Chapter Summaries

Chapter 69 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Changyuan begins his presentation at the industry symposium, but the PowerPoint immediately displays enormous photos of Zhou Jingcheng from a wonton-wrapper photoshoot.
• The presentation continues with captions praising Zhou’s looks, turning the serious business event into what appears to be a public fan display.
• Li Changyuan panics and attempts to skip the slides, but the damage is done. His wig flies off, lands on the director’s head, and further humiliates him.
• The slideshow eventually reveals explicit Wu Bai CP fanart depicting Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Jihan embracing and kissing. The entire venue falls silent before the media begins taking photographs.
• Shi Jihan’s system declares that the task of undermining the symposium’s business value has been completed—and then exceeded expectations—earning him Malice Points.
• Zhou Jingcheng reacts enthusiastically to the fanart, seemingly interpreting it as evidence of public support for their relationship. He even copies the image onto his USB drive.
• Afterward, Zhou publicly thanks Li Changyuan for “supporting” their relationship and gives him an autograph reading “Zhou Jingcheng, handsome.” Li Changyuan is furious and embarrassed.
• Zhou eventually prepares to give his own presentation, but the chapter shifts to the online aftermath before revealing its content.
• Clips and images from the symposium go viral. Online discussions focus almost entirely on Zhou and Shi Jihan’s flirtatious behavior and the fanart, while Li Changyuan is mocked as the CP’s unofficial wedding emcee.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan successfully manipulates the situation to sabotage the symposium’s professional image, though the outcome becomes far more extreme and embarrassing than expected. He is mortified by the fanart and increasingly unable to hide his feelings for Zhou.
• Zhou Jingcheng remains cheerfully oblivious to the social disaster, taking the slideshow and fanart as sincere public approval of his relationship with Shi Jihan. His decision to save the fanart suggests genuine enthusiasm and possessiveness toward their implied pairing.
• Li Changyuan suffers repeated humiliation. He loses control of the presentation, is publicly associated with embarrassing fan behavior, and becomes furious that his actual business presentation is completely ignored.
• 000, Shi Jihan’s system companion, recognizes the disaster immediately and humorously anticipates Shi Jihan’s emotional collapse.
• The director and attendees are bewildered by the transformation of a high-level business symposium into apparent corporate warfare and CP promotion.

Significant Themes

• Public image versus private feelings: A formal professional event becomes a spectacle centered on romantic implications and personal embarrassment.
• Accidental exposure of romance: The fanart and the pair’s physical closeness make their relationship appear obvious to outsiders, even though Shi Jihan remains defensive and embarrassed.
• Humiliation as comic retribution: Li Changyuan’s attempt to present himself professionally collapses into ridicule, reinforcing the chapter’s revenge-comedy tone.
• The power of media and fandom: Online audiences rapidly transform real events into romantic narratives, creating trending topics and assigning roles such as “wedding emcee.”
• Oblivious affection: Zhou’s sincere delight contrasts with Shi Jihan’s panic, highlighting the growing emotional tension between them.

Important Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng continue their flirtatious “big brother” dynamic. Shi clings to Zhou for protection, while Zhou openly enjoys being addressed affectionately.
• Zhou interprets the fanart as relationship support, while Shi desperately tries to deny or minimize its meaning.
• Li Changyuan and Shi exchange insults after the presentation. Shi’s “Isn’t your mouth [the trash can]?” remark leaves Li furious and nearly breathless.
• Zhou treats Li as a well-meaning admirer, thanking him and offering the humiliating autograph, while Li realizes he has become the butt of the joke.
• The public and media interpret Zhou and Shi’s interactions as romantic, intensifying the pressure for them to acknowledge their relationship.

Chapter 70 Summary

• Li Changyuan’s retaliation: After Zhou Jingcheng’s public speech undermines his original plan and leaves him humiliated, Li Changyuan decides to retaliate indirectly. He notes that Wu Bai and the others have “provoked” him and plans to target their comedy film during the lucrative Spring Festival release period.
• Zhou Jingcheng’s industry vision: On set, the crew watches Zhou Jingcheng’s speech about the film industry. He argues that low-budget films should not rely on luck or star power, and that excessive standardization can suppress creativity. He questions whether top stars truly guarantee box office success and suggests that films should focus on memorable characters while cultivating new audiences. The assistant director realizes that Zhou invested in their movie partly as an experiment to prove these ideas and influence the future market.
• Shi Zhongye’s distress: Shi Zhongye is less interested in Zhou’s business philosophy than in the viral photograph of Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Jihan kissing. He blames his younger brother’s foolish behavior for allowing the image to spread, jokingly lamenting that his “cabbage” has been taken away. His overprotective, dramatic reaction adds to the chapter’s comic tone.
• Shi Jihan and Zhou’s teasing relationship: Shi Jihan returns to the set and discovers that the college students have eaten all the boxed lunches. Zhou offers him an expensive meal in exchange for help accessing explicit fanart related to their viral pairing. Although Shi Jihan initially refuses on moral grounds, the elaborate menu quickly weakens his resolve. His internal struggle between dignity and food becomes a running joke, especially as System 000 mocks his lack of backbone.
• The fanart embarrassment: When Shi Jihan opens the artist’s account, he discovers that the homepage is now filled with extremely explicit and exaggerated images of him and Zhou Jingcheng. Horrified, he tries to hide the screen, but Zhou takes the phone and calmly studies the artwork, even asking whether he may save it. Zhou’s shameless curiosity contrasts sharply with Shi Jihan’s embarrassment and panic.
• Flirtatious intimacy: Zhou notices that Shi Jihan has saved his contact as “AAA Eight-Treasure Zhou (Limited Boss Edition),” formerly “Peacock Spreading Its Tail Edition.” Delighted rather than offended, Zhou changes the contact name to “AAA Eight-Treasure Zhou (Super Likes You Edition).” Their playful exchange shows Zhou openly pursuing Shi Jihan while Shi Jihan, despite his protests, tolerates and even participates in the intimacy.
• Family group-chat comedy: Zhou changes his own online handle to “Eight-Treasure Zhou” and announces it in the family group, sending a red packet to attract attention. He proudly reveals that the name comes from Shi Jihan’s contact note, hoping everyone will ask about their relationship. His family responds with mock annoyance and diagnoses his behavior as performative. When his mother asks how far his pursuit has progressed, Zhou admits that he is “almost done pursuing” Shi Jihan. His parents call him useless, while the family jokes that he is at least working hard to feed Shi Jihan.

Character Development and Interactions

• Zhou Jingcheng becomes increasingly bold, shameless, and openly affectionate. He uses food, teasing, and public declarations to pursue Shi Jihan, while also demonstrating serious ambitions for reshaping the film industry.
• Shi Jihan remains embarrassed and verbally resistant, but his willingness to accept Zhou’s food, show him the fanart, and tolerate the changed contact name reveals growing emotional comfort and attraction.
• Shi Zhongye acts as an overprotective and melodramatic older brother, while the college students and Zhou’s family serve as amused observers of the developing romance.
• Li Changyuan shifts from humiliation to calculated revenge, setting up a future conflict involving the film’s release.

Significant Themes

• The conflict between creative individuality and industrial standardization in filmmaking.
• The diminishing reliability of star power and traffic-based marketing.
• The contrast between public image and private affection, as the viral kiss and fanart expose Zhou and Shi Jihan’s relationship to others.
• Food and teasing as expressions of intimacy, with Zhou using extravagant meals to draw Shi Jihan closer.
• The chapter’s broader comedic theme of dignity repeatedly collapsing under attraction, appetite, and family interference.

Chapter 71 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Photos of Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Jihan eating together are circulated, suggesting growing public interest in their relationship.
• During their meal, the two feed each other. Zhou Jingcheng repeatedly serves Shi Jihan food, while Shi Jihan returns the gesture by feeding him lamb chop and cake.
• Xiao Yuan and Shi Zhongye observe them from a distance. Their teasing conversation exposes Shi Zhongye’s double standards, leading to a comedic scuffle when Xiao Yuan compares Shi Zhongye’s behavior to “chewing cud.”
• Shi Jihan receives a large transfer from Zhou Jingcheng and jokingly announces that he plans to leave the Shi Group after filming ends and join Zhou’s company, Universe.
• On the final day of filming, Shi Jihan attempts to surprise Zhou Jingcheng by pinning him against a wall. Instead, Zhou crouches unexpectedly, causing Shi Jihan to fall over him and roll onto the ground.
• While Zhou helps him up, Shi Jihan accidentally slams his lips into the corner of Zhou’s mouth, breaking the skin and causing a bloody, nearly-kiss-like collision.
• The crew witnesses the incident and immediately begins teasing them, treating it as a kiss and speculating about their relationship.
• Shi Zhongye angrily intervenes to protect his younger brother, though he also enjoys watching Shi Jihan become embarrassed.
• Zhou Jingcheng deliberately plays along with the teasing, joking that someone bit him “like pudding” and asking what flavor it was. Shi Jihan, overwhelmed by embarrassment, drags him back toward the set.
• Zhou then touches Shi Jihan’s lower lip, claiming it is dry and checking whether the redness will come off, further intensifying the flirtatious atmosphere.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Becomes increasingly comfortable and affectionate around Zhou Jingcheng, though he remains easily flustered by romantic implications. He tries to act boldly but repeatedly fails in comedic ways. His plan to join Universe after filming suggests growing independence from the Shi family and increased loyalty toward Zhou.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Displays open affection and increasingly shameless flirtation. He enjoys caring for Shi Jihan, feeding him, teasing him, and exploiting embarrassing situations to provoke him. His reaction to the accidental injury reveals strong attraction beneath his composed exterior.
• Shi Zhongye: Continues to act protective toward Shi Jihan, but also takes pleasure in teasing and humiliating him. His hypocrisy becomes a source of comedy when Xiao Yuan points out that he engages in similarly intimate behavior.
• Xiao Yuan: Serves as an amused observer and commentator, fearlessly exposing Shi Zhongye’s double standards.
• Zero-Zero-Zero: Provides sarcastic commentary on the pair’s romantic tension and recognizes that their interactions generate considerable “Malice Points.”

