Chapter Summaries

Cheng Lang and his allies rescued Shen Huaiyu from Lu Chengxuan and brought him to the hospital, where doctors treated his injuries and fever. When Shen Huaiyu woke, the memories of what happened overwhelmed him, and he reached for Cheng Lang’s sleeve.

• Qin Mu explained that he had directed Han Mingchen and Hu Li to search Lu Chengxuan’s usual locations, and they found Shen Huaiyu at a villa outside the city.
• Cheng Lang and the Zhao Family arrived at the hospital, where Hu Li said Shen Huaiyu had superficial injuries and would recover once his fever subsided.
• Cheng Lang watched Shen Huaiyu sleeping and resolved to keep opposing the original plot and the scumbag tops, despite the World Consciousness’s hostility.
• Shen Huaiyu woke in the ward to find Cheng Lang and Qin Mu beside him, then began crying as memories of Lu Chengxuan’s abuse returned.
• Unable to speak through the pain in his throat, Shen Huaiyu reached out and hooked one finger around Cheng Lang’s sleeve.

After Shen Huaiyu woke in the hospital, Cheng Lang and their friends reassured him, cared for him, and helped him resist blaming himself for Lu Chengxuan’s abuse. The chapter left Shen Huaiyu recovering under watch while Cheng Lang planned a business collaboration to give him something to focus on.

• Cheng Lang called a doctor, who said Shen Huaiyu could recover with observation, and helped him drink ginseng soup.
• Jin Huaiyuan and his parents visited with food, and Cheng Lang told Shen Huaiyu that Old Luo had also come by.
• Shen Huaiyu worried that Lu Chengxuan would spread news and photos of what happened, but Cheng Lang promised to handle it and Qin Mu reminded him he was the victim.
• Cheng Lang told Shen Huaiyu that Ruyi House wanted Forest Style Milk Tea to develop drinks to pair with its pastries, and Shen Huaiyu agreed to work on the project after recovering.
• Hu Li and Han Mingchen came to keep watch over Shen Huaiyu, and Han Mingchen offered to get him food and peeled him an orange.

After Shen Huaiyu was hospitalized, Cheng Lang decided to find a way to free him from Lu Chengxuan’s interference and sought out the Lu family’s illegitimate son. Lu Chengxuan then tried to use scandalous photos to turn Cheng Lang against Shen Huaiyu, but Cheng Lang warned that he would expose Lu’s actions as criminal business competition.

• Han Mingchen stayed with Shen Huaiyu at the hospital, while Cheng Lang and Qin Mu left and planned to return the next morning.
• Cheng Lang decided to help Shen Huaiyu escape Lu Chengxuan’s control and told Qin Mu he would handle Lu himself.
• Cheng Lang sought out the Lu family’s illegitimate son to disrupt the Lu Group’s balance of power.
• Lu Chengxuan showed Cheng Lang photos and urged him to remove Shen Huaiyu from Forest Style Milk Tea to protect his own business interests.
• Cheng Lang warned Lu Chengxuan that the police report about Shen Huaiyu’s disappearance could support a lawsuit accusing Lu of illegal business practices.

Cheng Lang confronted Lu Chengxuan over the intimate photos of Shen Huaiyu, refusing Lu’s demand and recording his threats. He brought police officers to arrest Lu and have them investigate the photos and Shen Huaiyu’s disappearance.

• Lu Chengxuan offered to delete Shen Huaiyu’s photos if Cheng Lang agreed to sleep with him.
• Cheng Lang rejected Lu’s demand and warned him that his actions could lead to criminal charges.
• Lu threatened to spread the photos and claimed Shen Huaiyu might die by suicide, trying to force Cheng Lang to comply.
• Cheng Lang revealed that he had recorded Lu’s words and reminded him that Shen Huaiyu’s disappearance had been reported to the police.
• Cheng Lang opened the private-room door to reveal two police officers, who were ready to take Lu to the station.

Cheng Lang used rumors about Lu Group’s alleged unfair competition to pressure Lu Chengxuan, then profited as news of Lu Chengxuan’s arrest drove the company’s stock down. Lu Group’s crisis deepened when Chairman Lu’s grown illegitimate son appeared, and Madam Lu demanded that he free Chengxuan.

