Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Director Zhang is bewildered by the crew’s sudden concern for him, including Li Yan’s cryptic warning to “cut back” on something.
• Lin Feng and Zhang Dongming continue their feud after Lin Feng knocked out one of Zhang’s teeth. Zhang demands compensation and threatens to call the police; Lin, unable to explain that jealousy over his wife was behind the punch, agrees to take him to the hospital. They resume fighting on the drive and both end up hospitalized.
• Their fight becomes a major online scandal, alongside rumors about Lin Feng’s secret marriage, Zhang Dongming’s father being investigated, and cruel speculation about Tang Shiba’s family.
• Filming resumes with Si Wuyu’s dramatic scene. Tang Shiba watches him perform and is struck by how skilled he is.

Character developments

• Lin Feng and Zhang Dongming drop all pretense and become openly hostile. Lin is constrained by his public image, while Zhang exploits that to pressure him.
• Tang Shiba remains irreverent and impulsive, privately indulging in fantasies about Si Wuyu while trying to learn from his acting.
• Si Wuyu appears amused by Tang Shiba’s thoughts and quickly demonstrates the skill that earned him his status as a film emperor.
• Tang Xueqing grows increasingly resentful when Tang Shiba pushes her aside to get a better view.

Character interactions

• Crew members try to calm Lin Feng and Zhang Dongming, but their efforts fail; Director Li has to rearrange the filming schedule.
• Tang Shiba awkwardly welcomes a woman who says she is a fan, unaware that her friendliness seems to unsettle the woman.
• Tang Shiba and Tang Xueqing clash over their viewing spot, while Si Wuyu’s performance captures the attention of the whole set.

Significant themes

• Public image and scandal: A private feud quickly becomes career-threatening online gossip.
• Jealousy and rivalry: Lin Feng’s anger is tied to Zhang’s attention toward his wife, while Tang Shiba and Tang Xueqing compete for space and status.
• Performance and reality: The chapter contrasts actors’ public roles and private motives with Si Wuyu’s convincing ability to disappear into character.
• Cruelty of online judgment: Tang Shiba becomes a target of speculation about her family, showing how quickly social media turns personal matters into ridicule.

Plot points and events

• Tang Shiba films a scene as a maid helping the drunken male lead, played by Si Wuyu. He leans heavily on her, then acts out a violent drunken outburst in the bedroom.
• The director adds an unscripted face-washing scene and asks Si Wuyu to remove his shirt. He agrees, allowing Tang Shiba to unbutton it and reveal his abs. The scene goes smoothly, and the director praises her natural reactions.
• An actress recalls Tang Shiba’s past habit of violently resisting unwanted advances, then asks why her role changed from a fifty-year-old woman to a young maid.
• Tang Xueqing is furious that Tang Shiba gets physical contact with Si Wuyu, while Gu Qingcheng suspects Tang Shiba chose the role to provoke Xueqing. Tang Shiba dismisses both accusations.
• Tang Shiba checks Weibo and discovers that Lin Feng’s reputation has collapsed and Zhang Dongming’s family has gone bankrupt after evidence of their wrongdoing emerged. She wonders who will replace Lin Feng in the production.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Shiba remains outwardly professional while privately delighting in Si Wuyu’s physique. She is baffled and amused by others’ suspicions about her motives, and she is increasingly aware of the fast-moving scandal around Lin Feng.
• Si Wuyu plays the drunken role convincingly and deliberately leans on Tang Shiba. He hears her thoughts and is amused that she admires his abs, though he privately recognizes his own attraction to her scent and restrains himself.
• Tang Xueqing grows more jealous as Tang Shiba’s role brings her close to Si Wuyu; she objects to the shirtless scene and later confronts Tang Shiba.
• Gu Qingcheng joins Xueqing in suspecting Tang Shiba, but Tang Shiba brushes her off.
• The director values the performance and eagerly adds a scene to showcase Si Wuyu’s physique.

Significant themes

• The contrast between professional performance and private thoughts drives the comedy, especially as Tang Shiba and Si Wuyu conceal their reactions from everyone around them.
• Jealousy and misinterpretation shape Xueqing and Gu Qingcheng’s view of Tang Shiba, despite her lack of interest in their rivalry.
• The chapter also highlights celebrity image and scandal, as online evidence rapidly damages Lin Feng’s reputation and raises practical questions about the production.

Key plot points and events

• After Lin Feng’s scandal, Fang Cheng replaces him in the supporting role and arrives on set, eager to see Si Wuyu.
• Fang Cheng discovers he can hear Tang Shiba’s thoughts. Her teasing inner commentary about him delights him, while Si Wuyu silently tolerates the chaos.
• Fang Cheng’s interest in Tang Xueqing has faded; he is far more drawn to Tang Shiba. He gives Shiba a pair of expensive blue earrings before going to prepare for filming.
• Tang Xueqing tries to persuade Shiba to trade the earrings for her own, claiming they do not suit Shiba. Shiba refuses and keeps them.
• Xueqing complains to Gu Qingcheng, falsely presenting the earrings as a gift meant for her. Gu confronts Shiba, but bystanders confirm they saw Fang Cheng give the box directly to Shiba.
• Xueqing then arrives, apologizes to Gu, and claims she only wanted to protect Shiba’s reputation, while again implying the earrings should have been hers.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Cheng is revealed as another person who can hear Shiba’s thoughts. His attention shifts away from Xueqing toward Shiba, and he openly gives Shiba a lavish gift.
• Tang Shiba remains confident and sharp-tongued, refusing to surrender the earrings or accept Xueqing’s manipulation. Her thoughts provide much of the scene’s humor.
• Tang Xueqing grows jealous of Shiba’s attention and gift, then uses concern for Shiba’s reputation to disguise her attempt to claim the earrings.
• Gu Qingcheng acts on Xueqing’s accusation without checking the facts, prompting the set’s bystanders to challenge her.
• Si Wuyu watches Fang Cheng’s antics with dry resignation, while the surrounding cast increasingly sees through Xueqing’s story.

