Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• After a windy night, Wu Guilan and Xie Zhiwen discuss the pleasant weather, taking the family fruit picking, and Mo Chengzhou’s devotion to Yan Wen. They approve of the young couple but wonder whether their relationship might face difficulties over children in the future.
• Yan Wen wakes around nine in Mo Chengzhou’s room. He explains to his sister Mu Xu Xi that he was frightened and couldn’t sleep, so Mo stayed with him. Their teasing turns to speculation about who would take the leading role in their relationship.
• At breakfast, Mo takes care of Yan Wen by serving him food. Yan Wen privately frets that he is too short to be “on top,” while Xiao Qi mocks the idea and promises him some “juicy drama.”
• The family finishes breakfast unusually quickly and follows Yan Wen outside, assuming he is going for a walk. Xiao Qi directs him toward the pavilion, where the promised drama is apparently waiting.

Character developments

• Yan Wen is openly affectionate with Mo and comfortable joking about their relationship, though he is also self-conscious about their height difference.
• Mo Chengzhou shows steady attentiveness toward Yan Wen and quietly rejects the idea that their physical differences would change his preferred role.
• Wu Guilan and Xie Zhiwen are warm and accepting of the relationship, while realistically wondering about the couple’s long-term future.
• Mu Xu Xi playfully teases Yan Wen and offers blunt, overconfident advice. Xiao Qi continues to act as Yan Wen’s sarcastic, drama-seeking guide.

Significant themes

• Everyday intimacy: Small gestures—sharing a room, washing up together, and serving breakfast—show Mo and Yan Wen’s growing closeness.
• Acceptance and uncertainty: The older generation supports the couple while acknowledging that love alone cannot guarantee an easy future.
• Family humor and togetherness: The family’s teasing and synchronized rush to see the promised drama turn a private outing into a group excursion.

Character interactions

• Wu Guilan and Xie Zhiwen discuss Mo and Yan Wen’s relationship with concern but without rejecting it.
• Mo and Yan Wen share affectionate morning banter and gentle, familiar routines.
• Mu Xu Xi embarrasses Yan Wen with teasing about their physical differences; Yan Wen protests, while Mo stays composed.
• Xiao Qi privately directs Yan Wen toward the upcoming spectacle, prompting the family to follow—though they do not yet know what the drama is.

Key plot points and events

• Yan Wen, Mo Chengzhou, and others discover servants Wang Yong and Zhang Ying secretly meeting in the gazebo. Wu Guilan and Xie Zhiwen confront them; the couple apologizes, and Wu Guilan docks a week’s wages.
• Through Xiao Qi, Yan Wen learns Zhang Ying is using Wang Yong for money and plans to seduce Xie Zhiwen that evening while Wu Guilan is away. Wu Guilan later receives the predicted invitation from a friend and accepts, intending to see what Zhang Ying does.
• In the afternoon, Xie Zhiwen takes the family to pick fruit in the orchard. Yan Wen enjoys mandarins, pears, and especially grapes, while the others gather fruit and share it with him.

Character developments and interactions

• Yan Wen is curious and amused by the servants’ affair, but Mo Chengzhou pulls him away, saying he should not watch. Yan Wen accepts the gesture without resisting.
• Wu Guilan is initially angry and embarrassed, but handles the servants’ misconduct with a measured punishment. After learning of Zhang Ying’s plan, she becomes watchful and decides to investigate.
• Xie Zhiwen and Wu Guilan show warmth toward the family during the orchard outing. Wu Guilan encourages Yan Wen to pick grapes, and Mo Chengzhou carries his basket while Tang Yun shares his fruit.
• Yan Wen’s appetite and delight in the fruit bring him cheerful, affectionate attention from the family; he eventually stops eating grapes to save room for dinner.

Significant themes

• Deception and self-interest: Zhang Ying’s apparent affection for Wang Yong conceals her financial motives and ambition.
• Family care and belonging: The fruit-picking outing offers a gentle contrast to the household intrigue, showing the family’s attentiveness to Yan Wen.
• Boundaries and propriety: The servants’ private relationship becomes a public household matter because of where they meet, prompting concern about appropriate conduct.

Key plot points and events

• After returning from the orchard, the family relaxes at home. Xie Zhiwen questions Mo Chengzhou about his relationship with Yan Wen, worried that they have been together for less than six months.
• Mo promises to cherish Yan Wen for life and says he will transfer half his assets and a fifth of his company’s shares to him after introducing him to his parents. Xie Zhiwen is reassured.
• Yan Wen notices Zhang Ying behaving flirtatiously toward Xie Zhiwen and Mu Xu Ci. Xiao Qi reveals that Zhang plans to seduce one of them to improve her status in the Mu family.
• Yan Wen and Xiao Qi plan to secretly record Zhang’s expected attempt that evening, hoping to expose her to Wu Guilan. At dinner, they learn Zhang will make her move in the backyard around nine.
• Yan Wen retreats to his room, where Mo joins him. After Yan Wen’s legs go numb from sitting cross-legged, Mo massages them until he feels better, then asks for a kiss.

Character developments and interactions

• Mo Chengzhou demonstrates his seriousness about Yan Wen through a lifelong vow and a major financial commitment. His attentive care of Yan Wen continues in private.
• Yan Wen is touched by Mo’s devotion, though he privately reflects that no one can know the future. He also takes a mischievous interest in exposing Zhang Ying’s scheme.
• Xie Zhiwen is protective and initially skeptical, but Mo’s promises help win his confidence.
• Zhang Ying is revealed as calculating and ambitious, targeting either Xie Zhiwen or Mu Xu Ci. Her flirtation goes unnoticed by them, though Mu Xu Xi sends her away.
• Xiao Qi supplies inside information and offers its recording ability, helping Yan Wen prepare to catch Zhang in the act.
• Yan Wen and Mo share a warm, playful moment as Mo comforts him and asks for affection.

