Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Metamorphosis”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After breakfast, the group jokes about Ji Xi’s position at Yan Xianjue’s company. Although Ji Xi is technically only an employee, his authority and responsibility make him function like a “second boss.”
• The others tease Yan Xianjue that Ji Xi’s reward for working hard is simply being allowed to work for Yan for life, possibly even raising a future “little workhorse.” Yan becomes visibly embarrassed and changes the subject.
• Lei Xuan announces that the trip has reached its halfway point. After two days of experiencing nomadic life, the participants are given a comparatively relaxing activity: horseback riding across the grasslands.
• Shen Fangli and Jiang Xinyi distrust the production team’s assurance that there are no hidden requirements, given the show’s previous surprises. Everyone jokingly agrees that Lei Xuan has little credibility.
• Yan Xianjue takes Shen Fangli back toward the yurt, claiming he wants to make a phone call. Once inside, he carefully disables and covers the camera before calling Zhou Ye.
• Zhou Ye explains that, instead of being freed after the college entrance exams, he was forced by his uncle to begin observing and learning at the family company. His allowance has been restored, but he remains under supervision, and even his father has blocked him after repeated complaints.
• Zhou Ye reveals that he had posted a comment because he thought online viewers were misunderstanding the situation, not because he needed Yan’s help. The two exchange playful threats, including jokes about Yan’s intimidating second sister and her homemade gadgets.
• Zhou Ye invites Yan to a class gathering after their scores are released. Yan hesitates, predicting that some classmates may be punished by their parents, and ultimately postpones his answer until the following week because he may be busy.

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue is shown as easily embarrassed by teasing, especially concerning his dependence on Ji Xi. He also demonstrates caution and a mischievous streak by concealing the camera before making a private call.
• Ji Xi is characterized indirectly as an exceptionally capable and indispensable executive who manages much of Yan’s company despite lacking formal ownership.
• Shen Fangli remains wary of the production team’s promises but is willing to participate once horseback riding is confirmed to be free of extra tasks.
• Lei Xuan becomes the target of the group’s distrust and teasing because of the show’s history of unexpected challenges.
• Zhou Ye is revealed to be rebellious but still tightly controlled by his family. His friendship with Yan is familiar, teasing, and rooted in shared childhood memories.

Significant Themes

• Work and exploitation: The jokes about Ji Xi’s lifelong service satirize extreme workplace loyalty and the expectation that capable people should continually carry responsibility.
• Freedom versus control: Zhou Ye’s supposed post-exam freedom is replaced by forced corporate training, paralleling the participants’ limited freedom under the production team’s supervision.
• Performance and privacy: Yan’s deliberate effort to cover the camera highlights the tension between public entertainment and private relationships.
• Friendship through teasing: The characters use sarcasm, mock threats, and shared memories to express closeness.
• “Metamorphosis” as satire: The chapter contrasts the romantic image of nomadic life with the exhausting reality of being made to work, joking that the participants are undergoing a lifestyle transformation rather than taking a vacation.

Character Interactions

• The group collectively teases Yan about Ji Xi, creating a lively and humorous breakfast scene.
• Yan and Shen Fangli move together toward the yurt, showing their comfortable companionship; she waits for him while he makes his private call.
• The group challenges Lei Xuan’s credibility, responding to his horseback-riding announcement with synchronized suspicion.
• Yan and Zhou Ye share an affectionate, combative phone conversation. Their jokes about Zhou’s fear of Yan’s sister and Yan’s childhood inventions reveal a long-standing friendship.
• Zhou’s invitation to reunite with their classmates gives Yan a possible connection to his life outside the show, though Yan postpones the gathering.

• Plot and events: After Yan Xianjue confirms that Zhou Ye is safe, the two joke on the phone and realize they will probably become classmates again. Zhou Ye also asks whether Shen Fangli will attend classes with Yan Xianjue. Back at the livestream, a viewer disparages the group of high-school students, but other viewers immediately defend Yan Xianjue. Lei Xuan notices the hostility, has the offending comments muted, and reminds viewers to report similar remarks. The chat then shifts into discussion of the show’s popularity, the participants’ relationships, and the controversy surrounding Zhao Jiazheng, Tourmaline Entertainment, and alleged plagiarism by Zhao Siji. Yao Weiran skillfully redirects the conversation with an alternate account, impressing Lei Xuan and contradicting Yan Xianjue’s description of him as socially inept.
• Character developments: Yan Xianjue and Zhou Ye’s easy, familiar banter highlights their close friendship and upcoming shared academic future. Lei Xuan demonstrates that he is protective of the cast and capable of managing the livestream community, while Yao Weiran reveals unexpected skill at controlling public discussion. Lei Xuan also begins questioning Yan Xianjue’s assessment of Yao Weiran’s personality. Shen Fangli appears increasingly comfortable teasing Yan Xianjue, though she becomes embarrassed when he implies that their matching blue outfits were deliberately arranged.
• Character interactions: Yan Xianjue and Zhou Ye joke over the phone about becoming classmates. Viewers defend Yan Xianjue against criticism and praise Lei Xuan and Ji Xi for maintaining a harmonious livestream. Lei Xuan and Yao Weiran work together to redirect the chat, with Lei Xuan approving Yao’s intervention. Later, Shen Fangli meets Yan Xianjue outside the yurt, teases him about their matching clothes, and asks about Zhou Ye. Yan Xianjue explains that they may study together again, prompting Shen Fangli to ask what major they will take.
• Themes: The chapter emphasizes friendship, romantic intimacy, and the playful openness of Yan Xianjue and Shen Fangli’s relationship. It also explores the influence of livestream audiences, online rumor, fandom conflicts, and public-image management. Humor comes from the gap between people’s assumptions and reality—especially Yao Weiran’s hidden competence, Yan Ci’s tendency to become an online scapegoat, and Shen Fangli’s embarrassment over the seemingly accidental matching outfits.

Chapter Summary: “Hereditary Skill”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Xianjue teases Shen Fangli about a secret, refusing to reveal it until the right time. He says he will still have time to visit her despite having classes.
• Their conversation turns to Lei Xuan’s tendency to reveal secrets and overspend on production expenses. The livestream audience speculates that the matching outfits for Yan Xianjue and Shen Fangli were secretly arranged by Yan Xianjue and Lei Xuan as a romantic scheme.
• Yao Weiran and Lei Xuan discuss the production work. Lei Xuan jokes that Yao Weiran is more calculating than he appears, while Yao maintains an outwardly serious demeanor despite enjoying other people’s misfortune.
• Lei Xuan visits the horseback-riding guests and mocks the dramatic height difference between Yan Xianjue and Shen Fangli, attributing it to Shen choosing a small, gentle pony. He claims their appearance resembles a father taking his daughter on a trip rather than a romantic couple.
• In Yan Yi’an’s office, Lin Shi brings a recording of Su Su’s earlier statements about being “the protagonist.” Yan Yi’an listens again and concludes that Su Su is not actually reincarnated or transmigrated, but was conditioned from childhood by a fortune-teller’s predictions.
• Yan Yi’an becomes suspicious of the fortune-teller, believing the person may know more than expected, and decides to investigate by meeting them.
• He dismisses Su Su’s claims as the delusions of a recent high-school graduate and sarcastically questions whether Lin Shi believes her enough to act as her “male lead.”

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue continues to display a playful, teasing side with Shen Fangli, while also showing affection by assuring her that he will make time to visit.
• Shen Fangli becomes increasingly comfortable bantering with Yan Xianjue and Lei Xuan, responding with irritation and sarcasm rather than restraint.
• Lei Xuan is shown as both a hardworking director and a shamelessly outspoken person. He manages production logistics and budgets effectively but enjoys teasing the cast and stirring up romantic speculation.
• Yao Weiran is revealed to be highly capable behind the scenes and more mischievous than his gentle image suggests. His strong work ability contrasts with the school’s decision to expel him.
• Yan Yi’an remains sharp, skeptical, and highly perceptive. He does not accept Su Su’s claims at face value and begins pursuing the deeper mystery surrounding her fortune-teller.
• Lin Shi acts as an information broker, but Yan Yi’an’s sarcasm leaves him uncomfortable and reminds him of Yan Xianjue’s similarly cutting speech.

Significant Themes

• Playful romance and public teasing: Yan Xianjue and Shen Fangli’s relationship is observed and joked about by both the livestream audience and those around them.
• Appearance versus reality: Yao Weiran’s innocent exterior hides a more sardonic personality, while Su Su’s “protagonist” identity may be a product of manipulation rather than supernatural truth.
• Skepticism and investigation: Yan Yi’an distinguishes between genuine intelligence and delusion, but still recognizes that Su Su’s fortune-teller may possess important information.
• Inherited traits and family resemblance: The chapter humorously suggests that Yan Xianjue and Yan Yi’an share a hereditary talent for verbally humiliating members of the Lin family.
• Behind-the-scenes competence: The production’s smooth operation depends on characters like Lei Xuan and Yao Weiran, whose organizational abilities contrast with the lighthearted chaos visible on camera.

