hadn’t even finished high school—how would she find a job in the future?

Their father agreed that she should return to school. With no other choice, Qiao Beiyu stayed in Shunyun for just two days before going back. Qiao Qingyu wanted to confront her mother about why she hadn’t let Beiyu stay in Shunyun. But when she arrived at the restaurant, she saw Hei Ge with a few street thugs causing trouble. Hei Ge sat alone in the center of the restaurant, slowly eating noodles with an air of provocation.

Qiao Qingyu dumped a basin of water on him. Enraged, Hei Ge threw his bowl of noodles. Luckily, someone had already called the police. When Hei Ge heard the sirens, he and the thugs quickly fled. Ming Sheng’s neighbor Wang Mumu knew it was Ming Qiuxin’s birthday that day, so she helped Ming Sheng prepare a small cake to give to his father, hoping to ease their strained relationship.

Ming Sheng went to the hospital, where his father was urgently preparing for surgery in his white coat. Since he had no choice, Ming Sheng waited in his father’s office. While flipping through books on the desk, he found a photo of his father and a nurse standing very close together—it turned out his father was in a relationship. Furious, Ming Sheng tossed the cake into the trash and left without saying a word.

After finishing the surgery, Ming Qiuxin returned to his office, saw the cake in the trash and the photo on the desk, and immediately understood. He had been dating the nurse for over three years, but hadn’t told Ming Sheng out of concern it would distract him. He had planned to reveal it only after the college entrance exams. Unable to find Qiao Qingyu, Hei Ge showed up outside her school, spreading rumors that he was her boyfriend.

Unable to endure it any longer, Qiao Qingyu heard that Hei Ge was waiting again at the school gate. She hid a fruit knife in her pocket—she’d tolerated this man long enough. Thinking of how this scum had hurt her sister, Qiao Qingyu was furious. She tried to talk to Hei Ge calmly, but it was useless. He continued to touch her inappropriately, and Qiao Qingyu pulled the fruit knife from her pocket and stabbed him.

Qiao Qingyu was utterly disgusted with Hei Ge, but he just wouldn’t let go. This time, he had even chased her to the school gate. Qiao Qingyu couldn't take it anymore. She finally pulled out a knife from her pocket, ready to go down with him. But at the very moment she was about to stab Hei Ge, she was so frightened that she shut her eyes tight.

When Qiao Qingyu opened her eyes again, she saw drops of blood spreading across the ground. Hei Ge wasn’t hurt—Ming Sheng had grabbed the knife with his bare hands in time, preventing a tragic outcome. His hand was cut, but he didn’t care about his own injury. Instead, he looked at Qiao Qingyu and asked how she was, then firmly told her not to be afraid—he would be by her side from now on and everything would be okay.

There were many people at the school gate. Seeing someone was injured and that the police had arrived, Hei Ge quickly slipped away. In front of everyone, Ming Sheng draped his jacket over Qiao Qingyu’s head and escorted her away from the school. The incident quickly caught the school’s attention. Both Qiao Qingyu and Ming Sheng were summoned along with their parents.

Ming Sheng’s father had originally planned to meet his girlfriend’s parents that day, but just as he was about to leave, he received a call from the homeroom teacher. He had no choice but to take care of his son’s matter first. In the school office, Qiao Qingyu’s mother hurriedly apologized to the teacher.

When the department head suggested letting the students go home and reflect for two days, Ming Sheng, afraid Qiao Qingyu would be expelled, immediately said he was the one who lent her the craft knife—it had nothing to do with her. The homeroom teacher also pleaded for Qiao Qingyu, saying those thugs had criminal records and were clearly the troublemakers, while Qiao Qingyu was just a victim.

Thanks to the teacher and Ming Sheng’s help, Qiao Qingyu only rested at home for two days before returning to school safely. However, some girls who had crushes on Ming Sheng began to feel jealous of Qiao Qingyu. During a self-study class, they demanded she apologize to Ming Sheng in front of everyone. Qiao Qingyu was a bit embarrassed, but Ming Sheng told them not to meddle—it was between him and Qiao Qingyu, no one else.

By standing up for Qiao Qingyu publicly, Ming Sheng made the others back off. Still, someone dumped garbage all over Qiao Qingyu from above the school building. She didn’t take it lying down—she quietly ran upstairs and locked the culprits inside the restroom in retaliation. One day while delivering food, Qiao Qingyu arrived at a familiar household—this customer often ordered from her family’s restaurant and never needed change from a ten yuan bill.

Curious, she opened the door and saw it was Ming Sheng. His place was a mess. Just a few days earlier, he had helped chase away some street punks for her. Qiao Qingyu apologized and offered to help him clean. While tidying up, she found a photo of Ming Sheng’s mother. Qiao Qingyu was curious since she had never seen Ming Sheng’s mother.

Ming Sheng suddenly looked as if he’d been stripped bare, snatched the photo, and angrily told her to get out. But at school, Ming Sheng still shamelessly greeted Qiao Qingyu in the morning and said that if she came to the banyan tree again on Sunday, he’d return the letter to her. Qiao Qingyu went to the banyan tree, and Ming Sheng did return the letter. He also opened up about his family.

Ming Sheng had always felt inferior—his parents divorced when he was young, and he was sent to live with his grandfather, who raised him. But the absence of a complete family had always been a scar in his heart. Now that Qiao Qingyu knew his secret too, it felt like they were even. One of Qiao Beiyu’s college roommates gave Qiao Qingyu a music box.

Knowing that Qiao Qingyu had long been searching for the boy her sister once defended so fiercely, she opened the music box and found a photo of Qiao Beiyu with a boy. Although his face had been scribbled over, Qiao Qingyu could already tell who it was. As the New Year approached, Qiao Qingyu’s parents took her and her younger brother back to their hometown.

At the dinner table, her cousin’s mother excitedly brought up how her son and Xiaoyun were about to get married, and that Xiaoyun didn’t even want a bride price, saving the rural family a lot of money. Qiao Qingyu keenly noticed the look of distaste on her mother’s face upon hearing Qiao Jinrui’s name.

Winter break arrived, and Ming Sheng was heading to France by plane to visit his mother. His father carefully packed his luggage for him and reminded him that he could call anytime if he needed anything while in France. Qiao Qingyu stayed with her parents in their hometown for the New Year. Most of the time, she would hide away in her room, quietly looking through the music box her sister had left behind.

Qiao Jinrui went to the city to pick up wedding photos, and when he saw Qiao Qingyu sitting alone in the room, he invited her to come along. On the way to the city, Qiao Qingyu asked Qiao Jinrui if he knew anything about Qiao Beiyu. Qiao Jinrui said that back then, because of the family planning policy, Qiao Qingyu's parents could only keep the eldest child in the countryside. When Qiao Beiyu first stayed behind, she often cried.

Qiao Jinrui felt sorry for her, but Qiao Beiyu insisted on staying, believing that Qiao Qingyu, being younger, would have a harder time enduring it. It turned out that her sister had always been protecting her. Qiao Beiyu knew that Qiao Qingyu loved the candies wrapped in colorful cellophane and would always save them for her.

In Qiao Jinrui’s car, Qiao Qingyu spotted a pendant shaped like a dancing girl, which reminded her of the music box she had just found. Ming Sheng arrived in France and saw that his mother was in great spirits. Back in China, she had often been unhappy, but now, in France, she spent her days making music, playing piano, and doing what she truly loved. Her energy and glow were unmistakable.

