The Promise of Growing Up Together – Tian Hongjie, Ji Meihan

In the summer of 2013, Xia Mi was taken by her father to a barbershop to have her long hair cut. Although Xia Mi was extremely reluctant, the joy of being admitted to Lu Xiang City No. 1 High School outweighed her hesitation, and she allowed her father to cut her hair into a short bob. Walking out of the barbershop, Xia Mi couldn’t muster any happiness. With her head lowered, she walked home gloomily.

Suddenly, she noticed a man reach into a pregnant woman’s pocket to steal her wallet. After taking it, the man ran off. Xia Mi couldn’t stand by and do nothing, so as the thief passed by her, she swiftly stuck out her foot and tripped him. She snatched the wallet and shouted for help. The pregnant woman retrieved her wallet and repeatedly expressed her gratitude.

At the same time, a male student also witnessed the theft and was about to intervene when Xia Mi beat him to it. Seeing the wallet already returned, he was impressed by Xia Mi's bravery. When Xia Mi got home, her mother noticed her new haircut and quickly offered praise. However, Xia Mi, feeling irritated, locked herself in her room.

Her mother, trying to be helpful, attempted to style her hair with a flat iron but ended up making it look even more awkward. To console Xia Mi, she reassured her that once school started, everyone would have short hair, and no one would pay attention to hairstyles. A few days later, the school semester began. Accompanied by her parents, Xia Mi arrived to register and discovered that many girls still had long hair.

It turned out her parents had been the only ones to take the school’s hairstyle rules seriously. Left with no choice, Xia Mi accepted the situation. At the bulletin board, she checked the class assignment list and saw that she was placed in Class 1. A few students whispered as they scanned the list, noting that Class 1 included top students like Fan Yuan and Zhang Ruoxi, who had been great partners since middle school.

It seemed Class 1 would be the strongest group in the grade. After settling into her dorm and realizing her father had forgotten to take home the bamboo mat, Xia Mi decided to carry it to the classroom. However, the mat was too unwieldy to fit through the doorway. A male student stepped forward and helped by lifting the mat vertically, allowing her to enter.

Xia Mi looked closely and realized it was the handsome boy she had noticed earlier on the sports field—Zhang Ruoxi. In the classroom, after Fan Yuan found his seat, Qin Zeyang from another class approached him, proposing a challenge to determine who was better. They decided to compete in Sudoku and headed to the hall. A crowd of students quickly gathered to watch.

During the match, Fan Yuan accidentally dropped a piece of chalk, but both of them finished at the same time. Qin Zeyang, being fair, admitted his loss. Back in the classroom, a fresh-faced girl was already seated. The homeroom teacher, Qiao Yun, gave a brief introduction and asked each student to describe themselves using three keywords. Fan Yuan went first. Many students already knew he was a famous math prodigy, but he modestly shared that he simply loved math.

When it was Zhang Ruoxi’s turn, he mentioned his passion for basketball. Following the rules, he pointed to the next student—an anxious Xia Mi. Internally grumbling, Xia Mi nervously stepped onto the podium and said she liked writing. However, the boys teased her about her mushroom-shaped haircut, making her feel embarrassed. To help, Teacher Qiao Yun immediately praised Xia Mi as a model for following school regulations, urging everyone to learn from her.

Based on each student’s abilities, Teacher Qiao Yun assigned Fan Yuan and Tian Jiarong as class monitors and appointed Xia Mi as the Chinese subject representative. After the class meeting, Wang Xiaoyu led a group of girls to the cafeteria to top up their meal cards. The next day, military training began. Under the blazing morning sun, Xia Mi was the first to run out of energy. She fainted and began to collapse, but Zhang Ruoxi, standing behind her, caught her just in time.

Fan Yuan carried Xia Mi to the infirmary, where the school nurse diagnosed her with low blood sugar caused by skipping breakfast. The nurse advised her to rest for half a day and set her up with an IV drip. She then asked Fan Yuan to buy Xia Mi some breakfast. Feeling a bit embarrassed at first, Xia Mi eventually told Fan Yuan she liked chicken fillet.

Fan Yuan reassured her to rest well before heading to the cafeteria to get her meal. Xia Mi glanced at the IV drip, finding it agonizingly slow. Without a phone to pass the time, she grew impatient and tried to speed up the drip. However, this caused a painful swelling on the back of her hand. Seeing that the bottle was labeled “Glucose Injection,” Xia Mi decided to take matters into her own hands.

She removed the needle and drank the glucose directly. Just as she lifted the bottle to her lips, Zhang Ruoxi arrived at the infirmary looking for Fan Yuan. Startled, Xia Mi accidentally spilled some of the fluid on Zhang Ruoxi’s face. Without trying to hide it, she boldly drank the rest of the glucose right in front of him. When Fan Yuan returned with breakfast, Zhang Ruoxi told him what had happened. Fan Yuan scolded Xia Mi for being reckless.

Feeling embarrassed, Xia Mi asked him to help her get a leave of absence for the day. Fan Yuan went to the school nurse for a leave slip, but Zhang Ruoxi jokingly teased her by saying things contrary to her wishes. Fortunately, Fan Yuan cleared things up. Xia Mi overheard the exchange and mentally noted her grievances against Zhang Ruoxi. That evening, Lin Ruolei returned to the dorm and asked Xia Mi how she was recovering.

