Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Ning Shile suddenly remembers the plot of the novel I Love You More Than Him. His family hopes to use the Zheng Family’s engagement banquet to improve their fortunes, though Ning knows the Nings are destined to fail.
• At the banquet, Ning’s unspoken thoughts reveal that Zheng Mother’s diamond ring is a replica: Zheng Father secretly lent the original to his secretary, who stole it. Zheng Father and Zheng Mother realize they can hear Ning’s thoughts, though nobody else seems to.
• Su Jin arrives as Zheng Ye’s intended. He has agreed to marry Zheng Ye, who has been in a vegetative state since an accident three years earlier. Ning’s thoughts, however, identify Su Jin as a shameless cheater whose boyfriend is about to expose him.
• The boyfriend confronts Su Jin at the banquet after believing he was going to work. Su Jin is caught off guard and introduces him as his “big brother,” just as Ning predicts from the novel.
• When Su Jin asks to step away with the man, Zheng Mother holds back from confronting him after hearing Ning’s prediction that they are about to sneak off together and that the Zhengs would otherwise reward Su Jin with shares. Instead, she has the waiting reporters admitted, preparing to make the scandal public.

Character developments

• Ning Shile is a newly awakened, plot-aware outsider. He tries to stay out of the story but enthusiastically narrates its twists in his thoughts, inadvertently exposing secrets.
• Zheng Mother shifts from trusting Su Jin and welcoming him into the family to becoming suspicious and angry. She takes decisive action to protect the Zheng Family’s interests.
• Zheng Father is unnerved when Ning’s thoughts reveal his secret about the ring, and he reacts guiltily.
• Su Jin appears devoted to Zheng Ye and the Zheng parents, but his panic when confronted—and his evasive explanation—suggest that his public persona conceals an affair.
• Su Jin’s boyfriend arrives believing Su Jin is a modest, struggling recent graduate he has helped. Seeing him at the Zheng engagement banquet leaves him confused and hurt.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Su Jin’s image as a devoted future son-in-law clashes with the cheating Ning predicts; the “lost” ring is also a replica hiding a theft.
• Secrets and exposure: Ning’s involuntary inner commentary reveals truths that would otherwise stay hidden, while Zheng Mother turns the private betrayal into a potential public scandal.
• Wealth and power: The Zheng Family’s status, the Nings’ ambition, and the promise of shares show how marriage and money shape relationships.
• Dramatic irony: Ning knows the novel’s events, while the other characters hear his thoughts without understanding how he knows them.

Character interactions

• Ning’s thoughts repeatedly unsettle Zheng Father and Zheng Mother, who alone can hear them and must conceal their reactions from the guests.
• Zheng Mother initially treats Su Jin warmly, then watches him closely after Ning reveals his relationship with another man.
• Su Jin’s boyfriend confronts him in front of the Zhengs; Su Jin’s vague “big brother” explanation matches Ning’s prediction and deepens suspicion.
• Zheng Mother ultimately responds not by confronting Su Jin immediately, but by bringing reporters into the banquet to ensure any scandal becomes public.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points

• At a banquet intended to strengthen ties between the Ning and Zheng families, Zheng Mother asks Ning Shile about the Ning family’s struggling innovation project. Shile’s thoughts reveal that the project will later become highly successful—but only after the Ning family loses it because an unreliable investor withdraws funding.
• Zheng Father, intrigued by Shile’s unspoken knowledge that the project could rival the Zheng family, offers to visit the Ning Corporation and discuss investing. Ning Father is thrilled by this unexpected opportunity.
• Shile leaves to investigate the rich-family gossip he expects at the banquet. Zheng Mother, curious about his thoughts, quietly arranges for reporters to follow him. Mr. and Mrs. Zheng also slip away, eager to listen in.
• Shile finds Su Jin in a restroom with his secret lover. Su Jin says he is marrying the Zheng family’s vegetative son to help his lover’s career, while assuring him that he loves only him. Reporters gather outside to eavesdrop alongside Shile.
• The crowd accidentally opens the door, exposing the couple. The reporters take photographs, and Su Jin tries to blame his lover, denying their five-year relationship. His lover angrily calls him out, but Su Jin continues pleading with the Zhengs.
• Mr. and Mrs. Zheng arrive and cancel the marriage alliance. Zheng Mother reprimands Su Jin for failing to respect himself.
• Zheng Mother then asks Shile whether he would consider becoming the Zheng family’s daughter-in-law. Shile’s horrified inner thoughts identify the Zhengs as villains who will go bankrupt, shocking Zheng Mother.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile remains an amused, sharp-minded gossip enthusiast. His private thoughts inadvertently help the Zhengs spot a promising investment and expose Su Jin’s scheme. Though he enjoys watching events unfold, he is appalled when the Zhengs suggest he marry into their family.
• Ning Father shifts from hoping his son will impress the Zhengs to celebrating the far more valuable prospect of Zheng investment in the Ning project.
• Mr. and Mrs. Zheng show growing interest in Shile and his apparently prophetic thoughts. They eavesdrop on Su Jin’s affair, intervene when it is exposed, and quickly redirect their marriage plans toward Shile.
• Su Jin is revealed as calculating and status-seeking: he plans to marry into the Zheng family while maintaining his relationship with his lover. When caught, he denies the relationship and accuses his lover of forcing him.
• Su Jin’s lover is devastated by Su Jin’s betrayal and insists they have been together for five years, making the scene both a public scandal and a painful personal confrontation.

Significant themes

• Gossip as a force for change: Shile’s hobby unexpectedly affects both business decisions and the Zheng family’s marriage plans.
• Ambition, money, and status: Su Jin’s actions expose the transactional motives behind the proposed marriage, while the Zhengs’ wealth makes their offer powerful.
• Public image versus private motives: Su Jin’s tender promises in private collapse into denial and self-preservation once exposed.
• Dramatic irony and foreshadowing: Shile knows the project’s future and the Zheng family’s supposed fate, while the other characters hear only his thoughts and try to interpret them.

