Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Worried about Zheng Ye’s parents, Ning Shile sleeps badly and goes to Zheng Corporation the next morning, hoping to see Zheng Ye. He has no appointment, and Zheng Ye is in a long meeting, so Ning waits in the lobby.
• Chu Ran arrives to discuss a partnership and finds Ning dozing on a sofa. Their conversation reveals that Ning knows details about Chu Ran’s future success with the Blue Ocean Project and his eventual business rivalry with Zheng Ye—information Chu Ran has no obvious way to know.
• Chu Ran begins to suspect Ning can see how events will unfold. He wonders whether he is the world’s protagonist and whether Ning is meant to be his romantic counterpart. Feeling drawn to Ning, he invites him to lunch as thanks for his earlier help.
• Zheng Ye finally checks his phone, sees Ning’s messages and kitten picture, and smiles. He sends Assistant Zhang to bring Ning to his office. When he learns Ning is no longer waiting in the lobby, Zheng Ye abruptly ends the meeting and leaves.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile is anxious and considerate, but also sleepy and candid. His knowledge of the story’s future continues to surprise others, though he appears unaware of how revealing his thoughts are.
• Chu Ran grows more curious about Ning and increasingly attracted to him. He connects Ning’s earlier warnings and his knowledge of the Blue Ocean Project, while considering what Ning’s role might be in his life.
• Zheng Ye shows unexpected tenderness toward Ning through his smile and special treatment, then reacts sharply when he learns Ning is gone.
• Ning and Chu Ran share a relaxed, friendly exchange: Chu Ran thanks Ning and offers him lunch.
• Zheng Ye and his staff provide a comic contrast: his subordinates are stunned by his smile and by his order to bring Ning to his office, while Assistant Zhang follows the instruction without question.

Significant themes

• Foreknowledge and fate: Ning’s knowledge of future events makes Chu Ran question how much of the world’s story is already determined.
• Growing attraction and competing bonds: Both Chu Ran and Zheng Ye show special interest in Ning, setting up possible romantic tension.
• Power and business rivalry: The Blue Ocean Project foreshadows Chu Ran’s rise and a future contest for influence with Zheng Ye.
• Public image versus private feeling: Zheng Ye’s normally controlled, intimidating presence gives way to visible warmth when Ning is involved.

Plot points and events

• Ning Shile waits at an expensive restaurant with Chu Ran for Zheng Ye, who arrives late after a meeting and joins them.
• Zheng Ye and Chu Ran immediately develop a tense rivalry over Ning Shile. Ning Shile, unaware of the real friction, excitedly interprets their behavior as a dramatic “Love Rival Showdown.”
• The first dish disappoints Ning Shile, but Zheng Ye orders additional food. He wins Ning Shile’s approval with a good snail dish, helps him when the spicy food makes him choke, and prepares the pigeon dish in a way Ning Shile loves.
• Zheng Ye’s attentive gestures—especially wiping Ning Shile’s mouth and replacing Chu Ran’s serving with his own—make Chu Ran increasingly jealous. Zheng Ye also secretly pays the bill.
• After the meal, Chu Ran asks about a painting Ning Shile bought earlier. Ning Shile reveals he still has it and agrees to sell it to Chu Ran at the original price, since Chu Ran genuinely values it. They exchange contact details.
• Ning Shile privately celebrates gaining the male lead’s WeChat and another powerful backer. Zheng Ye hears this and wonders whether he needs to become a more impressive protector.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile remains innocent of the men’s rivalry, focused mainly on food and his own imagined story roles. He is generous about the painting and pleased to connect with Chu Ran.
• Zheng Ye shows both genuine attentiveness and calculated competitiveness: he arrives apologetically, cares for Ning Shile, subtly outmaneuvers Chu Ran, and takes the opportunity to pay. Ning Shile’s “backer” comment prompts him to reconsider how well he is supporting him.
• Chu Ran begins with only a vague attraction to Ning Shile, but Zheng Ye’s attention draws out his jealousy. He tries to compete by ordering food and serving Ning Shile, then secures a connection through the painting.
• The men’s exchanges are outwardly polite but charged with rivalry; Ning Shile’s inner commentary, heard by both, adds confusion as they privately puzzle over who is the “male lead,” “villain,” and what role Ning Shile himself plays.

Significant themes

• Rivalry masked by courtesy: Zheng Ye and Chu Ran compete through small gestures while maintaining plausible politeness.
• Dramatic irony and misunderstanding: Ning Shile views their tension as entertainment, while both men hear his thoughts and draw their own conclusions.
• Care as competition: Food, attention, and practical help become ways for the men to vie for Ning Shile’s favor.
• Authenticity and appreciation: Ning Shile’s explanation of the two-part Five Scenes Painting highlights the difference between genuinely valuing art and merely following fashionable opinion.

