Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Qing returns home after being urgently summoned by his second brother, Ye Chen, who is arguing with their parents.
• Ye Chen wants to borrow ten million to help Xia Zhe, a young man he has brought home and apparently fallen in love with.
• Their mother distrusts Xia Zhe and suspects he is manipulating Ye Chen for money.
• Ye Qing discovers that he can see text above Xia Zhe’s head, revealing information about Xia Zhe’s past and future.
• Through his thoughts, Ye Qing learns that Xia Zhe has had many boyfriends and has repeatedly manipulated wealthy men into giving him money for his true lover.
• Xia Zhe has deliberately targeted Ye Chen, creating fake emergencies and requesting money while pretending to be vulnerable.
• Ye Qing also sees that Ye Chen will eventually be deeply deceived: Xia Zhe will claim to be pregnant, despite the child not being Ye Chen’s, and later fake or otherwise engineer his own death and the baby’s death.
• Ye Chen will believe the entire story, remain devoted to Xia Zhe, and never love anyone else afterward.
• As Ye Qing thinks through these events, the family realizes they can hear his unspoken thoughts.
• Ye Chen becomes conflicted, torn between trusting Xia Zhe—his first love—and suspicion caused by Ye Qing’s revelations.
• When Xia Zhe suggests that he and Ye Chen should leave because Ye Chen’s parents do not approve, Ye Chen immediately refuses, showing how emotionally attached he already is.

Character Developments

• Ye Qing: Discovers an unusual ability: he can perceive hidden information or future events through text appearing above people’s heads. He also unknowingly broadcasts his thoughts aloud to his family, exposing his judgments and predictions.
• Ye Chen: Is portrayed as kind-hearted, naïve, and extremely gullible. He is already infatuated with Xia Zhe and instinctively defends him, even when confronted with evidence of manipulation.
• Xia Zhe: Appears timid and vulnerable but is revealed through Ye Qing’s ability to be calculating and experienced in exploiting wealthy romantic partners. He uses emotional manipulation to secure money.
• Ye Qing’s parents: Initially angry and suspicious of Xia Zhe, they quickly become interested in Ye Qing’s internal revelations and recognize the danger Ye Chen is in.
• The family as a whole: Shifts from arguing over the money to silently listening to Ye Qing’s thoughts and assessing whether his supernatural information is true.

Significant Themes

• Deception and manipulation: Xia Zhe disguises exploitation as romance and uses helplessness to control Ye Chen.
• Naivety versus suspicion: Ye Chen trusts his feelings, while Ye Qing and the rest of the family begin examining Xia Zhe’s behavior critically.
• Unrequited or misguided devotion: Ye Chen’s love is sincere, but it is directed toward someone exploiting him.
• Family protection: Despite their irritation with Ye Chen, his family tries to prevent him from being financially and emotionally ruined.
• Supernatural revelation: Ye Qing’s ability exposes hidden truths and future tragedies, creating tension between what the characters visibly believe and what is secretly known.

Character Interactions

• Ye Chen pleads with his parents for money, while his mother openly accuses Xia Zhe of taking advantage of him.
• Xia Zhe hides behind Ye Chen and presents himself as frightened and vulnerable, reinforcing Ye Chen’s desire to protect him.
• Ye Qing observes Xia Zhe and internally criticizes Ye Chen for being easily deceived.
• The family silently reacts to Ye Qing’s thoughts, while Ye Chen initially assumes Ye Qing is merely speaking nonsense.
• Xia Zhe attempts to pressure Ye Chen emotionally by suggesting they leave, but Ye Chen rejects the idea immediately, demonstrating his loyalty and dependence on Xia Zhe.

Key plot points

• Xia Zhe struggles to finish his warning, but finally tells Ye Chen not to lend him the money. Ye Chen nevertheless insists he loves Xia Zhe and asks the Ye family to trust him.
• Ye Father refuses to lend Xia Zhe money and cuts off Ye Chen’s access to family funds. Xia Zhe’s expression briefly changes, but Ye Chen misses it; Ye Qing notices.
• Ye Chen offers to find ten million himself. Ye Qing’s thoughts echo Xia Zhe’s apparent concern about the family falling out, deepening Ye Chen’s doubts—yet Ye Chen chooses to leave with Xia Zhe.
• Ye Qing privately predicts that Xia Zhe will meet another boyfriend on Saturday. Ye Chen overhears this and decides to wait until then to see whether the suspicion is true.
• Outside, Xia Zhe says Ye Chen should not have sacrificed so much for him and suggests they separate. Ye Chen is unsettled that Xia Zhe focuses on practical arrangements rather than asking how he feels, but is swayed when Xia Zhe cries and says he cannot bear to see him suffer.
• Ye Chen reassures Xia Zhe that he owns a house and can earn money to support him. Their history is explained: Ye Chen rescued Xia Zhe from harassment after a race, grew fond of him, and accepted his confession after Xia Zhe admitted his feelings.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chen remains deeply attached to Xia Zhe, repeatedly choosing trust over his family’s warnings, but Ye Qing’s comments begin to unsettle him. He resolves to judge Xia Zhe after Saturday.
• Xia Zhe appears caring and distressed, yet his changing expression and practical focus make Ye Chen question his sincerity. He uses tears and admiration to reassure Ye Chen.
• Ye Qing stays outwardly innocent while privately predicting Xia Zhe’s behavior. His thoughts influence the family and increasingly trouble Ye Chen.
• The Ye family stops worrying that Ye Chen will stay away, confident that he will eventually return.

Significant themes

• Trust versus suspicion: Ye Chen’s love conflicts with growing evidence that Xia Zhe may be exploiting him.
• Love and sacrifice: Ye Chen risks his family’s support and offers his own resources, while Xia Zhe’s response leaves his motives ambiguous.
• Appearances and judgment: Xia Zhe’s emotional displays compete with the subtle signs Ye Chen is beginning to notice.
• Dramatic irony: Readers and Ye Qing suspect Xia Zhe, while Ye Chen continues to believe him.

