Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Chu Xiyue Spills the Tea Live

Key Plot Points and Events

• Azure Sea Entertainment attempts to pressure Dawn Entertainment’s acting president into blacklisting Chu Xiyue, but he refuses and immediately informs her. He is confident that Dawn’s powerful backing—Lingyun Group and its connection to Skylight Group—can withstand Azure Sea’s threats.
• A wave of vicious comments and online attacks begins disrupting Chu Xiyue’s livestream and affecting the program’s traffic.
• The director, believing Chu Xiyue is being deliberately targeted, suggests that she take a few days off to avoid worsening the controversy. Chu Xiyue calmly refuses, declaring that the Xu Family’s downfall is imminent.
• Wen Lun dramatically claims that he has asked his brother to deal with the rumors, but the director becomes suspicious when he notices Wen Lun has an unauthorized phone. Wen Lun tries to escape, leaving Chu Xiyue amused.
• Rather than defend herself against the accusations, Chu Xiyue decides to counterattack by exposing scandals involving her enemies.
• She posts a provocative livestream announcement promising revelations about:
  • The “unspeakable secrets” of a wealthy family
  • An entertainment company allegedly falsifying its financial reports
  • A scandal involving a top celebrity and a married couple
• The announcement redirects public attention away from the negative trending topics about her. Viewers flood the livestream, with 800,000 watching even before it begins.
• At the scheduled livestream, viewers expect to see Chu Xiyue devastated by the harassment—including threats and funeral wreaths sent to the filming base and Dawn Entertainment—but instead find her casually eating spicy hot pot.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue demonstrates exceptional composure, confidence, and strategic intelligence. She refuses to appear defensive or retreat from public view, choosing instead to seize control of the narrative through sensational revelations.
• Her arrogant, CEO-like confidence becomes increasingly prominent, reflected in her certainty that the Xu Family will soon collapse.
• The acting president of Dawn Entertainment proves loyal and practical. He rejects Azure Sea Entertainment’s demand because Chu Xiyue is his superior and because he trusts Dawn’s powerful backing.
• The director shows concern for Chu Xiyue and attempts to protect both her and the show, but he also recognizes that controversy can generate valuable publicity.
• Wen Lun tries to help Chu Xiyue but behaves suspiciously by secretly obtaining a phone. His exaggerated declaration of loyalty provides comic relief.
• Miao Qingran, Chen Yi, Mo Xiang, Li Fan’er, and others publicly support Chu Xiyue, though their voices are largely suppressed by trolls and hostile online forces.

Significant Themes

• Reclaiming control of public opinion: Chu Xiyue refuses to follow the expected script of apologizing or defending herself. She understands that explanations would leave her trapped in her attackers’ narrative.
• The power of scandal and entertainment: Gossip attracts more attention than formal statements, allowing Chu Xiyue to turn the controversy into a promotional opportunity.
• Strength versus victimhood: Although the public expects her to appear broken, Chu Xiyue remains relaxed and defiant, symbolizing her refusal to be intimidated.
• Industry corruption and hidden power struggles: The threats from Azure Sea Entertainment and the promised exposure of financial fraud suggest a larger conflict between powerful entertainment companies.
• Loyalty and backing: The support of Dawn Entertainment’s allies and the people Chu Xiyue has helped contrasts with the organized hostility of paid trolls.

Character Interactions

• The acting president reports Azure Sea Entertainment’s threat to Chu Xiyue, reinforcing their professional trust.
• The director advises Chu Xiyue to withdraw temporarily, but she confidently rejects his suggestion.
• Wen Lun announces that he has asked his brother to defend Chu Xiyue, prompting the director to question their relationship and investigate his suspicious phone.
• Chu Xiyue observes Wen Lun and the director’s exchange with amusement before independently deciding to fight back.
• Online supporters and former beneficiaries defend Chu Xiyue, while paid trolls attempt to drown them out.
• The livestream audience, expecting an emotional explanation, is instead confronted with Chu Xiyue’s casual and humorous hot-pot-eating performance, establishing her control over the situation.

Chapter Summary — Page 162

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue begins her livestream by calmly eating extremely spicy hotpot, despite crying and having a runny nose from the heat. Her relaxed attitude frustrates the viewers, trolls, and people waiting for her promised “hot tea.”
• She briefly promotes the hotpot restaurant, Chuanyu Old Hotpot, before addressing the controversy surrounding her.
• Chu Xiyue reveals that Azure Sea Entertainment has allegedly falsified its financial reports for three consecutive years through a subsidiary called Karen Foreign Trade.
• She explains that Karen Foreign Trade conducted genuine overseas business only during its first year and fabricated transactions afterward. Through false invoices, it allegedly inflated revenue by nearly 40 billion, making up more than one-third of Azure Sea Entertainment’s reported income.
• Viewers initially accuse Chu Xiyue of spreading rumors and claim she is jealous of Azure Sea Entertainment. Some mock her for mentioning the company while supposedly avoiding Lingyun Group.
• Chu Xiyue responds by praising Lingyun Group as a major taxpayer and even gives its stock code, turning the criticism into an amusing advertisement.
• She then reveals that the China Securities Regulatory Commission has just issued an official notice confirming the investigation into Karen Foreign Trade’s financial fraud.
• The official website crashes under the sudden traffic, but viewers circulate screenshots proving that Chu Xiyue’s claims were almost exactly accurate.
• Public opinion immediately shifts. Many viewers begin supporting Chu Xiyue, while others speculate that she must have had insider information because she knew the details before the official announcement.
• The audience demands more revelations, particularly about a famous celebrity and a secret involving a wealthy family. Chu Xiyue says these stories are connected and begins introducing Azure Sea Entertainment’s management structure before continuing.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue: Demonstrates remarkable composure, confidence, and strategic intelligence. Rather than responding emotionally to the insults, she eats hotpot, promotes the restaurant, and delivers explosive information with precise details. Her credibility rises dramatically when the authorities confirm her accusations.
• The trolls and hostile viewers: Initially dominate the livestream with sarcasm and attacks, portraying Chu Xiyue as shameless and malicious. After the official notice appears, their narrative weakens, and viewers begin identifying them as paid defenders of Azure Sea Entertainment.
• The general audience: Moves from skepticism and mockery to shock, curiosity, and support. Their attention shifts from questioning Chu Xiyue’s motives to demanding further revelations.
• Azure Sea Entertainment: Is portrayed as a powerful but corrupt corporation whose apparent success may depend heavily on fabricated revenue and fraudulent accounting.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus manufactured public opinion: Paid trolls and online attacks attempt to discredit Chu Xiyue, but verifiable evidence quickly exposes the weakness of the company’s propaganda.
• Power of information: Chu Xiyue’s advance knowledge gives her enormous influence and suggests she possesses access to hidden information unavailable to the public.
• Public image and corporate corruption: The chapter contrasts Azure Sea Entertainment’s prestigious reputation with the fraudulent practices allegedly supporting its financial success.
• Confidence and reversal of social power: Chu Xiyue refuses to act like a disgraced celebrity under attack. Her calm behavior allows her to seize control of the narrative and turn a hostile livestream into a platform for exposing powerful people.
• Entertainment as spectacle: Even serious financial crimes are presented through livestream drama, hotpot promotion, online arguments, and audience interaction, blurring the line between investigative disclosure and viral entertainment.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue interacts with the livestream staff, calmly acknowledging their reminders while continuing to eat before addressing the audience.
• She directly engages with hostile commenters, especially those accusing her of rumor-mongering or challenging her to expose Lingyun Group.
• Her praise of Lingyun Group irritates the trolls, who interpret it as sycophantic behavior and suggest she is exploiting her shared surname with the group’s owner.
• She reassures curious viewers that the promised revelations will come and hints that the celebrity scandal and wealthy-family secret are connected.
• Through her exchanges with the audience, Chu Xiyue transforms the livestream from a space for attacking her into a public forum demanding more evidence and exposing the companies defending themselves through online manipulation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue reveals the scandalous history of the Xu Family, which controls Azure Sea Entertainment.
• Xu Guangye, the company’s chairman, has two publicly recognized sons: Xu Wenchong, born to his first wife, and Xu Wanyi, born to the woman who later became his second wife.
• Xu Guangye abandoned his first wife after becoming successful and married Xu Wanyi’s mother, making Xu Wanyi the son of a former mistress.
• After Xu Wenchong divorced Wan Zhen, Wan Zhen began an affair with Xu Wanyi and became his mistress, creating a scandalous relationship between two brothers and the same woman.
• Chu Xiyue clarifies that the anonymous couple involved in another major scandal is not either of the brothers. It is actually Xu Guangye and his current wife, together with Azure Sea Entertainment’s leading male star, Xu Hanfei.
• Xu Hanfei is not Xu Guangye’s biological son. He is Xu Wanyi’s older half-brother, born from Xu Wanyi’s mother’s previous marriage.
• Xu Wanyi’s mother secretly supported Xu Hanfei out of guilt and helped him become Azure Sea Entertainment’s leading male celebrity.
• Unsatisfied with fame and wealth, Xu Hanfei and his mother planned to claim part of the Xu Family inheritance.
• Chu Xiyue then exposes the biggest secret: Xu Wanyi is not Xu Guangye’s biological son. He is actually the child of Xu Wanyi’s mother and her former husband.
• She mocks Xu Guangye, pointing out that although he was repeatedly unfaithful to his wife, his wife had also deceived him by passing off another man’s son as his own.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue: Maintains a calm, teasing, and confident attitude while revealing increasingly shocking secrets. She deliberately builds suspense and refuses to be intimidated by accusations that she fabricated the scandal.
• Xu Guangye: Is portrayed as an aging, unfaithful businessman who abandoned his first wife, kept mistresses, and unknowingly raised another man’s child as his heir.
• Xu Wanyi: His image is severely damaged. He is exposed as the son of a former mistress, an adulterer involved with his former sister-in-law, and someone with no biological connection to the Xu Family.
• Xu Wenchong: His failed marriage and betrayal by both his ex-wife and younger brother explain the hostility between him and Xu Wanyi.
• Wan Zhen: Is revealed to have become romantically involved with Xu Wanyi soon after divorcing Xu Wenchong.
• Xu Wanyi’s mother: Her past as a mistress, guilt over abandoning Xu Hanfei, and manipulation of the inheritance create the foundation for the family’s later conflicts.
• Xu Hanfei: Although not related by blood to the Xu Family, he has benefited from his mother’s influence and now seeks a share of the family fortune.

