Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Love Like Fire

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Ranxin explains to Lu Zhi that he did not reprimand him earlier because he had simply forgotten what happened. Lu Zhi is dissatisfied with the answer and jokingly punishes him by insisting that Shen sleep in his arms.
• Lu Zhi claims that Shen cracked two of his ribs, prompting Shen to feel guilty and become more careful. Lu Zhi appears to use his injuries partly as an excuse to keep Shen close, though he genuinely seems exhausted and falls asleep shortly afterward.
• The next morning, the dating-show staff enter Fang Yu’s room expecting to film him waking up. Instead, they find him enthusiastically performing a square dance to the song “Love Like Fire” on the balcony. The scene amuses both the production crew and the viewers, who jokingly comment on Fang Yu’s age and fitness.
• Director Chen assigns Fang Yu the task of waking the other contestants. The person he wakes last will be responsible for making breakfast.
• Fang Yu chooses to leave Cheng Cheng—the only contestant who can cook—for last. He begins with Jiang Ye, entering his dark room intending to surprise him.
• Fang Yu steps on a hidden rooster toy, is startled by its crow, then loses his balance and falls onto Jiang Ye. His nose hits Jiang Ye’s teeth, and while trying to recover, Fang Yu touches the various soft objects covering Jiang Ye’s bed. Jiang Ye becomes tense and warns him not to touch things randomly.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin remains embarrassed and somewhat flustered by Lu Zhi’s physical affection, but his concern becomes clear when he believes he may have seriously injured Lu Zhi.
• Lu Zhi acts playful and manipulative in a lighthearted way, using his supposed injuries to justify holding Shen close. His vulnerability and need for comfort also reveal his attachment to Shen.
• Fang Yu is portrayed as energetic, mischievous, and willing to exploit his authority over the morning wake-up task. His enthusiastic dancing contrasts humorously with his mature image.
• Jiang Ye is introduced as private and guarded. His darkened room and the strange items on his bed create an air of mystery, while his sharp reaction suggests discomfort with Fang Yu’s accidental touching.

Significant Themes

• Affection disguised as teasing: Lu Zhi turns punishment and complaints about his injuries into an excuse for intimacy with Shen Ranxin.
• Embarrassment and vulnerability: Both Shen and Lu are placed in emotionally awkward situations, while Fang Yu’s public dancing and accidental fall create comic embarrassment.
• Reality-show comedy: The chapter emphasizes the gap between contestants’ public personas and their private behavior, especially through Fang Yu’s dance and the chaotic wake-up challenge.
• Boundaries and trust: Shen reluctantly accepts Lu Zhi’s closeness, while Jiang Ye’s warning highlights the importance of personal space and hidden private matters.

Character Interactions

• Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi: Their interaction is physically intimate and teasing, with Lu Zhi seeking closeness and Shen reacting with embarrassment, irritation, and concern.
• Fang Yu and the production crew: The crew catches Fang Yu dancing, turning his attempt to prepare for the day into an amusing televised moment.
• Fang Yu and Jiang Ye: Fang Yu’s prank-like entrance quickly becomes an accident. His fall creates awkward physical contact, and Jiang Ye responds with discomfort and a warning, setting up a potentially tense but comedic relationship.

Chapter Summary: “Sincerity Is the Ultimate Weapon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The production crew restores power to Fang Yu and Jiang Ye’s room, revealing an awkward scene: Fang Yu is weak and lying among plush toys, while Jiang Ye emerges from the situation wrapped only in a towel.
• It becomes clear that Jiang Ye’s pheromones triggered a strong reaction in Fang Yu. Director Chen takes advantage of the situation by filming Jiang Ye extensively, hoping to revive the dating show’s reputation after another couple’s behavior made the program seem improper.
• Jiang Ye applies a suppressant patch and returns to help Fang Yu despite the risk of losing control. He checks Fang Yu’s condition and steadies him until the pheromones dissipate.
• Once Fang Yu recovers, he angrily blames Jiang Ye’s “screaming chicken” toy for startling him and criticizes Jiang Ye for having so many toys.
• Jiang Ye sincerely explains that he grew up in an orphanage and that a toy had been his only long-term companion, which is why he still treasures toys as an adult.
• Fang Yu immediately regrets his harsh words, apologizes, and reassures Jiang Ye that he can decorate his room however he likes.
• The chapter ends with Fang Yu heading toward Shen Ranxin’s door, while the viewers eagerly anticipate his next interaction.

Character Development

• Jiang Ye: Although normally obedient and controlled, Jiang Ye shows courage and consideration by entering the pheromone-filled room to help Fang Yu. His childhood confession reveals loneliness and emotional vulnerability beneath his composed exterior. His straightforward sincerity unintentionally disarms Fang Yu.
• Fang Yu: Fang Yu is embarrassed by his physical reaction and lashes out defensively, but his harshness quickly gives way to guilt once he learns the emotional meaning behind Jiang Ye’s toys. His soft-hearted nature and growing sensitivity toward Jiang Ye become increasingly apparent.
• Director Chen: He is opportunistic and focused on entertainment value, deliberately using the intimate situation between Fang Yu and Jiang Ye to repair the show’s image and attract viewers.
• The audience/commenters: The viewers enthusiastically interpret Fang Yu and Jiang Ye’s interaction as romantic, contrasting their mutual sincerity with the more one-sided feelings between Lu Zhi and Shen Ranxin.

Significant Themes

• Sincerity as emotional power: Jiang Ye’s honest explanation immediately breaks through Fang Yu’s embarrassment and defensiveness, demonstrating that genuine vulnerability can be more effective than flirtation or manipulation.
• Loneliness and treasured objects: Jiang Ye’s attachment to toys reflects the emotional scars of growing up without family or friends.
• Embarrassment masking attraction: Fang Yu’s anger and discomfort conceal his physical attraction and emotional fluster around Jiang Ye.
• Performance versus genuine feeling: The production crew tries to manufacture romantic entertainment, but the most compelling moment comes from an authentic exchange rather than staged behavior.
• Mutual versus one-sided sincerity: The commentary distinguishes Fang Yu and Jiang Ye’s reciprocal emotional connection from Lu Zhi’s apparently unreturned devotion to Shen Ranxin.

Important Character Interactions

• Fang Yu and Jiang Ye: Jiang Ye physically assists and checks on Fang Yu, while Fang Yu reacts with embarrassment and defensiveness. Jiang Ye’s vulnerable confession prompts Fang Yu to apologize, creating a moment of increased trust and tenderness.
• Jiang Ye and Director Chen: Director Chen pushes Jiang Ye into the situation for the sake of filming, while Jiang Ye remains confused and mildly displeased by the crew’s manipulation.
• Director Chen and the accompanying doctor: The doctor worries that Jiang Ye may lose control, but Director Chen prioritizes ratings and the show’s image.
• Fang Yu and the audience: The viewers observe Fang Yu’s embarrassment and interpret his reactions as evidence of growing affection.
• Fang Yu and Shen Ranxin: Fang Yu’s movement toward Shen Ranxin’s room sets up the next anticipated interaction and continues the chapter’s focus on romantic pairings within the show.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Yu and Jiang Ye proceed to wake Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi, who are sharing a bed.
• Lu Zhi’s bedding was wet, so he slept with Shen Ranxin, though their intimate position makes the situation look suspicious.
• Jiang Ye pulls away the blanket and questions why the two Alphas are sleeping together. Shen Ranxin hurriedly insists that nothing happened.
• Lu Zhi deliberately teases Shen Ranxin, agreeing with him in a suggestive tone that makes the situation seem even more incriminating.
• A visible hickey is revealed on Lu Zhi’s collarbone. Fang Yu notices Jiang Ye is about to ask about it and quickly removes him from the room.
• After washing up, Lu Zhi intentionally chooses a low-cut shirt that prominently displays the hickey.
• Shen Ranxin realizes he may have caused the mark and asks about it. Lu Zhi teasingly confirms that Shen Ranxin bit him hard the previous night.

Character Developments

• Fang Yu remains embarrassed and emotionally unsettled after his intimate encounter with Jiang Ye. His discomfort causes him to avoid eye contact and lose interest in provoking others.
• Jiang Ye continues to act straightforwardly and innocently, failing to recognize Lu Zhi’s suggestive behavior. He notices Fang Yu’s touch and reacts subtly, indicating growing awareness of their changing relationship.
• Shen Ranxin becomes increasingly flustered and defensive as Lu Zhi exposes their intimacy. His irritation masks embarrassment and uncertainty about what happened between them.
• Lu Zhi displays his usual confidence and teasing nature, intentionally emphasizing the hickey to provoke Shen Ranxin and entertain himself.