Plot points and events

• After hearing Ning Shile’s prediction that the Zheng Family will face ruin, Zheng Father and Zheng Mother decide to secure him as Zheng Ye’s fiancé. Ning Father agrees, and the engagement banquet goes ahead with Ning Shile as the one getting engaged.
• On the way to the Zheng estate, Zheng Mother offers Ning Shile ten million yuan as compensation. He pretends to refuse, though he is privately thrilled. She explains that the engagement will become a one-year contract marriage: he receives ten million now and another thirty million after the year. Ning Shile agrees, but insists on having a lawyer make the deal legally binding.
• Ning Shile goes to meet Zheng Ye, who has been in a vegetative state for three years. He recognizes Zheng Ye as the novel’s future villain and mentally recounts the Zheng Family’s grim fate: business collapse, family conflict, Zheng Ye’s destructive obsession with Su Jinyu, and his eventual death.
• Zheng Father and Zheng Mother overhear the spoilers and are horrified—especially Zheng Mother at the prospect of being disfigured. They rush into Zheng Ye’s room, interrupting Ning Shile.
• Zheng Ye, who has been conscious but unable to move, becomes increasingly alert as he hears Ning Shile describe his future. He finally opens his eyes. Thinking the movement is involuntary, Ning Shile closes them again.

Character developments

• Ning Shile is practical, money-minded, and cautious: despite his outward reluctance, he welcomes the payment and demands a formal contract. His knowledge of the novel also makes him determined to prevent the Zheng Family’s downfall.
• Zheng Mother and Zheng Father shift from casually arranging a marriage to urgently seeking Ning Shile’s help after learning the family’s predicted future. Their shock also reveals how much they care about each other and their family.
• Zheng Ye moves from apparent helplessness to renewed awareness and physical response. Hearing the account of his future awakens his mind and brings him back to consciousness.

Significant themes

• Foreknowledge and fate: Ning Shile’s knowledge of the novel’s plot gives the family a chance to change its disastrous future.
• Appearance versus reality: Ning Shile seems reluctant about the money but is delighted inside; Zheng Ye appears unconscious but is fully aware.
• Comedy through contrast: Serious predictions of ruin are undercut by Ning Shile’s obsession with money and his matter-of-fact approach to marriage.
• Power and vulnerability: The wealthy Zhengs control the marriage arrangement, while Zheng Ye’s physical helplessness contrasts with the dangerous future attributed to him.

Character interactions

• Ning Shile and Zheng Mother negotiate the contract marriage, with Zheng Father backing her offer and arranging legal paperwork.
• Ning Shile encounters Zheng Ye tenderly, admiring his appearance and pitying his imagined fate, unaware that Zheng Ye can hear him.
• Zheng Father and Zheng Mother secretly listen to Ning Shile’s thoughts, then burst into the room; their entrance coincides with Zheng Ye opening his eyes, which Ning Shile immediately closes.

Plot points and events

• Zheng Ye wakes after three years in a coma. His parents and Ning Shile discover that only they can hear Ning’s inner thoughts—and that his “spoilers” often predict events.
• Ning predicts that Zheng Ye’s old friend Li Hang will ask for money. Li initially sounds genuinely happy, but then requests a loan, claiming his parents froze his cards because of his girlfriend.
• Ning reveals that Li has already borrowed a million from Zheng Ye and used him as the stake in a bet with friends. Zheng ends the call, blocks Li, and deletes him. Li’s friends blame him, and Li is shocked when Zheng refuses to respond to his usual guilt-tripping message.
• After the doctor confirms Zheng is healthy, Ning mourns the black card he expects to return. Instead, Zheng’s mother gives him another card as a reward and invites him to stay overnight.
• Ning’s thoughts reveal that the next day’s Cheng Family launch event will expose a scandal involving infidelity, emotional abuse, domestic violence, a murder-for-money plot, and illegitimate children. Eager to witness it, Zheng’s mother decides to attend and invites Ning.

Character developments

• Zheng Ye is revealed to be less cynical than he appears: he once trusted and repeatedly helped Li Hang, despite having few friends. Hearing the truth prompts him to cut off Li decisively.
• Ning Shile remains a playful, money-loving source of comic relief, but his inner thoughts also provide crucial information about people and future events.
• Zheng Ye’s parents, especially his mother, grow increasingly intrigued by Ning’s “spoilers” and begin acting on them.
• Li Hang’s dependence on Zheng Ye and his manipulative habits become clear when his familiar guilt tactic fails.

Themes and character interactions

• Trust and exploitation: Zheng’s former friendship with Li was built on loyalty and help, which Li abused for money and social games.
• Isolation and affection: Zheng’s lack of close friends is presented as a choice, yet his past willingness to help Li hints at a romantic, trusting side beneath his reserved exterior.
• Foreknowledge and comedy: Ning’s hidden inner monologue repeatedly disrupts others’ assumptions, turning private thoughts into an unexpected source of truth.
• Family and generosity: Zheng’s parents respond warmly to Ning, rewarding him and including him in their plans.
• Key interactions: Zheng confronts Li over the phone; Li’s friends turn on him afterward; Zheng’s parents quietly watch their son’s reaction; and Zheng’s mother bonds with Ning over the promised scandal.

