Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• After Bu Yao helps her put on her shoes, Bo Wuxue teases Xing Yue for slipping back into the role of serving the Bu family. In the car, Xing Yue explains that she has decided not to quit her contract: rather than lose years of work to a steep penalty, she’ll use the next four years to advance her career, get treatment for her tail, save money, and build a life on her own terms.
• Xing Yue says her ideal future partner would be someone on equal footing, with mutual affection and physical compatibility. When Bo Wuxue asks whether Bu Yao is out of the question, Xing Yue admits she has not ruled her out—but Bu Yao’s controlling behavior still triggers Xing Yue’s resentment.
• At the company, Xing Yue learns that Jiang Li missed an appointment because her sister was hospitalized with food poisoning. Seeing He Zhiwen’s name on the paperwork shocks Xing Yue: He Zhiwen is Jiang Li’s sister-in-law. Xing Yue keeps her personal reaction out of her work and completes the delayed recording.
• That evening, Bu Yao calls to ask when Xing Yue will be home. Xing Yue answers impatiently, assuming Bu Yao wants her to return immediately. Bu Yao explains that she only wants to know when to expect her and offer to prepare food, revealing that she is waiting for Xing Yue.

Character developments and interactions

• Xing Yue shifts from feeling trapped to making a pragmatic plan for independence. She is willing to work within the Bu family’s arrangements for now, though she is uneasy about showing Bu Yao warmth partly to secure better opportunities. Her attraction to Bu Yao complicates that calculation.
• Bo Wuxue worries that Xing Yue will be forced into a life she hates, but supports her once she hears her reasoning. Their teasing, affectionate friendship lets Xing Yue explain her plans openly.
• Bu Yao shows a quieter, more vulnerable side: she waits for Xing Yue and hopes to care for her. Xing Yue’s sharp response hurts her, highlighting how much their past still shapes their interactions.
• Jiang Li presents herself as apologetic about missing the appointment, but her account of her sister and He Zhiwen suggests family friction. Xing Yue’s reaction to He Zhiwen’s name hints at a significant personal history that is not yet explained.

Significant themes

• Independence versus constraint: Xing Yue chooses to endure a difficult contract as a path toward financial and medical freedom.
• Equality and intimacy: Her ideal marriage is defined by equal footing and mutual affection, in contrast to the power imbalance she associates with the Bu family.
• Pragmatism versus sincerity: Xing Yue questions whether her gentler treatment of Bu Yao is strategic or genuine, as her feelings begin to blur the distinction.
• The persistence of old wounds: Bu Yao’s controlling habits still provoke Xing Yue, while the unexpected appearance of He Zhiwen’s name suggests another unresolved past connection.

Plot and events

• Bu Yao calls Xing Yue repeatedly, upset that Xing Yue didn’t tell her she would be working late. Bu Yao explains that, in her family, partners check in when they’ll be late.
• Xing Yue realizes Bu Yao’s complaint comes from hurt and unfamiliar expectations rather than a desire to control her. She agrees to give advance notice next time, while asking Bu Yao not to make a fuss.
• Their call turns flirtatious: Xing Yue tells Bu Yao she’ll be home at eleven and asks for “a little tail,” then hangs up before Bu Yao can respond.
• Back at the recording studio, Jiang Li talks about her sister’s marriage to He Zhiwen. She repeats the claim that He Zhiwen ended a seven-year relationship because her mother wanted her to marry someone local.
• Xing Yue is shaken by this explanation. She suspects He Zhiwen had invented it to protect Xing Yue’s dignity, and is moved by the implication that He Zhiwen had spared her from being blamed.
• Bu Yao sends Xing Yue a video showing that her legs still haven’t returned and her red snake tail is out. The sight strongly affects Xing Yue, who hides her reaction from the people at the studio.

Character developments and interactions

• Xing Yue shows increasing tenderness toward Bu Yao, compromising on communication despite valuing personal boundaries. She also reveals lingering feelings for He Zhiwen when she hears the story of their breakup.
• Bu Yao remains overbearing in her attempts to reach Xing Yue, but her hurt stems from the relationship norms she grew up with. Her shy response and teasing video reinforce their growing intimacy.
• Jiang Li proudly praises her sister but judges He Zhiwen’s past relationship as unfair to her sister, unknowingly reopening Xing Yue’s old wound.
• Xing Yue and Bu Yao negotiate expectations through a mix of conflict, reassurance, and flirtation. Xing Yue and He Zhiwen, though absent from direct contact, remain emotionally connected through the concealed truth about their breakup.

Significant themes

• Different ideas of intimacy: Bu Yao expects the check-ins she witnessed between her parents, while Xing Yue is unused to such care and tries to balance closeness with boundaries.
• Past love and sacrifice: He Zhiwen’s apparent lie suggests she may have taken blame to spare Xing Yue, stirring old loneliness and affection.
• Family influence: Bu Yao’s expectations come from a loving household, while Xing Yue’s childhood experience of divorce and silence shapes her difficulty imagining that kind of relationship.
• Desire and playfulness: The chapter’s teasing, the red camellias, and Bu Yao’s snake-tail video make physical attraction an increasingly open part of their bond.

Key plot points and events

• Xing Yue obeys Bu Yao’s request not to message her at work, but remains distracted by thoughts of Bu Yao.
• Her manager, Qiao Rui, gives her a contract for a New Shadow Entertainment variety show. Xing Yue objects: she is an online cover singer with no original songs, while the lineup consists of established performers, making her vulnerable to ridicule and accusations that her place—or eventual win—is bought.
• Qiao Rui explains that the show will bring attention and expects Xing Yue to win. Xing Yue recognizes the arrangement as another attempt by Bu Yao’s mother to humiliate her publicly, echoing a charity gala years earlier where she was made to feel out of place. Despite her distress, she signs.
• Bu Yao visits the studio with a new phone for Xing Yue. She transfers her SIM card and sets photos of her snake tail as the lock and home-screen images.
• Xing Yue asks Bu Yao to spend her three days off with her, then cautiously discusses the show’s pressure. Bu Yao offers to ask the company to include less-famous performers. Xing Yue responds with affection and praise, and Bu Yao’s tail coils excitedly around her.

Character developments

• Xing Yue is deeply hurt by the contract and her mother-in-law’s implied cruelty, but hides her distress from Bu Yao. She begins making a more deliberate effort to be affectionate and to include Bu Yao in her worries.
• Bu Yao shows care through her gift and tries to ease Xing Yue’s anxiety. She is surprised by Xing Yue’s unexpected affection but grows pleased by the closeness and praise.

