Chapter Summaries

Chi Ning reassured Chi Baichuan and Chi Yang about his unrequited feelings for Qin Heng, then revealed he had secured Xu Jiahao’s agreement to discuss cooperation with the Chi family. At Qin Heng’s pool hall, Qin Heng struggled to understand his growing feelings for Chi Ning and gave him the bayberry juice and frozen fruit he wanted; two customers arrived as Chi Ning went to buy tissues.

• Chi Ning told Chi Baichuan he and Qin Heng were not dating, and Chi Baichuan advised him to wait until after high school before pursuing Qin Heng.
• Chi Ning told Chi Baichuan and Chi Yang that Xu Jiahao had agreed to discuss working with the Chi family, surprising Chi Baichuan.
• Qin Heng collected photos of Chi Ning from a photo studio, destroyed the negatives, and wondered why he had spent money thinking of Chi Ning’s smile.
• Qin Heng asked Zhang Qiuwen what it meant to spend money on someone and think of his smile, but Zhang Qiuwen joked that Qin Heng wanted to acknowledge someone as his father.
• Chi Ning visited the pool hall, ordered two months of bayberry juice, and received a cold bottle and frozen bayberries Qin Heng had saved for him.
• Chi Ning ate bayberries and played pool while Qin Heng kept Zhang Qiuwen from staring at him; two customers came in as Chi Ning went to buy tissues.

At the billiards hall, Chi Ning impressed the customers with a clever shot and helped Gu Zhe recognize that his senior had been exploiting his affection. Gu Zhe followed Chi Ning’s advice and refused to pay for the group’s bill, while Qin Heng watched Chi Ning grow closer to him.

• Qin Heng opened a table for a group of customers, and Chi Ning sank the black ball with a double hit that proved Gu Zhe wrong.
• Gu Zhe challenged Chi Ning, ran outside after his senior rebuked him, and accepted Chi Ning’s apology and iced water.
• Chi Ning overheard the group dismissing Gu Zhe as someone who would pay, then advised him to return and refuse the bill with the surveillance footage as proof.
• Qin Heng calculated the group’s 349-yuan bill, and Gu Zhe denied responsibility for the charges and confronted his senior for stringing him along.

After Gu Zhe’s breakup, Qin Heng grew increasingly attentive to Chi Ning, who asked him to arrange a house for experimental equipment rather than a home for them to share. Chi Ning began summer combat training, while Qin Heng stayed busy with work and equipment errands but continued making him bayberry juice; they then went two months without seeing each other.

• Gu Zhe gathered 350 from his friends to pay after losing, then sobbed in Chi Ning’s arms and warned Qin Heng not to pursue Chi Ning because he thought Chi Ning liked someone.
• Chi Ning neither confirmed nor denied having someone he liked, then arranged to sign for a house and asked Qin Heng to manage the rental and buy experimental equipment.
• Qin Heng learned Chi Ning planned to turn the house into a laboratory rather than move in, and accepted Chi Ning’s bank card to cover the equipment and expenses.
• At dinner, Qin Heng watched Chi Ning eat spicy hotpot and carefully picked frog meat for him, while Chi Ning felt unsettled by Qin Heng’s intense gaze.
• Chi Ning trained diligently through summer vacation, improving his fitness and learning to last three minutes against Coach Han.
• Mo Yuanzhou learned that Qin Heng was busy with lessons and equipment errands but still made Chi Ning bayberry juice every day and sent it to the billiards hall.

Qin Heng returned from a pool tournament and accidentally kissed Chi Ning, stirring up the feelings he had tried to suppress. After Gu Zhe mistook Chi Ning’s feelings for affection for Mo Yuanzhou and confessed his own interest, Qin Heng challenged him, then privately confronted his unresolved love for Chi Ning.