Key plot points and events

• Zheng Ye’s mother arranges for Ning Shile to be styled alongside Zheng Ye before they attend the Cheng Corporation’s launch event.
• At the entrance, reporters crowd Ning Shile and accidentally hit him with a camera. Zheng Ye catches him, shields his face, and glares off the reporter. Photos of the two together quickly trend under “Zheng Ye pictured with his fiancé.”
• Cheng Yang recognizes Ning Shile and challenges his presence, surprised that he has entered a marriage alliance with the Zheng family. Ning Shile’s private thoughts reveal their long history of repeatedly crossing paths.
• Cheng An welcomes the Zheng family, but their reaction turns cold when he openly flirts with his secretary. Ning Shile’s thoughts reveal that Cheng An betrayed his wife, manipulated her, and profited from her death; the secretary is also pregnant with his child.
• Cheng Yang sneaks backstage to carry out a plan to expose his father with evidence of his abuse and deception. Ning Shile recalls that, in the original story, Cheng Yang’s plan fails and he is later brutally punished and sent abroad.
• Wanting to help despite their strained relationship, Ning Shile distracts Cheng An by questioning him about possible overlap between the Cheng project and one won by the Ning Corporation. Cheng An boasts about his company’s ambitions until Ning Shile reveals he is the Ning chairman’s son, leaving Cheng An speechless.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile moves from shy and overwhelmed by the attention to taking initiative. Though he dislikes Cheng Yang, he feels compassion for his situation and decides to intervene.
• Zheng Ye shows protectiveness by catching and shielding Ning Shile. Their close physical contact creates a moment of growing intimacy, and Zheng Ye appears amused by Ning Shile’s blunt inner judgments.
• Zheng Ye’s parents warmly include Ning Shile and share his growing disapproval of Cheng An.
• Cheng Yang is hostile and skeptical toward Ning Shile, but his backstage plan suggests he is trying to confront his father and defend his mother’s memory.
• Cheng An presents himself as a confident business leader while behaving openly inappropriately with his secretary. His self-assurance is undercut when Ning Shile reveals his identity.

Significant themes

• Public image versus private truth: Cheng An’s polished corporate persona conceals serious cruelty and betrayal.
• Power, protection, and status: Zheng Ye’s intervention shields Ning Shile, while the trending photos turn their relationship into public spectacle.
• Moral responsibility and compassion: Ning Shile chooses to help Cheng Yang despite their antagonism, refusing to ignore the injustice he knows about.
• Foreknowledge and changing fate: Ning Shile’s knowledge of the original story motivates him to interfere before Cheng Yang’s plan can end in disaster.

Key plot points and events

• Ning Shile expects Cheng Yang’s plan to expose Cheng An’s crimes to unfold at the company launch. Zheng Father and Zheng Mother arrive, and Cheng An welcomes them, while his secretary slips backstage, apparently intending to interfere.
• As the presentation begins, the secretary seizes the USB drive. Cheng Yang tries to take it back, but she claims she is pregnant with his child. He hesitates, torn between exposing his father and sparing an unborn child the consequences of the family scandal.
• Ning Shile’s inner thoughts reveal that the secretary is lying: she drugged Cheng Yang, and their encounter did not result in sex. She is actually involved with Cheng An and is using the pregnancy claim to secure status in the Cheng Family.
• Cheng An takes the USB drive and orders the presentation to proceed. Instead of a project video, the screen shows surveillance footage of him brutally abusing his wife and then manipulating her into staying by belittling her and claiming she cannot survive without him.
• The footage shocks the audience and sparks outrage online. Cheng An pulls out the USB drive and angrily accuses the secretary of arranging the exposure. Terrified, she points toward Cheng Yang.

Character developments

• Cheng Yang is shown to be pursuing justice for his mother, but the secretary’s pregnancy claim makes him doubt whether to go through with the plan. His hesitation leaves him vulnerable to losing control of the USB drive.
• Ning Shile remains quick-witted and outspoken in his thoughts. He sees through the secretary’s deception and condemns Cheng An’s abuse and manipulation.
• The secretary shifts from seeming to support Cheng Yang to sabotaging him. Her actions reveal that she is pursuing security and status through her relationship with Cheng An.
• Cheng An is publicly exposed as a violent abuser who hides behind a respectable image. His fury when the footage appears further undermines his façade.
• Zheng Father and Zheng Mother move from anticipating a business scandal to recognizing the abuse and emotional manipulation in the footage; they support Ning Shile’s perspective.

Significant themes

• Domestic violence and coercive control: Cheng An uses physical abuse, humiliation, and threats about his wife’s inability to live independently to keep her under his control.
• Truth versus reputation: The launch meant to promote Cheng An’s company becomes the setting where evidence destroys his public image.
• Justice and moral hesitation: Cheng Yang’s desire to hold his father accountable is challenged by the secretary’s false claim and his concern for a supposed child.
• Manipulation and self-interest: Both Cheng An’s treatment of his wife and the secretary’s pregnancy claim illustrate how people can use emotional pressure to control others.
• Women’s autonomy and respect: Ning Shile rejects the idea that women are born to bear family burdens, and Zheng Mother affirms the value of mutual respect.

Character interactions

• Cheng An courteously flatters Zheng Father while privately focused on the presentation; Zheng Father’s pointed glance toward Ning Shile hints that he understands something is at stake.
• The secretary blocks Cheng Yang from retrieving the USB drive, invoking pregnancy to make him hesitate.
• Cheng An overrides the confrontation, takes the drive, and orders the footage played.
• After the exposure, Cheng An turns on the secretary, while she points at Cheng Yang, shifting blame and leaving the immediate outcome unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Cheng An shoves his secretary aside while charging at Cheng Yang. She falls badly, and her pregnancy makes the injury dangerous: she suffers severe pain and begins bleeding.
• Ning Shile tries to help, but the secretary resists medical attention, afraid of publicity and Cheng An’s anger. Once Cheng Yang sees the blood, he orders someone to call a doctor.
• Cheng An learns the secretary is pregnant. She claims she planned to tell him after the opening ceremony, then insists the baby is his and that Cheng Yang only mistakenly believed they had slept together.
• Cheng Yang’s remarks make Cheng An suspect the child may be his son’s—or someone else’s. He rejects the secretary, who falls again when she reaches for him.
• Enraged by the public scandal and blaming Cheng Yang for ruining his career and taking his lover, Cheng An attacks him in front of guests and reporters. Cheng Yang does not dodge the punches.
• Ning Shile prepares to intervene, but Zheng Ye stops him, explaining that he has already called the police.

Character developments and interactions

• Cheng Yang remains composed despite being struck. He openly challenges the secretary’s story and realizes that she may have used both him and his father. He also feels relieved at the thought that he was not truly involved with her.
• Cheng An shifts from furious suspicion to rejection of the secretary, then directs his anger at Cheng Yang. His public loss of control contrasts with his carefully cultivated status.
• The secretary tries to conceal her pregnancy and injury, then improvises an explanation to appease Cheng An. Her desperation to protect herself and her prospects is clear, though her motives around the pregnancy remain conflicted.
• Ning Shile acts out of concern, repeatedly urging medical help despite being rebuffed. His instinct to stop the assault shows his basic decency.
• Zheng Ye quietly takes practical action by calling the police and restrains Ning Shile from stepping into the fight. Their exchange ends with Ning Shile jokingly wondering whether villains can do good; Zheng Ye can hear him.