Significant Themes

• Embarrassment and sexual tension: The characters’ intimate experiences create awkwardness, denial, and teasing.
• Public image versus private intimacy: Shen Ranxin tries to present a harmless explanation while Lu Zhi deliberately undermines it.
• Emotional avoidance: Fang Yu avoids Jiang Ye because he cannot comfortably confront his feelings or memories of their encounter.
• Playful provocation: Lu Zhi uses flirtation and suggestive behavior to control the situation and draw out Shen Ranxin’s reactions.

Character Interactions

• Fang Yu and Jiang Ye: Fang Yu leads Jiang Ye away, partly to prevent him from exposing Lu Zhi and partly because Fang Yu is uncomfortable with Jiang Ye after their own intimate encounter. Jiang Ye silently notices Fang Yu’s touch.
• Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi: Their relationship is marked by physical closeness, embarrassment, and teasing. Lu Zhi openly hints at their intimacy, while Shen Ranxin defensively denies it.
• Fang Yu and Lu Zhi: Fang Yu recognizes Lu Zhi’s smug attempt to provoke Jiang Ye and intentionally refuses to give him the satisfaction.
• Jiang Ye and Lu Zhi: Jiang Ye innocently questions their shared bed and nearly asks about the hickey, unaware that Lu Zhi is deliberately baiting him.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Shen Ranxin wakes after sleeping unusually well under the calming influence of Lu Zhi’s pheromones. He vaguely recalls a pleasant dream involving biting something resembling Lu Zhi’s collarbone.
• Lu Zhi teases Shen about possibly dreaming of him and refuses to change out of his tight, revealing shirt. Shen insults the outfit by comparing him to a male escort, but Lu Zhi embraces the comparison and flirtatiously suggests Shen is his only customer.
• Since Lu Zhi lacks suitable clothes, Shen reluctantly lends him one of his own shirts. Lu Zhi sniffs it and compliments Shen’s scent, prompting Shen to call him a pervert.
• Elsewhere, Fang Yu takes Jiang Ye to search for Cheng Cheng and Gu Yifei, who are mysteriously absent from their room. Fang becomes embarrassed after realizing he has been holding Jiang Ye’s wrist and mentally tries to restore their usual senior-junior dynamic.
• The staff search the villa but find no trace of the two Omegas. Lu Zhi shows no concern and even sincerely jokes that they may have died, revealing his hostility toward Cheng Cheng as a romantic rival.
• Lu Zhi gives Shen milk and insists on calling him “Ranran,” claiming he wants a special name that only he can use. Shen is flustered and annoyed but drinks the milk after Lu Zhi makes a suggestive threat.
• Cheng Cheng and Gu Yifei finally return, dirty and carrying hoes. They contradict each other about what they were doing—“morning running” versus “watering the fields”—revealing that they had secretly gone to work in the show’s garden.
• Lu Zhi realizes what happened and runs toward Paperbush Garden, likely intending to confront them or inspect the damage.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin remains embarrassed by Lu Zhi’s shameless flirtation but increasingly tolerates and responds to his advances. His willingness to lend Lu Zhi clothes and drink the milk shows reluctant accommodation beneath his irritation.
• Lu Zhi becomes more openly possessive and playful toward Shen, seeking physical and emotional exclusivity through the nickname “Ranran.” He also remains openly antagonistic toward Cheng Cheng.
• Fang Yu grows self-conscious about his physical reaction to Jiang Ye and struggles to maintain their established “older senior and younger junior” relationship.
• Jiang Ye is quiet and observant, especially during Fang Yu’s awkwardness.
• Cheng Cheng and Gu Yifei appear energetic and mischievous, secretly undertaking farm work while trying to conceal it from the others.

Significant Themes

• Flirtation and possessiveness: Lu Zhi uses teasing, clothing, scent, and nicknames to assert intimacy with Shen.
• Pheromones and attraction: Shen’s restful sleep and dreamlike calm emphasize the physical and emotional effects of Lu Zhi’s presence.
• Embarrassment versus affection: Shen’s insults and resistance conceal growing familiarity, while Lu Zhi treats embarrassment as an opportunity for further intimacy.
• Reality versus performance: The participants’ contradictory explanations and secret garden work add comic tension to the staged dating-show environment.
• Romantic rivalry: Lu Zhi’s hostility toward Cheng Cheng highlights his determination to distinguish himself from Shen’s other relationships.

Character Interactions

• Shen and Lu Zhi dominate the chapter through provocative banter, physical teasing, clothing exchange, and the contested nickname “Ranran.”
• Fang Yu and Jiang Ye share an awkward moment after Fang Yu unconsciously holds Jiang Ye’s wrist, exposing Fang Yu’s discomfort with their changing dynamic.
• The group searches for Cheng Cheng and Gu Yifei, only for the two to return carrying farming tools and offering incompatible explanations.
• Lu Zhi’s pursuit of Paperbush Garden ends the chapter on a comedic cliffhanger, suggesting a confrontation over the hidden gardening activity.

Chapter Summary: “Men’s Tears, a Wife’s Glory”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cheng Cheng and Gu Yifei are revealed to have knocked over—or deliberately dug up—Lu Zhi’s paperbush tree. Cheng Cheng lies that it was accidentally blown over by the wind, echoing Lu Zhi’s excuse for tearing off Cheng Cheng’s ribbon the previous night.
• Shen Ranxin worries that Lu Zhi may retaliate against Gu Yifei, who lacks the protection afforded to Cheng Cheng as the story’s protagonist.
• The group finds Lu Zhi alone in the garden, trying to replant the damaged tree by hand. Shen Ranxin’s red ribbon, which had been hanging from it, is muddy and torn.
• Although Cheng Cheng insists that the damage was no worse than Lu Zhi’s actions the night before, Shen Ranxin feels unexpectedly guilty and sympathetic toward Lu Zhi.
• Lu Zhi embraces Shen Ranxin, cries, and complains that Cheng Cheng bullied him, asking Shen Ranxin to take his side. His vulnerable display immediately wins attention from the livestream audience and makes Shen Ranxin soften toward him.
• Lu Zhi uses the situation to demand that Shen Ranxin “make it up to him” that night. Shen Ranxin reluctantly leaves the promise open.
• Lu Zhi then deliberately reveals the hickey on his collarbone to Cheng Cheng, provoking him and making it clear that their emotional and romantic rivalry is ongoing.
• Cheng Cheng realizes that Lu Zhi has outmaneuvered him. He had intended to exploit Lu Zhi’s anger by hiding in Shen Ranxin’s arms, but Lu Zhi instead used tears and helplessness to claim Shen Ranxin’s sympathy.
• Because the two latest risers must prepare breakfast, Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi are assigned the task. Neither can cook, leaving the group expecting disaster.
• The chapter ends with an unexpected food delivery arriving for “Nicholas Iron Pillar,” apparently ordered by Shen Ranxin despite the production crew cutting the villa off from the outside world. The delivery shocks both the cast and Director Zheng.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin: Shows growing emotional concern for Lu Zhi despite insisting he was not responsible for the damaged tree. He is susceptible to Lu Zhi’s tears and begins treating him more gently, though he remains exasperated by Lu Zhi’s manipulation.
• Lu Zhi: Demonstrates a highly strategic, shamelessly performative side. Rather than confronting Cheng Cheng, he adopts a vulnerable posture, cries convincingly, seeks Shen Ranxin’s protection, and then flaunts their intimacy to provoke Cheng Cheng.
• Cheng Cheng: Remains hostile and competitive toward Lu Zhi. He tries to control the situation through provocation but is frustrated when Lu Zhi turns the incident to his advantage.
• Gu Yifei: Acts out of jealousy and dislike of Lu Zhi, willingly becoming Cheng Cheng’s accomplice. He is furious when Lu Zhi successfully wins Shen Ranxin’s attention.
• Fang Yu: Takes on a moderating role, criticizing Cheng Cheng for going too far and preparing to intervene if the conflict becomes physical.
• Jiang Ye: Functions as a practical observer, questioning the group about breakfast and exposing the problem that neither assigned cook can prepare food.

Significant Themes

• Emotional manipulation and performance: Lu Zhi’s tears become a powerful weapon, allowing him to appear victimized and gain Shen Ranxin’s sympathy.
• Romantic rivalry and possessiveness: Cheng Cheng and Lu Zhi compete for Shen Ranxin’s attention, using both physical intimacy and emotional tactics.
• Double standards and revenge: Cheng Cheng frames the tree incident as equivalent to Lu Zhi tearing off his ribbon, while Shen Ranxin privately recognizes that the conflict is driven by mutual retaliation.
• Public image versus private motives: The livestream audience interprets Lu Zhi’s behavior, debating whether his tears are genuine or calculated. The chapter highlights how romance becomes entertainment for viewers.
• Power reversal: Lu Zhi initially appears to be the injured party, but he quickly regains control by making Shen Ranxin comfort and potentially reward him.
• Reality-show absurdity: The mysterious food delivery undermines the production crew’s supposed isolation rules and introduces a comedic cliffhanger.