Character Interactions

• Yan Xianjue and Shen Fangli: Flirtatious teasing, with Yan Xianjue withholding information and Shen Fangli accusing him of changing the subject.
• Lei Xuan and Yao Weiran: Familiar workplace banter reveals mutual trust and an established working relationship, with Lei mocking Yao’s hidden mischievousness.
• Lei Xuan and Yan Xianjue/Shen Fangli: Lei interrupts their date-like horseback ride to criticize their mismatched horses and height difference, prompting sarcastic threats from Yan Xianjue.
• Yan Yi’an and Lin Shi: Their businesslike meeting is dominated by Yan Yi’an’s blunt skepticism and cutting remarks about Su Su and Lin Shi’s motives.
• Yan Yi’an and Su Su: Though they do not interact directly, Yan Yi’an begins investigating her background and the fortune-teller who shaped her beliefs.

Chapter Summary: “Buy It or Not?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Shi meets with Yan Yi’an to sell information about Su Su’s claims, particularly her revelation that the Yan Household supposedly has only four children.
• Yan Yi’an remains skeptical, suggesting Su Su may have been manipulated into believing she is a “protagonist” by someone cooperating with the mysterious Master.
• Lin Shi admits he is not interested in the Yan family’s internal affairs and only wants to know whether Yan Yi’an will purchase the information.
• Yan Yi’an offers Lin Shi a pharmaceutical company among the assets Lin Lang plans to use to settle Yan Xianjue’s debt. In exchange, Lin Shi must ensure Su Su never appears before Yan Xianjue or his girlfriend again.
• Lin Shi accepts and promises to resolve the matter within a week. Yan Yi’an immediately dismisses him.
• Afterward, Yan Yi’an checks the Yan family group chat and discovers concern over whether Yan Xianjue might recover his lost memories while filming on the grasslands.
• The family decides that Uncle Lu, who knows what happened in the past, should monitor Yan Xianjue more closely, and Yan Mother proposes another medical examination.
• On the grasslands, Lei Xuan asks Yan Xianjue why he has never undergone scar-removal surgery. The question draws attention to the mysterious scar on Yan Xianjue’s wrist.
• Yan Xianjue dismisses the issue, claiming he was probably injured in a childhood fight. Shen Fangli subtly probes his family background and injury, but he avoids giving a meaningful explanation.
• Lei Xuan recognizes that Yan Xianjue’s story is implausible: the injury appears too severe to be an ordinary childhood bruise, and someone from Yan Xianjue’s privileged family would not normally have been exposed to such danger.

Character Developments

• Yan Yi’an is shown to be highly cautious and difficult to manipulate. He sees through Lin Shi’s attempts to provoke him and evaluates the information strictly in terms of its credibility and usefulness.
• Lin Shi demonstrates his opportunistic, transactional nature. Though he raises questions about the Yan family’s secrets, his real concern is securing a profitable deal. His ability to read people remains one of his strengths.
• Yan Xianjue continues to suffer from traumatic memory loss. He appears genuinely unconcerned about his scar and may not understand—or may be unable to remember—the true circumstances behind it.
• Shen Fangli displays tact and emotional intelligence by asking about the scar indirectly, giving Yan Xianjue room to avoid the subject without embarrassment.
• Lei Xuan notices inconsistencies in Yan Xianjue’s explanation and becomes more suspicious of his past.
• The Yan family remains deeply protective of Yan Xianjue, while also being uncertain whether recovering his memories would be beneficial or dangerous.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus manipulation: Su Su’s claims may be the result of deliberate psychological manipulation rather than genuine supernatural insight.
• Trauma and repressed memory: Yan Xianjue’s missing memories and unexplained scar suggest a painful event in his childhood that the family has concealed.
• Family secrecy and protection: The Yan family’s numerous private group chats and careful monitoring reveal both their closeness and their anxiety surrounding Yan Xianjue’s past.
• Information as currency: Lin Shi treats sensitive family secrets as commodities, while Yan Yi’an weighs their practical value before agreeing to a deal.
• Appearance versus reality: Yan Yi’an’s polished demeanor, Lin Shi’s charming smile, and Yan Xianjue’s casual explanation of his scar all conceal deeper motives or unresolved truths.

Character Interactions

• Lin Shi and Yan Yi’an: Their negotiation is adversarial but businesslike. Lin Shi tries to provoke Yan Yi’an with Su Su’s revelations, but Yan Yi’an counters with skepticism and ultimately controls the exchange through his offer.
• Yan Yi’an and the Yan family: Through the group chat, Yan Yi’an coordinates with his family to protect and monitor Yan Xianjue.
• Lei Xuan and Yan Xianjue: Lei Xuan’s casual question about scar removal unintentionally touches on a sensitive subject and exposes a contradiction in Yan Xianjue’s story.
• Shen Fangli and Yan Xianjue: Shen Fangli carefully asks about his injury and family treatment, but Yan Xianjue responds lightly and avoids revealing anything substantial.
• Lei Xuan and Shen Fangli: Both notice that Yan Xianjue’s scar is unusual, though Lei Xuan is more directly suspicious of the explanation he gives.

Chapter Summary: “Mom! Hurry Up and Talk Him Around!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lei Xuan warns Yan Xianjue and the others to keep their distance from a nearby herd of horses after witnessing the animals engage in an intense, seemingly verbal argument.
• The livestream audience notices Yan Xianjue’s old injury and begins speculating about its origin. His family becomes anxious that his childhood explanation—being injured in a fight—will no longer satisfy public curiosity.
• Yan Ci panics and asks his mother to help prevent Yan Xianjue from investigating the injury. Meanwhile, Yan Yi’an informs the Yan parents about the mysterious voice recorder and the master connected to the Lin and Ji households.
• The Yan family wonders why the master appears to have ignored their household despite its wealth and influence. Yan Yi’an decides to meet the master personally, encouraged by his parents, who jokingly suggest asking whether the master looks down on their family.
• At a lakeside during sunset, Jiang Xinyi sketches the scenery, impressing Shen Fangli and Jiang Miaomiao. She explains that drawing is a hobby she uses to relieve stress rather than a formal career path.
• After returning to camp, the production team announces Jiang Xinyi’s score: 724, making her the top liberal-arts scorer.
• The guests celebrate her achievement. Shen Fangli jokes that he and Yan Xianjue are surrounded by top students, while the audience discusses how naturally and calmly the high achievers react to one another’s success.
• The episode emphasizes that these top students are energetic, talented, and well-rounded rather than stereotypical bookworms.
• Over the following two days, the group tours the grassland’s scenic locations, taking photographs and creating paintings.
• On the final night, Lei Xuan organizes a bonfire party for the guests, crew, and local herders. Yan Xianjue and Shen Fangli discuss dancing, with Yan joking about his poor dancing skills.
• Before the celebration begins, Lei Xuan announces that the remaining exam scores will be revealed and asks Ji Xi whether he wants them announced from lowest to highest or vice versa.

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue: His old injury becomes a growing source of tension as viewers begin questioning its true cause. His awkward humor and self-awareness are also highlighted through his comments about dancing.
• Yan Ci: Shows strong anxiety over the possibility that Xianjue will uncover or reveal sensitive family secrets, immediately seeking help from his mother.
• Yan Yi’an: Takes responsibility for investigating the mysterious master, demonstrating loyalty to the Yan family and willingness to confront the issue directly.
• Yan’s parents: Reveal their pride and protectiveness toward the family, while also displaying the Yan household’s competitive and somewhat humorous attitude toward the other powerful families.
• Jiang Xinyi: Demonstrates artistic talent and emotional composure. Her sketching shows a creative side beyond academics, while her score confirms her exceptional scholastic ability.
• Shen Fangli: Encourages Xinyi and interacts warmly with the others. His jokes about being a “poor student” emphasize his good-natured confidence despite being surrounded by high achievers.
• Lei Xuan: Continues acting as the mature caretaker and organizer, guiding the guests safely and arranging the final celebration.
• Ji Xi: Remains calm and reserved, but becomes the focus of anticipation as the final exam results are about to be announced.

Significant Themes

• Hidden family secrets: The discussion of Yan Xianjue’s injury and the family’s fear of questioning suggest unresolved events from his childhood.
• Family loyalty and status: The Yan family’s reaction to the mysterious master reflects both their protectiveness and concern over their standing among influential households.
• Well-rounded excellence: The chapter challenges the idea that top students are only academically focused, presenting them as artistic, sociable, adventurous, and emotionally varied.
• Achievement and perspective: Jiang Xinyi’s excellent score is celebrated, but the guests treat academic success calmly, suggesting that high achievement is normal for them rather than their entire identity.
• Friendship and shared experiences: Art, travel, horseback riding, dancing, and the bonfire party strengthen the bonds among the guests and create lasting memories.
• Public perception: The livestream audience actively interprets the guests’ actions, highlighting the gap between what viewers assume and what the characters actually experience.

Character Interactions

• Lei Xuan acts protectively toward the younger guests, while the others tease him about seeming older and more responsible.
• Yan Ci turns to Mother Yan for help when the audience begins discussing Xianjue’s injury; Mother Yan responds with calm confidence.
• Yan Yi’an’s parents encourage him to defend the Yan family’s dignity, revealing the family’s humorous but competitive dynamic.
• Shen Fangli praises Jiang Xinyi’s artwork, and Jiang Miaomiao joins in with admiration, creating a supportive artistic moment.
• The group congratulates Jiang Xinyi on becoming the liberal-arts top scorer, while Shen Fangli and Yan Xianjue joke about being surrounded by academic elites.
• At the bonfire, Shen Fangli invites Yan Xianjue to dance, and their playful exchange shows their growing ease and camaraderie.
• The chapter ends with everyone turning their attention to Ji Xi as the final score announcements are about to begin.