Key plot points and events

• After Ye Chen leaves with Xia Zhe, the Ye family explains why they distrust Xia Zhe: he seemed to play the victim, and the background check they commissioned was suspiciously flawless and potentially manipulated. They also discovered that Ye Chen and Xia Zhe were not actually together, and that Ye Chen had brought him home to ask for money.
• Ye Father and Ye Ci refuse to give Ye Chen money or let the company transfer funds to him.
• Ye Qing’s thoughts reveal that Xia Zhe plans to meet his boyfriend at the Jiangchong Hotel that Saturday. The family eagerly tries to get him to remember the hotel’s name, though Ye Qing initially cannot.
• Ye Qing later recalls the name and decides he must find a way to get Ye Chen to go there. He also reflects on his unexplained ability to hear his family’s thoughts and wonders about its limits.
• Ye Qing says his acting job fell through, but insists he is fine and does not want his family to intervene. They accept his explanation.
• The family realizes they can hear Ye Qing’s thoughts, but likely no one else can. They choose not to tell him, both to spare him embarrassment and because they do not know whether the ability will last.
• Meanwhile, Ye Chen settles into life with Xia Zhe and works as a professional race-car driver. Although he tells himself to trust Xia Zhe, Ye Qing’s warning continues to trouble him. Saturday arrives.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Mother and Ye Father explain that their distrust of Xia Zhe comes from his behavior and the suspicious investigation, not from opposition to Ye Chen’s relationship.
• Ye Ci backs his parents’ decision to withhold money and offers to protect Ye Qing when he hears about the lost acting role.
• Ye Qing remains affectionate and independent, reassuring his family that he can handle setbacks. He also begins accepting his strange thought-hearing ability and uses it to pursue information about Xia Zhe.
• Ye Chen remains emotionally invested in Xia Zhe but becomes increasingly uneasy, caught between his trust in him and Ye Qing’s warning.
• The family quietly bonds over Ye Qing’s unspoken thoughts, sharing both concern for him and eager curiosity about the possible scandal.

Significant themes

• Family protection versus independence: The Ye family tries to protect Ye Chen and Ye Qing, while both brothers resist being controlled.
• Trust and suspicion: Ye Chen’s faith in Xia Zhe clashes with his family’s doubts and the warning he cannot forget.
• Secrets and privacy: Ye Qing’s new ability offers access to hidden information, but he questions whether using it is intrusive.
• Family loyalty and gossip: The family’s concern is genuine, though their interest in the unfolding drama also becomes entertaining to them.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Chen follows Xia Zhe after Xia Zhe leaves home, claiming he is meeting a friend. Ye Chen suspects something is wrong but does not reveal his plan.
• Ye Qing meets Ye Chen at a nearby café, secretly intending to help him catch Xia Zhe cheating. Ye Qing spots Xia Zhe entering a hotel arm in arm with another man.
• Ye Chen already knows Xia Zhe is at the hotel and has been recording the conversation. He and Ye Qing listen through earphones.
• Xia Zhe admits that he pursued Ye Chen for money, calls him an idiot, and says he plans to get one more payout before leaving the country with his real boyfriend, Brother Zhang.
• The men flirt, and the conversation turns intimate. Ye Chen stops the recording before Ye Qing can hear more.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chen is hurt and angry, but he stays controlled and quietly gathers proof rather than confronting Xia Zhe on the spot. He is embarrassed to admit he followed Xia Zhe and has been recording him.
• Ye Qing tries to expose Xia Zhe while teasing Ye Chen. His unspoken thoughts are blunt and comically insensitive, which exasperates Ye Chen even as the brothers cooperate.
• Xia Zhe is revealed as a calculating fraud who has been using Ye Chen for money while maintaining a relationship with Brother Zhang.
• The brothers’ banter provides comic relief: Ye Qing keeps provoking Ye Chen, and Ye Chen repeatedly regrets having to hear his thoughts.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and exploitation: Xia Zhe’s apparent affection masks a scheme to take Ye Chen’s money.
• Love and vulnerability: Ye Qing sees Ye Chen as too trusting when he is in love, while Ye Chen confronts the painful reality of that trust being abused.
• Family support and humor: Ye Qing helps Ye Chen uncover the truth, though his teasing makes the experience more awkward.
• Appearance versus reality: Xia Zhe’s cheerful goodbye and affectionate behavior contrast sharply with his private contempt and financial motives.

Key plot points

• After discovering Xia Zhe’s betrayal, Ye Chen regrets trusting him and acknowledges that he was wrong to defy his family. Ye Qing teases him about how far he had gone for Xia Zhe, including considering borrowing ten million and leaving home.
• Ye Qing claims their parents and eldest brother are hurt by Ye Chen’s choices. Ye Chen believes him—until he and Ye Qing realize their parents and brother are sitting nearby. The family had followed Ye Qing because they were worried Ye Chen might be fooled by Xia Zhe again.
• The family goes home with Ye Chen and waits to see how he handles Xia Zhe’s return. Though they say they are concerned, they also enjoy the unfolding drama. Ye Chen refuses to confront Xia Zhe in public and wants to hear what Xia Zhe will say.
• When Xia Zhe arrives, disheveled and weeping, he claims that a man forced himself on him and apologizes to Ye Chen, saying he returned only to see him one last time.
• Ye Chen does not comfort or answer him, feeling that Xia Zhe is now a stranger.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chen shifts from grief and self-blame toward guarded skepticism. Although he initially reacts out of habit by asking what happened, he stays silent as Xia Zhe tells his story.
• Ye Qing mocks his brother but is also alert to the possibility that Xia Zhe will manipulate him again. His teasing exposes Ye Chen’s trusting nature.
• The Ye family shows concern by accompanying Ye Chen, though they hide it behind jokes and curiosity. Their presence reinforces that they are united in wanting to protect him.
• Xia Zhe returns in distress and presents himself as a victim, using tears and an apology to appeal to Ye Chen. Ye Chen’s silence leaves the truth and outcome unresolved.

Significant themes

• Trust and gullibility: Ye Chen’s family worries that his willingness to believe Xia Zhe will make him vulnerable again.
• Family support beneath teasing: The family’s mockery is mixed with genuine concern and protectiveness.
• Manipulation and uncertainty: Xia Zhe’s emotional story may be an attempt to regain Ye Chen’s sympathy, but the chapter ends before his motives are confirmed.

