Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• At a bar, Bu Yao drinks with Guan Shuxian, a wealthy woman whose family has arranged a match with her. Guan needs the marriage to strengthen her position as heir, but Bu Yao sharply warns her to stop talking.
• Xing Yue sees Bu Yao and Guan together. When a server says Guan wants to pay extra to hear Xing Yue sing, Xing Yue feels demeaned and leaves work early.
• At the bar’s back exit, Bu Yao stops Xing Yue from leaving. Xing Yue calls Bu Yao her ex-girlfriend, saying a week of unanswered calls and silence means they have broken up. Bu Yao denies the breakup.
• During their argument, Bu Yao steps on Xing Yue’s favorite lipstick. Xing Yue says Bu Yao has a habit of trampling everything she cares about, including her feelings, and walks away.
• Bu Yao later ambushes Xing Yue at her apartment, cuffs her to a chair, and threatens her with pliers near her unusual snake tail. She demands to know who called whom an “ex-girlfriend.”
• Xing Yue initially dares Bu Yao to hurt her, then finally explains why she is angry: Bu Yao disappeared on a trip with Guan, brought Guan to the bar without warning, and never explained what happened between them.
• Bu Yao removes the pliers but presses Xing Yue’s tail beneath her heel instead. Xing Yue, in pain and overwhelmed, gives in and asks directly whether Bu Yao and Guan shared a room or slept together.

Character developments

• Xing Yue shifts from trying to avoid Bu Yao to openly expressing her hurt and anger. Her defiance gives way to a vulnerable demand for the truth.
• Bu Yao is revealed as jealous, controlling, and emotionally volatile. Beneath her aggression, she appears wounded by Xing Yue’s claim that they are over and seems unable to tolerate Xing Yue using her full name.
• Guan Shuxian is presented as a strategic potential match rather than a romantic partner in any confirmed sense: she is pursuing the marriage for family and inheritance reasons.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and insecurity: Xing Yue interprets Bu Yao’s unexplained time with Guan as possible betrayal; Bu Yao reacts possessively to being called an ex.
• Poor communication: A week of silence and the lack of an explanation allow suspicion and resentment to escalate.
• Power and control: Bu Yao uses wealth, intimidation, and physical force, while Xing Yue feels reduced to an object to be displayed or humiliated.
• Hurt beneath anger: The argument over a lipstick and a label masks the deeper question of whether Bu Yao has been unfaithful and whether their relationship is ending.

Character interactions

• Bu Yao and Guan exchange sharp, tense remarks; Guan tests Bu Yao’s boundaries, while Bu Yao asserts dominance.
• Xing Yue and Bu Yao move from avoidance and provocation to a coercive confrontation. Xing Yue’s final question redirects the conflict from the breakup label to the unresolved trip with Guan.
• The server’s admiration of Guan unintentionally deepens Xing Yue’s humiliation, highlighting the gap between the women’s social positions.

Key plot points and events

• Xing Yue is still hurt and distrustful after Bu Yao traveled with Guan Shuxian. Bu Yao insists nothing happened and explains that her mother will stop arranging matches if she spends a month getting to know Guan first; afterward, Bu Yao can remarry Xing Yue and move out.
• Xing Yue proposes that they avoid contact for that month, ostensibly to respect the arrangement and protect Bu Yao’s family from gossip. She urges Bu Yao to go home and promises to take her for tea the next morning.
• Once Bu Yao leaves, Xing Yue vents to Bo Wuxue and begins packing to flee abroad. She feels Bu Yao is minimizing the betrayal and using her decision to join the family business as proof of devotion.
• Bu Yao returns unexpectedly with a gift of lipstick. Xing Yue hides her packing and makes up an excuse about moving closer to Bu Yao’s company. Bu Yao stays, saying she missed Xing Yue.
• Xing Yue carries Bu Yao to bed, and Bu Yao shyly asks, “Would you mate with me?”

Character developments

• Xing Yue remains deeply wounded and suspicious, even while outwardly acting considerate. She masks her anger with concern for Bu Yao’s reputation, but privately considers ending the relationship by disappearing abroad.
• Bu Yao is earnest and affectionate, trying to reassure Xing Yue through promises, tenderness, and a thoughtful gift. Yet she does not fully grasp how seriously Xing Yue views her trip with Guan or how little her explanation has eased the hurt.

Significant themes

• Trust and perceived betrayal: Bu Yao’s claim that nothing happened does not address Xing Yue’s central grievance: that she traveled with a potential match without warning.
• Love versus obligation: Bu Yao presents taking on the family business as a sacrifice for their future, while Xing Yue fears this could later become leverage in their disagreements.
• Avoidance and miscommunication: Both women conceal their real feelings—Xing Yue hides her planned escape, while Bu Yao interprets Xing Yue’s reassurances as acceptance.
• Intimacy amid unresolved conflict: Their physical closeness contrasts with the emotional distance and mistrust still between them.

Character interactions

Bu Yao tries to comfort Xing Yue with kisses, promises, and a new lipstick; Xing Yue responds gently on the surface but repeatedly pushes her to leave. Bu Yao resists, seeks reassurance, and eventually returns after being sent away. Their reunion ends in intimate physical closeness, though the underlying conflict remains unresolved.

Plot points

• Xing Yue agrees to buy condoms after Bu Yao suggests they mate, despite secretly planning to leave her. She chooses latex-free condoms but refuses emergency contraceptive pills, not wanting Bu Yao to risk their side effects.
• Back home, Xing Yue is too nervous and guilty to go through with intimacy. Bu Yao, dressed in Xing Yue’s shirt and already in her snake form, notices her unease and assumes she is tired.
• When Bu Yao quietly cries and asks whether Xing Yue loves her, Xing Yue says yes, though she cannot tell whether it is true. She waits until Bu Yao is asleep, then sneaks away with a suitcase.
• Bo Wuxue drives Xing Yue to a waiting helicopter. Xing Yue chooses Qiaomeng, a distant, rainy country, and travels there without receiving any calls or messages from Bu Yao.
• At her hotel, Xing Yue finds a postcard in her suitcase showing a photo she took of Bu Yao. Its message reads, “Have a good trip, big sister. See you at the hotel~” She also discovers the condoms she had left in the wardrobe packed in her suitcase.

