Li Anning is a second-year graduate student in Applied Physics at X University, known for her dry humor, detached demeanor, and tendency to get into awkward social situations. Her daily life revolves around experiments, errands for her advisor, and banter with her three roommates: the dramatic Fu Qiangwei, the novel-obsessed Mao Mao, and the laid-back Shen Chaoyang. Anning’s academic journey is marked by minor mishaps, including crashing her scooter, accidentally attending the wrong music class, and being detained by a strict professor for comparing Smetana’s The Moldau to repeating decimals.
Her path crosses with Xu Moting, a tall, elegant senior from the Chinese Folklore Department who works at the university’s Supervisory Office. Their first encounter occurs when Anning borrows his library card after his is demagnetized. She later discovers he is the famous senior Qiangwei knows, and eventually learns he is also her high school classmate—a fact neither initially recognized. Xu Moting is reserved and sharp, yet shows subtle interest in Anning, such as inviting her to dinner and walking her home.
The story develops through several key events. Anning and Xu Moting’s relationship deepens when he agrees to be a judge for the Campus Ambassador competition, which Qiangwei enters. During the event, Xu Moting communicates with Anning via text, offering to help her use connections—a request she awkwardly declines. Later, at a high school reunion, Xu Moting reveals they attended the same middle school and once exchanged letters, shocking Anning who had forgotten the incident. He also protects her from excessive drinking at the reunion, drawing attention from former classmates.
Parallel to the romance, Anning navigates academic responsibilities, including a newly approved research project, and social dynamics with her roommates. Qiangwei’s competitive spirit and Mao Mao’s eccentricities provide comic relief, while Anning’s cousin offers online support and teasing. The narrative also touches on Anning’s family background, including her parents’ divorce and her mother’s health concerns, which prompt Anning to return home for a hospital visit.
As autumn progresses, Anning’s life becomes increasingly intertwined with Xu Moting’s. He accompanies her to various campus events, and their interactions reveal a growing mutual understanding. Despite Anning’s initial hesitation and social awkwardness, Xu Moting’s consistent presence and gentle teasing help bridge the gap between them. The story concludes with Anning adjusting to her changed routine, no longer viewing her days as mere repetitions, and beginning to accept the unexpected turns her life has taken.