Plot points and events

• Ning Shile learns that Assistant Wang has secretly replaced Zheng Mother’s one-of-a-kind luxury dress with a knockoff, then deliberately worn the genuine version to the banquet. She has also been acting overly familiar with Zheng Father, while Zheng Mother believes the matching outfits were her husband’s doing.
• Ning hints that Zheng Mother may need a coat and another dress. Zheng Ye arranges for both to be brought from the car.
• At the Zheng Corporation banquet, employees gossip that Assistant Wang is poised to become Zheng Father’s wife. Ning knows the truth, while Zheng Father realizes he mistakenly treated the matching outfits as a coincidence.
• Assistant Wang publicly fusses over Zheng Father’s drinking and touches and straightens his tie. Their interaction fuels workplace gossip and deeply upsets Zheng Mother, despite her knowing her husband has no affair with Wang.
• Zheng Mother leaves for the restroom, where a server accidentally spills champagne on her. Assistant Wang follows her, and Ning hurries after them while Zheng Ye goes to retrieve the replacement dress.
• The chapter ends with Zheng Mother alone at the restroom sink, soaked and frustrated, struggling to contain her anger.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile is observant and proactive, using hints to ensure Zheng Ye brings a replacement outfit. He comforts Zheng Mother with warm attention, though his private thoughts reveal that his main concern is protecting his lucrative job.
• Zheng Ye quietly responds to Ning’s suggestions and helps arrange practical support for his mother.
• Zheng Mother moves from gratitude toward Ning to renewed irritation when she learns the truth about the dress and sees Wang’s public intimacy with her husband. She resolves to replace the assistants with older men.
• Zheng Father is naïve about Wang’s intentions and initially finds their matching outfits amusing. He is startled by Ning’s revelation and uncomfortable when Wang touches him, but does not stop her before the crowd notices.
• Assistant Wang presents herself as a possessive, caring partner to Zheng Father, while secretly engineering the dress switch and publicly embarrassing Zheng Mother.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: The matching dresses and Wang’s performative concern conceal her manipulation.
• Public humiliation and reputation: The banquet’s gossip magnifies Zheng Mother’s embarrassment and Wang’s apparent influence.
• Jealousy, trust, and boundaries: Even without an affair, Wang’s familiarity with Zheng Father strains the couple’s relationship and exposes his poor judgment.
• Self-interest beneath affection: Ning’s kindness is genuine in effect, but his internal motivation is partly financial.

Plot points

• Zheng Mother encounters Zheng Father’s special assistant in the restroom and spots her wearing the engagement ring Zheng Mother had lost.
• Ning Shile’s thoughts reveal that the assistant is trying to provoke Zheng Mother with the ring and a pregnancy report claiming Zheng Father is the baby’s father. The report is fabricated; the real DNA test shows he is not.
• Keeping her composure, Zheng Mother challenges the assistant about the ring and threatens to call the police. The assistant denies stealing it and insults Zheng Mother’s age while implying Zheng Father preferred her.
• Zheng Mother refuses to handle the matter privately. She drags the assistant into the banquet hall, announces that anyone interested in gossip can watch, and demands an explanation for the dress, ring, and pregnancy.
• The guests are stunned by the public confrontation. The chapter ends as Zheng Ye arrives, confused, while Ning Shile realizes Zheng Mother appears to know about the pregnancy.

Character developments and interactions

• Zheng Mother shifts from anger to controlled confidence, then openly confronts the assistant rather than protecting appearances. Her directness and willingness to make a scene surprise those around her.
• The special assistant begins poised and provocative, but loses confidence when Zheng Mother makes the confrontation public. She wants to marry into the Zheng family and uses the ring and false report to sow distrust.
• Ning Shile anxiously tracks events through his thoughts, which reveal the assistant’s deception and encourage Zheng Mother’s bold response. His comic panic contrasts with her resolve.
• Zheng Ye arrives without understanding what is happening and is pulled into the scene by Ning Shile.

Significant themes

• Truth versus manipulation: The assistant relies on a stolen ring and forged evidence, while Ning Shile’s revelations expose the deception.
• Dignity versus appearances: Zheng Mother rejects the idea that family scandal should be kept private to spare embarrassment.
• Confronting betrayal: Zheng Mother’s firm stance reflects her belief that cheating is an unacceptable boundary in marriage.
• Public power and social pressure: By bringing the dispute before the banquet guests, Zheng Mother prevents the assistant from controlling the narrative.

Key plot points and events

• Assistant Wang admits she stole a ring and altered a dress, then threatens to expose a supposed affair with Chairman Zheng. She presents hotel surveillance footage showing him carrying her into a room and later leaving.
• The guests assume Zheng assaulted her. Zheng Father insists he only took her to safety after another man tried to harass her; Ning Shile’s inner thoughts confirm this account, but the footage leaves it looking suspicious.
• Assistant Wang produces a DNA report claiming her unborn child is a perfect match for Zheng Father. Zheng Ye counters with an authenticated hospital report showing the child is not his. Ning Shile points out that her report lacks a hospital stamp and is fake.
• Zheng Ye says the DNA result does not resolve whether an assault occurred and proposes calling the police to investigate both the allegation and Assistant Wang’s theft and defamation. She breaks down and runs off.
• The banquet resumes as a dance party. Ning Shile tries to leave to check on Assistant Wang, fearing she may harm herself. Zheng Ye, Zheng Father, and Zheng Mother join him.

Character developments and interactions

• Assistant Wang escalates from defiance to fabricated evidence, then collapses when her claims are exposed.
• Zheng Father is embarrassed and distressed: although innocent of the alleged assault, he struggles to explain why he took an intoxicated employee to a hotel.
• Zheng Mother remains outwardly composed, challenges the video’s meaning, and quietly signals she will confront her husband later.
• Zheng Ye takes control at the crucial moment, producing reliable evidence and insisting that the allegation still be investigated fairly.
• Ning Shile provides the audience with the truth behind the footage and shows concern for Assistant Wang’s safety, despite the damage she caused.
• The onlookers’ gossip and assumptions amplify the public humiliation, while Ning Shile’s family accompanies him to look for the assistant.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus truth: The footage and initial DNA claim make Zheng Father look guilty, but neither tells the full story.
• Evidence and accountability: Zheng Ye distinguishes between disproving paternity and resolving the assault allegation, calling for proper investigation rather than relying on appearances.
• Reputation and public judgment: The banquet crowd quickly condemns Zheng Father, and the family worries about the company’s image.
• Crisis and responsibility: Even after Assistant Wang’s deception is exposed, the characters take seriously the possibility that she may be in danger.