Character developments and interactions

• Xing Yue is torn between desire for Bu Yao and her plan to end the relationship. Guilt makes her avoid intimacy, yet she still comforts Bu Yao and claims to love her. Her secret departure shows how determined—and frightened—she is to escape.
• Bu Yao appears affectionate and hopeful, offering to accept pregnancy and taking Xing Yue’s condom purchase as a sign of care. Her tears reveal insecurity and fear that she has caused Xing Yue’s distance. Her farewell postcard suggests she may know more about Xing Yue’s plans than Xing Yue realizes.
• Bo Wuxue bluntly calls out Xing Yue’s selfishness for planning to leave while still wanting intimacy, then helps her make her escape.
• The chapter’s key interaction is between Xing Yue and Bu Yao: Bu Yao seeks reassurance, while Xing Yue gives comforting words but withholds the truth.

Significant themes

• Desire versus responsibility: Xing Yue wants closeness even as she intends to leave.
• Guilt and avoidance: Rather than confront Bu Yao honestly, Xing Yue hides her plans and suppresses her feelings.
• Love and uncertainty: Xing Yue’s answer to “Do you love me?” is emotionally conflicted, and Bu Yao’s response hints at doubt—or understanding.
• Separation and pursuit: The postcard and misplaced condoms suggest Xing Yue’s attempted escape may not be as secret or final as she believes.

Key plot points

• Xing Yue settles in Qiaomeng, still frightened that Bu Yao may track her down. After dreaming that Bu Yao is crying, pregnant, and demanding she stay, Xing Yue wakes in the bath and reminds herself it was only a nightmare.
• She rents a small suburban cottage, hides her real address from her mother, and says she has found work abroad. She tells Xing Yingnuan that she and Bu Yao are no longer together and that Bu Yao is marrying someone from a more suitable family.
• Bo Wuxue reveals that Bu Yao has not followed Xing Yue to Qiaomeng. Instead, Bu Yao attended a charity gala with Guan Shuxian, and the press is praising them as a perfect match. Xing Yue says she does not care, but the news hurts.
• Xing Yue tries to avoid online coverage of Bu Yao, but videos of the gala still reach her. Comparing herself with Bu Yao and Guan Shuxian deepens her insecurity. She buys alcohol and roses, then drinks alone.
• Her body enters a mating-season episode: her tail becomes unusually wet and sensitive, and she is overwhelmed by heat and discomfort. In the midst of it, she answers her mother’s repeated call. Xing Yingnuan says the address Xing Yue gave is invalid and that she has sent Wen, an acquaintance who studied in Qiaomeng, to help.

Character developments and interactions

• Xing Yue is determined to build a life away from Bu Yao, but her efforts to insist she is unaffected conflict with her jealousy, sadness, and insecurity. She hides her location from both Bu Yao and her mother, while still confiding in Bo Wuxue.
• Bu Yao remains absent, yet dominates Xing Yue’s thoughts. Her public appearance with Guan Shuxian makes the separation feel real and exposes how much Xing Yue is still hurting.
• Bo Wuxue acts as Xing Yue’s confidante and tries to protect her from painful news. She recognizes that Xing Yue is heartbroken, even though Xing Yue refuses to admit it, and sends her lyrics inspired by Xing Yue and Bu Yao’s relationship.
• Xing Yingnuan is blunt about disliking Bu Yao and sees the breakup as a relief, but her concern for Xing Yue’s safety prompts her to arrange practical help.
• Guan Shuxian appears mainly through the gala coverage and the press’s glowing portrayal of her as Bu Yao’s ideal match, intensifying Xing Yue’s sense of inadequacy.

Significant themes

• Denial and unresolved love: Xing Yue insists the breakup is settled, while her reactions reveal continuing attachment and grief.
• Class and self-worth: Bu Yao’s privilege and Guan Shuxian’s reputation make Xing Yue feel insignificant by comparison.
• Escape versus connection: Xing Yue takes pains to disappear, yet remains emotionally tied to Bu Yao and reliant on friends and family.
• Bodily vulnerability: Xing Yue’s mating-season symptoms interrupt her attempt to manage everything through distance and self-control, leaving her in a precarious situation just as help is being sent.

Key plot points and events

• Xing Yue’s mother persuades He Zhiwen to visit Xing Yue in Qiaomeng, despite Xing Yue’s wish not to owe He another favor. After initially lashing out at her, Xing Yue sends He a location.
• He finds Xing Yue transformed into a drunken python, partly wedged into the refrigerator. He rearranges the shelves and coils her tail inside so she can rest, then cooks soup and cares for her.
• He accidentally leaves Xing Yue in the refrigerator overnight. Panicking when he finds her frozen and unresponsive, he warms her with a hair dryer, tries giving her blood, and calls emergency services. Xing Yue wakes before help arrives and explains she was simply drunk and hibernating.
• Xing Yue tells He to stop doing chores for her and to return home after a few days. She offers to stay in a hotel so He can use the house, signaling her discomfort with sharing space and accepting care.
• While Xing Yue naps, He decorates the window with paper butterflies and Sunny Dolls. Xing Yue appreciates the decorations, though they remind her of Bu Yao and the bleakness of her current life.
• After the pair go out, an unseen observer photographs the decorations and reports that Xing Yue appears to be with her lover.

Character developments

• Xing Yue remains guarded and proud, resisting He’s help because she fears becoming indebted to her. Yet she softens after He’s vulnerability and allows her to stay. Her thoughts about Bu Yao reveal lingering hurt and jealousy.
• He Zhiwen shows patience, tenderness, and practical care, even when Xing Yue treats her cruelly. She respects Xing Yue’s boundaries but quietly expresses affection through cooking and decorating.
• Xing Yingnuan acts as a well-meaning mediator, arranging He’s visit because she worries about Xing Yue being alone after her breakup.
• The unseen observer introduces a possible complication by framing He and Xing Yue as romantic partners and relaying the image to someone addressed as “Miss.”

