Chinese Novel Review 1

The Youthful You Who Was So Beautiful

Rate 5/5
Complete translation 29 + 2 epilogue

Summary
Is there a possibility, that love doesn’t exist in the world?

Adapted into a movie, Better Days with Jackson Yi and Zhou DongYu.

Review
I didn't know the movie, when I read the summary I feel like what the hell is this summary... I thought this would be a bitter sweet love story but never thought it's really really bitter and sweet and dark. I seldom read story about school since usually it's too pure and have common drama school love. Thankfully I didn't miss this gem. I cried from half the story. I wondered how I found murder story in disguise as romance 2 times a row.
The story start when MC was called by form teacher (something like class teacher I guess), MC was asked by police about a student who just commit suicide by jumping from school building. MC was the last one who saw her since she has class duty at that time. MC didn't say anything to the police and went back to her class. The suicide girl was a beautiful girl and no one know why she commit suicide. Her best friend ask MC if she really didn't know anything. MC was pressured by the police, teacher, friend and the school bully.
She met ML in alley after school, ML was beaten by hooligans. MC is about to call police when she got caught by the hooligans, they make MC and ML kissed (kissed at first sight lol). MC money was taken by the hooligans. The next day she went to school like usual. She met ML again, ML gave her money back and went away. After being pressured, MC told the suicide girl best friend that the victim was bullied by Wei Cai. MC told her not to implicate her. but the friend got bullied too and told Wei Cai that she know from MC. MC got frightened and ask her teacher to pick and sent her home. MC live alone because her mom wok far away. She try to ask her mom to come back, but her mom dismiss her and only comfort her to stay strong until college (the mom didn't know about the school bullying). MC met ML several times and they got close. One day the teacher said she can't pick her again. MC felt terrified and call Zheng Yi, a young police officer who took care the suicide case. MC told Zheng Yi that actually the suicide girl told her before her death, she said there's no way all of you don't know that she got bullied. Zheng Yi felt guilty because Wei Cai didn't got any punishment due to underage and despite bullying MC they can't do anything. Zheng Yi keep sending her back to fro school until he got busy with a case. MC went home alone and met Wei Cai. At this time Wei Cai already got dismissed by school. MC run away to ML place, she wait him outside his home for a night. ML got furious and promise to protect her.
ML father was a rape criminal who died due to AIDS because he raped a prostitute which is ML mother. ML mother didn't care about him and leave him in foster care. ML live alone in abandoned building and often loitering with his friend as hooligans (the first time he met MC, he was sick so he was beaten).
ML began following MC back to/fro school. He followed her from distance and didn't have any contact with her. Both of them know they pursue different path. MC tried to get into Beijing college to get away while ML is a hooligan who can only do odd jobs after graduation. They concealed their relationship. Gradually MC lived with ML.

This is where you should read the novel if you want. The next part is the main plot. I'm not good with words, the original story is much better than my summary and some twist too which I didn't mention.

One day ML got caught up with his mother. MC was caught by Wei Cai and got humiliated. ML cried while embracing her for the whole night.
The next day ML is waiting in front of MC school. He was afraid MC will get bullied again. Then he noticed MC didn't come out like usual. When he search her, MC called him. When ML met MC, she held a bloody knife. MC told him she was called by Wei Cai and got threaten with her nake video. MC brought a knife from ML home, they fought and MC stab Wei Cai. She got panicked and run away. ML assured her and took the knife. He checked Wei Cai and told MC he didn't find her.
Some time later, Wei Cai was found dead under the collapse bridge. MC told ML, ML assured her everything is fine that she didn't kill Wei Cai. MC believed ML. Later Zheng Yi found out MC got bullied by Wei Cai. He keep investigating the case. The police conclude Wei Cai murder is the same with serial rape case recently. Every evidence points to ML. ML admit he was the rapist and murder Wei Cai. Zheng Yi got frustate because he know ML is hiding something. The evidence is too smooth and keep pointing to ML. MC deny any relation to ML. The police already saw MC video where she got humiliated by Wei Cai, she got stripped naked and paraded to the street, they shout that they sold MC with cheap price, some bystander also humiliate MC. The police know MC and ML knew each other, they thought ML is protecting MC crime. ML and MC keep their mouth shut and deny to know each other. ML said he stalked and targeted MC.
Zheng Yi found out that ML is not the rapist, he also didn't murder Wei Cai. He only kill the last person, Lai Qing who was ML best friend. ML deny Zheng Yi hypothesis and keep his mouth shut. Zheng Yi found evidence that Lai Qing is the rapist, he also found both Lai Qing and ML has the same knife. He realize why ML keep refusing his help. Because MC stab Wei Cai and Lai Qing murdered Wei Cai with the same knife model on the same place. It will be difficult to prove MC didn't kill Wei Cai. So ML devised the plan to take Lai Qing crime as rapist and Wei Cai murder.
Zheng Yi promised ML that he will protect MC and find the evidence. Finally ML told the truth. He actually didn't want to kill Lai Qing. But at that night Lai Qing showed MC video. Lai Qing didn't know ML and MC relation. In the video Lai Qing join to humiliate MC, he also masturbate on MC face. ML got angry and killed him. ML got jailed for 7 years.
MC went to Beijing and study law. She is waiting for ML released. The first epilogue is Zheng Yi letter to MC, he told ML activity in prison and apologize to MC because he can't protect her when she got bullied. He asked her if she still believe in kindness and love in this world. The 2nd epilogue is MC letter to Zheng Yi 5 years later, ML already got released due to good attitude. He stayed with MC. MC said she never reply Zheng Yi letter because she was angry with him who help the other bully for light punishment. She already forgot about her bad experience but she still couldn't forgive the bullies. She actually hate all the people at that city who is indifferent with her and ML suffering. She can become strong because ML is there for her and shoulder half of her suffering.
MC told Zheng Yi that ML is really a good person because he is the only one who protect her. She would always depend and believe him no matter what. MC answered Zheng Yi question if she still believed in kindness and love, she said she still believe it only because of ML and only to ML.