Plot points and events

• Assistant Wang attempts suicide by jumping from a bridge after her scheme against the Zheng family is exposed. Zheng Ye catches her, and Ning Shile persuades her to take his hand; together, the two men pull her to safety.
• Ning Shile realizes her crisis has deeper causes than losing her job. Assistant Wang’s parents have belittled and financially exploited her, favoring her younger brother and planning to use her bride price to provide him with a house and wife.
• Assistant Wang had left a boyfriend after discovering his long-term visits to prostitutes. Her parents refused to accept the breakup, drugged her, and enabled the ex-boyfriend to assault her. She became pregnant, and he used the pregnancy to pressure her into marriage.
• Hoping to escape her family’s coercion, Assistant Wang tried to implicate Zheng Father and disrupt his marriage. She admits that she knew Zheng Father had not actually done anything to her and apologizes. Zheng Mother understands her circumstances but makes clear that suffering does not excuse harming others.
• Ning Shile promises to help stop her parents from forcing the marriage and asks for her brother’s WeChat contact. Zheng Ye quickly adds him instead.

Character developments and interactions

• Assistant Wang shifts from despair and self-blame toward accepting another chance at life, taking Ning Shile’s hand and finally revealing the abuse and coercion behind her actions.
• Ning Shile shows compassion and resolve, intervening emotionally and then offering practical help. He recognizes that Assistant Wang’s attempt is rooted in long-standing family abuse and desperation.
• Zheng Ye acts decisively to save Assistant Wang and works alongside Ning Shile to pull her up. His eagerness to add her brother suggests he intends to take an active role in helping.
• Zheng Mother and Zheng Father are shaken and angered by the revelations. Zheng Mother balances sympathy for Assistant Wang with a firm refusal to excuse her betrayal.

Significant themes

• Suicide, hope, and second chances: Ning Shile argues that suicide is not freedom but escape, encouraging Assistant Wang to trust others and try again.
• Family abuse and gender discrimination: Her parents’ emotional cruelty, financial exploitation, and preference for their son have trapped Assistant Wang.
• Accountability alongside compassion: The Zhengs can understand the pressures behind Assistant Wang’s scheme without considering it justified.
• Coercion and bodily autonomy: Assistant Wang’s parents and ex-boyfriend disregard her consent and use her pregnancy to control her future.

Plot points and events

• Ning Shile takes Zheng Ye to watch Wang Ming, Assistant Wang’s younger brother, meet his online girlfriend. Wang Ming has dated “Su Jingjing” for three years and is expecting to marry her after buying a house and putting her name on the deed.
• The supposed girlfriend turns out to be a heavyset man who has been posing as a woman and stringing along several online partners. His father catches him, beats him with a rolling pin, and the neighbors intervene. Wang Ming learns that he was not only deceived but barely remembered among the man’s many “husbands.”
• The revelation changes Wang Ming’s plans: he stops demanding a house and postpones marriage until he has established his career. Assistant Wang is then able to break up with her own troublesome partner and surrender to police for stealing, returning the stolen money in hopes of a reduced sentence.
• At dinner, Chu Ran invites Ning Shile to the wedding of Old Master Bai’s granddaughter. Ning Shile recognizes the event from foreknowledge of a gambling scandal and agrees to go. Zheng Ye, who hopes to make business connections with Old Master Bai, decides to clear his schedule as well.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile uses his knowledge and mischievous sense of humor to expose Wang Ming’s online romance, indirectly helping Assistant Wang escape family pressure to marry.
• Zheng Ye watches Ning Shile’s scheme unfold, initially confused about its purpose, and later sees how easily Ning Shile bonds with his mother over the story.
• Assistant Wang moves from being pressured by her family and partner toward taking responsibility for her theft and ending the relationship.
• Wang Ming is devastated by the deception but changes his priorities, focusing on his career rather than rushing into marriage.
• Zheng Ye’s mother is impressed by Ning Shile’s intervention and regrets missing the spectacle; Zheng Ye gently redirects their lively conversation back to dinner.
• Chu Ran invites Ning Shile to the wedding while arranging to collect a painting afterward. Zheng Ye sees the event as a chance to meet Old Master Bai.

Significant themes

• Deception and online identity: Wang Ming’s romance collapses when he discovers his partner’s real identity and motives.
• Consequences and accountability: Assistant Wang turns herself in, while Wang Ming’s deception prompts him to reconsider his choices.
• Using knowledge to change outcomes: Ning Shile’s intervention eases pressure on Assistant Wang, and his foreknowledge of the upcoming wedding scandal sets the next events in motion.
• Family and social pressure: Wang Ming’s parents’ expectations had pushed both siblings toward choices they did not want.

• A tense pickup: Chu Ran arrives to collect Ning Shile, only to find Zheng Ye coming along with him. He and Zheng Ye trade pointed, competitive remarks over who gets to ride where. Ning Shile notices their hostility and privately jokes that they seem like “born enemies,” while hoping Chu Ran survives Zheng Ye’s teasing.
• A wedding—and a hidden threat: The group reaches Bai Qiongyu’s wedding just as Han Jin arrives to take her away. Ning Shile’s thoughts reveal that Han Jin has concealed a serious gambling addiction: he owes five million, now inflated to thirty million, and is marrying Bai Qiongyu for her money. Four loan sharks have come to ensure the wedding happens so he can repay them.
• Ning Shile intervenes: When the loan sharks intimidate the bridesmaids over the wedding shoe-hiding game, Ning Shile calmly explains the tradition and gives them a deadline. Their leader makes an unwelcome advance toward him, prompting Zheng Ye to step forward, though Ning Shile keeps the situation focused on the search. The men eventually comply.
• A tender scene with an uneasy undertone: Han Jin answers the wedding host’s questions smoothly and shares an affectionate moment with Bai Qiongyu when he lifts her veil. Watching them, Ning Shile struggles to believe Han Jin’s tenderness is entirely fake, even knowing the danger behind the marriage.
  Character developments and interactions: Chu Ran’s easygoing mood turns sour when Zheng Ye appears, revealing jealousy or at least strong irritation; Zheng Ye deliberately needles him while remaining composed. Ning Shile is perceptive and acts bravely to protect the bridesmaids, while Zheng Ye shows signs of being ready to defend him. Bai Qiongyu appears genuinely happy and trusting, making Han Jin’s secret betrayal—and the uncertainty over whether he truly loves her—more painful.
  Themes: The chapter contrasts genuine-looking affection with concealed motives, and the celebratory wedding traditions with the financial coercion and danger surrounding them. It also emphasizes the tension between Chu Ran and Zheng Ye, alongside the growing protectiveness shown toward Ning Shile.