Significant themes

• Care versus indebtedness: Xing Yue wants to manage alone, while He’s acts of care make her feel both comforted and obligated.
• Lingering heartbreak: Xing Yue’s thoughts of Bu Yao show that she has not moved on, despite trying to build a life elsewhere.
• Quiet, indirect affection: He expresses concern through practical gestures rather than declarations.
• Misunderstanding and appearances: He’s visit and the romantic-looking decorations are interpreted by an observer as evidence of a new relationship.

Character interactions

• Xing Yue’s harsh phone call contrasts with He’s meek, apologetic response; He’s vulnerability prompts Xing Yue to let her come over.
• He cares for Xing Yue while she is transformed, and Xing Yue later teases her about the emergency call, easing some of the tension between them.
• Xing Yue insists on doing her own chores and proposes that they stay separately, while He accepts the boundary without argument.
• He’s decorations prompt Xing Yue to think of Bu Yao, but she reassures He that they are pretty and leaves them up.

Plot points

• After an outing with He Zhiwen, Xing Yue checks into a hotel, unable to sleep. Drunk, she accidentally livestreams herself and finally explains the scandal that ended her online career: she had argued with her ex and made an inappropriate remark, but says she did not know her ex was married.
• Viewers debate her account, and the story trends. Many longtime fans defend her, while others doubt her or demand that her ex come forward. Xing Yue ends the stream and sleeps through the online uproar.
• During the night, Xing Yue’s serpent tail causes her intense discomfort. Bu Yao appears and soothes her. Xing Yue, believing she is dreaming, makes jealous remarks about Bu Yao’s revealing outfit, then pulls her close. They spend the night together, their tails entwined.
• In the morning, Bu Yao leaves Xing Yue a voice message and takes the gemstone pendant from the necklace she wore. Before returning, she confronts He Zhiwen at Xing Yue’s house, criticizing her for treating Xing Yue’s hospitality as something owed to her. He Zhiwen, ashamed, removes the decorations she had hung.
• Xing Yue wakes ravenously hungry, finds the warm gemstone beside her, and discovers Bu Yao’s message—then hears her own jealous comments from the night before.

Character developments and interactions

• Xing Yue breaks years of silence about the scandal, though she is still emotionally wounded by the public judgment and by her past habit of running away. Her supposedly indifferent remarks reveal lingering jealousy toward Bu Yao; despite rejecting Bu Yao verbally, she seeks and accepts her comfort.
• Bu Yao shows tenderness toward Xing Yue but also asserts boundaries, telling her to enjoy her freedom without crossing the line. She later defends Xing Yue against He Zhiwen’s thoughtlessness, seeing how often Xing Yue is pressured to give way.
• He Zhiwen initially assumes Xing Yue’s permission to decorate the house means she is comfortable with it. Bu Yao’s rebuke makes her recognize that Xing Yue may be accommodating her out of guilt, and she quietly takes the decorations down.
• Fans and online commenters revive the scandal: supporters challenge the cyberbullying, while skeptics question Xing Yue’s explanation and speculate about her private relationships.

Significant themes

• The damage caused by online rumor, public shaming, and the demand that people disclose private relationships.
• The difference between accountability for a hurtful remark and being falsely portrayed as knowingly pursuing a married person.
• Xing Yue’s pattern of self-sacrifice and avoidance, contrasted with Bu Yao’s insistence that others should not take her kindness for granted.
• Lingering love, jealousy, and intimacy beneath denial and unresolved hurt.

Plot points and events

• Xing Yue wakes after spending the night with Bu Yao, embarrassed by her drunken behavior and unsettled by her lingering snake tail. She realizes they never formally ended their relationship, despite years apart.
• Online attention explodes after their history becomes a trending topic. Posts recount their youthful romance, brief marriage, later reunion, and the rumors linking Bu Yao with Guan Shuxian. Public speculation about class differences and Bu Yao’s family’s approval leaves Xing Yue troubled.
• Worried they may have had unprotected sex, Xing Yue messages Bu Yao. Bu Yao confirms they did not use a condom, explaining that Xing Yue had stopped her from leaving to buy one. Bu Yao offers to take emergency medication.
• Xing Yue makes a jealous remark about Bu Yao possibly ending up with Guan Shuxian, then mutes her messages. She spends the day wandering, drinking, and reacting to online shipping posts—liking those pairing her with Bu Yao and disliking those pairing Bu Yao with Guan.
• Later, Xing Yue reads Bu Yao’s messages explaining that she agreed to spend time with Guan only to prove to her mother that she could not fall for anyone else. Bu Yao reaffirms her love, shares hotel footage to show she and Guan slept separately, and offers Xing Yue access to her account.
• Reassured, Xing Yue admits she does not dislike Bu Yao’s revealing outfit. She prepares carefully for Bu Yao’s video call, but the call ends before she answers, leaving her disappointed.

Character developments

• Xing Yue recognizes that she is still deeply attached to Bu Yao. Her jealousy, anxiety, and concern about the pregnancy risk expose feelings she tries to disguise with sarcasm and emotional distance.
• Bu Yao remains openly devoted and patient. She tries to reassure Xing Yue with direct declarations of love and concrete proof, while accepting that Xing Yue needs time and reassurance.

Significant themes

• Love versus class and family pressure: Public discussion and Bu Yao’s mother’s expectations frame their relationship as a struggle against social status and family approval.
• Jealousy, trust, and reassurance: Xing Yue’s suspicions about Guan contrast with Bu Yao’s earnest attempts to establish trust.
• Public scrutiny and private intimacy: Their intimate history becomes online gossip, while their relationship’s real uncertainties unfold through private messages.
• Vulnerability masked by pride: Xing Yue’s barbed remarks and apparent indifference conceal her insecurity and longing.