Significant themes

• Power and humiliation: Xing Yue’s career opportunity is entangled with the Bu family’s influence and her unequal standing within it.
• Public image and earned success: The show may give Xing Yue visibility, but its star-studded lineup risks making her talent seem secondary to favoritism.
• Growing intimacy: Small gestures—sharing concerns, accepting a gift, and offering reassurance—suggest the couple is moving toward greater trust and tenderness.

Character interactions

• Qiao Rui presses Xing Yue to sign, framing the show as a valuable publicity opportunity despite its risks.
• Xing Yue conceals her pain when Bu Yao arrives, then gradually shares her concerns about the show. Bu Yao responds with concern and practical help, while Xing Yue’s gentle teasing and praise make her visibly happy.

Plot points and events

• At the office, Bu Yao takes a submissive form—legs while retaining her tail—and allows Xing Yue to hold and pet her. Xing Yue is surprised by Bu Yao’s trust and feels both excitement and shame at enjoying the power it gives her.
• On the drive home, Xing Yue decides to take Bu Yao back to the Bu Residence rather than let her stay overnight. She cites the family’s concern for Bu Yao’s reputation, though her real feelings are complicated by their unresolved relationship and the intensity between them.
• Bu Yao asks whether Xing Yue is truly thinking of her well-being. Their uneasy conversation turns into an argument: Bu Yao accuses Xing Yue of pretending to act for her sake, while Xing Yue snaps back and tells her to find another partner.
• Bu Yao breaks down, explaining how deeply Xing Yue’s past kindness as a singer and online creator affected her. Xing Yue had once encouraged her through exam preparations, but Bu Yao’s feelings grew far beyond the casual fan connection Xing Yue remembers.
• When Bu Yao demands to leave the car, Xing Yue finally reassures her that she does not hate her, admits she was overwhelmed by Bu Yao’s submission and feelings, and apologizes for choosing cruel words.

Character developments

• Xing Yue recognizes that she is attracted to the control Bu Yao yielded to her, but is unsettled by the imbalance and by her own inability to respond clearly to Bu Yao’s love. Her harshness gives way to sincere remorse.
• Bu Yao reveals how long and deeply she has loved Xing Yue. Her usual pride gives way to vulnerability, anger, and grief when she feels rejected.

Significant themes

• Power and consent: Bu Yao’s submissive gesture intensifies Xing Yue’s desire, while also making her question whether it is right to take advantage of someone who loves her.
• Miscommunication and emotional avoidance: Xing Yue’s attempt to protect Bu Yao’s reputation conceals her uncertainty; Bu Yao reads the decision as rejection.
• Unequal meanings of the past: What Xing Yue remembers as kindness to one fan was a sustaining, formative experience for Bu Yao.
• Public reputation versus private feeling: Family expectations and scrutiny shape the couple’s choices, even as their deeper conflict is personal.

Character interactions

The chapter centers on a push-pull between tenderness and defensiveness. Xing Yue comforts and touches Bu Yao, then abruptly tries to send her home; Bu Yao challenges her mixed signals, and both lash out. Bu Yao’s tears expose the depth of her attachment, prompting Xing Yue to drop her defenses and apologize.

Key plot points and events

• After their argument, Xing Yue takes Bu Yao home. She scolds her for stripping leaves from the camellias, while Bu Yao apologizes and asks to be punished.
• Xing Yue briefly shows affection, but Bu Yao’s snake scent reminds Xing Yue of the tail she has been unable to reveal for decades. Xing Yue withdraws, and Bu Yao realizes how deeply she has hurt and isolated her.
• Later, while Xing Yue relaxes in the bath with her eyes covered, Bu Yao enters in her large red-python form. Xing Yue washes and embraces her; they kiss, then spend the night holding each other.
• Under the covers, Bu Yao apologizes for what she said in the car and insists she loves Xing Yue, including despite Xing Yue’s inability to show her tail. Xing Yue teases her into admitting she likes being intimate with her, and the exchange helps restore their closeness.
• The next morning, they set out to hike and watch the sunset, with plans for a seaside barbecue. Xing Yue prepares hiking shoes and promises to carry Bu Yao if she gets tired; the two bicker affectionately on the way.
• While buying water, Xing Yue unexpectedly encounters He Zhiwen, her former partner. He asks about her snake tail, then suspects that its treatment failed—or that Bu Yao never arranged treatment.

Character developments

• Xing Yue is tired and emotionally vulnerable, and her inability to show her tail remains a source of loneliness. Though she pulls away when reminded of it, she accepts Bu Yao’s affection and lets herself be comforted.
• Bu Yao recognizes that her impulsive cruelty has hurt Xing Yue, and tries to repair the damage through apology, affection, and a direct declaration of love. Her vulnerability emerges despite her usual boldness.
• He Zhiwen’s surprise appearance reopens questions about Xing Yue’s past and the care—or lack of care—she received.

Significant themes

• Loneliness and emotional wounds: Xing Yue’s hidden condition isolates her, and Bu Yao realizes that being loved has not erased the pain she caused.
• Apology, trust, and intimacy: Their playful teasing and physical closeness help them address hurt that neither can easily discuss plainly.
• Acceptance and belonging: Bu Yao’s words affirm that Xing Yue is loved even without her snake tail.
• Unresolved past: He Zhiwen’s question suggests that Xing Yue’s treatment history—and Bu Yao’s role in it—may be more complicated than Xing Yue knows.

Character interactions

• Xing Yue alternates between scolding and indulging Bu Yao, while Bu Yao responds with exaggerated contrition and affection.
• In the bath, Xing Yue cares for Bu Yao in snake form; afterward, they share a gentle, teasing reconciliation.
• Their hike begins with affectionate bickering and Xing Yue’s offer to carry Bu Yao.
• He Zhiwen’s reunion with Xing Yue is subdued but charged, ending with a pointed question about her tail and Bu Yao’s past actions.

Plot points and events

• At a hiking-area shop, Xing Yue runs into He Zhiwen, her former girlfriend of seven years. He Zhiwen reveals—without saying so directly—that Madam Bu had promised to treat Xing Yue’s failing tail three years earlier, after persuading He Zhiwen to leave her. Madam Bu never followed through.
• Xing Yue confronts Bu Yao about her mother’s role. Bu Yao defends Madam Bu, slaps Xing Yue, and tells her to quit her contract with New Shadow Entertainment if she is so unhappy. Xing Yue walks away, leaving Bu Yao injured and stranded on the mountain.
• After learning a murderer may still be hiding on the mountain, Xing Yue worries about Bu Yao and goes out in the storm to look for her. Instead, she finds Bu Yao asleep, soaked and badly hurt, at her doorstep and lets her inside.
• Bu Yao says she has fought with her mother and has nowhere to go. She tells Xing Yue that Madam Bu promises not to interfere in Xing Yue’s private life again. Xing Yue sees this as inadequate compensation: she is facing a steep contract-termination penalty and cannot sell the home she bought for her mother.
• In anger, Xing Yue presses on Bu Yao’s infected hand and cruelly asks whether Bu Yao will compensate her by having sex with her while Xing Yue calls out He Zhiwen’s name. Bu Yao cries and refuses. Xing Yue stops, leaves medicine and wound-care supplies, and goes upstairs.
• Later, Xing Yue finds Bu Yao asleep on the sofa with wet clothes and a fever. She wakes her and makes sure she dries her hair, then finds her in Xing Yue’s bed. When Xing Yue orders her to change, Bu Yao begins undressing and offers herself as compensation. Xing Yue challenges her assumption that she is too noble to take her up on it.