Xia Mi explained that it was just low blood sugar and that she felt fine after a short rest. Still worried, Lin Ruolei made Xia Mi a cup of brown sugar water and gave her a few White Rabbit candies for prevention. Touched by her kindness, Xia Mi felt warm inside. When Wang Xiaoyu came back, she shared funny stories about the day’s military training, making Xia Mi regret missing out on all the excitement.

The next day during training, Xia Mi, who had missed previous drills, struggled with her marching. Her steps were out of sync, and Lin Ruolei, marching behind her, was also affected, causing a commotion among the group. The coach brought both of them to the front and criticized them. Zhang Ruoxi suggested that instead of scolding, the coach could help Xia Mi adjust her steps. Feeling embarrassed, the coach asked Zhang Ruoxi to personally correct their mistakes.

Zhang Ruoxi identified the issue and quickly helped them march properly. However, the coach accused Zhang Ruoxi of showing off and punished the entire class by making them stand in formation for 30 minutes. After training, Xia Mi realized she had left her thermos on the basketball court. As she went to retrieve it, Fan Yuan approached her and handed it over, having picked it up earlier.

Xia Mi was surprised that Fan Yuan remembered it was hers after only seeing it once. Fan Yuan explained that he had an even earlier memory of her, sparking Xia Mi’s curiosity. However, before she could ask further, Wang Xiaoyu called her to join them for a meal. During lunch, while Wang Xiaoyu left to get food, Zhang Ruoxi sat across from Xia Mi to eat.

He kept teasing her about eating too much and too quickly, which irritated Xia Mi. She picked up her tray and was about to leave when the dorm supervisor, Teacher Dai, arrived to check for food waste. Seeing Xia Mi’s nearly full plate, Teacher Dai gave her a stern lecture. Fearing points might be deducted from the class, Xia Mi returned to her seat and finished everything on her plate.

On the final night of military training, the school held a farewell party for the instructors. Zhang Ruoxi hosted Class 1’s program, and the first game was a tongue-twister challenge involving counting frogs. Xia Mi made a mistake and was asked to perform a talent as a penalty. Having no particular skill to showcase, she sang an old song, *Good Luck Comes.

* Another class teased her for singing such an outdated song, but her entire class joined in and sang along with her, creating a lively and uplifting atmosphere that made Xia Mi feel proud and happy. After military training ended, the school introduced a mandatory morning run. Many students struggled to adapt, and Lin Ruolei, whose shoes didn’t fit well, developed painful blisters after a short distance.

She wanted to rest but was caught by Teacher Dai, who forced her to rejoin the run. Meanwhile, Zhang Ruoxi noticed that Xia Mi and several other girls were having a hard time keeping up and suggested slowing the pace for everyone. Back in the classroom, as they prepared for lessons, Fan Yuan gave Xia Mi a bottle of Wahaha AD calcium milk. Xia Mi asked about the unfinished conversation from before.

Fan Yuan revealed that they had actually met years ago on a cruise in Guilin, and he had been deeply impressed by her back then. However, Xia Mi had no memory of the encounter.

After hearing Fan Yuan’s story, Xia Mi vaguely recalled playing with a little boy during a trip to Guilin when she was younger. However, she remembered the boy’s name as Lu Xiang, so she assumed Fan Yuan was making up the story. During the break after math class, the teacher asked everyone to place their homework notebooks on the podium, and Fan Yuan, as the class monitor, was tasked with organizing them to submit to the office.

While Fan Yuan was sorting the notebooks, Xie Yuhan offered to help. Later, when the homework was graded, the teacher noticed Xia Mi’s notebook was missing. Fan Yuan asked Xia Mi if she had forgotten to hand it in, but Xia Mi was certain she had submitted it. After checking her bag, she surprisingly found it inside.

Suspecting a prank, Xia Mi glanced around and saw Xie Yuhan and Zhang Ruoxi chatting nearby, with Zhang Ruoxi even making a playful face. After eye exercises, Fan Yuan asked everyone to write down their favorite movie for a future film class, where one recommendation would be selected for the whole class to watch. Xia Mi wrote *First Love* (*A Little Thing Called Love*), and Fan Yuan carefully collected the submissions.

Later, as Xia Mi asked Lin Ruolei about something, she noticed Xie Yuhan and Zhang Ruoxi chatting outside the window. Thinking they might be talking about the prank, Xia Mi moved closer to eavesdrop. Just as she was about to leave the classroom, a boy accidentally bumped into her, causing her to awkwardly kneel in front of Zhang Ruoxi. Luckily, Zhang Ruoxi pretended not to notice and acted as if nothing had happened.

Xia Mi confronted Zhang Ruoxi about hiding her notebook. Zhang Ruoxi quickly explained that he wouldn’t do something so childish. His natural demeanor convinced Xia Mi that he wasn’t lying, but she still warned him to stay away from her, claiming he brought bad luck every time they met. One morning on their way to school, Xiao Junyi stopped Zhang Ruoxi and insisted on walking together while carrying several breakfast orders.

As a result, both of them were late by one minute. Teacher Dai, however, made a big deal out of it and punished the entire class by making them run laps. Xia Mi and Lin Ruolei lagged behind, so Zhang Ruoxi helped push Xia Mi forward, and seeing this, Fan Yuan also helped Lin Ruolei finish the laps. Back in the classroom, Xiao Junyi charged the boarding students a delivery fee for the breakfasts he had brought.

