Chapter Summaries

Jiang Ze was trapped in a hidden chamber after Shen Yun stole a Jade Pendant and sealed the cave entrance, but Jiang Ze already had the pendant himself. The chapter ended with Jiang Ze calmly examining it as the system pointed out that he was trapped.

• Jiang Ze agreed to sleep alone in the Cave while Shen Yun, Du Chen, and Chen Yong'an shared a tent.
• Shen Yun visited Jiang Ze at night, discovered a hidden mechanism in the Cave, and led him into a concealed chamber filled with stone platforms and wooden boxes.
• Shen Yun took a Jade Pendant from one box and tried to escape, but Jiang Ze knocked him off balance and the pendant fell from the box.
• Shen Yun grabbed the Jade Pendant, fled the chamber, and closed the hidden entrance, trapping Jiang Ze inside.
• Jiang Ze revealed that he had the Jade Pendant and told the system the trip had not been a loss.

Jiang Ze slept safely inside the hidden chamber after taking Shen Yun’s Jade Pendant, while the Production Crew searched for him outside. Meng Zhiyuan rushed to the mountain and confronted Shen Yun, demanding to know where Jiang Ze was.

• Jiang Ze examined the hidden chamber, stored the Jade Pendant, and went to sleep, unaware that everyone outside had begun searching for him.
• The Production Crew discovered Jiang Ze missing, and Jin Zhizhi accused Shen Yun of arranging his disappearance before joining the search.
• After hearing the news, Meng Zhiyuan borrowed Grandpa Meng’s private jet and hurried to C City, where Mu Shaoxuan took him to the Production Crew.
• Meng Zhiyuan confronted Shen Yun and demanded to know where Jiang Ze was, but Du Chen stepped in to defend Shen Yun.

Meng Zhiyuan found Jiang Ze hidden behind a secret wall in the Cave and carried him out after Jiang Ze pretended he had become trapped by accident. Jiang Ze felt guilty for lying but was comforted when Meng Zhiyuan promised to take him home in the morning.

• Meng Zhiyuan entered the Cave after the search party failed to find Jiang Ze, then sent everyone else to rest at a hotel.
• Meng Zhiyuan discovered a concealed mechanism and opened the stone wall, finding Jiang Ze eating Potato Chips on a mattress.
• Jiang Ze claimed he had accidentally triggered the mechanism and pretended he had been frightened and hungry.
• Meng Zhiyuan carried Jiang Ze out of the Cave and told him they would return home after daylight.
• Jiang Ze thanked Meng Zhiyuan for searching for him and said he was cold as they headed toward the tent.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Ze wakes at the production crew’s temporary camp after Meng Zhiyuan carried him there the previous night. Mu Shaoxuan has arranged an elaborate breakfast for him, saying Meng specifically asked for it.
• Mu asks whether Jiang and Meng are together, having seen Meng search frantically for Jiang and carry him. Jiang denies it, insisting there is nothing between them, though he deliberately acts shy to fit his character.
• Meng arrives and silences Mu’s teasing by threatening to withdraw a 50-million investment. Mu immediately switches from gossiping to fawning and leaves.
• Meng says they will return to B City that night. Seeing how tired Meng looks, Jiang feels guilty and considers giving him something to restore his energy.
• Jiang secretly buys six drops of costly Spirit Spring Water from the system, mixes three drops into each of two glasses, and gives one to Meng. The water overwhelms Meng’s body: he grows hot and dizzy, pulls Jiang onto the bed, then passes out.
• Jiang struggles to get Meng settled, then drinks half of the remaining glass rather than waste it. The water affects him too, and he loses consciousness. While they sleep, he rolls into Meng’s arms.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze remains well-intentioned but impulsive: he wants to help the exhausted Meng, yet fails to check the Spirit Spring Water’s effects before giving it to him. He is also anxious about being suspected of having ulterior motives.
• Meng Zhiyuan shows unusual concern for Jiang—ordering breakfast, searching for him, and tolerating his closeness—despite his reserved, stern manner. His reaction to the water leaves him temporarily vulnerable.
• Mu Shaoxuan is openly curious and comically opportunistic. He complains about Meng’s habits, then instantly backs down when threatened with losing the investment.

Significant themes

• Care mistaken for romantic interest: Meng’s concern leads others to assume they are a couple, while Jiang insists it is merely kindness.
• Good intentions and unintended consequences: Jiang’s attempt to help causes a dramatic physical reaction because he misunderstands the potion’s potency.
• Comedy through dramatic irony: Jiang thinks of the water as a restorative tonic, while its effects create an awkwardly intimate situation.
• Hidden thoughts versus outward behavior: Jiang’s inner monologue reveals his motives and worries, while his spoken words maintain a carefully chosen persona.

