Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao, a contestant on the variety show "Lots of Brain Juice," is confident about competing in the semifinals despite the challenging format changes.
• The semifinals have three rounds, with the top five advancing to the finals. The finals will feature contestant-created challenges.
• The first semifinal challenge, "Fifty Shades of Grey," involves identifying two missing glasses from a row of fifty, each containing varying amounts of black ink mixed with water.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao maintains his confidence and composure despite the challenging nature of the semifinals.
• Other contestants show varying levels of anxiety, hopelessness, and resignation when faced with the first challenge's absurd difficulty.

Significant Themes

• The theme of confidence and composure under pressure is highlighted through Chen Zhao's character.
• The challenge's absurd difficulty and the contestants' reactions emphasize the theme of perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao interacts with the show's staff, who treat him with great enthusiasm and respect.
• The contestants' interactions are characterized by shared anxiety and despair when faced with the first challenge.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The first semifinal event involves identifying two cups of water with slightly different ink concentrations among 52 cups.
• Contestants draw lots to determine their order. Chen Zhao draws number 10.
• Yu Bi (number 1) goes first and identifies one correct cup (26) out of two.
• Subsequent contestants struggle, with most not identifying any correct cups.
• Chen Zhao (number 10) takes the stage.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Initially confused, he discovers he can see the color differences after intense focus. He remains confident but observant.
• Yu Bi: Shows determination and gets one correct answer, boosting her confidence.
• Zhou Teng (number 8): Struggles and fails to identify any correct cups, showing his limitations.

Significant Themes

• Perseverance: Contestants struggle but continue trying, highlighting their determination.
• Adaptability: Chen Zhao adapts to the challenge by focusing and discovering a new ability.
• Popularity: Chen Zhao gains some popularity among the audience.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao observes his rivals' performances, learning from their struggles.
• The audience interacts with the contestants, showing support or skepticism based on their performances.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The challenge involves identifying two cups of water among fifty, with the help of two lucky audience members who take away two cups.
• Chen Zhao completes the challenge in 21 seconds, impressing the audience and contestants alike.
• Qiu Feng, an ALS patient, completes the challenge in 3 minutes and 10 seconds, demonstrating remarkable mental prowess despite her physical limitations.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Confident and arrogant, he lives up to his prediction of being like Guan Yu slaying Hua Xiong while the wine is still warm.
• Qiu Feng: Despite her ALS, she shows exceptional mental agility and determination, earning respect from the audience and contestants.

Significant Themes

• Luck vs. Skill: The challenge is designed to test luck, but both Chen Zhao and Qiu Feng demonstrate exceptional skill in completing it quickly.
• Overcoming Adversity: Qiu Feng's condition highlights her resilience and determination in the face of physical limitations.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Qiu Feng: Though they haven't interacted directly, both have earned each other's respect. Chen Zhao predicted Qiu Feng would do well, and she proves him right.
• Contestants and Audience: Chen Zhao's swift completion of the challenge ignites the audience's enthusiasm, while his and Qiu Feng's performances earn them admiration from the other contestants.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The second event, "Thousand-Hand Guanyin," involves memorizing a thousand palm prints and finding a matching half-print.
• Chen Zhao volunteers to go first and memorizes the prints in only two minutes.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao demonstrates exceptional photographic memory, boosting his confidence and the audience's expectations.
• Other contestants show varying levels of confidence and skill, with some despairing and others excited.

Significant Themes

• The power of memory and its role in competition.
• The contrast between exceptional abilities and ordinary human limitations.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao interacts with the audience, showing off his confidence and skill.
• The audience reacts to Chen Zhao's performance, with some expressing disbelief and others admiring his abilities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao participates in a palm print memorization challenge on a TV show, impressing the audience with his speed and accuracy.
• He correctly identifies the matching palm print in just 2 minutes and 4 seconds, setting a new record.
• Backstage, contestants are astonished by Chen Zhao's performance, and he awaits the final challenge.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao demonstrates exceptional memory and processing skills, solidifying his status as a genius contestant.
• The other contestants are shown to be equally talented but struggle with the challenge compared to Chen Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Genius and exceptional ability, as exemplified by Chen Zhao's performance.
• The challenge of teaching and learning webnovel writing, hinted at through Editor Axe's call about online controversy.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao interacts with the host and audience, impressing them with his skill.
• He exchanges messages with Deng Zixin, his girlfriend, expressing his confidence and saving her selfie.
• Chen Zhao signs autographs for fans he encounters while out for lunch.
• Editor Axe calls Chen Zhao to inform him about the online controversy surrounding his webnovel writing class.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao discovers that "Whale Butt," a writer criticizing his webnovel teaching, has a controversial past and present.
• Several famous writers publicly denounce Chen Zhao's webnovel classes, labeling them a scam.
• Chen Zhao is advised by Editor Axe to stay silent, but he decides on a different course of action.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Becomes enraged by the accusations but also finds them ridiculous. He remains determined to prove his teaching abilities.
• Editor Axe: Reveals his experience in online flame wars, advising Chen Zhao on how to handle the situation.

