Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• On Wu Chen’s instructions, Old Blade calls Jiang Chuan and pretends he survived the failed attack. He says Li Ruobing was nearly taken hostage, provoking Jiang Chuan’s panic: harming her could trigger a crisis between the Li and Ding families.
• Wu Chen takes the phone and confirms that Ding Ruilong has left Nanguang. Jiang Chuan realizes the Ding family will likely make him the scapegoat and decides to flee rather than warn anyone.
• Wu Chen predicts Jiang Chuan will visit a hideout to retrieve fake passports and identification. Old Blade arranges for his men in Nanguang to capture him there.
• A group of armed men arrives at the apartment, but they are Wu Chen’s allies. Their leader, Dai Lin, follows Wu Chen’s instructions and sends away any unnecessary men.
• Wu Chen explains how Ang Tun died. The Golden Flower Group’s dealings with China concerned jade smuggling, not drugs. Ang Tun independently tried to secure Ding Ruilong’s cooperation, then used Old Blade’s past work for Ding as leverage. Ding pretended to consider the proposal and later had Ang Tun and five companions killed; Jiang Chuan led the operation.
• Old Blade understands that Ang Tun’s ambition and misjudgment brought about his death. Wu Chen then calls Golden Flower Group leader Kun Han and demands $100 million for Old Blade’s return.

Character developments and interactions

• Old Blade follows Wu Chen’s plan to bait Jiang Chuan, then acts independently to have him captured—not out of loyalty to Wu Chen, but to learn the truth about Ang Tun. Hearing that truth leaves him conflicted and silent.
• Jiang Chuan shifts from anger at Old Blade to fear for his own life. Convinced Ding Ruilong will sacrifice him, he prepares to abandon his associates and escape abroad.
• Wu Chen controls the conversation and the unfolding trap, using Jiang Chuan’s reaction to confirm his suspicions. He also turns Old Blade’s capture into leverage against Kun Han.
• Ang Tun is portrayed as ambitious and overconfident: he pursued a partnership without his group’s approval and tried to pressure Ding Ruilong, which ultimately cost him his life.
• Dai Lin recognizes Wu Chen’s authority and promptly obeys his orders.

Significant themes

• Self-preservation and betrayal: Jiang Chuan’s loyalty collapses when he believes the Ding family will sacrifice him.
• Ambition and miscalculation: Ang Tun’s desire to rise within his organization leads him to underestimate Ding Ruilong.
• Leverage and power: Information, past crimes, and captured allies become tools in the struggle between powerful families and criminal groups.
• Misconceptions and hidden business: The revelation that the Golden Flower Group’s trade is jade smuggling rather than drugs reframes the conflict and clarifies the motives behind Ang Tun’s plan.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen phones Kun Han, the head of Golden Flower Group, after capturing the assassin Old Blade. He initially demands $100 million, but the demand serves to open a negotiation rather than secure payment.
• Wu Chen reveals that Kun Han’s nephew, Ang Tun, was murdered and explains that Ding Ruilong had also hired Old Blade to kill Wang Ruida. The disclosure makes clear that the Wang and Li families may learn the truth, putting Golden Flower’s business in China at risk.
• Rather than threaten Kun Han into joining his fight, Wu Chen offers a way to keep Golden Flower out of the fallout: Old Blade can leave the group and work for Wu Chen, while Wu Chen will help ensure Wang Ruida’s death is not traced to Golden Flower.
• Kun Han accepts, and Old Blade confirms he wants to leave. Wu Chen asks him to recover and to have Jiang Chuan captured and brought quietly to East Sea.
• Li Ruotai arrives with an ambulance. Wu Chen arranges Old Blade’s treatment, then declines to explain the situation to Li Ruotai, who had already called Li Ruobing.
• Wu Chen tells Li Ruobing the matter is settled, then goes home to sleep. She later visits him, and he wakes to pull her into his arms.

Character developments

• Wu Chen demonstrates strategic restraint: he uses information and leverage to shape Kun Han’s choices, but avoids a formal alliance with Golden Flower. He also shows fatigue and sets aside business to rest.
• Old Blade moves from captured assassin to prospective employee. Though he initially appears confused by Wu Chen’s negotiation, he welcomes the chance to leave a dangerous career he has grown tired of.
• Kun Han is cautious and pragmatic. Faced with the risk of being caught between powerful Chinese families, he accepts Wu Chen’s proposal as the safest way to protect Golden Flower.
• Li Ruotai is surprised by Old Blade’s sudden change in status and senses Wu Chen’s displeasure, so he follows instructions without pressing for an explanation.
• Li Ruobing checks on Wu Chen’s progress and later seeks him out at home, showing their personal closeness.

Significant themes

• Leverage and information: Wu Chen’s knowledge of hidden killings gives him influence without relying on threats or force.
• Pragmatism over allegiance: Wu Chen and Kun Han find a mutually useful arrangement while explicitly avoiding a partnership.
• Escape and reinvention: Old Blade seizes an opportunity to leave a life of violence before it ends badly.
• The cost of conflict: The web of family feuds and criminal ties threatens to draw Golden Flower into consequences far beyond the original contract killing.

Character interactions

• Wu Chen and Kun Han negotiate by phone, each assessing the risks and motives behind the other’s offer.
• Wu Chen gives Old Blade the choice to leave Golden Flower and later directs him to recover and help secure Jiang Chuan.
• Wu Chen keeps Li Ruotai at a distance but gives him practical instructions for Old Blade’s medical care.
• Wu Chen and Li Ruobing exchange a brief phone call, followed by a quiet, affectionate reunion at home.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Li Ruobing visits Wu Chen at his villa, dressed carefully and arriving quietly. He reveals that he recognized her footsteps, surprising her with how well he seems to know her despite their short acquaintance.
• Wu Chen hints that Li Ruobing is facing a “bloody calamity” that night. She says she came partly because Li Ruotai is coming over and she wants to make sure Wu Chen isn’t angry with her brother after his earlier actions led Old Blade to flee.
• Li Ruobing plans to cook dinner for Wu Chen and Li Ruotai, hoping for a warm family atmosphere. Her attempt goes badly: she drops the basin and the fish lands on her dress, forcing her to shower and change.
• While she is upstairs, Wu Chen takes over the cooking and proves remarkably capable. Impressed, Li Ruobing photographs him and posts the picture on her private WeChat account without a caption.
• The two cook together. Li Ruobing asks whether Wu Chen has ever cooked for Su Qingying; he says she is the first woman he has cooked for. Pleased, Li Ruobing kisses him and leaves lipstick on his mouth.
• Li Ruotai arrives. He reports that Old Blade is recovering and tries to learn what Wu Chen discussed with him, but Wu Chen gives little away. Unable to draw him out, Li Ruotai calls their father, Li Maoren, and hands Wu Chen the phone.

