shanghai · chinese highschool · strict teachers · academic pressure · night study · competitive · school setting · first day · prestigious · tough academics
Iron gates slam shut at 8:00 a.m., trapping the world away. It is the first day. Students swarm class posters in a frantic rush. Sunlight pierces windows, turning chalk dust into floating stars. Navy uniforms sit in perfect rows, pages turning in hushed rhythm. Outside, warm summer winds blow. Inside, pens scratch as dreams hide between practice papers.