Chapter Summaries

Key plot points

• Jiang Wen exposes Lu Ren’s long-running theft of girls’ underwear. Cornered, Lu Ren admits he has been sneaking into the girls’ dormitory since his first year and stealing underwear because he needs to smell it to sleep.
• Lu Ren’s mother tries to stop Jiang Wen from opening Lu Ren’s pillow, but when she unzips it, stolen underwear and secretly taken, explicit photographs spill out. Some images identify their subjects—including Lu Ren’s own mother.
• Lu Ren’s mother denies what she sees and tries to hide the photographs, while the shocked witnesses condemn both her and her son. Police arrive, and the scandal spreads across the school forum.
• Forum posts report that Lu Ren has withdrawn from school. Shen Luoluo likes a comment observing that admitting to the theft earlier might have spared his mother public exposure.
• Zhao Huizhen tells Shen Luoluo that Shen Xiche will pick them up after school, sending a photo of his Lamborghini. Luoluo recognizes the scene from the novel’s original plot.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ren goes from smug denial to a desperate confession when Jiang Wen threatens to reveal what is inside the pillow.
• Jiang Wen confronts Lu Ren and produces the evidence.
• Lu Ren’s mother first defends her son, then tries to conceal the photographs and collapses in tears when the contents are exposed.
• Qin Shiyue sees one of the photographs and notices that some underwear does not belong to girls their age.
• Shen Luoluo follows the fallout online, reacts to the forum discussion, and recognizes Shen Xiche’s pickup as an event from the novel.
• The crowd shifts from disbelief to condemnation; the school forum amplifies the scandal and calls for Lu Ren’s expulsion.

Significant themes

• Truth and exposure: Lu Ren’s attempt to hide his crimes fails when the pillow is opened.
• Privacy and violation: The stolen underwear and covert photographs reveal increasingly serious invasions of others’ privacy.
• Public judgment and humiliation: The incident rapidly becomes school-wide gossip, with the online crowd assigning blame and demanding consequences.
• Fate and narrative awareness: Luoluo recognizes a scene unfolding as it did in the original novel.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Luoluo doesn’t leave school with Shen Xiche as planned. In the original novel, a teacher kept her behind, causing her to miss his pickup; she then had to take the bus home in the rain and became seriously feverish overnight while her family was at the hospital with Shen Anya. No one noticed until the next morning.
• This time, the plot has changed: Luoluo isn’t held back, and Shen Anya also receives Shen Xiche’s pickup message. Luoluo wonders whether Anya’s extraordinary “Koi Luck” will still steer events in her favor.
• Shen Anya tells classmates that Shen Xiche is her brother. Excited by his return, several girls ask to go with her and request his autograph; she agrees.
• Shen Jiayan initially refuses to leave school, dreading the spectacle of Xiche picking them up. He changes his mind when he hears that Luoluo is waiting downstairs, reflecting their new habit of waiting for one another after class.
• At the school gates, Xiche poses beside his Lamborghini, surrounded by admiring fans. His theatrical hair-flip and smile prompt Luoluo and Jiayan to silently call him a show-off and sleazy. Xiche stumbles, apparently reacting to their criticism.

Character developments and interactions

• Luoluo is alert to how the altered plot may affect her fate, but remains bluntly unimpressed by Xiche’s behavior.
• Jiayan is growing closer to Luoluo: they routinely wait for each other and walk out together. He sees her criticism of Xiche as proof that she is on his side.
• Anya enjoys the attention surrounding her famous brother and readily invites classmates along.
• Xiche is confident and flamboyant, but his attempts to impress the crowd appear comically vulnerable to the others’ judgments.
• Jiayan, Luoluo, and their friends share a mocking reaction to Xiche’s performance, while Anya’s classmates eagerly admire him.

Significant themes

• Changing fate: Luoluo compares the current events with the novel’s tragic original sequence and questions whether Anya’s luck will remain powerful.
• Family attention and neglect: The past incident highlights how easily Luoluo was forgotten amid the family’s concern for Anya.
• Sibling bonds and loyalties: Luoluo and Jiayan’s growing routine and shared opinions create a tentative alliance.
• Public image versus reality: Xiche’s star-like appearance impresses his fans, but his siblings find him vain and ridiculous.

Key events

• Shen Xiche catches Duan Yixing and Lu Yanze laughing and makes them publicly reassure him that he looks handsome. He uses their praise to show off to Shen Jiayan and Shen Luoluo.
• Zhou You, a former high-school classmate, approaches Shen Xiche. Their conversation is awkward: Shen Xiche gives short answers, while Zhou You keeps trying to make small talk.
• Shen Luoluo’s Intelligence System reveals that Zhou You is jealous of Shen Xiche and has helped damage his reputation by badmouthing him. His resentment stems from three girls he liked choosing Shen Xiche instead.
• Luoluo uncovers an embarrassing detail: when those girls confessed, Shen Xiche told them, “Don’t fall for me. I’m a man you can never have!” She laughs before explaining further, and Duan Yixing and Lu Yanze accidentally join in.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Xiche comes across as vain and childish, eager for public confirmation of his looks. He remains unaware of Zhou You’s past actions.
• Shen Jiayan watches Shen Xiche’s antics with exasperation, then becomes interested when Luoluo reveals Zhou You’s hidden jealousy.
• Shen Luoluo uses her Intelligence System to uncover Zhou You’s motives and Shen Xiche’s romantic history, though her laughter leaves everyone waiting for the details.
• Duan Yixing and Lu Yanze are intimidated by Shen Xiche but eager for gossip. They disguise their laughter as a joke about Lu Yanze’s “matchmaker mole” to avoid revealing that they can hear Luoluo’s thoughts.
• Zhou You presents himself as friendly and ordinary, but the revelations expose a jealous, resentful side.

