Chapter Summaries

Key plot points

• At Lu Guangnian’s wedding, Wu Yurong tells Wu Chen and Li Ruobing that Su Ruiwen had asked about Wu Chen after hearing her joke that she would marry him if she were twenty years younger. Her warning carries an edge of provocation.
• Li Ruobing confronts Wu Yurong, calling her the “other woman.” Wu Yurong counters that Li and Wu Chen are not married yet. Wu Chen defuses the argument, then quietly gives Li Ruobing instructions and warns that Su Ruiwen may approach her.
• After Li leaves, Wu Chen and Wu Yurong flirt and slip away to a secluded pavilion. Their intimacy is unmistakable: Wu Yurong sits on Wu Chen’s lap and kisses him.
• Su Ruiwen goes looking for Wu Chen and unexpectedly sees them together. Shocked, he realizes Wu Yurong has crossed the boundary she has always maintained in relationships. He suspects she knows something extraordinary about Wu Chen and is helping keep it secret, though he does not confront them.
• Back at the wedding, Li Ruobing notices Su Ruiwen seems distracted. Lu Guangnian arrives, openly treating Wu Chen as his “brother” and Li Ruobing as his “sister-in-law,” reinforcing Wu Chen’s importance.
• A phone call then gives Lu Guangnian startling news: Qi Ming and Qi Ju of Twin Banner Real Estate have been arrested, despite their connection to the powerful Xiang family.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen remains composed through Li Ruobing and Wu Yurong’s clash, managing both women while apparently preparing another plan involving Su Ruiwen.
• Li Ruobing restrains her anger in public, follows Wu Chen’s instructions, and shows her closeness to him openly by kissing him before leaving.
• Wu Yurong mixes a warning to Wu Chen with deliberate needling of Li Ruobing, then reveals a more affectionate, intimate side in private. Her behavior suggests she is deeply attached to Wu Chen and willing to risk her usual emotional distance.
• Su Ruiwen moves from curiosity about Wu Chen to intense suspicion after witnessing the rendezvous. He keeps what he saw to himself for now.
• Lu Guangnian is buoyant on his wedding day and publicly signals his close bond with Wu Chen. The news of the Qi brothers’ arrests abruptly shifts the mood and raises new questions.

Significant themes

• Secrecy and suspicion: Wu Chen’s hidden qualities are increasingly suspected, but their nature remains unknown.
• Power and risk in relationships: Wu Yurong’s intimacy with Wu Chen challenges her long-standing rule of never becoming truly involved, and could provoke Li Ruobing and destabilize powerful families.
• Public appearances versus private realities: Polite wedding conversation masks jealousy, secret plans, and dangerous personal entanglements.
• Shifting influence: Lu Guangnian’s deference to Wu Chen and the unexpected arrests suggest that power dynamics are changing.

Plot points and events

• At Lu Guangnian’s wedding, guests learn that Magic City real-estate magnates Qi Min and Qi Jun have been formally arrested, along with Qi Min’s son Qi Chenghong and others. Online reports link them to murder and other serious crimes.
• Li Ruobing suspects Wu Chen arranged the arrests because the Qi family had recently offended him over Zhuang Xiaodie. She cannot see how he could have acted against them, given their ties to the powerful Xiang family.
• Guests report that Tang Jingbin—and possibly the Gu family—were behind the move. Wu Chen then receives a call from Tang Jingbin, who confirms that the arrests and the broader plan are proceeding smoothly. The Gu family has begun coordinating with the Tang family, raising tension among Magic City’s powerful families.
• Su Ruiwen connects Wu Chen to Tang Jingbin and grows suspicious. He also alludes privately to a body being found; Wu Chen congratulates him and Su Qingying, though Su Ruiwen says they must wait before acting.
• Su Ruiwen asks Wu Chen to speak privately and directly raises two sensitive matters: he saw Wu Chen with Wu Yurong, and he wants to know Wu Chen’s relationship with Su Qingying. The chapter ends before Wu Chen answers.

Character developments

• Wu Chen remains composed and confident, showing no concern when Su Ruiwen hints that he knows about Wu Yurong. His call with Tang Jingbin reveals how much influence he has behind the scenes.
• Li Ruobing quickly recognizes Wu Chen’s likely role in the arrests, then infers that he used Tang Jingbin’s connections. She remains guarded about what she knows.
• Su Ruiwen shifts from quiet suspicion to direct questioning. He notices Wu Chen’s influence and the unusual ease with which Li Ruobing lets him take charge of their conversation.
• Su Qingying is unsettled by the possibility that Wu Chen brought down the Qi family. Uneasy under her father’s watch, she finds a reason to step away.

Themes

• Power and hidden alliances: Public events conceal a struggle among the Tang, Gu, and Xiang families, with Wu Chen apparently shaping its course.
• Information and inference: Characters piece together the truth from arrests, rumors, phone calls, and subtle reactions.
• Control and leverage: Wu Chen’s calm confidence contrasts with others’ uncertainty, suggesting he has planned events carefully.
• Private relationships under public scrutiny: Wu Chen’s ties to Wu Yurong and possible involvement with Su Qingying complicate his relationships with Li Ruobing and Su Ruiwen.

Character interactions

• Li Ruobing privately tells Su Qingying that Wu Chen may have caused the Qi brothers’ downfall, alarming her.
• Su Ruiwen watches his daughter and Li Ruobing, then probes Li Ruobing about Wu Chen’s connection to Tang Jingbin.
• Wu Chen’s direct, familiar call with Tang Jingbin strengthens Su Ruiwen’s suspicions.
• Su Ruiwen speaks with Wu Chen away from the women, first hinting that he saw him with Wu Yurong, then bluntly asking about his relationship with Su Qingying.

Key plot points and events

• Su Ruiwen presses Wu Chen about his relationships with Su Qingying and Wu Yurong. Wu Chen declines to explain, saying Su Qingying should answer for herself.
• At Lu Guangnian and Ma Huifang’s wedding, Li Ruotai arrives and greets the guests. In private, he asks Wu Chen about the upheaval at Twin Banner Real Estate. Wu Chen says it began because Chen Hongyu had pursued Zhuang Xiaodie, who rejected him. Li Ruotai doubts that this alone explains the scale of the response, and Wu Chen hints that Li Ruotai should ask his father.
• The wedding ceremony proceeds, followed by an all-day celebration. Su Ruiwen watches Wu Chen and Li Ruotai’s interaction and is struck by how readily Li Ruotai defers to Wu Chen.
• Later, Su Ruiwen approaches Li Ruobing in the club café to discuss Wu Chen. He cautiously probes her views of Wu Yurong and admits he suspects a relationship between them.
• Li Ruobing confirms she knows about Wu Chen and Wu Yurong. She says she expects to marry Wu Chen and accepts that he may have other women, though she strongly dislikes Wu Yurong and warns that Wu Yurong must not challenge her position.
• Li Ruobing attributes her acceptance to Wu Chen’s exceptional nature and cites the Twin Banner affair as evidence of his power.