Character interactions

• Mu teases Jiang about Meng’s apparent affection; Jiang denies it while acting coy, and Mu argues that Meng’s behavior is unprecedented.
• Meng cuts off the conversation and uses his financial leverage to make Mu leave.
• Jiang offers Meng the infused water out of concern. Meng questions what he was given, but the exchange ends with Meng collapsing against him.
• After both men drink the water and pass out, Jiang unknowingly ends up in Meng’s arms.

Key plot points

• After drinking Spirit Spring Water, Jiang Ze and Meng Zhiyuan wake up tangled together. Jiang Ze is caught squeezing Meng Zhiyuan’s chest, but the older man takes his embarrassed explanation in stride and says he believes him.
• The pair shower, eat, and travel back to B City. Jiang Ze feels refreshed, and Meng Zhiyuan looks healthier after drinking the water.
• Meanwhile, Shen Yun reacts angrily to news that Jiang Ze has been found, though he maintains a wounded, innocent appearance. The filming crew moves to a nearby mountain and finishes the first episode.
• In B City, Shen Yun discovers that his card has been frozen. Meng Zimu explains that Meng Zhiyuan has restricted his cards too. Shen Yun blames the situation on Jiang Ze, and Meng Zimu—already hostile toward him—promises to confront his uncle.
• At the villa, the large, intimidating Cheng Feng arrives to thank Meng Zhiyuan for helping his sister receive treatment. Meng Zhiyuan assigns him to protect Jiang Ze. Jiang Ze recognizes Cheng Feng as a major character from the book—the protagonist’s future right-hand man—and is astonished that he has become Jiang Ze’s bodyguard.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze grows more comfortable with Meng Zhiyuan but remains easily flustered by their closeness. His private thoughts reveal his knowledge of the novel’s future and his surprise at events changing.
• Meng Zhiyuan shows trust and quiet affection toward Jiang Ze, teasing him rather than reprimanding him. He also uses his influence to restrict Meng Zimu’s spending.
• Shen Yun continues manipulating others with a fragile, apologetic front while privately resenting Jiang Ze.
• Meng Zimu is easily swayed by Shen Yun and openly vilifies Jiang Ze, even though he has not confirmed what happened.
• Cheng Feng is deeply grateful to Meng Zhiyuan for saving his sister and accepts the duty of guarding Jiang Ze with solemn loyalty.

Significant themes

• Changing fate: Jiang Ze’s presence is altering the novel’s expected relationships and alliances.
• Trust and protection: Meng Zhiyuan’s belief in Jiang Ze and his decision to appoint Cheng Feng as bodyguard signal growing support for him.
• Appearance versus reality: Shen Yun’s outward vulnerability contrasts with his jealousy and scheming, while Cheng Feng’s imposing appearance conceals a grateful, loyal nature.

Jiang Ze gave Meng Zhiyuan the Lucky Jade Pendant, then Meng Zimu arrived and insulted him. Meng Zhiyuan forced Meng Zimu to kneel and ordered Cheng Feng to take him to the hospital, while Meng Zimu left without making his intended request.

• Jiang Ze learned the Lucky Jade Pendant was of little use to him and gave it to Meng Zhiyuan as repayment for being rescued.
• Meng Zhiyuan accepted the pendant and tucked it close to himself, earning Jiang Ze 5,000 simp points.
• Meng Zimu arrived at Meng Zhiyuan's house and accused Jiang Ze of seducing his second uncle.
• Meng Zhiyuan ordered Meng Zimu to apologize, then injured his legs and forced him to kneel when he refused.
• Meng Zhiyuan told Cheng Feng to take Meng Zimu to the hospital, and Meng Zimu left before explaining why he had come.