Significant themes

• Appearance and self-image: Shen Xiche seeks reassurance and assumes Luoluo’s earlier remark was a compliment.
• Hidden motives and reputation: Zhou You’s polite manner conceals jealousy and a role in undermining Shen Xiche.
• Comedy through secrets: Luoluo’s private discoveries—and the others’ efforts to hide what they know—turn awkward interactions into farce.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Xiche wonders why his reputation collapsed in high school, unaware that his old classmate Zhou You fabricated the scandal. Shen Luoluo’s thoughts reveal that Zhou You spread forum rumors and staged fake videos portraying Shen Xiche as a rapist, an abusive father-to-be, and the cause of a girl’s suicide.
• Shen Xiche’s eldest brother secretly dealt with the allegations, which explains why Shen Xiche never learned the truth.
• Enraged, Shen Jiayan attacks Zhou You, but Shen Xiche stops him because he is still a student. Several men then rush in and beat Zhou You.
• Shen Luoluo discovers the attackers’ motive: Zhou You’s college roommate is jealous because the woman he likes is dating the roommate. Zhou You had drugged his roommate and sexually violated him, apparently in a bizarre attempt to feel close to the woman.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Xiche remains unaware of Zhou You’s past scheme, though the revelation exposes how badly his name was deliberately damaged. He restrains Shen Jiayan from continuing the assault.
• Shen Jiayan moves from disdainful amusement to furious protectiveness, attacking Zhou You once he learns what was done to his brother.
• Shen Luoluo uses her Intelligence System to uncover both the high-school conspiracy and the reason for the sudden beating; her internal commentary keeps the others informed.
• Duan Yixing and Lu Yanze react with escalating shock, silently following Shen Luoluo’s revelations.
• Zhou You is exposed as vindictive and deeply depraved. His former roommate’s assault suggests the people around him have also begun retaliating.

Significant themes

• Rumors and reputation: Deliberate fabrications can ruin someone’s standing, even when they are innocent.
• Hidden knowledge and protection: Shen Xiche’s brother secretly resolved the scandal, leaving Shen Xiche ignorant of what happened.
• Jealousy and revenge: Zhou You’s fixation drives him to increasingly cruel acts, while others respond with violence.
• Comedy through contrast: Shen Luoluo’s matter-of-fact inner narration clashes with the group’s horrified reactions.

Key events

• After learning that Zhou You drugged and assaulted a roommate, Shen Luoluo realizes he was caught when two other roommates walked in. Shen Jiayan and Shen Xiche are among those who confronted him; Zhou You is left being beaten by the others.
• The siblings leave before Shen Jiayan can lose control and seriously hurt Zhou You. Shen Jiayan claims he attacked Zhou because he talked too much, prompting Luoluo to fear he might hit her for the same reason. Shen Xiche teases and lectures him.
• A phone call makes Shen Xiche realize they have forgotten Shen Anya, so he turns the car around to collect her.
• Anya, delayed by a teacher’s talk about her recent inattention and poor quiz result, waits alone at the school gates. When they arrive, Jiayan takes her usual front seat, and Xiche is distracted by another call. Anya reluctantly sits in the back and receives only a vague explanation about where they had been.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Jiayan is fiercely angry at Zhou You and struggles to contain his violence, but he disguises his reason for attacking him with a flimsy joke. His tense banter with Luoluo and Xiche adds humor to the scene.
• Shen Luoluo reacts with disgust to Zhou You’s crime and comically misreads Jiayan’s behavior as a threat to herself.
• Shen Xiche acts amused by the siblings’ teasing, but his forgetfulness and distraction leave Anya feeling overlooked.
• Shen Anya tries to be agreeable despite her anger and disappointment. She seems sensitive to her brothers’ approval and accepts being displaced without protest.

Significant themes

• Justice and moral outrage: Zhou You’s assault provokes an instinctive desire for punishment, though the scene also acknowledges the consequences of violence.
• Family favoritism and exclusion: Anya’s missed pickup, lost seat, and lack of explanation reinforce her sense of being neglected.
• Humor amid tension: Luoluo’s inner thoughts and the brothers’ teasing lighten an otherwise disturbing episode.

