Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Shen Xiche’s performance on Idol Newcomers impresses Shen Luoluo, who recognizes his potential to become a major star.
• Shen Jiayan insists he will not vote for Shen Xiche, but the Intelligence System reveals that he stayed up all night boosting Shen Xiche’s ranking. His family recognizes the affection beneath his stubbornness.
• The show’s popularity spreads through school. Shen Luoluo hears classmates discussing the contestants; her private thoughts expose damaging secrets about some performers, while she confirms Shen Xiche is likely to succeed.
• Girls crowd around Shen Luoluo at school, hoping she can help them get Shen Xiche’s autograph.
• Shen Anya watches Shen Xiche’s popularity and Shen Luoluo’s attention with resentment. Her classmates gossip about her fall from favor and criticize her for what she did.
• Upset that Shen Xiche has not come to find her since she was expelled from the Shen family, Shen Anya wonders if he does not know what happened. She asks Lu Yanshi to go somewhere with her after school.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Xiche gains public attention through his performance, even while absent from the school scenes.
• Shen Jiayan shows his loyalty through secret support, despite his verbal refusal; Zhao Huizhen and Shen Ting’an share a knowing smile.
• Shen Luoluo becomes a link between Shen Xiche and his growing fan base, while her thoughts provide readers with insider knowledge about the contestants.
• Shen Anya feels increasingly isolated and clings to the possibility that Shen Xiche still cares but has not learned of her situation. Lu Yanshi comforts her and reacts angrily to her tears.
• Xiang Lu and her friends take satisfaction in Shen Anya’s humiliation, emphasizing the hostility surrounding her.

Significant themes

• Hidden affection and stubbornness: Shen Jiayan’s actions contradict his words.
• Changing status and consequences: Shen Anya’s former confidence and social standing have collapsed, while Shen Xiche’s fame rises.
• Public image versus private truth: The contestants’ cheerful personas contrast with the troubling histories Shen Luoluo knows.
• Fame and fandom: Shen Xiche’s emerging popularity turns Shen Luoluo into a sought-after connection and hints at the pressures of celebrity.

Plot points and events

• Xiang Lu sees Shen Anya leave class with red eyes and enjoys her apparent humiliation. She messages Shen Luoluo to share the news, regretting that she did not capture it on camera.
• Mr. Wang announces that the school study trip will run for six days, Monday through Saturday next week. The class celebrates, especially because it is their last trip before senior year.
• In Rocket Class, Qin Shiyue invites Shen Luoluo to share a room on the trip. Luoluo agrees. Shiyue also hints that Luoluo’s birthday gift included something hidden beneath the practice tests she had already found.
• On their way to the cafeteria shop, Luoluo and Shiyue find a fight in progress. The crowd assumes the men are love rivals, but Luoluo’s Intelligence System reveals the real story: the man in white is the shop owner’s son, and the man he is beating is his close friend and dormmate, who has become involved with his mother.
• The son discovered his friend’s belongings in his mother’s room after an unexpected return home, then found the pair acting intimately. His anger is so intense that security guards struggle to separate them.
• The shop owner finally steps between them and tells her son to stop making a scene.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiang Lu takes pleasure in Shen Anya’s distress and promptly shares the news with Shen Luoluo.
• Shen Luoluo remains focused on her studies despite the trip announcement, though she accepts Shiyue’s invitation to room together. Her ability to access the Intelligence System lets her uncover the truth behind the fight.
• Qin Shiyue admires Luoluo’s discipline, admits she helped choose the practice-test birthday gift, and makes a friendly effort to get Luoluo to take a break.
• The shop owner’s son is revealed to feel deeply betrayed by a friend he trusted and welcomed into his home. His confrontation with his friend becomes violent.
• The crowd reacts with shock and condemnation, interpreting the friend’s relationship with the owner as a betrayal of the son’s trust and speculating about his motives.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and trust: The fight stems not simply from romance but from a close friend’s relationship with the mother of someone who trusted and welcomed him.
• Public judgment and gossip: Students quickly form harsh opinions and speculate about money before knowing the full circumstances.
• Friendship and companionship: Shiyue and Luoluo’s easy conversation and shared trip plans offer a warm contrast to the betrayal unfolding at the shop.

Key plot points and events

• At school, students gather to watch a boy angrily confront someone over a suspected affair. Security guards break up the crowd and send everyone back to class.
• Qin Shiyue remembers she promised to buy Shen Luoluo a treat. Qi Yang offers a row of Wahaha drinks, explaining he bought them specifically for Luoluo. Qin takes them and pulls Luoluo back to class; Luoluo drinks them throughout the day.
• After school, Shen Jingyao picks up Shen Luoluo and Shen Jiayan and takes them to the police station.
• There, Shen Ting’an and Zhao Huizhen confront the couple responsible for switching their baby daughters years earlier. Presented with evidence, the couple admit their actions but excuse them as a result of poverty.
• Zhao Huizhen is enraged by their lack of remorse and attacks the woman. Shen Ting’an ostensibly tries to intervene but helps his wife land more blows, while also kicking the woman’s husband. Police struggle to restore order.
• Luoluo and Jiayan arrive as the confrontation is still unfolding.

