Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 Summary

Plot Points and Events

Shi Jihan, an exhausted contemporary college student, suddenly transmigrates into a world created by the fusion of three novels. In this world, he occupies the role of a vicious cannon-fodder character destined to suffer humiliating defeats: competing with his eldest brother for the family fortune, sabotaging his second brother’s romance, and antagonizing Zhou Jingcheng until he is exiled to Australia.
He is bound to a strange glowing system, Zero-Zero-Zero, which promises him a second chance at life if he follows the original plots and accumulates Malice Points. Shi Jihan initially despairs at being forced into three intertwined storylines, but his attitude changes immediately when he learns that Malice Points can be converted into money. Motivated by the prospect of becoming rich, he enthusiastically agrees to “clock in.”
His first assigned plot involves the Shi family’s company, where the original Shi Jihan has ruined an important project and lost a major investor. He heads to the president’s office to be reprimanded by his eldest brother, Shi Bochuan.
In the elevator, Shi Jihan encounters Xu Zhiman, a member of the protagonist group and an ally of Shen Qinghuai. Xu angrily accuses him of causing trouble for Shen Qinghuai and threatens to report his misconduct to Shi Bochuan. Shi Jihan responds with an apparently innocent remark about Xu’s enormous load of fabrics crushing his feet. This earns him a Malice Point despite his lack of deliberate hostility, revealing that he may be naturally talented at derailing the plot. The system rewards him with money, and Shi immediately asks for the notifications to sound like an Alipay payment alert.
At the end of the chapter, Shi Jihan enters Shi Bochuan’s office and discovers that Shen Qinghuai is also present. He instantly abandons his confident attitude and adopts a meek, respectful posture, greeting both men politely.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: He begins as an exhausted, pragmatic college student horrified by his new fate. His priorities rapidly shift when he learns he can earn money through the system. Rather than genuinely embracing villainy, he treats the dangerous plot as a paying job. His casual comments unintentionally provoke others, suggesting that his modern, seemingly harmless mindset may be even more disruptive than the original character’s schemes.
• Zero-Zero-Zero: The newborn system is energetic, overly enthusiastic, and somewhat suspicious. It encourages Shi Jihan to follow the plot and farm Malice Points, but it quickly becomes an accomplice in his bizarre approach to the missions. Their relationship begins as reluctant cooperation and develops into a comedic partnership.
• Shi Bochuan: He is established as Shi Jihan’s intimidating eldest brother and the president of the company. The original Shi Jihan fears him, especially because he is expected to punish the failed project.
• Shen Qinghuai: He is the fashion designer and nominal husband of Shi Bochuan. Shi Jihan’s sabotage has damaged both his career and his relationship, contributing to his decision in the original plot to seek a divorce.
• Xu Zhiman: He is openly hostile toward Shi Jihan and protective of Shen Qinghuai. His frustration makes him easy for Shi Jihan to provoke, even unintentionally.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus plot manipulation: Shi Jihan is expected to perform the role of a villain, but his ordinary personality and strange logic immediately begin to derail the original story.
• Comedy through misunderstanding: Actions intended as harmless or practical are interpreted as malicious, allowing Shi Jihan to gain Malice Points without behaving like a true villain.
• Work and survival: Shi Jihan compares being cannon fodder to being an exploited wage worker. His willingness to accept a dangerous mission for financial compensation satirizes modern work culture and economic motivation.
• Unexpected good fortune: Although Shi Jihan is trapped in a miserable narrative role, his unconventional behavior begins producing rewards rather than punishment, reinforcing the story’s premise that good things can emerge even when everything goes wrong.
• Genre and trope subversion: The chapter parodies melodramatic romance and revenge plots—such as family rivalry, sabotage, divorce, and “wife-chasing after a crematorium”—by placing a tired, money-minded college student inside them.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero establish their humorous host-system dynamic, with Shi treating the system casually and focusing on practical benefits.
• Shi Jihan and Xu Zhiman clash in the elevator. Xu expects fear and remorse, but Shi responds with an absurd observation that unintentionally earns a reward.
• Shi Jihan’s relationship with Shi Bochuan is presented as fearful and adversarial because of the original character’s repeated failures and rivalry over the family business.
• His interaction with Shen Qinghuai is tense before it even begins: Shen avoids looking at him because he expects Shi Jihan to create another confrontation.
• The chapter ends by contrasting Shi Jihan’s bold internal attitude with his outwardly submissive behavior in front of his intimidating brother and brother-in-law.

Chapter 2 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan visits his older brother, Shi Bochuan, after causing an investor to withdraw from the company’s project. Rather than apologize, he gives an absurdly motivational speech about long-term returns, overcoming hardship, and even canceling weekends for overtime.
• Shi Bochuan briefly seems persuaded before realizing Shi Jihan is attempting to manipulate him and covet the company’s assets. He angrily throws Shi Jihan out.
• Shen Qinghuai, Shi Jihan’s nominal husband and project team leader, is questioned by Shi Bochuan for allowing Shi Jihan to bypass him and contact investors directly. Shen, frustrated by both brothers, also leaves.
• Shi Jihan follows Shen to the project office but is confronted by Xu Zhiman, a hostile team member who resents his interference. Shen orders the team to work overtime, but tells Shi Jihan that he is free to leave.
• Delighted to avoid overtime, Shi Jihan pretends to be angry about being excluded, then secretly celebrates and leaves after brewing Shen a “tea” made from rehydrated wood-ear mushrooms. This earns him two Malice Points from the system.
• On the way home, Shi Bochuan joins Shi Jihan in the car and gives him documents about new business partners. He orders Shi Jihan to attend a banquet the next evening and redeem his previous mistake.
• The system assigns Shi Jihan his first major task: damage the reputations of both the original male lead and the original male receiver at the banquet, earning twenty Malice Points.
• The chapter explains the background of Shen and Shi Bochuan’s marriage. They married hastily after Shi Bochuan’s father died, partly so Shi Bochuan could secure control of the Shi Group. Their relationship is surrounded by rumors that Shen was merely a convenient choice.
• Before the banquet, Shi Jihan prepares enthusiastically, while Shen and Shi Bochuan argue in the limousine about Shen’s desire to work overtime and Shi Bochuan’s insistence that their marriage gives them a personal relationship. Shi Jihan enters the car and immediately senses the awkward atmosphere.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan continues embracing his role as a malicious “cannon fodder” character, but he is also comically incompetent at causing harm. He uses exaggerated flattery and workplace rhetoric to manipulate Shi Bochuan, yet his greatest success comes from accidentally irritating others.
• Shi Bochuan is shown as stern and authoritative but easily affected by Shi Jihan’s sweet, obedient act. He ultimately sees through the manipulation and begins actively assigning Shi Jihan responsibility for his mistakes.
• Shen Qinghuai becomes more determined to prove himself professionally. Feeling that his weak position in the company is partly responsible for Shi Jihan’s recklessness, he resolves to work harder and stay late.
• Xu Zhiman is openly antagonistic toward Shi Jihan and protective of the project team. He views Shi Jihan as a threat who interferes for personal gain.
• Zero-Zero-Zero, Shi Jihan’s system, encourages his schemes and celebrates the Malice Points he earns.

Significant Themes

• Comedic inversion of villainy: Shi Jihan tries to act like a manipulative antagonist, but his schemes often benefit others or backfire in humorous ways.
• Workplace power and hierarchy: The chapter highlights Shi Jihan’s ability to bypass Shen because of his family status, while Shen struggles to gain authority through competence.
• Performance and manipulation: Shi Jihan treats social behavior as acting, using sweetness, outrage, and exaggerated sincerity to influence people.
• Marriage of convenience: Shen and Shi Bochuan’s relationship is shaped by business interests, social rumors, and unresolved personal tension.
• Malice as accidental success: Shi Jihan earns rewards not through sophisticated plotting but through petty, absurd actions that genuinely annoy people.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Shi Bochuan clash over the company’s losses, with Shi Jihan attempting to flatter and manipulate his brother before being expelled.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai confront each other over Shi Jihan’s misconduct, revealing Shen’s frustration and insecurity within the company.
• Xu Zhiman insults Shi Jihan and blocks him from participating in the team’s work, while Shen takes responsibility for handling any future retaliation.
• Shi Jihan performs concern for Shen by making him a cup of mushroom-filled “tea,” simultaneously pretending to support him and earning Malice Points.
• In the limousine, Shen and Shi Bochuan’s tense marital dynamic becomes apparent, leaving Shi Jihan caught in their uncomfortable exchange.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan, Shen Qinghuai, and Shi Bochuan arrive at a high-profile banquet to meet a potential business partner, President Wang.
• Because Shi Jihan and Shen Qinghuai are both the subject of gossip, Shi Jihan jokes that they should not walk together or their scandals will “combine.”
• Shi Jihan immediately abandons ordinary business etiquette. He loudly pretends to share a childhood bond with President Wang, claiming Wang once held him as a child.
• A rival company presents its impressive fashion-show plans, including a famous foreign designer, extensive preparation, and a powerful guest list.
• Shi Jihan deliberately sabotages the conversation with outrageous insults and absurd threats, claiming he will pour oil on the rival’s runway and predicting that their guests will slip and fall.
• Shen Qinghuai believes Shi Jihan has destroyed their company’s reputation and ruined their chances of securing the investment.
• Unexpectedly, President Wang interprets Shi Jihan’s reckless behavior as deliberate psychological strategy. He thinks Shi Jihan successfully forced the rival to reveal all its plans while concealing Shi Corporation’s own advantages.
• President Wang chooses to invest in Shen Qinghuai’s project, leaving both Shen and the rival bewildered.
• Shi Jihan leaves to enjoy the banquet’s expensive food, believing the partnership failed and that he can at least make use of his allowance.
• His system confirms that his mission to worsen Shen Qinghuai’s reputation has been completed, though he receives only half the expected reward because the points are divided between him and his brother.
• While eating, Shi Jihan learns that the banquet is hosted by Zhou Jingcheng, the male lead of another book in the system’s world. Shi Jihan remembers having previously insulted Zhou as a “rabid dog.”
• Zhou Jingcheng observes Shi Jihan from upstairs and becomes interested after hearing that Shi has attempted to poach business from his banquet. He decides to meet him.
• Before Zhou arrives, Shi Jihan continues generating malice points by insulting the host’s artwork, music, and garden. He then mistakes a flower arrangement resembling Zhou’s face for a self-portrait and jokes about Zhou’s supposed narcissism.
• The chapter ends with Shi Jihan addressing Zhou directly without realizing who he is.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Becomes increasingly comfortable exploiting his reputation as a shameless, malicious person. He intentionally creates chaos to earn system points, but his behavior accidentally produces positive business results because others mistake his insults for sophisticated manipulation. His priorities remain food, money, and completing missions rather than preserving dignity or relationships.
• Shen Qinghuai: Is embarrassed and increasingly convinced that Shi Jihan is destroying his professional reputation. Despite his frustration, he benefits from Shi Jihan’s accidental “strategy” when President Wang chooses to invest.
• Shi Bochuan: Continues to misunderstand Shi Jihan’s behavior, viewing it as ordinary rebelliousness rather than recognizing the deeper hostility and manipulation behind it.
• President Wang: Initially seems confused by Shi Jihan’s strange behavior but quickly interprets it as advanced business tactics. His admiration for Shi Jihan’s supposed cunning leads him to choose Shen Qinghuai’s project.
• The rival businessman: Reveals his entire business plan and then realizes too late that he may have been manipulated into exposing valuable information.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Is introduced as an observant, powerful figure who initially views Shi Jihan with displeasure. His curiosity grows when Shi Jihan’s behavior appears both audacious and deliberately provocative.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and accidental success: Shi Jihan’s genuine incompetence and malicious intentions are repeatedly mistaken for brilliant schemes.
• Reputation versus reality: Others see Shi Jihan as a terrifying strategist, while he is primarily focused on earning points and eating expensive food.
• System-driven behavior: The malice-point system encourages Shi Jihan to provoke people, turning social interactions into opportunities for rewards.
• Social satire: The chapter mocks business networking, reputation management, elite banquets, and the tendency to interpret confident behavior as intelligence.
• Greed and opportunism: Shi Jihan openly treats the banquet as a chance to eat costly food and views business partnerships mainly through the lens of money and rewards.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan teases Shen Qinghuai about their shared notoriety and repeatedly undermines his attempts at professional diplomacy.
• Shi Jihan uses exaggerated affection toward President Wang, while Shen tries unsuccessfully to redirect the conversation toward business.
• Shi Jihan verbally attacks the rival businessman, provoking him into revealing his company’s plans.
• President Wang privately praises Shen Qinghuai and Shi Jihan, especially admiring what he believes is Shi Jihan’s hidden strategic brilliance.
• The system acts as Shi Jihan’s commentator and reward mechanism, confirming his mission progress and explaining the identities of major figures.
• Zhou Jingcheng watches Shi Jihan from a distance, then approaches after hearing his insults, setting up their first direct confrontation.

