Youth That Rides the Wind and Breaks the Waves

[School life + family slice of life, ensemble cast, coming of age]

Flirtatious sweetheart x aloof, prickly bad boy

As a post-00s kid, Cheng Yiran grew up without a developed internet, smartphones, or all the digital devices we have today. Her childhood was made up of her classmates and friends, along with her twin brother Cheng Yize, whom she both loved and fought with.

So she took up keeping a diary.

From kindergarten through middle school, she filled one journal after another.

When she started high school, the cast of characters in Cheng Yiran's journals gradually grew:

Her Tibetan bestie, Mulina; Zhang Yuqian, a shy girl who transferred from a small town; Qiao Yanran, a domineering, pampered heiress; and Lin Chen, the handsome, rebellious boy her friend had a crush on.

And then there was one classmate who gave Cheng Yiran a headache: Jiang Che, the boy who appeared most often in her journals.

Jiang Che was lean and tall, with bright, dark eyes. His smile was full of youthful energy. Whenever he played basketball in his uniform with his sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms, lots of girls would gather to watch.

Whenever Cheng Yiran went with her friend to watch Lin Chen play basketball, she couldn't help letting her gaze linger on Jiang Che.

Unfortunately, this handsome guy was prickly all over and acted like he couldn't care less about anyone.

At first, Cheng Yiran disliked Jiang Che. As they spent time together, she got to know him. Eventually, she learned to understand him.

On New Year's Eve at the end of the semester, Cheng Yiran wrote in her journal:

New Year's wishes

1. Keep my grades in first place.

2. May my parents and younger brother stay healthy and safe.

3. I hope the person I like is happy every day.

His name is Jiang Che.

--

Bonus scene:

Cheng Yiran took a day off because she was sick. When she returned to school the next day, she found her classmates looking at her with gossipy, eager expressions.

Cheng Yiran: ?

After morning exercises, the students were still lined up when Cheng Yiran saw Jiang Che walk calmly up to the stage, his school jacket unzipped.

Jiang Che raised the microphone high and spoke in a clear, ringing voice: "I have deeply reflected on what I did yesterday..."

Cheng Yiran was completely lost.

After finishing his self-criticism, Jiang Che folded up the paper. Holding the microphone in one hand, he looked at Cheng Yiran among the crowd, his gaze stubborn and earnest. "Maybe what I did was a little inappropriate, but, Cheng Yiran, what I said on the school radio yesterday about liking you was sincere."

"Let's sail the winds of youth and ride the waves together."

Theme: A tribute to the childhood of post-00s kids, and a welcome to a bright future