Significant themes

• Truth versus manipulation: The witnesses’ account exposes Xueqing’s false claim.
• Jealousy and entitlement: Xueqing assumes the gift belongs to her and tries to take it from Shiba.
• Gossip and hidden thoughts: Shiba’s private commentary—and Fang Cheng’s new ability to hear it—turns inner judgments into a source of comedy and conflict.

Key plot points and events

• Tang Xueqing tries to claim Fang Cheng’s gift for herself, then implies Tang Shiba could damage her acting career by accepting it. Fang Cheng finally explains that the gift is to repay Shiba for saving him, undermining Xueqing’s insinuations.
• Tang Xueqing and Gu Qingcheng leave for filming. Shiba’s private thoughts reveal Xueqing has a history of taking other people’s belongings—including things that belonged to a dog—leaving the onlookers appalled.
• On set, Director Li repeatedly scolds Xueqing for failing her takes. Shiba’s thoughts reveal that Li’s wife is faithful, but his apprentice has been framing her to break up the marriage and pursue her—and may even intend to take Li’s child.
• Li confronts his apprentice with a glare, then receives warnings from Shiba’s thoughts that he has a heart condition. Crew members calm him down. He criticizes Xueqing’s acting, and she runs off crying.
• Xueqing calls her second brother, claims the crew is bullying her, and gets him to promise to visit the set the next morning. She expects his arrival to help her rein in Shiba.

Character developments

• Tang Shiba remains blunt and unimpressed by Xueqing’s performance, while her unspoken observations expose hidden truths and past behavior.
• Fang Cheng initially gets trapped by Xueqing’s argument but recovers by explaining his gift’s real purpose: gratitude for Shiba’s rescue.
• Tang Xueqing continues to manipulate others through tears and insinuations, then seeks family backup when criticized.
• Director Li shifts from anger at Xueqing’s poor acting to shock and suspicion after learning about the plot against his wife and his own health.
• The onlookers increasingly trust Shiba’s thoughts, reacting to the revelations and trying to protect Li from stress.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and reputation: Xueqing uses social pressure and staged vulnerability to cast Shiba in a bad light.
• Truth beneath appearances: Shiba’s thoughts expose both Xueqing’s selfishness and the apprentice’s scheme.
• Theft and possessiveness: The chapter links Xueqing’s habit of taking things to the apprentice’s attempt to take Li’s wife and child.
• Performance versus reality: Xueqing fails at acting while behaving theatrically off camera; Shiba’s revelations show how little others know about the people around them.

Character interactions

• Xueqing pressures Fang Cheng and Shiba over the gift; Fang Cheng ultimately clarifies his intentions.
• The crowd first debates whether the gift is suspicious, then revises its view after hearing Shiba’s thoughts.
• Director Li berates Xueqing, while Gu Qingcheng comforts her; the crew later steadies Li when his temper flares.
• Xueqing appeals to her second brother, setting up a likely confrontation with Shiba the next day.

Key plot points and events

• During filming, Gu Qingcheng stops a dramatic kissing scene and asks to use a double. Several women volunteer, including Tang Xueqing, who likes Si Wuyu.
• Tang Shiba privately mocks the volunteers’ motives. Fang Cheng then raises Shiba’s hand and volunteers her instead.
• Si Wuyu selects Shiba, and Director Li backs him, arguing she is the least likely choice to upset fans. Shiba refuses, but the crew threatens her with her contract and decides to tie her up because she is known to hit people.
• Shiba fights the crew and unleashes a stream of fierce dialect insults. When she realizes she is outnumbered, she gives in, telling herself that a kiss is no big deal.
• Si Wuyu pins her against the wall and reassures her he will only make the kiss look real. They begin filming, and he kisses her. Shiba quickly settles into the scene, impressing the director and crew.

Character developments

• Tang Shiba is furious at being coerced but shows both formidable physical strength and unexpected skill as an actress. Once filming begins, she performs naturally and without visible awkwardness.
• Si Wuyu treats the scene as playful payback and a chance to push Shiba past her aversion to men. However, her thought that she has kissed before makes him privately jealous.
• Tang Xueqing is openly distressed by Si Wuyu kissing Shiba, revealing how deeply she likes him. She also resents the crew and vows to expose its wrongdoing.
• Fang Cheng gleefully engineers the pairing, apparently hoping to provoke or embarrass Si Wuyu.
• Director Li prioritizes the production—and Si Wuyu’s wishes—over Shiba’s objections.

Significant themes

• Consent and coercion: Shiba’s comic resistance does not change the fact that the crew overrules her and physically restrains her for the scene.
• Performance versus reality: Shiba’s convincing acting contrasts with her angry inner monologue, while the staged kiss sparks genuine emotional reactions.
• Celebrity fandom and jealousy: The crew’s fascination with Si Wuyu shapes their decisions, and Tang Xueqing’s heartbreak underscores his effect on those around him.
• Power and agency: Shiba is physically formidable and verbally defiant, yet the crew’s numbers and authority limit her control.

Character interactions

• Fang Cheng forces Shiba into the spotlight by volunteering her, while Si Wuyu’s selection turns the suggestion into a decision.
• Director Li and the crew dismiss Shiba’s objections and restrain her; she responds by fighting and cursing them.
• Si Wuyu teases and reassures Shiba, then kisses her for the take. She performs steadily, while Tang Xueqing watches in tears.

Key plot points and events

• After filming a kissing scene, Tang Shiba is untied and immediately beats Fang Cheng, furious at being made to kiss him. He apologizes and promises to treat her to grilled fish.
• An anti-fan secretly tracks Tang Shiba and posts a claim that she forced an actor to kiss her, while trying to identify which actress might be responsible for an earlier incident.
• Tang Shiba heads to the cafeteria with Fang Cheng before mealtime, hungry after missing food. The cook refuses to serve her, accusing her of wasting food the day before.
• When Tang Shiba tries to serve herself, the cook knocks her bowl down and then stages a fall, claiming Tang Shiba attacked her. The crew initially sides against Tang Shiba.
• Tang Shiba’s private thoughts reveal that the cook abuses her pregnant daughter-in-law and steals ingredients from the production. The crew’s sympathy shifts, and a staff member investigates.
• Tang Shiba kicks over a bucket, exposing stolen chickens, ribs, and seafood. The cook is caught taking supplies meant for the crew.