• Qin Heng arrived at the billiards hall, accidentally brushed his lips against Chi Ning’s forehead, and wondered who Chi Ning liked.
• Chi Ning realized Qin Heng had kissed him and left with Mo Yuanzhou to escape the awkward atmosphere.
• Gu Zhe gave Chi Ning a concert ticket, admitted he liked him, and argued that Chi Ning’s supposed feelings for Mo Yuanzhou were unsuitable.
• Chi Ning denied liking Mo Yuanzhou, but Gu Zhe misunderstood his explanation that he and his crush did not match.
• Qin Heng confronted Gu Zhe about whether he truly cared for Chi Ning, and Gu Zhe challenged Qin Heng to admit his own feelings.
• Qin Heng reflected that he had tried to suppress his feelings for Chi Ning, but seeing him again had undone his resolve.

Qin Heng gave Chi Ning his gold medal after Shen Minyi confronted him about abandoning the national competition and presented his own medal. Alarmed by the Shen Family’s threat to his family, Chi Ning went with Qin Heng to begin setting up a laboratory for his research.

• Qin Heng saw Shen Minyi sitting with Chi Ning and gave Chi Ning the gold medal he had won himself.
• Shen Minyi criticized Chi Ning for skipping the national competition and disparaged Qin Heng’s medal, while Chi Ning defended the value of competitive sports.
• After Shen Minyi left his own medal behind, Chi Ning threw it into the trash, pleasing Qin Heng.
• Chi Ning decided to hurry his patent research so the Chi family could recover its shares and challenge the Shen Family.
• Chi Ning and Qin Heng went to their rented villa, where Qin Heng helped him assemble laboratory furniture and offered to put the gold medal in the study.

Qin Heng and Chi Ning assembled lab tables late into the night, then shared Qin Heng’s bed after Chi Ning decided it was safer to stay over. Qin Heng cared for Chi Ning by drying his hair, while Chi Ning misread their closeness as an uncertain friendship and fell asleep beside him.

• Qin Heng secretly smelled Chi Ning’s medal ribbon, then helped him assemble a table in the overheated hall.
• Chi Ning told his father he was staying at a classmate’s house, and he and Qin Heng arranged three lab tables.
• Qin Heng said he had sold all the furniture, leaving no place for Chi Ning to sleep except the bed; they agreed to share it with separate blankets.
• Qin Heng made Chi Ning sit up and dry his hair, and Chi Ning felt confused by Qin Heng’s mix of sternness and care.
• Chi Ning asked whether Qin Heng dried Zhang Qiuwen’s hair, then took Qin Heng’s words that he was not his brother as proof they were ordinary friends.
• Qin Heng lay beside Chi Ning, wishing they were more than brothers, while Chi Ning fell asleep.

Chi Ning discovered that a gossip paper had published a damaging story about him and Qin Heng, but realized Mrs. Shen’s attack had driven Chongning Group’s stock down and created a chance to buy shares. Qin Heng called to apologize for the photograph, and Chi Ning checked that he was all right.

• Qin Heng gave Chi Ning the bed and slept on the floor after Chi Ning kicked off the blanket.
• Chen Mingxian called Chi Ning home, where he reunited with his parents over lunch.
• After Chi Ning went upstairs, Chen Mingxian and Chi Baichuan agreed to carry out their plan because Mrs. Shen had made a mistake.
• Chi Ning found a tabloid story accusing him of seducing Shen Minyi and damaging the Chi family’s reputation.
• Chi Ning saw Chongning Group’s stock had hit its daily limit down and concluded Mrs. Shen’s actions had made it easier for the family to buy shares.
• Qin Heng called to apologize for the paparazzi photograph, and Chi Ning reassured him and asked whether he was safe.

Chi Ning refused Qin Heng’s offer to suppress the newspaper rumors, and Qin Heng chose to honor his wishes while struggling with his feelings for the underage Chi Ning. On the first day of registration, Chi Ning was urged to give the student representative speech, while Ye Xinran began to suspect Chi Ning was keeping the rumors for a reason involving stocks and his brother.

• Qin Heng offered to use Xu Jiahao’s influence to stop the rumors, but Chi Ning firmly objected and asked Qin Heng whether he wanted nothing to do with him.
• Qin Heng decided not to remove the reports because Chi Ning had asked him to leave them alone, then spoke with Xu Jiahao about Chi Ning hanging up on him.
• On registration day, Wang Quan asked Chi Ning to give the opening-school speech, but Chi Ning declined and suggested Ye Xinran instead.
• Ye Xinran praised Chi Ning’s achievements and urged him to accept the role, while Wang Quan argued the speech could counter the rumors.
• Ye Xinran asked whether the Shen Family had started the rumors, and Chi Ning admitted he knew and said keeping the information could be useful.
• Ye Xinran guessed Chi Ning was preserving the rumors for a stock-related plan involving his brother, and Chi Ning silenced him before he could finish.