Key plot points and events

• Meng Zhiyuan reprimands Jiang Ze for not coming to him after Meng Zimu insulted him. Jiang Ze acts moved, though his private thoughts reveal he had considered secretly punishing Meng Zimu with itching powder.
• Shen Yun hears that Meng Zimu was hospitalized after visiting Meng Zhiyuan. He fears losing a key ally and goes to the hospital.
• Outside Meng Zimu’s room, Shen Yun overhears Meng Zimu and his father, Meng Zhixiong, discuss a buried secret connected to the family’s grandmother. Zhixiong orders Meng Zimu to keep quiet and warns him not to provoke Meng Zhiyuan, who has spared his life. Shen Yun slips away before they see him.
• Back at the Meng residence, Jiang Ze learns that Meng Zhiyuan enjoys gardening and secretly plants costly spirit-fruit seeds, watering them with a few drops of spirit spring.
• Jiang Ze also learns he must return to university. He decides to complete his studies partly out of responsibility to the original owner, whose chosen major is archaeology.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze is pleased to have Meng Zhiyuan’s support and begins to feel genuine gratitude, while still retaining his sly, revenge-minded humor. He also shows concern for the original owner’s unfinished goals.
• Meng Zhiyuan continues protecting Jiang Ze and offers him direct support. His gardening hobby adds a softer, less familiar side to his character.
• Shen Yun grows anxious about Meng Zimu’s injury and remains focused on using the Meng family’s resources against them.
• Meng Zimu is furious and vows revenge on Jiang Ze and Meng Zhiyuan, despite his father’s warning.
• Meng Zhixiong appears protective of his son but is determined to conceal a dangerous family secret.

Significant themes

• Protection and belonging: Jiang Ze is moved by having someone stand up for him after years of isolation.
• Hidden truths and family power: The overheard conversation hints at a secret involving the grandmother and raises questions about Meng Zhiyuan’s motives.
• Second chances and responsibility: Jiang Ze’s return to school reflects his effort to honor the original owner’s life and aspirations.
• Humor amid danger: Jiang Ze’s schemes, complaints about spirit-fruit prices, and reactions to his fragile body contrast with the surrounding family conflict.

Character interactions

• Meng Zhiyuan scolds Jiang Ze but reassures him that he should seek help next time; Jiang Ze responds with feigned emotion and genuine appreciation.
• Shen Yun relies on his social circle for news, then attempts to contact Meng Zimu and visits him, only to overhear a private father-son exchange.
• Cheng Feng looks after Jiang Ze while moving plants, inadvertently introducing him to Meng Zhiyuan’s hobby.
• Jiang Ze consults the system about growing spirit fruit and acts on its advice by planting seeds secretly.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Ze has completed the paperwork to return to university. Though he hesitates to keep relying on Meng Zhiyuan, Meng decides he should commute from the villa rather than live in a dorm and assigns Cheng Feng to drive him for safety.
• On Jiang Ze’s first day back, his arrival in an expensive car draws attention at the university gates. Shen Yun, already boasting about the villa his boyfriend rented for him, recognizes Jiang Ze and calls him a kept man, implying he “slept his way to the top.” He pretends the claim is only a rumor, prompting other students to gossip and investigate.
• Jiang Ze heads to the obscure archaeology department, whose antique-themed campus and student stalls surprise him. He learns about the Rare Treasures Pavilion, where antiques can be appraised, auctioned, or used in competitions.
• The system identifies the Pavilion as a major future turning point: Shen Yun and Meng Zimu will find resources and an influential supporter there, helping them challenge the Meng family. Curious, Jiang Ze enters.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze is pleased that Meng chooses commuting for him, though he feels awkward accepting a driver. He is also curious and adaptable: his initial worry that archaeology will be dull gives way to interest in the department and the Pavilion.
• Meng Zhiyuan shows practical concern for Jiang Ze’s comfort and safety, making decisions firmly and arranging Cheng Feng’s protection amid expected trouble involving Meng Zimu and Shen Yun.
• Cheng Feng follows Meng’s instructions, while interpreting the assignment as a potentially dangerous bodyguard mission.
• Shen Yun presents himself as modest and considerate while enjoying the attention his rented villa brings. His jealousy of Jiang Ze and resentment over Jiang’s connection to Meng Zhiyuan surface in his malicious accusation.
• The students move quickly from admiring Shen Yun’s supposed wealth to speculating about Jiang Ze after Shen Yun plants the rumor.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Shen Yun’s humble act masks vanity and spite, while his insinuation about Jiang Ze is baseless and calculated.
• Protection and dependence: Meng’s care comforts Jiang Ze but also makes him uneasy about relying on others.
• Fate and opportunity: The system reveals that an apparently obscure university venue will become crucial to the protagonists’ future rise against the Meng family.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Ze arrives at the Rare Treasures Pavilion and finds a crowded antique appraisal event hosted by the renowned Elder Tong.
• Elder Tong’s strict rule is that he will smash any fake antiques presented to him. Several students’ objects are rejected, and the crowd becomes reluctant to volunteer.
• Teacher Deng arrives with a blue-and-white porcelain vase and invites students to examine it, hoping they will impress Elder Tong.
• Archaeology student Dong Jiansheng identifies it as a genuine Qing Dynasty vase, though he cannot determine its exact origins.
• Shen Yun, despite belonging to another department, gives a confident, detailed appraisal and impresses Elder Tong and the audience.
• Shen Yun then suggests Jiang Ze should examine the vase, setting Jiang up for a potentially risky public test.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze is alert to the possibility that events are following a familiar story pattern. He recognizes Shen Yun’s arrival as a likely sign that a major plot point is unfolding.
• Elder Tong is established as a formidable and respected appraiser: confident, exacting, and difficult to read.
• Teacher Deng wants his department’s students to distinguish themselves, but is displeased when Shen Yun draws attention away from them.
• Dong Jiansheng shows careful handling and solid knowledge, earning praise for correctly identifying the vase’s period.
• Shen Yun displays impressive expertise and confidence, while his seemingly helpful recommendation of Jiang carries an unmistakably hostile edge.