Significant Themes

• The controversy surrounding Chen Zhao's webnovel classes and the debate on whether writing can be taught.
• The power dynamics and potential consequences of online fame and fanbases.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Editor Axe: They discuss the situation and Chen Zhao's potential responses, with Axe providing valuable insights based on his past experiences.
• Chen Zhao and the attacking writers: Although they do not interact directly, their online statements create a tense atmosphere.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao posts on Weibo addressing criticisms about his online fiction writing course, stating that his students will reveal their pen names at the end of the semester to prove his teaching methods.
• Chen Zhao wins the semifinals of the TV competition and returns home.
• Chen Zhao sees a lobster running down the street and tells Deng Zixin about it.
• Deng Zixin reveals that the lobster was meant for their dinner and had escaped from their home.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao remains confident and determined to prove his teaching methods, showing resilience against criticism.
• Deng Zixin is shown to be caring and thoughtful, planning a lobster dinner for Chen Zhao's return, but becomes upset when the lobster escapes.

Significant Themes

• Confidence and determination in the face of criticism.
• The power of communication and understanding between siblings.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin's sibling bond is strengthened as they share a strange and amusing experience.
• Chen Zhao's Weibo post sparks reactions from fans and critics, highlighting his influence and the controversy surrounding his teaching methods.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao begins attending advanced math classes taught by Professor Gustav.
• Chen Zhao studies independently, mastering complex mathematical concepts rapidly.
• Professor Gustav assigns challenging homework, which Chen Zhao consistently solves.
• Chen Zhao gains fame in class for his mathematical prowess.
• Chen Zhao meets and befriends Grigory, a wealthy Russian exchange student, and Ye Dajiang, a movie star.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao demonstrates exceptional self-study abilities and mathematical aptitude.
• Grigory shows enthusiasm and generosity, offering Chen Zhao a Bentley as a gift.
• Ye Dajiang is introduced as a rising star in the entertainment industry.

Significant Themes

• The importance of mastering science and mathematics for personal growth and opportunities.
• The impact of wealth and status on social interactions and relationships.
• The concept of "old money" and the vast differences in wealth between individuals.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Professor Gustav have a silent, respectful teacher-student relationship, with Professor Gustav acknowledging Chen Zhao's correct homework solutions.
• Chen Zhao and Grigory become friends, with Grigory showing admiration for Chen Zhao's mathematical skills and offering him a car as a token of their friendship.
• Chen Zhao and Ye Dajiang meet and become acquaintances, with Ye Dajiang likely seeking to befriend Chen Zhao due to his mathematical prowess.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao meets Ye Dajiang, a celebrity with a peculiar name, and learns his original name was Ye Dasuan.
• Chen Zhao meets Li Min'en, a captivatingly beautiful classmate, and saves her contact as "Little Fox."
• Chen Zhao receives a dinner invitation from Li Min'en, causing Deng Zixin to suspect him and exhibit jealousy.
• Deng Zixin discovers Chen Zhao's habit of saving contacts with animal-related names and demands to see her own contact name, which is "Her Majesty Queen Deng Zixin."

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Shows curiosity and naivety in his interactions with Ye Dajiang and Li Min'en. He also demonstrates strong survival instincts when dealing with Deng Zixin's jealousy.
• Ye Dajiang: Reveals that his name is a stage name, showing a level of self-awareness and understanding of his audience.
• Li Min'en: Exhibits flirtatious behavior towards Chen Zhao, showing confidence in her attractiveness and interest in him.
• Deng Zixin: Displays jealousy and possessiveness towards Chen Zhao, indicating her affection for him. She also shows a playful side when reacting to her contact name.