Character developments

• Tang Shiba shifts from enduring events as a spectator to acting openly and forcefully when provoked. She is still quick-tempered, but her actions expose the cook’s dishonesty and abuse.
• Fang Cheng remains friendly and eager to spend time with Tang Shiba. He defends her when the cook mistreats her and helps her during the struggle over the ladle.
• The cook is revealed as both a manipulative liar and a thief who mistreats her daughter-in-law.
• The anti-fan continues covertly monitoring Tang Shiba and spreading gossip online.

Significant themes

• Standing up to injustice: Tang Shiba refuses to accept unfair treatment, and her revelations turn the crew against the real aggressor.
• Hypocrisy and appearances: The cook’s tearful performance initially wins sympathy, but the truth beneath it is far uglier.
• Hunger and exploitation: The cook’s theft deprives the crew of food, while Tang Shiba’s own hunger makes the mistreatment especially galling.
• Gossip and surveillance: The anti-fan’s online post shows how easily private events can become public scandal.

Character interactions

• Tang Shiba and Fang Cheng trade insults, jokes, and friendly banter; despite her beating him, he remains eager to accompany her.
• Fang Cheng tries to smooth things over with the cafeteria worker, then stands up for Tang Shiba when she is refused food.
• The cook accuses Tang Shiba of assault, but Tang Shiba’s thoughts expose the cook’s behavior and theft to the watching crew.
• The crew’s attitude changes from condemning Tang Shiba to confronting the cook once the evidence emerges.

Chapter summary

• The cafeteria incident concludes: The cafeteria worker is fired, and Tang Shiba finally enjoys a satisfying meal. Fang Cheng then points out that director Si Wuyu and much of the cast have arrived.
• Tang Shiba exposes Director Zhang: Through her unspoken thoughts, she reveals that Zhang uses pills to manage sexual encounters with actresses and secretly keeps compromising photographs—both on his phone and computer. The actresses who fear they may be among his targets grow alarmed and avoid him; Director Li is openly disgusted. Tang Shiba also notes that Zhou Dan has been trying to steer her toward Zhang, prompting her to imagine dealing with him violently.
• Fang Cheng investigates the crew’s late-night visits: Curious about actors who supposedly knock on doors at night, Fang Cheng asks Tang Xueqing, who denies knowing anything. Tang Shiba redirects him to actress Jiang Na. Jiang gives him an approximate time—around one in the morning—while Fang Cheng misunderstands her advice and decides to visit Director Zhang to ask for more scenes. He returns and invites Tang Shiba to join him in “stealing” the leads’ roles.
• Jealousy and comic rejection: Seeing Fang Cheng and Tang Shiba together, Tang Xueqing warns her sister to keep her distance. Tang Shiba dismisses the suggestion with a blunt joke that she and Fang Cheng have no romantic future, embarrassing Tang Xueqing and making Fang Cheng and Si Wuyu laugh.
• The anti-fans’ scheme: A group of Tang Shiba’s own anti-fans secretly accepts money from has-been celebrities to spread rumors about her. They post that she is flirtatiously clinging to male actors, deliberately seeking to provoke public outrage. Tang Shiba’s thoughts suggest she is aware of the situation.
• The chapter ends on a new interruption: After eating, Tang Shiba plans to nap, but Tang Xueqing receives a phone call and wants Tang Shiba to answer it.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Shiba remains sharp-tongued, confident, and amused by the chaos around her. She exposes others’ misconduct through her thoughts, protects Fang Cheng by redirecting him, and brushes off Tang Xueqing’s jealous insinuation.
• Fang Cheng is curious and gullible: he eagerly follows Tang Shiba’s suggestion to question Jiang Na, but misreads the conversation and comes away with a plan to approach Director Zhang.
• Tang Xueqing appears emotionally unsettled after the kissing scene and becomes jealous of Fang Cheng’s closeness with Tang Shiba. Her denial of knowledge about late-night visits is ambiguous.
• Jiang Na plays along with Fang Cheng’s questions, offering him advice that he misunderstands.
• Director Zhang is revealed as predatory and secretive, while the cast’s reaction exposes how much fear and disgust his conduct inspires. Zhou Dan is implicated in trying to direct Tang Shiba toward him.
• Tang Shiba’s anti-fans are unusual: they insult her publicly for money while secretly treating the campaign as a way to support her celebrity appeal.

Significant themes

• Power and exploitation in show business: Zhang’s alleged coercion and secret photos reveal how fame and opportunity can leave performers vulnerable.
• Gossip and misunderstanding: Tang Shiba’s revelations unsettle the cast, while Fang Cheng repeatedly misinterprets what he hears.
• Jealousy and sharp humor: Tang Xueqing’s possessiveness is undercut by Tang Shiba’s blunt comeback.
• Public image and performative hostility: The anti-fans show how outrage, rumors, and online insults can be manufactured—even by people who privately support their target.

Key plot points and events

• Tang Xiao calls Tang Shiba to complain that online fans are arguing and accuse her of bringing trouble to the Tang family. She mocks him, hangs up, and then smashes Tang Xueqing’s phone in a staged burst of anger—mistaking it for her own, she claims.
• Tang Xueqing is distraught because the phone was a gift from their eldest brother. Gu Qingcheng condemns Tang Shiba, while Tang Shiba offers to pay for the damage but refuses to apologize. Onlookers gossip, and one posts a misleading account of the incident online.
• Fang Cheng says Si Wuyu wants to speak with Tang Shiba. She declines, though she agrees half-heartedly to visit him later.
• Tang Xiao, furious at his sister, smashes his own phone. Meanwhile, Tang Xueqing and Gu Qingcheng plan to use a rumor about a woman entering the director’s room to make Tang Xiao suspect Tang Shiba and get her removed from the set.