Chapter 3 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan encounters Zhou Jingcheng at the banquet and initially insults him, though he quickly disguises the remark as exaggerated praise of Zhou’s bizarre flowerbed portrait.
• Zhou and Shi Jihan trade sarcastic barbs. Zhou views Shi Jihan as an unpleasant, useless person, while Shi Jihan privately mocks Zhou’s intimidating appearance and narrow-mindedness.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai join them. Zhou internally resents the Shi brothers, believing their business dealings have allowed the Shi family to exploit him financially.
• Shi Jihan retreats to the buffet, eats too many cakes, and begins drinking heavily. He jokes with the system about Zhou’s height and attractiveness.
• A group of fashionable, irresponsible rich youths—led by a rainbow-haired man—approaches Shi Jihan and encourages him to drink and rebel against his brother.
• The group claims that Shi Bochuan withheld Shi Jihan’s inheritance shares, blamed him for a failed project, and intends to ruin him. The system reminds Shi Jihan that he has only thirty minutes left to complete his mission or lose 200 Malice Points.
• Drunk and eager to earn points, Shi Jihan loudly declares that Shi Bochuan is going too far and that he will “show him some color.” His speech creates a public spectacle, causing the guests to believe the Shi family is fighting over power.
• Guests begin gossiping, taking photographs, and anticipating damage to Shi Corporation’s reputation. A waiter secretly records the incident and sends live updates to a friend.
• Shi Bochuan confronts Shi Jihan angrily and demands to know what he plans to do.
• Instead of describing a genuine power struggle, Shi Jihan drunkenly lists petty demands: Shi Bochuan must lower the plagiarism rate on his papers, run his fitness-test distance, attend classes for him, and buy discounted food.
• Shi Bochuan realizes the “rebellion” is merely drunken sibling bickering. He flicks Shi Jihan’s forehead and forcibly drags him to the restroom to sober up. Shi Jihan still adds one final demand: Shi Bochuan cannot use AI to reduce his plagiarism rate.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Displays his usual sharp tongue and malicious humor, but his drunkenness makes him reckless and unintentionally exposes the absurdly dependent nature of his relationship with Shi Bochuan. Though he claims to want revenge, his actual demands reveal that he relies on his brother for academic and everyday assistance.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Remains suspicious and contemptuous of Shi Jihan, seeing him as an irritating fool. However, he is entertained—and perhaps intrigued—by Shi Jihan’s bizarre logic and publicly jokes that acquiring Shi Group may soon be possible.
• Shi Bochuan: Initially appears as a strict, controlling older brother. He becomes deeply hurt and furious when he believes Shi Jihan genuinely wants to oppose him, but his anger shifts into exasperated caretaking once he realizes Shi Jihan is simply drunk.
• Secretary Sun: Supports Zhou with exaggerated praise, repeating the flowerbed’s description of Zhou’s “blazing torch” gaze.
• The fashionable rich youths: Attempt to manipulate Shi Jihan into rebelling against his brother, likely for entertainment or personal advantage, but their plan produces chaotic and embarrassing results.
• Shen Qinghuai: Witnesses Shi Bochuan’s unusual anger and keeps his distance, showing that he is intimidated by the confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication and appearances: The guests interpret Shi Jihan’s drunken jokes as evidence of a serious family power struggle, demonstrating how easily rumors distort reality.
• Family conflict versus affection: Shi Jihan complains about Shi Bochuan’s control, but his “malicious” demands reveal dependence and familiarity rather than genuine hatred.
• Public image and gossip: The banquet becomes a stage where every remark is recorded, exaggerated, and potentially weaponized against the Shi family and its company.
• Satire of wealthy families and business rivalry: Zhou views the Shi family as exploitative middlemen, while the guests eagerly consume the spectacle of supposed elite-family infighting.
• System-driven behavior: Shi Jihan’s need to earn Malice Points pushes him into increasingly reckless actions, turning a casual conversation into a public crisis.

Important Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng: Exchange layered insults disguised as compliments, establishing a combative and comedic dynamic.
• Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Bochuan: Discuss business while Zhou privately resents the Shi family’s financial dealings.
• Shi Jihan and the rich youths: They encourage his drinking and resentment toward Shi Bochuan, successfully provoking a public outburst.
• Shi Jihan and Shi Bochuan: Their confrontation begins as apparent political infighting but ends as familiar, exasperated sibling discipline when Shi Bochuan drags his drunken brother away.

Chapter 4 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Shi Jihan’s drunken behavior goes viral online, his attempt to damage the Shi family’s reputation backfires. The public finds him adorable and interprets his actions as clever crisis management, increasing Shi Corporation’s reputation and causing his mission to fail.
• As a result, Shi Jihan’s Malice Points balance falls to –184.67, leaving him heavily in debt. Secretary Sun even offers him a public-relations job, believing he has exceptional talent for handling scandals.
• A new system mission orders Shi Jihan to meet Zhou Jingcheng at a tennis club, humiliate him, and defeat him with superior tennis skills. The reward is Malice Points, but failure would cost him an enormous amount.
• Shi Jihan travels to the club with Lip-Piercing Bro, whose flamboyant appearance attracts widespread attention and makes Shi Jihan uncomfortable.
• Using the system to locate Zhou Jingcheng, Shi Jihan finds him in the VIP shower area. He ambushes Zhou and attempts to act domineering, but becomes flustered upon discovering that Zhou is wearing only a bath towel.
• Shi Jihan’s awkward teasing successfully humiliates Zhou, earning him the first part of the mission and 15 Malice Points. However, he still has to complete the tennis challenge.
• Afterward, Shi Jihan admires Zhou’s physique and announces that he will begin exercising, though he immediately orders fried chicken instead, claiming that eating strengthens his chewing muscles.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Remains desperate to earn Malice Points and escape debt, but his attempts at cruelty repeatedly become comedic or unintentionally beneficial. He is easily embarrassed, socially anxious, food-motivated, and unable to maintain the arrogant persona he is trying to imitate. Despite this, he shows resourcefulness and determination when pursuing system missions.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Is portrayed as restrained, dignified, and easily provoked by Shi Jihan’s antics. His main concern during the encounter is protecting his dignity. Although he remains outwardly composed, Shi Jihan’s behavior clearly rattles him.
• Shi Bochuan: His earlier anger has completely shifted into remorse and protectiveness toward Shi Jihan. His exaggerated guilt provides comic relief, especially when Shen Qinghuai warns him not to wake anyone while punishing himself.
• Shen Qinghuai: Acts as the dry, deadpan observer to Shi Bochuan’s melodramatic self-blame.
• Lip-Piercing Bro: Continues to function as Shi Jihan’s flamboyant acquaintance and social guide, though he quickly abandons Shi Jihan at the changing rooms.

Significant Themes

• Intent versus consequence: Shi Jihan intends to cause harm, but others repeatedly reinterpret his behavior positively, turning his malicious plans into public-relations victories.
• The absurdity of reputation and public perception: Online viewers transform a family scandal into an amusing story about a lovable and talented younger brother.
• Debt and survival: Shi Jihan’s negative Malice Points balance turns every mission into a financial emergency, motivating his reckless decisions.
• Identity and performance: Shi Jihan tries to imitate the original owner’s arrogant personality, but his true awkward and anxious nature constantly breaks through.
• Comedy through reversal: Moments intended to be threatening or humiliating instead expose Shi Jihan’s embarrassment and make him more endearing.
• Self-control versus provocation: Zhou Jingcheng attempts to remain civilized and calm while Shi Jihan repeatedly tests his patience.

Character Interactions

• Shi Bochuan confesses his guilt to Shen Qinghuai after misjudging Shi Jihan, while Shen responds with blunt sarcasm.
• Secretary Sun offers Shi Jihan a PR position on behalf of the entertainment company, recognizing his accidental crisis-management skills.
• Lip-Piercing Bro greets Shi Jihan flamboyantly, escorts him into the tennis club, and leaves him to find the changing rooms alone.
• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng engage in a chaotic confrontation in the shower area. Shi Jihan tries to intimidate Zhou, but his fear and embarrassment undermine the act. Zhou counters with sarcasm and threatens to remove the rest of his towel, ultimately forcing Shi Jihan out.
• The chapter ends with Zhou trying to calm himself and maintain his dignity while Shi Jihan prepares—poorly—for the remaining tennis challenge.