Significant themes

• Commitment and trust: Mo’s vow and willingness to share his wealth signal how deeply he intends to commit.
• Family protectiveness and acceptance: Xie Zhiwen scrutinizes Mo but ultimately wants Yan Wen to be loved and safe.
• Ambition and deception: Zhang Ying’s attempt to advance herself through seduction contrasts with the sincere relationship at the chapter’s center.
• Affection through care: Mo’s practical tenderness reinforces the intimacy between him and Yan Wen.

Plot points and events

• Yan Wen and Mo Chengzhou share an intimate kiss. Mo leaves a visible mark on Yan’s neck, which Yan hides before they go to watch the planned confrontation.
• Xie Zhiwen and Mu Xu Ci act as bait to expose Zhang Ying, while Yan Wen and the others secretly observe and record the encounter.
• Zhang Ying dresses provocatively and tries to seduce Xie Zhiwen, first feigning an accidental fall and then claiming she could give him a son. When she grabs his leg, Xie kicks her away in anger.
• Yan Wen initially decides to let the adults handle the matter, but stays when his grandmother, Wu Guilan, arrives. Wu orders Zhang Ying to be taken to the police station.
• Xiao Qi reveals that Zhang Ying concealed a pinhole camera in her dress. Because it recorded Xie Zhiwen and Wu Guilan striking her, the family rushes to the station to protect the grandparents from the resulting trouble.

Character developments

• Yan Wen is playful and observant, but recognizes that his grandparents deserve dignity and initially avoids interfering. He quickly changes course once he learns Zhang Ying has prepared evidence against them.
• Mo Chengzhou shows his growing affection for Yan Wen, though his eagerness leaves Yan sore and embarrassed.
• Xie Zhiwen goes from alarmed and evasive to furious when Zhang Ying propositions him and tries to implicate him.
• Mu Xu Ci helps expose Zhang Ying and remains bluntly dismissive of her manipulations.
• Wu Guilan acts decisively to defend her family and punish Zhang Ying, though her anger creates a potential problem because Zhang’s camera captured her actions.
• Zhang Ying is revealed as calculated: her apparent helplessness and seduction are part of a scheme, and the hidden camera suggests she intends to use the incident against the household.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and protection: The family rallies to expose Zhang Ying and shield its elders from the consequences of her plan.
• Dignity and honor: Xie Zhiwen is horrified at the prospect of being seduced or publicly disgraced in his old age.
• Deception and manipulation: Zhang Ying uses staged vulnerability, sexual pressure, and secret recording to control the situation.
• Comedy amid danger: Yan’s teasing commentary and the family’s awkward reactions lighten a confrontation with serious consequences.

Character interactions

• Yan and Mo flirt and kiss before joining the others as observers.
• Zhang Ying targets Xie Zhiwen, while Mu Xu Ci rebuffs her excuses and urges her to leave.
• Xie Zhiwen and Wu Guilan confront Zhang Ying; Wu orders her arrest, prompting the family’s urgent trip to the police station.

Key plot points and events

• At Wenhan Police Station, Zhang Ying claims Xie Zhiwen and his family assaulted her, presenting a genuine recording that shows Xie Zhiwen and his grandson striking her.
• Yan Wen challenges the accusation: the recording does not show what happened beforehand. He says security footage from the Back Garden will clarify events and insists the police review it, despite Zhang Ying suddenly withdrawing her complaint.
• The officer confirms the footage is authentic and warns Zhang Ying she could face legal consequences for defamation. Wu Guilan tells her to resign.
• Yan Wen recognizes Zhang Ying as a possible fugitive known as Zhang Lanjiao, wanted in connection with a university student’s death. Officers identify a resemblance and order an iris scan after learning she altered her appearance and destroyed her fingerprints.
• Zhang Ying denies the identity and resists the examination. Yan Wen looks up her history: she repeatedly defrauded men, including a student whose suicide followed her theft and betrayal; the student’s father suffered a stroke.

Character developments

• Yan Wen shows composure and foresight, using the prospect of security footage to expose Zhang Ying’s false account and prompting police to revisit the old case.
• Zhang Ying shifts from portraying herself as a victim to pleading for forgiveness, then panicking and resisting identification as suspicion mounts.
• The young officer initially assumes the well-dressed family is guilty, but accepts Yan Wen’s point that appearances and Zhang Ying’s claims are not enough evidence. Captain Lin takes the possible identification seriously.
• Tang Yun praises Yan Wen’s cleverness, while Mu Xu Xi and Xie Yunshu quietly infer that Tang Yun may be able to perceive or hear something others cannot.

Significant themes

• Truth versus appearances: Zhang Ying’s tearful presentation initially seems convincing, but incomplete evidence and her appearance cannot establish what happened.
• Accountability and justice: The chapter moves from a dispute over an alleged assault toward investigating a fugitive’s past crimes.
• Pride and silence: Yan Wen reflects that Zhang Lanjiao’s earlier victims hid their losses to protect their reputations, allowing her to continue harming people.
• Identity and detection: Despite changing her name and face and destroying her fingerprints, Zhang Ying may be identified through her iris.

Character interactions

• Zhang Ying accuses the Xie family, while Yan Wen counters her claims and presses the police to investigate fully.
• The officer and Captain Lin move from initial suspicion to evidence-based inquiry.
• Wu Guilan responds to Zhang Ying’s plea by demanding her resignation.
• Mu Xu Xi and Xie Yunshu exchange observations about Tang Yun’s apparent unusual awareness.