Character developments and interactions

• Qi Yang shows a quiet, thoughtful affection for Luoluo by buying drinks he thinks she will like. Luoluo initially assumes they are for him; Qin Shiyue quickly recognizes his intention and helps him give them to her.
• Zhao Huizhen’s fury at the couple reflects the pain of losing her daughter and knowing Luoluo endured years in an orphanage. She rejects their excuses and refuses to accept their claim that they acted as parents.
• Shen Ting’an shares his wife’s anger, covertly enabling her to retaliate while pretending to calm the situation.
• Shen Jingyao brings the siblings to the police station, placing them face-to-face with the consequences of the baby switch.

Significant themes

• Accountability versus excuses: The couple’s poverty does not erase the harm they caused, and their self-pity deepens Zhao Huizhen’s anger.
• Family and lost childhood: The switch deprived Luoluo of the loving upbringing she should have had and kept her separated from her birth family for years.
• Affection through small gestures: Qi Yang’s unassuming gift contrasts with the chapter’s intense conflict and reveals growing closeness between him and Luoluo.

Plot points and events

• Zhao Huizhen, Shen Ting’an, and the others emerge from confronting Shen Luoluo’s birth parents. Zhao, usually calm and composed, is visibly furious after realizing the couple still do not understand the harm they caused.
• She orders Shen Jingyao to hire the best lawyer and pursue the case, determined to have them imprisoned. The birth mother begs Zhao and Luoluo for mercy, even kneeling and kowtowing, but Shen Jiayan and Zhao protect Luoluo from her. Zhao refuses to forgive the couple.
• The family gives statements to the police. Shen Anya does not come, and Zhao confirms that her absence will not prevent the family from seeking to terminate the adoption through court.
• While waiting at the station, Luoluo hears officers discuss the birth parents’ lack of remorse and sympathize with Zhao’s anger.
• When Zhao comes to take Luoluo home, Luoluo notices a scratch near her ear and gently fixes her hair. The gesture makes Zhao emotional, and she breaks down crying.
• At the Idol Newcomers Training Camp, Shen Xiche is told that a young girl claiming to be his sister has come to see him. He assumes it is Luoluo and is delighted.

Character development

• Zhao Huizhen reveals the depth of her love for Luoluo: her usually restrained manner gives way to anger and fierce protectiveness, followed by tears when Luoluo comforts her.
• Luoluo shows compassion and attentiveness toward Zhao, while recoiling from the birth mother’s attempt to use her kindness to escape consequences.
• Shen Jiayan acts protectively, immediately stopping the birth mother from touching Luoluo.
• Shen Anya remains absent, reinforcing the family’s view that she is indifferent to her birth parents.

Themes

• Chosen family and parental love: Zhao’s fierce defense of Luoluo contrasts with the birth parents’ failure to take responsibility.
• Accountability and justice: The family intends to pursue legal consequences rather than accept apologies offered only to avoid punishment.
• Remorse versus self-justification: The birth parents’ pleas ring hollow because they still insist they did nothing wrong.
• Tenderness after conflict: Luoluo’s small act of care releases the emotion Zhao had held back.

Character interactions

• Zhao confronts the birth mother’s pleas with cold resolve, while Shen Jiayan physically shields Luoluo from her.
• Luoluo comforts Zhao by fixing her disheveled hair, turning the moment from confrontation to mutual affection.
• Shen Jingyao reassures Zhao that the legal process can proceed without Shen Anya’s participation.
• Shen Xiche eagerly anticipates seeing the visitor he believes is Luoluo.

Plot points and events

• Shen Xiche meets Shen Anya outside the training camp. He angrily rejects her, insists Shen Luoluo is his only sister, and warns her to stay away because of what she did to Luoluo.
• When Shen Anya appeals to their shared childhood, Xiche says he cannot explain why he used to buy her gifts and wonders whether her Koi Luck influenced his behavior. He suspects she may have manipulated the Shen family for years, including their decision to keep her after learning she was not their biological daughter.
• Shen Anya denies it and runs away. Xiche takes her flight as confirmation of his suspicions.
• She meets Lu Yanshi, whom she had asked to wait out of Xiche’s sight. Shaken by Xiche’s accusation, she asks whether Yanshi truly loves her or is influenced by her Koi Luck. He reassures her, and she tells him she has no one else now that the Shen family and Xiche have rejected her.
• Lu Li calls. Anya fears he wants her to accompany him and Yanshi to meet investors, as her luck has helped the Lu family secure business deals. She recalls that she revealed her ability to Lu Li after Yanshi’s older brother caused a scandal at the engagement party, hoping to help restore the family’s fortunes.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Xiche shifts from anger at Anya to growing suspicion that her luck may have affected the Shen family’s choices and his past affection for her. His confrontation leaves Anya distressed.
• Shen Anya begins questioning whether the affection she has received—including Yanshi’s—was genuine or caused by her Koi Luck. Though she insists she did nothing to Xiche, her fear of being exposed makes her retreat.
• Lu Yanshi comforts Anya and promises to treat her well, but her doubts remain unresolved.
• Lu Li’s past acceptance of the couple appears tied to Anya’s usefulness: her luck helped the Lu family close deals amid financial and reputational trouble.