Character development

• Xing Yue is devastated by the truth about her breakup and furious at the damage Madam Bu has done to her life. Her anger leads her to hurt and intimidate Bu Yao, but her concern for Bu Yao’s safety and health keeps breaking through.
• Bu Yao begins by fiercely defending her mother and rejecting Xing Yue’s accusations. After learning more, she confronts Madam Bu, leaves home, and tries to make amends. Injured, ill, and frightened, she offers herself as compensation, though her trembling reveals that she is afraid of Xing Yue’s answer.
• He Zhiwen remains careful and guarded, trying not to hurt Xing Yue further. Her restrained encounter suggests that the old relationship still carries pain for both women.

Themes

• The cost of manipulation: Madam Bu’s interference damaged a long-term relationship and left Xing Yue with lasting physical, emotional, and financial consequences.
• Unequal power and accountability: Bu Yao initially dismisses Xing Yue’s suffering, while her promise to “make it up” cannot undo the harm or meaningfully address its cost.
• Grief and unresolved love: Xing Yue’s anger masks profound heartbreak over He Zhiwen and the life they might have shared.
• Cruelty and reluctant care: Xing Yue lashes out at Bu Yao but still rescues and tends to her, revealing the conflict between resentment and compassion.

Character interactions

• Xing Yue and He Zhiwen exchange polite, restrained conversation, with teasing briefly softening the pain beneath it.
• Xing Yue and Bu Yao’s confrontation turns from accusation and defense to physical aggression, then to a tense, uneasy dependence as Bu Yao seeks shelter and Xing Yue cares for her.
• Bu Yao’s offer of sexual “compensation” makes their power struggle more intimate and dangerous, ending on Xing Yue’s provocative challenge rather than a resolution.

Key plot points and events

• In bed, Bu Yao teasingly offers to let Xing Yue call her ex-girlfriend’s name, but Xing Yue refuses to use Bu Yao that way or betray He Zhiwen.
• Xing Yue fills the bed with keepsakes from her seven-year relationship with He Zhiwen: handmade gifts, love notes, and a miniature of the home they once planned together. She says she wants to write He Zhiwen a letter asking her to return.
• Jealous and hurt, Bu Yao dismisses the keepsakes and asks about the valuable ruby necklace she gave Xing Yue. Xing Yue says she sold it long ago for only 300 yuan.
• Bu Yao lashes out, scattering He Zhiwen’s paper stars and nearly smashing the miniature house. Xing Yue confronts her, blaming Bu Yao’s mother for the breakup that kept her and He Zhiwen from marrying.
• Xing Yue orders Bu Yao to put everything back, including all 520 stars. Bu Yao obeys through tears, then admits she cannot be happy about Xing Yue cherishing her ex’s gifts.
• When Xing Yue tells her to get dressed, Bu Yao throws herself into Xing Yue’s arms and asks whether she truly sold the ruby necklace.

Character developments

• Bu Yao reveals how strongly she loves Xing Yue: her jealousy makes her impulsive, but beneath her anger is a fear of losing access to Xing Yue. She follows the cleanup order not because she feels reconciled, but because she wants to keep seeing her.
• Xing Yue remains deeply attached to He Zhiwen and their shared past, while also showing care for Bu Yao—she stops the argument from escalating and tells her to dress against the cold. Her lingering grief makes her dismissive of Bu Yao’s feelings.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and love: Bu Yao struggles with the idea that loving Xing Yue means respecting her past, even when that past feels like a rival.
• The weight of memory: He Zhiwen’s handmade gifts represent a shared life and future, not merely possessions.
• Unequal understanding: Xing Yue sees Bu Yao as sheltered and inexperienced in love; Bu Yao feels judged and deliberately provoked.
• Care amid conflict: Their anger coexists with attachment, visible in Xing Yue’s concern and Bu Yao’s desperate wish to remain close.

Character interactions

The scene moves from flirtation to confrontation as Bu Yao’s teasing turns into jealousy and Xing Yue’s display of keepsakes becomes a painful reminder of her former relationship. They trade accusations, but Xing Yue eventually sets a boundary against destroying her belongings. Bu Yao complies while crying, and the chapter ends with her seeking comfort and clarification in Xing Yue’s arms.

Key plot points and events

• Bu Yao panics over the necklace she gave Xing Yue, fearing Xing Yue sold it. Xing Yue reassures her that she kept it because it was a treasured gift from her grandfather.
• Xing Yue notices Bu Yao’s unusually intense crying and remembers she has stopped taking her medication. She asks what it is, but Bu Yao is too distracted to answer.
• Bu Yao warns Xing Yue not to pursue He Zhiwen, explaining that He is married and happy. Xing Yue accepts that pursuing her would be an intrusion; she had only thought she might welcome He back if the breakup had not been her choice.
• Xing Yue locks away the keepsakes and insists Bu Yao dress and sleep on the floor. She remains frustrated about her damaged tail and the possibility that the Bu family will not help.
• Bu Yao tries to seduce Xing Yue. Xing Yue is visibly tempted but keeps the encounter gentle and restrained, helps her put on a shirt, and lays her down on the floor bedding.
• Bu Yao asks for a kiss; Xing Yue gives her several kisses on the cheek and tells her to sleep. In the dark, Bu Yao cannot settle and teasingly blames Xing Yue’s age and stamina for their lack of intimacy.

Character developments

• Xing Yue shows that she values the emotional meaning of the necklace, rather than its monetary worth. She lets go of the idea of rekindling things with He Zhiwen, while also asserting boundaries with Bu Yao and refusing to accept help from the Bu family if it would compromise her dignity.
• Bu Yao is emotionally volatile after stopping her medication, but also shows concern for Xing Yue by warning her away from He Zhiwen. Her flirtation reveals how much she wants closeness and reassurance, though she remains petulant when Xing Yue declines to go further.

Significant themes

• Boundaries and reciprocity: Xing Yue wants an equal relationship, not one built on pressure or endless giving.
• Love and emotional significance: The necklace matters because of its history, and the tender care between the women carries meaning beyond physical intimacy.
• Letting go and respecting relationships: Xing Yue accepts that He Zhiwen has moved on and does not want to interfere.
• Vulnerability beneath conflict: Bu Yao’s teasing and demanding behavior coexist with insecurity, affection, and a need for reassurance.