Plot points

• Zhang Ying resists the police and strikes an officer, so she is detained for obstructing official duties. The older officer recognizes the importance of Yan Wen’s information and says he may deserve credit if Zhang Ying is confirmed to be the criminal Zhang Lanjiao.
• On the long drive back to the Xie residence, the family realizes how close they came to trusting a dangerous person. Wu Guilan tells the family to investigate all their servants.
• Yan Wen is exhausted after the hours at the station. Mo Chengzhou carries him home and helps him settle in. Yan Wen bumps his forehead on the bathroom door while walking with his eyes closed, but is otherwise unharmed.
• The two wash up and prepare for bed together. Yan Wen changes while Mo Chengzhou waits, then secretly takes pictures of Mo Chengzhou’s physique. Mo turns out to be awake and amused; the scene ends with him embracing Yan Wen and wishing him good night.

Character developments and interactions

• Yan Wen downplays his role in identifying Zhang Ying, while privately acknowledging that Xiao Qi supplied the information. He is sleepy and playful, and his thoughts reveal both his attraction to Mo Chengzhou and his comfort in Mo’s presence.
• Mo Chengzhou is attentive and protective: he carries Yan Wen upstairs, checks his forehead after the collision, and waits for him to finish washing. His teasing responses suggest he understands Yan Wen’s interest and enjoys their growing closeness.
• Wu Guilan and Xie Zhiwen are shaken by the discovery and grateful to Yan Wen for preventing possible harm. They also question why the officer reacted to Yan Lin’s name.
• Xiao Qi serves as Yan Wen’s amused inner commentator, gently teasing him about his vivid imagination and distracted thoughts.

Significant themes

• Trust and hidden danger: The discovery that a household servant may be a wanted criminal prompts the family to reconsider whom they trust.
• Protection and intimacy: Mo Chengzhou’s practical care for Yan Wen is paired with playful, increasingly affectionate closeness.
• Private thoughts versus outward behavior: Yan Wen’s inner monologue reveals feelings he tries to conceal, while Mo Chengzhou appears increasingly able to read him.

Key plot points and events

• Yan Wen and the others prepare to leave the estate before classes resume. Wu Guilan is reluctant to part with Yan Wen, but he promises to visit during winter break.
• The family sends them off with a huge haul of homegrown fruit and vegetables, nearly filling the car’s trunk.
• During the long drive, Yan Wen gets bored. Mo Chengzhou lends him a tablet, and Yan Wen plays games, watches a comedy with Tang Yun, and answers Mo’s work messages on his behalf.
• The employees’ messages reveal they know Yan Wen is Mo Chengzhou’s partner and affectionately call him the “CEO’s wife.” Yan Wen enjoys their teasing and asks to join their casual group chat. Mo adds him, and he happily chats with the employees.
• Yan Wen asks about Mo’s reputation at work. Employees describe him as intimidating, cold, and extremely sparing with words—until Mo appears in the chat and catches them talking about him.

Character developments

• Yan Wen shows warmth toward Wu Guilan and eagerness to maintain ties with the family. He is playful, sociable, and amused by Mo’s employees’ gossip; he also seems pleased by being openly recognized as Mo’s partner.
• Mo Chengzhou is attentive and indulgent toward Yan Wen, offering him entertainment, trusting him to handle work messages, and immediately adding him to the group when Yan Wen expresses interest.
• Wu Guilan and Xie Zhiwen demonstrate affection by trying to keep Yan Wen longer and sending the group off with generous provisions.
• Tang Yun helps pass the drive by suggesting a comedy and nudges Mo to entertain Yan Wen.

Significant themes

• Family affection and belonging: The estate family’s reluctance to say goodbye and their practical care reinforce Yan Wen’s place in the family.
• A softer side to authority: Mo’s employees fear his stern workplace persona, while Yan Wen experiences his considerate, playful side.
• Public recognition of romance: The employees’ warm, teasing acceptance of Yan Wen as Mo’s partner makes their relationship visible and affirmed.
• Everyday intimacy: Sharing a long drive, entertainment, food, and casual conversation highlights the couple’s growing ease together.

Character interactions

• Yan Wen reassures Wu Guilan that he will return, while the family fusses over packing food for the trip.
• Mo keeps Yan Wen entertained and lets him speak for him at work, showing trust and affection.
• Yan Wen bonds with Mo’s employees through the group chat, asking about their boss and inviting their playful attention.
• Mo’s sudden appearance interrupts the employees’ gossip, creating a humorous contrast between their fear of him and Yan Wen’s relaxed closeness with him.

Chapter summary: Inspecting the dealership

Key plot points and events

• After school resumes, Mo Chengzhou balances company work with time alongside Yan Wen, who is studying. Once Yan Wen finishes his exercises, Mo invites him to inspect the newly built dealership and offer suggestions.
• At the dealership, Yan Wen recommends a display platform, employee lounge, security cameras, air conditioning, refreshments, customer seating, a children’s area, and practical office and accessories spaces. Mo agrees to his suggestions and has Assistant Xin record them.
• Mo explains that the dealership will begin purchasing cars in two weeks and is expected to open in about three months. Yan Wen asks to attend the ribbon-cutting.
• The couple arrange lunch, including Yan Wen’s favorite spicy crayfish. They clean and disinfect tables together so they can eat at the site.
• While Mo is away emptying the basin, employees gather around Yan Wen, share snacks, and ask how he and Mo got together. Yan Wen begins telling them; Mo returns to find them chatting and laughing.

