Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Feng and his mother panic over online accusations that their family abused Huahua, a young girl in their care. They decide not to return her, fearing it would look like an admission of guilt and damage their social standing.
• Xie Feng plans to stage a hospital video featuring Huahua to control public opinion, while his mother insists on appearing alongside him to maintain a charitable image. Their conversation reveals their willingness to exploit Huahua for publicity.
• The family’s business partners threaten to end their cooperation unless the scandal is handled properly.
• At the reality show dormitory, Director Li and the planner struggle to design a challenge that will not allow Xie Chen to dominate. They consider military training, an intelligence quiz, and finally settle on helping a hospitalized child fulfill a wish.
• Xie Chen and Huo Wenye unexpectedly overhear the discussion and join the hospital trip. The other contestants and children, including Chen Chen and Luo Xiaopang, accompany them, believing they are going to visit Huahua.
• Huo Wenye’s influence is evident when hospital staff prepare everything in advance and allow the group direct access to the ward.
• Xie Chen realizes Huo Wenye arranged the visit beforehand and orders the livestream to begin before they enter, suggesting he wants the truth to be witnessed publicly.
• Director Li observes that Xie Chen and Huo Wenye are effectively taking over production, joking that their actions resemble directing more than his own work.

2. Character Developments

• Xie Feng is shown to be manipulative, arrogant, and confident that money and public relations can erase wrongdoing. He dismisses online criticism and views Huahua primarily as a tool for damage control.
• Xie Feng’s mother is equally concerned with reputation and social status. Although she dislikes hospitals, she agrees to appear there for the cameras. Her comments reveal cruelty toward Huahua and a preference for children who are easier to mistreat.
• Xie Chen demonstrates strategic intelligence and initiative. He recognizes that the hospital visit may be connected to the scandal and ensures it is livestreamed, positioning himself to expose or confront the Xie family publicly.
• Huo Wenye continues to show quiet authority and protectiveness toward Xie Chen. His influence allows the group to enter the hospital smoothly, and his intimidating presence keeps Director Li from objecting.
• Director Li and the planner are increasingly wary of Xie Chen’s abilities, recognizing that ordinary challenges may fail to contain him. Director Li also becomes comically intimidated by Huo Wenye.
• Xie Ran is left out of the hospital visit because he overslept, and his attempt to create a stylish entrance is undercut by the cameraman’s blunt filming.

3. Significant Themes

• Public image versus genuine morality: The Xie family focuses on appearances, staged concern, and social reputation rather than Huahua’s wellbeing.
• Exploitation of vulnerable people: Huahua is treated as a prop for public relations, while the family debates whether keeping her will benefit their image.
• Power and influence: Huo Wenye’s status gives the group privileged access to the hospital, while Xie Chen uses intelligence and media awareness to control the situation.
• Reality television and performance: Nearly every action is shaped by cameras, public reaction, and the desire to create a favorable narrative. The chapter humorously blurs the roles of contestants and production staff.
• Justice through exposure: Xie Chen’s insistence on livestreaming suggests that transparency and public scrutiny may challenge the family’s manufactured story.

4. Character Interactions

• Xie Feng and his mother cooperate in planning a staged hospital appearance, exposing their shared hypocrisy and concern for status.
• Xie Chen and Huo Wenye repeatedly appear together, with Huo’s silent support and intimidating looks influencing others on Xie Chen’s behalf.
• Director Li and the planner debate how to design a challenge around Xie Chen’s exceptional physical and intellectual abilities, highlighting their frustration and admiration.
• Xie Chen teases Director Li by presenting him as someone who would never lie to the children, while Director Li reluctantly gives in under Huo Wenye’s pressure.
• Xie Ran’s interaction with the cameraman provides comic relief, as the cameraman bluntly exposes his attempt to appear fashionable and dismisses his questions about the hospital trip.

Chapter Summary: “Cut This Part, Don’t Air It!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Chen and the children enter the hospital ward and find Huahua alone in an overcrowded, unpleasant eight-bed room.
• Huahua is overjoyed to see them, but Chen Chen becomes distressed when he notices her badly bandaged, burned arm. The children question why she has been left without proper care.
• Other patients reveal that Huahua’s adoptive father, Xie Feng, has barely visited her. Despite being injured, she has been forced to wash, dress, use the bathroom, and even help other patients by herself.
• The ward’s testimony exposes Xie Feng’s neglect and sparks outrage among the people present and viewers watching the livestream.
• Xie Feng suddenly arrives with a selfie stick, claiming he visited Huahua the previous day. The patients immediately identify this as a lie, since they have not seen him during her entire stay.
• Xie Feng shuts down his livestream when the accusations begin damaging his reputation. He then threatens Huahua, demanding to know whether she still wants to return home with him.
• When Chen Chen confronts him about Huahua’s injury, Xie Feng attempts to shove him. Chen Chen bites his hand, and Xie Feng tries to strike him.
• Xie Chen secretly trips Xie Feng, causing him to fall. Xie Feng then insults Xie Chen as a servant of the Xie family.
• Before Xie Chen can respond, the cameraman cuts the recording, leaving viewers frustrated just as the confrontation reaches its climax.

Character Developments

• Huahua: Revealed to be extremely self-reliant and considerate despite being young, injured, and abandoned. Her happiness at seeing the children contrasts sharply with her fear when Xie Feng threatens her.
• Chen Chen: Shows strong affection and protectiveness toward Huahua. He openly cries over her injury, confronts Xie Feng, and bites him to prevent him from attacking.
• Luo Xiaopang and the other children: Demonstrate concern for Huahua and immediately defend her, treating her as part of their close-knit group.
• Xie Chen: Becomes increasingly confrontational and protective. He skillfully exposes Xie Feng’s neglect through questioning and covertly trips him when he tries to hurt Chen Chen.
• Xie Feng: Is exposed as a neglectful and performative adoptive father. His public image collapses when witnesses contradict his claims, and his threatening behavior reveals his cruelty and lack of genuine concern for Huahua.
• Huo Wenye: Remains present as a silent but intimidating ally, his cold demeanor adding pressure to Xie Feng.

Significant Themes

• Neglect and parental responsibility: The chapter condemns adopting a child without accepting the duty to care for them.
• Public image versus reality: Xie Feng uses livestreaming to present himself as a caring father, but the hospital witnesses reveal the truth.
• The vulnerability of children: Huahua’s injury and abandonment emphasize how defenseless children can be when adults fail them.
• Found family and solidarity: The children, patients, and caregivers rally around Huahua, providing the concern and protection her adoptive father denies her.
• Media accountability: The camera and livestream expose wrongdoing, though the abrupt cut also highlights how media can be controlled to protect reputations.

Character Interactions

• The children warmly reunite with Huahua and overwhelm her with concern.
• The elderly patient and other ward residents confront the issue of Huahua’s abandonment, supplying crucial testimony.
• Xie Chen uses polite but pointed questioning to draw out the truth and publicly condemn Xie Feng.
• Xie Feng intimidates Huahua and clashes with Chen Chen, prompting Chen Chen and Xie Chen to defend her.
• The chapter ends with the production crew suppressing the most explosive part of the confrontation, leaving the livestream audience demanding to know what happened.

Chapter Summary

Plot and Key Events

• Director Li is stunned by how effectively Xie Chen manipulates the situation, especially after the cameraman begins livestreaming the hospital confrontation.
• Xie Feng threatens Xie Chen by invoking the Xie Family, but Xie Chen appears unfazed. When Xie Feng is suddenly slapped, Xie Chen denies doing it, while an elderly bystander humorously pretends she could not see the incident because of “vitreous floaters.”
• Xie Feng attempts to remove Huahua from the hospital, but Chen Chen and Luo Xiaopang block him, defending the injured girl.
• Xie Feng’s mother arrives with several wealthy women and tries to portray her son’s actions as charitable. She behaves affectionately toward Huahua for the benefit of the crowd, while insulting the hospital and displaying her wealth.
• Xie Chen signals for the livestream to begin, ensuring the confrontation is publicly recorded.
• When questioned about Huahua’s burns, Xie Feng’s mother claims Huahua accidentally spilled hot tea and denies abusing her.
• Xie Chen points out that the Xie household had surveillance cameras. Xie Feng claims they were broken, but Xie Chen reveals that the footage is already circulating online.
• The video clearly shows Xie Feng’s mother deliberately pouring hot tea onto Huahua. Her wealthy friends realize the truth, condemn her cruelty, and sever ties with her publicly.