Significant themes

• Expertise and reputation: The appraisal is a public test where knowledge can earn recognition—or expose incompetence.
• Risk and confidence: Elder Tong’s no-fakes rule makes volunteering consequential, while students weigh the chance to impress against the risk of failure.
• Appearance versus intention: Shen Yun presents his suggestion as friendly encouragement, but Jiang recognizes the antagonism beneath it.
• Competition and recognition: Students and departments vie for Elder Tong’s approval and prestige.

Character interactions

• Elder Tong sets the terms of the appraisal and draws the crowd’s attention through his authority.
• Teacher Deng introduces the vase and encourages students to step forward, framing the exercise as an opportunity for departmental recognition.
• Dong Jiansheng earns Elder Tong’s approval with a cautious but correct appraisal.
• Shen Yun impresses Elder Tong, then nominates Jiang Ze in a way that appears courteous to others but feels like a deliberate challenge to Jiang.

Jiang Ze challenged Elder Tong’s appraisal of a Qing Dynasty vase, claiming it was counterfeit because he had an identical genuine one at home. Meng Zhiyuan arrived and backed Jiang Ze’s claim, and Jiang Ze left to fetch the other vase for comparison.

• Jiang Ze identified Elder Tong’s vase as a fake and said he had an identical one at home, prompting doubts from Teacher Deng and the students.
• Elder Tong examined the vase and judged it genuine, while the system explained that it was a highly skilled late-Qing copy.
• Meng Zhiyuan arrived at the university with administrators and said the vase at his home was genuine.
• Jiang Ze embraced Meng Zhiyuan and pleaded for permission to bring the vase from home so they could compare them.
• Meng Zhiyuan agreed, Jiang Ze hurried out to fetch the vase, and Meng Zhiyuan called him his boy.

• Jiang Ze proves the vase is genuine: After leaving the appraisal pavilion, Jiang Ze retrieves an identical Qing-dynasty vase and returns with it. Elder Tong examines both pieces and admits that Jiang Ze’s vase is the authentic one, explaining that subtle differences made the forgery difficult to spot. Jiang Ze’s reputation begins to spread among archaeology students, while Shen Yun—whose involvement helped turn the discussion into a contest—once again loses an opportunity and remains confused about what went wrong.
• Meng Zhiyuan smooths things over: Jiang Ze privately asks Meng to keep the vase at home. Before leaving, Meng reassures the embarrassed Elder Tong that the mistake was understandable and gives him a card to an antiques market. The university administrators depart with Meng, and Jiang Ze slips away rather than get further involved with Shen Yun.
• A teasing confrontation becomes intimate: At the villa, Meng has Jiang Ze come over and unexpectedly orders him to remove his shirt. Jiang Ze assumes he is about to be punished, but Meng pulls him into an embrace and asks what he has been hiding—and whether he really said he liked him. Jiang Ze cannot explain himself and tries to appease Meng by clinging to him. Meng nips and kisses his earlobe, then says he will let him off this time and tells him to get it pierced so he can give him an earring.
• Meng offers protection: Once Jiang has been dressed again, Meng advises him to make use of the Meng family’s influence and promises to take responsibility if anything happens. Jiang is moved and flustered, but quickly escapes upstairs before Meng can notice how affected he is.
  Character developments and interactions: Jiang is clever and resourceful in securing the genuine vase, but remains timid and comically prone to imagining the worst when Meng confronts him. Meng shifts from teasing him to openly offering support, suggesting growing protectiveness and intimacy. Elder Tong accepts his mistake with dignity, while Shen Yun is left outmaneuvered again.
  Themes: The chapter contrasts public recognition and private vulnerability, explores the growing romantic tension between Jiang and Meng, and highlights the value of careful observation, humility, and using one’s influence to protect others.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Ze wakes still unsettled by the previous night and feels self-conscious around Meng Zhiyuan.
• Meng Zhiyuan brings him to the Meng estate, where they learn that young Meng Ziqing has begun speaking again—and called Jiang Ze’s name first.
• The family welcomes Jiang Ze as Ziqing’s benefactor. Jiang visits the boy, who is delighted to see him, though his doctors have warned him not to overuse his recovering voice.
• Jiang meets Ye Rong, Meng Zhixing’s wife, and notices Meng Zhixing is limping. He suspects the unexplained leg trouble may be more serious than the family realizes.
• At a family meal honoring Jiang, Ye Rong brings Meng Zhixing pastries. The system alerts Jiang that they are poisoned and offers points for stopping the plot.
• With Meng Zhixing about to eat, Jiang grabs Meng Zhiyuan’s thigh and insists he wants the pastries too, hoping to interrupt him. His urgent, overly familiar plea leaves the whole table awkwardly silent.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze is grateful for the Meng family’s kindness and genuinely happy about Ziqing’s recovery, but his concern for Meng Zhixing pushes him to abandon his usual efforts to maintain a composed image.
• Meng Zhiyuan remains attentive to Jiang and indulges his request, while becoming visibly colder around Ye Rong and displeased by Jiang’s inner commentary and theatrical behavior.
• Meng Ziqing shows clear progress, speaking Jiang’s name and eagerly communicating with him, though he must still restrain himself.
• Meng Zhixing is cheerful about his son’s improvement and unaware of the danger posed by the pastries. His mysterious limp raises Jiang’s suspicions.
• Ye Rong appears composed and proper, but her curt manner and the poisoning alert cast suspicion on her intentions. Meng Zhiyuan’s reaction suggests underlying family tensions.
• Grandpa Meng warmly honors Jiang, while the rest of the family notices Jiang and Meng Zhiyuan’s closeness but initially pretends not to.