Significant themes

• The chapter explores free will and manipulation, as characters question whether affection and family decisions were genuine.
• It highlights belonging and rejection: Anya feels increasingly isolated after losing the Shen family’s acceptance and depends on Yanshi.
• Love entangled with self-interest is central, especially in Anya’s uncertainty about Yanshi and Lu Li’s reliance on her luck.

Plot points and events

• Lu Li continues relying on Shen Anya’s supposed “Koi Luck” to help secure business deals, bringing her along to drink with investors. Lu Yanshi tells her that his father wants them at a meeting. Though still upset, Shen Anya agrees, prioritizing Lu Li’s approval and her future with Lu Yanshi.
• Shen Luoluo comes first again in the monthly exams, beating Song Qinghe by one point. Her younger brother, Shen Jiayan, proudly tells everyone about her achievement despite being near the bottom of his own class.
• Qin Shiyue teases Luoluo about tutoring Jiayan. Luoluo tries, but their study session quickly becomes a gaming session.
• The students leave for a week-long study trip to H City. Zhao Huizhen fusses over Luoluo and packs extensive supplies. On the bus, Qin Shiyue admits she gets carsick and envies Luoluo’s caring mother. Luoluo invites her—and Qi Yang, who also lost his mother—to visit their home.
• At the hotel, the students witness a man loudly accusing two women in an elevator of having an affair. The situation is not what it first appears: one woman is his wife, and the other is the woman he is cheating with.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Anya shows determination to preserve her position with Lu Yanshi’s family, even when she is emotionally strained.
• Shen Jiayan’s affection and pride in Luoluo are clear in his constant boasting, while Luoluo remains accepting of his poor grades and doesn’t pressure him.
• Zhao Huizhen’s devoted, anxious care contrasts with Qin Shiyue’s experience of losing her mother. Luoluo responds with warmth by inviting Qin and Qi Yang into her family’s home.
• Qin Shiyue’s playful confidence helps her mask her sadness, though Luoluo’s kindness briefly brings her close to tears.

Significant themes

• Family affection and belonging, especially the comfort of a caring household.
• Academic achievement and sibling pride without making grades the measure of a person’s worth.
• The gap between outward appearances and reality, highlighted by the hotel confrontation.
• Shen Anya’s ambition and willingness to endure hardship for future security.

Plot points

• Shen Luoluo reveals that the woman in the red dress is the cheating man’s wife, while Xiaowan is his mistress. The wife confronts him and slaps him.
• The husband tries to blame Xiaowan and excuse his infidelity, but his wife exposes his lies and announces that she and Xiaowan are now together.
• The wife explains that she initially contacted Xiaowan to catch her cheating husband. After learning Xiaowan liked women, she posed as a caring friend, but genuinely fell for her. Xiaowan returned her feelings.
• The wife kisses Xiaowan in front of her husband, says she is ready to divorce him, and leaves hand in hand with Xiaowan. Xiaowan waves cheerfully to the Rocket Class students.
• Shen Luoluo reveals a further twist: Xiaowan’s true interest was the wife, not the husband. They had met at university, where the wife once helped Xiaowan after a jealous roommate locked her outside in freezing weather.

Character developments

• The wife moves from seeking proof of her husband’s affair to embracing an unexpected, sincere relationship with Xiaowan and choosing to leave her marriage.
• Xiaowan is revealed as sweet and affectionate, but also purposeful: she had long admired the wife and used her connection to the husband to get close to her.
• The husband shifts from self-justification to anger, but is left facing the consequences of his cheating.
• Shen Luoluo continues narrating hidden information, while Qin Shiyue and the class eagerly react to each revelation.

Themes

• Betrayal can lead to unexpected new relationships and personal freedom.
• People’s motives may be more complicated than they first appear.
• Accountability: the husband’s infidelity costs him both his marriage and his affair.
• A past act of kindness can leave a lasting impression and shape future connections.

Character interactions

• The husband argues with both women, trying to blame Xiaowan and objecting to their relationship.
• The wife firmly rejects his excuses, openly declares her love for Xiaowan, and kisses her.
• Xiaowan responds affectionately, then leaves with the wife after giving the husband a taunting smile.
• The classmates watch and comment on the unfolding drama, while Shen Luoluo’s revelations expose the couple’s history and Xiaowan’s hidden motive.

