Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: The Odd Woman’s Godson

Key Plot Points and Events

• Aunt Lin pressures Bo Hanmo and Fang Yao’s family to help her godson, Cui Hao, using her supposed friendship with Fang Yao’s deceased mother as leverage.
• Bo Hanmo avoids confronting her directly, knowing his grandparents would defend Fang Yao and blame him if he caused trouble.
• Fang Yao’s Gossip System reveals Aunt Lin’s disturbing history:
  • She had two biological children with her ex-husband but neglected them completely.
  • She lavished affection, money, and attention on Cui Hao, her godson, while treating her own children cruelly.
  • Her children developed severe psychological problems and eventually rejected her.
  • Her ex-husband divorced her and ensured she could not rely on the children for support in old age.
• Aunt Lin’s neglect stemmed from her belief that pregnancy had ruined her appearance and figure. She resented her own children for the physical changes they caused.
• The reason for her obsession with Cui Hao is revealed: she had once been in love with Cui Hao’s father, her “white moonlight.”
• After learning that Cui Hao’s father had married someone else, Aunt Lin married another man but remained emotionally attached to her former love.
• Years later, Cui Hao came to her city. After learning that his father had died and seeing how much Cui Hao resembled him, Aunt Lin forcibly made herself his godmother.
• She did not attend the father’s funeral or maintain a genuine friendship with Cui Hao’s mother, making her current appeal to Fang Yao’s family appear manipulative.
• Aunt Lin has used her wealth and connections to secure Cui Hao a job and support his plans to start a business.
• Cui Hao’s mother remains unaware of his corrupt behavior and believes he is an intelligent, hardworking son. She even hopes to arrange his marriage to the neighbor’s daughter, who apparently knows his true nature and wants to escape the situation.

Character Developments

• Fang Yao: Demonstrates her sharp wit and continues uncovering hidden scandals through the Gossip System. Her sarcastic inner commentary exposes the absurdity of Aunt Lin’s actions.
• Bo Hanmo: Recognizes that Aunt Lin’s story contains more than simple favoritism and becomes increasingly suspicious of her relationship with Cui Hao.
• Bo Zhe and Bo Miao: Learn that Aunt Lin exploited their deceased mother’s name. Bo Zhe becomes furious, while Bo Miao feels sympathy for Cui Hao’s innocent mother and envy toward people who still have their mothers.
• Aunt Lin: Is revealed as selfish, appearance-obsessed, emotionally distorted, and fixated on an old romantic obsession. She values Cui Hao because he resembles the man she once loved, not because of any genuine maternal instinct.
• Cui Hao: Is exposed as morally corrupt and dependent on Aunt Lin’s influence, despite his mother believing him to be capable and respectable.
• Cui Hao’s mother: Appears loving and trusting but is tragically unaware of her son’s true character or Aunt Lin’s ulterior motives.

Significant Themes

• Misguided “white moonlight” obsession: Aunt Lin transfers her unresolved love for Cui Hao’s father onto his son, blurring affection, possessiveness, and emotional delusion.
• Parental neglect and misplaced affection: The chapter contrasts Aunt Lin’s cruelty toward her own children with her extreme devotion to a non-biological godson.
• Manipulation through the dead: Aunt Lin invokes Fang Yao’s deceased mother to create a false sense of obligation and exploit the family’s grief.
• Appearance and selfishness: Aunt Lin’s resentment toward her children is rooted in her belief that motherhood damaged her beauty, emphasizing her extreme self-centeredness.
• Hidden corruption behind respectability: Cui Hao appears successful and promising to his mother, but his achievements are supported by connections and conceal serious moral flaws.
• The unreliability of appearances: A loving mother may raise a bad son, while a supposed family friend may be a manipulative stranger.

Character Interactions

• Aunt Lin attempts to pressure Bo Hanmo into helping Cui Hao, but he cleverly refuses to take responsibility for the decision.
• Fang Yao’s unspoken thoughts reveal Aunt Lin’s history to Bo Zhe, Bo Miao, Bo Hanmo, and the others.
• Bo Zhe and Bo Miao become angry when they realize Aunt Lin is exploiting their dead mother’s identity, though they restrain themselves to hear the full truth.
• The group reacts with disgust to Aunt Lin’s treatment of her children and her obsession with Cui Hao’s father.
• Fang Yao’s revelations also expose the danger facing Cui Hao’s unsuspecting mother and the neighbor’s daughter, who is being considered as Cui Hao’s potential wife.

Plot points and events

• Aunt Lin demands that Bo Hanmo’s company hire her godson, Cui Hao, using her past relationship with Bo Hanmo’s late mother as leverage.
• Bo Miao and the others insist Cui Hao should apply and meet the company’s normal hiring standards. Aunt Lin rejects this, claiming he should not have to start at the bottom.
• Rather than accept their refusal, Aunt Lin calls Cui Hao and tells him to come for a direct interview, forcing everyone to wait.
• Fang Yao loses patience when Aunt Lin orders Bo Hanmo to fetch Cui Hao. She smashes the office table with her fist; Aunt Lin panics, falls, and faints just before Fang Yao can reach her.
• Cui Hao arrives, sees people gathered around his godmother, and immediately accuses them of harming her. He also notices Fang Yao and is attracted to her.

Character developments

• Aunt Lin is shown to be entitled and persistent, expecting special treatment for Cui Hao and invoking Bo Hanmo’s mother despite their history of rivalry.
• Bo Miao pushes back against Aunt Lin’s claims, pointing out that Bo Hanmo’s mother refused even to help someone seeking a job for their own son.
• Fang Yao grows increasingly irritated by Aunt Lin’s demands and responds with a show of strength, though she stops short of touching her.
• Bo Hanmo tries to keep Fang Yao calm, framing the confrontation as entertainment rather than explaining why he is tolerating Aunt Lin.
• Cui Hao enters the story as the presumed beneficiary of Aunt Lin’s scheme; his first reaction is to defend her, while his attention quickly shifts to Fang Yao.

