Chen Long’an found his close friend Jiashu to be extremely contradictory—while clearly caring for his younger brother Jiahao, he continued to use harsh and hurtful words to provoke him. Meanwhile, Jiahao walked along the road, lost in thought, reflecting on his brother’s comments, his mind clouded and distracted. Concerned, Jiashu made a call to ask someone for a favor to help his brother.
Jiahao recalled a childhood memory when he wanted to learn rowing but was rejected by his elders for being too young. During a family event, as Jiashu received an award, their father, He Hongguang, compared his own son to his nephew, feeling frustrated at Jiahao’s perceived inferiority.
Overcome by his feelings of inadequacy, Hongguang berated Jiahao when he found him making crafts at home, even confiscating his handmade items in anger. This incident left a deep scar on young Jiahao. However, Jiashu, instead of resenting Jiahao, comforted him with the rabbit lantern he had made, trying to cheer him up.
As a teenager, Jiahao became acutely aware of how much attention his father gave Jiashu. This led him to secretly practice rowing in hopes of earning his father’s praise. However, an accident landed Jiahao in the hospital, and due to severe blood loss, he required a transfusion. Jiashu was the only compatible donor in the family, which raised suspicions for their father. Hongguang conducted a DNA test in secret and discovered Jiashu was not his biological son. Enraged, he forced Jiashu out of the family under the guise of severing ties.
Jiahao desperately called out for his brother but failed to stop him from leaving, resulting in a traumatic experience that left Jiahao feeling responsible for Jiashu’s exile.
Jiahao’s teacher noticed the emotional turmoil in his student and was concerned. However, during a discussion among staff, a supervisor overheard and dismissed the matter. Jiashu, meanwhile, watched Jiahao working outside and couldn’t help but check on him from a distance. Chen Long’an observed this and teased Jiashu for claiming not to care about his brother while constantly keeping tabs on him.
Jiashu learned from Long’an that Jiahao had once tried to find him, but the experience had left him withdrawn and isolated, as the family’s sole heir became increasingly distant from others.
Jiahao didn’t attend class one day, prompting his classmates to complain to the teacher. The principal excused Jiahao, a top student, for being late and let him return to class, which sparked dissatisfaction among other students. Jiahao’s emotional state became increasingly unstable, and during a lesson, he suffered from tinnitus, leading him to run to the restroom, where he began vomiting.
A classmate noticed Jiahao’s strange behavior and followed him. While Jiahao was in the restroom, the classmate locked the door, leaving Jiahao trapped. Exhausted and weakened, Jiahao leaned against the door, unable to call for help, resigned to sitting quietly.