Key plot points and events

• A previously recounted tale of a woman’s scheme to expose her lover’s cheating ends unexpectedly with the wife and the woman getting together, turning a revenge story into one of mutual salvation.
• Qin Shiyue and Shen Luoluo are assigned room 2107 on the twenty-first floor, while Chen Jiashu and Qi Yang are on the twenty-second. The group plans its customary first-night gathering with games and a little alcohol.
• Chen Jiashu and Qi Yang book a deluxe suite, room 2502, for the get-together and plan to order barbecue, beer, and nonalcoholic drinks.
• On the way there, Qin Shiyue and Shen Luoluo meet Xiang Lu, who has upgraded to a private deluxe room next door. They invite her to join them, and she eagerly accepts.
• At the suite, Fang Zhiye awkwardly brings up Xiang Lu’s broken engagement. Xiang Lu calmly clarifies that she ended the arranged marriage herself and has no shortage of better prospects.
• Fang Zhiye then realizes the others’ earlier jokes about him wearing green were hints that the girl he liked had chosen his friend instead.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Shiyue takes the lead in organizing the evening and is pleased to let Chen Jiashu and Qi Yang pay. She and Shen Luoluo warmly include Xiang Lu.
• Chen Jiashu and Qi Yang cooperate in arranging the gathering and show consideration by adding juice and soy milk to the order.
• Xiang Lu appears confident and unbothered by her ended engagement, firmly asserting that she chose to call it off.
• Fang Zhiye is revealed to have suffered a similar romantic disappointment to Xiang Lu, but he only now understands his friends’ teasing. Chen Jiashu gently mocks his slow realization.
• The group’s easy banter and shared history create a lively, teasing atmosphere, while Xiang Lu’s arrival expands the gathering beyond the original class group.

Significant themes

• Reframing heartbreak: What looks like betrayal or loss can lead to unexpected connection or a deliberate new choice.
• Agency and self-worth: Xiang Lu rejects the idea that she was simply “stolen” from, emphasizing that she made her own decision.
• Friendship and belonging: The group’s teasing, generosity, and invitation to Xiang Lu show how camaraderie helps people handle romantic setbacks.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Zhiye reveals that he discovered Shen Luoluo and Xiang Lu were together after returning to school to give Luoluo an umbrella, only to see her leaving under the same umbrella with Xiang Lu. His friends laugh at his unrequited devotion and encourage him to move on.
• The group gathers for barbecue and drinks. Shen Luoluo sits between Qi Yang and Xiang Lu, with Qin Shiyue and Song Qinghe nearby.
• Qi Yang thoughtfully gives Luoluo soy milk, remembering that she prefers it. Meanwhile, her brother Shen Jiayan repeatedly messages her with warnings not to drink or trust unreliable men.
• At home, Zhao Huizhen and Shen Jiayan discuss Luoluo’s evening. Zhao is relieved that Luoluo has made friends in Rocket Class and reflects that transferring her away from Shen Anya protected her from possible bullying and manipulation.
• Zhao also thinks about Qin Shiyue’s difficult family history and becomes wary of Qi Yang because of the Qi family’s powerful but troubled reputation.
• The friends play games and socialize until early morning. Some sleep in the living room, while Shen Luoluo and Qin Shiyue sleep in the suite.
• Luoluo wakes at 3 a.m. for water and finds Qi Yang still awake. He opens a bottle for her and gently reminds her to drink and get some sleep, revealing his considerate and attentive nature.

Character Developments

• Fang Zhiye: His crush on Luoluo is exposed as sincere but one-sided. His friends’ teasing helps frame him as someone who needs to accept the situation and move on.
• Shen Luoluo: She is becoming more socially integrated, enjoying herself with classmates and forming closer relationships. Her comfortable interaction with Qi Yang suggests growing trust and possible romantic development.
• Qi Yang: He demonstrates quiet attentiveness by remembering Luoluo’s preferences, bringing her soy milk, staying awake, and caring for her health. His actions deepen the impression that he is interested in her.
• Shen Jiayan: He remains protective and overbearing toward Luoluo, constantly checking on her and warning her about boys and alcohol.
• Zhao Huizhen: She becomes increasingly relieved that Luoluo has found supportive friends and avoided being placed with Shen Anya. Her thoughts also show growing concern about Qi Yang’s family background.
• Qin Shiyue: Her painful past is revealed: she lost her mother to cancer and matured early, maintaining composure despite family difficulties.

Significant Themes

• Unrequited love and letting go: Fang Zhiye’s embarrassment highlights the pain of discovering that one’s feelings are not returned.
• Friendship and belonging: The barbecue gathering shows Luoluo gradually establishing a social circle after transferring schools.
• Protective family love: Shen Jiayan and Zhao Huizhen’s concern reflects the family’s desire to protect Luoluo from harm.
• Appearances versus reality: Zhao’s worries about the powerful Qi family contrast with Qi Yang’s gentle and considerate behavior.
• Quiet romantic affection: Qi Yang’s small acts of care suggest that affection can be expressed through practical gestures rather than direct confession.
• Family trauma and resilience: Qin Shiyue’s history emphasizes how hardship has shaped her maturity and independence.

Character Interactions

• Fang Zhiye’s friends tease him about returning with an umbrella for Luoluo, while Chen Jiashu encourages him to accept the breakup and move forward.
• Qi Yang and Luoluo share several subtle moments of mutual attention, especially over the soy milk and their late-night conversation.
• Shen Jiayan’s messages show his protective relationship with Luoluo, while Zhao Huizhen’s reflections reveal the family’s concern for her safety.
• Luoluo and Qi Yang’s quiet interaction at 3 a.m. is the chapter’s most intimate exchange, reinforcing their developing closeness.

Key plot points and events

• After a late night, Shen Luoluo assumes Qi Yang is afraid of the dark when he stops her from switching off the living-room lights. He lets her keep the mistaken impression.
• The next morning, the students wake late. Chen Jiashu notices Qi Yang’s dark circles and wonders why class monitor Song Qinghe looks so well-rested.
• Chen collides with a hurried man, dropping his belongings. When he picks up the man’s wallet, he and Qi Yang see a worn photograph of Qi Yang’s mother.
• Qi Yang recognizes the man as Lu Li, chairman of Lu Corporation and father of Lu Yanshi. The photograph brings back a painful memory of his parents’ past.

