Chapter Summaries

Chen Shi'an and Lin Meng Qiu met early for their planned badminton game, and she joined him for breakfast at his apartment. Afterward, Lin Meng Qiu entered his bedroom to watch him work on a wooden box, where he pointed out the crumbs she had dropped on his bed.

• Chen Shi'an returned from a morning cycling ride and made congee before noticing Lin Meng Qiu's messages inviting him to play badminton.
• Lin Meng Qiu arrived at Chen Shi'an's apartment ahead of their agreed meeting time, and he teased her about appearing so quickly.
• Chen Shi'an invited Lin Meng Qiu to eat breakfast with him, and she enjoyed his freshly harvested rice congee and a bun from Wen Zhixia's family's shop.
• Chen Shi'an and Lin Meng Qiu talked about her recent haircut, his unfinished homework, and Li Wanyin's friends staying over.
• Lin Meng Qiu followed Chen Shi'an to his bedroom and watched him carve spaces in a wooden box for porcelain bottles.
• Chen Shi'an told Lin Meng Qiu that she had dropped bun crumbs on his bed.

Chen Shi'an gave Lin Meng Qiu a box of handmade pigments, and the two set off to play badminton. As they headed to his bicycle, Lin Meng Qiu recalled Wen Zhixia’s posts with Chen Shi'an and wondered whether Wen Zhixia had shared them to provoke her.

• Chen Shi'an finished packing handmade pigments into a carved wooden box and gave it to Lin Meng Qiu, who happily accepted it.
• Chen Shi'an said he would bring Lin Meng Qiu some South China Sea specialties and agreed to have lunch at Uncle Lin’s to mount a painting.
• Chen Shi'an and Lin Meng Qiu went downstairs to play badminton, and he offered to give her a ride on his bicycle.
• Lin Meng Qiu recalled Wen Zhixia’s Moments posts showing her time with Chen Shi'an and suspected they had been aimed at her.
• Lin Meng Qiu asked whether Chen Shi'an had seen Wen Zhixia’s posts, and he said he had not noticed any recent ones.

Lin Meng Qiu rode with Chen Shi'an to the Sports Hall, renewed their bet, and posted a private photo of herself holding his waist for Wen Zhixia to see. After losing their badminton match 0–63, she waited nervously for Chen Shi'an to help her up, while Wen Zhixia saw the post and rushed to get ready to return to school.

• Chen Shi'an gave Lin Meng Qiu a ride on his bicycle, and she held his waist while asking whether their bet still stood.
• Lin Meng Qiu and Chen Shi'an agreed that she would fetch water for him if she lost, while he would do two things she asked if she won.
• Lin Meng Qiu secretly posted a photo of her hands around Chen Shi'an's waist, visible only to Wen Zhixia.
• Lin Meng Qiu lost to Chen Shi'an at badminton by 0–63 and agreed to fetch water for him for a week.
• Chen Shi'an reached out to help Lin Meng Qiu up, while Wen Zhixia saw the photo and called for her mother to cook so she could return to school.

After Chen Shi'an went home with Lin Meng Qiu, he helped her father prepare to mount a painting and browsed photos with her. Lin Meng Qiu secretly deleted a photo she had taken of Chen Shi'an, leaving him to tease her as she walked away.

• Chen Shi'an cycled Lin Meng Qiu home, where Lin Ming welcomed him and asked him to mount a treasured painting.
• Chen Shi'an checked Lin Ming's supplies for mounting the painting and said the work would need time to dry.
• Lin Meng Qiu showed Chen Shi'an her South China Sea photos, and they joked about how annoyed she looked in pictures with him and her father.
• Lin Meng Qiu browsed Chen Shi'an's gallery and found photos of Wen Zhixia, while Chen Shi'an discovered a selfie she had taken of her hand holding his waist.
• Lin Meng Qiu snatched her phone, deleted the photo, denied taking a picture of Chen Shi'an, and left the tea table in embarrassment.

Chen Shi'an helped Lin Ming begin mounting his painting, then stayed at Lin Meng Qiu's invitation to do homework in her room. As they studied, he discovered her stuffed rabbit and sketchbook, and Lin Meng Qiu grew more comfortable with him, leaving their quiet afternoon together in her room.

• Chen Shi'an mounted the painting's backing with Lin Ming and left it to dry, planning to return on the weekend to continue.
• Lin Meng Qiu invited Chen Shi'an to stay and do homework with her, and Lin Ming went to nap while she brought him grapes.
• Lin Meng Qiu let Chen Shi'an into her bedroom, where he found her large stuffed rabbit and teased her about hugging it to sleep.
• Chen Shi'an browsed Lin Meng Qiu's manga and sketchbook, praised her drawings, and asked her to paint something for him in exchange for a wooden carving.
• Lin Meng Qiu asked which version of her Chen Shi'an would carve, and he said he would carve her as she had been when they first met.