Plot points

• Hurt by Xia Zhe’s insistence that he was forced into a compromising situation, Ye Chen shows him photos that contradict his story.
• Xia Zhe accuses Ye Chen of never trusting him, then suggests they should break up. When Ye Chen agrees, Xia Zhe panics, apologizes, and begs him to stay.
• Ye Qing interrupts, confirms that Ye Chen means to end the relationship, and plays a recording exposing Xia Zhe’s earlier contempt for Ye Chen and his desire to end things.
• Faced with the Ye Family’s disapproval, Xia Zhe leaves. He regrets returning with Ye Chen, but cannot tell whether his sadness comes from losing Ye Chen or the financial support he provided.
• The family departs, leaving Ye Chen to grieve. Ye Qing calls the breakup “breaking free,” though the remark only makes Ye Chen feel worse.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Chen moves from hurt to a brief flash of anger, then firmly ends the relationship. Despite recognizing Xia Zhe’s dishonesty, he remains heartbroken and reluctant to hurt him.
• Xia Zhe shifts from defensiveness to pleading when the breakup becomes real. His conflicted regret leaves his motives uncertain.
• Ye Qing aggressively defends his second brother, confronting Xia Zhe and revealing the recording. He also hopes to make Xia Zhe question whether the person he likes is truly better than Ye Chen.
• The Ye Family supports Ye Chen and condemns Xia Zhe, though Ye Qing dominates the confrontation.

Significant themes

• Trust and betrayal: Xia Zhe’s excuses cannot undo the evidence of his behavior.
• Love versus self-interest: Xia Zhe’s sadness is complicated by the possibility that he misses Ye Chen’s money and care more than Ye Chen himself.
• Family loyalty: Ye Qing and the rest of the family rally around Ye Chen.
• The pain of letting go: Ending a damaging relationship may be necessary, but it does not immediately ease the heartbreak.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Qing’s mother invites him to meet a new friend and her visiting son at a newly opened resort. The meeting is arranged partly because Ye Qing’s older brothers are unavailable.
• The new friend turns out to be Gu Ze’s mother, making the visiting son none other than Gu Ze, a famous actor and Best Actor winner.
• Ye Qing recognizes Gu Ze as an industry idol. Gu Ze debuted as a villain in a successful fantasy drama, later revealing his connection to the wealthy Gu family and earning respect for his acting ability.
• Ye Qing and Gu Ze are sent to explore the resort while their mothers chat. Their initial conversation is awkward, but Gu Ze asks about Ye Qing’s acting career.
• Ye Qing jokingly describes his earliest roles—including playing an unnamed corpse—as if they were major, demanding performances. He admits that most of his parts have actually been tiny roles and that he has only recently secured a third male-lead role in an idol drama.
• During their conversation, Gu Ze realizes he can hear Ye Qing’s unspoken thoughts. Ye Qing’s candid inner commentary about Gu Ze’s appearance, his own low status, and Gu Ze’s personality amuses Gu Ze.
• A man suddenly approaches and calls Gu Ze “cousin.” Ye Qing reacts internally with excitement, thinking, “Wow, now this is juicy,” creating a cliffhanger and suggesting family gossip or conflict.

Character Developments

• Ye Qing: Remains modest and self-deprecating about his struggling acting career, but he is enthusiastic and sincere when meeting Gu Ze. His humorous inner thoughts reveal his attraction to and admiration for Gu Ze, as well as his tendency to exaggerate his minor roles for comic effect.
• Gu Ze: Is established as a successful, talented, and physically impressive actor. Although reserved at first, he becomes increasingly amused and curious after discovering that he can hear Ye Qing’s thoughts. His private reactions suggest he finds Ye Qing charming and entertaining.
• Ye Qing’s Mother: Continues her social networking hobby and is proud of her family, though she is startled and embarrassed by Ye Qing’s unfiltered thoughts about Gu Ze. She can hear Ye Qing’s thoughts but keeps this ability secret.
• Gu Ze’s Mother: Is portrayed as warm and highly praised by Ye Qing’s mother, serving as the connection that brings the two young men together.

Significant Themes

• Inner thoughts versus spoken words: The chapter’s humor comes from the contrast between Ye Qing’s polite dialogue and his blunt, often embarrassing internal monologue.
• Unexpected intimacy and communication: Gu Ze’s ability to hear Ye Qing’s thoughts allows him to see beyond Ye Qing’s awkward self-presentation and creates a private connection between them.
• Humility and self-deprecating humor: Ye Qing downplays his career while turning his minor roles into jokes, showing both insecurity and resilience.
• Social connections and family influence: The parents’ networking brings the protagonists together, while both men’s prominent family backgrounds shape their positions in the entertainment industry.
• Celebrity image versus personal reality: Gu Ze is admired publicly as “Emperor Gu,” but the chapter presents him privately as approachable, amused, and intrigued by Ye Qing.

Character Interactions

• Ye Qing and his mother discuss the arranged meeting, with Ye Qing reluctantly agreeing to attend.
• Ye Qing and Gu Ze’s mothers exchange compliments and introduce their sons.
• Ye Qing enthusiastically greets Gu Ze, while Gu Ze is surprised that Ye Qing knows him so well.
• Gu Ze questions Ye Qing about his acting work, leading to playful conversation about Ye Qing’s obscure roles.
• Gu Ze silently reacts to Ye Qing’s thoughts, gradually realizing that the voice he hears belongs to Ye Qing’s mind rather than his speech.
• The chapter ends when Gu Ze’s cousin appears, prompting Ye Qing’s excited reaction and hinting at forthcoming family drama.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Ze introduces his cousin Gu Yu to Ye Qing. Ye Qing’s unusual glimpses of events reveal that Gu Yu is being deceived in an online romance: he has sent his partner money for years, never met them, and is about to discover that the person behind the account is a man.
• Gu Ze is startled by Ye Qing’s apparent knowledge, but wonders whether he is guessing. He deliberately steps away to see what Ye Qing will do.
• Ye Qing follows Gu Yu and strikes up a conversation in the restroom, asking about his relationship. Gu Yu admits it is online and enthusiastically describes his partner, asking Ye Qing to keep it from Gu Ze.
• Gu Ze, who has been listening from an unchecked stall, reveals that he already knows. The conversation ends awkwardly, with Gu Yu panicking and Ye Qing realizing he missed the last stall.