Key events

• In the car, Shen Anya probes Shen Luoluo about her upcoming exams, implying she may struggle at her new school. Luoluo calmly challenges her, and Shen Jiayan points out that Anya is in a different academic track and shouldn’t be lecturing her.
• Jiayan’s frustration deepens when Anya’s remarks about grades touch on his own poor academic record. Shen Xiche ends the argument as they arrive at a family dinner celebrating their maternal grandfather’s seventieth birthday.
• Shen Jingyao welcomes Luoluo and reassures her that the gathering is just an ordinary family dinner. Luoluo is curious about the gossip her Intelligence System detects: a man may bring home an illegitimate daughter who is romantically involved with his biological son, with a wedding supposedly planned.
• At the dinner venue, Zhao Huizhen’s relatives discuss Luoluo’s arrival and remark on her resemblance to Huizhen. They also reminisce about Huizhen’s beauty and an old admirer who was never noticed by her.

Character developments and interactions

• Luoluo remains composed and increasingly willing to stand up to Anya. She approaches the family gathering with curiosity rather than anxiety, viewing it as a chance to uncover gossip.
• Anya tries to present her criticism as concern, but her tearful response suggests she is rattled when Luoluo pushes back.
• Jiayan defends Luoluo and reveals how sensitive he is about his own grades.
• Xiche acts as the mediator, stopping the argument; Jingyao offers Luoluo quiet reassurance.
• Huizhen and Zhao Yuan warmly praise Luoluo’s resemblance to Huizhen, while Xu Yinglan helps draw out a lighthearted family story.

Significant themes

• Sibling rivalry and social performance: Anya frames her provocation as kindness, while Luoluo refuses to accept the implied insult.
• Academic pressure and self-worth: Jiayan objects to treating grades as a measure of someone’s ability to live or thrive.
• Family belonging and hidden histories: Luoluo enters a new family gathering while the system hints at a startling secret involving mistaken paternity, romance, and a planned wedding.

Chapter Summary

• At a family gathering, Zhou Mei criticizes Xu Yinglan for not having a child after three years of marriage, suggesting she should focus on giving her husband a son to protect the family’s inheritance. Zhao Yuan and Xu Yinglan push back, but Yinglan is visibly hurt. Zhou Mei’s confidence comes from having the family’s first grandson, who once gave her considerable influence in the household.
• Zhao Huizhen arrives with Shen Luoluo, her newly reunited daughter, and regrets not finding her sooner. Zhao Yuan and Xu Yinglan comfort her, urging her to focus on the future. Huizhen then brings Luoluo over to introduce her to the family.
• Meanwhile, Shen Xiche and Shen Jiayan speculate about which uncle might be involved in the family scandal Luoluo mentioned: an illegitimate daughter being acknowledged and a planned marriage between her and her biological brother. The brothers make a playful bet, briefly drawing their usually distant elder brother, Shen Jingyao, into their banter. He gives no real answer, but they mistakenly treat his vague reply as a clue.
• Xu Yinglan warmly welcomes Luoluo and praises her resemblance to Huizhen, while suggesting she could gain some weight. Zhou Mei immediately disparages daughters, claiming they are less valuable because they marry out of the family.

Character Developments and Interactions

Zhao Yuan and Xu Yinglan show solidarity against Zhou Mei’s intrusive remarks. Huizhen is still grieving the years she lost with Luoluo, but her relatives help her turn toward rebuilding their relationship. The Shen brothers bond through gossip and teasing, giving Jingyao a moment of quiet amusement. Zhou Mei’s remarks reveal her continuing arrogance and traditional preference for sons, while Luoluo’s arrival becomes the focus of the family’s attention.

Significant Themes

The chapter contrasts the value placed on sons with the treatment of daughters, and highlights pressure on women to bear children. It also explores family reunion and regret, alongside the humor and connection that can emerge from sibling rivalry and gossip.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Mei mocks Zhao Huizhen for having no daughter, prompting Huizhen and Zhao Yuan to retaliate by pointing out that Zhou Mei’s son has not visited her in weeks.
• Shen Luoluo’s private thoughts reveal that Zhou Mei’s husband, Zhao Jin, has an illegitimate daughter—and that the daughter has drawn Zhao Jin’s son, Zhao Yu, away from his mother. Zhou Mei unexpectedly hears Luoluo’s thoughts and realizes the accusation is true.
• At the family dinner, Zhao Jin arrives with Zhao Yu and a young woman, Tingting. He announces to the family patriarch that Tingting is his daughter and demands that she be accepted into the Zhao Family.
• Luoluo’s thoughts reveal that Tingting’s mother, Shiwei, was Zhao Jin’s first love. The old master had broken up their relationship so Zhao Jin could marry Zhou Mei as part of a business alliance; Shiwei later gave birth to their child.
• The old master asks for a DNA test before recognizing Tingting. Zhao Jin takes this as a personal insult and argues that a keepsake and Tingting’s knowledge of the past should be enough.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Mei goes from trading barbs with Zhao Huizhen to shock and despair when she learns Zhao Jin and Zhao Yu concealed Tingting’s existence from her.
• Zhao Jin openly defies his father by bringing Tingting home and insisting on her place in the family.
• Zhao Yu appears to have known about Tingting and urges his mother to wait for an explanation, deepening her sense of betrayal.
• The old master remains composed and insists on verification, while Zhao Jin grows increasingly angry at his cautious response.
• Shen Luoluo’s mind-reading thoughts expose the family secret to those around her. Shen Jiayan teases Zhao Yuan over their earlier bet, while Zhao Huizhen and Zhao Yuan are stunned by the revelations.

