Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The morning after Chu Xiyue’s previous livestream, she arrives at the neighborhood office expecting a quiet day.
• Three young women immediately surround her, but instead of confronting her, the central girl, Xiong Zhuzhu, bows and thanks her.
• Xiong Zhuzhu reveals that she is Xiong Gang’s adopted daughter and a medical college student. She had known that her biological parents were searching for her but had pretended otherwise because she feared being forced to return to them.
• After watching the news and Chu Xiyue’s livestream, Zhuzhu learned that her biological parents were actually trying to exploit her and force her to marry a mentally disabled man. Chu Xiyue’s exposure of Zhou Dacheng and Li Xiaoping prevented this from happening.
• Zhuzhu thanks Chu Xiyue for saving her and offers to repay her. Chu encourages her instead to study hard and use her knowledge to help others. Zhuzhu leaves happily with her roommates.
• Chu begins her livestream slightly late. Viewers speculate about what kind of dispute she will handle, expecting either a neighbor quarrel or a marital affair.
• A distressed woman and an impatient man arrive arguing. The woman insists on seeing the young staff member surnamed Chu, whom she has heard is especially skilled at mediating family conflicts.
• Chu enters the mediation room, but the woman does not recognize her and dismisses her, asking for the other “young staff member surnamed Chu.”

2. Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue: Her reputation as a capable mediator has grown after her previous livestream. Although she remains wary of strangers and fears being attacked, she responds to Zhuzhu’s gratitude with humility and gives her constructive advice rather than seeking praise.
• Xiong Zhuzhu: She moves from fear and helplessness to relief and renewed confidence. Her anxiety about being reclaimed by her biological parents disappears after Chu exposes their intentions. She becomes determined to continue her education and help others.
• Xiong Zhuzhu’s roommates: They support her emotionally and accompany her to thank Chu Xiyue.
• The distressed wife: She appears emotionally overwhelmed and distrustful of ordinary staff, specifically seeking Chu because of her online reputation.
• The husband: He is portrayed as impatient and suspicious, while the viewers assume he is an unfaithful man attempting to bring an illegitimate child into the household.

3. Significant Themes

• Justice and protection of the vulnerable: Chu’s intervention prevents Zhuzhu from being manipulated and forced into an abusive marriage arrangement.
• The power of truth: Publicly exposing hidden motives gives Zhuzhu the ability to resist her biological parents and reclaim control over her life.
• Education as a form of repayment: Chu rejects personal gratitude and urges Zhuzhu to use her education to benefit others.
• Reputation and misunderstanding: Chu has become known online as a successful mediator, but the arriving woman does not recognize her, creating comic irony.
• Prejudice and premature judgment: The livestream audience immediately assumes the new dispute involves adultery based only on the couple’s argument, before the facts are known.

4. Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue and Xiong Zhuzhu: Zhuzhu repeatedly bows and thanks Chu for saving her. Chu responds warmly, encouraging Zhuzhu to study and help others.
• Chu and Zhuzhu’s roommates: Chu reassures them with a gentle gesture and sends them back to class.
• The livestream audience and Chu: Viewers eagerly speculate about the day’s dispute and urge Chu to intervene, while Chu internally corrects their assumption that she physically punishes people.
• The distressed couple and neighborhood staff: The woman rejects the first staff member and demands Chu’s help, but when Chu appears, she fails to recognize her, setting up a humorous misunderstanding and the next conflict.

Page 202 Summary

• Plot and events: Chu Xiyue meets Jiang Yingqin and Qian Zhenghua to mediate their marital dispute. Jiang initially doubts Chu’s competence because of her young age and appearance, but asks her to persuade Qian to abandon his mistress and return to the marriage. Qian admits pursuing the other woman and offers Jiang the house, car, and savings in exchange for a divorce. Jiang refuses, blaming the mistress and accusing Qian of betraying his marriage vows.
• Hidden circumstances: Chu reviews their information and learns that Qian’s affair involves a two-year-old illegitimate child, whom he wants to register under his household. The system reveals that Qian has mortgaged the couple’s assets and transferred most of the money to his mistress, meaning Jiang would receive almost nothing if she divorces him. However, Jiang is not an entirely innocent victim: she once deliberately got Qian drunk, took compromising photos, and sent them to his first love, causing their breakup so she could take his place.
• Character development: Chu remains calm and professional despite Jiang’s hostility and the couple’s emotional argument. She refuses to blindly follow Jiang’s request and begins investigating the truth behind both sides. Her experience and intuition lead her to suspect that Qian’s promises are false and that Jiang has her own history of wrongdoing.
• Character interactions: Jiang treats Chu condescendingly before desperately asking for her help. Qian openly defends his mistress, Xiaoxiao, and challenges Jiang to divorce him. Jiang reacts with anger and desperation, insisting that she will not give up her husband or allow the mistress’s child into the family. Chu observes the conflict while the livestream audience debates whether Jiang should leave the cheating husband.
• Themes: The chapter explores infidelity, possessiveness, hypocrisy, and the complicated power dynamics within marriage. It contrasts public appearances with hidden financial and moral realities, emphasizing that neither spouse is as innocent as they initially seem. It also questions why some people cling to harmful relationships and blame the third party instead of confronting the unfaithful partner.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter reveals the tangled history between Jiang Yingqin, Qian Zhenghua, and Qian’s former first love, Lu Xiao. Jiang once broke up Lu Xiao and Qian by interfering in their relationship, then married Qian.
• Years later, Lu Xiao reunited with Qian and interfered in his marriage, believing Jiang’s earlier actions had caused her own misfortunes. The narration presents the situation as a cycle of betrayal, with all three adults sharing blame.
• Jiang and Qian argue over their failing marriage. Jiang wants Qian to return home and abandon Lu Xiao, while Qian insists he wants a divorce and claims their relationship has long ended.
• Qian portrays himself as generous, saying Jiang can keep the house, car, and savings. Chu Xiyue exposes that he has already transferred the savings to Lu Xiao and mortgaged the property, revealing that he intends to leave Jiang with little.
• Chu also exposes Jiang’s past as the original mistress who stole Lu Xiao’s boyfriend. Jiang and Qian’s hypocrisy becomes public during the livestream, shocking the viewers.
• Qian and Jiang openly accuse each other. Qian blames Jiang for manipulating him into marriage, while Jiang insists that Qian once loved her and that Lu Xiao destroyed their relationship.
• Chu reveals that Qian likely married Jiang not out of deep love, but because she was a suitable and supportive option while he was building his career. Jiang struggles to accept this and demands that Qian deny it.

2. Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue takes control of the confrontation. Although she was called in to help Jiang save her marriage, she refuses to take sides and exposes the wrongdoing of both spouses.
• Jiang Yingqin is shown as both a former relationship interloper and a neglected wife. She is desperate to preserve her marriage but remains unwilling to acknowledge that her own earlier actions helped create the current situation.
• Qian Zhenghua is revealed as manipulative and financially dishonest. He blames Jiang and Lu Xiao for his choices while attempting to hide his transfer of marital assets. His claim that he no longer loved Jiang is treated as an excuse for cheating.
• Lu Xiao, though absent from the scene, is portrayed as having repeated Jiang’s earlier behavior by interfering in Qian and Jiang’s marriage. She is not considered innocent, despite her past suffering.
• Jiang and Qian’s daughter is identified as the true victim. Both parents neglect or exploit her: Jiang focuses on her marital grievances, while Qian attempts to deprive his legitimate daughter of her home and rights for the sake of an illegitimate child.