Character developments

• Ye Qing wants to intervene after learning Gu Yu is being scammed, but struggles to find a tactful way to warn him. His candid inner thoughts contrast with his friendly manner.
• Gu Ze becomes protective and concerned about his cousin. He also grows more curious about Ye Qing, whose knowledge he cannot explain, and genuinely wants to be friends with him.
• Gu Yu is trusting and deeply invested in the relationship. Though he recognizes that online romances can be risky, he remains convinced his partner is different.
• Ye Qing’s parents follow the situation through their thoughts and regret being unable to witness the gossip firsthand.

Significant themes

• Trust and vulnerability: Gu Yu’s first relationship leaves him open to emotional and financial exploitation.
• Intervention and responsibility: Ye Qing feels that knowing about the deception means he should try to help, even though he has little influence over Gu Yu.
• Appearance versus truth: Gu Yu’s romantic ideal differs sharply from the reality Ye Qing believes he can see.
• Comedy through overheard thoughts and misunderstandings: The serious scam is framed with humor, especially Ye Qing’s restroom “investigation” and Gu Ze’s accidental eavesdropping.

Character interactions

• Gu Ze introduces Ye Qing and Gu Yu, while Ye Qing’s private judgments and Gu Ze’s growing concern play out beneath their polite conversation.
• Ye Qing’s mother discreetly raises the possibility of online romance scams with Gu Mother, indirectly alerting Gu Ze.
• Ye Qing questions Gu Yu gently, and Gu Yu confides in him and asks for secrecy.
• Gu Ze overhears them and steps in, leaving Ye Qing embarrassed and Gu Yu afraid of his cousin’s reaction.

Chapter Summary: “Be Careful with Online Romance”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gu Ze and Ye Qing confront Gu Yu about his online relationship. Gu Yu has never met the woman in person but has spent more than a million on her because she continually makes excuses and promises to meet him.
• Ye Qing and Gu Ze realize that the woman’s profile photo has been heavily edited and suspect Gu Yu is being scammed.
• Ye Qing devises a test: Gu Yu invites the woman to meet, and when she claims to be sick, Ye Qing delivers medicine to her address while secretly recording the encounter.
• The supposed girlfriend turns out to be a short, unkempt man using a voice changer. Ye Qing’s footage proves the deception, devastating Gu Yu.
• Gu Yu reports the scam to the police. Officers discover that the apartment is shared by several people running the same kind of organized romance scam. They are all arrested, and Gu Yu is told that he may be able to recover his money.
• Gu Yu decides to end the relationship and swears never to pursue online romance again, though Ye Qing repeatedly teases him about having had multiple “girlfriends.”
• After leaving the police station, Ye Qing adds Gu Ze’s personal WeChat account, and Gu Ze expresses a desire to become friends.
• A few days later, Ye Qing’s agent, Sister Li, brings him a new script. She finds him lazily eating potato chips and worries about his habits. The chapter ends with Ye Qing unexpectedly asking whether she has a younger brother.

Character Developments

• Gu Yu learns a painful lesson about trusting online identities and giving money to someone he has never met. Although heartbroken because this was his first “love,” he accepts that he was deceived and agrees to take responsibility by reporting the crime.
• Ye Qing acts as the practical investigator and emotional support in the situation. He uses humor to expose the scam, helps Gu Yu contact the police, and shows concern for preventing the scammers from victimizing others.
• Gu Ze begins as an angry, protective cousin but recognizes that Gu Yu listens more readily to Ye Qing. He becomes more relaxed around Ye Qing, laughs at his jokes, and formally begins a friendship with him.
• Sister Li continues trying to guide Ye Qing’s acting career while worrying that his careless lifestyle and eating habits may hold him back.

Significant Themes

• The dangers of online romance: Emotional intimacy and sweet messages do not prove that someone is genuine, especially when there is no face-to-face contact.
• Trust versus evidence: Gu Yu trusts his feelings and the edited photograph, while Ye Qing and Gu Ze rely on observable facts and practical tests.
• Learning through painful experience: Gu Yu ignores repeated warnings but ultimately grows from the humiliation and loss.
• Humor as emotional relief: Ye Qing’s teasing softens an otherwise traumatic experience and helps Gu Yu recover.
• Family and friendship: Gu Ze and Ye Qing support Gu Yu, while their developing friendship becomes an important secondary development.

Character Interactions

• Gu Ze repeatedly challenges Gu Yu’s blind faith, while Ye Qing questions him more bluntly and humorously.
• Ye Qing and Gu Yu develop a comedic but supportive dynamic: Ye Qing mocks him yet protects him and helps expose the scam.
• Gu Ze watches Ye Qing handle the situation and gradually becomes impressed by his directness and humor.
• The police treat Gu Yu sympathetically while warning him and others to be cautious about online relationships.
• Ye Qing’s new connection with Gu Ze continues after the incident, suggesting a closer friendship in future chapters.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qing recognizes that Sister Li’s parents are quietly taking money from her savings. He foresees that they will use the money to buy a home for her younger brother, and that the betrayal will ultimately drive her to suicide.
• Unable to explain how he knows, Ye Qing urges Sister Li to check her bank balance. Though puzzled, she agrees.
• Sister Li gives Ye Qing a promising script backed by Gu Entertainment. He loves the role and plans to prepare for the audition.
• The Ye family attends a banquet celebrating the return of the Zhou family’s supposed biological daughter. Ye Qing’s thoughts reveal that the girl is actually Zhou Wei’s daughter with his mistress, not Madam Zhou’s.
• Zhou Wei has falsified a paternity test and arranged for the girl to be presented as the long-lost daughter so she can live in his home. The Zhou family’s adopted daughter, whom they believed was adopted to comfort Madam Zhou, is in fact the real missing daughter.

