After transmigrating into the disgraced actor Si You, Si You learned that the original owner had been driven out of his company and apartment after harassing popular actor Shen Chuan. With only 13,000 to his name, he accepted that he had to start over and searched for an affordable place to live.

• Si You woke in an unfamiliar apartment and realized he had transmigrated into another Si You, a rising actor whose desperate pursuit of Shen Chuan had sparked a scandal.
• Si You learned that the original Si You's company had terminated his contract, withheld his pay, and sold him to New Victory Media as a scapegoat for the backlash.
• Zheng Hao demanded that Si You leave the apartment, and Si You agreed to move out by the following day while warning that he would become famous again.
• After Zheng Hao left, Si You checked his finances, found only 13,000, and made a meal from the apartment's remaining ingredients.
• Si You searched rental listings and found a clean, conveniently located one-bedroom apartment that he could afford.

Chapter Summary: "A Complete Mess"

Key Plot Points

• Si You immediately moves out of the original owner's residence, renting a small, cheap apartment and hiring movers to transport his belongings (including a desktop computer) for 270 yuan.
• The original owner has been recently hit with massive online backlash and trending-search hate. Si You disguises himself with a mask and cap due to fear of attacks from Shen Chuan's fans.
• After settling in, Si You decides to test the waters by starting a livestream (required by the show "Spring Heartbeat" production team during breaks). He first posts a Weibo announcement.
• His livestream gets flooded with haters. Rival fans even spend thousands on gifts to secure moderator status and spam insults.
• Si You's appearance shocks viewers—no heavy makeup, clean and natural look—to the point many don't recognize him at first.
• He eats instant noodles on stream, ignores the cursing, and even asks for free "glow stick" gifts.
• Si You gives the haters a 3-minute countdown to leave. When they refuse, he opens the infamous horror survival game Infant Road and smiles: "Whoever leaves is a grandson."

Character Developments

• Si You is introduced as highly adaptable, pragmatic, and unusually pressure-resistant (trained by his wealthy family upbringing). Unlike the original owner (whiny, emotionally fragile, prone to playing the victim), Si You is calm, strategic, and unbothered by insults.
• He treats online hate as data—reading which accusations are true vs. fabricated—and views rival fans' gift-spending as a potential "business opportunity."
• His attitude toward reputation: he refuses to be used as a shield and demands people back up claims with evidence (a principle carried from his past life as a Best Actor with 80 million followers).

Significant Themes

• Identity and Reinvention: The abrupt shift in appearance and demeanor suggests changing one's "persona" can disrupt even entrenched public narratives.
• Online Mob Mentality / Cyberbullying: The vitriol is constant and coordinated; fans from rival camps invest real money just to control the narrative.
• Strategy Over Emotion: Si You's approach to crisis management is rational rather than reactive—he evaluates, prepares, then acts.
• Authenticity vs. Performance: The contrast between the original owner's theatrical victimhood and Si You's blunt, no-nonsense demeanor.

Character Interactions

• With the realtor: Comedic—the realtor mistakes him for a fugitive; Si You claims a UV allergy.
• With movers: Efficient, unremarkable; they help set up his computer.
• With online haters: Antagonistic yet controlled. He taunts them, imposes a countdown, and escalates in an unexpected direction (launching a scary game) rather than apologizing or crying.
• Implied off-screen: Shen Chuan (a rival/public figure whose fans want Si You dead) is established as a dangerous element in this world.

Here is a concise summary of the chapter "It's Heating Up":

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Si You, previously known for being easily scared, decides to play the popular realistic horror game Infant Road during a live stream, much to the amusement of his anti-fans who expect him to fail immediately.
• He spawns in a terrifying graveyard. Instead of panicking, he calmly identifies a quest item (a spiritual talisman) among the newly risen evil ghosts.
• Using advanced game mechanics (stamina management, jumping, pathing), he dodges the ghosts, retrieves the item, and safely escapes into the ancient residence.
• He dies 18 times trying to reach the second-floor utility room due to a powerful female ghost, but persists without fear.
• After analyzing the gameplay, he deciphers the female ghost's attack frequency and perfects a path to bypass her, successfully entering the utility room—a feat no top streamer had yet accomplished.
• This attracts the attention of a famous, highly skilled horror streamer known as "The Plane Never Stops Flying." The Plane gifts Si You an expensive "starlit spaceship" and requests to become a room moderator, which Si You accepts.

2. Character Developments

• Si You: Defies all expectations. He is revealed to be a highly skilled, analytical, and fearless horror game player, contrasting sharply with his previous cowardly public image. He uses experience from similar games to solve puzzles, showing a sharp strategic mind.
• The Plane: Initially a skeptic, he is impressed by Si You's talent and immediately shifts to a supportive role, investing in Si You's success by offering to moderate and sending a high-value gift.

3. Significant Themes

• Defying Expectations: The chapter heavily focuses on the contrast between public perception (Si You as a coward) and reality (Si You as a fearless expert).
• Skill through Experience: Highlights that "talent" often builds on accumulated experience in similar genres, allowing rapid adaptation to new challenges.
• Streaming Culture & Haters: The dynamic between anti-fans, rival fans, and neutral viewers. The shock of the audience turning from mockery to admiration, and the power of viral moments to attract new big-name supporters.

4. Character Interactions

• Si You vs. Anti-fans: The anti-fans watch him only to see him fail and run away, but they end up stunned and traumatized by his calm handling of the scares.
• Si You vs. Audience: He directly taunts them ("Whoever runs is a coward") and later acknowledges the legitimacy of his skill, establishing a more confident rapport.
• Si You vs. The Plane: A key interaction where The Plane arrives during a pivotal moment, breaks his usual skepticism, and offers financial/moderator support, marking a turning point in Si You's streaming career.

Summary of the Chapter

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Si You, a notorious figure in gaming circles, continues streaming Infant Road, a brutally difficult horror game.
• After receiving gifts (including from a viewer named Feiji), Si You spends hours dying repeatedly in the "old mansion" instance.
• He discovers a safe spot in a latrine, earning him the nickname "Toilet War God" from chat.
• Despite exhaustion, Si You persists through the night, collecting all items and ultimately clearing the instance, triggering a golden formation and defeating the female ghost.
• His stream gains traction, trending on search platforms (#SiYouFeiji, #SiYouInfantRoad, #OldMansionClear).
• Si You asks for movie recommendations and watches My Way, a highly rated film starring the acclaimed actor Jiang Tingxu.
• He is deeply impressed by Jiang's performance and looks him up, learning about his legendary status and family background.
• The chapter ends with Si You returning to the game at 6 AM, determined to keep playing.

2. Character Developments

• Si You: Shows extreme perseverance and a rebellious streak ("I refuse to accept this"). He is a skilled but stubborn gamer, calculating about gifts and income. He is also emotionally moved by Jiang Tingxu's acting, feeling a rare sense of kinship—"Heroes naturally cherish heroes"—while acknowledging his own fall from grace ("I used to be heaven's chosen too. Now I've fallen into the dust").
• Jiang Tingxu (mentioned): Not physically present, but his reputation and flawless performance in My Way establish him as an "era-defining" talent and a benchmark for Si You.

3. Significant Themes

• Perseverance and grinder mentality: Si You's refusal to quit despite the game's punishing difficulty.
• Rise from obscurity: The stream becomes a potential lifeline for Si You's survival after his rebirth.
• Admiration and aspiration: Si You finds a figure worth looking up to in Jiang Tingxu, highlighting his own ambition.
• Contrast of status: The gap between Si You's current struggles and Jiang Tingxu's effortless success.