Key plot points and events

• At Bai Qiongyu’s wedding, Han Jin’s childhood friends corner bridesmaid Tao Wan, grope and humiliate her under the pretense of wedding “hazing.”
• Ning Shile intervenes, restraining the ringleader and demanding an apology. When the man attacks, Ning Shile knocks him down. Zheng Ye swiftly defeats the other men.
• Chu Ran covers Tao Wan with his jacket and helps her up. Bai Qiongyu comforts her, learns what happened, and angrily threatens to call off the wedding unless the men apologize.
• Han Jin gets the men to offer perfunctory apologies. Tao Wan says she is all right to keep her friend’s wedding from being ruined, though she is clearly hurt.
• The wedding party skips the remaining games and heads to the elevator. A man arrives at the last moment, greets Bai Qiongyu as his sister, and is identified by Ning Shile’s thoughts as Su Jinyu, a childhood friend of the protagonist. Ning Shile realizes the elevator now contains several romantic rivals.

Character developments and interactions

• Ning Shile drops his usual gentleness to protect Tao Wan, showing both courage and formidable fighting ability. His private thoughts reveal he knows Han Jin is secretly a hardened gambler.
• Tao Wan is left shaken and humiliated, but puts Bai Qiongyu’s happiness ahead of her own and tries to minimize what happened.
• Bai Qiongyu fiercely defends her best friend and proves she will not excuse the assault, even at the risk of ending her wedding.
• Zheng Ye backs Ning Shile up by swiftly overpowering the remaining attackers; Chu Ran offers Tao Wan quiet, practical comfort.
• Han Jin appears more concerned with containing the incident than confronting his friends’ behavior, and the apologies he secures are insincere.
• Su Jinyu’s arrival creates a new surprise connection: he is Bai Qiongyu’s younger brother and, in Ning Shile’s view, another romantic rival.

Significant themes

• The chapter condemns sexual harassment disguised as tradition or a joke, and emphasizes consent and accountability.
• Friendship and loyalty are central: Bai Qiongyu stands up for Tao Wan, while Tao Wan sacrifices her own comfort to protect her friend’s happiness.
• Ning Shile’s intervention highlights courage and protection of the vulnerable, while Han Jin’s response hints at deeper flaws in his character.

Key plot points

• At his sister Bai Qiongyu’s wedding, Bai Qiong-yu realizes he can hear Ning Shile’s unspoken thoughts. Ning’s mental narration reveals that the groom, Han Jin, is deeply in debt from gambling and that his supposed “friends” are loan sharks who harassed a bridesmaid.
• Ning’s thoughts reveal a darker future: Han Jin will continue gambling, cheat Qiongyu out of her money, stage a fake haunting with casino women to drive her insane, and leave her to die in a psychiatric hospital before fleeing abroad.
• Alarmed, Bai Qiong-yu questions his sister about the men. Her answer confirms Ning’s account, and Han Jin’s guilty response adds to Bai’s suspicions.
• Bai finds the four men in a stairwell, pays off Han Jin’s debt with a check, then orders them to help him ruin the wedding.
• The ceremony begins with Qiongyu entering in her wedding dress. Bai watches coldly, believing the real confrontation is still to come.

Character developments and interactions

• Bai Qiong-yu shifts from bewilderment at hearing Ning’s thoughts to protective determination. Though he appears gentle, his overseas upbringing has made him intimidating and capable of decisive action.
• Ning Shile serves as the source of crucial information, silently condemning Han Jin and exposing the future danger to Qiongyu.
• Bai Qiongyu is devoted to Han Jin and has already clashed with her parents over marrying him. She seems unaware of his gambling and betrayal.
• Han Jin maintains a polite, apologetic front, but Bai increasingly sees him as a threat.
• Bai Qiong-yu and the loan sharks move quickly from confrontation to a transaction: Bai pays their debt, then recruits them to disrupt the wedding.
• Bai Qiong-yu and his sister share a close bond, though she is unaware of how much danger she may face.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: A romantic wedding and Han Jin’s courteous behavior conceal manipulation and abuse.
• Foreknowledge and prevention: Hearing Ning’s thoughts gives Bai a chance to stop a tragic future before it unfolds.
• Family loyalty and protection: Bai acts against the wedding to defend his sister, while her estrangement from their parents leaves him as her sole family representative.
• Power beneath a gentle exterior: Bai’s mild appearance contrasts with his capacity for intimidation and action.