Character developments

• Wu Chen remains composed and guarded, revealing little while signaling that the business conflict has deeper connections.
• Su Ruiwen grows increasingly wary and intrigued by Wu Chen. His concern for his daughter makes him hesitant to disclose what he knows about Wu Chen and Wu Yurong.
• Li Ruotai shows both loyalty and awe toward Wu Chen, and begins to grasp that the Twin Banner affair may be far larger than he understood.
• Li Ruobing openly establishes her unusual arrangement with Wu Chen: she accepts his other relationships but draws a firm boundary around Wu Yurong.
• Su Qingying remains offstage during the café conversation, but Su Ruiwen’s protective concern for her shapes his hesitation throughout.

Significant themes

• Power and hidden influence: Wu Chen’s relationships with powerful figures, and his apparent role in the Twin Banner affair, suggest his influence exceeds what others can see.
• Loyalty and deference: Li Ruotai’s behavior reflects Wu Chen’s ability to command respect even within the Li family.
• Love, acceptance, and boundaries: Li Ruobing’s acceptance of Wu Chen’s other partners is balanced by her insistence on protecting her own position.
• Secrecy and uncertainty: Several characters know only fragments of the truth, and Wu Chen carefully controls what each is told.

Character interactions

• Wu Chen politely deflects Su Ruiwen’s questions about Su Qingying.
• Wu Chen and Li Ruotai speak privately, with Li Ruotai seeking an explanation and Wu Chen directing him toward his father for the larger truth.
• Su Ruiwen observes the exchange and becomes more unsettled by Li Ruotai’s deference.
• In the café, Su Ruiwen cautiously tests Li Ruobing’s knowledge; she responds bluntly, revealing both her awareness of Wu Chen’s relationship with Wu Yurong and the terms she has set for her own relationship with him.

Key plot points and events

• Li Ruobing tells Su Ruiwen that Wu Chen orchestrated the Qi brothers’ downfall through his connections with Tang Jinbin and the Gu Family. The conflict began when Qi Chenghong mistreated Zhuang Xiaodie, one of Wu Chen’s lovers, though Li does not know the full chain of events.
• She suggests Wu Chen’s influence may also explain Su Qingying’s recent takeover of Jinfu and his move against shareholder Xu Zhenyuan. Su Ruiwen had assumed Li Ruobing was responsible; she confirms Wu Chen arranged both.
• Li reveals that Wu Chen is behind the exposure of superstar Zhou Shenglong’s affair. The scandal is retaliation against Hezhong Media, which had targeted An Menglan with an album leak and rumors linking her to Morning Mist.
• Li identifies Wu Chen as Morning Mist. She says An Menglan is devoted to him and plans to give him half of Menghua Music in exchange for his expertise, without payment.
• Su Ruiwen, overwhelmed by the revelations, asks whether his daughter Qingying is also Wu Chen’s lover. The chapter ends before Li answers.

Character developments

• Li Ruobing acts decisively on Wu Chen’s behalf, openly revealing his influence and relationships. Her pride in him is clear, though she admits she does not understand how he uncovers information or coordinates events.
• Su Ruiwen shifts from disbelief to reassessing the recent events around his daughter and his company. He increasingly suspects Wu Chen—not Li—has been directing the major moves.
• Wu Chen, though absent, emerges as a powerful and enigmatic strategist who uses personal loyalty, business maneuvering, and media influence to protect the women he cares about.
• An Menglan is portrayed as emotionally committed to Wu Chen and willing to make a major business concession for him. Su Qingying’s relationship with Wu Chen remains uncertain.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and influence: Wu Chen’s apparent lack of status contrasts with his reach into business, politics, and entertainment.
• Loyalty and protection: His actions are framed as fierce responses to harm done to the women close to him.
• Secrets and uncertainty: Even Li, one of his closest partners, knows little about how he operates, leaving others to piece together the truth.
• Personal relationships shaping public events: Romantic entanglements trigger consequences that affect companies, families, and the wider social order.

Character interactions

• Li calmly answers Su Ruiwen’s probing questions, repeatedly confirming Wu Chen’s role and challenging his assumptions.
• Su Ruiwen’s questions grow more personal as he connects Wu Chen to events involving his daughter, culminating in his direct question about whether Qingying is Wu Chen’s lover.

Key plot points and events

• Li Ruobing confirms to Su Ruiwen that she is Wu Chen’s girlfriend and that Wu Chen and Su Qingying’s relationship began the day Li asked Wu Chen to take Qingying away from the golf course.
• Su Ruiwen, Qingying’s father and head of the Su family’s business empire, struggles to reconcile his concern for his daughter with what he has learned about Wu Chen’s extraordinary influence and abilities. He had once considered separating them or arranging a match for Qingying, but now fears acting rashly.
• Li Ruobing warns that anyone Su Ruiwen set up with Qingying could be killed, then reveals that Ding Ruilong—who continues pursuing her—probably will not live to see the next year.
• Su Ruiwen challenges the idea that Wu Chen would target Ding Ruilong, pointing out that the Ding patriarch fiercely protects him and that his death could provoke both the Ding and Li families against Wu Chen and Li Ruobing.
• Li Ruobing says her father, Li Maoren, once opposed her relationship with Wu Chen, but changed his position after speaking with him. Su Ruiwen is shocked by what this could mean for the Li family’s alliance with the Ding family and asks what Wu Chen told Li Maoren.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ruiwen moves from paternal suspicion toward wary fascination. He still cannot accept Wu Chen’s influence over his daughter, but his fear of Wu Chen’s reach prevents him from confronting him. He probes Li Ruobing carefully, disguising his questions as reasoned objections.
• Li Ruobing openly acknowledges her relationship with Wu Chen and demonstrates deep trust and loyalty toward him. She presents his danger not through aggression, but through his ability to resolve problems in ways others cannot anticipate.
• Wu Chen, though absent, dominates the conversation. His reputation for inexplicable methods makes both Su Ruiwen and Li Ruobing cautious, while his conversation with Li Maoren appears to have shifted the Li patriarch’s stance.
• Their exchange is both personal and political: Su Ruiwen asks about his daughter’s romance, but the discussion expands to the possible consequences for the Su, Li, and Ding families.

