Recaps

After spending the night together, Cheng Lang teased Qin Mu over breakfast and learned Qin Mu wanted to keep cooking for him. Qin Mu invited Cheng Lang to visit his company, but Cheng Lang said he had plans with Meng Tianye, so Qin Mu offered to drive him.

• Cheng Lang woke up sore and joked with the system about wanting a pain-relief pill, then dismissed its reminder about his mission.
• Qin Mu made Cheng Lang breakfast and promised to learn the foods he liked, including fried dough sticks for the next morning.
• Cheng Lang asked whether Qin Mu had enjoyed the night before; Qin Mu said he was especially satisfied and asked Cheng Lang the same question, which Cheng Lang affirmed.
• After breakfast, Qin Mu invited Cheng Lang to visit his company, but Cheng Lang said he had plans with Meng Tianye to go to Grand View Stage.
• Qin Mu offered to drive Cheng Lang to meet Meng Tianye.

Qin Mu and Cheng Lang discussed setting up a home together and what they might do after a future fight. Qin Mu revealed how his parents’ broken marriage had shaped his fears, and Cheng Lang reassured him that he would not cheat or leave.

• Qin Mu asked Cheng Lang to send him the address for a studio he planned to rent during winter break, then asked about decorating their new home.
• Cheng Lang suggested getting a comfortable sofa, and Qin Mu decided that he would sleep on it if they ever fought.
• Qin Mu told Cheng Lang that his parents had never fought, then recalled how Mrs. Weng divorced Qin Wenyu after discovering his affair and took Qin Mu away from the Qin Family.
• Qin Mu warned Cheng Lang that he would fight with him rather than break up if Cheng Lang cheated, and said he would stay by his side.
• Cheng Lang embraced Qin Mu and promised not to cheat while they were dating, while Qin Mu vowed not to let their relationship end.
• Cheng Lang told Qin Mu to get ready for work before he went with Meng Tianye to Grand View Stage.

Cheng Lang visited the Grand View Stage and asked the Yao brothers to help Meng Tianye prepare for his Kunqu Opera performance. The Yao brothers invited Cheng Lang to join them onstage for an impromptu exchange, and the three went out to perform.

• Cheng Lang arrived at the Grand View Stage after saying goodbye to Qin Mu, where Meng Tianye had been waiting for him.
• Cheng Lang slipped backstage, greeted the Yao brothers, and asked them to help Meng Tianye prepare for his Kunqu Opera performance.
• Yao Liangsheng offered to take Meng Tianye to see The Peony Pavilion after the crosstalk set.
• Yao Liangjing suggested that Cheng Lang perform with the brothers, and Cheng Lang teased them until their fellow disciples challenged him to an onstage exchange.
• Cheng Lang and the Yao brothers went onstage after the host introduced them.

Cheng Lang performed crosstalk with the Yao brothers at Grand View Stage, and a video of his act went viral, drawing attention to his milk tea shop. Meanwhile, Meng Tianye made connections with Kunqu Opera performers, and Cheng Lang extended the shop’s hours to support students cramming for exams.

• Cheng Lang bantered with White Jade Capital regulars before performing crosstalk with the Yao brothers at Grand View Stage.
• A netizen uploaded a video of Cheng Lang’s performance, and he paid to promote the resulting online buzz.
• Yao Qixian called the Yao brothers and asked them to invite Cheng Lang to perform again, but Cheng Lang politely declined for now.
• The Yao brothers introduced Meng Tianye to Kunqu Opera actors, who discussed his planned rock adaptation of The Interrupted Dream with him.
• Cheng Lang returned to his milk tea shop and, after consulting Shen Huaiyu, kept it open around the clock for students studying for final exams.

Shen Huaiyu proposed offering free Big-Bowl Milk Tea at Forest Style Milk Tea after midnight, and Cheng Lang agreed. The new drink became popular with students and brought many of them into the shop as regular customers.