• Cheng Lang warned Lu Chengxuan that public speculation linking Lu Group to unfair competition could damage the company, and that exposing Shen Huaiyu would make the rumors seem true.
• News of Lu Chengxuan’s arrest spread, Lu Group’s stock fell, and Cheng Lang shorted its shares.
• Lu Group shareholders hesitated to fund the company after Chairman Lu’s grown illegitimate son arrived and claimed him as his father.
• Madam Lu confronted Chairman Lu about hiding his illegitimate son and suspected he planned to challenge Chengxuan’s inheritance.
• Madam Lu blamed the family scandal and falling sales for worsening Lu Group’s crisis, then demanded that Chairman Lu get Chengxuan out of the police station.

Cheng Lang met with Chairman Lu’s illegitimate son, who wanted Lu Chengxuan imprisoned so he could become Lu Group’s heir. Seeing a chance to deepen the Lu family’s divisions and weaken the company from within, Cheng Lang began suggesting a plan.

• Chairman Lu struggled to help Lu Chengxuan after Cheng Lang recorded their negotiation and the lawsuit drew widespread attention.
• Mrs. Lu accused Chairman Lu of stalling to protect his illegitimate son, while Chairman Lu insisted Lu Chengxuan was his son too.
• Cheng Lang persuaded the illegitimate son that Lu Chengxuan’s imprisonment could create an opening for him to inherit Lu Group.
• Cheng Lang recalled how the illegitimate son had lost to Lu Chengxuan in the original story and considered using him to divide the Lu family and undermine the company.
• Cheng Lang told the illegitimate son he could pursue the succession without seeking Mrs. Lu’s approval and began to propose a plan.

Cheng Lang encouraged Chairman Lu’s illegitimate son to investigate Madam Lu and pressured Lu Group shareholders to sell their stock and invest in Forest Style Milk Tea. When Chairman Lu learned of Cheng Lang’s efforts, Madam Lu asked Qin Mu to arrange a meeting so she could plead with Cheng Lang.

• Cheng Lang told Chairman Lu’s illegitimate son to dig up dirt on Madam Lu, hoping their conflict would worsen tensions within the Lu Family.
• Cheng Lang met with Lu Group shareholders and warned them that the company could decline further if Chairman Lu gave the CEO position to his illegitimate son.
• Cheng Lang urged the shareholders to sell their Lu Group stock and invest in Forest Style Milk Tea, though his aim was mainly to disrupt the group and win the shareholders’ goodwill.
• News of Cheng Lang’s meetings reached Chairman Lu, who restrained himself from retaliating because he was wary of Qin Mu.
• Madam Lu called Qin Mu and asked to meet him so she could plead with Cheng Lang.

Qin Mu refused Madam Lu’s plea to help Lu Chengxuan avoid prison, while Cheng Lang continued his attack on Lu Group. As Lu Group’s finances worsened, Madam Lu confronted Chairman Lu and his illegitimate son over the evidence used to threaten her.

• Madam Lu asked Qin Mu to persuade Cheng Lang to spare Lu Chengxuan, but Qin Mu refused because Lu Chengxuan had broken the law.
• Cheng Lang arranged for Mingchen to help Shen Huaiyu find an apartment, and Qin Mu told Cheng Lang what Madam Lu had asked.
• The Lu Family hired lawyers to defend Lu Chengxuan while Cheng Lang kept shorting Lu Group, worsening the company’s cash flow and driving banks and shareholders to demand repayment or withdraw investments.
• The illegitimate son threatened Madam Lu with video footage of her entering a hotel with another man and demanded her support for his inheritance of Lu Group.
• Madam Lu summoned Chairman Lu and the illegitimate son, refused to be intimidated, and said she would divorce Chairman Lu if he could not accept her actions.

Madam Lu threatened Chairman Lu with divorce unless he protected Lu Chengxuan and kept him as Lu Group’s heir, while denouncing the illegitimate son. Months later, Lu Chengxuan received a suspended prison sentence, Lu Group’s shares and investor confidence sank, and Zhao Corporation moved to acquire the company as it shifted its focus to X City.