Chapter Summary: “Kill This Prophet”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The cast gathers around a bonfire while Lei Xuan theatrically announces the examination scores of the three top students.
• Ji Xi, Shen Fangli, and Yan Xianjue joke about the suspense, since Ji Xi’s exceptionally high score has already begun trending and is expected to be the highest in the country.
• The group guesses Ji Xi’s score, with predictions mostly in the 730s. His actual score is revealed to be 734, the highest known score nationwide.
• Yan Xianjue jokingly claims partial credit for Ji Xi’s achievement, reminding everyone that he had helped Ji Xi recover from a difficult condition before the exam.
• Shen Fangli feels guilty for forgetting the underlying plotline in which Ji Xi is destined to become a disabled villainous boss, so she tries to treat Yan Xianjue kindly by feeding him fruit.
• Her attempt backfires when the blueberries turn out to be extremely sour. Yan Xianjue accuses her of trying to murder him, and Shen Fangli is equally shocked after tasting them herself.
• Lei Xuan then asks Shen Fangli to predict Yan Xianjue’s and her own scores. She estimates Yan Xianjue will score around 550–560 and herself around 630.
• After checking the score sheets, Lei Xuan dramatically tells the others to “kill this prophet,” implying that Shen Fangli’s predictions were remarkably accurate.

Character Developments

• Ji Xi remains calm and restrained despite being the center of attention. He considers hitting Lei Xuan with food but decides against it to avoid creating extra work for the PR department. His score confirms his academic excellence.
• Yan Xianjue continues displaying a playful, competitive, and mischievous personality. He enjoys teasing Shen Fangli, claims credit for Ji Xi’s success, and manipulates her with absurd dieting logic. His aversion to sour food also becomes part of the comedy.
• Shen Fangli is affectionate and comfortable with Yan Xianjue, readily feeding him snacks and fruit. She is also perceptive enough to estimate the scores accurately, though her sudden awareness of the original plot reminds her that the characters’ peaceful current lives may not last.
• Lei Xuan acts as the episode’s provocateur and host, deliberately prolonging the suspense and encouraging everyone to guess the scores. His gambling joke is quickly shut down when Ji Xi reminds him of the heavy fine associated with gambling.
• The supporting cast reacts with surprise and amusement to Ji Xi’s unprecedented score, helping emphasize how extraordinary his achievement is.

Significant Themes

• Academic achievement and recognition: Ji Xi’s 734 score establishes him as an exceptional student and gives the group a reason to celebrate.
• Friendship and mutual support: The characters’ teasing conceals genuine care, particularly Yan Xianjue’s role in helping Ji Xi and his closeness with Shen Fangli.
• Comedy through contrast: Yan Xianjue’s “poor student” reputation is shown to be relative; his 500-plus score would be respectable outside a group dominated by 700-level achievers.
• Foreshadowing and forgotten destinies: Shen Fangli’s realization that she has nearly forgotten Ji Xi’s villainous future introduces tension beneath the lighthearted scene.
• Prophecy and uncanny accuracy: Shen Fangli’s precise score predictions earn her the joking title of “prophet,” reinforcing her unusual awareness of events and outcomes.

Character Interactions

• Ji Xi silently restrains himself from retaliating against Lei Xuan’s antics, while Lei Xuan continues provoking him.
• Shen Fangli and Yan Xianjue engage in constant flirtatious banter, with him feeding her milk curd and her feeding him melon and blueberries.
• Yan Xianjue and Ji Xi are linked by their past connection, though Yan exaggerates his contribution to Ji Xi’s success for comedic effect.
• The entire group participates in guessing Ji Xi’s score, reacting with increasing amazement as predictions rise into the 730s.
• Lei Xuan shifts the attention to Yan Xianjue and Shen Fangli, ultimately turning Shen Fangli’s accurate guesses into another source of group-wide amusement.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• The group finishes a playful game of Werewolf, jokingly assigning Yan Xianjue and Zhao Rongjin to the werewolf faction and declaring the good side victorious.
• During the “soul-searching interrogation,” Shen Fangli finally asks Yan about his intended university major, a question she has been eager to have answered.
• The group examines everyone’s Gaokao results. Yan’s total score is 579, including an unusually strong 201 in the science comprehensive exam, which is considered excellent for him despite being modest by ordinary standards.
• His Chinese and English scores are stable in the 130s, while his math is weaker than usual. His improvement is attributed largely to Ji Xi’s tutoring and Shen Fangli’s support.
• The group discusses whether Yan should have studied humanities, but learns that his history and geography results were poor, making science the more suitable track despite his struggles with physics.
• Shen Fangli reveals her own score of 637, which should be sufficient for admission to her intended university of political science and law.
• Yan announces that he plans to apply to Shallow Sea University, specifically for the unusual management major Entrepreneurship Management.
• The group initially suspects the major may have been specially created or connected to Yan’s wealthy family. After checking the university’s admissions information, they discover that it is a real but niche program with a lower cutoff because it is designed primarily to train successors to family businesses.

Character developments

• Yan Xianjue demonstrates academic improvement and persistence, especially in science, though he remains insecure about not inheriting his family’s academic brilliance. His university choice also reveals his family’s wealth and expectations more clearly.
• Shen Fangli is openly invested in Yan’s future, excited by his progress and determined to learn his plans. Her own strong score suggests she is on track to achieve her academic goals.
• Ji Xi receives recognition for the difficult tutoring that helped raise Yan’s results, while Shen Fangli is credited with providing the other major source of motivation and support.
• Lei Xuan acts as a teasing but knowledgeable commentator, comparing scores and challenging the practicality of Yan’s university plan.
• Jiang Miaomiao, Jiang Xinyi, Zhao Rongxuan, Lü Hui, and the others contribute differing perspectives based on their own academic tracks and understanding of university admissions.

Significant themes

• Academic effort versus natural talent: Yan’s 579 score is celebrated because it represents a major personal improvement rather than exceptional achievement by general standards.
• Family expectations and inheritance: Yan’s family background influences both his choice of major and the group’s assumptions about how he can access an elite university.
• Class and privilege: The entrepreneurship program is revealed to cater to wealthy students preparing to inherit family businesses, highlighting how education can be structured around social and economic status.
• Friendship and emotional support: The group’s teasing is affectionate, while Ji Xi and Shen Fangli’s efforts show how encouragement and practical help contribute to Yan’s success.
• Choosing a future path: The discussion contrasts personal ability, academic scores, family expectations, and career preparation in determining one’s education.

Character interactions

• Shen Fangli repeatedly presses Yan for information, first jokingly during the game and then seriously about his university plans.
• Lei Xuan teases both Yan and Shen Fangli, mocking Shen’s unromantic interrogation question and questioning whether Yan’s score is enough for Shallow Sea University.
• Ji Xi explains Yan’s unusual score pattern and emphasizes how difficult tutoring him has been, while the others recognize his contribution.
• The group jokes about Yan’s family donating money or creating a new major for him, reflecting their curiosity about his background.
• Their collective investigation of the university website turns confusion into understanding: Yan is not applying through a secret loophole, but to a specialized program aimed at heirs to established family enterprises.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• During a variety-show interview, Jiang Miaomiao asks Yan Xianjue why he chose his university major. He bluntly answers, “Not many classes,” amusing the cast and viewers.
• Online comments discuss Yan’s low admission-score requirement, his wealthy background, and the contrast between his relaxed attitude and Ji Xi’s intense work ethic.
• Ji Xi anticipates that Yan may eventually rely on him for university assignments. Determined not to let that happen, he decides to make Yan work at the company over the weekend as “practical experience.”
• When asked about his own major, Ji Xi says he will choose one with flexible exemption policies because his current workload leaves him no time for regular classes.
• Yan criticizes Ji Xi’s time management and tells him to optimize his workflow, prompting everyone to compare Yan to an unreasonable capitalist boss.
• Ye You complains about having to work for others. Yan reveals that Jiang Miaomiao has already signed a contract requiring her to work for him for at least five years after graduation. He then teases Ye You, telling him to become the top scorer if he wants to work alongside her.
• The livestream ends, but the guests continue discussing the weekend gathering. Yan mentions that Maoning is considering an internship at Random Investment.
• Yan unexpectedly announces that he will go to the company over the weekend to oversee one-on-one interviews with artists, since Ji Xi cannot manage them all alone. Shen Fangli is delighted at the prospect of hearing gossip and jokingly offers to “beat up” Ji Xi for forcing Yan to work.

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue: Remains lazy, blunt, and unconcerned with conventional academic ambition, but shows increasing involvement in company affairs. He also displays a possessive and teasing attitude toward those connected to him, especially Jiang Miaomiao and Ye You.
• Ji Xi: Is portrayed as an extremely hardworking “wage slave” who balances university plans with a demanding job. Although he silently tolerates Yan’s shortcomings, he begins taking action by forcing Yan to participate in company work.
• Shen Fangli: Continues to act as a perceptive observer and mediator. She understands Yan’s habits, teases him, and is secretly excited by the opportunity to hear entertainment-industry gossip.
• Ye You: Becomes more openly resistant to Yan’s teasing and authority, insisting internally that he dislikes Yan even while Yan continues to provoke him.
• Jiang Miaomiao: Is revealed to have a binding employment agreement with Yan, emphasizing her future professional dependence on him.
• Maoning: Gains a possible new career direction through an internship opportunity at Random Investment.

