Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Agency contract and New Energy Cards

Yan Kun initially worries that the contract for distributing the New Energy Card may be too demanding, but quickly realizes it remains highly profitable and offers enormous intangible benefits. He signs immediately, as do representatives of the other factions. Military Headquarters and Master Jing finalize the agency agreements on-site.

Lottery-based sales system

Starting the next day, Starry Sky Grand Marketplace will sell a limited number of New Energy Cards. Purchases must be made under real names and will be allocated through a lottery, with buyers’ odds increasing according to their social contribution points. Private transfers are permitted but must also be conducted under real-name registration. The announcement sparks widespread excitement, as people rush to register either to obtain cards for personal use or to resell them.

Mystery of the competition

The press conference ends without revealing how the three unusual competition questions were judged. Instead, Yan Kun’s answer sheet is made public, prompting countless experts to analyze it. This suggests Military Headquarters may have achieved its broader goal of encouraging public discussion and independent thought, though the chapter leaves the ultimate success of that goal ambiguous.

Jing Yi’s rising status

Jing Xiaoyi prepares to return home with his husband, preferring the orderly and majestic Gold Star Military District to the politically complicated Mi Star. His successful performance in the competition has transformed his reputation: he is no longer regarded merely as “Madam Qin,” but is now respected as Master Jing and even informally as General Jing.

Farewell with Fan Qiao

Fan Qiao remains on Mi Star with his husband, Colonel Sun, who is enjoying an extended vacation after completing a major mission. Jing Yi leaves Fan Qiao numerous business opportunities and gifts, including food, medicinal products, specialty goods, and provocative novelty items, expecting him to establish chains of high-end restaurants and dessert shops. He also reminds Fan Qiao of their childhood-sweetheart agreement and jokes that he is returning home to have a child. Overwhelmed by Jing Yi’s demands and gifts, Fan Qiao reacts with exhausted frustration.

Jing Yi embraces his new role

On the journey home, Jing Yi tries on the specially tailored general’s uniform provided by Military Headquarters in recognition of his Special-Class Military Merit Medal. He takes great pride in his appearance and discovers how much he enjoys wearing military attire, symbolizing both his elevated status and growing confidence.

Key Themes

• Mutual profit and political strategy: The agency contract benefits all factions materially while also strengthening Military Headquarters’ influence.
• Merit and social contribution: Access to scarce resources is tied to contribution points, emphasizing the value of service and achievement.
• Reputation and transformation: Jing Yi’s accomplishments allow him to move from being viewed as an accessory to his powerful husband to earning an independent identity and public respect.
• Friendship and comedic burden-sharing: Jing Yi’s affectionate but mischievous relationship with Fan Qiao is shown through extravagant gifts, business responsibilities, and teasing about marriage and children.
• Status and self-confidence: Jing Yi’s enjoyment of his general’s uniform reflects his satisfaction with the recognition he has earned.

Chapter Summary: “A Case of Mistaken Identity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jing Yi admires himself in a general’s uniform and becomes convinced that he looks exceptionally masculine, commanding, and heroic.
• He reflects on how others have previously described him with words like “seductive,” “coquettish,” and “favored consort,” rejecting those descriptions as completely inaccurate.
• Determined to prove his critics wrong, Jing Yi has Diandian photograph him in his best poses and uploads the edited pictures to his personal page.
• Qin Meng returns to their room after being occupied with military duties during the journey back to Gold Star. He finds Jing Yi in uniform, absorbed in the reactions to his post.
• Qin Meng is immediately attracted to Jing Yi’s appearance and playfully treats him more like an alluring lover than a dignified general.
• Offended by Qin Meng’s suggestive wording and behavior, Jing Yi slaps his hand away, orders him to put him down, and sternly reminds him that he is speaking to a general.
• Qin Meng interprets Jing Yi’s behavior as an amusing role-playing performance and decides to play along, while Jing Yi is genuinely angry rather than pretending.
• Jing Yi reads the comments on his post and discovers that viewers overwhelmingly describe him as seductive, beautiful, and sexually alluring. Some even express envy of Qin Meng and make crude remarks about his appearance.
• His pride turns into intense embarrassment and fury. The chapter ends with Jing Yi repeating his warning that Qin Meng must show proper respect to a general.

Character Developments

• Jing Yi: Becomes increasingly attached to his current identity and appearance, to the point of abandoning his former self-image and convincing himself that he is unquestionably masculine. His attempt to “prove” this publicly backfires when the audience interprets his photos in exactly the way he dislikes. His confidence shifts into humiliation, indignation, and defensiveness.
• Qin Meng: Remains deeply attracted to Jing Yi and is especially captivated by him in uniform. He shows a possessive streak, disliking the idea of others admiring Jing Yi, but also finds Jing Yi’s outrage and role-playing adorable. He misreads Jing Yi’s anger as playful behavior and responds by indulging the supposed game.
• Their relationship: The scene highlights their familiar intimacy, with Qin Meng acting physically affectionate and teasing, while Jing Yi demands recognition and respect. Their differing interpretations create the chapter’s central comic misunderstanding.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus identity: Jing Yi wants the uniform to affirm his masculinity, but others continue to perceive him as alluring rather than conventionally manly.
• Self-perception and denial: Jing Yi’s “rose-tinted glasses” show how strongly he has come to identify with his current body and persona, even when outside reactions contradict his beliefs.
• Public perception: The online comments demonstrate how uncontrollable other people’s interpretations can be, especially when someone deliberately presents an image to prove a point.
• Humor through misunderstanding: Jing Yi believes he is making a dignified statement, while Qin Meng and the commenters see him as attractive and seductive, creating a sharp contrast between intention and reception.
• Possessiveness and affection: Qin Meng’s attraction and jealousy reveal both his devotion and his desire to keep Jing Yi’s appeal for himself.

Character Interactions

• Jing Yi poses proudly for photographs and relies on Diandian to help present himself favorably.
• Qin Meng approaches Jing Yi with flirtatious physical affection, but Jing Yi rebuffs him and reprimands him for treating a general improperly.
• Qin Meng chooses to humor Jing Yi’s “general” persona, unaware that Jing Yi’s offense is sincere.
• The online audience’s comments indirectly affect the couple’s interaction: Jing Yi becomes enraged by their objectification, while Qin Meng’s initial reaction mirrors theirs in a more affectionate and personal form.

Chapter 323 Summary

Key plot points and events

Qin Meng imagines a provocative role-playing scenario in which Jing Xiaoyi is a proud general forced to submit to his subordinate. He acts out the fantasy without warning, catching Jing off guard and physically teasing him. Jing quickly realizes what Qin is doing and angrily drives him out of the bedroom. The soldiers of the Third Mecha Corps see Qin emerge disheveled and immediately spread the amusing rumor that his wife kicked him out of bed.
After several days, Jing returns with Qin to the Gold Star Military District. The corps disbands so its members can return to their families. Their neglected home is cleaned and redecorated under Jing’s direction, restoring its warmth and comfort. Relaxing together after bathing, the couple discusses visiting the fertility center the next day and what kind of child they might want.