Significant Themes

• Family betrayal and revenge: The Xu family’s relationships are built on infidelity, abandonment, and retaliation.
• Hypocrisy and karma: Xu Wanyi’s family spread rumors portraying Chu Xiyue as a mistress, while his own family is full of affairs and illegitimate relationships.
• Bloodlines and inheritance: The revelation of Xu Wanyi’s true parentage threatens the Xu Family’s succession and financial arrangements.
• Public scandal and hidden truth: Chu Xiyue uses a livestream to expose secrets that the wealthy family has concealed.
• Consequences of infidelity: Xu Guangye’s betrayal of his first wife ultimately leads to him being deceived about the identity of his own son.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue interacts directly with impatient livestream viewers, delaying revelations for dramatic effect.
• Viewers speculate about the identities of the anonymous couple and the people involved in the scandal, often misunderstanding the situation.
• Chu Xiyue corrects their assumptions by revealing that the scandal involves Xu Guangye, his wife, and Xu Hanfei.
• She addresses Xu Guangye directly through the camera, taunting him about raising another man’s son after repeatedly cheating on his wife.
• The chapter ends with Chu Xiyue confronting viewers who accuse her of inventing the allegations, suggesting that she is prepared to defend the truth.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Chu Xiyue ends her livestream after dismissing Assistant Gou’s defense of Azure Sea Entertainment and warning that the Xu Family’s company will collapse.
• Her revelations immediately dominate Weibo’s trending searches, exposing Azure Sea Entertainment’s financial fraud, Xu Wanyi’s questionable parentage, his affair with his former sister-in-law, and Xu Guangye’s misconduct.
• Overwhelmed by the scandal and the sudden barrage of news, Xu Guangye forgets his medication, suffers a health crisis, and is hospitalized.
• Azure Sea Entertainment’s stock crashes as soon as the market opens, reaching its daily limit down. Although some investors attempt to buy discounted shares, the company’s survival becomes doubtful.
• Chu Lingyun, Chu Xiyue’s father, makes his position clear by having Lingyun Group end its cooperation with Azure Sea Entertainment and partner with a competitor instead.
• Skylight Group follows by suspending its partnership with Azure Sea Entertainment. Other companies, investors, venues, and business partners quickly abandon the Xu Family’s company.
• Within three days, projects lose funding, venues cancel contracts, films are removed from theater schedules, and Azure Sea Entertainment artists leave for rival companies.
• The company’s financial situation deteriorates so severely that its cash flow is threatened. Xu Guangye faints again after hearing the news in intensive care.
• With the company’s fraud exposed, Xu Guangye hospitalized, the business delisted, and its projects halted, Azure Sea Entertainment appears destined for bankruptcy unless another major corporation intervenes.
• After the collapse, netizens begin analyzing the reasons for the company’s downfall, with one financial-forum post launching a rational discussion of the crisis.

Character developments

• Chu Xiyue demonstrates confidence and control, refusing to be intimidated by Assistant Gou or the Xu Family. Her livestream becomes the catalyst for the Xu Family’s public and financial ruin.
• Chu Lingyun is revealed as fiercely protective of his daughter and vindictive toward those who target her. Rather than acting immediately, he allows Chu Xiyue to retaliate first, then uses his corporate influence to deliver the decisive blow.
• Xu Guangye is shown as physically and emotionally overwhelmed. His age, neglected medication, and inability to contain the scandal emphasize his loss of control as head of the Xu Family.
• Assistant Gou remains loyal to Xu Wanyi but is reduced to helpless online outrage as the company’s collapse makes his defense look increasingly futile.
• Xu Wanyi and the Xu Family lose their social standing, business support, and control over the entertainment empire they built.

Significant themes

• Revenge and retribution: The Xu Family’s attacks on Chu Xiyue provoke consequences far beyond their expectations.
• Power and influence: Corporate alliances and the authority of major groups determine the fate of Azure Sea Entertainment more decisively than public opinion alone.
• The fragility of success: A powerful company can collapse rapidly once scandal, financial misconduct, and loss of support occur simultaneously.
• Public opinion and media exposure: Chu Xiyue’s livestream transforms private wrongdoing into a nationwide scandal, showing how quickly online attention can affect real-world institutions.
• Family protection and loyalty: Chu Lingyun’s response highlights his deep attachment to Chu Xiyue and his willingness to use his power on her behalf.
• Opportunism: Competitors, investors, artists, and business partners abandon Azure Sea Entertainment and exploit its weakness once its decline becomes apparent.

