If I Were A Dodder Flower

Su Yunluo enters Liang City No. 1 High School in September 2005 with a newfound confidence derived from her unexpected success in the high school entrance exam, where she ranked twenty-second in the city. This achievement shatters the long-standing dominance of her middle school rival, Shi Ranran, and earns Su Yunluo the title of top student in her new class, Class Six. However, her position is immediately challenged by the sexist remarks of Teacher Sun, the homeroom teacher of the neighboring Class Five. Teacher Sun asserts that male students possess a natural biological advantage in logical thinking and science, predicting that his student, Xie Chen, will surpass Su Yunluo once the academic rigor of high school increases. When Su Yunluo overhears this conversation, she publicly challenges Xie Chen to a competition, wagering that the losing class must perform a talent show for the winning class.

Xie Chen, ranked thirty-second in the grade upon entry, accepts the challenge with cold indifference. He delivers a formal challenge letter that not only questions Su Yunluo’s capability but also reiterates the belief in male intellectual superiority. Su Yunluo responds with a sharply written counter-challenge letter, demonstrating her proficiency in classical Chinese literature and refuting his arguments with historical examples of female excellence. The exchange escalates the tension between the two classes, turning the academic competition into a personal battle. Su Yunluo is driven by a deep-seated need to prove her worth, stemming from a childhood marked by parental neglect after the birth of her younger brother. Having been raised by grandparents in a rural town before being brought back to her parents' home in the city, she feels like an outsider in her own family, valued only when she achieves academic recognition.

The first monthly exam serves as the decisive battleground. Su Yunluo studies relentlessly, pushing herself to the limit, while Xie Chen appears calm and composed. During the exam, Su Yunluo struggles with the difficult mathematics and physics sections, noticing that Xie Chen finishes early and checks his paper with an air of boredom. Her anxiety is compounded when she encounters Shi Ranran, who mocks her potential failure in science subjects. After the exam, the results reveal a devastating gap: Xie Chen scores 921, placing second in the entire school, while Su Yunluo scores 852. Xie Chen achieves perfect scores in math, physics, and chemistry, confirming Teacher Sun’s prediction and exposing the limitations of Su Yunluo’s previous success.

Bound by the terms of the bet, Su Yunluo must perform a talent show in Class Five. Reluctantly, she chooses to sing a segment of Yue opera, a traditional art form she learned in childhood. Her performance is technically proficient and emotionally resonant, silencing the initially skeptical and mocking audience. The class is impressed by her skill, and even Xie Chen acknowledges her talent, though his demeanor remains detached. Despite the respect earned through her performance, Su Yunluo feels a profound sense of defeat and isolation. She realizes that her efforts to compete on Xie Chen’s terms have only reinforced the hierarchy he represents.

The narrative further explores the dynamics between Su Yunluo and Xie Chen as they navigate their shared academic environment. Xie Chen is revealed to be a product of high parental expectations, having deliberately underperformed in the entrance exam to avoid the pressure of being the top scorer. His interaction with Su Yunluo is marked by a complex mix of rivalry and mutual recognition. While Su Yunluo views him as an embodiment of the patriarchal attitudes she resents, Xie Chen sees her as a formidable opponent who challenges his assumptions. The story highlights the social pressures faced by high-achieving students and the personal costs of academic competition, setting the stage for a continued exploration of their relationship and individual growth.