Character developments

• Ye Qing shows concern for Sister Li and uses his foresight to try to prevent her tragedy. He is also excited by the acting opportunity and confident in the script.
• Sister Li speaks hopefully about supporting her family and buying a home, unaware that her parents have been taking her savings.
• Zhou Wei is exposed as manipulative and deeply immoral: he has deceived his wife and is involved with his own biological daughter.
• The Ye family and Gu Ze become increasingly intrigued and horrified as they hear Ye Qing’s unspoken discoveries.

Character interactions

• Ye Qing disguises his warning to Sister Li as a casual reminder prompted by a news story; she senses his seriousness and agrees to check her account.
• Sister Li encourages Ye Qing to pursue the role, and he responds enthusiastically after reading the script.
• At the banquet, the Ye family discusses the Zhou family’s reunion. Ye Qing’s private thoughts—and Gu Ze’s ability to hear them—reveal the truth to them while the guests remain unaware.

Significant themes

• Foreknowledge and intervention: Ye Qing’s unusual insight gives him a chance to help others, even when he cannot openly explain what he knows.
• Family loyalty and exploitation: Sister Li’s hopes for family support contrast with her parents’ theft of her savings.
• Deception and hypocrisy: Zhou Wei disguises his betrayal as a family reunion, exposing the dark reality beneath the celebration.
• Appearance versus truth: The banquet’s public story is the reverse of what actually happened: the supposed biological daughter is not Madam Zhou’s child, while the adopted daughter is the real one.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Ruo was adopted by the Zhou family as a young child because she resembled their missing biological daughter. Madam Zhou initially cared for her, but grief and resentment gradually turned that affection into neglect. Zhou Ruo learned from the servants that she was being treated as a substitute for the missing girl, and grew up feeling unwanted.
• When the biological daughter, Zhou Yun, returned, Zhou Ruo expected to leave but was instead told to get along with her. Zhou Yun behaved sweetly in front of their parents but was cruel to Zhou Ruo in private.
• Zhou Ruo eventually discovered that Zhou Wei was having an affair with the woman who appeared alongside him and Zhou Yun—and learned the truth about her own parentage. Disgusted, she decided to expose everything at the family banquet.
• At the banquet, Zhou Yun’s tearful display of affection fooled the guests. Zhou Ruo then introduced a video that revealed Zhou Wei’s affair. When he tried to stop it, she blocked him and sarcastically urged the video to continue. Censored images of Zhou Yun and Zhou Wei appeared, shocking the crowd.
• Gu Ze arrives and joins Ye Qing, who knows an exposé is coming but keeps the reason secret. Ye Qing privately admires Gu Ze’s smile; Gu Ze hears the thought and blushes, though Ye Qing does not notice.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Ruo moves from a lonely, self-effacing child to a composed and decisive young woman willing to confront the family’s secrets publicly.
• Madam Zhou is portrayed as loving but consumed by grief and resentment, which makes her neglect Zhou Ruo and strain her relationship with Zhou Wei.
• Zhou Yun maintains a charming public image while treating Zhou Ruo cruelly in private.
• Zhou Wei’s respectable public reputation collapses as the affair is exposed; he reacts with anger and tries to stop the video.
• Ye Qing and Gu Ze share a light, affectionate moment: Ye Qing admires Gu Ze, and Gu Ze quietly reacts to hearing the unspoken compliment.

Significant themes

• The harm caused by grief, resentment, and treating a child as a replacement.
• The divide between public appearances and private behavior.
• Family betrayal, hidden parentage, and the pursuit of truth.
• Zhou Ruo’s search for belonging—and her eventual choice to reclaim agency by exposing the truth.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Ruo reveals that Zhou Yun is Zhou Wei’s biological daughter with his mistress, not Madam Zhou’s. The evidence also shows Zhou Yun’s repeated affairs, prompting Zhou Wei to turn on her.
• Zhou Ruo then exposes the truth about her own disappearance: the mistress had arranged to have her taken and left at a welfare home, hoping to keep her away from the Zhou family. Zhou Wei later found her but failed to recognize his daughter.
• Zhou Wei tries to excuse himself and persuade Zhou Ruo to settle things privately, but she refuses to let him escape responsibility.
• The mistress, furious at Zhou Wei’s betrayal and at Zhou Yun’s conduct, confronts them. A series of slaps and arguments breaks out, drawing comic comparisons to a relay race.
• The mistress attempts to ram Zhou Wei into a pillar, apparently intending to kill them both. Security intervenes, and no one is seriously hurt.
• Zhou Ruo has the people involved taken away and ends the banquet. After the guests leave, Madam Zhou tries to approach her, but Zhou Ruo keeps her distance. Ye Qing receives a call from Sister Li as he is leaving.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Ruo remains firm and controlled, refusing Zhou Wei’s appeals and prioritizing accountability. Though she recognizes Madam Zhou’s grief, she cannot yet move past the way Madam Zhou treated her.
• Madam Zhou learns that Zhou Ruo is her missing daughter and is overwhelmed by guilt for failing to recognize or trust her. Her attempt to reconnect is met with reserve.
• Zhou Wei shifts from anger and blame to attempted reconciliation once he realizes who Zhou Ruo is, but continues trying to protect his reputation and avoid consequences.
• The mistress turns on Zhou Wei and Zhou Yun, revealing her resentment over years of deception and betrayal. Her despair culminates in a dangerous attack.
• Zhou Yun is exposed and responds defensively, even striking Madam Zhou when she sees her mother hit.
• Ye Qing and Gu Ze watch the escalating confrontation; Ye Qing comments wryly on the slap-filled chaos, while Gu Ze edges closer to him during the mistress’s unsettling laughter.