Character developments

• Qi Yang’s exhaustion and silence suggest he is struggling with something he has kept buried. Seeing his mother’s photograph triggers memories of the night his family broke apart.
• Shen Luoluo shows concern for Qi Yang and treats his supposed fear of the dark gently, promising to keep it secret.
• Qi Yang’s memories reveal how, as a child, he tried to protect his mother and was left powerless during his parents’ violent conflict.

Character interactions

• Shen Luoluo and Qi Yang share a quiet, teasing moment when she interprets his reluctance to turn off the lights as fear.
• Chen Jiashu chatters with Qi Yang about their sleepiness and appearance, then accidentally collides with Lu Li.
• In Qi Yang’s flashback, his mother, Ji Shuyao, tries to shield him from his drunken father, Qi Sheng. Qi Sheng accuses her of bringing shame on the family after nude photos of her have circulated. Their argument escalates into violence and ends with her anguished cry, “Qi Sheng, you monster.”

Significant themes

• Trauma and buried memories: A photograph unexpectedly forces Qi Yang to relive a defining childhood event.
• Family conflict and powerlessness: As a child, Qi Yang could hear his parents fighting but was locked away and unable to help his mother.
• Public shame and private cruelty: Qi Sheng focuses on the family’s reputation and humiliation, while his wife bears the consequences of the scandal.
• Appearance versus reality: The polished image of Qi Yang’s mother contrasts with the pain she hides, while the seemingly ordinary morning gives way to a devastating revelation.

Key plot points and events

• Qi Yang dreams that his mother apologizes to him and jumps from a balcony. Shen Luoluo wakes him after the theater performance and finds him shaken and gripping her wrist. He lets go and apologizes.
• Chen Jiashu tells Qin Shiyue that Qi Yang saw a photograph of his mother in Lu Li’s wallet. Because Lu Li was reportedly his mother’s first love, Qi Yang suspects Lu Li may be connected to the old photos of her and orders an investigation.
• Chen explains that he mentioned Shen Luoluo might know more, but Qi Yang scolded him for trying to use her. Qin points out that Chen knew Qi Yang liked Shen Luoluo and should have been more careful.
• On the shuttle to the museum, a woman’s half-heard phone conversation catches the students’ attention. Shen Luoluo’s apparent mind-reading fills in the story: a young intern moves in with her older cousin and the cousin’s husband, then begins an affair with him. The wife grows suspicious after a neighbor warns her.

Character development and interactions

• Qi Yang appears emotionally vulnerable: his nightmare reflects the pain surrounding his mother, and the sight of her photo has intensified his suspicions about Lu Li. His sharp defense of Shen Luoluo shows he does not want her treated as a tool, even by his friend.
• Shen Luoluo is considerate toward Qi Yang and remains a source of unusual insight for the students, who rely on her to uncover the missing details of the shuttle passengers’ gossip.
• Chen Jiashu wants to help Qi Yang but acts tactlessly; Qin Shiyue gently makes him recognize why Qi Yang reacted badly.
• The classmates’ curiosity turns the shuttle ride into a shared listening—and, through Shen Luoluo, storytelling—experience.

Significant themes

• Grief and unresolved family secrets: Qi Yang’s nightmare and the photograph raise questions about his mother’s past and Lu Li’s role in it.
• Care, trust, and boundaries: Qi Yang’s reaction to Chen’s suggestion shows his concern for Shen Luoluo and his resistance to involving her for convenience.
• Infidelity and betrayal: The shuttle anecdote introduces a domestic affair that threatens the trust between cousins and spouses.

Plot points and events

• On the bus, a woman’s phone call reveals that her cousin had an affair with her sister’s husband and was caught while he was taking the cousin to get an abortion. The passengers condemn the cousin and the husband, and the woman says her sister should divorce him.
• The driver, distracted by the gossip, misses the museum turn. The group arrives five minutes late, where Qin Shiyue teases Song Qinghe that he missed an entertaining bus ride.
• Song says he had wanted to ride with Qin but was assigned elsewhere. Shen Luoluo’s mind-reading makes Qin hear the remark repeated, and she blushes before rushing away with Shen.
• Chen Jiashu jokes about Song’s apparent tenderness toward Qin. Song responds by docking him a point for lateness. Chen then seeks Qi Yang’s sympathy, but Qi knocks his hand away and says he is straight; Qi ultimately silences and drags Chen into the museum.
• Later, Shen Luoluo encounters Shen Anya in the bathroom. Anya threatens to make Luoluo and the Shen family regret casting her out. Luoluo asks whether she intends to do it with the Lu family’s help.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin Shiyue is flustered by Song Qinghe’s comment, especially because Shen Luoluo’s mind-reading makes her hear it twice.
• Song Qinghe shows a hint of interest in riding with Qin, but maintains his cool, strict manner with Chen Jiashu.
• Chen Jiashu plays the comic flirt and complains that his friends favor their crushes over him; Qi Yang bluntly rebuffs him.
• Shen Luoluo remains composed and openly admits she enjoys seeing Shen Anya’s downfall.
• Shen Anya is still bitter about being expelled from the Shen family. She believes her Koi Luck will eventually restore her fortunes and vows revenge.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and accountability: The bus conversation condemns infidelity and the cousin’s betrayal of her sister.
• Romantic teasing and friendship: The students’ banter reveals possible feelings while keeping the mood light.
• Revenge and resentment: Shen Anya’s humiliation fuels her determination to retaliate.
• Confidence versus insecurity: Luoluo calmly confronts Anya, while Anya relies on her belief in Koi Luck to reassure herself.