Chapter 5 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Jingcheng prepares himself in front of the mirror, only to encounter Shi Jihan staring at him and suspiciously inspecting him from head to toe. Zhou immediately retaliates with sarcastic remarks.
• Lip-Piercing Bro invites them to join a tennis match. Shi Jihan, who knows almost nothing about sports, asks the system how to complete his “Overwhelming Ball Skills” mission and receives the unhelpful advice to improvise.
• The players divide into two teams. Shi Jihan initially tries to avoid partnering with Zhou Jingcheng, fearing Zhou’s hostility and wanting to complete the mission under easier circumstances, but the pairing remains unchanged.
• During the match, Shi Jihan performs terribly, exhausting himself while Zhou Jingcheng carries most of the team. Their score falls behind 5–1.
• Zhou mocks Shi Jihan’s chaotic movements but continues helping him, even physically steadying him when he nearly collapses. Despite Shi’s poor performance, Zhou eventually fights back against the opposing team and wins the set 6–4.
• Shi Jihan’s mission is unexpectedly deemed complete, earning him only 15 points. He is pleased despite the meager reward because his Malice Points remain severely negative.
• Su Yao thanks Shi Jihan for helping him defeat Zhou, joking that it is the first time in years he has beaten Zhou. Zhou throws a towel at him and sarcastically dismisses the victory.
• When Shi Jihan sincerely praises Zhou’s tennis skills and apologizes for hindering him, Zhou unexpectedly refrains from insulting him and instead leaves to shower. Shi Jihan follows because he does not want to lose track of his mission target.
• Near the changing rooms, Shi Jihan accidentally walks into Zhou. Zhou turns him around and warns him not to enter the wrong room again, joking that otherwise he may suspect Shi is trying to watch him change. He then insinuates that they are not “exactly the same,” causing Shi to become embarrassed and indignant.

Character Developments

• Zhou Jingcheng remains sharp-tongued, arrogant, and highly competitive, but his actions reveal patience and consideration beneath the hostility. He carries the tennis match, helps Shi when he struggles, and is visibly affected by Shi’s sincere praise.
• Shi Jihan is physically inept at tennis but resourceful, shameless, and determined to complete his system mission. He increasingly treats Zhou as both a source of Malice Points and a valuable “target,” while also becoming more openly flattering and dependent on him.
• Su Yao enjoys provoking Zhou and is delighted by his rare defeat. His teasing highlights how unusual Zhou’s silence and lack of retaliation are.
• 000, Shi Jihan’s system, continues encouraging his absurd schemes and even suggests Zhou might be suitable as a future subordinate or “underling.”

Significant Themes

• Hostility masking interest: Zhou and Shi trade insults, but Zhou repeatedly pays close attention to Shi and helps him when necessary.
• Unexpected competence and dependence: Shi contributes little through skill, yet Zhou’s performance and the team’s victory still allow him to complete his mission.
• Humor through contrast: Zhou is disciplined, athletic, and cutting, while Shi is energetic but helpless, creating a comic mismatch.
• Manipulation and transactional relationships: Shi views Zhou in terms of Malice Points and mission rewards, while also using praise strategically to avoid punishment or expulsion.
• Embarrassment and physical awareness: Their frequent scrutiny of each other, especially Zhou’s teasing glance at Shi, intensifies the chapter’s flirtatious tension.

Character Interactions

• Zhou and Shi exchange constant insults, with Zhou retaliating immediately whenever Shi appears to mock or underestimate him.
• Zhou criticizes Shi’s disastrous tennis technique but supports him physically and strategically during the match.
• Su Yao celebrates defeating Zhou and attempts to tease him, though Zhou responds by throwing a towel and undermining the victory.
• Shi’s sincere compliment temporarily disarms Zhou, who leaves without delivering his usual verbal attack.
• In the final scene, Zhou invades Shi’s personal space to redirect him toward the correct changing room, then embarrasses him with suggestive remarks.

Chapter 6 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Furious over Zhou Jingcheng’s teasing and boundary-crossing behavior, Shi Jihan stomps on Zhou’s foot and flees. Zhou initially maintains his composure, then reveals how much the stomp hurt.
• Shi Jihan worries that attacking “Dianjia Bro” will cause him to be punished or sent abroad. His Malice Points increase, deepening his anxiety.
• Unable to find his usual driver, Shi Jihan requests pickup from the Lip-Piercing Bro Club. A Bugatti arrives, but Zhou Jingcheng is driving it, having been asked by Tang Huiming to take Shi Jihan home.
• The ride is full of awkward tension. Zhou charges Shi Jihan an “auspicious” fare of 88 yuan, then makes him pay again when Shi insists on being driven all the way to the villa.
• At home, Shi Jihan encounters his brothers, Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai. Bochuan apologizes, feeds him eggs, and leaves, unintentionally causing Malice Points to rise when Shi Jihan misinterprets the eggs as a warning about the hierarchy among the brothers.
• Bochuan decides to give Shi Jihan his inheritance shares early and make him attend work regularly so he can build a career. His remarks anger Shen Qinghuai, who leaves after making a sarcastic comment about Bochuan’s supposed preference for bondage.
• The next morning, Shi Jihan is forced out of bed for work. Zero-Zero-Zero explains that a company meeting will allow Shi Jihan’s faction to exploit Shen Qinghuai’s failed investment negotiations and push him out of his projects.
• Excited by the prospect of a career storyline and more Malice Points, Shi Jihan eagerly prepares for work, imagining himself becoming a powerful business figure.
• The chapter ends with Shi Aotian making a dramatic entrance at Shi Group, complete with cinematic lighting, wind, and imagined background music.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan remains fearful, impulsive, and highly imaginative. He is terrified of Zhou Jingcheng, food-motivated, and constantly misreads harmless actions as threats. However, he becomes enthusiastic when presented with an opportunity to advance in the business world.
• Zhou Jingcheng continues to tease and provoke Shi Jihan while maintaining control of their interactions. He pretends to be calm after being stepped on, drives Shi Jihan home, and humorously charges him for the ride.
• Shi Bochuan shows guilt and affection toward Shi Jihan. He believes his younger brother is misunderstood and wants to protect him by giving him shares and helping him establish himself professionally.
• Shen Qinghuai appears exhausted and increasingly frustrated with Bochuan. His sarcastic departure reveals tension in their relationship and suggests conflict over Bochuan’s priorities and intimate preferences.
• Shi Aotian is introduced as a larger-than-life rival or villain figure, receiving a deliberately dramatic entrance.

Significant Themes

• Miscommunication and mistaken interpretation: Shi Jihan repeatedly misunderstands others’ intentions, while his family members and Zhou Jingcheng also fail to recognize how frightened or confused he is.
• Power, status, and control: Money, inheritance, business positions, and workplace factions shape the characters’ relationships.
• Family guilt and protection: Shi Bochuan’s concern for Shi Jihan leads him to make major plans on his behalf, though his efforts unintentionally worsen the situation.
• Comedy through contrast: Shi Jihan imagines himself as a dangerous, ambitious villain, but his actual behavior is timid, childish, and easily overwhelmed.
• Romantic and interpersonal tension: Zhou Jingcheng’s teasing, Shi Jihan’s embarrassment, and the conflict between Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai create ongoing relationship-based tension.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng: Their hostile, flirtatious dynamic intensifies through the foot-stomping incident, the car ride, and the fare dispute. Shi Jihan is intimidated, while Zhou enjoys teasing him.
• Shi Jihan and Shi Bochuan: Bochuan treats him gently and apologizes, while Shi Jihan remains wary and assumes he may be punished.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai: Their conversation about Shi Jihan’s future triggers a quarrel. Shen Qinghuai feels neglected or offended and leaves despite Bochuan’s attempts to explain.
• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero: Their internal exchanges provide comic commentary and reveal Shi Jihan’s fears, exaggerated imagination, and growing excitement about the business plot.
• Shi Jihan and Shi Aotian: They have not yet interacted directly, but Shi Aotian’s dramatic arrival sets up an impending confrontation or rivalry.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan arrives at the company with an intentionally dramatic entrance, using Zero-Zero-Zero’s wind machine and other temporary props. Although embarrassed by the spectacle, he succeeds in attracting everyone’s attention.
• He is greeted by Yan Bo, an exhausted pattern maker from Shen Qinghuai’s project team. Yan Bo mistakenly believes Shi Jihan is preparing to seize control of the company and has become one of his loyal supporters.
• During the board meeting, Shen Qinghuai presents the success of the collaboration with President Wang. Rather than failing, the partnership receives an additional five million in investment, making President Wang an angel investor.
• Shi Jihan is horrified when a system task appears instructing him to mock Shen Qinghuai after the supposed failure of the collaboration. He cancels the task to avoid losing Malice Points.
• Yan Bo suggests giving Shi Jihan more responsibility. Shi Bochuan agrees and assigns him responsibility for developing the season’s concept collection.
• A new long-term system task requires Shi Jihan to use improper methods to push the concept design onto negative trending searches, thereby damaging Shen Qinghuai’s career and triggering the story’s “crematorium” arc. Shi Jihan reluctantly accepts because the task offers a large reward.
• Shi Jihan retaliates against Yan Bo’s attempt to avoid work by naming him as his collaborator, forcing them to share the workload.
• Meanwhile, rival-company boss Xia Jun plans to interfere with Shi Corporation’s next deal by using Zhou Jingcheng and an expensive bottle of red wine to arrange a dinner.
• Zhou Jingcheng agrees to attend, partly to retaliate against the Shi brothers for poaching contacts at his banquet and sabotaging him on the tennis court. He deliberately keeps the dinner secret until the last moment.
• Shi Bochuan informs Shen Qinghuai, who brings Shi Jihan into the situation because of his apparent success with President Wang. The chapter ends with Shen Qinghuai wondering whether Zhou Jingcheng intends to breach their agreement.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan remains fundamentally lazy and unwilling to work, but circumstances increasingly force him into positions of responsibility. He is also becoming more effective at navigating business situations, even when his success is accidental or motivated by self-interest.
• Zero-Zero-Zero continues to provide commentary and system tasks, though Shi Jihan treats it roughly and resists its attempts to manipulate him.
• Yan Bo is revealed as a loyal but overworked employee who supports Shi Jihan because he sees him as a possible replacement for the workaholic Shen Qinghuai. His loyalty unintentionally leads to Shi Jihan receiving even more work.
• Shen Qinghuai acknowledges Shi Jihan’s contribution and publicly gives him credit, though he remains sarcastic and competitive toward him. His success has also begun to undermine the system’s expected plotline.
• Shi Bochuan gains confidence in Shi Jihan, interpreting his accidental achievements as evidence that he is becoming a capable contributor to the company.
• Zhou Jingcheng shifts from passive opposition to deliberate retaliation, using the dinner invitation as an opportunity to pressure the Shi brothers and potentially disrupt their business.
• Xia Jun is portrayed as ambitious and shameless, willing to manipulate business relationships to recover lost opportunities.

