Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Campus Belle

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cui Man visits Xiao He and Ye Wanqing after Ye injures her knee, teasing Xiao He for failing to protect his “girlfriend.”
• She gives them strict daily dietary and exercise plans to support Xiao He’s training and improve Ye Wanqing’s ability to defend herself. Xiao He is frustrated that his newly earned two million yuan must now fund healthy meals and training rather than leisure.
• Cui Man encourages them to exercise together, arguing that their similar schedules will strengthen their fake relationship in public. She also clarifies that Xiao He may privately pursue other women, provided he avoids being photographed in compromising or overly affectionate situations.
• The next morning, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing bicker over bathroom time, showing that their domestic relationship remains irritating and unchanged despite living together.
• Xiao He rides a bicycle with Ye Wanqing to campus, deliberately returning the favor after she previously appeared at his department with him. This also helps them appear convincingly romantic to other students.
• Near the school gate, a Bentley nearly hits them. Xiao He angrily confronts the car, though Ye Wanqing points out that it had a green light.
• A glamorous woman exits the Bentley. Ye identifies her as Zhang Yuxin, the school’s campus belle. Xiao He dismisses Zhang’s beauty and insists that Ye Wanqing is prettier.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Resents the restrictions imposed by Cui Man’s training plan and struggles to accept that his money and free time are now controlled by his obligations. Despite his complaints, he shows consideration for Ye by buying a bicycle and taking her to campus. His immediate dismissal of Zhang Yuxin also suggests growing affection—or at least loyalty—toward Ye.
• Ye Wanqing: Remains sarcastic and irritated by Xiao He, but cooperates with the training and fake-dating arrangement. Her injured knee emphasizes her physical vulnerability and the need for self-defense training. She is also perceptive, identifying Zhang Yuxin and commenting objectively on her attractiveness.
• Cui Man: Acts as a strict manager and trainer, imposing discipline through diet, exercise, and relationship guidelines. Her teasing personality contrasts with her serious concern for both protagonists’ safety and public image.
• Zhang Yuxin: Introduced as a striking, fashionable campus beauty whose arrival is likely to create new complications for Xiao He and Ye Wanqing.

Significant Themes

• Discipline versus personal freedom: Xiao He’s frustration reflects the conflict between enjoying his newfound wealth and accepting the sacrifices required for training.
• Performance and appearances: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing must convincingly act like a couple while maintaining their private boundaries.
• Growing dependence and companionship: Although they constantly argue, their shared routines, living arrangement, and public partnership gradually make them resemble a genuine couple.
• Vulnerability and self-protection: Ye’s accident reinforces the importance of her learning to protect herself rather than relying on others.
• Jealousy and romantic tension: Xiao He’s insistence that Ye is prettier than Zhang hints at emotional attachment beneath their antagonistic relationship.

Character Interactions

• Cui Man teases Xiao He and Ye while simultaneously directing their training and relationship behavior.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing continue their sarcastic domestic arguments, but Xiao’s actions show practical concern for her.
• At the campus gate, Xiao He reacts protectively and aggressively to the near accident, while Ye remains more levelheaded.
• Xiao He immediately compares Zhang Yuxin favorably to Ye, subtly elevating Ye’s importance to him.

Chapter Summary: “A Life”

Key Plot Points and Events

• While Xiao He pedals Ye Wanqing to class, they discuss the attractive “campus beauty” they saw earlier riding in a Bentley.
• Xiao He says he does not find the woman appealing, describing her polished appearance as artificial. He contrasts her with Ye Wanqing and Huang Ling, whom he considers more natural.
• He compliments Ye Wanqing’s legs and figure, causing her to become secretly pleased and embarrassed, despite pretending to criticize his pickiness.
• Their conversation reveals Xiao He’s confidence in his physical abilities. Although he avoids activating his superhuman power to conceal his identity, he claims he is still strong enough to overturn a car.
• Ye Wanqing expresses insecurity about her height, legs, and chest. Xiao He reassures her that she is not fat and says he would not want to date someone taller than himself.
• At the classroom entrance, Ye Wanqing openly introduces Xiao He as her boyfriend and takes his hand. Xiao He proudly warns the male students in her department not to pursue her, while privately overhearing their crude and jealous remarks.
• Xiao He leaves to return home, but the Bentley follows him into a narrow residential street.
• The Bentley deliberately swerves toward Xiao He, nearly hitting him. The driver, the campus beauty’s boyfriend, insults him and claims that killing him would cost only a few hundred thousand yuan.
• After the driver spits at his feet, Xiao He responds by kicking the Bentley’s rear bumper with all his strength, ending the chapter on a confrontation.

Character Development

• Xiao He: Displays a mixture of arrogance, protectiveness, humor, and concealed power. He is proud of his relationship with Ye Wanqing and openly asserts his superiority over ordinary people, but he also remains cautious about exposing his superhuman identity. His response to the Bentley driver shows that his patience has limits.
• Ye Wanqing: Becomes increasingly comfortable expressing affection toward Xiao He, publicly claiming him as her boyfriend. Though insecure about her appearance, she is visibly encouraged by his compliments and seems pleased by his possessiveness and reassurance.
• The Bentley driver: Is introduced as wealthy, arrogant, reckless, and contemptuous of ordinary people. His willingness to use his car as a weapon establishes him as a hostile antagonist.
• The campus beauty: Remains mostly in the background, functioning as a contrast to Ye Wanqing and as the connection linking Xiao He to the hostile driver.

Significant Themes

• Authenticity versus appearance: Xiao He criticizes the campus beauty’s heavily styled appearance, valuing what he sees as naturalness in Ye Wanqing and Huang Ling.
• Self-image and insecurity: Ye Wanqing compares herself unfavorably to the taller, slimmer campus beauty, while Xiao He’s praise helps her feel more confident.
• Class and power: The Bentley driver treats Xiao He’s life as insignificant because of his wealth, highlighting the social divide between the rich and ordinary people.
• Hidden strength: Xiao He deliberately conceals his superhuman abilities, creating tension between his ordinary public identity and his actual capabilities.
• Possessiveness and affection: Xiao He’s jealousy and protective behavior, along with Ye Wanqing’s public acknowledgment of their relationship, strengthen their romantic bond.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing engage in playful teasing and flirtatious banter throughout the ride, with Xiao He reassuring her about her appearance.
• Ye Wanqing publicly presents Xiao He as her boyfriend, while Xiao He acts possessive and warns her male classmates away.
• Xiao He silently reacts to the classmates’ vulgar comments, choosing not to cause a scene.
• The chapter ends with Xiao He and the Bentley driver directly confronting each other, shifting the tone from romantic comedy to imminent physical conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Weakness”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He uses his superhuman strength to kick a Bentley after its driver nearly causes trouble, sending the car into a guardrail and damaging it heavily. He deliberately acts from the driver’s blind spot and takes advantage of the lack of surveillance, ensuring there is no evidence against him.
• Feeling pleased with himself, Xiao He rides home and later picks Ye Wanqing up from class on his bicycle.
• Ye Wanqing explains that having a boyfriend has made college life easier because the men who previously harassed or objectified her have become more restrained. She suggests Xiao He continue riding her to school even after her injured knee heals, partly for convenience and partly to publicly reinforce their relationship.
• Back at home, Cui Man provides them with diet meals and gives Ye Wanqing Golden Wound Spray for her injury. She also reminds Ye Wanqing to resume exercising after her foot heals.
• Cui Man notices that Xiao He and Ye Wanqing appear less hostile toward one another and asks whether their relationship has become genuine. They explain that they have “reconciled” to make their fake relationship more convincing.
• Xiao He complains about the restrictive diet and the cameras monitoring the house, which prevent him from eating extra food. He also worries that Ye Wanqing’s training may increase her abilities and force him to train harder so he can eventually defeat Lin Tiannan.
• Later, Xiao He returns home happily after talking with his “goddess” about anime and movies. Ye Wanqing notices that he speaks more naturally with the goddess than with her and feels mildly jealous or frustrated.
• Xiao He’s confidence collapses when he encounters a large cockroach in the kitchen. He panics and declares that cockroaches are his equivalent of Superman’s Kryptonite.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Demonstrates immense strength and a willingness to punish people he considers deserving, while carefully avoiding detection. Despite his physical power, he reveals a comical and extreme fear of cockroaches, establishing that he has an unexpected vulnerability. He also remains reluctant about training and continues to complain about his diet and domestic restrictions.
• Ye Wanqing: Becomes more comfortable with Xiao He and openly accepts the benefits of their relationship. She is less hostile, cooperates with her treatment and exercise plan, and even suggests continuing their public displays of affection. Her teasing and inward irritation about Xiao He’s goddess hint at growing emotional investment.
• Cui Man: Acts as Ye Wanqing’s caretaker and trainer while perceptively observing the changing dynamic between the couple. Her amusement and approval suggest that she sees their relationship developing beyond its original pretense.
• The Bentley driver: Serves as an example of someone who abuses a secluded situation but ends up suffering the consequences of his own recklessness, though he remains unaware of Xiao He’s involvement.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus weakness: Xiao He possesses extraordinary physical power but is rendered helpless by something as ordinary as a cockroach, emphasizing that every person has vulnerabilities.
• Justice and personal retaliation: Xiao He secretly punishes the Bentley driver because formal consequences seem unlikely, reflecting his willingness to act outside the law when he believes someone deserves it.
• The evolution of a fake relationship: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s staged romance is gradually becoming more natural, with practical benefits giving way to comfort, teasing, and possible jealousy.
• Discipline versus indulgence: Ye Wanqing accepts the diet and exercise regimen, while Xiao He resents the restrictions and longs for more enjoyable food.
• Hidden feelings and emotional restraint: Their interactions remain framed as practical or performative, but their increasing ease, concern, and jealousy suggest deeper feelings developing beneath the surface.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing: They banter about college admirers, commuting together, diet food, and their fake relationship. Their hostility has noticeably softened, though Xiao He remains awkward around her and Ye Wanqing is increasingly attentive to his behavior.
• Xiao He and Cui Man: Cui Man teasingly questions whether they have truly become a couple, while Xiao He insists their reconciliation is mainly to preserve their cover.
• Ye Wanqing and Cui Man: Cui Man provides medical care and exercise instructions, and Ye Wanqing responds obediently, showing trust in her guidance.
• Xiao He and the Bentley driver: Without being identified, Xiao He retaliates against the driver by kicking his car and causing costly damage, creating a humorous contrast between Xiao’s hidden power and the driver’s confusion.

