Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

Late at night, heavily pregnant Qiao Wanqing stays awake to shop during the Singles’ Day midnight sales. Gu Yanqing encourages her to sleep and massages her swollen legs and cramped calves, following the doctor’s instructions. Qiao discusses the baby’s impending due date, noting that unlike Koukou, this baby shows no urgency to be born. After shopping happily, she finally falls asleep, jokingly wishing the baby would avoid being born on Singles’ Day.
The next day remains peaceful. Mrs. Gu, who has arrived to help, chats with Qiao about the baby’s delayed arrival and whether she should have a C-section. Qiao explains that she chose to wait for a natural birth, as she had with Koukou. When Mrs. Gu takes a phone call, Koukou eagerly takes Qiao out for her daily walk. They stroll slowly around the residential complex, and Qiao affectionately encourages the unborn baby to come out so it can play with its brother.

Character development

• Qiao Wanqing is physically exhausted and uncomfortable but remains humorous, practical, and calm about the delayed labor. She enjoys shopping despite her wealth and continues trying to exercise through daily walks.
• Gu Yanqing is shown as attentive and nurturing, carefully caring for Qiao’s health and mastering the leg-massage technique to ease her discomfort.
• Mrs. Gu demonstrates maternal concern and experience, reassuring Qiao not to become anxious. Her own love of online shopping also creates a humorous connection with Qiao.
• Koukou appears energetic, affectionate, and excited to spend time with his mother, displaying childlike curiosity during their walk.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes domestic affection, family care, and the physical and emotional strain of late pregnancy. It also highlights the comfort of ordinary family routines, humor in everyday life, and the anticipation surrounding childbirth. The Singles’ Day shopping episode adds a lighthearted theme of consumer temptation and shows that enjoyment of bargains transcends wealth and social status.

Character interactions

Gu Yanqing gently reassures Qiao and massages her legs while they discuss the baby. Mrs. Gu and Qiao share a supportive mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conversation about labor and delivery, with Mrs. Gu trying to ease Qiao’s anxiety. Koukou then interrupts the adults’ conversation by pulling Qiao outside, and the mother and son enjoy a slow walk together. Qiao’s affectionate remarks to the unborn baby reinforce the growing bond among the family members.

Plot and key events

• Qiao Wanqing feels the baby move and reflects on how different this pregnancy is from the one with Koukou: this time, she feels joy rather than fear and rejection.
• While resting in a pavilion with Koukou, she suddenly goes into labor. Her phone falls, and Koukou sends Gu Yanqing a voice message telling him the baby is coming.
• Gu Yanqing receives the message at work and rushes to the hospital, but calls between him and Qiao Wanqing repeatedly fail to connect.
• Mrs. Gu, the housekeeper, and others get Qiao Wanqing to the hospital. Labor progresses slowly, and she waits overnight before entering the delivery room the next day.
• Gu Yanqing and Grandma Qiao join the family at the hospital. As Qiao Wanqing is wheeled away, Koukou worries that she has been “pushed away,” and Gu Yanqing reassures him.

Character developments and interactions

• Qiao Wanqing’s happiness about her unborn child contrasts with the fear and helplessness she felt during her first pregnancy.
• Koukou shows growing language and independence: he speaks more clearly, uses “I,” and successfully sends his father a voice message. His concern for his mother also reveals his tender, anxious side.
• Gu Yanqing is distracted by a foreboding feeling at work and immediately abandons his meeting preparations to rush to Qiao Wanqing.
• Mrs. Gu comforts both Qiao Wanqing and Koukou, patiently explaining that childbirth does not mean his mother will die. The family gathers to support Qiao Wanqing.

Significant themes

• Healing and new beginnings: Qiao Wanqing’s changed feelings show how her life and outlook have improved since Koukou’s birth.
• Family care and connection: Despite missed calls and a slow labor, the family quickly comes together to support her.
• A child’s perspective: Koukou’s fears, shaped by television, bring both humor and emotion to the tense wait.

Chapter 106 Summary: “Naming”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qiao Wanqing gives birth to a healthy daughter after Gu Yanqing and their son Koukou anxiously wait outside the delivery room.
• Exhausted, Qiao immediately falls asleep after briefly seeing the baby.
• When she wakes, Koukou is delighted and comforts her with his presence. Grandma Qiao gives her water and food while she recovers.
• Koukou admits that he only likes his baby sister “a little” because he thinks she is ugly, prompting Qiao to remind him that he looked the same as a newborn.
• Qiao learns that Koukou was able to send WeChat voice messages and contact his father during her labor because Mrs. Gu had taught him how to use the app.
• Mrs. Gu brings the baby to Qiao for nursing. Although the newborn is still red, wrinkled, and nearly bald, both grandmothers enthusiastically praise her appearance and celebrate having both a grandson and granddaughter.
• After three days, Qiao is discharged and returns home for postpartum recovery.
• Gu Jingzhi is given the responsibility of naming the baby. The family also discusses which surname she should use. Gu Yanqing had originally considered giving the children different family names, but Qiao is unconcerned with surnames and agrees that the daughter can use the Gu surname.
• Gu Yanqing asks Qiao why she gave their son the nickname “Koukou.” She admits that she invented it impulsively after her transmigration, when she still believed her new life might only be a dream.

Character Developments

• Qiao Wanqing becomes a mother of two and shows warmth, humor, and experience as she recovers from childbirth. Her relaxed attitude toward surnames reflects her detachment from traditional identity and her complicated background.
• Koukou displays both childish vanity and growing awareness. He is proud of his own appearance, bluntly judges his sister’s looks, yet is involved and attentive during the family’s preparations for the birth.
• Gu Yanqing acts as a supportive husband and father, waiting anxiously for the delivery and discussing family naming decisions with Qiao.
• Mrs. Gu is shown as affectionate and enthusiastic, taking pride in her new granddaughter and teaching Koukou practical skills.
• The extended family celebrates the arrival of the daughter, emphasizing their satisfaction and happiness at having children of both genders.

Significant Themes

• Family expansion and domestic happiness: The birth strengthens the family’s sense of completeness and joy.
• Motherhood and recovery: Qiao’s contrasting childbirth experiences show her increased confidence and familiarity as a mother.
• Childhood innocence and vanity: Koukou’s blunt dislike of the baby’s appearance provides humor and reflects his self-centered but affectionate personality.
• Identity and naming: The discussion of surnames and nicknames highlights the flexible, personal nature of identity, especially in light of Qiao’s transmigration and uncertain original identity.
• Generational affection: Grandparents and parents eagerly share in caring for and celebrating the newborn.

