Chapter 1: An unexpected invitation

In the late summer of 2013, Yang Jiang, a young woman on the cusp of a new chapter in her life, stood in her small hostel room, surrounded by the remnants of her graduate school years. The walls were adorned with postcards and photographs, each holding a memory of the friends and experiences she had accumulated during her time away from home. But amidst the chaos of packing, her gaze kept drifting back to a single photograph - a portrait of her mother, her gentle smile frozen in time. The ache of missing her family, especially her mother, grew stronger with each passing moment.

As she carefully folded her clothes and tucked away her belongings, a sudden knock on the door shattered the silence of the room. Yang Jiang's heart skipped a beat as she hurried to answer, wondering who could be seeking her out at this late hour. Opening the door, she was met with the familiar face of Liu Mei, a classmate from university. Mei's warm smile and outstretched hand held an unexpected invitation - a farewell party to mark the end of their semester. Despite her usual inclination to shy away from social gatherings, Yang Jiang found herself intrigued by the prospect of stepping out of her comfort zone and accepted the invitation with a tentative smile.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Wen Lin, a young man with a heart full of unspoken affection, found himself stirred from his slumber by a phone call from his cousin. The news of the university's closing ceremony and the presence of his long-time crush, the sister of his best friend, sent a jolt of excitement through him. Memories of their past encounters flooded his mind, from the innocent teasing with her brother to the stolen glances and unspoken words that lingered between them. Determined to seize this opportunity to finally bridge the gap between them, Wen Lin sprang into action, preparing himself for the evening ahead with a mix of nerves and anticipation.

As the hours ticked by, the paths of Yang Jiang and Wen Lin unknowingly converged, each carrying their own hopes and fears as they made their way to the farewell party. Little did they know that this seemingly ordinary gathering would set into motion a series of events that would intertwine their lives in ways they could never have imagined. And as the night unfolded, filled with laughter, music, and the promise of new beginnings, the threads of fate began to weave a tapestry of love, loss, and redemption that would bind them together in ways they could never have foreseen.