Character Development

• Xie Chen demonstrates confidence, intelligence, and strategic control. Rather than directly arguing, he uses the livestream, witnesses, and surveillance footage to expose the Xie family.
• Xie Feng shifts from arrogant intimidation to nervous damage control. He tries to leave before the truth comes out and privately plans revenge against Xie Chen.
• Xie Feng’s mother is revealed as hypocritical and abusive. Her polished, charitable image collapses once the evidence is shown.
• Huahua remains at the center of the conflict as the abused victim whose truth is finally supported publicly.
• Chen Chen and Luo Xiaopang show loyalty and courage by physically preventing Xie Feng from taking Huahua away.
• The elderly auntie provides comic relief while openly siding against Xie Feng’s family.
• Director Li increasingly recognizes Xie Chen’s superior ability to control public opinion and create dramatic revelations.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus manufactured appearances: The Xie family attempts to present abuse as charity, but objective evidence exposes them.
• Public accountability: Livestreaming and social media transform a private hospital confrontation into a public reckoning.
• Power through intelligence: Xie Chen defeats the influential Xie family through preparation, witnesses, and evidence rather than status.
• Hypocrisy and social reputation: Xie Feng’s mother’s wealthy friends abandon her once her cruelty conflicts with the image she projects.
• Protection of the vulnerable: Several bystanders, especially the children and elderly woman, defend Huahua when her guardians try to silence her.

Important Character Interactions

• Xie Chen confronts Xie Feng and his mother with calm, pointed questions.
• Xie Feng attempts to use the Xie Family’s influence to intimidate Xie Chen.
• Chen Chen and Luo Xiaopang directly oppose Xie Feng to protect Huahua.
• Xie Feng’s mother performs affection toward Huahua, but Xie Chen exposes the abuse behind her false concern.
• The elderly auntie mocks both Xie Feng’s slap and his mother’s excessive perfume, adding pressure to the confrontation.
• The wealthy women initially accompany and flatter Xie Feng’s mother, but after seeing the surveillance footage, they condemn her and reject her socially.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After uploading his video, Lu Fei reflects bitterly on Xie Chen’s hidden abilities. He is amazed that Xie Chen taught himself the entire high-school curriculum, manipulated his grades, and possessed advanced hacking skills.
• Lu Fei receives a call from Xie Chen’s older brother, Xie Zhenting, who wants to arrange lessons with the supposedly prestigious Professor Smith for his younger brother. Pretending to be the professor’s assistant, Lu Fei demands an exorbitant fee and mockingly refuses to arrange a meeting, clearly enjoying the opportunity to retaliate against the Xie family.
• At the hospital, Xie Feng’s mother is abandoned by the wealthy women she had tried to impress. After seeing the abuse allegations, the women distance themselves from her and attempt to maintain their own reputations with Huo Wenye.
• Staff from the Women’s Federation arrive to investigate the suspected abuse of Yu Yuejia, or Huahua. Xie Feng and his mother deny the accusations and challenge the authenticity of the video, but the staff warn that refusal to cooperate could lead to police involvement and criminal charges.
• Xie Chen cites the relevant criminal-law provision, emphasizing that family abuse can result in imprisonment. Frightened by the seriousness of the situation, Xie Feng and his mother agree to cooperate with the investigation.
• The Women’s Federation thanks Xie Chen for supplying the evidence, explaining that his information may finally allow them to remove Huahua from the abusers’ control and return her to the orphanage.
• The children celebrate Huahua’s possible return home. Meanwhile, Director Li accuses Xie Chen of using the filming project to pursue a personal vendetta and jokes that Xie Chen is stealing his entire production team.

Character Developments

• Lu Fei is revealed to be highly resentful of Xie Chen’s superiority but also clever and vindictive. He uses his language skills and acting ability to deceive Xie Zhenting, turning the phone call into a personal revenge opportunity.
• Xie Chen demonstrates intelligence, legal knowledge, strategic planning, and confidence. His actions suggest that he deliberately brought the production crew to the hospital, exposed Xie Feng and his mother’s behavior, and ensured that the abuse case received official attention.
• Xie Feng and his mother lose their social protection and become increasingly frightened and helpless. Their denial collapses once the Women’s Federation threatens police action and prosecution.
• Huo Wenye remains cold and authoritative toward the wealthy women, but seeing Xie Chen’s smile evokes memories of how Xie Chen once comforted and emotionally rescued him. His feelings toward Xie Chen are shown to be deep and longstanding.
• The Women’s Federation staff are portrayed as determined advocates for Huahua, grateful that Xie Chen’s evidence has provided the breakthrough they needed.
• Director Li acts as comic relief, loudly objecting to Xie Chen’s influence over the production and claiming authority as the director.

Significant Themes

• Justice and accountability: Evidence and institutional intervention begin to protect Huahua from abuse.
• Hidden talent and misjudgment: Xie Chen’s supposed academic failures and poor reputation are challenged by revelations of his exceptional intelligence and achievements.
• Revenge through exposure: Rather than confronting the abusers directly, Xie Chen uses filming, evidence, and public scrutiny to reveal their hypocrisy and force consequences.
• Social reputation and hypocrisy: The wealthy women abandon Xie Feng’s mother not because of genuine morality, but because association with her threatens their standing with the Huo family.
• Protection of vulnerable children: Huahua’s safety and return to the orphanage become the emotional center of the chapter.
• Emotional dependence and affection: Huo Wenye’s memories reveal that Xie Chen has long been a source of warmth and comfort in his life.

Character Interactions

• Lu Fei deceptively interacts with Xie Zhenting, manipulating him with a false identity and refusing to help his family.
• Xie Feng’s mother and the wealthy women clash indirectly as the women reject her to protect themselves.
• The Women’s Federation confronts Xie Feng and his mother, while Xie Chen reinforces their legal vulnerability.
• Xie Chen is thanked by the investigators and celebrated by the children for helping Huahua.
• Huo Wenye silently watches Xie Chen with affection and nostalgia before Director Li interrupts.
• Director Li humorously confronts Xie Chen, accusing him of turning the production into a personal campaign against the Xie family.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After returning from the hospital, Director Li is praised by the planner and assistant for successfully capitalizing on current trends through the show’s recent publicity. The episode’s traffic reaches a new record, and the cameraman realizes that Xie Chen’s choices are bringing major benefits to the program.
• The Villains Group confronts Xie Chen and Huo Wenye for going to the hospital without them. They jokingly—or perhaps genuinely—accuse Xie Chen of abandoning the group, insisting that the Villains Group is a united “whole.”
• Xie Ran attempts to defend his importance and criticize the group, but the Villains Group turns on him. They mock his dependence on the Xie Family and argue that they have enough money and confidence to survive without fame. Wei Mingqi even predicts that the Xie Family may eventually collapse.
• Xie Chen watches the argument with amusement and surprise. He looks to Huo Wenye to intervene, but Huo’s response makes clear that his concern is focused only on Xie Chen. Director Li eventually interrupts the confrontation.
• Director Li tells Xie Chen that CCTV wants him to audition as the spokesperson for a public service advertisement about children’s healthy development. The opportunity could lead to greater recognition and possibly a children’s welfare ambassadorship.
• Xie Chen hesitates because he sees himself as someone pursuing personal revenge and acting according to his own nature. Becoming a morally exemplary public figure seems inconsistent with his “villain” image and the identity established by the variety show.
• Meanwhile, the Xie Family learns that Xie Chen has become the public’s favorite candidate for the advertisement. The endorsement had originally been intended for Xie Ran, whose abduction experience and kind image were considered suitable.
• Xie Yongan becomes alarmed, believing Xie Chen’s appearance would steal Xie Ran’s opportunity and strengthen public suspicions that the family mistreated Xie Chen. He orders the family to prevent Xie Chen from endorsing the advertisement.

Character Developments

• Xie Chen: Gains increasing public approval and influence, even though he is uncomfortable with becoming a positive role model. His actions are unintentionally transforming his public image from villainous and controversial to trustworthy and admirable.
• Huo Wenye: Shows quiet but clear favoritism toward Xie Chen. His refusal to interfere in the group’s argument, coupled with the implication that he only protects Xie Chen, highlights their growing closeness.
• Villains Group: Demonstrates unexpected unity and loyalty toward Xie Chen. Though they express their displeasure through sarcasm and insults, their reaction reveals that they regard him as an important member of their collective.
• Xie Ran: Becomes increasingly isolated and resentful. His attempts to use moral criticism and threats about the group’s careers fail, exposing his reliance on the Xie Family and his inability to control the situation.
• Director Li: Becomes increasingly enthusiastic about Xie Chen’s popularity and the opportunities it creates for the show. He sees the CCTV advertisement as a major breakthrough.
• Xie Family: Grows defensive and anxious as Xie Chen’s popularity threatens Xie Ran’s carefully arranged image and the family’s control over the public narrative.

Significant Themes

• Public image versus true identity: Xie Chen is known as part of a “villains” program, yet his recent behavior has made the public see him as compassionate and suitable for children’s welfare work.
• Unintended consequences of personal choices: Xie Chen’s efforts to repair his past and pursue revenge unintentionally generate fame, public trust, and opportunities beyond his original plans.
• Loyalty and belonging: The Villains Group’s exaggerated complaints reveal genuine solidarity, while Huo Wenye’s selective concern emphasizes his personal attachment to Xie Chen.
• Family control and reputation: The Xie Family prioritizes appearances and Xie Ran’s public image, fearing that Xie Chen’s success will expose their mistreatment of him.
• Social recognition and moral legitimacy: CCTV’s interest symbolizes official approval, creating pressure for Xie Chen to live up to an exemplary image he never intended to adopt.