4. Character Interactions

• With chat/viewers: They gift him, encourage him, laugh at his toilet comment, and ultimately flood the chat with "666" after his clear. They also recommend movies and praise Jiang Tingxu.
• With Feiji: Mentioned as having sent gifts, part of the supportive audience.
• With the game itself: A direct, often frustrating interaction that drives the plot.
• With Jiang Tingxu (indirect): Through the movie and online research—a one-sided, pure admiration with no direct contact.

Summary: "I'll Participate"

Key Plot Points & Events

• Si You rebroadcasts his horror game livestream on Weibo, which goes viral—he's trending again after previously being hated for harassing Shen Chuan. Many viewers initially expect his usual "white lotus" victim routine but instead find him fiercely competent at the game.
• During the livestream, Si You struggles with an "Infant Ghost" enemy but receives help from viewers (e.g., finding the wrench, the talisman location), eventually clearing the game successfully after an all-night session.
• The successful clear partially shifts public perception: fans appreciate his gaming skill, while haters remain hostile, leading to a comment-section war.
• Si You ends the stream stating he'll "check it when I wake up" and immediately goes to sleep.
• Meanwhile, actor Jiang Tingxu watches the stream with his friend Zhao Linxiu. Initially indifferent, Jiang becomes intrigued after seeing Si You's gameplay, attitude, and resilience.
• Jiang Tingxu, despite his manager Sister Chen's hesitation about "Spring Heartbeat" (the variety show Si You is slated to join, where he'd be a "living target"), decides to participate anyway.

Character Developments

• Si You: Revealed to be far more than his public scandal—skilled at gaming, determined, thick-skinned, and mentally resilient under harassment. His narcissistic, playful side shows through ("I'll allow you to praise me five minutes early").
• Jiang Tingxu: Though famous, successful, and usually indifferent to industry gossip, he shows genuine curiosity in Si You. His decision to join "Spring Heartbeat" despite the potential hassle suggests a hidden interest or an instinct about Si You.

Significant Themes

• Public perception vs. reality: The gap between Si You's hated public image and his actual competence/personality.
• Redemption through merit: Competence in an unrelated skill (gaming) helping reframe a ruined reputation.
• Online toxicity vs. genuine community: Haters vs. actual viewers who just want to watch good gameplay.
• Unlikely attraction/fascination: Jiang Tingxu's sudden interest in a socially ruined figure.

Character Interactions

• Si You ↔ Viewers/Netizens: He plays off chat comments, takes their advice, flaunts success, and tunes out the hate comments.
• Zhao Linxiu ↔ Jiang Tingxu: Friends/colleagues; Zhao excitedly brings Jiang into the livestream, explaining Si You's backstory; Zhao is enthusiastic, Jiang is initially dismissive, then quietly captivated.
• Jiang Tingxu ↔ Sister Chen (manager): She advises against "Spring Heartbeat" because no one there matches his status and he'd be used as a CP stepping-stone. Jiang contradicts her expectations by agreeing to participate, leaving her startled ("Huh???").

Summary: “Si You Has No Fans”

Key Plot Points & Events

• Si You wakes after clearing the horror game Infant Road, remembering he has been reborn into another world as a washed-up nobody recently dropped by his company, with less than 10,000 yuan in savings.
• He checks his streaming earnings: about 83,000 yuan total, roughly 40,000 after the platform split—enough to get by.
• He spends 500 yuan on food, plans new horror games to play next, and starts streaming.
• Viewer count surges into six figures, thanks to viral attention from his Infant Road clear.
• Haters flood the chat, but Si You verbally fires back, abandoning his old “delicate” persona and embracing a new, blunt image.
• Jiang Tingxu, a wealthy viewer who struggled with the game, watches the stream. His question in chat gets drowned out, so he sends two “Starlit Spaceships” (10,000 yuan), becomes moderator, and gets Si You to replay and explain the number puzzle.

Character Developments

• Si You: Adapts quickly to his new life; confident, thick-skinned, and sardonic. He uses past fame skills (trash-talking, showmanship) while showing genuine patience to explain game mechanics for his supporters.
• Jiang Tingxu: Introduced as observant and wealthy; not good at the game, but persistent. He overcomes being ignored by using money to gain attention, showing a quiet, decisive personality.

Significant Themes

• Rebirth and reinvention: Si You drops his old image and starts fresh.
• The fickleness of online fame: haters drive attention, gifts buy influence.
• Skill vs. hype: Si You’s gameplay proves his worth despite public backlash.
• Parasocial dynamics: fans/patrons can control a streamer’s focus.

Character Interactions

• Si You vs. chat/haters: He mocks them, calls them jealous, and refuses to be cowed.
• Si You vs. fans/gamers: He is patient and explains puzzles clearly.
• Jiang Tingxu → Si You: Indirect at first (chat), then direct through gifts; becomes a privileged moderator whose questions get answered.
• Si You’s attitude toward Jiang Tingxu: Playfully grateful, openly mercenary—“Thanks, Boss.”

Chapter Summary: "Haters, Step Back"

Key Plot Points & Events

• Si You demonstrates a number decryption process three times for his boss, Jiang Tingxu, though Jiang understood after the first explanation.
• During his second stream, rival fans and haters flood the comments with abuse, including accusations that Si You bullied Zhang Haoge during their idol competition days.
• Si You abruptly ends the stream after calling out a hater, appearing guilty.
• Forty minutes later, Si You starts a new stream from a borrowed music room (rented for 1,000 yuan).
• He publicly challenges a specific hater ("Silent Little Fish") to pick any instrument in the room—if Si You can't play it, he'll leave Weibo and quit the industry.
• He performs a self-composed xiao melody, stunning viewers and Jiang Tingxu alike.

Character Developments

• Si You: Reveals a strategic, confrontational side. He's willing to fight back against false accusations, distinguishing between the original owner's actual mistakes and slander. Shows off impressive musical talent. Maintains an arrogant, combative persona toward haters but becomes noticeably softer and more attentive around Jiang Tingxu.
• Jiang Tingxu: Continues to be intrigued by Si You, noting the contrast between Si You's harsh online persona and his careful, considerate behavior in person. His impression of Si You is "being rewritten bit by bit."

Significant Themes

• Reputation and online bullying: The chapter explores how false narratives spread and how public figures struggle to clear their names.
• Identity and false accusations: Si You bears the original owner's reputation while knowing some of it is undeserved.
• Talent vs. image: Contrasts the entertainment industry's polished exterior with genuine skill.
• Class/status dynamics: The power imbalance between artists with connections (Zhang Haoge) and those without (original owner).

Character Interactions

• Si You & Jiang Tingxu: Si You slows down explanations for his boss and deliberately lowers his voice when asking if Jiang understands. Jiang notices Si You's "fangs and claws" tone switch to something gentler. Jiang later sends a "Starlit Spaceship" gift after the performance.
• Si You & haters: He openly mocks and challenges them, demanding they call him "Dad" if he succeeds.
• Si You & music room owner: Briefly shown as courteous and polite when borrowing the space—a stark contrast to his streaming persona.