Chapter Summary: “A Real Mission”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing discover a cockroach in their apartment. Xiao, despite being a physically powerful Mutant, is terrified and begs Ye to kill it.
• Ye Wanqing casually grabs the cockroach with her bare hand and throws it out the window instead of killing it, explaining that even pests have a place in nature’s ecosystem.
• Their teasing reveals that Xiao’s fear comes from a childhood trauma: as a young child, he once woke to find a huge cockroach crawling over his leg. Since then, cockroaches have been his personal “Kryptonite.”
• Xiao blames Ye for allowing trash to pile up and attract cockroaches, then resolves to buy insecticide. Their domestic argument has a playful, increasingly familiar tone.
• The next morning, Cui Man arrives with beef noodles and announces an emergency mission: the Special Response Department has located the third Mutant.
• Xiao becomes excited, imagining a conventional superhero mission in which he identifies, defeats, and triumphantly exposes the villain.
• Cui reveals that the target has transformed into a monstrous spider-like creature and is rampaging through a crowd. The Mutant appears to be between LV2 and LV3, while Xiao is only LV1 in his normal state.
• Because the creature’s identity has not yet been confirmed, Ye Wanqing cannot alter his name or weaken him through her ability. Xiao is therefore assigned to stall the monster with SWAT support until surveillance footage identifies him, allowing Ye to change his name and Xiao to defeat him.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: His fear of cockroaches contrasts humorously with his superhuman strength and reveals a vulnerable, psychologically scarred side. He is eager to prove himself as a hero but is forced to confront the danger of a mission he may not yet be strong enough to handle.
• Ye Wanqing: She demonstrates calmness, practical courage, and compassion toward living creatures. Her teasing relationship with Xiao becomes more intimate, as she jokes about his fears and calls him “darling.”
• Cui Man: She acts as the mission coordinator, delivering the team’s first genuine combat assignment and emphasizing its tactical limitations. Her plan depends on Xiao surviving long enough for intelligence-gathering and identification to be completed.
• The third Mutant: Introduced as a dangerous, apparently mindless spider-human monster. His transformation raises questions about his identity, powers, and whether he is truly a villain or has lost control of himself.

Significant Themes

• Strength versus weakness: Xiao’s extraordinary physical ability does not eliminate personal fears or emotional trauma.
• Nature and perspective: Ye argues that humans label creatures as “pests” based on self-interest, emphasizing biodiversity and the value of every living thing.
• Heroism versus reality: Xiao imagines a clean, dramatic superhero victory, but the actual mission involves uncertainty, tactical support, restraint, and delaying an enemy stronger than himself.
• Identity and control: The team’s ability to neutralize Mutants depends on identifying their true names, making knowledge and information as important as physical power.
• Humor and intimacy: The cockroach incident strengthens the playful bond between Xiao and Ye while easing the transition into the chapter’s more serious mission.

Character Interactions

• Xiao and Ye trade sarcastic remarks throughout the cockroach incident, with Ye mocking Xiao’s fear and Xiao defensively comparing cockroaches to Kryptonite.
• Ye’s willingness to handle the cockroach creates a joking dynamic in which Xiao appoints her responsible for future infestations.
• Their argument over the trash reflects their growing domestic familiarity and mutual comfort.
• During the mission briefing, Ye continues teasing Xiao about the spider-like Mutant’s many legs, while Xiao tries to maintain his dignity.
• Cui Man takes a more serious role, countering Xiao’s heroic expectations with the practical reality that he must merely survive and buy time rather than defeat the enemy immediately.

Chapter Summary: “Unidentified Target”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He is assigned to help capture a berserk spider Mutant whose original human identity has not yet been determined.
• Cui Man explains that police are tracing surveillance footage to discover where and when the man transformed. Xiao He’s role is to delay or capture the target without killing him.
• Xiao is highly anxious because he hates insects and may be forced to fight before his ability activates. He agrees to prioritize his safety but try to take the Mutant alive.
• Cui Man, Xiao He, and Ye Wanqing travel by helicopter to the quarantined city. They change into black uniforms and masks marked with Yinglong and White Marsh symbols to conceal their identities from the SWAT team.
• The target is trapped inside a department store. He is unable to communicate, attacks anyone who approaches, and otherwise remains still.
• Investigators trace his movements back to a café area, where he apparently fell from a building before transforming, but they have not yet determined his identity or exact point of origin.
• An explosion and fire inside the department store startles the spider Mutant, causing him to flee. Because he is fast and the area is crowded with businesses, expanding the quarantine zone would be difficult.
• Cui Man takes command, orders snipers to track the target, and positions SWAT officers along his escape route. She then sends Xiao He into action.

Character Developments

• Xiao He remains reluctant and fearful, especially because of the target’s spider-like appearance and the possibility that his ability may fail to activate. Nevertheless, he accepts the responsibility and prepares to engage the Mutant.
• Cui Man demonstrates confidence and leadership. She emphasizes Xiao’s safety but also gives him the difficult task of capturing the target alive. When the situation worsens, she quickly assumes command of the operation.
• Ye Wanqing appears more comfortable and amused by Xiao’s nervousness, though she remains cautious around him. Her interactions with him suggest growing familiarity and embarrassment, particularly when he carries her from the helicopter.
• Captain Zhang Liang provides the operational briefing and represents the limitations of the ordinary police forces, who are unwilling to confront a powerful Mutant directly because of the risk of casualties.

Significant Themes

• Humanity beneath monstrosity: The spider Mutant is presented as more than a creature; the investigators are determined to identify who he was before transforming and capture him alive.
• Fear versus duty: Xiao’s disgust and terror conflict with his obligation to protect civilians and contain the threat.
• Control and responsibility: Cui Man’s orders stress restraint, especially the importance of avoiding unnecessary deaths.
• Identity and secrecy: The team’s masks and uniforms conceal their identities, while the authorities struggle to uncover the Mutant’s lost human identity.
• Escalating crisis: The operation shifts from containment to active pursuit after the accidental explosion forces the target to escape.

