Chapter Summaries

Song Shiwei returned to her lonely home and endured her mother Lu Man’s constant criticism and strict routines. Though Song Shiwei kept her distance, she revealed privately that she stayed in Yuecheng because she did not want Lu Man to be left alone.

• Song Shiwei came home late, and Lu Man questioned her before making a bitter remark about Song Shiwei’s father avoiding her.
• Lu Man prepared bird’s nest soup for Song Shiwei and watched neighboring families together, feeling lonely.
• Lu Man asked about Song Shiwei’s exam results and urged her to study abroad or attend a top university elsewhere, but Song Shiwei avoided answering and returned to her practice questions.
• After Lu Man told Song Shiwei to go to bed, Song Shiwei reflected that she stayed in Yuecheng for her mother’s sake.
• The next morning, Lu Man criticized Song Shiwei for getting up late, then carefully cleaned her daughter’s shoe and told her not to rush breakfast.

Song Shiwei returned to school amid rumors about Chen Zhu being beaten, while her classmates watched for clues about their relationship. The Second Mock Exam results showed Chen Zhu improving, and the school continued linking their names as Li Jianming stopped appearing near Class 11.

• Lu Man drove Song Shiwei to Zhixin Middle School, where Song overheard classmates gossiping that Li Jianming had beaten Chen Zhu over her.
• Mou Jiawen asked Song Shiwei about Chen Zhu's injuries, while Huang Bohan and then the uninjured Chen Zhu entered class under curious stares.
• Yin Yanqiu redirected the class to morning study and handed out the Second Mock Exam papers, with Chen Zhu scoring 145 in math and 148 in physics.
• Chen Zhu finished with 658 points, improving on his First Mock Exam score, while his class and year rankings stayed the same.
• Over the following days, the school increasingly linked Song Shiwei and Chen Zhu's names, and Li Jianming stopped loitering outside Class 11.

After the school quietly expelled Li Jianming and kept Chen Zhu’s assault secret, Chen Zhu comforted Wang Changhua and later advised Huang Bohan on choosing a university major. As the Gaokao approached, Chen Zhu’s friends gathered at the convenience store, where Zhao Yuanyuan asked about Wang Changhua before he arrived.

• Cao Jingjun asked Chen Zhu and Wang Changhua to keep the assault from their classmates, and Chen Zhu agreed while Wang Changhua resented the rumors giving Chen Zhu all the attention.
• Chen Zhu cheered Wang Changhua up by offering to treat him to fish ball noodles with Song Shiwei and Yu Xian.
• After the third mock exam, Chen Zhu advised Huang Bohan to consider electronics and information instead of applying to computing or law.
• Zhao Yuanyuan arrived at the convenience store, and Chen Zhu explained that she had skipped two grades in primary school.
• Zhao Yuanyuan asked who Wang Changhua was, and Chen Zhu described his habit of showing off with awkward wording.

Chen Zhu reassured Yu Xian that he planned to attend SYSU, and she happily arranged a hot pot dinner with their friends. Wang Changhua joined them at the convenience store, where the group talked about their futures before raising a toast to the Gaokao and their dreams.

• Yu Xian teased Chen Zhu about choosing a university, and he joked that he might follow her to the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts.
• Chen Zhu told Yu Xian that he planned to attend SYSU instead of risking Tsinghua or Peking University, and she was delighted he would stay nearby.
• Wang Changhua arrived at the convenience store with his guitar, showed off his knowledge of Jay Chou songs, and said he planned to attend Guangzhou University.
• Chen Zhu, Huang Bohan, Zhao Yuanyuan, Wang Changhua, Yu Xian, and Wu Yu chatted together about school and their hopes for the future.
• After work, the group went for hot pot and toasted to giving their best for the Gaokao and pursuing their dreams.

Chen Zhu asked his parents for the admission banquet cash gifts so he could trade stocks, and they agreed to let him use the money under Mao Xiaoqin’s supervision. He submitted his university preference for Lingnan College at SYSU and learned Song Shiwei had chosen it too, leaving them hoping to meet there after the Gaokao.

• Chen Zhu asked Chen Peisong and Mao Xiaoqin for the admission banquet cash gifts to trade stocks, and Mao Xiaoqin resisted until Chen Zhu threatened not to answer the English paper.
• Chen Peisong persuaded Mao Xiaoqin that Chen Zhu had a reason for wanting to trade stocks, and they agreed he could use the money under her supervision.
• Yin Yanqiu guided the senior students as they submitted their university preferences, and Chen Zhu confirmed his choice of economics at Lingnan College at SYSU.
• Mou Jiawen told Chen Zhu that Song Shiwei had chosen finance at Lingnan College too.
• Chen Zhu told Song Shiwei, “See you at Lingnan,” and she returned the greeting.

