During his teenage years in the fictional town of Qunshan, Jiang meets Lin Qile, played by actress Zhao Jinmai, the female protagonist raised by supportive, affectionate parents. The Lin family's warmth becomes rare solace in Jiang's troubled childhood, while Lin also helps Jiang bond with her tight-knit group of friends.

The drama traces how these childhood bonds shape the group's coming-of-age journeys.

Unlike the near-perfect heroes he's portrayed in historical dramas, Jiang is flawed and vulnerable. Zhang describes the character as his "most grounded and relatable "role to date.

"He lives with constant emotional tension. His upbringing makes it difficult for him to express how he really feels."

To prepare for the part, Zhang looked inward. Raised in a strict household himself, he drew on personal memories.

Zhang describes his parents as "reserved" — his mother was the strong-willed decision-maker in the family, while his father was kind but "somewhat indecisive".

Their parenting style was strict.

"They never said 'Son, you're amazing' when I did well in exams. Instead, it was always 'You can do better'," Zhang recalls.

The emotional restraint of his upbringing stayed with him.

"For years, I found it hard to say 'I love you' to my parents or even compliment my friends," Zhang reflects.

"That made it tough to open up on screen too. Early in my career, I was always anxious — worried about how my acting would be received. Negative feedback really shook my confidence."