Summary

1. Key Plot Points

• Si You livestreams another music performance, playing the flute for viewer/boss “Silent Little Fish” (Jiang Tingxu). Jiang Tingxu requests a guzheng piece, Lin'an Melody.
• Si You obtains sheet music from the music room owner and performs it beautifully, causing the stream comments to explode and generating two Weibo trending topics: #Si You Flute# and #Si You Recognizes a Dad# — though the latter is misleading: fans/viewers are acknowledging Si You as “dad,” not Si You acknowledging someone else.
• Jiang Tingxu, pleased with the music, logs off, tells Si You to “try to recognize a few more sons,” and later cancels all other arrangements, deciding to take on only Spring Heartbeat.
• Si You continues streaming: drums, a guitar cover of a classic old song, and finally asks, “Who else wants to be my son?” His follower count slowly rises, including reluctant “burner account” follows.
• Si You briefly addresses his past: his boy-group reputation was bad, but he never bullied anyone. He couldn’t clear his name before, but now with no manager, he can speak more freely.
• He ends the stream despite gift requests, eats at a braised noodle shop, and checks his earnings: 19,000 from one hour (split 50/50 with the platform).
• He receives a WeChat friend request from Yuan Fei, his new manager, who tells him to keep livestreaming games and stay popular until Season 2 of Spring Heartbeat airs.

2. Character Developments

• Si You: Shows genuine musical talent and a no-nonsense work ethic. He is strategic about rebuilding his career, gradually proving himself to wash away past smears. He remains practical, hungry (literally and figuratively), and aware of the entertainment industry's opportunism.
• Jiang Tingxu: Introduced as decisive and discerning; a single musical performance is enough to change his business decisions, showing he values authenticity and skill.
• Yuan Fei: Introduced as a capable new manager who sees Si You’s newfound value and gives practical career advice.

3. Significant Themes

• Public perception vs. reality: Haters’ false image of Si You as a useless, makeup-heavy pretty boy is shattered by actual talent.
• Reputation and redemption: Si You must prove himself before he can clear his name; beauty and skill slowly win over reluctant audiences.
• Internet culture and virality: Misleading trends, “dad” memes, and the unpredictability of online fame.
• Survival and pragmatism: Eating regularly, earning money, and accepting the industry’s cold pragmatism are immediate concerns.
• Entertainment industry realism: Once you have value, even an abandoned artist can be managed again.

4. Character Interactions

• Si You ↔ Jiang Tingxu: Through livestream chat, Jiang Tingxu requests music and approves of Si You’s skill; he tells Si You to gain more “sons,” then logs off.
• Jiang Tingxu ↔ Sister Chen: Sister Chen notices his unusually good mood; he hums the tune he heard and decides to sign only with Spring Heartbeat, leaving her puzzled.
• Si You ↔ viewers/fans: Viewers tag Jiang Tingxu to “acknowledge his dad,” joke about Si You being their “living dad,” and demand more streaming despite his refusal.
• Si You ↔ music room owner: Si You briefly asks for sheet music; the owner provides it.
• Si You ↔ Yuan Fei: A short, businesslike first contact where Yuan Fei assigns himself as Si You’s manager and gives instructions for maintaining popularity.

Here is a concise summary of the chapter:

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Jiang Tingxu returns home and watches Si You livestream the horror game Yin-Yang Street.
• Si You has been playing for over an hour; the chat is calmer than before, partly due to the game's terrifying atmosphere.
• A male viewer jokes about Si You’s bad reputation but still cheers him on and gifts an airplane, with a bet that Si You must clear the game.
• Si You plays incredibly well, having memorized all enemy patterns from over 20 deaths. He avoids jump scares with quick thinking and even warns viewers before scary moments.
• Near the end, a final boss seems unbeatable, but Si You slides between its legs at the last second to reach the clear screen.
• The chat explodes with praise and gifts. Si You thanks everyone, then receives a massive “Starlit Spaceship” gift from Jiang Tingxu.
• After the stream, Si You gets a message from his manager Yuan Fei saying, “The momentum is good. Keep it up.”
• The chapter ends with Si You happy about his reputation recovery, though he knows the second season of Spring Heartbeat is coming—which may bring more drama.

2. Character Developments

• Si You: Shows significant growth in mental resilience. He no longer lets haters affect him and focuses on playing skillfully, winning over viewers through competence rather than persona. He is also surprisingly considerate (lowering music for scared fans, warning about jump scares).
• Jiang Tingxu: Quietly supportive, sends a huge gift, and acknowledges Si You’s performance. His interaction suggests growing respect/affection.
• Viewers/fans: Some haters still lurk, but Si You now has genuine supporters, including a new female fan who creates a supertopic for him.

3. Significant Themes

• Redemption through skill: Si You recovers his tarnished reputation by sheer ability, not by fighting back verbally.
• Resilience against online hate: The chapter stresses that ignoring trolls and focusing on one’s work yields better results.
• Community and support: Even a small fanbase can make a difference; big-bro fans and new viewers rally behind Si You.
• Performance vs. persona: Si You’s old “delicate flower” image was forced; his real self—skilled, funny, and caring—wins people over.

4. Character Interactions

• Si You & viewers: Interactive streaming; he responds to comments, jokes with fans, and thanks gift-givers.
• Si You & Jiang Tingxu: Jiang Tingxu sends a Starlit Spaceship; Si You excitedly calls out “boss.” Their brief exchange shows a growing bond.
• Si You & Yuan Fei (manager): One short message shows the manager is paying attention and approves of Si You’s current direction, implying a professional relationship that is now more positive.
• Chat dynamics: Haters try to stir trouble but are ignored by “big-bro fans,” showing a shift in the audience’s attitude toward Si You.

This summary captures the essential flow of the chapter while staying brief enough for reference.

Chapter Summary: “Si You Makes an Appearance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• With Spring Heartbeat set to premiere the next day, Si You carefully prepares for his appearance at the filming location, adjusting his schedule to ensure he looks rested and presentable.
• He styles himself in a sharp workwear outfit and travels to the location, anxiously imagining the hostile reactions he may receive from fans who remember his terrible reputation from the previous season.
• The filming location is crowded with fans, especially supporters of Xue Boyu. Xue Boyu remains the show’s most popular celebrity, while his former pairing partner, He Qing, is absent after suffering serious injuries in a car accident.
• Fans worry that He Qing’s absence may force Xue Boyu into a pairing with Si You, whom they strongly dislike.
• Upon arrival, Si You catches a fan-site photographer who is nearly knocked over and returns her dropped keys. His composed appearance and striking presence attract attention before anyone recognizes him.
• Once fans realize he is Si You, the atmosphere becomes tense. They remember him as selfish, unpleasant, and overly dependent on Shen Chuan during the previous season.
• Si You uses a promotional board as a makeshift shield and jokingly begs the fans to ignore him, promising not to cause trouble. His self-aware and absurd behavior makes some fans laugh despite their dislike.
• He eventually abandons the board and dashes into the building, avoiding confrontation.
• Footage of the incident spreads online, and the hashtag #SiYouDontActRashly# trends. Viewers find his defensive behavior entertaining and begin questioning whether his former unpleasant persona was imposed by his old company.

Character Developments

• Si You: Demonstrates significant changes in appearance, confidence, and self-awareness. Though nervous about public hostility, he handles the situation with humor, caution, and surprising composure. He also reveals his determination to rebuild his reputation and eventually retaliate against the company that mistreated him.
• Xue Boyu: Is established as the show’s most popular celebrity, admired for his youthful charm, good manners, and strong fan following.
• He Qing: Though absent, his accident and close relationship with Xue Boyu remain central to the fans’ concerns. His absence intensifies anxiety over the show’s romantic pairings.
• Fans: Their initial hatred of Si You begins to soften slightly when they see his changed appearance and unexpectedly humorous behavior. Even those who dislike him are forced to acknowledge that he has become more attractive and entertaining.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and reinvention: Si You is attempting to escape the negative image created during the first season and present a more authentic version of himself.
• Public perception: The chapter highlights how quickly fans judge celebrities and how easily a single public incident can reshape online opinion.
• Authenticity versus manufactured personas: The possibility that Si You’s former behavior was part of an image imposed by his previous company raises questions about exploitation in the entertainment industry.
• Humor as a survival strategy: Si You defuses a potentially hostile confrontation by making fun of his own reputation and treating the situation lightly.
• Power and revenge: Beneath his calm public behavior, Si You remains determined to rise again and punish the company responsible for damaging his career.