Character interactions

• Aunt Lin argues with Bo Miao, Yang Qi, and Fang Yao over whether Cui Hao should bypass the hiring process.
• Lu You advises Aunt Lin to leave and have Cui Hao prepare a résumé, but she instead summons him.
• Bo Hanmo gently restrains Fang Yao and tries to placate her; she suspects Aunt Lin may have leverage over him.
• After Aunt Lin faints, Bo Zhe and the others check whether she is pretending.
• Cui Hao arrives and confronts the group over his godmother, but they ignore him.

Significant themes

• Merit versus nepotism: The group insists that even a prestigious company must judge applicants by their qualifications.
• Entitlement and social pressure: Aunt Lin treats old family ties as a right to special favors and refuses to accept clear boundaries.
• Unspoken history: The narration reveals that Aunt Lin and Bo Hanmo’s mother were rivals, complicating Aunt Lin’s claim of closeness.
• Comic power reversal: Aunt Lin’s forceful demands collapse when Fang Yao’s display of strength frightens her into fainting.

Plot points and events

• Cui Hao’s godmother faints while trying to secure him a job at Bo Group. Cui Hao insists the others help her, then tries to charm Fang Yao and provoke Bo Zhe into hitting him—hoping the incident will help him get hired.
• Bo Zhe takes the bait and moves to strike. Fang Yao stops him, then reprimands him for acting impulsively and nearly falling into Cui Hao’s obvious scheme.
• Bo Hanmo calms the situation and persuades Fang Yao to let Bo Zhe go. Bo Zhe escapes, but keeps complaining and ends up being teased by the others.

Character developments and interactions

• Cui Hao comes across as calculating: he uses flattery and feigned vulnerability to manipulate the group, especially Bo Zhe.
• Fang Yao demonstrates sharp judgment and authority. She sees through Cui Hao’s ploy, restrains Bo Zhe, and scolds him while defending her own right to handle the situation.
• Bo Zhe is protective of Fang Yao but impulsive and easily provoked. He misreads her intervention as favoring Cui Hao until Yang Qi explains the trap.
• Bo Hanmo supports Fang Yao and gently reins in Bo Zhe.
• Yang Qi, Bo Miao, Shao Ya, and Lu You join in the teasing, making Bo Zhe the comic target after the confrontation.

Significant themes

• Manipulation versus discernment: Cui Hao tries to exploit appearances and others’ reactions, but Fang Yao recognizes his strategy.
• Impulsiveness and self-control: Bo Zhe’s willingness to react physically nearly serves Cui Hao’s purpose.
• Loyalty expressed through teasing: The group’s scolding and jokes reveal familiar, affectionate relationships beneath the chaos.

Plot points and events

• Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo reveal that they saw through Cui Hao’s attempt to manipulate the situation. Cui Hao realizes Fang Yao is not merely Bo Zhe’s partner but Bo Hanmo’s wife.
• Assistant Fang separates Lu You and Bo Zhe, then orders them to sit quietly at Fang Yao’s request.
• Cui Hao helps his unconscious godmother, Aunt Lin, recover. Their conspicuously affectionate exchange prompts Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo to wonder whether they are really only godmother and godson.
• Fang Yao’s intimidating display with a cucumber frightens Aunt Lin into silence. Cui Hao mistakes her fear for concern about his job and performs a show of self-sacrifice, hoping to win sympathy—and privately imagining that Fang Yao has become attracted to him.
• Aunt Lin argues that Cui Hao should be given a job at the Bo Group because she is supposedly a close friend of Bo Hanmo’s mother. She even claims the company is “their” family business. Fang Yao kicks her and Cui Hao aside.
• Aunt Lin persists, eventually lowering her demand from a manager’s position to any job at the company. Bo Hanmo initially appears to refuse, but Fang Yao unexpectedly agrees to let Cui Hao complete onboarding, stunning everyone.

Character developments

• Fang Yao is perceptive, confident, and comically forceful. She recognizes Cui Hao’s manipulation, mocks his entitlement, and ultimately makes the surprising decision to let him join the company.
• Bo Hanmo remains composed and supports Fang Yao, even wiping her hands after she handles the cucumber. His dry exchanges with Assistant Fang show their familiarity.
• Cui Hao is calculating and self-important. He uses his relationship with Aunt Lin to pursue a job, misreads Fang Yao’s look of admiration, and imagines she might become his lover.
• Aunt Lin is entitled and overconfident in her supposed influence over Bo Hanmo, but Fang Yao’s intimidation quickly makes her fearful. She nevertheless keeps advocating for Cui Hao.
• Assistant Fang maintains a cheerful, teasing manner while helping control the unruly visitors.

Significant themes

• Entitlement and nepotism: Aunt Lin and Cui Hao treat a position at the Bo Group as something owed to them through personal connections.
• Manipulation and self-interest: Cui Hao disguises ambition as concern for his godmother and interprets others’ behavior to suit his hopes.
• Power and mistaken assumptions: Cui Hao underestimates Fang Yao because of her background, while her insight and authority overturn his expectations.
• Comedy through contrast: The characters’ grand claims and romantic fantasies clash with Fang Yao’s blunt, physical responses and Bo Hanmo’s deadpan humor.

Character interactions

• Fang Yao confronts Cui Hao’s scheming and uses humor and intimidation to keep Aunt Lin in check.
• Aunt Lin repeatedly appeals to Bo Hanmo’s family connections, while Cui Hao encourages her to secure him a job.
• Bo Hanmo quietly backs Fang Yao, and Assistant Fang jokes with him about whether the company has been taken over.
• Fang Yao’s final approval of Cui Hao’s hiring reverses the group’s expectations and leaves the others bewildered.