Ming Sheng, staying by her side, began to soften and shed his rebelliousness. While his mother played piano, Ming Sheng sent messages to his classmates via Tencent. They were all envious to hear he was in France. At that moment, Ming Sheng also sent a message to Qiao Qingyu and video-called her, proudly showing off his mother playing piano in the background.

With a proud smile on his face, Ming Sheng told Qiao Qingyu that he had always felt his mother had suffered a lot. It must have been difficult going to a foreign country alone. But seeing her doing so well now, he finally felt at ease. By chance, Qiao Qingyu found Qin Yanqiu’s diary. The villagers had always thought Qin Yanqiu was crazy, but her writing was coherent and logical.

In her diary, Qin Yanqiu wrote about treating Qiao Beiyu as her own daughter, and she revealed that the boy Qiao Beiyu liked was Qiao Jinrui. Since Qiao Jinrui had been adopted by the uncle’s family, he and Qiao Beiyu shared no blood relation. When Qiao Qingyu’s mother found out her daughter had a miscarriage, she had wanted to confront Qiao Jinrui, but the elder brother’s family wouldn’t allow her to meet him.

Whether Qiao Jinrui knew about Qiao Beiyu’s miscarriage, Qiao Qingyu believed he must have known—otherwise, why would he have avoided coming back to the village for years after that? Finding this in the diary made Qiao Qingyu’s heart sting like needles. Seeing Qiao Jinrui at the dinner table again made her feel sick.

Many in the village still took pride in him, saying he had earned top scores and was the first university student to come out of the village, and now he was even marrying a girl from the city. But no one expected him to be so hypocritical. When someone at the table brought up Qiao Beiyu being promiscuous again, this time Qiao Qingyu didn’t stay silent.

She raised her head and questioned the aunt: when Qiao Beiyu first returned to the village, she was cautious in every word and deed, so how did she suddenly become loud and unruly like a shrew? Clearly, someone had led her astray. Then she turned pointedly to Qiao Jinrui and asked if it was him. Feeling guilty, Qiao Jinrui quickly replied, “Everyone has their own path. Since Qiao Beiyu chose that road, she had no one else to blame.”

These past few days, Qiao Qingyu’s uncle and aunt had been busy preparing for Qiao Jinrui’s wedding. The new home was already set up. That night, Qiao Qingyu deliberately placed Qiao Beiyu’s music box on the wedding bed. A bright red music box sat atop the crimson wedding quilt. Most people wouldn't think much of it, but Qiao Jinrui was visibly startled when he saw it. Qiao Qingyu couldn’t help but smirk silently—Hmph, it really was him!

Qiao Qingyu walked into the room and asked Qiao Jinrui directly if he was the one who had hurt Qiao Beiyu. But Qiao Jinrui flatly denied it, refusing to admit anything, even claiming he wasn’t the boy with the blurred face in the photo. Qiao Qingyu warned him coldly that lies come with consequences. As soon as she left, Qiao Jinrui tore the photo into pieces.

On New Year’s Eve, Ming Sheng sent Qiao Qingyu a message wishing her a happy new year. Qiao Qingyu told Ming Sheng that she had found the one who had hurt her sister. Her sister had suffered so much, and she felt it was necessary to do something to get justice for her.

Qiao Qingyu wasn’t sure if her thoughts were crazy, but now Ming Sheng supported her and reminded her that if you don’t do what’s right, how can you fight for justice? On the first day of the new year, Qiao Qingyu’s grandfather and the other elders went to offer sacrifices to the ancestors. Her uncle was off to burn paper money for Aunt Qin, who had passed away.

Her uncle seemed to mourn her deeply, but Qiao Qingyu knew from Aunt Qin’s diary that the whole family had always been guarded against her. They had emotionally constrained and suppressed her until she finally went mad and then died under strange circumstances. Qiao Qingyu took out Aunt Qin’s diary—the only thing left of hers—and burned it with the hope that Aunt Qin would be happy in heaven. During the New Year, Qiao Jinrui brought his fiancée home.

The bride-to-be, Xiao Yun, was immersed in the excitement of her upcoming wedding, unaware that the man beside her was cowardly and weak. Qiao Qingyu swore to seek justice for her sister. She and her younger brother went into town to find a print shop, but it was closed. Then she remembered her classmate Wang Mumu and called her, asking her to make many copies of some documents and bring them over.

Qiao Qingyu printed her sister’s story on sheets of paper. After racking her brain for a plan, she folded each sheet and slipped them into the wedding candy boxes. Everyone attending the wedding would receive candy—and with it, her sister’s injustice would finally be known. After stuffing all the candies with the notes, Qiao Qingyu stepped outside. The cool wind brushed across her face, and she walked home with unwavering resolve. She knew this was the right thing to do.

Meanwhile, after staying in France for a few days, Ming Sheng finally decided to return home. He had seen how attentively his mother’s assistant took care of her. His mother didn’t even cook, and several times while she was playing piano, the assistant would watch her sweetly from a distance. Ming Sheng felt that the assistant was a great match for his mother. At least here in France, his mother always wore a genuinely happy smile.

His resentment toward his father began to ease. On the day of Qiao Jinrui’s wedding, Qiao Qingyu stayed in the bride’s room. Watching Xiao Yun carefully doing her makeup, she asked her how she met Qiao Jinrui. When she heard that they had met during a dance performance, Qiao Qingyu couldn’t help but think of her sister.

Seeing the hopeful look on Xiao Yun’s face, Qiao Qingyu knew she was innocent—but her sister was even more so. Qiao Qingyu wished Xiao Yun happiness. Her mother, afraid that she might say something to Xiao Yun, quickly pulled her out of the bridal room and gave her a pair of earrings, hoping her daughter would dress up beautifully. Many people came to attend Qiao Jinrui’s wedding. Qiao Qingyu hesitated—should she really distribute the candy boxes that contained the truth?

At first, she softened. She was about to carry out the box of wedding candies when she passed a room and overheard some neighbors whispering. They said that Qiao Jinrui’s parents weren’t afraid to invite Qiao Qingyu’s family and bring bad luck, and they criticized her family for being ignorant and not knowing how to avoid taboos. Qiao Qingyu was deeply hurt by these words. Her family were the victims—why should they bear the brunt of the village’s gossip?

Thinking this through, Qiao Qingyu decided she wouldn’t cover for scum like Qiao Jinrui. It was his fault—why should her whole family bear the consequences? The wedding candies were handed out. Everyone at the wedding saw the truth. In that moment, Qiao Beiyu’s injustice was finally cleared. Everyone realized that it was Qiao Jinrui’s cowardice and hypocrisy that forced a girl to take the fall for him. The wedding ended in chaos. Qiao Jinrui’s aunt, Yanfan, cried and wailed hysterically.

She cursed Qiao Qingyu, wishing her a terrible end, and blamed her family for ruining their reputation. Qiao Qingyu knew she couldn’t stay in the village any longer. After visiting her sister’s grave, she carried a backpack to the train station. She had planned to buy a ticket back to the city, but the last train had already left. She had no choice but to wait for the early morning train.

