Chapter Summaries

Wang Yue and Miaomiao arrived at school after the dorms had locked, leaving Miaomiao embarrassed about how the night appeared. The next day, Miaomiao proposed a joint Fashion Design and Architecture culture-week fashion show, and Wang Yue offered to fund it through his studios, turning it into a popular campus event.

• The taxi driver took Wang Yue and Miaomiao on a series of detours before dropping them at the school gates just as the dorms closed, and he drove off after asking Wang Yue for a good review.
• The next morning, Wang Yue and Miaomiao met Lin Kaituo, He Xin, and A Xia before class, and Lin Kaituo’s remarks made Miaomiao more embarrassed about the night before.
• Jia Yin and the Architecture Department head asked Wang Yue and Miaomiao which department should lead the joint culture week, and Wang Yue suggested combining fashion with architectural elements.
• Miaomiao proposed letting students design outfits inspired by architecture and holding a fashion show on the event’s final day.
• Wang Yue offered for First Love Fashion Design Studio and Yujian Architectural Design Studio to cover the costs, and Jia Yin and the department head approved the plan.
• Jia Yin and the department head opened participation to both departments, and the culture-week event quickly became popular with students.

Miaomiao and Wang Yue collaborated on creative designs, then their earlier architectural project won first prize in the Architecture Department competition despite their declining the exchange opportunity. President Fang hired them to design Fang Corporation’s headquarters, while Wang Yue also began planning a headquarters for their own studio.

• Miaomiao proposed a cultural shirt inspired by ancient Chinese architecture, earning praise from the judges but few student orders.
• Wang Yue’s simple strawberry-building shirt missed the top five but proved popular with students, and Miaomiao defended his effort.
• Miaomiao suggested entering the architecture competition with Wang Yue, but he declined the chance to study abroad and the department head submitted their earlier design without them.
• Wang Yue and Miaomiao’s design won first prize, and Liang Younian received the exchange opportunity after they turned theirs down.
• President Fang invited Wang Yue and Miaomiao to design Fang Corporation’s headquarters, and Wang Yue accepted while requesting construction-company recommendations for their own studio headquarters.
• Liang Younian struggled with his romantic prospects and felt overshadowed by Wang Yue, who had followed him from school into the same local university.

Wang Yue and Miaomiao expanded their design businesses, built headquarters for both studios, and partnered with an anime convention while Miaomiao grew closer to her engagement and family. More than a year later, their companies had moved into Ming Garden, Jia Yin joined the fashion company part-time, and Wang Yue turned his attention to recruiting Li Sichen.

• Fang Xiaoyue persuaded her father to give Liang Younian the retirement-apartment project, then went abroad with him, leaving Wang Yichao heartbroken.
• Wang Yue agreed to build a headquarters for the Architectural Design Company after Lin Kaituo and the other founding members complained that First Love Fashion Design Studio was getting a building.
• Wang Yue and Miaomiao designed a giant banana headquarters beside the strawberry-shaped building, and locals named the complex Ming Garden.
• Wang Yue partnered with the anime convention organizers, assigned architectural work to Lin Kaituo and the studio, and put A Xia in charge of the fashion designs.
• Xia's father changed jobs to spend more time with his daughters, later becoming manager of a garment factory acquired by Wang Yue.
• After more than a year, Wang Yue and Miaomiao invited Jia Yin to become a part-time director, and Wang Yue planned to recruit Li Sichen for the Architectural Design Company.

Wang Yue recruited Li Sichen to his company by tempting him with the chance to work near Teacher Jia, then joined Fang Corporation’s retirement-complex design project with Miaomiao. After Wang Yue defeated Liang Younian in the competition, he returned to First Love Fashion Design, where Miaomiao’s talent continued to shine.

• Li Sichen abandoned his vow to devote himself to teaching after Wang Yue revealed that Teacher Jia worked nearby, and he agreed to join Wang Yue’s company.
• Wang Yue and Miaomiao’s companies prospered, and Haicheng University’s expanded architecture and fashion event prepared to welcome new student designers and industry representatives.
• Lin Kaituo traded places with Wang Yue, taking responsibility for recruiting at the university event while Wang Yue joined Fang Corporation’s design project with Miaomiao.
• Wang Yue’s retirement-complex design beat Liang Younian’s, though Liang’s safety-focused work earned recognition from major construction companies.
• Wang Yue passed his design ideas to Lin Kaituo and returned to the fashion company, where Miaomiao continued producing designs and Wang Yue contributed especially to traditional-style clothing.