Character developments

Qin Meng is revealed to be especially impulsive, lustful, and imaginative, becoming desperate enough to devise an unsubtle role-playing scenario. Jing Xiaoyi’s stern “general” image is repeatedly undermined by his easily flustered and emotional reactions, though he regains his dignity in public. Despite their quarrel, Jing eventually forgives Qin and allows him back into their bedroom. Jing’s care for their home also shows his thoughtful, domestic side, while both men demonstrate growing readiness to build a family.

Significant themes

The chapter uses humor to contrast public reputation with private intimacy, showing how Jing’s dignified military persona collapses in domestic situations. It also emphasizes the comfort of returning home after hardship and travel. Their discussion of having a child introduces themes of family, future planning, and the couple’s deepening commitment to one another.

Character interactions

Qin playfully threatens and teases Jing during their role-play, while Jing responds with shock, embarrassment, and retaliation. The soldiers become amused observers, misinterpreting Qin’s disheveled appearance and turning the incident into gossip. Later, Jing and Qin share a peaceful, affectionate domestic moment, cooperating in household matters and discussing their future child.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Jing Xiaoyi and Qin Meng decide to have a child and travel to the famous Breeding Center to begin the process.
• They discuss how they might raise a daughter, joking about making her “rough-and-tumble” while emphasizing that she should be free to choose her own identity.
• The chapter explains Mi Star’s diverse legal marriage system, which includes same-sex relationships and marriages between humans and Dolls, robots, animals, or objects.
• Because natural reproduction is limited, the Breeding Center uses the genetic material of two individuals to create offspring. Couples unable to provide two sets of genes may apply to use genes from a backup bank.
• At the center, the couple notices numerous pregnant people, including men, which confuses Jing Xiaoyi.
• During their intake interview, a strict physician questions them about their financial stability and psychological readiness to raise a child. They answer sincerely and realize the process is much more solemn and meaningful than expected.
• The interview reminds them that they have never held a proper wedding, prompting them to consider making up for that omission.
• Before the physician leaves, Jing Xiaoyi awkwardly asks why so many men appear to be pregnant. Meanwhile, staff members gather around to watch the famous couple.

2. Character Developments

• Jing Xiaoyi shows his playful, curious, and slightly naïve personality, especially when he is startled by the sight of pregnant men. His joking attitude gradually gives way to nervousness and a growing awareness of the responsibilities of parenthood.
• Qin Meng remains supportive and affectionate, holding Jing Xiaoyi’s hand throughout the visit. He participates in their discussion about raising a child and shares Jing’s sincere commitment to becoming a parent.
• Together, the couple shifts from casually discussing children to recognizing parenthood as a serious, almost sacred responsibility.
• Their realization that they have not had a formal wedding adds a new dimension to their relationship and suggests a desire to strengthen their family foundation.

3. Significant Themes

• Parenthood and responsibility: The Breeding Center’s questioning stresses that having a child requires more than wealth; parents must be emotionally prepared to nurture and protect the child.
• Freedom of identity: Jing and Qin’s discussion about allowing their future child to choose between traditionally masculine and feminine traits reflects the theme of personal autonomy.
• Technology changing society: Advanced reproductive technology has transformed family formation, making biological children possible for many kinds of couples.
• Diverse definitions of family and marriage: Mi Star legally recognizes many unconventional relationships, presenting family as something broader than traditional male-female marriage.
• Public fascination and celebrity: The couple’s fame causes staff to crowd around and observe them, adding humor while showing how difficult it is for them to experience ordinary life privately.

4. Character Interactions

• Jing Xiaoyi and Qin Meng exchange teasing remarks about how they would raise their child, revealing their intimacy and contrasting personalities.
• They hold hands and answer the physician’s questions together, demonstrating mutual support and shared commitment.
• The physician’s formal, serious interview contrasts with the couple’s nervousness and humorous reactions, making the process feel almost like a second wedding ceremony.
• Jing Xiaoyi’s awkward question about pregnant men becomes the chapter’s comic climax, while the surrounding staff’s attempts to sneak glances at the famous couple highlight their celebrity status.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Master Jing asks how he and Qin Meng are supposed to have a child, assuming reproduction involves IVF or an artificial womb rather than pregnancy by one of the fathers.
• His question causes everyone present to burst out laughing, leaving him embarrassed and confused.
• Jing briefly considers whether Mi Star has developed technology allowing men to become pregnant. He then mischievously decides that Qin Meng should be the one to give birth, believing Qin’s strength and endurance would produce a healthy child.
• Qin Meng immediately senses Jing’s malicious thoughts and becomes wary, creating a humorous tension between the couple.
• Before they can argue, a physician reprimands them for lacking basic knowledge about parenthood and sends them to attend a Prospective Fathers Training Center before undergoing an examination.
• During the class, Jing learns about the history of artificial reproduction. Earlier systems relied on machines and incubation pods to produce children efficiently, allowing women to avoid natural pregnancy.
• Although the children born through this method appeared physically healthy, an entire generation developed widespread psychological problems, including emotional detachment, fragility, selfishness, poor stress tolerance, and weak emotional bonds.
• Society eventually halted the system and concluded that fetal development requires more than physical nourishment: unborn children must also experience parental presence, including a mother’s heartbeat, emotions, voice, and surrounding environment.
• The chapter ends as the course prepares to explain how reproduction technology was adapted after this discovery.

Character Development

• Master Jing is shown as intelligent but culturally ignorant about Mi Star’s reproductive customs. His mistaken assumptions lead to embarrassment, though his imagination and quick reasoning turn the situation into comedy.
• He also reveals a selfish and mischievous side by immediately trying to shift the burden of pregnancy onto Qin Meng.
• Qin Meng demonstrates perceptiveness, recognizing Jing’s intentions before Jing says anything. His suspicion adds to the playful dynamic between them.
• The physician functions as a practical authority figure, emphasizing that the couple must become informed and responsible prospective fathers.

Significant Themes

• Technological progress versus ethics: Scientific advances in reproduction initially appeared liberating and efficient, but society had to confront their psychological and ethical consequences.
• Nature and emotional development: The chapter emphasizes that healthy human development depends not only on biological growth but also on emotional and sensory contact before birth.
• The limits of mechanization: Machines can regulate nutrition and physical development, but they cannot fully replace parental warmth, companionship, and emotional presence.
• Parenthood as preparation: Becoming a parent requires knowledge and responsibility, not merely the ability to obtain a child through advanced technology.
• Humor and cultural misunderstanding: Jing’s outdated assumptions create comic conflict while highlighting the differences between his former world and Mi Star.

Character Interactions

• The crowd’s laughter humiliates Master Jing after his question.
• Jing silently schemes to make Qin Meng bear the child, while Qin detects the scheme and develops an ominous feeling.
• The physician interrupts their potential quarrel, scolds both men, and redirects them toward parental education.
• The training class broadens Jing’s understanding of Mi Star’s society and its complicated history with artificial reproduction.