Character developments

• Li Ruobing shows a softer, more openly affectionate side. She goes out of her way to smooth things over between Wu Chen and her brother, wants to create a family-style dinner, and is pleased to feel that Wu Chen treats her differently from Su Qingying. Her cooking mishap briefly exposes a rare awkward, clumsy side.
• Wu Chen remains calm and perceptive, recognizing Li Ruobing by her footsteps and understanding her reasons for visiting. His cooking skill surprises her, and he reassures her through both his actions and his claim that she is the first woman he has cooked for.
• Li Ruotai is increasingly intimidated and impressed by Wu Chen, especially after learning of his fight against seven men. He treats Wu Chen as an older-brother figure but remains curious and uneasy about how much Wu Chen knows.

Significant themes

• Trust and family loyalty: Li Ruobing tries to prevent tension between Wu Chen and Li Ruotai after her brother’s earlier mistake.
• Intimacy through everyday acts: Cooking, sharing a home, and small gestures deepen the romantic connection more than grand declarations.
• Jealousy and reassurance: Li Ruobing’s questions about Su Qingying reveal that she is beginning to compare herself with Wu Chen’s other close female acquaintance.
• Wu Chen’s hidden capabilities: His knowledge, combat prowess, and now professional-looking cooking continue to make him seem unusually formidable and difficult to understand.

Character interactions

• Li Ruobing and Wu Chen share a quiet, affectionate reunion, followed by playful teasing and a kiss.
• Their kitchen mishap turns into a cooperative scene: Wu Chen cooks while Li Ruobing helps prepare vegetables, and she marks the moment by posting his photo.
• Li Ruotai’s conversation with Wu Chen is cautious and probing. Wu Chen stays guarded, so Li Ruotai resorts to calling their father and passing him the phone.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Li Ruotai tells his father, Li Maoren, that Wu Chen has won over Old Blade and may be able to use him against Ding Ruilong. Li Maoren is eager to learn more and asks Ruotai to question Wu Chen.
• When Li Maoren calls, Wu Chen makes clear that the matter is too sensitive to discuss with Ruotai present. Li Maoren ends the call and later speaks with Wu Chen privately; Wu Chen locks himself in the study and takes the call on the balcony.
• Ruotai tries unsuccessfully to eavesdrop. Li Ruobing finds him and sends him downstairs. When Wu Chen returns, he tells Ruotai to ask his father what they discussed.
• Wu Chen cooks an elaborate dinner for the three of them. Ruotai is distracted by the secret conversation, while Li Ruobing is impressed by Wu Chen’s cooking.
• After Ruotai leaves, Li Ruobing openly flirts with Wu Chen and invites him to bed. They share a bed but do not have sex: she is menstruating, and Wu Chen is careful not to risk her health.
• The next morning, Wu Chen confirms that the day has not reset. Li Ruobing teases him in the bathroom, then leaves for work after kissing him goodbye.
• Later, Su Qingying calls Li Ruobing asking where Wu Chen is. Li Ruobing learns he is outside East Sea and immediately calls him. During the call, she hears another woman speaking flirtatiously in the background, leaving her startled.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen maintains strict secrecy around the politically sensitive plan involving Old Blade and Ding Ruilong. He also shows domestic skill and consideration toward Li Ruobing.
• Li Ruotai is increasingly frustrated by being excluded from important information, especially because his father and Wu Chen seem to share a closer confidence. He nevertheless follows Li Ruobing’s instructions and apologizes to Wu Chen.
• Li Maoren recognizes the danger of information leaking and deliberately limits who knows about the plan.
• Li Ruobing is more comfortable with Wu Chen than before: she accepts that he may keep some matters private, initiates affectionate teasing, and shows care through practical gestures. Her calm is tested when she hears a woman with Wu Chen during their phone call.
• Wu Chen and Li Ruobing’s relationship grows more intimate through their shared night, playful morning banter, and farewell kiss, though Wu Chen remains intent on deepening the relationship further.

Significant themes

• Secrecy and trust: Wu Chen and Li Maoren protect a sensitive plan by withholding details, even from family.
• Growing intimacy: Domestic care, teasing, and affection bring Wu Chen and Li Ruobing closer.
• Control and uncertainty: Ruotai resents being left out, while Li Ruobing’s discovery of another woman’s voice raises a new question about Wu Chen’s activities.
• The repeated-day mystery: Wu Chen’s morning confirmation that the day has not reset briefly reinforces the story’s time-loop premise.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen travels from Donghai City to Magic City to handle unspecified business, arriving at Ninth Dimension Bar, owned by underworld figure Mao Rusong, known as Fifth Master Mao.
• Mao and his heavily armed-looking entourage confront Wu Chen in Mao’s lavish office. Wu Chen remains unbothered, taking several personal calls while Mao grows increasingly impatient.
• The calls reveal Wu Chen’s easy, teasing relationships with Li Ruobing and Wu Yurong. He also tells Song Xuan she can release their song before they sign the royalties contract.
• When Mao finally loses his temper, he draws a gun and aims it at Wu Chen. Wu Chen instantly takes the weapon from him and turns it on him, leaving Mao’s men unable to intervene.
• While Wu Chen speaks with Wu Yurong, one of Mao’s men creeps up behind him with a hunting knife. Wu Chen detects him using his phone screen as a mirror, then fires seven shots without turning around: the first knocks the knife from the attacker’s hand, and the next five keep it spinning in the air before the final shot sends it into the wall.
• Stunned by Wu Chen’s impossible precision, Mao abandons his composure and begs for his life, offering fifty million.

Character developments

• Wu Chen is shown as supremely confident, observant, and extraordinarily skilled with firearms. Even surrounded by hostile men and holding a gun on their leader, he remains relaxed enough to carry on ordinary phone conversations.
• Mao Rusong begins as an imposing, experienced boss who tries to control the room through force and intimidation. His confidence collapses once Wu Chen demonstrates that neither Mao nor his men can threaten him.
• Li Ruobing appears playful and secure in her relationship with Wu Chen; her mock jealousy is teasing rather than genuine suspicion.
• Wu Yurong is openly affectionate and flirtatious with Wu Chen. She misses him but respects his privacy, choosing not to question his trip.
• Song Xuan is conscientious about her music, spending days refining her recording before preparing to release it.

Significant themes

• Power and intimidation: Mao’s show of force is overturned by Wu Chen’s skill, showing that numbers, status, and weapons do not guarantee control.
• Composure under pressure: Wu Chen’s calm contrasts sharply with Mao’s mounting frustration and eventual fear.
• Exceptional mastery: The knife-shooting sequence emphasizes Wu Chen’s near-unbelievable talent, built through repeated training and accumulated experience.
• The Reincarnation’s impact: Wu Chen attributes his abilities to years of practice during the Reincarnation, where resets let him train without lasting consequences.