Key plot points and events

• Ning Shile attends Bai Qiong-yu and Han Jin’s wedding, convinced the vows are hollow and eager for the marriage to fall apart.
• Bai Qiong-yu approaches Ning Shile after their earlier elevator encounter. He hides his frustration and plays along, while she finds him sincere and amusing.
• Buzz-Cut Man and his associates disrupt the reception, demanding repayment from Han Jin. They reveal he owes them thirty million after borrowing money to fund online gambling—and planned to use marriage to Bai Qiong-yu to get it paid.
• Bai Qiong-yu confronts Han Jin. He admits to the debt but claims he borrowed less, was threatened, and genuinely loves her. He begs forgiveness, invokes her pregnancy, and swears he has quit gambling.
• Despite the revelations, Bai Qiong-yu gives Han Jin another chance and says she will arrange repayment, asking the men to leave him alone. Ning Shile is furious and dismayed.

Character developments

• Ning Shile remains openly contemptuous of Han Jin and internally urges Bai Qiong-yu to reject him. His frustration grows when she appears to forgive him.
• Bai Qiong-yu shifts from suspicion and shock to hesitation as Han Jin pleads. Her concern for their unborn child ultimately influences her decision.
• Han Jin is exposed as a gambler who deceived Bai Qiong-yu about his debts and marriage motives. He responds with threats, excuses, tears, and promises in an effort to keep her.
• Zheng Ye and Chu Ran exchange a playful, possessive-looking silent contest over Zheng Ye’s attention to Ning Shile; it remains a brief comic aside.

Significant themes

• Deception versus sincerity: Han Jin’s professed love conflicts with his concealed financial motives.
• Manipulation and guilt: He uses fear, self-pity, promises, and the baby to pressure Bai Qiong-yu.
• Trust and vulnerability: Bai Qiong-yu must decide whether to believe someone who has repeatedly lied to her.
• Dramatic irony: Ning Shile knows more about Han Jin’s wrongdoing than the people around him, but cannot openly explain it.

Character interactions

• Bai Qiong-yu and Ning Shile share a friendly, light exchange, and she is struck by his apparent sincerity.
• Buzz-Cut Man publicly humiliates Han Jin and exposes the debt in front of Bai Qiong-yu and the wedding guests.
• Bai Qiong-yu first protects Han Jin from the debt collectors, then recoils when she learns why he married her. Han Jin clings to her and pleads until she relents.
• Ning Shile watches the exchange, silently condemning Han Jin and reacting with mounting disbelief to Bai Qiong-yu’s decision.

Key plot points and events

• Zheng Mother worries that Bai Qiongyu is sacrificing her future by forgiving Han Jin, despite knowing he lied about his gambling debts. Zheng Ye admits there may be no easy way to change her mind.
• Ning Shile proposes a plan: expose Han Jin’s continued gambling so Bai Qiongyu can see that he has not kept his promise to quit.
• To prove it, Ning Shile contacts Cheng Yang, a skilled hacker. Cheng Yang takes control of an online gambling site and retrieves its records, revealing that Han Jin still has a balance of 1.2 million and gambled as recently as that morning.
• Cheng Yang explains that gambling sites are scams: deposits are taken and winnings can be blocked by changing the site’s code.
• Ning Shile asks Cheng Yang to help with a later staged encounter. Cheng Yang agrees on the condition that Ning Shile visit him in the hospital. Ning Shile promises to come.
• Zheng Ye and Chu Ran react with alarm to Cheng Yang’s request, suspecting he may also have romantic feelings for Ning Shile, though Ning Shile does not notice.

Character developments and interactions

• Zheng Mother shows compassion for Bai Qiongyu but also impatience with Zheng Ye, teasing him for lacking underhanded tactics.
• Ning Shile takes charge of finding a way to expose Han Jin. He is resourceful and persuasive, though oblivious to the possible romantic meaning of Cheng Yang’s request.
• Cheng Yang proves highly capable and willing to help, while revealing that he wants Ning Shile to visit him. His awkward insistence suggests personal affection.
• Zheng Ye and Chu Ran become wary when Cheng Yang asks for a visit, appearing to see him as a potential rival for Ning Shile’s attention.
• Han Jin is exposed as still gambling and continuing to deceive Bai Qiongyu.

Significant themes

• Deception and trust: Han Jin’s ongoing gambling undermines the promise that persuaded Bai Qiongyu to forgive him.
• The danger of gambling: Cheng Yang reveals how online gambling sites manipulate deposits and winnings.
• Helping others confront painful truths: The group aims to give Bai Qiongyu clear evidence rather than simply argue with her.
• Unnoticed affection and jealousy: Cheng Yang’s request—and the others’ reactions—introduces a possible romantic rivalry that Ning Shile misses.

Plot points and events

• After the wedding, Han Jin secretly checks his gambling account and is pleased to have turned a small bet into a larger sum—but immediately regrets not wagering more.
• Ning Shile and Zheng Ye stage a conversation about Zheng Ye’s supposed horse-racing “inside information.” Their performance is clumsy, but Han Jin overhears and takes the bait.
• Han Jin admits that his wedding-day promise to stop gambling was merely something he told Bai Qiongyu. He calls gambling a way to make money.
• Zheng Ye offers to share tips in exchange for 70 percent of Han Jin’s profits. Han Jin reluctantly agrees, convinced the information is valuable. Zheng Ye then gives him two horse numbers.
• During the banquet, Han Jin neglects his responsibilities and secretly follows the race. Bai Qiongyu, already overwhelmed, confronts him; he snaps at her.
• Just as Han Jin begins to suspect Zheng Ye’s tip is a lie, a message confirms that his horse—number two—has won. Excited by the high payout, he rushes off to bet more.

Character developments

• Han Jin reveals that his promise to quit gambling was insincere. His greed and growing confidence in the supposed tips override his duties and his consideration for Bai Qiongyu.
• Ning Shile helps orchestrate the trap, giving Han Jin opportunities to back out while concealing his anger at Han Jin’s dishonesty.
• Zheng Ye adopts a convincing, domineering persona during the negotiation. He appears confident in the scheme and successfully uses a high profit demand to distract Han Jin from questioning the tip.
• Bai Qiongyu is left managing the wedding banquet while Han Jin is preoccupied. His outburst makes the strain in their relationship more visible.

