Three days before the new semester began, Qian Jiayue went to school to pick up her military training uniform. Carmen greeted her excitedly—this was their first time wearing the uniform. Chen Mo also came to report to the new class; because she’s exceptionally good-looking, she draws attention wherever she goes. The boy sitting next to Qian Jiayue noticed that Chen Mo and Qian Jiayue seemed familiar with each other and immediately whispered to Qian Jiayue, asking her to introduce him to Chen Mo. He really wanted to meet her. This hurt Qian Jiayue’s pride—she felt like a background character, never the focus.
At the welcome party, Chen Mo found it extremely dull. She suggested to Carmen and Qian Jiayue that they slip out halfway. They planned for Chen Mo to pretend to have a stomachache, while Carmen and Qian Jiayue would be responsible for taking her to the infirmary—an excellent cover story. In the end, Qian Jiayue didn’t leave with them. That night, Xiao Han was giving a speech, and Qian Jiayue sat in the audience, feeling as though the surrounding air was wonderfully fragrant.
The next day, as Qian Jiayue was heading out, she ran into Carmen and Chen Mo. Chen Mo rudely demanded to know if it was Qian Jiayue who had ratted them out. Qian Jiayue was confused and asked what had happened. It turned out that Chen Mo and Carmen, who snuck away to go shopping at the supermarket, had been reported to the teacher. The teacher then called both their parents the previous night, resulting in a harsh scolding for the two girls. They suspected Qian Jiayue was the one who told on them, since she was the only one who stayed behind.
Staring at Carmen, Qian Jiayue explained she hadn’t told anyone. But Carmen, feeling hurt by her own parents’ reprimand, didn’t believe her. The friendship between them suddenly fell apart that day.
Ever since Maotou was taken to the police station, his father, Zhang Qiming, had been treating him with nothing but beatings and scoldings. That night, someone knocked on Qian Jiayue’s door—it was Maotou with a big backpack, saying sadly that his father planned to “sell” him off to Shandong, and they’d never see each other again. He took out the contents of his backpack: lots of game cartridges, marbles, and toys—his cherished possessions. He solemnly handed them to Qian Jiayue, asking her to give some to Xiao Han as well. Then he turned to leave.
Seeing the seriousness on Maotou’s face, Qian Jiayue grabbed him, refusing to let him go. Her grandmother had someone contact Maotou’s father immediately. Before long, Zhang Qiming arrived, and father and son clashed once again. Ignoring everything, Maotou rushed out the door, and Qian Jiayue chased after him.
Maotou ended up in a game arcade, where he started playing video games. Qian Jiayue tried to pull him away, but a few delinquent kids nearby blocked her. Maotou had helped them before, so they supported him. However, Qian Jiayue, unafraid of their dyed hair and tough looks, grabbed one kid’s drink and slammed it to the floor. Startled by her resolve, they backed off. Maotou, not wanting more trouble, went home with her.
Maotou confessed that after school started, everyone—Qian Jiayue, Xiao Han, and even his own father—seemed too busy for him. Feeling neglected, he turned to gaming for a sense of accomplishment. But that night, seeing how far Qian Jiayue went to stand up for him made him realize someone did care about him, which made him feel much better. Qian Jiayue took Maotou back home, and there was no further argument between father and son. Zhang Qiming also stopped talking about sending Maotou away.