Significant themes

• Family, identity, and recognition: Zhou Ruo was close to her mother all along, yet remained unrecognized.
• Betrayal and accountability: Deception by Zhou Wei and his mistress has lasting consequences that cannot be erased by late apologies.
• Regret and damaged relationships: Madam Zhou’s remorse is sincere, but Zhou Ruo needs time before she can accept her.
• Public image versus private conduct: Zhou Wei’s concern for appearances contrasts with his choices and treatment of his family.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Ze accompanies Ye Qing and the Ye family after the banquet, meeting Ye Qing’s two older brothers, Ye Ci and Ye Chen. The family quietly wonders what Ye Qing’s interest in Gu Ze means, while Ye Qing himself seems unaware of their suspicions.
• Ye Qing and Gu Ze share a warm moment as they talk about an earlier event; Gu Ze agrees that Ye Qing had predicted a “good show.”
• Ye Qing receives a distressed call from his manager, Sister Li, and the group goes with him to her home.
• Sister Li has discovered that 100,000 yuan is missing from her account. She had entrusted her bank cards to her parents, who admit they took the money to buy a house for her younger brother.
• Sister Li insists the money is hers, intended for her own home, and says she will stop supporting her brother after he graduates. Her parents defend their decision, claiming her brother approved it and that a daughter does not need a house.
• When Sister Li demands the money back and threatens to call the police, her parents lock her in a room, intending to withdraw the money the next day. The chapter ends with her crying inside.

Character developments

• Ye Qing remains lively and perceptive, but shows immediate concern for Sister Li and does not hesitate to help.
• Gu Ze appears increasingly gentle around Ye Qing and is willing to accompany him, despite there being no need for more people.
• Ye Chen is sociable and protective, suggesting the family go with Ye Qing for safety.
• Sister Li shifts from shock and disbelief to firm resistance, asserting her financial independence and limits on supporting her brother.
• Sister Li’s parents reveal how deeply they prioritize their son, going from denial to openly claiming the money and forcibly confining their daughter.

Significant themes

• Family favoritism and gender inequality: Sister Li’s parents treat her earnings as resources for their son and dismiss her own need for a home because she is a woman.
• Financial independence and boundaries: Sister Li challenges the expectation that she must keep supporting her family.
• Trust and betrayal: Sister Li had trusted her parents with her cards, only to discover that they had taken her savings—and that her brother knew.
• Care and solidarity: Ye Qing and the Ye family respond to Sister Li’s distress by going to help her.

Character interactions

• Ye Qing’s easy, cheerful exchanges with Gu Ze contrast with the family’s private speculation about their relationship.
• Gu Ze responds warmly to Ye Qing and chooses to accompany him; Ye Chen and the rest of the family also join out of concern.
• Sister Li’s confrontation with her parents exposes their unequal expectations and ends in coercion rather than compromise.

Plot points

• Li Xiao’s parents confiscate her phone and lock her in after discovering she has money, intending to withdraw it and use it toward a house for her younger brother.
• Li Xiao calls Ye Qing on a spare phone. He arrives with his parents, brothers Ye Ci and Ye Chen, and Gu Ze to get her out.
• Her parents deny she is home, then try to treat Ye Qing’s help as a marriage proposal and demand a bride price. When they refuse to cooperate, Ye Qing and Gu Ze force open the locked room.
• Ye Qing helps Li Xiao leave and encourages her to take time to decide what to do about her family.
• After learning more about her parents’ motives, Li Xiao cuts ties with them, keeps her money, and decides to live for herself. Once her situation is settled, Ye Qing’s audition date is confirmed.

Character developments

• Li Xiao moves from numbness and uncertainty to a firm decision to stop supporting people who have exploited her. Recovering her money and planning for a home of her own gives her a sense of freedom and hope.
• Ye Qing proves loyal and protective, while his attempt to look tough—kicking the door unsuccessfully—is played for comedy. He also offers Li Xiao thoughtful advice about unequal relationships.
• Li Xiao’s parents are revealed as financially exploitative: they had considered marrying her off for a bride price and later valued her mainly as a source of income for her brother.
• Gu Ze, Ye Ci, and Ye Chen back Ye Qing’s intervention; Gu Ze ultimately gets the door open.

Themes

• Boundaries and self-worth: Li Xiao decides that family ties do not require endless sacrifice.
• Reciprocity in relationships: Ye Qing argues that a relationship is unhealthy when one person gives far more than the other.
• Exploitation disguised as family duty: Li Xiao’s parents treat her as a means of supporting her brother, not as an equal family member.
• Freedom and renewal: Recovering her money and choosing her own future releases Li Xiao from the burden she has carried.

Character interactions

• Ye Qing and his family confront Li Xiao’s parents, whose denial and marriage-price demands expose their priorities.
• Ye Qing reassures Li Xiao, helps her escape, and gives her room to make her own decision rather than deciding for her.
• Li Xiao’s eventual return to Ye Qing is met warmly, marking a fresh start built on trust and support.

Chapter Summary: “Drinking Game”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Xiao and Ye Qing arrive early for auditions for a Gu Entertainment production, which attracts many capable applicants because of its strong script and Gu Corporation’s reputation.
• Ye Qing auditions using a modern method: he performs directly before a camera based on a scene prompt. His performance impresses Gu Ze, who is observing the auditions.
• Afterward, Ye Qing meets Gu Ze outside. They discuss his audition, his lack of popularity despite his acting ability, and his refusal to rely on his family’s influence. Gu Ze praises him, and the two go to lunch together after attracting attention while chatting.
• Several days later, Ye Qing is summoned to meet Producer Wang, who implies that Ye Qing must sexually “please” him in exchange for the role.
• Pretending to cooperate, Ye Qing suggests they drink. He gets Producer Wang intoxicated and tricks him into revealing that he had prepared knockout drugs in case Ye Qing resisted.
• Once Wang becomes drunk, Ye Qing turns the tables, insults him, takes away his phone, and refuses to submit to his demands.
• Wang suddenly attacks him with a wine bottle and summons several bodyguards, leaving Ye Qing facing an unexpected and dangerous confrontation.