Significant themes

• Secrets and betrayal: Zhao Jin and Zhao Yu’s concealment of Tingting shatters Zhou Mei’s trust.
• Family duty versus personal love: Zhao Jin and Shiwei were separated so he could marry for the family’s business interests.
• Recognition and legitimacy: The family must decide whether blood ties and personal history are enough to establish Tingting’s place, or whether formal proof is required.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Luoluo’s thoughts question why Zhao Jin brought a supposed daughter home without a DNA test. Her comparison to Shen Xiche’s past scandal makes him choke on his water, drawing attention and snickers.
• Luoluo’s intelligence system reveals that the girl beside Zhao Jin is not his biological daughter, though the real daughter, Tingting, does exist. The family realizes that Luoluo’s mental comments have been accurately exposing the truth.
• Zhou Mei presses Zhao Jin to arrange a DNA test, accusing him of avoiding it because he fears losing the daughter he hopes to have found. Zhao Huizhen also urges him to test, knowing Luoluo’s information is reliable.
• Luoluo’s thoughts reveal that the girl learned about Zhao Jin and his first love—and obtained his keepsakes—from her friend, Su Huaiyu, the real daughter.
• The impostor confesses, kneeling and apologizing. She explains that Huaiyu could not come because she was caring for her sick grandmother, so she asked her friend to deliver the keepsakes and meet Zhao Jin. The girl admits she intended to tell the truth but became attached to Zhao Jin’s kindness and feared losing his care.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhao Jin moves from anger and certainty to painful doubt as he realizes the girl may not be his daughter. Her confession leaves him grieving the deception while learning that his real daughter has not rejected him.
• The girl shifts from maintaining the lie to taking responsibility, explaining that loneliness and a longing for paternal affection drove her to prolong it.
• Zhou Mei forcefully challenges Zhao Jin’s assumptions and demands proof, while Zhao Huizhen supports testing to spare him from living in uncertainty.
• Shen Luoluo remains an observer whose inner thoughts reveal crucial facts; Shen Xiche is embarrassed when her thoughts recall his notorious past episode.
• Zhao Yu, previously appearing miserable, secretly smiles as the truth comes out.

Significant themes

• Truth versus wishful thinking: Zhao Jin’s hope makes him reluctant to question a claim that a simple test could verify.
• Loneliness and the need for affection: The impostor’s lie grows from the comfort of being treated like a beloved daughter.
• Family and reconciliation: The revelation that Su Huaiyu is Zhao Jin’s real daughter offers hope that the estrangement between them may be repaired.
• The cost of deception: The girl’s confession shows how an initially temporary lie deepened as attachment and fear took hold.

Key plot points

• Shen Luoluo’s thoughts cast doubt on the impostor’s tearful explanation, suggesting she planned to keep pretending and was motivated by Zhao Jin’s wealth. The relatives begin to suspect the girl of deception and manipulation.
• Zhao Yu urges Zhao Jin to focus on finding his biological daughter, Huaiyu. The impostor offers to lead them to Yu City, and Zhao Jin leaves with her despite Zhou Mei’s objections.
• Zhou Mei threatens suicide to stop Zhao Jin from bringing Huaiyu into the family. Zhao Jin blames her for their forced marriage and says he would never have married her had he known Shiwei was pregnant. Zhao Yu follows his father and the impostor, dismissing his mother’s protest.
• Humiliated and abandoned, Zhou Mei collapses to the floor. Zhao Yuan criticizes her, while Zhao Huizhen feels sympathy but believes Zhou Mei’s past behavior has left her without support.
• At dinner, Shen Jiayan and Shen Xiche compete childishly for the seat beside Shen Luoluo, revealing their eagerness to be near her.
• Zhao Ziyan questions Shen Anya about her family’s apparent closeness to Luoluo. Anya insists they get along, but inwardly resents the attention Luoluo receives. Zhao Ziyan then suggests Luoluo is really a child born outside marriage, acknowledged only to protect the family’s reputation.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhao Jin briefly softens toward the impostor, but Luoluo’s thoughts make him question her sincerity. He prioritizes finding Huaiyu and confronts Zhou Mei.
• Zhao Yu takes his father’s side and leaves with him, showing little concern for his mother’s distress.
• Zhou Mei loses control of the situation and is left isolated, though her pain earns some sympathy from Zhao Huizhen.
• The impostor maintains her claim that she intended to confess and now offers to help find Huaiyu, but others increasingly suspect her motives.
• Shen Luoluo remains perceptive and skeptical, while her brothers’ rivalry over her company suggests growing affection and closeness.
• Shen Anya masks her jealousy with a gracious explanation of Luoluo’s place in the family. Zhao Ziyan, speaking bluntly as a close cousin, challenges that account.