Plot points and events

• Aunt Lin arranges for her godson, Cui Hao, to join Bo Hanmo’s company and expects Fang Yao to secure him a good position and salary.
• Fang Yao reveals that she suspects Cui Hao is a spy and has deliberately let him into the company as part of a plan to catch him. Bo Hanmo understands her intention, while the younger relatives worry that she will be scolded.
• Cui Hao acts humble with Aunt Lin, implying that he would never ask for a management job, but privately hopes Fang Yao will persuade Bo Hanmo to promote him. Aunt Lin promises to appeal to Fang Yao.
• Assistant Fang handles Cui Hao’s onboarding. Fang Yao privately gives him instructions, and he agrees to keep a close eye on Cui Hao.
• At work, Cui Hao is treated as an important relative because employees assume he has powerful connections. Some colleagues take on his workload and defend him, while others resent the favoritism. Cui Hao offers to treat everyone to dinner, but Xiao Zhang declines because he has another job. Cui Hao watches him with a calculating expression.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Yao is confident and strategic, presenting Cui Hao’s hiring as a way to draw out his intentions. She directs Assistant Fang’s response and keeps her plan secret from the others.
• Bo Hanmo remains calm and perceptive, recognizing Fang Yao’s scheme without needing an explanation.
• Cui Hao maintains a modest, grateful public image while privately showing ambition and resentment. He hopes to gain influence, and his attention to Xiao Zhang hints at further calculation.
• Aunt Lin is protective of Cui Hao and convinced she can use her influence to advance him.
• Assistant Fang follows Fang Yao’s plan and shares her suspicion of Cui Hao.
• The office staff split between those eager to curry favor with Cui Hao and those frustrated by the special treatment; Xiao Zhang stands apart from the group.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus motives: Cui Hao’s humility masks ambition, while Fang Yao’s apparent accommodation is part of a trap.
• Power and favoritism: Employees assume Cui Hao’s connections make him untouchable, shaping how they treat him.
• Strategic patience and surveillance: Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo allow Cui Hao into the company so his intentions can be observed.

Plot points and events

• Cui Hao continues enjoying special treatment at work, where coworkers flatter him because of his supposed wealth and connection to the boss. Assistant Fang shares videos of this with Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo.
• Fang Yao tells the office to keep pretending for a few more days, expecting Cui Hao to make his move. She also asks Assistant Fang to leave the office door open.
• The secretaries are fed up with their assigned role in flattering Cui Hao and posting insincere messages. They take advantage of Bo Hanmo’s good mood—attributed to Fang Yao—to get documents approved.
• Cui Hao complains to his godmother, Aunt Lin, who promises to secure him a promotion. She visits Fang Yao and argues that Cui Hao’s abilities and honors make starting as an ordinary employee a waste.
• When Aunt Lin insults Fang Yao’s education and presumes to dictate the promotion, Fang Yao loses her temper, punches her, and angrily challenges her contempt for Fang Yao’s background and her attempt to use her late mother-in-law to gain leverage.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Yao remains committed to letting events unfold before intervening in Cui Hao’s workplace situation, but her patience with Aunt Lin runs out. She shifts from controlled restraint to open physical confrontation.
• Bo Hanmo follows Fang Yao’s plan and is shown to be in a good mood, which the staff connect to his wife.
• Assistant Fang is burdened by the charade and the secretaries’ complaints, but advises them to endure it and stay alert.
• The secretaries feel guilty and exhausted from pretending to admire Cui Hao, though they continue playing along and exploit Bo Hanmo’s good mood to get work approved.
• Cui Hao remains dependent on flattery and Aunt Lin’s influence rather than earning advancement himself.
• Aunt Lin is convinced that Cui Hao deserves a promotion and that her intervention is helpful. Her condescension toward Fang Yao triggers the chapter’s confrontation.

Significant themes

• Merit versus entitlement: Fang Yao insists that Cui Hao should earn a promotion through work rather than family connections.
• Class prejudice and dignity: Aunt Lin’s disdain for Fang Yao’s education and rural background provokes Fang Yao’s defense of her worth.
• Manipulation and performance: Cui Hao’s workplace praise is staged, and the staff resent having to act against their true opinions.
• Loyalty and misplaced favoritism: Aunt Lin’s devotion to her godson leads her to pressure Fang Yao and excuse his lack of earned progress.

Key plot points and events

• Fang Yao suddenly beats Aunt Lin, while the household staff watch and worry more about Fang Yao’s bruised knuckles than Aunt Lin’s injuries. They even bring Fang Yao her drinks, which she reclaims.
• Aunt Lin threatens to have Fang Yao arrested. Fang Yao challenges her to produce proof, and Steward Liu and the servants falsely claim Aunt Lin fell into a drain or that they saw nothing.
• Fang Yao questions Aunt Lin’s loyalty to her own family, pointing out that she neglected her husband and child while doting on someone else’s child.
• Aunt Lin warns that Bo Hanmo will eventually tire of Fang Yao and offers a valuable necklace if Fang Yao will help her godson, Cui Hao, advance his career.
• Fang Yao rejects the necklace, which she suspects is contaminated with urine. A system check reveals that Cui Hao once tricked Aunt Lin into leaving the necklace behind while she used his bathroom—though the chapter ends before explaining exactly what happened to it.

Character developments

• Fang Yao is shown as physically bold, sharp-tongued, confident, and difficult to intimidate. She claims she can leave Bo Hanmo if she chooses and doesn’t need Aunt Lin’s help or money.
• Aunt Lin is injured but remains defiant and manipulative. She tries to use threats, predictions about Fang Yao’s relationship, and a lavish bribe to influence her.
• The servants, especially Steward Liu and Xiao Fen, reveal their loyalty to Fang Yao by covering for her and openly disregarding Aunt Lin’s complaints.
• Cui Hao is indirectly portrayed as duplicitous through Fang Yao’s system discovery, complicating Aunt Lin’s idealized view of him.

Significant themes

• Power and loyalty: The servants’ allegiance has shifted toward Fang Yao, leaving Aunt Lin isolated.
• Independence and self-worth: Fang Yao rejects the idea that her future depends on Bo Hanmo or on securing an ally.
• Hypocrisy and family responsibility: Fang Yao challenges Aunt Lin’s neglect of her own family in favor of her godson.
• Comedy amid conflict: Fang Yao’s casual demands for drinks and blunt disgust at the necklace undercut Aunt Lin’s threats and attempted bribery.

Character interactions

• Fang Yao dominates her confrontation with Aunt Lin, mocking her threats and rejecting her advice about Bo Hanmo.
• The servants back Fang Yao with shamelessly implausible denials, while treating Aunt Lin’s injuries as unimportant.
• Aunt Lin attempts to turn the conflict into a bargain by offering the necklace for help with Cui Hao; Fang Yao refuses and hints that Aunt Lin should inspect it.