Significant Themes

• Privilege versus hard work: Yan can afford to choose a low-demand major and treat university casually, while Ji Xi must optimize every minute because of his heavy responsibilities.
• Capitalist and employee satire: The chapter repeatedly jokes about Ji Xi as a “wage slave” and Yan as an absentee or exploitative boss.
• Work-life and academic balance: Both Yan and Ji Xi choose educational paths based on convenience, but for opposite reasons—Yan wants fewer classes, while Ji Xi needs flexibility because of work.
• Contracts and control: Jiang Miaomiao’s five-year employment contract highlights the power imbalance between wealthy employers and young workers.
• Found family and group dynamics: The cast’s teasing, complaints, and concern for one another create a lively, familiar atmosphere despite their unequal social positions.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Miaomiao’s serious interview contrasts humorously with Yan’s indifferent answer.
• Ji Xi silently accepts Yan’s public criticism but privately plans to make him work.
• Shen Fangli and Yan exchange sarcastic remarks about Ji Xi’s management style and Yan’s unwillingness to work.
• Yan deliberately provokes Ye You by emphasizing his contract with Jiang Miaomiao and challenging him to become a top student.
• Shen Fangli jokingly sides with Yan after learning he has been ordered to work, offering to confront Ji Xi on his behalf.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• Yan Xianjue insists on escorting Shen Fangli away, teasing her for being “all bark and no bite” when she refuses to disturb Ji Xi.
• Because the admissions teachers have been waiting nearly a week, Yan arranges VIP travel and direct transportation home for them.
• Jiang Miaomiao takes leave to return home with Ye You and explain their relationship to her parents. Yan approves the leave, but Ji Xi sarcastically reminds him that Jiang’s popularity from the variety show has created extra work.
• Ji Xi is overwhelmed by his responsibilities: managing company affairs, collecting Lin Lang’s debt, handling school admissions personnel, and dealing with the show’s sudden popularity. Yan feels guilty but offers little practical help.
• After landing, Yan gives Shen Fangli a bizarre “souvenir”: a live lamb transported from the grasslands by private plane.
• Shen Fangli’s father, President Shen, reluctantly takes the lamb home in his car. Though initially shocked, he begins considering how to care for it and even suggests increasing Shen Fangli’s allowance and buying her a more expensive car.
• Shen Fangli and her father discuss the lamb’s fate—raising or eating it—with Yan having emphasized how tender it is.
• At her next meeting with Teacher Zhuang, Shen Fangli is criticized for appearing slightly heavier despite her dieting. She insists that her rounder cheeks are due to Yan pinching them swollen, not weight gain.
• Zhuang reminds her that she will begin filming a production in ten days and must lose weight for the camera. Shen Fangli confidently believes the upcoming hiking schedule will help her slim down.

Character developments

• Yan Xianjue remains unconventional, impulsive, and extravagant. His directness, teasing, and wildly impractical gift demonstrate both his wealth and his affection for Shen Fangli.
• Shen Fangli is embarrassed by Yan’s behavior but indulges him, showing that she is becoming accustomed to his eccentric care. She also remains practical and frugal despite her privileged background.
• Ji Xi is increasingly burdened by work caused by the show’s success. His sarcasm toward Yan reflects frustration but also familiarity with him.
• Jiang Miaomiao takes responsibility for addressing her relationship with Ye You and returns home to explain the situation to her family.
• President Shen shifts from shock and disapproval to quietly spoiling his daughter, resolving to increase her allowance while pretending to focus only on the lamb.
• Teacher Zhuang acts as a strict but concerned mentor, emphasizing the entertainment industry’s appearance standards and Shen Fangli’s upcoming workload.

Significant themes

• Affection expressed through absurdity: Yan’s live-lamb gift is impractical but reveals his extravagant, sincere way of caring for Shen Fangli.
• Wealth versus practicality: The contrast between Yan’s lavish spending and Shen Fangli’s frugal habits becomes a source of humor and highlights their differing lifestyles.
• Family concern and indulgence: President Shen worries about his daughter’s choices and appearance but ultimately responds by offering her more financial support.
• Entertainment-industry pressure: The chapter addresses how cameras distort appearance and the demanding physical standards placed on performers.
• Workload and responsibility: The variety show’s popularity creates new burdens for Ji Xi and the others, balancing the chapter’s romance and comedy with practical consequences.

Character interactions

• Yan and Shen Fangli banter over her refusal to disturb Ji Xi, with Yan teasing her lack of courage.
• Ji Xi sarcastically pressures Yan to take responsibility for Jiang Miaomiao’s work, exposing Yan’s role in creating their current chaos.
• Shen Fangli and her father share an awkward but affectionate exchange over the lamb, spending habits, and her allowance.
• President Shen’s practical concerns clash humorously with Yan’s extravagant gift.
• Shen Fangli defends herself to Teacher Zhuang by blaming Yan’s pinching for her fuller cheeks, reinforcing the playful intimacy between her and Yan.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Fangli reassures her teacher, Zhuang Yushu, that she will control her diet and lose weight, arguing that the next filming location will offer less tempting food. Zhuang remains skeptical but acknowledges her usual reliability.
• Because Yan Xianjue is accompanying Shen Fangli, Zhuang worries that Yan may influence her—or that Shen will follow Yan into increasingly absurd ideas. He asks Director Yao Weiran and Screenwriter Lei Xuan to keep an eye on her during the variety show.
• Yan Xianjue begins working at Random Investment, where Ji Xi has arranged for him to screen and recruit minor celebrities for the company. The work overwhelms him, especially because the candidates have no connection to the plot he knows and therefore cannot be evaluated through his knowledge of future events.
• Yan complains that the company is recruiting too many people and suggests that Random should remain “small and elite.” When he cannot handle the interviews alone, he asks for Yao Weiran and Lei Xuan’s help, only to learn that both are too busy after the variety show’s success.
• Shen Fangli, attending acting lessons, hears Yan’s internal complaints through her supernatural ability. His thoughts distract her just as they did before the Gaokao, when she first awakened the ability.
• During a tragic acting exercise, Shen suddenly hears Yan gossiping about a Best Actress who allegedly wanted to “steal Zhuang Yushu’s sperm.” She bursts out laughing and sprays water, confusing Zhuang, who cannot understand why she is laughing during a tragedy lesson.
• Yan Xianjue’s parents visit Random Investment to observe him at work and immediately encounter the scandalous gossip. They are delighted by the unexpected entertainment and intend to share the incident with the family.
• Ji Xi welcomes them, arranges an escort, and directs them toward Yan’s office. He correctly assumes they have come mainly to witness Yan’s unusual “working stiff” persona rather than inspect the company.

Character Developments

• Shen Fangli: Remains earnest and responsible about her studies and promises, but is easily distracted by Yan’s thoughts. Her curiosity and amusement become increasingly difficult for her to hide.
• Yan Xianjue: Begins taking his management responsibilities seriously, despite intense reluctance and frustration. He wants Random Investment to be selective and secure, partly because he knows how damaging leaks can be. His awareness of the story’s plot is less useful than expected when dealing with unknown minor celebrities.
• Zhuang Yushu: Shows himself to be observant, strict about acting, and protective of Shen Fangli’s development. He trusts her general reliability but remains wary of Yan’s influence.
• Ji Xi: Demonstrates practical foresight by arranging Yan’s assistant and recruitment work. He understands Yan’s personality well and gives him responsibilities that suit his concerns.
• Yan’s parents: Reveal their playful, gossip-loving side. Rather than seriously evaluating the workplace, they treat the visit as an opportunity to observe their usually idle son working.
• Yao Weiran and Lei Xuan: Their growing workload reflects the success of the variety-show episode, though Lei is portrayed as less reliable than Yao.

Significant Themes

• Work versus idleness: Yan Xianjue is forced into a responsible professional role, creating comic tension between his laziness and his desire for control.
• The limits of foreknowledge: Knowing the plot does not help Yan assess people who were never important enough to appear in it.
• Supernatural intimacy and comic misunderstanding: Shen’s ability to hear Yan’s thoughts creates a private connection, but also causes embarrassing public incidents.
• Family affection expressed through teasing: Yan’s parents show interest in his life through humor and gossip rather than solemn concern.
• Entertainment-industry absurdity: Celebrity scandals, beauty procedures, recruitment, and rumor circulate casually, emphasizing the chaotic nature of the industry.