Xia Mi bought a spicy hot pot meal but was surprised when Wang Xiaoyu criticized Xiao Junyi for breaking class rules. Fan Yuan also stepped in to mediate, and Xiao Junyi reluctantly returned Xia Mi’s money. During morning reading, Xia Mi couldn’t resist sneaking bites of her spicy hot pot. Fan Yuan, standing at the podium, noticed her behavior but didn’t call her out. A moment later, Teacher Dai passed by.

Spotting this, Zhang Ruoxi quickly sat at Fan Yuan’s seat to block the view, and Fan Yuan moved to stand in front of Xia Mi’s desk to shield her. After Teacher Dai left, Fan Yuan confiscated Xia Mi’s spicy hot pot. Thinking Zhang Ruoxi was trying to get her in trouble, Xia Mi plotted revenge by gifting him a bottle of carbonated cola.

When Zhang Ruoxi pretended he couldn’t open the bottle, Liu Dayou happened to walk by, snatched the bottle, and opened it, only to have the soda spray all over him. After lunch, Xia Mi returned to her desk and found it covered in trash. Wang Xiaoyu believed the day students were responsible, singling out Xiao Junyi as their representative. Xiao Junyi argued back, but neither side had evidence, leading to a heated argument before class resumed.

During a class meeting, Fan Yuan proposed stricter classroom cleaning measures. He divided the tasks into slips of paper and had everyone draw one at random. As Zhang Ruoxi passed by Xia Mi’s seat, he tried to explain that he hadn’t left the trash on her desk, but Xia Mi refused to believe him. While cleaning, Wang Xiaoyu suggested dividing the class into two groups: boarding students and day students. Xia Mi joined in on the idea enthusiastically.

During the evening self-study session, Zhang Ruoxi passed a note to Xia Mi, but she didn’t see it. After class, Zhang Ruoxi tried to talk to her but was dragged away by Xie Yuhan. Suspecting the two were plotting against her again, Xia Mi convinced Lin Ruolei to follow them.

Xia Mi followed Xie Yuhan and Zhang Ruoxi to the small park on campus, where she overheard Xie Yuhan telling a boy to stop pestering her. The boy seemed awkward, sometimes mistaking Zhang Ruoxi for Xie Yuhan’s older brother, and other times for an uncle. Xia Mi, watching from the side, couldn’t bear it anymore.

She tossed her bag to Lin Ruolei and ran over to help, dramatically pretending to cry and act like a third party had intruded on her “relationship. ”The boy, seeing through the act, explained that he had staged this scene because Xie Yuhan had hurt his friend’s feelings in the past. Not long after, Fan Yuan passed by, overhearing the group whispering.

Just as he was about to approach and ask, Teacher Dai appeared, and everyone scattered in different directions like startled birds. Back at the dorm, Zhang Ruoxi sent Xia Mi a text asking if she got caught. Just as Xia Mi picked up her phone to reply, the dorm manager spotted her during the inspection and confiscated her phone. Frustrated, Xia Mi couldn’t help but feel that Zhang Ruoxi was a jinx in her life.

The next day, Wang Xiaoyu asked Xia Mi to write a challenge letter to the day students. Xia Mi thought it was making a mountain out of a molehill, but seeing how serious Wang Xiaoyu was, she reluctantly put on a bold demeanor and wrote the letter. Wang Xiaoyu delivered the challenge to Xiao Junyi, who consulted Zhang Ruoxi about it.

Zhang Ruoxi thought the challenge was unnecessary, but after being provoked repeatedly by Wang Xiaoyu, Xiao Junyi decided to accept it on his own. When the math test results were released, both Zhang Ruoxi and Fan Yuan scored full marks. Xia Mi was stunned—how could Zhang Ruoxi, who spent all his time on the basketball court, achieve such a score? She could only complain about how unfair life was.

After class, Zhang Ruoxi gave her an inspirational bookmark, and Xia Mi started to feel like Zhang Ruoxi might not be such a bad person after all. As they were talking, several classmates rushed to the playground, announcing that the boarders and day students were competing in a match. The match was a human caterpillar race, where each team rode an inflatable caterpillar. The day students easily won the first round, leaving Wang Xiaoyu indignant and insisting on a best-of-three.

When Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi arrived at the playground, they found both sides arguing heatedly. Zhang Ruoxi stepped in to mediate, and they agreed to restart the match to decide the winner. Xia Mi joined the boarders’ team, taking the lead in chanting the rhythm. Near the finish line, the day students lost coordination, and one of their members fell, causing a delay that allowed the boarders to win the round. With each side having one victory, tensions remained high.

Someone proposed settling the competition with academic scores, and this time, no one objected. Although the boarders had top students like Fan Yuan and Tian Jiarong, Xia Mi’s poor math scores made her a concern for the team. Back in the classroom, Wang Xiaoyu immediately created a study plan for Xia Mi. He confiscated her magazines and novels, promising her some free time for each completed practice test.