Character interactions

• Xing Yue and Bu Yao discuss the unprotected encounter, with Bu Yao recalling Xing Yue’s drunken clinginess and offering to take medication.
• Xing Yue needles Bu Yao about Guan Shuxian; Bu Yao responds by explaining her motives and reaffirming that she loves Xing Yue.
• Bu Yao shares hotel footage and offers her WeChat password to ease Xing Yue’s doubts. Xing Yue declines the password but appreciates the gesture, then tries to appear freshly awake for a call that Bu Yao ends before she can answer.

Chapter summary

Key events

• Xing Yue wakes to find Bu Yao’s messages and a sapphire gift. She also discovers that He Zhiwen has abruptly returned home, leaving a note behind.
• Wanting space between visits, Xing Yue tells Bu Yao to come back only when the flowers she has planted bloom—about two months later. Bu Yao reluctantly agrees, and the two exchange affectionate messages.
• Xing Yue learns Bu Yao is attending the launch of The Unpredictable Dress, a film inspired by Guan Shuxian’s life. Its story portrays a designer and her female muse in a way that appears to echo Bu Yao and Guan Shuxian.
• Feeling hurt that Bu Yao has endorsed the project without considering her feelings, Xing Yue confronts her. Bu Yao explains that the film is fictionalized publicity intended to boost its commercial success. Xing Yue hangs up and drinks alone.
• Bo Wuxue distracts Xing Yue with a funny story about an online critic who had once used Xing Yue’s photo as a profile picture and fantasized about her. Their warm exchange lifts Xing Yue’s mood.
• Bu Yao calls again, upset that Xing Yue is ignoring her. Xing Yue admits she is not simply angry—she hates herself for feeling this way.

Character developments

• Xing Yue recognizes that her jealousy and insecurity are becoming entangled with Bu Yao’s work and success. She struggles to express hurt directly, retreating into silence and self-blame, but begins to question whether she is being unfair.
• Bu Yao remains affectionate and eager for closeness, but her business-minded explanation reveals how readily she prioritizes commercial opportunity. When Xing Yue withdraws, she becomes anxious and insists they communicate.
• Bo Wuxue acts as a supportive, lighthearted presence. Her friendship helps Xing Yue regain perspective and remember that she is loved.
• He Zhiwen’s sudden departure remains unexplained; Xing Yue suspects Bu Yao may have visited her.

Themes and interactions

• The chapter explores long-distance love, balancing the desire for closeness with the need for space.
• It highlights jealousy, insecurity, and communication: Xing Yue feels sidelined by Bu Yao’s business decision but struggles to voice her real fear without turning it into self-criticism.
• Love versus ambition is central. Bu Yao sees the film as a profitable fictionalized story, while Xing Yue experiences its apparent resemblance to their lives as emotionally threatening.
• Xing Yue and Bu Yao’s exchanges shift from playful affection to tense confrontation and anxious repair. Bo Wuxue’s teasing friendship offers Xing Yue comfort and a route back toward understanding her own feelings.

Key plot points

• After Bu Yao returns to work, Xing Yue becomes withdrawn and replies to her messages only sporadically. Their relationship settles into an uneasy stalemate, and Xing Yue stops discussing the movie.
• Two days after returning home, Bu Yao flies back to see Xing Yue, exhausted and worried that Xing Yue’s silence means something is wrong.
• Bu Yao brings Xing Yue a carefully chosen bouquet with a card reading, “I want to see you right now.” Xing Yue is touched, though she hides it behind teasing and practical concern.
• Bu Yao admits she had the movie scrapped because she couldn’t tell what Xing Yue really thought. Xing Yue worries about the professional and political consequences, but insists the decision has not made her feel better.
• Bu Yao asks whether Xing Yue wants her to stay. Xing Yue avoids answering directly, pointing out that Bu Yao should stay long enough to see whether the flowers last three days. Bu Yao takes this as a sign that Xing Yue wants her there, and they settle together for the night.

Character developments

• Xing Yue remains emotionally guarded, using dry humor and indirect answers rather than admitting how much she missed Bu Yao. Still, she shows affection through small gestures—welcoming Bu Yao inside, caring for the flowers, and holding her.
• Bu Yao is impulsive and openly needy, but also vulnerable beneath her teasing. Her worry over Xing Yue’s silence drives her to make a costly work decision and travel back despite exhaustion. She seeks reassurance that she is wanted.

Significant themes

• Indirect communication and insecurity: Xing Yue’s sparse replies and Bu Yao’s fear of a breakup deepen their misunderstanding.
• Affection expressed through actions: Flowers, an unplanned visit, and physical closeness carry feelings the couple struggles to say plainly.
• Balancing love and responsibility: Xing Yue urges Bu Yao to prioritize her career and consider the consequences of acting on emotion.
• Emotional vulnerability: Both want closeness, but Xing Yue deflects while Bu Yao risks asking directly whether she should stay.

Character interactions

Their reunion begins with Xing Yue scolding Bu Yao for traveling so soon, while Bu Yao complains about being ignored. The conversation shifts between teasing, concern, and intimate physical affection. Xing Yue cautions Bu Yao about scrapping the movie, and Bu Yao explains that she feared Xing Yue was hiding her real feelings. In the end, Xing Yue offers a subtle invitation to stay, and Bu Yao responds with relief and closeness.

Plot points and events

• Bu Yao, still unable to control her transformations, spends the night coiled in snake form in Xing Yue’s lap. Xing Yue pets her heat pits and head until she falls asleep.
• The next day, Bu Yao refuses to dress or ride in a plain backpack. Xing Yue adds a fluffy charm, and Bu Yao agrees to travel in the bag, draped around Xing Yue’s shoulders.
• Xing Yue takes her out to eat in rainy Qiaomeng. She explains that she likes the city’s comfortable climate and thriving arts scene, despite its constant gloom and rain.
• At the restaurant, Bu Yao chooses seafood by nudging the menu, then insists Xing Yue peel and feed her lobster and sea snails. After eating her fill, she barely fits in the backpack.
• Xing Yue jokes that Bu Yao can “swim back through the water.” Bu Yao pounces on her, unexpectedly transforms into a naked human, and clings to Xing Yue in embarrassment. Xing Yue teases her, but Bu Yao insists she stay still until Bu Yao changes back.