Significant Themes

• Names and identity: The chapter explores the significance of names and how they can influence one's identity and perception by others, as seen with Ye Dajiang's name change.
• Jealousy and possessiveness: Deng Zixin's reaction to Li Min'en's advances highlights the theme of jealousy and possessiveness in relationships.
• Survival instincts: Chen Zhao's behavior when dealing with Deng Zixin's jealousy showcases his strong survival instincts and desire to maintain harmony.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Ye Dajiang: Their interaction reveals Ye Dajiang's shyness and Chen Zhao's curiosity.
• Chen Zhao and Li Min'en: Their interaction shows Li Min'en's flirtatiousness and Chen Zhao's naivety and eventual caution due to Deng Zixin's jealousy.
• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin: Their interaction demonstrates Deng Zixin's jealousy, possessiveness, and playfulness, as well as Chen Zhao's desire to maintain harmony and avoid conflict.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao's webnovel writing class moves to a bigger classroom due to high demand, but it's still overcrowded.
• Foreign students join the class, and Chen Zhao tries to filter them out based on their understanding of webnovels and Chinese language skills.
• Chen Zhao delivers an energetic lecture, emphasizing the importance of a strong protagonist and exciting plot.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao shows his dedication and passion for teaching, pushing students to improve their writing skills.
• Foreign students demonstrate their determination to learn webnovel writing despite language barriers.

Significant Themes

• The power of a compelling protagonist and plot in webnovel writing.
• The importance of understanding and speaking the language when writing webnovels.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao interacts with his students, challenging them to improve and pushing them to leave if they're not committed.
• Foreign students interact with Chen Zhao, trying to prove their dedication and understanding of webnovels.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A meeting is called at the School of Literature, but Teacher Chen Zhao is missing.
• Chen Zhao's class ends, but students beg him to continue teaching, locking the doors to prevent him from leaving.
• Chen Zhao keeps teaching, while the School of Literature tries to contact him without success.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: He discovers that students enjoy his lectures and are eager to learn more, leading him to run overtime for the first time.
• Shen Meiyu: She becomes increasingly worried and frustrated as she can't reach Chen Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Enthusiasm for Learning: Students' eagerness to learn from an engaging teacher.
• Communication and Responsibility: Chen Zhao's lack of communication about his whereabouts causes concern among his colleagues.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and His Students: The students' enthusiasm for Chen Zhao's teaching leads to an unprecedented overtime session.
• Shen Meiyu and the Dean: They work together to locate Chen Zhao, expressing concern and frustration at his absence.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao, a teacher, is held back by students who don't want him to leave after an engaging lecture.
• The principal and other teachers investigate the commotion and find students eagerly listening to Chen Zhao's class.
• Chen Zhao urgently needs to use the restroom but is prevented from leaving by the enthusiastic students.
• After finally being allowed to go, Chen Zhao is forced back to continue teaching due to the students' insistence.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Shows passion for teaching, urgency in imparting knowledge, and a sense of humor in dealing with the unusual situation.
• Students: Display intense enthusiasm and fanaticism for Chen Zhao's class, showing respect and admiration for their teacher.

Significant Themes

• The power of engaging and effective teaching.
• The bond between teachers and students.
• The humor and absurdity that can arise from unusual classroom situations.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao interacts with his students, showing both authority and understanding in handling their enthusiasm.
• The principal and other teachers observe the situation, impressed by Chen Zhao's teaching skills and the students' enthusiasm.
• Students interact with each other and Chen Zhao, showing unity and determination in their desire to learn more.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao uses a psychological trick to make students accept his proposal to extend class time.
• He receives a massive number of missed calls and messages after class.
• Shen Meiyu calls for a meeting with teachers and professors.
• Shen Meiyu announces Chen Zhao's specific commendation and proposes him as a lifetime honorary professor.
• Shen Meiyu introduces the National Anonymous Writers Competition.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao demonstrates his teaching prowess and popularity among students.
• Shen Meiyu shows recognition and appreciation for Chen Zhao's teaching abilities.
• Other teachers and professors exhibit envy and admiration for Chen Zhao's achievement.