Character Interactions

• Si You helps the fan-site photographer after she is shoved by the crowd, showing courtesy and physical confidence.
• He addresses the surrounding fans directly, asking them not to attack him and promising not to create trouble.
• His interaction with the fans changes the mood from hostility to reluctant amusement, as his exaggerated caution and self-deprecating remarks make him seem more human and approachable.
• The online audience also begins reassessing him, suggesting that his former company may have manufactured his disliked persona.

Chapter Summary: “Different Treatment”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si You arrives at the filming location for the second season of Spring Heartbeat, a lavish manor rented by the production team.
• He meets the participating guests: established couple Shao Ancheng and Song Yalin; Zhang Jianlin and the absent Jiang Yao; male-male pairing Xu Ke and Fei Chang; Xue Boyu, whose partner He Qing is absent after a car accident; and Si You’s former partner Shen Chuan, who has withdrawn from the show.
• The atmosphere becomes awkward because of Si You’s controversial reputation and his disastrous behavior on the previous season. The production crew deliberately allows the silence to continue, hoping he will lose his temper on camera.
• Si You remains calm, refuses to engage in passive-aggressive conflict, and rests silently for forty minutes.
• Xue Boyu arrives and immediately receives a warm, deferential welcome from the other guests. His influential family background is obvious from the way everyone caters to him.
• Xue Boyu gives gifts to the guests, including Si You, and Si You accepts politely. Xue Boyu is struck by Si You’s unusual attractiveness.
• The production team assigns Si You the least desirable room: a secluded, poorly ventilated room with little sunlight. Rather than complain, Si You opens the windows, changes the bedding he brought, and improves the room himself.
• When the cameraman refuses to leave, Si You teasingly implies that he is about to shower and asks whether the cameraman wants to watch. The cameraman becomes flustered and retreats.
• The chapter ends with Si You preparing to rest before official filming begins the next day, when the identity of the mysterious guest will be revealed.

Character Developments

• Si You: Demonstrates a major change from his former insecure, combative self. He recognizes the production team’s attempt to provoke him but stays composed, practical, and self-sufficient. His confident teasing of the cameraman also reveals a more relaxed and subtly flirtatious side.
• Zhang Jianlin: Maintains a friendly public image but makes a pointed remark about Si You’s former immaturity. He is surprised when Si You does not react as expected.
• Xue Boyu: Appears polite, considerate, socially skilled, and highly favored because of his family background. His interest in Si You begins with admiration of Si You’s appearance rather than romantic feeling.
• Xu Ke and Fei Chang: Their affectionate dynamic remains evident, with Fei Chang attentively noticing Xu Ke’s discomfort and offering to take him outside.
• The production team: Treats Si You differently and intentionally places him in uncomfortable situations to create dramatic footage, expecting him to revert to his old behavior.

Significant Themes

• Personal transformation: Si You’s restraint and maturity contrast sharply with his previous reputation, suggesting he is rebuilding both his image and relationships.
• Social hierarchy and favoritism: The guests’ dramatically warmer treatment of Xue Boyu highlights the power of wealth, status, and influential connections.
• Public image versus private reality: The cameras and production crew seek conflict for entertainment, while Si You refuses to perform the angry persona they expect.
• Prejudice and reputation: Si You enters the show burdened by online controversy and past scandals, forcing others to reassess him.
• Self-respect and independence: By improving his poor room instead of complaining, Si You quietly rejects the role of victim and takes control of his circumstances.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Jianlin welcomes Si You while subtly reminding him of his previous rudeness; Si You responds politely but does not accept the provocation.
• The guests initially sit in uncomfortable silence around Si You, revealing their distrust and uncertainty.
• Upon Xue Boyu’s arrival, Xu Ke, Fei Chang, and the others immediately become attentive and eager to please him.
• Xue Boyu personally gives Si You a gift and addresses him warmly, creating the chapter’s first genuinely cordial interaction involving Si You.
• Si You’s playful exchange with the cameraman reverses the power dynamic: instead of being manipulated into producing dramatic footage, he unsettles the cameraman and sends him away.

Chapter Summary: The Movie Emperor Makes His Entrance

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si You has adjusted his sleep schedule and wakes at six in the morning, well before the production team expects. He quietly cooks noodles, tidies himself, and spends the early morning playing a mobile game.
• The filming crew struggles to capture his usual “chaotic” behavior because Si You is already awake, composed, and camera-ready. His unexpected change frustrates the director, who had hoped to catch him off guard.
• The guests gather for the first day of filming. Xue Boyu is surprised by Si You’s transformation, remembering how irresponsible and disruptive Si You had been during the previous season.
• The program is revealed to be a live broadcast with no post-production, meaning the audience sees the guests’ behavior in real time. Online viewers continue to criticize Si You for his past role in driving Shen Chuan away, although some acknowledge that he has changed.
• The director announces the arrival of a major new guest. Jiang Tingxu, an immensely popular and respected movie emperor, makes a dramatic entrance accompanied by the theme song from his breakthrough film.
• Jiang Tingxu’s appearance causes the livestream’s viewer count to break records, while both the guests and viewers react with intense excitement.
• The production team announces that Jiang Tingxu must choose a partner. The situation is complicated by He Qing’s temporary absence and Shen Chuan’s departure.
• The director reveals that He Qing will return once his injuries heal. This leaves Jiang Tingxu choosing between Si You and Xue Boyu, effectively placing Si You in danger of being excluded and used as the show’s scapegoat.
• Si You realizes the production team deliberately arranged the situation to generate conflict and public attention. He accepts that he may become the target of viewers’ anger and jokingly considers obtaining stronger protection from the expected backlash.

Character Developments

• Si You: Demonstrates a major change from his former irresponsible, attention-seeking behavior. He is now disciplined, self-sufficient, observant, and emotionally guarded. Despite his outward calm, he understands that the production team still views him as disposable and expects him to absorb public hostility.
• Xue Boyu: Notices and is impressed by Si You’s change. His concern and affectionate interaction with Xu Ke also reinforce his gentle and caring personality.
• Xu Ke and Fei Chang: Their close relationship is highlighted when Fei Chang notices Xu Ke’s hunger and promises to take him for beef soup. Their interaction excites fans of their pairing.
• Jiang Tingxu: Enters as an exceptionally famous, admired, and dignified actor. He is polite and warm but maintains emotional distance. His status immediately changes the balance of the show.
• Jiang Yao and Zhang Jianlin: Jiang Yao reacts enthusiastically to meeting her idol, while Zhang Jianlin protectively draws her closer, emphasizing their couple dynamic.
• The Director/Production Team: Shown to be calculating and willing to manipulate the cast and audience for ratings. They deliberately postpone partner selection and use He Qing’s eventual return to create tension.

Significant Themes

• Reputation versus personal change: Si You has genuinely improved, but viewers and the production team continue to judge him according to his past.
• Media manipulation and exploitation: The program engineers conflict, using partner selection and Si You’s notoriety to increase ratings and generate online controversy.
• Public image and celebrity power: Jiang Tingxu’s arrival demonstrates how immense fame can dominate a program, dramatically increasing viewership and influencing everyone’s behavior.
• Isolation and scapegoating: Si You recognizes that he may still be excluded and made into a target, regardless of his efforts to change.
• Authenticity in live entertainment: Because the show is broadcast without editing, the gap between spontaneous behavior and carefully manufactured drama becomes especially important.