Plot

• Cui Hao secretly swaps Aunt Lin’s valuable necklace for a fake, hides the real one in a sofa, and puts croton powder in Aunt Lin’s tea to make her leave. A neighbor’s daughter witnesses the theft and overhears his plan.
• The neighbor’s daughter tries to warn Aunt Lin, but afterward keeps her distance from Cui Hao. His mother notices the change; Cui Hao, preoccupied with making money, barely responds.
• The fake necklace is an especially disgusting imitation: Cui Hao discovers that a necklace soaked in urine looks more like the real one, then washes it repeatedly to reduce the smell.
• Fang Yao bluntly tells Aunt Lin the necklace may be fake and stinkingly directs her to get it appraised. She then shows Aunt Lin a video revealing that Cui Hao has been arrested. Aunt Lin accuses Fang Yao and the others of setting him up, then demands that Fang Yao accompany her to the police station.
• Fang Yao and her coworkers take Aunt Lin along, though their chaotic crowding and banter make the trip more comic than orderly.
• Meanwhile, at the company, Cui Hao pretends to have a sudden stomachache and slips away while everyone is busy.

Character developments

• Cui Hao is shown to be calculating and deceitful, willing to steal from his godmother and frame servants, while remaining oblivious to the social consequences of his actions.
• The neighbor’s daughter shifts from admiring and pursuing Cui Hao to avoiding him after witnessing his crime.
• Aunt Lin remains defensive and proud, dismissing Fang Yao’s warning and insisting the accusation against Cui Hao is a setup.
• Fang Yao is blunt, confident, and unimpressed by Aunt Lin’s demands; she handles the confrontation with dry humor.
• Fang Yao’s coworkers eagerly join her, despite her mocking them as rookies, revealing their camaraderie and comic lack of coordination.

Themes and interactions

• The chapter centers on deception, greed, and betrayal, contrasting Cui Hao’s schemes with the neighbor’s daughter’s attempt to protect Aunt Lin.
• Appearance versus reality drives the necklace plot: the fake is made to resemble the real one through a revolting method, while Aunt Lin refuses to believe it is counterfeit.
• Comic disgust and group banter soften the theft-and-arrest plot. Fang Yao’s confrontations with Aunt Lin and teasing exchanges with her coworkers provide much of the humor.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Cui Hao sneaks into Bo Hanmo’s office to photograph confidential company files and sell them to a female buyer.
• He confidently calls the buyer, negotiates payment, and begins photographing the documents.
• Bo Hanmo, Assistant Fang, and police officers suddenly appear, revealing that Cui Hao has been caught.
• Cui Hao attempts to lie, claiming he only came to retrieve a document he had written and correct a mistake.
• Assistant Fang shows surveillance footage of Cui Hao taking photographs, but the footage does not clearly show what he was photographing. The police therefore say it is insufficient evidence.
• Cui Hao becomes smug and believes he has escaped punishment.
• Bo Hanmo points out that Cui Hao admitted on camera to photographing and selling the files. He suggests checking Cui Hao’s phone for the sent documents and payment confirmation.
• Cui Hao willingly hands over his phone, but it contains no relevant files or messages—only photographs of himself. The evidence has apparently been erased or concealed.
• Cui Hao then pretends to be hurt and innocent, claiming Bo Hanmo and Assistant Fang are unfairly targeting him. He threatens to resign, causing the police to view him sympathetically and suspect Bo Hanmo of abusing his power.

Character developments

• Cui Hao is shown to be deceitful, opportunistic, and bold. He initially feels triumphant and believes his plan is foolproof, but briefly panics when confronted. His quick thinking allows him to exploit the lack of direct evidence and present himself as the victim.
• Bo Hanmo remains calm and controlled throughout the confrontation. Rather than arguing with Cui Hao, he relies on surveillance, the police, and logical deductions. His restraint contrasts with Cui Hao’s theatrical behavior.
• Assistant Fang is loyal to Bo Hanmo and openly hostile toward Cui Hao. He is confident that the evidence will expose Cui Hao, but becomes frustrated when the footage and phone search fail to prove the crime.
• The police officers act professionally but are misled by the incomplete evidence and Cui Hao’s performance. They gradually begin to sympathize with Cui Hao and distrust Bo Hanmo.
• Cui Hao’s mention of his godmother’s influence highlights that he obtained his position through connections rather than merit.

Significant themes

• Deception and performance: Cui Hao treats the confrontation like an act, changing from confidence to fear to indignation in order to manipulate those around him.
• Appearance versus reality: Although Cui Hao is guilty, the available evidence makes him appear innocent, while Bo Hanmo and Assistant Fang risk looking like bullies.
• The limits of evidence and justice: Suspicion alone is not enough; without proof of what Cui Hao photographed or sent, the police cannot act.
• Power, connections, and victim-playing: Cui Hao relies on his godmother’s status and uses the social perception of powerful employers to portray himself as an oppressed employee.
• Composure versus panic: Bo Hanmo’s calm strategy contrasts with Cui Hao’s frantic but effective improvisation.

Character interactions

• Cui Hao speaks to the unseen buyer in a transactional, aggressive manner, revealing his greed and willingness to betray the company.
• Bo Hanmo and Assistant Fang confront him together, but Cui Hao tries to divide their authority by presenting himself as a harmless employee.
• Assistant Fang openly challenges Cui Hao’s excuses and attempts to use the surveillance footage against him.
• Bo Hanmo delivers the most important counterattack by focusing on Cui Hao’s recorded phone conversation rather than the ambiguous footage.
• Cui Hao turns the situation around by surrendering his phone, acting wounded, and accusing Bo Hanmo and Assistant Fang of mistreating him, leaving the chapter with his apparent escape still unresolved.

Plot points and events

• Bo Hanmo proves Cui Hao’s phone is his by unlocking it, confirming the evidence against him.
• Assistant Fang taunts Cui Hao over his attempts to exploit his godmother, invoke the late Old Madam, and pressure Bo Hanmo’s wife for a promotion.
• While gloating, Assistant Fang reveals that Cui Hao’s coworkers were only pretending to cooperate with him. Bo Hanmo and his wife had arranged for a department to play along while gathering evidence.
• The employees had documented Cui Hao’s gifts, meals, and requests for help in a group chat, treating them as evidence rather than accepting bribes. Seeing the messages devastates Cui Hao, who spits blood.
• Police take Cui Hao away. Auntie Lin tries to flee after seeing her godson in a video, but Fang Yao knocks her unconscious.