Chapter Summary: “The Great Proposal Campaign!”

Key plot points and events

• Researchers unveil a portable Infant Incubation Pod that replicates pregnancy, including the effects of parental voices, emotions, heartbeats, breathing, and pheromones. Either spouse can wear it, though frequent switching is discouraged.
• Jing Yi is amazed by the technology and, after receiving an explanation, takes Qin Meng to the genetic-matching department. The couple provide genetic material for conception and learn that they will not need to personally use the pod until roughly the fourth month.
• On their way home, Jing Yi nervously imagines the future pregnancy and demands that Qin Meng not abandon him with the responsibility. Qin Meng reassures him that he will share the burden—and even offers to be the one who carries the “big belly.”
• Qin Meng’s thoughts soon turn to a more urgent matter: formally proposing to Jing Yi and ensuring they truly marry before their child is born.
• Unable to devise a plan alone, Qin Meng consults members of his Mecha Corps. The soldiers tease him about already being married, then begin suggesting elaborate, military-themed proposal ideas, including a mecha performance in space.

Character developments

• Jing Yi remains innocent and easily astonished, revealing how unfamiliar he is with ordinary reproductive knowledge. His nervousness about pregnancy contrasts with his excitement and growing emotional investment in becoming a parent.
• Qin Meng acts as Jing Yi’s protector and emotional support, patiently calming him. At the same time, he shows a newly romantic and responsible side by deciding that he must give Jing Yi a sincere proposal rather than treating their earlier marriage as sufficient.
• Qin Meng’s soldiers reveal their loyalty and affection for both their commander and Jing Yi, whom they view as someone deserving of special care after suffering alongside Qin Meng.

Significant themes

• Advances in science and family-building: The incubation technology makes pregnancy a shared, flexible responsibility and challenges traditional assumptions about who carries a child.
• Commitment and legitimacy: Qin Meng wants their relationship to be formally and meaningfully affirmed before parenthood, showing that emotional commitment matters as much as biological family.
• Mutual support: The couple negotiate future responsibilities together, while Qin Meng’s subordinates help him prepare for an important personal milestone.
• Romance and humor: Jing Yi’s naïve reactions, Qin Meng’s anxiety about proposing, and the soldiers’ absurd suggestions create a lighthearted contrast to the seriousness of marriage and parenthood.

Character interactions

• The instructor explains the incubation pod while Jing Yi listens with intense fascination, unintentionally overwhelming the nervous teacher.
• Jing Yi and Qin Meng undergo the genetic-matching process together, reinforcing their partnership.
• During their walk home, Jing Yi voices his fears and embarrassment, while Qin Meng comforts him and promises not to leave him alone with the pregnancy.
• Qin Meng then turns to his Mecha Corps for proposal advice. The soldiers joke about his romantic shortcomings before enthusiastically proposing extravagant ideas involving mecha and space, setting up the chapter’s ongoing proposal campaign.

Chapter 327 Summary

Plot and events

After another useless argument with his subordinates about how to propose to Jing Xiaoyi, Qin Meng gives up on them and anonymously posts online for advice. He explains that he and his wife had an arranged marriage, that he skipped the original wedding, and that he now wants to propose and hold a proper romantic wedding after falling in love. He emphasizes that money is not a problem.
The online commenters largely condemn him as a “scumbag” for abandoning the wedding, though some offer advice. Most suggestions are extravagant and theatrical—underwater proposals, crystal palaces, luxury spaceships, elaborate wilderness weddings, or even staged kidnappings and heroic rescues. Qin Meng dismisses most of these ideas as ridiculous, but he takes one useful suggestion seriously: “Give them what they like.”

Character development

Qin Meng demonstrates that he genuinely wants to make amends and express his love sincerely, rather than simply relying on wealth. However, he remains uncertain about Jing Xiaoyi’s preferences and struggles to turn what he knows about him into a concrete proposal or wedding plan. His growing preoccupation becomes obvious enough for Jing Xiaoyi to notice.
Jing Xiaoyi, meanwhile, remains busy and productive, studying under four masters and working constantly. He notices Qin Meng’s distraction but eventually stops questioning him when Qin Meng refuses to explain himself.

Themes

The chapter explores sincere repentance, romantic effort, and the difficulty of understanding a loved one deeply. It contrasts genuine affection with extravagant displays of wealth, suggesting that money alone cannot create meaningful romance. The idea that love requires “giving someone what they like” becomes the chapter’s central insight.

Character interactions

Qin Meng’s subordinates argue noisily and provide terrible advice, prompting him to seek help anonymously online. The forum users criticize him while also offering wildly exaggerated suggestions. Qin Meng observes Jing Xiaoyi’s interests—painting, mech-building, cooking, and hidden secrets—but feels that simply knowing these facts is not enough. His evasiveness causes a small distance between him and Jing Xiaoyi, who notices something is wrong but chooses to focus on his own studies and work.

Ending

After thinking about the proposal and wedding for three days without finding a solution, Qin Meng receives an important message, leaving the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Madam Chen informs the family that the extended holiday for National Day and New Year will bring everyone together at the Chen Family’s Admiral Mansion.
• Although the younger members say Qin Meng need not attend, they insist that Jing Xiaoyi come because they are eager to meet him—and likely hoping to receive his popular New Energy Cards.
• Jing Xiaoyi prepares gifts for every family member, along with a carload of elaborate food, including Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, pastries, snacks, marinated meats, fish, and a huge festive cream cake.
• Qin Meng worries that the family gathering will exhaust Jing Xiaoyi, while Jing Xiaoyi becomes increasingly nervous about meeting Qin Meng’s powerful and numerous relatives.
• Upon arrival, Jing Xiaoyi is overwhelmed by the intimidating crowd: four generations of the Chen family are present, including several high-ranking generals, spouses, grandchildren, and even a great-grandchild.
• Jing Xiaoyi first greets the elders and receives carefully prepared gifts in return. He reflects on the Chen family’s importance to Qin Meng, especially General Chen’s role in protecting and raising him.
• Jing Xiaoyi is then immediately dragged away by the younger generation, prompting Lieutenant General Chen Wei to scold them for their lack of manners.

Character Developments

• Jing Xiaoyi demonstrates thoughtfulness and generosity by preparing personalized New Energy Card gifts and a large quantity of homemade food for the entire family. Though initially nervous, he sincerely begins to regard Qin Meng’s relatives as people important to him.
• Qin Meng shows strong devotion to Jing Xiaoyi, prioritizing his comfort over family expectations. His protectiveness also reveals how much he values Jing Xiaoyi as his spouse.
• Jing Xiaoyi’s emotional attachment to Qin Meng deepens. He recognizes the Chen family’s role in Qin Meng’s life and feels gratitude toward the people who protected and supported him.
• The Chen family’s younger generation is portrayed as enthusiastic, mischievous fans of Jing Xiaoyi, especially interested in his New Energy Cards.
• General Chen and the older generation appear welcoming and considerate, preparing gifts for Jing Xiaoyi and treating him as an accepted member of the family.