Character Interactions

• Xiao and Cui Man discuss the uncertainty surrounding the Mutant’s identity and Xiao’s mission to restrain rather than kill him.
• Cui Man reassures Xiao about prioritizing his safety while making clear that he must act if his ability activates.
• Ye Wanqing asks Xiao to turn away while she changes, reinforcing her modesty and wariness around him. Cui Man teases her about her appearance, while Ye reacts embarrassedly and glares at Xiao.
• Xiao carries Ye out of the helicopter, leading to a small, awkward exchange in which she says she could have walked down herself.
• Cui Man cooperates with Captain Zhang but ultimately takes command once the target begins fleeing.
• The chapter ends with Cui Man ordering Xiao He to enter the operation, setting up the imminent confrontation with the spider Mutant.

Chapter Summary: “A Sorry State”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He is sent to stall a dangerous Spider-Man-like Mutant while Cui Man and the authorities work to identify him.
• The enemy is a roughly two-meter-tall, six-armed spider Mutant clinging to the side of a building. He appears unable to speak and behaves like an animal.
• Xiao He reaches a balcony and tries to communicate, but the Mutant immediately attacks. Xiao He blocks one punch, is thrown from the balcony, and suffers severe pain in his arm.
• Following Cui Man’s instructions, Xiao He avoids direct combat and attempts to run and circle around the Mutant. However, the creature ensnares him with extremely tough spider silk and drags him across the street.
• Xiao clings to a lamppost for support, but the Mutant’s strength snaps it. The creature then pulls Xiao toward him and violently pummels him, severely injuring him and damaging the road.
• Cui Man orders the police to provide sniper support. Two bullets stagger the Mutant but fail to injure him, suggesting that his mutated body has become highly durable.
• Meanwhile, Zhang Liang and the authorities investigate clues from the Mutant’s fall, including clothing that came from a brand-name store inside the office building.
• Just as Cui Man grows furious over the delay, a young woman arrives with a laptop and announces that the Mutant’s identity has finally been confirmed.

Character Developments

• Xiao He demonstrates courage and responsibility by facing an enemy far stronger than himself, despite not having activated his ability. However, the encounter exposes his lack of practical combat experience and his vulnerability in a real fight.
• Xiao’s initial confidence gives way to pain, fear, and desperation, but his survival instincts keep him resisting even when badly injured.
• Cui Man remains focused on the mission and shows concern for Xiao’s survival, though her frustration makes her harsh and impatient. She recognizes the need for better field training within Yinglong.
• Zhang Liang acts cautiously, worrying that sniper fire might kill the Mutant, while Cui Man prioritizes stopping the immediate threat.
• The Spider-Man Mutant’s behavior suggests that his transformation has severely impaired his humanity: he cannot communicate normally and attacks instinctively.

Significant Themes

• The gap between theory and reality: Xiao discovers that enduring serious injuries while continuing to fight is far more difficult than fiction suggests.
• Courage versus capability: Xiao is willing to confront the Mutant, but bravery alone cannot overcome the vast difference in strength and durability.
• The dangers of mutation: The Spider-Man’s monstrous body and loss of speech imply that gaining physical power may come at the cost of human identity and control.
• The importance of preparation: Cui Man’s criticism of Xiao’s performance highlights Yinglong’s insufficient practical combat training.
• Urgency and responsibility: The authorities must balance identifying the Mutant, protecting Xiao, and preventing further casualties, even when every available option carries risks.

Character Interactions

• Xiao and Cui Man communicate constantly through the earpiece, with Cui Man directing him to distract and delay the Mutant while Xiao complains about the danger.
• Xiao attempts to speak peacefully to the Spider-Man, but the Mutant responds only with clicking noises and an immediate attack.
• Cui Man criticizes Xiao’s ineffective-looking struggle while simultaneously trying to secure intelligence and support for him.
• Cui Man orders Zhang Liang to authorize sniper fire, overruling his concern about killing the Mutant.
• The chapter ends with the authorities finally receiving the Mutant’s confirmed identity, setting up the next revelation.

Chapter Summary: “Spider-Man”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He is severely injured after confronting a powerful mutant resembling a giant, six-armed spider. Believing his bones are broken and that he is dying, he reflects bitterly on his failed attempt to become a superhero and jokes about dying a virgin.
• Just as he accepts death, his body suddenly regenerates. His injuries—including broken bones—heal completely, despite regeneration not being one of his known abilities.
• Cui Man confirms that the enemy is the mutant Lin Tiannan, allowing Xiao He’s special ability to activate. His physical attributes increase tenfold, making him strong enough to withstand the Spider-Man’s attacks.
• Following Cui Man’s orders, Xiao He attempts to capture the mutant rather than kill her. He discovers that his previously developed flight ability remains active.
• The Spider-Man uses extremely durable webbing to restrain and fling Xiao He. When Xiao He cannot break free, he unexpectedly manifests another ability: fire-breathing, which burns away the webbing.
• Xiao He defeats the Spider-Man with a powerful punch that creates a shockwave and destroys nearby shop windows.
• The defeated mutant transforms back into a young woman. Xiao He is shocked to discover that the Spider-Man is female.
• Cui Man identifies her as Xia Yu, a twenty-one-year-old clothing-store employee who transformed for unknown reasons. Xiao He is instructed to bring her back for further study.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: He moves from resignation and self-mockery to renewed confidence once his body heals and his enhanced powers activate. He learns that his ability can grant him new powers—including regeneration, flight, and fire-breathing—whenever necessary to overcome Lin Tiannan. However, he remains frustrated by the strange and restrictive activation condition of his ability.
• Cui Man: She continues acting as Xiao He’s commander and strategist. She emphasizes capturing mutants alive so they can potentially cooperate with the organization in future battles.
• Xia Yu: Initially presented as a monstrous Spider-Man-like mutant, she is revealed to be a young woman with an unexplained transformation ability. Her identity and circumstances become a new mystery for the organization.

Significant Themes

• The unpredictable nature of power: Xiao He’s ability evolves in unexpected ways, granting him whatever powers are needed to survive and win.
• Survival and transformation: Xiao He’s near-death experience and Xia Yu’s physical transformation both highlight the instability of their bodies and abilities.
• Heroism versus self-interest: Xiao He jokes that he never truly wanted to be a hero, yet he continues risking himself in combat and follows orders to protect others.
• The value of restraint: Despite his overwhelming strength, Xiao He is ordered to capture rather than kill the mutant, suggesting that cooperation and understanding may be more valuable than simple victory.
• Comedy amid danger: Xiao He’s irreverent thoughts and reactions—particularly his complaints about dying a virgin and his disgust at catching the hairy spider—contrast with the serious violence of the battle.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He communicates with Cui Man through his earpiece throughout the fight, receiving instructions and reporting his discoveries.
• Cui Man urges him to preserve the mutant’s life so she might later assist them against similar threats.
• Xiao He taunts and challenges the Spider-Man, though she cannot understand him.
• After defeating the mutant, Xiao He catches her human form and reacts with surprise when he realizes the enemy was a young woman.

Chapter Summary: “Mistake”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After defeating the transformed Spider-Man-like enemy, Xiao He discovers that the seemingly enormous opponent is actually Xia Yu, a petite twenty-one-year-old woman.
• Xia Yu is unconscious and naked because her transformation destroyed her clothing. Xiao He covers her with his jacket and carries her to the Special Response Department’s command headquarters.
• Because Xia Yu’s name has not yet been changed back to its original identity, Xiao He’s ability remains active. He worries that this power may soon disappear if Xia Yu is recruited or detained under her original name.
• Xiao He hands Xia Yu over to Cui Man, who orders Zhang Liang to supervise the cleanup and transport the team back by helicopter.
• During the flight, Ye Wanqing checks on Xiao He. He explains that he survived only because he developed a self-healing ability after being severely injured by Xia Yu before his main power activated.
• Ye Wanqing suggests that Xiao He leave the dangerous combat team and transfer to a research or support division. Cui Man explains that the team must first persuade Xia Yu to join them, since she could transform again if emotionally destabilized.
• Cui Man reveals that Ye Wanqing’s desperate effort to save Xiao He reopened her knee wound, teasing the pair about their apparent romantic relationship.
• The conversation becomes increasingly embarrassing when Cui Man jokes that Xiao He may have thought about touching Ye Wanqing before dying. Xiao He denies it, while Ye Wanqing reacts with embarrassment and anger.
• Cui Man admits that her command error nearly caused Xiao He’s death and might have resulted in the loss of both Xiao He and Xia Yu. She praises him and playfully offers him a reward.
• Just as Cui Man’s teasing creates an awkward atmosphere, Xia Yu regains consciousness.

