The Childhood Friend Who Fell from the Sky is the Most Charming

Su Tian is a first-year high school student at Yangming No. 1 High School who struggles with English despite being the class Chinese representative. Her academic performance has recently declined, dropping from ninth to thirty-fifth place in the monthly exams, causing tension with her strict mother. Su Tian leads a quiet life, commuting from her home in an upscale residential complex where she shares a wall with the Jiang family. Her childhood memories of the Jiang son, Jiang Chiyu, are negative; he was a tormentor who bullied her daily until his family moved abroad when she was in fourth grade. She recalls him as a mean-spirited neighbor who made her cry constantly, though she also remembers his parents as kind people who treated her well.

The narrative shifts when a transfer student arrives at Su Tian’s school from England. Rumors circulate that he is exceptionally handsome and tall, causing excitement among the female student body. Su Tian remains indifferent until she encounters a boy in black clothing and a face mask bumping into her on her way to school. Later, she discovers that this boy is the new transfer student assigned to sit next to her. The realization shocks her when she notices a distinctive red birthmark on his wrist that matches her own, a mark that had led to childhood rumors of a betrothal between their families. Jiang Chiyu reveals that he recognized her immediately by her habit of kicking stones when she was lost in thought.

Jiang Chiyu is a genius student who scores perfect marks in Math and English, contrasting sharply with Su Tian’s poor English grade of 68. His return to China and enrollment in Su Tian’s class is not accidental; he chose the class randomly but was pleased to find his childhood neighbor as his deskmate. Their dynamic is immediately established as antagonistic yet intimate. Jiang Chiyu teases Su Tian relentlessly, calling her stupid and mocking her academic struggles, while Su Tian resents his childish behavior despite his mature appearance. However, the adults in their lives, including their parents who are close friends, view the reunion positively. They encourage Su Tian to call Jiang Chiyu by a familial title and expect him to look after her.

A key turning point occurs during a family dinner where the parents reveal their close bond. Jiang Chiyu’s mother gives Su Tian a gift, a fountain pen, which Jiang Chiyu helped select. During the meal, Jiang Chiyu continues to provoke Su Tian, placing a lobster on her plate to test if she has overcome her fear of insects. Su Tian’s emotional state is further complicated by her academic pressures and her rivalry with Sun Muchu, a classmate who harbors a secret crush on Jiang Chiyu and views Su Tian as a threat. Sun Muchu attempts to insert herself into Jiang Chiyu’s life, offering him study materials, but he politely rejects her advances, preferring to interact with Su Tian.

The story explores the contrast between Su Tian’s perception of Jiang Chiyu as a nightmare from her past and his current behavior, which oscillates between cruel teasing and subtle care. He carries her bag to school and engages her in conversation, showing interest in her life despite his outward indifference. Su Tian’s friend, Zhou Ying, acts as a catalyst, encouraging Su Tian to see Jiang Chiyu as a romantic prospect and interfering in their interactions, such as when she tricks Sun Muchu during a water-fetching incident. The narrative establishes a central conflict between Su Tian’s desire for a normal, low-profile high school life and her entanglement with a charismatic, troublesome childhood friend who refuses to let her ignore him. The story ends with Su Tian beginning to accept her new reality, though she remains wary of Jiang Chiyu’s intentions and the social dynamics surrounding him.