Significant themes

• Power and uncertainty: Wu Chen’s true capabilities remain unclear, making him more frightening than a conventional rival.
• Family loyalty versus individual choice: Su Ruiwen’s desire to protect Qingying conflicts with her apparent acceptance of Wu Chen and his other relationships; Li Ruobing likewise defies her family’s expectations.
• Romance intertwined with power politics: Private relationships threaten to reshape alliances among influential families.
• Consequences of challenging the powerful: Li Ruobing’s warning about Ding Ruilong raises the possibility that Wu Chen’s personal decisions could trigger a major family conflict.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Li Ruobing tells Su Ruiwen that Wu Chen met privately with Li Maoren for several hours. Afterward, Li Maoren stopped opposing her relationship with Wu Chen, and he knew Wu Chen had crippled Ding Ruilong’s hand.
• Su Ruiwen concludes that the Li Family is preparing to turn against the Ding Family, though he cannot understand how Wu Chen persuaded them. He also learns that Li Maoren likely knows about Wu Chen and Su Qingying.
• Su Ruiwen considers speaking with Qingying, but postpones the conversation because he needs to verify what Li Ruobing has told him.
• He instructs his longtime aide Du Jun to investigate Zhuang Xiaodie discreetly and monitor Hezhong Media, where Wu Chen is reportedly preparing a larger move after Zhou Shenglong’s scandal.
• Su Ruiwen calls Wu Yurong, learns she has plans with Wu Chen, and invites her to dinner. When he reveals that Li Ruobing told him about Wu Chen and Qingying, Wu Yurong agrees to meet him that evening.
• At He Shiqin’s home, Wu Chen relaxes, gives He Xinxin a painting assignment, and awards her 65 points—enough to earn a promised present.
• Wu Chen tells Wu Yurong he expected Su Ruiwen to contact her and advises her to tell him the truth. Wu Chen then leaves for the planned meeting.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ruiwen shifts from suspicion to cautious investigation. He is intrigued by Wu Chen’s influence but does not yet accept Li Ruobing’s account without evidence. His concern for his daughter leaves him uncertain about how to proceed.
• Li Ruobing remains composed and candid in what she chooses to reveal, but withholds sensitive details about Wu Chen’s discussions with Li Maoren.
• Wu Yurong is unsettled by the prospect of explaining her relationship with Wu Chen to Su Ruiwen, a close friend she respects. Wu Chen’s calm, strategic approach contrasts with her anxiety.
• Wu Chen appears to anticipate Su Ruiwen’s reactions and deliberately allows the truth to emerge. At He Shiqin’s home, he also takes a quiet, supportive role with He Xinxin, while planning for her eventual discovery of her father’s identity and potential inheritance.
• He Xinxin is eager for Wu Chen’s approval and responds playfully to his authority. She becomes absorbed in a revenge drama Wu Chen selected, apparently to prepare her emotionally for future revelations.
• Su Qingying is summoned by her father, but he delays their conversation; the chapter leaves their discussion pending.

Significant themes

• Power and strategic alliances: The Li Family’s apparent break with the Ding Family suggests that personal and family loyalties yield to larger interests.
• Secrecy and disclosure: Characters carefully manage what they reveal, while Wu Chen seems willing to expose truths when the timing benefits him.
• Influence and uncertainty: Su Ruiwen’s investigation reflects how difficult it is for established power brokers to assess Wu Chen’s reach.
• Preparation for inheritance and identity: Wu Chen’s plans for He Xinxin connect her future understanding of her family to the vast estate she may inherit.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• After leaving He Shiqin’s home, Wu Chen leaves He Xinxin absorbed in an American TV series. He Shiqin scolds her for being distracted and impolite, but Xinxin teases her mother about dressing up for Wu Chen. He Shiqin’s embarrassment suggests she may have feelings for him.
• That evening, Wu Yurong meets Su Ruiwen at a restaurant to discuss Wu Chen and Su Ruiwen’s daughter, Su Qingying. Wu Yurong worries that the situation could damage her friendship with Su, but says Wu Chen comes first and she will follow his lead.
• Su Ruiwen, who is seriously ill and fears leaving Qingying unprepared, presses Wu Yurong to explain her relationship with Wu Chen. She admits she loves him and cannot freely discuss him without his permission.
• Wu Yurong warns Su not to act rashly or cross Wu Chen. She values their friendship but will not promise to side with Su if matters escalate. She admits she is somewhat afraid of Wu Chen, but also grateful to him.
• Wu Chen arrives. Su asks whether Li Ruobing’s account of the day’s events is true, including Wu Chen’s role in the Qi Brothers’ arrest. Wu Chen confirms that what Li shared was probably accurate, while noting she does not know everything.
• Su asks what larger matter prompted powerful figures to cooperate against the Xiang Family. Wu Chen warns that learning the answer will force Su to make an irreversible choice. The chapter ends with Su weighing whether to hear it.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yurong shows how deeply devoted she is to Wu Chen: she prioritizes him over even a longtime friend, while still hoping to preserve that friendship. Her unusual openness and tenderness toward Wu Chen surprise Su.
• Su Ruiwen is calculating but under pressure from his illness and concern for Qingying’s future. He wants to understand Wu Chen’s power and intentions before deciding whether to protect his daughter, the family business, or both.
• Wu Chen remains composed and confident under Su’s probing. Rather than reveal everything at once, he makes Su confront the consequences of knowing more.
• He Shiqin and He Xinxin share a playful, affectionate exchange. Xinxin’s teasing exposes her suspicion that her mother dressed up because Wu Chen was visiting.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and friendship: Wu Yurong’s affection for Wu Chen may put her friendship with Su at risk.
• Knowledge and consequence: Wu Chen frames information as a point of no return, making the choice to learn the truth itself a consequential decision.
• Power and vulnerability: Su’s wealth and influence are tempered by his illness and the possibility that his connections will not outlast him.
• Love and sacrifice: Wu Yurong accepts an unconventional relationship with Wu Chen, while Su’s concern for Qingying shapes his choices.