Character Development

• Xiao He: Demonstrates courage and resilience after surviving catastrophic injuries. He also reveals a practical, somewhat opportunistic side by considering how Xia Yu’s identity might affect his ability. Despite his embarrassment during the romantic teasing, he accepts Cui Man’s affection and appears increasingly comfortable with Ye Wanqing’s concern.
• Ye Wanqing: Shows strong concern for Xiao He and is willing to endanger herself to save him. Her emotional attachment becomes more obvious, even though she insists their actions are motivated only by the emergency. Her embarrassment and concealed happiness suggest growing romantic feelings.
• Cui Man: Takes responsibility for the tactical mistake that endangered the team. Although she is a capable leader, she uses humor and teasing to ease tension and expose the closeness between Xiao He and Ye Wanqing.
• Xia Yu: Remains unconscious for most of the chapter but is established as both dangerous and valuable. Her awakening at the end sets up the next conflict: persuading her to join the department and preventing another uncontrolled transformation.

Significant Themes

• The danger and cost of power: Xiao He’s victory comes only after he nearly dies, emphasizing the risks of relying on abilities that may not activate in time.
• Responsibility and leadership: Cui Man recognizes that her mistaken command nearly cost multiple lives, highlighting the consequences of decisions made during crises.
• Trust and emotional bonds: Ye Wanqing’s willingness to rush into danger for Xiao He demonstrates the growing loyalty and affection between them.
• Identity and control: Xia Yu’s changing name and transformed form raise questions about how identity affects powers, recruitment, and the department’s ability to control supernatural individuals.
• Humor amid danger: Romantic teasing and awkward banter provide comic relief after the battle while also revealing the characters’ emotional connections.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He protects and transports the unconscious Xia Yu, while Cui Man takes custody of her.
• Ye Wanqing expresses concern for Xiao He’s injuries and urges him to seek a safer role.
• Cui Man teases Xiao He and Ye Wanqing about being a couple, embarrassing both of them.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing argue playfully over his supposed final thoughts before death, revealing mutual attraction and discomfort.
• Cui Man apologizes to Xiao He, praises his performance, and comforts him physically.
• Xia Yu’s awakening interrupts the teasing and shifts the group’s attention back to the unresolved danger she represents.

Chapter Summary: “Dragging Others Down”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Yu awakates after transforming into a giant spider. Because she is still identified as “Lin Tiannan,” Xiao He’s ability remains active, ensuring she cannot escape or harm the group.
• Xia Yu has no memory of the transformation itself. She recalls being bitten at a warehouse, then experiencing distorted vision and relying on vibrations rather than normal sight and hearing.
• Researchers explain that her body and senses temporarily became fully spider-like, including her inability to speak.
• Cui Man identifies Xia Yu as a likely Superpowered individual and gently invites her to join the Special Response Department. She promises assistance in understanding and controlling the ability, while also assuring Xia Yu that she will not be forced into service.
• Xia Yu, frightened and exhausted, accepts food from Xiao He and Ye Wanqing, then falls asleep against Cui Man.
• The group returns to the military base in Beichang City. Xia Yu is placed under observation, with research postponed until she has rested and stabilized.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing are sent home after completing the mission. They order food, relax together, and decide to watch a food program. Ye Wanqing ends the chapter by suggesting that they go running together the next morning.

Character Developments

• Xia Yu: Revealed to be a frightened but seemingly honest girl whose Superpower transforms her body into a spider. She is traumatized by the experience but begins to calm down through Cui Man’s reassurance and the group’s care.
• Xiao He: Remains confident in his control over Xia Yu but shows concern about her being recruited as a disposable combatant. He also continues to use humor and food to ease tension, while concealing his own injuries and exhaustion.
• Ye Wanqing: Supports Xia Yu by giving her clothes, food, and water. After the mission, she privately struggles with feelings of inadequacy, believing she contributes little compared with Xiao He. Her decision to run the next morning reflects her determination to become more useful.
• Cui Man: Acts as a compassionate authority figure, comforting Xia Yu and presenting the Special Response Department as supportive rather than coercive.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s relationship: Their teasing and domestic interaction grows warmer and more intimate. Xiao He affectionately calls her “darling” and “baby,” while Ye Wanqing responds with exasperation but also humor and trust.

Significant Themes

• Fear and recovery: Xia Yu’s transformation leaves her confused and terrified, emphasizing the psychological cost of Superpowers. Care, food, rest, and reassurance help her regain stability.
• Power and exploitation: Xiao He worries that Xia Yu may be used as expendable “cannon fodder,” raising concerns about how the Special Response Department recruits and deploys young Superpowered individuals.
• Insecurity and self-worth: Ye Wanqing’s belief that she is dragging Xiao He down highlights the emotional burden of being unable to contribute directly in dangerous situations.
• Compassion versus practicality: Although the mission involves danger and military research, Cui Man and the others treat Xia Yu as a vulnerable person rather than merely a specimen or weapon.
• Domestic comfort after danger: The relaxed meal and television discussion provide a sharp contrast to the chaos of the mission, showing the characters reclaiming normal life.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Yu and Cui Man: Cui Man comforts Xia Yu, offers her protection and guidance, and earns her trust.
• Xia Yu and Xiao He: Xiao He remains wary of Xia Yu’s potential use by the department but treats her kindly, offering food after realizing how exhausted and hungry she is.
• Ye Wanqing and Xia Yu: Ye Wanqing gives Xia Yu clothing and supplies, demonstrating practical care and concern.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing: Their playful argument over food and entertainment reveals growing domestic closeness. Beneath the humor, Ye Wanqing’s insecurity surfaces, while Xiao He tries to make her feel cared for and included.

Chapter Summary: “The Simp”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing prepare to begin their morning running routine. Although Ye Wanqing recently injured her knee, she insists that it has healed enough to exercise.
• The next morning, Ye Wanqing wakes Xiao He early. An awkward exchange occurs when she notices his normal morning physiological reaction, leading to embarrassed teasing.
• During their run, Xiao He easily keeps pace despite wearing weights, while Ye Wanqing struggles after several laps.
• Xiao He coaches her on proper breathing, posture, pacing, and using her hips, waist, and core rather than relying only on her legs. His advice helps her run more efficiently.
• Their conversation turns to their school experiences and the way others treated Ye Wanqing because of her large breasts.
• Ye Wanqing recalls being mocked in middle school, then objectified and excessively flattered by male classmates in high school and college.
• Xiao He explains that he dislikes one-sided “simping” and believes affection should be mutual. He jokes that Ye Wanqing’s situation is even more difficult than being wealthy because she cannot find someone with “larger breasts” to compare motives against.
• Ye Wanqing laughs at Xiao He’s unusual way of speaking, ending the chapter on a playful note.

Character Developments

• Xiao He is shown as caring, knowledgeable, and comfortable teasing Ye Wanqing. He takes her physical training seriously and patiently instructs her, while also expressing a clear belief that relationships should be reciprocal rather than based on worship or dependence.
• Ye Wanqing demonstrates greater trust and familiarity with Xiao He. Though easily embarrassed and defensive, she accepts his coaching and opens up about painful experiences involving body-shaming and objectification.
• Their relationship becomes more relaxed and intimate through shared routines, personal memories, and mutual joking.