Remembering the ridicule she had faced for her poor grades, Xia Mi resolved to give it her all. Seeing how stressed Xia Mi was about studying, Zhang Ruoxi borrowed her favorite magazine from the library and gave it to her. Unfortunately, Liu Dayou noticed and reported it to Wang Xiaoyu, who, along with Fan Yuan, scolded Xia Mi for “befriending the enemy. ” Panicked, Xia Mi quickly returned the magazine and swore never to betray the boarders.

Fan Yuan prepared to show Xia Mi’s favorite movie during self-study, only to discover that Zhang Ruoxi liked the same film. As the movie played in class, Xia Mi was still busy taking notes. Xia Mi didn’t relax for a single moment, even reciting vocabulary while walking to and from class.

One day, she ran into her old middle school classmate, Jiang Li, who was shocked to see that someone like Xia Mi, who she thought had no academic talent, had made it into the top high school. Jiang Li kept calling Xia Mi by her old nickname, which annoyed Lin Ruolei. Noticing Jiang Li’s manicured nails, Lin Ruolei threatened to report her to the school office, scaring her away.

However, when Xia Mi returned to the classroom, her old nickname had already spread like wildfire among the students.

Xiao Junyi led a group of classmates in mocking Xia Mi by loudly calling her old middle school nickname. Before long, they also dragged Wang Xiaoyu into the teasing. Despite Wang Xiaoyu’s repeated attempts to stop them, Xiao Junyi became even more excessive. At that moment, Fan Yuan and Zhang Ruoxi walked into the classroom and sternly reprimanded Xiao Junyi, demanding that he apologize to Xia Mi.

Xiao Junyi refused, arguing that he hadn’t physically hurt anyone and therefore hadn’t broken any class rules. Fan Yuan responded that ridiculing classmates still warranted disciplinary action. Zhang Ruoxi didn’t waste time arguing; he simply held Xiao Junyi’s head and forced him to bow to Xia Mi as an apology. Later, Xia Mi was sitting alone in the small park, trying to calm herself. Fan Yuan showed up with a small portion of fried chicken to comfort her.

Xia Mi said she had long since stopped caring about outside criticism and, in fact, felt happy to have met so many classmates who genuinely cared about her. Her only frustration was that her academic performance still hadn’t improved. Meanwhile, Zhang Ruoxi brought Xiao Junyi to the school track and challenged him to a 100-meter sprint. This was Xiao Junyi’s strong suit—he had even broken his middle school record.

Confidently, Xiao Junyi told Zhang Ruoxi not to regret it if he lost. After the race, Zhang Ruoxi narrowly beat Xiao Junyi, leaving him in disbelief. Zhang Ruoxi seemed like a jack-of-all-trades—not only excelling academically but also outperforming in sports. Impressed, Xiao Junyi finally accepted defeat and sincerely apologized to Xia Mi. To prepare for Teacher’s Day, Xia Mi designed a poster and planned for each classmate to write a message to the teachers.

She asked Xiao Junyi to gather signatures and messages from the day students, promising to let the nickname incident slide in return. Xiao Junyi happily accepted the task. Xia Mi also had a submission deadline for a magazine article. After finishing the draft, she left it on her desk. When Zhang Ruoxi passed by, he accidentally knocked the paper to the ground, dirtying it.

Xia Mi explained that it was the last day to send the submission, and if it wasn’t mailed that day, all her hard work would go to waste. Feeling responsible, Zhang Ruoxi took the soiled draft back to his desk and rewrote it neatly during math class. He was almost caught by the teacher, but luckily, he avoided punishment by correctly answering a question on the spot.

When the weekend arrived, the boarders gradually returned home, but Xia Mi noticed that Lin Ruolei hadn’t gone home for several weeks. After some probing, Lin Ruolei admitted that her parents lived in Beijing, and going home meant returning to an empty house. She preferred staying at school. Zhang Ruoxi offered to escort Xia Mi home and, on the way, helped her mail her manuscript.

After the break, Xia Mi continued to struggle with her studies, which left her feeling discouraged. Noticing this, Fan Yuan offered to tutor her. Thrilled, Xia Mi agreed, and after school, the two left the classroom together. However, Zhang Ruoxi and Xie Yuhan spotted them acting sneakily and decided to follow them. Wang Xiaoyu and Xiao Junyi soon joined the impromptu “surveillance. ”Fan Yuan brought Xia Mi to an unused art studio that was quiet and serene, instantly appealing to her.

He explained that he and Zhang Ruoxi had discovered the room and spent considerable effort cleaning it up, turning it into their secret study spot. As they spoke, Zhang Ruoxi arrived with several other classmates, declaring that if Fan Yuan was offering tutoring, everyone should benefit. When the session began, Fan Yuan carefully explained topics from multiple angles.

Xia Mi didn’t always understand on the first try, and when she had questions, Zhang Ruoxi would step in to assist Fan Yuan in explaining. Occasionally, when Xia Mi wanted to ask Fan Yuan for help, Zhang Ruoxi would rush to her side before she had the chance. Fan Yuan, noticing Zhang Ruoxi’s enthusiasm, chose not to comment on it.

Finally, it was time for the monthly exams. Xia Mi and Xiao Junyi, both determined to prove themselves after the earlier challenge letter, gave it their all. During the test, Xiao Junyi tried passing a note to another boy. However, as Liu Dayou stretched to yawn, the note was accidentally intercepted and fell onto Xia Mi’s desk. Just as she was about to open it, the invigilator noticed and confiscated both the note and her test paper.