While waiting in the station lobby, she accidentally fell asleep—and her wallet was stolen. Not wanting to expose her whereabouts, she didn’t dare report it to the police. Instead, she wandered nearby, hoping to earn enough money to buy a ticket. She came across a restaurant near the station that was hiring servers. Bracing herself, Qiao Qingyu asked for a job. She borrowed the boss’s wife’s phone to call He Feihai.

The call didn’t go through, so she begged the owner to let her work there temporarily for a few days to earn some money. Qiao Qingyu hadn’t been sleeping well and had developed a high fever. She struggled just to wash dishes. The boss noticed that her hands clearly hadn’t done housework before and gently suggested she go back home. At that moment, He Feihai saw the missed call on his phone and called back.

Following the address, he found Qiao Qingyu. He Feihai tried to persuade Qiao Qingyu to come home. He said her parents and her uncle’s family were all frantically looking for her, and even her grandmother fainted at the wedding from the shock. Qiao Qingyu pulled away from He Feihai’s hand, arguing that they weren’t worried about her safety—they just wanted to drag her home and interrogate her.

After everything that had happened, she didn’t even have to guess—she knew her uncle’s family probably wanted to tear her apart. While He Feihai wasn’t paying attention, Qiao Qingyu ran away. Outside, heavy snow had begun to fall. Qiao Qingyu ran into the snow, penniless, homeless, and still burning with fever. Eventually, she collapsed. Lying in the snow, Qiao Qingyu thought she saw her sister. Qiao Beiyu looked at her with heartache.

Qiao Qingyu whispered that she had finally avenged her sister, and no one would throw dirt on her name anymore. By then, Ming Sheng had already returned from France. He had boarded a car heading to Qiao Qingyu’s hometown. When he learned she wasn’t there, he rushed to the nearby train station and finally found her unconscious in the snow. Ming Sheng carried her to the hospital, where she received IV fluids and treatment for her fever.

When Qiao Qingyu woke up, she saw an ambulance unloading a girl in a red wedding dress, covered in blood. A nurse explained that the newlyweds were returning in their wedding car when a crash occurred on the highway. Not knowing if it was Xiao Yun and Qiao Jinrui, Qiao Qingyu became extremely anxious and frightened. Ming Sheng quickly pulled her away from the hospital.

Qiao Qingyu only intended to borrow some money from Ming Sheng, but he refused to let her wander the streets alone. He took her to his place, brought out clean towels and a change of clothes, and told her to take a hot shower and get a good night’s sleep.

Downstairs, Qiao Qingyu picked up a little bird that was nearly frozen stiff. The weather was so cold, and she felt this little bird must be just as homeless as she was. So she brought it along to Ming Sheng’s home. Ming Sheng handed Qiao Qingyu a warm towel. After a hot shower, her cold improved significantly. Finally having a quiet and warm place to stay, Qiao Qingyu was deeply grateful to Ming Sheng.

She said that once she earned some money from part-time jobs, she would definitely repay him—including the transportation and lodging costs. Ming Sheng told her not to worry at all; he often had the urge to roam alone, and now with a companion, things actually felt a bit livelier. When they were bored, Ming Sheng would play the piano for Qiao Qingyu. With the comfort of music, both of their moods improved.

Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu’s parents were still searching for their daughter everywhere. They called her classmates and contacted everyone they could think of, but no one knew her whereabouts. With no other choice, Qiao Qingyu’s mother, Li Fanghao, reported her missing to the police. Not long after, the police called back to say they had recovered the body of a young woman, about twenty years old, from the river. Li Fanghao was terrified and began to tremble uncontrollably.

Although her daughter wasn’t yet twenty, the fear that the drowned woman might be her own child shook her deeply. Her eldest daughter was already gone—she couldn’t bear the thought of losing her second daughter too. That night, Ming Sheng let Qiao Qingyu sleep on the bed while he took the floor. The two began chatting to pass the time.

Ming Sheng recounted the first time they met—it had been five or six years ago, when Qiao Qingyu was still a little elementary school student. Ming Sheng had once followed his father to Qiao Qingyu’s hometown. He was about to play the piano in a music room when a little girl suddenly walked onto the stage. Thinking no one was around, she started practicing in secret.

It was the first time Ming Sheng had seen someone attempt the “Little Swan,” but she looked more like a chubby duck. Yet the seriousness with which that little girl practiced left a lasting impression on him. That’s why, years later, he recognized Qiao Qingyu the moment he saw her. So, the bond between Qiao Qingyu and Ming Sheng had started many years ago. Under Ming Sheng’s attentive care, Qiao Qingyu’s cold quickly improved.

During this time, Ming Sheng’s father overheard a nurse say she had seen Ming Sheng. He had assumed his son was still in France. Hearing that he was back but hadn’t said a word made him uneasy. When no one answered his calls, he drove straight to the house. Although Ming Sheng quickly hid Qiao Qingyu in the bathroom, his observant father noticed an extra pair of girls’ shoes by the door.

Coupled with the look on Ming Sheng’s face, it wasn’t hard for his father to figure things out. He subtly reminded his son that growing up means taking responsibility. In the bathroom, Qiao Qingyu overheard Ming Sheng’s father and felt a bit sorry for causing Ming Sheng trouble. But Ming Sheng assured her there was no need to feel that way. Back then, their classmate Wang Mumu lived next door to him.

He often heard her father go into drunken rages. After drinking, her father would beat Mumu and her mother. Whenever things got too bad, Ming Sheng would step out and pull Mumu’s father away. After closing the door, Ming Sheng told Qiao Qingyu that Mumu’s father had once been a successful businessman but went downhill after a failed venture. For the past few years, he’d never recovered and frequently vented his frustrations on his family while drunk.

Ming Sheng said his father believed that, at this rate, Mumu’s father wouldn’t last more than three or five years. Qiao Qingyu couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Mumu’s father—why did he always drink? But when she thought of how Mumu and her mother were constantly being beaten, it felt so unfair. One time, when Ming Sheng went out to buy food, Mumu’s father started another drunken rampage.

Qiao Qingyu heard Mumu shouting Ming Sheng’s name at the door—it was clear she was being bullied again. Since Mumu had helped her before, Qiao Qingyu didn’t hesitate. She opened the door and pulled Mumu inside. When Mumu saw Qiao Qingyu at Ming Sheng’s home, she was startled. But after hearing Qiao Qingyu’s explanation, she understood. While chatting alone, Mumu told Qiao Qingyu that Ming Sheng was different from them.

His father was a dean, and his mother a famous French singer. His future was sure to be bright—like the moon in the sky. But children like them, who had no one to rely on, were like blades of grass. Even if Ming Sheng chose to fight alongside them through hardship, that couldn’t compare to the support his parents could offer him with just a helping hand. Mumu’s words left Qiao Qingyu deeply moved.

On his way back from shopping, Ming Sheng saw a mother anxiously holding onto her child, warning him not to run off or he might get lost. Hearing this, Ming Sheng grew worried about Qiao Qingyu and immediately called home. The phone rang several times before someone finally picked up—he let out a sigh of relief when he heard Qiao Qingyu’s voice. Over the phone, Ming Sheng reminded her not to leave on her own and not to abandon him.

Back at home, Qiao Qingyu and Ming Sheng began packing their things. Ming Sheng handed her a bank card containing the pocket money he had saved over the years—more than seventeen thousand yuan—and asked her to keep it safe, saying this would be their money to survive on once they got to Jiangzhou. Qiao Qingyu tried to push it back to him, saying she always loses things, but Ming Sheng insisted she take it.