Character Interactions

• Si You and Xue Boyu exchange a polite morning greeting, though Si You accidentally calls him “Bai Yu,” revealing familiarity or a teasing dynamic.
• Fei Chang comforts Xu Ke while they wait for food and promises to take care of him afterward, prompting enthusiastic fan reactions.
• Jiang Tingxu greets each guest and shakes hands with them. His handshake with Si You leaves Si You unexpectedly affected, and Si You immediately senses that Jiang Tingxu is an unusual and compelling person.
• Jiang Yao openly expresses her admiration for Jiang Tingxu, while Zhang Jianlin responds with protective affection.
• The director deliberately places Jiang Tingxu’s partner selection at the center of the group’s interactions, creating tension between Si You and Xue Boyu and setting up the next stage of the show.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Si You and Jiang Tingxu are paired as a CP on a dating-variety program, despite their poor public reputations as a pairing. When the news breaks, Si You is viciously attacked on trending searches, while Jiang Tingxu remains widely respected.
• The production team deliberately assigns the two men adjacent rooms, creating an awkward and highly scrutinized situation. Si You stays guarded to avoid giving viewers material to criticize, while Jiang Tingxu willingly cooperates.
• Jiang Tingxu reflects on why he agreed to participate in Spring Action after seeing Si You during Horror Livestream, though he cannot fully explain his own motivation.
• At the first mission briefing, the director announces that the guests must follow routes, identify NPCs hidden among ordinary people, and collect ingredients from them. They must cook for themselves, and no one receives food until completing the mission.
• Si You secretly eats noodles before the mission, despite claiming he is not hungry when Jiang Tingxu asks.
• The guests divide into groups and choose among several routes. Si You and Jiang Tingxu take the least crowded route, while Xue Boyu joins them.
• Along the route, Si You notices that a supposed fruit farmer has unusually fair, clean hands. He correctly suspects the man is an NPC and identifies him using the required coded phrase.
• Si You exchanges the clue card for cucumbers and bottled water, then generously distributes the supplies to Jiang Tingxu and Xue Boyu.

2. Character Developments

• Si You: Initially appears defensive, isolated, and burdened by the original owner’s ruined reputation. However, he demonstrates sharp observation, practical thinking, and consideration for others. Rather than acting spoiled or throwing a tantrum as everyone expects, he notices the NPC quickly and shares the scarce supplies with his teammates.
• Jiang Tingxu: Remains calm, dignified, and professional despite the uncomfortable pairing and public speculation. He chooses to participate proactively, recognizing that Si You is likely to be targeted by viewers and that he must help stabilize their partnership. He is impressed and subtly unsettled by Si You’s competence and unexpected care.
• Xue Boyu: Initially approaches the pair cautiously because of the original Si You’s past hostility toward him. As the mission begins, he becomes more comfortable and starts admiring Si You’s cool, reliable behavior.
• The production team/director: Deliberately creates difficult and entertaining conditions, including the controversial pairing, adjacent rooms, limited food, hidden NPCs, and competitive routes.

3. Significant Themes

• Reputation versus reality: Public opinion condemns Si You based on his past and rumors, but his behavior in the mission reveals qualities that viewers and cast members did not expect.
• Second chances and personal change: Si You’s actions suggest a break from the original owner’s jealousy, arrogance, and cruelty. He begins forming new relationships through kindness and competence.
• Performance and authenticity: The guests are constantly watched by cameras, forcing them to manage their behavior. At the same time, genuine reactions—such as Jiang Tingxu’s curiosity and Si You’s concern for their supplies—begin to emerge beneath the manufactured CP format.
• Trust and cooperation: Jiang Tingxu chooses to support Si You rather than remain passive, while Si You starts caring for his teammates despite their initial wariness.
• Class resentment and emotional narrowness: Si You reflects critically on the original owner’s jealousy toward Xue Boyu, recognizing that blaming others for unequal circumstances only creates more suffering.

4. Character Interactions

• Jiang Tingxu watches Si You make his bed, and their quiet proximity creates immediate romantic tension despite their lack of familiarity.
• Jiang Tingxu tries to be proactive by asking whether Si You is hungry, while Si You awkwardly denies it. Their brief exchange is noticed by the cameras and excites viewers.
• Xue Boyu cautiously asks to join them, fearing Si You’s temper but trusting Jiang Tingxu’s reliability.
• During the mission, Xue Boyu keeps some distance from Si You because of the original owner’s past treatment of him, while speaking more comfortably with Jiang Tingxu.
• Si You successfully identifies the NPC and then shares the water and cucumbers equally with both men, surprising Jiang Tingxu and winning Xue Boyu’s admiration.

Chapter Summary: “Show Them What You’ve Got”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si You continues leading Jiang Tingxu and Xue Boyu through the town’s ingredient-exchange challenge. He takes his responsibilities seriously, following the leadership values instilled by his family.
• The group finds the second NPC, a shy young Jiang Tingxu fan. After Jiang uses the code phrase “Pegasus Meteor Fist,” she exchanges a bag of salt for an autograph opportunity.
• Jiang and Si You collect water, shrimp, and other ingredients. Si You reveals that he can cook, surprising viewers who remember his disastrous kitchen appearance in the previous season.
• Jiang notices Si You’s cracked lips and gives him water. Si You initially refuses but accepts after realizing Jiang is genuinely concerned.
• Xue Boyu joins Jiang and Si You’s group while waiting for He Qing, receiving their protection and support.
• Online viewers argue over Si You. His critics accuse him of creating a false persona and mock his cooking ability, while Jiang’s longtime fans defend him and reject attempts to manipulate them into attacking Si You.
• Other pairs struggle:
  • Xu Ke and Fei Chang find the most NPCs and reach the finish line first, winning the largest ingredient package.
  • Zhang Jianlin repeatedly steals exchanges from Xu Ke, causing Xu Ke and Fei Chang to separate from him. His pairing with Jiang Yao appears forced and lacks genuine chemistry.
  • Shao Ancheng and Song Yalin finish last after wasting chances and struggling with the heat and Song’s high heels.
• Jiang, Si You, and Xue Boyu finish second. Although they miss the grand prize, their assorted ingredients are plentiful and well-balanced.
• At the outdoor kitchens, Si You insists that Jiang rest because he has eaten very little. He then prepares an elaborate meal: fish, river shrimp, sweet-and-sour pork, vinegar potatoes, six dishes, and one soup.
• Si You’s impressive cooking completely disproves the online criticism that he cannot cook. He finishes the meal efficiently, wasting no ingredients, and calmly announces that dinner is ready.