Significant Themes

• Romantic tension and mutual attraction: Feeding each other, physical contact, and the accidental kiss all demonstrate the pair’s increasing intimacy.
• Public perception and gossip: The crew immediately interprets their behavior romantically, showing how difficult it is for them to conceal their feelings.
• Embarrassment as intimacy: Shi Jihan’s repeated blushing and panic contrast with Zhou Jingcheng’s deliberate teasing, creating a dynamic in which embarrassment brings them closer.
• Family and workplace entanglement: Shi Jihan’s connection to Zhou intersects with his professional future, particularly through his plan to leave the Shi Group for Universe.
• Double standards and comic hypocrisy: Shi Zhongye mocks Zhou and Shi Jihan’s behavior while engaging in similarly intimate conduct with Xiao Yuan.

Character Interactions

• Zhou and Shi Jihan exchange food and engage in increasingly intimate physical contact.
• Xiao Yuan mocks Shi Zhongye’s hypocrisy, prompting Shi Zhongye to retaliate physically.
• Shi Zhongye protects Shi Jihan after the accidental kiss but also pushes him into the center of public attention.
• Zhou deliberately flirts with Shi Jihan in front of the crew, while Shi Jihan attempts to deny and escape the implications.
• The surrounding staff amplify the romantic gossip, turning the accidental collision into a public spectacle.

Chapter 72 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan discovers blood on his face after Zhou Jingcheng bites him. When Zhou offers to help clean it, Shi awkwardly wonders whether he means saliva and flees to the restroom. Zhou is secretly delighted by the incident, admiring how cute Shi’s “tiger teeth” are.
• The crew films the final scenes of their low-budget movie. To save money, the script’s serious car accident has been replaced with an electric wheelchair accident, creating an intentionally ridiculous comedic moment.
• Zhou recognizes that the film’s stingy, budget-conscious choices resemble Shi’s own personality. Both men privately feel guilty and grateful toward each other, believing the other has sacrificed for their sake.
• The neighborhood residents help the Demolition Crew captain recover his withheld wages. After using increasingly absurd superpowers to pressure the corrupt boss, they succeed. The demolition crew then abandons the project, preserving the apartment building.
• Under new government leadership, the building is transformed into a cyberpunk ruins-themed exhibition rather than being demolished. The residents find creative ways to earn money there, including fake fortune-telling, “weather forecast” performances, and an excavator amusement ride.
• Lin An undergoes a major positive change. He becomes more involved with his neighbors, exercises, cooks, plays chess, and resumes writing Wednesday’s Funeral. He removes the protagonist’s planned suicide and replaces it with a scene in which neighbors rush in to offer help.
• Filming concludes successfully. The interns celebrate receiving their certificates, and Zhou hosts a wrap party.
• At the party, the crew teases Shi and Zhou about pudding and their apparent romantic tension. Shi tries to compliment Zhou with the nickname “Eight-Treasure Zhou,” but becomes embarrassed and finally blurts out, “Your kind of flavor is especially good!” Zhou pretends to misunderstand and asks him to repeat it for his phone, leaving Shi mortified.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Remains frugal, resourceful, and dedicated to completing the film despite its deliberately poor quality. His attraction to Zhou becomes increasingly obvious, though he remains easily flustered and defensive. His final threat—calling Zhou “Eight-Treasure Zhou” and warning him not to go too far—shows both embarrassment and growing familiarity.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Becomes openly affectionate toward Shi, finding even his bite adorable. He admires Shi’s dedication and interprets his budget-saving decisions as sacrifices made for him. His teasing at the wrap party reveals growing confidence in their mutual attraction.
• Lin An: Makes the chapter’s most substantial emotional recovery. He reconnects with the community, develops a healthier daily routine, and chooses to continue writing instead of following through with a suicide plot.
• The neighborhood residents: Shift from isolated, eccentric individuals into a lively, cooperative community. Their shared efforts help preserve their home and create new livelihoods.
• Shi Zhongye: Continues serving as the skeptical observer, reacting with disgust and sarcasm to Shi and Zhou’s romantic atmosphere.

Significant Themes

• Community and mutual support: The residents’ solidarity protects both the apartment building and the people living in it.
• Finding hope in unlikely places: A supposedly doomed unfinished building becomes a successful cultural attraction, while Lin An finds a reason to keep living and creating.
• Transformation and second chances: The building, its residents, the former demolition crew, and even Lin An all find new purposes rather than being discarded.
• Love expressed through practical care: Shi and Zhou interpret each other’s actions as sacrifices and kindness, even while misunderstanding their feelings.
• Comedy through frugality and absurdity: The film’s low budget becomes a source of creativity, turning substitutions and limitations into jokes and memorable scenes.

Character Interactions

• Shi and Zhou’s flirtatious tension dominates the chapter. Their blood-and-bite incident, mutual guilt, teasing over the script, and pudding exchange all expose their growing intimacy.
• The residents cooperate to recover the captain’s wages and later build successful businesses around the exhibition.
• Lin An’s neighbors actively pull him back into ordinary life, culminating in the symbolic “Your light is here!” interruption of his dark writing scene.
• The crew publicly teases Shi and Zhou, prompting Shi’s embarrassed confession-like compliment and Zhou’s playful decision to prolong his discomfort.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Jingcheng dramatically complains about the small bite wound at the corner of his mouth, teasing Shi Jihan and trying to get him to show concern. Shi Jihan retaliates by pretending Zhou’s raised hand has caused him a serious “internal injury,” then clings to Zhou’s arm and acts cute to prevent further biting.
• College students witness and record their flirtatious exchange, openly treating them as a couple. Their teasing embarrasses Shi Jihan, while Zero-Zero-Zero notices that the interaction is increasing his host’s emotional stats.
• At the film’s wrap party in a neighboring city, Shi Jihan focuses enthusiastically on the expensive food, having deliberately starved himself all day to maximize the feast. Zhou finds his behavior irresistibly cute, though he privately wonders why someone from the wealthy Shi family would do this.
• Zhou learns that business rival Li Changyuan has booked the private room next door. Their upcoming films are scheduled for the same Spring Festival release period, creating a brewing professional conflict.
• Shi Jihan receives a mission to make Li Changyuan see his “determination” to ally with him. Although Li is a dangerous and unscrupulous businessman, Zero-Zero-Zero identifies him as a valuable source of Malice Points.
• Li enters the party uninvited and pretends that their previous conflict never happened. Shi Jihan insults him through a series of jokes about his gold teeth and need for dentures, earning successive Malice Point rewards.
• Zhou laughs openly at Shi Jihan’s insults and declares that Shi is “exactly [his] type of funny,” escalating the flirtation and embarrassing Shi Jihan. Shi Zhongye intervenes to restore some order.
• Li then offers the group a rare tea called Snow-Capped Emerald, clearly expecting admiration and setting up a new round of rivalry or social competition.

Character developments

• Shi Jihan remains shameless, quick-witted, food-motivated, and highly skilled at using exaggerated cuteness or insults to achieve his goals. He realizes Li Changyuan is an especially profitable source of Malice Points and becomes eager to exploit that opportunity.
• Zhou Jingcheng grows increasingly affectionate and openly indulgent toward Shi Jihan. His internal admiration is excessive, and he enjoys Shi’s teasing rather than restraining it. He also maintains a colder, authoritative persona with his secretary and in business matters.
• Li Changyuan is shown to be thick-skinned, arrogant, and willing to ignore past humiliation. Despite being easily provoked by Shi Jihan’s insults, he attempts to regain control through displays of wealth and status.
• Zero-Zero-Zero acts as both commentator and strategist, encouraging Shi Jihan to fight back and celebrating the return of Malice Point gains.
• Shi Zhongye continues to function as a disapproving older-brother figure, particularly uncomfortable with Zhou and Shi Jihan’s increasingly suggestive exchanges.

Significant themes

• Flirtation disguised as conflict: Physical teasing, mock injuries, insults, and verbal sparring become expressions of growing intimacy between Shi Jihan and Zhou.
• Performance and public image: The surrounding students and film crew interpret and record the pair’s interactions, turning their private-style teasing into public entertainment.
• Malice as an economic resource: Shi Jihan treats emotional damage and antagonism as a practical source of points and future “wealth,” transforming interpersonal conflict into a game-like business.
• Power, status, and rivalry: The wrap party contrasts Shi Jihan’s enthusiasm for food, Zhou’s corporate authority, and Li Changyuan’s ostentatious display of rare tea and wealth.
• Hidden motives beneath social politeness: Zhou and Li exchange courteous words while clearly competing, and Li’s friendly entrance conceals his larger business agenda.

Character interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng engage in playful physical and verbal flirtation, with Zhou openly enjoying Shi’s antics.
• The college students and film crew act as an amused audience, encouraging and recording the pair’s apparent romance.
• Zhou and his secretary communicate in a formally authoritative manner, though Zhou becomes comically proud when discussing the affectionate nickname Shi gave him.
• Shi Jihan and Li Changyuan immediately clash, with Shi using insults to provoke Li and gain Malice Points.
• Shi Zhongye attempts to interrupt the flirtatious atmosphere and later redirects the gathering toward Li’s purpose for arriving.