Key plot points

• During a tense dinner, Wu Chen warns Su Ruiwen that learning the truth will force him to make a choice with no turning back. Wu Yurong, worried that the conversation could destroy their friendship, repeatedly steers the discussion toward safer topics.
• Wu Yurong describes the Qi Brothers’ dependence on the Xiang Family and their history of ruthless behavior, suggesting that Qi Ming’s arrest was no great loss. She avoids the matter Su Ruiwen most wants to discuss: how Wu Chen persuaded Second Master Tang to act against the Qi family.
• When Wu Yurong mentions actress Chu Xiaoxiao’s death, Wu Chen corrects the accepted story. He says Xiang Feipeng and his friends were responsible, while Qi Ming arranged for his brother Qi Jun to take the blame; the Xiang Family then suppressed the scandal and sent Xiang Feipeng abroad.
• Su Ruiwen, unsettled by Wu Chen’s knowledge, tests him with a scar on his arm. Wu Chen recounts in detail how Su was wounded during a dangerous jade-buying trip to Myanmar in 1990, including events known only to Su and his sworn brother, Tang Deyang.
• Wu Chen then reveals that Su killed a man, Zhu Duanshan, in Yun Province in 1991. Su asks whether Wu Chen knows of anything that could currently send him to prison. The chapter ends before Wu Chen answers.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ruiwen moves from cautious curiosity to alarm as Wu Chen demonstrates intimate knowledge of his past. Rather than simply backing down, he probes further, testing whether Wu Chen knows enough to threaten his present.
• Wu Yurong acts as a mediator, trying to protect Su from information she believes could leave him no safe way back. Her fear of Wu Chen and her concern for Su are both evident.
• Wu Chen remains calm and courteous while revealing increasingly sensitive information. His composure contrasts with the growing unease around him and reinforces his apparent power and mystery.
• The dinner’s conversation is a contest of restraint: Wu Yurong deflects, Su tests, and Wu Chen patiently answers only what he chooses to reveal.

Significant themes

• Knowledge as power: Wu Chen’s ability to uncover hidden histories gives him leverage over powerful people.
• The cost of truth: Learning more may force Su Ruiwen into a consequential, irreversible choice.
• Corruption and protection: The Xiang Family shields its allies, redirects blame, and controls public attention.
• Past actions and present vulnerability: Su’s violent early career may be decades old, but Wu Chen’s knowledge makes it newly relevant.

Plot points and events

• Wu Yurong worries that Su Ruiwen’s power and connections make him almost impossible to imprison, even if Wu Chen knows damaging secrets. Wu Chen agrees that Su Ruiwen is unusually clean by business-world standards, but argues that powerful people can still be vulnerable when forced to choose sides.
• Wu Chen brings up He Meijuan, a senior figure in the powerful He Family. Su Ruiwen is visibly shaken, and Wu Yurong realizes the name points to a secret from his past.
• When Su Ruiwen hesitates to discuss it in front of Wu Yurong, Wu Chen gently restrains her from intervening, then asks her to leave so he can speak with Su Ruiwen privately. Before departing, she kisses Wu Chen, masking her unease with composure.
• Alone with Su Ruiwen, Wu Chen recounts his history with He Meijuan in precise detail: she pursued him after her divorce, despite his marriage; he rejected her, and she later pressured his wife. In response, Su Ruiwen secretly helped He Meijuan’s political rival, contributing to her stalled advancement and transfer. They have had no contact since.
• He Meijuan has since risen to become a powerful He Family leader and remarried into a military family. If she discovered Su Ruiwen’s role in her setback, the consequences could be serious.
• Su Ruiwen is stunned by Wu Chen’s knowledge and questions how he obtained it. Wu Chen claims he investigated, while Su Ruiwen struggles to reconcile the revelations with Wu Chen’s youth and simple background.
• Wu Chen then warns Su Ruiwen not to pressure his daughter, Su Qingying, over her relationship with Wu Chen. He says conflicts between men should be settled directly. Su Ruiwen asks how he proposes to do that.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen demonstrates confidence, strategic control, and an uncanny command of Su Ruiwen’s private history. He manages both Su Ruiwen and Wu Yurong, revealing only what serves his purpose.
• Su Ruiwen shifts from probing Wu Chen’s limits to being deeply unsettled by the disclosure. His concern for friendship and privacy is clear, but he eventually engages Wu Chen directly over Su Qingying.
• Wu Yurong is anxious to prevent a rupture between the men and fears Wu Chen may be angry with her. She obeys his request to leave, while her affectionate goodbye shows her closeness and deference to him.
• Wu Chen and Su Ruiwen’s conversation evolves from a test of Wu Chen’s knowledge into a tense negotiation over Su Qingying and their competing interests.

Significant themes

• Power and accountability: At the highest levels, evidence alone may not bring someone down; political alliances and powerful adversaries matter.
• Secrets and leverage: Wu Chen’s knowledge gives him influence, while Su Ruiwen’s past choices remain dangerous even years later.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Su Ruiwen rejected a potentially advantageous alliance with He Meijuan to protect his marriage, but later acted against her when circumstances forced him to choose sides.
• Control and direct confrontation: Wu Chen insists that Su Ruiwen deal with him directly rather than involve Qingying, framing their conflict as a matter between men.

Chapter summary

• Wu Chen and Su Ruiwen: After Wu Chen explains his relationship with Su Qingying, Su Ruiwen asks how the situation should be resolved. Wu Chen leaves the choice to him and suggests discussing it with his wife, while making clear that he would prefer not to become Su Ruiwen’s enemy. Su Ruiwen recognizes that Wu Chen is unusually influential and difficult to challenge, but says he will investigate him. Wu Chen departs, leaving Su Ruiwen alone and deeply unsettled.
• Wu Yurong’s anxiety and reconciliation: At home, Wu Yurong drinks while worrying about what happened between Wu Chen and Su Ruiwen. Excitedly, her daughter Xuanxuan calls to share that An Menglan’s company will record and promote her songs. Afterward, Wu Yurong calls Wu Chen, but he rejects the call because he is already coming upstairs. She mistakes this for a deliberate rebuff and breaks down in tears. When Wu Chen finds her, he comforts her; she initially tries to hide her distress, but eventually embraces him and cries. The next morning, his teasing reassurance convinces her he is not angry, and they resume their affectionate relationship.
• Senlan and Wu Weidong: Over breakfast, Wu Yurong explains that she has freed roughly a billion yuan for a confidential plan involving the Ding Family’s assets and her partnership with Gu Ruibo and Lei Cheng. Her father, Wu Weidong, has begun asking questions about the company’s finances. Though he has largely delegated Senlan Group to her, Wu Yurong would prefer his support to deceiving him. She is unsure how to explain her risky involvement in the great families’ affairs—or Wu Chen’s role.
• Wu Chen’s unexpected offer: Wu Chen decides they should visit Wu Weidong that day and tell him the truth. He reveals that Zheng Chang had said Wu Chen instructed him to transfer his shares to Wu Yurong. Wu Yurong is so surprised that she drops her chopsticks.