Character developments

• Tang Shiba remains provocative and irreverent, but her internal thoughts reveal suspicion that Tang Xueqing is plotting against her. She sees the damaged phone as deserved retaliation, though her public behavior feeds the image of her as a bully.
• Tang Xueqing presents herself as a victim, then eagerly accepts Gu Qingcheng’s help in spreading a damaging insinuation.
• Gu Qingcheng shifts from defending Xueqing to actively helping her manipulate Tang Xiao, revealing a more calculating side.
• Tang Xiao is easily angered by Tang Shiba’s defiance and by rumors about Gu Qingcheng, responding with an outburst of his own.
• Si Wuyu assumes Tang Shiba is angry because she has not come to see him, while Tang Shiba remains curious about his interest but keeps her distance.

Significant themes

• Public image versus private motives: Bystanders and online commenters accept a one-sided version of events, reinforcing Tang Shiba’s reputation.
• Manipulation and rumor: Tang Xueqing and Gu Qingcheng plan to exploit an unverified story to influence Tang Xiao.
• Family resentment and retaliation: The damaged phone and Tang Xiao’s anger reflect escalating hostility within the family.
• Friendship and self-interest: Gu Qingcheng frames her deception as helping a friend, raising doubts about what loyalty means.

Character interactions

• Tang Shiba and Tang Xiao trade insults during their phone call, deepening their conflict.
• Tang Shiba clashes with Tang Xueqing and Gu Qingcheng over the broken phone; Xueqing portrays herself as mistreated, while Tang Shiba refuses to apologize.
• Fang Cheng acts as a go-between for Tang Shiba and Si Wuyu, but she postpones their meeting.
• In private, Tang Xueqing and Gu Qingcheng bond over their shared dislike of Tang Shiba and plot to have her sent home.

Plot points and events

• Tang Shiba learns that Zhou Dan has arranged to add a confrontational scene between her servant character and Tang Xueqing’s supporting female character. She welcomes the change, expecting the chance to make things entertaining.
• Director Zhang explains the revision: after the drunk male lead is brought home, the servant accuses the woman accompanying him of trying to seduce him and deliberately mistreats her. Tang Shiba agrees, while privately looking forward to the confrontation.
• As the cast and crew gossip about the coming scene, Tang Shiba exposes several people’s embarrassing secrets through her thoughts. She also hints that Director Zhang’s private computer will soon cause trouble, prompting others to keep their distance from him.
• Before filming, Si Wuyu asks whether Tang Shiba is still angry about their earlier kiss. She says she isn’t, but privately resolves to avoid handsome men—starting with him. Their awkward tension remains unresolved.
• In the revised scene, Tang Shiba’s servant confronts Tang Xueqing’s character, insults her, and drags her from the room. Tang Shiba enthusiastically adds physical actions, including stepping on her.
• Tang Xueqing retaliates by pretending Tang Shiba pushed her, then rolls down the stairs. The crew is shocked, and Director Zhang angrily accuses Tang Shiba of going off-script.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Shiba is bold, mischievous, and pleased by the opportunity to confront Tang Xueqing. Her ability to uncover others’ secrets unsettles the cast and crew, while her thoughts about Si Wuyu contradict her polite words to him.
• Tang Xueqing shifts from the target of Tang Shiba’s aggression to an active opponent, retaliating with a staged fall that makes Tang Shiba appear responsible.
• Si Wuyu remains drawn to Tang Shiba and tries to find out whether she is upset, while thinking ahead to their future kissing scenes.
• Director Zhang treats Tang Shiba’s added scenes as an opportunity but loses his temper when Tang Xueqing falls and the scene departs from the script.
• Fang Cheng and the onlookers feed the gossip around the set; once Tang Shiba turns her attention to them, they become wary of what she might reveal.

Significant themes

• Performance and deception: The scene’s staged hostility spills into real conflict, while Tang Xueqing’s fall blurs acting and retaliation.
• Gossip and exposure: Tang Shiba’s private knowledge gives her power over those around her, turning observers into anxious participants.
• Rivalry and power: The revised scene intensifies the sisters’ antagonism and sets up a public clash over who controls how events are perceived.

Plot points and events

• During filming, Tang Xueqing falls down the stairs and passes out. The crew believes Tang Shiba pushed her, but Tang Shiba denies it. Director Zhang accuses her of deliberately hurting her sister and threatens to testify against her.
• Si Wuyu steps in and calmly insists Tang Shiba did not push Tang Xueqing, briefly silencing the accusations. Tang Shiba suspects the scene change and fall were part of Tang Xueqing’s plan to frame her.
• Tang Xueqing wakes at the hospital and tells her brothers she fell by accident, even as they condemn Tang Shiba and promise to deal with her. She privately intends to destroy Tang Shiba’s career and drive her out of the family.
• Tang Xueqing’s supporters arrange an online attack, while Tang Shiba’s anti-fans circulate edited versions of a secretly filmed video to stir up confusion.
• Back on set, the crew treats Tang Shiba with open hostility. When a set assistant orders her to carry costumes, she throws them over his head and unleashes a furious stream of insults. The anti-fans immediately turn the outburst into another online post.

Character developments

• Tang Shiba remains defiant and unbothered by the accusations, but her anger surfaces when the crew tries to exploit her. Her deliberately villainous reputation contrasts with her insistence that she is innocent.
• Tang Xueqing presents herself as forgiving and injured to her brothers, while privately celebrating the chance to ruin Tang Shiba. Her scheming and vindictiveness become clearer.
• Si Wuyu unexpectedly defends Tang Shiba, showing support despite the accusations.
• Director Zhang and the crew quickly turn against Tang Shiba, while Fang Cheng is left unsure whom to believe.