Chapter 73 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Changyuan attempts to impress the group with an expensive tea, but Shi Jihan dismisses it and boasts about even rarer teas. Their exchange becomes a contest of insults disguised as politeness.
• Shi Jihan discovers that provoking Li Changyuan increases his mission progress. While trying to “toast” him, he opens Shi Zhongye’s thermos, causing fermented goji berries, red dates, and liquid to explode over Li Changyuan.
• In the ensuing chaos, Shi Jihan accidentally places the thermos over Li’s head. Zhou Jingcheng then removes Li’s wig entirely, revealing his bald scalp. The two continue mocking him, earning a large number of Malice Points and completing the mission to demonstrate Shi Jihan’s “burning determination.”
• Li Changyuan angrily drinks the tea intended for others, including tea containing laxatives, then rushes to the restroom. The group quickly forgets him and begins eating.
• Shi Jihan steals a piece of meat from Zhou Jingcheng through a “hostage exchange.” Zhou wipes sauce from Shi’s mouth, leading to flirtatious physical contact when Shi licks his fingertip and lightly bites it.
• Zhou Zeyang observes the interaction and reports it to the Zhou family group chat. Zhou Jingcheng’s parents enthusiastically tease him, suggesting that his flirtatious shamelessness is inherited.
• The Main System appears and reprimands Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero for repeatedly completing missions and calculations correctly while producing the wrong final outcomes. Their guilt implies they have neglected or disrupted Shi Zhongye’s storyline.
• Zero-Zero-Zero causes Shi Jihan to collide with Zhou Jingcheng. Zhou assumes Shi is drunk and gently offers him his shoulder and orders hangover soup. Shi pretends to be drunk, though he becomes embarrassed when others notice.
• The Main System reveals the next major plot event in Shi Zhongye’s storyline: Shi Zhongye will mistakenly enter Xiao Yuan’s hotel room, find Xiao Yuan and another man discussing high-end art, and misinterpret the scene. This will permanently extinguish their renewed romantic possibility, causing Shi Zhongye to withdraw from Xiao Yuan except for professional film promotion.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan becomes increasingly aware that causing trouble and provoking others can advance his missions. He remains mischievous and shameless, but his embarrassment around Zhou Jingcheng reveals growing romantic awareness.
• Zhou Jingcheng displays open protectiveness and flirtation toward Shi Jihan. His casual intimacy—wiping Shi’s mouth, accepting the playful bite, and offering his shoulder—suggests he is becoming more emotionally invested.
• Li Changyuan is reduced from a dignified tea host to the target of repeated humiliations. His vanity, temper, baldness, wig, and unfortunate tea-related mishaps become the source of the group’s amusement.
• Zhou Zeyang acts as an amused observer and informant, enthusiastically documenting his brother’s behavior for their parents.
• Shi Zhongye remains largely unaware of the chaos surrounding him, but the Main System’s revelation establishes that his relationship with Xiao Yuan is approaching a decisive rupture.
• Zero-Zero-Zero continues helping Shi Jihan complete missions, though both it and Shi are anxious about their repeated interference with the intended storyline.

Significant Themes

• Comic humiliation and karmic reversal: Li Changyuan’s attempt to display status and refinement collapses into physical comedy, showing how arrogance can quickly become ridicule.
• Mission success through chaos: Shi Jihan’s unconventional and destructive methods repeatedly satisfy the system’s requirements, even when they produce outcomes very different from the intended plot.
• Growing romantic intimacy: The playful mouth-wiping and biting scene marks a shift toward more openly flirtatious contact between Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng.
• Fate versus interference: The Main System emphasizes predetermined story events, while Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero continually disrupt them through accidental or deliberate actions.
• Miscommunication and mistaken identity: Shi Zhongye’s upcoming discovery is designed to create a false impression and permanently derail his relationship with Xiao Yuan.

Important Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Li Changyuan trade increasingly insulting remarks, culminating in the thermos accident and the destruction of Li’s wig.
• Zhou Jingcheng joins Shi in mocking Li, then becomes physically affectionate with Shi during the meal.
• Zhou Zeyang teases Zhou Jingcheng by reporting his behavior to their parents, who respond with amused approval.
• Shi Jihan interacts nervously with Zero-Zero-Zero and the Main System, attempting to avoid answering questions about their repeated deviations from the intended plot.
• Zhou Jingcheng comforts Shi Jihan when he pretends to be drunk, while Lin Xubai jokingly offers his own shoulder, creating a playful, lightly competitive atmosphere.

Chapter 74 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Main System orders Shi Jihan to create a “stimulating nighttime misunderstanding” involving Xiao Yuan, rewarding him with Malice Points.
• Shi Jihan drunkenly leaves the banquet, spends skill points to enter Xiao Yuan’s hotel room, and discovers that Li Changyuan has already hired a young man—nicknamed “Polite Duck”—to climb into Xiao Yuan’s bed and create a scandal.
• Meanwhile, Zhou Zeyang overhears that Li Changyuan plans to livestream the supposed hotel scandal, damaging both Xiao Yuan and the film. Zhou Jingcheng decides to turn the scheme against Li Changyuan and goes to investigate with Shi Zhongye and Xiao Yuan.
• Xiao Yuan pretends to be hurt and insists that he only likes Ye, indirectly confessing his feelings to Shi Zhongye. Shi Zhongye becomes embarrassed but agrees to inspect the room.
• Shi Jihan hides Polite Duck in the wardrobe when Zhou Jingcheng, Shi Zhongye, and Xiao Yuan arrive. He then jumps out, expecting to surprise Xiao Yuan, but mistakenly finds himself face-to-face with Zhou Jingcheng instead.
• Zhou Jingcheng corners Shi Jihan and demands to know what he intended to do with Xiao Yuan. Shi Jihan produces Selected 750 Advanced Mathematics Problems as the supposed “stimulating” object, then reveals that his clothing is stuffed with study guides and calls them “the power of knowledge.”
• The anticlimax earns almost no Malice Points, while Polite Duck is accidentally struck and shoved back into the wardrobe. Zhou Jingcheng hears him and asks who else is hiding inside.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan remains impulsive, theatrical, and determined to complete absurd system tasks, but his plan collapses because he misunderstands the situation and targets the wrong person.
• Zhou Jingcheng shows increasing jealousy and possessiveness toward Shi Jihan. Believing Shi Jihan may want Xiao Yuan, he becomes visibly displeased and confronts him in an intimidatingly intimate manner.
• Xiao Yuan continues using a sweet, innocent façade to manipulate situations, openly declaring that he only likes Ye while making Shi Zhongye flustered.
• Shi Zhongye reacts strongly to Xiao Yuan’s confession but still helps investigate the planned scandal, suggesting concern for both Xiao Yuan and the film.
• Polite Duck is portrayed as a professional hired for scandalous “bed-climbing” performances, but he becomes an unwilling victim of Shi Jihan’s chaotic hiding strategy.
• Li Changyuan’s plan is exposed as malicious: he intends to use a staged hotel scandal and livestream to ruin Xiao Yuan and undermine the movie.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and mistaken identity: Shi Jihan’s entire plan depends on a misunderstanding, but he ends up surprising Zhou Jingcheng rather than Xiao Yuan.
• Jealousy and concealed affection: Zhou Jingcheng’s anger reveals how deeply he cares about Shi Jihan, even though he expresses it through intimidation and sarcasm.
• Performance and manipulation: Nearly everyone is acting—Li Changyuan stages a scandal, Xiao Yuan performs innocence, Shi Jihan performs drunken seduction, and Polite Duck performs a hired role.
• Comedy through anticlimax: The expected erotic or scandalous situation is replaced by mathematics textbooks and study guides, turning a potentially dramatic confrontation into absurd humor.
• Power struggles and retaliation: Zhou Jingcheng intends to reverse Li Changyuan’s scheme, shifting the chapter from passive defense to active counterattack.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Polite Duck: They awkwardly cooperate in hiding, with Shi Jihan silencing and shoving Duck into the wardrobe despite Duck’s protests about the “business war.”
• Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Jihan: Their confrontation is tense and flirtatiously charged. Zhou Jingcheng interprets Shi Jihan’s supposed plan with Xiao Yuan as a threat, while Shi Jihan panics and deflects with academic props.
• Xiao Yuan and Shi Zhongye: Xiao Yuan combines vulnerability with a direct confession, making Shi Zhongye blush and lose composure.
• Zhou Jingcheng, Shi Zhongye, and Xiao Yuan: They work together to investigate Li Changyuan’s planned livestream and expose the staged scandal.
• Zhou Jingcheng and Polite Duck: Zhou Jingcheng discovers that someone else is still concealed in the wardrobe, setting up the next confrontation.

Chapter 75 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan, disguised under the nickname “Polite Duck,” is discovered hiding in Xiao Yuan’s walk-in closet with Zhou Jingcheng.
• Shi Zhongye and Xiao Yuan initially misunderstand the situation, believing someone has been trying to seduce or assault Zhou Jingcheng. Their shock deepens when they realize the supposed intruder is Shi Jihan, Shi Zhongye’s younger brother and Zhou Jingcheng’s future brother-in-law.
• Shi Jihan improvises an elaborate explanation, claiming he discovered Li Changyuan’s scheme and hid in the closet to stop it. Shi Zhongye and Xiao Yuan accept the story because they are accustomed to Shi Jihan’s unpredictable behavior.
• Shi Jihan successfully completes the system task “A Thrilling Nighttime Misunderstanding,” earning 28 Malice Points. His interaction with Zhou Jingcheng also earns another 50 points.
• Zhou Jingcheng privately questions how Shi Jihan obtained Xiao Yuan’s room key. Shi Jihan blames “Polite Duck” for leaving the door open, and Zhou deliberately accepts the absurd explanation to protect him.
• While waiting for Li Changyuan’s reporters to arrive, Zhou lifts Shi Jihan onto the bar counter so Shi Jihan can literally look down at him. Their playful teasing becomes increasingly intimate.
• Shi Jihan sprays champagne over Zhou Jingcheng, then unexpectedly licks wine from Zhou’s chin. Zhou asks permission to kiss him in return.
• Before they can fully respond, the reporters burst into the room with cameras, expecting a scandal involving Xiao Yuan and a hired escort. Instead, they witness Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng in an intimate position.
• Despite the interruption and Shi Zhongye’s furious objection, Zhou kisses Shi Jihan in front of the livestream audience. Shi Jihan is stunned, realizing that Zhou has just taken his first kiss.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Continues to rely on quick thinking and ridiculous excuses to escape danger. Though outwardly playful and reckless, he becomes visibly shy and flustered when Zhou shows genuine romantic interest. His unplanned kiss reveals growing attraction and emotional vulnerability.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Becomes more openly protective and affectionate toward Shi Jihan. He knowingly indulges Shi Jihan’s excuses, teases him, carries him onto the counter, and directly asks for permission before kissing him. His restraint begins to break down as his feelings intensify.
• Shi Zhongye: Shifts from suspicion to outrage after repeatedly misinterpreting the situation. His protective instincts toward his younger brother become central when he sees Zhou kissing Shi Jihan.
• Xiao Yuan: Serves as another bewildered witness to the escalating misunderstandings and unexpected romantic development.
• Zero-Zero-Zero: Remains amused and supportive of the pairing but is reprimanded by Shi Jihan for failing to help him earlier.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstanding and comic reversal: The chapter repeatedly builds toward a scandal, only to reveal increasingly absurd truths.
• Performance versus reality: Shi Jihan’s “Polite Duck” identity and fabricated explanations contrast with the genuine attraction developing between him and Zhou.
• Romantic tension and consent: Zhou’s decision to ask before kissing Shi Jihan marks a shift from teasing physical contact to more explicit emotional intimacy.
• Public exposure: A private, tentative romantic moment is suddenly transformed into a public spectacle through the reporters’ livestream.
• Protective relationships: Both Shi Zhongye and Zhou Jingcheng react strongly to threats involving Shi Jihan, though in very different ways.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng exchange playful accusations and excuses, with Zhou deliberately protecting Shi Jihan from further questioning.
• Their teasing escalates when Zhou carries Shi Jihan onto the counter and Shi Jihan retaliates by spraying him with champagne.
• Shi Jihan licks champagne from Zhou’s chin, prompting Zhou to ask whether he may kiss him.
• Shi Zhongye and Xiao Yuan repeatedly misread the situation, then become horrified when they realize the “intruder” is Shi Jihan.
• The reporters and livestream audience witness the unexpected kiss, turning the pair’s private romantic tension into a very public scandal.