Character interactions

• Wu Chen and Li Ruobing exchange affectionate, sarcastic teasing about his supposed female company.
• Wu Chen handles Song Xuan’s practical call about their song and royalties matter-of-factly, encouraging her to release it.
• Wu Chen and Wu Yurong share intimate, playful flirtation, while she shows trust by not pressing him about his whereabouts.
• Wu Chen and Mao’s confrontation shifts from a tense standoff to a one-sided demonstration of control, ending with Mao pleading for mercy.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen shocks Mao Rusong and his associates with extraordinary pistol accuracy, firing seven shots with such control that no one dares challenge him. Mao assumes Wu is a world-class assassin and offers him hundreds of millions to spare his life.
• Wu says he came to talk, not kill. After everyone else leaves, he returns the pistol to Mao and calmly points out that one bullet remains in the chamber—demonstrating his uncanny awareness and keeping Mao intimidated.
• Wu asks about Mao’s plan to send a young woman to Ding Ruilong. The question unsettles Mao because Wu has already exposed a secret: three years earlier, Mao passed information about Ding’s medical investment project to Ding’s rival, Gu Ruibo.
• The chapter recounts Mao’s influence and business network, and explains that he betrayed Ding under pressure from Gu, a powerful local figure. Mao now fears Ding will interpret his planned gift of a woman as an attempt to plant a spy.
• When Mao begins explaining that he was forced to betray Ding, Wu unexpectedly praises him: “Well done.” Mao is left confused.

Character developments

• Wu Chen displays immense confidence and control. His exceptional marksmanship stems from years of practice across repeated resets, with skill and memory retained even when injuries vanish. He uses intimidation strategically rather than intending to kill.
• Mao Rusong shifts from panic to cautious cooperation. Though influential and experienced at managing powerful contacts, fear disrupts his composure; he apologizes, obeys Wu, and recognizes resistance would be futile. His hidden betrayal of Ding remains a source of anxiety.

Character interactions

• Wu dominates his encounter with Mao through precise shooting, calm speech, and intimate knowledge of the pistol.
• Mao tries to appease Wu with money and apologies, then cautiously complies when Wu asks to speak privately.
• Wu’s mention of Ding, Gu, and the planned woman forces Mao to confront the danger of his past actions—but Wu’s praise complicates the exchange and leaves Mao unsure of Wu’s intentions.

Significant themes

• Power and intimidation: Wu’s skill gives him control without requiring violence, while Mao’s wealth and connections offer little protection in the moment.
• Memory, repetition, and mastery: Wu’s repeated practice across resets lets him reach abilities beyond ordinary human limits.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Mao’s shifting alliances between Ding and Gu show how business relationships can become dangerous political calculations.
• Appearance versus truth: Mao’s public connections and apparent influence conceal both his vulnerability and his past disloyalty.

Key plot points and events

• Mao Rusong initially believes Wu Chen may be threatening or targeting him. When Wu Chen says he is Ding Ruilong’s enemy, Mao relaxes and assumes they can work together.
• Wu Chen reveals he knows Mao has been quietly protecting—and monitoring—He Shiqin and her daughter, He Xinxin, who is Ding Ruilong’s child. Mao has done this voluntarily, partly to keep them safe and partly to manage Ding’s possessive interest.
• Wu Chen says he intends to take He Shiqin and He Xinxin to Donghai City, but insists they will go willingly, not by force. Mao is alarmed, especially because Donghai City is associated with Li Ruotai and the Li family.
• Mao calls Gu Ruibo, Ding Ruilong’s business rival and Li Ruotai’s close friend, to ask who Wu Chen is. Gu recognizes the name and is startled, but says he needs to check before explaining.
• Wu Chen asks Mao about He Shiqin’s recent circumstances and tells him to act as though he knows nothing about what happens next. Since Mao has no formal obligation to Ding, he agrees that staying uninvolved is the safest course.
• Li Ruobing calls Wu Chen after hearing from her brother, Li Ruotai, that Wu is in Magic City. She notes that Wu has not told her—or her father—everything about his recent dealings.
• Li Ruotai then calls Wu, worried about Gu Ruibo’s involvement and asking him to go easy on his friend. Wu says he is only there to discuss business.
• Gu Ruibo arrives at Mao’s office with bodyguards. Before he can speak with Wu, Li Ruotai calls and tells him directly that Wu is his brother-in-law and should be treated respectfully.

Character developments

• Wu Chen remains calm and controlled, revealing only what is necessary. He quietly secures Mao’s cooperation without exposing his full purpose.
• Mao Rusong shifts from fear and suspicion to cautious relief, then agrees to keep out of Wu’s plans. His influence and protective role around He Shiqin become clear.
• Gu Ruibo is surprised by Wu’s presence and seeks clarification, suggesting he knows of Wu’s reputation but does not yet understand the situation.
• Li Ruotai shows growing respect—and apprehension—toward Wu, while trying to protect his close friend Gu Ruibo.
• Li Ruobing remains direct and perceptive, questioning Wu’s secrecy while continuing to manage communication between him and her family.

Significant themes

• Power, reputation, and social networks: Influence depends not only on wealth but on personal connections and family alliances.
• Strategic secrecy: Wu controls what others know, keeping his real objective hidden while positioning allies and bystanders.
• Protection versus possession: Mao protects He Shiqin and her daughter, while Ding Ruilong’s concern is entangled with control and possessiveness.
• Avoiding entanglement: Mao chooses calculated noninvolvement, recognizing that doing nothing may be safer than joining a conflict among powerful families.

Character interactions

• Wu’s friendly manner unsettles Mao at first, then helps him persuade Mao to remain silent.
• Mao’s call with Gu Ruibo reveals that Wu’s name carries weight beyond Mao’s own circle.
• Li Ruobing and Li Ruotai both question Wu’s presence, but for different reasons: she challenges his secrecy, while he worries about Gu Ruibo.
• The chapter ends with Gu Ruibo entering the office and receiving Li Ruotai’s warning to treat Wu with respect, setting up their first direct encounter.

Plot points and events

• Li Ruotai calls his friend Gu Ruibo and warns him to treat Wu Chen politely and not provoke him. Gu Ruibo senses that Li Ruotai is unusually wary.
• In private, Li Ruotai reveals that Wu Chen uncovered the entire plot against him, despite apparently coming from an ordinary family that runs a small-town ramen shop. Even the Li family cannot find evidence of any hidden background.
• Li Ruotai says Wu Chen has spoken privately with his father, Li Maoren, who now tells his children to listen to Wu Chen. He also hints that Wu Chen may know events before they happen and is extraordinarily dangerous in a fight.
• Startled by the warning, Gu Ruibo returns to the office and greets Wu Chen with conspicuous warmth. He smooths over the earlier armed confrontation as a misunderstanding and invites Wu Chen and Mao Rusong to lunch.
• During the drive, Gu Ruibo tells Mao Rusong only that Wu Chen is formidable and that even Li Ruotai fears crossing him. Mao explains the situation: he was involved in a scheme against Ding Ruilong but believes he did not personally offend Wu Chen. Gu Ruibo concludes that Mao can simply act as though he knows nothing.
• Over lunch, Gu Ruibo keeps the conversation casual and avoids discussing Mao’s scheme. When Mao leaves the room, Gu asks Wu Chen how he could defeat his elder brother—a serious, layered question and a test of Wu Chen’s insight.