Significant themes

• Public image and scandal: The reporters and livestreams turn a private family conflict into a public crisis for Cheng An.
• Trust, deception, and paternity: The uncertain fatherhood of the secretary’s pregnancy exposes the characters’ suspicions and tangled relationships.
• Responsibility and compassion: Ning Shile’s attempts to help contrast with the secretary’s fear of exposure and Cheng An’s violent self-interest.
• Villainy and unexpected virtue: Zheng Ye’s practical intervention complicates the idea that villains cannot act helpfully.

Plot points and events

• Cheng An savagely beats his son, Cheng Yang, in public, ignoring bystanders’ protests and continuing even after Cheng Yang collapses. When Cheng An raises a chair to strike him, Zheng Ye stops him, disarms him, and pins him down.
• Ning Shile condemns Cheng An for abusing his wife and child. The crowd and livestream viewers support the couple, who become known online as the “Breast Avengers.”
• Police arrest Cheng An on suspicion of abuse and assault; Cheng Yang and the injured secretary are taken to hospital. The footage spreads online, while the Zheng family benefits from favorable publicity and a rise in its share price. Ning receives another cash bonus and goes car shopping.
• Zheng Mother tells Ning Shile that the families should discuss their marriage. Ning assumes she means to end the engagement, but she actually wants to arrange a proper wedding now that Zheng Ye has recovered.
• Ning’s thoughts reveal a future plot: Zheng Ye is supposedly destined to fall for his childhood friend Su Jinyu, who will work for him while secretly helping rival Chu Ran and undermining the Zheng Corporation.
• Alarmed by this prediction, Zheng Mother calls Zheng Ye and orders him home, determined to prevent the betrayal and protect Ning’s place in the family.

Character developments and interactions

• Cheng Yang endures the beating without resisting, while Cheng An is exposed as a cruel, hypocritical abuser. Zheng Ye acts decisively to stop him; Ning Shile openly challenges Cheng An and voices the crowd’s outrage.
• Ning Shile remains oblivious to Zheng Mother’s genuine affection and misunderstands her marriage plans, while his inner narration reveals the story’s supposed romantic and corporate future.
• Zheng Mother shifts from planning a wedding to urgently confronting the danger she hears in Ning’s thoughts. Her protectiveness toward Ning—and fierce loyalty to the Zheng family—comes through in her reaction.

Significant themes

• The chapter condemns domestic and child abuse, rejecting the idea that parenthood gives someone the right to assault a child.
• Public intervention and accountability counter violence: Zheng Ye restrains Cheng An, and the police take over.
• Dramatic irony drives the ending: Ning believes the engagement will be called off, while Zheng Mother intends to strengthen it and now knows of a future threat.
• Family loyalty, romantic destiny, and corporate rivalry are set against one another as Zheng Mother resolves to resist the story’s predicted outcome.

Key plot points and events

• Zheng Ye returns home within hours of his mother’s call, bringing work with him. Ning Shile assumes Zheng Ye will still call off their engagement the next day.
• Ning Shile tells his father he will visit tomorrow with Zheng Ye. His mother explains that Ning Shile’s second uncle and family will also be there—and that the uncle has long mistreated Ning Shile’s father and their family.
• Ning Shile’s mother wants Zheng Ye’s presence to prove the marriage alliance is real and silence the relatives. Ning Shile realizes this clashes with Zheng Ye’s plan to end the engagement and worries his family will be humiliated.
• Hoping to persuade Zheng Ye to delay the breakup, Ning Shile brings him pudding and warm milk while Zheng Ye works. He struggles to explain his request, privately wishing Zheng Ye could read his mind. Zheng Ye reveals internally that he can.

Character developments

• Ning Shile is considerate and resourceful, but anxious about both his family’s dignity and the engagement. He gives up a dessert he had been saving in hopes of winning Zheng Ye over.
• Zheng Ye is focused on work and initially seems stern, yet he softens when Ning Shile appears. His ability to hear Ning Shile’s thoughts gives him insight into the request Shile cannot voice.
• Ning Mother is fiercely protective of her family and openly angry at years of mistreatment from her husband’s relatives.
• Ning Father is mild and conflict-averse, trying unsuccessfully to calm his wife and defend his family’s unity.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and old grievances: The visit revives resentment over the second uncle’s past efforts to undermine Ning Father and Ning Shile.
• Pride and public appearances: Ning Shile fears the family will be mocked if the engagement is called off before the relatives arrive.
• Unspoken communication: Ning Shile cannot bring himself to ask Zheng Ye directly, while Zheng Ye’s mind-reading makes his hidden intentions known.
• Growing warmth: Ning Shile’s small act of care—and Zheng Ye’s softened response—suggest a shift in their relationship.

Character interactions

• Ning Mother argues with Ning Father over his relatives’ past behavior, while he retreats rather than escalate the dispute.
• Ning Shile speaks with his parents and agrees to bring Zheng Ye home, then tries to reconcile that obligation with the impending breakup.
• Zheng Ye allows Ning Shile into his workspace despite disliking interruptions, watches him attentively, and hears the request he has not yet spoken aloud.

Plot points and events

• Zheng Ye has no intention of breaking off his engagement. He plans to discuss marriage with Ning Shile’s parents, though their arrangement is a one-year contract marriage meant to protect the Zheng Corporation from the disasters Ning Shile says are foretold in a novel.
• Ning Shile worries Zheng Ye might discuss the marriage before his relatives visit. He asks Zheng to pretend they are a loving couple in front of them and to wait until they leave before speaking with his parents. Zheng agrees.
• When Ning Shile asks whether Zheng dislikes sweets, Zheng says yes, so Ning takes the pudding and milk for himself. Zheng privately reflects that he actually loves sweets and only said otherwise because Ning seemed to want the pudding.
• At work, Zheng handles a difficult negotiation with confidence, directing his team to offer a ten-percent concession while pursuing a separate deal with the Pei family.
• Ning returns with rice porridge and a fried egg, encouraging Zheng to eat properly. Zheng is deeply moved by the unexpected care and agrees to eat.
• Wanting to behave convincingly as a loving partner, Zheng asks his startled subordinate Mo Yu for advice. Mo Yu recommends attentiveness, remembering preferences, taking responsibility, and giving thoughtful gifts.