He had already planned out the route to Suzhou for the next day and had even asked an online friend to help find him a part-time job at a supermarket. Qiao Qingyu knew that Ming Sheng was being good to her, but she remembered what Wang Mumu had told her—that Ming Sheng was meant to have a much brighter future.

If he followed her to Suzhou to do odd jobs, he would surely regret running away with her ten or twenty years from now. That night, Ming Sheng took one last look at the moon, marveling at how beautiful it was. Neither of them could sleep, tossing and turning. Qiao Qingyu had already made up her mind about what to do next.

At dawn, Ming Sheng gave Qiao Qingyu the new down jacket he had just bought and told her not to go downstairs yet. He would call her once he found a taxi headed for Suzhou, then bring her down. Qiao Qingyu agreed cheerfully and pinky-promised with him as he asked. Before Ming Sheng left, Qiao Qingyu looked at him seriously and said thank you.

Once he was gone, she zipped up her jacket and placed the bank card Ming Sheng had given her on the table. Ming Sheng went downstairs. Qiao Qingyu had intended to leave alone. But as soon as she reached the bottom floor, a group of middle-aged women surrounded her, pushing and shoving. Meanwhile, Ming Sheng had already found a car. He called the house, but no one answered.

Running back, he saw from a distance that Qiao Qingyu was being dragged around by a crowd. The sight pained him deeply. Just then, Qiao Qingyu’s mother, Li Fanghao, rushed over and immediately began yelling at her, asking where she had gone and preparing to hit her. Qiao Qingyu’s younger brother and father tried to separate them. Watching from afar, Ming Sheng saw how much Qiao Qingyu was suffering and felt utterly hopeless.

Qiao Qingyu was dragged home by her parents. Ming Sheng, fuming with anger, went straight to the hospital. He had heard someone had reported Qiao Qingyu’s whereabouts to the TV station. Qiao Qingyu suspected it might have been Ming Sheng’s father. His father neither admitted nor denied it but simply advised Ming Sheng to consider the consequences of his actions. But Ming Sheng didn’t want to listen.

He accused his father of always trying to control every part of his life and interfering constantly. Now, he really didn’t want his father hovering in his world anymore. Once home, Qiao Qingyu couldn’t avoid her parents’ scolding. Her mother demanded to know where she had been these past few days and why she hadn’t told them anything. Then they took her to see her grandfather, who, in his anger, ordered her to kneel and apologize.

But the stubborn Qiao Qingyu refused, which made her father furious, and he cursed at both her and her mother on the spot. When her mother learned that Qiao Qingyu had been staying at Ming Sheng’s house, she was enraged and called her shameless, saying she was throwing herself at a boy and comparing her to Qiao Beiyu—implying she was just as indiscreet. At the mention of Qiao Beiyu, Qiao Qingyu became furious.

Her sister had done nothing wrong—the real fault lay with them, and her sister’s tragedy was directly related to their parents. As she said this, Qiao Qingyu tried to leave the house again. Her mother, afraid she would run away like she had before, had even gone to the street to have an extra security door installed. Now, the house had two front doors.

Finally, the new school term began. Qiao Qingyu’s mother, Li Fanghao, declared that from now on, she would personally escort Qiao Qingyu to and from school and forbade her from having any contact with Ming Sheng. When Qiao Qingyu arrived at school, some classmates whispered about her and gossiped non-stop. Ming Sheng could only watch helplessly as Qiao Qingyu was isolated and excluded by her peers.

Several times, Ming Sheng wanted to ask Qiao Qingyu what she planned to do, but she kept avoiding him. While swimming, when Ming Sheng tried to approach her, Qiao Qingyu would immediately swim away. The more she avoided him, the more Ming Sheng wanted answers, but Qiao Qingyu refused to give him any chance to explain, leaving him frustrated.

At that time, one of Ming Sheng’s friends told him that if someone was deliberately avoiding you, it meant they were feeling guilty—and that meant he still had a chance. His friend also reminded him that his father was recently involved in a medical malpractice incident and was being surrounded daily by angry patients. Ming Sheng, outwardly tough, claimed this was nothing new for his father and that now everyone could see who the hospital director truly was.

When Ming Sheng got home, he noticed many of his mother’s belongings laid out on the table, along with photo albums from his childhood. These albums had previously been hidden by his father, and their sudden appearance now made Ming Sheng suspicious. He immediately ran to the hospital and overheard news that his father had been dismissed from his position. Although he often said he disliked his father, Ming Sheng still rushed to his father’s place.

There, he saw his father looking gloomy, helping a neighbor watch their dog. The room was a complete mess. Ming Sheng asked why he had taken the photo albums out again. His father explained that when Ming Sheng’s mother went abroad when he was five, he feared the child couldn’t handle seeing her photo, so he decided to show them only when Ming Sheng became an adult—so he would always know his mother had been there.

Ming Sheng gave a bitter smile—his father always did things his own way. In truth, when his mother first left, Ming Sheng had really wanted to look at her pictures, but they were all taken away. That evening, a call came again from Qiao Qingyu’s grandfather in Nanqiao Village, demanding she return to apologize to her uncle’s family.

Li Fanghao knew that if her daughter went back, she would be skinned alive, so she tried every excuse, saying her daughter had exams and couldn’t return for now. But Qiao Qingyu’s timid father, Qiao Lusheng, was worried that if she didn’t go back and admit fault, she would never be able to return to the village again. This led to an argument between the couple, escalating to threats of divorce.

Li Fanghao felt that most of their family’s pain came from her husband’s lack of backbone and responsibility. Qiao Qingyu’s younger brother passed along a message saying their parents had been arguing constantly about whether she should return to the ancestral hall in their hometown—even talking about divorce. Not wanting to see her parents continue to fight, Qiao Qingyu quietly told her father that she was willing to go back with him.

The next day, Qiao Qingyu arrived in her hometown. As expected, her grandfather and uncle’s entire family were there. Her grandfather accused her of ruining her cousin’s life—now he was divorced, and everyone in the village knew he was adopted. Her grandfather threw down his wooden cane and told Qiao Lusheng to use it to beat his daughter. When Qiao Lusheng refused, her grandfather was so enraged he tried to do it himself, prompting Qiao Lusheng to shield his daughter.

At that moment, Qiao Qingyu’s mother, Li Fanghao, also arrived. She couldn’t bear to see her husband and daughter beaten, so she knelt down and pleaded with her father-in-law for mercy. The uncle’s family only blamed Qiao Qingyu for ruining them and destroying Qiao Jinrui’s life. Li Fanghao reminded them not to forget how Qiao Beiyu died. This trip back home weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts. Li Fanghao comforted Qiao Qingyu, urging her to stay strong.

Once she finished the college entrance exam and was admitted to university, she could finally leave this environment. Her parents would never again interfere with her freedom. But for now, she must not run away from home—because the world is dark and harsh, and without fully formed wings, she would only get hurt if she entered it too early.

At school, Qiao Qingyu received a note from Ming Sheng. Worried that Qiao Qingyu was feeling stifled at home, Ming Sheng wrote that if she ever wanted to run away, she could come find him—they would leave together. Qiao Qingyu knew Ming Sheng treated her well, but they came from different worlds and were destined to walk different paths.