Significant themes

• Gratitude and loyalty: The Meng family recognizes Jiang’s role in helping Ziqing.
• Hidden danger beneath family respectability: Meng Zhixing’s unexplained condition and the poisoned pastries suggest serious threats within the wealthy family.
• Care expressed through awkwardness: Jiang’s frantic attempt to protect Meng Zhixing exposes how much he cares, even as it risks his reputation and draws attention to his intimacy with Meng Zhiyuan.

Plot points

• At dinner, Jiang Ze tries to keep Meng Zhixing from eating a box of pastries he suspects may be poisoned. Meng Zhixiong objects to Jiang Ze taking any, but Meng Zhiyuan intervenes and has Zhixing bring the box over.
• Jiang Ze nearly eats one to test his suspicion, but Meng Zhiyuan stops him. After dinner, Zhiyuan privately warns Zhixing that his recurring leg problem may be connected to the pastries and tells him to have them tested discreetly.
• Zhiyuan says he threw the pastries away, upsetting Jiang Ze, who thinks his efforts to protect everyone have been dismissed. On the drive home, Zhiyuan coaxes him out of his sulk by teasing him and promising a visit to a pastry shop.
• Jiang Ze buys far more pastries than intended and feels guilty about the expense. Back at the villa, the system awards him 100,000 points and a random Character Card, which can give him animal features. He decides never to use it.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze is protective and resourceful, trying to expose a possible poisoning without creating a public scene. His concern turns into a childish sulk when he thinks Zhiyuan has ignored him, but he quickly cheers up when indulged.
• Meng Zhiyuan stays guarded and decisive: he blocks Jiang Ze from eating the pastries, privately alerts Zhixing, and conceals his actions by claiming to have discarded the box. He also shows a teasing, gently affectionate side while coaxing Jiang Ze.
• Meng Zhixing begins unaware that the pastries may be dangerous, but Zhiyuan’s warning shocks him into taking the matter seriously.
• Meng Zhixiong politely prevents Jiang Ze from receiving the pastries, suggesting he may know more than he lets on. His wife, Ye Rong, and Meng Zimu also give Jiang Ze hostile looks, making dinner tense.

Significant themes

• Suspicion and hidden danger: The pastries may be linked to Zhixing’s worsening leg condition, but the truth remains unconfirmed.
• Care expressed through concealment: Zhiyuan protects others while withholding his reasons, leading Jiang Ze to misunderstand him.
• Comedy and affection: Jiang Ze’s dramatic inner thoughts, sulking, and pastry obsession contrast with the family’s tense atmosphere and Zhiyuan’s dry teasing.