Character Interactions

• Qiao and Koukou share a tender, humorous exchange about the baby’s appearance and his own newborn looks.
• Qiao questions Koukou about how he contacted his father, revealing Mrs. Gu’s role in teaching him to use WeChat.
• Mrs. Gu and Grandma Qiao bond over praising the newborn and comparing her to Koukou.
• Qiao and Gu Yanqing discuss their children’s surnames and the origin of Koukou’s unusual nickname, offering insight into their family history and relationship.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Qiao Wanqing reflects on naming her son Koukou and resolves to use his formal name, Gu Jingzhi, when he grows older so that his childish nickname will not damage his future image as a domineering CEO.
• Her newborn daughter is named Gu Zhen, nicknamed Zhenzhen, because her birth chart lacks wood. The family enjoys a calm November postpartum period.
• Chu Shishi visits Qiao Wanqing with her son, Yuan Yuan. Yuan Yuan envies Koukou for having a younger sister, and Koukou generously offers Zhenzhen to him, adding that his mother can have another, prettier sister—revealing that he still thinks Zhenzhen is ugly.
• The variety show Go, Go, Go Together has concluded, and Jiang Yi has become extremely popular. Her performance wins over viewers, earning her a major role in the television adaptation Other Shore Flower.
• Jiang Yi’s sudden rise and powerful backing provoke jealousy and suspicion within the entertainment industry. Since her past has been carefully concealed, her enemies search for any scandal that could destroy her career.
• Chu Shishi, seeking revenge against Jiang Yi and Gu Yanze, decides she needs Gu Yanqing’s support. Although she worries that Gu Yanqing may prioritize the Gu family’s interests, both he and Qiao Wanqing support her.
• A carefully prepared scandal breaks online: Jiang Yi is accused of being the mistress of a married wealthy man, identified as Gu Yanze. Evidence, including intimate videos and accusations from his wife, spreads rapidly across Weibo.
• Additional allegations about Jiang Yi—such as using relationships to advance her career and undergoing plastic surgery—further destroy her carefully built public image. Her reputation collapses overnight, leaving Chu Shishi satisfied that Jiang Yi has received her punishment.
• After thanking Qiao Wanqing, Chu Shishi says she intends to divorce Gu Yanze and hopes to find genuine love in the future. She must also decide how far she is willing to go to retain custody of Yuan Yuan.

Character developments

• Qiao Wanqing continues to act as a supportive friend and ally, standing firmly behind Chu Shishi’s revenge and future plans.
• Chu Shishi moves from patiently enduring betrayal to decisively reclaiming control of her life. She recognizes that Gu Yanze’s infidelity and pressure on her to divorce are unforgivable, and she begins planning for independence.
• Jiang Yi experiences a dramatic reversal of fortune, changing from a celebrated rising actress into a disgraced public figure.
• Koukou is portrayed as generous and innocent, though his blunt comments reveal his childish belief that his baby sister is unattractive.
• Gu Yanqing demonstrates loyalty to his wife and willingness to oppose Gu Yanze despite the risks to the family’s reputation and interests.

Significant themes

• Revenge and justice: Chu Shishi’s long-awaited retaliation against Jiang Yi provides the chapter’s central conflict.
• Public image and scandal: Jiang Yi’s success and downfall show how quickly celebrity status can be created or destroyed by public opinion and media exposure.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Gu Yanze’s infidelity contrasts with the support Qiao Wanqing and Gu Yanqing offer Chu Shishi.
• Family and motherhood: Custody of Yuan Yuan becomes a major concern as Chu Shishi prepares to divorce, raising questions about the sacrifices she will make for him.
• New beginnings: Despite the pain of her marriage, Chu Shishi begins to imagine a future involving divorce, independence, and possibly true love.

Character interactions

• Koukou and Yuan Yuan share a humorous exchange about having younger sisters, highlighting Koukou’s childish generosity and his amusingly harsh opinion of Zhenzhen’s appearance.
• Chu Shishi relies on Qiao Wanqing for emotional and strategic support.
• Gu Yanqing supports both his wife and Chu Shishi’s plan, strengthening the alliance against Gu Yanze and Jiang Yi.
• Qiao Wanqing comforts Chu Shishi after the scandal succeeds but also raises the serious issue of Yuan Yuan’s future and custody.

Chapter Summary: “Zhenzhen’s Full Moon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Shishi leaves after spending two days with Qiao Wanqing and her family. She plans to fight Jiang Yi for custody of Yuan Yuan and then confront Gu Yanze over their marriage.
• Although Shishi intends to secure a fair settlement rather than leave Gu Yanze with nothing, she is determined to use her position as the betrayed party—and the support of both families—to obtain what she deserves. She also vows to prevent Gu Yanze and Jiang Yi from successfully rebuilding their lives.
• Zhenzhen reaches one month old and begins to grow out of her awkward newborn appearance. She is now fairer and more adorable, though her eyebrows and hair remain light.
• Koukou remains largely uninterested in his baby sister and even refuses to sleep beside her, choosing to sleep with Mrs. Gu instead. His growing independence and mischievous personality amuse but also trouble Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing.
• The family plans two celebrations for Zhenzhen’s full month: a modest banquet in C City for Gu Yanqing’s acquaintances and a grand ceremony in X City for relatives and friends. Koukou will also appear so that he does not feel overlooked and to make up for his missed full-month celebration.
• Tang Yueyue cannot attend because she is busy managing the Taobao store during Double Twelve. The store, especially its dried fruits and vegetables, has been extremely successful, often selling out through flash sales.
• Gu Yanqing and Tang Yueyue plan to expand the business, hire more employees, build the brand, and move into a larger office. Qiao Wanqing hopes to help once she has recovered from confinement.
• On the day of the ceremony, Qiao Wanqing dresses Zhenzhen in a warm animal outfit. Koukou insists on wearing a custom-made suit because he thinks it looks handsome, though Qiao Wanqing worries he will be cold. She compromises by dressing him in thermal underwear beneath it.
• After preparing both children, Qiao Wanqing sees Gu Yanqing enter carrying a gift bag and asks who sent it, bringing the chapter to a close.

Character Development

• Chu Shishi becomes more determined and self-reliant after her betrayal. She is focused on protecting Yuan Yuan, securing custody, and punishing the people who wronged her.
• Qiao Wanqing continues to be a devoted mother and practical caregiver, balancing concern for her children with confidence in the family’s growing business.
• Koukou is developing a strong personality and personal preferences. He is possessive about his sleeping arrangements, resistant to childish clothing, and increasingly clever and difficult to persuade.
• Zhenzhen is visibly growing healthier and prettier, moving beyond her awkward newborn stage.
• Gu Yanqing and Tang Yueyue demonstrate ambition and business sense as they prepare to expand their successful online store.

Significant Themes

• Maternal devotion and family responsibility: Shishi’s determination to fight for Yuan Yuan parallels Qiao Wanqing’s protective care for Koukou and Zhenzhen.
• Growth and change: Zhenzhen’s physical development and Koukou’s emerging independence reflect the children’s rapid maturation.
• Family equality: The Gu family deliberately prepares matching items and includes Koukou in the ceremony to avoid favoritism.
• Recovery and empowerment after betrayal: Shishi shifts from being a victim of infidelity to someone actively reclaiming control over her future.
• Entrepreneurial success: The flourishing Taobao business represents the family’s improving financial position and their movement toward greater independence.

Character Interactions

• Shishi reassures Qiao Wanqing that she loves Yuan Yuan as deeply as Qiao loves her own children.
• Qiao Wanqing and Koukou argue humorously over his unsuitable suit, with Koukou pleading for her not to become angry.
• Koukou’s refusal to sleep with Zhenzhen highlights his childish jealousy or indifference toward the baby, while Mrs. Gu readily accommodates him.
• Qiao Wanqing and Gu Yanqing work together in planning the children’s celebrations and expanding their business.
• The chapter ends with Qiao Wanqing questioning Gu Yanqing about the mysterious gift bag he brings into the house.