• Cheng Lang returned to the busy milk tea shop, joked with customers who recognized him, and took Shen Huaiyu out to dinner.
• Shen Huaiyu suggested setting up a stand to offer free Big-Bowl Milk Tea after midnight for customers and passersby who could not afford other drinks.
• Cheng Lang approved the plan, and Shen Huaiyu ordered a tea-brewing setup from Luo Pu and developed the recipe over several days.
• Forest Style Milk Tea launched Big-Bowl Milk Tea, which students welcomed as an affordable, tasty late-night drink.
• Students who first came for free tea began buying the shop’s other drinks and gradually became loyal customers.

Cheng Lang and Xin Bosong clashed at Tomorrow's Starlight over First Milk Tea's promotional event and the future of Forest Style Milk Tea. Xin Bosong dismissed Cheng Lang's brand, while Cheng Lang stayed composed as the confrontation continued.

• Cheng Lang and Shen Huaiyu continued Forest Style Milk Tea's free Big-Bowl Milk Tea tradition after weighing its costs against increased revenue.
• Luo Pu moved production equipment into the newly completed Forest Garden Food Processing Factory, where workers began building inventory for Lunar New Year.
• Cheng Lang launched Forest Style Milk Tea's online store and released a promotional song MV produced by Meng Tianye with support from Qin Dynasty Records' producers.
• Cheng Lang and Wang Liu'an arrived at Tomorrow's Starlight and saw First Milk Tea's support booths promoting contestants outside the TV station.
• Xin Bosong offered Cheng Lang and Wang Liu'an First Milk Tea and boasted about its promotional event and bestselling product.
• Xin Bosong belittled Forest Style Milk Tea as a no-name brand, while Cheng Lang calmly answered him and Wang Liu'an grew angry.

Cheng Lang arranged to obtain footage of Xin Bosong’s condescending remarks, seeing a chance to use First Milk Tea’s promotion for his next move. During the live performance round, Meng Tianye’s backing track repeatedly failed, disrupting his performance and leaving him angry and rattled.

• Cheng Lang praised Xin Bosong’s sponsorship and promotion efforts, then asked nearby fans to record what had happened and offered to pay for the footage.
• Wang Liu'an complained that Cheng Lang had stopped him from confronting Xin Bosong, and Cheng Lang explained that First Milk Tea’s actions would help his next promotional move.
• At the eleventh episode’s live performance round, Meng Tianye’s backing track failed when he began performing, but the Kunqu Opera performer supplied a backup.
• Meng Tianye and the Kunqu Opera performer delivered an energetic rearrangement of The Interrupted Dream, winning over the audience.
• The production team interrupted Meng Tianye four times over backing-track problems and then questioned his backups, leaving him furious and unsettled.

After repeated recording failures, Meng Tianye used Cheng Lang’s advice to perform without relying on the backing track, turning his frustration into an improvised rock performance. His rebellious set electrified the audience as he recognized the production team was trying to sabotage him and get him eliminated.

• Meng Tianye complained that the production team had disrupted all four of his recordings, angering fans of the other contestants.
• Cheng Lang and Wang Liu'an followed Meng Tianye to the restroom, where Cheng Lang suggested he play the guitar himself if the backing track stopped.
• Meng Tianye began his next recording with an improvised electric guitar solo before the backing track started.
• When the delayed backing track arrived, Meng Tianye changed the lyrics and added guitar chords to keep control of the performance.
• The audience reacted excitedly to Meng Tianye’s fiery performance as he realized the production team planned to use a bad take to justify eliminating him.

Meng Tianye overcame the production team's sabotage by improvising a guitar-and-rap performance of The Interrupted Dream, then quit the competition on his own terms. His departure stirred the audience, and the chapter left the studio restless as his fans questioned why he had to leave after performing so well.

• When the accompaniment cut out, Meng Tianye improvised electric-guitar backing and a rap alongside the Kunqu Opera performer.
• Meng Tianye ended the performance with a fierce guitar solo, drawing a roaring standing ovation from the audience.
• Meng Tianye thanked the supporting performer, declared that he was quitting, and walked offstage with her.
• The studio erupted, reporters sent out videos, and Cheng Lang and Wang Liu'an left while Meng Tianye's fans began to follow.
• As fans continued leaving, one audience member angrily asked why Meng Tianye had to quit after performing so well.