Key events

• Shen Luoluo confronts Shen Anya about her “Koi Luck,” suggesting Lu Li values her for its usefulness and warning that it may not last. Shen Anya is alarmed that Luoluo knows the secret and fears she will tell Lu Yanshi.
• Shen Anya leaves to meet Lu Yanshi and demands he promise not to believe anything Luoluo says. Her anxiety irritates him, though he agrees just to end the argument.
• After their first day of the study trip, Luoluo and her classmates take a shuttle back. They notice a monk behaving intimately with a woman.
• Luoluo’s system identifies him as a fake monk who exploits temple-goers’ superstitions for money and sex. The woman beside him has been told that her abusive husband changed after a near-drowning because something unclean attached itself to him; her family sent her to the temple for help.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Anya becomes increasingly fearful and distrustful, worrying that her Koi Luck is the only reason others value her and that Luoluo could turn Lu Yanshi against her.
• Shen Luoluo remains cool and confident during the confrontation, then is reassured by Qin Shiyue and their classmates, who worry Shen Anya might harm her. She later exposes the monk through her system-assisted insight.
• Lu Yanshi is frustrated by Anya’s insistence that he distrust Luoluo, revealing tension in their relationship.
• Qin Shiyue and the classmates show concern for Luoluo’s safety and react with surprise and unease to her revelation about the fake monk.

Significant themes

• The chapter explores manipulation and conditional affection, as Anya fears people value her for her supernatural luck rather than herself.
• It also highlights superstition and exploitation: the fake monk uses people’s fears and beliefs to prey on them, while Luoluo’s unusual knowledge exposes the deception.

• Key events: Shen Luoluo reveals that the “monk” had deceived a frightened woman into believing she was cursed and that secret “dual cultivation” would save her—a cover for sexual exploitation. She also exposes his earlier scam: he sold a mother a homemade charm for 30,000 yuan and prescribed her frail child a strict running routine, dressed up as a spiritual ritual. The sightseeing bus reaches the school, where security guards restrain the monk and students warn the woman that he is a fraud. The driver says he has called the police. When the monk claims to represent Treasure Zen Temple, the driver tests him on its leadership; Shen Luoluo knows the abbot recently changed, exposing the monk’s lie. Police arrive.
• Character developments and interactions: The woman’s fear and belief in spiritual explanations make her vulnerable to the monk’s manipulation, while the students try to make her see the truth. The monk shifts from smug confidence to panic as his claims unravel. The bus driver is revealed to be the park’s wealthy owner, quietly taking on an ordinary role; he stays composed, challenges the monk, and acts to stop him.
• Themes: The chapter highlights how superstition and fear can be exploited for money or sexual abuse, the value of skepticism and speaking up, and the danger of judging people by appearances. Shen Luoluo’s knowledge helps turn suspicion into evidence and intervention.

Key plot points and events

• The group exposes a fake monk. Driver Uncle’s intervention helps keep the man from escaping until the police arrive, and the crowd praises him. The monk’s companion realizes she was deceived and angrily slaps him.
• Back at the hotel, Qin Shiyue and Shen Luoluo watch a replay of Idol Newcomers while eating snacks.
• Qin Shiyue reveals that she supports contestant Sui Huai. Shen Luoluo says she also likes Sui Huai, as well as her brother Shen Xiche.
• Sui Huai performs and earns a place in Class A alongside Shen Xiche. The episode then introduces three former group idols who have come to compete for another chance to debut.
• The first challenger, Gu Zhichuan, chooses Shen Xiche as his opponent.

Character developments

• Driver Uncle modestly shares credit for catching the fake monk, though his suspicions were prompted by a voice in his head.
• Qin Shiyue’s enthusiasm for the show becomes clear. She initially thinks she supports Sui Huai, then learns she was first captivated by his twin sister, Sui You, who had performed in his place. She embraces her interest in both siblings.
• Shen Luoluo casually reveals she knows about the twins’ swap and is eager to uncover contestants’ scandals, showing her unusual insight and playful curiosity.

Character interactions

• The crowd congratulates Driver Uncle; the fake monk’s companion confronts and slaps him.
• Qin Shiyue and Shen Luoluo tease each other about their favorite contestants, then bond over their shared support for Sui Huai.
• Qin Shiyue reacts dramatically to the performance and Sui Huai’s Class A placement, while Shen Luoluo’s private thoughts help explain the twins’ differing performances.