Significant themes

• Greed and self-deception: Han Jin treats gambling as a money-making plan and rationalizes breaking his promise.
• Deception and manipulation: Ning Shile and Zheng Ye deliberately exploit Han Jin’s greed, while Han Jin himself lies to Bai Qiongyu.
• Appearance versus reality: Zheng Ye’s supposedly insider knowledge is part of a staged setup, and his awkward acting is mistaken for credibility.
• Neglected responsibility: Han Jin’s fixation on gambling leaves Bai Qiongyu carrying the burden of the banquet.

Character interactions

• Ning Shile and Zheng Ye coordinate their act through glances and cues, with Ning Shile coaching Zheng Ye’s performance.
• Han Jin ingratiates himself with Zheng Ye, presses for the tip, and accepts the steep profit split because he believes it will pay off.
• Ning Shile challenges Han Jin indirectly by reminding him of his wedding promise, but Han Jin dismisses it.
• Bai Qiongyu confronts Han Jin over neglecting the guests; he responds angrily before the winning result restores his excitement and sends him away again.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• After the horse Han Jin had backed wins, he asks Zheng Ye to lend him money for another race. Zheng agrees to an 80/20 split in his favor. Han Jin wagers the entire deposit, convinced the arrangement lets him profit without risking much of his own money.
• As the wedding ends, Han Jin’s parents privately ask Bai Qiongyu to return the 88,000-yuan bride price, despite her family having already provided a dowry.
• Bai refuses and points out that Han Jin owes 30 million yuan. She realizes the Han family is taking advantage of her now that she has distanced herself from her own family.
• Han’s parents accuse Bai of disrespecting her mother-in-law and demand that she follow the Han family’s rules by returning the bride price that night.
• Han Jin takes his parents’ side in practice: when Bai insists she did nothing wrong, he tells her simply to apologize. Meanwhile, the next race begins, and Number Eight surges into the lead.

Character developments and interactions

• Han Jin reveals his greed and entitlement more clearly. He borrows from Zheng while planning to keep a share of any winnings, then dismisses Bai’s objections once he believes she is committed to the marriage.
• Bai Qiongyu begins to see the consequences of sacrificing her family and career for Han. She stands up to his mother’s unreasonable demand and refuses to apologize for something she did not do.
• Han’s parents show that they prioritize money and control over welcoming Bai into the family. When challenged, they turn their own unreasonable behavior into an accusation against her.
• Zheng Ye calmly lends Han the money, amused by Ning Shile’s hidden, indignant reactions. His quiet attention to Ning contrasts with Han’s selfishness.
• Ning Shile watches the confrontation and is outraged by the Han family’s behavior. Bai Qiong-yu, Bai Qiongyu’s sister, stays beside Ning but does not intervene, believing Bai Qiongyu needs to recognize the Han family’s true nature herself.

Significant themes

• Greed and exploitation: Han gambles with borrowed money, while his parents try to reclaim the bride price despite Bai’s dowry and Han’s enormous debt.
• Marriage and family power: The wedding does not bring Bai the acceptance she hoped for; instead, the Han family uses it to impose rules and expectations.
• Disillusionment and self-respect: Bai’s confrontation marks a shift from defending Han to questioning the sacrifices she made for him.
• Actions versus appearances: Han’s earlier reassurance proves shallow when he sides with his parents and treats Bai’s distress as an inconvenience.

Plot points and events

• On her wedding day, Bai Qiongyu catches Han Jin betting on horse races, despite his promise to stop gambling. When she confronts him, he blames her, demands an apology, and treats her as though she owes him obedience.
• Bai Qiongyu recognizes that the man she remembered as kind is now someone she cannot trust. She ends the marriage, offering to return his family’s bride price in exchange for her dowry. Han Jin tries to shame her by pointing out that she is pregnant, but she rejects his insult and leaves.
• Her brother, Bai Qiong-yu, welcomes her warmly. She worries that their parents will be angry, but he reassures her and jokes about her stubbornness.
• Han Jin’s second race bet wins, and he boasts that he can make a fortune without Bai Qiongyu. But when he tries to withdraw the winnings, the transaction fails and customer support is unavailable. He realizes he has been scammed.
• As the group leaves, Zheng Ye receives a call about actor Jiang Jingyin, who has been photographed meeting a wealthy woman at a hotel. Ning Shile recalls that Jiang is secretly married with a child—and that his wife may be Zheng Ye’s sister, Zheng Xinxin.

Character developments and interactions

• Bai Qiongyu moves from anger to deep disappointment, then takes decisive action by ending the marriage. Her brother’s welcome gives her comfort and support.
• Han Jin reveals his selfishness and contempt for Bai Qiongyu, gambling even as his family faces a large debt. His confidence collapses when his supposed winnings prove inaccessible.
• Bai Qiong-yu supports his sister with affection and humor, helping her feel at home after she leaves.
• Ning Shile is outraged by Han Jin’s behavior and quietly anticipates that he will face consequences.
• Zheng Ye awkwardly tries to judge the dispute fairly, then becomes alarmed when he learns Jiang Jingyin’s secret wife may be his sister. Zheng Mother and Chu Ran react with amusement and surprise to the joke about Zheng Ye’s supposed romantic style.

Significant themes

• Self-respect and leaving a harmful relationship: Bai Qiongyu stops sacrificing for Han Jin and chooses to protect herself.
• Betrayal and disillusionment: Han Jin’s gambling and cruel remarks destroy the image Bai Qiongyu once held of him.
• Greed and consequences: Han Jin’s faith in easy money leads him to a likely scam.
• Family support and hidden secrets: Bai Qiong-yu offers his sister refuge, while the revelation about Jiang Jingyin introduces another concealed marriage and family crisis.