Character developments

• Bu Yao is affectionate, possessive, and demanding in snake form. She enjoys Xing Yue’s touch and attention, shows a fussy streak about her appearance and food, and becomes shy and vulnerable when her transformation leaves her naked.
• Xing Yue is tender and accommodating, patiently caring for Bu Yao and indulging her quirks. She also teases Bu Yao playfully, while remaining visibly flustered by their sudden intimacy.

Significant themes

• Intimacy and trust: Bu Yao repeatedly seeks closeness, while Xing Yue provides comfort and practical care.
• Vulnerability and dependence: Bu Yao’s unstable transformations leave her reliant on Xing Yue, especially when she is exposed or unable to manage everyday tasks.
• Affection expressed through teasing: Their playful arguments and jokes sit alongside genuine tenderness.
• Belonging and environment: Qiaomeng’s bleak weather contrasts with the artistic atmosphere Xing Yue values.

Character interactions

The chapter centers on Bu Yao’s physical closeness to Xing Yue: she curls around her, rides on her back, climbs into her lap, and clings to her after transforming. Xing Yue alternates between gentle caretaking and affectionate teasing, while Bu Yao responds with stubborn demands and shy attachment.

Plot points

• In a private restaurant room, Xing Yue teases a nervous Bu Yao about being seen or recorded. When Bu Yao becomes frightened and cries, Xing Yue reassures her that the room has no cameras. They leave together, with Bu Yao transformed into her little Fire Snake form.
• Xing Yue buys expensive snake-care products, a soft brush, and slippers for Bu Yao, choosing each item with care despite the high cost.
• At home, Xing Yue bathes Bu Yao in the tub. Bu Yao pulls Xing Yue into the water and initiates a passionate kiss. The night continues with intimacy, and Xing Yue later worries that they have again had sex without protection.
• The next day, Bu Yao’s mother, Ji Wenyan, calls. She urges Xing Yue to return so Bu Yao can see her more easily. Xing Yue refuses, explaining that she plans to stay in Qiaomeng and is committed to her life there.
• Xing Yue accuses Ji Wenyan of trying to provoke her by pairing Bu Yao with Third Miss Guan. She jokingly threatens to make Bu Yao spend days tending to her, then suggests Ji Wenyan should instead help plan Bu Yao’s proposal and wedding. Ji Wenyan is left speechless, and Xing Yue ends the call.
• Xing Yue wakes Bu Yao with kisses and tells her that her mother called, but keeps their argument private. She helps Bu Yao dress; when she adjusts her bra, Bu Yao holds her hand in place, prompting Xing Yue to tease her for being shy.

Character developments

• Xing Yue is increasingly devoted to Bu Yao, showing it through attentive care and extravagant purchases. She is also more openly possessive and willing to challenge Ji Wenyan, while privately worrying about their lack of contraception.
• Bu Yao shifts between embarrassment and trust: she is easily startled by Xing Yue’s teasing, but later confidently initiates intimacy and shows affection. Her hand on Xing Yue’s during dressing suggests bashfulness despite their closeness.
• Ji Wenyan tries to influence where Xing Yue and Bu Yao live and how they manage their relationship, but Xing Yue firmly resists her interference.

Themes and interactions

• The chapter contrasts playful teasing with emotional vulnerability: Xing Yue’s joke frightens Bu Yao, and she must comfort her afterward.
• Care and commitment appear in Xing Yue’s practical efforts to look after Bu Yao, alongside her determination to build a life in Qiaomeng.
• Boundaries and family interference come to the fore in Xing Yue’s confrontation with Ji Wenyan; Xing Yue insists that Bu Yao’s work and relationship should not be manipulated.
• Their relationship remains physically affectionate and teasing, but Xing Yue’s concern about unprotected sex hints at the practical consequences of their impulsive intimacy.

The chapter contains only two statements: the narrator says they are getting married this year, and a notice asks the reader to log in to update the table of contents. No further plot, character development, themes, or interactions are provided.

Plot points

• Bu Yao returns after spending nearly half a day outside in the rain. Hurt that Xing Yue did not follow her, she confronts her for leaving her alone despite knowing she had taken pills and was waiting just outside.
• Their argument escalates when Bu Yao says she wants to marry Xing Yue and feels Xing Yue keeps postponing any commitment. She packs her belongings and threatens to leave.
• Xing Yue insists that she loves Bu Yao, but says marriage is complicated by Bu Yao’s family obligations, unstable business situation, and Xing Yue’s desire to remain in Qiaomeng. She proposes waiting until Bu Yao can move out, or registering their marriage sooner while maintaining a long-distance relationship.
• Bu Yao points out that taking control of the family business could take years, and that her mother is unlikely to relinquish authority soon. The chapter explains how family power structures constrain people’s freedom, contrasting Bu Yao’s relative privilege with other wealthy heirs’ more restrictive lives.
• Their marriage discussion remains unresolved. Bu Yao feels Xing Yue is still setting the terms, but she does not want to leave her.
• Later, Xing Yue comforts Bu Yao and apologizes for not pursuing her. She realizes Bu Yao wants reassurance and closeness when upset, not space. Bu Yao secretly softens, though she pretends not to believe the apology.
• They become affectionate again. Bu Yao asks whether an accidental pregnancy would make Xing Yue marry her sooner. Xing Yue says she would marry her, but hopes they would marry for love rather than because of a pregnancy. Bu Yao argues that pregnancy would only bring forward a marriage already grounded in love.