Character Interactions

• Shen Fangli and Zhuang Yushu: Their teacher-student relationship is disciplined but familiar. Zhuang trusts Shen’s effort while remaining skeptical of her excuses.
• Shen Fangli and Yan Xianjue: Though physically separated, Shen reacts to Yan’s unfiltered thoughts, repeating the dynamic they shared when she first gained her ability.
• Yan Xianjue and his assistant: Yan delegates the interviews to the assistant, while the assistant struggles to respond to Yan’s exaggerated complaints with professional patience.
• Yan Xianjue and Ji Xi: Ji Xi’s thoughtful arrangements support Yan while also maneuvering him into work he would otherwise avoid.
• Yan’s parents and Ji Xi: They treat Ji Xi warmly and sympathetically, viewing him as someone admirable for enduring their son’s difficult personality.
• Shen Fangli and Zhuang Yushu during the acting lesson: Shen’s accidental laughter disrupts the serious atmosphere and leaves Zhuang puzzled and suspicious.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Yan Xianjue’s parents remain in his office while he handles an interview elsewhere. They discover that his refrigerator is filled mostly with cola, with only a few bottles of coconut water, likely intended for his girlfriend.
• During the interview, Yan Xianjue receives shocking news: a famous top star is actually a wanted criminal who underwent plastic surgery and built a successful entertainment career under a new identity.
• Yan immediately contacts the police officer recommended by his older brother to determine how the star’s identity can be verified. The police prepare to come and investigate, while Yan decides to keep the celebrity from leaving.
• Yan recalls the original storyline, in which the star tried to force the previously unknown Su Su into an exploitative arrangement. Lin Shi later exposed the man’s criminal identity and plastic-surgery history.
• Shen Fangli struggles to concentrate during Zhuang Yushu’s acting lesson because Yan’s internal commentary about the wanted celebrity is so distracting. Zhuang Yushu eventually ends the lesson and goes to meet Yan.
• Zhuang Yushu visits Yan to report how the Yan family’s major charity donation was used. Yan initially forgets the matter, prompting Zhuang to silently resent his absent-mindedness.
• Zhuang leaves to wait in Yan’s office while Yan deals with the celebrity. The top star attempts to persuade Yan to help him escape his contract with Tourmaline, implying that he can bring valuable traffic to Yan’s company.
• Yan recognizes that the celebrity is trying to manipulate him, but pretends to cooperate. He tells the man he will discuss the contract with Ji Xi, assuring him that he will not need to worry about it for much longer—likely because the police are about to arrest him.

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue demonstrates increasing vigilance and responsibility despite his constant sarcasm and irritation. Rather than ignoring the star’s criminal identity, he immediately seeks police assistance and plans how to keep him under control.
• His distrust of Ji Xi’s talent choices grows. He jokingly concludes that Ji Xi’s company attracts either dangerous criminals or unstable people, revealing his exasperation with the chaos surrounding the agency.
• Father and Mother Yan continue to provide comic commentary on their son’s habits, especially his unhealthy diet and possible relationship.
• Shen Fangli is shown as diligent but easily distracted by the extraordinary secrets surrounding the entertainment industry. She takes notes and plans to write her usual post-class summary.
• Zhuang Yushu remains professional and composed, but his inner thoughts reveal frustration with Yan’s forgetfulness and his tendency to create trouble. He also becomes unintentionally vulnerable by entering the company while the actress interested in his sperm is still present.
• The unnamed top star is portrayed as arrogant, shameless, and manipulative. Even while under suspicion, he focuses on promoting himself and negotiating business advantages.

Significant Themes

• Absurdity beneath celebrity glamour: The revelation that a top star is a wanted criminal satirizes the entertainment industry’s obsession with appearances, popularity, and manufactured identities.
• Identity and deception: Plastic surgery, fake fan statistics, and concealed criminal histories emphasize how easily public personas can be constructed and maintained.
• Chaos and unintended consequences: Yan’s workplace is filled with criminals, opportunists, and bizarre personal schemes, making his company resemble a magnet for trouble.
• The contrast between inner thoughts and outward behavior: Yan internally mocks nearly everyone around him but maintains a controlled, strategic exterior when dealing with the celebrity.
• Fate and plot awareness: Yan’s knowledge of the original storyline allows him to anticipate future events, including the star’s attempt to exploit Su Su and Lin Shi’s eventual investigation.

Character Interactions

• Yan’s parents humorously discuss his refrigerator and eating habits, suggesting that the coconut water may belong to his girlfriend.
• Yan’s cynical thoughts repeatedly clash with Shen Fangli’s curiosity and Zhuang Yushu’s attempts to conduct a normal acting lesson.
• Zhuang Yushu formally reports the charity funds to Yan, while internally criticizing Yan for forgetting the donation and other serious events.
• Yan and the top star engage in a subtle power struggle: the celebrity tries to sell himself as a valuable asset, while Yan secretly stalls him until the police arrive.
• Yan’s mention of Ji Xi gives the celebrity false hope, allowing Yan to maintain control of the situation without revealing that arrest is imminent.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Chen Qixing, a famous top star, visits Random Entertainment believing Yan Xianjue is there to finalize his contract. He mistakenly interprets Yan’s vague remarks as a sign that he will be signed.
• In the artists’ lounge, Best Actress Lin disparages a nervous newcomer. Chen intervenes kindly, comforts the girl, and signs an autograph for her.
• The newcomer accidentally asks whether Chen plans to change companies. Chen avoids giving a definite answer but admits that Random Entertainment is considering signing him.
• In Ji Xi’s office, Yan Xianjue reviews Ji’s list of potential recruits. He rejects Best Actress Lin, claiming she may have mental-health problems because she has not fully separated herself from a difficult role.
• Yan then reveals that Chen Qixing is allegedly a wanted criminal who underwent plastic surgery. He has already called the police and instructs Ji Xi to keep Chen at the company until officers arrive.
• Ji Xi is horrified by the potential scandal and briefly considers quitting if Yan is wrong, but Yan confidently insists that Ji will not leave.
• Ji arranges the necessary response while Yan casually returns to his office, only to remember that his parents and Zhuang Yushu are waiting there. He immediately flees, leaving Ji to handle the crisis.

Character developments

• Chen Qixing is presented as a polished, considerate celebrity. He is friendly toward fans and protects a vulnerable newcomer, reinforcing his public image as a gentleman. At the same time, his careful wording about the contract shows that he is cautious and understands the risks of speaking too openly.
• Yan Xianjue demonstrates his eccentric, impulsive judgment. He quickly rejects people based on unusual impressions, suspects Chen of being a criminal, and involves the police without hesitation. His confidence and irresponsibility also become clear when he leaves Ji to manage the consequences.
• Ji Xi remains practical, diligent, and responsible. Though shocked by Yan’s accusations, he trusts Yan enough to act, while also recognizing the enormous professional and public-relations risks. His growing exasperation shows how often he is forced to clean up Yan’s messes.
• Best Actress Lin is shown as arrogant and sharp-tongued, though Ji explains that her behavior may stem from remaining immersed in her previous role.
• The newcomer is starstruck by Chen and quickly gains confidence after receiving his kindness.

Significant themes

• Misunderstanding and dramatic irony: Chen believes his contract is nearly secured, while Yan is actually preparing for his arrest. Their completely different interpretations create the chapter’s central comedy.
• Appearance versus reality: Chen’s flawless celebrity image contrasts sharply with Yan’s suspicion that he is a disguised criminal.
• Responsibility and incompetence: Ji Xi takes his work seriously, while Yan makes major decisions impulsively and leaves others to deal with the fallout.
• Celebrity culture and hierarchy: The lounge conversation highlights the unequal treatment of established stars, newcomers, and employees within entertainment companies.
• Comedic absurdity: Characters repeatedly make outrageous assumptions, yet Yan’s most unbelievable suspicion may actually be true.

Important character interactions

• Chen protects and encourages the newcomer after Best Actress Lin humiliates her, earning the girl’s admiration and loyalty.
• Chen and the newcomer discuss his possible transfer, with Chen carefully offering only a vague confirmation.
• Yan and Ji argue over potential recruits. Ji provides rational explanations, while Yan responds with blunt and bizarre judgments.
• Yan tells Ji that Chen may be a wanted criminal, forcing Ji to balance obedience with concern for the company’s reputation.
• Yan once again abandons Ji with the problem, while rushing to avoid his parents in his office.

Chapter Summary: “Don’t Let Her Eat Anymore”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Xi distracts Chen Qixing by claiming the director wants to see him, allowing Yan Xianjue to return to his office.
• Yan immediately realizes that his parents have discovered his hidden cola, though they temporarily set the matter aside.
• Zhuang Yushu gives Yan a detailed report on how the Yan family’s large charity donation was spent. The money went not only to a hospital but also toward vehicles, clothing, stationery, online courses, classroom equipment, and other supplies for impoverished mountainous regions.
• Yan sends the report to his older sister and has his mother review it. Mother Yan approves of the charitable spending.
• Zhuang teasingly reminds Yan that, as a partial “boss,” he should know where his money is going. Yan responds with an awkward, teacher-like “keep up the good work.”
• Before leaving, Zhuang warns Yan to stop overfeeding Shen Fangli because her face has visibly become rounder. Yan agrees to help her exercise, though rather casually.
• Yan realizes the Best Actress may still be nearby and invents an excuse, telling Zhuang that Director Yao Weiran wants to discuss the script. Yao is not informed until afterward and is forced to awkwardly support Yan’s lie.
• Yan’s parents claim they came to check on his first day at work, though Mother Yan quickly realizes that Yan has little interest in working seriously and intends to delegate everything to Ji Xi.
• The conversation shifts to the “wanted criminal” Yan reported. Yan claims he recognized the man from the shape of his skull after seeing a wanted notice.
• Surprisingly, the police accept his explanation. The officer even suggests that Yan attend police academy because of his apparent criminal-detection instincts.
• Yan’s parents are stunned that his implausible excuse works. The police reveal that Yan appears to have helped with another case as well, leading them to jokingly view him as a nemesis of criminals.