Chi Ning delivered an impromptu speech urging No. 1 High School students to seize their chance in the college entrance exam, then denied being close to Qin Heng when the dean questioned him about dating rumors. Qin Heng overheard Chi Ning’s denial and was left stunned as the dean challenged Chi Ning’s placement exam results.

• Qin Heng watched Chi Ning deliver a forceful speech at the opening ceremony and hoped Chi Ning’s advice about students who had not worked hard was meant for him.
• Chi Ning criticized Gangnan International School’s claim that public-school students could not compete, and the students applauded his call to seize the opportunities ahead.
• The dean mocked Chi Ning’s rumored conduct and threatened to report him, but Chi Ning revealed that his speech notes were blank and that he had spoken from his own thoughts.
• The dean asked Chi Ning about his relationship with Qin Heng and the rumors that they were dating and had shared a room.
• Chi Ning said he and Qin Heng were not dating or particularly close, leaving Qin Heng shocked as the dean said he would judge Chi Ning by his placement exam results.

Chi Ning took the placement exams while Qin Heng decided to study so he could stand beside him in the future. The rankings confirmed Chi Ning remained first, while the school’s dean was left embarrassed by his perfect science score.

• The dean tried to provoke Chi Ning, but Chi Ning calmly told him to check the exam rankings on Friday; Qin Heng saw him talking closely with a classmate and decided he needed to study and get into college.
• Chi Ning finished his placement exam papers early and ate lunch in the bamboo grove, where Qin Heng watched him from the classroom and later sat in the same spot.
• Qin Heng attended evening study and carefully completed a Chinese test paper, while Chi Ning continued handing in his exams early.
• Wang Quan revealed Chi Ning had earned a perfect 300 on the science comprehensive paper, and the English teacher reported that he had lost only three points on his Chinese composition.
• The students gathered around the posted rankings and saw Chi Ning in first place, Ye Xinran in second, and Qin Heng near the bottom.

Chi Ning struggled to resist buying bayberry juice, then bought some from a school stall and found it sour. Qin Heng followed him, drank from his bottle, and ended the chapter by warning him not to buy food from that stall again.

• Chi Ning helped Ye Xinran solve a calculus problem, then rushed out to buy fried chicken, egg tarts, and bayberry juice when he spotted a snack cart.
• Qin Heng watched Chi Ning eat in the bamboo grove and smiled at his reaction to the sour bayberry juice.
• Xu Jiahao called Chi Ning and asked him to pass the phone to Qin Heng, giving them an excuse to meet outside Class 18.
• Qin Heng followed Chi Ning and stopped him from throwing away the bayberry juice, then drank from the bottle and declared it too sour.
• Qin Heng warned Chi Ning not to buy from the snack cart again, saying its oil was unclean.

Qin Heng asked Chi Ning to tutor him for the Gangnan University entrance exams, and Chi Ning agreed in exchange for years of bayberry juice. During their first tutoring session, Chi Ning overheard Shen Minyi confront his mother about his feelings for Chi Ning and his father’s abuse of young boys.

• Qin Heng asked whether he could get into Gangnan University if he started studying, and Chi Ning agreed to tutor him in exchange for free bayberry juice.
• Chi Ning skipped evening self-study to meet Qin Heng at Tea River Lounge, leaving Class 1’s students worried that another class had taken him away.
• Chi Ning assigned Qin Heng math exercises and began helping him after Qin Heng corrected what he should call his tutor.
• Chi Ning recognized Shen Minyi’s voice from the neighboring room and listened as Shen Minyi argued with Madam Shen about giving Chi Ning a competition medal and keeping him close.
• Shen Minyi told Madam Shen that President Shen liked playing with little boys, leaving Chi Ning shocked and nauseated.