Character developments and interactions

• Bu Yao reveals that marriage is not a passing wish: she feels vulnerable and fears Xing Yue’s repeated delays mean she is not fully wanted. Her anger stems especially from feeling abandoned when Xing Yue failed to follow her outside. Despite her frustration, she remains deeply attached and seeks reassurance.
• Xing Yue recognizes that her own preference for handling distress alone led her to misread Bu Yao’s needs. She apologizes and promises to stay close and keep comforting Bu Yao in future conflicts. She loves Bu Yao but approaches marriage cautiously and wants the decision to be mutual and based on love.
• Their relationship shifts from a painful confrontation to reconciliation through apology, physical comfort, and intimacy, but the underlying disagreement about timing and control remains.

Significant themes

• Different needs during conflict: Xing Yue’s instinct to give space clashes with Bu Yao’s need to be pursued and reassured.
• Love versus security and commitment: Both love each other, but Bu Yao wants marriage as a clear commitment while Xing Yue worries about practical and family constraints.
• Family power and personal freedom: The chapter shows how wealth and status can bring responsibility and restrictions, while Bu Yao’s privileged freedom has been made possible by her mother’s authority.
• Pregnancy and marriage: Bu Yao tests whether pregnancy could accelerate marriage; Xing Yue accepts the possibility but wants marriage to represent their love, not merely respond to circumstance.

Plot points and events

• Bu Yao asks Xing Yue whether she would miss her, prompting Xing Yue to wonder if she is pregnant.
• Bu Yao admits she secretly substituted vitamins for contraceptive pills because she thought Xing Yue wanted a baby. Xing Yue is briefly disappointed there is no pregnancy, but the two turn the moment into affectionate intimacy.
• They spend the night together, playfully exploring their snake forms and enjoying one another’s company.
• When Bu Yao must return home after several days in Qiaomeng, she worries Xing Yue will resume ignoring her messages or become close to someone else. Xing Yue apologizes and promises to stay in touch.
• On the way to the airport, Bu Yao asks again whether Xing Yue will miss her. At a roadside stall, she suddenly asks Xing Yue to buy her a ring.

Character developments

• Bu Yao reveals how strongly she wants reassurance and commitment. Her decision about the pills suggests she is considering a future family with Xing Yue, though she does not directly ask for one.
• Xing Yue shows tenderness and enthusiasm about the idea of raising a child, perhaps rooted in her own difficult childhood. She also recognizes that her poor communication has hurt Bu Yao and promises to change.

Significant themes

• Long-distance insecurity and reassurance: Bu Yao’s repeated questions reflect the anxiety caused by separation and Xing Yue’s silence.
• Intimacy and future hopes: Their jokes about pregnancy and children reveal deeper thoughts about parenthood and building a life together.
• Commitment: Bu Yao’s request for a ring turns an ordinary stall into a possible symbol of their relationship’s future.

Character interactions

• The couple tease and care for each other during an intimate night, with Xing Yue’s curiosity about Bu Yao’s snake form adding playfulness.
• Xing Yue comforts Bu Yao, apologizes for neglecting her messages, and helps prepare her for the journey.
• Bu Yao seeks verbal proof of Xing Yue’s affection, while Xing Yue answers warmly; Bu Yao’s final request for a ring suggests she wants that affection made tangible.

Key plot points

• At the airport, Bu Yao asks Xing Yue to buy her an inexpensive ring from a street stall. Xing Yue refuses, believing the trinket is unworthy of Bu Yao. Bu Yao argues that a gift should reflect what the recipient wants, then leaves for her flight angry.
• Xing Yue complains to Bo Wuxue, who suggests the ring matters not for its price but as a sign of commitment. Xing Yue rejects that interpretation, unsure why Bu Yao cares about the trinket.
• Bo Wuxue tells Xing Yue that Bu Yao has changed: she has kept Xing Yue’s old love letters and handmade journals, and has taken on demanding work and business obligations despite her formerly sheltered reputation.
• Missing Bu Yao, Xing Yue sends her a drawing, messages, and photos, but gets no response. She channels her unsettled mood into composing a song with Bo Wuxue’s lyrics, which they title “Tail Flame.”
• Bu Yao eventually calls. She teases Xing Yue about mistaking a camellia for a rose and asks why she didn’t simply call. Xing Yue admits she wanted to hear Bu Yao’s voice and proposes a video call. When Bu Yao says she is busy, Xing Yue mentions the pencil skirt she had wanted to show her.

Character developments

• Xing Yue realizes how distressing it is to wait for a reply, recalling that she has often left Bu Yao waiting much longer. She also begins to reconsider how well she understands Bu Yao.
• Bu Yao reveals her desire for a small, personal token and reassurance, while her silence suggests she is hurt. Though she tries to act cold, she eventually reaches out herself.
• Bo Wuxue serves as a perceptive adviser, urging Xing Yue to recognize Bu Yao’s growth and emotional complexity.

Significant themes

• The meaning behind gifts: A gift’s emotional significance can matter more than its cost or quality.
• Changing perceptions: Xing Yue’s image of Bu Yao may be outdated; Bu Yao has grown beyond her old reputation.
• Reciprocity and empathy: Waiting for Bu Yao’s reply helps Xing Yue understand what her own past silences may have felt like.
• Communication in relationships: Both women struggle to express what they need, turning a small disagreement into distance.

Character interactions

• The airport argument exposes the gap between Xing Yue’s intention to give Bu Yao something “good enough” and Bu Yao’s wish to receive what she actually likes.
• Bo Wuxue challenges Xing Yue’s assumptions by sharing evidence of Bu Yao’s private sentiment and professional growth.
• Bu Yao’s teasing phone call softens the conflict, while Xing Yue’s admission and playful mention of her skirt show her reaching for renewed closeness.

Key plot points and events

• Xing Yue video-calls Bu Yao while wearing a tight black skirt, stockings, white shirt, and glasses, deliberately showing off after Bu Yao had refused a video call.
• Bu Yao is intensely flustered and jealous. She asks Xing Yue not to wear the outfit outside or let anyone else see her in it, while her snake tail betrays her excitement.
• Bu Yao notices Xing Yue drinking and worries because Xing Yue normally dislikes alcohol. When she asks whether something is wrong, Xing Yue evades the question and instead asks Bu Yao to call her “big sister.”
• Their teasing becomes intimate, and Xing Yue later asks about Bu Yao’s exhausting work. Bu Yao says she is anxious and asks Xing Yue to return and live with her once she moves out.
• Xing Yue avoids making a promise, saying they can discuss it after Bu Yao moves. Bu Yao threatens to hibernate with another snake if Xing Yue does not return before winter, then ends the call.
• Unable to let the threat go, Xing Yue sends a string of increasingly jealous messages, questioning who Bu Yao might choose and reminding her of their promise to hibernate together.