Character developments

• Gu Ruibo shifts from suspicion to cautious respect after hearing Li Ruotai’s account. His exaggerated friendliness helps defuse the situation, but he remains guarded and probes Wu Chen when they are alone.
• Li Ruotai reveals considerable unease about Wu Chen, while emphasizing that his warning comes from firsthand knowledge and should be taken seriously.
• Mao Rusong is baffled by Gu Ruibo’s sudden change in manner. Once reassured that he has not directly crossed Wu Chen, he adopts a strategy of keeping quiet and playing ignorant.
• Wu Chen remains calm, courteous, and difficult to read. His ordinary-looking family background contrasts sharply with the information others say he possesses and his reputed abilities.

Significant themes

• Power and reputation: Wu Chen’s influence is conveyed through other people’s fear and deference rather than through any display of force.
• The unknowable hidden identity: His apparent ordinary origins—“a ramen shop” family—conflict with the possibility of an undiscovered background or exceptional abilities.
• Information as power: Wu Chen’s knowledge of the plot against Li Ruotai and hints of foresight make him more intimidating than his status alone would suggest.
• Caution, loyalty, and political maneuvering: Gu Ruibo and Mao Rusong carefully manage what they say and how they act amid complicated family and business schemes.

Character interactions

• Li Ruotai’s close friendship with Gu Ruibo allows him to give a candid warning, though he withholds details about family matters.
• Gu Ruibo treats Wu Chen with formal warmth while privately gauging his intentions; he also mediates between Wu Chen and Mao Rusong.
• Mao Rusong looks to Gu Ruibo for an explanation of Wu Chen’s standing and openly recounts his involvement in the Ding Ruilong plot.
• The chapter ends with Gu Ruibo directly testing Wu Chen by asking how to defeat his elder brother.

Plot points and events

• Gu Ruibo asks Wu Chen whether he can help him surpass his older brother, Gu Ruiqiang, a more successful but friendly business rival. Wu Chen says it is possible—but Gu Ruibo must be willing to change his approach.
• Gu Ruibo worries that Wu means harming his brother or getting involved in the conflict between Wu Chen and Ding Ruilong. Wu clarifies that he means business and making money. He promises that Gu Ruibo could overtake his brother within a year, and Gu agrees to talk privately.
• Wu Chen immediately calls a woman and asks her to come to Magic City. Gu Ruibo realizes Wu seems to have anticipated the opportunity, while the caller—Wu Yurong—eagerly cancels her meetings and sets off from East Sea.
• After lunch, Wu Chen and Gu Ruibo spend several hours discussing Ding Ruilong’s business. Wu Chen shares information Gu Ruibo verifies, then reveals that Ding killed Dong Yuantao. Gu Ruibo understands the implications, including the value of keeping the secret and using the opportunity commercially.
• Wu Yurong arrives at the teahouse. Gu Ruibo recognizes her and is shocked that she is the woman Wu Chen summoned.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen demonstrates foresight, detailed knowledge of Ding Ruilong’s affairs, and an ability to turn an offhand question into a business alliance. He carefully reassures Gu Ruibo that his proposal concerns commercial competition, not personal harm or political entanglement.
• Gu Ruibo shifts from skepticism to growing respect and anticipation. He is ambitious and competitive with his brother, but values their relationship and avoids unnecessary risks. He also recognizes that Wu Chen is deliberately trusting him with sensitive information.
• Wu Yurong shows her strong commitment to Wu Chen’s plans and her interest in profiting from the Ding Family’s downfall. She responds immediately to his call.
• Mao Rusong remains cautious and uninvolved, relieved to leave the private business discussion to Wu Chen and Gu Ruibo.

Significant themes

• Ambition within family ties: Gu Ruibo wants to surpass his brother without betraying or harming him.
• Information as power: Wu Chen’s knowledge of Ding Ruilong’s business and crimes creates leverage and potential profit.
• Strategic alliances and shared interests: Wu Chen brings Gu Ruibo and Wu Yurong together through their common opportunity to benefit from Ding Ruilong’s decline.
• Trust and discretion: Gu Ruibo understands that keeping Wu Chen’s secret may protect both his business opportunity and his family from unwanted conflict.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen meets with Gu Ruibo and Wu Yurong to discuss a plan against Ding Ruilong and the Ding Family. Wu Yurong will withdraw investments from Ding-linked businesses, while she and Gu Ruibo explore a partnership to exploit the family’s likely collapse.
• Gu initially assumes Wu Chen and Wu Yurong are merely close business partners. Their hour-long discussion establishes the broad strategy, with practical details left for them to work out.
• After Gu leaves the room, Wu Yurong tells Wu Chen she appreciates the partner he found for her. Their private affection reveals that they are romantically involved: she calls him her “little husband,” kisses him, and embraces him.
• Gu unexpectedly returns and catches them being intimate, including Wu Chen’s hand on Wu Yurong’s thigh. He pretends not to have seen anything, but remains deeply astonished.
• In the elevator, Gu spots a faint lipstick mark on Wu Chen’s mouth. Wu Yurong calmly wipes it away for him, confirming Gu’s suspicions.
• On the way to dinner, Wu Chen answers a call from Li Ruobing. When Wu Yurong asks whether it is “Miss Li,” Gu realizes she may know Li is on the line and fears the situation could destabilize both Wu Chen’s relationships and their business plan.

Character developments

• Gu Ruibo moves from seeing Wu Chen as an impressive strategist to viewing him as almost frighteningly capable, especially after discovering that Wu Yurong is romantically involved with him. He is shaken but tries to preserve social composure.
• Wu Yurong shows a warm, openly affectionate side with Wu Chen, while remaining composed and socially graceful around Gu. She values the business opportunity and believes Wu Chen arranged it partly for her.
• Wu Chen remains confident and unruffled, directing the business discussion while handling the private relationship and Gu’s discovery without embarrassment.
• Li Ruobing appears only by phone, but her call introduces the risk that Wu Chen’s relationship with Wu Yurong may become known to her.