Important Character Interactions

• The Villains Group collectively teases and reprimands Xie Chen for leaving them behind, then aggressively rebukes Xie Ran when he tries to join the dispute.
• Xie Chen and Huo Wenye exchange a silent, emotionally suggestive look, with Huo implying that his protection is reserved specifically for Xie Chen.
• Director Li tries to persuade Xie Chen to accept the CCTV advertisement, framing it as recognition from influential authorities rather than merely a paid endorsement.
• Xie Yongan and Xie Zhenting discuss how Xie Chen’s rising popularity threatens Xie Ran’s planned endorsement and could expose the family’s mistreatment of him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• CCTV plans a public service announcement focused on children’s development and protecting them from unsafe environments, particularly the trauma caused by child trafficking.
• Because of his highly publicized return to the Xie Family after being trafficked, Xie Ran is invited to audition as the spokesperson. He agrees, expressing his desire to help others because he knows what it means to suffer.
• The Xie Family intends to secure the endorsement for Xie Ran, but tensions rise when Xie Yongan criticizes Xie Zhenting for failing to recruit Professor Smith, whom they apparently need for another matter. Xie Yongan blames the family’s failures on poor parenting, leading to an argument with Mother Xie over Xie Yuchen.
• Meanwhile, the children at the welfare home excitedly praise Xie Chen for helping them find Huahua and confronting her adoptive father. Chen Chen insists that Xie Chen is gentle and solves problems through reasoning rather than violence.
• The welfare home director reports that the Women’s Federation is investigating Huahua’s situation and that Huahua may soon be able to return.
• During the afternoon assignment, the guests are told to teach a meaningful lesson to the welfare-home children while maintaining classroom discipline. The planners expect the task to be extremely difficult because of the children’s unruly personalities.
• Several guests panic and search for teaching materials, while Xie Chen remains completely relaxed. When questioned by Xie Ran, he casually claims that he never needs lesson plans when teaching, setting up another likely clash between the brothers.

Character Developments

• Xie Ran: Shows compassion and a desire to turn his traumatic past into something helpful for other children. His gentle public image also hides growing competitiveness toward Xie Chen, whom he envies.
• Xie Chen: Continues to gain popularity and the children’s affection. He is portrayed as calm, capable, and unexpectedly gentle, relying on logic and persuasion instead of force. His confidence during the teaching task further reinforces his competence.
• Xie Yongan: Becomes increasingly frustrated with the family’s inability to handle Xie Chen and openly criticizes Xie Zhenting and Mother Xie.
• Xie Zhenting: Feels pressured and humiliated by his father’s dissatisfaction, especially because he cannot secure Professor Smith.
• Mother Xie: Defends her sons and blames Xie Chen for deceiving the family, revealing her continued hostility toward him.
• The welfare-home children: Their admiration for Xie Chen grows stronger, and they enthusiastically credit him for helping Huahua.
• Director Li: Feels overlooked because the children praise Xie Chen rather than him, creating a humorous contrast between his efforts and Xie Chen’s popularity.

Significant Themes

• Healing through helping others: Xie Ran wants to use his painful experience to protect children facing similar dangers.
• Family conflict and favoritism: The Xie Family continues to fracture under blame, resentment, and differing attitudes toward the brothers.
• Public image versus genuine character: Xie Ran is being considered for a public-service role because of his story, while Xie Chen earns affection through his actual behavior.
• Competence and emotional intelligence: Xie Chen’s ability to reason with children and handle difficult situations challenges assumptions that strength must be expressed physically.
• The contrast between performance and authenticity: Xie Ran carefully presents himself as gentle and caring, while Xie Chen’s kindness appears spontaneous and deeply trusted by the children.

Character Interactions

• Xie Yongan confronts Xie Zhenting over his failure to contact Professor Smith, while Mother Xie intervenes and defends her eldest son.
• The welfare-home children excitedly recount Xie Chen’s help to the director, with Chen Chen correcting Luo Xiaopang’s exaggeration that Xie Chen used violence.
• Director Li attempts to claim recognition for his own contributions, but the children continue chanting Xie Chen’s praises.
• Xie Ran questions Xie Chen about preparing the lesson plan, subtly testing or provoking him. Xie Chen responds dismissively, confidently implying that he can teach effectively without preparation.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• During a livestreamed teaching challenge, Xie Chen casually claims he never needs to prepare lessons because of his past teaching experience. His statement surprises the viewers and Xie Ran, who doubts him.
• Xie Chen refuses to explain himself to Xie Ran, dismissing their former relationship and walking away. Xie Ran hides his resentment behind an aggrieved expression for the cameras.
• The production team exposes Xie Ran’s own history of volunteer teaching, which he had obtained mainly to secure an internship certificate. The revelation forces him to prepare seriously, since viewers may investigate his background further.
• The guests draw lots to determine the order of their twenty-minute lessons. Luo Mingyu draws first and pressures Li Sifan to exchange numbers with him. Li Sifan gives in, only for both men to end up with the first and second slots.
• Li Jingfei draws fifth. Xie Chen draws sixth, while Huo Wenye draws seventh and volunteers to wait with him. Xie Ran draws fourth.
• Just as Xie Ran tries to interrupt Xie Chen and Huo Wenye’s private interaction, the assistant announces that Director Li wants Xie Ran to switch to first place so that, given his teaching experience, he can “set an example.” Xie Ran reacts in shock and anger.

Character Developments

• Xie Chen: Remains confident, mysterious, and dismissive toward Xie Ran. His offhand claim about teaching suggests a hidden past and reinforces his reputation for surprising people.
• Xie Ran: His insecurity and jealousy become increasingly obvious. He is especially threatened by the possibility that his past will be exposed and struggles when the show forces him to teach first.
• Huo Wenye: Shows quiet attentiveness toward Xie Chen by offering to wait with him. His cold exterior contrasts with his subtle concern and intimacy.
• Luo Mingyu: Acts shamelessly and theatrically to avoid teaching first, providing much of the episode’s comedy.
• Li Sifan: Though outwardly irritated by Luo Mingyu, he is visibly affected by Luo’s closeness and willingly gives him the desired draw.
• Li Jingfei: Observes the chaos with amused detachment and avoids becoming involved.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and buried pasts: The cast members’ public images conceal important histories, particularly Xie Chen’s unexplained teaching background and Xie Ran’s questionable volunteer experience.
• Exposure and reputation: The livestream intensifies the pressure to appear competent and sincere, while the production team deliberately uses hidden information to challenge the guests.
• Jealousy and social rivalry: Xie Ran’s resentment toward Xie Chen and discomfort around Xie Chen and Huo Wenye’s closeness continue to drive tension.
• Performance versus authenticity: The guests must balance genuine ability with their carefully managed public personas, while the show actively tests whether their claims are credible.
• Comedy amid conflict: Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan’s exaggerated interaction offsets the hostility surrounding Xie Ran and keeps the teaching challenge entertaining.

Character Interactions

• Xie Chen bluntly rejects Xie Ran’s attempt to claim familiarity, worsening their already strained relationship.
• The cameraman deliberately provokes Xie Ran about his volunteer teaching experience, exposing his hypocrisy and forcing him to prepare.
• Luo Mingyu clings to Li Sifan and begs him to exchange numbers; Li Sifan pretends to be annoyed but clearly enjoys the physical closeness.
• Huo Wenye tells Xie Chen he will wait with him, creating a noticeably intimate moment that excites the livestream audience.
• Xie Ran deliberately walks between Xie Chen and Huo Wenye, apparently trying to disrupt them, but is immediately punished by being reassigned to teach first.

Chapter Summary: “On-Site Teaching Was Thrilling”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Ran becomes angry when an assistant asks him to teach first as a “demonstration,” realizing the request is primarily intended to give him a chance to stand out.
• He sarcastically suggests that Xie Chen should teach instead, arguing that Xie Chen’s confidence and experience make him more deserving of the opportunity.
• Xie Chen unexpectedly volunteers to replace Luo Mingyu in the first teaching slot, frustrating Director Li, who had hoped Xie Ran would have a chance to shine.
• Xie Chen enters a chaotic rural-orphanage classroom where the children are loud, unruly, and largely unused to strict supervision.
• He immediately captures their attention by promising that obedient students will get to play the popular game Eggy Party.
• The children become excited, but Xie Chen reveals that the promise was a lesson about fraud: believing an attractive offer and paying a price to obtain it can mean falling for a scam.
• He then introduces a second lesson about responding to threats to personal safety, using an intimidating shout to silence the children and force them to listen.
• The livestream audience is shocked by his unconventional but effective teaching style. While some criticize the use of games and threats, others admire how quickly he gains control of the classroom.
• Lu Fei dismisses the achievement, claiming it is easy to handle unruly children compared with Professor Smith’s far more dramatic crime-scene simulations.