Not wanting to cause him further concern, she went home and discussed with her younger brother, asking him to cover for her for two hours. Ming Sheng received a page from Qiao Qingyu, asking him to wait under the big tree, saying there was something important she needed to say. He rushed to the meeting spot. There, Qiao Qingyu candidly told him that their lives were different.

Ming Sheng insisted he truly wanted to run away from home, but Qiao Qingyu reminded him that her life would be much easier without his attention, and asked him not to be so kind to her anymore. In order not to affect his future, Qiao Qingyu deliberately said that she really disliked him and didn’t want to have any more contact. Ming Sheng was heartbroken upon hearing this, but if his care only brought her pressure, he wouldn’t force it.

The two of them began to throw themselves into their studies. Ming Sheng, who used to be lazy and indifferent, suddenly focused with full effort as the college entrance exams approached. When the results came out, Qiao Qingyu ranked 13th, and the usually low-profile Ming Sheng astonishingly ranked 14th. Seeing their rankings side by side, Ming Sheng’s close friend couldn’t help but joke, “Looks like forever and always.”

Other students checking the rankings grinned at the comment, while Ming Sheng gave his friend a blank look and walked away without a word. On the way home, Qiao Qingyu’s mother came to pick her up as usual. On the road, they encountered a group of local thugs.

These guys noticed Qiao Qingyu’s good looks and recognized her as the infamous girl who had dared to run away from home and cause an uproar at the ancestral hall—news that had spread all over school. They started provoking her. Ming Sheng, seeing that Li Fanghao was with her, didn’t step in right away to avoid drawing attention. Instead, he sat at a small shop about a hundred meters away, bought a drink, and watched from a distance.

Later, a friend saw a post on the school forum with a photo captioned “Caught Qiao Qingyu on campus,” featuring one of the sleazy guys who had just harassed her. Recognizing the person, Ming Sheng rushed back to find Qiao Qingyu. Seeing vegetable leaves scattered on the ground, he feared the gang had resorted to violence. He and two friends got into a fight with the group, and all three of them ended up bruised and battered.

Eventually, they realized the punks hadn’t managed to get their way at all. The photo was actually a high-tech composite. With Qiao Qingyu’s mother there to protect her, she hadn’t been harmed in the slightest. Because of the fight, the homeroom teacher called Ming Sheng’s parents to school. Watching the teacher talk to his father for a long time, Ming Sheng didn’t feel the least bit sorry for his dad—he even felt oddly satisfied.

That night, Ming Sheng had a video call with his mother. They talked about how he had resented his father since childhood. His mother shared the real reason they separated. Ming Sheng had always thought his father abandoned his mother, but now he learned it was she who insisted on the separation. His father had been constantly busy with work and rarely home. The couple’s relationship had grown cold and quarrelsome. Eventually, his mother wanted to take Ming Sheng with her, but his grandfather didn’t agree, so she had no choice but to leave him behind.

Qiao Qingyu's homeroom teacher noticed from her essay that she was experiencing psychological struggles, so he encouraged her to visit the school counselor. At the counseling room, Qiao Qingyu ran into Wang Mumu—turns out, Mumu was dealing with similar issues. The two had always gotten along well, so Qiao Qingyu pulled Mumu over to the playground. There, they talked about their inner thoughts.

Mumu admitted that there were many things she couldn’t let go of, that she wasn’t someone who could walk freely under the sun, and that she had a lot of secrets she couldn’t tell anyone. Qiao Qingyu also expressed that she felt confined in her daily life, always escorted to and from school by her mother. She no longer felt the desire to rebel, but her heart still carried a quiet defiance.

With the support and comfort of a friend, they both found some strength. Mumu took Qiao Qingyu to the dance room. Mumu had always loved dancing—no matter how hard things got, she said, dancing allowed her to return to her true self, completely free. Influenced by Mumu, Qiao Qingyu also began learning to dance. She had loved dancing as a child but stopped because of her sister.

Taking her first steps again, she felt as if her sister were right there with her—her heart warmed. High school life was always busy and full. Qiao Qingyu gradually regained her focus and began studying in earnest. At the same time, Ming Sheng enrolled in a French language training program. He had always been fond of studying French, and now he was away from school for a long stretch.

Seeing his empty seat in class, Qiao Qingyu felt a faint sense of loss. During breaks in his studies, Ming Sheng would quietly go and see Qiao Qingyu. On the road she and her mother took home after school, he would simply watch her from a distance before returning to his intense routine. Ming Sheng quietly approached Mumu. He had learned that his father had a colleague who was an expert in psychological counseling.

Knowing that both Mumu and Qiao Qingyu were struggling, he gave Mumu the expert’s contact information and asked her to pass it on to Qiao Qingyu. Mumu had grown up as Ming Sheng’s neighbor and knew him well—her feelings for him were deep. Hearing about another girl from someone she cared about made her feel a little sad. Still, she found an opportunity to share the counselor’s contact information with Qiao Qingyu.

Together, the two of them released the little bird Qiao Qingyu had rescued in the winter. But when they opened the cage, the bird didn’t fly away. Maybe it wasn’t the right time yet, so Qiao Qingyu took the bird back home again. Time flew by. One afternoon in 2008, Qiao Qingyu experienced an earthquake at school. Her homeroom teacher was the first to notice it and immediately called for the students to evacuate.

Under his direction, all the students exited the building in an orderly manner. The teacher was the last to leave the building. After the earthquake, a few students suggested going out to raise funds for the disaster area, but the teacher firmly rejected the idea. He told the students to focus all their energy on studying. Society, he explained, was like a large factory, and each person played the role of a small part.

As students, their job was to study well—that was how society could function more smoothly. The teacher’s disapproval of fundraising led some students to think he was coldhearted and began to feel resentment toward him. However, one student quietly revealed that the teacher’s hometown was in Wenchuan, and he hadn’t been able to reach his family—he must be feeling even more distressed than they were.

After learning the truth, everyone finally understood the teacher’s intentions and no longer disrupted class with idle chatter. Ming Sheng’s father, upon hearing that his son hadn’t been to school for several days, couldn’t help but go there to find him. At the gym, Ming Sheng asked his father why he had never told him the truth about his parents’ separation, letting him resent the wrong person for so many years. Ming Sheng’s father said he had only wanted to wait until his son was older—old enough to understand.

While cleaning at home, Qiao Qingyu came across her sister Qiao Beiyu’s medical records. The records stated that her condition had actually stabilized, which made her death two months later all the more puzzling. Qiao Qingyu began to suspect that their parents might have given up on further treatment due to financial difficulties, causing her sister to lose the will to live. As this thought crossed her mind, Qiao Qingyu was pulled into memories of the past.

She recalled a time when she brought warm clothes to the city hospital for her sister. But after their mother received a phone call and found out that Qiao Qingyu was already outside the hospital, she became extremely anxious and told her to go home immediately and not step inside.

Qiao Qingyu left the seasonal clothes with the security guard and prepared to return home, but on a pedestrian bridge not far from the hospital, she saw her sister standing there dazed. It was a cold day, and her sister was only wearing a thin shirt.