Character interactions

• Si Wuyu’s defense interrupts Director Zhang’s attack on Tang Shiba, though the director continues to threaten her.
• Tang Xueqing reassures her brothers that Tang Shiba did not mean to hurt her, encouraging their sympathy while letting them blame Tang Shiba.
• The set assistant tries to order Tang Shiba around; she responds with a dramatic outburst that leaves the crew stunned.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and false appearances: Tang Xueqing performs innocence while pursuing revenge, and Tang Shiba is judged largely by her reputation.
• Public image and online distortion: Secret footage is edited, posts are weaponized, and the incident becomes a contest over competing narratives.
• Power and defiance: The crew’s hostility exposes Tang Shiba’s isolation, but her explosive response shows she will not quietly accept being mistreated.

Plot points and events

• Tang Shiba’s temper erupts on set after an assistant tries to direct her. Her intimidating outburst leaves the crew too wary to interrupt her again.
• She resumes her habit of broadcasting people’s secrets through her thoughts, entertaining the onlookers with gossip. She reveals that a ponytailed actress let her large dog run loose, nearly causing a fatal attack, and then tried to avoid responsibility.
• The crew reports the woman, who receives a call from the police and leaves the set. The chapter stresses that responsible pet ownership matters, especially when an animal harms someone.
• Tang Shiba briefly reflects on her own dog and the care she took to keep it safe. Her memories of illness and separation from the pet hint at a painful past.
• After filming, Tang Shiba ignores warnings about online criticism and heads off to eat. The posts attacking her are strangely sarcastic: they appear to blame her, yet imply that the accusations against her are false and that Tang Xueqing has been the one at fault.
• Fang Cheng asks Tang Shiba to help him seek more scenes. She agrees, but gives him a code for knocking at her door, intending to take him along for gossip rather than help him seriously.

Character developments

• Tang Shiba remains brash, shameless, and unconcerned with public opinion, but her memories of her dog reveal a more tender and vulnerable side.
• Fang Cheng becomes increasingly fascinated with Tang Shiba, interpreting her punches as proof that he is special to her. He is naïve, eager for her attention, and easy for her to fool.
• Si Wuyu shows indulgent affection toward Tang Shiba and jealousy of the attention she gives his younger brother, while also teasing Fang Cheng for his crush.
• The exposed dog owner’s panic and departure show the consequences of her irresponsibility.

Significant themes

• Accountability: Owners must take responsibility when their animals endanger others.
• Public image versus truth: Online attacks on Tang Shiba seem hostile, but their sarcasm quietly points toward the truth behind the rumors.
• Recklessness and self-acceptance: Tang Shiba’s defiant behavior makes others fear her, while she refuses to be controlled by criticism.
• Grief and attachment: Her recollection of her dog suggests loss beneath her comic, combative exterior.

Character interactions

• Tang Shiba intimidates the assistant and turns the crew’s fear into an audience for her gossip.
• Si Wuyu teases Fang Cheng about his interest in Tang Shiba; Fang Cheng first embraces the idea that he is “special,” then awkwardly retreats to calling her a buddy.
• The crew reacts to Tang Shiba’s revelations, and some members report the irresponsible dog owner.
• Fang Cheng repeatedly tries to enlist Tang Shiba’s help, while she plays along and redirects their planned visit into a chance to gossip.

Key plot points and events

• After online rumors about Tang Shiba spread, she discovers a suspiciously familiar WeChat request and goes to bed.
• Later that night, Fang Cheng secretly meets her. The two sneak out by climbing down a drainpipe, intending to visit Director Zhang and negotiate for more scenes.
• Tang Shiba is reluctant, suspecting Fang Cheng mainly wants to watch for gossip, but he insists. After no one answers the director’s door, they climb over the garden wall and enter through a balcony.
• They find Director Zhang with Gu Qingcheng and Zhou Dan. Zhang has been discussing additional scenes for Gu, but after Zhou Dan leaves the room, he begins touching Gu and pressuring her.
• Tang Shiba secretly records the encounter. The people following her gossip updates become excited and mistakenly assume the women are visiting Zhang willingly.
• Zhang intimidates Gu, threatening to make her the subject of a damaging Weibo headline if she screams. The chapter ends with him advancing on her as she anxiously waits for Zhou Dan to return.

Character developments

• Tang Shiba is alert to danger and reluctant to enter Zhang’s room, but she records what she sees, positioning herself as a potential witness.
• Fang Cheng is impulsive, eager for more screen time and gossip, and oblivious to the risks of their break-in.
• Gu Qingcheng is nervous and uncomfortable. She came believing Zhou Dan would protect her, but realizes too late that Zhang’s intentions are coercive.
• Zhou Dan appears to have reassured Gu and then deliberately leaves her alone with Zhang, suggesting possible complicity.
• Director Zhang shifts from professional talk to predatory behavior and uses Gu’s reputation to threaten her.

Significant themes

• Abuse of power: Zhang links career opportunities to personal access and exploits his authority over Gu.
• Reputation and public scandal: The threat of Weibo exposure makes social shame a weapon of control.
• Gossip versus truth: The onlookers eagerly speculate, misreading a coercive situation as scandalous entertainment.
• Voyeurism and complicity: Tang Shiba records the scene, while the crowd treats it as gossip; the chapter leaves open whether exposure will help Gu or further harm her.

Character interactions

• Tang Shiba and Fang Cheng bicker as they sneak out: she urges caution, while he pushes ahead for the prospect of more scenes.
• Zhou Dan accompanies Gu to Zhang’s room, then leaves her alone with him.
• Zhang pressures Gu physically and verbally; Gu tries to retreat and asks to leave.
• Tang Shiba and Fang Cheng watch from behind the curtains, while Tang Shiba records the confrontation.