Character developments

• Ning Shile is anxious about the engagement but increasingly comfortable showing practical concern for Zheng. His private thoughts remain playful and judgmental, even as his actions are considerate.
• Zheng Ye remains formidable and decisive at work, but Ning’s kindness reveals his loneliness after years of illness and overwork. He begins to feel emotionally drawn to Ning and takes the “loving couple” request seriously.
• Mo Yu is intimidated by Zheng’s authority but becomes an unexpected source of relationship advice once he understands the question.

Significant themes

• Care and loneliness: A simple home-cooked meal affects Zheng profoundly because he is unaccustomed to anyone looking after him.
• Appearance versus sincerity: The couple’s public affection is supposed to be an act, yet Zheng’s response to Ning’s care hints that genuine feelings may be developing.
• Comedy from misunderstanding: Ning interprets Zheng’s supposed dislike of sweets as villainous behavior, while Zheng’s subordinates mistake his personal question for a work crisis.
• Work and intimacy: Zheng is accustomed to control and competence in business but must learn how to express affection in a relationship.

Character interactions

• Ning communicates with Zheng by typing on his phone, asking him to play along with the relatives and later bringing him food.
• Zheng agrees to Ning’s requests and quietly accepts his care, though he remains unaware of Ning’s private commentary.
• Zheng’s stern manner frightens Mo Yu during a business call; later, Mo Yu’s relationship advice gives Zheng a practical starting point for acting like a devoted partner.

Plot and events

• Zheng Ye accompanies Ning Shile to visit Shile’s parents, bringing an extravagant selection of gifts. Shile is excited about how pleased his parents will be.
• On the drive, Shile gets carsick and falls asleep. At his family home, his second uncle and young second aunt eagerly welcome Zheng Ye, fawning over his looks and expensive presents.
• Shile’s second aunt makes a pointed remark comparing Shile’s mother to a housekeeper, then hints that she wants the luxury skincare set Zheng Ye brought for her. Shile defends his mother with a sharp, sarcastic retort.
• Shile’s father allows the relatives to take the gift, citing family harmony. Shile is angry that his father gives in, especially since the relatives seem to take advantage of him.
• To stop Shile’s frustrated inner monologue, Zheng Ye gives him a no-limit black card, saying it could buy the skincare brand and its research team. He then tries to reassure Shile with lines from a domineering-CEO cheat sheet—only to read the stage directions aloud too.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile is affectionate toward his parents and protective of his mother, but his father’s passivity deeply frustrates him. He is initially flustered when Zheng Ye takes his hand, then overwhelmed by the dramatic generosity and embarrassed by Zheng Ye’s rehearsed declarations.
• Zheng Ye tries to play the attentive partner: he holds Shile’s hand to show their closeness and uses money to make up for the gift being taken. His effort to act like a romantic, commanding CEO is sincere but hilariously awkward.
• Shile’s second aunt and uncle are flattering toward Zheng Ye but self-serving. The aunt covets the skincare set and insults Shile’s mother indirectly; the uncle readily backs her and pressures Shile’s father to give up the gift.
• Shile’s father is warm toward Zheng Ye but conflict-averse with his relatives. His willingness to surrender the present disappoints Shile.
• Zheng Ye’s over-the-top protection speech impresses Shile’s relatives more than Shile, who recognizes the cheat sheet and silently cringes.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty versus exploitation: Shile wants his parents to protect their own interests instead of yielding to relatives who invoke “family” for personal gain.
• Care expressed through action and money: Zheng Ye uses a lavish gift and an extravagant financial gesture to support Shile, though his theatrical words undermine the sincerity with comic awkwardness.
• Romance and performance: The hand-holding and CEO-style declarations show Zheng Ye consciously trying to perform affection, while Shile’s embarrassment punctures the fantasy.
• Comedy through contrast: Zheng Ye’s polished, generous image clashes with his literal reading of romance-novel lines, while the relatives mistake his awkward performance for impressive devotion.

Key plot points and events

• At dinner, Second Aunt makes backhanded remarks about Ning Mother, Luo Ying, while Ning Father stays quiet under his wife’s warning glare.
• Second Aunt rummages through a shared fish dish. Ning Shile politely calls her out, prompting Second Uncle to criticize the family’s “rules.” Zheng Ye’s cold stare makes Second Uncle back down.
• Second Aunt tests Zheng Ye by asking about Ning Shile’s preferences. Zheng Ye correctly names Shile’s favorite food, least favorite food, and hobby, astonishing everyone and reassuring Ning Mother that the Zheng family treats her son well.
• Second Uncle helps himself to Zheng Ye’s wine, then Second Aunt announces Grandfather’s birthday banquet the next day and boasts about her son, Ning Shiyan, a celebrated architect.
• Second Aunt invites Zheng Ye; he says he will try to attend. Ning Shile suddenly becomes eager to go after recalling a scandal from the story’s plot.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile confidently defends household etiquette and internally mocks his aunt and uncle. He is stunned that Zheng Ye knows his preferences, then eagerly anticipates the coming drama.
• Zheng Ye quietly protects Shile by intimidating Second Uncle, and shows how closely he pays attention to Shile. He is amused by Shile’s private thoughts, though shocked by the elaborate scandal he learns about.
• Ning Mother is initially uncomfortable with Second Aunt’s insinuations, but feels reassured when Zheng Ye demonstrates how well he knows her son.
• Second Aunt and Second Uncle try to assert status and provoke the family, but their efforts are undercut by Shile’s directness and Zheng Ye’s presence.

