Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Ning, a brilliant pharmaceutical researcher, dies suddenly from overwork while receiving a major science award.
• Before dying, he regrets neglecting his family—especially failing to answer his older brother’s final call—and regrets never responding to Qin Heng’s long-term pursuit.
• He unexpectedly reincarnates as his sixteen-year-old self in a high school classroom.
• Determined to avoid his previous fate, Chi Ning decides to abandon intense studying, scientific competitions, business responsibilities, and overwork. He plans to prioritize eating, resting, socializing, and enjoying life.
• His physics teacher, Wang Quan, reminds him that he has been selected for a prestigious physics competition and expects him to enter further training. Chi Ning shocks him by refusing to participate.
• Chi Ning throws away his competition notes and test papers, symbolically rejecting the academic path that once led to his achievements and eventual burnout.
• He leaves school and goes to a nearby night market for dinner, ordering stir-fried beef ho fun and fried shrimp tails.
• Wang Quan calls, alarmed that Chi Ning skipped evening self-study and discarded his valuable study materials. Chi Ning bluntly explains that he no longer needs them and suggests selling them to fund new books for the class.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: Reborn with memories of a life dominated by research, family business duties, and exhaustion. He is determined to change his priorities, protect his health, and avoid becoming an overworked heir and academic prodigy. Although inexperienced with relationships and deception, he is direct, decisive, and unexpectedly generous.
• Wang Quan: A caring but persistent teacher who worries about Chi Ning’s health and future. He views Chi Ning as an exceptionally talented student and is bewildered by his sudden rebellion against academic expectations.
• Chi Ning’s older brother: Though absent from the present events, his accidental death becomes one of Chi Ning’s central motivations for changing his life.
• Qin Heng: Mentioned as the person who pursued Chi Ning in his previous life. Chi Ning’s failure to answer him is another major regret, setting up their future relationship.

Significant Themes

• Balancing work and rest: Chi Ning’s rebirth is driven by the realization that achievement is meaningless if it destroys his health and personal life.
• Rejecting social expectations: He deliberately abandons the image of the perfect academic prodigy, refusing to let talent dictate his entire future.
• Second chances and regret: His new life gives him the opportunity to repair family relationships, experience romance, and make choices differently.
• The cost of success: Academic awards, business inheritance, and scientific achievements brought Chi Ning fame but also exploitation, isolation, and premature death.
• Authenticity and directness: Chi Ning does not know how to manipulate or lie, so he openly states that he is quitting the competition and discarding his notes.

Character Interactions

• Wang Quan tries to comfort Chi Ning and advises him to rest, but he assumes Chi Ning will still continue pursuing academic success.
• Chi Ning initially agrees vaguely, then clarifies that he intends to quit the physics competition entirely, leaving Wang Quan shocked.
• After Chi Ning leaves school, Wang Quan calls to question him about skipping class and throwing away his study materials.
• Chi Ning calmly explains his decision and even frames the discarded notes as a contribution to the class, suggesting that their sale could fund books for the classroom reading corner.
  Overall, the chapter introduces Chi Ning’s rebirth and his radical decision to “slack off” as a way of reclaiming his health and personal life.

Chapter 2 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Ning tells his teacher, Wang Quan, that he will not participate in the upcoming competition. Although Wang Quan worries that the province’s top-ranked student is giving up because of pressure, Chi Ning insists that he is exhausted and wants to prioritize his health.
• While eating spicy dry-fried beef ho fun at a night market, Chi Ning is directed toward a stall selling bayberry juice. At the night market’s deserted west gate, he discovers that the area is unsafe and realizes how dangerous Yangcheng was in the 1990s.
• Chi Ning finds an injured teenage boy, Qin Heng, bleeding heavily from a head wound and a deep slash on his thigh. He calls an ambulance and uses a strap from his backpack as a makeshift tourniquet.
• Qin Heng weakly tries to identify himself, but Chi Ning does not hear his name clearly. Chi Ning recognizes the scar on Qin Heng’s temple as the same scar possessed by Qin Heng—the man who pursued him for years in his previous life.
• The ambulance arrives, and Chi Ning leaves after explaining that he only helped the injured boy. He notices that Qin Heng had been gripping his ankle, dirtying the red cord and protective golden needle hoop he wears.
• Chi Ning receives a call from his father, Chi Baichuan, ordering him home because his homeroom teacher has already arrived. On the way home, Chi Ning reflects on his family’s public reputation, his deceased older brother, and his parents’ deaths in his previous life.
• Expecting anger, Chi Ning instead finds his father calm and young-looking. Overwhelmed by seeing a parent he has not seen in years, Chi Ning abandons his prepared excuses and embraces him, calling him “Dad.”

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: He shows both independence and compassion. He firmly refuses academic competition despite his teacher’s concerns, yet immediately risks entering a dangerous area to help Qin Heng. His memories of his previous life make him more emotionally sensitive, especially toward his parents and Qin Heng.
• Qin Heng: Introduced as a badly injured teenager, he appears tough and guarded but is vulnerable enough to cling to Chi Ning for help. His early encounter with Chi Ning foreshadows their important future relationship.
• Wang Quan: He is concerned about Chi Ning’s decision and recognizes the contradiction between Chi Ning’s rebelliousness and thoughtfulness.
• Chi Baichuan: He is established as a strict but caring father. His unexpectedly gentle response reveals a softer side and immediately breaks through Chi Ning’s emotional defenses.
• Chi Ning’s parents and brother: Though mostly discussed through memories, they become central to Chi Ning’s renewed appreciation of family after his rebirth.

Significant Themes

• Second chances and altered fate: Chi Ning encounters Qin Heng years earlier than in his previous life and hopes their relationship can develop differently.
• Family and regret: Seeing his young father evokes grief over the deaths and suffering of Chi Ning’s family in his former life.
• Compassion beneath detachment: Although Chi Ning claims he wants to avoid responsibility and competition, he instinctively helps an injured stranger.
• Social change and historical setting: The dangerous, developing Yangcheng of the 1990s contrasts with the safer, more modern city it will later become.
• Identity and emotional memory: Chi Ning recognizes people and events from his past life, but their younger forms force him to confront how much has changed.

Important Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and Wang Quan: Their phone conversation highlights Chi Ning’s determination to reject outside expectations while still caring about his teacher.
• Chi Ning and the night-market workers: The workers warn him away from the dangerous west gate, emphasizing the area’s insecurity and his own vulnerability.
• Chi Ning and Qin Heng: Their first direct meeting is urgent and intimate. Chi Ning provides lifesaving aid, while Qin Heng physically holds onto him for support. Chi Ning’s recognition of Qin Heng’s scar adds emotional and romantic significance to the encounter.
• Chi Ning and Chi Baichuan: Their reunion shifts from Chi Ning’s fear of punishment to an emotional embrace, marking the first major moment in which his new life feels real.

Chapter 3 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Ning returns home with blood on his ankles after encountering an injured person at the night market. His protective Golden Needle Hoops are missing, but his father, Chi Baichuan, reacts unusually gently and immediately excuses the loss.
• Chi Baichuan asks Teacher Wang to let Chi Ning take ten days off from school instead of attending the competition training camp. Teacher Wang praises Chi Ning’s academic talent and explains that classmates want to copy the study notes Chi Ning discarded.
• Chi Yang, Chi Ning’s older brother, returns home and gives him a warm fried shrimp cake from Taiguan District. Shortly afterward, Chi Baichuan angrily drives Chi Yang out of the house.
• Chi Ning notices that his father treats him with extraordinary tenderness while being harsh toward Chi Yang, leading him to suspect that he is being favored.
• The next morning, Chi Ning sleeps in and discovers a newspaper article blaming Chi Yang for speeding and causing a pharmaceutical transport truck to overturn. The incident has caused Chongning Biopharmaceutical’s stock to fall.
• A package appears in the family mailbox containing Chi Ning’s missing Golden Needle Hoops, a newly braided red cord, and a bottle of chilled bayberry juice. An unsigned note explains that the hoops fell near the night market’s west gate.
• Chi Ning recognizes that the cord appears deliberately measured for his ankle and becomes suspicious of the juice, recalling a past-life incident in which drinking something from a colleague led to the theft of crucial experimental data.
• He decides to inspect the household surveillance footage to determine who left the package, asking the security guard to check the mailbox camera around 9:30.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: Becomes increasingly wary and observant. He recognizes that his family’s behavior differs from his memories and begins questioning both his father’s sudden affection and the mysterious person who returned his protective charms. His past-life trauma makes him cautious about accepting unknown gifts.
• Chi Baichuan: Shows conspicuous favoritism toward Chi Ning, defending him to Teacher Wang and indulging his requests, while reacting harshly to Chi Yang. His contradictory behavior makes Chi Ning suspect something unusual within the family.
• Chi Yang: Despite his rebellious, apparently irresponsible image, demonstrates quiet concern for Chi Ning by bringing him food from a dangerous district. His actions suggest he may be more caring and dependable than others assume.
• Teacher Wang: Attempts to persuade Chi Ning to continue competing, flattering both him and his father while trying to protect the school’s competition standing.
• The unknown helper: Remains mysterious but appears thoughtful and careful, returning the lost Golden Needle Hoops with a properly fitted cord and providing a drink.

Significant Themes

• Family favoritism and unequal treatment: Chi Ning notices the stark contrast between his father’s affection toward him and anger toward Chi Yang.
• Hidden motives and suspicion: Ordinary gestures—such as food, gifts, and parental concern—may conceal deeper circumstances, prompting Chi Ning to investigate rather than trust blindly.
• Reputation versus reality: Chi Yang is portrayed publicly as reckless, yet his private gesture toward Chi Ning reveals a more caring side.
• Past and present lives: Chi Ning’s memories of his previous life shape his reactions, especially his distrust of unknown food and his awareness that current events differ from what he remembers.
• Protection and fate: The Golden Needle Hoops, traditionally meant to ward off evil, return mysteriously, suggesting that Chi Ning may be connected to someone watching over or protecting him.

Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and Chi Baichuan interact with unusual warmth, though Chi Ning remains confused by his father’s changed attitude.
• Chi Baichuan and Teacher Wang discuss Chi Ning’s studies and future, with the father prioritizing his son’s rest over academic achievement.
• Chi Ning and Chi Yang share a brief but meaningful exchange when Yang gives him the fried shrimp cake and tells him to eat it while hot.
• Chi Baichuan’s explosive confrontation with Chi Yang contrasts sharply with his gentleness toward Chi Ning.
• Chi Ning begins working with the security guard to uncover who left the returned charms and bayberry juice, setting up the chapter’s mystery.

Chapter 4 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Ning watches security footage and identifies the injured boy from the previous day. The boy leaves an envelope and a bottle of bayberry juice in Chi Ning’s milk box.
• Despite the guard’s warning, Chi Ning drinks the juice and is struck by how closely it resembles the bayberry juice Qin Heng made in his previous life. He begins to suspect that the injured boy may actually be Qin Heng.
• Chi Ning keeps the empty bottle, places it on his windowsill, and decorates it with yellow roses. However, his sudden leisure leaves him restless and empty, since he is accustomed to studying and reading research papers.
• He decides to spend time with his older brother, Chi Yang, both to develop a closer relationship and to keep Chi Yang away from the dangerous street racing friends who contributed to his future death.
• Chi Ning persuades Chi Yang to take him to the South Harbor Grand Hotel in the Gangnan Universal Entertainment Center. Chi Yang initially refuses because the venue is unsuitable for him, but agrees rather than let him go alone to an Internet café.
• At the entertainment center, Chi Ning observes the questionable atmosphere of the hotel but follows Chi Yang to a billiards room, where Chi Yang’s friends are gathered.
• One friend, Jiang Shijie, mocks Chi Ning for being sheltered and too young to enjoy himself. Chi Yang immediately defends him, striking Jiang with a cue and warning him not to bully his brother.
• Jiang offers to teach Chi Ning billiards, but his interest in Chi Ning appears predatory and disrespectful. Chi Ning responds provocatively, saying he has only one older brother and asking Jiang to take the Chi surname instead.
• The chapter ends with Jiang confronting Chi Ning while Chi Yang steps protectively between them.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: Shows greater initiative and strategic thinking. He uses his innocent appearance to test people while concealing his sharper intentions. His suspicion that the injured boy is Qin Heng deepens, and he becomes determined to protect Chi Yang from harmful influences.
• Chi Yang: Though rebellious and involved with a questionable social circle, he is deeply protective of Chi Ning. His anxiety about leaving Chi Ning alone reveals genuine concern, and he quickly becomes aggressive when his friends disrespect his younger brother.
• Jiang Shijie: Is introduced as one of Chi Yang’s rough, possibly dangerous friends. His teasing quickly reveals arrogance, a lack of boundaries, and inappropriate interest in Chi Ning.
• Qin Heng/the injured boy: Does not appear directly, but his connection to the bayberry juice strengthens Chi Ning’s belief that he may have returned in another identity or form.

Significant Themes

• Rebirth and recognition: The taste of the bayberry juice and the scar on the injured boy evoke Chi Ning’s former life and raise the possibility of Qin Heng’s identity being preserved across lives.
• Family protection and affection: Chi Yang’s actions show that his rough exterior conceals strong sibling loyalty, while Chi Ning seeks to save him from the fatal path he remembers.
• Innocence versus hidden intelligence: Chi Ning appears sheltered and harmless, but he is observant, calculating, and capable of confronting people more directly than they expect.
• Dangerous social environments: The entertainment center and Chi Yang’s friends represent the reckless lifestyle Chi Ning hopes to pull his brother away from.
• Loneliness and purposelessness: Without school or work, Chi Ning struggles with emptiness, prompting him to seek companionship and a new purpose.

Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and the security guard discuss the suspicious delivery, with the guard warning him not to trust unknown food or drink.
• Chi Ning calls Chi Yang and manipulates his concern to convince him to meet.
• At the hotel, Chi Yang physically guides Chi Ning away from inappropriate scenes and ensures he receives juice.
• Chi Yang reprimands Jiang for smoking and then protects Chi Ning when Jiang mocks him.
• Chi Ning deliberately challenges Jiang, asserting that Chi Yang is his only “big brother” and refusing to accept Jiang’s attempted familiarity.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At an entertainment center, Jiang Shijie provokes Chi Ning by challenging him to a game of billiards, encouraged by others seeking to flatter the Jiang family.
• Chi Yang steps in protectively, offering to teach Chi Ning and easing the tension between the families.
• Although Chi Ning claims to be a beginner, he quickly understands the game through physics and mathematics. After initially missing a shot, he successfully stops the cue ball and begins potting balls with remarkable precision.
• Jiang Shijie proposes a wager: if Chi Ning loses, he must call Jiang “big brother.” Chi Ning accepts, then defeats Jiang by sinking several difficult shots, including the final black ball.
• Chi Ning reverses the wager and demands that Jiang call him “Daddy.” Jiang is humiliated and furious, while Chi Yang proudly supports his younger brother.
• Chi Yang ends the evening before the situation can become uglier, covering Chi Ning with his coat and taking him home on his motorcycle.
• During the ride, Chi Ning experiences the excitement of speeding through the city, gaining a new appreciation for spontaneous pleasures he had ignored in his previous life.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning demonstrates his exceptional intelligence and analytical ability. He may lack practical experience, but he rapidly applies scientific principles to master billiards.
• Chi Yang is openly protective and affectionate toward Chi Ning. He recognizes Jiang Shijie’s predatory intentions and tries to shield his younger brother from them.
• Jiang Shijie is revealed as arrogant, vulgar, and sexually interested in Chi Ning. His confidence collapses when Chi Ning defeats him, exposing his poor judgment and spiteful nature.
• Chi Ning remains innocent about some social and sexual implications, interpreting events literally and focusing on physics, fairness, and enjoyment.
• Chi Ning’s perspective begins to change as he discovers the value of leisure and excitement, contrasting with the work-centered life he led previously.

Significant Themes

• Intelligence versus experience: Chi Ning’s theoretical knowledge compensates for his lack of practice, allowing him to outperform someone more familiar with the game.
• Family protection and loyalty: Chi Yang repeatedly defends Chi Ning and reassures him that he is his only true elder brother.
• Power, humiliation, and social status: Jiang Shijie attempts to dominate Chi Ning through a degrading wager but is instead publicly humiliated, weakening his position relative to the Chi family.
• Innocence versus predatory intent: Chi Ning does not understand Jiang’s suggestive behavior, while Chi Yang clearly recognizes the danger.
• Enjoying life in the present: The motorcycle ride introduces Chi Ning to freedom, thrill, and recreation—experiences he previously dismissed in favor of experiments and business.

Character Interactions

• Chi Yang confronts Jiang Shijie when he insults Chi Ning, establishing a protective boundary.
• Chi Yang patiently teaches Chi Ning billiards, while Jiang mocks Chi Ning’s inexperience.
• Chi Ning retaliates through his skill and wit, turning Jiang’s proposed wager against him.
• Chi Yang’s teasing, physical affection, and concern during the motorcycle ride highlight the brothers’ close relationship.
• The chapter ends with Chi Ning becoming more accepting of Chi Yang’s impulsive habits, provided they do not endanger him.

Chapter 5 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Ning asks his eldest brother, Chi Yang, to teach him to ride a motorcycle, but Chi Yang refuses because Chi Ning is too short and it would be dangerous.
• Chi Ning decides he needs to improve his poor physical condition and sets a fitness goal.
• The next morning, Chi Baichuan confronts Chi Yang and Chi Ning over a scandalous newspaper article depicting Chi Ning riding on Chi Yang’s motorcycle. The article labels Chi Yang as being involved with a “KTV young master,” using suggestive and insulting language.
• Chi Ning tries to suppress his laughter but instead becomes genuinely emotional while remembering the suffering and deaths of his family in his previous life. His tears make both his father and brother believe he has been hurt by the article.
• Chi Baichuan blames Chi Yang for failing to protect Chi Ning, drags him outside, and orders him to resolve the scandal before returning home. Chi Ning intervenes and insists the outing was his idea.
• Rather than punish Chi Ning, Chi Baichuan comforts him, promises to use legal action against the newspaper, and teaches him to protect himself through legal means. Chi Ning privately concludes that his father is blatantly favoring him.
• Feeling restless and craving bayberry juice, Chi Ning leaves home and visits the night market to look for the injured street vendor who previously helped him.
• He finds the boy selling bottled bayberry juice despite owing the hospital 300 yuan for treatment. Recognizing the boy’s scar and other similarities, Chi Ning realizes that the vendor is the younger Qin Heng, the powerful man he knew in his previous life.
• Chi Ning buys bayberry juice and confirms the boy’s name. He notices that Qin Heng, unlike his adult self, is currently poor, injured, and rough-looking, resembling a stray dog rather than the intimidating “wolf” he will become.
• Chi Ning proposes paying Qin Heng 300 yuan to deliver bayberry juice for a month, with five bayberries in every bottle. Qin Heng jokingly challenges his pricing, establishing a playful exchange between them.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning remains childlike and spoiled on the surface, but his emotional reactions reveal deep trauma from his previous life. He is increasingly protective of his family and determined to prevent their former fate.
• Chi Ning also begins recognizing his attachment to Qin Heng. His strong desire to find Qin Heng and his detailed comparison between the younger and adult versions show that he is emotionally invested in him.
• Chi Baichuan appears stern but is deeply affectionate and protective toward Chi Ning. His anger at Chi Yang is driven less by the newspaper itself than by his fear that Chi Ning has been mistreated or exposed to danger.
• Chi Yang accepts being blamed and driven away without protest, but his concern for Chi Ning is evident when he comforts him and wipes away his tears. His relationship with Chi Ning is affectionate despite the family’s comic favoritism.
• Qin Heng is introduced as poor, injured, self-reliant, and principled. Despite his circumstances, he returns what he finds, repays kindness, and refuses to exploit Chi Ning. His teasing humor and amusement toward Chi Ning begin to soften his otherwise tough demeanor.