Wang Yue and Miaomiao won fashion awards, graduated, married, and built successful careers and a family together. When a former teacher praised Wang Yue as a genius student while their children enrolled at Haida, his system recognized the skill and returned him to his original world.

• Wang Yue and Miaomiao won the Best Creative Design Award and New Fashion Designer Award at an international fashion show, then graduated with double degrees.
• After Miaomiao became pregnant, Wang Yue and Miaomiao prepared for their wedding, and Wang Yue worried that his high school classmates might trigger the system to send him away.
• More than a decade later, Wang Yue and Miaomiao were renowned experts, their children enrolled at Haida, and Miaomiao had become exceptionally skilled at the Sunflower Manual.
• Wang Yue took Miaomiao and their children to Haida to register, where they ran into his former math teacher and her son.
• The teacher praised Wang Yue as a genius student, prompting the system to recognize his skill and return him to his original world.

After returning from the world of First Love, Wang Yue realized his Internal Energy from that world had vanished, then helped Luo Youyou respond to concerns about her brother Luo Peng’s dangerous mission. He demonstrated a convincing disguise that made one of Old Master Luo’s bodyguards look like Luo Peng, and agreed to maintain it while Luo Peng was away.

• Wang Yue realized the Scummy System had sent him back unexpectedly, that his otherworldly Internal Energy was gone, and that he was close to cultivating a trace of it in the real world.
• Luo Youyou mistook Wang Yue’s daze for infatuation with Maimai’s show, but he caught up with her and learned Luo Peng had gone on a mission.
• Wang Yue reassured Luo Youyou that he could locate Luo Peng if needed and offered to disguise someone as her brother to reduce the risk of his mission being exposed.
• Wang Yue accompanied Luo Youyou to the Luo residence and explained his plan to Old Master Luo.
• With a bodyguard’s cooperation, Wang Yue made him look almost exactly like Luo Peng, and offered to touch up the disguise each day.

Wang Yue used his computer skills to rescue Luo Peng and two injured men from their pursuers by manipulating a traffic light. He then uncovered information about the company behind the attack and prepared evidence to help Luo Peng’s investigation.

• Wang Yue drove Luo Youyou to work for several days and practiced martial arts at home before curiosity about Luo Peng’s operation led him to track Luo Peng online.
• Luo Peng and two companions fled down an alley while supporting the badly wounded Xiao Han, but their pursuers followed them onto the main road.
• Wang Yue made the traffic light stay red for the pursuers, giving Luo Peng and the others time to escape until police cars arrived.
• Wang Yue restored the traffic light and traced the pursuers to a trading company under covert investigation by police from across the north.
• Wang Yue gathered useful information about the company and saved it to add to Luo Peng’s evidence later.

After Luo Peng returned safely, Luo Youyou suspected Wang Yue had helped him, but Wang Yue denied it. When he answered Luo Youyou’s phone and saw its video ringtone playing The Story of Minglan, the system sent him into that world, where he found himself mistaken for a man blocking the Sheng family’s gate during Hualan’s betrothal ceremony.

• Luo Peng returned from his mission with two subordinates, and all three received promotions for their service.
• Luo Youyou asked Wang Yue whether he had caused the traffic light incident that helped Luo Peng, but he denied knowing about it.
• Luo Youyou invited Wang Yue to her high school reunion, and she explained that her colleague Xia Xia had changed everyone’s office ringtones after rewatching The Story of Minglan.
• Wang Yue picked up Luo Youyou’s ringing phone, saw its video ringtone, and the system transported him into The Story of Minglan.
• Wang Yue realized he was at the Sheng family’s betrothal ceremony and claimed to Sheng Changbai that he had come with his father to celebrate but had become separated from him.