• Madam Lu confronted Chairman Lu over Lu Chengxuan’s future, threatened divorce, and forced the illegitimate son to apologize after Chairman Lu slapped him.
• Madam Lu argued that the illegitimate son was unfit to inherit Lu Group and insisted that Chairman Lu protect Lu Chengxuan.
• Chairman Lu said Lu Chengxuan’s lawyers believed there was still hope of an acquittal, and Madam Lu warned that she would divorce him if Lu Chengxuan went to prison.
• Months later, Lu Chengxuan was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for one year, and Lu Group’s stock fell as shareholders and retail investors sold their shares.
• Mrs. Zhao told Cheng Lang that Zhao Corporation planned to acquire Lu Group and shift its business focus to X City.

Cheng Lang’s shorting of Lu Group drew support from Zhao and the Qin Family, helping isolate the company and prompting its shareholders to consider selling. Zhao Corporation began acquiring Lu Group, while the Lu Family struggled to prevent the loss of control.

• Zhao revealed Cheng Lang’s connection to the Zhao Family and gathered investment from relatives and friends to back his short against Lu Group.
• Third Uncle Qin invested on behalf of the Qin Family, whose support discouraged other capital from helping Chairman Lu defend Lu Group’s stock.
• Lu Group shareholders approached Zhao about selling their shares, and Zhao hired experts to assess the company for a possible acquisition.
• Over nearly half a year, Lu Group’s shareholders negotiated with Zhao Corporation despite repeated efforts by Chairman Lu, Madam Lu, and Lu Chengxuan to halt the sale.
• Zhao planned to acquire enough shares to take control and remove the Lu Family from management, but Lu Chengxuan recognized the danger to his family’s control of the company.

Chairman Lu sold Lu Group to Zhao Corporation and used the proceeds to establish New Lu Company, but Lu Chengxuan struggled to rebuild the business and found himself shunned by former subordinates, clients, and employees. His new company faltered as his reputation worsened and he became overwhelmed by its problems.

• The three members of the Lu Family sold Lu Group to Zhao Corporation after Chairman Lu finally gave in to Zhao's ultimatum.
• Chairman Lu blamed Lu Chengxuan for provoking Shen Huaiyu and causing the events that ruined Lu Group.
• Lu Chengxuan founded New Lu Company and asked former subordinates to join him, but they refused, with some openly mocking him.
• Lu Chengxuan failed to secure contracts as former business partners demanded favors or avoided working with him.
• Lu Chengxuan beat a client who tried to take advantage of him, further damaging his reputation in business circles.
• Lu Chengxuan struggled with unproductive employees, repeatedly fired staff, and found that rumors about his harsh treatment made hiring impossible.

The Lu Family’s wealth and relationships deteriorated as Lu Chengxuan’s business stalled, Chairman Lu favored his illegitimate son, and Madam Lu lost more than one billion yuan in a collapsed P2P scheme. Shen Huaiyu heard how badly the family had fallen, while Lu Chengxuan eventually ran away from home and the parents’ mutual resentment deepened.

• Chairman Lu helped Lu Chengxuan find clients, but Lu Chengxuan rejected the small orders and argued with his father over how to build New Lu Company.
• Chairman Lu secretly gave money to his mistress and illegitimate son and set up a company for the son, prompting a fierce family quarrel in which he revealed that Madam Lu had bought a car for her kept man.
• A business partner told Shen Huaiyu that New Lu Company was delaying supplies and that Madam Lu had been swindled by her kept man, leaving her in hospital and the family facing debt and divorce disputes.
• Madam Lu’s more than one billion yuan P2P investment collapsed, and the mistress and illegitimate son moved into the Lu Family estate while Chairman Lu dismissed Lu Chengxuan’s objections.
• Lu Chengxuan fought with Chairman Lu and ran away from home, after which Chairman Lu invested heavily in his illegitimate son’s failing company.
• After the illegitimate son’s projects lost money and nearly led to a lawsuit, the Lu Family had spent more than half the money from selling its Lu Group shares, and Chairman Lu and Madam Lu continued accusing each other of wasting money.