Chapter 246 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Yanze sends gifts to the family for Zhenzhen’s Full-Moon Banquet because he cannot attend. His relationship with Jiang Yi remains unresolved:
  • Jiang Yi’s affair with Gu Yanze was exposed publicly.
  • Jiang Yi’s initial defense claimed Gu Yanze and his wife, Chu Shishi, had already separated and that Chu Shishi was delaying the divorce for money and custody.
  • Chu Shishi retaliated with evidence proving Gu Yanze and Jiang Yi had been involved before the separation. She portrayed herself as the wronged wife, causing public opinion to turn against Jiang Yi.
  • Jiang Yi’s reputation was destroyed, while Gu Yanze’s identity as a member of the prominent Gu family was also exposed.
  • The Gu family elders strongly oppose his relationship with Jiang Yi and threaten to sever ties if he marries her. Gu Yanze is therefore caught between Jiang Yi, Chu Shishi’s divorce demands, public backlash, and his family’s anger.
• Zhenzhen’s grand Full-Moon Banquet is held in X City, with many relatives and guests attending. The gifts pile up, and the banquet hall is filled with dozens of tables.
• Gu Yanqing proudly celebrates having both a son and a daughter, along with a successful career and a loving relationship with Qiao Wanqing.
• During the Full-Moon Ceremony, Zhenzhen is asleep and must be woken. She cries loudly and stubbornly, eventually being allowed to remain asleep while being carried through the ceremony.
• Afterward, Koukou teases Zhenzhen by calling her a “sleepy little piggy.” He tells Yuan Yuan that he only likes his sister “a little bit,” though he clearly shows affection toward Yuan Yuan.
• Yuan Yuan awkwardly refuses Koukou’s hug, insisting that they are both “men” now and should not hug in public. The children later leave the banquet table to play.

Character Developments

• Gu Yanze is shown to be under immense pressure. His affair has damaged both his reputation and his family’s standing, while his unresolved marriage and relationship with Jiang Yi leave him trapped in an increasingly serious crisis.
• Jiang Yi suffers a complete public-relations collapse after Chu Shishi exposes the truth about their affair.
• Chu Shishi gains the sympathy of the public by presenting evidence and emphasizing her role as the betrayed wife and mother.
• Gu Yanqing appears deeply proud and happy about his family, especially his daughter. He views his current life—career, marriage, and children—as an ideal form of fulfillment.
• Zhenzhen displays a strong temperament despite being an infant, crying forcefully when awakened and showing that she is already somewhat stubborn.
• Koukou behaves like a playful older brother. Although he pretends to care little about Zhenzhen, his teasing and affection toward Yuan Yuan reveal his childish warmth and attachment.
• Yuan Yuan acts mature and self-conscious, attempting to impose adult ideas of propriety on his friendship with Koukou.

Significant Themes

• Public scandal and reputation: The chapter shows how quickly public opinion can shift and how scandals affect not only individuals but also their families.
• Family conflict and social pressure: Gu Yanze’s personal choices bring shame and conflict to the entire Gu family, highlighting the influence of family expectations.
• Domestic happiness: In contrast to Gu Yanze’s turmoil, Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing’s family life is portrayed as stable, loving, and joyful.
• Childhood innocence and affection: The children’s teasing, awkwardness, and misunderstanding provide a lighthearted contrast to the adults’ complicated problems.
• The consequences of betrayal: Jiang Yi and Gu Yanze’s affair causes emotional, legal, familial, and reputational damage.

Character Interactions

• Gu Yanqing explains Gu Yanze’s situation to Qiao Wanqing, who learns that the family scandal remains unresolved.
• Qiao Wanqing, Mrs. Gu, and Yu Chu discuss how to handle Zhenzhen during the ceremony, ultimately allowing her to participate while asleep.
• Mrs. Gu comforts Zhenzhen after she is woken, while Qiao Wanqing feeds her to stop her crying and hiccups.
• Koukou teases Zhenzhen while confiding in Yuan Yuan, then affectionately tries to hug him.
• Yuan Yuan rejects the hug out of embarrassment, creating a humorous contrast between his seriousness and Koukou’s innocent affection.

Chapter Summary: “Disobedient”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the full-moon banquet in C City, Gu Yanqing tells the children not to leave the venue and asks the waiters to watch them. Yuan Yuan and Koukou nevertheless wander around the stage area, playing with balloons and decorations.
• Koukou claims that he is cold despite the warm indoor temperature and asks Yuan Yuan to hug him. Yuan Yuan finds the request suspicious but hugs him anyway, failing to notice Koukou’s satisfied expression—revealing that Koukou deliberately manipulated him.
• Before the banquet, Qiao Wanqing returns with her family to Dongyang Village to invite guests. The once-rural town has been transformed into a popular tourist destination through renovation and development.
• Dongyang Village now attracts visitors with its scenic sites, Yue Lao temple, “C City’s First Stairway,” seasonal fruit-picking and plum blossoms, and the famous Find-a-Partner Vegetarian Restaurant. Local residents benefit financially by selling farm products and running businesses.
• Qiao Wanqing’s restaurant has been expanded and redecorated in an elegant antique style. The family is welcomed by Yellow Immortal and Little Black, who are mainly interested in the food they brought.
• Although Koukou once wanted to take Yellow Immortal to C City, he left the animal in the village to accompany Grandma Qiao, who prefers rural life and has returned there after failing to adjust to the city.
• Aunt Li visits with homemade dumplings and meets baby Zhenzhen. She comments on Zhenzhen’s chubbiness and resemblance to Qiao Wanqing, contrasting her quiet nature with Koukou’s more active childhood.
• Aunt Li asks whether passion-fruit wholesaling is profitable because her son has resigned from his civil-service position to start a business. Qiao Wanqing sympathizes with his desire to pursue a more ambitious life and compares his decision to her own choice to open a restaurant despite others’ disapproval.

Character Developments

• Koukou shows his playful, mischievous, and calculating side by pretending to be cold so Yuan Yuan will hug him. His behavior suggests growing confidence and cleverness.
• Yuan Yuan remains responsible and accommodating but is easily caught off guard by Koukou’s schemes.
• Qiao Wanqing is presented as successful and independent. Her restaurant’s expansion and the town’s development reflect her growing prosperity. She also displays empathy toward people who choose uncertain but self-directed paths.
• Grandma Qiao remains attached to her rural home and community despite Qiao Wanqing’s efforts to provide her with a city residence.
• Zhenzhen is depicted as a quiet, healthy baby who resembles her mother, while Koukou is remembered as more energetic and mischievous.
• Aunt Li embodies the older generation’s preference for security and conventional success, particularly the prestige of government employment.

Significant Themes

• Tradition versus ambition: Aunt Li’s fear of her son abandoning civil service contrasts with Qiao Wanqing’s belief in taking risks and pursuing one’s own goals.
• Personal fulfillment versus stability: The son values the possibility of wealth and achievement over the guaranteed security of a government job.
• Rural modernization: Dongyang Village’s transformation shows how tourism and development can bring prosperity while preserving local culture and traditions.
• Family and belonging: Grandma Qiao’s return to the village, the family’s frequent visits, and Yellow Immortal’s companionship emphasize the importance of home and emotional connection.
• Childhood playfulness and manipulation: Koukou’s “cold” act and Yuan Yuan’s reluctant embrace add a light, humorous element to the chapter.