Plot points

• Meng Zimu visits Shen Yun, still bitter that Meng Zhiyuan has favored Jiang Ze. Shen Yun says Jiang Ze’s parents have agreed to a scheme they previously discussed, and the two begin an intimate encounter.
• Jiang Ze receives a call from his abusive father, Jiang Zhengming, who claims he has something left by Jiang Ze’s late mother and wants to discuss a business project involving the Meng family.
• Jiang Ze meets him to retrieve the property deed. Jiang Zhengming reveals a run-down house is the inheritance, but demands that Jiang Ze drink with his companion, Old Huang, in exchange.
• Jiang Ze attacks his father. Jiang Zhengming and Old Huang fight back, and Jiang Zhengming injects Jiang Ze with a drug intended to incapacitate him so they can exploit him.
• Jiang Ze uses two anesthetic darts from his system to knock them both out. Drugged and unsteady, he tries to escape, but Meng Zhiyuan arrives with Cheng Feng. Jiang Ze collapses into Meng Zhiyuan’s arms.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze remains defiant and resourceful, refusing to submit to his father and fighting back despite his weakened body. His concern for his mother’s belongings draws him into the trap, while his relief at seeing Meng Zhiyuan reveals how much he trusts him.
• Meng Zhiyuan arrives just in time and catches Jiang Ze, though his cold, angry words suggest fear and frustration at Jiang Ze’s recklessness.
• Jiang Zhengming is shown as cruel and exploitative: he uses Jiang Ze’s inheritance as bait and conspires to sell him to Old Huang.
• Old Huang joins the assault and intends to take advantage of Jiang Ze.
• Meng Zimu resents Jiang Ze’s place in Meng Zhiyuan’s favor and appears ready to act against him. Shen Yun conceals his hostility beneath a gentle, seductive manner and confirms that their plan is progressing.

Significant themes

• Abuse and betrayal: Jiang Ze’s father treats him as a commodity rather than a son.
• Agency and survival: Jiang Ze resists the trap and uses his system to protect himself.
• Jealousy and revenge: Meng Zimu and Shen Yun’s resentment points toward a growing threat.
• Trust and protection: Jiang Ze’s instinctive sense of safety in Meng Zhiyuan’s arms contrasts sharply with the betrayal he faces from his own family.

Key plot points and events

• Meng Zhiyuan rescues Jiang Ze from two attackers and takes him home while Jiang Ze is feverish and delirious from a drug.
• Meng puts Jiang in a bath to cool him down and stays with him until he feels better. Jiang wakes the next morning with only hazy memories and worries that something happened between them.
• Meng confronts Jiang for sneaking away to investigate what his mother left him. He warns that the attackers could have overwhelmed him and insists he ask for help next time.
• Afterward, Cheng Feng keeps close watch over Jiang. Meanwhile, Jiang’s Spirit Fruit has sprouted but needs twenty more drops of Spirit Spring Water to ripen.
• The system tells Jiang that gaining the Lucky Jade Pendant and damaging the protagonist’s financial luck earned him 30% of the world’s fortune.
• Jiang receives news that the variety show Wild Mountain Survival has premiered: Shen Yun is now famous, but for the wrong reasons.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze recognizes that his impulsive investigation put him in danger and agrees to involve Meng and Cheng Feng in future. His embarrassment and attraction toward Meng also surface as he wonders what happened during his drugged state.
• Meng Zhiyuan reveals that his anger stems from fear for Jiang’s safety. Though stern and physically imposing, he quickly softens when Jiang apologizes and comforts him.
• Cheng Feng becomes more vigilant, staying near Jiang to protect him.
• Jiang’s exchanges with the system show his impatience with its costly, cryptic instructions, even as he continues pursuing his larger goal.

Significant themes

• Protection and trust: Meng’s warning and Jiang’s promise suggest he must learn to rely on others rather than take risks alone.
• Recklessness and consequences: Jiang’s search for his inheritance nearly leaves him vulnerable to serious harm.
• Growing intimacy: Jiang and Meng’s caretaking, teasing, and mutual concern deepen their charged relationship.
• Fortune and plot-changing choices: Jiang’s gains from altering major events frame his progress as a struggle to reshape the story’s outcome.

