Fa Ling

At their reunion, the protagonist (Fa Ling) sees Shen Ruyan completely transformed: subdued, lacking the pride and radiance of her former self. Shen confesses her regret for past decisions, especially for causing him to lose the physics Olympiad and for ignoring her advice. He assures her that the damage was minor and he's moved past it, honestly sharing that he only wanted to go to Tsinghua University to be with her. Outside, snow falls as a metaphor for lost time and fleeting beauty. Shen asks to rekindle their friendship, but the protagonist (Fa Ling) rejects the idea, stating that each must bear the consequences of their own dreams. Moments later, Shen cries out that she does regret it, contradicting his youthful conviction. The episode ends with a somber epilogue: Jan Yang appears in a drug prevention video, sentenced to life imprisonment for trafficking after a life of failure and addiction. Reflecting on Jan's words, "Youth only comes once, you have to live it wildly," the protagonist concludes that only responsibility brings true freedom and satisfaction. While he enjoys life as he pleases, the others pay the price for impulsive recklessness and, in the solitude of the night, recall the shattered dreams of their youth.

The protagonist (Fa Ling) gives a speech at his high school where he argues that true youth lies not in recklessness, but in responsibility. Shen Ruyan and Jan Yang, former leaders of the rebellion, are ultimately submerged in anonymity. The protagonist (Fa Ling) begins his university studies in Beijing, leaving behind his dreams of Tsinghua University. He participates in various activities, receives awards and honors, graduates, and travels to MIT for further studies. Upon his return, he creates an e-commerce company with a large initial investment (20,000 yuan), achieving annual revenues of 130,000 yuan and acquiring a reputation as a "winner in life." At a high school reunion, classmates praise his success and reminisce about the past, lamenting Shen and Jan's mistakes: smoking, having abortions, riding motorcycles, and getting into fights like something out of a movie. It is revealed that neither of them managed to find work after graduating. Jan was unfaithful in pursuit of an easy life, but his wealthy family rejected him, and now he ekes out a living as a nightclub escort, marked by personal decline. Shen, meanwhile, failed his degree, delivers food, and studies independently, representing the fading of youthful brilliance.

The day of the university entrance exams arrives, and the protagonist (Fa Ling) calmly faces the test, demonstrating the maturity he has cultivated. Soon, the tragic news arrives that Shen, after arguing with her boyfriend and spending the previous evening in the rain, suffers a fever and is unable to complete the exam. Shen's mother declares she has given up on her daughter, lamenting the tragic turn her life has taken. At the post-exam party, the differences become even more pronounced: the protagonist (Fa Ling) receives praise and admiration, while Shen and her boyfriend, caught up in alcohol and confrontations, are viewed with contempt by their classmates. Jan Yang, the boyfriend, boasts of his "youthful recklessness" and mocks the protagonist (Fa Ling) for being "boring" and not living his youth to the fullest. The exam results solidify the contrast: Shen scores just over 300 points, relegating her to vocational training; Jan Yang barely surpasses 200. The protagonist (Fa Ling), on the other hand, receives congratulations for achieving 729 points, the best result in the province, and his fame grows exponentially. At the graduation banquet, the Shen family displays their shame, while other parents comment on Shen's failure and the protagonist's success, symbolizing the fall of one star and the rise of another.

After the accident, the protagonist (Fa Ling) definitively ends his relationship with Shen Ruyan. They both evolve in opposite directions: he throws himself completely into his studies, once again achieving top honors in the city and becoming a favorite of teachers and classmates, receiving accolades and admiration. Shen Ruyan, on the other hand, becomes even more involved with her boyfriend and, following rumors, becomes pregnant after a night of youthful passion. Unable to ask their families for help, they request 2,000 yuan from the protagonist for an abortion. He, hurt and astonished by the contrast between Shen's past—filled with money and affection—and her present, refuses. Shen demands the return of the model kit he once gave her so he can sell it to finance the abortion. The scene depicts Shen's emotional breakdown and transformation into someone unrecognizable. Finally, after a failed abortion at an illegal clinic and severe bleeding, Shen still appears proud and posts messages of love "at any price." Her reputation is damaged, and she is ostracized by classmates and teachers, relegated to the back of the classroom, and abandoned by those who once surrounded her. Shen immerses herself in irresponsible activities, losing all interest in academics, while she and the protagonist become parallel paths that will never intersect again.

The story begins when the protagonist (Fa Ling) and Shen Ruyan, his childhood friend, agree to apply together to a prestigious university. However, in their third year, Shen falls for the rebellious new student, causing a rift and worry for the protagonist. Although he advises her to maintain her academic focus, she succumbs to rebellion, resulting in a dramatic drop in her grades: she goes from first to around 200th place. Parents and teachers lament Shen's transformation and the negative influence of her boyfriend. The protagonist, having achieved first place in his provincial ranking and given a speech on responsibility in youth, sees the gap between him and Shen widen. Attempts at mediation fail, as Shen resists any advice, and their relationship suffers greatly. The climax of this chapter is a cruel incident: Shen tricks him into going to a warehouse, where he is locked inside and forced to jump out of a window, suffering a broken leg and losing his chance to compete in the physics olympiad. Physical pain and disappointment mark the end of a friendship that seems irreparably broken.