Character Developments

• Ye Qing demonstrates strong acting ability, emotional composure, and practical intelligence. Though nervous initially, he performs well and impresses Gu Ze.
• Ye Qing remains independent and principled, explaining that he does not want to use his family’s influence to advance his career.
• His response to Producer Wang reveals that he is not naïve or helpless: he calmly gathers evidence and information while pretending to cooperate, then openly resists Wang’s abuse.
• Gu Ze becomes increasingly drawn to Ye Qing’s sincerity and liveliness. He is visibly embarrassed by Ye Qing’s genuine happiness at receiving his praise and develops an impulse to show physical affection, such as ruffling Ye Qing’s hair.
• Li Xiao continues to support Ye Qing professionally but notices that she feels excluded from the comfortable, emotionally close atmosphere between Ye Qing and Gu Ze.
• Producer Wang is exposed as manipulative, predatory, dishonest, and overconfident. He falsely claims influence over Gu Corporation and uses threats, coercion, and prepared drugs to exploit auditionees.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus industry corruption: Ye Qing’s acting ability earns recognition, but the entertainment industry still contains people who attempt to trade opportunities for sexual favors.
• Integrity and independence: Ye Qing refuses to depend on his family’s power or surrender his principles for fame.
• Deception as self-defense: He uses Wang’s assumptions and greed against him, pretending to cooperate in order to protect himself and uncover Wang’s intentions.
• Growing emotional intimacy: Ye Qing and Gu Ze’s friendship develops into a warm, subtly affectionate connection, contrasting with the exploitative behavior Ye Qing encounters elsewhere.
• Power and vulnerability: The audition system and Producer Wang’s lies show how easily inexperienced actors can be manipulated by people claiming authority.

Character Interactions

• Li Xiao reassures Ye Qing before his audition and encourages him to trust his abilities.
• Gu Ze praises Ye Qing’s performance and questions why someone so talented has not become popular. Their conversation reveals mutual comfort and growing affection.
• Li Xiao leaves when Ye Qing and Gu Ze become absorbed in conversation, sensing that she does not belong in their intimate dynamic.
• Producer Wang attempts to coerce Ye Qing sexually, but Ye Qing counters him through calculated politeness, alcohol, and questioning.
• The chapter ends with Wang’s attack and the arrival of bodyguards, creating a cliffhanger over whether Ye Qing can escape or defend himself.

Key plot points and events

• Producer Wang corners Ye Qing in a soundproof private room and pressures him to trade sexual favors for a role. When Ye Qing refuses, Wang orders four men to attack him.
• Ye Qing fights back and gradually overpowers all four men, though he is left with messy hair and two swollen spots on his cheeks.
• Gu Ze, meeting nearby to discuss the production’s cast, hears Ye Qing’s thoughts about the attack and rushes to find him. He kicks at the locked door until a server alerts the manager, who opens it.
• Gu Ze finds Ye Qing sitting over the battered Producer Wang. Ye Qing jokingly calls the assault a “friendly spar,” then complains to Gu Ze that he was bullied.
• Gu Ze comforts Ye Qing, confronts Wang, and makes clear that Wang’s abuse of his casting authority will have consequences.

Character developments

• Ye Qing shows confidence and fighting skill, standing up to coercion despite being outnumbered. He also uses mock innocence and exaggerated complaints for comic effect.
• Gu Ze reacts urgently when he realizes Ye Qing is in danger, revealing personal concern. He is protective and controlled, though he admits he acted recklessly by trying to break down the door.
• Producer Wang shifts from arrogant bully to frightened supplicant once Gu Ze arrives, regretting that he targeted someone connected to him.

Significant themes

• The chapter condemns sexual coercion and the misuse of professional power.
• It emphasizes courage and self-defense in the face of exploitation.
• Humor comes from the contrast between Ye Qing’s plaintive account and the unmistakable evidence that he decisively won the fight.
• Gu Ze’s intervention highlights loyalty and concern, while also showing how influence can hold powerful abusers accountable.

Character interactions

• Ye Qing refuses Wang’s proposition and fights the men Wang sends after him.
• Gu Ze hurries to Ye Qing’s aid, then comforts him with a gentle pat on the head.
• Ye Qing appeals to Gu Ze as “Brother Gu,” presenting himself as the victim even as the beaten men silently dispute his version.
• Gu Ze confronts Wang, who begs for forgiveness and fears losing his position and being blacklisted.

Key plot points and events

• After assaulting Ye Qing, the man is taken directly to the police station. Ye Qing has recorded the incident and provides ample evidence, so the case is resolved quickly.
• The officers reprimand Ye Qing for putting himself at risk and scold Gu Ze too, mistaking him for Ye Qing’s older brother. Ye Qing feels guilty that Gu Ze was included.
• Since Ye Qing doesn’t want to return home after sneaking out, Gu Ze offers him a place to stay. Ye Qing eagerly accepts, though he pretends to hesitate.
• At Gu Ze’s sparse, orderly home, Ye Qing showers and borrows new clothes. He privately wonders whether they smell like Gu Ze, while Gu Ze—able to hear his thoughts—becomes flustered.
• Gu Ze tends to Ye Qing’s facial injury. Their close proximity makes Gu Ze increasingly aware of Ye Qing’s looks, and his attention lingers on Ye Qing’s lips as the scene ends.

Character developments

• Ye Qing shows both boldness and innocence: he handles the assault pragmatically by going to the police, but feels embarrassed about Gu Ze being scolded and is bashful about staying in his home. His thoughts reveal a mischievous, flirtatious curiosity.
• Gu Ze recognizes that his industry has conditioned him to think of blacklisting rather than using the police. His concern for Ye Qing is evident in offering shelter and treating his wound; he also becomes more conscious of his attraction to him.

Significant themes

• Ordinary justice over industry influence: Ye Qing’s choice to involve the police challenges the entertainment world’s instinct to settle problems internally.
• Care and vulnerability: After the frightening incident, Gu Ze gives Ye Qing a safe place to rest and helps look after him.
• Unspoken attraction and comic contrast: Ye Qing’s candid inner thoughts and Gu Ze’s ability to hear them create humor while exposing their growing intimacy.

Character interactions

• Ye Qing and Gu Ze respond differently but complementarily to the assault: Ye Qing insists on the lawful route, while Gu Ze supports him and takes his safety seriously.
• At home, Gu Ze teases Ye Qing about his flattery, then quietly accommodates him with clothes and a place to stay.
• While treating Ye Qing’s injury, Gu Ze is gentle and attentive; Ye Qing trusts him enough to sit close and let him help.