Character interactions

• Chu Xiyue verbally clashes with Assistant Gou during the livestream, answering his defense of Azure Sea Entertainment with a confident prediction of its bankruptcy.
• Chu Xiyue’s public accusations indirectly trigger Xu Guangye’s medical collapse.
• Chu Lingyun supports Chu Xiyue from behind the scenes, coordinating corporate action against the Xu Family after allowing her to vent her anger publicly.
• Lingyun Group’s break with Azure Sea Entertainment influences Skylight Group and other businesses to sever or suspend their own partnerships, turning Chu Lingyun’s personal defense of his daughter into a wider corporate assault.

Plot points and events

• Online users speculate that Lingyun Group helped bring down Azure Sea Entertainment after the Xu family offended the Chu family. They connect Lingyun’s new investment in Dawn Entertainment to celebrity Chu Xiyue, who had exposed Azure Sea’s financial fraud.
• Lingyun Group confirms that Chu Xiyue is the biological daughter of its chairman, Chu Lingyun. It says its cooperation with Azure Sea ended because of the company’s fraud, not the rumors about a personal feud.
• Dawn Entertainment announces that Xiyue has retained lawyers to pursue people spreading defamatory claims about her.
• The revelation sends #Chu Xiyue Is Chu Lingyun’s Daughter to the top of Weibo’s trending list. Her followers surge, while paid accounts that attacked her delete their posts and apologize.
• Some online users continue accusing Xiyue of coercing contestant Wen Lun, now using her wealth as supposed evidence of abuse. The excerpt ends with a cryptic list of genre- and character-related terms, without explaining their significance.

Character developments

• Chu Xiyue is revealed to be Chu Lingyun’s daughter, overturning assumptions that her modest career resources reflected her status. She responds to attacks through legal channels rather than publicly arguing.
• Chu Lingyun publicly acknowledges his daughter and distances the family’s business decision from the personal-retaliation rumors.
• The Xu family remains a cautionary example: their collapse is associated with financial fraud, though online speculation initially attributes it to their conflict with Xiyue or the Chu family.

Character interactions

• Lingyun Group directly addresses rumors about Xiyue and its decision to suspend cooperation with Azure Sea.
• Dawn Entertainment backs Xiyue by announcing legal action against defamatory remarks.
• Online commenters split between surprise and support, resentment toward her wealth, and renewed attacks tied to the allegation about Wen Lun.

Significant themes

• Public image and online rumor: speculation spreads quickly, and an official statement can transform public understanding.
• Wealth, power, and resentment: Xiyue’s identity prompts both admiration and heightened hostility.
• Accountability versus conspiracy: the statement frames Azure Sea’s collapse as a consequence of financial fraud, not simply a powerful family’s revenge.
• Legal protection against harassment: Xiyue’s response signals a move from online debate to formal consequences.

Chapter Summary

• Wen Lun’s “coercion” is exposed as a joke: Online critics accuse Chu Xiyue of forcing Wen Lun, but the full episode reveals that she was pressuring him to honor a bet. After losing a game, Wen Lun had agreed to wear women’s clothing and dance to “Purest Paradise” in exchange for hotpot. Chu Xiyue teasingly threatens to reveal his embarrassing secret—he was dumped in an online relationship at fourteen, got drunk, and was hospitalized—until he reluctantly agrees.
• The internet reacts with amusement: Haters are humiliated when the supposed abuse turns out to be playful banter. Fans laugh at Wen Lun’s contrast between his intimidating appearance and his childish, comedic behavior. A behind-the-scenes video of him dressed as a beautiful female game character becomes popular, boosting the variety show’s publicity and ratings.
• The cast enjoys the consequences: The show’s renewed popularity delights the director, who treats the contestants and staff to hotpot. Wen Lun, unaware that his embarrassing secret has gone viral because contestants are isolated during filming, enjoys the meal more than anyone else, while the rest of the cast laughs at his misfortune.
• Xu Family crisis worsens: Xu Guangye survives emergency treatment but is left hemiplegic. After waking, he orders a paternity test proving Xu Wanyi is not his biological son, expels him from the family, and divorces his mother. Xu Wanyi regrets provoking Chu Xiyue after discovering her true status as the Chu Family’s daughter and realizing he has lost his position as the Xu heir.
• Azure Sea Entertainment faces collapse: Despite Xu Guangye’s desperate efforts to save the company, his physical condition prevents him from restoring it. The company will eventually become insolvent, declare bankruptcy, and be auctioned, though he is still struggling to prevent that outcome at this point.
• Character interactions and development: Chu Xiyue demonstrates her sharp wit, confidence, and talent for using secrets playfully rather than maliciously. Wen Lun’s tough image is undercut by his shameless, vulnerable behavior, making him a source of comic relief. Xu Wanyi undergoes a fall from privilege and begins to understand the consequences of his hostility toward Chu Xiyue. The show’s staff, now aware of Chu Xiyue’s powerful family background, are relieved they did not mistreat or dismiss her earlier.
• Themes: The chapter emphasizes the danger of judging events without context, the gap between public image and private personality, the entertainment value of scandal, and the consequences of arrogance and social power struggles.

Chapter Summary

• Production and relationships: After Chu Xiyue’s identity became known to the production crew, everyone treated her with caution and respect. The contestants, whose phones had been confiscated, remained unaware of the online rumors and continued interacting with her normally. Wen Lun, believing that his brother Cheng Heyun was interested in Chu Xiyue and might eventually marry her, began constantly flattering and following her. Viewers found their dynamic more amusing and maternal than romantic, especially after learning about Wen Lun’s embarrassing childhood online relationship and drunken heartbreak.
• Debut night: The live finale of Boy Group 101 arrives. As the country’s first major live-streamed idol survival show, it attracts enormous attention, with viewers voting both online and offline for the eleven contestants who will debut. Chu Xiyue serves as a judge and mentor during the final event.
• Introduction of Zhang Chuyin: The show’s director introduces Chu Xiyue to Zhang Chuyin, the producer. Zhang is a calm, gentle woman in her early thirties who compliments Chu Xiyue warmly. Although she is not conventionally dazzling, her soothing temperament noticeably eases the tense atmosphere backstage.
• Feng Jianping’s history: Wen Lun tells Chu Xiyue that Zhang Chuyin is the fifth wife of Feng Jianping, a wealthy real-estate businessman in his fifties. Feng’s previous wife had endured poverty with him, but divorced him after their younger child drowned due to his negligence. After becoming successful, Feng went through several short marriages before marrying Zhang, who had once been his eldest son’s tutor.
• Zhang Chuyin’s marriage: The system reveals that Zhang married Feng despite their nearly thirty-year age gap because he appeared refined, attentive, and gave her the emotional security she lacked. Her family opposed the marriage, but she followed Feng anyway. After the wedding, however, Feng soon resumed pursuing other women. Heartbroken, Zhang withdrew emotionally and devoted herself to her career, using Feng’s connections to obtain the producer position.
• Character developments and themes: Chu Xiyue becomes quietly sympathetic toward Zhang, viewing her as a talented and gentle woman trapped in an unequal marriage. The chapter explores exploitation within age-gap relationships, the betrayal of women by successful men, and the tendency of wealthy men to discard devoted wives for younger partners. It also contrasts public appearances with private suffering: Zhang seems composed and successful, while her marriage has left her emotionally wounded. Wen Lun’s gossip further reveals his immature but observant personality, while Chu Xiyue remains restrained, perceptive, and increasingly attentive to the hidden stories around her.