Chapter 109 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a livestream intended to expose a scandal, Zhou Jingcheng unexpectedly kisses Shi Jihan. Shi is so stunned that he temporarily freezes, while the reporters and online viewers become ecstatic over the romantic moment.
• Zhou embraces Shi and openly confronts the reporters for watching them instead of focusing on the supposed scandal. The reporters enthusiastically admit that the romance is more interesting.
• Shi Zhongye angrily signals Zhou to release his younger brother, forcing Zhou to restrain his affection.
• To redirect attention from the couple, Polite Duck emerges from the walk-in closet and dramatically claims that he was manipulated into entering someone’s hotel room. He promises to reveal the “villain” responsible, transforming the situation into a second scandal and drawing the reporters’ cameras away from Zhou and Shi.
• While the press focuses on Polite Duck’s testimony, Zhou asks Shi whether he allowed the kiss because he likes him.
• Shi privately consults Zero-Zero-Zero about the possibility that he may eventually have to leave the current world after completing the dungeons. The system explains that previous hosts always returned to their original worlds.
• Despite this uncertainty, Shi decides not to deny his present feelings merely because the relationship might end later. He tells Zhou that he likes him too, though he cannot predict how long his feelings will last or whether they could survive ordinary domestic life.
• Shi’s confession deeply overwhelms Zhou, causing a surge of 100 Malice Points. Shi then whispers something privately into Zhou’s ear, and a reporter accidentally captures the movement of his lips on camera.
• The chapter shifts to Li Changyuan, who is hospitalized after severe diarrhea. A nurse recognizes him not for his business achievements but as the wedding officiant associated with the Wu Bai couple.
• Furious that people associate him with the couple, Li watches the livestream expecting to enjoy Xiao Yuan’s scandal. Instead, he sees Zhou and Shi kissing and is shocked, repeatedly checking the footage to confirm it is real.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Acknowledges that he genuinely likes Zhou despite his fear of uncertainty and possible separation. He chooses to act according to his current emotions rather than protect himself from a hypothetical future loss.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Becomes more openly affectionate and emotionally vulnerable. Although confident in public, he anxiously waits for Shi’s answer and worries that Shi may reject him.
• Polite Duck: Dramatically takes control of the media narrative, presenting himself as an innocent victim manipulated into wrongdoing. His theatrical speech provides comic relief while protecting Zhou and Shi from further scrutiny.
• Shi Zhongye: Continues acting as a protective older brother, disapproving of Zhou’s physical intimacy with Shi and trying to keep him from taking advantage of the situation.
• Li Changyuan: Suffers public humiliation and comic frustration. His hatred of the Wu Bai pairing clashes with the fact that he is now widely identified with it, and he is horrified to witness Zhou and Shi’s apparent relationship.

Significant Themes

• Living in the present: Shi refuses to reject happiness simply because the future is uncertain. The chapter emphasizes choosing genuine present feelings over fear of eventual pain.
• Public romance versus private emotion: The couple’s kiss becomes a spectacle for reporters and fans, while Shi’s confession and whispered words remain intensely personal.
• Performance and reality: Polite Duck’s exaggerated persona, the livestream, and Li Changyuan’s assumptions contrast with the authentic feelings developing between Shi and Zhou.
• Love amid uncertainty: Shi recognizes that affection does not guarantee permanence, compatibility, or a shared future, but he still considers it worthwhile.
• Romantic comedy and media spectacle: The scandal becomes overshadowed by fan reactions, shipping culture, accidental footage, and the reporters’ eagerness to witness the couple’s romance.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng: Move from teasing physical intimacy to an explicit mutual confession. Zhou seeks reassurance, while Shi honestly explains his doubts before affirming his current love.
• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero: Discuss the possibility of leaving the world after the dungeon missions. Their conversation reveals Shi’s practical but emotionally bold approach to relationships.
• Zhou Jingcheng and the reporters: Zhou attempts to intimidate them into looking away, but they openly embrace the romantic scoop instead.
• Shi Zhongye and Zhou Jingcheng: Their tense, comedic exchange establishes Shi Zhongye’s protectiveness and Zhou’s awareness that he must eventually earn his approval.
• Polite Duck and the reporters: Polite Duck redirects the press with an elaborate confession about being manipulated, allowing the central couple a brief private moment.
• Li Changyuan and the nurses/secretary: His inflated self-image is mocked when the nurse recognizes him primarily as a CP-related figure. His secretary then forces him to watch the livestream before he can celebrate someone else’s downfall.

Chapter 76 Summary

• Public fallout from the livestream: Li Changyuan watches Polite Duck’s statement, which falsely—or at least exaggeratingly—claims that Li instructed him to infiltrate Wu Bai CP’s circle, record their interactions, and promote their romance. Zhou Jingcheng supposedly tells Li to stop being an obsessive shipper. Li is horrified and furious, while viewers celebrate him as the “Chief Shipping Officer of Love” and credit him with increasing the CP’s popularity.
• Wu Bai relationship confirmation: Online fans analyze the livestream and discover footage of Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng speaking privately at the bar. By enhancing the footage and reading Shi Jihan’s lips, they determine that Shi confessed, “Zhou Jingcheng, I like you too,” and asked whether they could start dating. This causes hashtags about Zhou’s confession and the official announcement of Wu Bai CP’s relationship to trend.
• Shi Jihan adjusts to being in a relationship: Unable to sleep, Shi Jihan researches dating ideas and makes a list of activities for couples, including movies, walks, cafés, shopping, trips, and escape rooms. He is amazed that the former “no-CP” protagonist of a point-based novel is now dating Zhou Jingcheng. He considers telling his family but dismisses the idea, while acknowledging that his brothers—especially his second brother—may struggle to accept their changed relationship.
• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero’s comedic dynamic: Zero-Zero-Zero teases him about being transformed by love and worries about the trouble they caused during the hotel mission. Shi goes to see Zhou in the middle of the night, leaving the system behind and joking that it needs to report the incident to the Main System. Their banter highlights the system’s growing independence, irritation, and familiarity with Shi.
• Midnight encounter with Zhou Jingcheng: Shi arrives at Zhou’s room and awkwardly tries to explain his visit. Zhou immediately pulls him inside, turns off the lights to create a romantic atmosphere, and initiates an intense kiss. Shi is initially startled by Zhou’s forcefulness but offers little real resistance, gradually relaxing and becoming emotionally absorbed in the kiss.
• Growing intimacy: Zhou notices Shi’s embarrassment and tells him to close his eyes because he is embarrassed himself, despite his confident behavior. Shi eventually responds instinctively, rising onto his toes and clutching Zhou’s clothes. When Zhou stops, Shi unconsciously reaches after him, revealing his desire and attachment. Realizing this, Shi becomes embarrassed and retaliates playfully by biting Zhou’s lip.

Character Development

• Shi Jihan becomes increasingly aware of his romantic feelings and begins actively imagining a future with Zhou. His awkward planning, late-night visit, and involuntary longing show that he is moving from uncertainty into genuine emotional and physical intimacy.
• Zhou Jingcheng displays a more assertive and passionate side while still checking Shi’s reactions and easing his grip when he senses discomfort. His teasing and controlled confidence contrast with Shi’s flustered innocence.
• Li Changyuan is reduced to comic desperation as his obsessive CP-shipping is exposed and celebrated by the public rather than condemned.
• Zero-Zero-Zero continues acting as Shi’s sarcastic companion and commentator, while their relationship shows increasing mutual familiarity.

Themes

• Public image versus private reality: Li’s exaggerated “shipping” narrative becomes entertainment, while Shi and Zhou’s private feelings are uncovered by fans.
• Love as disorientation and transformation: Shi’s sleeplessness, dating research, and inability to stop thinking about Zhou emphasize how radically romance has changed him.
• Performance and genuine emotion: What begins as a publicly scrutinized CP develops into a real relationship, with the livestream accidentally revealing authentic affection.
• Comedy through romantic embarrassment: Li’s humiliation, the system’s sarcasm, and Shi’s awkwardness balance the chapter’s more intimate and passionate developments.