Significant themes

• Truth, deception, and reputation: The impostor’s story is doubted, while the Shen family’s public explanation of Luoluo’s identity is challenged.
• Family loyalty and favoritism: Zhao Yu supports his father over his mother, and Luoluo’s brothers openly compete for her attention.
• Consequences of past behavior: Zhou Mei’s lack of allies is presented as partly resulting from how she treated others.
• Jealousy and belonging: Anya’s insecurity contrasts with the warmth Luoluo receives from her brothers.

Key plot points and events

• During a family dinner, Shen Xiche and Shen Jiayan use Shen Luoluo’s thoughts to learn why Zhao Yu punched his father: Zhao Yu had fallen for a university classmate, then mistakenly believed his father was keeping her as a mistress. He later discovered she was his half-sister—though she had only been pretending to be an illegitimate daughter.
• Shen Luoluo’s thoughts about the food prompt Shen Xiche, Shen Jiayan, and Shen Jingyao to serve her. Shen Jingyao gives her ribs, while the other two compete for meatballs.
• Shen Anya notices that Shen Xiche is now attentive to Shen Luoluo rather than her. His indifference angers and hurts her.
• Zhao Ziyan realizes that people around Shen Luoluo may be hearing her thoughts. When she tries to warn Shen Anya by phone, she is physically prevented from sending a message and gives up.
• The chapter then moves into exam week. The high-school students study intensely, including normally sleepy classmates and Chen Jiashu. Qin Shiyue also stands out as unusually serious about academics.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Xiche and Shen Jiayan are entertained by the revelation about Zhao Yu and show growing attentiveness toward Shen Luoluo.
• Shen Jingyao quietly adds food to Luoluo’s bowl, reinforcing the siblings’ warm relationship.
• Shen Anya feels displaced as Shen Xiche’s attention shifts to Luoluo.
• Zhao Ziyan becomes frightened and suspicious after recognizing the apparent mind-reading phenomenon, but cannot communicate her discovery.
• Shen Luoluo remains unaware that her unspoken thoughts are influencing the family’s behavior.

Significant themes

• Mind-reading and secrecy: Luoluo’s private thoughts reveal family gossip and affect others’ actions, while those who learn about the ability cannot necessarily control or expose it.
• Shifting family bonds and jealousy: The brothers’ growing closeness with Luoluo unsettles Anya and highlights changing loyalties.
• Romantic misunderstanding and identity: Zhao Yu’s story is shaped by mistaken assumptions and a shocking change in the girl’s perceived place in his family.
• Academic pressure and discipline: The closing section contrasts the family drama with the students’ demanding exam preparations.

Chapter 23 summary

• The Zhao family’s dispute is resolved: Zhao Jin finds Su Huaiyu in Yu City and confirms through a DNA test that she is his daughter. Despite his wife Zhou Mei’s objections, he brings Su home. Meanwhile, Zhao Yu gets together with the girl who had falsely claimed to be Zhao Jin’s illegitimate daughter. Zhou Mei slaps her son and is hospitalized; Zhao Huizhen visits her, but the Shen family stays out of the family matter.
• Shen Xiche gets a major opportunity: Bored at home while his younger siblings study, he hears from his agent that he has been booked for Idol Newcomers, a talent show featuring famous music mentor Lin Jiangye. Excited by the chance, he packs to leave.
• He closes the door on his ex: Shen Jingyao asks about Shen Xiche’s former relationship with a Thai girl. Shen Xiche says they have broken up and admits he feels relieved rather than heartbroken. After the ex asks him to return the gifts, Shen Xiche tells him to throw them away and ends contact for good.
• The family discusses his career: At dinner, Shen Xiche tells his parents he leaves in two days. Shen Ting’an recalls his long-standing opposition to Shen Xiche’s entertainment ambitions, including the dramatic lengths Shen Xiche went to pursue them, but accepts that he remains determined. Shen Jiayan teases him about getting eliminated immediately, prompting Shen Xiche to rap him on the head.
• Shen Luoluo recognizes a warning sign: She remembers that Idol Newcomers is associated with scandals, including an idol disguising himself as a woman to date his girlfriend unnoticed. Her thought alarms Shen Xiche and Shen Jiayan.
• The chapter ends with exams finished: Shen Luoluo and the others complete a punishing exam week and complain about how exhausting it was.

Character developments and interactions

Shen Xiche shows commitment to his music career and, unexpectedly, emotional detachment from his former relationship: he chooses a clean break rather than seeking confrontation. His parents remain concerned but have largely accepted his persistence. Shen Jiayan continues to tease him, while Shen Luoluo’s knowledge of future events gives her—and Shen Xiche—reason to worry about the show.

Significant themes

The chapter contrasts ambition and family expectations, as Shen Xiche pursues entertainment despite his father’s hopes for a conventional career. It also emphasizes moving on from deception, family boundaries, and the tension between ordinary life and scandals waiting in the future.