Chapter Summary

• Key events: Chu Xiyue learns from the system that Zhang Chuyin is the former high-school tutor and first love of contestant Ge Zhenghao. Ge Zhenghao’s real name is Feng Zhenghao, and Zhang Chuyin has unexpectedly become his father Feng Jianping’s young wife. The revelation creates a melodramatic “former first love becomes stepmother” situation.
• The system informs Chu Xiyue that Ge Zhenghao has just spotted Zhang Chuyin backstage. Eager to witness the reunion, Chu Xiyue abandons the director and rushes to the dressing room, where she secretly observes their conversation.
• Ge Zhenghao greets Zhang Chuyin affectionately as “Yinyin,” but she asks him to call her “Sister Zhang,” reminding him that she is now married. When she reveals that she married, Ge Zhenghao is visibly shocked and hurt, especially after noticing her wedding ring.
• Ge Zhenghao asks whether she is living well. Zhang Chuyin cannot answer immediately, revealing how unhappy and conflicted she is in her marriage to Feng Jianping. She had defied her family to marry him and now hides her suffering, determined to endure the consequences of her own choice.
• The system confirms that Zhang Chuyin had once possessed some affection for Ge Zhenghao but rejected him because he was four years younger and seemed unreliable. Their feelings and circumstances have since become complicated by time, marriage, and family ties.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Xiyue shows her playful, gossip-loving side, treating the reunion like a dramatic romance plot while also becoming perceptive about Zhang Chuyin’s suppressed emotions.
• Ge Zhenghao appears deeply affected by seeing his former love. His wistful greeting, wounded reaction to her marriage, and concern about her happiness reveal that he still has unresolved feelings.
• Zhang Chuyin maintains emotional restraint and social distance, but her silence and discomfort expose her unhappiness. Ge Zhenghao’s simple concern briefly gives her a sense of warmth and emotional recognition.
• Their interaction emphasizes the contrast between their youthful relationship and their current roles: former almost-lovers who must now address each other as stepson and stepmother.

Significant themes

• Emotional versus material dependence: The chapter begins by reflecting on the idea that life improves when a woman no longer depends emotionally on a man, foreshadowing Zhang Chuyin’s dissatisfaction with her marriage.
• Regret and missed possibilities: Zhang Chuyin’s past rejection of Ge Zhenghao and their unexpected reunion highlight how youthful decisions can have lasting consequences.
• Appearances versus reality: Zhang Chuyin presents her marriage as acceptable to her family, while privately suffering. Her inability to answer whether she is happy exposes the gap between public appearances and inner truth.
• The absurdity of romantic melodrama: The father-and-son connection to the same woman creates a deliberately sensational “stepmother” scenario, which Chu Xiyue observes with fascination and amusement.

Chapter Summary: “A Truly Filial Son, Ge Zhenghao”

Key plot events

Chu Xiyue secretly watches an emotional reunion between Zhang Chuyin and Ge Zhenghao. Ge, Zhang’s former first love, realizes she is unhappy and urges her to divorce his father so he can marry her. Zhang resists, reminding him that she is now his father Feng Jianping’s wife and asking him to treat their past as over. Ge refuses to let go of her, openly confessing that he still loves her—even though pursuing her means betraying his own father. Their emotional confrontation escalates into an embrace, and they nearly kiss before an unexpected interruption ends the scene.

Character developments

• Ge Zhenghao reveals himself as intensely devoted, impulsive, and unconcerned with social or familial boundaries. His childhood affection for Zhang has matured into a forceful adult love, and he is prepared to challenge his father for her.
• Zhang Chuyin remains conflicted. She initially tries to suppress her feelings because of her marriage and their unacceptable relationship, but Ge’s confession rekindles her old emotions. She is especially affected by the security and protection he now provides.
• Chu Xiyue acts as an amused observer, enthusiastically following the melodramatic romance and treating the forbidden relationship like an entertaining television drama.

Significant themes

The chapter focuses on forbidden love, unresolved feelings after separation, emotional dependence, and the conflict between personal desire and social morality. It also uses exaggerated melodrama and humor to highlight the absurdity of Ge pursuing his stepmother and effectively “stealing” his father’s wife.

Character interactions

Ge and Zhang’s reunion moves from awkward conversation to physical and emotional confrontation. Ge holds Zhang’s hand, refuses to release her, confesses his love, and embraces her. Zhang repeatedly invokes her status as his father’s wife, but her growing emotional response suggests that her feelings for Ge have returned. Chu Xiyue and the system provide humorous commentary from outside, eagerly anticipating their kiss until an interruption forces the pair apart.

Chapter Summary

Plot points and events

Chu Xiyue is interrupted while apparently eavesdropping on gossip outside a dressing room. The livestream audience notices her resentful expression and becomes eager to discover what is happening inside. Worried that the final recording could be ruined by a scandal, the director reluctantly follows her into the room but switches the camera to face himself to prevent viewers from seeing anything inappropriate. Inside, they find contestant Ge Zhenghao reviewing sheet music and Zhang Chuyin, a company president, finishing a phone call. The director greets Zhang warmly, and she quickly leaves. Ge Zhenghao watches her go and worries that Chu Xiyue may have overheard something about their relationship.

Character developments

• Chu Xiyue remains openly curious and gossip-loving, though she smoothly shifts into interview mode after being interrupted. She avoids naming a favorite contestant at first, claiming affection for everyone, but ultimately identifies Wen Lun as the contestant she likes most.
• The director is increasingly wary of Chu Xiyue’s talent for stumbling upon dramatic secrets. He prioritizes protecting the show’s final broadcast from scandal, even against the livestream audience’s demands.
• Ge Zhenghao is revealed to care deeply about Zhang Chuyin and to be more concerned about protecting her reputation than his own.
• Zhang Chuyin maintains a composed, professional demeanor and discreetly notices the livestream camera.
• Wen Lun gains Chu Xiyue’s stated preference, largely because of his connection to Cheng Heyun and his “interesting soul.”

Character interactions

Chu Xiyue and the director have a comic conflict: she wants to return to the gossip while he tries to keep her away from potential trouble. The director enthusiastically greets Zhang Chuyin, while Ge Zhenghao watches her departure anxiously. During the interview, the director presses Chu Xiyue to name her favorite contestant, and she answers that she prefers Wen Lun’s personality over merely attractive looks.

Significant themes

The chapter highlights the tension between private secrets and public entertainment, especially through the livestream’s constant demand for sensational content. It also contrasts appearance and inner character: viewers obsess over Chu Xiyue’s extraordinary beauty, while she claims to value an “interesting soul” more than a gorgeous appearance. The chapter further develops themes of reputation, romantic secrecy, and media control, as Ge Zhenghao protects Zhang Chuyin and the director attempts to prevent an accidental scandal.

Chapter Summary: “An Old Clam Gives Birth to a Pearl”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the final livestream interview for Boy Group 101, the director asks Chu Xiyue what left the deepest impression on her during the show. Viewers speculate that she might mention the many scandals and arrests that occurred during production.
• Chu Xiyue first gives a teasing response about the director arriving at an unfortunate moment, apparently referring to Ge Zhenghao and Zhang Chuyin nearly kissing. She then changes her answer to a safe, formal statement about cherishing her time with everyone.
• Afterward, Ge Zhenghao nervously asks Chu Xiyue not to reveal what happened. She pretends not to understand, allowing him to save face.
• Before leaving, Chu Xiyue advises Ge Zhenghao to take responsibility for his decision, properly resolve his situation with Zhang Chuyin, and avoid leaving her to endure public rumors alone. Ge Zhenghao promises to do so.
• Rehearsals conclude, and the live debut night takes place. The remaining contestants perform, and combined audience and online votes select the final eleven members of the new boy band.
• Previously eliminated contestants who were not involved in scandals return for a final performance of the theme song. Confetti falls as the program ends.
• Chu Xiyue feels emotional about parting from the contestants after spending several months with them. The system, however, cries because the new boy band differs from the original plot, causing the main system to detect a deviation and dock its pay.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue continues to display her sharp observational skills, controlled public image, and interest in other people’s romantic drama. Although she claims to be merely enjoying the gossip, she offers Ge Zhenghao genuinely practical advice about responsibility and protecting Zhang Chuyin from scandal.
• Ge Zhenghao is shown as nervous and uncertain about being exposed, but Chu Xiyue’s warning forces him to confront the consequences of his choices. He promises to handle the situation properly, though Chu Xiyue remains skeptical that promises necessarily lead to action.
• Zhang Chuyin appears happier and more refreshed after her interaction with Ge Zhenghao, suggesting that their relationship has progressed. However, the chapter emphasizes that their future will be difficult because of social pressure and rumors.
• The system is characterized comically as an employee worried about its salary and craving electronic sunflower seeds. Its concern over plot deviation highlights how far events have departed from the original storyline.