Character Developments

• Xie Ran displays resentment, competitiveness, and spite. He feels the teaching opportunity is favoritism and attempts to redirect the pressure onto Xie Chen.
• Xie Chen demonstrates confidence, quick thinking, psychological insight, and an unconventional approach to education. He turns a chaotic situation into an effective lesson by using deception as an example of fraud.
• The assistant views Xie Ran’s behavior as petty and malicious, especially because Xie Ran refuses to volunteer while trying to involve someone else.
• Director Li becomes frustrated and resigned when Xie Chen volunteers, suspecting that Xie Chen may once again excel in an unexpected area.
• Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan provide comic relief through their argument over who deserves to be called Luo Mingyu’s idol.
• The children shift rapidly from disorderly and hostile to curious, frightened, and attentive once Xie Chen takes control.
• Lu Fei remains dismissive and competitive, minimizing Xie Chen’s success by comparing it with Professor Smith’s more advanced demonstrations.

Significant Themes

• Unconventional education: Xie Chen shows that effective teaching may require creativity rather than conventional discipline.
• Fraud and manipulation: The “game” promise becomes a practical lesson about scams and the danger of trusting appealing offers.
• Authority and control: The chapter explores how authority can be established through confidence, psychological tactics, and intimidation.
• Favoritism and competition: Xie Ran’s resentment highlights the rivalry among the participants and the pressure to prove oneself.
• Public image versus actual ability: Although the program is meant to showcase participants, Xie Chen succeeds naturally while Xie Ran resents the arrangement.
• Entertainment and education: The livestream audience debates whether Xie Chen’s dramatic method is responsible teaching or merely sensational performance.

Character Interactions

• Xie Ran clashes verbally with the assistant and attempts to push Xie Chen into the spotlight.
• Xie Chen calmly accepts the challenge and switches places with Luo Mingyu.
• Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan bicker humorously over their importance to each other.
• Xie Chen interacts directly with the children, first enticing them with a game and then revealing the bait as part of his lesson.
• The livestream viewers react critically and enthusiastically, while Lu Fei mocks Xie Chen’s accomplishment and compares it unfavorably with Professor Smith’s crime simulations.

Chapter Summary: “Damn, He Showed Him Up Again!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Chen’s twenty-minute legal-education class unexpectedly captivates the elementary school children. He uses vivid juvenile-crime cases and strict, frightening examples to teach them about online scams, personal safety, and resisting threats.
• His authoritative teaching style impresses the livestream audience, production staff, and guests, though the other guests realize they cannot imitate his extensive legal knowledge or delivery.
• Xie Chen concludes by assigning the children an absurdly advanced research report on juvenile criminal psychology, complete with English formatting and academic requirements. Although confused, the children are genuinely motivated to study harder.
• This apparent success immediately collapses when Li Sifan begins his class. The children ignore his carefully prepared material and beatboxing performance, leaving him to rap alone for the entire lesson.
• The other guests also fail to control the class, reinforcing Xie Chen’s superiority. Director Li and Xie Ran privately resent how effortlessly Xie Chen has outperformed everyone again.
• When it is Xie Ran’s turn, he attempts to copy Xie Chen’s attention-grabbing approach by pretending to offer candy before revealing it is a lesson about scams.
• The children feel deceived and begin crying. Xie Ran tries to imitate Xie Chen’s threatening method of calming them, but a child recognizes the tactic and turns the lesson back on him, recalling Xie Ran’s previous threat about selling children to the mountains.

Character Developments

• Xie Chen: Demonstrates impressive knowledge, confidence, and control as an educator. Though his methods are harsh and unconventional, he successfully makes the children attentive and leaves them motivated to improve themselves.
• Xie Ran: Becomes increasingly frustrated and jealous of Xie Chen. His attempt to copy Xie Chen exposes his lack of originality and poor understanding of why Xie Chen’s methods worked.
• Li Sifan: Suffers a humiliating failure when the children completely ignore his class. His experience becomes a comic contrast to Xie Chen’s success and may leave him traumatized by teaching.
• The children: Briefly show enthusiasm for studying after Xie Chen’s lesson, even aspiring to become like him. However, their usual disorderly behavior quickly returns, and they prove capable of recognizing and challenging adult manipulation.
• Director Li and the other guests: Are stunned by Xie Chen’s performance and frustrated by the impossibility of matching it.

Significant Themes

• Authenticity versus imitation: Xie Chen succeeds because his knowledge and confidence appear genuine, while Xie Ran’s copied routine quickly backfires.
• The difficulty of teaching children: Effective teaching requires more than prepared material or flashy performances; the children’s attention and trust are difficult to obtain.
• Fear as a teaching tool: Xie Chen uses frightening examples to communicate serious safety lessons, raising questions about whether intimidation is justified when it produces results.
• Children’s resilience and awareness: Despite being young, the children remember lessons about scams and personal safety and apply them against Xie Ran.
• Competition and jealousy: The guests’ reactions reveal the show’s competitive atmosphere, especially Xie Ran’s resentment toward Xie Chen’s repeated success.

Character Interactions

• Xie Chen commands the classroom while the children respond obediently and later discuss his lesson with admiration and anxiety.
• Li Sifan performs for an indifferent audience, creating a comic one-sided interaction.
• Director Li and Xie Ran observe Xie Chen’s success from the monitoring room, with Xie Ran growing increasingly suspicious and resentful.
• Xie Ran tries to manipulate the children using Xie Chen’s tactics, but the children call out his deception and confidently invoke the safety advice they have just learned.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Xie Ran frightens the elementary school students while supposedly teaching anti-trafficking safety. When they panic, he claims he was only joking and attempts to justify himself by saying he was once trafficked.
• To win the children’s sympathy, Xie Ran gives an emotional and exaggerated account of his alleged childhood suffering—being deprived of food and clothing, beaten, forced to work, and unable to attend a good school. He uses prepared materials and phone screenshots to support his speech.
• The livestream audience remains divided. Some viewers accuse Xie Ran of exploiting sympathy and fabricating his past, while others defend him or criticize Xie Chen for supposedly manipulating public opinion.
• In Xie Ran’s former village, his adoptive parents, Old Yu and his wife, watch the broadcast. A neighbor angrily insists that they sacrificed greatly to raise Xie Ran, selling grain and borrowing money to send him to school, and denies that they mistreated him.
• Village and town officials arrive to investigate the allegations. Old Yu initially tries to protect Xie Ran, but his wife, deeply disappointed, asks whether they should continue hiding the truth. Under pressure, Old Yu hesitates, suggesting that Xie Ran’s account may be false.
• Back at the school, Huo Wenye teaches with such intimidating authority that the children sit perfectly still. Xie Chen privately concludes that even the children are afraid of him.
• Xie Ran deliberately tells Xie Chen that he is being considered for a CCTV public-service advertisement about children’s safety because of his supposed trafficking history. He boasts that no one is more suitable for the role.
• Xie Chen responds indirectly by telling Director Li that he has decided to accept the same opportunity previously discussed. Director Li immediately rushes off to contact CCTV, leaving Xie Ran’s smug expression frozen.

Character Developments

• Xie Ran becomes increasingly manipulative and shameless, using tears, exaggerated trauma, and safety education to shape public opinion and enhance his chances of securing the advertisement.
• Xie Chen remains calm and observant. Rather than openly confronting Xie Ran, he counters him strategically by accepting the advertisement opportunity himself, undermining Xie Ran’s confidence.
• Old Yu is torn between protecting the child he raised and facing the truth. His emotional collapse suggests guilt, helplessness, or fear of exposing Xie Ran.
• Old Yu’s wife shows stronger moral resolve than her husband, expressing disappointment and questioning whether they should continue concealing Xie Ran’s actions.
• Huo Wenye is characterized as naturally intimidating and authoritative, commanding the students’ respect without needing to discipline them.
• The livestream audience continues to act as a divided public chorus, debating whether Xie Ran is a genuine victim or a manipulator.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation of sympathy: Xie Ran turns personal suffering into a performance designed to control children, viewers, and industry decision-makers.
• Truth versus fabricated narratives: The chapter contrasts Xie Ran’s televised story with the testimony of the people who actually raised him.
• Public image and opportunism: Trauma and victimhood are treated as valuable publicity tools in the entertainment and advertising industries.
• Moral responsibility and complicity: Old Yu and his wife must decide whether protecting Xie Ran is still defensible.
• Strategic restraint: Xie Chen defeats Xie Ran not through an emotional confrontation, but through a quiet and perfectly timed counteraction.

Character Interactions

• Xie Ran manipulates the children by presenting himself as a suffering victim, while the children respond with sympathy and questions.
• Livestream viewers argue over the contrasting reputations of Xie Ran and Xie Chen.
• The village neighbor confronts Old Yu, defending the sacrifices the couple made for Xie Ran.
• Town officials pressure Old Yu to reveal the truth, while Old Yu’s wife urges him to stop protecting Xie Ran.
• Xie Ran provokes Xie Chen by boasting about the CCTV advertisement, but Xie Chen turns the situation around by accepting the role himself through Director Li.