Character developments and interactions

Wu Chen shows restraint with Su Ruiwen, acknowledging that he has wronged him, but still confidently leaves the decision—and its consequences—to him. Su Ruiwen shifts from investigating Wu Chen as a precaution to recognizing the serious power he represents. Wu Yurong’s composure gives way to intense insecurity about losing Wu Chen, yet his tenderness reassures her. She also shows that, despite her independence and control of Senlan, she wants her father’s trust. Wu Chen’s proposal to speak openly to Wu Weidong suggests he intends to support her more directly.

Significant themes

The chapter contrasts power and vulnerability: Wu Chen can unsettle powerful men, while Wu Yurong—formidable in business—feels emotionally fragile in love. It also explores trust and disclosure, as Su Ruiwen weighs what to tell his wife and Wu Yurong considers whether to confide in her father. Finally, the story highlights the tension between caution and ambition, especially in Wu Yurong’s risky business alliance and Wu Weidong’s wary, old-fashioned approach.

Key plot points and events

• Over breakfast, Wu Yurong tells Wu Chen about a difficulty involving her partnership with Gu Rui Bo and Lei Chen. Wu Chen proposes visiting her father, Wu Weidong, to ask him to transfer his Senlan Group shares to her early. Though initially doubtful, Yurong agrees to follow Wu Chen’s lead.
• Wu Chen receives a call from paparazzo Peng Wei: Hezhong Media is investigating Morning Mist’s identity and may target Yurong’s daughter, Song Xuan, as a route to him. Peng also warns that Hezhong may soon publish another exposé against someone in Huaxing Group. Wu Chen reassures Peng that he will protect him and plans to meet him in Magic City.
• Wu Chen and Yurong travel with her security convoy to Senlan Manor to meet Wu Weidong. Yurong worries that her stubborn, traditional father may react badly to Wu Chen and their request, but Wu Chen says they are simply going to talk.
• Wu Weidong is playing chess with his longtime driver and steward, Xu Shisong. He recognizes Wu Chen and warmly welcomes him, assuming he is connected to Li Ruobing and treating Yurong’s closeness to him as friendly familiarity. The scene ends when Yurong pours tea and addresses Wu Chen as “Darling,” making Wu Weidong’s hand tremble and stopping his conversation.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Yurong shows trust in Wu Chen by accepting his plan, though she remains anxious about her father’s likely reaction. She is also confident in her ability to protect Song Xuan, thanks to the security and informants she already has in place.
• Wu Chen remains calm and assured, offering to handle both the share-transfer conversation and the threat from Hezhong Media. He also recognizes Peng Wei’s self-interest beneath his concern.
• Wu Weidong is introduced as a powerful, old-fashioned patriarch, but he greets Wu Chen warmly and is eager to cultivate the connection—until Yurong’s intimate form of address challenges his assumptions.
• Peng Wei acts as Wu Chen’s source on Hezhong Media while also seeking protection from the company’s retaliation. Xu Shisong’s surprise at seeing Yurong arrive holding Wu Chen’s arm hints that their relationship will draw attention.

Significant themes

• Trust and influence: Yurong relies on Wu Chen’s confidence and judgment, while her own power at Senlan rests on years of achievement and family support.
• Family authority and inheritance: The visit centers on Yurong potentially receiving her father’s shares and formalizing her leadership.
• Reputation and retaliation: Hezhong Media’s investigation shows how celebrity exposure and corporate conflict can be used as weapons.
• Appearances and misunderstanding: Wu Weidong interprets Wu Chen and Yurong’s closeness through his assumptions, setting up tension when their relationship becomes clear.

Plot points

• Wu Yurong reveals to her parents that she is romantically involved with Wu Chen, despite his ongoing relationship with Li Ruobing. She says she initiated the relationship and has no intention of marrying again.
• Wu Weidong is surprised and probes the couple about how they got together, whether Li Ruobing knows, and what their plans are. Wu Yurong insists she is comfortable with Wu Chen marrying Li.
• Han Yuzhi arrives, learns the news, and privately takes Wu Yurong aside, leaving Wu Chen alone with Wu Weidong.
• Wu Weidong questions Wu Chen about the age gap and his intentions. Wu Chen explains that their relationship began when he became close to Wu Yurong’s daughter, Song Xuan, and learned of a danger threatening Wu Yurong.
• Wu Chen then reveals the larger political and business conflict involving the Ding, Li, Dong, and Wei families. He says he has coordinated with Li Maoren and outlines plans that could bring down the Ding Family.
• Wu Yurong’s earlier investment could have entangled her in the conflict, but Wu Chen says she is withdrawing from it and intends to pursue peripheral assets when the Ding Family falls. He has also arranged for her to work with Gu Ruibo and Lei Cheng, who plan to help Lei Cheng reclaim his family fortune and have his brother Lei You imprisoned.
• Alarmed by the scale and secrecy of the plans, Wu Weidong realizes the Wu Family may be unable to withdraw safely. Wu Chen finally asks him to transfer his shares to Wu Yurong.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Weidong shifts from cautious fatherly curiosity to shock and unease as Wu Chen reveals the high-stakes plans. Though he distrusts the situation’s danger, he recognizes Wu Yurong’s judgment and influence.
• Wu Yurong is candid and self-assured about her relationship, defending Wu Chen while making clear she does not want marriage. Her mother’s private conversation with her suggests further family concerns remain unspoken.
• Wu Chen remains calm and strategically controls the conversation, first withholding information to make Wu Weidong understand its seriousness, then disclosing enough to persuade him to support Wu Yurong.
• Han Yuzhi reacts with surprise but handles the revelation warmly, then removes Wu Yurong so the two men can speak privately.

Significant themes

• Power and family autonomy: Wu Weidong has little authority over his capable adult daughter, whose choices shape the family’s future.
• Secrecy and risk: Knowledge of the unfolding conflict itself becomes a liability, and Wu Weidong fears the consequences of being implicated.
• Romance amid unequal expectations: Wu Yurong’s unconventional relationship challenges assumptions about age, marriage, and exclusivity.
• Influence and strategy: Wu Chen’s calm account presents him as a major force behind alliances, financial maneuvering, and the coming struggle among powerful families.