Chi Ning rejected Shen Minyi after learning of his role in the scheme against the Chi family, while Qin Heng pieced together how Chi Ning had used the report to help his family. After tutoring, Chi Ning discussed how scent and MHC might influence partner choice, leaving Qin Heng wondering what Chi Ning thought of his own scent.

• Chi Ning overheard Shen Minyi criticize Madam Shen and reveal that he and President Shen had been trying to acquire Chi family shares.
• Chi Ning became sickened by Shen Minyi's past abuse and compared him unfavorably with Qin Heng from his past life.
• Qin Heng comforted Chi Ning and deduced that Chi Ning had used the report to help his family turn the situation around.
• Chi Ning denied being a harmful liar, said he was not planning to date, and praised Qin Heng's business-minded reasoning while teasing him about math.
• Chi Ning tutored Qin Heng, then explained how MHC differences and scent could influence mate choice and commented on Ye Xinran's and Zhang Qiuwen's smells.

Chi Ning tried to hide his skipped evening study from Chi Yang, while Qin Heng realized Chi Ning could smell his pheromones and believed their MHCs were compatible. Chi Ning made it home with his lie intact, but left his backpack behind at Tea River Lounge.

• Chi Ning recognized Qin Heng's sea-breeze-and-mugwort pheromone scent, and Qin Heng concluded that Chi Ning's MHC had chosen him.
• Chi Yang called to offer Chi Ning a ride home, so Chi Ning claimed he was helping classmates and asked Qin Heng to help him reach the school gate.
• Qin Heng rode Chi Ning to the school's back wall, where Chi Ning climbed over and ran to the gate after leaving his backpack behind.
• Chi Ning met Chi Yang at the gate, claimed he had not brought his backpack, and said he had missed Chi Yang's second call because his classmates were talking loudly.
• After they arrived home, Chi Ning pushed his untouched egg custard toward Chi Yang when Chen Mingxian offered it to him.

Chi Ning concealed his secret laboratory and research from Chi Yang, who believed he had spent his money on someone he liked and promised to send him more. After suspecting Shen Minyi might be connected to his brother’s death, Chi Ning decided to enter his brother’s social circle and investigate; the next morning, Li Qiuhe confronted him about missing evening study.

• Chi Yang asked Chi Ning to help manage the family group, but Chi Ning refused and went upstairs to shower.
• Chi Yang showed Chi Ning the bank statement and questioned him about spending his savings, so Chi Ning claimed he had bought gifts for someone he liked.
• Chi Yang misunderstood Chi Ning’s excuse as a need for affection, promised to give him money, and agreed to keep the matter from their parents.
• Chi Ning wondered whether Shen Minyi was involved in his brother’s death and resolved to learn social skills and investigate his brother’s circle.
• At school the next morning, Li Qiuhe complained that Chi Ning had left students waiting for help, and Chi Ning told him to bring the questions during the day.

Chi Ning helped his classmates with their studies and met Qin Heng to retrieve his backpack, then noticed clues that made him suspect Qin Heng was trying to provoke his jealousy. At their tutoring session, Qin Heng changed clothes to remove a perfume scent, and Chi Ning began teaching him English.

• Chi Ning wrote a solution for Li Qiuhe and told him to copy and share his notes with students who needed them.
• Qin Heng messaged Chi Ning to meet in the bamboo grove and returned his backpack along with bayberry juice.
• Qin Heng complained to Zhang Qiuwen that Chi Ning had not reacted to the perfume-soaked pendant, and Zhang Qiuwen warned him not to read too much into Chi Ning's actions.
• Qin Heng brought Zhang Qiuwen to Tea River Lounge and arranged a separate tutor for him before tutoring Chi Ning himself.
• Chi Ning disliked the perfume scent on Qin Heng and wondered whether he accepted gifts from girls, so Qin Heng went upstairs to shower and change.
• Qin Heng returned with his familiar scent, sat beside Chi Ning, and began an English lesson with him.

As Chi Yang’s birthday banquet began, Chi Ning and Chi Yang navigated the guests and the tension between the Chi and Shen families while Qin Heng arrived with Xu Jiahao. Chi Ning watched from the second floor as Chi Baichuan began a speech about the family’s shares, leaving the Shen family unaware of what he was about to announce.