Significant Themes

• Public image versus private reality: The interview demonstrates how celebrities must carefully control what they reveal, while scandals continue to shape public interest.
• Responsibility in relationships: Chu Xiyue stresses that making a romantic choice is not enough; Ge Zhenghao must also deal with its consequences and protect Zhang Chuyin from being abandoned to public criticism.
• The entertainment industry as a spectacle: The show’s scandals become more memorable to viewers than the competition itself, turning the program into a source of gossip and controversy.
• Separation and attachment: Chu Xiyue’s reluctance to part from the contestants reflects the bonds formed during the show, even as everyone moves toward different futures.
• Deviation from fate or the original plot: The altered boy-band lineup confirms that the story is no longer following its intended course, creating consequences for the system and suggesting broader changes in the narrative.

Character Interactions

• The director tries to obtain a sensational answer from Chu Xiyue but is relieved when she gives a conventional response.
• Chu Xiyue silently recognizes the romantic tension between Ge Zhenghao and Zhang Chuyin and protects them by pretending not to know what happened.
• She privately counsels Ge Zhenghao, while he responds with nervousness and a promise to act responsibly.
• Chu Xiyue and the system contrast sharply: she feels sentimental about the contestants’ departure, while the system mourns its lost wages.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue asks the system about penalties for altering the original plot. The system explains that, unlike the Reversal System, it only suffers pay deductions rather than receiving rewards for changing events.
• The system quickly recovers from its disappointment by demanding new gossip. It discovers that Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang—an adulterous couple connected to the Zheng family—are attending the Debut Night concert.
• The system reveals that Wu Xiufang is pregnant and plans to tell Luo Sheng during a romantic candlelit dinner at a couples’ restaurant.
• Eager to witness the confrontation, Chu Xiyue abandons the production crew’s celebratory banquet and follows them to the restaurant. However, she cannot enter because it requires reservations.
• Chu Xiyue unexpectedly encounters Cheng Heyun, who has just finished discussing business nearby. After she explains the situation, Cheng offers to use his friend’s connection to get her inside.
• Chu successfully enters the restaurant with Cheng and chooses a table near Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang so she can observe the unfolding drama.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue remains highly curious, bold, and entertained by scandal. Her enthusiasm for gossip overrides professional obligations, leading her to skip the cast celebration and pursue the adulterous couple.
• The Gossip-Eating System demonstrates its characteristic obsession with sensational information. Despite losing pay, it quickly becomes excited after uncovering fresh gossip.
• Cheng Heyun shows increasing attentiveness toward Chu Xiyue. He helps her without hesitation and becomes visibly shy and awkward when they enter the romantic restaurant together, suggesting growing romantic feelings.
• Wu Xiufang is revealed to be pregnant and preparing to disclose the news to Luo Sheng, raising the stakes of the impending confrontation.
• Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang grow increasingly brazen, openly meeting together while Zheng is away on business.

Significant Themes

• Gossip as entertainment and power: Information drives Chu Xiyue and the system, while secret knowledge gives Chu the ability to anticipate and potentially influence events.
• Plot alteration and consequences: Chu’s willingness to interfere with the original storyline contrasts with the system’s limited penalties and raises questions about fate and narrative control.
• Infidelity and hidden relationships: The chapter exposes the recklessness of Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang’s affair and foreshadows a major upheaval caused by Wu Xiufang’s pregnancy.
• Romantic tension: The candlelit setting and Cheng Heyun’s embarrassment create an accidental date-like atmosphere, even though Chu is focused entirely on the scandal.
• Contrasting priorities: Cheng is attentive to Chu, while Chu remains oblivious to his romantic reactions because she is consumed by the impending gossip.

Character Interactions

• Chu and the system banter over its docked pay, reinforcing their familiar, comedic partnership.
• The system feeds Chu increasingly shocking details about Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang, and Chu eagerly reacts.
• Chu explains the affair to Cheng Heyun, who remembers the earlier revelation and helps her gain entry to the restaurant.
• Chu’s excited handshaking causes Cheng to become flustered, hinting at mutual closeness from her perspective but romantic interest from his.
• Once seated, Cheng feels awkward in the intimate setting, while Chu ignores the atmosphere and concentrates on watching the adulterous couple.

Chapter Summary: Zheng Yiming Meets Luo Sheng

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue observes Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang having an affectionate dinner together. Luo Sheng cuts Wu Xiufang’s steak and mixes her salad, while she feeds him in return.
• Cheng Heyun quietly cuts Chu Xiyue’s foie gras and exchanges their meals, showing consideration while she remains distracted by the neighboring couple.
• Chu initially mistakes Cheng’s thoughtful gesture for ordinary restaurant service. The Gossip-Eating System points out that he prepared the food for her, highlighting her lack of awareness regarding his feelings.
• After finishing her meal, Chu notices Wu Xiufang giving Luo Sheng a gift box. Knowing it contains important gossip, she moves closer to Cheng and asks him to guess what is inside.
• Chu reveals that Wu Xiufang is pregnant with Luo Sheng’s child despite still being married to Zheng Yiming. Luo Sheng opens the box and discovers the prenatal ultrasound report.
• Luo Sheng reacts with shock and joy, excitedly declaring that he and Wu Xiufang are going to have a baby. Another diner overhears and congratulates him.
• Cheng Heyun criticizes the affair, arguing that Luo Sheng has not considered marrying Wu Xiufang or the difficulties the pregnancy will create for her. Chu agrees, impressed that he considers the situation from Wu Xiufang’s perspective.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue: Remains highly perceptive about other people’s scandals but oblivious to Cheng Heyun’s romantic attention. She is entertained by the affair and initially views Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang as being in love, though Cheng’s criticism prompts her to think more seriously about their situation.
• Cheng Heyun: Demonstrates quiet care for Chu by preparing her food. His disapproval of adultery reflects his personal values and possibly painful childhood experiences. He shows empathy toward Wu Xiufang and judges Luo Sheng for failing to take responsibility.
• Luo Sheng: Reveals intense excitement about becoming a father, but his reaction focuses on his happiness rather than the consequences for Wu Xiufang or the child.
• Wu Xiufang: Presents the prenatal report as a gift and appears deeply affectionate toward Luo Sheng. Her pregnancy places her in a vulnerable and complicated position because she remains married to another man.