After class, Xia Mi went to the office to explain. The teacher showed her that the answers on the note matched hers exactly and were all correct. Though this made Xia Mi feel a bit pleased, as it showed her recent hard work was paying off, the teacher remained suspicious and gave her another test to complete on the spot. If her accuracy was high, it would prove she hadn’t cheated.

Fan Yuan came to the office to vouch for Xia Mi and even helped her solve a challenging question that was beyond the syllabus. Seeing the camaraderie among the students, the math teacher was reassured and believed Xia Mi’s innocence. As they left the office, Xia Mi repeatedly thanked Fan Yuan. However, Zhang Ruoxi, standing nearby, felt annoyed that Xia Mi didn’t acknowledge his earlier support.

Noticing this, Xia Mi casually and playfully thanked Zhang Ruoxi as well, leading to their usual bickering exchange—something that seemed to happen every time they met. Xiao Junyi also apologized sincerely to Xia Mi for the trouble caused by the note-passing incident, though Xia Mi had already let it go. When the results of the first monthly exam were announced, the homeroom teacher declared that their class ranked first in the grade.

Xia Mi was specifically praised for her significant progress. The school then organized a basketball friendly match, with Class 1 playing against Class 7. Before the game began, Jiang Li saw Xia Mi and began mocking her again, but Xia Mi, now emotionally stronger, brushed it off without a second thought. Xiao Junyi, determined to win for the day students, refused to let any boarders, including the skilled Fan Yuan and Liu Dayou, join the team.

At the start of the match, Class 1 struggled with passing, relying solely on Zhang Ruoxi to score points. Midway through, Xiao Junyi’s poor passing led to Zhang Ruoxi getting injured. Despite this, Zhang Ruoxi refused to leave the court. Fan Yuan joined the game and, working in perfect harmony with Zhang Ruoxi, began to close the score gap. During the halftime break, Liu Dayou volunteered to join the game, and other boarders stepped in as substitutes.

In the second half, Class 1 quickly turned the tide. With just ten seconds left, Zhang Ruoxi scored a three-pointer, narrowly defeating Class 7. The cheerleaders erupted in celebration. As Zhang Ruoxi caught sight of Xia Mi’s joyful expression, he found himself unable to look away. Meanwhile, Xia Mi slipped out of the sports field unnoticed.

Fan Yuan helped Zhang Ruoxi back to the classroom, advising him to conserve his energy for the next day’s game and to give Fan Yuan more opportunities to score. He then called over three other boys to carry Zhang Ruoxi to a shady spot to rest. Xia Mi brought ice cream for everyone and urged Zhang Ruoxi to visit the infirmary for proper treatment. Zhang Ruoxi, however, felt it was unnecessary.

Seeing how much Xia Mi cared for Zhang Ruoxi made Fan Yuan feel a bit uncomfortable. Between classes, Xia Mi returned to the dormitory to grab some spare bandages for Zhang Ruoxi. Touched by Xia Mi’s thoughtfulness, Zhang Ruoxi felt even more motivated and energized. That evening, Wang Xiaoyu noticed that the Class 2 cheerleaders had prepared an elaborate routine. Determined not to be outdone, she found a quirky dance online to perform during the next day’s game.

Xia Mi, however, felt self-conscious about her hairstyle, worrying it looked too plain and would embarrass the class. Lin Ruolei stepped in and braided a few small plaits for her, boosting her confidence. Before the match, Wang Xiaoyu dragged Xie Yuhan to join her dance routine. Though reluctant at first, Xie Yuhan agreed after Wang Xiaoyu mentioned that Fan Yuan would be watching and might be impressed. After the energetic performance, Zhang Ruoxi complimented Xia Mi on her new hairstyle.

Fan Yuan also tried to greet Xia Mi, but Xie Yuhan intercepted him and started chatting. Qin Zeyang, Class 2’s star player, had a history of conflicts with Fan Yuan. When the game began, Qin Zeyang quickly realized that Class 1 was formidable. He conspired with his teammates to use dirty tactics. First, they intentionally struck Fan Yuan’s chin, then targeted Zhang Ruoxi’s injured knee, prompting the referee to call a stop to the game.

Xie Yuhan had recorded Qin Zeyang’s unsportsmanlike behavior on video. Xia Mi argued persuasively with the referee, who then issued a stern warning to Qin Zeyang, prohibiting further violations.

Class 1 faced off against Class 7 in an intense basketball match. The score remained close throughout the game, but thanks to Zhang Ruoxi's final three-pointer, Class 1 narrowly clinched the victory. The boys lifted Zhang Ruoxi up and tossed him into the air repeatedly to celebrate, while the cheerleaders came forward to congratulate the team. Xia Mi, squeezed into the crowd, cheered along excitedly. However, as she was shouting, a basketball flew over from a distance.

Although she tried to dodge, she ended up twisting her ankle and collapsed to the ground. Everyone rushed over to check on Xia Mi. Fan Yuan prepared to carry her to the infirmary, but Xie Yuhan pushed him aside. Then, Zhang Ruoxi came running, pushed Xie Yuhan out of the way, and immediately carried Xia Mi on his back to the infirmary.

The school nurse advised Xia Mi to rest for a few days and avoid going to the basketball court to watch matches. Lunchtime became especially lonely for her as she sat alone in the classroom. Lin Ruolei offered to quit the cheerleading team to stay and accompany her, but Xia Mi refused, not wanting to weaken the class's morale.