• Qin Heng studied with Chi Ning, who read The Actor's Self-Cultivation and resolved to learn how to act more convincingly.
• At the start of October, Chen Mingxian dressed Chi Ning in a white suit for Chi Yang’s birthday banquet, where both brothers greeted guests.
• Xu Jiahao arrived with Qin Heng and introduced him as his son, while Chi Yang and Qin Heng exchanged polite but resentful greetings.
• Chi Ning and Chi Yang welcomed President Shen and his family, and Chi Ning used sweet politeness to needle Shen Minyi while concealing his grudge over the gold medal incident.
• Chi Yang warned Chi Ning not to let anyone fool him, and Chi Ning went upstairs to watch the guests before Chi Baichuan began his speech about the shares.

At the Chi family banquet, Chi Ning learned that Sun Boxing was connected to Shen Minyi and recognized him as the man who had stolen his research data in his previous life. After overhearing their conversation, Chi Ning faced Shen Minyi, who questioned his knowledge of the paparazzi and his relationship with Qin Heng.

• Chen Mingxian announced that most of the Chi family shares had gone to Chi Ning's older brother, while Chi Ning would receive five percent in dividends.
• Chi Ning recognized Sun Boxing as the person who had stolen his data and overheard him tell Shen Minyi that he could no longer access the Chi family's research facilities or data.
• Qin Heng gave Chi Ning grape egg tarts and led him to eavesdrop on Sun Boxing and Shen Minyi, who discussed finding out Chongning Biotech's research direction.
• Chi Ning recalled that Sun Boxing's father, Sun Bowen, was his father's close friend and worried he had no evidence to warn his family.
• Shen Minyi confronted Chi Ning in the restroom about whether he had known paparazzi were filming, and Chi Ning accused Shen Minyi of staging the gold-medal visit and the damaging article.
• Shen Minyi asked Chi Ning about his relationship with Boss Xu's adopted son, and Chi Ning blushed while thinking of Qin Heng.

At Chi Ning’s brother’s birthday banquet, Shen Minyi confronted Chi Ning over his connection to Xu Jiahao, then dragged him into a bathroom stall, where Chi Ning fought back and warned him about the security camera. Chi Ning left with a tipsy Qin Heng and teased him, then met Zhang Qiuwen as they approached the banquet hall.

• Shen Minyi criticized Chi Ning for associating with Xu Jiahao, but Chi Ning challenged his right to lecture him and walked away.
• Shen Minyi grabbed Chi Ning and shoved him into a bathroom stall, where Chi Ning twisted his wrist, kneed him, and warned him that a camera had recorded Shen Minyi dragging him inside.
• Qin Heng stopped Chi Ning outside the bathroom, fretted over the marks on his wrist, and followed Chi Ning’s playful instructions while drunk.
• Chi Ning led Qin Heng toward the banquet hall and asked about the business cards he was carrying; Qin Heng obediently put them in his pocket.
• Zhang Qiuwen hurried over to Qin Heng, and Chi Ning was surprised to learn Zhang had been beside him all along.

At the banquet, Chi Ning and Qin Heng’s closeness sparked gossip and unsettled Chi Baichuan, while Chi Ning quietly set a trap for Sun Boxing. Sun Boxing took the bait and rushed to tell Shen Minyi that Chi Ning liked Qin Heng, leaving Chi Ning pleased that his plan had worked.

• Qin Heng gave his stack of business cards to Zhang Qiuwen, then put his arm around Chi Ning and told him not to scratch his waist.
• Chi Baichuan met Qin Heng and struggled to decide whether to fear that Qin Heng would steal Chi Ning away or break his heart.
• Chi Ning left his family and joined the younger guests, where Gu Zhe congratulated him on receiving five percent of the shares.
• Chi Ning hinted to Gu Zhe that he had fallen for the son of a business rival but could not give that person what he wanted.
• Sun Boxing assumed Chi Ning meant Shen Minyi and hurried to tell him that Chi Ning liked Qin Heng.
• Chi Ning watched Sun Boxing approach Shen Minyi and was pleased that his provocation had made Sun Boxing act.