Wang Yue attended the Sheng family’s betrothal celebration, where he met Gu Tingye and warned Sheng Changbai that Hualan’s married life might be difficult. Days later, the three became friends, and Wang Yue agreed to study with Changbai for the imperial examinations while Gu Tingye declined.

• Wang Yue joined the crowd at the Sheng family’s betrothal ceremony, and Old Father Wang found him and ordered him to behave.
• After the pitch-pot contest ended, Wang Yue casually tossed an arrow into the pot and then encountered Sheng Changbai speaking with Gu Tingye.
• Wang Yue told Changbai to prepare for Hualan’s future troubles and explained that Gu Tingye had been manipulated into nearly winning the betrothal goose.
• Gu Tingye apologized to Changbai, who accepted and lent him a map; the three arranged to meet again.
• A few days later, Wang Yue met Gu Tingye and Changbai, and the three went shopping and chatted aboard a pleasure boat.
• Changbai invited Wang Yue and Gu Tingye to study with him under Scholar Zhuang; Wang Yue accepted, but Gu Tingye declined because of his military upbringing.

Wang Yue and Gu Tingye fought off assassins who attacked Sheng Changbai on a boat, then escorted him safely home with two captives. Sheng Hong heard Changbai’s account and went to interrogate the survivors.

• A masked man attacked Gu Tingye’s servant, and Wang Yue distracted him with a chopstick before another attacker came at Gu Tingye.
• Wang Yue and Gu Tingye fought off the attackers with chopsticks, axes, and a saber while protecting Sheng Changbai.
• Wang Yue led Gu Tingye and Changbai through the crowd, captured two men lying in wait, and escorted Changbai to Sheng Mansion.
• Changbai reported the attack to Sheng Hong and Madam Sheng, who confirmed that he was unharmed.
• Sheng Hong sent Changbai, Wang Yue, and Gu Tingye to rest, then went to question the two surviving captives.

After the attack on Gu Tingye exposed the Bai Family’s plot, Sheng Hong and the Suzhou prefect contained the scandal while Wang Yue helped Changbai manage a household emergency. When Sheng Hong was promoted and prepared to move to the Eastern Capital, Wang Yue considered joining the journey but realized his family’s clan school in Fuzhou might be a better place to study.

• The two surviving attackers revealed that Bai Tingyu had ordered the ambush on Gu Tingye, and Sheng Hong took them to the prefect, who joined him in dealing with the Bai Family.
• Gu Tingye limited his claim to the estate his maternal grandfather had given him, allowing the prefect and Sheng Hong to calm the affair; meanwhile, Concubine Lin remained locked away in First Wife’s side room.
• Wang Yue found discarded tea leaves in the Sheng household, and Changbai recognized them as the family’s tea but kept the discovery private.
• When Concubine Wei went into labor with the household’s senior women and midwives unavailable, Wang Yue urged Changbai to take charge, and Changbai welcomed a younger brother after the birth.
• After Sheng Hong’s promotion led Gu Tingye to plan a trip to the Eastern Capital with the Sheng family, Wang Yue considered going along to study with Scholar Zhuang.
• Wang Yue discussed the trip with his father, then remembered that the Wang clan school in Fuzhou had a strong record of producing Jinshi.

Wang Yue settled into life in the Eastern Capital, building his estate and businesses while studying with the Sheng family. As his friends grew up, he noticed Qi Heng's interest in a handkerchief and questioned Gu Tingye about the woman he had taken in.

• Wang Yue traveled to the Eastern Capital, bought a house and estate, and began studying with Scholar Zhuang alongside the Sheng family.
• Wang Yue's peach blossom wine and Youjian Inn became popular as he built information networks and pursued good food.
• Wang Yue invited Changbai to share new goods, but Qi Heng returned and complained that Wang Yue favored Changbai.
• Changbai recovered Qi Heng's handkerchief through Madam Sheng, and Wang Yue realized the young people around him had reached marriageable age.
• Wang Yue and Changbai welcomed Gu Tingye back from White Grotto Academy, and Gu Tingye explained that he had taken in Man Niang.
• Wang Yue questioned Gu Tingye's story about Man Niang's journey and the misfortunes that had left her in his care.