Significant Themes

• Family protection and favoritism: Chi Baichuan’s overprotective response reveals the family’s strong love for Chi Ning, while Chi Ning humorously recognizes the unfairness of his father’s treatment of Chi Yang.
• Trauma and second chances: Chi Ning’s tears expose how the pain of his previous life remains buried beneath his new, comfortable existence. His rebirth gives him both happiness and heightened grief.
• Reputation versus reality: The newspaper distorts an innocent motorcycle ride into a scandal, emphasizing the cruelty and irresponsibility of gossip media.
• Mutual aid and repayment: Chi Ning and Qin Heng form a practical arrangement in which Chi Ning receives the drink he craves while Qin Heng gains money to repay his hospital debt.
• Transformation and hidden identity: The contrast between Qin Heng’s vulnerable youth and his formidable adult self highlights how hardship shapes people and hints at his future development.

Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and Chi Yang share a teasing, brotherly relationship, beginning with the motorcycle request and continuing when Chi Ning defends Chi Yang from their father.
• Chi Baichuan and Chi Yang clash over responsibility and reputation, though the conflict ultimately reflects Chi Baichuan’s concern for Chi Ning.
• Chi Baichuan comforts Chi Ning rather than punishing him, deepening Chi Ning’s awareness of his father’s affection.
• Chi Ning and Qin Heng develop immediate chemistry through their conversation over bayberry juice. Qin Heng teases him about his refined reputation and deliberately gives him fewer bayberries, while Chi Ning responds with indignation and negotiates a month-long delivery arrangement.

Chapter 6 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Ning gives Qin Heng 300 yuan, framing it as a delivery fee for the bayberry juice rather than direct financial assistance. Qin Heng suspects Chi Ning is secretly trying to help him pay his hospital debt or invest in him.
• Chi Ning casually praises Qin Heng as a “good person,” which unsettles Qin because he is unaccustomed to being viewed positively.
• Zhang Qiuwen, a student from No. 1 High School, approaches Qin Heng and introduces himself to Chi Ning. He shows them a newspaper article about Chi Ning’s recent confrontation with Jiang Shijie and the scandal involving Chi Ning’s older brother.
• Chi Ning notices that the article contains details the paparazzi could not realistically have overheard or observed from their position. He concludes that someone must have deliberately leaked information to the press, potentially to damage the Chi family’s stock price.
• Zhang Qiuwen tells Qin Heng that they can use Boss Xu’s billiards hall for free on weekday mornings in exchange for guarding it on weekends. Qin accepts.
• Chi Ning learns that Qin Heng and Zhang Qiuwen intend to participate in the Yangcheng Billiards Tournament. The competition offers a substantial prize, national advancement, and the possibility of university admission through special talent.
• Qin explains that he is pursuing billiards to earn money for starting a business, rather than simply seeking a special admission route.
• Reflecting on Qin’s hard work, Chi Ning decides he cannot merely rely on his wealthy family and academic ability. He resolves to reclaim the valuable patents that were stolen or misappropriated in his previous life.
• Interested in playing billiards with Qin, Chi Ning asks where Boss Xu’s hall is. Qin instead recommends the expensive Gangnan Entertainment venue, prompting Chi Ning to complain about its high price and poor bayberry juice.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: Demonstrates generosity while disguising it as a business transaction. He is perceptive and suspicious, recognizing that the newspaper article contains evidence of deliberate manipulation. His rebirth continues to shape his goals: he wants to protect his patents, avoid being exploited by the family board, and balance work with enjoyment rather than repeat his previous life’s exhaustion. He also begins taking greater interest in Qin Heng’s life and activities.
• Qin Heng: Remains wary of Chi Ning’s motives and assumes his kindness conceals an investment or ulterior purpose. Despite his intimidating demeanor, he is protective of Chi Ning and quietly pays attention to his emotional state. His determination to earn money and build a business is emphasized.
• Zhang Qiuwen: Serves as Qin Heng’s outspoken acquaintance and provides information about the billiards hall and tournament. His initial rough, gangster-like appearance contrasts with his nervous concern when he thinks Chi Ning has been hurt by the newspaper’s slander.
• Chi Ning’s older brother and Jiang Shijie: Though absent, they remain central to the newspaper scandal. The article portrays Jiang negatively and highlights the older brother’s expulsion from the family, while Chi Ning suspects the coverage was intentionally engineered.

Significant Themes

• Hidden motives and mistrust: Qin interprets Chi Ning’s kindness as covert financial support, while Chi Ning investigates the possibility that the media story was deliberately leaked.
• Rebirth and correcting the past: Chi Ning uses knowledge from his previous life to identify stolen patents and plans to secure them before others can exploit them.
• Class and privilege versus hardship: Chi Ning comes from wealth, while Qin and Zhang work to survive and pursue opportunities outside conventional academics.
• Work, ambition, and self-worth: Qin’s relentless efforts inspire Chi Ning to reconsider his own privileged position and seek a more balanced, purposeful life.
• Public image and media manipulation: The newspaper’s selective reporting demonstrates how reputations and financial interests can be shaped through planted information.

Important Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and Qin Heng develop a playful but tense dynamic: Chi Ning offers help and affection casually, while Qin remains suspicious and emotionally unsettled by Chi Ning’s praise.
• Zhang Qiuwen’s arrival introduces Chi Ning to Qin’s social circle and exposes the billiards tournament opportunity.
• Chi Ning’s protective instinct appears when he moves closer to Qin after meeting Zhang, while Qin subtly protects Chi Ning by challenging Zhang and dismissing the newspaper’s sensationalism.
• By asking about the billiards hall, Chi Ning shows that he wants to spend more time with Qin, although Qin misunderstands his intentions and directs him toward a more expensive venue.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Ning learns that Qin Heng’s gym is near Gangnan International High School and assumes Qin and Zhang Qiuwen attend that school. He is shocked to discover they actually attend No. 1 High School, contradicting what Qin Heng told him in his previous life.
• This discrepancy makes Chi Ning question whether Qin Heng lied before or whether fate has changed in this life. He realizes he may no longer be able to rely on his previous knowledge of events.
• Before leaving, Chi Ning notices Qin Heng’s injured leg and remembers how Qin brought him meals for years in his past life. He secretly buys all the chilled bayberry juice from an elderly vendor so Qin, the vendor, and the servants can escape the heat.
• Chi Ning theorizes that the National Biology Olympiad will reveal whether events are still following the same course. He also begins suspecting that his father and brother’s apparent conflict was deliberately staged to manipulate public opinion and the Chi family’s stock price.
• Upon returning home, Chi Ning confronts his father, Chi Baichuan, who confirms that his feud with Chi Ning’s brother has been an act for more than three years. The plan is nearing completion, but Chi Ning’s previous-life Olympiad victory unexpectedly attracted excessive media attention and disrupted it.
• Chi Ning decides not to participate in the Olympiad or attend evening self-study. Instead, he plans to spend time outside after school and appear more rebellious, partly to change the course of future events.
• Concerned about his brother’s dangerous motorcycle racing, Chi Ning suggests using public opinion to encourage Yangcheng to ban motorcycles. His father agrees to pursue the idea through media influence, potentially forcing the brother to race only at legitimate tracks.
• Chi Ning also asks for a kickboxing coach so he can become stronger and less easily deceived. His father supports the idea.
• The chapter ends with Chi Ning planning to preserve his savings for future patent applications while beginning to prepare for a more independent and capable life.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: Becomes increasingly analytical and proactive. He stops passively accepting his memories of the previous life and begins testing whether fate has changed. His priorities shift toward protecting his family, preventing his brother’s death, and becoming physically and emotionally stronger. He also starts communicating more directly with his father.
• Chi Baichuan: Reveals himself as a strategic businessman who has been deliberately staging conflict with his older son. He is affectionate and trusting toward Chi Ning, recognizing his growing maturity and intelligence.
• Qin Heng: Remains mysterious and emotionally significant to Chi Ning. The contradiction about his school makes Chi Ning question their past relationship and Qin’s honesty, though Chi Ning still instinctively worries about Qin’s health and comfort.
• Chi Ning’s brother: Although absent from most of the chapter, he becomes central to Chi Ning’s protective plans, especially regarding his dangerous motorcycle racing.
• Zhang Qiuwen: Serves mainly as an innocent intermediary whose casual statement exposes the discrepancy in Qin Heng’s past account.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus personal agency: Chi Ning questions whether the future is predetermined and seeks concrete evidence that he can change it.
• Secrets and protection: His father and brother concealed their plan to shield him, but Chi Ning now feels mature enough to be included in important family matters.
• Family loyalty and redemption: His actions are driven by the desire to prevent his family’s destruction and correct failures from his previous life.
• Public opinion and manipulation: The family’s staged conflict and planned motorcycle-ban campaign show how media narratives can be used as tools in business and political strategy.
• Growth and self-reliance: Chi Ning begins rejecting passivity, seeking physical training, financial independence, and greater awareness of the people around him.