Important Character Interactions

• Shen Ranxin reprimands Gu Yifei for helping Cheng Cheng, warning that Lu Zhi might retaliate against him.
• Cheng Cheng argues with Fang Yu over whether the tree was truly damaged by the wind.
• Shen Ranxin silently watches Lu Zhi repair the tree, then approaches him out of sympathy.
• Lu Zhi hugs Shen Ranxin, cries against his neck, and pressures him to promise compensation.
• Lu Zhi taunts Cheng Cheng by exposing his hickey, while Cheng Cheng and Gu Yifei react with anger and jealousy.
• Jiang Ye questions Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi about cooking, leading to the arrival of the unexplained takeout delivery.

Chapter Summary: “Illicit Affair Price”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Ranxin reveals that he scheduled an entire month of food deliveries before the production team froze everyone’s finances. Although Director Zheng declares this a rule violation and cancels future orders, Shen insists on keeping the already-delivered breakfast.
• He turns the lavish breakfast into a profitable exchange system, charging the other guests points for different foods. The production team is horrified that he has immediately begun accumulating points again.
• Lu Zhi, who has no points and owes the production team one hundred, is offered food by Shen at double price. Shen allows him to pay through an IOU, revealing their familiar and flirtatious dynamic.
• The other guests gossip that Shen and Lu are secretly having an affair and that Shen’s double charge is an “affair price.” Jiang Ye accidentally announces the gossip publicly, embarrassing Shen and Fang Yu. Shen retaliates by imposing the same double price on Fang Yu.
• The day’s main task requires guests to form Alpha–omega pairs, earn money in the city, and exchange every ten yuan for one point. To prevent Shen and Lu from being paired together, the production team forces pairings through a lottery.
• Shen draws Gu Yifei, who is delighted, while Shen is privately relieved that he has avoided being paired with Lu Zhi. Jiang Ye draws Fang Yu, leaving Lu Zhi and Cheng Cheng as the final pair and causing the viewers’ “Cheng-Zhi Couple” fandom to revive.
• In the city, Gu Yifei asks for ice cream. Shen devises a way to earn money by having Gu perform publicly rather than simply buying it for him.
• Shen spends hours assembling cheap performance equipment and arranges for nearby stores to sell overpriced earplugs. Gu’s singing attracts a crowd, but his notoriously destructive vocals drive mall visitors to purchase earplugs, creating an unexpected profit.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin continues to demonstrate exceptional resourcefulness, shamelessness, and business sense. He repeatedly exploits loopholes in the show’s rules and turns ordinary situations—breakfast delivery, ice cream, and Gu’s singing—into sources of income.
• Lu Zhi remains outwardly calm and amused by Shen’s behavior. He willingly accepts the double charge and IOU, suggesting he enjoys their teasing and the special treatment Shen gives him.
• Gu Yifei is portrayed as a spoiled but charming omega who is restless after being confined in the villa. He eagerly seeks Shen’s attention and is thrilled to be paired with him, interpreting Shen’s relief at avoiding Lu as evidence of preference for omegas.
• Fang Yu is embarrassed and punished after gossiping about Shen and Lu. Despite being a mature movie star, he becomes flustered and emotionally transparent when paired with Jiang Ye.
• Jiang Ye innocently exposes everyone’s private gossip, unintentionally causing embarrassment. His straightforwardness contrasts with the others’ more guarded behavior.
• Cheng Cheng remains pleased by Lu Zhi’s misfortune and jealous of Shen’s connection with him. His excitement at being paired with Lu reflects his continuing romantic interest.
• Director Zheng/Chen and the production team grow increasingly exasperated by Shen’s rule-bending schemes and fear another livestream-related disaster.

Significant Themes

• Resourcefulness versus institutional control: The production team repeatedly creates restrictions, but Shen finds loopholes and converts limitations into advantages.
• Money and survival: Points determine comfort and status within the show, making earning, spending, and exploiting opportunities central to the guests’ interactions.
• Flirtation disguised as commerce: Shen’s “double price” for Lu is framed as punishment, but his willingness to extend credit and his amused attitude reveal affection beneath the transactional language.
• Public image and performance: Gu’s celebrity status draws attention, while his disastrous singing becomes both entertainment and an unexpected commercial opportunity.
• Reality-show manipulation: Shen understands how audiences, publicity, and spectacle work, using the livestream and public reactions to maximize earnings.

Important Character Interactions

• Shen and Lu exchange teasing remarks over the breakfast and “affair price,” with Lu treating Shen’s special pricing as affectionate rather than insulting.
• Gu, Fang Yu, and Jiang Ye gossip about Shen and Lu, but Jiang’s lack of discretion exposes their remarks to everyone.
• Shen retaliates against Fang Yu by charging him double as well, while Gu mocks Fang Yu for being caught.
• Shen and Gu develop a cooperative but playful partnership: Gu demands ice cream, while Shen turns his singing into a money-making scheme.
• Lu and Cheng Cheng’s pairing reignites fan speculation, even though Lu’s strongest emotional tension continues to center on Shen.
• Shen manipulates the mall’s crowd and businesses by arranging Gu’s performance and selling earplugs, transforming Gu’s weakness into a profitable attraction.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Ranxin and Gu Yifei perform in public to earn money for the dating show. Shen sells earplugs while Gu sings, attracting a large audience.
• During a break, Gu discovers that Shen has been wearing earplugs and ignoring him. Embarrassed and furious, Gu abandons the performance.
• Shen collects their earnings and searches for Gu, finding him trapped by a crowd of enthusiastic fans.
• To rescue him, Shen falsely claims that his gold necklace has been stolen, scattering the crowd. He grabs Gu and runs, but the fans soon realize Gu’s identity and chase them.
• Shen disguises Gu with a hat, mask, and sunglasses in a clothing store, then leaves him outside while he returns to the mall.
• Gu worries that Shen will abandon him, but Shen eventually returns with three large servings of ice cream—the reward he had promised.
• Their team earns an astonishing 39,300 yuan, far exceeding the show’s previous record. After expenses and splitting the profits with Gu, Shen gains 2,165 points, enough to last him through the rest of the show.
• Shen immediately uses some of his points to buy Lu Zhi a complete bedding set. However, upon returning, he finds Lu Zhi injured, with cuts on his face and a split lip.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin remains calm, resourceful, and shamelessly opportunistic. He turns Gu’s singing performance into a highly profitable business venture and handles the fan crisis with quick thinking.
• Despite teasing and appearing indifferent, Shen repeatedly shows concern for Gu. He rescues him from the crowd, disguises him, buys him the promised ice cream, and quietly indulges his moods.
• Gu Yifei is revealed as both naïve and emotionally expressive. He initially boasts about his singing, becomes angry when Shen ignores him, and later worries when Shen leaves him alone. His anger quickly melts when Shen returns with ice cream, suggesting he is increasingly affected by Shen’s kindness.
• Lu Zhi appears at the end visibly injured, creating a new mystery about who attacked him and why.
• The production staff and audience are increasingly overwhelmed by Shen’s ability to exploit the show’s rules and generate money.

Significant Themes

• Contrasting appearances and intentions: Shen acts dismissive toward Gu but consistently takes care of him through practical gestures.
• Flirtation and emotional ambiguity: Shen’s interactions with Gu appear intimate despite his casual attitude, leading viewers to accuse him of flirting with multiple people.
• Resourcefulness and rule manipulation: Shen transforms a simple street performance into an enormous profit by combining Gu’s popularity with his own business sense.
• Public image versus private behavior: Gu’s celebrity status causes chaos in public, while Shen’s disguises and schemes help them escape attention.
• Care expressed indirectly: Shen rarely offers direct emotional reassurance, instead showing concern through rescue, protection, food, and gifts.
• Hidden danger: Lu Zhi’s injuries introduce a darker conflict beneath the playful dating-show atmosphere.

Character Interactions

• Shen and Gu bicker constantly, with Gu complaining about Shen’s neglect and Shen responding with sarcasm and practical solutions.
• Shen physically protects Gu during the fan pursuit, though Gu complains about his rough treatment.
• Gu’s anxious reaction when Shen leaves shows that, despite their arguments, he relies on Shen and does not want to be separated from him.
• Shen’s purchase of ice cream softens Gu’s resentment and prompts him to admit—quietly—that Shen is actually kind.
• The audience interprets Shen’s behavior toward Gu, Lu Zhi, and Cheng Cheng as romantic manipulation, reinforcing the chapter’s ongoing romantic tension.
• The chapter ends with Shen’s concern shifting from playful interaction with Gu to the serious matter of Lu Zhi’s unexplained injuries.