Significant Themes

• Accidental competence and mistaken expectations: Shi Jihan’s laziness and improvisation are repeatedly mistaken for strategic brilliance.
• Workplace exploitation: Yan Bo’s exhaustion and Shi Jihan’s new assignment highlight how employees are overworked, while ambitious leaders pass responsibility downward.
• Power struggles and corporate rivalry: The chapter expands the conflict beyond Shi Jihan and Shen Qinghuai to include rival companies, investors, and competing business interests.
• Systemic manipulation versus personal choice: The system attempts to force Shi Jihan into actions that damage Shen Qinghuai, but Shi Jihan actively cancels one task and reluctantly accepts another.
• Reputation and performance: Public image, business personas, dramatic entrances, and strategic networking are treated as powerful corporate tools.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero bicker constantly, with Shi Jihan mocking the system’s suggestions and physically shaking it when the investment news surprises him.
• Yan Bo idolizes Shi Jihan as a potential power-seeker, while Shi Jihan exploits Yan Bo’s loyalty by assigning him half the new workload.
• Shen Qinghuai and Shi Jihan continue their sarcastic rivalry, though Shen publicly recognizes Shi Jihan’s contribution.
• Shi Bochuan increasingly supports Shi Jihan, interpreting his behavior favorably and entrusting him with important work.
• Xia Jun and his associate plot to intercept Zhou Jingcheng through an extravagant dinner invitation.
• Zhou Jingcheng and Secretary Sun joke about constructing a fake wine-collecting persona, while Zhou privately frames the dinner as revenge against the Shi brothers.
• Shen Qinghuai and Shi Jihan are brought together to respond to the potential threat from Zhou Jingcheng, setting up the next business confrontation.

Chapter 7 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai worry that unpredictable businessman Zhou Jingcheng may abandon their company’s cooperation plans after meeting rival company owner Xia Jun.
• They decide the safest way to protect their project is to sabotage the dinner meeting and prevent Zhou and Xia Jun from reaching an agreement.
• Shi Jihan proposes an absurd plan: replacing the elaborate banquet menu with ten plates of smashed cucumber salad. The others reluctantly allow him to act.
• At Heavenly Seal International Hotel, Xia Jun personally welcomes Zhou Jingcheng and boasts about the expensive seafood and five-star chef he supposedly arranged.
• However, every covered dish in the private room turns out to be smashed cucumber salad. Zhou initially assumes it is an appetizer, but his disbelief and irritation grow as all ten dishes are revealed.
• Zhou, who is dieting under his trainer’s strict supervision, becomes furious at Xia Jun’s false promises and leaves before discussing the business cooperation.
• Xia Jun chases after him and offers red wine as compensation, but Zhou refuses. Xia Jun then discovers the bizarre replacement menu and realizes someone sabotaged the dinner.
• Meanwhile, Shi Jihan enjoys the actual lobster and mandarin fish in the neighboring private room, proudly declaring the business alliance ruined.
• The following day, company employees are already gossiping about Xia Jun’s humiliating dinner. Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai sneak into the office wearing masks, embarrassed that their involvement may be discovered.
• Shen Qinghuai’s embarrassment and discomfort generate another batch of Malice Points for Shi Jihan.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Shi Jihan demonstrates that his reckless, childish ideas can unexpectedly succeed. He treats the sabotage as a game, is delighted by the Malice Points it produces, and remains unconcerned about the reputational consequences for his companions.
• Shi Bochuan is dragged into the scheme despite his reluctance. He is deeply embarrassed and uses drinking water to cope with the absurdity, but ultimately supports Shen Qinghuai and accepts that they will face the consequences together.
• Shen Qinghuai begins the chapter seriously worried about the company’s plans, but becomes increasingly horrified by Shi Jihan’s method. His shared embarrassment with Shi Bochuan strengthens their sense of camaraderie.
• Zhou Jingcheng is shown to be highly concerned with food and fitness. His hope for a luxurious meal turns into anger when confronted with ten plates of cucumber salad, causing him to abandon the meeting.
• Xia Jun tries to impress Zhou with wealth and hospitality but is left confused, humiliated, and enraged when the menu is mysteriously altered.
• The bond between Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai deepens when they silently agree to endure the fallout together. Their awkward solidarity contrasts with Shi Jihan’s carefree attitude.

Significant Themes

• Chaos versus conventional strategy: A ridiculous prank succeeds where formal business tactics might have failed, highlighting the story’s comedic, unpredictable tone.
• Reputation and humiliation: Xia Jun’s attempt to manipulate a business meeting becomes public embarrassment, while Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai fear being associated with the incident.
• Friendship through shared embarrassment: Bochuan and Qinghuai become closer because neither is willing to abandon the other in the aftermath.
• Systemic absurdity and exploitation: Shi Jihan treats other people’s resentment as a resource, while the system mocks his ambition to turn “malice” into a global business.
• Food as both pleasure and strategy: The lavish meal, restrictive diet, and repeated cucumber dishes drive the chapter’s central conflict and comedy.

Overall Significance

Shi Jihan successfully sabotages Xia Jun’s attempt to secure Zhou Jingcheng’s cooperation, earning a large amount of Malice Points in the process. Although the prank leaves his allies mortified, it prevents the rival company from gaining an advantage and establishes Shi Jihan’s unconventional effectiveness.

Chapter 8 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zero-Zero-Zero informs Shi Jihan that his actions during the previous night’s battle earned 34 Malice Points. Shi Jihan responds with sleepy sarcasm, revealing how exhausted he is.
• At the fashion company, the team prepares to receive Zhou Jingcheng, whose company has provided models to test their finalized clothing prototypes.
• Shen Qinghuai is visibly anxious about meeting Zhou after the embarrassing smashed-cucumber incident, while Xu Zhiman questions Shi Jihan’s lack of sleep and the progress of his special design project.
• Shi Jihan reveals that he has hired an outsourcing company to refine his unusual designs. His sketches include a “lobster-tail tuxedo,” grilled-squid scarves, and hamburger-themed pajamas. The contractor privately compares the designs to bizarre food-inspired creations but accepts the job because Shi Jihan is paying.
• Yan Bo, acting as the client for the first time, worries that the contractor will reject the strange designs. He then encounters Shi Bochuan and hides behind greenery to avoid being noticed.
• Shi Bochuan leads Zhou Jingcheng and the models through the company while nervously avoiding Zhou’s attention because Zhou is the supposed victim of the previous night’s salad-switching incident.
• Zhou and Shen Qinghuai exchange an awkward, emotionally loaded glance, suggesting their relationship or recent encounter is complicated.
• While wandering through the office, Zhou finds Shi Jihan struggling to reach a book on a high shelf. He helps him retrieve it and teasingly calls him “Good Boy” after Shi Jihan nearly addresses him by an insulting nickname.
• Shi Jihan becomes intensely embarrassed and internally begs Zero-Zero-Zero to let him retaliate, while the system desperately restrains him.
• Zhou notices that Shi Jihan seems more interesting—and perhaps kinder—than he remembers from the past.
• Zhou receives messages from Xia Jun claiming that Shi Bochuan’s family, not Xia Jun, arranged the smashed cucumber salad. Zhou begins investigating and asks Xia Jun to confirm the accusation. Xia Jun says he has already taken revenge, leaving Zhou curious about what that revenge involved.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Remains sharp-tongued, mischievous, and easily provoked, but demonstrates genuine initiative by developing his own designs and hiring outside help. His bizarre sketches show creative confidence despite his poor drawing ability. His interactions with Zhou reveal a flustered, vulnerable side beneath his aggressive persona.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Appears calm, restrained, and observant. He enjoys teasing Shi Jihan but stops before provoking him too far. He also begins reconsidering Shi Jihan, sensing that he has changed since returning from abroad.
• Shen Qinghuai: Is deeply embarrassed and uneasy about facing Zhou after the previous night. His brief eye contact with Zhou suggests unresolved romantic or personal tension.
• Shi Bochuan: Acts professionally while escorting Zhou, but his discomfort suggests guilt or anxiety over the salad incident. He avoids Zhou’s attention and relies on his secretary to manage him.
• Yan Bo: Shows conscientiousness and nervousness in his new role coordinating with an outsourcing contractor. He is loyal to Shi Jihan but uncertain about the bizarre project.
• Xu Zhiman: Continues teasing and challenging Shi Jihan, while quietly offering practical help with the understaffed project.
• Zero-Zero-Zero: Encourages Shi Jihan and celebrates his supposed talent, but repeatedly has to restrain him from impulsive or violent reactions.

Significant Themes

• Comedy through misunderstanding and embarrassment: The chapter repeatedly turns awkward situations—especially the salad incident, hidden guilt, and accidental nicknames—into farcical interactions.
• Hidden identities and shifting perceptions: Characters know different versions of the truth about the salad incident, while Zhou begins to question his old impression of Shi Jihan.
• Transformation and second chances: Shi Jihan appears to be behaving differently from his original, disgraced version, suggesting he may be changing his fate through genuine effort rather than plagiarism or manipulation.
• Creative ambition versus execution: Shi Jihan has bold ideas but cannot present them conventionally, forcing him to rely on contractors and Yan Bo to turn his strange concepts into workable designs.
• Malice as power and motivation: Shi Jihan’s insults and quarrels earn Malice Points, making his antagonistic behavior both humorous and mechanically useful.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Xu Zhiman bicker like children, with Xu Zhiman simultaneously criticizing him and offering support.
• Shen Qinghuai is caught between the team’s chaos and his own discomfort around Zhou Jingcheng.
• Yan Bo struggles to manage Shi Jihan’s bizarre designs and hides from Shi Bochuan out of embarrassment.
• Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Jihan share their most direct interaction of the chapter: Zhou helps him retrieve a book, teases him with “Good Boy,” and leaves Shi Jihan mortified.
• Zhou’s discovery of the truth about the salad incident shifts his attention toward Shi Bochuan and creates a new source of tension and possible confrontation.