3. Significant Themes

• Karma and the cycle of betrayal: Jiang’s past interference eventually returns to her when Lu Xiao disrupts her marriage.
• Shared guilt and moral hypocrisy: None of the three adults can claim innocence, though Qian bears the greatest responsibility because he repeatedly cheats and shifts blame.
• Marriage as convenience: Qian’s marriage to Jiang is suggested to have been based more on practicality and support than genuine love.
• The harm caused to children by selfish adults: The daughter suffers because her parents prioritize infidelity, resentment, and property over her wellbeing.
• Public exposure and accountability: The livestream forces hidden betrayals and financial schemes into the open, allowing viewers to judge the adults’ actions.

4. Character Interactions

• Jiang begs Chu to persuade Qian to come home, while Qian asks for support in divorcing Jiang.
• Chu interrupts their argument and questions each of them directly, quickly uncovering contradictions in their stories.
• Jiang angrily attacks Lu Xiao as a shameless mistress; Qian defends Lu Xiao and claims Jiang trapped him into marriage.
• Chu rebukes both parties, reminding Jiang of her own past interference and accusing Qian of concealing marital assets.
• At the end, Jiang grabs Qian and demands that he confirm he married her because he loved her, while Chu’s revelation leaves her shaken and unwilling to believe the truth.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Qian Zhenghua coldly pressures Jiang Yingqin to divorce him, offering her 200,000 yuan but threatening that she will receive nothing if she refuses.
• Jiang, devastated after years of raising their children and managing the household, confronts him emotionally and accuses him of being heartless. Qian dismisses her and leaves.
• Chu Xiyue’s presence and the rhythmic cracking of sunflower seeds eventually stop Jiang’s crying. Chu then points out that Qian has already transferred marital assets and advises Jiang to seek legal help before the assets disappear.
• Jiang chooses to pursue divorce and accepts the contact information of a lawyer who can help her recover the marital property.
• After Jiang leaves, Chu jokingly declares herself a “mediation genius,” noting that she has effectively resolved the conflict by ending the marriage.
• Viewers question how Chu gathers gossip so quickly. She truthfully claims to possess a Gossip-Eating System, but the livestream audience treats it as a joke and does not believe her.
• When viewers ask about rumors involving Wang Shuran and Fu Chengze, Chu realizes she does not know the details and challenges the system. She then improvises a more believable explanation, claiming she pays people around the subjects for information.
• The audience speculates about her investigative methods, suggesting she uses informants, government connections, or expertise in microexpressions and behavioral analysis.

Character developments

• Jiang Yingqin moves from emotional collapse and a desire to hold on to her marriage toward a more practical decision to divorce and protect her financial interests.
• Qian Zhenghua is shown as callous, selfish, and manipulative. He minimizes Jiang’s sacrifices, openly cheats, and uses his financial advantage to pressure her.
• Chu Xiyue continues to act unconventionally. Rather than comforting Jiang in a conventional way, she bluntly redirects her attention toward legal action. Her sharp wit, confidence, and love of gossip remain central to her personality.
• The system becomes nervous when Chu reveals its existence, but Chu reassures it that nobody will take the claim seriously.
• The livestream audience increasingly views Chu as an exceptionally capable investigator and enthusiastically encourages her to uncover more scandals.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and marital injustice: Qian’s infidelity and disregard for Jiang’s years of domestic labor expose the unequal consequences of divorce and cheating.
• Self-protection over emotional attachment: Chu encourages Jiang to stop trying to win Qian back and instead secure her legal and financial rights.
• Justice through unconventional means: The chapter humorously presents divorce—not reconciliation—as the practical solution to a toxic relationship.
• Truth and disbelief: Chu tells the audience the literal truth about her system, but they dismiss it because it sounds impossible, highlighting the gap between truth and plausibility.
• Entertainment and voyeurism: Jiang’s painful breakdown is simultaneously treated as a serious personal crisis and as livestream content, with viewers eagerly awaiting new gossip.

Character interactions

• Qian and Jiang’s confrontation establishes the emotional and moral conflict: Jiang demands recognition for her sacrifices, while Qian remains cold and dismissive.
• Chu interacts with Jiang in a blunt but ultimately helpful manner, interrupting her grief with practical advice and directing her toward legal assistance.
• Chu’s internal exchange with the system adds comedy, especially when she exposes its existence and then complains that it cannot provide the gossip viewers expect.
• Chu and the livestream audience engage in playful banter, with viewers teasing her about the system and inventing competing “systems.”
• The audience’s speculation reinforces Chu’s growing reputation as a mysterious, highly effective source of gossip.

Chapter Summary — Page 205

Key Plot Points and Events

• Teacher Fang returns to find that Jiang Yingqin and Qian Zhenghua have already left after their mediation session. Chu Xiyue explains that her “practical advice” convinced Jiang Yingqin to stop trying to save her marriage and pursue a divorce instead.
• Impressed—and somewhat wary of Chu Xiyue’s unpredictable influence—Teacher Fang takes her into the neighborhood to help with fire and theft-prevention education.
• While inspecting an old residential compound, Chu Xiyue notices a shoe cabinet blocking the hallway outside an elderly woman’s apartment. She politely persuades the woman to move it indoors, with help from Teacher Fang and another staff member.
• Teacher Fang explains that the old woman is known to be difficult because she lives alone, became withdrawn after her son died, and allegedly lost both her home and her son’s compensation money to her daughter-in-law.
• After lunch and a short nap, Chu Xiyue returns toward the neighborhood office and hears an elderly woman loudly accusing her daughter-in-law of abuse, neglect, and misusing her deceased son’s inheritance. Chu Xiyue recognizes her as the same woman she met earlier and goes to investigate.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue: Demonstrates strong practical judgment, persuasive communication skills, and an instinctive curiosity about complicated situations. She adapts quickly to community work, shifting from uncertainty to confidence while helping residents. Her attention is especially drawn to the elderly woman’s loneliness and later public outcry.
• Teacher Fang: Initially distrustful of Chu Xiyue’s tendency to create unexpected consequences, but she also recognizes Chu’s competence and brings her into fieldwork. She acts as a guide, explaining the neighborhood’s social circumstances.
• The elderly woman: Is presented first as stubborn and uncooperative, but Teacher Fang’s explanation reveals her grief, isolation, and possible mistreatment by her daughter-in-law. Her later emotional accusation suggests a serious family dispute beneath her difficult behavior.
• Jiang Yingqin and Qian Zhenghua: Their relationship reaches a major turning point after Chu Xiyue’s mediation advice, with Jiang Yingqin choosing divorce rather than reconciliation.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of practical intervention: Chu Xiyue’s advice produces swift, unexpected results, showing how seemingly simple words can change people’s lives.
• Social responsibility and community service: The neighborhood work focuses on preventing fires and maintaining shared spaces, highlighting the importance—and difficulty—of grassroots public service.
• Loneliness and vulnerability in old age: The elderly woman’s behavior is connected to bereavement, poverty, family conflict, and social isolation.
• Hidden realities beneath appearances: What initially appears to be mere stubbornness may conceal grief and injustice. The chapter encourages readers to look beyond difficult behavior.
• Family conflict and economic exploitation: The dispute over the deceased son’s compensation and the treatment of the mother-in-law introduces questions of inheritance, abuse, and betrayal.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue gives Teacher Fang an absurdly calm explanation for the failed mediation, leaving Fang confused and suspicious.
• Teacher Fang and Chu Xiyue work together to persuade the elderly woman to clear the hallway, ultimately helping her move the shoe cabinet inside.
• Teacher Fang warns Chu Xiyue to avoid the woman, while Chu instead responds with sympathy and interest.
• At the chapter’s end, Chu Xiyue encounters the woman publicly denouncing her daughter-in-law, setting up a new conflict for investigation.