With the Gaokao less than a week away, Chen Zhu and his classmates received their exam assignments and attended their final lessons at Zhixin Middle School. Yin Yanqiu tearfully dismissed the graduating class, and Chen Zhu and Huang Bohan decided to walk around the school together before leaving.

• As the Gaokao approached, teachers shared last-minute test-taking tips, and the seniors received admission tickets listing their exam locations.
• Chen Zhu learned he would take the exam at Provincial Experimental High School, while Huang Bohan was assigned to Guangya High School.
• On June 3, Yin Yanqiu found flowers and a cake waiting in the classroom and wept as the students said goodbye.
• Yin Yanqiu gave the class final exam reminders, then dismissed them after wishing them success.
• As the students packed up and left, Chen Zhu reminded Huang Bohan of their first-year plan to walk around the school, and they decided to do so again.

Chen Zhu and Huang Bohan eased their Gaokao nerves by visiting a temple, and Chen Zhu then completed the exams from June 7 to June 9. After the Gaokao ended, he told his parents he wanted to get his driver's license before buying a computer or phone.

• Chen Zhu took Huang Bohan to pray at a temple on White Cloud Mountain, and Huang Bohan felt less anxious afterward.
• Chen Zhu spent the days before the Gaokao revising at home while Mao Xiaoqin and Chen Peisong carefully supported him.
• Chen Zhu arrived at Provincial Experimental High School on June 7 and sat the Chinese exam, writing an essay about passing on Chinese civilization through the Olympic spirit.
• Chen Zhu completed the math, physics, English, and chemistry exams over the next two days, then left the exam room feeling calm but empty.
• Chen Zhu told Mao Xiaoqin and Chen Peisong that he wanted to get his driver's license before getting a computer or phone.

After graduating from high school, Chen Zhu signed up for driving lessons and planned to invest money in China Shipbuilding stock. At Anshun Driving School, he ran into his former middle school deskmate Bian Xiaoliu and remembered that boys used to bully him to get her attention.

• Chen Zhu persuaded Mao Xiaoqin and Chen Peisong to let him enroll at Anshun Driving School, and Chen Peisong paid the discounted tuition.
• Chen Zhu met Huang Bohan to play arcade games and realized he had no way to contact Yu Xian except through QQ.
• Chen Zhu began driving practice at Anshun Driving School and waited beneath the shade canopy with the other students.
• Bian Xiaoliu recognized Chen Zhu as her former deskmate from 16th Middle School and introduced him to the boy accompanying her.

At driving school, Chen Zhu ran into his former classmate Bian Xiaoliu and her boyfriend, Ji Haixing, who looked down on him and deliberately tried to make him crash while practicing. Chen Zhu grew angry and hinted that he would retaliate by summoning an innocent high-school girl.

• Bian Xiaoliu introduced Ji Haixing as her boyfriend, and Chen Zhu noticed her hesitation and Ji Haixing's jealousy.
• Chen Zhu said he hoped to attend Guangdong University of Finance, while Ji Haixing bragged about Guangdong University of Finance and Economics and Bian Xiaoliu said she expected to enter SYSU's School of Foreign Languages.
• Ji Haixing told Chen Zhu to keep reversing during practice, nearly causing him to hit the shelter, and Bian Xiaoliu reprimanded her boyfriend.
• Chen Zhu finished the maneuver, realized Ji Haixing had deliberately put him at risk, and resolved to summon an innocent high-school girl.

After the Gaokao, Chen Zhu missed Yu Xian when he went to the convenience store, but found her messages on QQ and began chatting with her while she was visiting her hometown. As Yu Xian prepared to return to Yuecheng, Chen Zhu decided to buy a phone so he could meet her.

• Chen Zhu went to the convenience store hoping to find Yu Xian, but learned she had returned to Sichuan-Chongqing for summer vacation.
• Chen Zhu found Yu Xian's QQ messages, replied to her, and learned she had left because he had not answered her earlier notes.
• Chen Zhu chatted with He Yu about the Flying Insects Club and learned it had disbanded because its members would not compromise.
• Chen Zhu and Yu Xian exchanged daily messages about their ordinary routines while she was away.
• Yu Xian told Chen Zhu she would return the next day and had brought local specialties for him and his parents.
• Chen Zhu told Mao Xiaoqin to give him money so he could buy a phone.