Significant themes

• Power and influence: Wu Yurong’s business skill and social finesse make her formidable in elite circles, while Wu Chen’s ability to draw her into a partnership—and win her affection—impresses Gu.
• Secrecy and appearances: The characters maintain professional decorum even as private intimacy becomes visible, and Gu struggles to pretend he has not witnessed it.
• Romance amid business strategy: The alliance against the Ding Family is intertwined with Wu Chen and Wu Yurong’s personal relationship.
• Jealousy and potential conflict: Wu Yurong’s remark during Li Ruobing’s call hints that the concealed relationship may soon cause complications.

Character interactions

• Wu Chen and Gu Ruibo discuss joining forces with Wu Yurong against the Ding Family.
• Wu Yurong and Gu exchange polite, respectful business courtesies, while Gu privately misreads their closeness as purely professional.
• Wu Chen and Wu Yurong share affectionate teasing and physical intimacy once alone.
• Gu accidentally witnesses their closeness, then tries to conceal his shock.
• Wu Yurong discreetly helps Wu Chen remove her lipstick mark, while Gu watches in disbelief.
• Wu Yurong’s question during Wu Chen’s call with Li Ruobing leaves Gu alarmed about what may happen next.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen meets investor Gu Ruibo in Magic City with Wu Yurong to discuss exploiting the coming troubles of the Ding Family.
• During the meeting, Li Ruobing calls. Wu Chen openly tells her Wu Yurong is with him and offers to let them speak. Li is irritated but accepts that Wu Chen is handling serious business and agrees to talk later.
• Wu Yurong deliberately lets Li’s presence be known so Gu Ruibo will see Wu Chen’s apparent influence over both women. This helps strengthen Wu Yurong’s negotiating position.
• Gu Ruibo’s trusted executives, Chen Lixing and Qi Jun, arrive with extensive intelligence on Ding Ruilong and his business connections. The group plans to use layered companies and proxies to buy distressed Ding Family assets when the family’s troubles drive others to sell.
• Wu Yurong and Gu Ruibo agree to form a parent company. Gu Ruibo surprises his own executives by proposing that Wu Yurong’s side receive 60 percent and he take 40 percent. His offer is also a gesture toward Wu Chen, whom he hopes to work with again.
• The group toasts their partnership. After dinner, a middle-aged man calls out to Wu Yurong as they are leaving.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen remains calm and confident, managing Li Ruobing’s jealousy while steering the business meeting and negotiating the partnership.
• Wu Yurong shows her strategic skill: she stages the phone-call moment to influence Gu Ruibo, then relies on Wu Chen’s presence to secure a favorable share.
• Gu Ruibo moves from being stunned by Wu Chen’s relationships to admiring him and making a generous offer. He values the future connection with Wu Chen as much as the immediate profits.
• Li Ruobing reacts angrily to hearing Wu Yurong is there, but recognizes the meeting’s business purpose and does not escalate the conflict.
• Chen Lixing and Qi Jun provide intelligence and witness their boss’s unexpectedly generous concession.

Significant themes

• Power and reputation: Perceptions of Wu Chen’s influence shape how Gu Ruibo negotiates.
• Strategic alliances and calculated generosity: The partners combine capital, connections, information, and political backing to pursue a high-risk opportunity.
• Ambition and opportunism: The plan depends on moving quickly to acquire assets when the Ding Family is vulnerable.
• Performance and manipulation: Wu Yurong deliberately shapes what Gu Ruibo sees, turning a personal interaction into leverage in a business negotiation.

Plot points and events

• In Magic City, Wu Yurong and Gu Ruibo leave a dinner meeting after discussing a business partnership. Outside the restaurant, they encounter Luo Wangsheng, an investor tied to the Xiang Family, a rival of the Gu Family. Luo suspects their cooperation could affect his own interests, but Wu Yurong dismisses it as an ordinary gathering.
• Wu Chen and Wu Yurong return to their hotel. She asks whether the Xiang Family might interfere with her work with Gu Ruibo. Wu Chen assures her that their real plans will remain hidden behind routine investments and promises to handle any trouble.
• Wu Chen calls Li Ruobing, who is working late. He tells her that he has arranged for Wu Yurong and Gu Ruibo to target peripheral assets of the Ding Family. Li mentions that Ding Ruilong intends to travel to East Sea to apologize to her, though she has told him she will not meet him. Wu Chen says he will return to East Sea in a couple of days. Later, Wu Yurong asks what he will do if Ding Ruilong comes; Wu Chen replies cryptically that it will be interesting.
• The next morning, Wu Yurong leaves for East Sea, lending Wu Chen her Mercedes. Wu Chen contacts He Shiqin, whom he had previously promised to meet, and arranges to visit her home in Dongpu District.
• At He Shiqin’s residential compound, Wu Chen finds her daughter, He Xinxin, storming out in tears after an apparent argument. He recognizes her and knows her address. He Xinxin hides behind his car as He Shiqin comes out searching for her, then silently begs Wu Chen not to reveal where she is.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen remains calm and strategically confident, reassuring Wu Yurong and Li Ruobing while keeping his intentions regarding Ding Ruilong ambiguous. He also shows familiarity with He Xinxin and quietly helps her conceal herself.
• Wu Yurong grows more emotionally comfortable with Wu Chen, responding to his reassurance with affection and feeling protected by him. She leaves for East Sea after their night together.
• Li Ruobing is busy with an upcoming launch and teases Wu Chen with playful jealousy, but her concern about Ding Ruilong’s visit is more serious. She appears worried that Wu Chen may react harshly if provoked.
• Gu Ruibo is too drunk to engage much with Wu Chen, but his partnership with Wu Yurong raises the stakes in the Gu–Xiang rivalry.
• He Xinxin appears upset and defiant after an argument with her mother, while He Shiqin anxiously searches for her. Their conflict is left unresolved.

Significant themes

• Hidden strategy and business rivalry: Wu Chen’s plans rely on disguising a major move against the Ding Family as ordinary investment activity.
• Protection and intimacy: Wu Yurong’s growing trust in Wu Chen contrasts with the dangers surrounding their business dealings.
• Unspoken tension: Li Ruobing’s hesitation about Ding Ruilong and Wu Chen’s cryptic response foreshadow a possible confrontation.
• Family conflict: He Xinxin’s flight from home introduces a smaller, personal conflict that ends on a suspenseful note.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen hears He Xinxin’s mother, He Shiqin, searching for her outside their community. He points out where Xinxin is hiding, and when she tries to run, he catches her so her mother can bring her home.
• He Shiqin realizes Wu Chen is “Teacher Xingchen,” the art instructor she contacted after sending him examples of Xinxin’s work. She is pleased to meet him and invites him to their apartment.
• Xinxin remains furious with Wu Chen. Their earlier argument began when her mother pressed her to gather her drawings and prepare to impress the prospective teacher, despite Xinxin having lost interest in painting.
• While He Shiqin cooks, Wu Chen visits Xinxin’s art studio. Xinxin secretly enters and pretends he is hitting and hurting her, hoping to frighten him into leaving. When he remains calm, she hits and pinches herself and tears her sleeve to create evidence.
• Xinxin admits she wants him gone because she does not want painting lessons or summer makeup classes. Wu Chen refuses to give in to her threat.
• Xinxin calls for her mother. Just as He Shiqin approaches, Wu Chen reveals that he has been recording their exchange.