Character interactions

• Bu Yao cries in Xing Yue’s lap, then shifts into a serious warning about He Zhiwen’s marriage.
• Xing Yue alternates between scolding and caring for Bu Yao, setting rules while tending to her gently.
• Bu Yao makes an overt romantic advance; Xing Yue responds with restrained affection, playful teasing, and cheek kisses rather than sex.
• Their final exchange returns to their familiar banter, with Bu Yao disguising disappointment as a joke.

Key plot points

• Bu Yao assumes Xing Yue’s reduced sexual interest means she has lost her stamina and decides she should be the “Pillow Princess.” While they lie awake in the dark, Bu Yao asks Xing Yue to sing and hints at their old online connection.
• A text from an unfamiliar number—“A Yue, I want to see you”—reveals that He Zhiwen has contacted Xing Yue. Xing Yue immediately gets dressed and leaves in the storm.
• Bu Yao tries to stop her, then angrily disparages He Zhiwen’s modest gifts and questions what she has ever sacrificed for Xing Yue. Xing Yue snaps back that Bu Yao is the worst person to criticize anyone. After Xing Yue leaves, Bu Yao’s anger collapses into dejection.
• The story shifts to He Zhiwen at a hotel with her wife, Jiang Yue. Jiang Yue hopes to join a show, and He Zhiwen promises to ask a close friend for a recommendation—without saying that the friend is Xing Yue.
• He Zhiwen cuts her finger while peeling fruit. Jiang Yue tends to her, and the scene reveals He Zhiwen is a Spirit Snake, whose blood and body are valuable as medicine. The species has suffered centuries of exploitation, so its members are taught to hide their identity from everyone.
• Xing Yue meets He Zhiwen and drives around looking for somewhere to eat. She wants to learn whether He Zhiwen is married, but before she can ask, He Zhiwen asks whether Xing Yue is dating Bu Yao, whether Bu Yao runs New Shadow Entertainment, and whether Xing Yue can recommend someone for her.

Character developments and interactions

• Xing Yue is torn between her unresolved feelings for He Zhiwen and her current, complicated bond with Bu Yao. She reacts immediately to He Zhiwen’s message, but arrives at the meeting anxious and emotionally guarded.
• Bu Yao shows jealousy and contempt for He Zhiwen’s gifts, yet her outburst also exposes how much she wants to matter to Xing Yue. Her claim that she can give Xing Yue anything contrasts with the vulnerability she shows after Xing Yue leaves.
• He Zhiwen is warm and affectionate with Jiang Yue, while still relying on Xing Yue’s influence for a favor. Her reunion with Xing Yue quickly becomes entangled with this request.
• Jiang Yue is loving and attentive toward He Zhiwen, but uneasy about being a burden and slightly jealous of He Zhiwen’s intense praise of her friend. Her care also underscores the secrecy surrounding He Zhiwen’s species.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and competing forms of love: Bu Yao measures love through sacrifice and material generosity, while Xing Yue remains emotionally drawn to He Zhiwen.
• Unspoken feelings and missed communication: Xing Yue cannot ask the question she came to ask, and He Zhiwen’s practical request interrupts the emotional reunion.
• Trust and vulnerability: He Zhiwen’s hidden identity reflects the danger of trusting even loved ones.
• Power and opportunity: He Zhiwen’s promise to secure a recommendation highlights how connections may shape supposedly open opportunities.

Plot points and events

• Xing Yue meets her ex-girlfriend, He Zhiwen, during a storm. He Zhiwen explains that she is married to Jiang Yue, an online personality, and says she wanted to catch up—not merely ask Xing Yue for help.
• Xing Yue suspects He Zhiwen contacted her for access to the Bu family’s influence. She points out that He has assumed she and Bu Yao are together without asking about their relationship, and reveals they are not a couple.
• He Zhiwen leaves, but Xing Yue follows her under an umbrella. He Zhiwen seems to expect a kiss; Xing Yue mocks her for it and returns to her car alone.
• Back home, Xing Yue retrieves the keepsakes she had hidden and throws them away, while Bu Yao teases her about them. Bu Yao then accuses Xing Yue of masturbating under the covers before leaving to see her ex. Xing Yue dismisses the accusation and heads out to discard the keepsakes.
• When Xing Yue returns, Bu Yao kisses her fiercely and demands to know whether she kissed He Zhiwen. Their argument turns into an honest conversation: Xing Yue says Bu Yao’s constant mockery leaves her feeling unsupported and makes the idea of remarrying seem impossible.
• Bu Yao asks what Xing Yue wants from her. Xing Yue asks her to hold her without saying anything.

Character developments

• Xing Yue is hurt by He Zhiwen’s apparent opportunism, but refuses to indulge her ex’s expectations. She also reveals that, despite her attachment to Bu Yao, she needs kindness and emotional reassurance if they are to reconcile.
• Bu Yao shows intense jealousy and desire, but expresses both through sarcasm and possessiveness. By the end, she begins to listen and asks what Xing Yue needs.
• He Zhiwen appears nostalgic and still drawn to Xing Yue, yet her presumed expectation of a kiss—and her approach to Xing Yue about connections—damages their former closeness.

Significant themes

• Love versus usefulness: Xing Yue wonders whether He Zhiwen values her personally or only the influence she can provide.
• Emotional vulnerability and communication: Xing Yue’s request for comfort exposes how teasing can deepen insecurity, even when affection is present.
• Jealousy and possessiveness: Bu Yao’s anger reflects her feelings for Xing Yue, though she struggles to express them constructively.
• Money and power: Xing Yue recognizes that the privilege attracting He Zhiwen belongs to Bu Yao, not her, underscoring the imbalance in their relationship.

Character interactions

• Xing Yue and He Zhiwen shift from awkward reunion to confrontation, ending with Xing Yue rejecting He’s apparent romantic expectation.
• Xing Yue and Bu Yao spar through teasing and jealousy, then move from a passionate kiss to a more vulnerable discussion about what reconciliation would require.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Bu Yao tells Xing Yue that she has fought with her mother, Madam Bu, who warned that Bu Yao may regret losing her family’s financial support. Bu Yao intends to stay with Xing Yue rather than return home.
• Xing Yue questions whether Bu Yao can accept a much less privileged life. She points out that she cannot provide Bu Yao’s designer clothes, custom shoes, jewelry, or social advantages, and urges her to reconsider.
• Bu Yao takes Xing Yue’s reluctance as a sign that Xing Yue will not give their relationship a chance. She insists they are already trying and challenges Xing Yue to be brave. She declares that she wants to “take the lead” and asks Xing Yue to be her “Pillow Princess.”
• The chapter then shifts to Madam Bu, Ji Wenyan, traveling in the rain. She has had Bu Yao’s discarded bag of paper stars and a handmade house retrieved, so Xing Yue can have them if she later wants them back.
• Ji Wenyan meets He Zhiwen outside a hotel and reveals that she knows He’s secret. She offers a recommendation letter for the talented Miss Great White Shark, but demands 6,000 milliliters of blood and three snake scales in return.
• Ji explains that she still has not found a way to heal Xing Yue’s snake tail, despite years of effort. She also suggests He could avoid the bargain if Xing Yue leaves Bu Yao.
• He Zhiwen objects that Ji broke a promise made three years earlier to find treatment for Xing Yue. Ji points out that He still has feelings for Xing Yue, as shown by how carefully she dressed for someone she hopes to please.