Significant Themes

• Family and belonging: The gathering emphasizes that the Chen family is Qin Meng’s true home and that Jing Xiaoyi is gradually being welcomed into it.
• Love expressed through care: Both men show affection through practical actions—Qin Meng protects Jing Xiaoyi from exhaustion, while Jing Xiaoyi prepares gifts and food for the family.
• Chosen family versus blood relations: Qin Meng’s lack of affection for the Qin Family contrasts with the Chen family’s role in raising and protecting him.
• Humor in domestic relationships: Jing Xiaoyi’s exaggerated anxiety about being judged as a nervous son-in-law, combined with the children’s eagerness to exploit his generosity, keeps the family reunion lighthearted.
• Strength through unity: The chapter’s title reflects the power of family solidarity, particularly the Chen family’s collective influence and Qin Meng and Jing Xiaoyi’s growing partnership.

Character Interactions

• Qin Meng and Jing Xiaoyi travel together in matching Tang-style clothing, highlighting their coordinated and affectionate partnership.
• Qin Meng silently worries about Jing Xiaoyi’s well-being, while Jing Xiaoyi privately imagines Qin Meng acting as his “guardian knight.”
• Jing Xiaoyi greets General Chen and the elders respectfully, accepting their gifts and acknowledging their importance to Qin Meng.
• The younger Chen family members eagerly surround and pull Jing Xiaoyi away, while Chen Wei attempts to restore order by reprimanding them.

Chapter 329 Summary

Plot and Events

At a gathering at the Chen family home, the usually unruly Chen children immediately become obedient in Jing Yi’s presence. Madam Chen encourages Jing Yi to go play with the younger generation, while reprimanding her son Chen Wei for intimidating the children with his military-like demeanor.
The children eagerly drag Jing Yi outside. Qin Meng tries to follow and protect him, but Chen Bing and Chen Yu stop him. They jokingly “punish” Qin Meng for his recent successes—winning championships, receiving a promotion, marrying Jing Yi, and even surviving after being presumed dead. The Chen brothers gang up on him in a playful beating, taking care not to injure his face.
During the mock fight, Chen Yu sings a line from a song by Death’s Pact, which suddenly reminds Qin Meng of a serious problem. He realizes that his secret identity as “World’s Handsome Number One” may soon be exposed. Desperate, he asks the Chen brothers to help him. They initially assume he may have betrayed Jing Yi or kept another lover, and mock him for risking his marriage to such an exceptional spouse.
Qin Meng denies any infidelity and notices that Jing Yi has already completely won over the children, who sit obediently around him while receiving gifts and snacks. Knowing Jing Yi may soon question the children and uncover the truth, Qin Meng hurriedly explains everything he did under the alias “World’s Handsome Number One” to the four Chen brothers.

Character Developments

• Qin Meng: His confident, playful demeanor gives way to panic as he realizes his carefully hidden alias is in danger of being exposed. He recognizes that the Chen brothers know him too well to be fooled and reluctantly confesses his actions.
• Jing Yi: He demonstrates warmth, patience, and natural authority with children, instantly transforming the Chen family’s unruly youngsters into well-behaved admirers.
• Chen Bing and Chen Yu: They tease and physically “punish” Qin Meng while still showing affection and loyalty. Their jokes also reveal their strong protective feelings toward Jing Yi.
• Chen Wei: He is embarrassed when Madam Chen reprimands him for making the children fearful, highlighting the contrast between his intimidating military habits and the family’s more relaxed atmosphere.
• The Chen children: Their attitude changes dramatically around Jing Yi; the normally mischievous children become attentive, obedient, and eager to impress him.

Themes

• Family teasing and affection: The mock beating and outrageous jokes serve as expressions of closeness among Qin Meng and the Chen brothers.
• Secrets and impending exposure: Qin Meng’s anxiety centers on the possibility that his alias will be recognized by people who know his personality too well.
• Jing Yi’s charisma and authority: His effortless ability to charm and control the children emphasizes his exceptional appeal and influence.
• Contrasting public and private identities: Qin Meng’s hidden persona is difficult to separate from his true self, especially among longtime friends and family.

Character Interactions

The chapter focuses on the lively relationship between Qin Meng and the Chen brothers, who torment him but ultimately become the people he trusts with his secret. Meanwhile, Jing Yi’s interaction with the children creates a striking contrast: while Qin Meng is overwhelmed and beaten down by the older brothers, Jing Yi calmly gathers the younger generation around him and wins their complete cooperation.

Chapter Summary: “The Destructive Power of a Terrible Teammate”

Key plot points and events

• Qin Meng asks the Chen brothers to help him conceal that he is the online identity “World’s Handsome Number One.”
• The brothers agree, but unanimously choose Chen Chong—whose arrogant, foolish, and narcissistic personality supposedly matches the username—to take the blame.
• Chen Chong rushes to confess to Jing Xiaoyi without learning the details of Qin Meng’s earlier prank. When Jing asks what song “Little Skeleton” sang and what dance it performed, Chen Chong is immediately exposed as having no idea.
• Jing reveals that he already knew “World’s Handsome Number One” was Qin Meng’s alternate account and had only been teasing them. Chen Chong instantly betrays Qin Meng and pretends that Qin Meng had deceived everyone.
• The other Chen brothers are embarrassed by Chen Chong’s incompetence, while Qin Meng is furious and humiliated.
• Jing begins connecting Qin Meng to another mysterious identity, “Grey Eagle,” after recalling Grey Eagle’s unusual familiarity and confidence inside the Admiral Mansion.

Character developments

• Qin Meng is shown to be secretive, playful, and embarrassed by his childish online persona. He relies on his brothers to cover for him but is forced to confront how unreliable they are.
• Chen Chong proves himself to be impulsive, boastful, and disastrously bad at deception. His eagerness to show off ruins the plan almost immediately.
• Jing Xiaoyi demonstrates that he is observant and perceptive. Rather than being fooled, he has already identified Qin Meng’s alternate account and now starts investigating whether Qin Meng also hides the identity of Grey Eagle.
• The Chen brothers display loyalty by agreeing to help Qin Meng, but their loyalty is undermined by their poor execution and embarrassment over Chen Chong’s behavior.

Significant themes

• The destructive effects of incompetent allies: Qin Meng’s biggest danger is not discovery by an enemy but the foolishness of the people trying to protect him.
• Hidden identities and double lives: Qin Meng’s contrasting personas—his childish, boastful online identity and his more serious real-life self—create both comedy and suspicion.
• Trust versus competence: Although the Chen brothers are willing to support Qin Meng, their lack of intelligence makes their help more dangerous than useful.
• Intimacy and recognition: Jing’s familiarity with Qin Meng allows him to see through the disguise, suggesting that close relationships make deception difficult.