Character developments and interactions

• Bo Hanmo remains composed and in control, using the phone evidence and a carefully planned sting to expose Cui Hao.
• Assistant Fang shifts from frustrated subordinate to triumphant interrogator. His gleeful taunting reveals the extent of the trap, and the police are impressed enough to consider recruiting him.
• Cui Hao goes from confident that his connections and hidden backup will save him to panicked and crushed when he learns his coworkers were reporting on him all along.
• The coworkers show loyalty to the company and willingness to help expose wrongdoing; they cooperate with Cui Hao only as part of the plan.
• Auntie Lin attempts to escape rather than face the consequences, but Fang Yao stops her decisively.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and integrity: Cui Hao misjudges his coworkers, who value their stable, lawful lives over his favors.
• Overconfidence and deception: His belief that he has allies and a backup plan collapses under the evidence.
• Teamwork and strategy: Bo Hanmo, his wife, Assistant Fang, and the employees coordinate to expose him.
• Comic justice: Assistant Fang’s extravagant gloating and Cui Hao’s repeated blood-spitting turn the takedown into farce.

Chapter Summary

Plot and Key Events

• Fang Yao accidentally knocks out Mrs. Lin during a confrontation, revealing her increasingly powerful—and difficult to control—physical strength.
• Cui Hao is detained for helping plot against Bo Hanmo’s company. Rather than contacting his mother, he has the police call his godmother, Mrs. Lin, to bail him out.
• Fang Yao, Bo Hanmo, and Bo Zhe arrive at the police station. Bo Hanmo claims he came because his wife wanted to come, amusingly disappointing Assistant Fang, who had assumed Bo was worried about him.
• Bo Zhe reveals that the badly beaten “beggar” in the car is actually Mrs. Lin. Assistant Fang is shocked, then enthusiastically praises Fang Yao for beating someone he already disliked.
• Bo Hanmo explains that Cui Hao did not obtain a genuinely confidential document, so the legal consequences will be limited, though a case can still be filed. Fang Yao believes the incident serves as a warning and realizes the person behind the scheme is deliberately exposing themselves.
• At the station, Cui Hao begs Mrs. Lin to save him and hide the matter from his mother. Before she can help, Cui’s mother appears and reveals that she already knows everything.
• Cui’s mother angrily slaps and condemns him for his vicious actions, refusing to excuse him simply because the family has gone bankrupt. Cui begs Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo not to press charges, but they refuse to intervene and leave after giving their statements.

Character Development

• Fang Yao: Demonstrates greater strength and a violent reflex she may no longer fully control. She remains decisive and refuses to forgive Cui Hao, especially after learning he tried to ruin her family.
• Bo Hanmo: Continues to protect and support Fang Yao, restraining her when she nearly attacks someone again. His dry, possessive humor is evident in his interactions with Assistant Fang.
• Assistant Fang: Provides comic relief through his exaggerated loyalty, jealousy, and admiration of Fang Yao. His hatred of Mrs. Lin makes him delighted by her beating.
• Bo Zhe: Acts mischievously and bluntly exposes Mrs. Lin’s identity, showing his willingness to provoke others for amusement.
• Cui Hao: Reveals himself as selfish, cowardly, and lacking remorse. His main concern is avoiding prison and preserving his future, not the people harmed by his scheme.
• Cui’s mother: Emerges as morally responsible and stern. Although she initially comes to help her son, she condemns him once she learns the truth and insists that he face the consequences.
• Mrs. Lin: Despite being injured, remains focused on protecting Cui Hao. Her hatred toward Cui’s mother is also made clear.

Significant Themes

• Consequences and accountability: Cui Hao’s mother insists that deliberate wrongdoing must be punished, regardless of his family’s financial problems or future ambitions.
• Selfishness versus responsibility: Cui Hao expects others to rescue him while refusing to acknowledge the damage he caused.
• Justice and retribution: Fang Yao’s retaliation and the legal case serve as warnings against those plotting in secret.
• Family and moral judgment: Cui’s mother chooses moral responsibility over blind maternal protection.
• Comedy amid conflict: Jealousy, exaggerated reactions, and Assistant Fang’s absurd loyalty lighten the otherwise serious confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Bo Hanmo and Fang Yao share a protective, teasing relationship, with Bo preventing Fang Yao from escalating the confrontation.
• Assistant Fang humorously misreads Bo Hanmo’s motives, then eagerly praises Fang Yao and fantasizes about further punishing Mrs. Lin.
• Bo Zhe openly antagonizes Assistant Fang while revealing Mrs. Lin’s identity.
• Cui Hao repeatedly begs Mrs. Lin and his mother for protection, while both women react differently: Mrs. Lin promises to save him, but his mother condemns him.
• Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo silently reject Cui Hao’s plea for mercy, allowing the legal consequences to proceed.

Key plot points and events

• Fang Yao hears through the Gossip System that Cui Hao was imprisoned for three years, while Aunt Lin was sent overseas and barred from returning. Mrs. Cui apologizes and repays the money on her son’s behalf.
• Back at the training ground, Fang Yao punches for nearly two hours but becomes more energetic rather than tired. The others notice her strength has increased; she eventually punches straight through a wall.
• The group jokes and argues over their hunger for Fang Yao’s gossip. Gong Yong tries to confront her, but Yang Qi stops him and exposes that Gong Yong mainly wants gossip; Gong Yong then hits Yang Qi, who had also been angling for it.
• Fang Yao suspects her unusual energy and physical changes may be connected to her growing feelings for Bo Hanmo. She becomes flustered watching him and tries to peek at him showering, unaware that he can hear her thoughts.
• Both are increasingly conscious of each other. Bo Hanmo becomes so distracted imagining Fang Yao in the shower that he gets a nosebleed. That night, Fang Yao reaches for him, and the two share an intimate moment.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Yao shifts from bafflement at her heightened strength to recognizing—and awkwardly accepting—her attraction to Bo Hanmo. Her bold curiosity contrasts with her bashfulness.
• Bo Hanmo quietly enjoys hearing Fang Yao’s thoughts, but her desire catches him off guard and stirs his own longing. He responds to her advance, and their relationship becomes more intimate.
• Gong Yong and Yang Qi continue their comic rivalry over gossip: Yang Qi prevents Gong Yong from challenging Fang Yao, then gets punched for teasing him.
• The training group reacts with a mix of disbelief, envy, and humor to Fang Yao’s growing strength.