Character Interactions

• Chi Ning’s conversation with Qin Heng and Zhang Qiuwen exposes the contradiction in Qin Heng’s supposed school history and creates awkward tension.
• Chi Ning quietly repays Qin Heng’s past care by buying bayberry juice, despite his uncertainty and resentment toward Qin.
• His direct confrontation with Chi Baichuan leads to an emotional revelation about the staged family conflict and allows father and son to rebuild trust.
• Chi Ning and his father collaborate on a plan to protect Chi Ning’s brother from motorcycle racing, demonstrating a new level of mutual respect and cooperation.

Chapter 7 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Ning visits Brother Xu’s billiards hall at No. 26 Yongning Road to investigate Qin Heng’s background and discover what else Qin lied about in his previous life.
• He buys a membership card and studies the different types of billiards, having little prior knowledge of the game.
• Zhang Qiuwen and Qin Heng arrive in new suits to begin working at the hall. Brother Xu teaches them the rules, customer service, and their duties as employees.
• During the training, Brother Xu reveals that he hired them partly because they are capable fighters and expects them to control troublemakers and enforce the hall’s rules.
• Chi Ning realizes Qin Heng is not merely a poor student with a hidden past. Qin is actually an adult with connections to criminal circles, contradicting his previous claims about his age and respectable background.
• Chi Ning becomes suspicious of other aspects of Qin Heng’s past, including whether Qin really cooked the meals he once brought him.
• His anger fades when he notices the billiards tournament prizes. He calculates that winning major competitions could fund the laboratory he wants to establish.
• Chi Ning books a snooker table for two hours. When Zhang Qiuwen recognizes him as the Second Young Master of the Chi family, Chi asks to be addressed by name and denies being friends with Qin Heng.
• Qin Heng silently recalls seeing Chi Ning in a business van after a suspicious stranger bought an entire case of bayberry juice from him, suggesting that Qin has begun investigating Chi as well.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: Becomes increasingly skeptical and emotionally guarded toward Qin Heng. He reinterprets their previous relationship in light of Qin’s lies, but ultimately redirects his frustration toward his scientific ambitions and financial goals.
• Qin Heng: Is revealed to have a criminal or gang-related past and to be older than he claimed. Despite being confronted indirectly by Chi’s coldness, he remains observant and begins investigating Chi’s movements.
• Zhang Qiuwen: Starts working at the billiards hall and appears more relaxed and enthusiastic around Chi Ning, though he remains intimidated by Brother Xu.
• Brother Xu/Xu Jiahao: Emerges as a pragmatic but relatively fair business owner with ties to the rougher side of Gangnan. He balances warnings with reasonable rules and incentives.

Significant Themes

• Deception and mistrust: Chi Ning questions how many parts of Qin Heng’s former identity were fabricated.
• Reevaluating the past: The revelations force Chi Ning to reinterpret memories of Qin’s kindness and their possible romantic connection.
• Independence and ambition: Chi Ning decides that building his laboratory matters more than pursuing a relationship.
• Appearance versus reality: Qin’s polished image as a student and gentleman contrasts sharply with his hidden criminal background.
• Mutual suspicion: Both Chi Ning and Qin Heng are quietly investigating one another, creating tension beneath their restrained interactions.

Character Interactions

• Brother Xu treats Qin Heng and Zhang Qiuwen as new employees, teaching them how to manage customers and handle trouble.
• Chi Ning observes Qin and Zhang without revealing that he is listening, while Qin notices Chi’s sudden emotional distance.
• When Brother Xu asks whether Chi and Qin are friends, Chi bluntly denies any relationship, and Qin chooses not to contradict him.
• Qin’s recollection of the suspicious bayberry purchase and Chi’s presence in the van establishes that he is already trying to uncover Chi Ning’s secrets.

Chapter 8 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Heng reflects on Chi Ning’s habits, including his dislike of drinking from reused bottles, and wonders why he knows such intimate details about him. He convinces himself that Chi Ning’s current kindness is only temporary.
• At the billiards hall, Chi Ning rejects Qin Heng’s offer to play with him, suspecting Qin Heng is trying to trick him out of another ten yuan.
• Zhang Qiuwen completes the membership procedure, but Xu Jiahao criticizes his poor etiquette. Qin Heng steps in and escorts Chi Ning to the snooker table with practiced politeness.
• Chi Ning begins playing snooker despite having little experience. Although his strength and technique are weak, his calculations and accuracy are exceptional. He quickly pots most of the red balls in succession.
• Other customers notice Chi Ning’s unusual talent. One of them, Mo Yuanzhou, comments that Chi Ning lacks proper snooker technique but has impressive calculation skills.
• Chi Ning struggles to reach the black ball. After overhearing Mo Yuanzhou’s dismissive remark that not everyone can become his student, Chi Ning deliberately uses the thick end of the cue to make an unconventional but accurate shot.
• Mo Yuanzhou introduces himself and reveals that he is a world champion snooker player as well as the design director of VERGINE. He apologizes for discussing Chi Ning privately and offers to take him on as a student.
• Chi Ning refuses, claiming he is lazy, unmotivated, and uninterested in pursuing a professional career. When Mo Yuanzhou remains willing to teach him casually and offers not to charge, Chi Ning becomes even more suspicious, insisting that “free” things are usually the most expensive.
• The chapter ends with the others amused by Chi Ning’s extreme wariness, while Mo Yuanzhou finds his defensiveness cute and understandable.

Character Development

• Chi Ning: Demonstrates remarkable natural ability in snooker, particularly in judgment, calculation, and accuracy, despite minimal experience and poor physical reach. He remains distrustful of strangers and especially wary of people who resemble Qin Heng’s polished, deceptive persona. His blunt refusals and suspicion show how strongly past betrayals have shaped him.
• Qin Heng: Reveals unconscious concern for Chi Ning’s injury and an intimate familiarity with his habits. He is relieved when Chi Ning rejects his offer to play, suggesting he is afraid of becoming emotionally involved or being rejected. He also finds Chi Ning’s clever evasiveness amusing.
• Mo Yuanzhou: Initially appears arrogant and judgmental, but quickly proves polite, perceptive, and generous. He recognizes Chi Ning’s unusual potential and is interested in teaching him for enjoyment rather than immediate competitive success.
• Zhang Qiuwen and Xu Jiahao: Provide comic relief through Zhang’s awkward service etiquette and Xu’s strict correction of his manners.

Significant Themes

• Distrust and emotional self-protection: Chi Ning’s past experiences have made him suspicious of kindness, generosity, and polished individuals. He assumes every offer may conceal a cost.
• Hidden talent and first impressions: Although Chi Ning looks inexperienced and lacks conventional technique, his intelligence and natural ability allow him to impress an accomplished professional.
• Emotional memory and resemblance: Qin Heng’s current behavior and Mo Yuanzhou’s refined appearance trigger Chi Ning’s memories of Qin Heng’s future self, showing how strongly past trauma affects his perceptions.
• Class and irony: Chi Ning claims to be poor despite belonging to Yangcheng’s wealthiest family, creating humorous contrast between his self-image, his guarded behavior, and his actual status.
• Freedom versus ambition: Mo Yuanzhou values playing for enjoyment rather than achievement, while Chi Ning resists being shaped into someone else’s “successor.”

Important Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and Qin Heng: Their exchange over playing together reveals Chi Ning’s suspicion and Qin Heng’s concealed concern. Qin Heng’s relief after being rejected hints at complicated feelings.
• Chi Ning and Mo Yuanzhou: Their relationship begins with mutual misunderstanding. Mo Yuanzhou initially critiques Chi Ning, while Chi Ning reacts defensively, but Mo later sincerely acknowledges his talent and offers mentorship.
• Qin Heng and Chi Ning’s performance: Qin Heng observes Chi Ning’s clever refusal of Mo’s offer and privately appreciates his ability to protect himself.
• Mo Yuanzhou and the surrounding guests: The guests tease Mo for being interested in Chi Ning as a student, while Mo’s admiration grows from professional curiosity into genuine fondness for the wary, talented teenager.

Chapter 9 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Mo Yuanzhou offers Chi Ning a deal: Chi Ning will model for his new brand for one season without pay, and Mo will teach him billiards for free. Chi Ning readily accepts because learning from a world champion is a rare opportunity.
• During their lesson, Mo Yuanzhou notices Qin Heng watching them and jokingly asks whether he is Chi Ning’s boyfriend. Chi Ning quickly denies being close to Qin Heng, reflecting the social stigma surrounding homosexuality in the late 1990s.
• Mo gives Chi Ning two hours of engaging billiards instruction, improving his stance and cue technique. Their teacher-student relationship becomes comfortable and friendly.
• At home, Chi Ning discovers that the family is discussing how he realized their plan to manipulate the Chi Group’s stock price. He learns that Chi Yang and Chi Baichuan intend to drive down the price so they can repurchase shares and remove troublesome shareholders.
• Chi Ning proposes using the achievements and public profile of Jiu Pharmaceutical’s heir—who is competing in major academic Olympiads—to make Jiu Pharmaceutical seem more promising than the Chi family’s company. This would encourage shareholders to abandon the Chi Group and allow the family to buy back stock cheaply.
• His father and brother are impressed by the strategy and immediately begin implementing it. Chi Ning privately reveals his desire for revenge against the Shen family, recalling that they harmed him in his previous life.
• Over the next seven days, Chi Ning models for Mo Yuanzhou’s brand. The photographers are delighted by his appearance and ability to portray both fierceness and elegance. Mo personally refines one of his outfits, adding silver-rimmed glasses to the look.
• When Chi Ning returns to school, Teacher Wang tries to persuade him to enter a prestigious S University science competition. Chi Ning refuses, saying that his existing qualifications are enough and that he would rather attend HKU because of its scholarships, open-minded atmosphere, and convenient location.
• Wang Quan is shocked by Chi Ning’s sudden focus on financial benefits and worries that something may be wrong with the Chi family. Chi Ning asks him to discuss the matter with his parents before completing the guaranteed-admission paperwork.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning becomes increasingly confident and socially active. He comfortably negotiates with Mo Yuanzhou, enjoys modeling and billiards, and shows a more relaxed, youthful personality than the rigid academic prodigy he once was.
• He also demonstrates strategic intelligence and a vengeful side, using his knowledge of future events to help his family weaken Jiu Pharmaceutical while advancing his own plans against those who wronged him.
• Mo Yuanzhou establishes himself as a generous, skilled, and considerate mentor. He is highly observant and treats Chi Ning with careful respect, avoiding unnecessary physical contact during instruction.
• Chi Yang and Chi Baichuan begin to view Chi Ning not merely as a gifted student but as a formidable strategist. Chi Yang is especially delighted by his brother’s livelier personality.
• Teacher Wang is confused and distressed by Chi Ning’s refusal to continue competing, since he had expected Chi Ning to pursue the most prestigious academic opportunities.

