From Youth to Joy

Shan Jiqiu is a high-achieving student from Li City who carries the emotional baggage of her parents' divorce. Her father, Shan Zhaobin, remarried and had another son, leaving Shan Jiqiu with her grandmother after her mother's death. She maintains a cool, detached exterior, masking deep-seated insecurities about abandonment. Her life is anchored by Lu Yun, her childhood friend and neighbor, with whom she shares a complex bond characterized by constant bickering, teasing, and unspoken affection. Lu Yun, the campus heartthrob and top student, has protected Shan Jiqiu since childhood, notably caring for her during her first menstruation and consistently shielding her from harm. Their relationship is perceived by others as a sibling-like friendship, but Shan Jiqiu harbors secret romantic feelings she fears to voice, believing that confessing could destroy their bond.

The narrative begins during a middle school debate competition in Jinnan, where Shan Jiqiu, initially a substitute due to food poisoning among her teammates, delivers a standout performance. She encounters Chen Yicheng, a handsome opponent from Jinnan No. 1 High who expresses admiration for her debating skills and requests her contact information. Shan Jiqiu declines, citing her non-official status and impending departure. Upon returning to Li City, she reunites with Lu Yun and their close-knit group of friends, including Yu Kexia, Zhou An, and Tan Junhao. The group dynamic is established as a tight circle of academic excellence and playful rivalry, with Shan Jiqiu and Lu Yun consistently ranking as the top two students in their grade.

As the school year progresses, the central conflict emerges through the actions of Yan Xu, a wealthy and arrogant student known as the campus tyrant. Yan Xu has long harbored an obsessive infatuation with Shan Jiqiu, resenting her consistent rejection and indifference. His jealousy is further fueled by his rivalry with Lu Yun. Yan Xu orchestrates a scheme to separate the two, anonymously reporting Lu Yun to the principal for climbing a school wall to retrieve brown sugar for Shan Jiqiu during a menstrual crisis. This incident highlights Lu Yun's silent devotion and Shan Jiqiu's vulnerability. Yan Xu then sets a trap for Shan Jiqiu after school, hiring thugs to ambush her in an alley, intending to force her into a relationship or harm her.

The climax occurs when Lu Yun, having overheard fragments of Yan Xu's plot, rushes to rescue Shan Jiqiu. He confronts Yan Xu and his gang with unprecedented aggression, revealing a dangerous, protective side that shocks those who only knew him as a carefree student. Lu Yun defeats the attackers but sustains injuries, including a bruised face and lip. He rescues Shan Jiqiu, and they flee together as rain begins to fall. During their escape, Shan Jiqiu experiences a surge of emotion, realizing the depth of her feelings for Lu Yun. However, she remains hesitant to act on them, constrained by her fear of losing their friendship. The story concludes with the two returning home, their relationship unchanged on the surface but internally transformed by the events, setting the stage for future developments in their complex romantic tension and the ongoing threat posed by Yan Xu.