Chapter 77 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng adjust to their newly established romantic relationship through playful teasing, kissing, and flirtatious banter.
• Shi Jihan bites the same spot on Zhou Jingcheng’s lip that he injured before, prompting jokes about zodiac signs and Zhou being a “Peacock Dog.”
• Their attempts at romantic conversation quickly become comedic. Zhou comments on the moon, while Shi Jihan responds with practical or absurd remarks and even uses a cheap pink nightclub mood lamp to create “romantic” lighting.
• Zhou repeatedly kisses Shi Jihan, triggering a large increase in Shi Jihan’s mysterious “Malice Points,” despite no apparent malicious action.
• The pink light and muffled sounds from their room cause a hotel guest to assume the room is being used for prostitution. He calls the police, resulting in the couple being questioned in the hotel lobby.
• Zhou repeatedly insists that he and Shi Jihan are “honest people,” unintentionally creating further embarrassment—especially when he explains that he likes pink and wears pink items.
• After the police leave, the pair return upstairs near dawn. They plan to sleep and order breakfast, but Shi Zhongye encounters them in the lobby.
• Shi Jihan accidentally—or perhaps deliberately—calls Zhou his “boyfriend” in front of Shi Zhongye. Shi Zhongye is shocked and furious, realizing they have officially started dating.
• Lin Xubai further confirms the relationship after revealing that Shi Jihan gave him snacks, which he jokingly interprets as wedding candy from Zhou.
• Upstairs, Zhou repeatedly asks Shi Jihan to say “boyfriend” again. Shi Jihan becomes embarrassed and refuses to acknowledge having said it, but Zhou continues teasing him and eventually bites his fingertip.
• Zhou invites Shi Jihan to sleep in his room, reinforcing their new intimacy.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Becomes more openly affectionate and comfortable with Zhou, though he hides embarrassment behind sarcasm, denial, and absurd jokes. Calling Zhou his “boyfriend” marks an important step in accepting the relationship, even though he refuses to repeat it.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Shows a playful, flirtatious, and increasingly affectionate side. He enjoys provoking Shi Jihan into admitting his feelings and takes great pleasure in hearing himself called “boyfriend.” His normally composed image is repeatedly undermined by the hotel incident.
• Shi Zhongye: Shifts into a highly protective and suspicious older-brother role. He is outraged that Shi Jihan and Zhou began dating without informing him and immediately plans to report the news to their eldest brother.
• Lin Xubai: Serves as an outside observer who casually confirms the couple’s relationship and adds to Shi Zhongye’s shock.

Significant Themes

• Romance expressed through humor: The couple’s affection appears mainly through teasing, mock insults, playful biting, and deliberately awkward conversation rather than conventional romantic dialogue.
• Embarrassment and emotional vulnerability: Both men struggle to adapt to their new relationship. Shi Jihan uses jokes and denial to conceal his shyness, while Zhou openly pushes him to acknowledge their bond.
• Public versus private identity: Their intimate behavior accidentally becomes a public spectacle through the police misunderstanding and Shi Jihan’s declaration in the elevator.
• Acceptance of the relationship: The repeated use of “boyfriend” symbolizes the transition from ambiguous intimacy to an acknowledged romantic partnership.
• Protectiveness and possessiveness: Shi Zhongye’s reaction highlights his protective feelings toward Shi Jihan and his reluctance to accept Zhou as a romantic partner.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng: Engage in constant flirtatious sparring, kissing, biting, and verbal challenges. Zhou seeks verbal confirmation of their relationship, while Shi Jihan evades it but continues staying close to him.
• The police and the couple: Question them after a hotel guest misinterprets the sounds and pink lighting. Zhou’s insistence on their honesty creates comic embarrassment.
• Shi Zhongye and the couple: Shi Zhongye discovers their relationship when Shi Jihan calls Zhou his boyfriend, leaving him stunned and angry.
• Shi Zhongye and Lin Xubai: Meet in the elevator, where Lin’s innocent comments about “wedding candy” intensify Shi Zhongye’s disbelief.
• Zhou and Shi Jihan at the end: Zhou playfully forces Shi Jihan to confront the word “boyfriend,” then invites him to share his room, ending the chapter on an intimate, teasing note.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• After leaving the hotel, Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Jihan return to a shared suite arrangement, which immediately reminds them of their previous intimate encounter in a club bathroom.
• Both awkwardly announce intentions to avoid the other: Shi Jihan says he will sleep in the guest room, while Zhou Jingcheng says he will shower first. Zhou nevertheless teasingly invites Shi to watch him, proudly mentioning that he has been training his chest.
• Unable to control his curiosity and embarrassment, Shi Jihan uses the system-store skill “Thief Simulator.” The skill lets him create invisible, physically interactive hands that can pass through walls.
• Shi initially uses the invisible hand to tease Zhou Jingcheng while he showers, touching his lips and chest. The experience causes Shi to become intensely flustered and physically overwhelmed.
• Zhou, unaware of the invisible hand, assumes the sensations are mysterious touches. He becomes increasingly aroused, eventually reacting strongly to the teasing contact.
• Shi reconnects to observe Zhou’s reaction, then panics when he realizes how aroused Zhou has become. He retreats beneath the blankets, mortified by his own thoughts and by the apparent size of Zhou’s body.
• By lunchtime, Zhou has finished showering and is working while waiting for Shi to wake. When Shi finally emerges, he avoids looking at Zhou and keeps his head tilted upward to prevent himself from remembering the bathroom incident.
• Their meal becomes another comedic scene: Shi refuses to lower his head and blindly dips food into the wrong condiment, claiming the experience is “so good” he could die. The chapter ends with Shi’s embarrassment turning into murderous irritation when Zero-Zero-Zero points out that he is avoiding Zhou because he cannot stop thinking about what happened.

Character developments

• Shi Jihan becomes increasingly aware of his attraction to Zhou Jingcheng. Although he repeatedly insists that he should not have “horny thoughts,” his actions—using the invisible hand to touch Zhou and repeatedly reconnecting to watch him—show that his curiosity and desire are growing.
• Shi also remains comically evasive and easily overwhelmed. His embarrassment manifests in panic, physical hiding, avoidance of eye contact, and exaggerated declarations of impending death.
• Zhou Jingcheng continues to act confidently and flirtatiously. He deliberately trains his chest and prepares customized body washes because he wants to appeal to Shi, showing that his affection is thoughtful as well as openly seductive.
• Zhou is also portrayed as highly attentive: he selects a body wash based on which scent Shi might like, orders breakfast, handles work while waiting, and makes sure they do not miss their flight.
• Zero-Zero-Zero serves as an amused, horrified observer, criticizing Shi’s misuse of the system skill and bluntly identifying the romantic and sexual motives behind his behavior.

Significant themes

• Growing mutual attraction: The chapter emphasizes that Shi and Zhou are no longer merely awkward acquaintances. Their physical and emotional reactions reveal escalating romantic and sexual tension.
• Desire versus denial: Shi tries to suppress or rationalize his attraction, but his repeated use of the skill and inability to stop thinking about Zhou expose his denial.
• Playful intimacy and voyeurism: The invisible-hand ability creates a humorous but intimate way for Shi to interact with Zhou while remaining hidden, blurring the line between teasing, curiosity, and genuine desire.
• Embarrassment as emotional defense: Shi uses jokes, avoidance, and exaggerated melodrama to cope with feelings he is not ready to acknowledge directly.
• Care expressed through details: Zhou’s customized body washes, attention to Shi’s preferences, and practical care show affection through preparation and small acts rather than only through overt declarations.

Character interactions

• Shi and Zhou: Their interaction is defined by teasing, avoidance, and unspoken attraction. Zhou openly flirts, while Shi responds indirectly through the invisible hand and then becomes too embarrassed to face him.
• Shi and Zero-Zero-Zero: Their exchange provides much of the chapter’s comedy. Zero-Zero-Zero acts as a sarcastic commentator, while Shi uses the system to indulge impulses he would not act on openly.
• Shi and Zhou during breakfast: Zhou remains puzzled by Shi’s strange behavior, while Shi desperately avoids eye contact and eats without looking down, making their unresolved tension even more obvious.

Chapter 78 Summary

Key plot points and events

• The Main System recovers after Shi Jihan previously damaged its defenses and explains that the wealthy-family male-lead mission must be adjusted. To restore the original plot, Shi Jihan must first win over Zhou Jingcheng’s parents, Zhou Yanli and Shen Zhao, then help Zhou Zeyang seize control of Huanyu by removing Zhou Jingcheng.
• The Main System provides the parents’ routines:
  • Zhou Yanli spends his days fishing and exaggerating his catches online.
  • Shen Zhao attends a senior university, studying rap, drones, and video editing.
• Shi Jihan chooses to approach Shen Zhao first. He applies for a fashion-design teaching position at the senior university, using his impressive portfolio to get close to her.
• Shi Jihan confirms that Zhou Jingcheng lives separately from his parents, which reassures him because it makes secretly approaching them easier. Zhou Jingcheng mistakenly interprets this as evidence that Shi Jihan does not want to meet his family or take their relationship seriously.
• Feeling insecure, Zhou Jingcheng reflects on their relationship and decides he has not made their romance public or memorable enough. He plans a grand confession tailored to Shi Jihan and also hopes to win over Shi Jihan’s brothers.
• After landing, Shi Jihan is met by his family—but Zhou Jingcheng’s elaborate plan has transformed the airport into a public declaration of love. Giant billboards display their faces, fan art, and their kiss, while the airport screens spell out “Shi Jihan, I like you.”
• Zhou Jingcheng reveals that he arranged the entire spectacle as his confession. The displays then shift to embarrassing and humorous images commemorating the romantic histories of Shi Jihan’s brothers and their partners.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai retreat to avoid the spectacle, while Xiao Yuan angrily objects to Zhou Jingcheng’s antics. Zhou Jingcheng has also arranged advertisements in the subway and eagerly suggests traveling home that way so Shi Jihan can see even more of them.