Lu Chengxuan’s family fell apart as Madam Lu blamed him for her failed investment, and their argument sent her to the hospital. While he waited outside the operating room, he learned Chairman Lu had collapsed after discovering that his mistress and illegitimate son had fled overseas with the assets he had transferred to them.

• Chairman Lu and Madam Lu continued trying to hide their wealth from each other, worsening the conflict within the Lu family.
• Madam Lu repeatedly blamed Lu Chengxuan for her P2P investment losses, and Lu Chengxuan grew resentful as people mocked his family.
• Lu Chengxuan argued fiercely with Madam Lu, who suffered a heart attack and was taken to the hospital.
• While Lu Chengxuan waited outside the operating room, an airport employee called to report that Chairman Lu had collapsed.
• Chairman Lu discovered that his illegitimate son had emptied the company’s accounts and fled overseas with his mistress, then shouted the family’s secrets at the airport.

Cheng Lang explained how Lu Chengxuan’s lost fortune and Shen Huaiyu’s rising fortunes had reversed their positions, then focused on accelerating Forest Style Milk Tea’s Hong Kong IPO. He left determined to help Shen Huaiyu become a domineering CEO and complete the story’s original ending.

• Chairman Lu fainted at the airport after publicly cursing his family, leaving Lu Chengxuan stunned over the phone.
• Cheng Lang realized Lu Chengxuan’s setbacks followed the loss of his protagonist’s fortune, while Shen Huaiyu was gaining it as he built Forest Style Milk Tea.
• Cheng Lang told his System Companion that he would help Shen Huaiyu establish himself as a domineering CEO and keep Lu Chengxuan as his lover at the original ending.
• Cheng Lang decided that Forest Style Milk Tea needed to go public on the Hong Kong stock market to secure more capital and qualify as a domineering-CEO enterprise.
• Qin Mu suggested that Forest Style Milk Tea could grow gradually, but Cheng Lang explained that a listing this year would help it raise funds and pursue more opportunities.

Cheng Lang explained how Forest Style Milk Tea and Qin Dynasty Entertainment had joined forces to adapt Jin Huaiyuan’s archaeological novel into a web drama promoting X City’s culture and tourism. When Cheng Lang visited the set, Meng Tianye complained that acting was difficult and that his repeated mistakes were holding up filming.

• Cheng Lang told Qin Mu he planned to invest in an archaeological web drama with Qin Dynasty Entertainment and promote Forest Style Milk Tea through it.
• Jin Huaiyuan’s archaeological stories had grown popular after Meng Tianye’s song inspired by one of them went viral, and Qin Dynasty Entertainment acquired the novel’s adaptation rights.
• Cheng Lang and Qin Dynasty Entertainment arranged to film the story as a high-quality web drama with support from X City’s Culture and Tourism Bureau.
• Jin Huaiyuan said the story he had written felt strangely familiar, and Cheng Lang kept quiet about his reasons for helping people turn experiences into wealth.
• On the first day of summer vacation, Shen Huaiyu invited Cheng Lang to visit the set, where Jin Huaiyuan was screenwriting and Meng Tianye was acting in a supporting role.
• Meng Tianye complained to Cheng Lang that he kept forgetting lines and making mistakes, forcing the crew to repeat scenes.

Meng Tianye struggled with acting but continued working and receiving lessons, while Cheng Lang visited the film crew and spoke with the director and screenwriters. Their discussion of Jin Huaiyuan’s story revealed that it was based on experiences from the original novel, and Cheng Lang hoped Jin Huaiyuan would never face those real dangers.

• Meng Tianye told Cheng Lang that he kept forgetting his lines despite memorizing them and taking private acting lessons.
• Cheng Lang heard the director praise Meng Tianye’s talent and asked the director to guide him.
• Jin Huaiyuan asked the crew’s screenwriters for reading recommendations, and Shen Huaiyu shared Forest Style Milk Tea’s new Osmanthus Oolong Tea.
• The screenwriters discussed the relic theft case and asked how Cheng Lang had devised the story behind Archaeology Diary.
• Cheng Lang reflected that Jin Huaiyuan’s story drew on the protagonist’s experiences in the original novel, then brushed off Jin Huaiyuan’s question about his inspiration.