Important character interactions

• Qin Meng recruits the Chen brothers to act as scapegoats.
• Chen Chong confronts Jing but collapses under questioning because Qin Meng failed to tell him the full story.
• Jing teasingly exposes the truth, while Chen Chong immediately shifts blame back onto Qin Meng.
• Jing privately reflects on the startling contrast between his husband Qin Meng and “World’s Handsome Number One.”
• Jing then compares Qin Meng with Grey Eagle, beginning to suspect that the two identities may also belong to the same person.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Meng is exposed when his secret code name is questioned. His failure to respond convinces everyone that he has a guilty conscience and that several of his hidden identities have been uncovered.
• Qin Meng tries to confess and plead for leniency, hoping to avoid being publicly punished. However, Master Jing continues teasing him and deliberately leaves his punishment undecided, causing Qin Meng prolonged anxiety.
• Master Jing charms the children at the gathering, helped by his cooking and reputation as a master card maker. The children become so fond of him that they jokingly—or nearly seriously—ask him to abandon Qin Meng and marry them instead.
• A lavish family banquet is prepared, featuring Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, braised dragon meat, honey-glazed char siu, boiled pork with garlic-chili sauce, fried bug meat, giant mantis eggs, and a wide variety of barbecue dishes.
• The children and younger guests grill their own food outdoors under Master Jing’s guidance, turning the backyard into a lively playground. Meanwhile, the older generals eat indoors, drink liquor, and discuss military and national affairs.
• Jing Xiaoyi becomes the unquestioned center of attention. Children, peers, and elders all admire him, while Qin Meng faces increasing jealousy and hostility from the children.
• Qin Meng’s teammates continue pressuring and teasing him, apparently encouraging him to drink or endure further embarrassment, intensifying his misery.

Character Developments

• Qin Meng: His concealed identities are exposed, leaving him embarrassed, nervous, and desperate to avoid punishment. His jealousy and insecurity grow as the children openly compete for Master Jing’s affection. He is also distracted by the uncertainty of what punishment Jing will impose.
• Master Jing/Jing Xiaoyi: He demonstrates a playful, mischievous side by withholding Qin Meng’s punishment. His warmth, cooking ability, and natural rapport with children make him exceptionally popular at the banquet.
• The children: They become openly devoted to Jing Xiaoyi, treating Qin Meng as an obstacle and expressing exaggerated romantic admiration for Jing. They also grow more independent and enthusiastic while learning to barbecue.
• The generals and elders: They remain somewhat formal and dignified, choosing to dine separately, but they enjoy the food and relaxed social atmosphere.
• Qin Meng’s teammates: They act as “pig teammates,” having contributed to Qin Meng’s exposure and continuing to tease him rather than helping him.

Significant Themes

• Public embarrassment and accountability: Qin Meng’s greatest fear is not merely punishment, but being forced to face it publicly after his secrets are revealed.
• Affection and social bonds: Jing Xiaoyi’s kindness, talent, and charm allow him to win over people of every age, highlighting how affection can reshape existing relationships.
• Family and communal joy: The banquet emphasizes shared preparation, eating, and celebration rather than food alone.
• Playful rivalry and jealousy: The children’s attempts to “poach” Jing from Qin Meng create comic tension and reveal Qin Meng’s possessiveness.
• Status versus informality: The generals maintain their dignity indoors, while the children freely enjoy themselves outside, contrasting formal authority with relaxed family intimacy.

Character Interactions

• Qin Meng nervously attempts to negotiate with Master Jing, but Jing responds by keeping him uncertain and teasing him.
• Master Jing bonds with the children through food, games, and guidance, while the children openly side against Qin Meng.
• The children praise Jing Xiaoyi and jokingly propose marrying him, provoking Qin Meng’s jealousy.
• Master Jing teaches the children how to control the barbecue grills, turning the meal into a shared activity.
• The generals converse privately about military and national affairs, creating a quieter parallel gathering to the boisterous backyard celebration.
• Qin Meng’s teammates mock and pressure him, worsening his embarrassment rather than offering support.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Meng’s associates flatter and badger him for more Energy Cards, though he suspects they would betray him if trouble arose.
• On the ride home, Qin Meng nervously tries to confess that he is Grey Eagle, bringing up the cake and accessories Jing Xiaoyi once sent him.
• Jing Xiaoyi reveals he already knows—but Qin Meng realizes he has misunderstood the conversation: Jing was apparently asking about “World’s Handsome Number One,” not Grey Eagle.
• With the truth exposed anyway, Qin Meng admits he is both World’s Handsome Number One and Grey Eagle.
• Jing Xiaoyi laughs at Qin Meng’s grandiose confession, then demands to know whether he has any other secrets. Qin Meng promises he does not.
• Jing Xiaoyi scolds him for hiding his identity and ends the chapter embarrassed and furious over their past encounters.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Meng shifts from anxious hesitation to reluctant honesty. His attempt to confess goes badly because he misreads Jing Xiaoyi’s question, leaving him feeling foolish and exposed.
• Jing Xiaoyi is amused by Qin Meng’s awkward, self-important phrasing, but his laughter gives way to anger and embarrassment once he reflects on the deception.
• Their playful intimacy is clear: Jing sits on Qin Meng’s lap and teases him, while Qin Meng tries to win his approval. Yet their closeness does not erase Jing’s resentment.
• Jing is especially mortified that he once treated Grey Eagle as a separate person—and accused him of eating offerings intended for his “beloved late husband”—while Qin Meng knew the truth.

Significant themes

• Secrets and confession: Qin Meng weighs whether to reveal his identity, but the truth comes out through a comic misunderstanding.
• Trust and concealment: Jing Xiaoyi’s anger stems less from the aliases themselves than from how long Qin Meng let him act without knowing.
• Comedy and embarrassment: The scene turns a serious confession into farce, while the humor highlights the couple’s intimacy and unresolved grievances.

• Key events: Jing Xiaoyi confronts Qin Meng for hiding the truth about their marriage and his feelings. Qin Meng argues that he could have ended the marriage through military channels, but chose not to—and claims he returned despite the danger because he loved Jing Xiaoyi. Jing considers how vulnerable he would have been if the marriage had been dissolved, but refuses to let Qin Meng’s explanation erase his grievance. He asks whether Qin Meng truly liked him from the beginning; Qin Meng realizes that he did. Jing then teases him on the ride home, leaving Qin Meng visibly flustered when they arrive and meet their neighbors.
• Character developments: Qin Meng’s attempt to soothe Jing Xiaoyi turns into a genuine realization that his affection began at first sight, expressed at the time through constant bickering and attention. Jing recognizes the practical protection the marriage gave him, but remains proud and determined not to yield too easily.
• Character interactions: Their exchange shifts from accusation and self-defense to sincere romantic acknowledgment and playful teasing. Jing tests Qin Meng’s explanation, while Qin Meng tries to reassure him; their flirtation continues even after the argument is not entirely settled.
• Significant themes: Trust and honesty in a relationship; the security and power that marriage and military connections can provide; affection disguised as antagonism; and the balance between vulnerability, pride, and playful reconciliation.