• Exam aftermath: After exams, Shen Anya’s classmates mock Shen Luoluo and predict she’ll be expelled from Rocket Class. Anya publicly defends Luoluo’s effort, though privately she is also eager to see the results. A message from her returning friend Xiang Lu lifts her mood: Xiang Lu and her fiancé, Lu Yanshi, have come back from a three-month UK exchange. Xiang Lu gives Anya a gift and invites her out to celebrate, with Lu Yanshi paying.
• Luoluo and Qin Shiyue: Back in Rocket Class, Luoluo and Qin Shiyue compare exam answers. Luoluo realizes she had misjudged Qin as a wealthy girl unconcerned with school. Qin explains that, as her father’s only child and potential successor, she studies hard to protect the family business and reassure him. Luoluo encourages her, and the two share a warm, playful moment when Qin pinches her cheek. Qi Yang watches them smiling.
• A new bit of gossip: Qin notices that her deskmate, Xu Lu, has returned wearing perfume and styled hair. She suspects he has a date. Chen Jiashu agrees and suggests they investigate; Luoluo, curious, opens her Intelligence System to find out who he is meeting.
  Character developments and themes: Anya’s defense of Luoluo contrasts with the classmates’ cruelty, while her private anticipation hints at complicated feelings about the exam results. Qin’s dedication reveals the pressure and responsibility behind her confident exterior. The chapter highlights the harm of class-based assumptions and mockery, alongside friendship, mutual encouragement, and the group’s growing closeness.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Luoluo, Qin Shiyue, Chen Jiashu, and Qi Yang follow Xu Lu, worried he may be meeting an online scammer.
• They see Xu Lu speaking with a large, bearded man. Xu Lu appears to trust him, so the group listens in from a nearby shop.
• The man claims to be the cousin of Xu Lu’s online girlfriend, Xiao Jing. He says Xiao Jing was injured in a car accident and gives Xu Lu a handmade gift on her behalf.
• The story seems plausible, but the man’s smug expression and his hint that Xu Lu should contact Xiao Jing by phone make Qin Shiyue suspect a scam.
• Qi Yang and Chen Jiashu follow the man into a public restroom to investigate, while Qin Shiyue and Shen Luoluo keep watch. Xu Lu soon becomes anxious and starts trying to borrow money.
• Qi Yang and Chen Jiashu return with the bearded man and two police officers, suggesting they have caught him in the act.

Character developments

• Shen Luoluo knows the man’s story is fabricated, but struggles to warn the others without revealing how she knows. She grows increasingly worried as Xu Lu appears ready to send money.
• Qin Shiyue moves from initial reassurance to sharp suspicion, recognizing that the man’s phone-related remark may be a setup.
• Qi Yang and Chen Jiashu quickly understand the need to investigate and act together to gather evidence.
• Xu Lu is shown to be trusting and emotionally invested in Xiao Jing; concern for her makes him vulnerable to the apparent scheme.

Significant themes

• Online deception and vulnerability: A fabricated emergency exploits Xu Lu’s affection and concern.
• Trust and friendship: The group risks embarrassment and inconvenience to protect their classmate.
• Intuition and cooperation: Their combined observations help uncover what one person might have missed.

Character interactions

• The friends tease and worry over Xu Lu’s supposed online romance, then shift into a protective, investigative role.
• The bearded man manipulates Xu Lu with a story about Xiao Jing’s accident and a gift.
• Qin Shiyue and Shen Luoluo monitor Xu Lu while Qi Yang and Chen Jiashu investigate the man; the chapter ends as they return with police.

• Qi Yang and Chen Jiashu reveal that the “girl” Xu Lu has been chatting with is actually a bearded, middle-aged scammer. They show Xu Lu a recording of the man repeating the affectionate messages he had used to manipulate him and ask for money. Xu Lu is horrified and embarrassed; his classmates stay with him at the police station while the police contact his parents.
• The situation becomes even more absurd when Xu Lu’s mother and the scammer’s wife arrive. The women recognize each other as cousins, revealing that the scammer is married to Xu Lu’s cousin. The coincidence leaves everyone in the station laughing, while Xu Lu is left to face the humiliating truth.
• After leaving the station at dusk, Shen Luoluo, Qin Shiyue, Qi Yang, and Chen Jiashu head out together. Qin spots Shen Anya in a café with Lu Yanshi, the fiancé of Shen Anya’s friend Xiang Lu. Their hands seem to be touching under the table, suggesting an affair or growing intimacy.
• Luoluo recognizes the scene as part of the novel’s plot: Shen Anya’s supernatural appeal draws men to her, and Lu Yanshi is destined to fall for her and eventually break his engagement to Xiang Lu.
  Character developments and interactions: Xu Lu shifts from defending his supposed online girlfriend to stunned disbelief and shame. Qi Yang and Chen Jiashu expose the scam and support him afterward, while Qin Shiyue and Shen Luoluo react with amusement and sympathy. The chance family connection between Xu Lu’s mother and the scammer’s wife turns the incident into a public comedy. Meanwhile, Luoluo’s awareness of the novel’s storyline makes her unsurprised by Shen Anya and Lu Yanshi’s apparent closeness.
  Themes: The chapter contrasts online deception with real-world consequences, using humiliation and coincidence for comedy. It also highlights how novel-like fate appears to shape relationships, as Shen Anya’s influence seems to draw Lu Yanshi away from his existing engagement.