Chapter Summary: “The Evil Mother-in-Law”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue encounters an elderly woman publicly arguing with her well-dressed daughter-in-law outside the neighborhood office.
• The old woman claims that she:
  • Lost her husband early and worked hard to raise her son.
  • Was not allowed to see her son before he was cremated after his death.
  • Had her son’s houses, cars, and accident compensation taken by his widow.
  • Was driven out and left without any inheritance or support.
• She loudly presents herself as a poor, mistreated mother-in-law while physically clutching the daughter-in-law’s clothing to prevent her from leaving.
• Teacher Fang tries to persuade the old woman to go inside and discuss the matter, but she refuses and continues crying and accusing her daughter-in-law.
• Bystanders and livestream viewers initially sympathize with the old woman, especially because of her worn clothing compared with the daughter-in-law’s expensive appearance.
• Some netizens remain cautious, remembering that they previously judged similar situations incorrectly. However, the crowd gradually begins criticizing the daughter-in-law when she offers no visible verbal defense.
• Chu Xiyue notices that the daughter-in-law’s silence and behavior seem unusual. The system reveals that she is deaf and mute, has never received formal sign-language education, and can only understand people to a limited extent by reading their lips.
• The mother-in-law is exploiting her daughter-in-law’s disability, knowing she cannot verbally defend herself, and is spreading accusations in front of others.
• The system clarifies that some of the old woman’s claims are technically true—the daughter-in-law did obtain the property and compensation and did force the old woman out—but the old woman has concealed the circumstances behind those actions.
• The chapter begins revealing the real history: the old woman was widowed young and raised two sons alone. Her younger son was hearing-impaired and later married the deaf-and-mute daughter-in-law. Their marriage initially appeared peaceful and happy.
• The excerpt ends just as the deeper conflict between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is about to be explained.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue demonstrates growing caution and perceptiveness. Rather than accepting the apparent victim narrative, she studies the daughter-in-law’s behavior and suspects that something is wrong.
• The daughter-in-law is presented as vulnerable and unable to defend herself through speech. Her visible anger suggests that she understands at least part of the accusations but is trapped by her disability and lack of communication support.
• The mother-in-law initially appears pitiful, but her manipulation becomes evident when it is revealed that she deliberately takes advantage of the daughter-in-law’s inability to speak.
• Teacher Fang acts as a mediator, attempting to move the dispute indoors and calm the old woman.
• The netizens and bystanders show character growth by trying not to judge immediately, though public opinion begins shifting against the daughter-in-law as the old woman’s performance influences them.

Significant Themes

• The danger of one-sided narratives: The old woman presents only the outcome of the conflict, encouraging others to condemn the daughter-in-law without knowing the causes.
• Public judgment and misinformation: The crowd quickly interprets wealth, clothing, and silence as evidence of guilt or cruelty.
• Disability and exploitation: The mother-in-law weaponizes the daughter-in-law’s deafness and muteness, knowing she cannot easily refute lies.
• Appearance versus reality: The old woman looks poor and sympathetic, while the daughter-in-law looks wealthy and angry, but these outward appearances do not reveal the truth.
• The importance of withholding judgment: The livestream audience has learned from earlier mistakes that emotional sympathy should not replace investigation.
• Family conflict and filial expectations: The dispute raises questions about inheritance, responsibility toward elderly parents, and whether family obligations justify controlling or mistreating relatives.

Character Interactions

• The mother-in-law loudly accuses the daughter-in-law while physically preventing her from leaving.
• The daughter-in-law attempts to respond but cannot communicate effectively, leaving her visibly frustrated and isolated.
• Teacher Fang tries to mediate, but the old woman ignores her.
• Bystanders repeat and amplify the old woman’s accusations, criticizing the daughter-in-law for allegedly abandoning her mother-in-law.
• Chu Xiyue consults the system, uncovering the daughter-in-law’s disability and realizing that the apparent story of a cruel widow is incomplete.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue learns the truth behind a public dispute between a mother-in-law and her deaf, mute daughter-in-law.
• The mother-in-law had secretly abused her daughter-in-law for years, forcing her to perform excessive housework despite having a washing machine and pretending to be kind whenever her son was present.
• During the daughter-in-law’s pregnancy, the mother-in-law forced her to consume folk remedies intended to produce a son. The treatment caused a miscarriage, severe infection, and lasting damage to her uterus, making future pregnancy nearly impossible.
• After discovering the abuse, the husband cut ties with his mother and expelled her from their lives. He and his wife later became financially successful.
• The husband eventually died in an accident. His mother, who had refused to visit him in the hospital, returned only after learning about his compensation money, apartment, savings, and inheritance.
• Because the husband had placed his assets in his wife’s name and left a will excluding his mother, the mother-in-law is unlikely to receive anything. She nevertheless stages a public confrontation to pressure her daughter-in-law into giving her money.
• The mother-in-law accuses her daughter-in-law of mistreating her and exploits the woman’s inability to speak in order to win public sympathy.
• Chu Xiyue intervenes, exposes the mother-in-law’s abuse, and warns that continuing to make false accusations could constitute defamation. The crowd and livestream audience begin reconsidering their initial judgment.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue demonstrates compassion, perceptiveness, and courage by defending someone unable to communicate verbally and challenging the crowd’s assumptions.
• The daughter-in-law is revealed to have endured years of manipulation, domestic abuse, medical trauma, and social isolation. Although once timid and unable to communicate effectively, she later became strong enough to reject her abusive mother-in-law and build a life with her husband.
• The mother-in-law is characterized as manipulative and opportunistic. She hides her cruelty from her son, abandons him during his medical crisis, and returns only to pursue his assets.
• The husband initially fails to recognize the abuse because his mother deceives him, but he ultimately learns the truth, sides with his wife, and legally protects her through his will.
• The system provides background information and views the mother-in-law’s failed scheme with satisfaction, emphasizing the injustice of her demands.

Significant Themes

• Hidden abuse and false appearances: The mother-in-law maintains a respectable public image while mistreating her daughter-in-law privately.
• The danger of judging without knowing the full story: The crowd initially believes the loudest accusation until Chu Xiyue reveals the missing context.
• Ableism and silencing: The daughter-in-law’s deafness and muteness leave her vulnerable to exploitation because others assume her silence proves guilt or helplessness.
• Family loyalty versus greed: The husband chooses his wife over his abusive mother, while the mother-in-law values inheritance over her son’s wellbeing.
• Justice and accountability: Although the mother-in-law attempts to manipulate public opinion, the husband’s will and the daughter-in-law’s legal ownership protect the survivor from further exploitation.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue confronts the mother-in-law publicly and stands beside the daughter-in-law.
• The mother-in-law physically restrains and verbally attacks her daughter-in-law while appealing to bystanders for support.
• The daughter-in-law tries to communicate with Chu Xiyue through improvised gestures, showing her desire to explain herself despite lacking formal sign-language training.
• The onlookers and livestream viewers shift from believing the mother-in-law to recognizing the possibility that she is the true abuser.

Chapter 208 Summary

Key plot points and events

Chu Xiyue intervenes when an elderly mother-in-law publicly mistreats and blames her deaf and mute daughter-in-law. She reveals that the old woman had abused the younger woman for years, forced her to take an unsafe “son-producing” formula, and caused her miscarriage and permanent infertility. The daughter-in-law confirms Chu Xiyue’s claims through gestures, while Chu explains that hospital records provide evidence. She also reveals that the deceased husband left all his property to his wife in a will, preventing his mother from claiming the inheritance.