Chapter Summary: “Are You Two Dating?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Chen hints that he may be under consideration for a CCTV public service advertisement after ranking first in an online popularity vote.
• Xie Ran, who assumed the advertisement was guaranteed to him, checks the results and discovers that Xie Chen has surpassed him by a huge margin. Convinced the vote was manipulated, Xie Ran publicly implies that Xie Chen and Director Li used underhanded methods.
• The livestream audience debates whether Xie Ran is merely bitter about losing or whether the suspicious vote increase suggests interference. Some viewers defend Xie Chen, recalling his earlier unexpected rise in popularity.
• Xie Chen casually encourages Li Jingfei to accept a role as a vicious empress, arguing that a well-written villain can still feel like the protagonist. His advice impresses her and appears to influence her decision.
• During the variety show’s closing awards, every guest receives a humorous title:
  • Li Sifan: “most sensible teacher”
  • Luo Mingyu: “least outrageous teacher”
  • Xie Ran: “most miserable teacher”
  • Huo Wenye: “coldest teacher”
  • Xie Chen: “most vicious and evil teacher” and, ultimately, “most popular teacher”
• The children cheer enthusiastically for Xie Chen, irritating and alarming Xie Ran, who worries that the show will strengthen Xie Chen’s chances of receiving the CCTV advertisement.
• After filming, Xie Chen stays behind to answer the children’s questions about bullying, dangerous strangers, and emergencies.
• Huo Wenye waits for Xie Chen and begins to tell him that Xie Ran’s adoptive parents have already done something significant. Before he can explain, a child interrupts by asking whether the two men are dating.

Character Developments

• Xie Chen: Continues to gain popularity through his relaxed, clever, and sincere interactions. He demonstrates good judgment by giving Li Jingfei useful career advice and shows patience and responsibility while educating the children.
• Xie Ran: Becomes increasingly jealous and resentful as Xie Chen overtakes him in popularity. His suspicion leads him to make public insinuations about vote-rigging and backstage manipulation, further exposing his hostility.
• Huo Wenye: Shows growing personal concern for Xie Chen by waiting specifically to speak with him. His direct statement that he was “waiting” heightens the sense of intimacy between them.
• Li Jingfei: Is encouraged by Xie Chen’s perspective on playing a villain and appears ready to reconsider accepting the empress role.
• Li Sifan and Luo Mingyu: Their playful exchange nearly turns into a kiss, revealing mutual embarrassment and possible romantic tension.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and rivalry: Xie Ran’s reaction illustrates the destructive effects of entitlement and resentment when Xie Chen unexpectedly becomes more popular.
• Public image and popularity: The popularity vote and livestream comments show how quickly public opinion can shift and how entertainment programs shape celebrities’ reputations.
• Authenticity versus manipulation: Xie Ran believes Xie Chen’s success must be engineered, while Xie Chen’s natural rapport with the children suggests that his appeal may be genuine.
• Reputation and role reversal: Xie Chen is labeled both “vicious and evil” and “most popular,” showing the gap between a staged persona and actual audience affection.
• Emerging romance: The near-kiss between Li Sifan and Luo Mingyu and the child’s blunt question about Xie Chen and Huo Wenye bring romantic possibilities to the foreground.

Important Character Interactions

• Xie Ran and Xie Chen: Their rivalry becomes more openly hostile, with Xie Ran making veiled accusations while Xie Chen pointedly ignores him.
• Xie Chen and Li Jingfei: Xie Chen offers career advice that directly appeals to Li Jingfei’s concerns about playing an evil character.
• Li Sifan and Luo Mingyu: Their congratulatory exchange leads to an almost-kiss and mutual embarrassment.
• Xie Chen and Huo Wenye: Huo waits for Xie Chen and prepares to discuss Xie Ran’s adoptive parents, suggesting important new information and deepening their emotional connection.
• Xie Chen and the children: The children admire him and seek his advice, reinforcing his genuine popularity and responsible side.
  The chapter ends on a teasing cliffhanger as a child openly asks Xie Chen and Huo Wenye whether they are dating.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Xie Chen and Huo Wenye are teased by children who assume they are romantically involved. Huo Wenye unexpectedly encourages the speculation by saying the children have “good taste,” then leaves to wait outside.
• The cameraman and livestream viewers notice the apparent romantic tension. Xie Chen, embarrassed and wanting privacy, covers the camera and ends the filming temporarily, prompting viewers to debate the show’s favoritism toward him and speculate about his relationship with Huo Wenye.
• Xie Chen receives a call from Lu Fei revealing that Xie Ran’s adoptive parents have agreed to disclose the truth about his past after local authorities investigated their village. Xie Chen suspects Huo Wenye may have arranged the investigation and tells Lu Fei not to expose Xie Ran’s lies yet, intending to reveal and humiliate him at the right moment.
• Outside the school, Huo Wenye confirms that he contacted the town authorities. When Xie Chen asks why he helped, Huo bluntly replies that he has “taken a liking” to him. Xie Chen is stunned and escapes the awkward situation when Director Li arrives to hurry him to an audition.
• In the business van, Xie Ran mocks Xie Chen, claiming the endorsement candidate has already been chosen and accusing him of obtaining opportunities through improper means. Xie Chen counters that Xie Ran’s blunt accusation could be recorded, making Xie Ran nervous because such a recording would implicate them both.

Character developments

• Xie Chen: Becomes increasingly flustered by Huo Wenye’s direct romantic advances, despite remaining perceptive and strategic regarding Xie Ran’s downfall. He continues to control the exposure of the truth rather than acting impulsively.
• Huo Wenye: Shows growing boldness and openness about his feelings for Xie Chen. He secretly assists Xie Chen by involving the authorities in the investigation of Xie Ran’s adoptive parents.
• Xie Ran: Reveals his hostility and arrogance when alone with Xie Chen, abandoning his public pretense. His confidence about winning the endorsement is paired with anxiety over being recorded.
• Lu Fei: Remains enthusiastic and eager to retaliate against Xie Ran, while following Xie Chen’s more cautious strategy.
• Director Li: Functions as an interruption, rescuing Xie Chen from the uncomfortable aftermath of Huo Wenye’s confession and rushing him to the audition.

Significant themes

• Romantic tension and indirectness: Everyone around Xie Chen and Huo Wenye recognizes their chemistry, while Xie Chen remains confused and Huo Wenye becomes increasingly direct.
• Public image versus private truth: The livestream exposes subtle interactions, but Xie Chen still asserts control over what the public can see.
• Revenge and strategic justice: Xie Chen plans to reveal Xie Ran’s lies at the most damaging moment instead of exposing them immediately.
• Power and protection: Huo Wenye uses his influence to investigate Xie Ran’s past and support Xie Chen, suggesting both personal interest and a willingness to act on his behalf.
• Recording and accountability: The threat of recorded statements highlights how easily private cruelty and hypocrisy can become public evidence.

Character interactions

• The children and livestream audience openly interpret Xie Chen and Huo Wenye as a potential couple.
• Xie Chen and Huo Wenye share a pivotal exchange in which Huo admits his attraction, leaving Xie Chen speechless.
• Xie Chen and Lu Fei coordinate their plan to expose Xie Ran.
• Xie Chen and Xie Ran trade hostile, sarcastic remarks in the van, with Xie Chen using the possibility of a recording to unsettle him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Chen confronts Xie Ran in the car after Xie Ran accuses him of using unspoken casting rules to secure an endorsement audition.
• Xie Chen reveals that he has been recording the conversation. He threatens to expose Xie Ran’s claim that he was already chosen for the CCTV endorsement, leaving Xie Ran frightened.
• Xie Chen openly warns Xie Ran that he will “play” with him from now on, marking a sharper and more aggressive break from his former submissive attitude toward the Xie Family.
• At the audition venue, Xie Chen meets his agent and childhood friend, Lu Fei. Xie Zhenting arrives and orders Xie Chen to withdraw from the audition.
• Xie Ran privately tells Xie Zhenting that Xie Chen recorded him again. Xie Zhenting blames Xie Ran for speaking carelessly, while Xie Ran portrays himself as the victim of Xie Chen’s provocations.
• Xie Chen and Lu Fei leave the brothers behind. Xie Chen admits that his recording threat was partly a bluff caused by his anxiety, amusing and surprising Lu Fei.
• At the studio, candidates receive advertising lines to memorize before auditioning. Xie Chen quickly memorizes them due to his photographic memory.
• Other candidates gossip about Xie Ran’s damaged reputation, Xie Chen’s unexpected rise after the variety show, and the contrast between the abducted biological son and the adopted son.
• The chapter ends with someone shouting from the director’s office: “Didn’t want to memorize the lines?! Then why even come to audition?!”

Character Developments

• Xie Chen: Becomes increasingly confident, confrontational, and willing to retaliate against the Xie Family. Although his recording threat is partly a bluff, he successfully intimidates Xie Ran and demonstrates his growing control over the situation.
• Xie Ran: Shows anxiety and dependence on his family’s protection. He is deeply unsettled by Xie Chen’s transformation and fears that Xie Chen may genuinely move against him.
• Xie Zhenting: Continues to side with and protect Xie Ran, but also criticizes him for being careless. His authority over Xie Chen is visibly weakening.
• Lu Fei: Acts as Xie Chen’s supportive agent and friend. He is impressed by Xie Chen’s boldness and eager to use evidence against Xie Ran.
• Other audition candidates: Their gossip reflects the public’s shifting perception of Xie Chen and Xie Ran.