Plot points and events

• Gu Qingcheng visits Director Zhang for help getting more scenes, but he grabs her and tries to assault her. Zhou Dan, whom she believes is nearby, has already escaped through a window.
• Tang Shiba watches from hiding and misreads the attack as entertaining role-play. Fang Cheng recognizes that Gu Qingcheng is genuinely resisting and intervenes.
• Fang Cheng shields Gu Qingcheng, argues with Zhang over his own screen time, and gives her a chance to escape down a balcony pipe. He stays behind to prevent Zhang from pursuing her.
• Zhang and Fang Cheng fight. Fang Cheng beats him, then warns that he will expose Zhang if the director cuts his scenes despite their contract.
• Fang Cheng leaves without finding Tang Shiba, who has been hiding in a storage chest. Seeing Zhang down, she considers giving him a beating herself.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Qingcheng shifts from guarded confidence to terror, then accepts Fang Cheng’s help and escapes. She clutches his clothes and pleads with him to save her.
• Fang Cheng proves protective and willing to risk conflict to stop Zhang, though his clumsy joking and fixation on gaining scenes undercut the seriousness. He discovers that he enjoys fighting.
• Tang Shiba remains gleefully entertained by the chaos, treating the assault and ensuing fight as spectacle. Her hidden presence creates comic irony, and she is annoyed when Fang Cheng leaves her behind.
• Director Zhang is exposed as predatory and retaliatory, threatening to cut Fang Cheng’s scenes after being defeated.
• Fang Cheng and Gu Qingcheng cooperate to escape; Fang Cheng then confronts Zhang physically. Meanwhile, Tang Shiba’s commentary fuels the gossiping spectators’ wild misinterpretations.

Significant themes

• Abuse of power and resistance: Zhang uses his authority over casting to pressure Gu Qingcheng, while Fang Cheng’s intervention prevents the assault from continuing.
• Comedy through misunderstanding: Tang Shiba’s detached commentary and the spectators’ reactions turn a frightening situation and fight into absurd gossip.
• Loyalty and courage: Fang Cheng risks Zhang’s anger to protect Gu Qingcheng, even as his motives and manner remain comically self-interested.

Key plot points and events

• Tang Shiba visits Director Zhang’s room under the pretense of asking for more scenes. When he assumes she will submit to his advances, she pins him down and beats him severely, retaliating for his abuse.
• Afterward, Tang Shiba accidentally sends two videos from her main account to an anti-fan. The anti-fan shares them with a group of celebrity critics, who eagerly discuss posting one video to attract attention and saving the other for later.
• Tang Shiba returns to her room and discovers Si Wuyu in her bed. He asks to sleep there because his room is too dark, but she refuses and sends him away. He wonders whether his offer to show off his abs should have persuaded her.
• Gu Qingcheng returns to find Zhou Dan already back in their room. Zhou admits she deliberately left Gu alone so Gu could “get things done,” revealing that she had betrayed her. Gu realizes Fang Cheng’s intervention spared her from danger, then retreats to her bedding and cries through the night.
• At dawn, the crew begins preparing for the day, with two more people heading to the set.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Shiba shows both fearless aggression and a playful, impulsive side: she punishes Director Zhang, then treats the accidental leak of the videos with almost carefree resignation. She also reacts with attraction to Si Wuyu but still turns him away.
• Director Zhang is exposed as predatory and entitled. His attempt to exploit Tang Shiba backfires when she overpowers and humiliates him.
• Si Wuyu seeks closeness with Tang Shiba, using his vulnerability about the dark room—and his confidence in his abs—to persuade her. Their exchange is flirtatious but comically unsuccessful.
• Gu Qingcheng is deeply shaken by Zhou Dan’s betrayal. Zhou’s casual, self-serving explanation contrasts sharply with Gu’s hurt and restraint. Gu silently endures her distress rather than confronting her.

Significant themes

• Resistance to exploitation: Tang Shiba refuses to be coerced and turns the power dynamic against Director Zhang.
• Betrayal and trust: Zhou Dan’s actions leave Gu Qingcheng feeling isolated and make Fang Cheng’s intervention especially significant.
• Public image and gossip: Tang Shiba’s accidental video-sharing shows how quickly private incidents can become entertainment and online spectacle.
• Flirtation and comic bravado: Si Wuyu’s attempt to win Tang Shiba over with his abs provides a lighter counterpoint to the chapter’s violence and emotional betrayal.

Key plot points

• Tang Shiba wakes to news that she, Gu Qingcheng, Fang Cheng, and Director Zhang are trending, but ignores it until a prize draw wins her only a pack of tissues.
• At the studio, the crew assumes Fang Cheng has vanished because Tang Shiba killed him. She lets them believe it as a joke, then exposes several people’s embarrassing childhood habits while waiting for him.
• Fang Cheng and Si Wuyu return safely from the woods, where they had gone mushroom-picking. Fang Cheng has gathered poisonous mushrooms, intending to feed them to Director Zhang; a crew member recognizes the danger and worries about stopping him.
• Gu Qingcheng asks Fang Cheng whether he posted an incriminating video of her. Knowing Tang Shiba filmed it, Fang Cheng protects her by blaming Zhou Dan. Gu Qingcheng believes him and rushes off to confront Zhou.
• When Tang Shiba hears Gu Qingcheng and Zhou Dan are fighting, she hurries to watch. She trips a man who tries to beat her there, then continues on.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Shiba remains irreverent, mischievous, and unbothered by gossip. She uses outrageous jokes and her knowledge of others’ secrets to unsettle the crew, and eagerly seeks out new drama.
• Fang Cheng shows loyalty to Tang Shiba by concealing that she filmed the video and redirecting Gu Qingcheng’s suspicion toward Zhou Dan. His mushroom scheme also reveals his continuing hostility toward Director Zhang.
• Gu Qingcheng is distraught over the video and increasingly distrustful of Zhou Dan. Fang Cheng’s explanation persuades her to confront Zhou.
• The crew oscillates between fearing Tang Shiba and being drawn to the unfolding scandals. A crew member becomes alarmed when he recognizes Fang Cheng’s mushrooms as poisonous.

Significant themes

• Rumor and mistaken assumptions: The crew readily believes Tang Shiba has killed Fang Cheng, while Gu Qingcheng accepts Fang Cheng’s account of the video without knowing he is protecting Tang Shiba.
• Secrets and exposure: Tang Shiba’s casual revelations turn private, embarrassing memories into public spectacle.
• Comedy through chaos: Threats, poisonous mushrooms, and an impending confrontation are treated as absurd entertainment, reflecting Tang Shiba’s irreverent outlook.