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue continues to display laziness, clever improvisation, and a talent for escaping awkward situations. He avoids responsibility at work but unintentionally proves highly perceptive in criminal matters.
• Zhuang Yushu is shown as responsible and conscientious, carefully documenting the charity funds and ensuring Yan understands their use. He also acts like a concerned supervisor toward Shen Fangli’s health.
• Shen Fangli does not appear directly, but her recent weight gain becomes a source of humorous concern and suggests Yan has been indulging her with too much food.
• Mother and Father Yan remain indulgent yet sharp-eyed parents. They recognize Yan’s evasiveness, humorously attempt to cover for him, and are repeatedly surprised by his inexplicable success.
• Yao Weiran is unwillingly dragged into Yan’s fabricated excuse and demonstrates discomfort with lying.
• The police officer views Yan’s unusual observation skills as a potential professional asset, regardless of whether Yan’s explanation is entirely truthful.

Significant Themes

• Accidental competence: Yan is irresponsible in ordinary work but repeatedly succeeds in unexpected areas, particularly identifying criminals.
• Family humor and deception: The Yan family’s interactions revolve around teasing, excuses, and mutual attempts to fool one another.
• Responsibility and accountability: Zhuang’s charity report emphasizes transparency and responsible use of wealth, contrasting with Yan’s careless attitude toward his job.
• Public image versus reality: Yan appears lazy and unserious, yet others interpret his strange behavior as sharp instinct and potential talent.
• Care expressed through criticism: Zhuang’s warning about Shen Fangli’s eating habits and the parents’ visit both reveal concern disguised as complaints or jokes.

Character Interactions

• Yan Xianjue and Zhuang Yushu: Their exchange balances professional accountability with teasing. Zhuang treats Yan like a boss who needs educating, while Yan evaluates him suspiciously despite his polite exterior.
• Yan Xianjue and his parents: They engage in a comic battle of excuses, especially over the cola and the wanted criminal. His parents know he is unreliable but remain entertained and supportive.
• Yan Xianjue and Shen Fangli: Although she is absent, Yan’s habit of feeding her becomes an indirect point of conflict. He is protective and indulgent but not sufficiently attentive to her health.
• Yan Xianjue and Yao Weiran: Yan uses Yao as an unwitting excuse, leaving the director to awkwardly maintain the fabricated story.
• Yan Xianjue and the police: The police interpret his unlikely explanation as evidence of exceptional observation, reinforcing the chapter’s comedic contrast between Yan’s intentions and the results of his actions.

Summary of “At Least Negative Infinity Many”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The police question Yan Xianjue about Zhao Jiazheng, whose criminal activities were connected to Tourmaline Entertainment’s past involvement in an underground network that helped criminals erase their identities.
• Authorities are shocked that Zhao appeared publicly after undergoing extensive plastic surgery to change his appearance.
• Yan Xianjue and his parents cooperate with the investigation but politely refuse a commendation banner, joking internally that it would be absurd for their “family of villains” to display one.
• When an officer mentions a monetary reward for useful information, Yan Xianjue immediately becomes interested, valuing even the relatively small amount despite his existing wealth.
• Yan suggests that the police investigate Zhao’s history of plastic surgery, reasoning that his radically altered face likely resulted from multiple operations.
• The police also quietly take Chen Qixing away for questioning, apparently because Yan’s actions have disrupted several connected matters.
• Yan asks to leave work early but agrees to return the next day for Lin Lang’s visit, especially because Lin Lang is connected to the 750-million-yuan sum Yan has acquired.
• Yan’s parents invite his girlfriend, Shen Fangli, to dinner. Though she initially feels the invitation is too sudden, she agrees and joins them at Cloud Summit Hotel.

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue continues to demonstrate his shameless practicality and unusual moral outlook. He assists the police but remains focused on the reward, showing that his wealthy background has not made him dismissive of small gains.
• His quick suggestion about Zhao’s surgeries shows that he is observant and capable of thinking of investigative angles others may overlook.
• Yan also reveals a softer, more youthful side when he becomes embarrassed about inviting Shen Fangli to dinner with his parents, though he quickly hides it behind jokes and confidence.
• Father and Mother Yan openly support Yan’s unconventional behavior. Their refusal to condemn his actions suggests deep trust in him, while Mother Yan playfully teases him about his relationship.
• Shen Fangli becomes visibly nervous about meeting Yan’s parents in a more personal setting, recognizing that an ordinary dinner carries greater significance than their previous formal encounters.
• Lin Shi, Chen Qixing, and Zhao Jiazheng remain tied to the unfolding investigation, with Zhao’s criminal past and Chen’s detention suggesting that Yan’s interference is exposing a broader conspiracy.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus moral ambiguity: Yan helps uncover criminals, yet his thoughts and behavior are far from traditionally heroic. The chapter humorously contrasts his effective assistance with his self-described status as a “villain.”
• Wealth and greed: Although Yan is already extremely rich, he is delighted by the prospect of a modest police reward, emphasizing his opportunistic and money-conscious personality.
• Identity and reinvention: Zhao’s surgically altered face and connection to identity-erasing criminal networks highlight the instability of personal identity and the lengths people go to escape their pasts.
• Family acceptance: The Yan family’s willingness to support Yan’s choices, including his relationship and morally questionable schemes, shows a strong bond built on mutual understanding rather than conventional standards.
• Romantic progression: The dinner invitation marks a shift in Yan and Shen Fangli’s relationship, moving it from public or formal meetings toward family recognition and intimacy.

Character Interactions

• The police officers treat Yan’s family respectfully, contrasting them with the troubled Ji Household and appreciating Yan’s cooperation.
• Yan’s parents jointly reject the idea of his joining the police, humorously implying that his influence would be disastrous for the force.
• Ji Xi reluctantly lets Yan leave early because Yan’s parents clearly approve of him, even though Yan has caused considerable trouble.
• Yan and Shen Fangli banter over the dinner invitation. Yan uses jokes to calm her nerves, while she points out that meeting his parents as his girlfriend is different from previous encounters.
• At dinner, Mother Yan warmly invites Shen Fangli to sit beside her and reassures her that the meal is casual. Her interest in hearing gossip creates an immediate but slightly intimidating opening for conversation, while Father Yan remains more reserved.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Shen Fangli attends dinner with Yan Xianjue and his parents, feeling increasingly awkward after Mother Yan reveals that she follows the lively school forum. Shen worries her anonymous gossip account might be exposed.
• To change the subject, Shen repeats gossip from Teacher Zhuang about Actress Lin. Her claims—that Lin eats placentas for beauty and ranks her benefactors—trigger Yan Xianjue’s intense nausea and dry-heaving.
• Yan Xianjue’s internal thoughts reveal that Lin Shi is responsible for much of his current psychological trauma. He also knows a more disturbing truth: Actress Lin supposedly wants award-winning actors’ genes to produce a talented child.
• Shen accidentally makes a duck-like noise while reacting to this revelation, causing Yan’s parents to suspect that she may be able to hear their son’s thoughts. Mother Yan subtly tests her by mentioning Teacher Zhuang’s apparent fondness for Shen.
• Shen quickly denies any romantic implication, aware that Yan Xianjue is jealous. His reaction confirms his sensitivity to the subject, but dinner interrupts the exchange.
• The family enjoys a meal of Yan Xianjue’s favorite light Chinese dishes. Shen and Yan complain humorously about the exhausting variety-show schedule, while Yan’s parents privately recognize that he is exaggerating his hardship.
• Father Yan shifts the discussion to Lin Lang, who is expected to visit the next day because he owes Yan Xianjue over 750 million yuan. Lin Lang plans to repay the debt with assets because he lacks sufficient cash.

Character developments

• Shen Fangli becomes increasingly embarrassed and anxious in the Yan household. She tries to control the conversation but repeatedly exposes herself to awkward situations through gossip. She also shows awareness of Yan Xianjue’s jealousy and carefully avoids mentioning anything that might provoke him.
• Yan Xianjue displays a strong aversion to blood-related topics and remains possessive regarding Shen’s interactions with other men, particularly Teacher Zhuang. His inner thoughts reveal extensive knowledge of the strange gossip surrounding Actress Lin and his resentment toward Lin Shi.
• Mother Yan continues quietly investigating whether Shen can hear Yan Xianjue’s thoughts. She acts warm and supportive while deliberately provoking situations that might expose the truth.
• Father Yan maintains a dignified, restrained image in front of Shen, avoiding gossip and attempting to guide the conversation toward serious family matters.
• Lin Lang is established as financially weakened despite his status as a wealthy-family heir, unable to pay the debt in cash.

Significant themes

• Secrets and hidden thoughts: The humor depends on the contrast between what Yan Xianjue says aloud and what he thinks privately, as well as Shen’s possible ability to hear those thoughts.
• Embarrassment and social performance: Shen struggles to maintain composure while speaking with Yan’s parents, while Yan’s family members conceal their suspicions and reactions.
• Family affection and teasing: The Yan parents gently tease and indulge Yan, especially by accepting his exaggerated complaints about the variety show.
• Gossip and reputation: Industry rumors drive the conversation and reveal how information shapes relationships, jealousy, and perceptions of public figures.
• Wealth and power: Lin Lang’s massive debt and inability to pay it highlight the financial stakes and rivalries among the wealthy families.

Character interactions

• Mother Yan teases Shen about the school forum, placing her between herself and Yan Xianjue and heightening Shen’s discomfort.
• Shen’s gossip about Actress Lin repeatedly makes Yan physically ill, while his parents silently use Lin Shi as a convenient scapegoat for their son’s trauma.
• Mother Yan probes Shen’s relationship with Teacher Zhuang, and Shen immediately reassures her while Yan reacts jealously.
• During dinner, Yan and Shen unite in complaining about Lei Xuan’s demanding variety-show schedule, amusing Yan’s parents.
• Father Yan questions Yan about Lin Lang’s debt, introducing the next likely conflict involving repayment through assets.