Gu Tingye, Changbai, and Wang Yue discussed Gu Tingye’s concubine before encountering Qi Heng with a sleeping Minglan. At Mr. Zhuang’s lesson, Qi Heng’s gifts to Minglan and her sisters stirred awkward feelings, while Wang Yue deflected the conversation and the class began.

• Wang Yue told a cautionary story about a woman who repaid two benefactors differently, prompting Gu Tingye to recognize his warning about his concubine.
• The group found Qi Heng fanning a sleeping Minglan, and Wang Yue suggested that Changdong recuperate at his estate.
• Minglan worried that her mother, Concubine Wei, could not conveniently go to Wang Yue’s estate and resolved to find another way to help her.
• During class, Ru Lan revealed that Minglan had given her a brush from Qi Heng, and Mo Lan said Minglan had given her one too, upsetting Qi Heng.
• Wang Yue offered everyone Wolf-hair brushes, then argued against Mr. Zhuang’s idea of school uniforms because poor families could not afford them.

Wang Yue devised a scheme to make the Gu family pay a heavy price for falsely blaming Gu Tingye for a brothel debt. First Wife Gu paid a pile of forged gambling IOUs, while the men behind the scheme escaped and her own pursuers vanished.

• Shi Tou told Wang Yue and Changbai that Gu Tingye had been accused of a brothel debt and punished without anyone checking the signed receipt.
• Wang Yue concluded that someone was targeting Gu Tingye and proposed using forged gambling IOUs to expose how the Gu family handled the accusations.
• Wang Yue arranged for Changbai to keep Gu Tingye away and told Shi Tou to help bring the new IOUs to the Gu residence.
• First Wife Gu took the gambling IOUs and paid their listed amounts rather than risk having the earlier brothel debt investigated.
• Wang Yue's men disappeared after collecting the silver, and First Wife Gu's followers failed to return, so she kept quiet about the loss.

Wang Yue exposed the Gu household’s careless payment of fake debt claims, making Old Master Gu a laughingstock across the Capital and leaving Gu Tingye worried about his father. Later, Wang Yue brought Changdong to the Sheng Mansion, where Minglan and Ru Lan fell in front of the guests, leaving Sheng Hong furious.

• Wang Yue arranged for porridge to be distributed with money collected from the Gu household, while rumors spread that Old Master Gu had paid fraudulent debt claims without checking them.
• At court, Old Master Gu learned that the Capital considered him a fool, fainted, and later requested an extended leave from the Emperor.
• After hearing that his father had fainted, Gu Tingye hurried back to the marquis’s residence despite Wang Yue’s warning.
• Wang Yue stayed at Peach Blossom Manor with Changdong, then took him to the Sheng Mansion once his health had improved; Changbai welcomed them despite the visiting Madam Wu, Liang Han, and Qi Heng.
• As Changdong greeted Sheng Hong, Minglan and Ru Lan toppled a screen and fell in front of the guests, while Mo Lan tried to explain and Sheng Hong grew angry.

Minglan, Ru Lan, and Wang Yue helped defuse Sheng Hong’s anger by arranging for Little Changdong and Concubine Wei to recuperate at Peach Blossom Manor. Old Madam Sheng decided the family would stay there, both to arrange lessons with Mama Kong and to keep a close eye on Wang Yue.

• Little Changdong tugged Wang Yue’s clothes, and Wang Yue and Qi Heng helped explain Minglan and Ru Lan’s actions as concern for their brother.
• Sheng Hong softened and asked Madam Sheng to take Minglan and Ru Lan to Old Madam Sheng to discuss sending Little Changdong and Concubine Wei to Peach Blossom Manor.
• Old Madam Sheng proposed inviting Mama Kong to teach the girls and planned to arrange for a renowned gynecologist to examine Hualan.
• Little Changdong explained that Wang Yue’s manor had many empty courtyards, hot springs, and abundant fresh food, and said Wang Yue had welcomed the family.
• Old Madam Sheng agreed to arrange the stay and decided to watch Wang Yue closely after suspecting he might be interested in Minglan.