Significant themes

• Deception and exposure: The fake monk’s scheme is uncovered, while the twins’ hidden identity switch adds another layer of mistaken assumptions.
• Second chances and competition: The former idols enter the show hoping to revive their careers, putting Class A contestants at risk.
• Shared enthusiasm and friendship: The women’s viewing party strengthens their rapport through teasing, fandom, and gossip.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Zhichuan challenges Shen Xiche during a ranking match and wins, knocking Shen Xiche down to Class B. Shen Luoluo’s Intelligence System reveals that Gu has a special connection to mentor Xia Lanyin, explaining his confidence.
• Gu visits Xia Lanyin to collect the promised information and contract for a popular gaming variety show. He had pressured her into securing both a group debut and a chance at the show after overhearing a private phone call. Xia says the show’s director wants to meet him over a meal before deciding, and Gu accepts despite recognizing the arrangement may involve more than an ordinary dinner.
• After Gu leaves, Xia checks the hallway surveillance camera and reflects that she now has further evidence against him. She intends to punish him for eavesdropping and threatening her.
• During the study trip, news breaks that the “Fake Monk” Shen Luoluo encountered was linked to widespread crimes at Treasure Zen Temple. Police arrest the abbot and numerous monks after uncovering a scheme that defrauded worshippers and exploited women. More than a hundred victims are identified, and there may be others.
• Shen Luoluo and Qin Shiyue are relieved the police stopped the abuse, and the other students discuss the scandal at breakfast.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Xiche remains composed during the challenge but loses to Gu Zhichuan and is demoted.
• Gu Zhichuan is ambitious and opportunistic: he wants the show’s exposure to improve his chances of debuting, but he is wary of Xia and concerned about appearances.
• Xia Lanyin presents herself as helpful while maneuvering to gather evidence and retaliate against Gu. Their exchange reveals a tense, transactional relationship built on leverage and suspicion.
• Shen Luoluo quickly understands Gu’s advantage through her system and connects the temple arrests to the danger she previously encountered.
• Qin Shiyue reacts with alarm and anger over the temple’s crimes, sharing the news with Shen Luoluo.

Significant themes

• Ambition and exploitation: Gu and Xia use favors, secrets, and industry connections to advance or protect themselves.
• Abuse of trust and authority: The temple’s leaders use religious status and superstition to deceive worshippers and prey on women.
• Consequences and vigilance: Shen Luoluo’s earlier encounter could have ended badly; alertness and police intervention prevent further harm.

Chapter 48 summary

Key plot points and events

• Qin Shiyue and Shen Luoluo hear that a monk was caught after someone from Rocket Class recognized him on their bus. The two share a knowing smile, keeping their own involvement secret.
• At breakfast, they learn Qi Yang has gone home urgently because his grandfather called him back.
• At the Qi family home, Old Master Qi gathers the family and gives Qi Yang records connected to Ji Shuyao’s death, including an investigation of Lu Li. The evidence points strongly to Lu Li as the person who spread the photos, though it is not conclusive.
• Old Master Qi insists that Qi Sheng stop avoiding his responsibility and help identify whoever circulated the photos. He tells him he owes Shuyao that much.

Character developments and interactions

• Qi Yang returns looking tired and emotionally guarded. He is cold toward his father, Qi Sheng, and accepts Aunt Zhou’s invitation to stay overnight, touched by her familiar concern.
• Qi Sheng tries to provoke Qi Yang for not calling him “Dad,” but Qi Yang ignores him. Old Master Qi and Qi Wen defend Qi Yang and shut Qi Sheng down.
• When confronted with the records, Qi Sheng is visibly shaken. He recalls the night Ji Shuyao died: after an argument and drinking, he let Qi Yang out of his room hoping he could calm her, but her distress intensified and she jumped from the balcony.
• Qi Yang reacts strongly to Lu Li’s name, believing he is responsible. Old Master Qi asks what Qi Yang intends to do, hinting that Lu Li’s successful company may offer a way to act.

Significant themes

• Accountability and avoidance: Old Master Qi challenges Qi Sheng’s long-standing refusal to face his role in Shuyao’s death.
• Grief and lasting trauma: Qi Sheng remains haunted by Shuyao’s final moments, while Qi Yang’s strained family relationships reflect the enduring damage.
• Justice and uncertainty: The family seeks answers and responsibility, but the passage of time has left them without definitive proof against Lu Li.

Chapter 138 Summary

• Qi Yang agrees to join the Qi Group. After Qi Sheng leaves the family meeting, Qi Wen asks whether Qi Yang truly means to enter the company. He confirms that he does, quietly resolving to make Lu Li pay—even if he cannot prove his guilt. Qi Wen and Old Master Qi are relieved, since they want to keep the company out of Qi Sheng’s hands. The old master asks Qi Yang to begin learning from Qi Wen the next day.
• Qi Sheng is humiliated and leaves in anger. Qi Wen mocks him for pursuing a pregnant lover who had recently caused a scene at the Qi residence. She recalls that he had driven his wife to suicide and now hopes to marry his lover and have another child. Though furious, Qi Sheng cannot challenge Qi Wen in front of the old master and storms out.
• The family worries about Qi Yang’s health. At dinner, Qi Wen asks about his sleep. Since witnessing his mother’s death, Qi Yang has struggled with insomnia and guilt, believing he might have prevented it if he had stayed awake or confronted his father sooner. Aunt Zhou offers him calming soup, which he drinks without protest.
• Qi Yang studies evidence against Lu Li. Back in his room, he reviews documents linking Lu Li to his mother through their university dance club. Ji Shuyao had kindly partnered with Lu Li, then an ostracized illegitimate son, and taught him to dance. The leaked nude photographs appear to have been taken in the club’s changing room, strengthening Qi Yang’s suspicion that Lu Li took them. Qi Yang reads with unsettling calm.
• The chapter ends with a call from Chen Jiashu. Chen checks on Qi Yang and notices that his hand is bleeding, hinting that Qi Yang may have injured himself.