Character Interactions

• Koukou playfully tricks Yuan Yuan into hugging him, revealing their affectionate but unequal dynamic.
• Qiao Wanqing and Aunt Li discuss entrepreneurship, with Qiao Wanqing offering reassurance based on her own experience.
• Aunt Li affectionately compares Zhenzhen with Koukou and praises Zhenzhen’s resemblance to Qiao Wanqing.
• The family interacts warmly with Grandma Qiao, Aunt Li, Yellow Immortal, and Little Black, reinforcing their continued ties to Dongyang Village.

Chapter 248 Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Qiao Wanqing comforts Aunt Li before seeing her off.
• She catches Koukou teasing Yellow Immortal by pulling the animal’s tail after already being warned not to. She playfully disciplines him by threatening to make him sleep alone, which immediately makes him promise to behave.
• Qiao Wanqing puts the sleeping Zhenzhen to bed and spends affectionate time with Koukou. They joke about his growing up, drinking milk, and one day becoming strong enough to carry his mother.
• Qiao Wanqing has returned to her “kingdom”—the family’s vegetarian restaurant—after being away for four months. She is preparing for Zhenzhen’s belated Full-Moon Banquet and wants to personally invite close relatives.
• At the restaurant, she learns that the former Happy Union Restaurant has closed and been replaced by a mutton restaurant. Qiao Wanqing reflects that its previous owners likely failed because of poor food and Boss Cai’s behind-the-scenes sabotage, while hoping the new owner will be more honest.
• A family complains that their child vomited after eating one of the restaurant’s savory spring rolls. Qiao Wanqing investigates rather than assuming they are causing trouble and discovers that the family, tourists from City A, expected sweet spring rolls.
• To accommodate them, she invents a sweet version using flatbread, peanuts, sesame seeds, water chestnuts, cheese, and sugar. The result is fried until crisp, and Koukou eagerly waits in the kitchen to taste it.

Character Development

• Qiao Wanqing continues to show herself as a caring but playful mother. She balances discipline with affection and is attentive to both Koukou’s behavior and Zhenzhen’s needs.
• She also demonstrates her abilities as a business owner: she remains calm during a customer complaint, investigates the situation fairly, and solves the problem creatively.
• Koukou is becoming more mischievous and independent, but he is still easily managed through affection. He proudly believes that growing up means not having to obey, yet quickly gives in when Qiao Wanqing threatens to make him sleep alone.
• Koukou’s promise to carry his mother when he grows up highlights his strong attachment to her and his desire to become capable.
• Aunt Li appears to be dealing with some emotional difficulty, though the chapter does not explain the cause.

Significant Themes

• Family affection and parenting: The exchanges between Qiao Wanqing and Koukou emphasize warmth, playful discipline, and the close bond between mother and child.
• Growth and maturity: Koukou’s physical growth and developing personality are contrasted with his continued childishness.
• Adaptability and problem-solving: Qiao Wanqing turns a potentially serious customer complaint into an opportunity to create a new menu item.
• Fairness and hospitality: Rather than dismissing the tourists’ complaint, she recognizes the cultural and regional difference in taste and accommodates them.
• Business success and competition: The restaurant’s popularity, the failure of its former competitor, and the harm caused by Boss Cai’s slander reflect the challenges of running a business.

Character Interactions

• Qiao Wanqing gently reprimands Koukou for bothering Yellow Immortal, then uses teasing affection to make him promise to obey.
• She shares a tender conversation with Koukou about milk, growing taller, and eventually carrying her.
• She speaks with the restaurant manager about the new mutton restaurant and the fate of its predecessor.
• She works with the waitress and chef to handle the family’s complaint.
• Her interaction with the tourist family shows her politeness and willingness to understand their expectations.
• Koukou’s enthusiastic anticipation of the sweet spring rolls adds a humorous, domestic touch to the chapter.

Plot Points and Events

• While at Qiao Wanqing’s restaurant, Koukou eagerly eats a freshly fried spring roll despite being warned to let it cool. He burns his mouth but insists it tastes “super good.”
• The chef playfully asks whether he or Qiao Wanqing cooks better. Koukou says the chef is better only if he gives him another spring roll.
• The family remains at home until the day before the Full-Moon Banquet, when Gu Yanqing arrives to take them back.
• Gu Yanqing changes baby Zhenzhen’s diaper. He asks Koukou to throw the dirty diaper away, but Koukou initially refuses because it smells.
• Gu Yanqing teases Koukou about how he used to soil his own diapers and threatens to show him embarrassing photographs. To prevent this, Koukou reluctantly takes the diaper outside.
• Qiao Wanqing worries that Koukou does not love or care about Zhenzhen as much as he loves Yuan Yuan. Gu Yanqing reassures her that Koukou is simply too young to interact meaningfully with a newborn.
• Zhenzhen is cleaned, powdered, and redressed. The adults compare her infancy with Koukou’s and observe that she is quiet, sleepy, and largely unaware of her surroundings.

Character Development

• Koukou remains impatient, mischievous, and food-motivated, but he also shows a growing willingness to help with his baby sister when encouraged—or when motivated to avoid embarrassment.
• Gu Yanqing is shown as a capable, affectionate father. He is comfortable caring for infants and uses humor and gentle teasing to involve Koukou in family responsibilities.
• Qiao Wanqing is attentive and nurturing, both toward her children and the restaurant guests. She becomes somewhat insecure and disappointed over Koukou’s apparent lack of affection for Zhenzhen.
• Zhenzhen is still too young for active characterization; she mostly sleeps, drinks milk, and stares blankly at her surroundings. Her helplessness emphasizes the difficulty of forming a bond with a newborn.
• Koukou’s attachment to Yuan Yuan highlights that he prefers children who can actively play with him, rather than babies who cannot yet respond.

Significant Themes

• Sibling adjustment: Koukou’s limited interest in Zhenzhen reflects the realistic difficulty young children have bonding with newborns.
• Parenting and family intimacy: Everyday tasks such as feeding, diaper-changing, and cleaning the baby demonstrate the family’s domestic closeness.
• Humor in family life: Teasing about dirty diapers and Koukou’s blunt comments create a playful, affectionate atmosphere.
• Different forms of affection: Koukou’s love is expressed through play and excitement, while the adults show care through practical protection and nurturing.
• Parental expectations: Qiao Wanqing expects Koukou to adore his sister, while Gu Yanqing offers a more realistic interpretation of his behavior.

Character Interactions

• Koukou and the spring-roll chef engage in playful bargaining, with Koukou humorously judging cooking ability according to who gives him more food.
• Gu Yanqing and Koukou share a teasing father-son exchange about diapers, ultimately persuading Koukou to help.
• Qiao Wanqing and Gu Yanqing discuss Koukou’s feelings toward Zhenzhen, with Gu Yanqing calming Qiao Wanqing’s worries.
• Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing work together to care for Zhenzhen, reflecting their coordinated roles as parents.
• The chapter closes on an affectionate comedic note as Gu Yanqing privately compares his wife’s supposed “silliness” to the harmless innocence he hopes their daughter will have.