Character developments

• Xing Yue is cautious and fearful of repeating her parents’ history. Her father once gave up family security for love, then blamed Xing Yue’s mother when hardship followed. That experience makes Xing Yue wary of Bu Yao’s willingness to sacrifice wealth and status.
• Bu Yao shows determination and vulnerability. Though accustomed to privilege, she insists she can face an uncertain future and wants Xing Yue to stop deciding for her.
• Ji Wenyan is both protective and calculating. She safeguards the keepsakes Bu Yao retrieved for Xing Yue, yet uses He Zhiwen’s secret and ambitions to pressure her into a costly bargain.
• He Zhiwen is conflicted: she resents Ji for breaking an earlier promise, but remains emotionally attached to Xing Yue and fears what her secret could mean.

Character interactions

• Xing Yue and Bu Yao clash over love, money, and commitment: Xing Yue tries to shield them both from an unequal and potentially painful future, while Bu Yao wants the chance to prove they can make the relationship work.
• Ji Wenyan’s quiet care for Xing Yue’s discarded belongings contrasts with her intimidating confrontation with He Zhiwen.
• Ji uses He’s concern for Miss Great White Shark—and her lingering feelings for Xing Yue—to steer her toward a bargain, while also offering her an alternative: let Xing Yue leave Bu Yao.

Significant themes

• Love versus class and wealth: The couple’s feelings are tested by the sharp difference between Bu Yao’s privilege and Xing Yue’s more modest means.
• Caution versus courage: Xing Yue’s fears are shaped by family trauma, while Bu Yao argues that a relationship deserves a genuine attempt.
• Sacrifice and responsibility: The chapter questions what each woman is willing—or able—to give up for love.
• Secrets, power, and bargains: Ji’s offer shows how personal ambitions and hidden vulnerabilities can be used as leverage.
• Intergenerational patterns: Xing Yue recognizes a troubling resemblance between Bu Yao’s choice and her father’s past decision to abandon family security for love.

Key plot points and events

• He Zhiwen returns to the hotel with a sealed recommendation letter and a jeweled hairpin after meeting her friend. Jiang Yue is thrilled by the letter, which will help with registration next week, and suggests treating the friend to dinner.
• Jiang Yue and He Zhiwen are intimate. He Zhiwen’s white snake tail appears, showing the distinctive markings of a Spirit Snake.
• While He Zhiwen sleeps, Jiang Yue secretly calls a man to ask whether her four developing snake eggs carry Spirit Snake genes. She says she would discard them if they do not, and expresses disgust at the possibility that the children might inherit homosexuality. The man urges her not to reveal her attitude to He Zhiwen.
• Meanwhile, Bu Yao and Xing Yue begin living together. Bu Yao tries to order lavish restaurant food, but Xing Yue points out that the cost is far beyond what she can afford and challenges Bu Yao’s dependence on her family’s money.
• Bu Yao says she wants Xing Yue’s cooking. Xing Yue worries that Bu Yao will be unhappy living on a tighter budget and suggests she return home. Bu Yao becomes upset, explaining that she left to defend Xing Yue after her mother spoke badly of her.
• Bu Yao offers to learn to cook instead of expecting Xing Yue to do it all. The two head to the market together, and Bu Yao asks Xing Yue to tell her what help she needs rather than immediately pushing her away.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yue presents herself as affectionate toward He Zhiwen but privately treats their unborn children as unwanted unless they possess the traits she values. Her concealed contempt sharply contrasts with her tender behavior.
• He Zhiwen is unsettled after her meeting, though she hides her distress from Jiang Yue. Her Spirit Snake markings become visible during intimacy.
• Bu Yao begins confronting the practical consequences of independence. Though accustomed to wealth, she shows willingness to change by offering to learn domestic skills.
• Xing Yue cares for Bu Yao but fears being responsible for her comfort indefinitely and worries that their different means will strain the relationship. Her suggestion that Bu Yao return home reflects insecurity, not lack of affection.
• Their conversation turns a brewing argument into a clearer request: Bu Yao wants to be included in solving problems, not told to leave.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Jiang Yue’s affectionate performance hides her disturbing intentions toward He Zhiwen and the children.
• Money and independence: Bu Yao’s privileged spending habits clash with the realities of building a life with Xing Yue.
• Love as shared effort: Their relationship grows when Bu Yao offers to contribute rather than assume Xing Yue will provide everything.
• Communication and security: Bu Yao’s plea highlights how repeated suggestions that she leave can feel like rejection, even when Xing Yue means to protect her.

Key plot points and events

• Bu Yao explains that she left home to make her family understand how important Xing Yue is—not because she intends to abandon her family or its fortune. She plans to return once her mother apologizes.
• The couple shop for ingredients and make meatball rice noodles together. Bu Yao learns basic food preparation while Xing Yue guides her.
• Their teasing turns flirtatious when Xing Yue recalls their past intimacy. Bu Yao becomes embarrassed, then abruptly suspicious that Xing Yue’s sexual experience contradicts her claim that Bu Yao was her first. She retreats to the living room, leaving Xing Yue confused about what upset her.
• Bu Yao enjoys the meal despite being a picky eater, showing how much the food—and the person who made it—means to her.
• Xing Yue visits Dr. Tan alone to discuss her missing tail. Tan believes the tail is physically intact but hidden by a psychological barrier. She proposes repeated cuts to stimulate scale and nerve growth, warning that treatment will be painful. Xing Yue agrees to try it.
• Tan offers to accompany Xing Yue to work as her private doctor and asks permission to write an academic paper about her case.

Character developments

• Bu Yao shows she is willing to learn and change, and her decision to stand up to her mother comes from a desire to protect Xing Yue rather than impulsiveness.
• Xing Yue is nurturing and playful with Bu Yao, but conceals deep anxiety about treatment behind a composed manner. She is determined to reclaim her tail despite the pain.
• Dr. Tan has studied Xing Yue’s rare condition and is eager to treat it, combining professional interest with practical confidence.