Key plot points and events

• Mu Shaoxuan tells Jiang Ze that Wild Mountain Survival has become a hit. Jiang Ze’s footage was kept, and viewers criticize Shen Yun for making him sleep alone in a cave.
• Jiang Ze gains fans for his looks and straightforward personality, while viewers demand answers when he disappears from the latter half of the show. The production crew gives a false explanation, blaming scheduling.
• Jiang Ze hopes his unexpected popularity will disrupt Shen Yun’s future plans, but the system says the change is unlikely to matter: Shen Yun is already famous, and his image is being rehabilitated online.
• Meng Zhiyuan sends Jiang Ze a white couture suit and emerald earrings for a charity gala. Jiang Ze struggles to put on the earrings, so Meng Zhiyuan helps him, then takes him to the event.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze gains a measure of public recognition and influence, but remains frustrated by the system’s insistence that his actions won’t meaningfully change the story.
• He is increasingly flustered by Meng Zhiyuan’s attention and gentle gestures, while reminding himself that Meng is the novel’s dangerous villain.
• Meng Zhiyuan shows unusual consideration toward Jiang Ze, selecting a fine outfit and carefully helping him dress. His mood brightens around Jiang Ze.

Significant themes

• Public image and online opinion: Audiences first condemn Shen Yun, then begin to accept a polished defense of him, showing how quickly online sentiment can be manipulated.
• Fate versus agency: Jiang Ze tries to alter the novel’s plot, but the system doubts that his actions will change the protagonist’s eventual success.
• Growing attraction and denial: Jiang Ze’s jealousy and embarrassment hint at feelings he refuses to acknowledge, especially given Meng Zhiyuan’s villainous reputation.

Character interactions

• Mu Shaoxuan gossips with Jiang Ze about the show, Shen Yun, and the fallout.
• Jiang Ze challenges the system’s view of his impact, but receives little reassurance.
• Elder Feng delivers Meng Zhiyuan’s gift and encourages Jiang Ze to get ready.
• Meng Zhiyuan helps Jiang Ze put on the earrings and invites him to the gala. Jiang Ze awkwardly worries he will embarrass Meng, while Meng dismisses the concern and says he may be occupied with business.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• At a lavish banquet, Meng Zhiyuan leaves Jiang Ze by the desserts while he discusses business.
• Daniel, a persistent guest, introduces himself and repeatedly pursues Jiang Ze, ignoring his attempts to leave. Jiang Ze finally says he has a boyfriend.
• Meng arrives and confronts Daniel, revealing that he is Jiang Ze’s boyfriend. Jiang Ze backs up the claim and kisses Meng’s cheek to convince Daniel.
• After Daniel leaves, Meng pulls Jiang into a corridor and kisses him, saying he will teach Jiang how to kiss properly. Their kiss deepens until Jiang is overwhelmed and clings to him.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze is embarrassed and irritated by Daniel’s attention, but readily turns to Meng for help. His public affection begins as an act, yet Meng’s kiss leaves him flustered and increasingly responsive.
• Meng Zhiyuan displays jealousy and protectiveness, first warning Daniel away and then taking the opportunity to initiate a more intimate kiss.
• Daniel is portrayed as overconfident and persistent, failing to accept Jiang Ze’s refusal or the couple’s relationship.

Significant themes

• Pretending versus genuine feeling: Jiang and Meng initially present themselves as a couple to deter Daniel, but the exchange becomes genuinely intimate.
• Jealousy and possessiveness: Meng’s response to Daniel’s advances reveals how strongly he guards his relationship with Jiang.
• Boundaries and consent: Daniel disregards Jiang’s clear attempts to end the interaction, while Meng’s sudden kiss is presented as romantic but catches Jiang by surprise.

Character interactions

• Jiang tries to disengage from Daniel, then explicitly rejects him and invokes his relationship with Meng.
• Meng steps in, claims Jiang as his partner, and uses his business leverage to threaten Daniel.
• Jiang and Meng coordinate their cover story; Jiang’s cheek kiss convinces Daniel, but sparks a private, passionate encounter between the two.

Plot points and events

• After their first kiss at the banquet, Jiang Ze complains that Meng Zhiyuan seemed far too practiced. Meng reveals it was his first kiss too, and Jiang decides they are “even.” They leave the banquet together.
• The next morning, Jiang gets an early call from Mu Shaoxuan, who urges him to visit a bar for its soft opening. Jiang goes with Cheng Feng, while Meng is away.
• At the bar, Jiang watches a lively performance and unexpectedly spots Shen Yun talking closely with Tan Ya—also known as Daniel, the business partner Meng has been negotiating with.
• Recognizing Tan Ya’s name from the story’s plot, Jiang remembers that the deal is a trap that could ruin the Meng Group. He learns Meng is scheduled to sign the contract at noon and rushes out to warn him.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang and Meng’s relationship grows more intimate: Jiang is shy and flustered after the kiss, while Meng is strongly attracted to him but deliberately holds back so as not to frighten him.
• Jiang’s irritation gives way to relief and happiness when he learns Meng also had never kissed anyone before.
• Meng leaves Jiang a caring message reminding him to eat breakfast and take Cheng Feng if he goes out. Jiang is touched by the attention, though he tries to hide his growing affection.
• Mu Shaoxuan is enthusiastic about the bar and its performance, but Jiang’s discovery quickly shifts the scene from entertainment to concern.
• Jiang’s view of Shen Yun and Tan Ya’s closeness becomes alarm when he connects Tan Ya to the impending business disaster.