Wang Yue arranged for Old Madam Sheng and the others to recuperate at his peach grove estate, where he revealed its unusual array and promised to teach Changdong exercises. Minglan joined Changdong for the lessons and asked Wang Yue to teach her as well so she could help her mother grow stronger.

• Wang Yue persuaded Sheng Hong to let Old Madam Sheng and the others travel to his estate while Changbai continued his studies.
• Mo Lan decided to stay home, while Ru Lan and Minglan were relieved she would not join them.
• At the estate, Wang Yue explained to Old Madam Sheng and Changbai that the peach grove was arranged as an array and promised to teach Changdong body-conditioning exercises.
• Changdong arrived at Wang Yue's courtyard at the hour of the Dragon and asked whether his mother and Minglan could learn the exercises too.
• Minglan came with Xiaotao and asked Wang Yue to teach her so she could teach her mother, and he agreed.

Wang Yue returned to Eastern Capital for the metropolitan examination, where he placed sixth and Changbai placed thirteenth. After reuniting with Wang Anshi and resolving to help him, Wang Yue was left to prepare for the palace examination as his father planned to return home.

• Before leaving He Manor, Changdong gave Wang Yue and Changbai Minglan's handmade knee warmers, and Wang Yue gave Changdong a restorative prescription for his family to review.
• Back at the Sheng residence, Wang Yue and Changbai shared Minglan's knee warmers with Changfeng, Qi Heng, and Gu Tingye, while Mo Lan offered to play the qin for the exam candidates.
• Wang Yue took the metropolitan examination and was surprised to find his father waiting outside with his uncle Wang Anshi; he resolved to help Wang Anshi achieve his ambitions.
• Wang Anshi and Old Father Wang visited Wang Yue's residence, and Sheng Hong brought Changbai and Changfeng to greet them.
• The examination results showed Wang Yue in sixth place and Changbai in thirteenth, while Changfeng, Qi Heng, and Gu Tingye failed.
• Old Father Wang congratulated Wang Yue on passing the Jinshi examination, said he would return home to his wife, and told Wang Yue he would not force him to become an official.

Wang Yue comforted Gu Tingye about his father’s feelings, but Gu Tingye later learned that his eldest brother had exposed an old remark and cost him his chance to pass the Jinshi exam. Gu Tingye decided to leave his household and make his own way, and Wang Yue urged him to pursue a military career.

• Wang Yue told his father he would consider marriage later, and Old Father Wang returned to Suzhou.
• Gu Tingye and Changbai joined Wang Yue for drinks, where Wang Yue suggested Gu Tingye’s father had secretly protected his assets and cared about him.
• Gu Tingye learned he had been barred from examinations for fifty years after someone reported his childhood sympathy for Yang Wuduan.
• Gu Tingye suspected his eldest brother had exposed him and told Wang Yue he wanted to leave for Yangzhou.
• Wang Yue urged Gu Tingye to join the army and reminded him of their youthful plan to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun.

Gu Tingye’s impulsive quarrel with Old Master Gu drove him to leave for the south with Man Niang, while Nanny Chang stayed in the Eastern Capital with the children. Wang Yue later earned the Emperor’s approval in the palace examination, became Tanhualang, and began working under Wang Anshi at the Hanlin Academy.

• Man Niang took Rong Jie to Gu Residence and demanded a place as Gu Tingye’s concubine, prompting Gu Tingye to confront Old Master Gu and accuse him of causing Madam Bai’s death.
• Gu Tingye left the Gu family with Man Niang and Rong Jie, then realized Wang Yue’s warning that he had acted rashly and damaged his chance to investigate his mother’s death.
• Wang Yue advised Gu Tingye to leave the children with Nanny Chang in the Eastern Capital, and Gu Tingye took Man Niang south without them.
• Wang Yue learned that Sheng Hong had been kept in the palace after Changfeng discussed the Crown Prince’s affairs at a restaurant, and Sheng Hong returned the next day.
• Wang Yue impressed the Emperor with his palace examination essays and was named Tanhualang and a Hanlin Academy compiler.
• Wang Anshi assigned Wang Yue to work by his side at the Hanlin Academy, where Wang Yue began studying his ideas and reforms.