Fan Yuan brought Xia Mi some snacks, which surprised her—she had thought Fan Yuan would bring her study materials to help her get ahead academically, but seeing the snacks made her even happier. Meanwhile, Zhang Ruoxi, knowing that Xia Mi missed the action on the basketball court, gifted her a pair of binoculars. During the next match, every time Zhang Ruoxi scored, he waved at Xia Mi’s classroom window, where she was watching with her binoculars.

By the end of the game, Class 1 had decisively won the championship. After a round of celebrations, the homeroom teacher successfully petitioned the school to cancel evening study sessions for the day. Afterward, Zhang Ruoxi asked Xia Mi for a reward. Unsure of what to do, Xia Mi asked him what he wanted.

Zhang Ruoxi suggested she cook him a meal, pointing out that his parents would be away over the weekend, giving her a perfect chance to show off her cooking skills at his house. Over the weekend, Xia Mi arrived at Zhang Ruoxi’s house on time. Zhang Ruoxi had prepared a fridge full of ingredients. Xia Mi decided to cook braised pork belly. However, as she poured oil into the pan, she slipped and fell.

In the nick of time, Zhang Ruoxi rushed over and cushioned her fall. After cleaning up, Zhang Ruoxi took over cutting the meat while Xia Mi tried to heat the oil again. This time, she accidentally added cold water to the hot oil, causing it to splatter everywhere. Once again, Zhang Ruoxi stepped in to handle the situation. When the meal was finally done, Zhang Ruoxi's hands were covered in blisters from burns.

Xia Mi felt deeply guilty—she had hoped to complete the dish on her own, but it had turned out to be Zhang Ruoxi who saved the day. Although he claimed he didn’t know how to cook, Zhang Ruoxi was clearly more skilled than Xia Mi. After the meal, Xia Mi’s mom came to pick her up. Zhang Ruoxi took the opportunity to praise Xia Mi enthusiastically to her mother. Xia Mi later went shopping with Lin Ruolei.

The two spotted the same bracelet and both liked it. Xia Mi let Lin Ruolei have it, but after paying, Lin Ruolei immediately placed the bracelet on Xia Mi’s wrist instead. Touched, Xia Mi became emotional. Ever since middle school, when some classmates mocked her, she had always gone shopping alone. Having Lin Ruolei not only accompany her but also share something she liked made Xia Mi tear up with gratitude.

The two continued shopping for accessories and planned to take some photo booth pictures afterward. Xia Mi realized she had left her backpack at the accessory store and went back to retrieve it. While waiting outside, Lin Ruolei suddenly spotted a familiar face and hurriedly ran into the restroom to hide. The man followed and stood outside the restroom, calling out, “Lin Jinfeng. ” Lin Ruolei stayed silent, only emerging after she was sure he had left.

She didn’t mention the encounter to Xia Mi. Afterward, the two took many photo booth pictures together. Later, Xiao Junyi invited the group to play a game of real-life laser tag. Xia Mi cut her bangs for the occasion, but Zhang Ruoxi commented that her previous hairstyle looked better. He even playfully messed up her new hair. Meanwhile, Xiao Junyi and Wang Xiaoyu bickered and joked around.

When Xie Yuhan arrived, she noticed that Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi were both wearing denim jackets, making them look like a couple in matching outfits.

Before the game began, everyone split into two teams. Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi were on one team, while Fan Yuan and Xie Yuhan were on the other. Liu Dayou ended up being used as a human shield by Wang Xiaoyu and was quickly eliminated. Xiao Junyi and Wang Xiaoyu then turned on each other, leaving only Zhang Ruoxi, Xia Mi, Fan Yuan, and Xie Yuhan in the game.

Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi hid inside a van to avoid being discovered, squeezing close together in the cramped space. The proximity made both of them blush, as an unspoken tension began to surface. Suddenly, a bug crawled onto Zhang Ruoxi's neck. Xia Mi quickly caught it, but Zhang Ruoxi, terrified of the bug, screamed loudly. This gave away their position and attracted Fan Yuan, who was immediately hit.

Xia Mi then used Zhang Ruoxi as a shield to take out Fan Yuan, feeling quite proud of herself. However, before she could celebrate for long, Xie Yuhan, hiding nearby, hit Xia Mi and eliminated her. After the game ended, everyone was still full of energy and decided to continue playing at the arcade. Zhang Ruoxi and Fan Yuan competed against each other on a gaming machine, while Xia Mi and Lin Ruolei watched.

Fan Yuan quickly won the game, and the two began tallying their scores, realizing this marked the 50th time Fan Yuan had beaten Zhang Ruoxi. Xia Mi and Lin Ruolei couldn’t help but admire their childhood friendship. When leaving the arcade, Fan Yuan decided to take a taxi home. Lin Ruolei mentioned that she lived near the school and was heading in the same direction, so they shared a ride.

Meanwhile, Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi originally planned to head home separately, but after Xia Mi boarded the bus, Zhang Ruoxi deliberately got on at the next stop. They spent the ride chatting and laughing. When Zhang Ruoxi learned that Xia Mi had to ride more than ten stops, he shared his earphones with her so they could listen to music together.