Significant themes

• Romance and mutual attraction: Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo move from unspoken fascination toward physical intimacy.
• Comedy through gossip and inner thoughts: Fang Yao’s private thoughts—and Bo Hanmo’s ability to hear them—create much of the chapter’s humor.
• Unexpected personal change: Fang Yao’s increased strength and unfamiliar romantic feelings suggest that something about her is changing.

Key events

• Fang Yao vents her frustration over her aching body by smashing a coffee table, blaming Bo Hanmo.
• Bo Hanmo is unusually cheerful at work and leaves before noon, telling Assistant Fang to deal with anything tomorrow. Assistant Fang discovers the meetings were still scheduled for the afternoon and assumes the boss’s good mood means his marriage is progressing. He excitedly imagines a future “little boss.”
• Back at home, Bo Hanmo finds the house quiet. Fang Yao denies beating his brother, Bo Zhe—then immediately gives herself away. Bo Hanmo laughs at her audacity, while the household staff silently recognize the confession.
• At the hospital, Bo Zhe is recovering while Yang Qi and his friends chat about going out. Xi Meng promises to treat the group next month after Bo Miao calls her out for freeloading. Gong Yong proposes a boxing-gym visit so he can improve his strength.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Yao remains blunt and physically formidable; after yesterday’s events, her hearing has become extraordinarily sharp. She is also careful not to use too much strength around Bo Hanmo.
• Bo Hanmo is in high spirits and openly amused by Fang Yao, showing affection rather than anger over her assault on Bo Zhe.
• Assistant Fang turns the boss’s unexplained happiness into a hopeful theory: Bo Hanmo has won Fang Yao over, and they may soon have a child.
• Bo Zhe is left in hospital, while his friends tease one another and plan an outing. Gong Yong’s suggestion reflects his desire to become strong enough to live more freely.

Significant themes

• Romantic optimism and family expectations: Assistant Fang interprets Bo Hanmo’s happiness as a sign of marital progress and eagerly imagines a child.
• Comedy through contrast: Fang Yao’s fearsome strength clashes with her casual denials, while the staff and Assistant Fang react with exaggerated alarm or excitement.
• Strength and freedom: Gong Yong hopes training will help him keep up with friends and avoid being intimidated by Fang Yao.

Key events

• In the hospital, Bo Zhe complains that his friends are going out while he is stuck recovering. They reject his attempt to blame them for his hospitalization.
• Fang Yao arrives with Bo Hanmo. Bo Zhe falls off the bed when he sees her, then hastily claims he was only criticizing his friends and promises to return to training once he recovers.
• Fang Yao takes out her irritation by beating Bo Zhe and the others. Bo Hanmo catches and supports her but does not stop her; afterward, the two sit outside the ward chatting while medical staff treat the group.
• Doctors find only superficial injuries. One gently warns Bo Zhe to avoid upsetting the Young Madam, but Bo Zhe dismisses him and threatens his job for being nosy.

Character developments and interactions

• Bo Zhe is melodramatic and self-pitying, then turns on his friends to win Fang Yao’s favor. His friends refuse to rescue him or defend him.
• Fang Yao is playful and affectionate with Bo Hanmo but also fiercely volatile, treating the group as “punching bags” for stress. She jokingly considers whether she may have injured them seriously.
• Bo Hanmo is devoted to Fang Yao and amused by her behavior, though her aggression leaves him privately wary.
• The friends’ banter and collective abandonment of Bo Zhe reinforce their close, teasing dynamic. The medical staff are shocked by the violence and by Bo Hanmo’s apparent acceptance of it.

Significant themes

• Comic loyalty and betrayal: Bo Zhe pleads for sympathy, but his friends prioritize their freedom and refuse to take responsibility for him.
• Power and intimidation: Fang Yao’s forceful personality dominates the ward, while Bo Zhe and even the staff try to avoid provoking her.
• Affection amid chaos: Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo’s intimate, lighthearted exchange contrasts with the battered patients and the staff’s alarm.

Plot points and events

• Bo Zhe remains in the hospital longer than necessary because of his friends, though he is glad to be excused from training.
• Lu You spots Yang Qi’s cousin, Yang Aotian, meeting Chen Qing. The group secretly records the conversation.
• Chen Qing and Yang Aotian reveal that they are lovers and are plotting against Bo Hanmo. They believe Bo Hanmo’s recent distraction with Fang Yao has made him neglect work, giving Yang Aotian an opportunity.
• Chen Qing dismisses her former image as Bo Hanmo’s devoted admirer, shocking the eavesdroppers—especially Bo Miao, who had hoped Chen Qing would become her sister-in-law.
• Bo Zhe decides the recording could serve as evidence against Chen Qing. Yang Qi also texts someone after realizing his family may not know Yang Aotian’s real character.
• The couple discuss meeting privately at a nearby hotel, taking care to conceal their relationship because their plan has not yet succeeded.

Character developments

• Chen Qing is exposed as an ambitious deceiver rather than a sincere admirer of Bo Hanmo. She is openly contemptuous of him and focused on the scheme.
• Yang Aotian is revealed as Chen Qing’s lover and co-conspirator. Though calculating about his plans, he is affectionate and possessive toward her.
• Bo Miao is deeply humiliated and angry after realizing Chen Qing had manipulated her.
• Bo Zhe shifts from anger to practical resolve, preserving evidence rather than confronting the couple immediately.
• Yang Qi begins to reassess Yang Aotian, whom he had apparently underestimated.