Significant Themes

• Power reversal: Xie Chen, once mistreated and obedient, is beginning to control and intimidate the biological Xie siblings.
• Family favoritism and protection: Xie Ran relies on the Xie Family to shield him, while Xie Chen rejects the family’s authority.
• Reputation and public image: The variety show has damaged Xie Ran’s standing while unexpectedly boosting Xie Chen’s popularity and opportunities.
• Merit versus privilege: The audition setting emphasizes talent and preparation, contrasting Xie Chen’s genuine ability with Xie Ran’s reliance on family influence.
• Bluffing and psychological warfare: Xie Chen uses the recording—even when he is not fully prepared to exploit it—to unsettle Xie Ran and gain the upper hand.

Character Interactions

• Xie Chen and Xie Ran engage in a tense confrontation, with Xie Chen overpowering Xie Ran verbally and psychologically.
• Xie Zhenting attempts to stop Xie Chen from auditioning, but Xie Chen dismisses him and leaves with Lu Fei.
• Xie Ran seeks Xie Zhenting’s protection, reinforcing their close but dependent relationship.
• Lu Fei provides comic relief and emotional support while encouraging Xie Chen to turn the recording into evidence.
• The candidates’ gossip highlights the broader social conflict between Xie Chen and Xie Ran before the audition itself begins.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Zhenting asks the advertising director to give Xie Ran special treatment and more time to prepare for the CCTV public-service advertisement audition.
• The director refuses, insisting that all candidates be treated equally and that an endorsement requires strong line delivery. He gives Xie Ran only another half hour to memorize the script.
• Xie Zhenting attempts to offer investment from the Xie Group, but the director rejects it, explaining that the Huo family already has exclusive naming rights. He also warns that Xie Ran’s negative online reputation could prevent CCTV from choosing him.
• Outside the studio, the audition candidates grow nervous after several contestants are quickly rejected. Xie Chen, however, remains relaxed and becomes the focus of the others’ concealed hostility because of his recent popularity.
• Xie Chen mocks a contestant who criticizes his cold attitude, exposing the man’s empty sympathy.
• During his audition, Xie Chen ignores the formal script’s tone and presents the material as an episode of his own casual talk show, “Xiao Chen Talks.” He discusses how teenagers can prevent bullying, abduction, and sexual harassment, adding clear explanations and examples.
• Although the director initially prepares to stop him for deviating from the script, Xie Chen’s natural delivery and accessible legal knowledge impress him. The director orders the staff to obtain Xie Chen’s contact information.
• Xie Ran enters immediately afterward, sees the director’s favorable reaction to Xie Chen, and prepares to rely on his familiar tearful, victim-like persona.

Character Developments

• Xie Zhenting: Reveals his willingness to use the Xie Group’s influence and money to protect Xie Ran, but his efforts fail. His frustration grows when he realizes the Huo family has again gained an advantage.
• Xie Ran: Appears dependent on his father’s protection and initially claims he cannot memorize the script. After being pressured, he quickly changes his answer. Seeing Xie Chen succeed, he prepares to exploit his usual image as a fragile victim.
• Xie Chen: Demonstrates confidence, quick thinking, and strong communication skills. Rather than mechanically reciting the script, he adapts it into a natural program format and proves that his apparent informality can effectively reach ordinary viewers.
• The Director: Begins skeptical of celebrity candidates and especially unimpressed by Xie Chen’s casual manner, but changes his opinion after witnessing Xie Chen’s unusually clear and sincere presentation.
• The Other Candidates: Their nervousness and hostility reveal how competitive and insecure the entertainment industry is, particularly in the face of Xie Chen’s rising popularity.

Significant Themes

• Merit versus privilege: The director rejects Xie Zhenting’s attempts to secure special treatment, emphasizing that influence and investment cannot replace genuine ability.
• Authenticity versus performance: Xie Chen’s unscripted, conversational approach proves more persuasive than the candidates’ polished but artificial performances.
• Public image and prejudice: Xie Ran’s scandals make the director distrust him before the audition, while Xie Chen’s recent popularity creates resentment among competitors.
• Effective public communication: The chapter stresses that important social and legal issues must be explained in language ordinary people—including children and the elderly—can understand.
• Hidden power struggles: The Xie and Huo families’ rivalry continues in the background, with the Huo family’s control over the advertisement frustrating Xie Zhenting.

Character Interactions

• Xie Zhenting pressures the director to accommodate Xie Ran, but the director firmly rejects both special treatment and the Xie Group’s investment offer.
• Xie Zhenting and the director clash over Xie Ran’s reputation, with the director insisting that public controversy matters to CCTV.
• Xie Ran tries to engage Xie Chen politely, but Xie Chen dismisses him.
• When another contestant defends Xie Ran, Xie Chen challenges him to give up his audition spot, exposing his hypocrisy and silencing him.
• The director’s attitude toward Xie Chen shifts dramatically during the audition—from impatience and skepticism to genuine interest and approval.
• Xie Ran witnesses Xie Chen’s success, setting up a likely contrast between Xie Chen’s authentic skill and Xie Ran’s carefully performed vulnerability.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Chen auditions for a CCTV public service advertisement about safety and legal awareness. Although he improvises beyond the approved script, he delivers the message in a natural, vivid, and humorous way that makes the information accessible to ordinary viewers. The director is impressed but conceals his approval.
• Xie Ran auditions next, presenting an emotionally charged account of his supposed childhood suffering and abduction. He cries dramatically, extends the audition beyond its allotted time, and leaves believing he has moved the director.
• Outside the studio, Xie Ran taunts Xie Chen, while Lu Fei warns him that he will soon regret his arrogance. Xie Chen dismisses them as “trash” and leaves confidently with Lu Fei.
• Xie Ran expresses concern that Xie Chen may have a hidden plan, but Xie Zhenting reassures him. Xie Ran then clings to Xie Zhenting affectionately, creating an ambiguous scene that unsettles a staff member who witnesses it.
• Later that night, the production team reviews both auditions. An assistant favors Xie Ran’s tearful performance, but the director finds it emotionally manipulative and fake, while preferring Xie Chen’s sincere and comfortable delivery.
• The team then learns that several Weibo topics have exposed Xie Ran’s lies. His adoptive parents and villagers publicly testify that they raised him lovingly, never abused him, and were falsely accused.
• Furious at Xie Ran’s apparent deception, the director declares that he would rather cancel the advertisement than hire someone he considers a “scum.”

Character Developments

• Xie Chen: Demonstrates strong communication skills, intelligence, and authenticity. He understands the purpose of the advertisement better than the other candidates and earns the director’s genuine respect despite breaking the script.
• Xie Ran: Reveals himself as manipulative and self-satisfied. He relies on exaggerated tears and fabricated personal history to gain sympathy, but remains confident that his performance has succeeded. His anxiety about possible exposure briefly surfaces before he suppresses it.
• Xie Zhenting: Continues to support Xie Ran without hesitation, reassuring him and indulging his affectionate behavior.
• Lu Fei: Acts as Xie Chen’s ally, openly challenging and mocking Xie Ran.
• The Director: Initially maintains professional neutrality but increasingly recognizes Xie Chen’s sincerity. After learning the truth about Xie Ran, he becomes openly disgusted and rejects him.
• Xie Ran’s adoptive parents and villagers: Their public statements establish them as hardworking, loving people and directly contradict Xie Ran’s claims of abuse.

Significant Themes

• Authenticity versus performance: Xie Chen’s natural, sincere delivery proves more effective than Xie Ran’s exaggerated emotional acting.
• Truth eventually being exposed: Xie Ran’s fabricated story begins to collapse when the people from his past publicly defend themselves.
• Public image and moral judgment: The CCTV team’s decision shows that reputation and personal integrity matter as much as talent when representing a public institution.
• Manipulation and false victimhood: Xie Ran weaponizes sympathy by portraying himself as abused, while the chapter exposes the harm such lies cause to genuinely kind people.
• Social responsibility: The advertisement is meant to educate ordinary viewers, emphasizing the importance of clear, relatable communication rather than stiff recitation.