Significant Themes

• Reinvention and personal freedom: Chi Ning is moving away from his former life as an emotionless academic machine and embracing leisure, friendships, business opportunities, and personal choice.
• Strategic intelligence and revenge: His academic abilities now serve practical and financial purposes, allowing him to manipulate public opinion and protect his family while preparing retaliation against former enemies.
• Money and power: Stock prices, scholarships, modeling contracts, and corporate influence all show how financial resources shape personal and family decisions.
• Changing social attitudes: The conversation about Qin Heng highlights the lingering prejudice against homosexuality despite its recent decriminalization.
• Family loyalty: Chi Ning actively contributes to the family’s business strategy, while his father and brother increasingly trust and admire his judgment.

Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and Mo Yuanzhou: Their relationship develops from a business arrangement into a warm, enjoyable mentor-student bond.
• Chi Ning and Qin Heng: Qin Heng silently watches Chi Ning and Mo, while Chi Ning defensively insists they are not close, suggesting unresolved tension or emotional distance.
• Chi Ning and Chi Yang: Chi Yang is affectionate and proud of Chi Ning’s newfound liveliness, while Chi Ning finds his brother’s intense attention unsettling but participates openly in the family discussion.
• Chi Ning, Chi Yang, and Chi Baichuan: The three cooperate on a financial strategy, with Chi Ning providing the key idea and the older two acting on it.
• Chi Ning and Teacher Wang: Wang tries to guide Chi Ning toward another academic competition, but Chi Ning firmly asserts his independence and chooses a more practical path.

Chapter Summary

• Chi Ning returns to class after withdrawing from the competition, surprising Teacher Wang and his classmates, who had assumed he would merely take a short break. His classmates are curious about his connection to Class 18’s Qin Heng, especially after Qin’s associate, Zhang Qiuwen, delivers him bayberry juice.
• Li Qiuhe explains the school rumors surrounding Qin Heng and Yue, two notorious troublemakers. The pair recently fought, allegedly over money, and Yue lost a tooth. Li warns Chi Ning to avoid Qin Heng, but Chi Ning is more intrigued than frightened, wondering whether Qin Heng may have been involved in debt collection rather than loan sharking.
• Li Qiuhe, the vice class monitor, asks Chi Ning to help explain difficult physics problems. Chi Ning agrees, recognizing the students’ sincerity and deciding that, since he has abandoned his own competition plans, he now has time to help others. His exceptional memory and deep understanding of physics allow him to solve and explain several highly challenging problems with remarkable ease.
• Chi Ning notices Qin Heng’s handwriting on the bottom of the bayberry juice bottle. He realizes Qin deliberately practiced writing the character “Ning” to make the drink more appealing and attract him as a long-term customer. Chi Ning’s fond reaction makes Qin uneasy: Qin had intended only to earn extra money, not to make Chi Ning emotionally attached to him. He also wonders whether Chi Ning might be attracted to men and whether the handwriting has genuinely affected him.
• Qin visits the classroom to collect the empty bottle and tells Chi Ning that Mo Yuanzhou wants to speak with him at the billiards hall. Qin appears socially confident, already calling Mo “Brother Yuanzhou,” while Chi Ning still addresses him formally as “Teacher Mo.” Their interaction draws the attention of the entire class and makes Li Qiuhe nervous, though Chi Ning sees no reason to fear Qin.
• Chi Ning then teaches the class at the blackboard, rapidly solving three advanced problems. His natural authority and effortless explanations astonish everyone. Li Qiuhe praises him enthusiastically, and even Teacher Wang is shocked to discover that Chi Ning can solve a problem he himself had misunderstood. Chi Ning slips away before Wang can question him, suggesting that despite his talents, he remains uncomfortable with attention and with the implications of returning to academic competition.
• During lunch, Chi Ning eats alone in a bamboo grove and reflects on his boredom at school, his suspicions about Qin Heng’s past, and his curiosity about Mo’s request. He jokingly imagines Qin as a piece of pork belly and bites into it, revealing his growing mixture of irritation, fascination, and affection toward Qin.
• That evening at the billiards hall, Mo Yuanzhou reveals his proposal: the previous photos featuring Chi Ning were well received but lacked contrast. Since Qin has agreed to model, Mo wants Chi Ning and Qin Heng to pose together in a new photo shoot.

Character Developments and Themes

• Chi Ning shifts from an emotionally detached, competition-focused prodigy into someone more willing to interact with classmates and help them. His decision to teach reflects his changing priorities after giving up his previous life’s ambitions.
• Qin Heng remains outwardly cold and arrogant but shows signs of insecurity and emotional confusion. His deliberate handwriting practice, concern over Chi Ning’s reaction, and desire to maintain the business relationship reveal that his feelings may be becoming more personal.
• Li Qiuhe serves as an enthusiastic, gossip-loving classmate who both admires Chi Ning and worries about his safety.
• Teacher Wang is impressed and embarrassed by Chi Ning’s abilities, highlighting the gap between Chi Ning’s apparent withdrawal and his continued brilliance.
• Major themes include second chances, emotional awakening, hidden vulnerability, social reputation versus reality, and the transformation of practical arrangements into genuine personal attachment.

Chapter 10 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Mo Yuanzhou asks Chi Ning and Qin Heng to participate in a two-person promotional shoot. Chi Ning initially resists because the extra work was not part of his original agreement, but he immediately accepts when Mo raises the payment to 1,600 yuan per day, giving each of them 800 yuan.
• Mo warns that the shoot will involve interaction and physical contact. Chi Ning hesitates because he still struggles to separate the present Qin Heng from the Qin Heng who betrayed him in his previous life.
• To build chemistry before the shoot, Mo has Chi Ning and Qin Heng play pool together. Their conversation is stiff, and neither knows how to interact naturally.
• Chi Ning questions Qin Heng about a recent fight and rumors that he is involved in loan-sharking. Qin Heng says the person he fought deserved it for trying to extort him, but he does not clearly deny the rumors.
• After half an hour of awkward play, Mo joins Chi Ning for a game. His relaxed and humorous personality helps Chi Ning feel comfortable, and several hours pass unnoticed.
• At home, Chi Ning checks his bank balance and discovers that he has 1.23 million yuan—far more than he remembered. He realizes he may have underestimated how much his family has supported him financially.
• Chi Yang gives him information about potential combat coaches. Chi Ning chooses a retired serviceman to teach him self-defense.
• Chi Yang explains that the family cannot yet let Chi Ning use the company’s laboratory because the company is unstable, competitors may have planted spies, and dangerous or restricted materials could put him at risk. He promises Chi Ning can use it after the company is reorganized.
• Touched by his brother’s protection, Chi Ning tells Chi Yang that having an older brother is wonderful.
• The next day, Chi Ning remembers that he is likely to receive the school’s scholarship again. Since he feels he no longer deserves it because his attitude toward studying has become lazy, he spends an entire week trying to devise a discreet way to pass the money to the student ranked second without attracting attention or losing his guaranteed admission.
• By the time Chi Ning arrives at Mo’s studio for the shoot, he is exhausted and distracted from overthinking the scholarship issue.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: Shows his practical, money-conscious side, accepting the shoot mainly to fund his planned experiments. He remains emotionally conflicted about Qin Heng but still worries about Qin’s moral direction. He also begins to recognize how wealthy and protective his family is, becoming more comfortable relying on them rather than handling everything alone.
• Qin Heng: Displays physical strength and a guarded, arrogant personality. He views people and places as potential opportunities, but he finds himself unwilling to evaluate Chi Ning in the same transactional way. His distraction while playing pool suggests growing personal interest in Chi Ning.
• Mo Yuanzhou: Acts as a perceptive and teasing mentor. He notices Chi Ning’s transparent expressions, tries to create chemistry between the two young men, and provides a comfortable, playful atmosphere.
• Chi Yang: Reveals that he is deeply protective of Chi Ning and has personally experienced danger because of the family’s status. His concern strengthens Chi Ning’s sense of being cared for.

Significant Themes

• Money and practicality: Chi Ning evaluates opportunities based on their ability to support his scientific ambitions, while Qin Heng habitually sees people and places as possible opportunities.
• Trust and emotional conflict: Chi Ning knows he should treat the present Qin Heng as a different person, but his past-life memories continue to influence his feelings and suspicions.
• Family protection: Chi Ning begins to understand that his family’s love and support are much stronger than he previously realized.
• Moral responsibility: Chi Ning worries about Qin Heng’s rumored involvement in illegal activities and feels uneasy about accepting a scholarship he believes he no longer deserves.
• Awkward intimacy and developing chemistry: The planned photo shoot forces Chi Ning and Qin Heng into close interaction, even though both remain uncomfortable and unable to communicate naturally.