Toward the end of the ride, he pretended to fall asleep, giving Xia Mi a chance to sneak a medal-shaped trinket into his backpack. When Lin Ruolei got off near the school, she asked Fan Yuan to cover the taxi fare for her. Fan Yuan didn’t mind, explaining that the cost would have been the same even if he had been riding alone.

After getting out of the taxi, Lin Ruolei didn’t go home but instead called her mom to say she would be staying at school for the weekend and would return home the following week. The next day in class, many students were visibly tired. It wasn’t until Liu Dayou let out a loud fart that the classroom atmosphere lightened up, and everyone laughed quietly.

After class, the homeroom teacher, Qiao Yun, informed Fan Yuan that he had been chosen to represent the class in the citywide trivia competition. Later, Fan Yuan sat alone in front of the school building, looking troubled. Xia Mi noticed and went to ask what was wrong. Fan Yuan explained that while he appreciated the teacher’s trust, carrying everyone’s expectations felt like a heavy burden. Xia Mi comforted him, saying it was better to be trusted than disliked.

She also offered to help him prepare. Meanwhile, the homeroom teacher informed Zhang Ruoxi that the school was planning to shoot a promotional video and wanted him to play the lead male role, knowing he had experience in advertising. Zhang Ruoxi agreed and casually recommended Xia Mi for the female lead. Lin Ruolei, who happened to be in the office submitting her homework, overheard and eagerly volunteered to be Zhang Ruoxi’s partner, claiming she also had experience with promotional videos.

When Xia Mi went to the library to help Fan Yuan gather materials, Zhang Ruoxi stopped her and told her about the recommendation for the female lead role. Xia Mi excitedly shared that one of her magazine submissions had made it through the first round of selection. The two were playfully bickering about their achievements when Teacher Dai caught them. Zhang Ruoxi quickly grabbed Xia Mi’s hand and pulled her toward the classroom to escape. In her panic, Xia Mi accidentally left one of her shoes behind, so Zhang Ruoxi simply carried her on his back and kept running.

Zhang Ruoxi carried Xia Mi on his back and ran into the laboratory to hide. Teacher Dai soon appeared in the hallway holding the missing shoe. Zhang Ruoxi quickly removed one of his own shoes and gave it to Xia Mi to wear. He then planned to distract Teacher Dai, giving Xia Mi a chance to escape. After running out for a while, Zhang Ruoxi returned to the laboratory only to find that Xia Mi hadn’t left yet.

Realizing they would soon be discovered if they stayed any longer, he grabbed Xia Mi and ran to the dance studio. Suddenly, Xia Mi remembered her promise to meet Fan Yuan at the library, so she hurried back to the classroom. When Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi returned to the classroom looking disheveled, Fan Yuan immediately noticed Xia Mi wearing one of Zhang Ruoxi’s shoes. He quickly figured out that their relationship was getting closer and felt uneasy about it.

However, he told them to rest in the classroom and suggested going to the library another day. Fan Yuan later sat alone by the sports field. Qin Zeyang, who heard that Fan Yuan was participating in the trivia competition, insisted on challenging him to a match. Qin declared that if Fan Yuan lost, he should give up his spot in the competition. Reluctantly, Fan Yuan was dragged away by Qin.

The next morning during homeroom, Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi bumped into each other again. As students were heading to class, Teacher Dai stopped everyone and held up the shoe she had found the previous day, asking each student if it belonged to them. Zhang Ruoxi quietly reminded Xia Mi that Teacher Dai hadn’t seen their faces clearly and urged her not to admit anything.

Just as Teacher Dai was questioning everyone, Xiao Junyi and Wang Xiaoyu passed by, playfully arguing. Teacher Dai seized the opportunity to scold them as an example, allowing Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi to escape scrutiny. Back in class, Fan Yuan remained quiet. Xia Mi, unaware that both boys liked her, thought he was upset about her missing their library plans. She asked him if he had received the bottle of AD calcium milk she left on his desk.

Seeing Xia Mi so attentive to him, Fan Yuan’s mood brightened, and he agreed to meet her at the library at noon. Xia Mi even invited Lin Ruolei to help out. At the library, Xia Mi climbed a ladder to reach some books but accidentally slipped. Lin Ruolei quickly positioned herself beneath Xia Mi to break her fall, and Zhang Ruoxi immediately ran over to support both of them.

As Lin Ruolei gazed at Zhang Ruoxi’s clear, handsome face, her heart raced. Meanwhile, Xia Mi, oblivious to the tension, casually assigned all the book-sorting tasks to Zhang Ruoxi. While searching, Xia Mi stumbled upon a romance novel and became engrossed in reading it. When Zhang Ruoxi caught her, she hastily explained that she had just picked it up. Zhang Ruoxi jokingly pretended to be an overbearing CEO, and Xia Mi played along, engaging in a mock dialogue.

The playful banter was interrupted when Fan Yuan and Lin Ruolei noticed them. Feeling awkward, they quickly walked away. On the day of the competition, Xia Mi ran into her old neighbor, Lu Zheming, on her way to Lu Xiang University. Meanwhile, the taxi carrying Fan Yuan broke down with a flat tire. Zhang Ruoxi borrowed Lu Zheming’s bike and pedaled furiously to pick up Fan Yuan, ensuring they arrived just in time.