Chapter Summary: “Pink Bubbles~”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Meng returns home after concealing an embarrassing injury from the neighbors, maintaining his dignity despite walking awkwardly.
• Once inside, he eagerly tries to initiate intimacy with Jing Xiaoyi, but Jing stops him and suggests playing a game first.
• Jing had originally planned to punish Qin with various teasing props for his earlier misconduct and dishonesty. However, Qin’s lovestruck, affectionate behavior causes Jing’s anger to disappear.
• Qin promises to treat Jing well and never lie to him again. When Jing reminds him of the Infant Incubation Pod planned for four months later, Qin firmly agrees to go through with it.
• Satisfied, Jing asks Qin to carry him to the bath. Their playful, affectionate bathing leads to passionate intimacy, followed later by a gentler and more emotionally tender encounter in bed.

Character Development

• Qin Meng: His usual military composure is completely replaced by lovestruck devotion. He becomes openly affectionate, eager to please Jing, and willing to make serious promises about honesty and the future. His happiness makes him appear almost foolish, but it also reveals the sincerity of his feelings.
• Jing Xiaoyi: Initially angry and prepared to punish Qin, Jing quickly softens when confronted with Qin’s genuine affection. He retains a teasing, demanding personality, but his willingness to accept Qin’s promises shows that he wants emotional reassurance as much as punishment or revenge.

Significant Themes

• Love overcoming anger: Jing’s resentment fades because Qin’s affection feels sincere and disarming.
• Trust and honesty: Qin’s promise not to lie again, along with his agreement to the future pregnancy-related plan, becomes the emotional turning point of the chapter.
• Playfulness in intimacy: The chapter mixes teasing, humor, and romance, presenting physical closeness as an extension of emotional reconciliation.
• Loss of composure through love: Qin’s transformation from an admired, dignified colonel into an openly infatuated lover emphasizes how deeply Jing affects him.

Character Interactions

• The neighbors admire Qin while misunderstanding the reason for his awkward condition, creating comic contrast with his private situation.
• Jing teases and challenges Qin, while Qin responds with unconditional affection and obedience.
• Their exchange about lying and the Infant Incubation Pod allows them to address unresolved trust issues.
• The chapter ends with their relationship becoming warmer and more mutually affectionate, shifting from playful passion to a sense of tenderness and emotional unity.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After intending to confront Qin Meng, Jing Xiaoyi instead spends an intimate day with him and falls asleep frustrated by how easily Qin Meng affected him.
• The next morning, Qin Meng takes care of Jing Xiaoyi attentively, bringing him water, helping him wash, and preparing his favorite breakfast.
• Jing Xiaoyi initially views the meal as Qin Meng’s attempt to appease him, but becomes deeply moved when he realizes Qin Meng prepared it himself by carefully following Jing’s cooking methods.
• They share a quiet, domestic breakfast together, creating a strong sense of warmth and belonging.
• During the holiday period, Qin Meng and Jing Xiaoyi spend three comfortable days at home. Qin Meng also draws inspiration from Jing Xiaoyi’s singing.
• Since Jing Xiaoyi’s birthday is one month away, Qin Meng decides to propose to him on that day.

Character Development

• Jing Xiaoyi: Though initially determined to remain angry and resistant, he gradually reveals his emotional vulnerability. Qin Meng’s thoughtful cooking makes him realize how rarely anyone has cared for him in the same way he has cared for others. He begins to recognize their relationship as a genuine home and source of emotional security.
• Qin Meng: He becomes more considerate and domestic, learning to cook specifically for Jing Xiaoyi. His careful attention shows both remorse for the previous night and a sincere desire to care for Jing. He also begins planning a major commitment—their future marriage proposal.

Significant Themes

• Love expressed through acts of service: Qin Meng’s breakfast demonstrates affection more powerfully than words.
• The meaning of home: Jing Xiaoyi realizes that home is not merely a place but the shared life, comfort, and love he has with Qin Meng.
• Emotional reciprocity: Jing, who is accustomed to cooking and caring for others, finally experiences someone making the same effort for him.
• Domestic intimacy and commitment: Their peaceful breakfast and holiday together show their relationship becoming more stable and deeply integrated into everyday life.
• Anticipation of the future: Qin Meng’s proposal plan signals that their relationship is moving toward a permanent commitment.

Character Interactions

• Jing Xiaoyi teases and distrusts Qin Meng’s attempt to win him over, but his reaction gradually softens.
• Qin Meng anxiously watches Jing’s response to the food and worries that he has failed, revealing how much Jing’s approval matters to him.
• Jing reassures Qin by praising the breakfast and invites him to eat alongside him, turning the meal into a shared domestic moment.
• Their quiet companionship—sitting shoulder to shoulder and eating together—reflects their growing emotional closeness and mutual sense of home.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After three happy days together, Qin Meng returns to work overtime with the Third Mecha Corps.
• His subordinates, having learned that Jing Xiaoyi discovered his identity, tease him mercilessly. They had assumed Jing Xiaoyi would reject or even “kill” him, so they are shocked to see Qin Meng in an unusually good mood.
• Qin Meng calmly endures their mockery, which only makes his comrades feel more defeated. Their jokes include giving him Moon-Rong Flowers, traditionally used to mourn young soldiers who have died.
• The Third Mecha Corps continues its space-patrol duties around Gold Star, inspecting and escorting incoming ships.
• Pirate activity has intensified. Seventeen ships have recently been hijacked, massacred, or destroyed, with several pirate groups claiming responsibility. These anti-social extremists seek fear and publicity rather than profit, often livestreaming their atrocities to challenge the government and military.
• Qin Meng examines the passenger list of a missing ship and discovers the names Jing Sa and Jing Lan—Jing Xiaoyi’s younger half-siblings.
• The narrative then shifts back in time to the ship Yalun. Shortly after entering the Gold Star Sector, it is surrounded and hijacked by heavily armed warships. Its communications are blocked, leaving the 1,200 passengers helpless.
• Jing Lan goes to Jing Sa’s room, and the siblings anxiously realize that they may have placed themselves in grave danger by traveling aboard the ship.

Character Developments

• Qin Meng: He is clearly happy and confident after his recent time with Jing Xiaoyi. Rather than becoming defensive when mocked, he accepts the teasing with amused composure, revealing how secure he feels in his relationship.
• Brown Bear and the other soldiers: They show a familiar, teasing relationship with Qin Meng. Their humor reflects both their loyalty and their delight at seeing their usually stern commander emotionally affected.
• Jing Sa and Jing Lan: The siblings are introduced as frightened civilians caught in a dangerous crisis. Their immediate regret and helplessness emphasize their vulnerability.
• Jing Xiaoyi: Though absent from most of the chapter, her importance is evident through Qin Meng’s concern when he sees her siblings’ names on the missing passenger list.