Character Developments

• Si You: His sense of duty develops into sincere care for others. He no longer treats leadership as merely an obligation; he actively notices Jiang’s and Xue Boyu’s needs. His excellent cooking reveals discipline, competence, and a determined personality hidden behind his public image.
• Jiang Tingxu: He becomes increasingly comfortable relying on Si You while also caring for him in return. He trusts Si You’s judgment immediately and gives him water when he notices his discomfort. His calm, reassuring treatment of Xue Boyu reinforces his kindness and leadership.
• Xue Boyu: He grows more dependent on and appreciative of Jiang and Si You, easily accepting their invitation to stay with them. His admiration for Si You increases as he watches him cook.
• Xu Ke and Fei Chang: Their teamwork proves effective, allowing them to win the challenge. Fei Chang’s promise to cook, even with the help of a tutorial, adds warmth to their relationship.
• Zhang Jianlin and Jiang Yao: Their relationship appears increasingly artificial. Zhang’s competitive and underhanded behavior frustrates Xu Ke, while Jiang Yao’s forced smile suggests she dislikes his behavior.
• Si You’s public image: Viewers begin reconsidering their negative opinions after seeing his competence, thoughtfulness, and cooking skills.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility and leadership: True leadership involves caring for people rather than merely organizing or controlling them.
• Actions versus reputation: Si You’s actual behavior contradicts the negative persona promoted by viewers and critics.
• Unspoken care: Small gestures—such as Jiang giving Si You water and Si You making Jiang rest—reveal growing mutual concern.
• Teamwork and authenticity: Genuine cooperation leads to success, while forced partnerships and selfish competition create tension.
• Public judgment and fan culture: Online audiences quickly form opinions based on old impressions, but visible actions can challenge prejudice and expose attempts to manipulate fandoms.

Character Interactions

• Si You directs Jiang and Xue Boyu while quietly monitoring their health and comfort.
• Jiang and the young NPC bond through his fandom, with the code phrase enabling their exchange.
• Jiang and Si You share a subtle moment of mutual care over the water.
• Jiang welcomes Xue Boyu into their group, giving him reassurance and protection.
• Xu Ke confronts Zhang Jianlin indirectly by leaving with Fei Chang after Zhang repeatedly steals NPC exchanges.
• Si You demonstrates his care for Jiang through both words and actions, ultimately preparing the entire meal for the group.

Chapter Summary: “Mouthpiece”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the first dinner of the second season, Si You serves an impressive meal for his team. Xue Boyu, starving after a full day without food, eats so quickly that Si You has to remind him to slow down.
• Jiang Tingxu praises Si You’s cooking, noting that it is as good as a professional chef’s. This reinforces Jiang’s growing belief that Si You is very different from the negative image portrayed online.
• Tension arises when Zhang Jianlin criticizes Jiang Yao for not knowing how to cook, suggesting that cooking is an attractive “bonus” for women.
• Si You sharply challenges Zhang’s chauvinistic attitude, arguing that women should cook only if they want to and that their value should not depend on domestic skills.
• Jiang Tingxu unexpectedly supports Si You, directly asking whether Si You was wrong. His intervention silences Zhang and earns approval from many viewers, including some who normally dislike Si You.
• Fei Chang asks Si You to cook for his group in exchange for half their ingredients. Si You agrees immediately, seeing the opportunity to help his team and reduce the criticism directed at him.
• Jiang Tingxu joins Si You in the kitchen. They prepare beef with green peppers and bamboo shoots, along with beef rice bowls, which they deliver to Jiang Yao’s struggling team.
• Zhang Jianlin attempts to object that no ingredients were exchanged, but Jiang Tingxu tells him to work harder the next day and treats the food as a debt, subtly criticizing Zhang’s lack of contribution.
• Jiang Yao becomes emotionally affected by Si You’s kindness and Zhang’s unhelpful behavior. Her favorable impression of Zhang disappears, but she feels trapped by her contract and unable to leave the show.
• After everyone retires for the night, Jiang Tingxu visits Si You’s room to borrow his peach-scented body wash, creating a quieter, more personal interaction between them.

Character Developments

• Si You: Demonstrates strong cooking skills, generosity, and a willingness to work hard for others. He openly opposes sexism but restrains himself from escalating the conflict because of his previous reputation and fear of renewed online backlash. His actions begin to challenge the “troublemaker” image attached to him.
• Jiang Tingxu: Becomes increasingly confident in his judgment of Si You and trusts personal experience over public opinion. He openly defends Si You, works alongside him, and subtly rebukes Zhang Jianlin. His protective and supportive attitude toward Si You becomes more evident.
• Xue Boyu: Reveals an enormous appetite and comically enthusiastic response to Si You’s cooking. He remains dependent on the team’s food and support.
• Jiang Yao: Grows disillusioned with Zhang Jianlin after being criticized and left to do all the work. Si You’s assistance makes her emotional, suggesting she feels both relieved and oppressed by the show’s environment.
• Zhang Jianlin: Is exposed as a performatively agreeable but deeply chauvinistic man who gives instructions without contributing meaningfully. His confidence weakens when Si You and Jiang Tingxu challenge him.
• Si You and Jiang Tingxu’s relationship: Their cooperation becomes more natural and intimate. Jiang’s willingness to join Si You in the kitchen and later visit his room suggests growing trust and closeness.

Significant Themes

• Public image versus personal truth: Jiang Tingxu rejects online rumors about Si You after observing his genuine behavior firsthand.
• Sexism and gender expectations: The argument over cooking challenges the belief that women must perform domestic labor to be considered desirable or valuable.
• Actions versus empty appearances: Si You cooks and helps others, while Zhang Jianlin talks and commands without contributing.
• Work, survival, and redemption: Si You works hard partly to support others and partly to repair his damaged reputation.
• Mutual support and emerging intimacy: Jiang Tingxu’s defense of Si You and their cooperation suggest a developing bond built on trust rather than publicity.

Important Character Interactions

• Si You gently looks after Xue Boyu by giving him water and encouraging him to eat more slowly.
• Si You and Jiang Tingxu exchange mutual praise and assistance while cooking, with Jiang allowing Si You to guide him despite initially wanting to take over.
• Si You confronts Zhang Jianlin over his sexist remark, and Jiang Tingxu firmly backs him up.
• Si You comforts Jiang Yao indirectly by preparing food for her team and telling her to stop working so late.
• Jiang Tingxu’s final visit to borrow body wash provides a soft, domestic moment that hints at increasing familiarity between him and Si You.

Chapter Summary: He Really Had Changed

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Tingxu borrows body wash from Si You, giving the cameraman a subtle hint that there may be an unusual closeness between them.
• Heavy rain delays the day’s activities. Si You wakes early, eats a large breakfast, and asks the production staff for a high-performance laptop, but they coldly refuse.
• Jiang Tingxu arrives with the body wash and offers Si You his own laptop, further fueling viewers’ curiosity about their relationship.
• The director announces the day’s task: guests must accompany villagers to gather rain-grown mountain vegetables. Their rewards will depend on how much they collect.
• Because of the dangerous weather and slippery mountain paths, the stronger guests volunteer first. Shao Ancheng volunteers to protect Song Yalin, while Fei Chang volunteers out of concern for Xu Ke.
• Zhang Jianlin jokingly suggests that Jiang Yao go for “inspiration,” but avoids volunteering himself. Jiang Yao recognizes his selfishness, decides to participate, and resolves not to renew her contract after the season.
• Si You volunteers as well. Jiang Tingxu initially tries to stop him because of Si You’s own health concerns, especially Jiang Tingxu’s previously fractured left ankle, but Si You privately persuades him to stay behind.
• During the journey, strong wind and rain push Jiang Yao backward. Si You pulls her behind him to shield her, while Xue Boyu helps block the wind from the other side.
• Si You gives Xue Boyu his hat, explaining that his own raincoat has a hood. Xue Boyu concludes that Si You has genuinely changed.