Character developments

• Shi Jihan remains pragmatic, mischievous, and focused on completing the system’s mission. He immediately looks for indirect ways to influence Zhou Jingcheng’s parents, choosing employment at Shen Zhao’s university as his entry point.
• Zhou Jingcheng becomes increasingly anxious and insecure about Shi Jihan’s feelings. Believing he has failed to make their relationship special, he overcompensates with an extravagant, highly public confession.
• Zhou Zeyang is positioned as the intended beneficiary of the system’s revised plot, though he does not directly appear in the chapter.
• Zhou Yanli and Shen Zhao are introduced through their eccentric retirement routines and become the next major targets of Shi Jihan’s manipulation.
• Shi Jihan’s brothers and their partners react with embarrassment and hostility to Zhou Jingcheng’s public display, though Shi Zhongye surprisingly approves of the gesture and praises him.
• The Main System and Shi Jihan continue their sarcastic, combative relationship, trading insults while discussing the mission.

Significant themes

• Manipulation versus romance: Shi Jihan treats meeting Zhou Jingcheng’s parents as a strategic mission, while Zhou Jingcheng views the relationship emotionally and romantically.
• Insecurity and reassurance: Zhou Jingcheng’s exaggerated confession stems from fear that he is merely a temporary experiment or novelty to Shi Jihan.
• Public displays of love: The airport and subway advertisements parody extravagant romantic gestures, turning private affection into a humiliating public spectacle.
• Family and power: The romantic storyline is tied to corporate succession, with Shi Jihan expected to influence Zhou’s parents and help transfer control of Huanyu to Zhou Zeyang.
• Comedy through misunderstanding: Shi Jihan’s practical comments are repeatedly misread by Zhou Jingcheng, creating a contrast between Shi Jihan’s calculated behavior and Zhou’s earnest emotional reactions.

Character interactions

• Shi Jihan and the Main System bicker through sarcastic exchanges before settling on the strategy of approaching Zhou’s parents.
• Shi Jihan questions Zhou Jingcheng about his living arrangements, accidentally making Zhou believe he is reluctant to meet the family.
• Zhou Jingcheng seeks validation from Shi Zhongye, who bluntly tells him he is only “so-so,” worsening his insecurity.
• Shi Jihan teases Shen Qinghuai for using a cute emoticon, then realizes it may have been sarcastic.
• Zhou Jingcheng coordinates with Secretary Sun to stage the airport confession, while Secretary Sun humorously struggles to invent an appropriate title for Shi Jihan.
• At the airport, Shi Jihan is mortified by the public spectacle, Zhou Jingcheng proudly presents it as proof of his love, and the Shi family reacts with varying degrees of embarrassment, amusement, and anger.

Chapter 79 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan is furious when Zhou Jingcheng decorates the airport—and eventually the entire city—with extravagant Wu Bai CP advertisements, including giant images of them kissing and the declaration, “Shi Jihan, I like you.”
• Unable to afford or justify a taxi, Shi Jihan rides back with Zhou Jingcheng and uses the temporary Transparent Hand ability from the Thief Simulator to slap and flick Zhou’s head. Zhou believes an invisible ghost is attacking him, causing Secretary Sun to panic before casually accepting that his boss may be losing his mind.
• Shi Jihan teases Zhou by pretending to examine his reddened forehead and offering to blow on it. Zhou stops him, squeezes his mouth into a duckbill, and kisses him instead. Their antics fuel a wave of trending topics mocking their flamboyant relationship.
• Li Changyuan, recently discharged from the hospital after three days of dehydration, sees one of the enormous billboards and nearly collapses again. The public continues tagging him and joking about his supposed devotion to the Wu Bai CP.
• At the Shi Family home, Shi Jihan is warmly welcomed by Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai. Zhou tries to follow him inside and ingratiate himself with the family, but they mock his narcissistic publicity campaign and ultimately shut the door in his face.
• Shi Jihan’s application to work at a senior citizens’ university is accepted. After demonstrating his tailoring and pattern-making skills, he is hired to begin teaching the next day. He chooses the alias “zz.”
• Before his first class, Zero-Zero-Zero warns Shi Jihan to disguise himself so Shen Qinghuai will not recognize him.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan remains easily embarrassed by Zhou’s public displays of affection but retaliates through mischievous pranks and sharp teasing. His confidence and professional skill are also reinforced when he quickly passes the university’s practical test.
• Zhou Jingcheng displays extreme wealth, shameless devotion, and an inability to understand when his romantic gestures are excessive. Despite being powerful and normally composed, he becomes comically frightened by Shi Jihan’s invisible attacks and is rejected by the Shi family.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai have developed a much sharper, more sarcastic side, apparently influenced by Xiaohan. They unite in mocking Zhou and protectively defend Shi Jihan.
• Li Changyuan suffers further comic misfortune. Even after leaving the hospital, Zhou and Shi’s publicity immediately traumatizes him again.
• Secretary Sun continues serving as a deadpan comedic foil, initially worrying about the company’s survival before realizing Zhou’s “crisis” is simply a ghostly attack.

Significant Themes

• Excessive romance and public embarrassment: Zhou’s wealth turns affection into a citywide spectacle, while Shi Jihan’s humiliation becomes entertainment for the public.
• Playful retaliation and intimacy: Their physical pranks, teasing, and kisses show that irritation and affection are closely intertwined in their relationship.
• Family acceptance through mockery: The Shi family does not openly welcome Zhou, but their willingness to joke about the relationship suggests increasing familiarity and involvement.
• Self-discovery and second identities: Shi Jihan begins a new professional role under the alias “zz,” while Zero-Zero-Zero’s disguise warning hints that this new identity may soon create complications.
• Comedic reversal of power: Zhou is a domineering CEO in public, yet he is helpless against an invisible hand, sharp-tongued in-laws, and Shi Jihan’s antics.

Important Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan repeatedly attacks and teases Zhou during the car ride, while Zhou responds by kissing him and pretending the invisible assaults prove the existence of a ghost.
• Secretary Sun misunderstands Zhou’s panic and provides deadpan commentary.
• The Shi brothers and Shen Qinghuai gang up on Zhou, criticizing his billboards and narcissism before expelling him from the house.
• Shi Jihan and Zhou’s exaggerated public romance becomes a source of online gossip, especially tormenting Li Changyuan.

Chapter 80 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan disguises himself as a young, harmless-looking substitute teacher by wearing glasses, dyeing his hair black, and dressing in a cute sweater with a charm-covered backpack.
• He enters Ms. Shen’s class and immediately receives a mission to grow closer to her.
• Ms. Shen arrives late, carrying promotional flyers featuring photos of Shi Jihan kissing her son, Zhou Jingcheng. She enthusiastically promotes the couple, unaware that the new teacher is Shi Jihan himself.
• Shi Jihan completes the mission by interacting with Ms. Shen, earning 10 Malice Points.
• During a class assignment, Shi Jihan helps Ms. Shen design an unconventional evening gown. He transforms her design into a bizarre, highly artistic jianbing guozi-inspired outfit, complete with a deep neckline, pancake-like layers, lettuce, sauce, fried dough decorations, and a scallion-and-diamond necklace.
• Ms. Shen loves the design and plans to have it made as a gift for her future daughter-in-law, Xiaohan—unwittingly intending to give Shi Jihan his own outrageous creation. This completes another mission and awards 13 Malice Points.
• Ms. Shen begins trying to arrange dates for Shi Jihan, while he internally panics because she is Zhou Jingcheng’s mother and her “future daughter-in-law” is supposed to be him.
• The school introduces Shi Jihan in the parent group chat. Zhou Jingcheng ignores the notifications because he has muted the group, focusing instead on messaging Shi Jihan.
• Zhou Jingcheng misinterprets Shi Jihan’s comment about being his “grandmaster” as an invitation to role-play a cultivation-themed scenario. His increasingly elaborate responses frustrate Shi Jihan, who tells him to get his brain checked.
• After class, Ms. Shen continues promoting Shi Jihan as a potential romantic match and offers to introduce him to her second child, unaware that Shi Jihan is already dating her eldest son.
• Shi Jihan overhears Ms. Shen’s erhu class and compares her chaotic playing to wild donkeys in heat. The specialist teacher diplomatically praises her “vitality.”
• Zhou Jingcheng urges Shi Jihan to come see him. Shi Jihan takes the subway instead of letting him pick him up, while continuing their playful grandmaster-and-disciple banter.
• On the subway, passengers criticize the excessive advertisements featuring Shi Jihan’s face. Embarrassed but secretly pleased, Shi Jihan pretends to be busy on his phone.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan: Successfully maintains his teacher disguise while manipulating circumstances to complete missions. He displays his trademark creativity and comedic imagination through the jianbing gown design. Though embarrassed by Ms. Shen’s matchmaking and public promotion of him, he is clearly pleased by Zhou Jingcheng’s affection and attention.
• Zhou Jingcheng: Remains openly affectionate and eager to see Shi Jihan. He enthusiastically embraces Shi Jihan’s jokes and role-playing, though his overactive imagination often causes him to misunderstand Shi Jihan’s meaning.
• Ms. Shen: Becomes very fond of Shi Jihan and treats him warmly, enthusiastically promoting both her son’s relationship and her own matchmaking plans. She is energetic, artistic in her own way, and extremely unaware of the awkward connection between Shi Jihan and her family.
• Zero-Zero-Zero: Continues to comment sarcastically on Shi Jihan’s behavior, especially his tendency to turn criticism into self-praise.

Significant Themes

• Identity and disguise: Shi Jihan hides in plain sight while interacting directly with Zhou Jingcheng’s mother.
• Romantic misunderstanding: Much of the humor comes from Ms. Shen not realizing that the “new teacher” is her son’s boyfriend and from Zhou Jingcheng misunderstanding Shi Jihan’s messages.
• Public image and celebrity: Shi Jihan’s face appears throughout advertisements and promotional material, creating both embarrassment and quiet pride.
• Food as artistic expression: The jianbing guozi gown highlights Shi Jihan’s playful “carbohydrate” motif and his ability to turn ordinary food into absurd art.
• Affection expressed through teasing: Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng’s relationship is characterized by flirtatious banter, role-playing, and mutual eagerness to meet.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Ms. Shen establish a close, comedic rapport, with her treating him like a younger relative and potential matchmaking target.
• Ms. Shen unknowingly praises and publicizes her own son’s boyfriend, while Shi Jihan struggles to conceal his identity and relationship.
• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng exchange affectionate messages, but Zhou Jingcheng’s exaggerated cultivation-role-play irritates Shi Jihan.
• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero continue their humorous internal commentary, with the system teasing him about his vanity and dramatic behavior.