Significant themes

• Love expressed through protection, compromise, and everyday care.
• The contrast between outward composure and hidden vulnerability.
• Healing from psychological trauma as a difficult, gradual process.
• Intimacy and trust, complicated by jealousy and misunderstandings.

Character interactions

• Bu Yao and Xing Yue share affectionate domestic moments, physical closeness, and teasing, though their banter triggers Bu Yao’s jealousy.
• Bu Yao’s snake tail responds openly to Xing Yue’s touch, revealing her affection even when she feels embarrassed.
• Xing Yue approaches Tan as both a patient seeking help and someone afraid of what recovery will require; Tan reassures her while laying out the demanding treatment plan.

Key plot points

• Xing Yue consults Tan Xiang’e about her own condition and, while there, asks about her best friend Bo Wuxue. She describes how Bo becomes entranced and sexually aroused by reflections of her snake-form head.
• Tan identifies the rare condition as “Compulsive Perfect Snake Persona.” She explains that people with it may become attracted only to themselves, making romance and partnership difficult. There is no available treatment—not simply because research is limited, but because the authorities value the exceptional talents many patients develop and block further investigation.
• Worried for Bo, Xing Yue visits her at the Bo family palace. She remembers their childhood friendship and how their time together gave Bo freedom from the strict expectations imposed by her family.
• Xing Yue invites Bo out before beginning two months of closed training. Bo is initially absorbed in gaming, then gets ready in the elaborate dress and makeup she is expected to wear in public.
• Over dinner, Xing Yue asks about Bo’s fiancée and considers whether the engagement should end, believing Bo may be unable to love someone else.
• Bo Yao, Xing Yue’s own fiancée, unexpectedly arrives. Having overheard Xing Yue, she accuses her of trying to interfere with Bo’s relationship and keep her best friend to herself. She says she was seeking work to build a home for them, while Xing Yue was “sneaking around” with another woman.

Character developments

• Xing Yue shifts from relief about her own prospects to deep concern for Bo. Their friendship matters so much to her that Bo’s diagnosis troubles her more than her own disability. She tries to protect Bo, though she struggles to discuss the issue directly.
• Bo Wuxue is shown as constrained by her family’s expectations: she is required to pursue the family’s businesses and dress lavishly, while gaming and other interests are discouraged. Her narcissistic remarks and confidence contrast with Xing Yue’s worry about her condition.
• Tan Xiang’e is knowledgeable and candid, but her explanation reveals that medical care is limited by political priorities rather than purely scientific obstacles.
• Bo Yao appears jealous and hurt. Her accusation exposes tension in her relationship with Xing Yue and creates a public misunderstanding.

Significant themes

• The cost of imposed expectations: Bo’s childhood was shaped by rules about what she could enjoy, wear, and become.
• Love, identity, and isolation: Bo’s self-directed attraction may prevent her from forming romantic bonds, turning apparent vanity into a source of possible distress.
• Friendship and protection: Xing Yue’s long history with Bo motivates her to intervene, even when she is unsure how.
• Social priorities versus individual well-being: The authorities preserve the condition because of its supposed benefits, leaving patients’ suffering unaddressed.

Character interactions

• Tan reassures Xing Yue about confidentiality and gives her a frank explanation of Bo’s condition.
• Xing Yue and Bo share an intimate, teasing friendship rooted in childhood; Xing Yue recalls being Bo’s first close friend and the freedom they found together.
• Xing Yue’s questions about Bo’s fiancée reveal her protective concern, but Bo Yao interprets them as romantic interference, setting up a confrontation between the two fiancées.

Plot points and events

• At lunch, Bo Wuxue teases Xing Yue and asks her to order green tea milk tea. Bu Yao—already upset at Xing Yue for treating Bo to an expensive meal—takes the request as evidence of favoritism and accuses Xing Yue of interfering in Bo’s engagement.
• Xing Yue privately tries to soothe Bu Yao, explaining that she wants to enjoy time with Bo before training keeps them apart for nearly six months. Bu Yao suppresses her anger to avoid embarrassing Xing Yue, but demands that Xing Yue tell Bo they have been sleeping together.
• Bo and Xing Yue joke about Xing Yue’s reluctance to become intimate with Bu Yao. Bo understands that Xing Yue is holding back because she wants their relationship to feel secure and honest, though she thinks Xing Yue is being overly cautious. She also warns that Xing Yue’s ex-girlfriend’s current partner has joined New Shadow Entertainment, a Bu Family company.
• During the meal, Xing Yue tries to keep both women content, alternating between chatting with Bo and attending to Bu Yao. Afterward, she explains that Bo’s condition may prevent her from developing sexual feelings for her fiancée.
• At home, Xing Yue records a video telling her fans she will be training for an upcoming show and may post less. Bu Yao watches her sing, clearly moved, but disguises her praise by repeating the green-tea-milk-tea joke.
• Xing Yue responds flirtatiously, but Bu Yao panics and retreats under the covers. Later, Bo sends them a package. Bu Yao opens it and discovers a sex toy, becoming mortified by its implications. When Xing Yue returns from her shower, Bu Yao hides under the quilt, including her tail, as Xing Yue tries to find out what is wrong.

Character developments

• Bu Yao shows intense jealousy and hurt, but also restraint: she holds back in public to protect Xing Yue’s dignity. Her attraction is clear, though she becomes flustered when Xing Yue responds directly.
• Xing Yue is attentive and nurturing toward Bu Yao, even while trying to preserve her friendship with Bo. Her reluctance to advance the physical relationship stems from her strong sense of propriety, not lack of desire.
• Bo Wuxue acts as a provocative but perceptive friend. She teases Xing Yue about her romantic restraint, respects her values, and shows concern about Bo’s engagement and Xing Yue’s upcoming training.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and reassurance: Bu Yao’s anger reflects her fear of being less important to Xing Yue than Bo.
• Intimacy and emotional readiness: Xing Yue wants physical closeness but believes the relationship should be secure before they take that step.
• Public composure versus private vulnerability: Bu Yao suppresses her feelings in public, then reveals her embarrassment and affection at home.
• Friendship and concern: Bo’s teasing coexists with genuine worry about both Xing Yue’s career and her own future marriage.

Character interactions

• Bo deliberately provokes Bu Yao by asking Xing Yue for a treat; Bu Yao confronts Xing Yue, who tries to calm her without exposing their private relationship.
• Bo privately teases Xing Yue about her lack of sexual initiative and warns her about a potential source of trouble at the entertainment company.
• Xing Yue cares for Bu Yao throughout the meal and later explains Bo’s condition, while Bu Yao continues to make pointed jokes about the milk tea.
• At home, Xing Yue flirts with Bu Yao, who flees from the intimacy; Bo’s delivered gift then leaves Bu Yao embarrassed, setting up a playful, unresolved moment between the couple.

