That summer when she was seventeen, Lin Wan secretly had a crush on Jiang Yubai, the boy in the class next door. He was the school’s beloved top student, clean-cut and gentle, shining brightly. She kept her innocent feelings hidden, daring only to watch him from afar and fleeing in a panic whenever they crossed paths. By chance, they added each other as friends, and she was delighted to discover that he had known who she was all along. His gentle messages, invitations, shared study materials, and offers to tutor her made his affection unmistakable, yet she was too timid and insecure to read too much into it.
In the summer of their graduation, she confessed her feelings. Their secret, mutual crush finally came into the open. They promised to attend college in the same city, believing their first love would last a lifetime. But the gap between their Gaokao results shattered their hopes: he did poorly and fell into despair, while she exceeded expectations and made a remarkable comeback. His pride and insecurity took hold, and he grew cold and distant, pushing away the girl who had always seen him as her light. Long-distance strain, misunderstandings, and their widening gap brought their young love to an abrupt end. She ruthlessly deleted all his contact information and spent four years holding on to the memories, turning down every suitor because her heart and mind belonged to Jiang Yubai alone.
She thought the regrets of youth had ended there, and college passed peacefully. In their senior year, a belated friend request broke the silence. They cautiously tested the waters after all those years apart, their feelings still unchanged, and got back together. But once again, distance and old wounds defeated them. They broke up for a second time and cut off contact completely.
Years passed in a flash. They both returned to their hometown, started working, and led quiet lives, each single. A chance team-up in an online game brought the two of them together again after years without contact. This time, he had outgrown the timid boy he once was. He opened up about all his insecurities and struggles, set out to make up for years of regret, and awkwardly but resolutely began pursuing her again. He said, “I used to be insecure and weak. I didn’t deserve someone as radiant as you.”