Chapter Summary — Page 250

• Full-Moon Banquet preparations: On the day of Gu Zhenzhen’s Full-Moon Banquet, Tang Yueyue and Qi Xing arrive early at Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing’s home before accompanying them to the hotel. The couple is openly affectionate and firmly in the honeymoon phase, arriving hand in hand.
• Koukou’s playful welcome: Koukou enthusiastically greets Tang Yueyue and Qi Xing as his godparents. Tang wins him over with snacks and receives a kiss, prompting Koukou to offer Qi Xing one as well. Qi Xing reluctantly accepts, but Koukou complains that his unshaven cheek is “prickly.” Koukou then humorously claims that his father—and even his mother—also have prickly faces, amusing the adults.
• Family-like relationships: Qiao Wanqing emphasizes that Tang Yueyue and Qi Xing are now family and tells Qi Xing he need not remain so formal with Gu Yanqing. Their relationships have become close and comfortable, with Tang especially embracing her role as Koukou and Zhenzhen’s godmother.
• Gu Yanqing and Qi Xing: While Tang visits the sleeping Zhenzhen, Gu Yanqing takes Qi Xing to the study to discuss work. Qi Xing privately suffers the awkwardness of being both Gu Yanqing’s employee and his “relative,” since Gu repeatedly finds business matters to discuss whenever Qi visits.
• Tang and Qi’s marriage plans: Tang tells Qiao Wanqing that she and Qi Xing will have a child after marriage. When asked when they will marry, she jokingly—or perhaps deliberately—sets financial conditions: they will marry if their company earns three million in net profit that year, or five million the following year. Qiao points out that their business has only recently become profitable and that three million may be difficult after accounting for earlier losses.
• Tang’s reluctance to marry soon: Although Tang frames the delay as a business goal, Qiao recognizes that she may simply be postponing marriage. Their growing shop is improving, especially through the sale of local specialties such as salted peanuts, roasted chestnuts, and dried strawberries, making the five-million target next year realistic. Tang’s promise could therefore still lead to marriage later than she expects.
• Qiao’s teasing reminder: Qiao warns Tang not to assume the year’s major shopping festivals are over and recalls how she once made winter bamboo shoots a major news success late in the year. Tang realizes Qiao may help drive sales high enough to hold her to the three-million promise.
• Banquet arrangements: The Full-Moon Banquet is attended primarily by Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing’s friends, with only a few of Qiao’s relatives present. Two venues are arranged, and Gu Yanqing reserves a KTV afterward so guests can continue celebrating.
• Themes and character development: The chapter highlights domestic warmth, chosen family, playful intimacy, and the ease of close relationships. Tang is affectionate and naturally good with children, while Qi is more reserved but willingly participates in family life. Their marriage discussion also reveals Tang’s playful resistance to settling down, contrasted with the couple’s increasingly successful business and deepening commitment.

Key plot points and events

• Qiao Wanqing searches for a larger, more upscale studio that can accommodate about fifty people. She finds a well-equipped office on the sixteenth floor of a convenient, high-quality building and plans renovations before moving in after New Year.
• The business puts its popular winter bamboo shoots back on sale. Though sales are less explosive than the previous year, loyal repeat customers make the product highly profitable, bringing the company close to Tang Yueyue’s three-million-yuan marriage target.
• Qiao Wanqing teases Tang Yueyue about her promise to marry once they reach that goal. Tang reveals that her mother opposes her marrying far from their hometown in X City, leaving Tang and Qi Xing uncertain about their future.
• Zhenzhen grows into an adorable, fair-skinned baby. Koukou’s affection for his sister increases as she becomes prettier, though he still considers himself the better-looking one.

Character development and interactions

• Qiao Wanqing and Tang Yueyue remain confident in their company’s growth and ambitions. Qiao takes the lead in securing and improving the new workspace.
• Koukou warms to Zhenzhen, openly explaining that he likes her more now because she is pretty. Qiao playfully questions him about his changing affection and his vanity.
• Tang Yueyue admits she cannot bear to break up with Qi Xing, but neither of them is willing to relocate to X City. Her mother’s attachment to home and concern about distance create a serious obstacle. Qiao offers the idea of bringing her parents to their city, then comforts Tang when that proves unlikely.

Significant themes

• Ambition and steady growth: The company builds on repeat customers and plans for a larger, more permanent base rather than relying on sudden success.
• Family expectations versus personal choice: Tang Yueyue’s relationship is strained by her parents’ wishes and the difficulty of balancing love, career, and family ties.
• Changing affection and playful family bonds: Koukou’s growing fondness for Zhenzhen is expressed through humorous, childlike judgments.

Chapter 252 Summary

• Tang Yueyue’s dilemma: Tang Yueyue tells Qiao Wanqing that she is considering becoming pregnant before marriage so that her parents cannot interfere with her relationship once she has a child. Qiao Wanqing is stunned by the bold plan but understands that Yueyue is caught between family pressure and love.
• Qiao Wanqing’s business growth: After the New Year, Qiao Wanqing returns to work and moves her studio into a larger, properly organized workplace. The company hires additional employees, including an HR department and operations team, allowing her to realize her dream of becoming a business owner. Their snack business, Crispy Bite, is formally developed into a brand, and they apply to open a Tmall flagship store. Chen Yu, a former classmate from Qiao Wanqing’s e-commerce training course, also joins the company.
• Helping local farmers: Qiao Wanqing remains committed to selling agricultural products. Her business successfully promotes dried persimmon cakes before the harvest season, enabling the company to sell them at profitable prices while ensuring that local persimmon farmers receive fairer compensation. This contrasts with previous years, when unsold persimmons forced farmers to accept extremely low prices and even abandon their orchards.
• Recognition and new opportunity: Because of her achievements, Qiao Wanqing receives the title of “C City Outstanding Young Female Entrepreneur.” Local reporters begin interviewing her, and she is invited to speak for fifteen minutes at a prestigious national E-Commerce Entrepreneurship Summit. The invitation greatly impresses her employees, but once her excitement fades, she becomes extremely anxious about speaking before industry leaders, scholars, officials, and media representatives.
• Gu Yanqing supports her: At home, Qiao Wanqing repeatedly paces and worries that her speech will sound shallow. Gu Yanqing comforts her and explains that important speeches are usually prepared by professional assistants. He offers to arrange help with the speech and presentation slides and promises to train her personally. By showing her a recording of one of his own formally written speeches, he demonstrates that effective public speaking depends on preparation, understanding the material, and confident delivery—not simply writing everything oneself. His reassurance helps Qiao Wanqing regain confidence.
• Relationship and family life: Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing interact affectionately and playfully, with him teasing her by asking for a kiss before offering advice. Although he hopes to continue flirting, Qiao Wanqing abruptly shifts to practical household matters by suggesting they shower and sleep. The chapter ends with a warm domestic image of their nearly one-year-old daughter, Zhenzhen, playing happily with Koukou.

Character Development

• Qiao Wanqing grows from a small business owner into a respected entrepreneur and employer. Her success reflects both her commercial ability and her commitment to supporting farmers, though she remains insecure when facing elite professional circles.
• Gu Yanqing acts as a supportive, experienced partner. He balances teasing with practical guidance and uses his own experience to help Qiao Wanqing handle her anxiety.
• Tang Yueyue is portrayed as emotionally pressured and increasingly determined to take drastic measures to protect her romantic relationship.
• Zhenzhen continues to grow into an increasingly charming and lively child, reinforcing the family-centered atmosphere.

Significant Themes

• Entrepreneurial success and social responsibility
• Empowerment through independent work and business ownership
• Anxiety caused by entering elite or unfamiliar social spaces
• The importance of preparation, mentorship, and mutual support
• Family pressure versus personal love and autonomy
• The contrast between public achievement and warm private life

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

The chapter focuses on everyday family life with Gu Yanqing, Qiao Wanqing, and their two young children, Koukou and Zhenzhen. Qiao Wanqing goes to bathe while Gu Yanqing watches the children. Koukou draws on the floor with markers, while Zhenzhen tries to imitate him and takes one of his markers. When Koukou refuses to let her use it, she becomes upset. Gu Yanqing comforts her, and after some teasing, Koukou eventually makes peace with his sister by giving her a red “good child” sticker. Zhenzhen is delighted, though she then wants a second sticker after noticing Koukou has two.