Significant Themes

• Romance and emotional transformation: Qin Meng’s cheerful mood contrasts sharply with his usual stern military persona, showing how deeply his relationship with Jing Xiaoyi affects him.
• Comradeship and teasing: The soldiers’ mockery serves as a humorous expression of intimacy and mutual understanding.
• Terrorism and public fear: The pirates are portrayed as ideologically driven extremists who use massacres and broadcasts to undermine public confidence in governmental protection.
• Helplessness in the face of danger: The passengers aboard the Yalun are isolated by signal jamming and overwhelming military force, highlighting the vulnerability of ordinary people in a lawless interstellar environment.
• Family and responsibility: Qin Meng’s discovery of Jing Xiaoyi’s siblings transforms the pirate crisis from a general military problem into a deeply personal one.

Character Interactions

• Qin Meng interacts with Brown Bear and the other soldiers through relentless teasing about his relationship with Jing Xiaoyi. His refusal to argue reverses the power dynamic and leaves them embarrassed.
• Jing Sa and Jing Lan meet in fear aboard the Yalun, sharing regret and anxiety after the ship is captured.
• Qin Meng’s connection to Jing Xiaoyi shapes his reaction to the passenger list, linking his military duties directly to his personal relationships.

Chapter Summary: “Slaughter”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Kidnappers seize control of the spacecraft, cut off all communication, and declare it missing.
• All passengers are ordered into the central hall under threat of death.
• When one terrified passenger begs for ransom, a kidnapper leader shoots him publicly, demonstrating that the captors will not negotiate.
• The kidnappers search for hidden passengers. Over the next half hour, the gathered passengers hear fifty-six gunshots, implying that all those who disobeyed were executed.
• After the purge, the leader specifically demands that siblings Jing Sa and Jing Lan step forward.
• He reveals that the kidnapping operation was undertaken because of them, causing the other passengers to turn against the siblings.
• The chapter then provides background: Jing Sa and Jing Lan secretly boarded the spacecraft, likely because of their connection to their formerly disregarded older brother, Jing Yi, who has unexpectedly risen to prominence as “Master Jing.”

Character Developments

• Jing Sa initially appears frail and terrified but instinctively protects Jing Lan, showing unexpected courage and responsibility as an older brother.
• Jing Lan, normally domineering and confident, is reduced to helpless fear; her tears ruin her carefully made-up appearance, revealing her vulnerability.
• The passengers undergo a psychological shift: their initial outrage at the kidnappers gradually becomes self-preserving relief that they obeyed orders, showing how fear and survival instinct can suppress empathy.
• The kidnapper leader is established as cold, efficient, and sadistic, using murder and intimidation to maintain control.
• Jing Sa and Jing Lan’s past attitude toward Jing Yi is framed as increasingly humiliating: they once looked down on him, but he has become far more powerful and successful than the family that dismissed him.

Significant Themes

• Terror and survival: The passengers’ obedience is driven by the instinct to survive, while the executions make resistance seem futile.
• Dehumanization and mob blame: Once the kidnappers identify Jing Sa and Jing Lan as the targets, the passengers redirect their anger toward them rather than confronting the true perpetrators.
• Power reversal: Jing Yi’s rise from a disregarded family member to a renowned figure has radically changed the family’s social position.
• Fear’s effect on morality: The passengers begin rationalizing their own safety while others are killed, revealing how quickly compassion can give way to self-preservation.
• Helplessness and vulnerability: Both the passengers and the siblings are stripped of status and control in the face of organized violence.

Character Interactions

• The kidnappers dominate the passengers through threats, public execution, and gunfire.
• The passengers collectively obey the kidnappers, then turn hostile toward Jing Sa and Jing Lan once they learn the siblings are the reason for the operation.
• Jing Sa physically shields Jing Lan, emphasizing their sibling bond despite their fear.
• The chapter also contrasts Jing Sa and Jing Lan’s former disregard for Jing Yi with the admiration others now show toward him and his wife, Qin Meng.

Chapter 338 Summary

Plot and events

Jing Sa and Jing Lan are influenced by relatives and friends to reconnect with their estranged older brother, Jing Yi, believing that family ties should override past conflicts. Their father, Jing Bo, cares primarily about appearances and previously forbade them from visiting Jing Yi after military personnel turned them away. During their school break, the siblings secretly travel to Gold Star, hoping Jing Yi can help Jing Sa enter the military and provide them with better opportunities.
However, their transport is attacked by space pirates. The pirates identify Jing Sa and Jing Lan as their targets, then massacre more than a thousand other passengers in front of them. The siblings are traumatized and lose consciousness.
Meanwhile, Jing Bo finally contacts Jing Yi. Madam Jing tearfully apologizes and begs Jing Yi to rescue the two because they are his biological siblings. Jing Yi is initially shocked, but after learning the circumstances, he realizes that Jing Sa and Jing Lan deliberately came to find him and asks Colonel Qin for help.

Character developments

• Jing Sa and Jing Lan: Initially sheltered and resentful—or at least distant—from Jing Yi, they are persuaded to seek his help. Their confidence and expectations collapse when they witness the massacre, forcing them to confront the brutality of the world outside their protected upbringing.
• Jing Bo: His concern for reputation is emphasized; even when dealing with his children’s suffering, he wants to maintain a respectable image. Once they disappear, however, his panic reveals how deeply he fears losing them.
• Madam Jing: Her previous manipulative and self-righteous demeanor breaks down. Desperate to save the siblings, she apologizes to Jing Yi and begs for his assistance.
• Jing Yi: Though surprised and still estranged from his family, he does not dismiss his siblings. His sense of responsibility and compassion lead him to seek Colonel Qin’s intervention.

Significant themes

• Family obligation versus personal hurt: Others insist that blood ties cannot be severed, but the chapter questions whether biological relationships alone erase abuse and resentment.
• Manipulation and social expectations: Jing Sa and Jing Lan are pushed toward Jing Yi by relatives and friends who frame reconciliation as both morally necessary and personally advantageous.
• Privilege and sheltered innocence: The siblings’ privileged upbringing leaves them completely unprepared for the violence they encounter.
• Reputation versus genuine responsibility: Jing Bo’s concern with appearances contrasts with Jing Yi’s practical decision to help despite their fractured relationship.
• The consequences of influence: The “helpful” friend who arranges their tickets may have deliberately enabled the siblings’ journey into danger, suggesting a possible conspiracy.

Character interactions

Jing Lan’s friends pressure her to exploit Jing Yi’s power and resources, prompting her to convince Jing Sa to travel with her. The siblings rely on a friend who arranges their tickets, only to be singled out by the kidnappers. Later, Jing Bo and Madam Jing contact Jing Yi; Madam Jing kneels and pleads for forgiveness and aid. Jing Yi listens, learns the truth, and turns to Colonel Qin because saving his endangered siblings is now urgent.