Meng Tianye withdrew from Tomorrow's Starlight after a powerful rock performance and the audience erupted over equipment failures and suspected unfair treatment. As the production team struggled to contain the backlash, sponsor Xin Bosong dismissed Meng Tianye's departure and urged the show to continue.

• The audience called for Meng Tianye to advance, while others objected that equipment failures had made the earlier contestants' performances unfair.
• The host tried to calm the crowd and promised the production team would check the equipment, but fans accused the show of mistreating contestants and shouted that it was rigged.
• Meng Tianye demanded that the assistant director let him leave, while the production team tried to stop him and the guest singers at the studio entrance.
• Cheng Lang threatened to call the police unless the staff moved aside, and the assistant director let them go so they could discuss the situation.
• Xin Bosong stopped the chief director from speaking with Meng Tianye and told the production team to calm the audience and resume the competition.

After Meng Tianye withdrew from Tomorrow's Starlight, leaked footage and rumors linked his departure to a dispute between title sponsor First Milk Tea and Forest Style Milk Tea. The ensuing online brand battle boosted Forest Style Milk Tea's recognition while First Milk Tea's supporters were drowned out.

• The chief director let Meng Tianye and his group leave as the production team focused on calming the studio audience.
• Fans and reporters spread news of Meng Tianye's withdrawal, and secretly filmed footage of the recording soon went viral.
• Online rumors claimed Tomorrow's Starlight targeted Meng Tianye because he had promoted Forest Style Milk Tea, angering title sponsor First Milk Tea.
• X University students and Meng Tianye's fans promoted Forest Style Milk Tea online, helping spark polls and comparisons between the two brands.
• First Milk Tea's management watched Forest Style Milk Tea gain recognition and saw its reputation suffer as customers from both brands argued online.
• Forest Style Milk Tea's young customers and Cheng Lang's fans overwhelmed First Milk Tea's supporters in the online dispute.

Forest Style Milk Tea turned First Milk Tea’s attack into a sales and publicity victory, while Meng Tianye’s accusations intensified suspicion that First Milk Tea had influenced the competition. Cheng Lang then escalated the fight into the stock market, where First Milk Tea’s shares plunged and the Xin family realized someone was shorting the company.

• Xin Bosong issued a statement condemning Forest Style Milk Tea’s marketing, and Cheng Lang replied by inviting consumers to judge its products for themselves.
• Forest Style Milk Tea sold all one hundred thousand packs of Milk Tea Powder in a day and thanked customers for their support.
• A video of Xin Bosong’s remarks spread online, weakening criticism of Forest Style Milk Tea and reviving attention to the dispute.
• Tomorrow's Starlight aired Meng Tianye’s episode with his strongest performance omitted, after which Meng Tianye questioned whether First Milk Tea had treated contestants fairly.
• Speculation spread that First Milk Tea had pushed the production team to eliminate Meng Tianye, and rumors of unfair competition helped trigger a sell-off of its shares.
• The Xin family tried to support First Milk Tea’s stock, but the price fell from eighty to 69.7, and they realized someone was shorting the company.

Half a month earlier, Cheng Lang gathered several wealthy customers to help him short First Milk Tea, and Qin Mu joined the plan after learning what he was doing. The group agreed to proceed, while Cheng Lang also asked Qin Mu to lend him his private equity fund.

• Cheng Lang invited several customers with money and no ties to Forest Style Milk Tea to discuss shorting First Milk Tea.
• The customers questioned Cheng Lang’s experience and asked him to prove his plan was convincing.
• Qin Mu arrived, realized Cheng Lang wanted to short First Milk Tea, and complained that Cheng Lang had not asked him for money first.
• Cheng Lang explained his short-selling plan, and the customers agreed to join before leaving to raise funds.
• Cheng Lang asked Qin Mu to lend him his private equity fund and explained that bringing in the customers would spread risk and build business connections.