Chapter Summary: This Plot Is Doomed

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Zhi returns from his task badly injured, claiming that Cheng Cheng beat him during a boxing competition. He asks Shen Ranxin to apply medicine to his wounds, deliberately acting weak and pitiful.
• The livestream comments reveal that Lu Zhi and Cheng Cheng fought through multiple boxing rounds for a prize. Although Cheng Cheng is an omega and a dancer, he fought viciously and defeated Lu Zhi in the final round.
• Fang Yu and Jiang Ye return with poor results from their task. Jiang Ye reveals that he took Fang Yu to an internet café, where Fang Yu was insulted for playing badly.
• Jiang Ye admits that this explanation was a lie. He actually lied about the task assignment, causing Fang Yu to believe Jiang Ye considered him a bad Alpha. The real assignment slip belonged to Fang Yu, but Jiang Ye secretly exchanged it with Lu Zhi.
• Lu Zhi teases Shen Ranxin by stealing a kiss while claiming he is wiping away ointment. Shen Ranxin punches him, but Lu Zhi openly promises to kiss him again.
• At dinner, the group discovers that Cheng Cheng was hospitalized because his injuries from the fight were much more serious than Lu Zhi implied.
• Shen Ranxin realizes that both Cheng Cheng and Lu Zhi severely injured each other, reversing the expected roles of the “protagonist bottom” and “protagonist top.” He concludes that the original romance plot has become completely derailed.
• Shen Ranxin decides to visit Cheng Cheng in order to maintain his fake devoted-dog persona, but Lu Zhi stops him and possessively threatens to punish him if he goes.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhi: Becomes increasingly shameless, flirtatious, and possessive toward Shen Ranxin. He hides the seriousness of Cheng Cheng’s injuries, acts injured to gain Shen’s attention, steals a kiss, and openly threatens him over visiting Cheng Cheng. His actions show that he is no longer behaving like the expected romantic rival.
• Shen Ranxin: Continues trying to follow the prescribed plot and maintain his role, but repeatedly becomes confused by the characters’ unexpected actions. He is physically reactive to Lu Zhi’s advances yet remains concerned about Cheng Cheng’s condition.
• Cheng Cheng: Reveals unexpected physical strength and ruthlessness by defeating Lu Zhi in the boxing competition. However, the reverse side of the fight leaves him hospitalized, suggesting that he is just as aggressive and formidable as Lu Zhi.
• Jiang Ye: Breaks his usual honest, reliable image by lying to the cameras and concealing the true task assignment. His embarrassment suggests that his lie was motivated by concern over Fang Yu’s opinion of him.
• Fang Yu: Reacts unusually strongly to Jiang Ye’s lie and isolates himself in his room, implying that Jiang Ye’s opinion matters deeply to him.
• Gu Yifei: Enjoys teasing Jiang Ye and eagerly follows the unfolding romantic drama, but becomes suspicious and displeased when he learns that Lu Zhi knew about the swapped assignment slips.

Significant Themes

• The collapse of the original plot: Characters repeatedly act against their assigned roles, causing the expected romance narrative to unravel.
• Role reversal and unpredictability: Cheng Cheng, supposedly the vulnerable protagonist, defeats Lu Zhi, while Lu Zhi retaliates so severely that Cheng Cheng ends up hospitalized.
• Possessiveness and romantic tension: Lu Zhi’s teasing, stolen kiss, and threats reveal an increasingly direct desire to control Shen Ranxin’s attention.
• Deception and hidden feelings: Jiang Ye’s lie and secret manipulation of the task assignment expose emotions he cannot openly express.
• Performance versus reality: The cast is meant to perform public personas for the show, but their genuine jealousy, embarrassment, anger, and attraction continue breaking through.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Zhi and Shen Ranxin: Shen treats Lu Zhi’s wounds while Lu Zhi flirts with him and steals a kiss. Shen responds by punching him, but Lu Zhi remains unapologetically persistent and jealous.
• Jiang Ye and Fang Yu: Jiang Ye’s lie about their task damages Fang Yu’s feelings and causes him to withdraw, indicating a deeper emotional connection between them.
• Lu Zhi and Cheng Cheng: Their boxing match becomes a brutal mutual assault, with both men seriously injuring each other.
• Gu Yifei and Jiang Ye: Gu mocks Jiang Ye’s failed task and probes for the reason behind Fang Yu’s anger, acting as an amused spectator to their developing tension.
• Shen Ranxin and Cheng Cheng: Shen plans to visit Cheng Cheng out of concern and to preserve his role, but Lu Zhi’s jealousy prevents him from doing so.

Chapter Summary: Call My Name

Key plot points and events

Shen Ranxin leaves with the production team to visit the hospitalized Cheng Cheng, while the other contestants remain behind. Without Shen Ranxin and Cheng Cheng, the group settles for instant noodles, and the planned red-string activity is canceled. At the hospital, Cheng Cheng reveals an unexpected possessiveness. He confesses his love for Shen Ranxin and asks to be together, then uses powerful pheromones to seduce and control him. When Shen Ranxin resists, Cheng Cheng becomes violent, nearly strangling him and ordering an accomplice to remove him after injecting him with an unknown substance. Shen Ranxin loses consciousness and later awakens in Lu Zhi’s arms, feverish and overwhelmed by his body’s reactions. Lu Zhi helps him through the crisis, repeatedly urging him to endure and call his name. Shen Ranxin finally whispers, “Lu Zhi.”

Character developments

• Shen Ranxin becomes increasingly suspicious of Cheng Cheng, recognizing that beneath his gentle and considerate exterior lies a dangerous, obsessive side. His resistance to Cheng Cheng’s pheromones and his instinctive thoughts of Lu Zhi reveal his growing emotional attachment to Lu Zhi.
• Cheng Cheng shifts dramatically from a seemingly harmless, emotionally intelligent figure into a possessive and manipulative antagonist. His confession, pheromone attack, violence, and cooperation with unknown men suggest he has a larger plan and may have targeted Shen Ranxin deliberately.
• Lu Zhi remains outwardly stern and jealous, but his actions show deep concern and protectiveness. He arrives in time to save Shen Ranxin and becomes the person Shen Ranxin instinctively relies on.
• Gu Yifei now speaks fondly of Shen Ranxin after receiving ice cream from him, showing how Shen Ranxin has begun winning over the group despite his abrasive behavior.

Significant themes

• Possession versus genuine affection: Cheng Cheng uses pheromones and force to claim Shen Ranxin, contrasting sharply with Lu Zhi’s protective care.
• Free will and biological instinct: The chapter explores how pheromones can overpower an Alpha’s judgment, while Shen Ranxin struggles to preserve his autonomy.
• Hidden identities and deception: Cheng Cheng’s sweet persona conceals a threatening nature, while Shen Ranxin continues questioning his own role and the strange plot surrounding him.
• Emotional awakening: Shen Ranxin’s instinctive focus on Lu Zhi during the attack suggests his feelings are becoming genuine, even though he has tried to treat their relationship as part of a role.

Important character interactions

• Gu Yifei praises Shen Ranxin for secretly buying him ice cream, prompting Fang Yu to notice their changed relationship.
• Shen Ranxin confronts Cheng Cheng’s confession with disbelief and humor before realizing Cheng Cheng is using pheromones.
• Cheng Cheng attempts to seduce, control, and physically overpower Shen Ranxin, repeatedly invoking Lu Zhi as a rival.
• Lu Zhi ultimately rescues Shen Ranxin and comforts him through the aftermath, leading to Shen Ranxin’s emotionally significant first clear call of Lu Zhi’s name.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

• Shen Ranxin wakes in a hotel bed beside Lu Zhi, realizing they are both naked and that the room is littered with clothes, scratch-covered items, and empty tranquilizer bottles.
• Horrified by the hickeys and scratches on both of them, Shen confronts Lu Zhi and slaps him.
• Lu Zhi explains that Shen had been triggered into his susceptible period by an omega’s pheromones after leaving the hospital. He claims he used tranquilizers—and restrained himself—to prevent Shen from being harmed or from losing control further.
• Shen remembers only fragments of the previous night: a dark space, a small white ball, and then waking in Lu Zhi’s arms. He cannot recall the events clearly.
• Lu Zhi reveals that he recorded nineteen minutes of Shen’s behavior and suggestive sounds during the night. Shen is mortified and desperately demands that he delete the recording.
• Lu Zhi refuses, teasing Shen and implying he wants compensation rather than money. Shen is forced to acknowledge that Lu Zhi did help him, despite the embarrassing and possibly excessive way he handled the situation.