Chapter 9 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Jun sabotages the restroom by replacing floor cleaner with peanut oil, causing several people to slip and pile up. Shi Jihan earns a substantial number of Malice Points from the resulting chaos.
• Zhou Jingcheng discovers Shi Jihan’s bizarre fashion sketches and criticizes them for being “too conservative.” He then deliberately suggests even more ridiculous food-inspired designs, including an instant-noodle jumpsuit, croissant fishbone dress, cabbage-roll sweater, and five-kernel mooncake handbag.
• Shi Jihan enthusiastically accepts Zhou’s ideas, believing the collection will generate publicity and Malice Points. Yan Bo and the contractor are horrified by the designs but proceed with the project.
• Zhou proposes that the collection be credited to Shi Jihan, Shi Bochuan, and Shen Qinghuai, while secretly arranging for his own influence to be acknowledged. He also offers to buy the collection a hot search, intending to make the others publicly embarrass themselves.
• The project team completes the samples with only minor adjustments needed.
• Shi Bochuan invites Zhou to dinner at Tianxi Hotel, likely as a belated attempt to repair their relationship after the earlier conflict over the stolen menu. Zhou accepts and deliberately chooses a restaurant known for mandarin fish, echoing the menu dispute.
• Shen Qinghuai avoids the dinner by volunteering to work overtime, while Shi Jihan escapes by pretending to receive an urgent phone call. Shi Bochuan is left alone to entertain Zhou.
• After the smashed-cucumber scheme successfully wins Zhou back to their side, Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai begin trying to assign Shi Jihan additional responsibilities, including producing the fashion show’s promotional video.
• The system issues new tasks requiring Shi Jihan to lower the fashion show’s status, create conflict between the company’s factions, and help drive the show toward a hot search. Shi Jihan is furious at being dragged into the consequences of the others’ schemes.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan continues exploiting chaos for Malice Points. He is shameless, opportunistic, and highly perceptive about other people’s motives, but he also becomes increasingly resentful when his schemes result in extra work.
• Zhou Jingcheng reveals a mischievous and vindictive side. He calmly encourages absurd fashion designs and plans to use public attention to humiliate Shi Jihan and his associates. He also shows confidence, artistic skill, and sharp insight into the group’s dynamics.
• Shi Bochuan tries to reconnect with Zhou through a dinner invitation but is repeatedly abandoned by both Shen Qinghuai and Shi Jihan. His confusion highlights how little control he has over the people around him.
• Shen Qinghuai demonstrates practical self-preservation by using overtime as an excuse to avoid the dinner. Although employees admire his apparent dedication, his retreat is clearly strategic.
• Yan Bo remains the pragmatic observer, silently recognizing how absurd Zhou and Shi Jihan’s “avant-garde” designs are.
• Xia Jun continues acting as a source of comic sabotage and accidental profit for Shi Jihan.

Significant Themes

• Malice and manipulation: The characters repeatedly turn hostility, embarrassment, and conflict into practical benefits, especially Malice Points and publicity.
• Revenge disguised as cooperation: Zhou appears to help with the fashion collection, but his suggestions are designed to make the others look ridiculous.
• Public image and spectacle: The fashion show becomes less about genuine design and more about hot searches, notoriety, and humiliating rivals.
• Self-preservation: Nearly every character avoids responsibility or danger when possible, leaving others to handle the consequences.
• Absurdity in business and fashion: The chapter satirizes corporate competition, “avant-garde” art, and the way outrageous ideas can be marketed as genius.

Character Interactions

• Zhou confronts Shi Jihan over the restroom sabotage but becomes absorbed in his sketches instead of directly accusing him.
• Zhou and Shi Jihan collaborate enthusiastically on deliberately ridiculous fashion concepts, each believing they are benefiting from the other.
• Yan Bo and the contractor react with disbelief and mutual sympathy toward the designs.
• Shi Bochuan invites Zhou to dinner, but Shen Qinghuai and Shi Jihan each find excuses to abandon him.
• Zhou and Shi Bochuan’s dinner arrangement carries an undercurrent of revenge connected to the stolen mandarin-fish menu.
• The chapter ends with Shi Jihan realizing that Zhou’s return has caused Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai to involve him more deeply in the fashion-show crisis.

Chapter 10 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan rejects the marketing department’s polished promotional video, fearing it would reduce his Malice Points. He decides to create his own advertisement.
• Working through the night, he produces an absurd, deliberately lowbrow promotional video featuring slapstick accidents, melodramatic acting, exaggerated “rebirth” and revenge language, and bizarre references to reclaiming Shi Corporation.
• The advertisement becomes a viral sensation, attracting large numbers of young viewers and dramatically increasing reservations for the PALIMPSEST fashion show.
• Shi Bochuan, Shen Qinghuai, and the marketing staff initially react with shock and embarrassment when they see the video. However, the campaign’s popularity proves that Shi Jihan’s unconventional strategy has successfully expanded the brand beyond its usual audience.
• At the shareholder meeting, company data shows rapidly rising engagement and livestream reservations. The new faction celebrates the unexpected success, while the old-guard shareholders remain furious that the brand’s elegant image has been undermined.
• Shi Jihan receives Malice Points for completing missions involving sowing discord between the company’s factions and lowering the fashion show’s perceived standards through reverse promotion.
• He visits Yan Bo to see his designs turned into finished garments, including a lobster-tail tuxedo and an instant-noodle jumpsuit. Excited, he sends photos and praise to Zhou Jingcheng.
• Zhou Jingcheng compliments Shi Jihan’s even more outrageous designs, while Secretary Sun is horrified by the exchange and realizes how strange the upcoming collection will be.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan demonstrates creativity, confidence, and a talent for unconventional marketing. What he believes is a destructive publicity stunt becomes an extremely effective campaign.
• Shi Bochuan begins to recognize that his younger brother is genuinely intelligent and capable, despite the chaos he causes. His view of Shi Jihan shifts from concern and annoyance toward admiration.
• Shen Qinghuai remains bewildered by Shi Jihan’s destructive influence but also acknowledges the campaign’s success. He starts to see the company’s future as more open and unpredictable.
• The old-guard shareholders become increasingly hostile because the successful campaign conflicts with their traditional ideas about luxury branding.
• Zhou Jingcheng enthusiastically supports Shi Jihan’s designs and treats the outrageous concepts as innovative art.
• Secretary Sun serves as a comic observer, unable to understand the bizarre but sincere conversation between Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng.

Significant Themes

• Unconventional success: The chapter contrasts traditional branding with chaotic, humorous marketing, showing that an unorthodox approach can attract audiences conventional strategies miss.
• Generational and factional conflict: The fashion show becomes a battle between Shi Bochuan’s reformist faction and the conservative old guard.
• Reputation versus effectiveness: Although the advertisement damages the company’s polished image, it succeeds commercially by generating attention and drawing in younger consumers.
• Misunderstood talent: Shi Jihan’s actions appear ridiculous to those around him, yet his strange ideas repeatedly produce unexpectedly positive results.
• Creative freedom and absurdity: The fashion designs and promotional video embrace exaggeration, parody, and unconventional aesthetics rather than traditional refinement.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero exchange humorous remarks about his supposed video-editing expertise.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai watch the promotional video together and react with shared disbelief.
• The secretary and marketing director explain the campaign’s success, forcing the executives to reconsider their initial embarrassment.
• At the shareholder meeting, Shi Bochuan openly praises Shi Jihan’s intelligence, while Shen Qinghuai silently agrees.
• Shi Jihan enthusiastically discusses the finished clothing with Zhou Jingcheng, and their mutual praise becomes so excessive that Secretary Sun is shocked.
• The chapter ends with Shi Jihan’s chaotic creativity continuing to influence both the company’s business strategy and its fashion direction.

Chapter 11 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Jingcheng exchanges messages with the fashion models involved in his company’s collection and assures them that he has handled the trending-topic crisis. Secretary Sun worries that Zhou’s fixation on the situation may be affecting his mental health.
• At the 6.18 fashion show, Shi Jihan prepares to present his collection. System 000 explains that the show is crucial to Shen Qinghuai’s original storyline, since the original host was supposed to sabotage Shen’s career and contribute to his eventual resignation and divorce.
• Shi Jihan confidently dresses in an elaborate white suit and jokes about charging people to look at his “handsomeness,” earning a small increase in Malice Points. His goal remains reducing his negative points to zero.
• The major fashion collection, “PALIMPSEST,” opens with an elaborate clock-themed holographic display. Shen Qinghuai’s main collection combines retro and avant-garde elements, including deconstructed silhouettes, layered textures, embroidery, and liquid-metal fabrics. It is extremely well received by the audience and livestream viewers.
• Shen Qinghuai, relieved that the show is succeeding, encourages Shi Jihan not to be nervous before his collection begins.
• Shi Jihan’s sub-collection, “Carbohydrate Rhapsody,” starts with bizarre food-themed designs. The first model wears an outfit resembling instant noodles, followed by a model dressed as hamburger-themed pajamas. The audience, Zhou Jingcheng, and the livestream viewers are stunned.
• Shen Qinghuai is horrified by the designs, gripping Shi Bochuan’s arm as his understanding of the event—and possibly his career—seems to collapse.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan remains shameless, self-assured, and focused on exploiting the situation for money and Malice Points. He shows no guilt about potentially derailing Shen Qinghuai’s storyline and treats his outrageous designs as a deliberate strategy.
• Shen Qinghuai demonstrates his professional talent through the success of his main collection. His anxiety eases when viewers respond positively, but his confidence and relief vanish once Shi Jihan’s collection begins.
• Zhou Jingcheng continues observing events with detached amusement. He secretly records Shi Jihan’s runway show, intending to replay the disastrous moments later for entertainment, while insisting that the fashion show’s aesthetic does not represent his own refined taste.
• Shi Bochuan is visibly uncomfortable under the livestream’s scrutiny and becomes irritated by Shi Jihan’s remarks. His distress intensifies when the food-themed designs appear.
• Secretary Sun acts as Zhou’s practical assistant and remains concerned about Zhou’s unusual obsession with the unfolding fashion spectacle.
• System 000 continues serving as Shi Jihan’s sarcastic guide, questioning whether his actions are still compatible with the original plot.