Character developments

• Xing Yue uses flirtation and teasing to draw Bu Yao close, but her evasiveness about returning—and her drinking—suggests she is troubled. Her reaction to Bu Yao’s threat reveals how possessive and emotionally invested she has become.
• Bu Yao is openly attracted to Xing Yue and wants her attention, but also shows concern for her wellbeing. Beneath her playful complaints, she is lonely and wants Xing Yue to live with her.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and possessiveness: Both women want exclusive closeness, though they express it through teasing and indirect demands.
• Longing and separation: Their flirtation masks the strain of being apart and uncertainty about living together again.
• Vulnerability beneath banter: Bu Yao’s jokes conceal anxiety and fear of being alone; Xing Yue’s jokes conceal worry and hurt.
• Communication and avoidance: Bu Yao asks directly for reassurance, while Xing Yue deflects, leaving their future unresolved.

Character interactions

Their relationship is playful, affectionate, and sexually charged, with teasing nicknames and flirtation serving as a way to maintain intimacy across distance. But their exchange also exposes a deeper tension: Bu Yao seeks reassurance and commitment, while Xing Yue avoids answering directly—even as her jealous messages show how much she wants to remain Bu Yao’s chosen partner.

Key plot points and events

• Xing Yue spends the evening flirting and joking with Bu Yao online, but falls asleep on the sofa. When a storm wakes her at midnight, she finds Bu Yao’s teasing messages still waiting.
• She discovers that a song she wrote, “Tail Flame,” has gone viral after Bo Wuxue used a snippet in a video. The attention brings offers from music companies, including one from Kumi and a chance to meet Xing Yue’s longtime idol, He Le.
• Xing Yue arranges to meet He Le at his home. Bu Yao strongly objects, warning that the private invitation is suspicious and demanding that Xing Yue not go. They argue, and Bu Yao threatens to break up if she goes.
• Xing Yue ultimately declines He Le’s invitation to dinner and signs with Kumi instead, uploading the complete song to the platform and her video account.
• Later, upset by Bu Yao’s silence, Xing Yue sends a series of messages and a deliberately dramatic, affectionate voice note to provoke a response.

Character developments

• Xing Yue is excited by her sudden musical success and the prospect of meeting her idol. She also shows that her feelings for Bu Yao matter: despite her disappointment, she does not go to He Le’s home. Once her excitement fades, she becomes angry at Bu Yao’s controlling reaction and tries to draw her back with teasing affection.
• Bu Yao shifts from playful, intimate banter to intense jealousy and protectiveness. Her concern may be grounded in a real warning about predatory artists, but her ultimatum and insults strain the relationship.
• Bo Wuxue helps Xing Yue navigate the attention and music offers, sharing contacts and advice. She is initially surprised that Xing Yue would forgo the He Le meeting for Bu Yao’s sake.

Significant themes

• Trust, jealousy, and boundaries: Bu Yao’s safety concerns clash with Xing Yue’s autonomy and trust in her idol.
• Fame and vulnerability: Viral attention creates opportunities, but also exposes Xing Yue to pressure and potentially exploitative situations.
• Romance through teasing: The couple’s affectionate jokes and dramatic messages contrast with the seriousness of their conflict.
• Ambition and disappointment: Xing Yue’s long-held dream of meeting He Le is undermined by the argument, even as her song finds a major platform.

Character interactions

• Xing Yue and Bu Yao begin with playful couple-like flirting, but their conversation turns into a heated confrontation over Xing Yue’s planned meeting.
• Bo Wuxue acts as Xing Yue’s supportive intermediary, connecting her with music-industry opportunities and later discussing why the He Le arrangement fell through.
• After Bu Yao goes quiet, Xing Yue alternates between accusing her of giving the silent treatment and sending an exaggeratedly needy message to reconnect.

Key plot points

• While visiting an aquarium, Xing Yue hears her own song, “Tail Flame,” playing and posts a short video. The video sparks online jokes about her relationship with Bu Yao, along with gossip about Bu Yao’s family and past matchmaking rumors.
• Xing Yue reflects on Ji Wenyan’s long-standing contempt for her, but is relieved that Ji has not exposed her private tail condition. Despite Ji’s attempts to make Xing Yue feel unworthy of Bu Yao, Xing Yue recognizes how deeply Bu Yao is loved by her family.
• Xing Yue and Bu Yao exchange affectionate, teasing messages. Bu Yao becomes jealous of the attention Xing Yue receives online and complains that Xing Yue has let the flowers she was meant to visit for die.
• Lonely abroad and tipsy, Xing Yue tells Bo Wuxue about her worries over their future: whether Bu Yao might eventually look down on her, whether they should marry, and whether Bu Yao’s family might expect Xing Yue to have children. Her worries repeatedly collapse into imagining adorable children with Bu Yao.
• In the rain, Xing Yue tells Bu Yao how much she misses her and buys a pair of camellia-shaped diamond rings on impulse.
• The next day, Bu Yao is at Xing Yue’s home, having come after Xing Yue drunkenly called her and demanded that their relationship be made public. Bu Yao is already wearing one of the rings, and she has even made egg fried rice for Xing Yue.