Significant themes and setup

• The chapter contrasts genuine care with performative family pride: Zheng Ye’s remembered details matter more than Second Aunt’s claims to protect Shile.
• Boundaries and social manners become a small power struggle at the dinner table.
• The birthday banquet is set up as a dramatic confrontation: Shile believes Ning Shiyan will propose to his girlfriend while an obsessed former partner—who, according to Shile’s account, transitioned to win him back—may expose his cheating.

Key plot points and events

• Ning Shile confronts his Second Aunt and Second Uncle for trying to take the gifts Zheng Ye brought for Ning’s parents. Zheng Ye backs him up, declaring that this is how the Zheng family treats guests, and the relatives leave empty-handed.
• Zheng Ye tells Ning Father and Ning Mother that he wants a grand wedding, not to cancel the engagement. He discusses rings, jewelry, betrothal gifts, and wedding arrangements with them.
• Ning Shile privately wonders what marriage would mean for Su Jinyu, a name that catches Zheng Ye’s attention.
• As the evening grows late, Ning Mother invites Zheng Ye to stay in Ning Shile’s room rather than drive after drinking. The parents continue their own discussion, leaving the two men alone.
• While preparing for bed, Ning Shile lends Zheng Ye a robe, underwear, and toiletries. After Zheng Ye showers, Ning Shile is distracted by his appearance and teases him.
• Their playful exchange turns flirtatious: Ning Shile calls Zheng Ye “hubby,” and Zheng Ye catches his hand, pulls him close, and challenges him to say it again. He then pins Ning Shile gently against the wall, reversing their roles.
• Ning Shile gets flustered and escapes to the bathroom. Left alone, Zheng Ye reflects on his unexpected reaction to being called “hubby” and realizes something in him may be changing.

Character developments

• Ning Shile becomes more willing to assert himself, particularly when his relatives disrespect his parents. In private, he shifts from teasing confidence to embarrassment when Zheng Ye turns the flirtation back on him.
• Zheng Ye openly supports Ning Shile and affirms his place in the Zheng family. His composed exterior cracks as he becomes visibly embarrassed and then unexpectedly affected by Ning Shile’s affection.
• Ning Father and Ning Mother increasingly approve of Zheng Ye, treating him as a serious prospective son-in-law and actively planning the marriage with him.

Significant themes

• Respect and family boundaries: Ning Shile argues that being family does not excuse disrespect or entitlement.
• Commitment and belonging: Zheng Ye’s defense of Ning Shile and his plans for a grand wedding signal that he takes the relationship seriously.
• Emotional awakening: What begins as a practical arranged marriage starts to provoke genuine attraction, especially for Zheng Ye.
• Playful intimacy: Teasing and private thoughts create comic tension while allowing the couple to explore new closeness.

Character interactions

• Ning Shile challenges his relatives’ greed; Zheng Ye reinforces his stance and protects the gifts.
• Zheng Ye and Ning’s parents discuss marriage as partners, while Ning Shile feels excluded and worries about Su Jinyu.
• Ning Mother warmly favors Zheng Ye, to Ning Shile’s mock dismay, and sends the two men to share a room.
• Ning Shile and Zheng Ye move from domestic cooperation to mutual teasing and physical closeness. Their flirtation leaves Ning Shile flustered and gives Zheng Ye his first hint of deeper feelings.

Plot points

• Ning Shile wakes to find Zheng Ye already gone. His parents return from buying gifts for Ning Shile’s grandfather’s birthday, explaining the family has long been looked down on by the grandfather.
• Ning Father recounts meeting a young seller, Chu Ran, at the antique market. Chu Ran offered a “Five Scenes Painting” by the artist Tang Yun, but Ning Father assumed it was fake.
• Recognizing Chu Ran as the novel’s future powerful and ruthless protagonist, Ning Shile remembers that the painting is genuine—and that Chu Ran is destined to be assaulted and permanently disabled.
• Ning Shile rushes to the market. He finds Chu Ran being bullied after refusing to sell the painting cheaply. He buys it, first agreeing to 500,000 yuan, then offering five million.
• Ning Shile warns Chu Ran to avoid back streets and travel on main roads, hoping to prevent the attack he knows is coming. He leaves without introducing himself.

Character developments

• Ning Shile acts on his knowledge of the novel, shifting from casual observer to an eager benefactor. He sees helping Chu Ran as both a chance to protect him and a future investment.
• Chu Ran is introduced as proud, wary, and under severe financial and family pressure. Ning Shile’s generous offer and unexpected encouragement briefly soften his hostility.
• Ning Shile’s parents show concern for family obligations despite their strained relationship with Ning Grandfather.

Character interactions

• Ning Shile and his parents discuss the family’s exclusion and the birthday banquet; Zheng Ye will not attend.
• At the market, Chu Ran is humiliated by a buyer who tries to force the price down.
• Ning Shile treats Chu Ran respectfully and recognizes the painting’s value. Chu Ran grows suspicious when Ning Shile seems to know private details about his life, but Ning Shile’s unspoken thoughts also offer encouragement that reaches him.
• Chu Ran watches Ning Shile leave, still unaware of his name.

Significant themes

• Fate and intervention: Ning Shile uses foreknowledge to try to change Chu Ran’s tragic future.
• Kindness amid hardship: A single generous encounter offers Chu Ran a rare moment of relief.
• Appearances versus truth: The market dismisses a genuine painting as counterfeit, just as Chu Ran’s hidden potential is not yet recognized.
• Power and vulnerability: Chu Ran’s future dominance contrasts sharply with his present desperation and exposure to violence.