Significant Themes

• Rewriting fate and disrupting established narratives: The original plot is steadily diverging as Shen Qinghuai gains stronger partners and succeeds instead of being ruined.
• Artistic taste versus commercial spectacle: Shen Qinghuai’s sophisticated, technically accomplished collection contrasts sharply with Shi Jihan’s absurd but attention-grabbing food designs.
• Public image and livestream culture: The fashion show is judged instantly by millions of viewers, making reputation and audience reaction central to the characters’ success or humiliation.
• Chaos as strategy: Shi Jihan turns ridiculousness into a weapon, using provocative designs and publicity to pursue his own goals.
• Appearance versus personality: Shi Jihan looks elegant and pure in his expensive suit, but his words and behavior are deliberately vulgar and outrageous.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Jihan silently communicate across the venue, signaling that their shared plan is underway.
• Shi Jihan teases the butler, who is both overwhelmed by his appearance and surprised by his unusually cheerful mood.
• Shi Jihan mocks the visibly uncomfortable Shen Qinghuai and Shi Bochuan during the livestream, while Shi Bochuan orders him to be quiet.
• Shen Qinghuai unexpectedly supports Shi Jihan by telling him not to be nervous, creating an ironic contrast between the supposed protagonist and the supposed villainous “cannon fodder.”
• Zhou Jingcheng coordinates with Secretary Sun to record Shi Jihan’s collection, viewing the impending disaster as entertainment rather than professional evaluation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan’s bizarre fashion collaboration with Shi Corporation and Eleme culminates in a wildly unconventional runway show called “Carbohydrate Fantasia.”
• The collection features food-inspired and technologically transformed designs, including:
  • A crayfish model dancing to disco music.
  • A dumpling-fold evening gown that shoots crystal vinegar bottles.
  • A cyberpunk qipao inspired by Sichuan hotpot, with neon optical fibers and a glitch-art mooncake bag.
• The audience and online viewers are overwhelmed by the show’s absurdity, but recognize it as genuine artistic innovation rather than ordinary abstraction.
• The show immediately becomes a viral sensation. Multiple hashtags trend, bringing massive attention and traffic to both Shi Corporation and Zhou Jingcheng’s company.
• Shi Jihan’s system announces that he has completed his mission of helping Shi Corporation gain unconventional publicity and awards him 80 Malice Points, allowing him and Zero-Zero-Zero to pay off their debt.
• The closing credits publicly thank Shi Bochuan for financial support, Shen Qinghuai, Yan Bo, and the outsourcing team for technical support. Shen Qinghuai is horrified because he did not contribute and hides in Shi Bochuan’s arms.
• Zhou Jingcheng records Shi Bochuan’s humiliation, only to be publicly exposed moments later as the show’s “Chief Consultant” and a participant in the clothing designs. He becomes the final target of the show’s ridicule.
• The trending tag #ShiJihanDestroyedEveryone becomes the night’s final viral topic, forcing Zhou Jingcheng’s PR department to deal with gossip about their boss.
• After the show, Zhou Jingcheng catches Shi Jihan trying to escape and demands an explanation for the humiliating acknowledgments and designs.
• Shi Jihan offers exaggerated business jargon and argues that the show’s viral traffic will generate substantial profits. When that fails, he apologizes and claims he misunderstood Zhou Jingcheng’s wishes.
• Shi Jihan eventually escapes while Zhou Jingcheng is distracted by a call from his mother. After seeing the livestream, Madam Zhou suggests taking Zhou Jingcheng to the hospital because she is worried about his mental state.
• Shi Jihan returns to his car and learns that the show has earned him 92.34 Malice Points in total.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan demonstrates remarkable creativity, confidence, and shamelessness. He turns the fashion show into a publicity triumph while deliberately exploiting the embarrassment of everyone involved.
• Zhou Jingcheng shifts from amused observer and prankster to victim of Shi Jihan’s retaliation. Although furious, he is also impressed by the show’s success and seems increasingly affected by Shi Jihan’s teasing and attempts to act cute.
• Shi Bochuan is embarrassed by the public acknowledgment of his financial support and later enjoys seeing Zhou Jingcheng suffer the same fate.
• Shen Qinghuai is unwillingly dragged into the spectacle and becomes intensely embarrassed when falsely credited for technical support.
• Zero-Zero-Zero remains enthusiastic about the growing Malice Points and celebrates the successful completion of their mission.
• Madam Zhou interprets Zhou Jingcheng’s involvement in the absurd fashion show as evidence that he may need psychological help.

Significant Themes

• Absurdity as art: The chapter contrasts meaningless weirdness with deliberate, imaginative absurdity, suggesting that extreme unconventionality can become genuine art when executed skillfully.
• Publicity and commercial success: The show proves that attention, controversy, and viral discussion can be converted into valuable business traffic.
• Revenge and mutual humiliation: Shi Jihan repeatedly uses public embarrassment as both entertainment and retaliation, while Zhou Jingcheng eventually becomes his target.
• Miscommunication and playful manipulation: Shi Jihan exploits Zhou Jingcheng’s ambiguous words and personality, while Zhou attempts to interpret and imitate his behavior.
• The boundary between human creativity and AI: The show is presented as evidence that Shi Jihan’s unpredictable imagination remains beyond what AI can replicate.
• Friendship and antagonistic intimacy: The characters’ teasing, anger, and physical closeness reveal increasingly familiar and emotionally charged relationships, especially between Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan humiliates Shi Bochuan, Shen Qinghuai, and Zhou Jingcheng through the show’s acknowledgments.
• Shen Qinghuai hides in Shi Bochuan’s arms, while Shi Bochuan later orders his secretary to record Zhou Jingcheng’s public embarrassment.
• Zhou Jingcheng films Shi Bochuan’s reaction, enjoying his humiliation before being exposed himself.
• Zhou Jingcheng confronts Shi Jihan after the show, grabbing him by the neck and demanding an explanation.
• Shi Jihan alternates between corporate-sounding excuses, pleading, and playful physical affection to avoid Zhou Jingcheng’s anger.
• Their confrontation ends with Shi Jihan fleeing and Zhou Jingcheng receiving his mother’s concerned message, leaving their rivalry unresolved but increasingly playful and intimate.

Chapter 12 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zero-Zero-Zero celebrates Shi Jihan’s success in earning Malice Points and completing every major storyline mission. Shi Jihan becomes so pleased with the praise that he gives the system spending money.
• The next morning, Zero-Zero-Zero reveals that the plot has seriously deviated. The fashion show was originally supposed to destroy Shen Qinghuai’s hopes, causing him to resign and divorce Shi Bochuan. Instead, the crisis strengthened their relationship, and their public reconciliation created a huge wave of “real husbands” fans.
• The Main System threatens to penalize Shi Jihan by deducting his money unless the original plot is restored. To recreate the typical “crematorium” storyline, it demands that Shi Jihan create a “White Moonlight” character to complicate the protagonists’ relationship.
• Shi Jihan is frustrated because Shi Bochuan has no former lover or White Moonlight—Shen Qinghuai is his first love. He mocks the absurdity of being expected to invent a person and even considers returning Zero-Zero-Zero.
• On the way to work, Shi Jihan discovers that his face has been used in ridiculous, humiliating advertisements for the Shi Corporation, including instant-noodle and mermaid-themed images. He storms into Shi Bochuan’s office to demand that they be removed.
• The advertisements were arranged through cooperation between Shi Bochuan and “z,” the mysterious person Shi Jihan recognizes as Dianjia Bro. Shi Jihan realizes the ads are Dianjia Bro’s petty revenge for their previous business-related interaction.
• Shi Bochuan informs him that Xia Jun has accused him and Shen Qinghuai of plagiarizing other designers’ work. Xia Jun fabricated convincing-looking evidence and spread malicious publicity in an attempt to ruin their reputations.
• The designers whose work was supposedly plagiarized reject Xia Jun’s claims and jointly sue him for damaging their reputations. His smear campaign instead revives interest in the fashion show and pushes related topics back onto the trending lists.
• Shi Bochuan sends Shi Jihan and Shen Qinghuai back to work so they can capitalize on the renewed attention. Shi Jihan only remembers afterward that he originally entered the office to complain about the advertisements, and he vents his frustration by pretending to punch Zhou Jingcheng.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan remains arrogant, materialistic, and dramatically self-confident, but his fear of losing money reveals how deeply he values wealth. He also shows quick strategic thinking when dealing with the system’s impossible demands.
• Zero-Zero-Zero becomes increasingly anxious about the Main System’s punishment and more dependent on Shi Jihan. Their relationship remains combative but affectionate, with constant bickering and mutual reliance.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai have grown much closer after surviving the fashion-show crisis. Shen Qinghuai is now more emotionally secure and less affected by public attacks.
• Shen Qinghuai demonstrates increased resilience. Compared with his previous despair, he treats Xia Jun’s slander as insignificant and even jokes about it.
• Xia Jun becomes increasingly vindictive and desperate after losing clients and credibility. His attempt to retaliate backfires, strengthening the fashion show’s popularity and exposing him to legal action.
• Dianjia Bro (“z”) is revealed to have a mischievous, retaliatory side. He helps promote Shi Bochuan’s company while using embarrassing advertisements to get revenge on Shi Jihan.

Significant Themes

• Plot disruption and adaptation: The original romance-drama storyline has been overturned by the characters’ unexpected emotional growth.
• Money and materialism: Shi Jihan’s exaggerated panic over financial punishment provides comedy while highlighting his obsession with wealth.
• Revenge backfiring: Xia Jun’s smear campaign and Dianjia Bro’s advertising prank both demonstrate how attempts at retaliation can produce unintended results.
• Publicity and reputation: Online trends, fan culture, advertisements, and fabricated accusations shape the characters’ public images and directly influence the plot.
• Emotional healing: Shen Qinghuai and Shi Bochuan’s relationship has transformed suffering into intimacy, undermining the tragic narrative the system expected.

Important Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero argue over the system’s new demand, with Shi Jihan threatening to sell or return it.
• Shi Jihan confronts Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai about the humiliating advertisements, only to learn they approved Dianjia Bro’s promotional plan.
• Shi Jihan and Shen Qinghuai discuss Xia Jun’s plagiarism accusations, with Shen Qinghuai calmly explaining that the supposedly plagiarized designers are actually suing Xia Jun.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai continue to act as a united couple, while Shi Jihan remains both their disruptive force and an unexpected source of publicity.