Important Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and Mo Yuanzhou: Negotiate payment for the shoot; Mo teases Chi Ning’s obvious expressions and later helps him relax through a friendly pool game.
• Chi Ning and Qin Heng: Play pool awkwardly, discuss Qin Heng’s recent fight, and reveal the tension caused by Chi Ning’s unresolved memories and Qin Heng’s guarded behavior.
• Chi Yang and Chi Ning: Discuss self-defense training, the dangers surrounding the family business, and Chi Ning’s desire to use the company laboratory. Their conversation deepens their brotherly bond.
• Qin Heng observing Chi Ning: Qin Heng notices Chi Ning’s smiles and briefly imagines giving him something valuable, suggesting feelings he is unwilling to acknowledge.

Chapter 11 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• During preparations for a fashion photoshoot, Chi Ning admits he is worried about giving someone money without damaging their pride or making them feel indebted.
• Qin Heng overhears and mistakenly assumes Chi Ning is referring to him and romantically interested in him. He believes Chi Ning wants to help him financially because of a misunderstanding about Qin Heng’s fight with Yue Yaozong.
• Qin Heng privately clarifies that he is not involved in loan sharking; he fought Yue Yaozong because Yue tried to rob him. He attempts to tell Chi Ning not to like him, but Mo Yuanzhou interrupts before he can finish.
• Chi Ning is forced to wear an extremely revealing black shirt decorated with chains and an exposed back. Embarrassed and uncomfortable, he tries to hide himself with a scarf, but the makeup artists praise his appearance and adjust the outfit.
• Mo Yuanzhou directs Chi Ning and Qin Heng in a provocative paired photoshoot, physically positioning their hands to create an intimate pose. Both boys become flustered by the closeness and suggestive atmosphere.
• Qin Heng negotiates additional payment for the shoot, increasing their compensation to 1,200 each. Chi Ning admires his bargaining skills.
• Chi Ning offers Qin Heng a non-dairy milk tea after remembering Qin Heng dislikes dairy. Qin Heng accepts it but becomes suspicious about how Chi Ning knows his preferences.
• Qin Heng warns Chi Ning not to waste time on him, saying they are “not the same kind of people.” Chi Ning does not understand the emotional implication and simply continues drinking his milk tea.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: Remains innocent, socially awkward, and oblivious to Qin Heng’s romantic misunderstandings. He is highly uncomfortable with revealing clothing and physical intimacy but gradually follows the photographer’s directions. His concern about helping others without humiliating them highlights his kindness and sensitivity.
• Qin Heng: Becomes increasingly convinced that Chi Ning likes him and is trying to support him financially. Although he insists he is straight and plans to reject Chi Ning, he shows signs of attraction and attentiveness, including noticing Chi Ning’s appearance and accepting his carefully chosen drink. His concern over Chi Ning’s relationship with Zhang Qiuwen reveals jealousy.
• Mo Yuanzhou: Demonstrates a strict, professional, and commercially minded side during the shoot. He pushes both models beyond their comfort zones and deliberately creates a visually intimate pairing.
• The makeup artists: Tease Chi Ning affectionately and contribute to his embarrassment by openly admiring his appearance.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication: Qin Heng completely misinterprets Chi Ning’s worries about money and assumes they concern him romantically.
• Pride and generosity: Chi Ning wants to help someone without making them feel inferior or indebted, emphasizing the emotional complexities of wealth and charity.
• Unconscious attraction: Qin Heng verbally rejects the possibility of a relationship while repeatedly noticing Chi Ning’s body, habits, and preferences.
• Social and emotional awkwardness: Both boys struggle to interpret one another’s words and actions, creating humorous tension.
• Public image versus private discomfort: The photoshoot presents an attractive, intimate image of the pair even though both are stiff and embarrassed behind the scenes.

Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and Qin Heng are forced into close physical proximity during the shoot, with Qin Heng’s hand placed on Chi Ning’s exposed back and Chi Ning’s hand against Qin Heng’s neck.
• Qin Heng attempts to establish emotional distance, while Chi Ning remains confused by his reactions.
• Chi Ning shows consideration by offering Qin Heng a drink suited to his preferences, unintentionally intensifying Qin Heng’s suspicion and jealousy.
• Mo Yuanzhou acts as the controlling director, physically arranging their poses and exploiting their natural tension to produce more compelling photographs.

Chapter 12 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• After a fashion photoshoot arranged by Mo Yuanzhou, Chi Ning returns home exhausted and sleeps. Mo Yuanzhou is pleased with the clothing designs he altered for Chi Ning.
• Throughout June, Qin Heng regularly collects the empty bayberry-juice bottles Chi Ning orders. This causes Class 1 students to fear that Qin Heng has influenced Chi Ning, who seems increasingly sleepy and less focused on studying.
• Before the final exams, Li Qiuhe warns Chi Ning that becoming close to Class 18—especially Qin Heng—may harm his grades and jeopardize his scholarship. Chi Ning becomes concerned when he remembers that Ye Xinran, a future technological genius, is poor and depends on scholarship money.
• Chi Ning works exceptionally hard during the finals and wins first prize, receiving a 9,000-yuan scholarship. Ye Xinran comes second and receives 5,000 yuan, which is insufficient to resolve his family’s debts.
• Chi Ning seeks out Ye Xinran and offers him the money from his scholarship. Rather than presenting it as charity, he proposes a formal arrangement: Chi Ning’s family will help settle Ye Xinran’s debts, and Ye Xinran will later work for the Chi family’s company.
• Chi Ning frames the arrangement as a business investment and jokingly says Ye Xinran is effectively “selling himself” to the company, intending to prevent him from feeling humiliated or overly indebted.
• Qin Heng and Zhang Qiuwen secretly witness the conversation. Qin Heng becomes unsettled as he realizes that Chi Ning’s kindness toward others resembles the help Chi Ning previously gave him.
• After returning home, Chi Ning persuades his father and elder brother to support Ye Xinran. He also urges the family to expand into information technology and real estate to challenge the rival Jiuzhi Group.
• Chi Baichuan is amused and touched by Chi Ning’s enthusiasm and agrees to consider helping Ye Xinran. The chapter ends as Ye Xinran is scheduled to visit the Chi family the next morning.

Character Development

• Chi Ning: Shows his strategic intelligence and foresight by ensuring Ye Xinran receives the first-place scholarship, then recruiting him before he can become associated with the Shen family. His compassion is practical and carefully disguised as a business agreement. He also becomes more ambitious in guiding his family’s future investments and opposing the Shen family’s interests.
• Qin Heng: Becomes increasingly aware of Chi Ning’s unusual kindness and begins comparing Chi Ning’s treatment of Ye Xinran with the help he himself received. This produces irritation and possible jealousy, though he refuses to acknowledge why.
• Ye Xinran: Revealed to be under severe financial pressure because of his family’s debts. Chi Ning’s confidence in his future potential deeply affects him, giving him hope and motivating his loyalty toward the Chi family.
• Li Qiuhe: Acts as Chi Ning’s anxious, protective friend, worrying that Qin Heng is corrupting Chi Ning and damaging his academic performance.
• Chi Baichuan: Recognizes his youngest son’s sincerity and supports his desire to help Ye Xinran, while finding Chi Ning’s sudden business enthusiasm endearing.

Significant Themes

• Kindness versus charity: Chi Ning deliberately structures his aid as an investment so Ye Xinran will retain his dignity rather than feel pitied.
• Talent and strategic recruitment: Chi Ning uses his knowledge of the future to secure Ye Xinran’s loyalty and prevent him from becoming an asset to the Shen family.
• Competition and revenge: His plans to expand into technology and real estate are motivated both by business foresight and by his hostility toward the Shen family and Jiuzhi Group.
• Unrecognized emotional attachment: Qin Heng’s discomfort suggests growing possessiveness or jealousy as he realizes Chi Ning may treat everyone with the same generosity.
• Reputation and social class: Ye Xinran’s fear of classmates discovering his debts highlights the shame and vulnerability associated with poverty.

Character Interactions

• Li Qiuhe warns Chi Ning about Qin Heng’s influence and his declining study habits.
• Chi Ning offers Ye Xinran financial assistance and a future position with the Chi family, treating him as a valuable potential talent rather than a charity case.
• Qin Heng and Zhang Qiuwen spy on the exchange; Zhang worries Chi Ning may be hurt, while Qin Heng silently reflects on Chi Ning’s kindness toward him.
• Chi Ning later persuades his father and brother to support Ye Xinran and adopt a broader business strategy.

Chapter 13 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xinran visits the Chi family residence to sign a contract. Chi Ning’s father investigates his family situation and loan-shark troubles, then agrees to the arrangement. The process is unexpectedly quick and straightforward.
• Chi Ning apologizes for forgetting to tell Ye Xinran to bring evidence concerning the loan sharks. Ye Xinran declines Chi Ning’s invitation to lunch because he must study for an overseas technology competition.
• Chi Ning begins searching for a location for a private laboratory, hoping to pursue his interests in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. However, because he is a minor, eleven property developments refuse to rent to him.
• Frustrated, Chi Ning goes to the billiards hall, where he encounters Jiang Shijie. Jiang behaves arrogantly, smokes indoors, sits on the billiards table, and insults the establishment.
• Jiang claims to have business dealings with the Shen Family, particularly Shen Pharmaceutical, suggesting that he has acquired a powerful new backer and may be attempting to undermine the Chi family.
• When Jiang makes suggestive and insulting remarks toward Chi Ning, Qin Heng intervenes. After pretending to contact the owner, Qin violently throws Jiang out and reveals that the establishment belongs to Xu Jiahao.
• Qin then calls President Shen’s secretary, politely reporting Jiang’s misconduct and asking whether Jiang or the Shen Family will pay for the damage. This cleverly places responsibility on Jiang and creates potential conflict between Jiang, the Shen Family, and Xu Jiahao.

