The story centers on Zhou Jingchen, a man who built Galaxy Forum into China's largest internet community by capitalizing on global panic over an impending asteroid collision with Earth. Despite his professional success, he remains haunted by a fragmented past and a desperate search for a missing girl named Wen Xi. His journey begins in a gritty urban district where he experiences a moment of shock upon hearing a familiar voice. He spots a young woman selling bootleg DVDs on an overpass, and the sight of her long eyelashes and a distinctive mole on her hand triggers a flood of memories. He chases her through the chaotic crowd, shouting her name, but slips on the ice and loses her completely, leaving him in agonizing despair.
The narrative then shifts to Pingjiang City in the spring of 1995, revealing the origins of their bond. Zhou Jingchen was abandoned as a child with a severe leg disability caused by a improperly healed fracture. Found freezing in the snow by three-year-old Wen Xi, he was taken in by her grandfather, Master Zhou. Wen Xi, the spoiled and mischievous daughter of a factory director, claimed him as her exclusive property, nicknaming him her "puppy." Their childhood was defined by this dynamic: she bullied and ordered him around, while he served her with unconditional devotion. Despite her rough exterior and temper, Wen Xi protected him from other children and cared for his wounds, establishing a codependent relationship that blurred the lines between sibling affection and possessive control.
As they grew older, the power dynamic remained intact. Wen Xi treated Zhou Jingchen as her personal servant, demanding he help her with daily tasks, from choosing her clothes to scratching her back in class. She was academically poor but charismatic and popular, whereas Zhou Jingchen was a top student who quietly endured her whims. A pivotal moment occurred when Zhou Jingchen had a vivid dream involving a dancing woman with a mole on her hand, symbolizing his awakening sexual awareness and deep emotional fixation on Wen Xi. This internal conflict intensified as he navigated adolescence, feeling both inferior due to his disability and fiercely attached to the girl who had saved him.
The story follows their progression through junior high and into high school entrance exams. Wen Xi’s grades were failing, prompting her parents to assign Zhou Jingchen as her tutor. Through his patient guidance, her academic performance improved significantly, allowing her to surpass her rival, Fang Haoyu. However, fate intervened when Zhou Jingchen fell ill before the exams, causing his scores to drop just below the cutoff for the prestigious First High School. Consequently, both students were assigned to the same second-rate high school, a outcome Wen Xi celebrated privately while Zhou Jingchen accepted with quiet resignation.
The summer before high school begins, the narrative highlights the mundane yet intimate routines of their lives. Wen Xi buys ice pops for Zhou Jingchen, teasing him with playful tricks that reinforce their unique bond. The story establishes that their relationship is not merely one of caretaker and charge, but a complex intertwining of dependency, affection, and unspoken romantic tension. Zhou Jingchen’s entire existence seems oriented around Wen Xi’s happiness and demands, a pattern that has persisted from childhood into young adulthood. The narrative sets the stage for their future together in high school, where the external pressures of society and the internal complexities of their relationship will continue to unfold, driven by Zhou Jingchen’s unwavering loyalty and Wen Xi’s unpredictable nature.