Character developments and interactions

• Xing Yue is more emotionally vulnerable than she likes to admit. Her longing for Bu Yao, insecurity about their future, and loneliness emerge while she is drinking. At the same time, buying the rings shows her desire for a lasting commitment.
• Bu Yao is affectionate but jealous and reluctant to show how much she misses Xing Yue. She teases Xing Yue about the dead flowers, comes to care for her, and eagerly claims the ring once she finds it.
• Bo Wuxue once again serves as Xing Yue’s exasperated confidante, repeatedly telling her to break up before finally urging her to sleep.
• Xing Yue and Bu Yao’s exchanges mix flirtation, reassurance, and playful bickering. Their intimacy is evident, but Xing Yue still wants Bu Yao to acknowledge their relationship publicly.

Significant themes

• Long-distance love and loneliness: Xing Yue’s separation from Bu Yao leaves her aching for companionship.
• Insecurity versus devotion: Xing Yue fears becoming unworthy of Bu Yao as their lives diverge, even as she believes Bu Yao loves her.
• Jealousy and tenderness: Both women feel possessive, but their jealousy also reveals how much they cherish one another.
• Commitment and recognition: The rings and the argument about going public point toward Xing Yue’s wish for a secure, openly acknowledged future together.

Plot points and events

• Xing Yue wakes hungover after drinking. Though Bu Yao’s freshly fried egg rice is poorly cooked, Xing Yue eats all of it because Bu Yao learned the recipe from Ji Wenyan.
• Bu Yao tries to make Xing Yue honeyed pomelo water, but Xing Yue would rather rest beside her. They cuddle in bed, flirt, and kiss; Bu Yao’s snake tail responds affectionately to Xing Yue’s touch.
• Bu Yao eventually wakes Xing Yue so they can see a crime film she has been looking forward to. Before leaving, Xing Yue draws her into a prolonged, teasing shower encounter. Bu Yao is frustrated but ultimately asks Xing Yue to help her.
• They make it to the movie, where Bu Yao refuses to share her popcorn because she is still annoyed at Xing Yue’s teasing. Afterward, they eat barbecue.
• Xing Yue says she needs to visit the mall for something they need that night, implying condoms. Their joking about pregnancy turns into a serious discussion: Xing Yue wants them to have medical checks first and to marry before having children.
• Bu Yao says her mother, Ji Wenyan, will visit Qiaomeng the next day, and she plans to tell her about their wish to remarry. Xing Yue suspects Ji Wenyan is coming to confront her and asks Bu Yao to defend her if her mother criticizes her. The chapter ends with Bu Yao holding her sympathetically.

Character developments

• Xing Yue shows tenderness beneath her teasing: she comforts Bu Yao, accepts her imperfect cooking, and takes her health seriously when discussing pregnancy. She is also anxious about Ji Wenyan’s judgment and vulnerable about her own temper and sensitivity.
• Bu Yao is openly affectionate and eager to spend time with Xing Yue. Her frustration over Xing Yue sleeping and teasing her comes through playfully, but she is also serious about remarrying and hopes to have a child with her.
• Ji Wenyan’s anticipated arrival creates tension before she appears; Xing Yue expects opposition, while Bu Yao treats telling her as a relatively straightforward matter.

Significant themes

• Intimacy and affection: Domestic care, playful banter, physical closeness, and reconciliation shape the couple’s day.
• Commitment and family planning: The couple discuss remarriage, health checks, pregnancy, and putting marriage before children.
• Insecurity and support: Xing Yue fears criticism and asks Bu Yao to stand by her, underscoring the importance of mutual protection.
• Family approval: Ji Wenyan’s impending visit raises uncertainty about whether the couple’s plans will be accepted.

Character interactions

• Xing Yue and Bu Yao alternate between caretaking, teasing, and affection, with Bu Yao’s tail serving as a playful expression of her feelings.
• Bu Yao’s desire to share a movie conflicts briefly with Xing Yue’s lingering tiredness, but Xing Yue agrees to go.
• Their joking about condoms and snake eggs leads to a more sincere conversation about pregnancy and marriage.
• Xing Yue seeks reassurance about Ji Wenyan, and Bu Yao responds with physical comfort.

Key plot points

• After an intimate night together, Bu Yao asks Xing Yue whether her mother, Ji Wenyan, can come for dinner. Xing Yue agrees—after teasingly demanding a kiss.
• During the night, Xing Yue turns into a cold, tightly coiled python, showing signs of hibernation unusually early. Bu Yao joins her in snake form and curls around her to keep her warm; they sleep through the early winter together.
• Before Ji Wenyan arrives, Xing Yue airs out the house and dresses formally, hoping to make a respectable impression. Bu Yao keeps teasing and cuddling her despite her attempts to behave properly.
• Ji Wenyan criticizes the home as cold, damp, and cramped, then asks how long Xing Yue intends to stay in Qiaomeng and whether Bu Yao will have to keep traveling.
• Xing Yue suggests Bu Yao move in with her. Ji Wenyan rejects this because they have not remarried. Xing Yue then proposes keeping Bu Yao from appearing with Third Miss Guan, but Ji Wenyan refuses, explaining that Shu Xian’s work partnership and career prospects are important.

Character developments and interactions

• Xing Yue is affectionate and playful in private, but becomes anxious and self-conscious around Ji Wenyan, wanting her approval. She also shows consideration for Bu Yao’s work and travel burden by proposing a shared home.
• Bu Yao is openly affectionate and mischievous with Xing Yue, yet defends their home when her mother criticizes it. She seeks Ji Wenyan’s approval for the visit while supporting Xing Yue during the conversation.
• Ji Wenyan is polite but firm. Her concerns focus on Bu Yao’s health, living conditions, propriety, and career; she makes clear that Xing Yue’s wishes cannot override Shu Xian’s business responsibilities.

Significant themes

• Intimacy and domestic comfort: The couple’s physical closeness and shared hibernation express their bond and care for one another.
• Love versus responsibility: Xing Yue and Bu Yao want a life together, but work, family expectations, and social propriety complicate it.
• Approval and negotiation: Xing Yue tries to earn Ji Wenyan’s trust, while Ji Wenyan evaluates whether the relationship can fit into Bu Yao’s practical life.
• Competing priorities: Ji Wenyan’s defense of Shu Xian’s career underscores that romance is not the only consideration shaping the family’s decisions.