Character Developments

• Si You: Displays greater consideration, responsibility, and willingness to help others. He protects Jiang Yao from the wind, gives Xue Boyu his hat, notices Jiang Tingxu’s injured ankle, and accepts the difficult task instead of letting Jiang Tingxu risk himself. His improved behavior begins to repair his public image.
• Jiang Tingxu: Shows concern for Si You and readily lends him his laptop. Although normally firm in his decisions, he listens when Si You privately explains himself and agrees to let him participate.
• Jiang Yao: Becomes increasingly disillusioned with Zhang Jianlin’s selfishness. Rather than waiting for him to help, she chooses to shoulder the responsibility herself and prepares decisively for the task.
• Zhang Jianlin: Is exposed as unwilling to sacrifice his own comfort. His joking suggestion that Jiang Yao participate highlights his lack of support for her.
• Xue Boyu: Demonstrates consideration by helping Si You shield Jiang Yao, and he personally recognizes Si You’s sincere transformation.
• Shao Ancheng and Song Yalin: Their mutual support appears affectionate and genuine, strengthening viewers’ interest in them as a couple.
• Fei Chang and Xu Ke: Continue to show natural closeness, causing Si You and the audience to suspect that their feelings may be real.

Significant Themes

• Redemption and personal change: Si You’s actions suggest that he has matured from his previous reputation and is now more caring and dependable.
• Actions versus appearances: While some guests perform affection or concern for the cameras, Si You’s spontaneous acts of protection make his change seem genuine.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: The task forces the guests to reveal who is willing to endure hardship for others and who avoids responsibility.
• Public perception and media scrutiny: The livestream audience closely analyzes every interaction, while the production staff notices that Si You’s renewed popularity may be reversing his bad publicity.
• Hidden tensions in relationships: Jiang Yao’s resentment toward Zhang Jianlin and the growing ambiguity between Si You and Jiang Tingxu are revealed through small gestures and private conversations.

Character Interactions

• Si You and Jiang Tingxu share an increasingly intimate dynamic, marked by borrowing personal items, lending a laptop, concern over Jiang Tingxu’s injury, and a private whispered exchange that the viewers eagerly dissect.
• Si You protects Jiang Yao from the storm, and Xue Boyu joins him, creating a cooperative moment among the guests.
• Shao Ancheng’s immediate decision to accompany Song Yalin is interpreted by viewers as proof of their romantic bond.
• Fei Chang looks after Xu Ke, who responds affectionately, reinforcing their natural chemistry.
• Jiang Yao and Zhang Jianlin’s exchange exposes their strained relationship: she understands that he expects her to take on the burden while pretending to be considerate.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The guests trek up a muddy mountain path during a severe rainstorm to gather wild vegetables. The journey takes far longer than planned, leaving everyone cold, wet, and exhausted.
• Si You helps Jiang Yao navigate the mud, asks the production crew to provide her with warm clothing, and leads the group through the difficult terrain.
• The production crew’s unequal treatment of Si You becomes obvious when everyone except him is given coats. Viewers criticize the show and begin questioning the long-standing abuse Si You has received.
• Si You learns how to harvest the vegetables properly from a local farmer, quickly becoming extremely efficient. He fills three baskets while competing silently with the older farmer.
• His energy and determination inspire the others. Jiang Yao becomes more cheerful, starts picking more enthusiastically, and even hums while working.
• After the rain stops, the group returns in improved weather. Jiang Yao and Xue Boyu playfully splash through puddles, while the others relax and chat.
• The guests sell their vegetables for supplies. Si You sells two baskets and keeps one to cook for himself.
• Zhang Jianlin interrupts Jiang Yao’s conversation with Si You and suggests she should have asked him to accompany her. Jiang Yao reacts with visible disgust, prompting another wave of online criticism toward Zhang.
• Back at the house, Jiang Tingxu gives the shivering Si You a blanket and tells him to shower in her room because his room has no hot water. The unexpected arrangement causes both Si You and the viewers to react with surprise.

Character Developments

• Si You: Demonstrates kindness, observation, resilience, competitiveness, and practical intelligence. He protects Jiang Yao, adapts quickly to unfamiliar work, and gradually wins public sympathy as viewers see his genuine behavior rather than the negative image promoted by his antis.
• Jiang Yao: Initially struggles physically and feels uncomfortable, but Si You’s support helps her relax. She becomes increasingly lively, enjoys the work, and grows closer to him through their friendly interaction.
• Xue Boyu: Acts supportively toward Jiang Yao and becomes impressed by Si You’s extraordinary productivity. He also participates in playful activities with Jiang Yao after the task.
• The older farmer: Initially assumes celebrities will be fragile and troublesome, but Si You’s work ethic changes his attitude and turns their harvesting into a quiet competition.
• Zhang Jianlin: Attempts to insert himself into Jiang Yao’s interactions, but her cold response reveals her dislike of him and further damages his image with viewers.
• Jiang Tingxu: Shows consideration for Si You by covering him with a blanket and offering her room for his shower, though she also seems amused by his startled reaction.

Significant Themes

• Unfair treatment and public judgment: The production crew’s treatment of Si You exposes how normalized his mistreatment has become, while viewers begin rejecting the biased narrative surrounding him.
• Actions revealing true character: Si You’s considerate and hardworking behavior gradually contradicts his reputation and attracts new fans.
• Perseverance and teamwork: His determination motivates the entire group, showing how one person’s energy can improve collective morale.
• Nature and physical labor: The harsh mountain environment strips away celebrity appearances and places the guests in a setting where effort and adaptability matter more than status.
• Emerging popularity: Si You’s natural appearance, calm temperament, and behavior cause public opinion to shift in his favor.

Character Interactions

• Si You supports Jiang Yao physically and emotionally during the climb, and she becomes comfortable enough to work and joke around with him.
• Si You cooperates with and challenges the local farmer, forming a silent but humorous competition over who can harvest faster.
• Xue Boyu assists Jiang Yao, exchanges baskets with Si You, and later plays with Jiang Yao in the puddles.
• Zhang Jianlin’s attempted interaction with Jiang Yao is rejected, highlighting their strained relationship.
• Jiang Tingxu cares for Si You after the exhausting task and unexpectedly offers him access to her room, creating a teasing, potentially intimate moment that excites the viewers.

Chapter Summary: “Ears Turned Red”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After returning from the day’s outdoor activities, Si You showers in Jiang Tingxu’s unusually neat room and receives a cup of homemade ginger tea from Jiang.
• Jiang Tingxu tells Si You that the participants who went gathering can rest instead of helping immediately with dinner. Exhausted, Si You accepts and unexpectedly falls into a deep sleep.
• While Si You sleeps, the other couples prepare dinner. Jiang Tingxu cooks four dishes and a soup, with Xue Boyu assisting and learning from him.
• The chapter highlights the uneven effort among the couples. Song Yalin prepares a generous meal for Zhang Jianlin, while Zhang contributes little and spends much of the time on his phone.
• Jiang Yao, exhausted after gathering wild vegetables, is irritated by Zhang Jianlin’s self-satisfied attitude and refuses to engage with him. She draws strength from comparing her situation with Si You’s and becomes calmer and more inspired.
• Jiang Tingxu wakes Si You for dinner. Still groggy, Si You walks downstairs beside him but slips on the staircase.
• Jiang Tingxu catches Si You around the waist, pulling him safely against his chest. The close contact makes Si You’s ear tingle and turn red, while Jiang notices his reaction with quiet amusement.
• Viewers immediately flood the comments with accusations that Si You is deliberately creating romantic publicity with Jiang Tingxu, though some fans begin enthusiastically shipping the two.

