Daylight Aground

Sheng Han grew up in the remote, arid town of Qiongmo in the northwest Gobi Desert, where she shared a deep, sibling-like bond with her childhood friends, Xinyao and Jingqi. From elementary school, she had an unspoken connection with Xiu Jie, a boy who returned to town years later. Their high school romance blossomed despite the strict opposition of Sheng Han’s mother, who disapproved of Xiu Jie’s single-parent background. Sheng Han sacrificed her academic strengths in the humanities to switch to the science track solely to be with Xiu Jie, enduring immense pressure and exhaustion as they studied together for the college entrance examination. They dreamed of attending the same university in Yongshu, but fate intervened when Sheng Han missed the admission cutoff by a single point due to illness during the exam. Consequently, she was accepted into a university in Migu Valley, a region in the south near the China-Myanmar border, forcing her into a long-distance relationship with Xiu Jie.

Upon arriving at university, Sheng Han navigated a new social environment with her dormmates, including the outgoing Ling Fei and the reserved Hui Qian. She joined the student union’s publicity department, where she worked closely with Tian You, a calm and composed senior who developed feelings for her. Tian You respectfully confessed his love during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but Sheng Han declined, remaining loyal to her long-distance boyfriend. Meanwhile, her relationship with Xiu Jie began to strain. His calls became shorter and more infrequent, attributed to his busy student council activities and part-time jobs. Sheng Han felt increasingly insecure and lonely, craving the physical presence and emotional support that distance denied her.

The situation escalated when Ling Fei orchestrated a group outing to pair Sheng Han with Hao Yu, a senior graduating soon. During a KTV session, Hao Yu, who had been pursuing Sheng Han aggressively, took advantage of her intoxicated state. He forced himself on her, ignoring her pleas and resistance. Sheng Han managed to escape and slap him, but the trauma left her devastated. She struggled with the decision of whether to tell Xiu Jie, fearing his reaction. Ultimately, she chose honesty and confessed the incident over the phone. Xiu Jie’s response was not one of comfort or anger toward the attacker, but rather a breakdown of his own. He screamed in despair, expressing how much he cherished her and how painful the news was for him. He requested space, and their communication ceased entirely.

For weeks, Xiu Jie ignored all of Sheng Han’s attempts to contact him. Desperate to repair the relationship, Sheng Han spent days stitching a cross-stitch pillow and sending it to him, along with a heartfelt letter. However, the package was delivered without any response, signaling the definitive end of their romance. Sheng Han fell into a deep depression, engaging in self-harm and isolating herself from her peers. It was during this darkest period that Tian You remained consistently by her side, offering silent companionship and gentle support without pressuring her. He watched over her as she ate ice cream in the cold wind and sat with her in the rain, providing a steady presence that contrasted sharply with the chaos of her previous relationship.

Eventually, Sheng Han received a final message from Xiu Jie telling her to stop waiting and move on. Accepting the end, she reached out to Tian You, asking for time to heal before committing to a relationship. Tian You agreed, promising to stay by her side and help her recover her former self. Over the following months, their relationship slowly developed. Tian You’s patient and nurturing affection helped Sheng Han begin to heal, though she still carried the emotional scars of her past. The story concludes with Sheng Han learning to accept a new kind of love, one that was quiet and steady, as she navigated the complex journey of moving forward from a first love that had ended in tragedy.