Conflict and public reaction

The crowd initially hears the old woman’s accusations against her daughter-in-law, but after Chu’s revelations, public sympathy shifts decisively. The old woman is condemned for forcing hormonal medicine on her daughter-in-law and for her cruel treatment. When she threatens Chu, Chu intimidates her by mentioning the expensive clothes she is wearing, the surveillance cameras, and the possibility of suing for damages and auctioning the old woman’s home.

Character developments

Chu Xiyue demonstrates confidence, sharp reasoning, and a strong sense of justice. She acts as both protector and translator for the vulnerable daughter-in-law, exposing the older woman’s lies without fear. The daughter-in-law moves from being tense and defenseless to openly resisting her abuser, striking her mother-in-law and affirming Chu’s statements. The old woman is portrayed as manipulative and shameless: rather than defend herself logically, she uses her age, loud crying, and public theatrics to portray herself as the victim.

Important character interactions

Chu comforts the daughter-in-law and communicates on her behalf. She confronts the mother-in-law with specific evidence, while the daughter-in-law physically and emotionally supports the accusations. The livestream audience reacts strongly, praising Chu and expressing anger toward the old woman. The old woman attempts to regain sympathy by claiming her daughter-in-law is stealing the inheritance and mistreating her, but her performance fails to convince the crowd.

Major revelation and themes

Chu then makes a darker accusation: the old woman helped drive her younger son to his death. She reveals that the mother demanded ten thousand yuan from him every month and, on the day of the accident, pressured him to finance his nephew’s house. This abruptly silences and frightens the old woman, suggesting that the son’s death may have been connected to the relentless financial pressure from his mother. The chapter emphasizes justice for abused women, the exposure of domestic cruelty, the misuse of age and victimhood to manipulate others, and the power of public evidence and truth to overturn false narratives.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue confronts an old woman who has been harassing her daughter-in-law over the property left by her deceased son.
• She reveals that the old woman had aggressively berated her younger son for refusing to buy a house for his nephew, sending him abusive messages and cursing him. He was later killed by a speeding car while crossing the road.
• Chu Xiyue convinces the old woman that her cruel messages distracted her son and indirectly caused his death. Terrified by the idea that her dead son might return for revenge, the woman flees.
• The daughter-in-law thanks Chu Xiyue and explains that she plans to sell the house, leave the city, and travel in hopes of starting over.
• Although Chu Xiyue has successfully resolved four disputes at the neighborhood office, her interventions cause the number of complaints to increase dramatically. The staff dismiss her, tactfully claiming that her work is finished and suggesting she rest.
• Chu Xiyue realizes she has effectively been fired because her methods create too much disruption, despite her perfect mediation success rate. Viewers humorously lament losing her entertaining “gossip” livestreams.
• Since the variety show is still filming, Chu Xiyue draws a new assignment: production assistant on the set of the urban romance drama Forest of Love.
• The drama is highly anticipated but controversial because fans of the original novel believe its plot has been heavily altered. Chu Xiyue joins the production during its final filming stages and is mainly assigned to operate the clapperboard.

2. Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue: Demonstrates sharp observational skills, psychological insight, and an unusually ruthless but effective approach to conflict resolution. She enjoys uncovering gossip and uses sensitive information to force people into submission. Her success makes her entertaining to viewers but intolerable to the neighborhood office, prompting her unexpected job change.
• The old woman: Is exposed as manipulative, abusive, and motivated by greed. Her confidence collapses when Chu Xiyue forces her to confront her possible responsibility for her son’s death, and she runs away in fear.
• The daughter-in-law: Gains temporary freedom from her oppressive mother-in-law and decides to leave behind both the house and the unhappy city.
• The variety-show audience: Becomes increasingly attached to Chu Xiyue’s chaotic work style, treating her interventions as a source of entertainment and emotional comfort.

3. Significant Themes

• Guilt and responsibility: The old woman’s cruel words are linked to her son’s distracted state and death, raising questions about indirect responsibility and the consequences of emotional abuse.
• Justice versus cruelty: Chu Xiyue protects the victim, but she does so through fear and psychological manipulation rather than compassion or formal mediation.
• Breaking away from toxic family ties: The daughter-in-law’s decision to sell the house and leave represents an attempt to escape grief, exploitation, and an oppressive family environment.
• Entertainment and spectacle: Serious personal conflicts become content for the livestream audience, blurring the line between genuine help and voyeuristic entertainment.
• Unintended consequences: Although Chu Xiyue resolves every dispute, her aggressive methods generate even more complaints and ultimately cost her the job.

4. Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue verbally dismantles the old woman by recounting her past abuse and suggesting that her deceased son may seek revenge.
• The old woman panics, interprets Chu Xiyue’s words as a supernatural threat, and runs away.
• Chu Xiyue reassures the daughter-in-law that the woman likely will not return, and the daughter-in-law communicates her gratitude by typing on her phone.
• Chu Xiyue asks about the daughter-in-law’s future plans, encouraging a brief, sympathetic exchange before they part.
• The neighborhood office staff indirectly dismiss Chu Xiyue after observing the chaos her successful interventions have caused.
• The viewers react online to her dismissal, praising her unusual effectiveness while worrying that her transfer will eliminate the show’s most entertaining source of gossip.

Chapter 210 Summary

• Chu Xiyue’s first day on set: Chu joins the production of Forest of Love as a clapperboard operator. Since the leads are filming elsewhere, she spends the day recording fragmented scenes involving extras and minor supporting actors. The quiet, repetitive work gives her little opportunity to interact with the cast or livestream, causing her audience to lose interest and drop from hundreds of thousands to only a few thousand viewers.
• Livestream audience reaction: Viewers complain that Chu’s stream is dull and compare it unfavorably with the other guests’ more entertaining activities, such as milking cows, selling handbags, singing children to sleep, and delivering packages. Many had tuned in hoping to see Qi Heng, but are disappointed to learn that he is filming with another unit.
• Gossip from the system: During a break, Chu asks the system for gossip to pass the time. It reveals that:
  • Liu Junxiang was diagnosed with genital warts and syphilis after leaving the show. His wife sought a divorce, though she was fortunately uninfected, and his next major acting role was canceled after his infidelity and fake on-set romance were exposed.
  • Ge Zhenghao has returned to his father’s company but is secretly involved with his stepmother, Zhang Chuyin. Their inappropriate relationship has escalated into intimate encounters in his father’s bridal suite, making Ge’s behavior especially hypocritical and insulting to his father.
  • Wu Xiufang’s feelings for Luo Sheng have turned into hatred, and she drove him out of Sea City. He has returned to his hometown to work an ordinary low-paying job.
    Chu enjoys the scandals and takes pleasure in seeing the people involved suffer consequences, especially Liu Junxiang.
• Meeting the leads: The following day, Chu returns to the set, where the production is filming scenes with the main cast. Her livestream becomes popular again because fans of male lead Qi Heng and female lead Wang Yitong tune in. Qi Heng, a famous idol-drama actor known for domineering CEO roles, emerges from makeup in a tailored suit and immediately receives enthusiastic comments praising his appearance and physique.
• Chu and Qi Heng’s interaction: Qi Heng politely introduces himself to Chu, addressing her as “Teacher Chu.” She responds warmly, partly because she has always appreciated handsome men and has watched his dramas before. She considers his acting better than that of most actors his age.
• Reality versus screen image: Seeing Qi Heng in person, Chu realizes that he is less striking than he appears on television. His skin looks rougher, his makeup is uneven, and he is noticeably thinner without the polished, authoritative aura he possesses onscreen. The contrast highlights the difference between celebrity images created for the camera and their ordinary real-life appearances.