Character developments

• Wu Chen is calm, observant, and confident. He recognizes Xinxin and her mother from their prior contact, sees through Xinxin’s attempted framing, and counters it by recording her actions.
• He Xinxin is defiant and resourceful, but also manipulative: she uses a convincing crying performance and manufactures apparent injuries to drive off a teacher. Her anger stems from being pushed toward lessons she no longer wants.
• He Shiqin is anxious about her daughter running away, then warmly welcomes Wu Chen and hopes he will teach Xinxin. She tries to present her daughter’s artistic talent and avoid another argument in front of him.

Significant themes

• Trust and deception: Xinxin weaponizes others’ instinct to believe a child, while Wu Chen relies on evidence rather than reacting emotionally.
• Autonomy versus parental expectations: Xinxin resents being pressured into lessons, even though her mother sees her talent and wants to nurture it.
• Performance and consequences: Xinxin’s acting can manipulate people, but Wu Chen’s recording threatens to expose the truth.

Character interactions

• Wu Chen helps He Shiqin find Xinxin, but this immediately makes Xinxin distrust and resent him.
• He Shiqin treats Wu Chen with enthusiasm and respect, while Xinxin refuses to greet him.
• Alone in the studio, Xinxin tries to intimidate Wu Chen into leaving; he calmly challenges her story and refuses her demand.
• Their confrontation is interrupted by He Shiqin’s approach, with Wu Chen’s recording poised to reveal what happened.

Plot points and events

• Fourteen-year-old He Xinxin tries to frighten off her new art tutor, Wu Chen, by staging a confrontation and summoning her mother. Wu Chen has secretly recorded the incident, exposing her attempt to frame him.
• Wu Chen uses the recording to warn Xinxin that further tricks or misbehavior will have consequences. Intimidated, she apologizes and asks him to delete the recording. He agrees only to judge her by how she behaves.
• Xinxin privately calls her friend Shanshan for help. Shanshan initially threatens violence, but they decide instead to lure Wu Chen somewhere convenient so she can scare him and try to recover the recording.
• Xinxin returns to the studio acting obedient. Wu Chen teaches her drawing, and she listens attentively. Her mother, He Shiqin, is delighted to see her daughter cooperating after so many other tutors failed.
• At lunch, Xinxin continues to behave well and asks Wu Chen about painting. He Shiqin grows hopeful and discusses hiring him officially. Wu Chen says he wants to teach and assess Xinxin further.
• After passing his afternoon assessment, Xinxin asks to go skateboarding. She then invites Wu Chen to the nearby park, apparently putting her plan with Shanshan into motion.

Character developments

• He Xinxin shifts from defiant and manipulative to outwardly compliant, though she still intends to get back at Wu Chen. Her good behavior is partly strategic, but she also engages seriously with the art lesson.
• Wu Chen establishes control through his foresight and the recording, then presents himself as a capable, patient tutor. He knows Xinxin’s habits from having encountered the same events during his thousand-year reincarnation.
• He Shiqin becomes increasingly optimistic. Seeing Xinxin study willingly revives her hope that her daughter can improve and succeed.
• Shanshan shows fierce loyalty to Xinxin and a readiness to threaten retaliation, though she moderates her response when Xinxin explains the situation.

Significant themes

• Control and leverage: Wu Chen’s recording reverses Xinxin’s attempt to manipulate him.
• Appearance versus intent: Xinxin performs obedience for Wu Chen and her mother while secretly planning revenge.
• Hope and transformation: Xinxin’s apparent progress renews He Shiqin’s hopes for her future.
• Knowledge and experience: Wu Chen’s familiarity with Xinxin’s behavior lets him anticipate her actions and manage the situation.

Character interactions

• Wu Chen confronts Xinxin, secures an apology, and sets expectations for her conduct and study.
• Xinxin pleads with Wu Chen to delete the recording and not hit her, then later tries to win his trust through sweetness and cooperation.
• Shanshan listens to Xinxin’s account and agrees to help her scare Wu Chen without alerting her mother.
• He Shiqin praises Wu Chen’s teaching and encourages Xinxin, while Wu Chen reassures her that he is still assessing the girl.
• Xinxin invites Wu Chen to the skate park, creating a likely setup for the next confrontation.

Key events

• He Xinxin invites her tutor, Wu Chen, to watch her skateboard. Her mother, He Shiqin, approves, hoping the two will grow closer.
• Xinxin brings Wu Chen to a skate park, where she meets her friend Tang Shanshan. Xinxin has secretly arranged for Shanshan and her boyfriend, Mao Qi, to confront Wu Chen, though she later becomes uneasy about how large the gathering has become.
• Mao Qi arrives in a Ferrari with more than a dozen sports cars and a crowd of over a hundred young people, many carrying clubs and bats. The group surrounds Wu Chen in an intimidating display.
• Wu Chen remains calm, confident that he can handle the crowd and expecting that the confrontation will not turn into a fight.
• Qin Erhe, one of the men assigned to watch over He Shiqin and Xinxin, recognizes Wu Chen from a photo and realizes he may be in danger. He calls Mao Rusong, Mao Qi’s father and Qin’s employer.
• Mao Qi approaches Wu Chen and challenges him. Wu Chen identifies him as Mao Rusong’s son and asks whether his family knows he is throwing his weight around.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen shows composure and confidence under pressure. He understands Xinxin’s scheming and knows the crowd’s aggression is largely bravado.
• He Xinxin acts playful and affectionate toward Wu Chen, but her invitation is a pretext for bringing him into a confrontation. Once the crowd gathers, she worries things may go too far and appeals to Mao Qi to keep the situation under control.
• He Shiqin is pleased that Wu Chen agrees to accompany her daughter and hopes he will influence her positively.
• Tang Shanshan acts as Xinxin’s protective older-sister figure and helps enlist Mao Qi and his followers.
• Mao Qi presents himself as a powerful, arrogant protector of Xinxin, using a show of numbers and wealth to intimidate Wu Chen.
• Qin Erhe recognizes Wu Chen’s importance from Mao Rusong’s instructions and tries to alert his employer rather than intervene blindly.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus real power: The cars, weapons, and crowd are designed to intimidate, but Wu Chen is unimpressed.
• Youthful bravado and loyalty: The young people gather out of allegiance to Xinxin and Mao Qi, acting impulsively and ignoring consequences.
• Hidden agendas and trust: Xinxin’s friendly invitation conceals her plan, while Wu Chen sees through it.
• Power and family influence: Mao Qi relies on his father’s reputation, setting up a clash between inherited status and Wu Chen’s confidence.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen explains that Mao Qi’s family protects He Shiqin and He Xinxin because they come from a powerful family and Mao Rusong arranged for his son to look after them. Mao Qi and his girlfriend, Tang Shanshan, have also grown genuinely fond of He Xinxin.
• Mao Qi confronts Wu Chen with more than a hundred people, intending to recover He Xinxin’s recording and force Wu Chen to apologize. He brings out a knuckle-duster, and his followers prepare to attack.
• Before the fight begins, Mao Qi gets a call from his father. Mao Rusong angrily asks whether he has attacked Wu Chen and warns him that Wu is someone even the powerful Gu Ruibo deeply respects.
• Realizing whom he has challenged, Mao Qi immediately backs down. Wu Chen speaks with Mao Rusong, who anxiously calls the confrontation a misunderstanding and promises to deal with his son.
• Mao Qi apologizes, removes the knuckle-duster, and gets his entire crowd to apologize as well. Wu Chen accepts and lets them leave—then stops He Xinxin as she tries to slip away.