Character Interactions

• Xie Chen and Lu Fei unite against Xie Ran’s provocations, with Xie Chen refusing to engage in pointless arguments.
• Xie Ran seeks reassurance and protection from Xie Zhenting, who immediately promises to stand by him.
• The director and assistant disagree over whether Xie Ran’s emotional performance is effective, with the director ultimately identifying it as false.
• The villagers collectively defend Xie Ran’s adoptive parents, turning public opinion against him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Chen returns to the orphanage around midnight and encounters Huo Wenye waiting near the entrance. Huo confirms that he was specifically waiting for Xie Chen, while Xie Ran approaches and tries to interpret Huo’s concern as being directed toward him.
• After Xie Chen leaves, Xie Ran suggests that Huo should stop pursuing someone as oblivious as Xie Chen and consider “better choices,” implying himself. Huo harshly rejects him, calling him “trash” and warning him to check Weibo rather than continue pretending to be innocent.
• Xie Ran receives a call from his biological older brother, Xie Zhenting, who confronts him about the online controversy surrounding his claims that his adoptive parents abused him.
• Viral videos show villagers defending Xie Ran’s adoptive parents and explaining that they cared for him, supported his education, and never mistreated him. Shocked and enraged, Xie Ran accuses them of trying to destroy his success.
• Xie Ran calls Xie Zhenting back and tearfully claims that he only lied because his agent encouraged him to use his experience of being trafficked as a celebrity persona. He apologizes, suggests leaving the Xie family, and proposes that Xie Chen be brought back instead.
• Xie Zhenting quickly forgives him and promises to handle the crisis, telling Xie Ran that creating a false persona is acceptable as long as it is done convincingly and leaves no evidence to expose it.
• Once the call ends, Xie Ran’s sorrowful facade disappears, revealing his calculating and sinister nature.
• The following morning, Xie Zhenting contacts Old Yu, one of Xie Ran’s adoptive guardians, and offers compensation equivalent to ten years of income if the villagers remove the video and publicly apologize.
• Old Yu refuses to immediately comply, pointing out that the villagers are telling the truth and that their support helped Xie Ran attend college. After the call, he reveals that he recorded Xie Zhenting’s attempt to bribe him and contacts someone else, intending to use the recording to prove the village’s innocence.

Character Developments

• Xie Ran: His carefully constructed victim persona begins to collapse. He reacts with panic and resentment when exposed, then skillfully manipulates Xie Zhenting through tears and self-blame. His true opportunistic and malicious personality becomes clear when he instantly drops his sorrowful expression after securing his brother’s support.
• Huo Wenye: He openly shows loyalty toward Xie Chen by waiting for his return, but remains cold and contemptuous toward Xie Ran. His warning suggests that he knows or strongly suspects Xie Ran’s dishonesty.
• Xie Zhenting: Although angry at first, he remains protective of Xie Ran because of their biological relationship. Rather than holding him accountable, he helps him cover up the scandal and treats deception as acceptable if executed more carefully.
• Old Yu: He demonstrates dignity and responsibility by refusing to let money erase the truth. His decision to record the call shows growing determination to defend himself and the villagers.
• Xie Chen: He remains largely unaware of the deeper conflict, but his presence is important because both Huo Wenye and Xie Ran react strongly to his relationship with Huo.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus fabricated identity: Xie Ran’s public image is built on a false narrative, but testimony and evidence from the village begin dismantling it.
• Manipulation and hypocrisy: Xie Ran uses emotional displays to evade responsibility, while Xie Zhenting prioritizes protecting family reputation over justice.
• Blood ties versus genuine care: Xie Zhenting supports Xie Ran because he is his biological brother, whereas Old Yu and the villagers supported Xie Ran through years of practical sacrifice.
• Power and attempted suppression: The Xie family tries to use wealth and influence to silence the villagers, but the recording gives the powerless side a means to resist.
• Masks and exposure: Huo Wenye’s warning and Xie Ran’s sudden shift from tears to a sinister smile emphasize the contrast between appearances and reality.

Important Character Interactions

• Huo Wenye and Xie Chen: Huo waits for Xie Chen’s return and openly admits it, suggesting personal concern or romantic interest.
• Huo Wenye and Xie Ran: Xie Ran attempts to flirt and position himself as a better alternative to Xie Chen, but Huo humiliates and warns him instead.
• Xie Ran and Xie Zhenting: Xie Ran manipulates his brother through an apology and apparent willingness to withdraw from the family. Xie Zhenting responds by reassuring him and promising to conceal the scandal.
• Xie Zhenting and Old Yu: Xie Zhenting attempts to buy Old Yu’s silence, but Old Yu challenges the morality of the offer and secretly records the conversation.
• Old Yu and the villagers: Old Yu emphasizes that the villagers collectively supported Xie Ran’s education, reinforcing their shared stake in exposing his lies.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Old Yu and his wife prepare to hand over a recording concerning Xie Ran’s accusations of abuse. Though emotionally hurt by the child they raised publicly denouncing them, they decide to speak out not only for themselves but also for the villagers and their own consciences.
• Xie Ran spends the night monitoring Weibo. Although the controversy remains popular, paid influencers and debunking posts muddy the truth and temporarily reduce the pressure on him.
• During the morning livestream, Xie Ran deliberately approaches Xie Chen while he is running, attempting to appear friendly and composed before the cameras. Xie Chen responds coldly and humiliates him with insults, which are captured on film.
• Director Li announces that Xie Chen has won the previous day’s audition and will receive the endorsement opportunity. Xie Ran protests, insisting that his performance was superior and blaming the scandal for influencing the decision.
• Xie Ran accuses Xie Chen of stealing what should have been his and benefiting from the life Xie Ran believes was originally his. Xie Chen confidently warns him that this setback is only the beginning of his retaliation.

Character developments

• Old Yu and his wife are shown as deeply wounded but morally resolute. Their decision to release the recording reflects their determination to defend the villagers and expose what they believe is the truth.
• Xie Ran becomes increasingly desperate and manipulative. He tries to maintain a harmless public image, uses the livestream to control the narrative, and reveals intense jealousy and resentment when Xie Chen succeeds.
• Xie Chen remains confident, sharp-tongued, and unafraid of confrontation. Rather than being shaken by the scandal, he grows more assertive and openly embraces his desire for revenge against Xie Ran and the Xie family.
• Director Li sees through Xie Ran’s insincere audition performance and makes clear that the controversy is not the only reason he was rejected.

Significant themes

• Truth versus public manipulation: Online rumors, paid trolls, influencers, and livestream footage make it difficult for the public to determine what really happened.
• Justice and conscience: Old Yu and his wife choose to reveal the truth despite personal pain because they feel responsible for the villagers and unwilling to betray their conscience.
• Resentment and entitlement: Xie Ran believes Xie Chen has stolen his rightful life, but his accusations expose his own possessiveness and bitterness.
• Revenge and reversal of power: Xie Chen’s success marks the beginning of a reversal in their relationship, with him shifting from a target of accusations to a confident challenger.
• Performance versus sincerity: Xie Ran can imitate emotion for an audience, but Director Li and Xie Chen recognize the lack of genuine feeling behind his behavior.

Character interactions

• Old Yu comforts his sobbing wife and reinforces their shared decision to tell the truth.
• Xie Ran attempts to ingratiate himself with Xie Chen during the morning run, but Xie Chen dismisses and insults him.
• Xie Ran tries to manipulate the cameraman into preserving evidence against Xie Chen, only to discover that the insulting remarks were recorded exactly as spoken.
• Director Li rejects Xie Ran’s complaints and implies that his performance lacked sincerity.
• In their final confrontation, Xie Ran accuses Xie Chen of taking his place and life, while Xie Chen responds with amused confidence and promises that his retaliation has only begun.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• Director Li separates Xie Chen and Xie Ran during their argument and announces that Xie Chen has accepted a coveted CCTV endorsement. Xie Chen openly admits he enjoys taking opportunities from others, intensifying Xie Ran’s anger.
• Xie Ran accuses Xie Chen of openly declaring war on the Xie Family. Xie Chen replies that their relationship was already broken and warns that the Xie Family will ultimately be destroyed.
• Despite Xie Ran’s scandal and damaged reputation, the production team must continue filming because the Xie Family has financially sponsored the show. The morning challenge is revealed as “Extreme Rescue”: the guests must teach children first aid, have them act as injured people, and complete a rescue exercise. Any mistake results in carrying a child around the track for two laps.
• Xie Chen and Chen Chen confidently prepare for the challenge, while Luo Mingyu worries about carrying the heavy Luo Xiaopang.
• Xie Ran remains furious about losing the endorsement and resents Huo Wenye, whom he believes is protected only by his family’s influence.
• Just as Xie Ran fantasizes about eventually forcing Huo Wenye to submit, his eldest brother, Xie Zhenting, calls in panic. Huo possesses a recording of Xie Zhenting’s conversation with Xie Chen’s adoptive parents, which could expose the family for deceiving the public. Xie Ran is left pale and alarmed.

Character developments

• Xie Chen continues to act boldly and provocatively, directly confronting the Xie Family while showing confidence in his ability to succeed. His interactions with Chen Chen also reveal a warmer, more playful side.
• Xie Ran becomes increasingly resentful and unstable after losing the endorsement. His arrogance remains intact, but the threat of the recording immediately exposes his fear and vulnerability.
• Chen Chen is portrayed as intelligent, energetic, and idealistic. He dreams of becoming a boxer to protect children at his orphanage and appears to admire Xie Chen.
• Luo Mingyu is anxious about the physical challenge, especially because of Luo Xiaopang’s weight.
• Xie Zhenting reveals the seriousness of the family’s predicament by urgently asking Xie Ran to retrieve the recording from Huo Wenye.