Chapter Summary: “Game of Wits”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jing Xiaoyi calms down after speaking with the hijacker and contacts Qin Meng for help.
• Qin Meng reassures him that the military will search for the hijacked spacecraft, even if Jing Sa and Jing Lan are not aboard.
• Jing Xiaoyi still believes his siblings were accidental victims and does not realize the hijacking was specifically targeted.
• News of the abduction spreads across the interstellar network within half an hour. The victims are identified as Master Jing’s younger siblings, causing widespread public concern.
• The public condemns both the pirates and the Gold Star Military District, demanding that Qin Meng lead an immediate rescue.
• Jing Bo and Madam Jing appear on an interview program looking devastated and tearful. Their visible anguish wins them sympathy, despite their earlier mistreatment of Master Jing.
• “Random passersby” publicly pressure Qin Meng to rescue the hostages, repeatedly invoking his success against Reverse Order. They also imply that Jing Sa and Jing Lan traveled to Gold Star because they wanted to find Master Jing, subtly shifting blame toward him.
• Qin Meng and Jing Xiaoyi’s fans recognize the manipulation behind these interviews and defend Master Jing, arguing that he is not responsible for the siblings’ situation.
• A video of the hijacking is released online. The newly formed Pterosaur Pirate Gang claims responsibility and demands a ransom, insisting that it wants money rather than deaths.
• Because Pterosaur presents itself as a profit-driven organization with a reputation to build, the public becomes cautiously optimistic that the hostages will survive.
• The video appears to show the passengers gathered safely in the spacecraft’s main hall, though the chapter ends before the true situation is confirmed.

Character Developments

• Jing Xiaoyi shows fear and helplessness but takes practical action by contacting Qin Meng. He remains unaware that the kidnapping may have been deliberately arranged.
• Qin Meng is portrayed as dependable and highly respected. The public expects him to solve the crisis because of his military reputation and his role in destroying Reverse Order.
• Jing Bo and Madam Jing use their grief—or at least their public display of it—to regain sympathy. Their behavior highlights the contrast between their parental concern for Jing Sa and Jing Lan and their past treatment of Master Jing.
• Master Jing does not appear directly, but his reputation and family history dominate public discussion. He becomes the target of implied blame while supporters defend his right to resent the Jing Family.
• Jing Sa and Jing Lan are presented as vulnerable victims whose decision to seek their brother has become central to the public narrative.

Significant Themes

• Public opinion and media manipulation: Carefully selected “passersby” shape the narrative, praising Qin Meng while subtly pressuring him and blaming Master Jing.
• Family favoritism and hypocrisy: The public notices that Jing Bo and Madam Jing are deeply distressed over some children while having treated Master Jing unfairly.
• Reputation and expectations: Qin Meng’s past achievements create unrealistic expectations that he can solve every crisis.
• Criminal codes and trust: The distinction between terrorist-like groups and profit-driven pirate gangs suggests that even criminals operate according to reputations and economic incentives.
• Hope amid uncertainty: The ransom demand and apparent survival of the passengers give people hope, though the situation remains unresolved.

Character Interactions

• Jing Xiaoyi contacts Qin Meng, relying on him for reassurance and assistance.
• The media and public place pressure on Qin Meng to rescue the hostages.
• Jing Bo and Madam Jing present themselves as grieving parents before the public.
• Supporters of Qin Meng and Jing Xiaoyi push back against the media’s attempt to connect the kidnapping to Master Jing’s resentment.
• The Pterosaur Pirate Gang communicates indirectly with the authorities and public by releasing its hijacking video and ransom demands.

Chapter 340 Summary

• Kidnappers change their demands: After the families begin raising the ransom money, the kidnappers release a new video showing Jing Sa and Jing Lan unharmed but emotionally blank. Having discovered their importance, they demand the New Energy Card production method and the experimental technique for using mental power to simulate psychokinesis. These demands are impossible: the card-production process is tightly secured by the Military Headquarters, while the psychokinesis method is still experimental.
• Negotiations over the ransom: The kidnappers’ initial demands are rejected because surrendering such technology would endanger everyone on Mi Star and set a disastrous precedent. They lower their request to one hundred Two-Star New Energy Cards per hostage, but Jing Xiaoyi still refuses. Eventually, they accept money, though they demand ten times the normal ransom for Jing Sa and Jing Lan because of their identities. Jing Xiaoyi quietly pays the large sum.
• Rescue arrangements: As usual, payment is made first, after which the kidnappers promise to provide coordinates for the hostage exchange. Although this arrangement leaves the victims vulnerable to betrayal, the kidnappers control the situation. Soldiers are sent to retrieve the hostages—but Qin Meng unexpectedly does not lead the rescue team.
• Public backlash against Jing Xiaoyi and Qin Meng: Because Jing Sa and Jing Lan are Jing Xiaoyi’s younger siblings and Qin Meng’s in-laws, the public expects them to take a direct role. Qin Meng’s absence causes public opinion to turn against the couple. People accuse Jing Xiaoyi of being cold, selfish, and ungrateful toward the father who raised her, while Qin Meng is criticized for indulging his wife instead of persuading her to help.
• Jing Xiaoyi and Qin Meng’s response: The accusations do not sway them. Qin Meng jokingly complains that he has been cursed along with Jing Xiaoyi, while she dismisses the criticism, arguing that knowingly rushing into a suspicious situation would be foolish. Their conversation suggests they both recognize that the kidnapping and ransom demand conceal a larger scheme.
• Qin Meng’s hidden preparations: Qin Meng is revealed to be aboard a Military Headquarters Seagull Type E light warship, accompanied by two identical ships in a triangular formation. Their nonreflective coating makes them nearly invisible in space. The deployment of these highly advanced, agile, and powerful anti-reconnaissance warships strongly implies that Qin Meng is preparing a covert operation rather than abandoning the rescue.

Character Development and Interactions

• Jing Xiaoyi remains practical, strong-willed, and strategically cautious. She refuses to surrender dangerous technology or rush blindly into a trap, even when public opinion condemns her.
• Qin Meng displays loyalty and humor in his private exchange with Jing Xiaoyi, while his secret military deployment reveals that his apparent absence is likely deliberate.
• Jing Sa and Jing Lan are presented as vulnerable hostages whose beauty and family status increase their symbolic value and ransom price.
• The public shifts from sympathy for Jing Yi to sympathy for the Jing Family, demonstrating how quickly public opinion can be manipulated by emotional circumstances.

Significant Themes

• Public opinion and moral judgment: Society sympathizes with whoever appears weakest, disregarding hidden facts and condemning people without understanding their motives.
• Strategic restraint versus emotional impulsiveness: Jing Xiaoyi and Qin Meng refuse to let family pressure force them into a potentially dangerous trap.
• Power and technological secrecy: The kidnappers’ demands emphasize how strategically valuable New Energy Cards and mental-power technology are.
• Appearances versus reality: Qin Meng’s apparent absence and the couple’s seeming indifference conceal careful preparations for a larger counteroperation.