Cheng Lang used Qin Mu’s backing to short-sell First Milk Tea, earning 600 million as its market value plunged, then met Old Master Xin to propose a partnership between First Milk Tea and Forest Style Milk Tea. Old Master Xin read Cheng Lang’s proposal and recognized how meticulously he had planned the whole affair.

• Cheng Lang decided to use Qin Mu’s investment company’s five-percent stake in First Milk Tea to help his short-selling plan.
• Cheng Lang’s operation drove First Milk Tea’s market value from 11.9 billion to 9.8 billion in three days, earning him a net profit of 600 million.
• Old Master Xin called Cheng Lang to seek peace, and Cheng Lang flew to Hong Kong Island to meet him.
• Cheng Lang praised Old Master Xin’s success, then proposed that Forest Style Milk Tea provide recipes while First Milk Tea handled packaging and production.
• Old Master Xin read Cheng Lang’s proposal and remarked that Cheng Lang had planned everything meticulously.

Cheng Lang pressed Old Mr. Xin to accept a partnership between Forest Style Milk Tea and First Milk Tea, arguing it could restore the latter’s image and reach younger customers. Old Mr. Xin distrusted Cheng Lang and his motives, and remained frustrated that First Milk Tea might not be able to refuse.

• Cheng Lang thanked Old Mr. Xin for cooperating with him and proposed assigning an experienced manager to oversee the partnership.
• Old Mr. Xin rejected the proposal, but Cheng Lang pointed to First Milk Tea’s stock price and said cooperation could resolve its current troubles.
• Old Mr. Xin accused Cheng Lang of using underhanded tactics and demanded to know what he wanted from First Milk Tea.
• Cheng Lang said First Milk Tea was losing consumers under twenty-five, while Old Mr. Xin recalled how Forest Style Milk Tea’s campaign had undermined First Milk Tea’s sponsorship of Tomorrow's Starlight.
• Old Mr. Xin concluded that cooperation with Cheng Lang would be dangerous, but feared refusing would be difficult, and blamed Xin Bosong for letting the crisis grow.

Cheng Lang pitched Old Mr. Xin a partnership between Forest Style Milk Tea and First Milk Tea, using Meng Tianye’s rising fame to promote a new product line and repair the brands’ public image. The chapter ended with Meng Tianye refusing to endorse First Milk Tea.

• Cheng Lang proposed that Forest Style Milk Tea and First Milk Tea jointly launch a new milk tea line, with each company contributing its marketing strengths.
• Old Mr. Xin weighed the benefits against his concerns about Cheng Lang and First Milk Tea’s difficulty attracting younger consumers.
• Cheng Lang suggested making Meng Tianye the new line’s spokesperson and described how the campaign could turn rumors about First Milk Tea into a publicity stunt.
• Cheng Lang advised Old Mr. Xin to buy First Milk Tea shares while the stock was low and laid out a launch plan for the summer.
• Meng Tianye angrily refused to advertise First Milk Tea or say that he chose it for milk tea.

Cheng Lang convinced Meng Tianye to endorse a new Big-Bowl Milk Tea line jointly developed by First Milk Tea and Forest Style Milk Tea. He also secured the partnership with Old Master Xin, who agreed to remove Bosong from his executive role and consider buying out shareholders who wanted to leave.

• Meng Tianye refused Cheng Lang’s offer, believing First Milk Tea and Forest Style Milk Tea were rivals and that endorsing First Milk Tea would betray his friends and fans.
• Cheng Lang told Meng Tianye that the two brands would collaborate on Big-Bowl Milk Tea and that the endorsement was for the new product line.
• Cheng Lang explained that he had reached a preliminary partnership agreement with Old Master Xin that afternoon, helping stabilize First Milk Tea’s falling stock price.
• Cheng Lang warned Old Master Xin that President Xin’s recklessness had caused the company’s losses and said he did not want him overseeing the partnership.
• Old Master Xin agreed to remove Bosong as Operations Director for Greater China and send him back to a grassroots position.
• Cheng Lang advised Old Master Xin to buy shares from minority shareholders who wanted to withdraw so the Xin family could retain control of First Milk Tea.