Key events

• Zheng Xinxin, Zheng Ye’s cousin, had taken in her best friend’s child and become his godmother. Ning Shile recalls that Jiang Jingyin, the child’s father, is secretly married and supported by a wealthy woman.
• Jiang is starring in Order of the Luo Goddess, a high-profile drama backed by Zheng Ye’s company. Ning Shile remembers that Jiang’s private life will eventually be exposed, destroying his career and contributing to the show being pulled.
• Zheng Ye decides to keep the evidence against Jiang hidden for now and release it the next day. He plans to visit the set and coordinate the timing to maximize the fallout.
• Ning Shile eagerly persuades Zheng Ye to take him along, excited to witness the scandal firsthand. Zheng Ye agrees.
• Bai Qiong-yu arrives with her parents to thank Ning Shile for helping her sister. Bai’s mother offers him a formal favor from the Bai Family. Ning Shile accepts, but directs attention to Zheng Ye as the person who did most of the helping.
• Bai Father then approaches Zheng Ye, and their polite greeting carries an unmistakable undercurrent of tension.

Character developments and interactions

• Zheng Ye shows strategic ruthlessness: rather than simply exposing Jiang, he plans the timing for maximum impact. He also responds warmly to Ning Shile’s enthusiasm and agrees to bring him to the set.
• Ning Shile is playful and eager for gossip, but also perceptive and socially composed. He recognizes the Bai Family as a future threat, instinctively moves closer to Zheng Ye, and deftly redirects their gratitude toward him.
• Bai’s parents present themselves graciously, but their motives are not entirely straightforward. Bai’s mother genuinely appreciates Ning Shile’s help; Bai Father evaluates him while keeping his main focus on Zheng Ye.
• Zheng Ye and Bai Father exchange formal courtesies, but their meeting feels like the beginning of a wary power struggle.

Significant themes

• Hidden truths and public image: Jiang’s carefully cultivated celebrity persona is vulnerable to revelations about his marriage, child, and patron.
• Power and strategy: Zheng Ye treats scandal as something to manage and deploy, while the Bai Family’s reputation for ruthless ambition makes even a polite encounter feel dangerous.
• Perception and social intelligence: Ning Shile’s knowledge of future events and ability to read people help him navigate both the Jiang scandal and the Bai Family’s arrival.

Plot points and events

• After sensing that his memories of the novel’s plot are fading, Ning Shile records everything he can remember—especially the Zheng Family’s story—so he can protect them from the tragic ending he expects. He now cares about the family, not merely the money from his contract marriage.
• The next morning, Zheng Ye visits Ning Shile’s parents and gets along warmly with them. Ning Shile’s mother is so taken with Zheng Ye that Ning Shile hurries him out before she can fuss over him any more.
• At the filming set, Ning Shile watches Jiang Jingyin call on Li Xin to carry gifts from their fans. Jiang adds fan-made dolls of the pair to the stack, prompting shippers and solo fans to interpret the same exchange in wildly different ways.
• Ning Shile privately concludes that Jiang is performing the flirtation for attention, while Li Xin seems simply to be helping. As they head into the set, a fan post mentions the “Breast Heroes” ship, a name Ning Shile finds ridiculous.

Character developments

• Ning Shile has become emotionally invested in the Zheng Family and resolves to help them. His fading plot memories also make him anxious to preserve what he still knows.
• Zheng Ye appears comfortable and sociable with Ning Shile’s parents, reinforcing Ning Shile’s affection for him.
• Jiang Jingyin demonstrates how effectively he can perform flirtatious fan service.
• Li Xin remains matter-of-fact, carrying the gifts without displaying the romantic interest fans project onto him.

Relationships and interactions

• Ning Shile’s bond with the Zheng Family has shifted from a financial arrangement to genuine concern.
• Zheng Ye’s easy rapport with Ning Shile’s parents—especially his mother’s enthusiastic attention—suggests growing family acceptance.
• Jiang and Li’s staged-looking exchange fuels an ongoing divide between their shippers and Jiang’s solo fans, who read opposite meanings into the same behavior.

Significant themes

• Memory and agency: Ning Shile fears losing the knowledge that lets him influence the story, so he documents it.
• Fiction versus real people: He rejects the idea that the Zhengs are merely “villains,” recognizing their warmth and humanity.
• Performance and interpretation: Jiang’s fan service shows how public gestures can be read as romance, rejection, or calculated acting depending on the audience.

Key plot points and events

• Zheng Ye arrives on set and, simply by taking a seat behind the camera, gets the crew moving efficiently. He spots his cousin Zheng Xinxin, now noticeably slimmer and dressed as a set worker, and sees her caring for Minmin.
• Minmin proudly tells Xinxin that he has seen his handsome father, Jiang Jingyin. Zheng Ye worries about the boy’s future, since Jiang is unlikely to acknowledge him and Minmin’s mother may still be mentally unwell.
• Ning Shile’s thoughts reveal his confidence that Minmin will become a mathematical prodigy. His affection for the child reassures Zheng Ye.
• Filming begins. Jiang performs a scene as a man returning home after losing his memories and ability to love. Next, Minmin acts as his son, meeting him without being recognized.
• During the take, Minmin warmly delivers his line and reaches for Jiang. Jiang instinctively avoids him, unsettled by the child’s resemblance to someone from his past. The director praises the reaction as good acting, while Zheng Ye arranges for the scene to be livestreamed, anticipating a dramatic reveal.