Character Developments

• Chi Ning: Continues acting independently and strategically. He wants to establish his own laboratory rather than burden his financially strained family. He also becomes increasingly perceptive about hidden alliances and recognizes that Jiang’s new confidence likely comes from Shen Family support.
• Ye Xinran: Is shown to be academically ambitious and humble. He is nervous around Chi Ning’s powerful father but handles the contract responsibly and prioritizes his studies.
• Chi Ning’s father: Though intimidating, he treats Ye Xinran’s matter efficiently and without unnecessary obstruction, suggesting practical support for his son’s arrangements.
• Qin Heng: Reveals a sharp contrast between his apparently refined manner and his ruthless, decisive actions. He protects Chi Ning without hesitation and demonstrates tactical intelligence by using the phone call to shift blame toward Jiang and President Shen.
• Jiang Shijie: His arrogance has increased because of his association with the Shen Family, but his confidence collapses once he realizes Qin Heng and Xu Jiahao are not people he can safely provoke.
• Xu Jiahao: Though absent, he emerges as a powerful figure who appears confident enough to confront the Shen Family directly.

Significant Themes

• Power and hidden alliances: Jiang’s behavior illustrates how people become emboldened when backed by influential families, while Qin’s response reveals that power networks are more complicated than they appear.
• Independence and self-reliance: Chi Ning wants to build his laboratory through his own efforts, even while his family is under financial pressure.
• Appearances versus reality: Qin Heng appears polite and cultured but is capable of sudden violence and calculated manipulation. Likewise, Chi Ning initially seems harmless but is observant and strategically minded.
• Social status and intimidation: Ye Xinran’s anxiety about entering the Chi family’s world contrasts with Jiang’s reckless reliance on status and connections.
• Protection and emerging intimacy: Qin Heng shields Chi Ning physically and socially, even briefly holding Chi Ning’s fingers in a moment that hints at growing personal attachment.

Character Interactions

• Chi Ning and Ye Xinran develop a cooperative relationship based on mutual assistance, with Chi Ning offering support and Ye Xinran showing responsibility.
• Chi Ning observes his father’s intimidating authority and contrasts it with his own less imposing personality.
• Jiang attempts to dominate and humiliate Chi Ning, but Qin Heng steps between them and protects him.
• Qin Heng’s defense of Chi Ning strengthens their bond while also exposing his hidden ruthlessness.
• Qin’s later call to President Shen’s secretary turns Jiang’s misconduct into a political and business problem, setting up possible conflict among the Shen Family, Xu Jiahao, and the Chi family.

Chapter 14 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Qin Heng calls President Shen after Jiang Shijie causes trouble at the billiards club. His warning pressures the Shen Family to distance itself from the Jiang Family and prevents the two families from forming an alliance against the Chi Family.
• The incident benefits both the Chi Family and Chongning, even though Qin Heng is not officially acting for the Chi family.
• Concerned that Chi Ning may have been frightened by the violence, Qin Heng buys him expensive chips and orange juice, claiming the club is compensating him for the unpleasant experience. Chi Ning, unaware of the real motive, tries to pay but Qin Heng refuses.
• Chi Ning watches snooker on television while eating. His innocent, easily distracted behavior makes Qin Heng and Zhang Qiuwen joke that he is easy to “retain” as a customer.
• Xu Jiahao arrives and discovers that Jiang Shijie damaged Chi Ning’s pool table. Chi Ning calmly explains that Qin Heng contacted President Shen and expects him to apologize. Xu Jiahao is impressed by Qin Heng’s handling of the situation.
• Xu Jiahao offers Qin Heng the chance to become his godson and inherit or manage his businesses after retirement. Qin Heng’s orphan background and capable conduct prompt the offer.
• Chi Ning misunderstands Xu Jiahao’s mention of “gambling” as lottery sales. Xu Jiahao vaguely describes his businesses as involving horse racing, football betting, lotteries, and magic shows.
• Chi Ning attempts to help his family by persuading Xu Jiahao to consider cooperating with the Chi Family in real estate. Pretending to feel helpless because his older brother is disappointing and his father is worried, he successfully wins Xu Jiahao’s sympathy.
• Xu Jiahao agrees to contact Chi Baichuan and gives Chi Ning a week to consider the matter, while privately becoming protective of him.
• After washing his hands, Chi Ning asks Qin Heng to rent a larger place for him, since he is underage and cannot rent property himself.
• Qin Heng reveals that he recognized Chi Ning’s emotional performance as a lie and asks whether Chi Ning is afraid he will expose him. The chapter ends with Chi Ning becoming nervous.

Character Development

• Qin Heng: Demonstrates strategic ability, ruthlessness, and discretion in managing the Jiang-Shen conflict. He also shows unexpected consideration toward Chi Ning by buying him food and protecting his customer relationship. His sharp observation of Chi Ning’s lie reveals that he is not as easily manipulated as others.
• Chi Ning: Remains innocent and socially naïve, misunderstanding Xu Jiahao’s gambling business and believing Qin Heng’s “compensation” explanation. However, he also shows growing initiative and loyalty by trying to secure a business opportunity for his family. His first attempt at manipulation succeeds despite being somewhat unpolished.
• Xu Jiahao: Develops a fond, paternal attitude toward Chi Ning. He recognizes Qin Heng’s talent and offers him a major opportunity, but Chi Ning’s innocent appearance makes him more interested in protecting Chi Ning than exploiting the relationship.
• Zhang Qiuwen: Acts as an amused observer, questioning Qin Heng’s fabricated compensation story and understanding its purpose as customer retention.
• Jiang Shijie and the Shen Family: Jiang Shijie’s recklessness damages his family’s position, while the Shen Family is forced into a defensive posture by Qin Heng’s call.

Significant Themes

• Power and indirect influence: Qin Heng changes the balance between several wealthy and criminal forces without formally representing the Chi Family.
• Innocence as strength: Chi Ning’s naïveté and apparent helplessness make powerful figures underestimate him and become eager to help him.
• Manipulation and performance: Chi Ning begins experimenting with emotional persuasion, while Qin Heng proves capable of seeing through his act.
• Unexpected bonds and loyalty: Qin Heng protects Chi Ning’s interests, and Chi Ning repays help with gratitude and efforts to benefit his family.
• Business and personal relationships: The chapter humorously treats money, cooperation, and customer retention as interconnected forms of relationship-building.

Character Interactions

• Qin Heng and Chi Ning share a mixture of suspicion, gratitude, and growing dependence. Qin Heng comforts Chi Ning while secretly analyzing him, and Chi Ning begins trusting him enough to request help with renting a home.
• Xu Jiahao praises Qin Heng’s handling of Jiang Shijie and offers him a future, while Chi Ning’s innocent comments and vulnerable act quickly shift Xu Jiahao’s attention toward a paternal relationship with him.
• Chi Ning’s attempt to arrange cooperation between Xu Jiahao and the Chi Family succeeds because Xu Jiahao is disarmed by his apparent helplessness.
• The final exchange between Qin Heng and Chi Ning introduces new tension: Qin Heng knows Chi Ning was pretending and may now use that knowledge to tease, test, or pressure him.

Chapter Summary — Page 18

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Heng admits he will not expose Chi Ning’s lie to Xu Jiahao and offers to teach him how to act convincingly. His blunt, teasing attitude irritates Chi Ning, who accuses him of refusing to help with the apartment rental and threatens to ask Zhang Qiuwen instead.
• Qin Heng grabs Chi Ning’s wrist, revealing his jealousy and possessiveness. He questions why Chi Ning is willing to help so many people, including Ye Xinran and Zhang Qiuwen.
• Chi Ning firmly reminds Qin Heng that his choice of whom to help is none of Qin Heng’s business. Qin Heng realizes he has no legitimate right to interfere, since Chi Ning does not belong to him.
• Feeling guilty for speaking too harshly, Chi Ning awkwardly explains that Zhang Qiuwen is Qin Heng’s friend. Qin Heng’s mood immediately improves, interpreting this as Chi Ning helping Zhang Qiuwen because of him.
• Qin Heng lies to Chi Ning about Zhang Qiuwen’s age, claiming he is seventeen. He secretly texts Zhang Qiuwen and instructs him to give the same answer. Chi Ning accepts the explanation but decides to verify it.
• After confirming Zhang Qiuwen’s supposed age, Chi Ning agrees to discuss renting a place with Qin Heng after work. Qin Heng is pleased but internally struggles between his guilty conscience and his desire to keep Chi Ning close.
• A group of bodyguards arrives escorting Shen Zongze, president of the Shen family. Chi Ning recognizes him as the man who will later betray the Chi family by bribing shareholders and seizing control of Chongning.
• Shen Zongze comes to apologize for Jiang Shijie, who damaged a pool table at Xu Jiahao’s billiards hall after sitting on it. Xu Jiahao uses the incident to pressure him for compensation.
• Shen Zongze offers one million as an apology. Xu Jiahao accepts the check but appears unimpressed, then takes out five one-million-value chips, implying that the damage and insult may cost Shen’s side far more.