Significant themes

• Deception and false appearances: Chen Qing’s carefully maintained image of devotion is revealed as a performance.
• Scheming and family power: Yang Aotian’s hidden relationship and plans suggest a broader struggle around Bo Hanmo and the company.
• Trust and betrayal: Bo Miao’s faith in Chen Qing leaves her feeling personally betrayed.
• Gossip as discovery: The friends’ nosiness unexpectedly uncovers information that may help expose the plot.

Character interactions

• The friends tease one another while secretly spying, but their amusement turns to shock as the conversation grows serious.
• Yang Aotian openly indulges Chen Qing, who responds with affection while warning him to keep their relationship hidden.
• Bo Miao’s friends react to her distress and recognize how thoroughly Chen Qing deceived her.
• The eavesdroppers coordinate silently: Bo Zhe records evidence, while Yang Qi sends a message after hearing the revelations.

Plot points and events

• Chen Qing and Yang Aotian spend hours inside a hotel while Bo Zhe’s group waits nearby, growing restless. Bo Miao snacks and complains, while the others bicker and play cards.
• Yang Aotian eventually leaves carrying a woman wrapped from head to toe. The group quickly follows, but Yang Aotian repeatedly looks back, making them hide.
• Chen Qing complains that Yang Aotian is distracted. He apologizes and says he suspects they are being followed; she helps him check, but they see no one. The pair then flirt suggestively, prompting the pursuers to recoil in disgust.
• When the group loses them at a corner, they split up to search. Xi Meng retraces her steps and discovers a sticky black smear on her face, then hears a sound and finds the two people they were looking for.
• Bo Zhe, separated from the others and furious, punches a wall and vows revenge on Yang Aotian and Chen Qing.

Character developments and interactions

• Bo Miao remains food-focused and restless, annoying Shao Ya and Xi Meng; she also helps the group hide when Yang Aotian looks back.
• Shao Ya grows exasperated with Bo Miao, while Lü Yan repeatedly calms and guides her.
• Yang Qi resents being assigned to watch Yang Aotian because of their family connection.
• Chen Qing and Yang Aotian show intimacy and flirtation, though Yang Aotian’s suspicion of a tail briefly disrupts their interaction.
• Xi Meng turns her frustration over the smear on her face into determination to confront the couple—and unexpectedly finds them.
• Bo Zhe grows increasingly angry at Yang Aotian and feels Chen Qing has betrayed Bo Miao’s trust.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and betrayal: The group’s pursuit reflects their concern for Bo Miao, while Chen Qing’s closeness with Yang Aotian is interpreted as disloyalty.
• Suspicion and surveillance: Yang Aotian senses he may be followed, and the group’s clumsy attempts to trail him create tension and comedy.
• Comic contrast: Mundane complaints, snacks, and physical mishaps undercut the characters’ dramatic emotions and romantic behavior.

Plot points

• Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo watch Yang Aotian and Chen Qing from a distance. Fang Yao teases Bo Hanmo about being rejected, then reacts to the couple kissing; Bo Hanmo takes her binoculars away, revealing a protective, jealous streak.
• Fang Yao worries that Xi Meng may wander off alone. After she falls asleep in Bo Hanmo’s arms, he quietly sends someone to keep watch over Xi Meng.
• Xi Meng, disguised and covered in grime, is discovered by Yang Aotian and Chen Qing while following them. They mistake her for a beggar and suspect she was tailing them.
• Xi Meng claims the alley is her home and points out a makeshift paper bed. Yang Aotian carries her into the alley, leaving her frightened and hoping her friends will find her.
• From a rooftop, Fang Yao watches and prepares to intervene if Xi Meng is in danger. Bo Hanmo treats the looming rescue as an opportunity to ask Xi Yu for a fee.
• Chen Qing briefly wonders whether the “beggar” resembles Xi Meng, but dismisses the thought. She also reflects that Bo Miao has become unusually wary of her.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Yao is both affectionate with Bo Hanmo and alert to Xi Meng’s safety; she intends to rescue Xi Meng if needed.
• Bo Hanmo shows possessiveness and concern toward Fang Yao, while also arranging protection for Xi Meng.
• Xi Meng tries to bluff her way out of danger, but her disguise and isolation leave her vulnerable. She is humiliated at being called a beggar and terrified when Yang Aotian grabs her.
• Yang Aotian and Chen Qing work together to evade a suspected follower, then confront Xi Meng. Chen Qing is dismissive of her appearance and wary of outsiders.
• Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo’s teasing, intimate exchange contrasts with Xi Meng’s peril; Chen Qing’s thoughts add tension around her strained relationship with Bo Miao.

Significant themes

• Appearance and mistaken identity: Xi Meng’s disguise causes others to misjudge who she is.
• Vulnerability and protection: Xi Meng is helpless in the alley, while Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo monitor her from afar.
• Jealousy and affection: Bo Hanmo’s “lecture” and protective gestures hint at his feelings for Fang Yao.
• Dramatic irony and comic contrast: Readers know Xi Meng is in danger and that help is nearby, while she fears she has been abandoned.

Key plot points and events

• Xi Meng’s disguise initially fools Yang Aotian and Chen Qing. Yang treats her roughly, and the pair leave after threatening her to keep quiet.
• They soon return, convinced Xi Meng knows Yang. Chen wipes the grime from Xi Meng’s face, exposing her disguise; Xi Meng lashes out, and Chen knocks her unconscious.
• Chen orders Yang to kill Xi Meng and make her death look accidental. Yang leaves her suspended in a dangerous position, expecting her to die after they depart.
• Meanwhile, Bo Zhe and the others receive Xi Meng’s distress message and search for her. They struggle to locate the hidden alley, but Lü Yan spots its entrance.
• Xi Meng wakes while still trapped. Her scream guides the search party toward her, and Lü Yan finds her with someone else nearby.

Character developments

• Xi Meng is resourceful enough to maintain her disguise, but she is vulnerable when it is exposed. Despite being injured and terrified, she survives long enough to wake and cry out.
• Yang Aotian is suspicious and calculating beneath his playful, flirtatious manner; he quickly recognizes that Xi Meng may know him and acts to eliminate her.
• Chen Qing is forceful and ruthless, prioritizing secrecy and her own safety.
• Lü Yan proves observant, finding the concealed entrance when the others overlook it. Bo Zhe takes charge of organizing the search.