Key Themes

• Behind-the-scenes reality of entertainment: Film production is shown as repetitive and unglamorous, unlike the excitement viewers expect.
• Celebrity image versus reality: Qi Heng’s polished screen persona contrasts sharply with his less impressive appearance off camera.
• Gossip and moral consequences: The system’s revelations emphasize betrayal, infidelity, hypocrisy, and the eventual social or personal consequences of unethical behavior.
• Audience-driven popularity: Chu’s livestream viewership fluctuates according to how much recognizable drama, gossip, and celebrity appeal it offers.
• Chu’s personality: Chu remains cheerful, curious, and entertained by scandal. She is candid in judging others and openly appreciative of attractive men, while also showing an informed interest in acting and the entertainment industry.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• During a livestream, Chu Xiyue notices that actor Qi Heng looks unusually thin and exhausted in person, despite appearing normal on camera.
• The system hints that Qi Heng has a serious secret. Although Chu Xiyue initially hesitates because she likes his dramas and does not want to ruin her impression of him, her curiosity about gossip wins out.
• The system reveals that Qi Heng did not become exhausted from filming the current drama. Before entering the production, he secretly traveled overseas and worked in the adult-film industry.
• Qi Heng had previously worked as a male escort overseas and later became a successful performer and even an influential figure behind the scenes in that industry. According to the system, he entered the field willingly, originally out of personal interest, and earned far more money there than through ordinary acting.
• Chu Xiyue is shocked and initially suspects Qi Heng may have been coerced, but the system insists that his involvement was voluntary.
• Meanwhile, viewers misinterpret Chu Xiyue’s conflicted expression as romantic interest in Qi Heng and begin speculating about them as a potential couple.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue: Her fondness for gossip overrides her concern about preserving her admiration for Qi Heng’s acting. She remains blunt, skeptical, and highly reactive, but also shows some concern by wondering whether he was forced into the adult-film industry.
• Qi Heng: His public image as a clean, scandal-free actor is sharply contrasted with his hidden past. The revelation presents him as far more experienced, secretive, and morally complicated than fans believe.
• The System: It enthusiastically exposes Qi Heng’s secret and treats the revelation as especially entertaining and valuable gossip.

Significant Themes

• Public image versus private identity: Qi Heng’s respectable celebrity persona hides a radically different past.
• The destructive power of gossip: Discovering the truth could permanently alter Chu Xiyue’s and the public’s perception of him, potentially ending his career.
• Celebrity culture and fan projection: Fans quickly construct a romantic narrative around Chu Xiyue and Qi Heng based on a brief expression, showing how easily public figures are misunderstood.
• Moral ambiguity and personal choice: The chapter complicates the idea of victimhood by emphasizing that Qi Heng entered the adult-film industry voluntarily rather than under coercion.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue and Qi Heng exchange polite but distant pleasantries before he leaves to rehearse with the female lead.
• Chu Xiyue debates whether to learn the system’s secret about Qi Heng, worried that the knowledge will ruin her enjoyment of his work.
• The system teases and pressures her with increasingly dramatic hints until she agrees to hear the gossip.
• Livestream viewers observe Chu Xiyue’s reaction and mistakenly interpret it as attraction to Qi Heng, prompting matchmaking comments from his fans.

Key plot points

• Chu Xiyue learns through the system that Qi Heng, now a behind-the-scenes producer, returned to a shady quick-money scheme when his factory struggled. He filmed twenty productions in two months, leaving him exhausted.
• The system reveals that Qi Heng’s muscular on-screen appearance is largely an illusion created with stand-ins or a muscle suit. Chu is annoyed that the dramas’ “eye candy” was fake.
• During filming, Qi Heng fails to carry the 170-centimeter female lead, Wang Yitong, and falls backward, knocking over part of the set. Both actors are helped up; Qi says he is fine and apologizes.
• The crash alarms viewers in Chu’s livestream. Chu reassures them that nobody is seriously hurt, but refuses requests to turn the camera toward the set.
• Viewers praise the apparent faithfulness of the drama adaptation. The system tells Chu they are mistaken: the original’s gentle childhood-friends romance has been rewritten as a melodramatic rich-heir/CEO story, with major changes to the characters and relationships.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Xiyue remains focused on her clapperboard duties, though she privately judges Qi Heng’s condition and reacts indignantly to the revelation about his appearance. She manages the livestream calmly and protects the production by not showing the set.
• Qi Heng appears physically depleted, and his failed bridal carry exposes how badly overwork has affected him. He maintains a composed public face after the fall and apologizes to Wang Yitong.
• Wang Yitong responds instinctively during the fall, clinging to Qi, then checks on him once the crew helps them up.
• The system supplies information about Qi Heng and corrects Chu’s—and the viewers’—impression that the adaptation follows the source novel.

Significant themes

• The chapter satirizes quick-money schemes and the pressures of economic hardship, showing how overwork can damage a person’s health.
• It highlights the gap between celebrity images and reality, and between a source novel and its commercial adaptation.
• Livestream viewers’ attachment to the actors contrasts with Chu’s limited access to what happens off-camera and her responsibility to maintain boundaries.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

The production continues filming a heavily altered adaptation of the original novel. The day’s scene requires male lead Qi Heng to rescue female lead Wang Yitong with a princess carry. Despite repeated attempts, Qi Heng cannot lift Wang Yitong properly and becomes exhausted. The livestream audience notices and begins criticizing him, while his fans defend him by attacking Wang Yitong’s weight and appearance. The assistant director suggests using props to fake the lift. Qi Heng agrees but humiliates Wang Yitong further by telling her to eat less.
Seeing Wang Yitong embarrassed, Chu Xiyue offers to carry her herself. She easily lifts Wang Yitong and walks several steps while holding her, then reassures her that she is not heavy and challenges the idea that her body is “fat.”

Character developments

• Chu Xiyue demonstrates considerable physical strength, confidence, and kindness. She directly intervenes to protect Wang Yitong from humiliation and online abuse.
• Wang Yitong becomes embarrassed and hurt by Qi Heng’s failure and insulting comment, but Chu Xiyue’s support helps restore her dignity.
• Qi Heng is shown to be physically weaker than his image suggests. His embarrassment makes him defensive, and he shifts blame onto Wang Yitong rather than accepting responsibility.
• Qi Heng’s fans reveal their intense hostility toward women associated with him, escalating a minor production mishap into widespread body-shaming.

Significant themes

• The chapter criticizes poor adaptations that abandon the source material and replace it with clichéd “Gary Stu” fantasies.
• It highlights misogyny, body-shaming, and the unequal standards applied to male and female performers.
• The contrast between Qi Heng’s supposed heroic image and Chu Xiyue’s genuine ability exposes the difference between manufactured celebrity personas and reality.
• Female solidarity and defending another person’s dignity are emphasized through Chu Xiyue’s actions.

Character interactions

Chu Xiyue observes the awkward filming and becomes increasingly irritated by Qi Heng’s weakness and his fans’ attacks. Qi Heng and Wang Yitong repeatedly attempt the scene, but their frustration grows until props are proposed. After Qi Heng insults Wang Yitong, Chu Xiyue warmly approaches her, asks permission to carry her, and successfully does so. Her playful reassurance contrasts sharply with Qi Heng’s contempt, strengthening the bond and mutual respect between Chu Xiyue and Wang Yitong.