Plot points and events

• Wu Chen meets Wu Weidong and urges him to transfer his Senlan Group shares to Wu Yurong. He frames the transfer as both practical preparation and protection for the family.
• Wu Chen warns that Senlan’s greatest danger may come from inside the Wu family, not simply from the high-stakes alliance they are involved in. He reveals alleged embezzlement and scheming by Wu Weidong’s sons, Wu Yulin and Wu Yuning, and misconduct involving other relatives and company figures.
• Wu Chen recalls how Wu Yurong’s brothers once tried to block her rise: Wu Yulin worked against her promotion, while Wu Yuning helped frame her in a damaging contract scheme. Yurong ultimately spared him after her parents pleaded with her.
• Wu Chen argues that consolidating control in Yurong’s hands would limit the damage if family members or shareholders turned against her. Though shaken, Wu Weidong does not yet agree to transfer his shares.
• Wu Chen points out that Wu Yuning may already know of his visit because Wu Weidong’s bodyguard, Wang Zhiheng, is close to him. He also suggests Wu Weidong’s wife may alert their younger son, deepening the father’s suspicion that his household cannot be trusted.
• After Wu Chen leaves to meet Yurong, Wu Weidong privately calls Lei Cheng to verify what he has heard. Lei initially acts confused, but his manner changes when Wu Weidong mentions Wu Chen. He still reveals nothing, so Wu Weidong proposes meeting in person.

Character developments

• Wu Weidong shifts from cautious skepticism to serious unease. He recognizes the risks of Senlan’s internal conflicts and begins investigating, though he has not yet made a decision about his shares.
• Wu Chen remains composed and strategic. He uses specific allegations, family history, and hints about compromised loyalties to steer Wu Weidong toward supporting Yurong.
• Wu Yurong is portrayed as capable and powerful, but also constrained by family loyalty and the prejudice she faced as a woman. She has tolerated or managed many internal problems rather than openly confronting relatives.
• Wu Yulin and Wu Yuning appear increasingly self-interested and threatening to Yurong’s leadership; Wu Yuning in particular is described as becoming more reckless.
• Lei Cheng is guarded. His reaction suggests that Wu Chen’s involvement carries weight, but he refuses to discuss the matter over the phone.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty versus responsibility: Yurong has protected relatives despite their misconduct, while Wu Weidong must confront the cost of allowing family ties to shape business decisions.
• Power and succession: Control of the shares is central to whether Yurong can secure her position and prevent challenges from within the family.
• Gender prejudice: Yurong’s advancement was opposed partly because she was a woman, despite her superior ability.
• Trust and betrayal: The revelations about relatives, employees, and even a trusted bodyguard leave Wu Weidong questioning whom he can rely on.
• Strategic truth and manipulation: Wu Chen presents information persuasively, but the narration notes that he misleads Wu Weidong about whether withdrawal is truly impossible.

Character interactions

• Wu Chen speaks candidly and pointedly with Wu Weidong, praising his past support of Yurong before confronting him with the family’s hidden problems.
• Wu Weidong listens, challenges the connection between those problems and his shares, then grows increasingly unsettled as Wu Chen supplies details.
• Wu Chen’s brief phone call with Yurong is warm and reassuring; he leaves Wu Weidong alone afterward so he can decide what to do.
• Wu Weidong’s call with Lei Cheng becomes a cautious test of what Lei knows. Lei’s guarded response confirms that Wu Chen’s name changes the conversation, but not enough to settle Wu Weidong’s doubts.

Plot points and events

• Wu Weidong meets with Lei Cheng after Wu Chen confirms that Lei Cheng and Wu Yurong have been working together. Before the meeting, he investigates his bodyguard Wang Zhiheng, whom Wu Chen suspected of leaking information to Wu Weidong’s second son, Wu Yuning.
• Wu Weidong catches Wang hiding a second phone. Under pressure, Wang confesses that he has been feeding Yuning information for years. The discovery deepens Wu Weidong’s suspicions about Yuning and other relatives, and he begins checking Wang’s claims.
• Wu Chen speaks with Lei Cheng about their plan to turn Lei You against Ding Ruilong. They still need an influential person close to Lei You to help bring the scheme together.
• Wu Chen and Wu Yurong discuss the inheritance. Wu Chen believes winning Wu Weidong’s support for transferring shares to Yurong is the key; Yurong is confident she can manage her mother, Han Yuzhi.
• At lunch with Wu Weidong and Han Yuzhi, Wu Chen remains composed while Wu Weidong, shaken by Wang’s confession, watches him closely. Wu Weidong invites Wu Chen to meet Lei Cheng, but Wu Chen declines, saying Lei has already spoken with him.
• Mao Rusong reports that Ding Ruilong has realized He Shiqin is in Donghai and has asked him to help locate her. Wu Chen reassures Mao that he will handle the situation.
• Li Ruobing calls Wu Chen while he is at the manor. She teases him about meeting Yurong’s parents and casually confirms that she expects him home that night. Wu Weidong is unsettled by how freely Wu Chen speaks with her.
• After leaving Yurong, Wu Chen arranges a meeting with Meng Junhao, Ding Ruilong’s man whom Wu Chen has turned into a double agent. He then calls He Shiqin and heads to her villa, intending to use her presence to provoke Ding Ruilong and advance his plan.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Weidong shifts from cautious investigator to a deeply troubled father. Wang’s betrayal confirms that Yuning has been maneuvering against him, making him more receptive to Wu Chen’s warnings.
• Wu Chen demonstrates control and strategic foresight: he directs Wu Weidong toward evidence, reassures Mao Rusong, and prepares to exploit Ding Ruilong’s predictable reactions. He keeps Wu Weidong informed only where it serves his aims.
• Wu Yurong is affectionate and increasingly aligned with Wu Chen, while remaining responsible for persuading her mother about the shares.
• Wang Zhiheng loses his composure once his second phone is exposed and confesses under pressure.
• Mao Rusong is anxious about being exposed as Wu Chen’s ally, but relaxes when Wu Chen takes responsibility.
• Li Ruobing shows trust and familiarity with Wu Chen through playful teasing; their ease contrasts with Wu Weidong’s unease.
• Han Yuzhi maintains a gracious façade at lunch despite her preference for Yuning and the potential conflict over the family shares.

Significant themes

• Trust and betrayal: Wang’s double life exposes how deeply political the Wu family’s inheritance struggle has become.
• Power and inheritance: Wu Weidong’s decisions about the family fortune shape the conflict between his children and their allies.
• Information as leverage: Wu Chen repeatedly turns small clues, records, and personal connections into tools for pressure and influence.
• Control and manipulation: Wu Chen’s plans depend on anticipating others’ reactions—especially Ding Ruilong’s anger—while keeping his own intentions concealed.