Significant Themes

• Romantic ambiguity and hidden affection: Cheng’s considerate actions suggest growing feelings for Chu, while she remains unaware, creating humorous tension.
• Gossip versus self-awareness: Chu eagerly analyzes others’ relationships but cannot recognize the romantic signals in her own interaction with Cheng.
• Morality and responsibility: The chapter contrasts Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang’s romantic happiness with the ethical complications of their affair and pregnancy.
• Love and its consequences: The couple’s apparent devotion is questioned by the practical realities of marriage, responsibility, and the child’s future.
• Different perspectives on relationships: Chu focuses on the emotional excitement of the affair, while Cheng emphasizes accountability and the woman’s welfare.

Character Interactions

• Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang openly flirt and exchange intimate gestures, presenting themselves as a devoted couple.
• Cheng silently cares for Chu by cutting her food, but she misunderstands the gesture.
• Chu pulls Cheng into her gossip by sharing the secret of Wu Xiufang’s pregnancy, unintentionally creating physical and emotional closeness between them.
• Cheng challenges Chu’s romanticized view of Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang, while Chu expresses admiration for his thoughtful, empathetic perspective.

Chapter Summary: “End of the Reverse V”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue observes that Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang’s relationship resembles the taboo romance between Zhang Chuyin and Ge Zhenghao, but unlike Ge Zhenghao, Luo Sheng has made no promises about a future with Wu Xiufang.
• Wu Xiufang is already happily imagining having a child with Luo Sheng, while Chu Xiyue decides not to warn her because their friendship is not close enough and Wu Xiufang would likely reject her advice.
• The system informs Chu Xiyue that Wu Xiufang’s eldest son, Zheng Yiming, is arriving at the same restaurant with his new girlfriend.
• Expecting a dramatic confrontation, Chu Xiyue hurriedly drags Cheng Heyun outside the restaurant to watch. They witness Zheng Yiming and his mother crossing paths at the elevator.
• Zheng Yiming recognizes Luo Sheng, his friend, and notices that Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang are holding hands. Luo Sheng immediately lets go and tries to deny their relationship.
• Wu Xiufang, however, openly confesses that she and Luo Sheng are in love and together. She also reveals that she is pregnant with his child.
• Wu Xiufang becomes furious when Luo Sheng attempts to deny their affair and slaps him in front of everyone.
• Zheng Yiming is devastated and enraged: Luo Sheng is both his friend and the man involved with his mother, who has betrayed Zheng Yiming’s father.
• The scene attracts widespread attention from restaurant patrons, many of whom secretly record the confrontation. Luo Sheng, overwhelmed by embarrassment, begs Zheng Yiming to move somewhere private to talk.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue remains observant, pragmatic, and somewhat entertained by the unfolding drama. Though she recognizes the danger of Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang’s relationship, she chooses not to interfere directly and instead watches events unfold.
• Cheng Heyun continues to quietly accommodate Chu Xiyue, following her when she drags him away and giving her candy while they watch the confrontation. His calm, supportive behavior contrasts with the chaos around them.
• Luo Sheng is exposed as unwilling to take responsibility for his relationship. When confronted, he immediately prioritizes protecting himself and denies the affair, despite Wu Xiufang’s pregnancy.
• Wu Xiufang demonstrates emotional commitment and impulsiveness. She openly acknowledges the relationship and angrily confronts Luo Sheng when he tries to abandon or deny her.
• Zheng Yiming undergoes a shocking emotional collapse as he discovers that his mother has betrayed his father and that her lover is his own close friend. His surprise quickly turns into anger and disbelief.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and moral consequences: The affair damages multiple relationships, including Wu Xiufang’s marriage, Zheng Yiming’s family, and his friendship with Luo Sheng.
• Responsibility versus self-preservation: Luo Sheng’s denial contrasts sharply with Wu Xiufang’s confession, highlighting his unwillingness to accept the consequences of their actions.
• Forbidden love and unrealistic optimism: Wu Xiufang focuses on the child as a symbol of love, while Chu Xiyue doubts whether their relationship has a stable future.
• Public scandal and voyeurism: The private affair becomes a spectacle as bystanders watch, gossip, and record the confrontation.
• Dramatic irony and entertainment: Chu Xiyue and the system anticipate the collision, turning the painful family crisis into a darkly comedic spectacle for the reader and onlookers.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue and Cheng Heyun: Chu Xiyue pulls Cheng Heyun into position to watch the confrontation; he cooperates without complaint and gives her candy, showing quiet attentiveness.
• Luo Sheng and Wu Xiufang: Their opposing reactions reveal the instability of their relationship—Wu Xiufang confesses their love, while Luo Sheng denies it. Her slap marks the breakdown of their mutual trust.
• Zheng Yiming and Luo Sheng: Zheng Yiming confronts Luo Sheng as both a friend and the man who betrayed his family, expressing fury and disgust.
• Zheng Yiming and Wu Xiufang: Zheng Yiming condemns his mother for cheating on his father, leaving him torn between familial loyalty and outrage.
• The public and the scandal: Restaurant patrons observe and record the argument, intensifying Luo Sheng’s humiliation and making it impossible for the affair to remain private.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

Zheng Yiming discovers Luo Sheng’s affair with his mother, Wu Xiufang, and angrily confronts him. He punches Luo Sheng, accusing him of ruining Wu Xiufang’s marriage and exploiting their family connections for career advancement. Luo Sheng initially feels guilty but soon fights back, using his physical strength to overpower Zheng Yiming. The two men engage in a violent brawl while Wu Xiufang desperately tries to stop them. Luo Sheng shoves her aside, causing her to fall heavily. She begins bleeding and cries out that she is losing her baby. The fight immediately stops, and Chu Xiyue advises everyone not to move Wu Xiufang and to call an ambulance. Wu Xiufang, Luo Sheng, and Zheng Yiming are taken to the hospital.

Character developments

Luo Sheng’s respectable, gentlemanly image is exposed as a disguise concealing an opportunistic and immoral man. His dependence on Wu Xiufang and the Zheng family for advancement is revealed, and his violent reaction further demonstrates his selfishness and lack of remorse. Zheng Yiming, consumed by anger and betrayal, loses control and attacks Luo Sheng, though he also panics when his mother is injured. Wu Xiufang shifts from grief over Luo Sheng’s betrayal to fear for her unborn child. Chu Xiyue remains observant and composed during the crisis, giving practical medical advice. She also begins to recognize her growing status as a public figure when fans approach her for photographs.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes the consequences of betrayal, adultery, and exploiting family relationships for personal gain. It also contrasts outward appearances with hidden character, showing how Luo Sheng’s polished persona masks his opportunism. The sudden miscarriage emergency highlights how private scandals can escalate into devastating consequences. A lighter secondary theme is Chu Xiyue’s transition into celebrity life and her increasing popularity with the public.