Significant Themes

• Mutual affection versus one-sided devotion: Xiao He rejects the idea of a relationship in which one person constantly flatters or sacrifices for another. He argues that genuine love should involve mutual admiration and equality.
• Objectification and insecurity: Ye Wanqing’s large breasts have caused both ridicule and unwanted attention, making her uncertain whether people value her personality or merely her appearance.
• Body image and social judgment: Her clothing choices and discomfort while running reflect her desire not to attract attention or be reduced to her physical features.
• Trust and emotional openness: Casual activities such as eating, exercising, and joking create opportunities for the two characters to reveal personal histories and deepen their bond.
• Growth through discipline: Xiao He’s running advice emphasizes patience, endurance, proper technique, and using the whole body—principles that also parallel the development of their relationship.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He teases Ye Wanqing about her appearance, but his compliments also reassure her that she is attractive beyond her body.
• Ye Wanqing frequently reacts with embarrassment or irritation, yet she secretly appreciates his praise and continues engaging with him.
• Xiao He acts as both a coach and confidant, guiding her physically while listening to her experiences.
• Their banter about “simps,” physical attraction, and relationships reveals increasing comfort, humor, and emotional closeness between them.

Chapter Summary: “A Good Match”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After exercising together, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing return home. Ye Wanqing accidentally drinks from the same bottle Xiao He used earlier and chokes when she realizes they have indirectly kissed.
• Xiao He teases her about being upset, while Ye Wanqing insists she is angry because of his careless teasing rather than the kiss itself. Their playful argument gradually reveals mutual affection.
• Ye Wanqing offers to cook meals at home, and Xiao He happily expects his share. They then head to class, with Ye Wanqing riding on the back of Xiao He’s bicycle despite pretending to disapprove of his calling her “girlfriend.”
• On the way, Xiao He tells Ye Wanqing that the wealthy boyfriend of their campus beauty previously tried to run him over. Xiao He retaliated by kicking the car, causing it to crash into a guardrail.
• They discuss the boyfriend’s arrogance, wealth, and family connections, concluding that he and the campus beauty are “a good match” because of their similarly unpleasant qualities.
• Xiao He boasts that he will eventually use his own abilities to buy a better car, while Ye Wanqing suggests that money would be better spent on an RV for a family trip. Xiao He instead jokes about traveling alone with his girlfriend.
• At the teaching building, the pair part with more flirtatious teasing. Xiao He then discovers Huang Ling watching a video of Yinglong fighting Spider-Man.

Character Developments

• Ye Wanqing becomes increasingly comfortable with Xiao He and shows both embarrassment and happiness over their growing intimacy. Her willingness to cook for him and ride his bicycle reflects their developing domestic and romantic bond.
• Xiao He remains playful and provocative, openly treating Ye Wanqing as his girlfriend. However, his story about the car incident also shows his impulsive, defensive nature and strong dislike of arrogance and injustice.
• Huang Ling is briefly reintroduced through her interest in the video involving Yinglong and Spider-Man, suggesting continued attention to the superhero-related events surrounding Xiao He.

Significant Themes

• Growing romantic intimacy: The indirect kiss, shared routines, bicycle ride, and farewell teasing all highlight Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s increasingly couple-like relationship.
• Playful conflict and affection: Their arguments are largely expressions of embarrassment and mutual attraction rather than genuine hostility.
• Wealth versus personal worth: Xiao He rejects the rich boyfriend’s belief that money determines the value of a life and insists that achievements gained through one’s own abilities matter more.
• Family and domestic life: Ye Wanqing imagines shared family travel and home cooking, while Xiao He focuses more on romantic experiences, revealing differing but compatible visions of happiness.
• Justice and retaliation: Xiao’s response to the attempted hit-and-run reflects his belief in standing up to bullies, though Ye Wanqing views his methods as reckless.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s banter dominates the chapter, mixing teasing, embarrassment, concern, and obvious affection.
• Ye Wanqing criticizes Xiao He’s reckless behavior but still supports him emotionally and remains interested in his safety.
• Their discussion of the campus beauty and her boyfriend becomes a humorous judgment of social status, character, and compatibility.
• Xiao He briefly interacts with Huang Ling at the end of the chapter, setting up a likely connection between the video and the broader superhero plot.

Chapter Summary: “Guilt”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He and Huang Ling discuss Yinglong, the powerful Mutant recently discovered by their country. Huang admires Yinglong’s ability to withstand a typhoon, while Xiao He privately worries about what people would think if they learned the truth about his power.
• Their conversation shifts to Xiao He’s fake relationship with Ye Wanqing. Xiao describes them as fundamentally incompatible: he is clean and spontaneous, while Ye is careless and organized; he enjoys going out, while she prefers staying home.
• Huang Ling suggests that Xiao and Ye should end their partnership once they have earned enough money. Xiao considers this but realizes that separating would leave both of them practically helpless, since their combined abilities are much stronger than either one’s abilities alone.
• Huang Ling invites Xiao to lunch the following day. Although he frames it as scouting a restaurant to visit later with Ye, Xiao feels guilty about eating alone with another girl, despite knowing that his relationship with Ye is only pretend.
• Xiao tells Ye about his lunch plans. Ye insists she does not need his permission, but becomes visibly irritated and emotionally unsettled by the idea. Xiao reassures her that he will bring her something tasty and eventually take her to the restaurant, which partially calms her.
• On the bicycle ride home, Ye accuses Xiao of acting like a “scumbag,” while Xiao insists that he would never dine alone with another woman if she were genuinely his girlfriend.
• At a supermarket, the bicycle jolts over a curb, causing Ye to cling tightly to Xiao’s waist. The moment creates awkward intimacy before they return to their usual teasing and insults.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: He remains uncertain about his partnership with Ye and recognizes how dependent they are on each other. His discomfort about dining with Huang Ling reveals that he has begun developing a sense of loyalty toward Ye, despite their fake relationship. He also shows growing awareness of romantic and physical attraction, both toward Huang Ling and, indirectly, through his concern about Ye’s reaction.
• Ye Wanqing: Ye becomes unexpectedly jealous and annoyed when Xiao plans to spend time with Huang Ling. Though she denies being angry, her reactions suggest that she is emotionally invested in Xiao and may be struggling to understand her own feelings. She is reassured by Xiao’s promise to take her to the restaurant and by his consideration for her parents.
• Huang Ling: Huang is friendly, teasing, and openly interested in Xiao’s relationship. Her invitation creates the situation that exposes the emotional tension between Xiao and Ye.

Significant Themes

• Guilt and emotional infidelity: Xiao feels guilty about lunch with Huang Ling even though he and Ye are only pretending to be a couple, suggesting that their relationship is becoming emotionally real.
• Dependence and partnership: Xiao and Ye’s powerful combined abilities make separation difficult, reflecting both their practical reliance on one another and their growing emotional attachment.
• Jealousy and unspoken feelings: Ye’s irritation and Xiao’s need to reassure her hint at romantic feelings neither is willing to acknowledge.
• Appearance versus reality: Xiao’s public relationship with Ye is fake, while their private concern for each other increasingly resembles a genuine relationship.

Important Character Interactions

• Huang Ling encourages Xiao to end his partnership with Ye and invites him to lunch.
• Xiao carefully informs Ye of his plans, treating her reaction as though he were asking a real girlfriend for permission.
• Ye responds with jealousy and sarcasm, while Xiao tries to reassure her through promises of future outings and consideration.
• Their bicycle ride ends with an accidental moment of physical closeness, followed by their familiar playful banter.

Chapter Summary: “New Member”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing go grocery shopping together to buy ingredients for lunch. He awkwardly asks to hold her hand, and although she teases him, she accepts.
• While shopping, they joke about Ye Wanqing’s messy habits and cooking skills. Their playful argument attracts the attention of an older couple, who mistake them for a loving couple.
• Ye Wanqing explains that she learned to cook because of her difficult childhood. Her mother worked exhausting jobs after being laid off, while her father struggled to keep his factory job. As a result, Ye Wanqing began buying groceries and preparing dinner for the family while still young.
• She recalls wanting to ease her mother’s burden and expresses relief that her family’s financial situation has improved. The money she now has will allow her to support her parents and let her mother stop working.
• After shopping, Xiao He takes Ye Wanqing home by bicycle. She prepares cucumber scrambled eggs and teriyaki chicken drumsticks, and Xiao He enthusiastically enjoys the meal.
• Cui Man arrives and reveals that the “spider girl” has agreed to join their group. She also gives Ye Wanqing a trial phone equipped with more intelligent software based on Xiao He’s algorithm for the “NP=P?” problem.
• The chapter ends with the group welcoming a new member.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Becomes more comfortable and affectionate with Ye Wanqing, though he remains awkward about their growing intimacy. He shows sympathy for her family history and instinctively pats her head, revealing increasing emotional closeness.
• Ye Wanqing: Displays a softer, more vulnerable side by sharing her family’s financial struggles and her early responsibility for cooking. Her dedication to caring for her mother highlights her compassion and maturity. She also becomes more relaxed around Xiao He, joking and smiling during their meal.
• Cui Man: Continues to act confidently and playfully, teasing Xiao He and Ye Wanqing about becoming a couple. She also serves as the link between the pair and the expanding group, bringing news of the new recruit and advanced technology.