Character developments

• Yan Wen shows practical judgment and consideration for both employees and customers. His suggestions help fill in details Mo has overlooked, and his easygoing manner quickly wins over the staff.
• Mo Chengzhou openly trusts Yan Wen’s input, follows his recommendations, and takes pleasure in caring for him. His affectionate, talkative behavior contrasts with his former aloofness.
• Assistant Xin efficiently records Yan Wen’s ideas and understands Mo’s personal touches, such as ordering crayfish for him.

Character interactions

• Mo and Yan Wen’s affectionate intimacy is emphasized through familiar gestures, teasing, and their shared work at the dealership. Mo says he trusts Yan Wen, which moves Yan Wen deeply.
• Employees privately speculate about the couple and call Yan Wen Mo’s “spouse.” Mo says he would like the title, while Yan Wen agrees it is only a matter of time.
• The staff see Mo as more approachable since he began dating Yan Wen. They eagerly chat with Yan Wen and share snacks when Mo is out of sight.

Significant themes

• Trust and partnership: Mo treats Yan Wen as a valued adviser, not merely a companion.
• Affection expressed through everyday care: Their closeness appears in small acts—Mo pinching Yan Wen’s cheek, remembering his favorite food, and working alongside him.
• Love changing a person: Employees notice that Mo has become warmer and more approachable.
• Belonging and future commitment: The “spouse” label and talk of the opening ceremony hint at the couple’s anticipated future together.

Plot points and events

• The Ouyang family hosts an elaborate wedding for Ouyang Lingheng and Shen Yueying. Yan Wen and his companions attend, while Yan Wen video-calls Tang Yun so he can watch.
• As Lingheng and Yueying prepare to exchange rings, Shen Yueli interrupts in a black gown. Lingheng assumes she is jealous and wants him back; Yueli rejects that idea and says she has come to reclaim what her mother earned for the Shen family.
• Yueli reveals that her mother died in a car accident four years earlier after an ambulance was deliberately delayed. She presents evidence that Bai Lian paid Li Gang to obstruct the ambulance, and names Wang Yaozu as another person connected to the case.
• Bai Lian denies knowing the men, while Shen Weibing and Yueying try to silence Yueli and have her removed. Lingheng offers to eject her, but Yan Wen intervenes and insists she be allowed to continue.
• Yueli says she has already given the evidence to the police and alleges that Bai Lian and Shen Weibing later tried to kill Li Gang to cover up the crime.

Character developments

• Shen Yueli appears composed and determined, confronting her family publicly and pursuing justice for her mother rather than reacting to Lingheng’s taunts.
• Ouyang Lingheng remains arrogant and self-centered, interpreting Yueli’s appearance as romantic jealousy and prioritizing the wedding over the accusations.
• Bai Lian and Shen Weibing become visibly unsettled as Yueli presents details linking them to the alleged plot.
• Shen Yueying plays the distressed bride and appeals to Lingheng to protect the wedding.
• Yan Wen shifts from eager spectator to active supporter, using his family’s influence to give Yueli room to speak.

Significant themes

• Justice and accountability: Yueli confronts powerful relatives and takes her evidence to the authorities.
• Family betrayal and inheritance: She challenges the Shen family’s use of wealth and success she says came from her mother’s labor.
• Public image versus truth: The glamorous wedding is disrupted by hidden crimes and family secrets.
• Misjudgment and self-interest: The guests initially condemn Yueli, while Lingheng dismisses her motives rather than hearing her claims.

Character interactions

• Yueli openly confronts Lingheng, rejecting his belief that she wants him back.
• She challenges her father and Bai Lian over her mother’s death; both try to stop her, and Yueying appeals to Lingheng for help.
• Yan Wen backs Yueli in front of the guests, and she acknowledges his support before continuing.
• The guests’ gossip turns to shock as Yueli’s accusations and evidence emerge.

Key plot points

• Yan Wen learns that Shen Weibing and Bai Lian arranged the car accident that killed Shen Yueli’s mother, hoping to remove Yueli and seize her company shares. The driver and an accomplice have confessed, and Yueli has given the evidence to the police.
• Police arrest Shen Weibing and Bai Lian for arranging the murder. Yueli confronts her father over his betrayal and says she is seeking justice for her mother.
• Yueli accuses Ouyang Lingheng of backing Shen Yueying and warns that the failed company projects Yueying oversaw could threaten Lingheng’s position. He dismisses the accusation and calls Yueli vicious.
• When Lingheng tries to strike Yueli, a trusted aide of the Ouyang family patriarch stops him and orders him home. Lingheng cannot take Yueying with him; the patriarch considers her an outsider.
• Left behind with her parents arrested and Lingheng gone, Yueying loses the security she expected. Yueli tells her to try to survive.
• Yan Wen enjoys the spectacle, but Mo Chengzhou ends his video call. Yan Wen wants to keep walking outside, so Mo agrees to accompany him.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Yueli moves from exposing the crime to openly confronting her father and Lingheng. Her anger is rooted in her mother’s murder and years of mistreatment, though she also taunts Yueying.
• Shen Weibing and Bai Lian are exposed as the conspirators behind the fatal accident and are taken into custody.
• Ouyang Lingheng defends Yueying but shows little power within his own family: he submits to the patriarch’s aide and leaves without her.
• Shen Yueying collapses when the arrests are announced and is suddenly isolated, with her future uncertain.
• Yan Wen and Xiao Qi discuss the Ouyang family’s cold treatment of Lingheng. Yan Wen views him less as a cherished heir than as a manager valued for handling the family fortune.
• Yueli’s public confrontation with Lingheng contrasts her demand for justice with his insistence that she is cruel. The Ouyang aide’s intervention ends the standoff.