Character interactions

Zheng Yiming and Luo Sheng’s confrontation develops into a physical fight fueled by anger over Luo Sheng’s affair with Wu Xiufang. Wu Xiufang attempts to protect both men but is injured by Luo Sheng in the process, prompting both men to turn their attention to her. Chu Xiyue intervenes with calm instructions, which Luo Sheng and Zheng Yiming follow despite initially not noticing her. Afterward, Chu Xiyue interacts warmly with a young fan couple, agreeing to take photos. Cheng Heyun assists them by taking a group photograph and demonstrates his professional eye while photographing Chu Xiyue, subtly suggesting his attentiveness toward her.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cheng Heyun helps a young couple take a photograph. Because Chu Xiyue stands beside him and looks exceptionally good in the picture, the girl assumes they are a romantic couple.
• Before leaving, the girl loudly promises to keep their “relationship” secret and wishes them a long, happy marriage. Chu Xiyue realizes the misunderstanding too late, as the elevator doors close.
• In the elevator, Chu Xiyue awkwardly explains what happened. Cheng Heyun is unconcerned, joking that they will probably never see the girl again.
• Chu Xiyue chats enthusiastically with Cheng Heyun about various pieces of gossip and recent incidents, including Wu Xiufang’s dangerous pregnancy and a fight between Zheng Yiming and Luo Sheng at the hospital. Cheng listens patiently and attentively throughout.
• At their residence, Chu Xiyue says goodbye and reminds Cheng to rest. After the elevator leaves, Cheng watches his reflection with an unusually gentle expression, suggesting growing affection or emotional attachment toward her.
• That night, an anonymous post appears in an online gossip group claiming that the wife of a listed-company chairman cheated with her son’s classmate, became pregnant, and was caught by her son while dining at a couples’ restaurant.
• Although many users initially suspect the post is fabricated, the scandal gains attention because of its sensational details. Later, someone identifies the woman as the wife of the Zheng Group chairman and reveals that a video of the incident has been posted on Weibo.
• The video rapidly trends under the headline “Mother Cheats With Son’s Classmate and Gets Caught Red-Handed.” Netizens speculate about the identities and wealth of the people involved, noting the woman’s extremely expensive clothing, jewelry, and handbag.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue remains lively, talkative, and unconcerned by the brief romantic misunderstanding. Her ease around Cheng Heyun shows that she feels comfortable with him.
• Cheng Heyun demonstrates patience and attentiveness by listening closely to Chu Xiyue’s constant chatter. His gentle expression after she leaves hints that his feelings for her may be deepening, even though he does not openly acknowledge them.
• The young girl quickly becomes convinced that Chu Xiyue and Cheng Heyun are a couple based on their appearance and interaction, reinforcing the impression that they look naturally compatible.
• The online public is portrayed as highly curious and eager for scandal, quickly transforming an unverified rumor into a viral controversy once visual “evidence” appears.

Significant Themes

• Misunderstood relationships and public perception: The girl mistakes Chu Xiyue and Cheng Heyun’s friendly closeness for romance, while online spectators construct an entire scandal from limited information.
• The power of gossip and social media: An anonymous post and a short video rapidly become a trending topic, demonstrating how quickly rumors spread and gain credibility online.
• Appearance and social status: Chu Xiyue’s beauty stands out even in an ordinary photograph, while the alleged scandal attracts attention partly because of the woman’s visible wealth and luxury goods.
• Quietly developing affection: Cheng’s patient listening and tender expression suggest emotional intimacy developing beneath their casual interactions.
• Voyeurism and sensationalism: Netizens show more interest in the shocking moral implications of the scandal than in verifying the identities or circumstances of those involved.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue and Cheng Heyun: They share a relaxed, familiar dynamic. She talks freely while he listens without irritation, and their easy companionship causes outsiders to mistake them for a couple.
• Chu Xiyue and the young girl: The girl thanks Chu Xiyue and Cheng for helping with the photograph, then innocently misinterprets their relationship and offers her congratulations.
• Cheng Heyun and the young couple: He politely takes their picture, unintentionally contributing to the girl’s mistaken belief.
• Online commenters and the scandal: Gossip-group users question the original post, demand identities and proof, and become increasingly invested once the Weibo video appears.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A secretly recorded video exposing an affair spreads online without blurred faces. Zheng Yiming, the Zheng Group heir, is quickly identified as the son who caught his mother, Wu Xiufang, cheating with his classmate, Luo Sheng.
• Online gossip reveals that Wu Xiufang was allegedly pregnant with Luo Sheng’s child, intensifying the scandal and threatening Zheng Group’s reputation and stock price.
• Because Zheng Group is widely recognized, the story rapidly rises on the trending lists. However, netizens notice Chu Xiyue briefly appearing in the video, and public attention shifts toward discussing her habit of encountering gossip.
• The scandal involving the Zheng family is censored and removed from the internet. The family later releases a seemingly harmonious New Year’s portrait to deny the rumors.
• Through the system, Chu Xiyue learns the truth: Wu Xiufang loses the baby, realizes Luo Sheng’s true character, and abandons him. She remains married to Zheng Yiming’s father for their mutual interests, but the couple begins living separately.
• As the Lunar New Year approaches, Chu Xiyue briefly stays with Mrs. Shao but returns to Sea City when she becomes bored and begins reviewing new work offers.
• Since her identity as Chu Lingyun’s daughter has been revealed, Chu Xiyue receives numerous acting, endorsement, and variety-show invitations. She rejects most acting roles because she recognizes her limited skills and has no desire to train seriously.
• Among the few variety-show offers, she considers Live Well, a popular slow-paced reality program in which celebrities spend a week performing ordinary jobs assigned by lottery.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue remains detached and pragmatic. She observes the Zheng family scandal through the system but does not intervene, and she carefully evaluates career opportunities according to her own abilities and interests.
• Wu Xiufang suffers the consequences of her affair: she loses her unborn child, sees Luo Sheng’s selfish nature, and ends their relationship. Although she does not divorce, her marriage deteriorates into separation.
• Luo Sheng is exposed as unworthy of Wu Xiufang’s trust, leading her to abandon him.
• Zheng Yiming becomes publicly associated with the scandal, though the online discussion eventually shifts away from him and his family.
• Mrs. Shao is shown to have a busy restaurant during the year-end period, limiting the time Chu Xiyue can spend at home.

Significant Themes

• Public scandal and media manipulation: The affair becomes a national spectacle, but censorship and strategic public relations successfully suppress the story.
• Celebrity culture and gossip: Netizens investigate videos frame by frame, while Chu Xiyue’s brief appearance redirects the public conversation.
• Reputation versus truth: The Zheng family presents a united image despite privately separating, showing the gap between public appearances and personal reality.
• Pragmatism and self-awareness: Chu Xiyue refuses opportunities that do not suit her abilities and considers work based on realistic personal limits.
• The unpredictability of entertainment: Reality programs depend on unscripted situations, and their appeal comes from placing celebrities in ordinary or difficult occupations.

Character Interactions

• Online users speculate about Zheng Yiming, Wu Xiufang, Luo Sheng, and the Zheng Group, turning their private crisis into public entertainment.
• Chu Xiyue’s fleeting appearance in the scandal video becomes a point of discussion among fans, who joke about her tendency to show up wherever gossip occurs.
• Wu Xiufang cuts ties with Luo Sheng after recognizing his true nature but maintains a formal marriage with Zheng Yiming’s father for financial and practical reasons.
• Chu Xiyue spends time with Mrs. Shao before returning to Sea City to explore new professional opportunities.

Chapter Summary — Page 178

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chu Xiyue researches the variety show Live Well and becomes excited by its random job-assignment format, choosing to participate after realizing the show suits her interest in gathering information and gossip.
• Her manager confirms that Xu Zhiying and Jiang Jie will also join the program. Since all three are leading actresses in Chu Xiyue’s invested film, Eternal Lonely Island, their appearance will also help promote the movie before its Lunar New Year release.
• The show’s director hopes Chu Xiyue’s notoriety will increase the program’s popularity, but believes the format will limit her influence because the six guests will only meet twice: during the job lottery and at the end of filming.
• Chu Xiyue honors her promise to look after Xu Zhiying and Jiang Jie by upgrading all three of their plane tickets to business class.
• During the flight, Xu Zhiying reflects on how dramatically this world differs from her previous life. People who once suffered or died have survived, while former celebrities and powerful companies have fallen because of changes connected to Chu Xiyue.
• The fourth season of Live Well adopts a livestream format covering the guests’ working hours, while their off-work lives are saved for the edited broadcast.
• The livestream opens in Yu City, attracting loyal viewers from the first three seasons, who speculate about the identities of the new guests.