Cheng Lang persuaded Meng Tianye to accept First Milk Tea’s endorsement and follow a fast-paced debut plan designed to capitalize on the publicity surrounding Tomorrow’s Starlight. After explaining that the endorsement supported his business strategy, Cheng Lang got Meng Tianye to agree to sign and told him to keep his schedule open for variety-show appearances.

• Old Master Xin rejected Cheng Lang’s proposal, saying the Xin family had no spare money and he would try to persuade First Milk Tea’s shareholders not to withdraw their investments.
• Cheng Lang explained that he had targeted First Milk Tea to raise capital, gain access to its brand and marketing network, and retaliate against its Greater China operations director.
• Cheng Lang told Meng Tianye to release a debut single rather than an album and said he would seek variety-show appearances to build his popularity before summer vacation.
• Cheng Lang argued that Meng Tianye should debut while publicity from Tomorrow’s Starlight and the two milk tea brands could benefit him, and hinted that Star Entertainment Media and the production team would face consequences for forcing him out.
• Cheng Lang revealed that First Milk Tea and Forest Style Milk Tea had only tentatively agreed to cooperate, and Meng Tianye agreed to sign for the endorsement.
• Cheng Lang told Meng Tianye to ask his manager to keep his schedule open while he discussed recommending him for variety shows with First Milk Tea.

Cheng Lang discussed Meng Tianye’s New Year plans and then asked Qin Mu for help with a business deal, only for Qin Mu’s explanation of his love to make Cheng Lang suspect that Qin Mu had developed self-awareness. The chapter ended with Cheng Lang asking the system whether Qin Mu had become self-aware.

• Meng Tianye said he could appear on a variety show and bring his parents to X City for New Year, and Cheng Lang agreed to postpone the show until after the holiday.
• Cheng Lang planned to ask Qin Mu to lend his legal team for a contract to establish a production line with First Milk Tea.
• Qin Mu offered to transfer his five percent stake in First Milk Tea to Cheng Lang, but Cheng Lang refused the gift.
• Qin Mu said he loved Cheng Lang because Cheng Lang felt real, and Cheng Lang reacted with sudden unease.
• Cheng Lang asked the system whether Qin Mu had developed self-awareness.

Cheng Lang learned that Qin Mu had awakened self-awareness and discovered that the World Consciousness had repeatedly tried to erase him, including through the car accident Cheng Lang had prevented. The chapter left Cheng Lang facing the threat posed by Qin Mu’s awakening and the revelation that Qin Mu’s attachment to him came from a desperate desire to survive.

• The system admitted to Cheng Lang that Qin Mu had awakened self-awareness.
• Cheng Lang recalled his mission to restore novel plots and eliminate awakened characters, while realizing Shen Huaiyu’s improving mental state had made the mission seem easy.
• Cheng Lang connected Qin Mu’s awakening to the unexplained car accident and questioned the system about it.
• The system confessed that the World Consciousness had arranged the accident to eliminate Qin Mu and protect Lu Chengxuan’s protagonist status.
• The system explained that Qin Mu’s repeated resistance to being erased had strengthened his desire to survive, which transformed into an intense love for Cheng Lang after Cheng Lang saved him.

Cheng Lang struggled to decide how to save Qin Mu from the World Consciousness erasing his awakened self-awareness. He considered bringing Qin Mu into the System Space and erasing his memories, while Qin Mu mistook his gloom for worry about their contract.

• Cheng Lang rejected the system's suggestions to make Qin Mu a task executor or erase his consciousness, then worried about what would happen to him after the mission.
• Cheng Lang argued that repeated erasure could turn Qin Mu into a rebel and proposed bringing him into the System Space while erasing his memories.
• The system warned that Cheng Lang's colleagues could tell Qin Mu about their past, making the memory erasure pointless.
• Cheng Lang sighed over his predicament, and Qin Mu offered to have the legal team draft contract terms the next morning.