Significant Themes

• The power of exceptional teaching and personal charisma.
• Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance.
• The importance of fairness and equality in competitions (as seen in the Anonymous Writers Competition).

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao interacts with his students, demonstrating his influence over them.
• Chen Zhao communicates with Shen Meiyu, showing respect and gratitude.
• Teachers and professors interact with Chen Zhao, expressing envy, admiration, or confusion regarding his achievement.

Key Plot Points and Events

• President Shen Meiyu announces a university-wide anonymous writing competition, aiming for a top-ten ranking.
• She struggles to find volunteers among the teachers and professors, who are reluctant due to heavy workloads and the competition's uncertain nature.
• She eventually selects five participants, including Chen Zhao, a student who specializes in online literature.
• Shen Meiyu also announces an upcoming exchange program with Cambridge and MIT, requiring teachers to accompany visiting delegations and lead student delegations abroad.

Character Developments

• Shen Meiyu: Shows determination to improve the university's reputation and willingness to push teachers out of their comfort zones.
• Chen Zhao: Initially reluctant to participate in the writing competition, but later shows interest in the exchange program.

Significant Themes

• Reluctance to step out of one's comfort zone: Teachers and professors are hesitant to participate in the writing competition due to fear of failure and the unknown.
• The pressure to perform and maintain reputation: Shen Meiyu feels the need to prove the university's literary prowess and is willing to push teachers to achieve this.

Character Interactions

• Shen Meiyu and the teachers/professors: Shen Meiyu tries to persuade the teachers and professors to participate in the competition, but they initially resist due to their heavy workloads and uncertainty about the competition's format.
• Chen Zhao and his colleagues: Chen Zhao is initially reluctant to participate in the competition but later joins in the enthusiasm for the exchange program with his colleagues.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Meiyu, the university's vice president, announces an anonymous writer competition and that teachers will be evaluated for suitable candidates.
• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin's nightly dinner routine is interrupted when a stranger approaches them, recognizes Chen Zhao's unique gait as a 'dragon's stride, a tiger's pace', and kowtows to him.
• The stranger, a man in the lumber industry, claims to have a skill in reading faces and predicts that Chen Zhao will become an extraordinary person.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Chen Zhao is initially puzzled and disbelieving of the man's prediction, but it leaves him feeling confused and uncertain.
• Deng Zixin: Deng Zixin is initially alarmed by the man's behavior but quickly recovers and remains skeptical of the prediction.

Significant Themes

• Superstition vs. Rationality: The chapter explores the tension between traditional superstitions (like face-reading) and modern rationality.
• Perception vs. Reality: The man's perception of Chen Zhao's extraordinary potential contrasts with Chen Zhao's self-perception and reality.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin: The couple's dynamic is shown to be close and supportive, with Deng Zixin initially protective and later helping Chen Zhao process the strange encounter.
• Chen Zhao and the Stranger: Their interaction is brief but intense, with the stranger's prediction leaving a strong impression on Chen Zhao.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Lots of Brain Juice finale is approaching, generating significant hype and media attention.
• Chen Zhao discovers a forum betting on the finale's winner, with him leading the votes at 62%.
• The finale's events are announced: judging the height of a falling object by sound, memorizing QR codes, observing a stove flame's temperature, and rapid literature memorization.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao demonstrates confidence in his abilities and prepares for the events.
• Deng Zixin shows concern for Chen Zhao's preparations and supports him.