Chapter Summary: “Qi Heng Technique One”

Key Plot Points and Events

• On set, Wang Yitong worries that her weight may make it difficult for male actors to carry her. Wang Yitong reassures her, but Chu Xiyue strongly defends her, arguing that male actors should improve their own strength instead of blaming female actresses.
• Chu Xiyue openly mocks Qi Heng for failing to lift Wang Yitong, sarcastically suggesting that his fans stop calling him “Brother” and instead nickname him “Empty Void Young Master,” implying weakness and poor virility.
• The confrontation becomes a major spectacle online. Viewers praise Chu Xiyue’s boldness, while Qi Heng’s fans defend him by claiming Wang Yitong is too heavy and deliberately failed to cooperate.
• Chu Xiyue challenges this defense, pointing out that the fans did not actually witness the incident and that Qi Heng should not shift blame onto Wang Yitong.
• Qi Heng attempts to dismiss her comments as a joke because she is livestreaming, but Chu Xiyue insists she is serious and continues insulting his physical weakness, even recommending supplements and traditional medicines associated with male vitality.
• Qi Heng becomes enraged and appears ready to attack her. Chu Xiyue notices this, calls attention to his clenched fists, and summons two highly trained bodyguards for protection.
• Intimidated by her security and unable to retaliate, Qi Heng denies intending violence. Chu Xiyue enjoys the power of openly intimidating him.
• The director is left in a difficult position, caught between protecting the popular male lead and avoiding conflict with Chu Xiyue, the powerful daughter of Chu Lingyun.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue: Demonstrates her fearless, sharp-tongued, and confrontational personality. She openly challenges sexism, refuses to let Wang Yitong be scapegoated, and confidently uses her wealth and bodyguards to protect herself. She also discovers that she enjoys the authority and intimidation associated with being a powerful “villain-like” figure.
• Qi Heng: Suffers public humiliation and loses control emotionally. His anger reveals his pride and insecurity, especially regarding his physical strength and masculinity. His reaction to Chu Xiyue’s references to kidney-related medicine suggests she may have touched on a private weakness or secret.
• Wang Yitong: Receives public support from Chu Xiyue after being unfairly criticized for supposedly weighing too much. Her vulnerability about her appearance contrasts with Chu Xiyue’s aggressive defense.
• The Director: Becomes increasingly anxious because the conflict involves two influential figures: Qi Heng’s enormous fanbase and Chu Xiyue’s powerful family.

Significant Themes

• Sexism and double standards: The chapter criticizes the tendency to blame women for male actors’ physical limitations and to judge female celebrities primarily by their weight.
• Public image and online fandom: The livestream magnifies the confrontation, turning a private dispute into a viral public controversy. Fans distort events to defend their idol.
• Power and social status: Chu Xiyue’s wealth, family influence, and bodyguards allow her to confront Qi Heng without fearing the consequences.
• Masculinity and humiliation: Qi Heng’s inability to carry Wang Yitong becomes a public challenge to his masculine image, provoking anger and defensiveness.
• Bullying and retaliation: Chu Xiyue recognizes that she is intimidating Qi Heng in the same exaggerated way villains often bully others, but she enjoys finally possessing that kind of power.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue and Wang Yitong: Chu Xiyue protects Wang Yitong and rejects the idea that she is too heavy or at fault.
• Chu Xiyue and Qi Heng: Their exchange escalates from sarcastic criticism to open verbal warfare. Chu Xiyue repeatedly humiliates him, while Qi Heng struggles to maintain composure under public scrutiny.
• Chu Xiyue and her bodyguards: Her bodyguards reinforce her confidence and prevent Qi Heng from acting violently.
• Qi Heng and the online audience: His fans defend him aggressively, while many viewers mock him and support Chu Xiyue.
• The director and both stars: The director is trapped between their conflicting influence and fears the professional consequences of taking either side.

Chapter 215 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The director interrupts Qi Heng’s confrontation with Chu Xiyue and persuades him to return to filming, prioritizing the production’s relationship with Chu Xiyue and her powerful backers.
• The system warns Chu Xiyue that Qi Heng has connections to an overseas criminal organization and may retaliate against her abroad. Chu remains fearless, insisting that her strongest protection is her country.
• Chu and the system jokingly discuss ways to send Qi Heng to prison, including exposing his alleged pornographic videos and charging him with distributing obscene materials.
• Qi Heng struggles to complete a princess-carry scene, requiring help from the props team.
• Chu Xiyue’s livestream of their confrontation spreads online. Clips of her mocking Qi Heng become popular on Weibo, generating several trending topics ridiculing his physical weakness and praising Chu for defending actress Wang Yitong.
• Qi Heng’s fans retaliate by flooding Chu’s online pages with insults and accusations of attention-seeking and rumor-mongering.
• Enraged by the backlash and public humiliation, Qi Heng destroys items in his dressing room and demands that his manager ruin Chu Xiyue’s career.
• His manager warns him that Chu is protected by both Lingyun Group and Skylight Group, making her extremely difficult—and dangerous—to target. He compares Qi Heng’s threat to Young President Xu’s failed attempt to destroy Chu, implying that Qi Heng could suffer the same fate.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue remains bold, irreverent, and unafraid of powerful enemies. Her patriotism and confidence in her country’s protection emphasize her unconventional but firm moral outlook.
• The system becomes increasingly complicit in Chu’s schemes, enthusiastically suggesting technical methods to expose Qi Heng and help put him in prison. Their relationship is portrayed as a mischievous partnership.
• Qi Heng is shown as physically weaker and emotionally volatile than his public image suggests. His humiliation quickly turns into rage and a desire for revenge.
• Qi Heng’s manager acts as the voice of reason, recognizing the overwhelming power of Chu’s corporate allies and attempting to prevent Qi Heng from making a disastrous move.
• Wang Yitong gains indirect support from Chu, who publicly rejects the accusation that Wang is too heavy to carry.

Significant Themes

• Power and protection: Qi Heng’s criminal connections appear threatening, but Chu’s institutional and national backing proves more formidable.
• Public image versus reality: Qi Heng’s carefully marketed muscular persona is undermined by his inability to carry an actress, while Chu’s livestream reshapes public perception.
• Online celebrity culture: A brief on-set conflict becomes a viral controversy, demonstrating how livestreams, fan wars, and trending topics can determine reputations.
• Justice and revenge: Chu and the system casually consider legal punishment for Qi Heng’s alleged crimes, blending righteous intentions with mischievous retaliation.
• Consequences of arrogance: Qi Heng’s attempt to intimidate Chu only leads to greater public ridicule and exposes how vulnerable he is when challenged.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue and Qi Heng: Their hostile confrontation continues, with Chu verbally overpowering and publicly embarrassing him.
• Chu Xiyue and the system: They joke about Qi Heng’s underworld ties and plot possible ways to expose or imprison him, showing their close, conspiratorial bond.
• Qi Heng and his manager: Qi Heng demands revenge, but his manager counters with a realistic warning about Chu’s powerful allies.
• Chu Xiyue and Wang Yitong: Chu defends Wang against Qi Heng’s implication that she is too heavy to carry, strengthening Chu’s reputation as someone willing to challenge unfair treatment.

Chapter Summary

• Qi Heng is forced to back down: Qi Heng’s manager warns him that Chu Xiyue’s wealthy family connections make her untouchable. Since everyone who has challenged her has supposedly ended up imprisoned or disappeared, he advises Qi Heng to endure the humiliation, control his fans, and avoid provoking her. Although furious, Qi Heng recognizes that he cannot compete with the Chu and Cheng families.
• A false apology: The following day, Qi Heng apologizes to Chu Xiyue and gives her coffee, hiding his resentment behind a polite attitude. Chu suspects he may have tampered with the drink, but the system explains that his manager forced him to apologize. Chu mocks his lack of backbone internally while outwardly accepting the apology with superficial courtesy.
• Chu’s revenge plan advances: Chu asks about the system’s project to remove the mosaic from Qi Heng’s overseas adult video. The system confirms that the video has been uploaded to a website where the mosaic will automatically be removed and cannot be taken down. Because Qi Heng is famous internationally, the video should spread widely within half a month and potentially lead to criminal charges for distributing obscene material.
• Unexpectedly rapid downfall: Chu assumes Qi Heng’s scandal will take weeks to emerge, but two nights later, the hashtag #Qi Heng Shu Yi# suddenly tops the trending searches. On the same day that Chu finishes filming and returns to her hotel, the system excitedly reveals that Qi Heng has already been arrested.
• How Qi Heng is exposed: The arrest results from a government anti-pornography operation launched before the New Year. Authorities investigating online scams and illegal pornographic livestreams repeatedly discover the same video during raids. At first, they suspect AI face-swapping, but forensic examinations prove that the footage is authentic. A detailed comparison of the man’s appearance, movements, and expressions confirms that the actor in the adult video—known online as “Shu Yi”—is genuinely Qi Heng.

