1994, That Year We Were in the First Year of Junior High School

In 1994, in a small town in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the summer wind carried the chirping of cicadas, ushering in the prelude to three years of youth. Xiang Ming, who grew up under the high-pressure discipline of his mother, is smart but shy and stutters when nervous. He is a precocious boy hiding in a docile shell. In the first year of junior high school, he decided to break out of his cocoon: run on the court, talk in class, and make close friends. In studies, group activities, and the collision of youthful spirits, he forced himself to be outgoing, and slowly became a brave and resourceful "little Zhuge" among brothers. He tried to reconcile with his original family and embarked on the path of self-awakening. Ai Fang, the daughter of the newspaper president, has outstanding appearance and many talents. Her accordion brings out her youthful edge, and she is a dazzling literary and art committee member in the class. A heart that lacks love hides sensitivity and melancholy. Romance novels and popular magazines fill up the time. Underneath the pride and willfulness is unspoken uneasiness. Amidst all the stars and trivial criticisms, one must learn to face the gaze and stick to oneself. We are on the same wavelength but on different paths, there were no disturbances when we first met, only a non-irritating indifference. The canal is long and flowing, carrying the fireworks of the 1990s. During the first year of junior high school, the two teenagers broke out of their shells and shined separately, writing about the painful and passionate growth experience unique to that era. The characters who appeared one after another around them also appeared one after another. During that unique era, each supporting character had his own story, constructing a chapter of the youth memories of the post-80s generation.