Significant themes

• Justice and accountability: Yueli insists that her father’s relationship to her does not excuse his role in her mother’s death.
• Greed and betrayal: The conspiracy was driven partly by Shen Weibing’s desire for Yueli’s company shares.
• Power and family control: Lingheng’s status as heir brings responsibility but little personal affection or autonomy.
• The fragility of privilege: Yueying’s comfortable life collapses when her family and Lingheng can no longer protect her.

Key plot points

• Mu Xu Ye and Qi Shu Yu return to the Mu family home for a visit. In the garden, Yan Wen teaches Mu Xu Ci and Mu Xu Xi the Eight Brocades exercises; the younger boys are enthusiastic and suggest that their father join them.
• Yan Wen learns through Xiao Qi that Qi Ji and Qi Jiawang will arrive in Weicheng the next day. They plan to find Qi Shu Yu and have already hired an assassin. Mu Xu Ye brought Shu Yu back partly to protect him, so the family agrees he should stay a few days.
• Qi Shu Yu shares that his mother has finalized her divorce and returned to her hometown, freeing her from the hardship she endured with the Qi family. The others offer him company: Mu Xu Xi suggests painting, while Mu Xu Ci offers video games.
• Yan Wen and Mo Chengzhou visit a dessert shop. Yan Wen recognizes the masked waiter as Gao Zhen, who was released with his father’s help and is now working there while hiding from the Gao family.
• Yan Wen hints that he recognizes Gao Zhen but does not expose him. Xiao Qi reveals that Gao Zhen is staying in Weicheng to find an opportunity for revenge. Xie Yunshu, Mu Xu Xi, and Mu Xu Ci have followed Yan Wen to observe what happens.

Character developments and interactions

• Mu Xu Ye shows his protectiveness toward Qi Shu Yu by bringing him to stay with the Mu family, especially with danger approaching.
• Qi Shu Yu is relieved that his mother has escaped the Qi family’s control and seems comfortable among the Mu family.
• Yan Wen acts as a caring teacher and host, but also stays alert to threats, deliberately testing Gao Zhen without revealing that he has recognized him.
• Mu Xu Ci and Mu Xu Xi show their affection for Shu Yu by offering activities they can share with him. They also become suspicious of Gao Zhen’s presence.
• Mo Chengzhou accompanies Yan Wen and notices the waiter’s evasive behavior.
• Xie Yunshu helps arrange a safe, welcoming stay for Shu Yu and quietly joins the others in watching Yan Wen.

Significant themes

• Family protection and belonging: The Mu family offers Qi Shu Yu safety and companionship as threats from his biological family approach.
• Freedom and recovery: His mother’s divorce marks a chance for her to begin living on her own terms.
• Hidden danger and vigilance: Qi Ji’s planned attack and Gao Zhen’s concealed revenge keep the apparent calm undercut by danger.
• Care expressed through everyday gestures: Exercise, warm drinks, painting, games, and shared meals show affection and support.

Plot points and events

• Qi Ji and his son, Qi Jiawang, arrive in Weicheng hoping to find Qi Shu Yu and stay with him. They learn he has resigned, cannot reach him by phone, and are denied entry to his residential community.
• A security guard tells them Qi Shu Yu has gone to the Mu family’s villa with his boyfriend. After an expensive taxi ride to the remote Ruiai Mountain, they arrive during the Mu family’s dinner.
• Yan Wen questions their identity and initially refuses them entry. When Qi Shu Yu arrives, he confirms that Qi Ji is his father but says he barely knows him and does not consider Qi Jiawang his brother.
• Mu Xu Ye firmly supports Qi Shu Yu, and the family refuses to let the visitors in. Qi Ji asks Qi Shu Yu to reimburse their travel costs, but Qi Shu Yu points out that Qi Ji received half the marital assets after divorcing his mother. The men are sent back down the mountain.

Character developments

• Qi Shu Yu moves from uncertainty about how to respond to clear resolve once he understands that Qi Ji and Qi Jiawang are not truly his family. He calmly rejects their claim on him.
• Mu Xu Ye demonstrates his commitment to Qi Shu Yu by protecting him and shutting down Qi Ji’s insults.
• Yan Wen acts as a sharp, protective gatekeeper, challenging the visitors and exposing their presumptuous expectations.
• Qi Ji tries politeness, authority, and finally a plea for money, but loses composure and is intimidated by Mu Xu Ye.
• Qi Jiawang arrives resentful and jealous of Qi Shu Yu’s place in the Mu family, while concealing his hostility.

Themes

• Chosen family versus biological ties: The chapter emphasizes that shared blood does not guarantee belonging; Qi Shu Yu’s partner and the Mu family treat him with more care than his estranged relatives do.
• Boundaries and self-respect: Qi Shu Yu refuses to accept obligations based solely on Qi Ji’s status as his father.
• Entitlement and hypocrisy: Qi Ji and Qi Jiawang expect hospitality and financial help despite their strained relationship with Qi Shu Yu.

Character interactions

• Qi Ji and Qi Jiawang repeatedly seek access to Qi Shu Yu, while staff and security block them.
• Yan Wen confronts them at the villa gate; Qi Shu Yu then openly rejects their family claims.
• Mu Xu Ye stands beside Qi Shu Yu and takes him back inside, while the Mu family prioritizes dinner and their peaceful home over accommodating the unwanted visitors.

Key plot points

• Qi Shu Yu apologizes for bringing trouble to Xie Yunshu’s household. The family reassures him and warns that his father, Qi Ji, and Qi Jiawang may now target him.
• Shu Yu explains that Qi Ji brought Jiawang into the family when Shu Yu was five. His relationship with his father deteriorated, and he stayed only because his mother was there.
• Yan Wen points out that Shu Yu needs a formal severance agreement signed by Qi Ji to cut ties with the family for good.
• The group learns that Jiawang’s biological mother, Huang Ting, is alive but has been confined to a psychiatric hospital for eighteen years. Qi Ji had her imprisoned after she tried to visit her son, and she was forcibly medicated until her mental health deteriorated.
• Yan Wen is appalled by Qi Ji’s cruelty and decides to find Huang Ting’s hospital and visit her the next day. Xiao Qi plans to obtain medicine that could help restore her mental state.