Plot and events

• Xing Yue and Bu Yao spend the night together. Xing Yue begins by pleasuring herself while leaving Bu Yao out, then goes to sleep, prompting Bu Yao to slap her and demand an explanation.
• Xing Yue says she stopped because snakes need many hours to mate, and she had work in the morning. Bu Yao rejects this excuse, feeling treated like a toy rather than a partner.
• Their argument exposes Xing Yue’s conflicted feelings: she resents Bu Yao and sometimes deliberately hurts her, yet is also growing attached. When Xing Yue tries to comfort her, Bu Yao calls her a “glutton for punishment” and takes the lead.
• They spend the rest of the night together, leaving Xing Yue too exhausted to wake for work. The next afternoon, Bu Yao answers a call from Qiao Rui, then watches Xing Yue sleep and recalls her pleading to be Bu Yao’s girlfriend.

Character development and interactions

• Bu Yao shifts from hurt and anger to assertiveness, confronting Xing Yue’s selfishness and then initiating intimacy herself. Her tenderness afterward suggests her feelings remain strong despite the conflict.
• Xing Yue recognizes her own cruel, possessive streak but struggles to apologize or treat Bu Yao consistently. Her eventual vulnerability—begging to be Bu Yao’s girlfriend—reveals how emotionally invested she has become.
• Their relationship is passionate but unstable: Xing Yue alternates between affection and provocation, while Bu Yao refuses to accept being used or dismissed.
• Qiao Rui’s blustering call contrasts with the couple’s private intimacy; Bu Yao firmly ends it so Xing Yue can keep sleeping.

Significant themes

• Consent and reciprocity: Bu Yao insists that intimacy cannot be one-sided.
• Love tangled with resentment: Both women’s attraction coexists with hurt, pride, and attempts to provoke one another.
• Vulnerability and power: Their struggle over who leads—and who risks showing need—gradually gives way to mutual emotional exposure.

Key plot points and events

• After a passionate night together, Xing Yue and Bu Yao wake up in bed. Bu Yao has taken time off for Xing Yue, who plans to go to training and asks Bu Yao to help treat her tail injury later.
• Bu Yao asks Xing Yue to openly acknowledge her as her girlfriend. Xing Yue agrees and looks for a suitable photo of Bu Yao to use.
• While browsing Bu Yao’s social-media posts, Xing Yue notices a lyric that reflects Bu Yao’s long-held feelings for her. She realizes how much she had overlooked Bu Yao’s love and longing.
• Xing Yue asks about Bu Yao’s past illness. Bu Yao explains that she had developed erotomania, believing Xing Yue loved her deeply and that their marriage would last. When Xing Yue divorced her and later avoided her, Bu Yao was devastated and gradually accepted that Xing Yue had not loved her.
• Xing Yue recognizes her own cruelty and regrets leaving without a proper conversation. Bu Yao says she still wants to marry Xing Yue again whenever Xing Yue is ready.
• Before Xing Yue leaves, the two share an affectionate goodbye. Xing Yue updates her status with the second half of the lyric. Her friend Bo Wuxue responds with an off-key sung congratulations.

Character developments

• Xing Yue begins to grasp the depth of Bu Yao’s past pain and the harm her abrupt divorce caused. Her feelings are shifting toward openness and possible reconciliation, though she has not yet committed to remarriage.
• Bu Yao remains deeply devoted to Xing Yue and is now able to describe the painful truth she once struggled to accept. She wants a future together but gives Xing Yue time to decide.
• Bo Wuxue provides comic relief, celebrating the couple’s renewed relationship in her own teasing way.

Significant themes

• Unrequited or misunderstood love: Bu Yao’s belief in Xing Yue’s affection once concealed the reality of their marriage, while Xing Yue failed to recognize Bu Yao’s longing.
• Regret and accountability: Xing Yue confronts the lasting consequences of leaving without explanation or closure.
• Healing and reconciliation: Their intimacy and honest conversation suggest the possibility of rebuilding trust, but the past remains important.
• Longing and memory: The song lyric links their shared history to the feelings that persisted through years apart.

Character interactions

• Xing Yue and Bu Yao tease and flirt after their night together, then discuss public acknowledgment of their relationship.
• Their conversation shifts from playful affection to painful honesty about Bu Yao’s illness, the divorce, and Xing Yue’s past avoidance.
• Bu Yao reassures Xing Yue that she is willing to remarry when Xing Yue is ready; they part reluctantly after kissing.
• Bo Wuxue’s exaggerated musical message turns Xing Yue’s private romantic update into a playful moment between friends.

Key plot points and events

• Bo Wuxue shares lingerie and intimate products she designed, boasting about her successful side business. She admits she has barely spoken to her fiancée since their arranged engagement and worries the fiancée still loves a childhood sweetheart. Xing Yue advises her to talk things through.
• Xing Yue brings Tan Xiang’e to New Shadow Entertainment’s training facility, where she will serve as Xing Yue’s assistant during an upcoming competition. They meet the other company representatives: actresses Lan Qianqian and Mi Ning, and internet celebrity Jiang Yue.
• Executive Luo Zhi asks Xing Yue to sing. Xing Yue performs skillfully, but her voice sounds hoarse; she claims to have a cold, privately recalling an exhausting night with her lover.
• Mi Ning insinuates that Xing Yue’s online singing is heavily corrected by sound equipment. Xing Yue stays composed. Artists draw competition songs, and Xing Yue readily trades her promising hit for Mi Ning’s old, obscure song.
• Jiang Yue tries to discourage the trade and is insulted by Mi Ning. She responds with exaggerated praise, then secretly arranges to lure Mi Ning to a hotel under false pretenses and hints at a plan to make her suffer.
• Later, Jiang Yue approaches Xing Yue, praises her singing, and tries to befriend her, apparently seeking an ally. Xing Yue remains distant.
• Luo Zhi returns Xing Yue’s old phone. Its screen displays an intimate photo of Xing Yue with He Zhiwen, with milk-tea cups bearing the words “My” and “wife.” Jiang Yue sees it, and Xing Yue pointedly asks whether she still wants to have dinner together.

Character developments and interactions

• Xing Yue is capable and self-possessed, refusing to react to Mi Ning’s jab. But her unresolved feelings about He Zhiwen make her uncomfortable around Jiang Yue, who is He Zhiwen’s current girlfriend. The exposed photo threatens to reveal their past.
• Bo Wuxue is resourceful and entrepreneurial, but emotionally hesitant about her politically arranged engagement. Xing Yue acts as a confidante and urges honest communication.
• Mi Ning is arrogant and dismissive of Xing Yue and Jiang Yue. Her envy of Xing Yue’s song leads her to propose a trade; she takes advantage of Xing Yue’s agreement and publicly humiliates Jiang Yue.
• Jiang Yue initially appears gentle and eager to connect with Xing Yue, but her vindictive response to Mi Ning’s insult reveals a calculating, dangerous side. Her attempts at friendship with Xing Yue may be strategic.
• Tan Xiang’e is excited to accompany Xing Yue and explore the entertainment world, while Luo Zhi evaluates the artists and tries to maintain a cooperative atmosphere.