Character developments

• Zheng Ye shifts from detached observer to someone personally invested in Minmin’s wellbeing. He takes practical steps to make the filming—and the coming revelation—unfold publicly.
• Zheng Xinxin appears changed from the vain young woman Zheng Ye remembers: she is slimmer, more subdued, and attentive to Minmin.
• Minmin is affectionate, eager to please, and delighted by his father, though the scene places him at risk of being rejected.
• Jiang Jingyin shows polished acting skill but remains emotionally distant from Minmin. His unease suggests he suspects the child’s identity.
• Ning Shile is openly adoring of Minmin and imagines a bright future for him.

Significant themes

• Recognition and rejection: Minmin sees Jiang as his father, while Jiang does not acknowledge him and instinctively pulls away.
• Childhood vulnerability: The adults’ unresolved history could shape Minmin’s life, prompting Zheng Ye’s concern.
• Performance versus reality: A scripted father-and-son reunion echoes the real relationship developing around the actors.
• The power of public exposure: Zheng Ye’s decision to livestream the scene suggests private family matters may soon become public.

Character interactions

• Xinxin encourages and praises Minmin, who eagerly shares his admiration for Jiang.
• Ning Shile’s imagined affection for Minmin contrasts with Jiang’s guarded response.
• Minmin reaches toward Jiang during the scene; Jiang dodges him, an action the director interprets as effective acting.
• Zheng Ye watches the family tension closely and intervenes by arranging a livestream.

Key events

• While filming a reunion scene, Jiang Jingyin sees Zheng Xinxin and Minmin and panics when the child calls him “Daddy.” He angrily denies being Minmin’s father and shoves him, causing Minmin to fall and hit his head.
• Minmin cries that Jiang tricked his mother into having him and then abandoned them. Zheng Xinxin comforts him and publicly accuses Jiang of denying his wife and son.
• The revelation shocks the crew and Jiang’s fans. Fan leaders try to stop a livestream, while Jiang calls Zheng a liar and orders bodyguards to remove her and Minmin.
• Ning Shile steps in to protect them. Zheng Ye then confronts the bodyguards, and Minmin escapes to his side.
• Zheng Xinxin produces a marriage certificate, but Jiang claims it is fake. Ning Shile realizes it may indeed be counterfeit: Jiang allegedly used it to deceive Minmin’s mother rather than officially marrying her.
• Ning Shile recalls another possible proof—Jiang’s old alternate Weibo account, containing relationship details and photos—but cannot remember its name.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Jingyin loses control under pressure, exposing his fear of being found out. His harsh denial and treatment of Minmin make him appear cruel and guilty.
• Minmin seeks his father’s affection but is frightened and hurt by Jiang’s rejection. He tries to protect Zheng Xinxin before running to Zheng Ye for help.
• Zheng Xinxin abandons her pretense and openly defends Minmin, confronting Jiang despite the risk of public backlash.
• Ning Shile physically shields Zheng Xinxin and Minmin, while his uncertain recollection of the plot offers a possible way to expose Jiang.
• Zheng Ye intervenes decisively, using his authority and presence to stop the bodyguards.

Significant themes

• Public image versus private conduct: Jiang’s celebrity status and his fans’ efforts to suppress the livestream contrast with his behavior toward his alleged family.
• Abandonment and parental responsibility: Minmin’s plea for recognition underscores the harm caused by Jiang’s rejection.
• Truth and deception: The disputed marriage certificate—and the possibility of Jiang’s old social-media account—raise the question of how his past can be proved.
• Power and protection: Jiang uses hired bodyguards to silence his accusers, while Zheng Ye and Ning Shile step in to defend them.

Plot points and events

• Zheng Xinxin confronts actor Jiang Jingyin, accusing him of secretly marrying her best friend Xianxian, fathering Minmin, and then abandoning them with a fake marriage certificate.
• Jiang dismisses the certificate as fake, denies knowing Minmin, and insists that Xinxin must prove her accusations. His fans crowd and intimidate her, while livestream viewers pile on with insults and speculation.
• Xinxin recounts Jiang’s history of pursuing wealthy women while promising to marry Xianxian. She also recalls that Xianxian returned home crying and pregnant, unsure—or unwilling to say—who the father was. Jiang denies knowing what happened.
• As the crowd turns against Xinxin and Minmin, Ning Shile finds Jiang’s old alternate Weibo account. Minmin brings Xinxin the phone, and she reads posts from the account describing Jiang and Xianxian getting together, deciding to marry after learning of the pregnancy, and welcoming their baby.
• A photograph on the account shows a hand with the same distinctive mole and misshapen fingernails as Jiang’s. Jiang panics and hides his hands, but then insists the photo proves nothing.

Character developments and interactions

• Zheng Xinxin shifts from angry confrontation to public resolve, using the posts to answer Jiang’s denials and defend Xianxian and Minmin.
• Jiang Jingyin goes from smug confidence to visible alarm when his forgotten account is exposed; despite his panic, he continues denying the evidence.
• Ning Shile quietly supports Xinxin by finding the account and sending Minmin to deliver the phone. His reassuring presence helps her regain courage.
• Minmin is frightened by the crowd but trusts Ning Shile and carries the phone to Xinxin.
• Jiang’s fans begin as a hostile, united crowd, but the hand photo makes some hesitate. The livestream audience also divides between doubting Xinxin and recognizing the resemblance.

Significant themes

• Truth versus public image: Jiang’s celebrity reputation and fan support initially outweigh Xinxin’s claims, but old posts undermine his carefully maintained persona.
• Evidence and accountability: Jiang demands proof, yet reacts nervously when concrete evidence appears.
• Crowd judgment and online harassment: Fans and viewers attack Xinxin and Minmin before knowing the facts, illustrating how quickly public opinion can become cruel.
• Loyalty and courage: Ning Shile’s support helps Xinxin stand up for her friend and child despite the public pressure.