Chapter Summary: “Lin Lang, This One’s on You”

Key plot points and events

• The Yan family discusses the hypothetical ransom value of Yan Xianjue. His father estimates kidnappers could demand up to two billion yuan, but not ten billion, while explaining that Yan Yi’an and the family could obtain the money through loans and collateral if necessary.
• The conversation reveals the Yan family’s unusually dramatic past: Father Yan was once kidnapped, though he was rescued quickly without any ransom being paid.
• Yan Xianjue internally considers whether Lin Lang would be worth kidnapping and suspects Old Master Lin of deliberately suppressing Lin Lang while still wanting him to strengthen the Lin family. He concludes that Old Master Lin wants power and prestige without allowing his descendants to surpass him.
• Mother Yan notices Shen Fangli’s subtle reactions to Yan Xianjue’s thoughts and realizes that Shen may also be able to hear them. She is relieved that Shen appears harmless but becomes distracted and reserved.
• Shen worries that mentioning actress Lin Lang caused Mother Yan’s change in mood. Yan reassures her that his mother likes her and jokingly cites his mother’s threat to break his legs if he cheats, while concealing the deeper reason for Mother Yan’s concern.
• The next day, Yan encounters Lin Lang at the company. Lin Lang looks exhausted, sickly, and requires support from his assistant. He coldly tells Yan that he underestimated him and hands over a manila envelope containing relevant documents.
• Yan, confused about what Lin Lang means, gives the envelope to Ji Xi and the others to examine. He secretly messages Lin Shi, who suggests that Lin Lang may be taking responsibility on her behalf.

Character developments

• Yan Xianjue remains outwardly carefree and seemingly foolish, but his internal observations are perceptive. He understands the Lin family’s political tensions and is increasingly capable of hiding sensitive information to protect himself and Shen Fangli.
• Shen Fangli becomes more anxious about her relationship with Yan’s family and shows visible reactions to Yan’s thoughts, unintentionally confirming Mother Yan’s suspicions.
• Mother Yan proves observant and emotionally intelligent. She notices Shen’s unusual responses and begins worrying about the implications of someone else hearing Yan Xianjue’s thoughts.
• Father Yan is practical, blunt, and experienced in dealing with family crises. His comments expose both the Yan family’s wealth and its complicated history.
• Lin Lang appears severely affected by the financial setback and arrives stripped of his usual composure. His hostility toward Yan suggests that the previous conflict has had consequences beyond the money itself.
• Lin Shi hints that Lin Lang may be sacrificing himself or accepting blame to shield her, adding uncertainty about what happened between them.

Significant themes

• Family power struggles: Old Master Lin’s contradictory desire to elevate the Lin family while preventing his descendants from surpassing him illustrates the destructive nature of possessiveness and control.
• Wealth and social power: The discussion of ransom and emergency loans highlights the immense resources of the Yan family and contrasts them with the Lin family’s concern over public reputation.
• Secrets and hidden thoughts: Yan Xianjue’s inner monologue drives much of the chapter, while his effort to conceal information from Shen shows the risks of supernatural or unusual knowledge.
• Family protection and sacrifice: Lin Lang’s apparent willingness to take responsibility for Lin Shi suggests that family members may protect one another even amid rivalry and manipulation.
• Appearances versus reality: Yan’s foolish exterior masks sharp judgment, while Lin Lang’s polished image collapses under pressure.

Important character interactions

• The Yan family jokes and argues over Yan Xianjue’s hypothetical ransom, revealing their familiar, eccentric dynamic.
• Mother Yan carefully observes Shen Fangli and indirectly tests whether she can hear Yan’s thoughts.
• Yan comforts Shen after she misinterprets Mother Yan’s change in attitude, while deliberately withholding the truth.
• Lin Lang confronts Yan at the company and presents him with evidence or documents, signaling a new stage in their conflict.
• Yan contacts Lin Shi privately, and her response implies that Lin Lang’s current condition may be connected to an attempt to protect her.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Shi informs Yan Xianjue that Old Master Lin discovered Lin Shi’s visit to him and became furious after learning that Lin Lang had been gambling.
• Lin Shi sends Yan evidence: a photo of himself kneeling in the Lin Ancestral Hall and a video showing Old Master Lin punishing Lin Lang.
• Lin Shi reveals that the Lin Household has combined the gambling incident with Yan Xianjue’s demand for an explanation, prompting Old Master Lin’s anger.
• In exchange for providing these updates, Lin Shi demands an “expedite fee”—a pharmaceutical company among the assets Lin Lang gave Yan Xianjue. Yan agrees, though the company had already been promised to Lin Shi.
• While waiting for Ji Xi’s team to finish verifying an IOU, Yan Xianjue taunts Lin Lang about his gambling losses and denies cheating, claiming his success came from skills taught by his grandfather.
• Once Ji Xi confirms everything is in order, Yan instructs him to return Lin Lang’s IOU.
• Lin Lang attempts to sow distrust by warning Yan that Ji Xi might abscond with the IOU, but Yan dismisses him and tells him to worry about preserving his own position.
• The chapter ends with Yan reflecting that Lin Shi’s efforts to weaken Lin Lang at the company have so far achieved little, while Lin Lang’s mocking smile reminds Yan of Lin Shi’s similarly dangerous temperament.

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue remains playful, sharp-tongued, and fearless. He treats the conflict between Lin Shi and Lin Lang as entertainment while confidently relying on his own influence and family support.
• Lin Shi shows his calculating and opportunistic nature. He uses the punishment and family drama to pressure Yan into giving him a business asset, openly treating the transaction as a fee for speeding things up.
• Lin Lang is humiliated by the gambling loss and Old Master Lin’s punishment. Though he tries to maintain composure and manipulate Yan through suspicion, he is clearly losing control of his position.
• Old Master Lin is portrayed as severe and authoritarian, punishing Lin Lang and attempting to control the Lin family’s affairs.
• Ji Xi demonstrates loyalty and competence by safeguarding and verifying Lin Lang’s IOU for Yan.

Significant Themes

• Power and manipulation: Family punishment, corporate authority, and business assets are all used as tools in the struggle for control.
• Transactional relationships: Lin Shi turns information and family drama into leverage, while Yan treats the pharmaceutical company as a price for Lin Shi’s assistance.
• Family politics and loyalty: The contrast between the tightly controlled Yan Household and the chaotic Lin Household highlights different forms of family power.
• Entertainment amid conflict: Yan views the rivalry between the two Lin brothers as a spectacle, remaining detached from the consequences.
• Inherited temperament: Yan notices similarities between Lin Lang and Lin Shi, suggesting that the Lin family’s ruthlessness and instability are deeply ingrained.

Character Interactions

• Lin Shi and Yan Xianjue: Their playful but calculating exchange revolves around Lin Shi’s reports, his punishment, and his demand for the pharmaceutical company.
• Yan Xianjue and Lin Lang: Yan provokes Lin Lang over the gambling loss, while Lin Lang tries unsuccessfully to intimidate and manipulate him.
• Old Master Lin and Lin Lang: Old Master Lin punishes Lin Lang after learning about the gambling incident, reinforcing his control over the family.
• Yan Xianjue and Ji Xi: Yan trusts Ji Xi with the IOU and relies on his team’s verification, dismissing concerns about Ji Xi’s loyalty.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Lang comes to retrieve an IOU for a gambling debt of over 700 million. He is furious to discover that Yan Xianjue had laminated the IOU, intending to preserve it as a Yan Household heirloom and potentially display it publicly.
• Yan mocks Lin Lang’s anger and warns him not to damage the table, which cost 700,000, since Lin might not be able to afford another compensation payment.
• Lin Lang angrily predicts that Yan will one day be replaced by an outsider. Yan enthusiastically welcomes the idea, claiming he dislikes working as CEO, while Ji Xi points out that Yan has worked less than one full day since the company was founded.
• Ji Xi defends Yan against Lin Lang’s assumptions, emphasizing that Yan operates outside ordinary rules and should not be judged by Lin’s standards. Lin, frustrated by Yan and Ji Xi’s easy banter, leaves.
• Lin’s assistant remains behind to complete the money-transfer procedures, confirming that the debt has been paid.
• After receiving Ji Xi’s permission to leave, Yan immediately heads out, relieved to escape work.
• Shen Fangli picks Yan up in her G-Class. They discuss where to practice driving, ultimately choosing the Southern Suburbs because there is less traffic.
• Shen worries about being near the Lin Household, but Yan argues that Lin Lang would not dare harm him openly. He reasons that kidnapping him would offer little benefit compared with the risks of provoking the Yan Household.
• Yan jokingly analyzes which members of his family would be most valuable kidnapping targets and concludes that he ranks among the top three. Shen is left speechless by his bizarre sense of pride.

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue remains shameless, playful, and provocative, deliberately irritating Lin Lang while treating his CEO responsibilities as an inconvenience. He also shows confidence in the Yan Household’s power and in his own relative safety.
• Ji Xi demonstrates loyalty and practical judgment. Although he questions the wisdom of antagonizing Lin Lang, he accepts the paid debt and continues managing Yan efficiently. His dry remarks reveal a familiar, long-established relationship with Yan.
• Lin Lang becomes increasingly humiliated and enraged. Despite his threats, he ultimately leaves without retaliating, suggesting that Yan and Ji’s teasing has exposed his lack of control.
• Shen Fangli continues to look after Yan, driving him around and worrying about his safety. Her reactions also highlight how absurd she finds Yan’s behavior.
• The chapter reinforces that Yan’s family members are all difficult or dangerous to target, with Yan humorously reassessing his own kidnapping value.