Lin Meng Qiu and Chen Shi'an studied together at her home, while she secretly posted photos to provoke Wen Zhixia. After Chen Shi'an left with gifts from Lin Meng Qiu, Wen Zhixia teased him at her home and asked him to pick her up for evening study.

• Lin Meng Qiu helped Chen Shi'an with difficult math problems and secretly photographed him doing homework in her room.
• Wen Zhixia called Chen Shi'an and said she would bring him local specialties, then saw Lin Meng Qiu's Moments posts and became jealous.
• Chen Shi'an finished his paper and declined Lin Meng Qiu's invitation to stay for dinner because he had evening study.
• Lin Meng Qiu gave Chen Shi'an a large bag of local specialties, which he tied to his bicycle before heading to Wen Zhixia's home.
• Wen Zhixia complained that Chen Shi'an had missed the road trip and disappeared, then brightened when he noticed her haircut.
• Wen Zhixia pretended to bite Chen Shi'an, ran upstairs, and asked him to pick her up for evening study later.

Chen Shi'an returned home with gifts from his trip, cooked dinner with Li Wanyin, and brought milk tea and a handmade folding fan for Wen Zhixia. Wen Zhixia named the fan Calming Heart Sway and posted a photo of it with a private message before riding to evening study with Chen Shi'an.

• Chen Shi'an brought home local specialties from Lin Meng Qiu and Wen Zhixia, then helped Li Wanyin sort them and cooked dinner with her.
• Li Wanyin said she planned to keep assessing her milk tea stall and might quit her job next month to run it full-time.
• After dinner, Li Wanyin headed out to sell milk tea while Chen Shi'an rode to school with three cups for himself, Wen Zhixia, and Lin Meng Qiu.
• Chen Shi'an gave Wen Zhixia a handmade folding fan painted with his Taoist Temple, and she named it Calming Heart Sway.
• Wen Zhixia posted a photo of the fan and her hand on Chen Shi'an's waist, setting the post to be visible only to Ling, then rode with him to evening study.

Wen Zhixia and Chen Shi'an rode to school together, where Wen Zhixia and Lin Meng Qiu quietly competed for his attention. The rivalry continued over Chen Shi'an's bicycle, Wen Zhixia's fan, and the milk tea, while Lin Meng Qiu planned to wait until they reached the classroom for hers.

• Wen Zhixia teased Chen Shi'an about their exam bet as they rode to school together.
• At the school gates, Wen Zhixia hugged Chen Shi'an's waist to provoke Lin Meng Qiu, who concealed her jealousy and urged him to get off the bicycle.
• Lin Meng Qiu waited with Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia while he parked, saying they would be sitting together in class.
• Wen Zhixia showed off the Calming Heart Sway fan Chen Shi'an had made for her and traded barbs with Lin Meng Qiu.
• Chen Shi'an offered the girls milk tea made by Wanyin, and Wen Zhixia took the Cloud Blossoms Reflecting Snow cup Lin Meng Qiu had wanted.

After the break, Chen Shi'an returned to class and joined his classmates in raising Water Babies while they caught up on homework. When Teacher Liang announced that Class Five had the grade's highest Chinese score, Chen Shi'an's 145-point paper was revealed, leaving the class astonished.

• Chen Shi'an explained how to save Zheng Yining's wilted cactus and accepted Water Baby Seeds from Xie Mengxuan.
• Chen Shi'an gave Xie Mengxuan and Zheng Yining milk tea, then started raising Water Babies beside Lin Meng Qiu, who found watching them soothing.
• Teacher Liang entered with the monthly exam results and announced that the highest Chinese score in the grade was in Class Five: 145.
• Lin Meng Qiu wondered whether Chen Shi'an had earned the score, and he confidently said it was probably his.
• Zou Xiaokun revealed Chen Shi'an's 145-point Chinese paper, and Class Five crowded around him in astonishment.

Chen Shi'an’s Chinese exam paper drew attention after he scored 145, including 59 on a classical Chinese essay, while Lin Meng Qiu acknowledged his achievement. The chapter ended with Wen Zhixia visiting Class Five to see Chen Shi'an, prompting Lin Meng Qiu’s jealousy.