Character developments

Zhenzhen is portrayed as a beautiful but aloof baby who is especially attached to Koukou. Although she cannot speak clearly, she is emotionally expressive and strongly wants to imitate and play with her brother. Koukou is intelligent, confident, and popular at kindergarten, but he is also bossy and somewhat self-centered. He initially dismisses Zhenzhen’s desire to use his marker, yet he eventually shows affection and concern by giving her a sticker to cheer her up. Gu Yanqing is shown as a patient, affectionate father who gently mediates the children’s conflicts.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes the warmth and humor of ordinary family life, especially the chaotic but affectionate relationship between siblings. It explores the contrast between Koukou’s growing independence and Zhenzhen’s dependence on him. Another theme is childhood development: Koukou is becoming more capable through kindergarten, while Zhenzhen is still communicating through gestures, babbling, and imitation. The family’s love is expressed through small acts of care, comfort, teasing, and praise.

Character interactions

Koukou and Zhenzhen repeatedly clash over toys and markers, with Koukou adopting an authoritative “older brother” role. Zhenzhen responds by pouting, crying, and clinging to Gu Yanqing. Gu Yanqing comforts her, cleans the drool from his shoulder, praises her sticker, and playfully questions Koukou about which child is “good.” Koukou ultimately reassures Zhenzhen by giving her a red flower sticker and declaring her a good child, revealing that beneath his teasing and possessiveness, he does care about his little sister.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Koukou cleverly persuades Zhenzhen to accept only one flower, promising that she can have the other once she behaves better. Gu Yanqing recognizes that Koukou has inherited his own talent for manipulating situations.
• With Qiao Wanqing’s summit speech finalized, Gu Yanqing advises her to practice until she can deliver it naturally rather than merely read from the script. Since the summit is still nearly two months away, she feels less pressured.
• Qiao Wanqing continues rebuilding her confidence behind the wheel after years without driving. Gu Yanqing plans to buy her a car, so he takes the entire family to a local auto show.
• The morning is chaotic but affectionate as the twins wake their parents early. Qiao Wanqing dresses Zhenzhen in a pink qipao-style outfit, while Gu Yanqing dresses Koukou.
• Gu Yanqing teases Koukou about his childhood habit of wearing dresses. Now concerned with his dignity, Koukou emphatically denies ever wanting one. Qiao Wanqing stops Gu Yanqing from embarrassing him further.
• After breakfast, the family travels to the auto show. Gu Yanqing studies the vehicles and discusses their advantages with staff, while Qiao Wanqing focuses mainly on managing the children.
• Because Koukou becomes restless, Qiao Wanqing takes both children to explore another section of the show. There, Koukou notices a masked female car model with striking red lips, drawing Qiao Wanqing’s attention.

Character Developments

• Qiao Wanqing: Gains confidence in both her upcoming public speech and her ability to drive independently. She remains a caring, patient mother who protects Koukou from embarrassment and manages the children during the outing.
• Gu Yanqing: Shows himself to be supportive and knowledgeable, helping Qiao Wanqing prepare for the summit and select a car. He is also playful and somewhat jealous of the children’s affection, particularly Zhenzhen’s closeness with Koukou.
• Koukou: Demonstrates cleverness, mischievousness, and an emerging concern for his image. Though energetic and difficult to manage, he is affectionate toward Zhenzhen and observant enough to notice the masked woman.
• Zhenzhen: Remains cheerful, easily influenced by her brother, and delighted by praise. She is affectionate toward both her parents and imitates Koukou’s behavior.

Significant Themes

• Family intimacy and domestic humor: The chapter emphasizes the noisy, exhausting, but loving reality of raising young children.
• Parental affection and jealousy: Gu Yanqing jokingly competes for Zhenzhen’s attention, highlighting the family’s close bonds.
• Growing confidence and independence: Qiao Wanqing’s progress with driving and public speaking reflects her gradual recovery of self-assurance.
• Childhood innocence and embarrassment: Koukou’s sensitivity about his past and desire to preserve his dignity contrast humorously with his parents’ memories of him.
• Foreshadowing and curiosity: Koukou’s discovery of the masked car model introduces a potentially significant new character or event.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• At an auto show, Qiao Wanqing notices a masked car model who appears to be Jiang Yi, the former actress involved in Gu Yanze’s mistress scandal. Nearby visitors recognize Jiang Yi and mock her downfall.
• Qiao reflects on Jiang Yi’s fate: after the affair was exposed, Gu Yanze abandoned her under pressure from his family, Chu Shishi, public opinion, and damage to his company. Gu later lost his divorce lawsuit, career, and family, while Chu Shishi gained custody of Yuan Yuan and became more confident.
• The car model is later confirmed to be Jiang Yi when an online headline reports that she has been reduced to working at an auto show. Qiao feels a fleeting sense of satisfaction at Jiang Yi’s misfortune but ultimately decides the matter is no longer relevant to her.
• Qiao attends an e-commerce summit with Gu Yanqing and their children, Koukou and Zhenzhen. She chooses to drive a modest car, concerned that a luxury vehicle could trigger accusations that she is showing off.
• Before Qiao leaves to give her speech, Gu Yanqing encourages and reassures her, while the children also say goodbye. Qiao heads to the summit nervous but supported by her family.

Character developments

• Qiao Wanqing is shown as more self-aware and cautious about public opinion. Despite her growing success, she deliberately avoids appearing extravagant. She also demonstrates emotional distance from the old conflicts surrounding Jiang Yi and Gu Yanze.
• Gu Yanqing continues to act as Qiao’s supportive partner, calming her anxiety and caring for the children while she attends the summit.
• Jiang Yi has suffered a major reversal in status, going from a highly paid actress to an anonymous, masked car model. Her downfall highlights the long-term consequences of the scandal.
• Gu Yanze has lost both his marriage and career after prioritizing self-preservation and abandoning Jiang Yi.
• Chu Shishi has recovered after the divorce, gaining custody of Yuan Yuan and becoming more confident and successful in her personal life.
• Qiao and Gu Yanqing’s children remain closely attached to their mother, reinforcing the family’s strong bond.

Significant themes

• The fragility of fame and status: Jiang Yi’s transformation illustrates how quickly public popularity and career success can disappear.
• Pragmatism versus true love: Gu Yanze’s decision to abandon Jiang Yi under pressure leads Qiao to conclude that so-called love often fails when tested by reality.
• Public opinion and reputation: Qiao’s fear of being accused of showing off reflects how damaging online judgment can be.
• Family support and stability: In contrast to the broken relationships of the past, Qiao’s family provides her with comfort, encouragement, and emotional security.
• The reversal of fortune: Formerly powerful figures such as Jiang Yi and Gu Yanze have fallen, while Qiao and Chu Shishi have built more stable lives.

Character interactions

• Qiao overhears strangers discussing Jiang Yi and silently connects their comments to her past.
• Gu Yanqing helps Qiao choose a practical car and later reassures her before the summit, joking that the intimidating business leaders are “just cabbage.”
• Qiao shares affectionate goodbyes with Gu Yanqing, Koukou, and Zhenzhen before leaving, promising to return for dinner.
• The chapter contrasts the supportive interactions within Qiao’s family with the betrayal and abandonment that shaped Jiang Yi and Gu Yanze’s downfall.