Character Developments

• Qi Heng: His arrogance and resentment are suppressed by fear of Chu Xiyue’s influence. He becomes outwardly submissive, apologizing despite privately hating her. His public image and career now face total destruction after the discovery of the authentic adult video.
• Chu Xiyue: She remains outwardly calm and uninvolved, while secretly arranging Qi Heng’s downfall through the system. She shows a vindictive but detached attitude, treating the scandal as a calculated act of retaliation and viewing herself as merely a temporary worker on the production.
• Qi Heng’s manager: He acts pragmatically, recognizing the power imbalance and trying to protect Qi Heng by controlling his behavior and fans.
• The system: It serves as Chu’s informant and accomplice, providing her with information and carrying out the technical plan to expose the video.

Significant Themes

• Class and power inequality: Wealth and family influence determine who can act with impunity and who must submit, emphasizing the unfairness of the entertainment industry.
• Public image and scandal: Qi Heng’s fame becomes the very thing that makes his downfall inevitable, since viewers and authorities can easily identify him.
• Revenge and manipulation: Chu uses hidden technological means rather than openly invoking her family’s power, allowing Qi Heng’s own actions to destroy him.
• Reality versus appearances: Qi Heng’s polite apology conceals his hatred, while the authorities initially mistake the genuine video for AI-generated material, highlighting the difficulty of distinguishing truth from fabrication in the digital age.
• Justice through exposure: The chapter presents Qi Heng’s arrest as the consequence of his misconduct, though Chu’s secret intervention accelerates the process.

Chapter Summary

Plot and key events

Qi Heng is exposed as “Shu Yi,” a famous overseas adult-film actor who allegedly appeared in more than a hundred videos. Police discover his identity while investigating an online pornography-distribution and fraud case, then arrest him. Faced with overwhelming evidence, Qi Heng confesses and hopes his cooperation will reduce his sentence. The police issue an official notice describing the arrest without initially naming him.

Public revelation

Chu Xiyue deliberately likes the police announcement on Weibo, drawing attention from her millions of followers. At first, most netizens doubt that the celebrity mentioned could be Qi Heng, since he is wealthy and successful. However, a paparazzo soon posts a photograph of Qi Heng being handcuffed and escorted into a police car. The hashtag linking Qi Heng to “Shu Yi” immediately becomes a major trending topic, and online users begin identifying his face in old videos.

Chu Xiyue’s actions and character development

Earlier, Chu Xiyue had kept quiet to avoid warning Qi Heng and giving him a chance to flee. Once he is arrested, she openly enjoys spreading the scandal and confirms or “likes” increasingly sensational rumors about his past. Her behavior reveals her mischievous, gossip-loving nature and her satisfaction at seeing Qi Heng finally face consequences. She also recognizes that her earlier remarks about him being “weak” are now being reinterpreted by the public as clues.

Qi Heng’s development

Qi Heng’s carefully maintained image as a successful male actor collapses. He is revealed not only as an adult-film performer but, according to circulating rumors, possibly as someone involved in the production and distribution of the material. His public reputation, career, and freedom are all jeopardized, and he may face a lengthy prison sentence.

Character interactions

Chu Xiyue discusses the case with the system, questioning why the videos attracted male viewers. The system explains that Qi Heng had a broad appeal, including among gay men. Their conversation is irreverent and humorous despite the seriousness of the crime. Chu Xiyue also interacts indirectly with netizens by liking comments and encouraging public speculation, turning the scandal into a collective online spectacle.

Major themes

The chapter explores the collapse of celebrity personas, the power of social media to expose hidden identities, and the public’s fascination with scandal. It also highlights gossip as a form of revenge and entertainment, while showing how rumors, evidence, and online speculation rapidly merge once a celebrity’s secret life is revealed.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qi Heng’s scandal causes severe fallout: companies terminate their endorsement contracts with him, and video platforms remove his past works.
• The director of Forest of Love panics because the completed drama can no longer air, leaving his investment and three months of filming at risk.
• He discovers that Chu Xiyue has deliberately liked posts exposing Qi Heng’s history, effectively publicizing his progression from male escort to porn actor and eventual owner of an adult-film studio.
• Instead of terminating the drama, Chu Xiyue offers to finance a reshoot. She insists that the script be revised to follow the original novel more faithfully, removing the exaggerated romantic conflicts added by the previous adaptation.
• Although the director initially argues that the original plot is too bland for television, Chu Xiyue overrules him as the investor. The screenwriters are summoned to rewrite the script overnight.
• The reshoot is announced openly. Most of the original cast, including Wang Yitong and several major supporting actors, agree to return. Those unavailable are replaced, and Song Baichen is chosen as the new male lead.
• Having learned from the Qi Heng scandal, the director asks Chu Xiyue to screen the cast for hidden scandals. She finds no serious problems among them, allowing production preparations to proceed.
• Fans of the cast and the original novel celebrate the reshoot, especially because Chu Xiyue promises a more faithful adaptation. Chu Xiyue even wins a physical copy of the novel through an online giveaway.
• Chu Xiyue’s next major event is the year-end film festival red carpet, where she will appear as an investor alongside the cast of Eternal Lonely Island, her first major investment and a film scheduled for release during the Lunar New Year season.
• She prepares extensively for the event, wearing an elegant light-blue, star-patterned gown and a sapphire necklace. Her stylists are overwhelmed by her beauty and flatter her enthusiastically, earning double payment from her.
• Because Eternal Lonely Island is backed by Lingyun Group and has attracted growing attention despite its inexperienced creative team, the film’s group receives a prominent later position in the red-carpet lineup.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue becomes more influential and decisive in the entertainment industry. She uses her wealth to rescue Forest of Love, imposes her artistic preferences, and demonstrates confidence in controlling a production.
• She also shows strategic awareness by exposing Qi Heng indirectly through her social-media activity and by checking the replacement cast for potential scandals.
• Her vanity and enjoyment of praise remain prominent, but they are presented humorously. She takes great pleasure in her appearance and rewards people who compliment her.
• The director of Forest of Love shifts from despair and resentment to relief and enthusiasm once Chu Xiyue offers funding. He sacrifices his original preferences for the security of her investment.
• Wang Yitong and the returning cast members demonstrate renewed commitment to the drama by giving up other work to participate in the reshoot.
• Song Baichen is introduced as the new male lead, though the chapter provides little detail about him beyond Chu Xiyue’s prior acquaintance with him.

Significant Themes

• Power and control in the entertainment industry: Financial backing allows Chu Xiyue to determine the script, casting, and production direction.
• Consequences of scandal: Qi Heng’s misconduct destroys his career and endangers an entire production, showing how one actor’s reputation can affect many others.
• Reputation management and risk prevention: The director’s investigation of the new cast reflects the industry’s fear of hidden scandals.
• Faithfulness versus commercial adaptation: Chu Xiyue favors loyalty to the original novel over added melodrama, challenging the belief that sensational conflict is necessary for success.
• Beauty, flattery, and self-confidence: Chu Xiyue’s enjoyment of praise provides comic relief while reinforcing her growing confidence and self-image.
• Second chances and restoration: The reshoot gives Forest of Love and its cast an opportunity to recover from Qi Heng’s downfall.