• Class Five students passed around Chen Shi'an’s 145-point Chinese paper and praised his classical Chinese essay, which had earned 59 points.
• Lin Meng Qiu finished reading the paper, conceded Chen Shi'an deserved his score, and learned he had used the style on Teacher Liang’s advice.
• Chen Shi'an’s classmates shared their scores, and the class learned Zhong Ying had scored 137 and Lin Meng Qiu 136, with no one else reaching 140.
• After evening self-study, Wen Zhixia arrived at Class Five with Yao Jingyan to look for Chen Shi'an.
• Zheng Yining and Xie Mengxuan told Chen Shi'an that Wen Zhixia was outside, and he explained that they were buddies who often went to school, went home, and ate together.
• Lin Meng Qiu glared at Zheng Yining and Xie Mengxuan as they giggled about Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia.

Chen Shi'an learned that Wen Zhixia had scored 142 in Chinese and 137 in math, while he had earned 145 in Chinese and 102 in math. After Lin Meng Qiu reviewed his math paper and praised his progress, Chen Shi'an declared that he aimed for a perfect math score next time.

• Wen Zhixia and Yao Jingyan visited Chen Shi'an, and Wen Zhixia learned he had scored 145 in Chinese, including 59 on his essay.
• Wen Zhixia told Chen Shi'an that she had scored 142 in Chinese and 137 in math before returning upstairs with Yao Jingyan.
• Lin Meng Qiu received another perfect math score, and Chen Shi'an admired her paper before handing it back.
• Chen Shi'an received his math paper with a score of 102, and Lin Meng Qiu checked his correct answers and questioned the problems he had left blank.
• Lin Meng Qiu asked what Wen Zhixia had wanted, then Chen Shi'an said his goal for the next math exam was full marks.

Lin Meng Qiu and Chen Shi'an received their monthly exam scores, with Chen Shi'an earning 149 in English and a total of 549 while Lin Meng Qiu scored 711.5. Lin Meng Qiu celebrated her top-science-student standing as Chen Shi'an vowed to beat her next time.

• Teacher Ye brought the English papers, and Lin Meng Qiu learned she had missed the reading question she had bet Chen Shi'an about, so she fetched him water as agreed.
• Chen Shi'an received 149 in English, the highest score in the year, while Lin Meng Qiu scored 142.5.
• The science papers came back, showing Chen Shi'an had scored 4 in physics, 81 in biology, and 68 in chemistry, for a total of 549 across his subjects.
• Chen Shi'an examined Lin Meng Qiu's papers and saw that she had scored 283 in combined sciences and 711.5 overall.
• Lin Meng Qiu quietly took pride in her score, and Chen Shi'an promised he would beat her in the next exam.

After the Monthly Exam, Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia compared scores and went home together on his bicycle, with Wen Zhixia carrying his backpack. Wen Zhixia posted a photo of their ride to Moments, visible only to Ling, who saw it after evening self-study and grew furious.

• Chen Shi'an told Zheng Yining and Xie Mengxuan that Lin Meng Qiu had scored 711.5, then left Class Five.
• Wen Zhixia met Chen Shi'an, learned he had scored 549 overall and 149 in English, and told him she had scored 692.5 overall.
• Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia discussed their exam scores and found that they talked more than he did with Lin Meng Qiu.
• Wen Zhixia carried Chen Shi'an's backpack and sat sideways on the back of his bicycle, wrapping her arm around his waist as they rode home.
• Wen Zhixia posted a photo of their nighttime ride to Moments with a caption about going home together every day, visible only to Ling.
• Ling saw Wen Zhixia's post after evening self-study and became furious.

Chen Shi'an visited Li Wanyin’s busy milk tea stall after taking Wen Zhixia home and helped her serve customers until they closed for the night. They shared food and talked about his exam results and Wanyin’s hopes of returning to school before riding home together.

• Chen Shi'an dropped Wen Zhixia off at her building, then rode to Li Wanyin’s stall by the West River.
• Chen Shi'an found Li Wanyin overwhelmed by customers and took over making milk tea so she could drink water and rest.
• Chen Shi'an and Li Wanyin worked together as customers gathered to see him, and Wanyin closed the stall at half past ten.
• Li Wanyin and Chen Shi'an ate barbecue and discussed his score of 549 on the Monthly Exam and her plans to take the adult college entrance exam.
• Chen Shi'an rode Li Wanyin’s electric tricycle home while she followed on his bicycle, with Fat Ink riding along.

Chen Shi'an learned that he had placed sixtieth in his class and 396th in the year, while Lin Meng Qiu remained the top science student. After the rankings were posted, Wen Zhixia came to visit him, leaving Lin Meng Qiu watching jealously from her seat.

• Chen Shi'an agreed to join the upcoming school sports meet, and Lin Meng Qiu pressured him into registering while reluctantly agreeing to participate herself.
• Teacher Ye praised Chen Shi'an for raising his English score to 149 and let him arrange his own study during English lessons.
• Qiu Yufu posted the exam rankings, showing Chen Shi'an had scored 549 points and Lin Meng Qiu had scored 711.5.
• Wen Zhixia came downstairs with Yao Jingyan and waved Chen Shi'an out of the classroom, while Lin Meng Qiu watched with annoyance.