Qiao Qingyu ran over, wrapped the clothes around her, and scolded her for not knowing how to take care of herself, saying their parents had been at the hospital for months without returning home and that no one was even watching over their younger brother's studies. Her sister gently stroked Qiao Qingyu’s braided hair and softly said a few things to her, as if telling her to take care of herself.

At the time, Qiao Qingyu found her sister’s words a bit strange. But thinking back now, there were clear signs—perhaps her sister had already lost the will to live back then. Meanwhile, turmoil broke out again in Wang Mumu’s home. Her parents were shoving each other, and her mother nearly got pushed down the stairs by her father.

Seeing this, Mumu rushed out to separate them, but her father shoved her aside, and she fell down several steps of the staircase. The next day at school, Mumu came with a cast on her leg and was struggling to walk. She could no longer continue as the lead dancer in the upcoming disaster relief performance.

Previously, Mumu had taught Qiao Qingyu how to dance, and not wanting the performance to be affected, Qiao Qingyu snuck out without telling her mother and took Mumu’s place as the lead dancer. Ming Sheng was standing in the audience during the performance, watching the girl on stage shine so brightly. His mind filled with memories from the time they had met until now—Qiao Qingyu was not only kind and just, but also extraordinarily beautiful.

Ming Sheng often went to visit his suspended father, worried about his emotional state. To understand more about the medical dispute, he specifically sought out the nurse, Fang Yanqiu, to ask about follow-up on the case. Fang Yanqiu explained that it had been a late-stage cancer case. The patient had already been turned away by many hospitals and had pleaded on his knees for Ming Sheng’s father to treat him.

The surgery had actually been successful; it was the complications afterward that couldn’t be overcome. Seeing how much Ming Sheng still cared about his father, Fang Yanqiu couldn’t help but smile, saying that father and son were exactly alike—even if neither of them would admit it.

Wang Mumu’s father, who drank heavily every day, eventually ruined his health. When the ambulance took him to the hospital, he was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer, entirely caused by alcohol abuse. Now the family was faced with massive medical expenses. In reality, chemotherapy couldn’t cure late-stage cancer—it could only prolong life for a few days. Mumu's family was already impoverished, and now things were even worse.

Although Mumu had always cursed her father for abusing her mother and wished he would disappear, when she heard that he was seriously ill, she couldn’t help but feel heartbroken. The family truly had no money left. Her mother wanted to give up on treatment, and while Mumu understood, it still made her very sad. Qiao Qingyu and Ming Sheng would also go to the hospital to visit Mumu’s father and comfort her, encouraging her to stay strong.

One day, both Ming Sheng and Qiao Qingyu visited the hospital. As they were leaving, Ming Sheng saw Qiao Qingyu standing at the entrance. It was raining outside. He had a folded umbrella in his backpack but chose to leave it there. Walking up to Qiao Qingyu, he said a few words—he told her that he was preparing for his study-abroad exams and would no longer be attending school. This might be the last time they saw each other.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Qingyu was momentarily speechless. Then she quickly smiled at Ming Sheng and wished him success in his exams. Ming Sheng began helping his father with issues surrounding the hospital case. His father was not good at explaining himself, so Ming Sheng took it upon himself to search for evidence and prove his father’s innocence. At school, Qiao Qingyu saw a campaign promoting AIDS awareness and prevention, which was also recruiting volunteers.

Thinking of her sister, she approached the organizers and asked about volunteering. She signed up as a volunteer and, through her work, learned a lot about the subject. In fact, with proper treatment, people with AIDS can live another ten years without issue—so why did her sister pass away so soon? It remained a mystery.

While Qiao Qingyu was doing everything she could to find out why her sister had died, her younger brother called to tell her their mother had been taken to the hospital. Qiao Qingyu rushed there and found out that her mother had been suffering from depression for quite some time. Her father told her that ever since Beiyu’s death, Li Fanghao had been overcome with guilt.

She would cry at night while holding Beiyu’s photo, and one night even went to sleep by Beiyu’s grave, looking peaceful but out of touch with reality. She often wandered outside at night and rarely slept. Qiao Qingyu had noticed that her mother seemed “off,” but she never imagined it was depression.

She had always felt her mother didn’t love them enough, didn’t care for her sister properly—but now she realized that her mother had grieved so deeply it made her ill. That was enough to prove her mother did love them. Meanwhile, Ming Sheng never stopped working hard to help his father uncover the truth. Unlike his father, who stayed at home waiting, Ming Sheng actively sought out patients to learn what had happened. Finally, his father was cleared of all misunderstanding—the patient withdrew the complaint, and Ming Qiuxin was allowed to return to work at the hospital.

Qiao Qingyu finally uncovered the truth behind her sister’s death. The illness was only part of the reason—more importantly, someone had posted information and photos about her condition online. While Qiao Beiyu was hospitalized, she received a flood of phone calls every day, and many strangers, from a moral high ground, hurled insults and humiliation at her nonstop. Eventually, Beiyu couldn’t bear the pressure and chose a path of no return.

When Qiao Qingyu told her younger brother the truth about Beiyu’s death, he was utterly shocked. For many days afterward, Qiao Qingyu kept dreaming that she was standing by the sea, watching Beiyu staring out at the ocean, standing there all alone for a long, long time. Qiao Qingyu told her brother that now she finally understood why their parents chose to hide the truth about Beiyu’s passing—because rumors can indeed destroy a person.

Their parents didn’t want anyone else in the family to be disturbed, so they silently bore all the burden themselves. Wang Mumu was about to take the college entrance exam. She told Qiao Qingyu that although they didn’t have the money to treat her father before, now she was willing to borrow 200,000 yuan from her aunts with written IOUs to fund her father’s treatment. Her father had always turned violent after drinking, making life at home unbearable.

Now that he was finally hospitalized, Mumu still chose to borrow money for his treatment—which meant she did love her father after all. Mumu also told Qiao Qingyu that Qiao Qingyu’s mother had always truly loved her sister. Back when Beiyu died, she had told Mumu’s mother that she was going to jump off a building upon hearing the news.

It was only thanks to two nurses who stopped her, and the thought that she still had two children at home, that she managed to pull through. Seeing how hard her mother worked every day to pick her up and drop her off at school while also running a busy store, Qiao Qingyu told her that she could handle commuting on her own from now on and promised she would follow her mother’s rules and not talk to anyone.

In the end, Mumu’s father passed away. Just as Qiao Qingyu was feeling concerned for her, Mumu came to chat. Now that she had been accepted into a university in Beining, and with no emotional ties left in this place, Mumu decided to take her mother with her to start their new life there. Ming Sheng could tell that his father and nurse Fang Yanqiu had feelings for each other but had been held back by circumstances.

So he found an opportunity to help them face those feelings honestly. Qiao Qingyu opened the DV camera her sister used before she passed and accidentally found a video Beiyu had recorded. In it, Beiyu said that when she was little, she had once been loved by their parents, but after her younger siblings were born, she was left behind in the countryside and began to feel unwanted. At that time, Qiao Jinrui had always protected and accompanied her.

They grew up as close companions and naturally became a couple. But when news of Beiyu’s pregnancy came out, Jinrui left their hometown and didn’t return for years. Beiyu was left with no emotional support. Later, she dated a few other men, but none of them gave her the warmth she longed for. Then, after a hospital checkup, she learned that she had contracted the illness.