Plot and key events

• Ning Shile attends his grandfather’s birthday banquet with his parents. Several relatives appear disappointed that Zheng Ye hasn’t come, revealing their interest in the Zheng family.
• Ning Shile presents his grandfather with a Five Scenes Painting, believing it to be a rare first scroll by the master Tang Yun. His relatives assume it is a fake and mock him—especially when he says it cost five million.
• Hoping the gift will connect him with his grandfather, Ning Shile tries to explain its significance. Ning Grandfather refuses to listen, calls him a good-for-nothing, tears up the painting, and throws it at him.
• The Zheng family arrives. Zheng Mother comforts Ning Shile and publicly warns the Ning family not to bully him. Zheng Ye notices the mark on Ning Shile’s face and becomes visibly angry.
• Even as the family tension rises, Ning Shile notices his second aunt trying to attract Zheng Ye’s attention and privately thinks she is attempting to seduce her nephew-in-law.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile arrives determined to give his grandfather a meaningful gift and, remembering the regret expressed in the original story, hopes to give them a chance to reconcile. His confidence collapses when his grandfather rejects him, but he finds comfort in Zheng Mother’s protection.
• Ning Grandfather is initially dismissive and convinced the painting is counterfeit. His anger and refusal to hear Ning Shile out turn a hopeful gesture into a painful rejection.
• Ning Shile’s relatives ridicule him and his parents, treating the painting as a fake and implying the family is foolish. Their eagerness for Zheng Ye’s arrival also exposes their interest in his status.
• Zheng Mother acts warmly and protectively toward Ning Shile, while Zheng Ye silently reacts with anger to the injury on his face.
• Ning Shile’s second aunt remains fixated on Zheng Ye and tries to draw his attention, adding an absurdly comic note to the confrontation.

Significant themes

• Family rejection and belonging: Ning Shile seeks acceptance from his grandfather but is treated with contempt.
• Misjudgment and appearances: The family assumes the painting is fake and judges Ning Shile without letting him explain.
• Chosen support: Zheng Mother’s tenderness contrasts with the Ning family’s hostility, giving Ning Shile a sense of safety.
• Comedy amid distress: Ning Shile’s irreverent inner commentary and his aunt’s inappropriate flirting punctuate the emotional scene.

• The Five Scenes Painting reverses the family’s accusations. At Ning Grandfather’s birthday banquet, he pressures Ning Shile to dismiss his relatives’ mistreatment as a joke. Seeing Shile upset, Zheng Ye takes his hand and presents Ning Grandfather with a museum-quality Five Scenes Painting. When the family mocks Shile for buying his own painting at the Antique Market, Zheng Ye reveals that it came from Chu Ran, an apprentice of Master Tang Yun—and is an authentic, exceptionally valuable upper scroll, even rarer than Zheng Ye’s lower scroll.
• Ning Grandfather faces the cost of his cruelty. He had torn up Shile’s painting, believing it was fake. Zheng Ye’s explanation makes him realize he destroyed a priceless masterpiece. Shile points to the scraps and dryly tells him, “Let the kid tear up whatever he wants.” Overwhelmed by regret and distress, Ning Grandfather faints, and the banquet descends into chaos. When he later wakes, he remains consumed by remorse; Shile, by contrast, is pleased that his relatives have been humiliated and that Zheng Ye’s family came to support him.
• Zheng Ye and Shile grow closer. Zheng Ye comforts Shile, publicly sides with him, and uses his knowledge of the painting to expose the family’s unfair treatment. Shile enjoys having his grievances vindicated, while Zheng Father and Zheng Mother also show their affection and approval of him.
• A new confrontation is set up. At dinner, Shile watches Ning Shiyan, who is seated beside his official girlfriend, Park Mingni, but secretly concentrates on messaging someone else. Park notices his distraction, though he brushes off her question as work. Shile—and the Zheng parents—anticipate a dramatic showdown involving a second male lead and a revenge plot tied to a plastic-surgery comeback. When an unfamiliar man arrives, Ning Shiyan recognizes him, hides his face, and becomes visibly tense.
  Themes: The scene contrasts genuine care with family hypocrisy, and uses knowledge and status to expose arrogance. It also turns a prized object into poetic justice: Ning Grandfather’s contempt leads him to destroy the very treasure he should have valued. The closing scene shifts the tone from vindication to suspense, foreshadowing secrets, betrayal, and revenge.

Plot points

• At a family dinner, Second Uncle introduces Gu Xiguang as a talented specialist who helped secure a business partnership. Gu sits beside Ning Shiyan, and the two flirt openly—then continue touching under the table.
• Ning Shile notices and reacts with outraged inner commentary. Zheng Mother and Father secretly inspect the scene by dropping their forks; Zheng Ye eventually does the same after Ning Shile nudges him into it.
• Park Mingni asks Ning Shiyan about an important announcement. His relatives reveal that he planned to propose to her, but Ning Shiyan panics and denies it when Gu Xiguang challenges him.
• Ning Shile’s thoughts reveal that Gu and Park are best friends, and that Gu originally pursued Ning Shiyan hoping to reconcile. He later discovered Ning Shiyan had secretly recorded former girlfriends and had boasted about getting Park within three days, prompting Gu to seek revenge.
• When Gu expresses distrust, Ning Shiyan begs him not to leave and kneels before him, confessing that they are lovers. Second Uncle accuses Gu of seducing his son, but Ning Shiyan defends Gu, declares his love, and says he cannot live without him. Second Uncle slaps him.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shiyan is exposed as a deceitful playboy: he had planned to propose to Park while secretly involved with Gu, yet appears genuinely desperate to keep Gu. His confession turns a concealed affair into a public family scandal.
• Gu Xiguang remains controlled and guarded, letting Ning Shiyan reveal the relationship while confronting him over his betrayal and past misconduct.
• Park Mingni calmly prompts Ning Shiyan to make his announcement; she is revealed to be Gu’s close friend and a target of Ning Shiyan’s earlier boasts.
• Second Uncle shifts from promoting Gu as a business asset to angrily blaming him for the affair, then physically reprimands Ning Shiyan.
• Ning Shile serves as the audience’s comic-minded observer, while the Zheng parents and Zheng Ye become increasingly curious witnesses to the under-table flirting.

Significant themes

• Deception and betrayal: Ning Shiyan’s intended proposal to Park clashes with his secret relationship with Gu and his history of violating women’s privacy.
• Consequences and exposure: His own actions and Gu’s discoveries bring his private misconduct into the open.
• Comic spectacle versus serious harm: The fork-dropping gag and gossip-driven reactions contrast with the underlying exploitation and emotional damage.