Plot points

• While treating Ye Qing’s wounds, Gu Ze becomes distracted by his appearance and has unfamiliar, intimate thoughts about him. He quickly feels guilty, especially because he regards Ye Qing as a younger brother.
• Ye Qing asks Gu Ze to check his back, giving Gu Ze another moment of unwanted attraction before he focuses on treating the injuries.
• Gu Ze gently questions Ye Qing’s decision to confront the man alone. Ye Qing admits he had not planned for things going wrong, and Gu Ze advises him to keep an escape plan and ask for help.
• They play a video game together. Gu Ze learns quickly, then pretends to struggle so Ye Qing can enjoy teaching him. Ye Qing eventually falls asleep, and Gu Ze carries him upstairs.
• As Gu Ze carries him, the sleeping Ye Qing touches him and bites his chest.

Character development

• Gu Ze becomes increasingly aware of his attraction to Ye Qing, though he tries to suppress it and interprets it as inappropriate. He also shows care through gentle wound treatment and patient advice.
• Ye Qing is confident and pleased with his success, but gradually recognizes that his plan was risky. He accepts Gu Ze’s guidance and shows trust and ease around him.

Relationships and interactions

• Gu Ze and Ye Qing share a warm, familiar dynamic: Gu Ze acts protectively, while Ye Qing is comfortable asking for help and spending time with him.
• Gu Ze’s calm, respectful criticism contrasts with Ye Qing’s impulsiveness, and Ye Qing ultimately listens.
• Their closeness becomes increasingly charged through Gu Ze’s private thoughts and Ye Qing’s unconscious physical affection.

Themes

• Care and responsibility: Looking after someone means helping them recognize risks, not merely praising their success.
• Trust and protection: Ye Qing learns that independence should include planning for help when needed.
• Emerging attraction and denial: Gu Ze’s feelings conflict with his brotherly view of Ye Qing, while the final sleepy gesture adds romantic and comedic tension.

Plot points and events

• After a night of drunken sleepwalking, Ye Qing wakes while being carried to bed by Gu Ze. Embarrassed by his wandering hands and drooling on Gu Ze’s clothes, he pretends the next morning that he remembers nothing. Gu Ze lets him save face.
• Ye Qing hides his injuries before returning home, where his mother questions him about them but accepts his vague explanation. She tells him that a family friend and his wife will visit.
• The visitors, You Bo and Jiang You, turn out to have once pursued Ye Qing’s parents and still harbor feelings for them. At a later party, the couple scheme to get Ye Father and Ye Mother alone, spilling drinks on them as a pretext to send them upstairs.
• Ye Ci and Ye Chen seem prepared for trouble. A scream brings the guests upstairs, where they discover You Bo and Jiang You having sex. The couple’s son tries to clear the room, while the scandal unfolds; two people arrive and slap the pair, with one accusing You Bo of breaking a promise.

Character developments

• Ye Qing is embarrassed by his sleepwalking behavior and later becomes protective of his parents, despite finding the situation absurd.
• Gu Ze is patient and discreet, choosing not to expose Ye Qing’s feigned ignorance.
• Ye Ci and Ye Chen show quiet confidence that their parents are safe, suggesting they have anticipated or prepared for the visitors’ scheme.
• You Bo and Jiang You reveal that their apparent affection for each other masks unresolved feelings for Ye Qing’s parents—and that their plans are reckless and self-serving.

Character interactions

• Gu Ze carries Ye Qing to bed and tactfully allows him to deny remembering the night.
• Ye Qing’s mother gently questions him but respects his privacy.
• The Ye family endures the couple’s conspicuous displays of affection, then becomes wary of their matchmaking scheme.
• Ye Qing seeks reassurance from his brothers; Ye Ci and Ye Chen tell him not to worry, though they conceal what they know.

Significant themes

• Embarrassment and discretion: Gu Ze protects Ye Qing’s dignity, while Ye Qing tries to hide his injuries and sleepwalking antics.
• Family loyalty: Ye Qing and his brothers unite to protect their parents from unwanted romantic advances.
• Unresolved attachment and hypocrisy: You Bo and Jiang You pretend to be devoted to each other while plotting to pursue Ye Qing’s parents.
• Public image and farce: The party’s polite appearances collapse into an increasingly chaotic scandal.

Key plot points and events

• At a public gathering, Ye Qing realizes that the You Family’s two sons were each fathered by a different household employee: the younger son by You Bo and the nanny, and the older son by Jiang You and the driver.
• The babies were born on the same day. You Bo bribed a doctor to tell Jiang You she had twins, concealing the children’s true parentage. He mistakenly believed the older boy was his biological son and had planned to leave him the company.
• The nanny confronts You Bo, who admits their relationship was only a fling. She then claims the younger boy as her son, shocking Jiang You, who had raised him without knowing the truth. The driver, in turn, questions whether the older boy is his son.
• Jiang You decides to divorce You Bo and tells her older son he can come to her whenever he wishes.
• Before leaving, Jiang You publicly professes her love for Ye Sheng, Ye Qing’s father, provoking a tense moment. Ye Sheng firmly denies ever returning her feelings and reassures his wife, Ye Mother.

Character developments and interactions

• You Bo shifts from frantic damage control to anger when he realizes the older boy is not his son. He also dismisses the nanny cruelly and clashes with Jiang You.
• Jiang You moves from shock to composure. She acknowledges that she and You Bo were both unfaithful, mocks the driver for believing her promises, and chooses divorce rather than trying to preserve the marriage.
• The nanny and driver each try to claim the child they believe is theirs, exposing the tangled affairs and mistaken identities.
• Ye Sheng and Ye Mother face Jiang You’s public declaration. Ye Sheng anxiously insists he loves only his wife; Ye Mother’s laughter eases the tension.
• Ye Qing and the guests watch the scandal unfold, with the crowd responding in disbelief and fascination.

Significant themes

• Deception and its consequences: The switched understanding of the children’s parentage destroys trust and threatens You Bo’s plans for the family business.
• Affairs, parenthood, and identity: The revelations unsettle both the adults’ relationships and the children’s understanding of who their parents are.
• Public scandal and social judgment: The gathering turns private betrayals into entertainment for the guests.
• Choosing to leave: Jiang You treats divorce as a way to end a life she has already had enough of.