Character Interactions

• The director initially feels bitter toward Chu Xiyue because her exposure of Qi Heng contributes to the drama’s crisis, but their relationship improves when she offers to invest.
• Chu Xiyue and the director clash over the script’s tone; she decisively asserts her authority as the investor.
• Chu Xiyue consults the director by reviewing the proposed cast and assuring him that none of the replacements pose a major scandal risk.
• Chu Xiyue’s online activity indirectly interacts with Qi Heng by amplifying accusations against him, helping cement his public downfall.
• Chu Xiyue interacts warmly with the stylists, rewarding their extravagant compliments with double pay.
• Her connection with Song Baichen is established as a prior acquaintance, setting up a potentially important relationship in the reshot drama.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue attends a film festival in Sea City and waits in the freezing cold to walk the red carpet. She regrets wearing a glamorous but inadequate gown instead of bringing her down jacket.
• Her van leaves before she can retrieve her coat, and a delay on the red carpet forces her and the other actresses to remain outside.
• The system reveals that Jiang Jie and Xu Zhiying secretly prepared against the cold with thermal clothing and heat patches, while Chu Xiyue has no such protection.
• Cheng Heyun unexpectedly appears and lends Chu Xiyue his suit jacket, shielding her from the wind and leaving his body warmth and familiar scent on the coat.
• Xu Zhiying assumes Cheng Heyun is romantically interested in Chu Xiyue, especially because he has never attended such an event before. Chu Xiyue dismisses the idea, explaining their families’ friendship and insisting that Cheng is simply kind.
• Before Xu Zhiying can suggest that Cheng may like her, an attendant calls the group onto the red carpet.
• Chu Xiyue’s appearance is livestreamed and receives immediate attention. Her pale-blue starry gown, Cheng’s oversized black jacket, and exceptional beauty make her the focus of public admiration.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue: Shows practical inexperience with celebrity events but remains straightforward and oblivious to romantic implications. She gratefully accepts Cheng’s jacket and becomes the center of attention once she steps before the cameras.
• Cheng Heyun: Demonstrates unusual gentleness and attentiveness toward Chu Xiyue by giving her his jacket and standing upwind to protect her. His behavior contrasts sharply with his public reputation as ruthless and cold.
• Xu Zhiying: Becomes increasingly perceptive about Cheng’s possible feelings for Chu Xiyue. Her past-life knowledge of Cheng’s reputation allows her to recognize that his actions are probably meaningful, even though Chu Xiyue cannot.
• Jiang Jie: Is shown as experienced and prepared, having secretly worn heat-generating thermal pants.
• The system: Provides humorous commentary and explains how the other women are coping with the cold.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Cheng Heyun’s warm behavior conflicts with his notorious public image, while the glamorous actresses conceal practical preparations beneath their gowns.
• Romantic obliviousness and mistaken assumptions: Xu Zhiying notices signs of Cheng’s interest, but Chu Xiyue interprets them as ordinary courtesy.
• Public image and celebrity attention: Chu Xiyue’s carefully styled appearance instantly attracts online admiration, showing how quickly public perception can be shaped by a red-carpet appearance.
• Preparation versus inexperience: Chu Xiyue’s lack of experience leaves her suffering in the cold, while the other actresses’ hidden preparations protect them.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue compares herself with Jiang Jie and Xu Zhiying while waiting outside and learns why they appear unaffected by the cold.
• Cheng Heyun quietly helps Chu Xiyue by lending her his jacket, creating an intimate moment that she views only as kindness.
• Xu Zhiying questions Chu Xiyue about her relationship with Cheng and tries to point out his possible romantic interest, but the attendant interrupts before she can finish.
• The livestream audience reacts enthusiastically to Chu Xiyue’s beauty, elevating her visibility at the festival.

Chapter Summary: “Festival Gossip”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue enters the festival after receiving considerable media attention for her stunning red-carpet appearance. Her coordinated pale-blue gown and black suit become a viral sensation, and the hashtag #ChuXiyueKillsWithHerFace rises into Weibo’s top five.
• Despite her own popularity, Chu Xiyue is far more interested in overheard celebrity gossip than in her trending status.
• She learns that actress Ling Jinyu announced her pregnancy on the red carpet, prompting rumors that she is using the child to force her wealthy boyfriend, Wang Zhibiao, to marry her.
• Nearby artists spread increasingly scandalous claims: Ling Jinyu supposedly stole her half-sister’s boyfriend, became pregnant after disguising herself as her sister, and is sacrificing her career for an older man.
• Chu Xiyue eagerly eavesdrops while eating sunflower seeds and mandarin oranges, but the gossipers avoid naming the man involved and eventually change topics, leaving her frustrated.
• Chu Xiyue asks Xu Zhiying for clarification. Xu explains that Ling Jinyu and her sister are half-sisters with a poor relationship, but that Ling Jinyu’s boyfriend had already broken up with her sister before dating Ling Jinyu.
• Xu also clarifies that Ling Jinyu announced the pregnancy because she wanted public blessings, not because she intended to secure her position through the baby.
• Xu privately remembers Ling Jinyu’s tragic future: she will die from postpartum hemorrhaging after giving birth, after which her husband and sister will reunite and raise the child together. However, Xu cannot reveal this knowledge.
• The chapter ends as the red carpet concludes, the celebrities take their seats, and the venue lights dim for the festival’s main program.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue is shown as beautiful and socially prominent but unusually indifferent to fame. Her strongest enthusiasm is for sensational gossip, highlighting her playful, curious, and somewhat irreverent personality.
• Xu Zhiying demonstrates knowledge from her previous life and a more compassionate, balanced view of Ling Jinyu. She understands that public rumors distort the truth but is burdened by her inability to prevent Ling Jinyu’s future death.
• Ling Jinyu, though absent from the chapter’s direct scenes, is recharacterized from a supposedly manipulative woman into someone who may genuinely love her partner and simply want support for her pregnancy.
• The chapter also hints at the complicated and potentially tragic relationships among Ling Jinyu, her half-sister, and Ling Jinyu’s boyfriend.

Significant Themes

• Gossip versus truth: Public rumors exaggerate and distort private relationships, while the real circumstances are more complicated and sympathetic.
• The cruelty of public judgment: Ling Jinyu is condemned based on assumptions about her pregnancy and relationship, especially because of her gender and romantic history.
• Fame and personal priorities: Chu Xiyue’s viral beauty contrasts with her lack of interest in celebrity status, emphasizing her unusual personality.
• Foreknowledge and helplessness: Xu Zhiying knows Ling Jinyu’s tragic fate but cannot warn her without exposing her secret, creating a sense of impending tragedy.
• Women, relationships, and independence: The gossipers debate whether women should rely on men or prioritize careers, introducing contrasting views of romance, marriage, and female autonomy.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue silently eavesdrops on three industry artists and reacts internally to every new revelation.
• She mentally challenges their assumptions, especially the claim that a drunken man could not have participated willingly in the encounter.
• Chu directly questions Xu Zhiying about Ling Jinyu, using her curiosity to draw out Xu’s knowledge.
• Xu responds calmly and corrects the rumors, but conceals Ling Jinyu’s future death.
• Their interaction highlights the contrast between Chu’s appetite for entertaining scandal and Xu’s awareness of the serious consequences behind it.