Significant themes

• Growing romantic trust: The mutual first kiss brings Jiang and Meng closer, even as Jiang remains awkward and self-conscious.
• Care expressed through small gestures: Meng’s breakfast reminder shows his concern for Jiang outside their romantic moments.
• Foreknowledge and intervention: Jiang’s knowledge of the story’s future turns a casual outing into an urgent attempt to prevent a corporate catastrophe.
• Betrayal and hidden danger: Shen Yun’s apparent closeness with Tan Ya raises suspicion just as Meng is about to sign a potentially ruinous deal.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Ze rushes to Meng Zhiyuan’s company, worried that Meng is about to sign a partnership that, in the original story, will later be sabotaged and cost the Meng Group tens of billions.
• Unable to explain the danger convincingly, Jiang improvises a dramatic interruption: he pinches himself until he can cry, then bursts into Meng’s meeting and begs him to keep a promise to spend the day together.
• Meng Zhiyuan calmly calls Jiang “my boy” and postpones the signing, telling the overseas partners they can reconsider the deal’s concessions. Jiang confirms afterward that no contract was signed.
• Alone together, Jiang struggles to explain his behavior. To head off Meng’s questions, he impulsively kisses him. Meng takes control and turns it into a much more intense kiss.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze is anxious and resourceful, but his attempt to protect Meng’s business relies on theatrical pleading rather than a direct explanation. His embarrassment and inexperience show through even as he commits to the act; his impulsive kiss becomes another way to avoid answering questions.
• Meng Zhiyuan prioritizes Jiang over a major business meeting, responding to his distress with tenderness rather than anger. He appears perceptive about Jiang’s evasiveness and reacts to the kiss with surprise before playfully taking the lead.
• Their relationship grows more intimate: Jiang seeks Meng’s attention, while Meng indulges and teases him. The overseas partners, by contrast, are baffled by Meng’s sudden postponement.

Significant themes

• Personal bonds versus business: Meng’s willingness to delay a major deal shows how important Jiang is to him.
• Protective deception and hidden knowledge: Jiang knows the partnership’s future risks but cannot explain how, so he resorts to a performance.
• Growing intimacy and unequal confidence: Jiang’s clumsy, impulsive advances contrast with Meng’s composure and assertiveness.

Plot points

• Jiang Ze asks Meng Zhiyuan not to sign a business contract, worried that the partner—and his son Daniel—may be untrustworthy.
• Meng Zhiyuan teases him by making agreement conditional on Jiang taking the initiative again. Their flirtation leaves Jiang flustered, and he rushes out of the conference room.
• Meng emerges in unusually good spirits. Office gossip quickly spreads about his smiling and his young boyfriend, whom employees come upstairs to see.
• Embarrassed by the attention, Jiang persuades Meng to visit Mu Shaoxuan’s newly opened bar, “Leisurely Sip.”
• At the bar, Meng’s striking presence draws more stares. Mu welcomes them and leads them to a private room. He hints that the bar belongs to Chu Chen, the singer Jiang saw earlier.
• Chu Chen then enters the room, greeting Mu before looking toward Meng.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze is concerned for Meng’s business interests, but also playful and increasingly bold in their flirtation. He becomes self-conscious when the office treats him like a spectacle.
• Meng Zhiyuan remains composed and teasing, but his unusually cheerful mood—and his protectiveness when others stare at Jiang—show how much Jiang affects him.
• Mu Shaoxuan jokes about Meng prioritizing his partner over friendship and seems to know there is some history or significance involving Chu Chen.
• Jiang and Meng shift between intimate teasing and quiet, protective gestures; Jiang’s visit to the bar also brings Meng into Mu’s social circle.

Significant themes

• Romance and vulnerability: Jiang’s concern and Meng’s visible happiness reveal affection beneath their teasing.
• Public attention versus privacy: Office gossip and curious onlookers make Jiang uncomfortable, prompting the couple to seek a quieter setting.
• Trust and hidden context: Jiang worries about Meng’s business deal, while Mu’s cryptic mention of Chu Chen suggests an unresolved connection that may matter later.