Significant Themes

• Family responsibility and sacrifice: Ye Wanqing’s childhood was shaped by her parents’ financial hardship and her mother’s exhausting labor, forcing her to mature early.
• Improving circumstances: The family’s situation has begun to improve through unexpected opportunities and financial support, offering hope for a more secure future.
• Growing intimacy: Ordinary activities such as holding hands, shopping, cooking, and eating together gradually deepen Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s relationship.
• Found family and team expansion: The acceptance of the “spider girl” marks the continuing growth of the group and suggests future cooperation and conflict.
• Technology and progress: Xiao He’s breakthrough algorithm is already being transformed into practical tools, linking his intellectual achievements to the group’s developing capabilities.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing tease and bicker like a couple while shopping, but their physical closeness and mutual concern reveal genuine affection.
• Xiao He listens sympathetically as Ye Wanqing recounts her childhood and reassures her that life will continue improving.
• Ye Wanqing cooks for Xiao He, and his enthusiastic reaction makes her smile, showing her pleasure in being appreciated.
• Cui Man interrupts their domestic moment with playful romantic teasing and important news about both the new member and the advanced phone.

Chapter Summary: “Scavenger”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cui Man explains Xia Yu’s ability: she transforms into an organism after consuming enough of its biological cells or bodily fluids. Heated or damaged cells do not work.
• The ability can be controlled through dosage. By consuming small amounts, Xia Yu can gain specific traits while remaining human and avoiding the sensory confusion of a full transformation.
• Ant formic acid is currently the best option, potentially increasing her strength fiftyfold. If she transforms accidentally, human blood or her own cells can restore her human form.
• Cui Man reveals that Xia Yu’s earlier spider transformation caused her to perceive Xiao He only as a frightening, massive shadow through vibrations, prompting her to attack him.
• Xia Yu will need further training before undertaking missions, so Xiao He and Ye Wanqing must continue handling dangerous assignments. Cui Man also mentions a possible fourth Mutant, giving Xiao He hope that someone else may eventually take his place as the team’s sacrifice or distraction.
• Cui Man continues monitoring Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s diets and physical training. Xiao He may reach the required physical standard in one or two months, while Ye Wanqing will need longer.
• After Cui Man leaves, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share lunch. Xiao He eats the food Ye Wanqing cannot finish, jokes about their arrangement, and volunteers to wash the dishes.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Shows sympathy for Xia Yu despite recognizing that she may eventually be used as cannon fodder. He also remains pragmatic, calculating the limits of her strength and hoping the fourth Mutant will reduce his own mission burden. His domestic side becomes more visible through his enthusiasm for Ye Wanqing’s cooking and willingness to handle the dishes.
• Ye Wanqing: Demonstrates determination to follow the demanding meal and training regimen despite her weaker physical foundation. Her emotional reaction to Xiao He finishing her food reveals memories of her parents and growing warmth toward him.
• Xia Yu: Although mostly discussed rather than present, she is portrayed as cooperative and eager to control her dangerous ability. Her potential is considerable, but full transformation risks loss of control.
• Cui Man: Acts as both researcher and supervisor, developing practical methods to control Xia Yu’s ability while managing Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s training.

Significant Themes

• Control versus instinct: Xia Yu’s power is useful only if she can retain her human mind and regulate the amount she consumes.
• The human cost of missions: Xiao He understands that Mutants may be deployed as expendable tools, creating an uneasy contrast between military necessity and personal sympathy.
• Physical improvement and discipline: Diet, exercise, and systematic experimentation are presented as essential to survival and effectiveness.
• Domestic comfort and companionship: The shared meal provides a peaceful counterpoint to the dangers of Mutant missions and strengthens Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s bond.
• Resourcefulness and adaptation: The characters continually look for practical ways to exploit unusual abilities, improve their bodies, and reduce future risks.

Character Interactions

• Cui Man explains Xia Yu’s ability to Xiao He and Ye Wanqing, while Xiao He asks practical questions about transformations and reversal.
• Cui Man praises their cooperation and instructs them to continue training and managing missions.
• She teasingly calls Ye Wanqing Xiao He’s “girlfriend” and asks her to keep an eye on him.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing share a relaxed, affectionate lunch, with Xiao He eating her leftovers and joking about saliva, food waste, and shared meals.
• Ye Wanqing compares Xiao He’s eating habits to her father’s, privately associating him with the comforting figure of a “scavenger.”

Chapter Summary: “Calm and Collected”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After class, Xiao He returns home extremely hungry because he and Ye Wanqing are following a restrictive weight-loss meal plan.
• Ye Wanqing prepares low-calorie beef fried noodles using buckwheat noodles, limited oil, and marinated beef. Xiao He eagerly eats and finishes the last bite from her bowl.
• Xiao He washes the dishes while Ye Wanqing watches him fondly, feeling as though they are sharing a warm family meal.
• After dinner, they go downstairs for their required walk. Ye Wanqing complains of sore shoulders and physical exhaustion.
• Xiao He makes an awkward joke about whether her soreness is caused by housework or her large chest. His attempt to offer a massage is misunderstood, and Ye Wanqing angrily punches and kicks him.
• While Ye Wanqing marches ahead in irritation, she stumbles on a stone. Xiao He instinctively catches her in his arms, leaving both of them embarrassed and making the atmosphere tense.
• Because Ye Wanqing is sweating heavily and her injured leg has not fully healed, they cut the walk short and return upstairs.
• Ye Wanqing showers first and warns Xiao He to wait for the hot water. While showering, Xiao He reflects on their increasing physical closeness and tries to convince himself that they are too incompatible to become a real couple.
• After his shower, Xiao He notices Ye Wanqing cleaning Tuantuan’s litter box and struggles to keep his attention—and his thoughts—under control. He ultimately looks away and tries to warn her about her clothing.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Demonstrates thoughtfulness by preparing to share household responsibilities, catching Ye Wanqing when she stumbles, offering her tissues, and letting her shower first. At the same time, he remains immature and easily flustered by physical attraction, repeatedly insisting that he must stay rational and not mistake temporary desire for genuine compatibility.
• Ye Wanqing: Shows domestic warmth and consideration by cooking, caring for their diet, and cleaning the cat’s litter. She becomes increasingly comfortable with Xiao He, allowing small affectionate moments such as sharing food and living together naturally, though she remains quick-tempered when he makes suggestive or poorly phrased remarks.
• Their relationship continues shifting from reluctant cohabitation toward familiar, couple-like companionship, even though neither openly acknowledges it.

Significant Themes

• Domestic intimacy: Cooking, sharing leftovers, washing dishes, walking together, and caring for the cat create the atmosphere of an ordinary household.
• Emotional closeness versus denial: Xiao He repeatedly denies romantic compatibility despite enjoying their daily life and feeling protective of Ye Wanqing.
• Physical attraction and self-control: His attempts to remain “calm and collected” are repeatedly challenged by Ye Wanqing’s appearance and their accidental physical contact.
• Miscommunication: Xiao He’s careless jokes and ambiguous wording lead to embarrassment and conflict, while Ye Wanqing’s reactions reveal both irritation and growing familiarity.
• Care beneath conflict: Their teasing and arguments are balanced by genuine concern for each other’s health and safety.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He playfully calls Ye Wanqing “honey” to encourage her to cook, while she pretends to disapprove but prepares dinner anyway.
• He finishes the food left in her bowl, creating a moment that reminds Ye Wanqing of eating with her parents.
• Their argument over her sore shoulders escalates into playful physical violence after Xiao He clumsily mentions her chest and offers a massage.
• Xiao He’s instinctive rescue when Ye Wanqing stumbles briefly creates a tense, intimate moment between them.
• Afterward, their awkwardness continues at home as Xiao He privately wrestles with attraction while Ye Wanqing behaves comfortably and practically around him.