Key plot points and events

• Ning Shiyan’s family tries to stop him from pursuing Gu Xiguang, reminding him that he is engaged to Park Mingni and that the marriage supports family business interests.
• Gu Xiguang appears to agree to end the relationship, then walks away. Shiyan panics, clings to him, and begs him not to leave.
• Park Mingni confronts Shiyan, while Ning Grandfather threatens to disown him unless he breaks things off with Gu. Shiyan’s relatives blame Gu, and Second Uncle threatens him.
• Gu turns the confrontation around: he offers to forgive Shiyan if he confesses what else he has done. Shiyan admits he secretly filmed intimate videos of women, claiming he did it for fun and sometimes as a competition with friends.
• Gu reveals the nature of the videos to the shocked gathering. Shiyan then dismisses the intimate photos he collected, insisting the women sent them willingly after he spent money on them.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Xiguang stays composed and uses Shiyan’s desperation to expose his behavior. His apparent offer of forgiveness draws out a confession, while his restrained anger signals how seriously he takes the harm done to the women.
• Ning Shiyan shifts from panic and pleading to evasive confession and casual justification. His polished “good boy” image collapses as he reveals his entitlement and lack of remorse.
• Park Mingni asserts herself as Shiyan’s fiancée and condemns both his betrayal and the family’s conduct.
• Ning Grandfather and Shiyan’s relatives initially prioritize the engagement and business alliance, then react with shame and anger when the videos are exposed. Second Aunt and Second Uncle unfairly blame or threaten Gu.
• Ning Shile recognizes Gu’s strategy and internally condemns Shiyan, especially for treating the women’s privacy and dignity as entertainment.

Significant themes

• Public image versus true character: Shiyan’s dutiful, respectable persona hides serious misconduct.
• Accountability and manipulation: Gu uses Shiyan’s fear of abandonment to make him reveal what he has done.
• Consent, privacy, and entitlement: Shiyan treats intimate images and recordings as prizes, while the chapter emphasizes the harm behind his dismissive excuses.
• Family reputation and prejudice: The Ning family initially worries about scandal and business, and some relatives redirect blame toward Gu rather than confront Shiyan’s behavior.

Key plot points

• Ning Shiyan admits that he collected intimate photos from women he dated online, shared them with friends, and used them to arrange encounters. Park Mingni reveals that she and Gu Xiguang recorded his confession and invited his victims to listen. The women confront Ning Shiyan by phone, exposing his behavior.
• Furious at being deceived and mocked, Ning Shiyan lunges at Gu Xiguang. Ning Shile tackles him before he can reach Gu, scraping his own knees in the process.
• Police arrive after Ning Shile’s report and take Ning Shiyan away on suspicion of distributing obscene material and rape. Ning Shiyan’s aunt defends him and blames the women; Ning Shile rebukes her and reveals that she, too, appears in photos Ning Shiyan secretly took.
• The chaotic birthday banquet ends with Ning Grandfather being taken to the hospital. Later, Ning Shile overhears that Zheng Father and Zheng Mother are going to a company banquet—the event that, according to his foreknowledge, will trigger their divorce when Zheng Mother discovers Zheng Father’s supposed affair and illegitimate son. Zheng Father silently insists this is false, and Ning Shile decides to go to the Zheng home that night.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile acts decisively to protect Gu Xiguang, reports Ning Shiyan to the police, and refuses to tolerate victim-blaming. His concern about the Zheng parents’ future prompts him to change plans and visit their home.
• Zheng Ye instinctively shields Ning Shile from the family’s accusations and worries over his injuries, revealing his growing protectiveness and affection.
• Gu Xiguang and Park Mingni work together to expose Ning Shiyan, turning his own confession into evidence and giving his victims a chance to confront him.
• Ning Shiyan shifts from attempted excuse-making to violent rage when exposed; his relatives’ efforts to defend him deepen the conflict.
• Zheng Mother is wary of her husband’s upcoming banquet, while Zheng Father anxiously signals that the anticipated scandal is not true.

Significant themes

• Accountability and justice: Ning Shiyan’s abuse is exposed, and the police are called.
• Solidarity among women: Park Mingni and the victims unite to confront him.
• Victim-blaming and misogyny: Ning Shiyan’s aunt prioritizes her son’s career and blames the women, prompting Ning Shile’s sharp rebuttal.
• Protection and affection: Zheng Ye’s instinct to shield Ning Shile contrasts with the hostility of Ning Shiyan’s relatives.

Key events

• Ning Shile is taken home by his parents despite wanting to warn the Zheng family about the next day’s banquet. He has already predicted that something will go wrong with Zheng Mother’s gown, that a DNA report concerning Zheng Father and an illegitimate child will surface, and that the Zheng parents may become enemies.
• His warnings leave Zheng Father and Zheng Mother deeply unsettled. On the drive home, they wonder whether the prediction could be true.
• Zheng Mother recalls how she helped rescue the Zheng family business and how Zheng Father once promised to love her for life. Though shaken, she agrees to trust him when he insists he has never been unfaithful and will face the situation with her. She adds darkly that if he does have an illegitimate child, she will feed his severed penis to the neighbor’s golden retriever.
• Zheng Ye, who has secretly been investigating, already has evidence about the situation and expects a woman to take the bait at the banquet.
• Ning Shile messages Zheng Ye and asks to attend. Zheng Ye agrees, seeing his presence as potentially useful.

Character developments and interactions

• Zheng Mother moves from fear of betrayal to a cautious decision to trust her husband, while making clear that betrayal would have severe consequences.
• Zheng Father is confused by the prediction but reassures his wife and asks for her trust.
• Zheng Ye reveals that he has been planning behind the scenes and is prepared for the coming confrontation.
• Ning Shile remains eager to help, and his ominous predictions prompt Zheng Ye to invite him to the banquet.

Significant themes

• Trust under uncertainty: Zheng Mother must weigh her faith in her husband against a prediction that seems likely to come true.
• Foreshadowing and suspense: The gown, DNA report, and possible family rupture build anticipation for the banquet.
• Hidden power and preparation: Zheng Ye’s investigation suggests that the apparent crisis may be part of a larger scheme.