Cheng Lang arranged for Shen Huaiyu and Jin Huaiyuan to develop custom tea ware for Forest Style Milk Tea, then continued pursuing the company’s Hong Kong IPO despite doubts about its readiness. He understood the warnings but believed he had less than two years to secure Shen Huaiyu’s transformation into a domineering CEO.

• Shen Huaiyu gave Jin Huaiyuan Rose-Mint-Lemon Honey Tea, and Jin Huaiyuan offered to help make matching tea cups.
• Cheng Lang asked Jin Huaiyuan to design tea ware for Forest Style Milk Tea, and Jin Huaiyuan agreed to the work.
• Cheng Lang assigned Shen Huaiyu and Jin Huaiyuan to establish a utensil-processing factory, surprising Shen Huaiyu with the responsibility.
• Cheng Lang continued preparing Forest Style Milk Tea’s Hong Kong IPO, though the exchange review and remaining stages made a year-end listing difficult.
• The Zhao Family couple and other partners urged Cheng Lang not to rush the IPO, but he knew he had less than two years to help Shen Huaiyu become a domineering CEO.

Forest Style Milk Tea successfully listed on the Hong Kong stock market, and its share price soared, making its shareholders and employees wealthy. At the celebration banquet, Cheng Lang thanked the people who supported the IPO and stayed close to Qin Mu as the guests teased them about their relationship.

• Cheng Lang pushed ahead with Forest Style Milk Tea's IPO, backed by Shen Huaiyu and supported by Qin Mu's underwriting, sponsorship, and financial PR teams.
• Forest Style Milk Tea listed in Hong Kong at HK$1.88 per share, then surged to a peak of HK$10.69 as media outlets reported on its success.
• Cheng Lang and Shen Huaiyu hosted a celebration banquet, where Shen Huaiyu embraced Cheng Lang and Qin Mu stepped between them.
• Cheng Lang thanked the employees, shareholders, investors, and Qin Mu's team, while the guests teased him and Qin Mu about being family.
• After drinking and toasting the guests, Cheng Lang felt tipsy and clung to Qin Mu.

At a celebration banquet for Forest Style Milk Tea’s successful Hong Kong listing, Cheng Lang encountered the disgraced Lu Chengxuan being beaten and taunted him about his downfall. As Cheng Lang moved to call the police, Wang Liang introduced himself and tried to stop him.

• After the banquet, Cheng Lang and the others heard a commotion outside the hotel and saw bodyguards beating Lu Chengxuan.
• The onlookers recognized Lu Chengxuan and watched Shen Huaiyu’s reaction as they compared his fallen state with Shen’s success.
• Cheng Lang approached Lu Chengxuan, congratulated him on Forest Style Milk Tea’s listing, and mocked his changed circumstances.
• Cheng Lang advised Lu Chengxuan to respect the law and reached for his phone to call the police.
• Wang Liang hurried over, stopped Cheng Lang, and introduced himself as the general manager of Dongliang Trading.

Cheng Lang learned how Lu Chengxuan had been beaten by Wang Liang and decided to let Lu face another year of hardship while he trained Shen Huaiyu to lead Forest Style Milk Tea. Shen Huaiyu sensed Cheng Lang might leave, but resolved to protect their business as Cheng Lang continued teaching him.

• Cheng Lang called the police after Wang Liang's bodyguards beat Lu Chengxuan, but Lu Chengxuan and Wang Liang settled the matter at the scene.
• Qin Mu gave Cheng Lang documents detailing Lu Chengxuan's family troubles, his struggles to keep New Lu Company afloat, and his fight with Wang Liang.
• Cheng Lang shredded the documents and decided he would spend the remaining year teaching Shen Huaiyu to lead the company while Lu Chengxuan endured his own difficulties.
• Shen Huaiyu repeatedly asked Cheng Lang why he was teaching him so intensely, and Cheng Lang suggested he might someday leave and urged him to protect Forest Style Milk Tea.
• Cheng Lang focused his lessons on capital operations and understanding people's motives, while Shen Huaiyu vowed to safeguard the business they had built together.