Chapter 24 Summary

• The café: Shen Anya and a young man share an awkwardly intimate moment when their hands brush. He asks whether she wanted to end her engagement to Sheng Mingzhou, but Xiang Lu interrupts before Anya answers.
• Xiang Lu stays over: Anya invites Xiang Lu to the Shen family home. Xiang Lu is shocked to see that Anya lives in a cramped guest room while her stepsister, Shen Luoluo, has the princess room. Anya insists she does not mind and asks Xiang Lu not to confront her parents, who she believes are caught between the two sisters.
• Xiang Lu offers support: Though furious on Anya’s behalf, Xiang Lu promises to stand by her. After learning Anya’s engagement is over, she offers to introduce her to her own brother, whom she describes as handsome and dependable.
• The room dispute resurfaces: At breakfast, Anya claims Xiang Lu went home because the bed was too small. Her mother, Zhao Huizhen, asks why they did not use a newly finished upstairs room. Anya admits she forgot it was available. Her father, Shen Ting’an, pointedly says she is free to stay in the guest room if she prefers, leaving her flustered and promising to move upstairs. Shen Luoluo privately finds the situation amusing, thinking Anya’s performance may have backfired.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Shen Anya continues to act accommodating, even when displaced in her own home, but her nervous reaction to her father’s questions suggests her situation—or her explanation—is more complicated than she lets on.
• Xiang Lu proves fiercely loyal and outspoken, contrasting with Anya’s reluctance to cause conflict. She also takes an active interest in Anya’s romantic future.
• Shen Ting’an challenges Anya’s account without openly accusing her, while Zhao Huizhen’s question reveals that the family had prepared another room.
• Shen Luoluo watches Anya’s discomfort with quiet satisfaction.

Significant Themes

The chapter contrasts self-sacrifice with assertiveness, and explores unequal treatment within a family, loyalty between friends, and romantic expectations. Its opening also frames supporting characters as people with their own eventual feelings and choices, rather than merely tools for the leads’ romance.

Key plot points and events

• At breakfast, Shen Anya hints at the recent exam results, irritating Shen Jiayan, who snaps at her. Their parents do not intervene, and Anya feels excluded.
• The family discusses an invitation to the Zhou family’s wedding. Shen Luoluo recognizes it from the story she remembers: the groom is expected to be caught in bed with his future mother-in-law just before the wedding, while his countryside-raised fiancée appears on the wedding day. Eager to witness the drama, Luoluo is invited along with her parents and Jiayan; Anya is left out because of tutoring.
• After breakfast, Zhao Huizhen and Shen Ting’an discuss Anya’s behavior and the family’s strange decisions—especially the room arrangement, which they do not remember agreeing to. They suspect Anya may have an ability that influences them, often to Luoluo’s detriment.
• Zhao resolves to watch Anya closely. She briefly loses the thread of a thought about sending someone away, then suddenly remembers: she believes they should have sent Anya away when Luoluo first came home.
• At school, English teacher Lin Xue returns the students’ test papers. The class jokes that her cheerful mood and dressed-up appearance reveal she is pleased with their results.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Anya becomes increasingly isolated and resentful as her brother rebukes her and her family excludes her from the wedding outing. Her parents now regard her as potentially manipulative or supernaturally influential.
• Shen Luoluo connects the wedding invitation to a scandal from her remembered story and is excited to see events unfold.
• Zhao Huizhen shifts from confusion to suspicion about Anya, though her difficulty recalling a thought suggests something may be interfering with her memory.
• Shen Ting’an agrees that Anya should be watched, while matter-of-factly confirming he noticed her hints.
• Shen Jiayan openly expresses irritation with Anya; the parents’ silence deepens her sense of rejection.
• Lin Xue and her students share a playful exchange before the exam results are returned.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and uncertainty: The family questions whether Anya is influencing their choices, while their own memories seem unreliable.
• Favoritism and exclusion: Luoluo is welcomed into family plans, while Anya is left out and treated with growing suspicion.
• Fate and dramatic irony: Luoluo anticipates a scandal from the story she remembers, turning the upcoming wedding into a spectacle she hopes to witness.