Chapter Summary: “Return to Zero”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He accidentally sees Ye Wanqing’s exposed chest while they clean up after their cat, Tuantuan. He awkwardly apologizes and explains that he was only warning her to be more careful.
• Embarrassed and annoyed, Ye Wanqing assigns Xiao He responsibility for cleaning the cat’s poop, arguing that it should count as compensation for seeing her.
• Both Xiao He and Ye Wanqing spend the night unable to sleep. Ye Wanqing reflects on their complicated relationship and admits to herself that Xiao He is not as irritating or sleazy as she expected.
• The next morning, their usual argument over bathroom use makes it seem as though their recent progress has disappeared, creating a recurring “reset” in their relationship.
• Ye Wanqing completes an entire morning run, showing clear physical improvement thanks to Xiao He’s encouragement and training method.
• Xiao He reminds Ye Wanqing that he will eat lunch outside with Huang Ling. Ye Wanqing reacts angrily, apparently more affected by his absence than she wants to admit.
• Huang Ling takes Xiao He to Willow Restaurant, a small Michelin-starred eatery run by an attractive married couple. Xiao He orders the restaurant’s specialty Hainanese chicken rice and is impressed by the quality of the food.
• While eating, Xiao He says he wants to bring Ye Wanqing there, prompting Huang Ling to reveal that she believes her relationship with Xiao He will not work out.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Remains awkward and straightforward, but his concern for Ye Wanqing and willingness to support her are becoming more apparent. He is proud of her progress in running and instinctively thinks of sharing enjoyable experiences with her.
• Ye Wanqing: Becomes increasingly aware that she is developing positive feelings toward Xiao He. Although she still bickers with him, she admits he is considerate, tolerable, and less vulgar than other men. Her anger over his lunch plans suggests growing attachment and possible jealousy.
• Huang Ling: Acts playfully and confidently by skipping class to introduce Xiao He to the restaurant. However, her final comment reveals insecurity or resignation about her romantic prospects with him.
• Tuantuan: Provides companionship for Ye Wanqing and indirectly reinforces the domestic, cohabiting atmosphere between the two protagonists.

Significant Themes

• Romantic tension and emotional denial: Ye Wanqing struggles to reconcile her attraction to Xiao He with her embarrassment and self-criticism.
• Domestic intimacy: Mundane activities—cleaning up after the cat, sharing a bathroom, running together, and discussing meals—gradually bring Xiao He and Ye Wanqing closer.
• Relationship setbacks and renewal: Their morning arguments symbolically “return” their relationship to its starting point, yet the deeper emotional changes remain.
• Jealousy and unspoken attachment: Ye Wanqing’s reaction to Xiao He’s lunch plans and Huang Ling’s pessimistic remark suggest an emerging romantic conflict.
• Appreciation of everyday pleasures: The restaurant scene emphasizes food, hospitality, and shared experiences as ways relationships are formed and strengthened.

Important Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s teasing argument over her accidental exposure reveals both embarrassment and increasing familiarity.
• Their nighttime reflections show that both are emotionally affected by one another, though Ye Wanqing is more consciously conflicted.
• Xiao He encourages Ye Wanqing after her successful run, strengthening their partnership.
• Huang Ling’s lunch with Xiao He creates a contrast between her apparent closeness to him and Ye Wanqing’s growing emotional claim on his attention.
• Xiao He’s desire to bring Ye Wanqing to the restaurant unintentionally demonstrates where his thoughts and priorities lie, while Huang Ling’s response hints that she recognizes this shift.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Xiao He has lunch with Huang Ling at a restaurant. She insists on paying for herself, maintaining their agreement to split expenses.
• Huang Ling invites him to a movie, but Xiao He declines because he needs to take Ye Wanqing to class. Huang Ling reveals that she lives only two blocks away and suggests they visit each other at home, implying their relationship remains secret.
• Xiao He returns home with ice cream for Ye Wanqing, but she refuses it because she is following a strict diet plan. She is still angry that he left her alone earlier.
• Wanting to make amends, Xiao He proposes taking Ye Wanqing to the restaurant he enjoyed. They agree to go after her class, but the restaurant is closed because he failed to check its business hours.
• Xiao He quickly finds an alternative restaurant. After Ye Wanqing rejects a spicy-food option, they settle on barbecue, where Xiao He grills meat and serves it to her.
• Despite continued teasing and friction, Ye Wanqing admits the barbecue is good, and Xiao He promises to bring her back on Saturday.

Character developments

• Xiao He: Shows consideration toward both Huang Ling and Ye Wanqing, but remains careless and easily frustrated. He recognizes that he is partly responsible for Ye Wanqing’s anger and makes repeated efforts to accommodate her, ultimately suppressing his temper and caring for her at dinner.
• Ye Wanqing: Remains sarcastic, stubborn, and demanding, but gradually softens. She accepts Xiao He’s invitation, cooperates when plans fail, and acknowledges that the substitute restaurant is enjoyable.
• Huang Ling: Continues to display affection and interest in Xiao He, inviting him to spend more private time together. Her closeness to his home makes their concealed relationship more complicated.

Significant themes

• Domestic incompatibility and compromise: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s conflicting habits and values make cohabitation difficult, but they are slowly learning to compromise.
• Care expressed through actions: Xiao He’s attempts to buy ice cream, arrange meals, follow Ye Wanqing’s schedule, and grill her food reveal growing concern despite their arguments.
• Romantic tension and secrecy: Xiao He’s interaction with Huang Ling contrasts with his strained relationship with Ye Wanqing, creating emotional complications.
• Everyday intimacy: Meals, exercise plans, errands, and restaurant choices serve as ways for the characters to negotiate their relationships.

Character interactions

• Huang Ling and Xiao He share a friendly, subtly flirtatious lunch and discuss visiting each other at home.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing bicker over his absence, her diet, restaurant plans, and his failure to check the restaurant’s hours.
• Their argument at the barbecue gradually becomes more affectionate as Xiao He serves her food and Ye Wanqing compliments the meal, suggesting their hostility is beginning to give way to reluctant companionship.

Chapter Summary: “Guilt”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He returns from lunch with Huang Ling troubled by her suggestion that his relationship with Ye Wanqing prevents them from becoming a couple.
• While grilling barbecue with Ye Wanqing, he admits he may have been better off waiting until his contract with her ended before pursuing Huang Ling. He concludes that he and Huang Ling may be “fated to meet but not to be together.”
• Ye Wanqing tries to comfort him, but privately feels guilty. She believes the contract should require both of them to maintain some restraint, yet she is also secretly pleased that Xiao He and Huang Ling may have been driven apart.
• During dinner, Ye Wanqing carefully limits her calories and pushes extra food toward Xiao He. A nearby couple’s suggestive comments about oysters create an amusing misunderstanding, as neither Xiao He nor Ye Wanqing understands the implication.
• After dinner, they take a long walk and spontaneously decide to watch a movie. They choose The Prince and the Coroner, but Xiao He falls asleep halfway through.
• Xiao criticizes the film afterward, arguing that it is really a clichéd “domineering CEO” romance disguised as a historical mystery. Ye Wanqing is mildly annoyed but eventually lets the matter go.
• On the way home, Ye Wanqing happily plays with and feeds a stray cat.
• When they return, their cat Tuantuan detects the smell of the stray animal, becomes jealous and suspicious, and refuses to let Ye Wanqing enter until she has been thoroughly inspected.

Character Developments

• Xiao He becomes increasingly discouraged about Huang Ling. He assumes her concerns about Ye Wanqing are understandable and begins convincing himself that he should give up on the relationship until his contract ends.
• Ye Wanqing reveals conflicting emotions: she feels responsible for interfering with Xiao He and Huang Ling, but is also privately happy about the possibility of keeping Xiao’s attention for herself. Her jealousy and attachment are becoming more apparent, even though she does not openly acknowledge them.
• Ye Wanqing also appears carefree and affectionate in ordinary situations, enjoying food, movies, and animals despite her usual concern with dieting and self-control.
• Tuantuan displays strong possessiveness toward Ye Wanqing, reacting jealously whenever she smells another cat.