Character developments

• Mao Qi shifts from swaggering bully to frightened, pragmatic conciliator. Though spoiled and aggressive, he can recognize danger, accept embarrassment, and quickly rally his followers to make amends.
• Mao Rusong is revealed as both fiercely protective of his son and deeply afraid of the consequences of antagonizing Wu Chen. His anger gives way to nervous, ingratiating diplomacy.
• Wu Chen remains calm and self-assured throughout. He neither escalates the threat nor demands revenge, and he recognizes Mao Qi’s ability to lead and adapt.
• He Xinxin is anxious as the fight seems imminent, then tries to quietly leave once the crowd disperses.

Significant themes

• Power and status: Mao Qi’s confidence collapses once he learns Wu Chen’s true standing, showing that influence can matter more than numbers.
• Knowing when to yield: Mao Qi’s willingness to apologize preserves him and his group from a disastrous confrontation.
• Protection and affection: Mao Qi’s relationship with He Xinxin began as an obligation from his father but has grown into genuine, sibling-like concern.
• Appearances versus reality: Mao Qi mistakes Wu Chen for an ordinary tutor, while Wu Chen’s reputation and abilities make him far more formidable than he appears.

Character interactions

• Mao Qi’s confrontation with Wu Chen turns into an awkward apology after Mao Rusong intervenes by phone.
• Mao Rusong tries to smooth things over with Wu Chen, who accepts the apology without revealing much about his feelings.
• Mao Qi converts his own apology into a group apology, directing his followers to bow and say sorry.
• As Mao Qi and the others leave, Wu Chen calls out to He Xinxin, preventing her from slipping away.

Key plot points and events

• After Mao Qi recognizes Wu Chen and respectfully calls him “uncle,” he quickly withdraws his people from the park. He takes Tang Shanshan with him, while the other bystanders scatter.
• He Xinxin tries to leave, but Wu Chen stops her. Alone with him, she breaks down and admits she gathered the crowd to recover a recording and wanted them to beat him up.
• Wu Chen teases her, gets her to acknowledge her wrongdoing, and secures her promise to behave. He agrees not to tell her mother for now, gives her a handkerchief, and spends the next hour walking and talking with her.
• He Xinxin’s curiosity about Wu Chen grows. They leave the park together, share ice cream, and return to her home, where she acts unusually considerate toward him.
• Wu Chen tells He Shiqin that Xinxin behaved well, concealing the park incident. He Shiqin becomes increasingly convinced that he is the right tutor and tries to finalize the arrangement; Wu Chen says he will decide the next day.
• Wu Chen leaves to meet Mao Rusong at Golden Tycoon KTV. Mao Rusong and Mao Qi greet him deferentially. Mao Rusong theatrically scolds and kicks his son, though Wu Chen recognizes the display as an act.

Character developments

• He Xinxin shifts from defiant and scheming to frightened, remorseful, and eager to please Wu Chen. Her newfound sweetness is partly genuine admiration, but also an effort to keep him from telling her mother what happened.
• Wu Chen remains calm and in control. He disciplines Xinxin through teasing and reassurance rather than anger, protects her secret, and deliberately leaves He Shiqin hopeful about hiring him.
• He Shiqin grows more impressed with Wu Chen, believing he has quickly brought out her daughter’s considerate side. She becomes determined to hire him as a tutor.
• Mao Qi is shown to fear and respect Wu Chen enough to abandon the confrontation immediately. Mao Rusong approaches Wu Chen cautiously and tries to manage the fallout involving his son.

Character interactions

• Wu Chen and Xinxin’s relationship becomes more personal: he reprimands and reassures her, while she clings to him, seeks his approval, and later shows him exaggerated kindness.
• Wu Chen and He Shiqin maintain a cordial tutoring discussion, but he withholds the truth about Xinxin’s behavior and delays giving a final answer.
• At the KTV, Mao Rusong performs a public show of discipline toward Mao Qi while treating Wu Chen with elaborate respect; Wu Chen sees through the performance.

Significant themes

• Power and intimidation: Mao Qi’s crowd disperses as soon as Wu Chen’s authority becomes clear.
• Discipline, guilt, and face-saving: Xinxin admits fault but tries to hide it from her mother; Mao Rusong likewise uses a staged reprimand to manage appearances.
• Trust and manipulation: Wu Chen protects Xinxin’s secret while using her changed behavior to strengthen his position with He Shiqin.
• Appearance versus reality: Xinxin’s obedience is partly motivated by fear, and Mao Rusong’s anger toward his son is explicitly theatrical.

Chapter summary

• After Mao Qi causes trouble through his involvement with He Xinxin, Mao Rusong brings him to apologize to Wu Chen. Wu Chen is not actually angry; he had allowed the incident to unfold because he intends to use its effects on He Xinxin—and ultimately He Shiqin—as part of a larger plan.
• Mao Rusong nevertheless worries that Wu Chen may hold a grudge. Mao Qi apologizes by downing several glasses of expensive brandy, while Mao Rusong repeatedly expresses regret. Gu Ruibo later joins them to help smooth things over, and the group drinks and talks until late. Wu Chen accepts Mao Rusong’s offer to stay at the KTV.
• In his room, Wu Chen finds Zhuang Xiaodie, a beautiful university student whom Mao Rusong has spent over a year preparing to present as a mistress to a powerful man. Zhuang’s family’s debts had left her under severe pressure; Mao paid off more than 5.7 million yuan and helped resolve the family’s troubles in exchange for her eventual participation. She had expected an older, unattractive patron, so she is relieved—and pleasantly surprised—to find Wu Chen young and handsome.
• Wu Chen and Zhuang spend the night together. The next morning, he lets her rest while he goes to meet He Shiqin.
• At a café, He Shiqin discusses tutoring for her daughter, He Xinxin. She offers to pay generously and even proposes temporarily taking Xin Xin to East Sea so Wu Chen can tutor her more conveniently. Wu Chen then abruptly asks whether she is afraid Ding Ruilong will discover she left Magic City without permission. He Shiqin is shocked, realizing Wu Chen knows about her situation.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Chen remains composed and strategic. He lets Mao Rusong believe the apology is necessary, accepts the hospitality, and then uses his private knowledge to unsettle He Shiqin.
• Mao Rusong is anxious to appease Wu Chen and treats him with deference. His earlier arrangement with Zhuang Xiaodie also reveals how he uses money and connections to secure influence with powerful men.
• Mao Qi shows little resentment at being reprimanded and makes a conspicuous apology, though drinking so much brandy leaves him visibly intoxicated.
• Zhuang Xiaodie is nervous but maintains a polite, sweet manner. She has accepted her arrangement as a way to free her family from debt, yet meeting Wu Chen brings unexpected relief.
• He Shiqin begins the café meeting cheerful and eager to secure tutoring for her daughter, but Wu Chen’s pointed question abruptly changes the tone and leaves her alarmed.