Cheng Lang spent the morning with Qin Mu, visited his company to arrange their partnership, and received five percent of First Milk Tea. On the drive back to school, he bet Qin Mu that he would not fail his exams, with Qin Mu agreeing to grant him one request if he lost.

• Cheng Lang decided to enjoy his relationship with Qin Mu for now, and Qin Mu made him shumai and congee for breakfast.
• Cheng Lang agreed to move in after his final exams and warned Qin Mu not to help him with his affairs unless he asked.
• Qin Mu introduced Cheng Lang to the company executives and shareholders, and Cheng Lang worked with the legal team to finalize their partnership terms.
• Qin Mu transferred five percent of First Milk Tea's shares to Cheng Lang, who declined an offer to get an employee card.
• After Cheng Lang's advisor scolded him for missing class, Cheng Lang bet Qin Mu that he would not fail; if Qin Mu lost, he would have to agree to one thing.

Cheng Lang returned to the milk tea shop after discussing his terms with Qin Mu, where he and Shen Huaiyu talked about developing bottled Big-Bowl Milk Tea. Lu Chengxuan arrived and took Cheng Lang outside to confront him about his relationship with Qin Mu and his newly acquired shares in First Milk Tea.

• Cheng Lang told Cheng Lang that they would discuss his request when the time came, then dropped him off at X University.
• At the milk tea shop, Shen Huaiyu worried that bottling and additives could affect Big-Bowl Milk Tea, while Cheng Lang encouraged him to develop flavors for the public.
• Lu Chengxuan stormed into the shop, grabbed Cheng Lang by the collar, and demanded to speak with him outside.
• Shen Huaiyu followed them and warned Lu Chengxuan that he would call the police if Cheng Lang did not return within half an hour.
• Lu Chengxuan drove around the area with Cheng Lang and confronted him about spending the night at Ah Mu's place and receiving five percent of First Milk Tea's shares.
• Cheng Lang answered Lu Chengxuan with a taunt, and Lu Chengxuan revealed that he had people watching Cheng Lang.

Cheng Lang confronted Lu Chengxuan, baiting him into revealing his intentions toward Qin Mu while secretly calling Qin Mu to let him hear the exchange. After Lu Chengxuan hung up and disabled the first phone, Cheng Lang produced another and faced off with him.

• Lu Chengxuan offered Cheng Lang money to leave Qin Mu, accusing him of seeking Qin Mu’s wealth.
• Cheng Lang accused Lu Chengxuan of targeting Qin Mu’s admirers to spite him and suggested Lu Chengxuan wanted to humiliate Qin Mu.
• Qin Mu heard the conversation through Cheng Lang’s call and angrily called out to Lu Chengxuan.
• Cheng Lang handed Lu Chengxuan the phone, but Lu Chengxuan hung up, switched it off, and threw it onto the back seat.
• Cheng Lang revealed he had another phone, and Lu Chengxuan threatened to call the police if Cheng Lang hit him.
• Cheng Lang pointed out that he was in Lu Chengxuan’s car and could claim self-defense after Lu Chengxuan took his phone.

Cheng Lang rebuffed Lu Chengxuan’s attempt to buy him off, exposing Lu’s lack of money and hypocrisy. He reflected on how domineering CEOs condemned partners for discussing money despite making their relationships material transactions.

• Cheng Lang reassured Qin Mu over the phone that Lu Chengxuan could not hurt him and said he would return with Qin Mu that night.
• Lu Chengxuan accused Cheng Lang of pursuing Qin Mu for money and asked how much it would take for him to leave.
• Cheng Lang pointed out his earnings from shorting First Milk Tea, the value of its shares, and Qin Mu’s wealth, then challenged Lu to explain what he could afford.
• Cheng Lang mocked Lu for repeatedly trying to keep him despite lacking the money to pay, then left the car.
• Cheng Lang reflected that domineering CEOs coerced partners into material relationships, then condemned them for asking for money or resources.