Significant themes

• Deception and mistaken appearances: Xi Meng’s disguise buys her time, while the hidden alley complicates the rescue.
• Suspicion and secrecy: Yang and Chen’s fear of being identified turns a chance encounter into an attempted killing.
• Loyalty and rescue: Xi Meng’s companions respond quickly to her distress message and persist in searching.

Character interactions

• Yang and Chen show affection toward one another, while Yang dismisses Xi Meng and later reassures Chen about his supposed past relationships.
• Chen physically overpowers Xi Meng and orders Yang to kill her; Yang follows through with a makeshift plan.
• Bo Zhe, Shao Ya, Yang Qi, and Lü Yan coordinate their search, with Lü Yan ultimately leading them into the alley toward Xi Meng’s cry.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Bo Zhe and the others arrive dramatically but immediately compose themselves upon seeing Fang Yao and Bo Hanmo.
• Xi Meng is left hanging over an open manhole after the cover breaks apart. Fang Yao pulls her to safety after being briefly distracted by Bo Hanmo.
• Fang Yao reveals that she saved Xi Meng by jumping from the roof of the fifth floor while carrying Bo Hanmo. Everyone is shocked because such a jump should be fatal.
• Bo Hanmo admits that the experience terrified him, while the bodyguards conclude that protecting Fang Yao is more dangerous than expected.
• Bo Zhe and the others decide to conceal Fang Yao’s extraordinary feat so outsiders will not mistake her for a monster or attempt to capture her.
• The group investigates the mysterious woman connected to the hotel. Xi Meng confirms that the woman who attacked her was not Chen Qing, despite looking and sounding like her.
• Fang Yao realizes that Chen Qing used a human-skin mask and a voice changer to impersonate another person. The discovery horrifies everyone.
• The chapter ends with Chen Qing unknowingly leaving the human-skin mask on her vanity, unaware that Fang Yao has uncovered her secret.

Character Developments

• Fang Yao: Demonstrates incredible physical ability and fearlessness by surviving a fifth-floor jump and rescuing Xi Meng. However, her casual attitude, distracted thoughts, and morbid curiosity make her seem both eccentric and unpredictable.
• Xi Meng: Experiences intense terror while hanging over the sewer and breaks down emotionally after being rescued. She also provides crucial testimony identifying the disguised woman as someone other than Chen Qing.
• Bo Hanmo: Reveals vulnerability by admitting he believed he might die during the jump. His embarrassment is evident when Fang Yao discusses the incident, though he remains focused on the mystery.
• Bo Zhe and the others: Shift from comic relief to protective concern, choosing to hide Fang Yao’s abilities while reacting with shock and disgust to the human-skin revelation.
• Chen Qing: Is established as far more dangerous and disturbing than previously understood, using real human skin as a disguise.

Significant Themes

• Fang Yao’s superhuman abnormality: Her extraordinary abilities contrast sharply with everyone else’s normal fear and physical limitations.
• Comedy amid danger: Xi Meng’s near-death experience, Fang Yao’s blunt thoughts, and the group’s exaggerated reactions create humor despite the serious circumstances.
• Secrecy and suspicion: The characters must conceal Fang Yao’s abilities while questioning Chen Qing’s identity and motives.
• Cruelty and horror: The human-skin mask introduces a disturbing element of body horror and reveals the lengths to which Chen Qing will go.
• Trust and protection: The group comforts Xi Meng, worries about Fang Yao’s safety, and agrees to protect her by keeping her secret.

Character Interactions

• Fang Yao rescues and comforts Xi Meng, though her careless internal confession about being distracted by Bo Hanmo causes Xi Meng to cry even harder.
• Bo Hanmo and Fang Yao’s dangerous jump becomes the subject of teasing and disbelief among Bo Zhe’s group.
• The bodyguards discuss whether Fang Yao needs protection, ultimately recognizing that she may be more capable—and more hazardous—than they are.
• Bo Hanmo questions Xi Meng about the attacker’s identity, and Xi Meng firmly confirms that the woman was not Chen Qing.
• Fang Yao’s revelation about the human-skin disguise leaves the others retching, while Bo Hanmo begins reassessing Chen Qing as a potentially terrifying threat.

Plot points and events

• Bo Zhe meets Lü Mu, Yang Xing, and the others at a bar, where they initially assume Bo Hanmo arranged the gathering but stayed home to keep watch over the younger group.
• Bo Zhe reveals that he brought them together to share documents and information about Fang Yao’s suspicions. The others discuss the danger Xi Meng recently faced and agree that she must be more careful.
• Meanwhile, Fang Yao notices the house is unusually quiet and tries to get out of bed. Bo Hanmo pulls her back, pleased that the others are away and they will not be interrupted.
• The next afternoon, Fang Yao wakes sore, exhausted, and hungry. Bo Hanmo brings her porridge while she threatens to punish him and the others once she recovers.

Character developments

• Yang Xing reflects that marriage has softened Bo Hanmo, making him seem more human and approachable than before.
• Xi Yu teases Xi Meng about her brush with death. She goes from feeling touched to threatening to report him to their parents, leaving him worried.
• Bo Hanmo shows a playful, possessive side and is eager to spend time alone with Fang Yao. Fang Yao, by contrast, is exhausted and furious at him.

Character interactions

• Bo Zhe explains the purpose of the bar gathering to the group, while the others trade jokes about Bo Hanmo and their families.
• Xi Yu’s teasing provokes Xi Meng’s mock revenge, and Shao Xian laughs at Xi Yu’s sudden defeat.
• Bo Hanmo repeatedly persuades Fang Yao to stay in bed; the following day, he quietly ignores her complaints and brings her food. Steward Liu understands the situation and assumes Fang Yao is the one cursing Bo Hanmo.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and protection: The group discusses Xi Meng’s safety and the need for caution, while Bo Hanmo stays home to monitor the younger people.
• Marriage and personal change: Yang Xing sees Bo Hanmo’s relationship with Fang Yao as having made him more emotionally alive.
• Playful rivalry and comic revenge: Teasing among siblings and Fang Yao’s threats keep the chapter’s tone light and humorous.