Character developments

• Shen Ranxin shifts from anger and denial to embarrassment and reluctant gratitude. His lack of memory leaves him anxious and vulnerable, while the recording severely damages his composure.
• Lu Zhi remains provocative, possessive, and flirtatious, but also demonstrates that he took responsibility for Shen’s safety. His use of tranquilizers suggests both self-restraint and the physical cost of protecting Shen.
• Shen’s reaction to Lu Zhi’s teasing hints at growing emotional and physical responsiveness, despite his continued insistence that Lu Zhi is shameless and perverted.

Significant themes

• Loss of control and vulnerability: Shen’s susceptible period leaves him unable to fully understand or remember what happened, intensifying his fear and embarrassment.
• Consent, restraint, and protection: Lu Zhi claims he avoided taking advantage of Shen, using medication and self-control instead, though his actions remain morally complicated.
• Humor through humiliation: Shen’s panic over the recording contrasts with Lu Zhi’s amusement, creating a playful but tense romantic dynamic.
• Reluctant intimacy: The aftermath reveals increasing attraction and dependence between them, even as Shen resists acknowledging it.

Character interactions

• Shen repeatedly confronts and attacks Lu Zhi, while Lu Zhi responds with teasing affection and physical restraint.
• Lu Zhi uses the recording to embarrass Shen and bargain with him, while Shen tries to regain control by demanding its deletion.
• Their exchange combines conflict, flirtation, possessiveness, and implied concern, showing that their relationship is becoming more intimate despite Shen’s continued resistance.

Chapter Summary: “The Whole World Was Doomed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After their secret encounter, Lu Zhi jokingly—or disturbingly—suggests implanting a recording of Shen Ranxin’s voice into his body so no one else can hear it. Shen Ranxin is horrified but makes Lu Zhi promise that no one will learn what happened.
• Shen Ranxin thanks Lu Zhi, though Lu Zhi teasingly points out that Shen has already “paid the bill.” Shen discovers that Lu Zhi tore his clothes and learns that Lu had prepared replacement clothes in advance.
• They return to Lu Zhi’s villa, where Gu Yifei eagerly approaches Shen Ranxin but is repeatedly blocked and intimidated by Lu Zhi. Lu claims that, as an Alpha, he has the right to remain close to Shen, while Gu accuses him of hypocrisy.
• Shen tries to conceal the marks left on him by wearing a scarf and claiming to be ill. Lu repeatedly attempts to expose the truth, forcing Shen to silence him physically.
• Gu explains that Teacher Fang and Jiang Ye have been summoned by the production team to care for the Paperbush trees. Lu’s tree appears to be dying, but he refuses to replace it, insisting that it will not die. Gu jokingly interprets the yellowing leaves as a sign that Lu’s romantic prospects are failing.
• Shen goes upstairs to shower, while Lu prevents Gu from following him. Gu retaliates by drawing and stabbing a caricature of Lu in a notebook.
• After showering, Shen discovers that his underwear is missing. Assuming the production team has stolen it as part of their usual attempts to create difficulties for the guests, he angrily confronts Director Chen and the crew in front of the cameras.
• When Shen suggests that someone may have taken the underwear because they were interested in it, everyone looks toward Lu Zhi. Lu appears in a strikingly attractive outfit, with visible scratches on his shoulder, and mischievously confirms that he took the underwear—then asks whether Shen means the black pair or the white pair.
• Mortified, Shen attempts to end the discussion and claims the incident was merely a misunderstanding, but Lu’s admission leaves him deeply embarrassed.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin becomes increasingly flustered and vulnerable after his intimate encounter with Lu. Although he tries to preserve his dignity and hide the evidence, his embarrassment and impulsive anger repeatedly expose how affected he is.
• Lu Zhi grows bolder and more openly possessive toward Shen. He deliberately teases him, blocks Gu Yifei from getting close, takes Shen’s underwear as a private souvenir, and enjoys provoking Shen in public.
• Gu Yifei continues to act as a comic rival and an overly curious admirer of Shen. His attempts to approach Shen are thwarted by Lu, intensifying the playful triangle between them.
• Director Chen and the production team remain committed to creating dramatic obstacles for the contestants, though they deny responsibility for the underwear incident.

Significant Themes

• Secrecy and exposure: Shen desperately tries to conceal his relationship with Lu, but Lu’s teasing behavior continually threatens to reveal their intimacy.
• Possessiveness and intimacy: Lu’s desire to keep Shen’s voice and underwear reflects his increasingly obsessive attachment and claim over their private connection.
• Embarrassment as comedy: Shen’s efforts to maintain composure collapse into increasingly public and humiliating situations.
• Performance versus reality: The dating show presents staged challenges and entertainment, while the characters’ genuine attraction and private conflicts unfold beneath the cameras.
• Romantic symbolism: Lu’s dying Paperbush tree foreshadows uncertainty about his romantic future, though Lu’s refusal to replace it suggests his determination to preserve what he already has with Shen.

Character Interactions

• Shen and Lu exchange flirtatious, antagonistic banter, with Lu provoking Shen and Shen responding through threats, sarcasm, and physical retaliation.
• Lu and Gu engage in a territorial rivalry over Shen, with Lu asserting his Alpha status and preventing Gu from touching or following Shen.
• Shen and Gu maintain a teasing friendship: Gu worries about Shen’s apparent illness, while Shen insults him affectionately.
• Shen confronts Director Chen and the production crew over the missing underwear, only to have Lu publicly admit responsibility and turn Shen’s anger into overwhelming embarrassment.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Lu Zhi’s suggestive response to Director Chen, Shen Ranxin realizes that Lu Zhi may know what happened during the mysterious hospital incident. Feeling exposed and betrayed, Shen angrily pulls away from Lu Zhi, injuring his hand against the stair railing.
• Shen isolates himself in his room and becomes increasingly unsettled by the secrets apparently shared by Lu Zhi and Cheng Cheng. He suspects that his transmigration and the altered storyline may be connected to some unknown “bug.”
• Despite instinctively trusting Lu Zhi and sensing that Lu Zhi is special to him, Shen decides to suppress those feelings. His goal is to complete the plot, obtain the ten-billion prize, and leave this dangerous world behind.
• Cheng Cheng, Jiang Ye, and Fang Yu return, allowing the interrupted livestream to resume. Public speculation continues over Cheng Cheng’s hospitalization and Lu Zhi’s possible responsibility, although the production team and Cheng Cheng publicly insist it was an accident.
• Director Chen announces a new team-based task in which partners are assigned randomly and must earn points through physical labor. Due to behind-the-scenes manipulation, Shen is paired with Lu Zhi, while Gu Yifei is paired with Cheng Cheng and Fang Yu remains with Jiang Ye.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin: Becomes more emotionally guarded and determined to distance himself from Lu Zhi and Cheng Cheng. Although he recognizes his instinctive trust in Lu Zhi, he views it as dangerous and tries to focus on his practical objective of completing the plot and claiming the prize.
• Lu Zhi: Appears regretful and worried that he has pushed Shen too far. His attention remains fixed on Shen, suggesting strong possessiveness or affection.
• Cheng Cheng: Returns from the hospital unusually quickly despite his injuries. He maintains his gentle public demeanor, but Shen’s instinctive physical rejection of him suggests that their relationship conceals something significant.
• Gu Yifei: Shows concern for Shen’s injured hand and emotional condition, acting as a supportive presence.
• Production Team/Director Chen: Manipulates the team assignments and imposes stricter rules after Shen’s previous antics, indicating that the show’s staff are actively influencing events.

Significant Themes

• Secrets and uncertainty: Shen is trapped between Lu Zhi and Cheng Cheng without understanding their hidden conflict or his own connection to it.
• Distrust versus instinctive attachment: Shen consciously distrusts Lu Zhi’s secrecy but instinctively relies on and feels drawn to him.
• Fate, plot, and disruption: The original storyline has deviated dramatically, raising questions about transmigration, bugs, and whether the world will eventually correct itself.
• Public image versus reality: Online viewers debate Cheng Cheng’s injury and Lu Zhi’s involvement, while official statements conceal or simplify what really happened.
• Control and manipulation: The production team, Lu Zhi’s influence, and possibly the world’s plot mechanics all seem to be directing Shen’s circumstances.

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhi attempts to stop Shen, but Shen violently rejects him and later avoids him.
• Gu Yifei checks on Shen’s wellbeing and notices his injured hand.
• Cheng Cheng warmly addresses Shen as “A-Ran,” but Shen responds distantly and instinctively recoils from Cheng Cheng’s presence.
• The production team deliberately pairs Shen and Lu Zhi again, forcing them into continued close contact despite Shen’s wish to separate himself from Lu Zhi.