Chapter 256 Summary

Key plot points and events

During the hot summer, Gu Yanqing has the family swimming pool cleaned and filled. The pool includes both deep and shallow sections for adults and children. Koukou eagerly watches the pool being filled, despite the heat, but refuses to go inside until Qiao Wanqing warns him about heatstroke. Once the pool is ready, the family changes into swimsuits. Koukou initially claims he can swim because Yuan Yuan taught him, but when his parents try to put him in the water, he becomes frightened and backs out. He invents a series of excuses, including fish, crabs, and a “big monster” that supposedly wants to eat him. Gu Yanqing enters the pool to prove it is safe and tries to persuade Koukou by appealing to his trust in his father and his desire not to fall behind other kindergarten children.

Character developments

Koukou is shown as imaginative, boastful, stubborn, and quick-witted. He exaggerates his abilities by claiming he can swim, then creatively attempts to hide his fear when confronted. His confidence and storytelling help him preserve his dignity, even while he is clearly frightened. Qiao Wanqing responds with patient but amused guidance, recognizing his childish flaws as temporary. Gu Yanqing is playful and reassuring, attempting to build Koukou’s confidence by physically entering the water first and promising to hold him. Zhenzhen is also frightened by Koukou’s story about the underwater monster and clings to her mother.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes family affection, playful parenting, and the innocence of childhood. It explores the gap between children’s imagination and reality, as well as their tendency to boast or invent stories when embarrassed or afraid. The parents’ teasing remains gentle and supportive, showing a warm family dynamic. Koukou’s fear of being unable to swim also introduces the theme of childish pride and concern about keeping up with his peers.

Character interactions

Qiao Wanqing repeatedly tries to protect Koukou from the heat and persuade him to behave sensibly. She teases him about his claim that he can swim and points out his obvious fear. Gu Yanqing jokes with Koukou about crabs and monsters, then reassures him by entering the pool himself and asking whether Koukou trusts him. Koukou counters every attempt with dramatic excuses, while Zhenzhen reacts fearfully to his monster story. The chapter ends with Koukou still refusing to enter, even suggesting he might change kindergartens rather than learn to swim.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

The family spends the afternoon at a pool. Koukou initially refuses to enter because he is frightened of the water, choosing to stay under the umbrella. Gu Yanqing brings Zhenzhen into the shallow water using a sit-in float, but she panics when her feet leave the ground and struggles until he reassures her. Once he releases her and she discovers that the float keeps her safe, she quickly begins paddling happily.
Encouraged by his sister’s enjoyment, Koukou cautiously agrees to try. Qiao Wanqing carries him into the water and places him in another float. He is initially terrified, but after realizing he cannot sink, he relaxes and spends the rest of the afternoon playing more boldly. Gu Yanqing adds floating plastic ducks for the children to enjoy. The outing ends humorously when Koukou proudly announces that he has urinated in the pool and therefore did not need to use the bathroom.

Character developments

• Koukou progresses from fearful and stubborn to confident and enthusiastic. He insists he was never afraid, despite repeatedly needing reassurance, revealing his pride and desire to appear brave.
• Zhenzhen is initially frightened by the unfamiliar water but quickly adapts once she understands how the float works. Her cheerful confidence then helps encourage Koukou.
• Gu Yanqing is patient and playful as he comforts Zhenzhen, teases Koukou, and guides both children into the water.
• Qiao Wanqing acts as a supportive mother, coaxing Koukou into trying the pool despite being unable to swim herself. She also playfully uses the idea of a “water monster” to keep him from climbing out of the float.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes overcoming fear through trust, encouragement, and firsthand experience. It also highlights family bonding, parental patience, sibling influence, and the humor of childhood. Koukou’s insistence that he is brave reflects a child’s developing self-confidence and pride.

Character interactions

Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing work together to supervise and encourage the children. Zhenzhen’s successful adjustment to the water becomes the example that motivates Koukou. Koukou and Zhenzhen interact playfully, with Zhenzhen urging him to join her. The parents’ teasing, reassurance, and affectionate care create a warm, lighthearted family atmosphere.

Extra 2 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Siqiao waits outside a hospital in shock after an attempted assassination goes wrong. He had instructed Feng Qi, the Gu family driver, to tamper with Gu Mingyuan’s car, but Gu Yanqing—his biological father—ended up in the vehicle instead.
• Gu Yanqing is critically injured and undergoing emergency treatment. Even if he survives, he may be permanently paralyzed.
• Gu Siqiao fears that Gu Mingyuan will discover his involvement and retaliate, especially because Gu Mingyuan has repeatedly outmaneuvered him in the past.
• The chapter recounts Gu Siqiao’s troubled upbringing. His mother, Qiao Wanqing, became pregnant after sleeping with Gu Yanqing and originally hoped the child would force Gu Yanqing to marry her or acknowledge her.
• Gu Yanqing disappeared after leaving the family business, leaving Qiao Wanqing and her son in poverty. Qiao’s obsession with wealth intensified, and after her mother died, she became increasingly abusive toward Gu Siqiao.
• Qiao entered the modeling and sex-work industries, becoming dependent on alcohol and cigarettes. She blamed Gu Siqiao for ruining her life and frequently beat and cursed him.
• Gu Siqiao grew up neglected and corrupted by his circumstances, becoming greedy, selfish, manipulative, and involved with disreputable people. He both hated Qiao and depended on her for survival.
• As Qiao aged, became ill, and lost her patrons, Gu Siqiao gained power over her. He deliberately tormented her by withholding medicine and making her crawl for it, taking satisfaction in the revenge.
• Gu Siqiao eventually made contact with Gu Yanqing and eagerly prepared for their first meeting. Believing Gu Yanqing was unmarried and childless, he expected to be recognized as the Gu family’s legitimate heir and inherit its wealth.
• The chapter ends with Gu Siqiao confidently heading to meet Gu Yanqing, unaware that the later accident will place his father in danger instead.

Character Development

• Gu Siqiao is presented as both a perpetrator and a product of abuse. His desire for wealth, status, and revenge stems from lifelong neglect, poverty, and resentment, but he has also embraced cruelty and criminal behavior.
• His feelings toward Gu Yanqing are conflicted: he resents him for abandoning him but still longs for paternal recognition and the inheritance he believes is his birthright.
• Qiao Wanqing deteriorates from a vain, desperate woman hoping to marry into wealth into an abusive, addicted, and diseased figure. Her bitterness and failures shape Gu Siqiao’s personality.
• Gu Yanqing remains largely absent from the flashback, but his biological connection to Gu Siqiao drives the latter’s ambitions and actions.
• Gu Mingyuan is portrayed as highly capable and difficult to defeat, becoming the main obstacle to Gu Siqiao’s plans.

Significant Themes

• The cycle of abuse: Qiao’s mistreatment of Gu Siqiao helps create the same cruelty and vindictiveness he later directs at others.
• Nature versus circumstance: Gu Siqiao is not inherently innocent, but his corruption is closely tied to poverty, neglect, and his upbringing.
• Greed and social status: Qiao and Gu Siqiao measure security and success almost entirely through money, luxury, and entry into the powerful Gu family.
• Revenge and moral decay: Both mother and son allow resentment to consume them, causing them to repeat and deepen the harm done to them.
• Illusion versus reality: Gu Siqiao imagines acknowledgment by the Gu family as the solution to his life, but his criminal schemes instead bring disaster.