Character developments and interactions

• Shu Yu opens up about his painful family history and begins accepting that he can leave the Qi family behind. The others offer him support and practical advice.
• Yan Wen’s anger at Qi Ji intensifies after learning what happened to Huang Ting. His quiet, icy reaction alarms Mu Xu Xi and Mu Xu Ci, who privately speculate that he might do something drastic. Xie Yunshu insists he is law-abiding.
• Mo Chengzhou responds calmly to Yan Wen’s anger, encouraging him to eat; Yan Wen returns the care by serving him food.
• The group’s concern for one another shows in their attentive support of Shu Yu and their plans to help Huang Ting. Xiao Qi also offers to use system resources to assist her.

Significant themes

• Family abuse and control: Qi Ji’s treatment of Shu Yu and Huang Ting shows how he uses power to dominate and discard those close to him.
• Chosen support and compassion: Shu Yu receives warmth and practical help from people outside his biological family.
• Justice and recovery: The chapter shifts toward confronting Qi Ji’s wrongdoing and rescuing Huang Ting, while also raising the need for healing after prolonged abuse.
• Suspicion and moral restraint: Yan Wen’s anger appears threatening to others, but the scene balances his fierce sense of justice with the group’s belief that he will not cross the line.

Key plot points and events

• After dinner, Qi Shu Yu feels guilty that his family’s problems have involved the Mu family, especially the young Xiao Wen. Mu Xu Ye reassures him that the family considers Qi part of them and promises Xiao Wen will be protected by Mo Chengzhou.
• Mo Chengzhou calls his father to request mercenaries to guard Yan Wen discreetly. His father agrees to send six men and notes how much Mo Chengzhou has changed.
• Yan Wen visits Mo Chengzhou with damp hair. Mo Chengzhou dries it for him, and they agree he can do so in the future.
• Yan Wen interprets Mo Chengzhou putting an extra pillow on the bed as an invitation to sleep beside him. They settle down together and discuss going somewhere the next day. Yan Wen intends to visit a psychiatric hospital and wants Mo Chengzhou to accompany him; Mo agrees without pressing for details.
• After their goodnight kiss turns into a more passionate one, Yan Wen stops Mo Chengzhou before things go further. Once Yan Wen falls asleep, Mo Chengzhou takes a cold shower to regain his composure.

Character developments

• Qi Shu Yu gradually lets go of some guilt as Mu Xu Ye emphasizes that he belongs to the Mu family.
• Mu Chengzhou shows increasing protectiveness toward Yan Wen, arranging security and caring for him in small, intimate ways. His father recognizes that he has changed.
• Yan Wen is affectionate and playful, but also honest about his plans and willing to face a dangerous place with Mo Chengzhou’s support.
• Mu Xu Ye is patient and reassuring, though he and Qi Shu Yu decide to rest rather than become intimate that night.

Significant themes

• Family and belonging: Support is framed not as a burden but as a responsibility shared among loved ones.
• Protection and trust: Mo Chengzhou takes practical steps to keep Yan Wen safe, while Yan Wen trusts him enough to ask him along.
• Growing intimacy and self-restraint: Domestic care, shared plans, and kisses deepen the couple’s bond, balanced by Yan Wen setting limits and Mo Chengzhou respecting them.

Character interactions

• Mu Xu Ye comforts Qi Shu Yu and reassures him about Xiao Wen’s safety.
• Mo Chengzhou asks his father for discreet protection for Yan Wen; his father supports him and observes his personal growth.
• Mo Chengzhou dries Yan Wen’s hair, and the two share a bed, tease each other, and agree to go out together the next day.
• Yan Wen halts their escalating kiss, and Mo Chengzhou backs off, tucks him in, and waits until he is asleep before cooling himself down.

Key plot points

• Yan Wen and Mo Chengzhou share a relaxed morning before heading to Shiyu Psychiatric Hospital to find Huang Ting, who has been confined there for eighteen years.
• The hospital director confirms Huang Ting is a patient. When Yan Wen tells her they will take her to see her son, she reacts violently, and Yan Wen restrains her.
• Yan Wen suspects Huang Ting’s condition was deliberately worsened. Two staff members admit they were paid to drug her and secretly shock her. At Yan Wen’s demand, they agree to contact the person who hired them and report that Huang Ting has escaped.
• Mo Chengzhou plans to investigate further, while Yan Wen arranges for Qi Jiawang to be brought to the hospital.
• Back at breakfast, the family discusses the danger posed by Gao Zhen. They agree to keep watch and protect Yan Wen and Mu Xu Ci.

Character developments and interactions

• Yan Wen takes the lead in investigating Huang Ting’s mistreatment, remaining composed under pressure and determined to expose those responsible.
• Mo Chengzhou supports him closely, stepping in to protect him and offering to handle the follow-up investigation.
• Huang Ting’s reaction to the word “son” reveals how deeply distressed and damaged she has become.
• The hospital staff’s rehearsed stories give way under questioning; two workers confess when confronted with the threat of police involvement.
• Mu Xu Ci brushes off teasing about being single but takes the threat from Gao Zhen seriously. His family urges caution and promises support.