Chapter 81 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan arrives at Zhou Jingcheng’s company and waits in Zhou’s office while Zhou handles an unexpected client.
• The system assigns Shi Jihan a task: ruin Zhou Jingcheng’s image in front of an important client for 15 Malice Points.
• Using Zhou’s computer, Shi Jihan replaces the presentation with embarrassing material, including:
  • A fake job advertisement seeking a “CEO’s wife.”
  • A romantic photo of himself and Zhou as the desktop wallpaper.
  • Suggestive captions about Zhou and his “cute screenwriter.”
  • An audio recording of Shi Jihan calling himself Zhou’s “little wife.”
• Zhou’s client sees everything and teasingly concludes that Zhou and his lover have unusual hobbies. Zhou tries to blame the computer for having a virus, but his embarrassment is obvious.
• The system confirms that Shi Jihan has completed the task.
• Zhou returns to the office, deeply affected by what the client saw. He turns the prank into an excuse to flirt with and kiss Shi Jihan.
• Their intimate encounter is interrupted when Secretary Sun opens the door to deliver documents. He completely misunderstands the situation and quickly leaves, assuming the two are engaging in office sex.
• Afterward, Zhou continues teasing and coaxing Shi Jihan, while Shi Jihan remains embarrassed and irritated. Zhou invites him to dinner and jokingly interprets his annoyed silence as a desire for beef or pearl milk tea.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan continues to embrace his role as Zhou’s “debuff,” treating the system’s malicious tasks as opportunities to prank and embarrass Zhou. Although he claims to be taking revenge, his playful behavior reveals his comfort and intimacy with Zhou.
• Zhou Jingcheng becomes increasingly open about his affection and attraction. The client’s discovery of the romantic material embarrasses him, but it also excites him, prompting him to pursue Shi Jihan more boldly.
• Zhou’s usual composure gives way to flustered affection. He willingly begs Shi Jihan to repeat the suggestive audio line and openly indulges in physical affection.
• Secretary Sun becomes an amused and increasingly judgmental observer of their relationship. His misunderstanding highlights how obvious and excessive the couple’s flirtation has become.

Significant Themes

• Playful revenge and affection: Shi Jihan’s sabotage is meant to embarrass Zhou, but it ultimately deepens their flirtatious dynamic.
• Public image versus private intimacy: Zhou is humiliated when his private romantic life is exposed to a client, contrasting sharply with his uninhibited behavior around Shi Jihan.
• Embarrassment as intimacy: Both characters use teasing, suggestive remarks, and mock arguments to express affection and attraction.
• Miscommunication and comic misunderstanding: Secretary Sun interprets the couple’s private interaction incorrectly, creating much of the chapter’s humor.
• Power and vulnerability in romance: Shi Jihan appears to control the situation through the system and his teasing, but Zhou’s persistent affection repeatedly leaves him flustered and vulnerable.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou exchange constant teasing, with Shi Jihan provoking Zhou and Zhou responding through kisses, coaxing, and shameless flirtation.
• Zhou repeatedly asks Shi Jihan to repeat his “little wife” audio line, while Shi Jihan refuses and mocks Zhou’s lack of restraint.
• Their physical closeness becomes increasingly intimate, though it remains framed comedically through embarrassment and banter.
• Secretary Sun’s interruption adds an outside perspective: he sees the couple’s behavior, assumes the worst, and silently condemns Zhou’s supposed lack of “male virtue.”
• The chapter ends with Zhou attempting to appease an annoyed Shi Jihan by offering food, only to continue teasing him with increasingly absurd interpretations of his silence.

Chapter 117 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng continue their playful, affectionate relationship. After teasing and mock-fighting, Zhou gives Shi Jihan a cute rabbit-patterned scarf and carefully ties it for him.
• In return, Shi Jihan allows Zhou to hold his hand. Zhou happily places their joined hands inside his coat pocket, triggering another increase in Malice Points.
• Because of the sudden cold weather, Zhou takes Shi Jihan to a hotpot restaurant. They enjoy the food so much that they enthusiastically plan dinners at other restaurants for the next month, effectively scheduling future dates.
• They encounter Nan Zhuyan, the male lead of Li Changyuan’s heavily funded xianxia film. Nan attempts to provoke Zhou by comparing their films’ upcoming trailers and emphasizing his movie’s 300-million investment.
• Zhou counters that his own comedy has an 800-million investment, while Shi Jihan mocks Nan by claiming that the real measure of superiority is how much food they can eat. Nan tries to compete by ordering six additional plates of meat and ends up painfully overstuffed.
• Zhou escorts Shi Jihan home but is refused entry by Shi Bochuan, who enforces a curfew and shuts the door on him.
• Zhou sends dramatic messages complaining that he is being kept outside despite being Shi Jihan’s “official boyfriend.” Shi Jihan eventually devises an unconventional solution: lowering a climbing rope and basket from his third-floor window so Zhou can climb into his room.
• Meanwhile, Shi Bochuan is studying with Shen Qinghuai when he notices a shadow moving outside the window. Seeing Zhou climbing up the house, he panics and screams that the house is haunted.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan becomes increasingly comfortable expressing affection toward Zhou, rewarding him with physical contact and openly planning future dates. His teasing remains sharp, but his actions show clear fondness.
• Zhou Jingcheng is revealed as extremely attentive and eager to please. He researches restaurants, prepares thoughtful gifts, learns how to tie a scarf, and enthusiastically arranges shared activities. He is also shamelessly dramatic and playful when separated from Shi Jihan.
• Nan Zhuyan displays pride and competitiveness, especially regarding his film’s budget. His attempt to defend his movie’s prestige backfires when he is drawn into a ridiculous eating contest.
• Shi Bochuan remains protective and strict about Shi Jihan’s relationship, refusing Zhou entry into the house. His sudden terror at Zhou’s nighttime window entrance adds comic contrast to his normally intimidating demeanor.
• 000 continues acting like a curious, easily offended companion, commenting on the couple’s behavior and happily approving of Zhou after being fed.

Significant Themes

• Affection expressed through teasing: Shi Jihan and Zhou communicate love through jokes, mock insults, and exaggerated behavior rather than conventional romantic declarations.
• Domestic intimacy and dating: The scarf, hand-holding, hotpot meal, and planned restaurant outings show their relationship becoming more comfortable and couple-like.
• Food as a symbol of happiness and bonding: Eating is central to the chapter, functioning both as a shared pleasure and as the basis for humorous rivalry.
• Romantic shamelessness versus family boundaries: Zhou’s attempts to enter Shi Jihan’s home highlight the contrast between their growing intimacy and Shi Bochuan’s resistance to the relationship.
• Comedy through escalation: Ordinary situations—cold weather, restaurant rivalry, saying goodbye—spiral into absurd events such as an overeating contest and a window-climbing intrusion.

Character Interactions

• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng: Their flirtatious banter dominates the chapter. Zhou gives Shi Jihan a scarf, they hold hands, share a meal, schedule dates, and ultimately arrange a secret nighttime meeting.
• Shi Jihan and 000: Shi Jihan dismisses 000’s questions with absurd logic, while 000 remains both exasperated and supportive of his host’s romance.
• Zhou Jingcheng and Nan Zhuyan: Their brief encounter becomes a competitive exchange over film investments, ending with Nan being provoked into overeating.
• Shi Jihan and Nan Zhuyan: Shi Jihan casually insults Nan’s ability to eat despite his starring role in a food-themed film, intensifying the rivalry.
• Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Bochuan: Zhou repeatedly begs for entry, while Shi Bochuan bluntly rejects him and finally shuts the door.
• Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai: Their affectionate study session is abruptly interrupted when Zhou’s climb toward Shi Jihan’s room makes Shi Bochuan believe the house is haunted.

Chapter 82 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Jingcheng secretly attempts to climb into the Shi family home through the window at night, with Shi Jihan helping him. Shen Qinghuai discovers them, while Shi Zhongye watches and enjoys the spectacle.
• Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng are brought downstairs and reprimanded by Shi Bochuan and Shen Qinghuai for their reckless nighttime behavior. Shi Jihan blames their late discovery on Shi Bochuan’s failure to sleep early, earning more “malice points.”
• Zhou Jingcheng is thrown out of the Shi family home and warned not to keep Shi Jihan out past ten o’clock. He jokingly considers returning Shi Jihan at exactly 21:59:59—or luring him back to his own house instead.
• Unable to return downtown, Zhou Jingcheng goes to his parents’ home. His mother shows him a bizarre deep-V fashion design intended for Shi Jihan, but Zhou mocks it while secretly appreciating the revealing style.
• Zhou chooses a daring deep-V suit for the next day’s charity gala and sends provocative mirror photos to Shi Jihan. Shi Jihan is flustered, saves all the pictures, and enthusiastically asks for more.
• At the charity gala, trailers for Superpowered Neighborhood Committee and The Immortal Delicacies Record are released simultaneously, triggering a heated online rivalry between fans of the two productions.
• Shi Zhongye and Xiao Yuan attend together, while Zhou Jingcheng and Shi Jihan also hold hands. Both couples jokingly claim social anxiety as an excuse for their closeness.
• Upon encountering Nan Zhuyan on the red carpet, Shi Jihan teases him about the enormous quantity of brisket fat he was forced to eat previously. Their argument attracts reporters, who misinterpret the exchange as a dramatic magical battle and begin inventing sensational headlines.