Chapter 13 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the temporary project ends, the team prepares to return to their regular positions and discusses plans for a group dinner. Shi Jihan, now promoted, appears suspiciously quiet to his eldest brother, Shi Bochuan.
• A Lolita-dressed coworker explains the concept of a “cosplay commission,” in which someone is hired to roleplay as a romantic partner. This gives Shi Jihan an idea for creating a fake “White Moonlight” from Shi Bochuan’s school days.
• With Zero-Zero-Zero’s encouragement, Shi Jihan posts a casting advertisement seeking a tall, handsome, well-mannered actor with good acting skills. He invents an elaborate backstory and script in which the actor is supposedly Shi Bochuan’s former high school classmate and first love.
• Zhou Zeyang accepts the job after seeing the eccentric script, though he privately worries that following it may cause Shi Jihan’s brother to throw him out or even hit him. He nicknames Shi Jihan “Tacky-Kiss Machine.”
• Meanwhile, Shi Bochuan enjoys an unusually peaceful night without nightmares involving Shi Jihan’s absurd revenge fantasies. He becomes suspicious of Third Brother’s sudden quietness.
• Shen Qinghuai, newly promoted to design director, has a romantic moment with Shi Bochuan after they celebrate his promotion at a candlelit revolving-restaurant dinner. However, when Shen shyly attempts to invite a kiss, Shi Bochuan points out eye gunk instead, completely ruining the mood.
• Embarrassed and furious, Shen Qinghuai avoids Shi Bochuan at breakfast and sits beside Shi Jihan instead. He asks Shi Jihan how he would respond to such a comment, and Shi Jihan immediately gives a flirtatiously sharp answer, which Shen decides to learn from.
• Shi Jihan spends the day fabricating evidence of the White Moonlight’s existence. He edits Zhou Zeyang’s face into an old high school group photograph and sends it to him as part of the setup.
• He arranges for Zhou Zeyang to meet him, Shi Bochuan, and Shen Qinghuai at a restaurant, instructing him to bring props and portray the invented former classmate.
• Zhou Zeyang becomes distracted by a video game and ignores Shi Jihan’s messages. Frustrated, Shi Jihan sends numerous urgent voice messages from the restaurant restroom, begging him to arrive.
• At the same time, Zhou Jingcheng—apparently Zhou Zeyang’s older brother—is nearby handling a business acquisition call. Shi Jihan’s loud messages from the restroom interfere with the call, forcing Zhou Jingcheng to repeatedly ask for clarification.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Becomes increasingly committed to manipulating the situation through an elaborate fake romance. His creativity, scheming, and theatrical sense of humor are prominent, but his plan is also increasingly reckless.
• Shen Qinghuai: Gains confidence after his promotion and becomes more willing to express affection toward Shi Bochuan. His embarrassment and anger after the failed romantic moment reveal both his growing intimacy with Shi Bochuan and his lack of experience with romantic exchanges.
• Shi Bochuan: Remains oblivious to the schemes around him and unintentionally frustrates Shen with his blunt practicality. He is suspicious of Shi Jihan’s unusual quietness but does not yet understand what is happening.
• Zhou Zeyang: Accepts the role of the fake White Moonlight despite recognizing how bizarre the script is. His humorous complaints and fear of being attacked contrast with his professional willingness to follow the assignment.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Is introduced indirectly through Zero-Zero-Zero’s comparison and Zhou Zeyang’s family situation. His presence suggests a connection to the actor and potentially creates complications for Shi Jihan’s plan.

Significant Themes

• Deception and constructed reality: Shi Jihan manufactures photographs, memories, and a romantic history to influence Shen Qinghuai’s perception.
• Love as performance: The fake White Moonlight plot deliberately treats romance as an act, blurring the line between genuine emotion and staged behavior.
• Unintentional romantic comedy: Shi Bochuan’s practical comment about eye gunk turns Shen’s sincere romantic gesture into an embarrassing misunderstanding.
• Sibling and marital dynamics: Shi Jihan’s schemes contrast with Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai’s awkward but developing intimacy.
• Consequences of meddling: Even small manipulations begin producing unpredictable complications, as shown by Zhou Zeyang’s distraction and Zhou Jingcheng’s disrupted business call.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero collaborate on the fake White Moonlight scheme, with the system supporting the plan despite recognizing its absurdity.
• Shi Jihan recruits Zhou Zeyang and directs him to portray Shi Bochuan’s supposed former love.
• Shen Qinghuai attempts to initiate intimacy with Shi Bochuan, but Shi Bochuan accidentally insults and embarrasses him by mentioning his eye gunk.
• Shen seeks advice from Shi Jihan, who gives him a much sharper romantic response than Shi Bochuan did.
• Shi Jihan’s fabricated evidence brings him into conflict with his own impatience, while Zhou Zeyang’s delayed arrival threatens to expose or derail the plan.
• Zhou Zeyang’s messages and Shi Jihan’s frantic voice recordings indirectly disrupt Zhou Jingcheng’s work, setting up a likely collision between the scheme and Zhou’s family.

Chapter 14 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Jingcheng discovers Shi Jihan coaching a short-drama actor in a restroom. Mocking him for appearing in a low-quality melodrama, Zhou pretends not to know him when a business client arrives.
• Shi Jihan returns to the private room and finds Shen Qinghuai angrily leaving after arguing with his husband, Shi Bochuan, who has been working overtime and neglecting him.
• Shi Jihan’s hired actor, Zhou Zeyang, arrives to perform the fake “first love” scenario. He initially mistakes Shen Qinghuai for his target, then dramatically clings to Shi Bochuan instead.
• Zhou Zeyang presents a heavily Photoshopped graduation photo intended to make Shi Bochuan jealous and persuade Shen Qinghuai that he has a romantic rival. However, Shi Jihan accidentally forgets to restore his eldest brother’s original appearance in the image, leaving Shi Bochuan with a distorted head and a bird-like, unnaturally elongated figure.
• Shen Qinghuai and Shi Bochuan inspect the image, leading to widespread confusion and comic embarrassment. Shen teases Shi Bochuan about having plastic surgery, while Shi Bochuan desperately insists that the photo is fake.
• Zhou Jingcheng exits with his client, sees Zhou Zeyang clinging to Shi Bochuan, and is horrified. He denies recognizing both Shi Jihan and Zhou Zeyang, even attempting to hide behind a potted plant before fleeing.
• The manipulated photo succeeds in distracting Shen Qinghuai from his anger. He reassures Shi Bochuan that he looks best as he is, and Shi Bochuan mistakenly believes Zhou Zeyang has cleverly helped repair his marriage.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Remains vindictive and mischievous, but his scheme becomes increasingly chaotic because of his poor Photoshop work and inability to control Zhou Zeyang’s improvised performance. He becomes frustrated by the melodramatic behavior and by Shi Bochuan’s exaggerated romantic responses.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Reveals a strong instinct for self-preservation and social embarrassment. Although usually proud of his ruthlessness, he is overwhelmed by the humiliating sight of his younger brother involved in the staged romance and repeatedly denies knowing him.
• Zhou Zeyang: Proves to be a committed, energetic professional actor. Despite misunderstanding the assignment, he improvises enthusiastically and maintains his exaggerated “first love” persona, even while analyzing the physical appearance of his targets.
• Shi Bochuan: Moves from panic and jealousy to gratitude. He misunderstands Zhou Zeyang’s role, believing the actor is a helpful employee who has rescued his relationship, and becomes more affectionate and emotionally vulnerable toward Shen Qinghuai.
• Shen Qinghuai: His anger toward Shi Bochuan fades as the absurd photo and performance amuse him. He teases his husband but ultimately reassures him sincerely, showing that his affection remains strong beneath his irritation.
• 000: The system is overwhelmed by Shi Bochuan’s bizarre suggestion that he could undergo cosmetic surgery, temporarily malfunctioning while trying to process the situation.

Significant Themes

• Farce and mistaken identity: Characters repeatedly deny knowing one another or misunderstand each other’s relationships, creating escalating comedic confusion.
• Manipulation and unintended consequences: Shi Jihan’s carefully planned jealousy scheme goes wrong because of the bad Photoshop and Zhou Zeyang’s improvisation, yet accidentally achieves its goal.
• Appearance versus reality: The grotesque edited photograph contrasts with Shi Bochuan’s real appearance, while the staged “first love” performance is treated as genuine by several characters.
• Love overcoming conflict: Shen Qinghuai’s anger disappears when he sees Shi Bochuan’s sincere, if ridiculous, concern, suggesting their relationship is strengthened through emotional reassurance.
• Embarrassment and social reputation: Zhou Jingcheng’s extreme reaction highlights the importance he places on dignity and public image, especially when confronted with his family’s humiliating behavior.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Jihan exchange insults, with Zhou Jingcheng belittling Shi Jihan’s acting and later pretending not to know him.
• Shi Jihan directs Zhou Zeyang’s romantic performance, trying to make it appear delicate and emotionally tragic.
• Zhou Zeyang first embraces Shen Qinghuai, then redirects his “first-love” act toward Shi Bochuan and clings to him dramatically.
• Shen Qinghuai and Shi Bochuan jointly examine the Photoshopped image, allowing Shen to tease his husband and Shi Bochuan to plead his innocence.
• Shi Bochuan praises Zhou Zeyang for unknowingly helping him reconcile with Shen Qinghuai, while Shi Jihan silently suffers over the disastrous result of his plan.

Chapter 15 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan believes Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai’s relationship is destined to become abusive because of the original plot. In the future, Shi Bochuan will misunderstand Shen Qinghuai, mistreat him emotionally, and eventually pursue other wealthy heirs after losing power struggles within the Shi family.
• Determined to prevent this tragic outcome, Shi Jihan assigns Zhou Zeyang the responsibility of helping “fix” the couple’s relationship.
• Zhou Zeyang visits his brother Zhou Jingcheng’s company for a free meal. He reveals that his new part-time job is working for Shi Jihan as an “emotional counselor.” Zhou Jingcheng is embarrassed by his younger brother’s dramatic, delusional way of describing the work and warns him not to reveal that they are related.
• Shi Jihan receives a new system mission: “Old Flames Rekindled.” He must reignite Shi Bochuan’s passion for Shen Qinghuai within five minutes to earn Malice Points.
• Shi Jihan decides to stage a dramatic reunion by disguising Zhou Zeyang as Shen Qinghuai’s “white moonlight.” He orders Zhou to wear a loose white shirt, powder his face, and speak gently in an attempt to resemble Shen Qinghuai.
• Late at night, Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai finish working at the company. Shi Jihan coordinates with Zhou Zeyang in real time as they wait in the parking garage.
• Zhou Zeyang jumps out at Shi Bochuan while screaming his name. Because of the ghostlike makeup, oversized clothing, and overwhelming perfume, Shi Bochuan mistakes him for a ghost and throws him over his shoulder.
• Both men begin screaming in terror. Shen Qinghuai rushes to the scene, while Shi Jihan nearly suffers a concussion from Shen Qinghuai’s reckless driving.
• The system declares the mission complete and awards Shi Jihan 27 Malice Points—apparently interpreting Shi Bochuan’s extreme adrenaline and emotional reaction as successfully “rekindled passion.”
• The chapter ends with the parking garage in chaos. Shi Bochuan clings to Shen Qinghuai while claiming he will protect him, despite hiding behind him, and Zhou Zeyang cries for Shi Jihan’s help. Shi Jihan realizes the original plan—to steal Shi Bochuan’s phone—may need to be abandoned in favor of improvisation.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan remains confident, mischievous, and deeply invested in manipulating events to prevent the original tragic storyline. He treats his schemes like carefully planned missions, though his ideas often produce absurd results.
• Zhou Zeyang embraces his role as Shi Jihan’s assistant despite not fully understanding the plans. His loyalty and willingness to endure embarrassment are emphasized, especially when he disguises himself and performs the ghost prank.
• Zhou Jingcheng is shown as practical, protective, and embarrassed by his younger brother’s eccentric behavior. Although he considers Zhou Zeyang foolish, he trusts Shi Jihan enough to believe the job is unlikely to cause serious trouble.
• Shi Bochuan displays an unexpectedly strong fear response. His instinctive attempt to protect Shen Qinghuai—and his inability to stop clinging to him—reveals emotional dependence beneath his normally composed exterior.
• Shen Qinghuai remains calm and observant in the middle of the chaos. He notices that Shi Bochuan is hiding behind him despite claiming to protect him, highlighting his dry, matter-of-fact personality.
• Zero-Zero-Zero has been upgraded by the Main System and now monitors biochemical reactions such as adrenaline and hormones to determine whether missions succeed. Its interpretation of fear as romantic passion adds to the chapter’s comedic absurdity.