Character Interactions

• Gu Siqiao and Qiao Wanqing: Their relationship is defined by mutual dependence, resentment, and abuse. She mistreats him throughout his childhood, while he later retaliates by humiliating and neglecting her during her illness.
• Gu Siqiao and Gu Yanqing: Though they have had little direct contact, Gu Siqiao builds his entire future around being recognized by his biological father.
• Gu Siqiao and Gu Mingyuan: Their relationship is adversarial. Gu Siqiao views Mingyuan as a rival blocking his inheritance and attempts to eliminate him indirectly.
• Gu Siqiao and Feng Qi: Gu Siqiao manipulates the driver into sabotaging the car, setting the accident in motion.
• Gu Yanqing and Gu Mingyuan: Their connection is implied through the Gu family and the intended attack, but the accident tragically places Gu Yanqing in the position meant for Mingyuan.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Gu Siqiao meets his biological father, the powerful and intimidating Gu Yanqing, at an upscale café. Despite expecting resistance, he is immediately acknowledged as Gu Yanqing’s son without a paternity test.
• Before returning to the Gu family, Gu Siqiao takes Gu Yanqing to see his terminally ill mother, Qiao Wanqing. Gu Yanqing shows no sympathy toward her because of their past, simply looking at her with disgust and leaving.
• When Qiao Wanqing continues lingering despite her critical condition, Gu Siqiao secretly removes her oxygen supply and makes her death appear to be suicide or a voluntary refusal of treatment. The family does not investigate, allowing him to move on without consequences.
• Gu Siqiao settles into the Gu household and meets Gu Yanqing’s adopted son, Gu Mingyuan. Mingyuan is handsome, capable, emotionally perceptive, and already serves as the company’s executive vice president.
• Although Mingyuan initially treats Gu Siqiao kindly as a younger brother, Gu Siqiao becomes jealous and suspicious. He recognizes that Mingyuan is being groomed as Gu Yanqing’s heir, while he himself has received an inadequate education and is excluded from meaningful business training.
• Gu Siqiao begins undermining Mingyuan through covert schemes and workplace rumors. He eventually persuades Gu Yanqing to let him join the company, hoping to learn enough to claim the chairman’s position in the future, but his efforts fail to damage Mingyuan’s strong reputation.
• The brothers’ hidden rivalry finally explodes over Shen Yunxu, a beautiful and gentle new accountant. Gu Siqiao falls for her immediately, but she regards him only as a younger brother and gradually grows closer to Mingyuan through work.
• Overcome by jealousy, Gu Siqiao has a major confrontation with Mingyuan, permanently damaging their relationship. Gu Yanqing attempts to mediate but considers Gu Siqiao responsible for allowing romance to interfere with his work.

Character Development

• Gu Siqiao: Gains the status he has long desired by being accepted into the Gu family, but his insecurity, inferiority complex, ambition, and jealousy intensify. Rather than building genuine relationships, he responds to perceived threats through manipulation and sabotage.
• Gu Yanqing: Remains emotionally distant and authoritative. He accepts Gu Siqiao without question but does not offer warmth or equal treatment. His clear preference for Mingyuan as a capable heir deepens Gu Siqiao’s resentment.
• Gu Mingyuan: Initially acts as a caring and supportive older brother, but repeated hostility and schemes from Gu Siqiao eventually exhaust his patience. He withdraws his affection while continuing to maintain an outwardly controlled relationship.
• Qiao Wanqing: Dies after Gu Siqiao ends her life support, completing his severance from his former life and removing an obstacle to his place in the Gu family.
• Shen Yunxu: Becomes the focus of the brothers’ rivalry, though she does not reciprocate Gu Siqiao’s feelings and instead develops a closer professional relationship with Mingyuan.

Significant Themes

• Belonging and legitimacy: Gu Siqiao’s acceptance as Gu Yanqing’s biological son does not erase his insecurity or make him feel like a true member of the family.
• Jealousy and inferiority: His resentment toward Mingyuan stems from their unequal abilities, education, intimacy with Gu Yanqing, and social standing.
• Appearance versus reality: The brothers preserve a façade of affection and respect while secretly attacking one another.
• Power and succession: The family and company become arenas in which Gu Siqiao struggles against Mingyuan for recognition and future authority.
• Moral corruption: Gu Siqiao’s willingness to manipulate employees and arrange his mother’s death shows how ambition and resentment progressively erode his conscience.

Key Character Interactions

• Gu Siqiao and Gu Yanqing: Their reunion is formal and tense; Gu Siqiao seeks acknowledgment, while Gu Yanqing offers acceptance without emotional intimacy.
• Gu Yanqing and Qiao Wanqing: Gu Yanqing refuses to forgive or sympathize with her, demonstrating the lasting bitterness between them.
• Gu Siqiao and Gu Mingyuan: Their relationship shifts from superficial brotherly closeness to concealed rivalry and finally open hostility.
• Gu Siqiao and Shen Yunxu: His one-sided infatuation becomes a major source of jealousy.
• Gu Yanqing and the brothers: Gu Yanqing favors Mingyuan’s competence and attempts, unsuccessfully, to correct Gu Siqiao’s emotional and professional immaturity.

Chapter Summary

Plot and Events

Gu Siqiao reflects on the car accident he planned after seeing Shen Yunxu publicly confirm his relationship with Gu Mingyuan. He had intended to win Shen Yunxu back, but Gu Yanqing unexpectedly entered the car instead, leaving Gu Siqiao horrified and uncertain about the consequences. While hiding in despair, Gu Siqiao experiences a strange force pulling at his soul and is transported to what appears to be another world or alternate timeline. There, he witnesses a younger version of Qiao Wanqing living happily in a rural home with a young child named Koukou. Soon, Gu Yanqing also appears, revealing that he and Qiao Wanqing are married or romantically involved and that Koukou is their child.

Character Development

Gu Siqiao’s guilt and panic intensify as he realizes that his scheme may have harmed Gu Yanqing rather than helping him regain Shen Yunxu. His resentment toward Gu Mingyuan and his fear of losing his place in the Gu family expose how deeply insecure and desperate he is. Watching the alternate Qiao Wanqing and Gu Yanqing behave lovingly forces him to confront how little affection he received from them in his own life. He becomes emotionally shaken upon seeing Qiao Wanqing act as a warm, affectionate mother and Gu Yanqing as a gentle, indulgent father.

Themes

The chapter explores alternate possibilities, family relationships, regret, and the contrast between emotional neglect and unconditional love. It suggests that people’s personalities and relationships may change drastically under different circumstances. Gu Siqiao’s emotional reaction also highlights his longing for parental affection and the pain caused by feeling unwanted.

Character Interactions

Qiao Wanqing lovingly plays with Koukou, kisses him, and imitates his gestures, revealing a tender maternal bond. Koukou affectionately gives her a flower and seeks kisses and attention from her. When Gu Yanqing arrives, Koukou eagerly calls for him, and Gu Yanqing responds with warmth, carrying and kissing him. Their playful interaction—despite Koukou smearing milk powder on Gu Yanqing’s face—shows a close, happy family dynamic completely unlike Gu Siqiao’s memories of them.