Chapter Summary: “Punishment”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi are assigned to the same team and travel together to the city center. Their ride is tense after their intimate encounter the previous night.
• Lu Zhi tries to apply ointment to Shen Ranxin’s bruised hand and abdomen, but Shen rejects his concern and deliberately provokes him with insults.
• Lu Zhi becomes angry and briefly responds aggressively, but stops when he realizes Shen is genuinely frightened and on the verge of tears. Shen recognizes that showing vulnerability can control Lu Zhi’s behavior.
• After arriving, Lu Zhi pulls Shen into a secluded alley and kisses him intensely, framing the encounter as punishment for Shen’s cruel and contradictory behavior.
• Shen continues to deny any serious feelings, calling Lu Zhi childish, clingy, and suitable only for casual entertainment. Lu Zhi insists that Shen was the one who initiated their relationship and cannot simply abandon him.
• Shen returns to the camera crew and pretends nothing happened. Lu Zhi follows shortly afterward, visibly furious.
• Lu Zhi’s anger causes him to release powerful pheromones in public, terrifying nearby onlookers and forcing Shen to brace himself against a car. Shen criticizes him for lacking self-control, while Lu Zhi blames his behavior on Shen provoking him.
• Shen kicks Lu Zhi, but Lu’s reaction suggests that even Shen’s hostility excites him. Their suggestive interaction causes the livestream to be banned again, while the production director reportedly faints from the scandal.
• Once the livestream resumes, Shen notices a wealthy restaurant advertising a two-person challenge with a valuable mystery prize. He confirms that the reward will count as income for the show and persuades Lu Zhi to participate.
• The restaurant appears suspiciously luxurious and leads them into a private room containing a waterbed, carpeting, and suggestive lighting. The server locks the cameraman outside and reveals that the “challenge” involves finding and using family-planning products within forty-eight hours.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin remains committed to acting like a villainous background character so he can eventually leave the story with his money. He deliberately insults Lu Zhi to maintain emotional distance, though his tears and physical reactions reveal that he is affected by Lu’s attention.
• Shen also demonstrates resourcefulness and greed for legitimate financial rewards, immediately investigating the value and employment status of the restaurant’s prize.
• Lu Zhi becomes increasingly possessive, emotionally volatile, and openly attracted to Shen’s defiance. His anger stems from feeling used and rejected, but he is also capable of stopping when Shen’s fear becomes clear.
• Lu’s reactions show that Shen’s provocations, insults, and even physical aggression intensify rather than diminish his desire.

Significant Themes

• Emotional denial and self-protection: Shen hides his feelings behind cruelty and insists that his relationship with Lu is only temporary.
• Possessiveness and mutual provocation: Both men repeatedly challenge one another, creating a cycle of anger, attraction, rejection, and pursuit.
• Power and vulnerability: Lu possesses overwhelming physical and pheromonal power, but Shen discovers that emotional vulnerability—especially tears—can restrain him.
• Performance versus reality: Shen tries to perform the role of a villainous side character, while the dating show, livestream, and public audience transform the pair’s private conflict into entertainment.
• Comedy through censorship and scandal: Their increasingly suggestive interactions repeatedly trigger livestream bans and cause chaos among the production staff.

Character Interactions

• Shen and Lu argue throughout the car ride, with Lu attempting to care for Shen’s injury and Shen responding with hostility.
• Their confrontation escalates into physical intimacy in the alley, followed by more verbal sparring and mutual accusations of using one another.
• Shen’s kick and insults provoke an unexpectedly flirtatious response from Lu, reinforcing their highly antagonistic but reciprocal attraction.
• The cameraman and online audience enthusiastically interpret their behavior as romantic or erotic, while the production team struggles to contain the consequences.
• At the restaurant, Shen takes charge of their participation, and Lu agrees largely because he refuses to let Shen partner with someone else. Their new challenge ends with them trapped together in a suspiciously sexualized room.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi are trapped in a private room of a restaurant, which Lu Zhi reveals belongs to his family. The room’s high-security electronic lock prevents Shen from escaping.
• Shen realizes the earlier restaurant event may have been manipulated or arranged, and accuses Lu Zhi of deliberately isolating him.
• The room contains passion-inducing candles and alcohol, while Lu Zhi uses his overwhelming Alpha pheromones to weaken and suppress Shen.
• Lu Zhi confronts Shen about his unstable behavior, asking whether Cheng Cheng told him something or whether he has recovered memories.
• Shen angrily rejects being controlled through pheromones and accuses Lu Zhi and Cheng Cheng of treating him like an obedient animal.
• Lu Zhi suddenly confesses that he loves Shen intensely, claiming Shen was the one who first provoked his feelings and accusing Shen of refusing to show him affection.
• When Shen demands to be released, Lu Zhi ignores him, physically restrains him, and carries him into the bathroom, apparently intending to force intimacy.
• Shen attempts to resist and escape, kicking Lu Zhi and crawling toward the door despite his weakened condition.
• Lu Zhi catches him and restrains him again. However, when Shen becomes genuinely terrified and begins crying, Lu Zhi stops and realizes the seriousness of what he is doing.
• Lu Zhi apologizes and tries to comfort him. Shen, furious and humiliated, bites Lu Zhi repeatedly until his neck bleeds, using the violence to vent his anger.
• The chapter ends with Shen exhausted on the waterbed while Lu Zhi searches for something to clean the blood.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin: Displays fierce resistance, anger, and pride despite being physically overwhelmed. His hatred of pheromone-based domination becomes explicit, as does his fear of losing bodily autonomy. His genuine tears reveal that Lu Zhi’s behavior has deeply frightened him, not merely irritated him.
• Lu Zhi: Shows extreme possessiveness and emotional instability. His declaration of love is sincere but obsessive, and he justifies coercive behavior as a consequence of his feelings. Nevertheless, Shen’s tears break through his frenzy, demonstrating that he retains some awareness of Shen’s boundaries and suffering.
• Relationship dynamic: Their relationship becomes increasingly volatile, combining intense attraction and emotional attachment with coercion, resentment, fear, and an unequal Alpha power dynamic.

Significant Themes

• Consent and bodily autonomy: Shen’s inability to resist Lu Zhi’s pheromones highlights the danger of a system in which biological hierarchy can override personal choice.
• Power and inequality: Shen resents being treated as inferior simply because his pheromone level is lower, questioning whether strength should be determined by birth.
• Obsession versus love: Lu Zhi calls his possessiveness love, but his actions reveal how affection can become control and violence when boundaries are ignored.
• Fear beneath anger: Shen’s insults and resistance conceal genuine terror, while his crying forces Lu Zhi to confront the consequences of his actions.
• Emotional dependence and isolation: Lu Zhi openly desires a situation in which Shen has “nothing left… except me,” emphasizing his possessive wish to isolate Shen from others.

Character Interactions

• Shen and Lu engage in a hostile verbal confrontation over the locked room, the earlier event, pheromone suppression, and Shen’s possible recovered memories.
• Lu’s confession of love clashes with Shen’s accusations and rejection, intensifying the emotional conflict between them.
• Their physical struggle moves from Lu’s forced restraint and Shen’s attempted escape to Shen’s desperate resistance and eventual collapse.
• Shen’s genuine fear finally stops Lu, creating a brief shift from aggression to remorse.
• Shen expresses his anger physically by biting Lu several times, while Lu accepts the punishment without resisting, suggesting both his guilt and his continued emotional attachment.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

Lu Zhi and Shen Ranxin are accidentally locked together in a room by an overly enthusiastic attendant who assumes they are a real-life couple. Shen Ranxin is furious and has bitten Lu Zhi’s neck badly, leaving both of them covered in blood and pheromone scent. Lu Zhi calls for sedatives and mouthwash, injects himself with the sedative, and helps Shen Ranxin recover. A cameraman and doctor later enter, with the doctor bandaging Lu Zhi’s gruesome neck wounds.
Shen Ranxin demands the “ultimate reward” promised by the attendant, expecting something valuable. Instead, he receives a one-thousand-yuan couples’ discount voucher requiring a ten-thousand-yuan minimum purchase. Enraged, he tears it apart and threatens the attendant, who flees. Back at the villa, Shen Ranxin encounters Cheng Cheng and Gu Yifei and learns that the lowest-earning group will receive a punishment. Since Shen Ranxin has already destroyed his own five-yuan Rolls-Royce discount coupon, he begins to fear that he may have earned the fewest points.

