Sang Zhi is thirteen, top of her class, endlessly feisty, and completely uninterested in romance. In fact, her biggest talent seems to be driving her older brother crazy. Then she meets Duan Jiaxu, her brother’s college roommate. Warm, teasing, and impossibly kind, Duan Jiaxu treats her like the little sister she insists she isn’t. For the first time, she finds herself lingering in doorways, plotting ridiculous schemes, and guarding a secret crush she knows she shouldn’t have. Time passes. Life pulls them apart. Years later, in college, a chance reunion brings them face-to-face again. Yet Sang Zhi is no longer the awkward girl he remembers. As old feelings resurface, she begins to wonder whether the boy who once saw her as a child might finally see her differently…or if some distances can never truly be crossed.
Even though they’ve reconnected as adults, Sang Zhi is determined to act normal around her longtime crush, Duan Jiaxu. When he suddenly begins to chase her, she can hardly believe it—and she keeps her distance, convinced it’s too good to be true. Meanwhile, a shadow from Duan Jiaxu’s past starts interfering in his life again. The trouble reaches Sang Zhi as well, forcing her to confront the parts of his world he’s always tried to shield her from. But as she learns more about his family and the insecurities he hides behind his easy smile, her feelings only grow stronger. When an upsetting encounter pushes them closer, they seem ready to close the gap. But are they truly prepared for what comes next?