• Plot: Lin Xue’s class celebrates strong English results, expecting their class monitor to be one point short of full marks. In the International Class, students assume the near-perfect score belongs to Shen Anya, who is praised for her English. The teacher reveals it was actually Shen Luoluo, prompting disbelief—especially from Anya. When the full rankings are released, Luoluo tops the grade with 734 points, ahead of usual leader Song Qinghe by four points. Anya’s supporters’ claim that Luoluo was merely lucky collapses, and classmates accuse Anya of helping spread damaging rumors about her. Anya runs out crying, pursued by Xiang Lu. News of Luoluo’s first-place ranking spreads online, where most users are impressed, though a few still suggest she cheated.
• Character developments: Luoluo’s excellent results overturn her reputation as an incompetent small-town transfer student and establish her as the top student in the grade. Anya’s confidence and carefully cultivated image falter as she reacts angrily to Luoluo’s success and faces suspicion over the rumors. Xiang Lu remains loyal to Anya and tries to defend and comfort her, while some International Class students openly turn against Anya.
• Character interactions: Anya’s classmates initially praise her and ask for study advice; the teacher’s correction shifts attention to Luoluo. Students then debate whether Anya knowingly spread rumors, while Xiang Lu rebukes her critics. After the rankings appear, opponents confront Xiang Lu and Anya, and whispers follow Anya until she leaves. Online commenters likewise argue over whether Luoluo’s achievement is genuine.
• Themes: The chapter contrasts rumor and prejudice with demonstrable achievement, showing how Luoluo’s scores overturn assumptions tied to her background. It also explores envy, reputation, public judgment, and the consequences of trying to diminish someone through gossip.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Jiayan learns that Shen Luoluo has placed first in the grade. When a classmate calls her an “illegitimate daughter,” he angrily defends her and reveals that she is his biological sister; Shen Anya, by contrast, is adopted.
• The class discovers that rumors about Luoluo being illegitimate have spread widely. Jiayan’s friends wonder whether their unusual inability to hear those rumors is connected to the same mysterious force that lets them hear Luoluo’s inner thoughts.
• At the Second-Year building, Xiang Lu confronts Luoluo, demanding that she give Shen Anya her room and stop bullying her. Luoluo recognizes Xiang as Anya’s friend.
• Luoluo’s thoughts reveal that Xiang has been trying to set Anya up with Xiang’s brother, while Anya is attracted to Xiang’s fiancé, Lu Yanshi. Luoluo also recalls seeing Anya and Yanshi holding hands at a café and thinks they may be together on the rooftop.
• Xiang, shocked that she can hear Luoluo’s thoughts—and disturbed by their specific details—rushes off. The chapter ends with Anya leaning against Yanshi on the rooftop, crying that she is being unfairly blamed for the rumor post.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Jiayan openly rejects the insult against Luoluo and asserts their biological sibling relationship, showing strong loyalty to her.
• Duan Yixing and Lu Yanze help investigate the rumor and speculate that closeness to Luoluo may prevent people from hearing it.
• Xiang Lu begins as a forceful defender of Anya but loses her composure after hearing Luoluo’s private thoughts, which cast doubt on Anya’s behavior toward her fiancé.
• Shen Luoluo remains outwardly calm while her inner commentary exposes hidden tensions and unsettles Xiang.
• Shen Anya and Lu Yanshi are shown in an intimate moment: Anya seeks his comfort and denies spreading rumors, even as Luoluo’s thoughts imply a romantic connection between them.

Significant themes

• Truth versus rumor: The class repeats claims about Luoluo, while Anya denies responsibility for the rumor post.
• Hidden identities and loyalties: The revelation that Anya is adopted reshapes how classmates understand the sisters’ relationship.
• Mind-reading and concealed secrets: Luoluo’s inner voice uncovers information that others do not know, and Xiang’s sudden ability to hear it may indicate a supernatural effect.
• Betrayal and romantic conflict: Anya’s apparent interest in Yanshi threatens Xiang’s trust and the relationships around them.

Plot points and events

• Shen Anya tearfully asks Lu Yanshi whether he believes her. He comforts her, says he has liked her for a long time, and promises to end his engagement to Xiang Lu so they can be together.
• Xiang Lu arrives, catches them embracing, and slaps both of them. Shen Anya tries to explain, but Xiang Lu rejects her excuses and calls them cheaters. Lu Yanshi confirms that he has always loved Shen Anya and says his engagement to Xiang Lu meant nothing. Xiang Lu slaps him as well.
• At the teaching building, Shen Jiayan rushes to protect his sister, Shen Luoluo, believing she was about to be attacked. He learns Xiang Lu had only briefly spoken to her and then left.
• Upset that Luoluo hadn’t told her family about the trouble or the insults she faced, Jiayan tearfully insists she must tell him and their parents when something happens. Luoluo apologizes and agrees.
• Hearing that Xiang Lu and a girl surnamed Shen are fighting on the rooftop, Luoluo and Jiayan follow the students heading there.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiang Lu shifts from trusting Shen Anya as a friend to feeling betrayed and furious after discovering her with Lu Yanshi. She confronts them physically and verbally.
• Shen Anya and Lu Yanshi openly choose each other, while Lu Yanshi dismisses his engagement to Xiang Lu as meaningless.
• Shen Jiayan reveals how deeply he cares for Luoluo; his anger at her silence gives way to tears and a demand that she rely on her family.
• Shen Luoluo recognizes her brother’s genuine concern, comforts him, and promises to keep her family informed.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and disillusionment: Xiang Lu realizes she misjudged Shen Anya and trusted someone who deceived her.
• Family loyalty and communication: Jiayan’s distress shows the importance of sharing problems with loved ones rather than facing them alone.
• Trust and accountability: Lu Yanshi and Shen Anya’s declarations force Xiang Lu to confront their choices, while Luoluo accepts responsibility for keeping her family informed.