After the competition, Fan Yuan emerged from the venue looking confident. Zhang Ruoxi immediately guessed that his results would be excellent. Fan Yuan thanked both Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi for helping him gather materials. As they were chatting, Lu Zheming reappeared, and Xia Mi introduced him to the group. Upon learning that Lu Zheming had tutored Xia Mi in the past, both Zhang Ruoxi and Fan Yuan felt uncomfortable and refrained from engaging with him.

Back at school, Xia Mi’s essay was awarded a top prize, and her submission to a magazine was also selected for publication. Zhang Ruoxi shared in her joy. During class, the homeroom teacher announced the cast for the school’s promotional video: Zhang Ruoxi and Lin Ruolei. Some classmates whispered that they made a great pair, even noting how their names rhymed. Sitting at her desk, Xia Mi felt awkward.

She had been confident about getting the role but realized she had overestimated herself. After class, she ran to the sports field in the rain to clear her mind. By the time she returned to the dormitory, the rain had stopped. Zhang Ruoxi was waiting downstairs. After drying her hair, Xia Mi went to meet him. The two walked to a quiet grove on campus.

Knowing that Xia Mi was upset about not being chosen as the female lead, Zhang Ruoxi had crafted a handmade crown to cheer her up. His thoughtful gesture brought a smile to her face.

Lin Ruolei met with the director alongside Zhang Ruoxi. Upon returning to the dormitory, she told Xia Mi that the meeting went very well. Zhang Ruoxi had been attentive and considerate throughout, and their cooperation felt seamless. Xia Mi, feeling a bit envious, picked up the handmade crown Zhang Ruoxi had given her for comfort.

On the day of the recording, Lin Ruolei was stopped repeatedly by the director, who thought her expressions were too stiff and lacked the liveliness of a student. Xia Mi, sitting in the audience, made silly faces to cheer Lin Ruolei up and help her smile more naturally. Following Lin Ruolei’s gaze, the director noticed Xia Mi’s bright and genuine smile and immediately called her on stage to demonstrate for Lin Ruolei. Xia Mi’s performance on stage was natural and confident.

The director asked Lin Ruolei to emulate Xia Mi’s expressions for the next take. During a break before resuming the recording, Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi were laughing and chatting in the lab. Lin Ruolei, intending to remind Zhang Ruoxi about the time, entered the room. Xia Mi accidentally bumped into a beaker, causing it to shatter on the floor.

Lin Ruolei reached out to pick up the glass shards, intentionally cutting her finger, hoping to gauge Zhang Ruoxi’s concern for her. However, Zhang Ruoxi didn’t seem to care, while Xia Mi hurriedly went to buy a bandage. Fan Yuan stepped in to help clean up the broken glass. After the promotional video was completed, several classmates commented on how well Zhang Ruoxi and Lin Ruolei suited each other, both in appearance and temperament.

Unwilling to listen, Xia Mi walked to the sports field to clear her head. Zhang Ruoxi chased after her, explaining the difference between acting and real life, and once again found a way to cheer her up. Lin Ruolei was approached by a man at the school gate who demanded money from her. She claimed she only had enough for meals, but the man didn’t believe her and continued to pester her.

Just then, Xia Mi exited the school and saw Lin Ruolei being harassed. She stepped in to help, but Lin Ruolei quickly handed the man 50 yuan to make him leave. When Xia Mi suggested calling the police, Lin Ruolei grabbed her arm and told her not to interfere further. Later, Lin Ruolei apologized for her harsh tone, though Xia Mi didn’t take it to heart. Back on campus, the notice board displayed photos of Zhang Ruoxi and Xia Mi.

Jealous, Lin Ruolei defaced Xia Mi’s photo with a pen. The next day, a group of students gathered around the notice board, whispering about the vandalized photo. Lin Ruolei falsely accused Jiang Li from Class 7, but Xia Mi brushed it off as unimportant. To comfort Xia Mi, Zhang Ruoxi also scribbled on his own photo until it was unrecognizable. As the students prepared for the division between arts and sciences classes, Zhang Ruoxi asked Xia Mi about her choice.

Fan Yuan guessed that Xia Mi would definitely choose arts, while Zhang Ruoxi wanted to choose the same stream as Xia Mi. When asked about his choice, Zhang Ruoxi said he hadn’t decided yet. Meanwhile, Liu Dayou and Xiao Junyi were also worried about the upcoming division. They casually mentioned that Qin Zeyang always lost to Fan Yuan, which Qin overheard. Frustrated, Qin issued another challenge to Class 1.

Class 1 wasn’t intimidated, and Xia Mi wrote a reply to the challenge on their behalf. When the two classes confronted each other in the hallway, they were caught by Teacher Dai, who gave everyone a stern lecture. After a small English quiz, Xia Mi’s poor performance motivated her to focus on science and math subjects. Both Zhang Ruoxi and Fan Yuan offered their notes to help her study, and Lin Ruolei also shared her English notes.

In return, Xia Mi shared her Chinese notes with them. Inspired, Xia Mi came up with a plan to surpass Class 2 by collecting and distributing notes from the top students in each subject to everyone in their class. After an intense period of study, the results of the placement test were announced: Fan Yuan ranked first, Zhang Ruoxi second, and Qin Zeyang third. Class 1’s average score was still higher than Class 2’s, but Class 2 refused to accept defeat, vowing to overtake them in the future.