Character Development

• Zhou Jingcheng remains shameless, mischievous, and highly flirtatious, but his protectiveness toward Shi Jihan is clear when he defends his boyfriend’s fashion designs. He also becomes increasingly bold in expressing his attraction.
• Shi Jihan continues to match Zhou’s absurd logic and enjoys provoking his brothers, though he becomes visibly flustered by Zhou’s suggestive photos. His willingness to hold Zhou’s hand publicly shows growing comfort with their relationship.
• Shi Bochuan acts as the responsible, exasperated eldest brother, firmly disciplining Shi Jihan and Zhou while unintentionally generating more malice points for Shi Jihan.
• Shi Zhongye serves as an amused spectator and gossip reporter, enjoying the family chaos while also displaying a softer side through his relationship with Xiao Yuan.
• Xiao Yuan uses social anxiety as an excuse to hold Shi Zhongye’s hand, revealing both his dependence on Zhongye and their developing intimacy.
• Nan Zhuyan is again victimized by Shi Jihan’s teasing, reacting with irritation and exaggerated threats.

Significant Themes

• Playful romantic intimacy: Zhou and Shi Jihan communicate through teasing, flirtation, provocative photos, and exaggerated excuses to stay physically close.
• Family chaos and affection: The Shi family’s scolding, sarcasm, and meddling conceal genuine concern and closeness.
• Public image versus private behavior: The characters behave absurdly in private, while reporters and netizens transform their interactions into exaggerated public narratives.
• Competitive entertainment culture: The simultaneous trailer releases create a rivalry between the two films, highlighting fan conflicts, media sensationalism, and promotional hype.
• Misinterpretation as comedy: Ordinary arguments are reimagined by reporters as supernatural combat, continuing the chapter’s contrast between reality and sensational storytelling.

Character Interactions

• Shen Qinghuai catches Zhou climbing through the window and angrily orders him off the wall.
• Shi Bochuan lectures Shi Jihan and Zhou, while Shi Jihan’s blame-shifting only makes the situation more amusing.
• Zhou’s mother critiques and promotes her fashion design, leading Zhou to mock the outfit while secretly planning his own seductive gala look.
• Zhou and Shi Jihan exchange flirtatious photographs and affectionate messages.
• Shi Zhongye and Xiao Yuan hold hands at the gala, prompting Zhou to imitate them with Shi Jihan.
• Shi Jihan and Nan Zhuyan trade insults over the brisket-fat incident, accidentally creating a media spectacle.

Chapter 83 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the charity gala, Shi Jihan and Zhou Jingcheng approach Li Changyuan, whose production crew is competing against theirs. A reporter asks them to comment on each other’s films.
• A system mission orders Shi Jihan to publicly support and lavishly praise Li Changyuan’s expensive xianxia film. Shi initially delivers exaggeratedly sarcastic “praise,” mocking the film’s acting, costumes, and theme song while Zhou Jingcheng joins in.
• To complete the mission, Shi finally gives one sincere compliment: Li Changyuan’s eight-hundred-million-yuan investment was “well worth it.” The mission succeeds, but Li Changyuan remains furious, and the system estimates his favorability toward Shi has fallen to an absurdly low level.
• Inside the gala, Zhou Jingcheng introduces Shi to Bai, the chairman of a major traditional Chinese medicine company. Bai mistakenly identifies Shi as “President Zhou’s delicate little wife.”
• Zhou attempts to change the subject by mocking the eccentric fashion teacher responsible for Shi’s omelet-colored, jianbing-inspired outfit. Shi retaliates by elaborating on an absurd breakfast-themed fashion show, but Zhou becomes even more enthusiastic and starts planning runway models, breakfast carts, and chive-pie gift bags.
• Shi eats a sour cake and discreetly gives the remaining piece to Zhou, intending to punish him for mocking his clothes. Zhou suffers through the sourness while pretending it tastes good, earning Malice Points.
• Zhou then notices Shi’s irritation and studies his facial expressions so he can avoid upsetting him in the future. He playfully pokes Shi’s cheek and pretends to make him “explode,” successfully making Shi laugh.

Character Developments

• Shi Jihan remains quick-witted, sarcastic, and highly capable of exploiting the system’s missions. Though he is ordered to praise Li Changyuan, he turns the task into a public roast before adding the minimum sincere compliment needed to succeed.
• Zhou Jingcheng increasingly displays affectionate devotion toward Shi. He is delighted by small signs of intimacy, such as Shi sharing food, and treats understanding Shi’s moods as an important personal responsibility.
• Li Changyuan becomes even more wary and resentful of Shi and Zhou. Their supposed alliance is clearly one-sided, and Shi’s “praise” only deepens Li’s anger.
• Bai, the traditional-medicine chairman, functions as an amused observer of Shi and Zhou’s relationship, enthusiastically interpreting their teasing as romantic interaction.
• The system remains a source of comic commentary, especially through its observations about Shi and Zhou’s increasingly abnormal behavior.

Significant Themes

• Sarcasm as social weaponry: Shi uses praise, interviews, and public appearances to disguise insults and manipulate situations.
• Misunderstood romance and public perception: Bai’s “delicate little wife” comment reflects how naturally Shi and Zhou appear to others as an intimate couple.
• Affection expressed through teasing: Their relationship develops through pranks, mockery, shared food, and playful physical contact rather than direct emotional declarations.
• Absurdity and comedic escalation: Ordinary events—film promotion, fashion, product endorsements, and eating cake—spiral into increasingly ridiculous ideas.
• Emotional attentiveness: Zhou’s desire to study Shi’s micro-expressions suggests growing concern for Shi’s feelings and a willingness to adjust his behavior for him.

Character Interactions

• Shi and Zhou vs. Li Changyuan: The trio’s interview becomes a battle of insults disguised as film criticism, with Shi and Zhou overwhelming Li through coordinated sarcasm.
• Shi and Bai: Bai misidentifies Shi as Zhou’s wife, embarrassing Shi and amusing Zhou.
• Shi and Zhou: Shi retaliates against Zhou’s outfit jokes by giving him sour cake. Zhou endures it, then gently teases and comforts Shi until he laughs.
• Bai observing Shi and Zhou: Bai silently enjoys their playful exchange, effectively “shipping” them as a couple.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Jingcheng teases and kisses Shi Jihan after their argument, while the only other person present enthusiastically encourages him. Their affectionate behavior becomes another source of comedy.
• Zhou Jingcheng promotes their film through unconventional endorsements, including rheumatism ointment promoted by Auntie Wang, and plans a livestream sales campaign.
• The film’s unusual marketing strategy—featuring products such as sunflower seeds, ointment, and instant noodles—goes viral. It competes directly with the livestream promotion for Immortal Delicacies Record, causing several related hashtags to trend and creating a playful “war” between the two production crews.
• Zhou confidently declares that the film’s unconventional publicity demonstrates their “perfect compatibility.” He believes the strong attention and online discussion have secured the film’s initial commercial prospects.
• Shi Jihan remembers that his system mission requires him to help create a catastrophic box-office flop. However, the film currently has competent actors, effective promotion, a capable director, and an existing audience, making failure seem nearly impossible.
• Because failing the mission would cost him 8,000 Malice Points—equivalent to eighty million in cash—Shi Jihan asks Zhou for financial advice.
• Zhou explains three potential ways to deal with the debt:
  1. Package it as absurd “Shi Xiaohan Kiss Bonds.”
  2. Repay it through extremely long-term installments.
  3. Buy lottery tickets and hope to win.
• Shi Jihan and Zero-Zero-Zero decide that installment payments might allow them to exploit the system itself. They celebrate when six installments are apparently paid off through accumulated Malice Points.
• Hoping to increase his profit share, Shi Jihan enthusiastically offers to help promote the movie. Zhou refuses, believing Shi’s tendency to do the opposite of what is expected is more useful.
• The chapter ends with Zhou sneezing repeatedly and suffering a twitching eyelid, implying that Shi Jihan’s thoughts or plans may already be causing trouble.

Character Developments

• Zhou Jingcheng continues to display unconventional business instincts. He recognizes that chaotic, low-budget, comedic endorsements suit the film better than prestigious luxury-brand advertising and successfully turns absurdity into publicity.
• He is also shown to be financially confident and extremely creative, casually proposing bizarre but technically plausible debt-management strategies. His affection for Shi Jihan is increasingly open and playful.
• Shi Jihan remains easily embarrassed by Zhou’s public affection but is becoming more comfortable relying on him. He also demonstrates growing desperation and resourcefulness because of the system’s financial penalty.
• Shi’s tendency to approach problems through “reverse operations” becomes clearer. Although he wants the film to fail, the production’s quality and marketing are making success more likely.
• Zero-Zero-Zero becomes increasingly invested in Shi Jihan’s schemes and admires Zhou’s business ability. The host and system work together like conspiratorial partners.
• Zhou’s refusal to let Shi help with promotion suggests he has learned that Shi’s accidental interference may be more effective than deliberate assistance.

Significant Themes

• Absurdity as a marketing strategy: The chapter presents unconventional publicity and internet chaos as valuable commercial tools. Attention and discussion matter even when the endorsements appear ridiculous.
• Reverse logic and unintended success: Shi Jihan must make the film fail, yet every sensible decision seems to improve its prospects. His attempts to interfere may ultimately strengthen the project.
• Money and creative problem-solving: Zhou treats an eighty-million debt as a manageable puzzle, satirizing business culture and financial schemes.
• System versus human ingenuity: The system imposes rigid missions and harsh penalties, while Shi and Zhou seek loopholes and alternative solutions.
• Romantic comedy and public embarrassment: Their flirtation, teasing, and mismatched reactions continue to drive the chapter’s humor and underline their growing intimacy.

Character Interactions

• Zhou openly kisses and teases Shi, while Shi reacts with embarrassment and protests that people are watching.
• During the meeting, Zhou gazes affectionately at Shi, but Shi mistakes the attention for concern about food on his face, creating a comic misunderstanding.
• Shi consults Zhou as both a business adviser and “external brain,” trusting his judgment completely.
• Zhou calmly offers increasingly outrageous financial solutions, while Shi and Zero-Zero-Zero enthusiastically treat him as an unparalleled business genius.
• Shi tries to win Zhou’s favor by offering to work tirelessly on promotion, but Zhou rejects the offer because he prefers Shi’s accidental “opposite-direction” influence.
• Their relationship is affectionate, comedic, and increasingly collaborative, even though Shi remains unaware of how much Zhou understands and reacts to his hidden motives.