Plot points and events

• He Shiqin and her daughter, He Xinxin, are living in a villa in East Sea when Wu Chen arrives unexpectedly.
• Wu Chen tells Xinxin the villa has been sold and that they must move within two hours. He Shiqin realizes this is a cover story and sends Xinxin upstairs so she can speak to him privately.
• Wu Chen explains that Ding Ruilong has learned He Shiqin left Magic City and will soon discover she is in East Sea. To keep him from tracing their current home to Li Ruobing, Wu Chen arranges for them to move to a discreet villa in World Central City, owned by Li Ruotai.
• Wu Chen plans to provoke Ding Ruilong by arranging for him to see photographs of Wu Chen dining with He Shiqin and Xinxin. He and He Shiqin also take intimate photos together to send later.
• Ding Ruilong calls He Shiqin. She is frightened by his name and history, but Wu Chen reassures her and tells her to answer however she chooses.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen stays composed and strategic, using a false explanation to keep Xinxin uninformed while managing the risk from Ding Ruilong. He gives He Shiqin room to choose what to say on the call.
• He Shiqin remains wary of Ding Ruilong despite her hatred of him and desire for revenge. Wu Chen’s confidence steadies her, and she actively helps plan how to provoke Ding.
• He Xinxin is playful and trusting, teasing her mother about wearing makeup for Wu Chen and accepting the sudden move as genuine.
• Li Ruotai, reached by phone, readily lends Wu Chen the otherwise discreet villa and arranges access to its keys.
• The chapter highlights the contrast between He Shiqin’s fear of Ding and her growing willingness to act against him with Wu Chen’s support.

Significant themes

• Fear versus agency: He Shiqin’s instinctive fear persists, but she begins taking an active role in confronting Ding.
• Deception and strategy: Wu Chen’s cover story and relocation plan show how appearances and controlled information shape the conflict.
• Revenge and provocation: The staged photographs are intended to exploit Ding’s pride and temper, potentially causing him to make mistakes.
• Trust and protection: He Shiqin relies on Wu Chen to manage the danger, while he supports her without dictating how she should respond.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen encourages He Shiqing to take the first step toward standing up to Ding Ruilong herself.
• Ding calls He Shiqing, demands to know where she is and orders her back to Magic City. She tells him she is in East Sea with their daughter, refuses to obey, and hangs up on him for the first time in years.
• Though shaken, He Shiqing rejects Ding’s repeated call and sets her phone to accept calls only from He Xinxin and Wu Chen. She resolves to help bring Ding down, recognizing that her defiance may put her and her daughter at risk.
• He Xinxin comes downstairs after hearing the shouting. He Shiqing and Wu Chen conceal what happened by claiming scammers have been calling, and persuade Xinxin to enable a call whitelist too.
• A call arrives from a number Wu Chen recognizes as one of Ding’s phones. He warns Xinxin not to answer, but she picks up.

Character developments

• He Shiqing moves from fearful hesitation to a clear commitment to oppose Ding. Hanging up and blocking further calls mark a major break from her long-standing submission.
• Wu Chen supports her decision while remaining alert to Ding’s next moves; he also protects the secret from Xinxin with a cover story.
• He Xinxin remains perceptive and caring, but accepts her mother’s explanation and unknowingly answers a potentially dangerous call.

Significant themes

• Breaking free from control: He Shiqing’s refusal to obey Ding is a turning point in reclaiming her agency.
• Fear, hope, and resolve: Once she stops relying on the hope that nothing will happen, she is ready to face the consequences.
• Protection through deception: Wu Chen and He Shiqing hide the truth from Xinxin to keep her safe, though the final call threatens that plan.
• Family and leverage: Ding’s fixation on his daughter’s loyalty is a key source of his control over He Shiqing.

Character interactions

• Wu Chen steadies He Shiqing after the confrontation, and she responds with affection before they are interrupted by Xinxin.
• He Shiqing and Wu Chen coordinate a plausible explanation for the shouting and steer Xinxin toward blocking unknown callers.
• The chapter ends on a cliffhanger: Xinxin answers the call despite her mother’s warning.

Key plot points and events

• He Shiqin’s daughter, He Xinxin, answers a call from Ding Ruilong and angrily insults him before blocking his number. He Shiqin recognizes the caller and is amused by how the exchange will infuriate him.
• Wu Chen gently tells Xinxin that insulting people is usually wrong, then reassures her that she did the right thing this time. Xinxin seeks his support, and he takes her side.
• After Xinxin leaves, Wu Chen warns He Shiqin that Ding Ruilong has lost track of them and will send people to Donghai. He advises her to stop using her credit card and explains that his and Li Ruobing’s communications are protected from discovery.
• Wu Chen arranges to meet Meng Junhao, who reports that Ding Ruilong has ordered him to investigate Wu Chen and locate He Shiqin and Xinxin. Wu Chen instructs him to stage a search and send Ding photos that evening, making it appear he found them while following Wu Chen.
• Wu Chen tells Meng Junhao that he is deliberately nudging Ding Ruilong toward making mistakes. When Meng Junhao asks who the women are, Wu Chen reveals that Xinxin is Ding Ruilong’s daughter. Meng Junhao is left speechless.

Character developments and interactions

• He Xinxin shows fierce loyalty to her mother and growing trust in Wu Chen, instinctively turning to him for approval and support.
• He Shiqin remains anxious about Ding Ruilong’s pursuit, but trusts Wu Chen’s assurances and guidance.
• Wu Chen stays calm and strategic, protecting the mother and daughter while using Ding’s investigation to provoke him into errors. He also shows confidence in his trusted allies, including Old Blade and Meng Junhao.
• Meng Junhao is nervous about being caught between powerful figures and remains wary of Wu Chen’s plans. The revelation about Xinxin’s parentage shocks him, exposing how little he knew about the situation.
• Wu Chen also directs Old Blade to prepare a vehicle and has a Li-family bodyguard exchange cars with him, reflecting his careful handling of logistics and security.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and protection: Xinxin’s defense of her mother and Wu Chen’s efforts to shelter the pair underscore personal loyalty.
• Information and secrecy: Encrypted records, hidden relationships, and controlled disclosures shape the characters’ safety and power.
• Manipulation and strategy: Wu Chen turns Ding Ruilong’s attempt to investigate him into a deliberate trap designed to make Ding act rashly.
• Power and vulnerability: Even influential men like Meng Junhao feel exposed and anxious when caught between stronger players.