Significant themes

• Revenge and power struggles: Xie Chen’s theft of the endorsement symbolizes his broader challenge to the Xie Family.
• Public image and scandal: The endorsement dispute and the recording show how reputation and media exposure threaten the family’s influence.
• Family betrayal and hidden wrongdoing: Xie Chen’s warning suggests the Xie Family’s crimes extend beyond mistreating or adopting him.
• Contrasting values: Xie Chen’s ruthless public persona is balanced by his encouraging interaction with Chen Chen, while Xie Ran’s pride and entitlement leave him isolated.
• Performance versus reality: The variety show’s playful challenges take place against a backdrop of serious personal and financial conflict.

Character interactions

• Xie Chen and Xie Ran trade hostile insults, with Xie Chen delivering a direct warning about the Xie Family’s destruction.
• Xie Chen and Chen Chen bond over boxing and first aid. Chen Chen volunteers confidence in their team, while Xie Chen teasingly challenges him to fight Luo Xiaopang.
• Chen Chen and Luo Xiaopang exchange humorous remarks, creating a warm atmosphere among the contestants.
• Xie Ran notices Huo Wenye but avoids approaching him because of Huo’s previous harsh rejection.
• Xie Zhenting’s phone call abruptly changes Xie Ran’s mood, revealing that Huo Wenye holds dangerous evidence against the family.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xie Ran receives a call from his brother, Xie Zhenting, revealing that a recording of Xie Ran’s adoptive parents is circulating. The recording apparently contains damaging evidence, and Huo Wenye currently possesses it.
• Xie Zhenting suspects someone taught the adoptive parents how to create the recording and wonders whether Xie Chen is involved. He urges Xie Ran to negotiate with Huo Wenye for its return.
• During filming, Xie Ran aggressively drags along his young partner, secretly tightening his grip when the child resists. He disguises his cruelty with a pleasant expression for the cameras and falsely claims the child is merely reluctant to participate.
• Huo Wenye intervenes coldly and orders Xie Ran to let go. Once released, the child cries and accuses Xie Ran of squeezing his hand.
• Xie Ran attempts to shift the blame, claiming the child struggled too hard. The cameraman and viewers begin to see through his behavior, while some online viewers still defend Xie Ran because of his seemingly calm public persona.
• At the starting point, Xie Ran falsely tells Director Li that the child called the guests frightening. When the child protests, Xie Ran manipulates the situation and implies that the child is lying out of fear.
• The Villain Group recognizes Xie Ran’s true character and watches his behavior with disdain. Xie Chen, in particular, mocks him internally and suggests that Xie Ran’s downfall is approaching.
• The guests begin a first-aid activity using toy medical equipment. Their clumsy and inappropriate handling of the props creates comic chaos, prompting Director Li to scold them.

Character Developments

• Xie Ran: His vindictive, manipulative nature becomes increasingly obvious. He takes out his frustration over the recording on a helpless child, lies smoothly when confronted, and prioritizes maintaining his public image over the child’s well-being.
• Xie Zhenting: Acts as an intermediary for the Xie family’s crisis and relies on Xie Ran to recover the damaging recording from Huo Wenye.
• Huo Wenye: Demonstrates a strong sense of authority and intolerance for bullying. His threatening intervention immediately forces Xie Ran to release the child.
• The young partner: Shows courage by protesting Xie Ran’s treatment and directly exposing him despite being intimidated.
• Xie Chen and the Villain Group: Remain perceptive and cynical toward Xie Ran. They are not fooled by his performance and anticipate his eventual collapse.
• Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan: Their teasing interaction reveals a flirtatious but combative dynamic. Luo Mingyu jokes provocatively, while Li Sifan responds with an intense threat that unsettles him.
• The other guests: Their inept use of the toy medical equipment provides comic relief and highlights their unfamiliarity with basic first-aid props.

Significant Themes

• Public image versus reality: Xie Ran appears patient and caring on camera, but his private actions reveal cruelty and manipulation.
• Manipulation and scapegoating: Xie Ran deflects blame onto the child and exploits the child’s inability to defend himself effectively.
• Exposure of hidden wrongdoing: The recording threatens to reveal the truth about Xie Ran’s family situation and creates tension between Xie Ran, Huo Wenye, and the Xie family.
• Justice and consequences: Huo Wenye’s intervention and Xie Chen’s mocking thoughts suggest that Xie Ran’s behavior will eventually catch up with him.
• Comedy amid conflict: The absurd first-aid exercise and the guests’ exaggerated reactions contrast with the chapter’s darker bullying and blackmail-related tensions.

Important Character Interactions

• Xie Ran and Xie Zhenting: Discuss the recording and the need to negotiate with Huo Wenye.
• Xie Ran and the child: Xie Ran mistreats and manipulates the child, while the child openly accuses him.
• Xie Ran and Huo Wenye: Huo Wenye confronts Xie Ran and forces him to stop hurting the child, establishing a clear power imbalance.
• Xie Ran and Director Li: Xie Ran lies about the child’s behavior, while Director Li remains focused on getting the delayed filming underway.
• Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan: Exchange suggestive jokes and threats, revealing their tense, humorous chemistry.
• Xie Chen and Xie Ran: Though they do not directly confront each other, Xie Chen internally ridicules Xie Ran and views his misconduct as evidence of his imminent downfall.

Chapter Summary: “You Adults Are a Little Too Sore About Losing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After a tense phone call, Xie Zhenting learns that the Xie Family is facing multiple escalating problems:
  • Financial inspectors continue demanding access to company records.
  • Xie Feng asks him to intervene with the Women’s Federation and reduce Huahua’s penalty, even offering to return her to the welfare home.
  • Authorities order the Xie Family’s vice president to return for investigation.
• Although overwhelmed, Xie Zhenting refuses to believe these events are connected to Xie Chen or Huo Wenye. He continues underestimating the “wolf cub” he once controlled and assumes the crises are coincidences.
• During the variety-show livestream, viewers enjoy the villain guests’ playful medical-roleplay challenge and begin suggesting that the adult guests be paired together.
• The production team switches the teams:
  • Luo Mingyu with Li Sifan
  • Xie Chen with Huo Wenye
• Director Li deliberately makes the tasks more difficult, hoping the guests will fail and receive punishments, improving the entertainment value of the show.
• In the first challenge, teams must stabilize a simulated fractured leg. Xie Chen is visibly nervous while working with Huo Wenye, who calmly reassures him. The children’s team finishes first, while Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan argue throughout their attempt.
• The second challenge involves simulated drowning and CPR. Chen Chen impresses everyone with his detailed knowledge of resuscitation and mocks the adults for being “sore about losing.”
• Xie Chen tries to concede rather than perform artificial respiration with Huo Wenye, offering to carry him around the track instead.
• Huo Wenye unexpectedly volunteers to replace Xie Chen, claiming he is skilled at artificial respiration. The venue and livestream audience react with shocked excitement.

Character Developments

• Xie Zhenting: Becomes increasingly stressed as the Xie Family’s troubles multiply, but remains arrogant and in denial. He still believes Xie Chen cannot seriously threaten the family.
• Xie Chen: Shows nervousness and jealousy around Huo Wenye, especially after being deliberately paired with him. He appears embarrassed by the possibility of romantic rumors and quickly tries to avoid the intimate CPR task.
• Huo Wenye: Demonstrates calm confidence and apparent pleasure at being paired with Xie Chen. His willingness to perform artificial respiration suggests he may be deliberately taking advantage of the situation to create closeness or amusement.
• Chen Chen: Reveals an unexpectedly sophisticated understanding of CPR and confidently challenges the adults, reinforcing his clever, outspoken personality.
• Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan: Continue their comic rivalry, bickering even while completing the medical task.
• Director Li: Acts mischievously and strategically, manipulating the teams and difficulty level to create more entertaining content.

Significant Themes

• Denial and impending downfall: Xie Zhenting dismisses the Xie Family’s growing troubles despite clear signs of retribution and collapse.
• Power and control: The family’s former confidence is weakening, while Huo Wenye increasingly dictates the situation.
• Romantic tension and public speculation: The forced pairing of Xie Chen and Huo Wenye fuels both on-set embarrassment and enthusiastic viewer speculation.
• Competition and pride: The adults’ reluctance to lose contrasts humorously with the children’s confidence and competence.
• Performance versus sincerity: The medical games are staged entertainment, yet the reactions—especially Huo Wenye’s eagerness and Xie Chen’s discomfort—suggest genuine feelings beneath the performance.

Character Interactions

• Xie Zhenting and his secretary discuss the mounting investigations and family scandals, highlighting his frustration and denial.
• Director Li deliberately pairs Xie Chen with Huo Wenye, provoking both of them and exciting the audience.
• Huo Wenye reassures a nervous Xie Chen during the fracture-stabilization task, while Xie Chen struggles to maintain composure.
• Chen Chen teases Xie Chen about his relationship with Huo Wenye, intensifying Xie Chen’s embarrassment.
• Luo Mingyu and Li Sifan bicker while treating one another, providing comic contrast to Xie Chen and Huo Wenye’s more suggestive interaction.
• When Xie Chen tries to avoid artificial respiration, Huo Wenye volunteers to take his place, ending the chapter on a highly charged and humorous cliffhanger.