Significant Themes

• Power and intimidation: Lin Lang’s anger cannot overcome the Yan Household’s influence, and his threats lose force when he is forced to pay.
• Humor through humiliation: The conflict is defused through sarcasm, banter, and Yan’s deliberate provocation rather than violence.
• Family protection and hierarchy: The Yan family’s collective strength makes targeting any member risky, while their internal relationships are portrayed as both protective and chaotic.
• Work avoidance and responsibility: Yan treats his CEO position casually, leaving Ji Xi to handle practical matters and enforce basic discipline.
• Unconventional relationships: Yan and Ji Xi’s constant teasing demonstrates their deep familiarity and stable bond, contradicting Lin Lang’s hope that their relationship might be fractured.

Character Interactions

• Yan Xianjue and Lin Lang: Their exchange is openly antagonistic, with Yan turning Lin’s anger and threat into jokes.
• Yan Xianjue and Ji Xi: They engage in relaxed, sarcastic banter. Ji Xi manages and corrects Yan, while Yan relies on him despite complaining about work.
• Lin Lang and Ji Xi: Ji Xi directly rebukes Lin’s attempt to judge Yan by conventional standards, defending Yan’s unusual nature.
• Yan Xianjue and Shen Fangli: Their interaction is affectionate and playful. Shen worries about his safety and comfort, while Yan casually jokes about dangerous situations and kidnapping rankings.

Chapter Summary: “Favorability”

Plot points and events

• The Yan family gathers in tense silence after Mother Yan suggests that Shen Fangli may be able to hear Yan Xianjue’s inner thoughts.
• Yan Shan returns from investigating spies at the research institute and, unaware of the situation, bluntly asks who Shen Fangli is. Her remark breaks the tension.
• The family reviews Shen Fangli’s first meeting with them and realizes she may have reacted to information Yan Xianjue revealed internally, suggesting she could have been hearing his thoughts from the beginning.
• Yan Ci worries that Shen Fangli may be dating Yan Xianjue for personal gain, especially because Yan Xianjue’s spoilers could help her enter the entertainment industry.
• The family discusses ways to protect Yan Xianjue. Yan Wan proposes controlling Shen Fangli through threats or incentives, while Yan Yi’an suggests making the Shen Household increasingly dependent on the Yan Household through business cooperation.
• Mother Yan objects to assuming Shen Fangli is malicious and points out that Yan Xianjue would be hurt if the family treated his girlfriend as an enemy. She suggests an engagement to secure the relationship.
• Yan Ci rejects the engagement idea and reveals a disturbing detail from Yan Xianjue’s childhood: while staying at a sanatorium, Xianjue kept a notebook ranking everyone he met according to his closeness and favorability toward them.
• Yan Ci concludes that although Xianjue no longer keeps such a notebook physically, he likely still mentally categorizes people in the same way.

Character developments

• Yan Xianjue: Though absent from the discussion, he becomes the center of the family’s concern. His ability to hear future spoilers and his emotional vulnerability make the family fear he could be exploited or betrayed. His childhood habit of ranking people reveals a highly structured, possibly fragile approach to relationships.
• Shen Fangli: Her motives become uncertain. The family wonders whether she genuinely loves Xianjue or is using his knowledge to advance her career, though Mother Yan believes she may be innocent.
• Yan Ci: He demonstrates unexpected perceptiveness and maturity. Initially quiet, he identifies the possibility of Shen Fangli exploiting Xianjue and later provides the crucial insight into Xianjue’s childhood behavior. He also feels embarrassed realizing she may have heard his past humiliations.
• Yan Wan: She takes a ruthless, strategic stance, suggesting the family “control” Shen Fangli through leverage while insisting she does not mean illegal methods.
• Yan Yi’an: He supports using business ties to bind the Shen Household to the Yan family and is prepared to retaliate if they betray them.
• Mother Yan: She acts as the moral counterbalance, warning the family not to condemn Shen Fangli without proof and prioritizing Xianjue’s feelings.
• Father Yan: He is alarmed by how calculating his children have become and humorously questions his parenting.

Significant themes

• Trust versus suspicion: The family must decide whether to trust Shen Fangli or prepare for betrayal.
• Protection and control: Their desire to protect Xianjue risks turning into manipulation and coercion.
• Family loyalty: The Yan family instinctively prioritizes Xianjue’s safety, even while disagreeing over how far they should go.
• Emotional vulnerability: Xianjue’s childhood favorability rankings suggest he may measure relationships carefully to protect himself from emotional harm.
• Moral ambiguity: The family considers ethically questionable strategies while presenting them as legitimate business or incentives.

Character interactions

• Yan Shan’s blunt ignorance breaks the family’s tense silence.
• Yan Yi’an and Yan Ci collaborate in reconstructing Shen Fangli’s suspicious behavior.
• Yan Wan and Yan Yi’an favor strategic control through leverage and business dependence.
• Mother Yan challenges their distrust and proposes engagement as a means of securing the relationship.
• Yan Ci directly opposes her idea, shifting the discussion toward Xianjue’s psychological history and revealing the secret notebook.

Chapter Summary: “Books and Paintings, One Family”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Yan family discusses whether Yan Xianjue genuinely intends to become engaged to Shen Fangli. Yan Ci argues that Xianjue’s feelings have likely only reached the stage of being lovers, not engagement.
• The family agrees that an engagement would bind Shen Fangli but also restrict Yan Xianjue. Yan Wan and Yan Shan therefore oppose the idea, while the parents decide to observe the relationship longer.
• They consider the possibility of breaking up the couple by recreating the kind of incident that occurred with Zhuang Yuefeng, but Yan Yi'an and Yan Wan reject the idea. Shen Fangli’s connection to President Shen and Xianjue’s determination would make such an action dangerous and impossible to conceal.
• Father Yan reminds the family of their household precept—“Be a decent person”—which all four siblings repeat together.
• Yan Shan reveals that she has been unable to scientifically explain why the family can hear Yan Xianjue’s inner thoughts, but she has read all the novels Yan Ci recommended.
• Discussing fiction, Yan Shan argues that protagonists are not necessarily good people and villains are not necessarily defined by their actions. In her view, the “protagonist” is ultimately the person who has the last laugh.
• Yan Yi'an reports that he has found no clues among the many books left by their grandfather. Yan Ci then remembers that their grandfather also left him paintings and once said that “books and paintings were one family, united in heart and origin.”
• The family decides that the paintings may need to be examined alongside the books to uncover the mystery.

Character Developments

• Yan Xianjue: Though absent from the discussion, he is portrayed as deeply committed and dangerously persistent. His family believes he would investigate relentlessly if Shen Fangli were harmed.
• Shen Fangli: The family views her as sincere but somewhat naive and lacking the cunning necessary to deliberately cause trouble. Their parents become more willing to trust her after meeting her.
• Yan Yi'an: He continues investigating the mystery surrounding their grandfather’s belongings and the family’s ability to hear Xianjue’s thoughts. He also shows a darker strategic side but ultimately rejects harming Shen Fangli.
• Yan Wan: She is pragmatic and protective of the family, opposing the engagement because she sees it as a restriction on Xianjue. She also briefly considers manipulating events but abandons the idea.
• Yan Shan: Her scientific mindset remains intact, but reading fiction prompts her to develop a more complex view of morality, narrative, and victory.
• Yan Ci: He acts as the family’s source of novel recommendations and contributes the key insight that the grandfather’s paintings may contain clues.
• Father and Mother Yan: They remain cautious but fair, choosing observation over interference and recognizing that their children’s schemes may be more dangerous than Shen Fangli herself.

Significant Themes

• Morality versus expediency: The family is tempted to manipulate or eliminate a perceived threat but ultimately returns to its principle of behaving decently.
• Appearance versus reality: Shen Fangli may seem naive, yet the family must determine whether she is truly harmless. Likewise, protagonists and villains cannot be judged solely by appearances or labels.
• Storytelling and truth: Yan Shan suggests that every narrative reveals only one perspective, raising questions about who controls the story and how truth is presented.
• Family loyalty and restraint: Although the Yan siblings are willing to contemplate extreme actions, their affection for one another and their family code prevent them from crossing certain lines.
• Books and paintings as connected clues: The grandfather’s words imply that different forms of art may contain complementary pieces of a hidden message or mystery.

Character Interactions

• Yan Ci and Mother Yan debate whether Xianjue wants to marry Shen Fangli, with Mother Yan defending Xianjue’s sincerity.
• Yan Yi'an questions Yan Ci about Shen Fangli’s standing in Xianjue’s eyes, leading to discussion of their uncertain relationship.
• Yan Wan and Yan Shan jointly oppose the engagement, communicating through a subtle exchange of looks.
• Yan Yi'an and Yan Wan briefly share the same dangerous idea regarding Shen Fangli but silently reject it.
• The entire family is united when Father Yan invokes their precept, “Be a decent person.”
• Yan Shan and Yan Ci discuss the meaning of protagonists and villains, while Yan Wan recognizes the truth in Shan’s argument.
• Yan Ci finally brings the family together around the possibility that the grandfather’s paintings may help Yan Yi'an interpret the books and solve the mystery.