Character Developments

• Si You: Reveals how physically exhausted he is beneath his outward competence. He becomes increasingly comfortable accepting Jiang Tingxu’s care and shows an involuntary, flustered reaction to their physical closeness.
• Jiang Tingxu: Establishes himself as considerate, capable, and attentive. He makes ginger tea, takes responsibility for dinner, allows Si You to rest, personally wakes him, and instinctively protects him when he falls.
• Jiang Yao: Gains emotional resilience after a difficult day. Instead of arguing with Zhang Jianlin, she calmly distances herself and focuses on cooking, drawing unexpected inspiration from Si You’s perseverance.
• Zhang Jianlin: Is portrayed as lazy, self-important, and hypocritically concerned for Jiang Yao. His “good man” public image contrasts sharply with his actual behavior.
• Xue Boyu: Cooperates with Jiang Tingxu and shows a willingness to learn, though he admits Jiang Tingxu’s cooking is simpler than Si You’s.
• Song Yalin: Demonstrates care for her partner through her elaborate meal, while also recognizing Zhang Jianlin’s shortcomings and sympathizing with Jiang Yao.

Significant Themes

• Care versus public image: Jiang Tingxu’s quiet practical kindness contrasts with Zhang Jianlin’s performative concern and inflated “good man” reputation.
• Exhaustion and recovery: Si You’s deep sleep emphasizes the physical and emotional toll of his efforts to repair his reputation.
• Misjudgment and online narratives: The audience’s reactions show how easily ordinary interactions are interpreted as publicity stunts, romantic scandal, or evidence of hidden relationships.
• Unexpected sources of strength: Jiang Yao finds motivation in Si You’s endurance, showing how people can influence one another even without realizing it.
• Emerging intimacy: Jiang Tingxu and Si You’s relationship develops through small acts of trust, support, and physical closeness rather than explicit declarations.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Tingxu and Si You share the chapter’s central interaction: Jiang cares for Si You, encourages him to rest, wakes him for dinner, and catches him when he falls. Si You’s reddening ear suggests growing embarrassment and attraction.
• Jiang Tingxu and Xue Boyu bond through cooking, with Xue Boyu treating Jiang as a teacher.
• Jiang Yao and Zhang Jianlin remain emotionally distant. She avoids his attempts to interact, while his apparent concern only increases her irritation.
• Song Yalin and Jiang Yao’s friendship is reinforced by their mutual understanding of Zhang Jianlin’s behavior.
• The audience’s comments add a second layer of interaction, transforming Jiang Tingxu and Si You’s accidental intimacy into instant speculation and romantic shipping.

Chapter Summary: "Go to His Room"

Key Plot Points & Events

• After an incident on the stairs, Jiang Tingxu catches Si You in his arms, causing onlookers and online viewers to immediately begin shipping them.
• Rain forces everyone indoors; dinner is served, and Jiang Tingxu gives Si You and Xue Boyu warm eggs (claiming he never eats eggs himself). Si You insists on washing dishes.
• Zhang Jianlin, during a lull, makes crude remarks about Jiang Yao’s expensive skincare and jokes about her "marrying into his family," sparking major online backlash. The planned card game falls apart as everyone retires for the night.
• Si You borrows Jiang Tingxu’s computer because his own room has terrible internet, then starts a horror game livestream from Jiang Tingxu’s room without showing his face.
• During the stream, a user named "Boss Jiang" sends a Starlit Spaceship gift. Si You thanks him but dismisses the coincidental surname; Jiang Tingxu, watching from the bed, silently regrets his account name.

Character Developments

• Si You: Calms himself by recalling his "former aura"; shows vulnerability (hunger, awkwardness), resourcefulness in gaming, and growing comfort with Jiang Tingxu. He remains mindful of reality-show privacy.
• Jiang Tingxu: Kind and unobtrusive — lends his computer, gives food, respects Si You’s space. His secretive livestream account hints at a playful, hidden interest in Si You.
• Zhang Jianlin: Reveals entitled, old-fashioned expectations about women and relationships; his offhand "leader" attitude earns him widespread criticism.
• Jiang Yao / Song Yalin: Jiang Yao is exhausted and leaves the group; Song Yalin supports her exit, subtly distancing from Zhang Jianlin.

Significant Themes

• Shipping culture and public perception: Fans project narratives onto Si You and Jiang Tingxu; Zhang Jianlin becomes a target of online outrage.
• Class/status boundaries: Zhang’s comments highlight money and gender expectations in relationships.
• Privacy under surveillance: Si You’s refusal to show his face during livestreaming reflects the tension of being filmed 24/7.
• Contrasting temperaments: Si You's prickliness versus Jiang Tingxu’s calm, calculated care.

Character Interactions

• Si You & Jiang Tingxu: Warm, low-key, and increasingly physically close; Jiang gently guides, Si You quietly accepts.
• Zhang Jianlin & Jiang Yao: Zhang oversteps with presumptuous remarks; Jiang Yao retreats with clear discomfort.
• Jiang Yao & Song Yalin: Solidarity between the female guests; Song acts as a buffer.
• Online community: Fans ship "Si You × Jiang," criticize Zhang Jianlin, and engage with Si You’s gaming stream.

Summary: Chapter 2 — "A Catalyst Is Needed"

Key Plot Points

• Si You's horror game livestream is a success; he breaks the record of one hour and forty-three minutes, clearing the game in one hour and twenty-seven minutes.
• His stream viewers are supportive, sending gifts and encouraging him to quit the entertainment industry if needed; they remind him his status in show recordings is at the bottom.
• That night, a heavy storm hits. Si You wakes with a cold the next morning from leaving the window open.
• Jiang Yao has a fever from getting caught in the rain the previous day; Zhang Jianlin is blamed by her fans and had gone on trending searches for being "average-and-confident."
• Zhang Jianlin attempts to redeem himself by going out to get medicine, but the pharmacy is closed.
• A doctor has been called, but the rain has made the roads nearly impassable.
• Jiang Tingxu quietly gives Si You cold medicine he prepared in advance, having noticed his coughing during breakfast.

Character Developments

• Si You: Still determined to act despite online criticism; loyal to his streaming fans, feeling responsible to them. Shows his caring side by sharing body wash and trusting Jiang Tingxu.
• Jiang Tingxu: Reveals his perceptive, quietly caring nature—notices Si You's cough, prepares medicine for him without making a show of it. Described as having "the destiny of a king and the nature of a gentleman."
• Zhang Jianlin: Exposed as performative and image-conscious; his attempts at redemption are transparent and mocked by viewers.
• Xue Boyu: Has a moment of revelation—"his emotions condensed into three words: I ship it"—realizing that shipping requires a "catalyst," brought on by witnessing Jiang Tingxu and Si You's interaction.

Significant Themes

• Quiet kindness vs. performative redemption: Jiang Tingxu's unobtrusive care contrasts with Zhang Jianlin's camera-driven efforts.
• Genuine support networks: Si You's fans uplift him despite industry status; Si You and Jiang Tingxu build mutual trust.
• The camera's interpretive power: A single angled shot of Si You and Jiang Tingxu sparks viewer shipping, showing how editing and framing shape narratives.

Character Interactions

• Si You & his viewers: Supportive, casual, affectionate ("all right, big bro"); they joke, encourage, and gift him money.
• Si You & Jiang Tingxu: Continued development of tacit understanding and trust—Jiang Tingxu gives medicine without explanation; Si You accepts it without ceremony.
• Group crisis management: Everyone mobilizes around Jiang Yao's fever—Song Yalin reports it, Shao Ancheng responds, Zhang Jianlin volunteers, Jiang Tingxu offers cold medicine.
• Xue Boyu's observation: He catches Jiang Tingxu patting Si You's back while messaging with one hand—the moment that sparks his "shipping" revelation.