Significant themes

• Abuse of power and accountability: Huang Ting’s confinement and mistreatment were paid for and concealed.
• Family and protection: Yan Wen acts to reunite Huang Ting with her son, while his own family quietly safeguards him.
• Trust and partnership: Yan Wen and Mo Chengzhou work in close coordination.
• Deception and uncovering the truth: The staff’s false uniform accounts contrast with Yan Wen’s determination to uncover what happened.

Plot points

• Yan Wen gives Huang Ting a sedative disguised as chocolate, promising she can see her son. Once she regains her senses, she confirms her identity and vows to kill Qi Ji for the eighteen years he stole from her.
• At the Mu family home, Huang Ting learns that her son is Qi Jiawang—and that he is now working with Qi Ji against Qi Shu Yu. She is horrified by Qi Ji’s cruelty but still hopes Jiawang might change.
• The family offers Huang Ting clothes and arranges a hotel stay, with two female bodyguards for her protection. Yan Wen plans to see her the next day.
• Little Seven reveals that Qi Ji knows Huang Ting escaped and is trying to keep it from Jiawang while handling the situation himself.
• Exhausted, Yan Wen goes to bed without washing up. Mo Chengzhou gently carries him through his bedtime routine and back to bed.

Character developments and interactions

• Huang Ting shifts from fearful and confused to clear-minded, furious, and determined. Despite her son’s involvement in Qi Ji’s schemes, she retains hope for him.
• Yan Wen shows initiative and sound judgment in helping Huang Ting and managing her safety. The Mu siblings notice that he seems more like the family’s eldest brother than the eldest brother himself, comparing his decisiveness to their father.
• Qi Shu Yu and Mu Xu Ye make clear that they distrust Qi Jiawang and will not let Huang Ting’s maternal connection interfere with their plans.
• Yan Wen and Mo Chengzhou share affectionate domestic closeness: Mo Chengzhou looks after Yan Wen when he is too tired to manage his own bedtime, and they end the night with their customary kiss.

Significant themes

• The lasting damage of abuse and lost time, and the difficult possibility of forgiveness or change.
• Family loyalty tested by betrayal and ambition.
• Care expressed through practical acts of protection and tenderness.
• Yan Wen’s growing maturity and responsibility.

Key plot points

• Suspicious that Qi Ji is concealing something, Qi Jiawang follows him and sees him visit a psychiatric hospital. Before he can learn why, two bodyguards take him to the Mu Family Villa.
• Yan Wen and the others tell Jiawang that his biological mother, Huang Ting, is alive. Jiawang rejects the claim, insisting that Qi Ji told him she died in childbirth.
• Huang Ting identifies herself as his mother, and the family arranges a DNA test. Jiawang wonders whether Qi Ji’s hospital visit is connected to his deception.
• Yan Wen warns Jiawang not to tell Qi Ji about the meeting and has him returned to the hotel. Jiawang leaves still resentful and jealous of the Mu family.
• Yan Wen doubts the revelation alone will undo years of Qi Ji’s influence over Jiawang, though he expects it to affect him somewhat. Later, Yan Wen calls Tang Yun, then decides to nap with Mo Chengzhou and plans to get Tang’s class timetable so he can resume a student-like routine.

Character developments and interactions

• Qi Jiawang shifts from suspicion about his father to shock and disbelief about his mother. He remains guarded, and his resentment toward the Mu family persists.
• Huang Ting is visibly distressed as she approaches Jiawang and tells him she is his mother.
• Yan Wen takes charge of the confrontation, arranging the test and keeping Jiawang from alerting Qi Ji. His later interactions with Mo Chengzhou and Tang Yun are relaxed and affectionate.
• Mo Chengzhou supports Yan Wen’s idea of returning to a school-style schedule and carries him upstairs to rest.
• Qi Ji, absent from the meeting, remains an object of suspicion because he apparently lied about Huang Ting’s death and has visited a psychiatric hospital.

Significant themes

• Family secrets and deception: Jiawang’s understanding of his family is destabilized by the claim that his father hid his mother’s identity.
• Truth versus belief: Even direct testimony from Huang Ting cannot overcome Jiawang’s long-held trust in Qi Ji; the DNA test is needed as evidence.
• Lasting influence: Yan Wen recognizes that one revelation may not overcome the effects of more than a decade of parental influence.
• Control and power: The Mu family can summon Jiawang, investigate the truth, and pressure him to keep the encounter secret.

Key events

• Maternity test results confirm Huang Ting is Qi Jiawang’s biological mother. Overjoyed, Huang Ting hopes to reconnect with him, while Yan Wen cautions that Qi Jiawang is still involved in harmful schemes.
• Qi Jiawang meets Yan Wen, Mo Chengzhou, and Qi Shu Yu at the Star Guest Cafe. After reading the results, he accepts the truth but asks for time before seeing Huang Ting.
• Meanwhile, Qi Ji secretly hires someone to target a person, raising the payment when the hired man demands more. The intended victim is not identified here.
• Yan Wen learns that Gao Zhen was never imprisoned: his uncle paid to keep him in Weicheng. Gao Yuyang warns Yan Wen to be careful, though Yan Wen believes he can handle the danger.
• Yan Wen then hears that Mu Xu Ci has been injured in a deliberate car collision. The driver was an admirer of Bai Qianqian, acting on his own rather than at her request.
• At the hospital, Mu Xu Ci is stable but must stay for observation. Yan Wen obtains evidence against the driver and plans to send it to his father. The family gathers around Mu Xu Ci, while he privately fears being drawn into Bai Qianqian’s and Gao Zhen’s affairs again.