Chen Shi'an invited Lin Meng Qiu to lunch with him and Wen Zhixia, but Lin declined and asked him to bring her food instead. Wen Zhixia learned that Chen and Lin would both compete in the sports meet, then realized Lin planned to stay in the classroom at lunch and grew jealous.

• Chen Shi'an invited Lin Meng Qiu to eat with him and Wen Zhixia, but Lin declined because she expected them to bicker.
• Lin asked Chen Shi'an to pick up lunch for her, and he agreed to pay for it himself.
• Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia discussed the upcoming sports meet, and Chen said he and Lin would compete.
• Wen Zhixia recalled that she and Lin had run the girls' 4 × 100-meter relay together the previous year, with Lin running the final leg.
• Chen Shi'an ordered an extra portion for Lin, and Wen Zhixia became jealous when she learned Lin would stay in the classroom during lunch.

Chen Shi'an brought Lin Meng Qiu lunch, and the two shared a quiet, teasing meal in the classroom before she fell asleep beside him. Meanwhile, Wen Zhixia checked Lin Meng Qiu’s Moments and found only a cryptic post.

• Chen Shi'an finished lunch with Wen Zhixia at his usual pace, then carried food back for Lin Meng Qiu, who waited hungrily in the classroom.
• Qiu Yufu spoke with Lin Meng Qiu about Sports Day registration, and Lin Meng Qiu told her to bring Chen Shi'an a form and confirmed she would participate.
• Chen Shi'an brought Lin Meng Qiu a boxed lunch, and she eagerly ate while he watched and teased her.
• Lin Meng Qiu finished eating, discussed Sports Day with Chen Shi'an, and then settled down for a nap with her pillow.
• Wen Zhixia checked Lin Meng Qiu’s Moments and found a post consisting only of three tildes.

Chen Shi'an and Lin Meng Qiu shared a quiet lunch break before their class discussed the upcoming midterm parent-teacher meeting and sports meet. Lin Meng Qiu offered to lend him her father, but Chen Shi'an said he might ask Sister Wanyin instead.

• Chen Shi'an woke Lin Meng Qiu from her nap, and she followed him to the restrooms before filling both their bottles.
• Lin Meng Qiu noticed that their Water Babies had multiplied during lunch.
• Old Liang announced that the next Monthly Exam would also be the semester midterm and that a parent-teacher meeting would follow.
• Lin Meng Qiu offered to have her father attend Chen Shi'an's meeting, but Chen Shi'an suggested asking Sister Wanyin.
• Old Liang announced the Autumn Track and Field Sports Meet, and a classmate teased Xu Zihan about entering every event.

Chen Shi'an signed up for the school sports meet, choosing the fun events along with the boys' 3,000 meters and 4 × 100-meter relay. He recruited Lin Meng Qiu as his partner and helped Qiu Yufu fill out the class relay teams as she continued recruiting reluctant classmates.

• Qiu Yufu brought Chen Shi'an the registration form, and he chose the three fun events, the boys' 3,000 meters, and the boys' 4 × 100-meter relay.
• Chen Shi'an asked Lin Meng Qiu to partner with him in the three-legged race and back-to-back ball relay, and Qiu Yufu wrote Lin Meng Qiu's name on the form.
• Lin Meng Qiu agreed to run the girls' 4 × 100-meter relay, and Qiu Yufu signed herself up for it too.
• Qiu Yufu persuaded Zheng Yining and Xie Mengxuan to join the girls' 4 × 100-meter relay after the other classmates refused to sign up.
• Chen Shi'an chose Xu Zihan as a boys' relay teammate, and Qiu Yufu went to recruit him.

Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia discussed joining the school sports meet, then Chen Shi'an led the students in Eight-Section Brocade for the first time. After morning exercises, he praised Lin Meng Qiu for practicing well.

• Chen Shi'an told Wen Zhixia he had signed up for several sports-meet events with Lin Meng Qiu, prompting Wen Zhixia to sign up for the fun events and the 4 × 100-meter relay with Xiao Yan.
• Chen Shi'an looked at the updated Honor Roll, where Lin Meng Qiu and Wen Zhixia remained first in their respective streams.
• Chen Shi'an went to the Speaker's Platform and led the school in Eight-Section Brocade while Principal Lin practiced alongside him.
• Lin Meng Qiu practiced the exercises seriously, and Teacher Liang joined in after students urged him to follow Principal Lin's example.
• Chen Shi'an returned to class and praised Lin Meng Qiu, inferring from her sweat and steady breathing that she had practiced well.