Significant themes

• Public image versus private reality: Xing Yue’s polished online voice contrasts with her hoarse real-life voice, while Jiang Yue’s gentle manner conceals her vindictiveness.
• Ambition and rivalry: The competition setting encourages envy, status-consciousness, and strategic alliances.
• Arranged relationships and emotional uncertainty: Bo Wuxue’s engagement is a family alliance, while Xing Yue’s past with He Zhiwen complicates her dealings with Jiang Yue.
• Secrets and exposure: The intimate photo’s sudden appearance creates a potential turning point in Xing Yue and Jiang Yue’s relationship.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yue secretly meets her lover, who has helped her carry out a plan involving four “Snake Eggs.” She rejects his affection and warns him not to leave his scent on her, since her wife, He Zhiwen, is sensitive to it.
• Jiang Yue enters Mi Ning’s hotel room and incapacitates her with a chemical-soaked handkerchief. She threatens Mi Ning, claims her performance piece, takes compromising photos, and warns that exposing the attack would wreck Mi Ning’s career. She also humiliates Mi Ning physically before leaving.
• Back home, He Zhiwen tells Jiang Yue what she has learned about their coworkers, including Mi Ning and Xing Yue. Jiang Yue probes why Xing Yue was omitted, then reveals she knows He Zhiwen has met with her former girlfriend. Jiang Yue acts forgiving, but her calm response makes He Zhiwen uneasy.
• Jiang Yue redirects the conversation into intimacy, and He Zhiwen is distracted from her guilt and doubts.
• Meanwhile, Xing Yue undergoes a painful procedure to have Snake Scales etched into her legs. Her assistant, Tan Xiang’e, performs it carefully. Bu Yao cannot attend because of company rules and her family conflict, so Xing Yue plans to heal herself with her own Snake Tongue.
• After the procedure, the pain overwhelms Xing Yue, and she calls Bu Yao, reconsidering whether Bu Yao should ask her mother for help after all.

Character developments

• Jiang Yue is shown as increasingly ambitious, cruel, and controlling. She exploits Mi Ning’s vulnerability and treats both her lover and He Zhiwen as people to manage, while concealing her actions behind a composed, affectionate persona.
• Jiang Yue’s lover remains devoted despite recognizing how much she has changed; he helps her but is hurt by her rejection.
• He Zhiwen is caring and supportive, but her guilt about meeting Xing Yue makes her increasingly suspicious of Jiang Yue’s seemingly perfect reassurance.
• Mi Ning is left powerless and threatened, facing a painful choice between reporting Jiang Yue and protecting her career.
• Xing Yue endures the procedure with resolve, though the aftermath forces her to admit she may need help.
• Bu Yao is affectionate and jealous, while Tan Xiang’e demonstrates professional skill and patience.

Significant themes

• Abuse of power and reputation: Jiang Yue uses blackmail, sexual humiliation, and the threat of online scandal to silence Mi Ning.
• Ambition and moral decline: Jiang Yue’s pursuit of fame and status contrasts with her earlier, kinder self.
• Control beneath affection: Jiang Yue’s tenderness toward He Zhiwen coexists with manipulation, making He Zhiwen question what their relationship really means.
• Pain, dependence, and care: Xing Yue’s procedure highlights the vulnerability involved in healing and the importance of support from loved ones.

Character interactions

• Jiang Yue rejects her lover’s affection but relies on his help, revealing an unequal, strained relationship.
• Jiang Yue dominates and threatens Mi Ning, turning a workplace rivalry into coercion.
• He Zhiwen offers Jiang Yue practical career support; Jiang Yue’s questions about Xing Yue expose He Zhiwen’s concealed meeting with her ex.
• Xing Yue and Bu Yao exchange teasing, jealous affection by phone, while Tan Xiang’e supports Xing Yue through the procedure.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• He Zhiwen notices blood on a blanket outside Xing Yue’s room and finds Xing Yue unconscious, feverish, and covered in cuts from an attempt to treat her tail condition. She stays to clean and comfort her rather than call for help, worried that others might discover Xing Yue’s disability.
• While caring for Xing Yue, He Zhiwen suggests that Spirit Snake blood or scales might cure her. Xing Yue firmly rejects the idea, condemning the cruelty of treating Spirit Snakes as medicine or commodities. She says she would accept death or use prosthetics rather than rely on such a cure.
• Bu Yao arrives and, jealous of finding Xing Yue alone with her ex, checks He Zhiwen’s mouth before ordering her to leave. She then uses her Snake Tongue to heal Xing Yue’s wounds and ease her pain.
• Once Xing Yue is recovering, Bu Yao confronts her about He Zhiwen. Xing Yue explains what happened, admits she was wrong not to send He Zhiwen away sooner, and reassures Bu Yao that she cares for her.

Character developments

• He Zhiwen shows lingering concern for Xing Yue and discomfort at seeing her suffer. Xing Yue’s rebuke forces her to reconsider her assumption that Spirit Snakes are useful resources rather than people.
• Xing Yue remains principled about Spirit Snake welfare despite her own desperate condition. She also shows affection for Bu Yao, valuing her care and trying to soothe her jealousy with humor and closeness.
• Bu Yao reveals that her jealousy and anger stem from fear of losing Xing Yue, but her actions show that concern comes first: she heals Xing Yue before addressing their quarrel.

Significant themes

• Personhood versus exploitation: Xing Yue challenges the idea that Spirit Snakes exist to provide cures or wealth, insisting they are “our own kind.”
• Care and vulnerability: He Zhiwen and Bu Yao both tend to Xing Yue, though their care reflects different relationships and motives.
• Love, jealousy, and reassurance: Bu Yao’s possessiveness sparks conflict, while Xing Yue responds with apologies and affection.
• Acceptance of mortality: Xing Yue would rather face death or use prosthetics than survive through the exploitation of Spirit Snakes.

Character interactions

• He Zhiwen cares for Xing Yue and raises the possibility of a Spirit Snake cure; Xing Yue’s sharp response unsettles her and changes how she views the issue.
• Bu Yao confronts He Zhiwen out of jealousy, then treats Xing Yue’s injuries with tenderness despite her anger.
• Xing Yue teases and reassures Bu Yao, acknowledges her mistake, and finds comfort in the fact that Bu Yao healed her before scolding her.