Character developments

• Shen Ranxin remains sharp-tongued, proud, and easily provoked, but his violent reaction demonstrates how deeply Lu Zhi’s behavior upset him. He refuses to let the humiliating incident go uncompensated and aggressively demands the promised reward.
• Lu Zhi appears controlled and patient despite Shen Ranxin’s anger. He handles the practical aftermath—getting sedatives, mouthwash, and medical treatment—while also permitting Shen Ranxin to claim the reward. His willingness to endure Shen Ranxin’s hostility hints at complicated feelings and restraint.
• The attendant is revealed as an enthusiastic “shipper” who prioritizes the imagined Lu Zhi–Shen Ranxin romance over workplace protocol. Her misguided attempt to help creates chaos and earns Shen Ranxin’s wrath.
• Gu Yifei and Cheng Cheng return from their own task with only twenty points, while Gu Yifei’s comments make Shen Ranxin worry that his team’s score may be even worse.

Significant themes

• Miscommunication and mistaken assumptions: The attendant interprets the situation as romantic rather than dangerous, while the audience speculates wildly about what happened.
• Humor amid humiliation: The bloody aftermath, absurd reward, incompetent staff, and livestream comments turn a tense encounter into comic spectacle.
• Power, boundaries, and resentment: Shen Ranxin’s anger reflects his refusal to accept Lu Zhi’s provocative behavior or the attendant’s manipulation without consequences.
• Public image versus private reality: Viewers treat the pair as a romantic “CP,” while their actual interaction is hostile, painful, and emotionally complicated.

Character interactions

Lu Zhi and Shen Ranxin clash physically and verbally, with Shen Ranxin rejecting Lu Zhi’s help before accepting the mouthwash. Lu Zhi remains calm and practical, while Shen Ranxin uses threats and sarcasm to regain control. The attendant’s interference intensifies their conflict, and the livestream audience humorously misreads the bloody scene as an intimate or supernatural ritual. Later, Gu Yifei’s casual discussion of the competition’s punishment puts additional pressure on Shen Ranxin as he confronts the possibility that his team has failed.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Shen Ranxin is denied credit for his previous earnings and receives no reward this round, leading him to lose a five-yuan Rolls-Royce coupon he had earned. Director Chen takes pleasure in his misfortune.
• Lu Zhi teases Shen about accepting the punishment, while Shen insults him for smelling like a “cheap dog.” Their exchange becomes flirtatious and suggestive, with Lu threatening to extend a private recording of Shen “giving him happiness.”
• Jiang Ye and Fang Yu return with several thousand points, having earned money by participating in a restaurant’s Valentine’s Day promotion.
• Shen initially assumes they filmed an adult scene, only to discover that they merely posed as a couple for promotional posters and used an angled kiss.
• Fang Yu realizes that Shen and Lu’s own restaurant assignment may have involved something much more provocative. Shen is too embarrassed to explain and jokingly admits that he is a pervert.
• Lu joins in, calling Shen a pervert and himself a mad dog’s perfect match, openly flaunting their suggestive relationship.
• Online viewers compare the different couples, praising Jiang Ye’s shyness, Fang Yu’s professionalism, and mocking the hostile relationship between Lu Zhi and Cheng Cheng.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin becomes increasingly exasperated by his circumstances and Lu Zhi’s behavior. He recognizes that resisting Lu only excites him further, comparing Lu’s emotional state to an energy bar that repeatedly recharges.
• Lu Zhi continues to behave provocatively and possessively toward Shen, masking darker impulses beneath a playful, flirtatious exterior.
• Jiang Ye is revealed to be inexperienced and embarrassed by romantic publicity work, reinforcing his image as a reserved, “pure-love” character.
• Fang Yu demonstrates his professionalism and experience as an actor but is easily scandalized when he realizes Shen’s thoughts are far more suggestive than expected.
• Director Chen takes petty satisfaction in Shen’s punishment, highlighting their antagonistic relationship.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and sexual innuendo: Much of the humor comes from characters interpreting innocent events as explicit ones, especially Shen’s assumptions about Jiang Ye and Fang Yu.
• Public image versus private reality: The cast’s promotional work and fan interpretations differ sharply from the characters’ actual relationships.
• Toxic attraction and cyclical conflict: Shen and Lu’s antagonism repeatedly turns into flirtation, with resistance only intensifying Lu’s fixation.
• Entertainment-industry satire: The chapter jokes about actors’ professionalism, fan shipping, staged romance, and the absurd situations celebrities are placed in for publicity.
• Fandom and “pure love”: Online comments humorously redefine purity, contrasting Jiang Ye and Fang Yu’s staged romance with Lu and Cheng Cheng’s openly hostile dynamic.

Character Interactions

• Shen and Lu trade insults that function as flirtation, revealing their increasingly charged relationship.
• Shen questions Fang Yu about the restaurant event, accidentally exposing his own questionable assumptions.
• Fang Yu reacts with shock and embarrassment after misunderstanding Shen’s experience.
• Lu deliberately provokes both Shen and Fang Yu by labeling himself and Shen a perfect pair.
• The audience comments provide comedic commentary on the cast’s relationships and competing ships.

Chapter Summary: “Want to Kiss”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Director Chen declares Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi’s team the losers despite Shen Ranxin’s arguments. Their team earns zero points and narrowly takes last place, while Fang Yu and Jiang Ye win the day’s rewards.
• Fang Yu and Jiang Ye receive the “ultimate gift pack,” which turns out to be a lavish three-day trip to Lovers’ Island worth 70,000 yuan.
• Jiang Ye remains flustered after kissing Fang Yu during their couple-poster shoot. Unlike their previous encounter, the kiss was conscious, mutual, and unaffected by pheromones or outside circumstances.
• Jiang Ye begins seriously considering a relationship with Fang Yu and worries about their ten-year age gap, differing careers, and Fang Yu’s many admirers. He decides he should take responsibility for him but does not know how to confess his feelings.
• When Fang Yu asks whether he may open the gift pack, Jiang Ye, distracted by Fang Yu’s lips, accidentally says, “Want to kiss.” He immediately panics, pretends he said something else, and escapes to the bathroom.
• Fang Yu deliberately asks Shen Ranxin what Jiang Ye said, even though he understood the intended meaning. Shen Ranxin humorously misinterprets it as a greeting to the audience, while the viewers recognize Jiang Ye’s actual confession.
• Shen Ranxin’s team receives a punishment card requiring them to retrieve a red string from Heartbeat Manor, a notoriously terrifying haunted house created by Director Chen to inspire romantic bonding through fear.

Character Developments

• Jiang Ye: Becomes increasingly aware that his feelings for Fang Yu are genuine. His usually composed personality gives way to nervousness, jealousy, embarrassment, and thoughts of commitment. His accidental “Want to kiss” reveals how strongly attracted he is.
• Fang Yu: Shows playful awareness of Jiang Ye’s feelings and intentionally teases him by pretending not to understand. He remains outwardly relaxed and witty while subtly encouraging Jiang Ye’s emotional vulnerability.
• Shen Ranxin: Continues to provide comic relief through his obliviousness and confidently incorrect interpretations. He also becomes the target of Fang Yu’s sharp teasing after receiving the frightening punishment.
• Director Chen: Is characterized as an obsessive romantic who designs challenges around forced intimacy, romance, and the “suspension bridge effect.”
• Lu Zhi and the other teams: Remain part of the competition, with Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi’s team suffering the consequences of finishing last.

Significant Themes

• Awakening romantic feelings: Jiang Ye moves from confusion about his relationship with Fang Yu to recognizing attraction and considering a future together.
• Age and social differences: Jiang Ye worries that his youth, inexperience, and esports career may make him unsuitable for the older, more established Fang Yu.
• Embarrassment and miscommunication: Jiang Ye’s accidental confession creates comic tension, especially because Fang Yu understands him while pretending not to.
• Romance as performance versus reality: The couple’s poster shoot is staged for television, but Jiang Ye’s feelings and their kiss are genuine.
• Forced romance and emotional sincerity: Director Chen tries to create love through romantic prizes and fear-based challenges, contrasting with the authentic but awkward connection developing between Fang Yu and Jiang Ye.

Character Interactions

• Fang Yu and Jiang Ye: Their relationship becomes more intimate after the kiss. Jiang Ye watches Fang Yu closely, feels jealous of his conversation with Shen Ranxin, and struggles to express his desire to take responsibility for him. Fang Yu teases and tests him while clearly understanding his feelings.
• Fang Yu and Shen Ranxin: Fang Yu uses Shen Ranxin’s obliviousness to defuse Jiang Ye’s accidental confession, then mocks him about the punishment card.
• Shen Ranxin and Director Chen: Shen Ranxin’s team loses and is assigned the frightening Heartbeat Manor challenge, reflecting Director Chen’s tendency to turn competition into romantic spectacle.
• The contestants and audience: The livestream audience immediately recognizes Jiang Ye’s “Want to kiss” as a genuine slip and humorously criticizes Shen Ranxin for misunderstanding it.