• The fight and its fallout: Zhou Dan and Gu Qingcheng are separated after fighting; Zhou Dan’s lip is split, and she threatens to sue Gu Qingcheng for compensation. Gu Qingcheng realizes she cannot afford to pay and retreats in shame. Onlookers compare her to the notorious Tang Shiba, whose reputation makes her seem far more intimidating.
• Rumors and family tension: Tang Shiba and Fang Cheng joke about online dating rumors, which are mostly focused on whether Fang Cheng is alive. Fang Cheng says his mother wants him to bring Tang Shiba home; Si Wuyu firmly objects, while Fang Cheng hopes his brother will help him handle their mother. Tang Shiba and the system privately misunderstand—and mock—their exchange. Si Wuyu’s jealousy grows as he watches Tang Shiba spend time with Fang Cheng.
• Zhou Dan and Jiang Na: Zhou Dan berates Jiang Na for trying to spread sex rumors about Tang Shiba, pointing out that the tactic has failed and has only drawn attention to Zhou Dan as well. She orders Jiang Na to appease Director Zhang or risk losing her role. Jiang Na, feeling betrayed by Zhou Dan, begins plotting revenge.
• Director Zhang’s scandal: The group learns Zhang has taken the day off. Tang Shiba reveals privately that his computer was repaired and compromising photos leaked; someone is blackmailing him. Worried the scandal could damage the production, Si Wuyu uses his influence to demand Zhang’s removal, offering increased investment if the director is replaced and threatening to withdraw existing funds otherwise.
• Tang Xiao and Tang Xueqing arrive: Tang Xueqing tells Tang Shiba that Tang Xiao is angry about her supposed relationship with Fang Cheng and claims he has been caring for Xueqing at the hospital. Tang Shiba recognizes Xueqing’s performative innocence and privately mocks her. Her thoughts about Gu Qingcheng’s night with Director Zhang make Tang Xiao reconsider the online videos; he abruptly leaves to investigate, abandoning Xueqing.
• Character dynamics and themes: Tang Shiba’s private commentary repeatedly exposes the gap between public appearances and hidden motives. Her notoriety shields her from the sex rumors that damage others, while gossip and scandal threaten careers and relationships. Jealousy, manipulation, and shifting loyalties drive the interactions: Si Wuyu resents Fang Cheng’s closeness to Tang Shiba, Jiang Na turns against Zhou Dan, and Tang Xiao’s trust in Gu Qingcheng begins to collapse.

Key plot points and events

• Tang Xueqing tries to make Tang Shiba apologize for supposedly pushing her, then implies that Tang Shiba and Fang Cheng have been intimate on set.
• Si Wuyu unexpectedly claims he, not Fang Cheng, visited Tang Shiba’s room—and says he was in her bed. Fang Cheng backs up the story, explaining that he only pretended to visit and escaped over the balcony.
• Tang Xueqing is shaken by the claim, which she believes because she has previously seen Si Wuyu and Tang Shiba sharing a tent. Tang Shiba leaves, frustrated by Si Wuyu’s behavior and the rumors he is helping create.
• Fang Cheng privately tells Tang Xueqing that Si Wuyu really did spend the night with Tang Shiba and seems to like her. Tang Xueqing retreats, while Fang Cheng resolves to watch her because she is interested in Si Wuyu.
• An anti-fan overhears the exchange and posts an exaggerated account online. Other fans respond by enthusiastically shipping Si Wuyu and Tang Shiba, hoping their relationship will stop him from being beaten.
• Tang Shiba overhears gossip about Gu Qingcheng. Tang Xiao confronts Gu Qingcheng in her room, accuses her of being with another man, and violently assaults her. She loses consciousness; afterward, he shows a trace of regret but leaves her and goes to smoke.
• Tang Shiba comments on the incident from afar. When the system offers a video-relay card that could show her what happened, she rejects it as too expensive.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Shiba remains sharp-tongued and defiant, refusing to accept blame or appease Tang Xueqing. Si Wuyu’s public claim unsettles and flusters her, though she resents his role in making the sexual rumor seem true.
• Si Wuyu openly inserts himself into the dispute and appears pleased to imply intimacy with Tang Shiba, suggesting growing interest in her.
• Fang Cheng supports his brother’s story and deliberately needles Tang Xueqing by confirming Si Wuyu stayed with Tang Shiba. His protectiveness toward his brother emerges as he decides to keep Tang Xueqing at a distance.
• Tang Xueqing uses tears and insinuation to attack Tang Shiba’s reputation, but Si Wuyu’s and Fang Cheng’s claims leave her jealous and rattled.
• Gu Qingcheng and Tang Xiao have a deeply abusive encounter: she desperately wants him to trust her, while he responds with suspicion and violence. His brief regret does not undo the harm.

Significant themes

• Rumor and reputation: Characters weaponize insinuation, while fans and anti-fans reshape private encounters into sensational online stories.
• Jealousy and romantic tension: Si Wuyu’s claim provokes Tang Xueqing and leaves Tang Shiba flustered; Fang Cheng interprets his brother’s behavior as affection.
• Manipulation and control: Tang Xueqing performs victimhood to frame Tang Shiba, while Tang Xiao uses accusations and physical force to control Gu Qingcheng.
• Cruelty treated as spectacle: The online gossip and Tang Shiba’s darkly comic commentary contrast with the serious violence inflicted on Gu Qingcheng.

Plot points and events

• With both the female lead, Gu Qingcheng, and Director Zhang absent, Director Li orders Tang Shiba to fill in as the lead—including for a kissing and bed scene.
• Tang Shiba performs so well that Director Li is impressed, while Tang Xueqing, jealous and struggling with her own scenes, makes repeated mistakes. She tries to provoke Tang Shiba, but Tang Shiba responds with mocking humor.
• The shoot is disrupted when news breaks online that Director Zhang was blackmailed for fifty million and intimate photos of several actresses have leaked. The posts are repeatedly deleted and reposted, spreading rapidly.
• Actresses flee the set in distress, forcing Director Li to stop filming, reschedule scenes, and recast some roles.
• Director Zhang is publicly disgraced, and Gu Qingcheng is also implicated because of a video. She faces online abuse and a wave of unfollows.