Significant themes

• Power and manipulation: Wu Chen permits events to happen because he sees their psychological and strategic value.
• Debt and coercion: Zhuang Xiaodie’s agreement is presented as a choice, but financial desperation sharply limits her freedom.
• Deference and reputation: Mao Rusong’s elaborate apology reflects the importance he places on Wu Chen’s favor.
• Hidden knowledge: Wu Chen’s awareness of He Shiqin’s circumstances gives him leverage and sets up the next stage of their interaction.

Key plot points and events

• He Shiqin is horrified when Wu Chen reveals that he knows Ding Ruilong controls aspects of her life. She realizes that their meeting was not a coincidence and that Wu deliberately approached her.
• Wu confirms her suspicion. He explains that he wants her to cooperate willingly rather than feel tricked or forced into going to East Sea.
• When He Shiqin tries to leave, Wu mentions Dong Yuantao. His name stops her: she knows he was murdered, not killed in the supposed drowning accident, and she is the only witness who could prove it.
• Wanting to learn how Wu discovered the truth, despite fearing the danger of revisiting it, He Shiqin agrees to speak with him privately.
• Wu takes her to a hotel suite. He Shiqin is uneasy about the setting and wonders whether he has romantic or sexual intentions. As they enter, Wu puts an arm around her waist, leaving her frozen and conflicted.

Character developments

• He Shiqin shifts from disbelief and fear to reluctant engagement. Her protective instincts and desire to understand Wu’s knowledge overcome her impulse to flee. Her buried trauma and vulnerability as the sole witness to a murder are emphasized.
• Wu Chen reveals himself as deliberate and well-informed. He is candid about having targeted He Shiqin, but says he wants her consent and cooperation. His motives remain unclear, and his final physical gesture deepens the uncertainty.

Significant themes

• Control and agency: He Shiqin has long lived under Ding Ruilong’s influence; Wu’s approach forces her to question whether she is making her own choices.
• Fear, secrecy, and trauma: The murder of Dong Yuantao remains a dangerous secret that He Shiqin has tried to bury.
• Manipulation versus consent: Wu has engineered their meeting but claims he wants He Shiqin to choose freely—an uneasy contradiction.
• Ambiguity and mistrust: The private hotel setting and Wu’s gesture leave his intentions open to interpretation.

Character interactions

• Wu uses his knowledge of Ding Ruilong and Dong Yuantao to keep He Shiqin from leaving and draw her into a private conversation.
• He Shiqin challenges Wu’s motives and follows him despite her fear, driven by the need to learn what he knows.
• Their guarded exchange becomes increasingly tense as Wu’s apparent concern for privacy clashes with He Shiqin’s suspicion about why he chose a hotel.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Wu Chen brings He Shiqin to a hotel suite, where she assumes he intends to blackmail or sexually exploit her. Frightened and resigned, she even begins to undress, but Wu Chen stops her and asks her to hear him out.
• Wu Chen admits he deliberately put his arm around her—not to seduce her, but so hotel cameras and records might eventually alert Ding Ruilong that they had entered a room together. He wants Ding to misunderstand and believe He Shiqin has become involved with another man.
• He Shiqin initially suspects Wu Chen is setting her up, then realizes he is deliberately provoking Ding at personal risk to himself. Wu Chen explains that he and Ding are enemies because Wu Chen is involved with Li Ruobing, whom Ding wants.
• Wu Chen says he intends to make Ding Ruilong act recklessly and ultimately destroy both him and the Ding Family. He hopes He Shiqin will testify to the Dong Family that Ding murdered Dong Yuantao, a revelation that could trigger a conflict capable of bringing the Ding Family down.
• Wu Chen offers to take He Shiqin and her daughter, He Xinxin, to East Sea and arrange protection. After considering the danger to her daughter and the possibility of freedom from Ding’s control, He Shiqin embraces Wu Chen’s plan—and proposes making Ding’s suspected “cuckolding” real.

Character developments

• He Shiqin moves from fear and distrust to understanding Wu Chen’s purpose. Her long-standing hatred of Ding Ruilong and longing for an independent life begin to outweigh her fear, though concern for Xinxin remains central to her decisions.
• Wu Chen presents himself as composed and strategic. He is willing to make himself a target to provoke Ding, while also offering He Shiqin and her daughter a route to safety.
• Ding Ruilong, though absent, is revealed as controlling and dangerous: he has prevented He Shiqin from forming new relationships and remains possessive because she is Xinxin’s mother.
• He Xinxin does not appear, but her vulnerability as Ding’s unacknowledged daughter shapes He Shiqin’s fears and choices.

Significant themes

• Control versus freedom: He Shiqin’s life has been constrained by Ding’s influence; Wu Chen offers the possibility of escape.
• Fear, manipulation, and trust: A seemingly threatening situation is revealed to be part of a calculated plan, forcing He Shiqin to reconsider Wu Chen’s intentions.
• Revenge and escalation: Wu Chen seeks to provoke Ding into mistakes and use the murder allegation to bring down the Ding Family.
• Motherhood and risk: He Shiqin weighs her own chance at freedom against the danger her daughter could face.
• Agency and desire: He Shiqin’s final decision shifts from reluctant submission to an act she chooses for herself.

Character interactions

• He Shiqin confronts Wu Chen over his physical familiarity and presumed intentions; he calms the situation and invites her to ask questions.
• Wu Chen explains his plan and his connection to Li Ruobing, giving He Shiqin the context she needs to judge his motives.
• He Shiqin tests the implications of his plan, especially the risks to herself and Xinxin, before agreeing to help.
• The chapter ends with He Shiqin openly challenging Wu Chen’s original pretense: rather than merely make Ding believe she has a lover, she suggests making it true.