Chapter Summary: The Seductive Ghost of Teacher Shen

Plot and events

Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi are assigned a haunted-house punishment after failing an activity on the dating show. Shen, once a firm materialist, is now genuinely uneasy because of his transmigration experience and the possibility that real supernatural forces might exist. Lu Zhi tries to use his wealth to buy their way out, offering Director Chen one million, but Shen refuses to let him do so and insists they complete the punishment.
As they approach the temporary haunted manor, the production team’s elaborate props—especially the eerie eyeball wind chimes and unexplained cold wind—make Shen increasingly frightened. He clings tightly to Lu Zhi’s hand. Lu Zhi teases him with suggestive comments, causing Shen to accidentally reveal on the livestream that they have slept together. The viewers immediately panic about the broadcast being censored, then collectively flood the comments with patriotic slogans to cover up the scandal. At the entrance, Shen tries to explain that any strange behavior inside will only be because he is frightened. Lu Zhi gently questions whether he truly wants to enter, showing that he understands Shen’s fears and remains deeply concerned for him. Shen ultimately jokes that Lu Zhi is more difficult to deal with than ghosts, prompting Lu Zhi to call himself a “seductive ghost.” Shen responds by slapping him and calling him a pervert.

Character development

• Shen Ranxin reveals a rare vulnerability. Although he is normally rational and sharp-tongued, the haunted house genuinely frightens him, and he instinctively depends on Lu Zhi for reassurance. Despite his fear, he remains proud and independent, rejecting Lu Zhi’s attempt to solve the problem with money. His humor and verbal retaliation also remain intact, even under pressure.
• Lu Zhi demonstrates both his extravagant possessiveness and his sincere protectiveness. He is willing to spend a million to spare Shen discomfort, but he also notices Shen’s fear and gives him the choice of whether to proceed. His persistent flirting contrasts with the more serious concern rooted in the years he spent searching for Shen after his disappearance.

Themes

The chapter combines horror with romantic comedy, using the haunted-house setting to expose Shen’s emotional vulnerability and Lu Zhi’s protective devotion. It also explores the tension between wealth and fairness, as Lu Zhi’s money could easily exempt them from punishment. Their playful sexual banter highlights their growing intimacy, while the livestream audience’s reactions satirize public voyeurism, class resentment, censorship, and the pleasure viewers take in seeing a seemingly perfect person embarrassed.

Character interactions

Shen and Lu begin the chapter holding hands, with their physical closeness revealing mutual dependence. Lu repeatedly teases Shen, while Shen counters with increasingly bold remarks. Their banter shifts between genuine tenderness and shameless flirtation, especially when Shen accidentally confirms their sexual relationship in front of the audience. Lu’s awareness of Shen’s past trauma and his willingness to protect him provide a more serious emotional undercurrent beneath their comedic exchanges.

Chapter Summary: “Call Me Husband, and I’ll Take You Out”

Plot and events

Lu Zhi and Shen Ranxin enter a haunted manor to find a red string. The initial horror props—bloody decorations, moving corpses, grasping claws, swinging knives, and flying infant figures—quickly push Shen Ranxin to the limits of his fear. When live NPCs appear, Lu Zhi offers to carry him through the remainder of the attraction if Shen Ranxin says something affectionate. Shen refuses to call him “husband,” so Lu Zhi asks him to say “Zhi Zhi.” Shen eventually pleads, “Zhi Zhi, take me out,” and Lu Zhi happily lifts him into his arms. He carries Shen steadily through the manor, retrieves the red string, and prepares to leave. Just then, an NPC unexpectedly attacks, clawing Shen across the back.

Character development

Shen Ranxin’s fear leaves him tense, clingy, and dependent on Lu Zhi, but he still tries to maintain his pride and insists they continue searching. His eventual use of the affectionate nickname reveals both his vulnerability and his growing comfort with Lu Zhi. Lu Zhi remains calm, protective, and physically strong, using tenderness and teasing to soothe Shen. His delight at being called “Zhi Zhi” also exposes his affectionate, playful side.

Themes

The chapter contrasts horror with romance and comedy: the haunted house becomes less frightening than it is an opportunity for Lu Zhi and Shen Ranxin to display their intimacy. It emphasizes emotional safety, trust, protective love, and the willingness to surrender pride before someone deeply trusted. The livestream audience and baffled NPCs add a humorous theme of public displays of affection.

Character interactions

Lu Zhi comforts Shen by rubbing his neck and nuzzling his gland, then bargains playfully for an endearment. Shen mocks the childish nickname but ultimately uses it to ask for help. Lu carries him close, allowing Shen to calm himself against his heartbeat. Their affectionate behavior frustrates and astonishes the NPCs, while the livestream viewers enthusiastically comment on their relationship. The chapter ends with the first genuinely threatening interaction when an NPC attacks Shen from behind.

Chapter Summary: Love Is Instinct

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shen Ranxin is struck by a haunted-house prop, receiving only a minor scratch, but the incident triggers a severe psychological and pheromonal reaction.
• Lu Zhi immediately notices Shen Ranxin’s distress and tries to calm him, but Shen Ranxin loses control inside the haunted manor.
• Mistaking the haunted-house staff for threats, Shen Ranxin grabs a prop chainsaw and violently pursues the NPCs, destroying props and terrifying the workers.
• Outside, Gu Yifei worries about Shen Ranxin, while Fang Yu and the livestream audience suspect that the strange screams involve both Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi.
• Cheng Cheng recognizes that Shen Ranxin has become dangerously unstable and obtains a powerful blocker to sedate him.
• Before Cheng Cheng can use it, Lu Zhi reaches Shen Ranxin and talks him down through his voice, pheromones, and physical presence.
• Shen Ranxin releases the chainsaw, collapses into Lu Zhi’s arms, and gradually relaxes.
• Cheng Cheng observes that Lu Zhi can calm Shen Ranxin in a way he was never able to during the five years he cared for him.

Character Developments

• Shen Ranxin: His apparent fear transforms into a violent, instinctive defensive response. Although he seems terrifying and aggressive, his reaction is rooted in trauma and loss of control. Once Lu Zhi appears, Shen Ranxin instinctively trusts and depends on him, revealing how deeply Lu Zhi remains embedded in his subconscious.
• Lu Zhi: He becomes Shen Ranxin’s emotional anchor. His immediate guilt over Shen Ranxin’s injury and his calm, intimate reassurance demonstrate both his concern and his unique ability to reach Shen Ranxin.
• Cheng Cheng: His confidence in his role as Shen Ranxin’s protector is shaken. He realizes that years of companionship and attempts to erase Lu Zhi’s influence cannot overcome Shen Ranxin’s instinctive bond with Lu Zhi.
• Gu Yifei: He remains openly concerned about Shen Ranxin despite his fans’ warnings, showing that his affection may be genuine rather than merely performative.
• Haunted-house NPCs: They shift from frightening performers to terrified victims as Shen Ranxin reverses the expected power dynamic.

Significant Themes

• Love as instinct: Shen Ranxin’s response to Lu Zhi occurs below the level of conscious memory. Even after five years apart and attempts to make him forget, his body and subconscious still recognize Lu Zhi as a source of safety.
• Trauma and emotional repression: Shen Ranxin’s extreme reaction suggests deep unresolved pain. His aggression functions as a defense mechanism rather than simple cruelty.
• Security versus control: Cheng Cheng relies on sedatives and blockers to suppress Shen Ranxin’s episodes, while Lu Zhi calms him through trust, familiarity, and emotional connection.
• The limits of forgetting: Memory can be altered or suppressed, but emotional bonds and instinctive attachment may remain.
• Public perception versus reality: Viewers initially interpret Shen Ranxin’s behavior as either fake fear or excessive violence, while the scene reveals the underlying psychological crisis they cannot see.

Important Character Interactions

• Shen Ranxin and Lu Zhi: The central interaction. Lu Zhi catches Shen Ranxin, speaks gently to him, invokes their intimate connection by calling himself “your Zhizhi,” and restores his sense of safety. Shen Ranxin responds physically and instinctively by relaxing against him.
• Shen Ranxin and the NPCs: Shen Ranxin retaliates against the staff member who frightened him, turning the haunted house into a scene of genuine terror.
• Cheng Cheng and Shen Ranxin: Cheng Cheng prepares to sedate Shen Ranxin but arrives too late, confronting the fact that his own pheromones and years of care cannot calm him.
• Gu Yifei and the audience: Gu Yifei’s sincere concern contrasts with the teasing and anxious reactions of the livestream viewers, who debate Shen Ranxin’s character and warn Gu Yifei against becoming attached to him.