Character Developments

• Qin Heng: His usual composure gives way to jealousy and possessiveness toward Chi Ning. He is willing to deceive both Chi Ning and Zhang Qiuwen to prevent Chi Ning from becoming too close to Zhang. Despite his morally dubious behavior, he is deeply affected by Chi Ning’s opinion and fears being hated.
• Chi Ning: He becomes more assertive, directly challenging Qin Heng’s interference and defending his personal freedom. Although still trusting, he shows the beginnings of caution by deciding to verify Zhang Qiuwen’s age rather than accepting Qin Heng’s words blindly.
• Xu Jiahao: He demonstrates his authority and shrewdness by remaining calm, refusing to be intimidated by Shen Zongze, and exploiting Jiang Shijie’s mistake to demand compensation.
• Shen Zongze: He is portrayed as calculating but anxious. Although outwardly confident and successful, he fears Xu Jiahao and realizes that Jiang Shijie’s actions may have damaged his efforts to win Xu’s support.
• Zhang Qiuwen: He cooperates with Qin Heng’s lie, showing loyalty to him, though his actual age remains uncertain from Chi Ning’s perspective.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and possessiveness: Qin Heng’s anger over Chi Ning seeking help from Zhang Qiuwen exposes feelings he cannot openly acknowledge.
• Trust and deception: Qin Heng manipulates the situation to keep Chi Ning close, while Chi Ning begins learning to question information rather than trusting blindly.
• Personal freedom and boundaries: Chi Ning insists that Qin Heng has no right to control whom he helps, forcing Qin Heng to confront the limits of their relationship.
• Moral ambiguity: Qin Heng knows his actions are deceptive but justifies them as the only way to maintain Chi Ning’s goodwill.
• Power and alliances: Shen Zongze’s visit highlights the rivalry between the Chi and Shen families, while Xu Jiahao’s response shows that business relationships depend on influence, leverage, and perceived strength.

Character Interactions

• Qin Heng and Chi Ning: Their exchange moves from teasing and irritation to jealousy, guilt, and reluctant cooperation. Chi Ning’s softened request for Qin Heng’s help has a strong emotional effect on him.
• Qin Heng and Zhang Qiuwen: Qin Heng orders Zhang Qiuwen to lie about his age, prioritizing his own jealousy over complete honesty with Chi Ning.
• Chi Ning and Xu Jiahao: Chi Ning publicly praises Xu as kind, unintentionally strengthening their rapport and amusing Xu.
• Xu Jiahao and Shen Zongze: Their polite conversation is charged with intimidation and rivalry. Xu uses Jiang Shijie’s offense to force Shen into paying a substantial price.
• Chi Ning and Shen Zongze: Their meeting is outwardly restrained, but Chi Ning recognizes Shen as a future enemy and quietly observes him with knowledge of the betrayal to come.

Chapter 15 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Jiahao gives Shen Zongze five million in casino chips, apparently as a gesture of support, while telling him to deal with the “trash” around him.
• Shen assumes Xu may be taking his side and leaves pleased, planning to use the chips.
• Chi Ning asks Xu whether he intends to cooperate with Shen. Xu clarifies that he is only pretending to remain neutral and will eventually support the Chi family. He plans to use Shen’s money to buy Chi Ning a new pool table.
• Xu then instructs his people to treat Shen well when he visits, making it clear that he intends to lure Shen into spending even more money. Qin Heng and Chi Ning realize that the five million in chips are bait.
• Chi Ning concludes that Shen will likely redirect his anger toward Jiang Shijie, giving the Chi family an unexpected advantage.
• Late at night, Qin Heng picks up Chi Ning, who is half-asleep and accidentally calls him “Brother Heng,” revealing a moment of unconscious familiarity.
• Chi Ning and Qin Heng inspect a townhouse intended to serve as both a residence and a laboratory. When a ceramic ornament falls, Qin Heng catches Chi Ning around the waist and protects him from the shards.
• Chi Ning becomes flustered by their close physical contact, while the realtor mistakenly assumes they are lovers eloping.
• Chi Ning’s father calls, worried about his late return. Chi Ning awkwardly claims he has been playing pool.
• Although Chi Ning likes the house, Qin Heng carefully inspects it and identifies numerous defects, including faulty plumbing, drainage, wiring, appliances, and lighting. He forces the realtor to make repairs before they sign the lease.
• In the taxi afterward, Chi Ning recognizes Qin Heng’s guarded, sharp, and combative nature. When Qin Heng asks whether he regrets their connection, Chi Ning instead expresses sympathy, suggesting Qin was probably bullied and taken advantage of when he was younger.

Character Developments

• Xu Jiahao proves himself highly strategic. He publicly maintains neutrality while secretly favoring the stronger side—the Chi family—and plans to profit by exploiting Shen Zongze’s greed.
• Shen Zongze becomes overconfident, believing Xu’s ambiguous gesture is support. He is unknowingly being manipulated.
• Chi Ning grows more perceptive about business and political maneuvering. He also becomes increasingly aware of his emotional and physical reactions to Qin Heng.
• Qin Heng is shown to be protective, meticulous, suspicious, and unwilling to let others take advantage of him. His actions reveal both practical competence and a softer concern for Chi Ning’s safety.
• Chi Baichuan appears lonely and worried about his family, feeling abandoned as each family member becomes absorbed in personal or business matters.
• The realtor provides comic relief through his mistaken assumptions about Chi Ning and Qin Heng’s relationship.

Significant Themes

• Strategy and manipulation: Xu Jiahao’s apparent neutrality masks a calculated plan to profit from Shen’s ambition and greed.
• Trust and protection: Qin Heng’s instinctive protection of Chi Ning contrasts with his guarded personality.
• Emotional intimacy: Physical contact and small slips in speech suggest growing attraction and familiarity between Chi Ning and Qin Heng.
• Appearances versus reality: Shen misreads Xu’s intentions, the realtor misinterprets the men’s relationship, and Qin Heng’s harsh exterior conceals his concern for Chi Ning.
• Family loneliness and conflict: Chi Baichuan’s reflections emphasize the emotional distance within the Chi household.

Important Character Interactions

• Xu Jiahao and Shen Zongze: Xu flatters and misleads Shen while preparing to profit from him.
• Xu Jiahao, Chi Ning, and Qin Heng: Xu reveals his eventual support for the Chi family, earning their admiration.
• Qin Heng and Chi Ning: Qin protects Chi during the accident, scrutinizes the house for his benefit, and prompts Chi Ning to reflect on his difficult past.
• Chi Ning and Chi Baichuan: Their late-night phone call highlights Chi Baichuan’s concern and Chi Ning’s awkward attempt to hide where he is.

Chapter 16 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qin Heng privately feels guilty for lying to Chi Ning, but Chi Ning reassures him that fighting for his own interests is not wrong and thanks him for protecting him from the agent. This encouragement deeply affects Qin Heng.
• After arriving at Jiurong Prestige City, Qin Heng insists on walking Chi Ning safely to his home. He shields Chi Ning from hitting his head on the car and later protects the side of his face while they walk.
• Chi Ning returns home late and finds his father, Chi Baichuan, dramatically mourning his absent wife through late-night Cantonese karaoke. Too tired to explain anything, Chi Ning goes upstairs.
• Qin Heng discovers a paparazzo hiding near the Chi residence and forces him to surrender the film containing photos of Qin Heng escorting Chi Ning home. He threatens the paparazzo into leaving and keeps the film rather than destroying it.
• The next day, Chi Baichuan and Chi Yang question Chi Ning about his late return. Chi Ning claims he was playing ball and explains that Jiang Shijie was beaten after causing trouble at Boss Xu’s billiards hall.
• When confronted with a newspaper article implying Chi Ning came home with a boyfriend, Chi Ning explains that Qin Heng is a classmate and former student of No. 1 High School who walked him home because it was unsafe to travel alone.
• Chi Yang notices that Chi Ning’s explanation does not account for the extra hour before he arrived home. Under pressure, Chi Ning becomes anxious and nearly confesses the truth, but Chi Baichuan softens and postpones the discussion.
• During lunch, Chi Ning is so distracted that he unconsciously eats from an empty bowl. Finally, he tentatively asks his father and brother how they would react if he liked boys.

Character Developments

• Qin Heng: Becomes increasingly protective of Chi Ning and takes direct action to defend his privacy. His affection is suggested through his guilt, tenderness, and willingness to confront the paparazzo. Chi Ning’s praise visibly softens him emotionally.
• Chi Ning: Grows more emotionally dependent on Qin Heng while struggling with guilt and fear that revealing the truth could endanger his family. He shows courage by raising the possibility of being attracted to men, something he never allowed himself to consider in his previous life.
• Chi Baichuan: Initially appears stern and suspicious, but his concern for Chi Ning quickly overrides his anger. He is open-minded about his son’s sexuality and protects him from Chi Yang’s questioning.
• Chi Yang: Acts as the more perceptive investigator, recognizing gaps in Chi Ning’s story. Though suspicious, he is not hostile toward the possibility that Chi Ning might like men.
• The paparazzo: Attempts to blackmail Qin Heng by threatening to sell photographs, but is intimidated into surrendering the film.

Significant Themes

• Protection and trust: Qin Heng repeatedly protects Chi Ning physically and socially, while Chi Ning begins trusting him with his safety and gratitude.
• Fear of exposure: The paparazzo’s photographs threaten to reveal their relationship, reflecting the danger of public scrutiny and gossip.
• Family acceptance: Chi Ning’s question about liking boys introduces the theme of coming out and suggests that his family may respond with understanding rather than rejection.
• Past trauma and second chances: Chi Ning’s fear that one mistake could destroy his family stems from his previous life, contrasting with his desire to build a happier future this time.
• Truth versus concealment: Both Qin Heng and Chi Ning use selective truths to protect themselves and others, but the emotional strain of hiding things is becoming increasingly difficult.

Important Character Interactions

• Chi Ning comforts and praises Qin Heng, causing Qin Heng’s guarded emotional state to soften.
• Qin Heng escorts Chi Ning home and silently looks after him, displaying affection through practical gestures rather than words.
• Qin Heng confronts the paparazzo and refuses to let Chi Ning be exploited.
• Chi Baichuan and Chi Yang question Chi Ning together, creating a tense, almost trial-like atmosphere.
• Chi Baichuan ultimately comforts Chi Ning when he becomes distressed.
• The chapter ends with Chi Ning testing his family’s reaction by asking whether they would accept him if he liked boys.