Through tears, Beiyu smiled and said that in some ways, getting sick wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. After their parents learned of her condition, they brought Qiao Qingyu and her brother to Shunyun and personally came to the hospital to take care of her. During her hospitalization, Beiyu was surrounded by her parents every day and once again experienced the familial warmth of her childhood. At that moment, she realized that her parents had always loved her. After watching the video her sister had recorded before her death, Qiao Qingyu hugged herself tightly and cried.

Time flew by, and soon the intense senior year of high school began. One day, while Qiao Qingyu was in class, her homeroom teacher suddenly called her to the office—it turned out to be a phone call from her father. He told her that her grandfather had passed away and asked her to come home immediately. Because the return trip was rushed, her father asked Qiao Qingyu to bring the bank card from the drawer.

Normally, the drawer was locked by her mother, so this was the first time Qiao Qingyu opened it. Inside, she discovered a very precious diary. Qiao Qingyu and her younger brother quickly boarded a bus back to Shunyun. On the way, her brother told her that when Qiao Beiyu passed away, it was on Chinese New Year's Eve. Because of various delays, they had arrived at the funeral home late that day, so there was never a proper memorial held.

Their mother had never let it go, which might be the reason she developed depression. At the grandfather’s funeral, their uncle and aunt were playing mahjong at the table, while it was Qiao Qingyu’s mother who was running around, boiling water and serving tea to the mahjong players. Qiao Qingyu couldn’t bear to watch and told her mother to take a break, but her mother responded with calm resignation. She believed that life was meant to be full of suffering.

Now that little Bei and her father were gone, she felt it was her lot in life to suffer until death would bring her peace. No sooner had the funeral ended than the uncle started talking about splitting up the family property. He even claimed that Beiyu’s early death had negatively affected the family’s luck and legacy, so her remains needed to be removed from the ancestral tomb.

When the uncle said that all the family inheritance should be passed on to Qiao Jinrui, Qiao Qingyu’s parents didn’t object. But when he demanded that Beiyu’s grave be relocated, Li Fanghao couldn’t take it anymore—she rushed up and started beating her sister-in-law. In the end, it was Qiao Qingyu who told her mother that it didn’t matter—since her sister never liked Shunyun anyway, it was fine to move her grave. Upon hearing that, her mother stopped.

If her daughter didn’t like it here, then as a mother, she only wanted to do what her daughter would have liked. That day, Qiao Qingyu, her brother, and their parents exhumed Beiyu’s grave. Her mother carefully wrapped the urn with red cloth, and everyone present shed tears. Everyone hopes for a good life and works hard for it, but no one ever expects that the people closest to them will be the ones to fall behind.

The family purchased a cemetery plot for Qiao Beiyu. It was in a beautifully peaceful place surrounded by trees and flowers, with birdsong all around. After settling Beiyu there, the whole family burned paper offerings, praying that she could live the life she desired in heaven. Half a year later, Qiao Qingyu received a letter from Wang Mumu. Mumu had now become a college student, and her mother had found a job as a cleaner at the university.

The mother and daughter depended on each other, living a peaceful life. In the letter, Mumu told Qiao Qingyu that she had signed her up for the “Starlight Cup” dance competition, which would be held in Jiangzhou. When classmates heard that Qiao Qingyu didn’t have a dance costume, they all pitched in to help design one. Once the costume was ready, Qiao Qingyu found another excuse to tell her mother that she needed to go to Jiangzhou.

Her mother agreed, and her father, upon hearing that Qiao Qingyu had been coughing lately, thoughtfully prepared some cold medicine for her. When he placed the medicine in her backpack, he saw the competition invitation. Though he now knew her secret, he chose to keep it for her. Ming Sheng had a meal with his mother, who had come to Jiangzhou to serve as a judge for the competition.

During the meal, she mentioned that a contestant from the same school as Ming Sheng would be participating. When Ming Sheng heard it was Qiao Qingyu, he couldn’t hide his excitement. His mother happened to be staying in the same hotel as Qiao Qingyu. When Ming Sheng learned that the security guard couldn’t find Qiao Qingyu, he went straight to the dance studio. There, he found that Qiao Qingyu had been accidentally locked inside by a guard. Fortunately, Ming Sheng arrived in time and rescued her.

That evening, Qiao Qingyu chatted with Ming Sheng. Ming Sheng sighed that although he had been away for the past six months, he often thought about the days they spent going to school back in their hometown. He missed her and always wanted to know how she was doing. Back then, he truly wanted to help Qiao Qingyu escape from that troublesome city.

Ming Sheng had always shown up when Qiao Qingyu was in danger, and she was deeply grateful to him. But she never wanted to hold him back, so all she kept in her heart was a silent blessing. The next day, when the host called out Qiao Qingyu’s name from the program list, she was already prepared. Wearing her sister Qiao Beiyu’s dance shoes, she stepped onto the stage and danced gracefully.

In that moment, she felt as if she had seen Beiyu again—even felt as if Beiyu was dancing within her, fulfilling her unfinished dream. Qiao Qingyu performed the exact same dance her sister once did. After finishing the performance, she quietly changed clothes and left. At the door, Ming Sheng was already waiting. He suggested that since they had come all the way to Jiangzhou, they should explore the city together. Ming Sheng took Qiao Qingyu to the aquarium.

Above them was a sea of deep blue water, filled with colorful schools of fish swimming freely. Surrounded by beauty and serenity, Qiao Qingyu was overjoyed. After that, they went to an amusement park, riding the carousel and roller coasters together. The air was filled with cheerful laughter and music—the two of them had a truly joyful day. That night, Ming Sheng brought Qiao Qingyu to the seaside. Facing the refreshing sea breeze, they lit fireworks together.

Ming Sheng asked Qiao Qingyu what her wish was. She replied that her biggest wish was to get into Jiangzhou University and live a free, self-directed life—one where she could take control of her own future. Ming Sheng looked at her seriously and said he was truly grateful to have met her. Through everything they had gone through, they had cherished each other deeply.

When dawn came and it was time for Qiao Qingyu to return home, they had to say goodbye. Ming Sheng gently took her hand and bit it lightly. He explained that when they first met, Qiao Qingyu had bitten him, so now he was just returning the favor—and now they were even. The hooligan who once harassed Qiao Qingyu was released from prison.

Not long after, he showed up at her family’s restaurant for revenge, bringing a gang of thugs with him. They caused trouble at the restaurant for several days in a row. Qiao Qingyu tried to confront him, but she was no match for the gang. In the end, it was her father who stepped forward, holding a gas tank in his arms. He warned them that if they didn’t leave, they’d all die together right there.

Seeing he was serious, the gang scattered and ran away. Rumors began to spread at school—people were saying that the hooligan, Blackie, who had harassed Qiao Qingyu, was out of prison and causing her trouble again. With the college entrance exams approaching, many believed Qiao Qingyu would be seriously affected by the ordeal. After school, Blackie once again blocked Qiao Qingyu's path and asked her what she wanted to eat. She ignored him completely.

Enraged, he blurted out the truth about what happened between him and Beiyu. When Qiao Qingyu heard that he had posted Beiyu’s illness online, she finally understood the real reason behind her sister’s suicide. She snapped, rushed at him, and slapped him repeatedly, accusing him of being responsible for Beiyu’s death. Blackie, knowing he was in the wrong, was unexpectedly shaken by Qiao Qingyu’s words. He turned and walked away. Ming Sheng, who had seen Blackie bothering Qiao Qingyu again, became increasingly worried about her safety.