Character developments and interactions

• Huang Ting is elated by the test result and remains hopeful that her son can change.
• Qi Jiawang confronts the truth of his parentage but is not ready to reunite with Huang Ting.
• Qi Ji shows increasing suspicion about his son’s movements and is revealed arranging a violent attack.
• Yan Wen balances concern for his family with decisive action, first investigating the family situation and then rushing to the hospital.
• Mo Chengzhou supports Yan Wen and tries to calm him; Qi Shu Yu accompanies the group and reassures him.
• Mu Xu Ci downplays his injuries to comfort his mother, though he recognizes the collision was intentional. Xie Yunshu is distraught, while Mu Xingfeng focuses on the medical checks and surveillance evidence.
• The unseen Xiao Qi provides Yan Wen with information about Gao Zhen and the driver, helping him respond to both threats.

Significant themes

• Family ties and reconciliation: biological truth gives Huang Ting hope, but rebuilding a relationship requires time.
• Violence and concealed danger: Qi Ji’s plot, Gao Zhen’s presence, and the deliberate collision leave several threats unresolved.
• Protection and loyalty: Yan Wen and the Mu family rally around those in danger.
• Complicated entanglements: Mu Xu Ci’s fear that Bai Qianqian and Gao Zhen will remain tied to his life adds tension and dark humor.

Plot and key events

• Mu Xingfeng receives the driver’s identity and clear surveillance footage, forwards the evidence to police, and orders his bodyguards to punish the driver before the arrest.
• Mu Xu Ci remains in hospital for observation after the accident. Yan Wen and Mo Chengzhou visit him, and Yan Wen’s brother’s friend, Wu Jinghan, arrives worried about him.
• Wu Jinghan offers to take revenge, but Mu Xu Ci tells him to leave the matter to his parents. Over lunch, Wu Jinghan reveals that he and Mu Xu Ci were college roommates and that he is openly pursuing him.

Character developments

• Mu Xingfeng takes decisive action to see the driver held accountable, though his instruction to his bodyguards also shows his protective streak can turn vengeful.
• Yan Wen is delighted to meet Wu Jinghan and quickly recognizes his feelings for Mu Xu Ci. He encourages Wu Jinghan’s direct approach, believing it may help his emotionally oblivious brother.
• Wu Jinghan is affectionate, anxious for Mu Xu Ci, and unabashed about his romantic interest. He remembers Mu Xu Ci’s food preferences and uses playful nicknames.
• Mu Xu Ci remains sharp-tongued and resistant to the pet name “Ci-Ci,” but his remembered detail about Wu Jinghan’s favorite soup and willingness to share lunch reveal warmth beneath his protests.
• Mo Chengzhou is quietly attentive: he orders extra food and serves Yan Wen, who accepts his care comfortably.

Character interactions

• Yan Wen and Mo Chengzhou’s easy closeness prompts Mu Xu Ci to tease them about being inseparable.
• Wu Jinghan’s affectionate concern and teasing nicknames fluster or annoy Mu Xu Ci, while Yan Wen finds their dynamic entertaining and sees potential romance in it.
• The shared meal brings the group together: Mu Xu Ci recalls Wu Jinghan’s favorite soup, and Wu Jinghan looks after him in return. Mo Chengzhou and Yan Wen show a more settled, familiar tenderness.

Significant themes

• Openly pursuing love: Wu Jinghan’s mother taught him to be honest about attraction rather than hide it, framing romantic risk as worthwhile even if feelings are not returned.
• Care expressed through small gestures: Remembering favorite food, serving a partner, and visiting the hospital all reveal affection.
• Protection and responsibility: Mu Xingfeng seeks justice for the accident, while Mu Xu Ci insists the family handle it rather than letting Wu Jinghan act impulsively.

Plot and events

• Yan Wen drives Mo Chengzhou to collect Tang Yun from school on the twenty-fifth. Tang is delayed by class presentations, but the three eventually head home.
• Tang asks about Yu Yang. Yan Wen explains that Gao Zhen is still at large: his father paid to get him released, and investigators have not found him. Yan Wen promises to ask his father to help search so Yu Yang can be updated.
• At home, Qi Shu Yu and Mu Xu Ci play a team shooter while staying indoors after Mu Xu Ci’s recent accident. Mu Xu Ye calls to check on his brother and Qi Shu Yu, and says he will return in a few days.
• Yan Wen, Mo Chengzhou, and Tang Yun join them. Yan Wen fills Tang in on the conflict between Qi Shu Yu and his father, Qi Ji, who has treated Qi Jiawang as his “real” son. Tang is appalled by Qi Ji’s cruelty.

Character developments and interactions

• Yan Wen and Mo Chengzhou: Their affection is shown through teasing. Mo Chengzhou is jealous that Yan Wen is driving to pick up Tang, and Yan Wen promises to pick him up another time.
• Yan Wen and Tang Yun: They share an easy, sibling-like rapport. Yan Wen’s surprise pickup becomes an opportunity to catch Tang up on family troubles.
• Tang Yun and Yu Yang: Tang is concerned that Gao Zhen’s disappearance has caused Yu Yang trouble at school; Yan Wen offers practical help.
• Mu Xu Ci and Qi Shu Yu: They spend time together at home, with Qi Shu Yu reassuring Mu Xu Ye that they are safe. Mu Xu Ci misses Yan Wen and finds the situation dull.
• Tang Yun and Qi Shu Yu: Tang reacts with sympathy and disbelief after hearing how Qi Ji has treated Qi Shu Yu.

Significant themes

• Care and protection: Family and friends check on one another, arrange help, and stay close after danger.
• Unequal family bonds and betrayal: Qi Ji’s preference for Qi Jiawang exposes the painful rejection Qi Shu Yu faces from his father.
• Affection expressed through teasing: Romantic jealousy and sibling banter soften the chapter’s heavier concerns.
• Unresolved danger: Gao Zhen remains missing, leaving Yu Yang’s situation unsettled.