Significant Themes

• Preventing a predetermined tragedy: Shi Jihan is actively trying to alter the original plot and save Shen Qinghuai from future abuse and humiliation.
• Misinterpretation and emotional manipulation: The mission succeeds because the system mistakes fear and adrenaline for romantic passion, reflecting the unreliable and literal nature of the system.
• Comedy through chaos: Shi Jihan’s elaborate plan collapses almost immediately, yet accidentally produces the desired result.
• Hidden attachment: Shi Bochuan’s instinctive protectiveness and reliance on Shen Qinghuai suggest that their relationship may already contain genuine affection, despite Shi Jihan’s fear of the original storyline.
• Familial embarrassment and loyalty: Zhou Jingcheng finds Zhou Zeyang humiliating but still looks after him, while Zhou Zeyang remains devoted to Shi Jihan’s bizarre schemes.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Zeyang share a boss-and-subordinate relationship built on mutual trust, exaggerated responsibility, and comedic misunderstandings.
• Zhou Jingcheng and Zhou Zeyang interact like exasperated older brother and shameless younger brother: Jingcheng criticizes him, while Zeyang internally mocks Jingcheng’s single status.
• Shi Jihan manipulates the situation from a distance, communicating with Zhou Zeyang while observing Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai’s interaction in the garage exposes Shi Bochuan’s fear and dependence. Although he insists on protecting Shen Qinghuai, he physically hides behind him, prompting Shen Qinghuai’s dry criticism.
• Zhou Zeyang’s confrontation with Shi Bochuan turns the intended romantic reenactment into a chaotic ghost attack, but the resulting panic fulfills the system’s mission.

Chapter 16 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan’s plan to rekindle Shi Bochuan’s feelings for his “White Moonlight” goes unexpectedly awry when Shi Bochuan mistakes Zhou Zeyang, disguised as a ghost, for an actual supernatural threat. Shi Bochuan chases him through the underground garage and throws him to the ground.
• Shen Qinghuai recognizes Zhou Zeyang from the restaurant and helps calm the situation. Zhou awkwardly claims he was working overtime, while Shi Jihan desperately tries to signal that he should instead express romantic longing.
• Shi Bochuan interprets Zhou’s behavior as evidence of an exceptionally hardworking and loyal employee, despite being suspicious of his ghostlike makeup and clothing.
• Concerned that Zhou may be injured, Shen Qinghuai insists on taking him to the hospital. Shi Bochuan becomes jealous when Shen supports Zhou, earning Shi Jihan additional Malice Points.
• Zhou is found to be completely unharmed. He later reunites with his brother, Zhou Jingcheng, who mocks his excessive white makeup and teases him about pretending to be seriously injured to avoid walking the dog.
• Shi Jihan calculates that he has accumulated 125.6 Malice Points. He jokes that this is enough to buy a bathroom in the city center and begins planning future missions, including sending Shi Bochuan an absurdly inexpensive “warm scarf” as a romantic gift.
• The next morning, Shi Jihan uses the system to track Zhou Jingcheng. He finds Zhou walking his energetic Beagle, Pizza, and approaches him.
• Zhou Jingcheng immediately hands Pizza’s leash to Shi Jihan, allowing him to enjoy the dog while avoiding the exhausting walk himself. Pizza drags Shi Jihan across the plaza, forcing him into an unintended thousand-meter run.
• Exhausted and irritated, Shi Jihan angrily gestures at Zhou Jingcheng. When Zhou catches him making an obscene hand sign, Shi Jihan disguises it as a rock-and-roll gesture. Zhou corrects him while secretly earning more Malice Points.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan remains calculating, shameless, and highly motivated by Malice Points. He treats romantic manipulation as a game and constantly looks for new ways to complete missions cheaply and efficiently.
• Shi Bochuan is revealed to be unexpectedly afraid of ghosts, undermining his domineering image. He also shows growing jealousy toward Shen Qinghuai’s concern for Zhou Zeyang, suggesting his feelings may be shifting.
• Shen Qinghuai stays calm and considerate throughout the chaos. He protects Zhou Zeyang, ensures he receives medical attention, and unintentionally intensifies Shi Bochuan’s jealousy.
• Zhou Zeyang is obedient but confused, repeatedly misinterpreting Shi Jihan’s signals. His ghost disguise is unconvincing, though it succeeds in causing considerable chaos.
• Zhou Jingcheng is sarcastic and opportunistic. He complains about his brother’s antics but happily uses Shi Jihan to exercise Pizza on his behalf.
• Pizza is energetic and uncontrollable, functioning as a source of comic disruption and indirectly helping Shi Jihan provoke Zhou Jingcheng.

Significant Themes

• Mismatched intentions and misunderstandings: Characters continually misread one another, especially regarding Zhou Zeyang’s disguise, Shi Bochuan’s feelings, and Shi Jihan’s romantic schemes.
• Jealousy as a source of progress: Shi Jihan gains Malice Points when Shi Bochuan becomes jealous of Shen Qinghuai’s physical concern for Zhou.
• The contrast between appearances and reality: Shi Bochuan’s intimidating CEO persona contrasts with his fear of ghosts, while Zhou’s supposedly dangerous injuries turn out to be nonexistent.
• Transactional and absurd romance: Shi Jihan approaches affection through missions, calculations, cheap gifts, and point accumulation rather than genuine emotional understanding.
• Everyday chaos and comic humiliation: Grand romantic plans repeatedly collapse into embarrassing, mundane situations involving makeup, hospital visits, dog-walking, and breakfast.

Character Interactions

• Shi Bochuan and Zhou Zeyang: Their encounter begins with fear and physical confrontation but ends with Shi Bochuan admiring Zhou’s supposed work ethic.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai: Shen’s calm protection of Zhou makes Shi Bochuan visibly jealous and protective.
• Shen Qinghuai and Zhou Zeyang: Shen acts gently and responsibly toward Zhou, taking him to the hospital despite Zhou’s insistence that he is fine.
• Zhou Jingcheng and Zhou Zeyang: The brothers exchange sarcastic remarks, with Zhou Zeyang exaggerating his injuries to escape dog-walking duties.
• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng: Their morning meeting turns into another accidental mission opportunity. Zhou Jingcheng exploits Shi Jihan’s fondness for Pizza, while Shi Jihan retaliates by provoking him and earning Malice Points.

Chapter 17 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Jingcheng buys Shi Jihan a beef-and-egg sandwich and cola, instantly improving Shi’s mood.
• While Zhou chats with his younger brother, he secretly photographs Shi eating. The photo becomes especially ridiculous when pigeons swarm Shi, steal his sandwich, mess up his hair, and leave him with only the filling.
• Zhou saves the embarrassing images as memes and teases Shi by calling him “Shorty.” In retaliation, Shi headbutts Zhou in the chin, splitting his tongue and earning Malice Points.
• A system mission appears: Shi must ruin Zhou’s afternoon Texas Hold’em game for a reward of 13 Malice Points. Shi misunderstands Texas Hold’em as a type of Texas-style chicken.
• Despite Zhou’s desire to avoid him, Shi and Zhou end up at the same high-level business card game.
• Shi Bochuan explains that the poker match is a trap arranged by Zhou’s competitors, who want to undermine Zhou’s overseas entertainment expansion. Zhou is isolated because nearly everyone present is working against him, including a powerful blond overseas businessman.
• Shi, unfamiliar with poker and the intimidating atmosphere, interrupts the game and declares it “low-end.” He produces mahjong tiles and proposes playing a “national treasure” instead.
• The luxurious club is transformed into an absurd mahjong game involving Shi, Shi Bochuan, Zhou, and the blond businessman.
• Shi invents nonsensical rules based on public holidays, repeatedly forcing the blond man to take back tiles. He even claims he can cancel New Year’s Day because he owns company shares.
• Zhou secretly laughs at Shi’s outrageous excuses, while the furious blond man insults Shi as an idiot, a turnip, and a potato. The system awards only a small amount of Malice Points.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Remains impulsive, shameless, food-motivated, and spectacularly literal. He turns potentially dangerous situations into comedy through his confidence and bizarre logic. Although he does not understand the business conflict or poker, he unintentionally disrupts the opposing side’s carefully controlled game.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Shows a playful, teasing side by photographing and bullying Shi, but quickly regrets provoking him after the headbutt. At the card game, he appears composed and calculating despite being under pressure from multiple enemies. He also begins to find Shi’s behavior genuinely amusing.
• Shi Bochuan: Acts as Shi Jihan’s protector and guide, bringing him into the card game and explaining the surrounding business conflict. He is supportive but largely bewildered by the game and Shi’s behavior.
• Zhou Zeyang: Interacts with Zhou through messages and immediately finds the photo of Shi adorable, suggesting a friendly and familiar relationship with both Zhou and Shi.
• The blond businessman: Initially confident and dismissive, he becomes increasingly frustrated as Shi bends the mahjong rules and refuses to accept his moves.

Significant Themes

• Comedy through contrast: Shi’s childish, chaotic behavior clashes with the sophisticated, threatening world of wealthy businessmen, poker, cigars, and corporate rivalry.
• Unintentional disruption: Shi does not understand the business war, yet his absurd intervention undermines the serious atmosphere and prevents the opposing players from maintaining control.
• Emotional contrast and hidden affection: Zhou pretends to be annoyed by Shi but repeatedly photographs him, teases him, and secretly laughs at his antics. Their hostility increasingly carries a playful, familiar quality.
• Power and status: The card game is designed to display wealth and influence, but Shi mocks that status by replacing poker with mahjong and treating corporate authority as an excuse for ridiculous personal rules.
• Literal-minded misunderstanding: Shi’s confusion about Texas Hold’em and his invented holiday-based mahjong rules turn unfamiliar social and business conventions into absurd comedy.

Character Interactions

• Zhou and Shi engage in constant teasing and retaliation, culminating in Shi’s headbutt.
• Zhou’s brother jokes about Shi’s appearance, while Zhou responds defensively and playfully.
• Shi and the pigeons create a slapstick sequence that Zhou exploits by taking photographs.
• Shi pulls Shi Bochuan into the mahjong game and forces Zhou and the blond businessman to participate.
• Zhou recognizes the absurdity of Shi’s behavior and laughs, while the blond businessman grows angry and openly insults him.