Key plot points and events

• Meng Junhao is alarmed by Wu Chen’s plan to let Ding Ruilong discover Wu Chen’s apparent relationship with He Shiqin. He expects Ding to react violently, but Wu Chen insists the exposure will benefit Meng Junhao by strengthening Ding’s trust in him.
• Wu Chen reassures Meng Junhao that Li Ruobing already knows. Though reluctant, Meng Junhao agrees to stage the discovery himself, recognizing that he cannot prevent Wu Chen from carrying it out and that helping will also protect his own interests.
• Wu Chen gives Meng Junhao detailed instructions designed to make the surveillance and photographs convincing, provoke Ding Ruilong, and leave Meng Junhao above suspicion. The broader aim is to elevate Meng Junhao within the Ding family and use him as an inside informant.
• Wu Chen leaves the café, meets Old Blade, and brings him to help move He Shiqin and her daughter, He Xinxin, from Golden Goblet Villa to a discreet villa in Century Central. The move is made to keep them harder for Ding Ruilong to track.
• Wu Chen asks Old Blade to secretly protect He Shiqin and Xinxin around the clock. He then takes them to a Sichuan restaurant, where one of Meng Junhao’s men is already watching. The staged encounter is ready to begin.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen shows his strategic control: he turns Meng Junhao’s fear into active cooperation and uses carefully arranged details—changed cars, a discreet move, and surveillance—to make the deception credible. He also takes practical steps to protect He Shiqin and Xinxin.
• Meng Junhao moves from anxious reluctance to committed participation. Rather than merely passing along information, he is now motivated to investigate Ding Ruilong’s side and help Wu Chen proactively.
• He Shiqin cooperates with the cover story, telling Xinxin that her car has developed faults. Her caution supports the appearance that she and Wu Chen are meeting secretly.
• He Xinxin remains unaware of the larger scheme. She questions the changes and move, but accepts her mother’s explanation and eagerly chooses spicy Sichuan food.
• Old Blade demonstrates his professional caution by keeping distance on the drive. Wu Chen recruits him as a covert bodyguard for the mother and daughter.

Significant themes

• Deception and performance: The characters carefully stage ordinary actions—changing cars, moving house, and dining out—to make a false story believable.
• Power and risk: Wu Chen deliberately provokes the volatile Ding Ruilong, while relying on planning and allies to manage the danger.
• Loyalty and self-interest: Meng Junhao’s cooperation grows from both his dependence on Wu Chen and his desire to protect his own position.
• Protection amid manipulation: Wu Chen uses He Shiqin and Xinxin’s apparent vulnerability as part of the scheme, but also makes their safety a priority.

Plot points

• Wu Chen arranges a dinner with He Shiqin and her daughter, He Xinxin, at an expensive private room in a Sichuan restaurant. He deliberately chooses a room with large windows and closes the curtains to make the meeting look secretive in photographs.
• He calls Li Ruobing and tells her Ding Ruilong will likely contact her after seeing evidence that He Shiqin is in East Sea with Wu Chen. Li is alarmed, fearing Ding may kill He Shiqin to cover up his connection to the Dong Family murder. Wu Chen reassures her that Ding will not uncover the truth and says he will explain the plan later.
• Dinner is relaxed and friendly. Wu bonds with Xinxin by discussing television dramas, while He Shiqin adds milder dishes to balance her daughter’s spicy choices.
• When Xinxin leaves for the restroom, He Shiqin kisses Wu Chen twice—an intimate moment designed, whether sincere or staged, to be captured from outside. After dinner, Wu lets mother and daughter take a taxi home, then pretends to notice something and make a phone call for another photograph.
• Wu returns to his car and reviews the clear photos collected by Meng Junhao and his team. Wu is pleased with the results, while Meng Junhao appears nervous.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen carefully manages appearances, staging convincing evidence while keeping the full strategy to himself. His teasing, attentiveness, and shared entertainment interests help him build genuine rapport with Xinxin.
• He Xinxin grows fond of Wu, treating him increasingly like a friend and lingering reluctantly when it is time to leave.
• He Shiqin plays along with the discreet-looking meeting and shows growing boldness through the kisses.
• Li Ruobing reacts with intense concern for He Shiqin’s safety and the plan’s risk, but Wu’s calm reassurances partly settle her.
• Meng Junhao delivers the photographs and remains visibly uneasy about the operation.

Significant themes

• Performance and deception: Wu choreographs ordinary actions—dinner, closed curtains, a staged phone call—to make the photographs seem authentic.
• Control and secrecy: Wu alone understands the full plan, even withholding parts of it from Li Ruobing.
• Influence and connection: Wu’s easy rapport with Xinxin illustrates his skill at winning trust and shaping people’s feelings.
• Risk versus strategy: Li sees He Shiqin’s exposure as dangerous, while Wu believes the benefits and timing are under control.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen finishes selecting 139 photos of himself with He Shiqin and transfers them to Meng Junhao’s phone. The images are arranged to suggest a genuine, ongoing relationship, while concealing details that could expose the setup.
• Wu Chen tells Meng Junhao to wait for his signal before sending the photos to Ding Ruilong. He also prepares an explanation for why no one followed He Shiqin after the date.
• At Li Ruobing’s villa, she anxiously waits for Wu Chen, while Su Qingying remains unaware of the larger scheme. Wu Chen and Li Ruobing speak privately during a shower.
• Wu Chen explains why Ding Ruilong is unlikely to suspect the truth: he will assume Wu Chen is retaliating for a past attack and using He Shiqin as leverage, rather than suspecting a connection to the Dong Family.
• Wu Chen reveals the deeper plan: provoke Ding Ruilong into coming to East Sea, where Lei You—an adversary of Ding’s—may attack him. Wu Chen says either an injury or death would benefit their side by setting enemies against one another.
• Li Ruobing reviews the photos and agrees they will infuriate Ding. Wu Chen then calls Meng Junhao and orders him to send them.
• The chapter ends at Ding Ruilong’s estate in Nanguang. Injured, angry, and drinking heavily, he has wrecked his living room. His phone rings just as he goes for another bottle.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen remains composed and strategic, carefully managing the evidence and directing both Meng Junhao and Li Ruobing’s roles in the plan.
• Meng Junhao is frightened by how far the deception has gone, but feels trapped after helping organize and receive the photos. He agrees to follow Wu Chen’s instructions.
• Li Ruobing moves from anxiety to understanding and cautious acceptance. She asks sharp questions about the risks and Wu Chen’s true objective, then accepts that some details can wait.
• Su Qingying warmly welcomes Wu Chen and seeks closeness, unaware of the secret conversation and larger plot. Li Ruobing uses the suggestion of showering together as a tactful way to speak privately with him.
• Ding Ruilong is shown as volatile and isolated, with family resentment adding to his rage. His drinking and destruction foreshadow a dangerous reaction to the incoming photos.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and perception: Wu Chen’s plan depends on controlling what Ding Ruilong believes, not simply on hiding the truth.
• Revenge and provocation: The photos are intended to inflame Ding’s jealousy and anger until he acts impulsively.
• Using enemies against one another: Wu Chen aims to turn a conflict between rivals into an advantage for his own side.
• Trust and secrecy: Li Ruobing trusts Wu Chen but must keep Su Qingying uninformed, while Meng Junhao’s cooperation is secured partly through fear and lack of alternatives.