Character developments

• Tang Shiba proves herself capable and composed as an actress, while continuing to use her inner monologue for sharp, comic commentary and gossip.
• Tang Xueqing becomes increasingly jealous of Tang Shiba and frustrated by her own poor performance. She attempts to charm Si Wuyu but receives no attention.
• Director Li struggles to control the shoot and his temper, with those around him repeatedly worrying about his health.
• Gu Qingcheng goes from absent lead to a target of public backlash, waking to a near-breakdown amid the online abuse.
• Si Wuyu remains distant from Tang Xueqing, while his earlier attention to Tang Shiba is noted.

Significant themes

• Reputation and public judgment: leaked material rapidly destroys careers, with online audiences demanding boycotts.
• Gendered exploitation and scandal: the revelations expose the vulnerability of actresses in the entertainment industry.
• Talent versus resentment: Tang Shiba’s unexpected skill contrasts with Tang Xueqing’s insecurity.
• Gossip and comedy amid chaos: Tang Shiba’s irreverent inner thoughts provide humor against the increasingly serious fallout.

Character interactions

• Director Li insists Tang Shiba take the lead role despite Tang Xueqing’s objections.
• Tang Xueqing apologizes and then probes Tang Shiba about her acting, but Tang Shiba answers with a sarcastic joke.
• Tang Xueqing seeks Si Wuyu’s help; he ignores her, and Fang Cheng interrupts to warn her about the leaked photos.
• The cast and crew react collectively to the scandal, but the actresses’ distress leaves Director Li unable to continue filming.

Plot points and events

• Tang Xiao confronts Gu Qingcheng after she wakes, accusing her of being unfaithful despite her insistence that Fang Cheng rescued her. He says he feels entitled to control her because he paid for her, and orders her to surrender the drama’s female lead to Tang Xueqing.
• Gu Qingcheng refuses, calling the role her last chance to recover her career. Tang Xiao tells her he is informing her, not asking, and says Xueqing will discuss it with her.
• When Xueqing enters, Tang Xiao hides under Gu Qingcheng’s bed. Xueqing notices the marks on Gu’s neck but accepts her explanation that they are an allergic reaction.
• Xueqing frames the casting change as concern for the drama and its prospects, but Gu Qingcheng again refuses to give up the lead.
• Tang Shiba, Si Wuyu, Fang Cheng, and others arrive to visit Gu. Tang Shiba invents a story about a “rat” in the rooms and organizes a search, clearly hoping to expose the man hiding there. Gu tries to stop the group, while Tang Xiao panics beneath the bed.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Qingcheng remains emotionally attached to Tang Xiao despite his cruelty, but stands firm in defending the role she worked for. She is also anxious that discovering Tang Xiao in her room would worsen the scandal surrounding her.
• Tang Xiao is possessive and distrustful, treating Gu as someone he owns. Though furious, he restrains himself before pressuring her to give Xueqing the lead. His attempt to hide from the visitors reveals his fear of public disgrace.
• Tang Xueqing presents herself as a caring friend while privately resenting Gu and wanting the lead role. She is also irritated by Tang Shiba’s teasing and by Si Wuyu’s preference for staying near Tang Shiba.
• Tang Shiba uses humor and a staged “rat hunt” to search for Tang Xiao and protect or expose Gu. Her deliberately rude treatment of Xueqing continues their antagonistic dynamic.
• Fang Cheng and the visitors join the search, increasing the danger of Tang Xiao being discovered.

Significant themes

• Control and exploitation: Tang Xiao’s claim that payment gives him power over Gu makes their relationship deeply unequal.
• Betrayal and mistrust: Gu’s explanations are dismissed, intensifying her isolation.
• Ambition and survival: The female-lead role represents Gu’s remaining chance to save her career amid an online scandal.
• Deception and exposure: Hidden motives, concealed marks, and Tang Xiao’s hiding place create tension around what will be revealed.

Key events

• Tang Xiao hides beneath Gu Qingcheng’s bed while the others search for a “rat.” Tang Shiba finds him but keeps his hiding place secret, extorting a total of 80,000 yuan from him in exchange for silence.
• After the search party leaves, Tang Xiao emerges and pressures Gu Qingcheng to give up the drama’s female lead. He promises to invest if she does, but threatens to stop paying for her parents’ treatment if she refuses. Gu Qingcheng remains firm.
• Tang Xiao leaves by the balcony. Gu Qingcheng is left devastated and unsure who can help her.
• Tang Shiba’s thoughts reveal that Tang Xueqing wants Gu Qingcheng’s role and that danger may be coming for Gu Qingcheng. The gathered onlookers begin discussing the casting situation; Tang Xueqing overhears and resolves to secure the role herself.

Character developments and interactions

• Tang Shiba is mischievous, opportunistic, and protective in her own way: she profits from finding Tang Xiao but does not expose him. Her inner commentary also suggests she knows—or suspects—more about the people around her than she lets on.
• Tang Xiao is shown as shameless and controlling. He resents the possibility that Si Wuyu has been close to Tang Shiba, then uses Gu Qingcheng’s financial dependence to coerce her.
• Gu Qingcheng refuses to surrender the role despite Tang Xiao’s threats, though the pressure leaves her feeling isolated.
• Tang Xueqing initially urges Gu Qingcheng to consider changing roles, then becomes determined to claim the part herself after hearing the others discuss it.
• Fang Cheng is easily frightened and comically disgusted by the imagined rat dishes; Si Wuyu steers him away from the room.

Significant themes

• Power and coercion: Tang Xiao uses money for Gu Qingcheng’s parents’ care as leverage over her career.
• Loyalty mixed with self-interest: Tang Shiba protects her brother’s secret, but only after extracting payment.
• Reputation and ambition: Scandal, casting decisions, and public opinion shape the competition for the female lead.
• Comedy through contrast: The farcical “rat hunt” and Tang Shiba’s payment demands sit alongside the serious threat to Gu Qingcheng’s livelihood and family.