At night, Ming Sheng walked alone through the streets, recalling how Qiao Qingyu once wished to get into Jiangzhou University, move out of the Chaoyang Xincun housing complex, leave behind all the chaos, and live in a spacious, well-lit home with her family, earning money to treat her mother’s illness. Ming Sheng believed that Qiao Qingyu deserved a better life and a brighter future, and he was willing to do something for her.

He put on a black outfit and went to a place where Blackie, the thug, would definitely pass by. Ming Sheng called him over and gave him a solid beating. The next day, Qiao Qingyu didn’t see Blackie again. Her father came to pick her up and excitedly said that he heard that little thug had been beaten up and sent to the hospital, so he probably wouldn’t be bothering them anymore.

Qiao Qingyu had no idea that it was Ming Sheng who had attacked Blackie. Although the trouble with the thug was resolved and Qiao Beiyu had been moved to the cemetery, Qiao Qingyu’s life still hit a rough patch—her mother was diagnosed with depression. All this time, Qiao Qingyu had been focused on uncovering the truth about her sister’s death, neglecting the person who loved her and her brother the most.

She often saw her mother sitting in a daze or standing on the rooftop staring blankly below. Qiao Qingyu urged her to see a doctor, but her mother kept delaying. Qiao Qingyu went to the hospital herself to consult a doctor, and after hearing about her mother's condition, the doctor strongly advised that she bring her mother in for treatment as soon as possible—otherwise, her condition would only get worse.

One day, her mother took nearly half a bottle of antidepressants but still said she couldn’t sleep. Watching her pale and exhausted mother lying in bed, Qiao Qingyu was terrified. She was deeply afraid her mother might suddenly leave them just like her sister had.

Qiao Qingyu sat beside the bed, held her mother’s hand, and softly pleaded—she would be taking her exams in a few days and hoped her mother would cooperate and seek treatment, walk out of the darkness, and get better. She promised to listen to her mother in the future. Silent tears slid down her mother’s face as she lay in bed. With the college entrance exams approaching, the family planned to close the restaurant after it was over.

Her father settled the final wages with Li Fanghao. Although working there had felt like home, Li Fanghao wished Qiao Qingyu’s mother a speedy recovery. One rainy night, Ming Sheng showed up at Qiao Qingyu’s noodle shop holding an umbrella and ordered a bowl of noodles. As the farewell drew near, Qiao Qingyu and her entire class took graduation photos and began preparing for the big exam in earnest.

On the day of the college entrance exam, Qiao Qingyu’s parents and younger brother personally escorted her to the test site. She calmly wrote her answers, carefully writing out the path of her life on the exam paper. After the exam, her parents prepared a sumptuous meal to celebrate the occasion. As expected, Qiao Qingyu received her university admission letter. Her father excitedly announced the good news to everyone he met. Qiao Qingyu took her mother out shopping.

With the exams behind her, she finally felt like a free bird—and she had grown up. Arm in arm with her mother, she helped pick out cosmetics. Her mother, moved, admitted she had been too strict with her in the past and told her to pursue whatever she loved going forward. Qiao Qingyu accidentally heard news of Ming Sheng from a friend.

She had always thought he had gone to France, but didn’t realize that Ming Sheng had beaten Blackie and sent him back to prison just so she could focus on preparing for her exam in peace. Although Ming Sheng was injured in the fight, since Blackie had struck first, it was considered self-defense. Qiao Qingyu went to the big tree where they used to hang out.

Ming Sheng wasn’t there, but a wind chime that once hung beside his window now swayed from the branches. Qiao Qingyu and her family were about to move into the city. The restaurant had already closed, and her mother had agreed to receive treatment. In her dreams, Qiao Qingyu once again saw her sister Beiyu. Beiyu took her hand and confidently walked forward. Then, smiling, she said it was time to say goodbye, and encouraged Qiao Qingyu to bravely move ahead and carry her wishes into a brand-new life.

At Jiangzhou University, Qiao Qingyu finally arrived at the school of her dreams. Life there was carefree and peaceful, just as Wang Mumu had described it—gentle breezes, clear skies, vibrant green leaves, and blossoming flowers everywhere. Qiao Qingyu's personality gradually became more lively and cheerful. On weekends, she even volunteered to help with the rehabilitation of patients suffering from depression. After undergoing treatment, her mother’s mental state improved significantly, and a smile returned to her face.

Qiao Qingyu would accompany her mother on outings after finishing her homework, chatting about the funny things that happened in the dorm. Her mother even gifted her a phone so they could keep in touch more often. Eventually, Qiao Qingyu's mother fully recovered and was discharged from the hospital. The entire family moved to Xingzhou, where they gathered for a celebratory meal, toasting to better days ahead.

Qiao Qingyu’s younger brother told her that the person who had posted about Qiao Beiyu’s illness and photos online—Blackie—had finally been sentenced. The court found him guilty of provoking trouble and sentenced him to two years in prison. Justice was finally served, thanks in part to Ming Sheng, who had submitted key evidence to the court. Her brother also mentioned that he once saw Ming Sheng eating at their noodle shop on a rainy night.

Ming Sheng ordered a bowl of noodles, added sugar to the chili oil, and started crying as he ate. Now in college, Qiao Qingyu often worked part-time jobs to help cover tuition and living expenses, easing the financial burden on her parents. Her parents even started planning vacations. Although she had a few admirers at school, Qiao Qingyu never accepted anyone. She was still waiting—for someone.

She recalled a class where the professor asked them to translate “I love you” in a more literary and indirect way. She remembered how Ming Sheng once expressed his feelings, saying, “The moon is beautiful tonight,” when they were about to leave the city together. Maybe even back then, Ming Sheng already liked her—but at that age, he didn’t know how to express it. One day, Qiao Qingyu suddenly received a letter she had written to herself years ago.

She hadn’t expected it to actually arrive. When she wrote it, Ming Sheng had been right beside her—but now, she didn’t know where he was. Not long ago, she heard from Wang Mumu that Ming Sheng might have returned to China and had been helping his mother organize a concert. Qiao Qingyu didn’t deliberately look for him, but whenever she saw something meaningful or commemorative, she couldn’t help but miss him deeply.

She didn’t know whether fate would bring them back together, but she often went to the beach they used to visit, hoping to run into him again. Two years ago, she and Ming Sheng had set off fireworks at that beach. She had made three wishes that night—the last was that they could meet again at the same place years later. Now, with her mother recovered and her own life back on track, everything felt just right.

She truly hoped they could reunite. While volunteering, Qiao Qingyu happened to run into Qiao Jinrui. He was handing out flyers at the time. Seeing his back, Qiao Qingyu no longer felt hatred. Perhaps she had finally let go of the past. One day, as usual, Qiao Qingyu went to the beach to read. Suddenly, she saw a post from Ming Sheng on her phone—a photo of the very same beach. Could he be nearby?

Qiao Qingyu rushed to the location in the photo, and sure enough, Ming Sheng was there. They were no longer the same as before—youthful innocence had faded. Ming Sheng looked at Qiao Qingyu with a smile and returned the charm she had once given him as a farewell gift. All of the wishes Qiao Qingyu had once made had finally come true. The two embraced, overjoyed, and kissed each other passionately.