Character Developments

• Chu Xiyue demonstrates her decisive, generous, and publicity-savvy nature. She recognizes the show’s potential for entertainment and promotion, while also using her influence to support Xu Zhiying and Jiang Jie.
• Xu Zhiying continues to analyze Chu Xiyue’s mysterious impact on the world. She considers whether Chu might be reborn or transmigrated but ultimately rejects the idea, instead suspecting that this may be a parallel world.
• Xu Zhiying’s attitude toward Chu changes from suspicion to gratitude. She acknowledges that Chu’s actions—especially sending Xiao Rui to prison—freed her from the trauma of her former life.
• Jiang Jie has avoided the tragic fate she experienced in Xu Zhiying’s previous life. Her father is alive, she remains innocent of murder, and she is nearing marriage with her boyfriend.

Significant Themes

• Fate and alternate realities: The contrast between Xu Zhiying’s former life and the current world raises questions about parallel worlds, reincarnation, and whether destiny can be altered.
• The influence of individual actions: Chu Xiyue’s choices have reshaped numerous lives and even affected the entertainment industry and major corporations.
• Publicity and the entertainment industry: The chapter emphasizes that even high-quality works require marketing and public attention to succeed.
• Gratitude and redemption: Xu Zhiying recognizes that Chu’s disruptive actions have saved her and others from disastrous fates.
• Gossip and information as power: Chu’s enthusiasm for a job involving neighborhood gossip foreshadows her likely ability to exploit the show’s social and investigative elements.

Character Interactions

• Chu Xiyue’s manager understands her personality and correctly predicts that she will choose Live Well.
• Chu promises to protect Xu Zhiying and Jiang Jie during filming, reinforcing their professional and personal connection.
• She expresses this support through the practical gesture of upgrading their plane tickets.
• Xu Zhiying watches Chu during the flight and silently evaluates her motives and origins, but ultimately views her with affection and gratitude rather than hostility.
• The production team expects Chu to generate publicity but underestimates how much influence she may exert over the other guests.

Chapter Summary — Page 179

Plot and Events

• Viewers speculate online about the upcoming guests of a demanding work-themed variety show. They dismiss the possibility of major stars such as Wang Shuran and Song Baichen participating, while also discussing possible returning guests and Chu Xiyue’s rumored appearance.
• The first confirmed guest is Liu Junxiang, a respected middle-aged actor known for immersing himself in working-class roles. He explains that he joined to experience different professions for future acting scripts.
• Liu reveals that he cannot handle every type of task, particularly technical work such as flower arranging, but proudly mentions that his wife teaches flower arranging. His repeated praise of her becomes a source of amusement for the livestream audience.
• Song Baichen, a hugely popular “young master” idol, arrives next. His appearance surprises viewers and dramatically raises expectations for the show’s guest lineup.
• The next guest turns out not to be the anticipated Best Actress Wang Shuran, but Qiao Qianqian, a glamorous and controversial actress known for her diva behavior. Viewers immediately question whether she can tolerate the show’s hardships.

Character Developments

• Liu Junxiang is presented as humble, hardworking, and sincere despite his acclaimed acting career. His willingness to perform manual labor and learn from real-life professions demonstrates his dedication to his craft.
• Liu’s affectionate comments about his wife reveal him as deeply loving, respectful, and happily married. He emphasizes mutual understanding and cherishing time together.
• Song Baichen is characterized through the audience’s reaction as exceptionally handsome, elegant, and influential, with an image resembling a refined young master.
• Qiao Qianqian is introduced through her reputation as spoiled, demanding, and unable to endure discomfort. Her polished appearance—high heels, sunglasses, and a wool coat—reinforces viewers’ assumptions that she will struggle on the show.

Themes

• Public image versus reality: The audience judges each celebrity based on reputation and appearance before seeing how they actually behave.
• Dedication to one’s profession: Liu’s hands-on preparation for acting roles highlights the value of genuine experience and hard work.
• Love and marital respect: Liu’s discussion of his wife presents long-term marriage as sustained by appreciation, communication, and mutual respect.
• Celebrity expectations and class assumptions: The viewers associate fame, wealth, and glamorous appearances with weakness or unwillingness to perform ordinary labor.

Character Interactions

• Liu interacts warmly with the livestream audience, answering questions and engaging in playful teasing about his relationship with his wife.
• The viewers respond to Liu’s affection with jokes about his “henpecked” nature and his unusually sweet marriage.
• The audience compares the incoming celebrities, first celebrating the prestigious pairing of Liu and Song, then reacting with disappointment and skepticism when Qiao Qianqian appears instead of Wang Shuran.
• Qiao has not yet interacted directly with the other guests, but her arrival creates immediate anticipation about whether her diva reputation matches her behavior on the show.

Page 180 Summary

Plot points and events

• Qiao Qianqian’s reputation for being spoiled—rejecting crew food and costumes and demanding special treatment—is introduced, explaining the audience’s hostility toward her appearance on Live Well, a variety show focused on ordinary work and daily life.
• Viewers eagerly anticipate her humiliation, hoping she will draw a difficult job and fail publicly. Qiao privately shares their negative opinion of the show and hopes the director will remove her, but he does not.
• Two actresses from Eternal Lonely Island, Xu Zhiying and Jiang Jie, arrive to promote their film. Xu plays Lü Zhenzhen, while Jiang plays Lü Dani.
• A third guest arrives late after stopping to watch two dogs fight. She is initially disguised in heavy winter clothing, but is soon recognized as Chu Xiyue.
• Chu warms herself by the heater and complains about the cold. Her appearance provokes debate among viewers, many of whom label her another “spoiled princess” because of her wealthy family background, while others defend her against prejudice.
• Once all guests are present, the director delivers a brief speech about working diligently and living responsibly, while also reading the program’s sponsor message.

Character developments

• Qiao Qianqian: She is portrayed as self-centered, bored, and openly resentful of the show. Despite her celebrity reputation, she appears unwilling to participate sincerely and hopes for an escape.
• Chu Xiyue: She is introduced as wealthy and famous but not necessarily personally spoiled. Her casual decision to stop and watch fighting dogs gives her a quirky, carefree quality, while her indifference to online criticism suggests confidence and emotional detachment.
• Xu Zhiying and Jiang Jie: They function as professional newcomers promoting their film and make polite introductions upon arrival.
• The audience: Their comments reveal strong preconceptions, excitement at the possibility of watching celebrities struggle, and polarized attitudes toward privileged entertainers.

Significant themes

• Public image versus reality: Qiao’s reputation shapes viewers’ expectations before she even begins the show, while Chu is judged largely because of her family background.
• Class resentment and celebrity scrutiny: Chu’s wealth attracts both devoted fans and antis who project broader anger toward privileged heirs onto her.
• Entertainment as public spectacle: The audience expects the show to expose celebrities’ weaknesses and treats possible embarrassment as entertainment.
• Authenticity versus performance: The supposedly unscripted work-based program is framed as a test of whether pampered celebrities can genuinely handle ordinary labor.

Character interactions

• Qiao interacts minimally with the others, remaining detached and focused on her nails.
• Xu and Jiang introduce themselves politely, and the existing guests applaud them.
• Liu Junxiang welcomes the actresses and references their film, helping establish a cordial promotional atmosphere.
• Xu and Jiang exchange a glance when Chu’s late arrival is mentioned, indicating that they know or are accustomed to her behavior.
• The director addresses all the guests collectively, urging them to embrace the show’s values of hard work and practical living.