Significant Themes

• Confidence in one's abilities and preparation for challenges.
• The power of rapid memorization and observation skills.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao interacts with Deng Zixin, seeking her help in preparing for the events and discussing his strategies.
• Chen Zhao expresses amusement at the fourth event, as it plays to his strengths in rapid memorization.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao realizes the final event in the competition is a chess round robin, but he doesn't know how to play chess.
• He and Deng Zixin rush to buy a chess set before their flight.
• Chen Zhao tries to learn the rules quickly and asks Lu Dai for help, but she's unavailable.
• Chen Zhao asks a flight attendant if anyone on the crew can play chess, and the chief flight attendant agrees to play with him.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao shows determination and desperation to learn chess quickly for the competition.
• Deng Zixin supports Chen Zhao and tries to learn chess as well.
• Lu Dai is portrayed as a skilled chess player but also has a fierce auto-reply message.
• The chief flight attendant is professional and helpful, agreeing to play chess with Chen Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and determination: Chen Zhao's urgency to learn chess highlights his commitment to the competition.
• Unexpected challenges: The chess round robin event presents an unexpected hurdle for Chen Zhao.
• Support and teamwork: Deng Zixin's support and the chief flight attendant's willingness to help demonstrate the importance of teamwork and assistance in overcoming challenges.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin interact as a couple, with Deng Zixin showing concern and support for Chen Zhao's sudden chess learning endeavor.
• Chen Zhao interacts with the chief flight attendant, asking for her help in playing chess and offering red packets as an incentive.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao loses his first game of chess to the chief flight attendant, who is skilled and aggressive.
• Chen Zhao reveals he's a contestant on Lots of Brain Juice and needs to improve his chess skills for the final round-robin competition.
• The chief flight attendant agrees to help train Chen Zhao, and they play several intense games.
• Chen Zhao improves rapidly, eventually defeating the chief flight attendant multiple times.
• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin check into an expensive hotel, and Chen Zhao feels ripped off initially but changes his mind after seeing the room's luxurious features.
• Chen Zhao tries to contact Lu Dai for a chess game but decides against it due to her threatening message.
• Deng Zixin suggests Chen Zhao visit Chess Square, a public chess-playing area, to find opponents.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao demonstrates his quick learning and improvement in chess skills.
• The chief flight attendant shows her skill and willingness to help train Chen Zhao.
• Deng Zixin proves to be knowledgeable about local attractions and helpful to Chen Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Rapid learning and improvement.
• The existence of hidden talent among ordinary people (referring to the chess players at Chess Square).

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and the chief flight attendant engage in intense chess games, with the chief flight attendant initially dominating but eventually being defeated by Chen Zhao's rapid improvement.
• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin discuss their hotel room and Chen Zhao's search for chess opponents, leading to Deng Zixin's suggestion of Chess Square.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin arrive at Chess Square, a bustling hub for various board games, with a majority of elderly male players.
• Chen Zhao devises a strategy to attract opponents by offering a cash prize for winning and no penalty for losing, with a condition that after three consecutive losses, the player must switch.
• He plays against multiple opponents simultaneously, improving his chess skills rapidly.
• The news of his offer spreads, drawing a large crowd, and causing chaos as players eagerly vie for a chance to play against him.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao: Demonstrates strategic thinking, quick learning, and intense focus, improving his chess skills significantly throughout the chapter.
• Deng Zixin: Acts as a cashier, managing the money for the games, showing responsibility and adaptability.

Significant Themes

• Learning and Growth: Chen Zhao's chess skills improve dramatically through intense, consecutive gameplay.
• Competition and Ambition: The chapter highlights the competitive nature of the players and their eagerness to secure a spot to play against Chen Zhao.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao and the Elderly Men: Chen Zhao interacts with several elderly men, playing against them, learning from their styles, and improving his skills.
• Chen Zhao and Deng Zixin: They work together, with Deng Zixin managing the money while Chen Zhao focuses on playing and improving his chess skills.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Zhao challenges eight chess players simultaneously at Chess Square, winning every game.
• He declares he wants to play against ten opponents at once.
• The next day, Chen Zhao arrives early for the Lots of Brain Juice finals, gets his makeup done, and meets the director, Mo Tao.

Character Developments

• Chen Zhao's chess skills improve rapidly, leading him to challenge more opponents simultaneously.
• He becomes invincible among the old men at Chess Square.
• Chen Zhao remains calm and composed under pressure and provocation.

Significant Themes

• Invincibility and loneliness: Chen Zhao feels isolated due to his superior skills.
• Improvement through challenge: Chen Zhao seeks out tougher opponents to hone his abilities.
• Appearance vs. reality: Chen Zhao's makeup makes him look subtly but significantly more handsome.

Character Interactions

• Chen Zhao interacts with the old chess players at Chess Square, provoking them but maintaining his composure.
• He and Deng Zixin support each other, with Deng Zixin finding amusement in the attention she receives due to her appearance.
• Chen Zhao meets the other contestants and the director, Mo Tao, before the competition begins.