Character Development and Relationships

Qi Yang takes a concrete step toward responsibility by accepting a role in the family business, while his determination to punish Lu Li remains fixed. Qi Wen shows both political resolve and genuine concern for her nephew’s fragile health. Old Master Qi supports Qi Yang’s involvement as a way to protect the Qi Group. Qi Sheng’s resentment and self-interest contrast sharply with the family’s protectiveness toward Qi Yang.

Significant Themes

The chapter explores revenge and justice, family power struggles, and the lasting psychological cost of trauma. It also contrasts Qi Yang’s outward composure with the guilt and sleeplessness he carries, while showing how compassion—such as his mother’s kindness to Lu Li—can become entangled with later betrayal.

Key plot points and events

• During a video call, Qi Yang accidentally snaps a pencil while reacting to something, then calmly denies anything is wrong. When Shen Luoluo asks if he is unhappy, he admits that he is “a little.” She assumes his family is the reason and tries to cheer him up by telling him about her day.
• Shen recounts her class’s study trip to Y University. While touring the campus, the students encounter actor Zhao Jing’an filming a program beside the university’s Love Lake.
• A teacher explains that Zhao first met his wife at the lake. He tells the moving story of how they fell in love, built successful careers together, and were devastated when his wife became terminally ill. The crowd is touched by the account.
• Shen Luoluo’s unspoken thought suddenly becomes audible: she wonders whether she should tell everyone the story is fake. The students and bystanders are stunned—and Zhao is alarmed that someone has exposed him as a fraud.

Character developments

• Qi Yang briefly lets his unhappiness show to Shen, suggesting he trusts her enough to be honest, even though he quickly tries to keep his composure.
• Shen Luoluo remains attentive to Qi’s mood and tries to comfort him. At the study trip, her blunt private thought disrupts the emotional scene.
• Zhao Jing’an shifts from presenting himself as a grieving, devoted husband to reacting anxiously when his story is challenged, casting doubt on his sincerity.

Character interactions

• Shen notices Qi’s mood and invites him to listen to her account of the day; he encourages her to continue.
• The teacher and students discuss Zhao’s public love story, while Zhao recounts it for the filming crew.
• Shen’s thought is heard by everyone, abruptly interrupting the gathered crowd’s admiration and provoking Zhao’s alarm.

Significant themes

• Public image versus truth: Zhao’s celebrated romance may be fabricated, raising questions about how easily a compelling story can shape public belief.
• Private thoughts exposed: Shen’s internal comment becomes audible, creating sudden conflict and suspense.
• Comfort and emotional trust: Shen’s effort to cheer Qi contrasts with the spectacle and deception unfolding at the university.

Key plot points and events

• A mysterious voice reveals the truth behind actor Zhao Jing’an’s celebrated journey around the world with his wife, who had cancer. He arranged the trip for publicity, having already been unfaithful to her.
• Zhao manipulated and controlled his wife: he pressured her to travel despite her frail health, took away her phone, and forced her to record videos. He withheld her pain medication and beat her when she resisted. After her death, he continued using her ashes to sustain his public image.
• The voice also exposes that Zhao had engineered his original meeting with his wife after learning her family was wealthy.
• Zhao is shaken, but realizes that only he can hear the voice and assumes his dead wife can no longer contradict him. He resumes playing the devoted widower for the host and crowd.
• Shen Luoluo silently condemns his performance and notes that paparazzi have photographed him with another woman.
• The photos are soon posted online: Zhao was seen entering the woman’s building late at night and leaving the next morning. The crowd turns against him, and Zhao denies the report, claiming it is a smear campaign.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhao Jing’an shifts from confident public performer to frightened man when his secrets are exposed, then tries to regain control through denial and emotional posturing.
• Shen Luoluo remains sharp and skeptical, recognizing Zhao’s hypocrisy and anticipating the public exposé.
• The host treats Zhao sympathetically, asking about his grief and future plans, unaware of the truth.
• The crowd initially supports Zhao and urges him to ignore criticism, but quickly condemns him after seeing the paparazzi evidence.
• The chapter’s title, “Their principal sold them out,” is not developed in the excerpt provided.

Significant themes

• Public image versus private cruelty: Zhao’s romantic story is revealed as a calculated performance concealing abuse and exploitation.
• Fame and manipulation: He turns his wife’s illness and death into tools for celebrity and continued attention.
• Truth and accountability: Though Zhao believes his wife’s death leaves him safe from exposure, hidden evidence and public scrutiny begin to catch up with him.