Significant Themes

• Guilt and self-restraint: Ye Wanqing believes the contractual nature of her relationship with Xiao He imposes moral limits, but her private happiness exposes the tension between duty and desire.
• Unspoken romantic feelings: Both Xiao and Ye suppress or misunderstand their emotions, while their domestic routines increasingly resemble those of a couple.
• Jealousy and possessiveness: Huang Ling’s discomfort with Ye Wanqing and Tuantuan’s territorial reaction mirror the growing emotional competition surrounding Xiao He.
• Romantic clichés versus reality: Xiao He’s criticism of the film reflects his dislike of exaggerated romance, ironically contrasting with the complicated romantic situation developing in his own life.
• Domestic intimacy: Sharing meals, walking home, watching movies, and caring for animals strengthen the sense of familiarity and companionship between Xiao He and Ye Wanqing.

Character Interactions

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing discuss Huang Ling and the difficulty of dating someone already tied to another person.
• Their barbecue dinner highlights their comfortable domestic rhythm: Ye Wanqing monitors her diet while Xiao He encourages her to eat more.
• They tease and bicker over the movie, showing their contrasting attitudes toward romance and entertainment.
• Ye Wanqing’s playful interaction with the stray cat reveals a softer side, while Tuantuan’s jealous confrontation creates a comic parallel to the romantic tensions between the humans.

Chapter Summary: “The Fourth Person”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing return to the Special Response Department for training, where they find Xia Yu already working out.
• Cui Man reveals the results of their blood tests: neither Xiao He nor Ye Wanqing’s genes differ from ordinary humans. The White Light is apparently a form of energy that only certain rare humans can control, rather than something that genetically mutates its users.
• The department records Ye Wanqing’s physical data and tests Xiao He’s abilities. Xiao He has significantly improved through training, reaching a 390-kilogram bench press, a one-ton right hook, and a 4.8-meter standing reach.
• Xiao He’s Superpower cannot be activated against an ordinary person, but it activates when Lin Tiannan—whose identity triggers the ability—is brought in. Because Xiao He’s power scales according to his opponent, the department cannot accurately measure its upper limit.
• Cui Man emphasizes that martial arts and combat training remain essential, since technique may determine the outcome when opponents possess comparable physical abilities.
• Xia Yu trains alongside Xiao He. Her Superpower is similar to his, but her current low level is caused by her poor physical condition. Xiao He realizes that improved fitness could greatly increase her strength and potential.
• Xiao He and Xia Yu discuss her previous encounter with him, during which she nearly killed him. He reassures her that he does not blame her.
• Ye Wanqing joins the training session, and she and Xiao He playfully argue over their fake romantic relationship. Xia Yu mistakenly assumes they are genuinely dating.
• Cui Man announces that a fourth Mutant has appeared and agreed to cooperate with the Special Response Department. She presents the four Mutants as the future foundation of the organization.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: His physical abilities continue to improve through disciplined training. He becomes increasingly concerned about Xia Yu’s future role and the danger she may face, showing sympathy and a growing sense of responsibility toward her.
• Ye Wanqing: She continues improving her fitness and remains sharp-tongued and confident in her exchanges with Xiao He. Her embarrassment over being called his girlfriend suggests that their pretend relationship affects her more than she admits.
• Xia Yu: She demonstrates determination despite her difficult upbringing and weak physical condition. She feels guilty about nearly killing Xiao He and looks up to him, while her potential becomes clearer as Xiao He recognizes how much stronger she could become through training.
• Cui Man: She acts as a practical mentor and administrator, organizing testing, training, and recruitment while teasing Xiao He and Ye Wanqing about their relationship.
• The fourth Mutant: Though not yet introduced in detail, his agreement to cooperate marks an important expansion of the Mutant team.

Significant Themes

• Power and physical preparation: Superpowers alone are insufficient; strength, fitness, and martial-arts technique determine how effectively a Mutant can fight.
• Potential versus present ability: Xia Yu’s weakness is linked to her current condition rather than a lack of talent, suggesting that dedication can unlock hidden potential.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: Xiao He worries that Xia Yu may be placed in danger to support him, highlighting the personal cost of their work.
• Cooperation over conflict: The department’s successful recruitment of the fourth Mutant offers hope that future Mutants can be united without violence.
• Relationships and teasing: The playful arguments between Xiao He and Ye Wanqing contrast with the serious dangers surrounding them, while their apparent closeness confuses Xia Yu.

Character Interactions

• Cui Man explains the White Light and evaluates Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s progress.
• Xiao He observes and encourages Xia Yu, while she apologizes for their previous confrontation.
• Xiao He and Ye Wanqing exchange sarcastic remarks about romance, responsibility, and what it takes to win someone over.
• Xia Yu innocently interprets their banter as evidence of a genuine relationship, embarrassing Ye Wanqing.
• Cui Man interrupts the training and teasing to announce the arrival of the fourth Mutant.

Chapter Summary: “Foundation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao He reflects on the temporary peace between ordinary people and Mutants. He recognizes that as more Mutants emerge worldwide, the balance of international power and society will gradually change.
• A new recruit, Xie Haining, is brought into the Special Response Department. His ability is time control, but he can only manipulate his own perception of time, meaning that slowing time also slows his own movements.
• Although Xie’s physical body is no stronger than an ordinary person’s, Cui Man explains that his ability could become extremely powerful with enough training. Since he can theoretically give himself unlimited time to analyze and respond to situations, he has the potential to produce “infinite possibilities,” though his physical weakness leaves no room for mistakes.
• Xie agrees to train seriously and asks the department to protect his wife and daughter while he serves. Cui Man assures him that they will.
• Cui Man identifies Xiao He, Ye Wanqing, and the other two Mutants as the first “foundation” of the Special Response Department. She warns that more Mutants—and possibly hostile foreign forces—will appear in the future.
• Xiao He suspects that Cui Man’s decision to pair him and Ye Wanqing as a pretend couple may have a strategic purpose, particularly because their partnership could help counter future threats.
• After training, Xiao He and Ye Wanqing return home. Ye Wanqing asks him to continue exercising with her because she feels embarrassed running alone. He agrees on the condition that she handle cockroaches.
• Ye Wanqing cooks dinner for them, and Xiao enthusiastically enjoys the meal. Her happiness at watching him eat reveals how comfortable and affectionate their domestic relationship has become.

Character Developments

• Xiao He: Becomes more aware of his role in the future of Mutant society and realizes he may not be able to remain uninvolved. He remains outwardly lazy and sarcastic but is increasingly attentive to Ye Wanqing and the department’s larger strategic concerns.
• Ye Wanqing: Shows greater trust and dependence on Xiao He by asking him to exercise and eat with her. Her embarrassment, domestic warmth, and delight while watching him eat reveal a softer, more openly affectionate side.
• Xie Haining: Introduced as gentle, humble, and deeply motivated by his responsibility to protect his family. Despite having a seemingly limited ability and a fragile body, he is determined to train and contribute.
• Cui Man: Acts as a pragmatic leader who understands that the current peace is temporary. She views the initial Mutants as the core of a future organization capable of managing increasingly serious threats.

Significant Themes

• The changing world order: The emergence of Mutants is portrayed as a force that will eventually reshape national and international politics.
• Potential versus apparent strength: Xie’s ability seems weak under ordinary standards, but careful training and clever use could make it extraordinarily valuable.
• Responsibility and sacrifice: Xie leaves his family in the department’s care, accepting personal danger for the sake of a larger mission.
• Partnership and emotional dependence: Xiao He and Ye Wanqing’s fake relationship increasingly develops genuine companionship through shared training, meals, and daily life.
• Building a foundation: The first Mutants are not merely recruits but the basis of a future institution meant to withstand social and political upheaval.

Character Interactions

• Cui Man encourages Xie and clarifies the strategic value of his ability while warning him about its risks.
• Xiao He privately compares himself with the highly motivated Xie and feels like the group’s only “slacker.”
• Xiao He exchanges teasing remarks with Ye Wanqing about her appearance and their supposed romantic relationship.
• Ye Wanqing confronts Xiao He about his glances, then later admits she wants his company during exercise.
• Their shared dinner becomes an intimate domestic moment: Ye Wanqing cooks, Xiao He praises and enthusiastically eats the food, and she watches him with clear satisfaction and affection.