Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Jiang Ze wakes in Y City’s Second Central Hospital beside Meng Zhiyuan, whose serious injuries have nearly healed. Meng Zhiyuan hints that Jiang Ze may be responsible, but Jiang pretends not to understand.
• Meng Cheng arrives with food and mistakes Jiang for Meng Zhiyuan’s “little sister-in-law.” Meng Zhiyuan does not correct him, leaving Jiang embarrassed.
• Recognizing Meng Cheng from his memories as someone destined to die in an explosion, Jiang warns him to be careful. Meng Zhiyuan confirms that Meng Cheng is about to go on a demolition mission and tells him to check his equipment.
• Meng Cheng invites them to a gathering with Meng Zhiyuan’s friends. After he leaves, Jiang and Meng Zhiyuan share an awkward meal.
• Jiang asks if he can come to the gathering. Meng Zhiyuan asks whether he would come as his boyfriend. Jiang dodges the question, saying he need not go. Hurt and frustrated, Meng Zhiyuan leaves for a hotel and tells Jiang not to wait up.
• Alone, Jiang asks the system whether he did something wrong. He learns that he may stay in this world rather than return to his original one, and that leaving would not destroy the body—but it might continue as a soulless, puppet-like character.
• Jiang realizes he cannot bear to leave Meng Zhiyuan and does not want anyone else to take his place.

Character development

• Jiang Ze begins to question his long-held belief that he is merely a temporary outsider. His attachment to Meng Zhiyuan is now strong enough to make staying in this world a real possibility.
• Meng Zhiyuan shows protectiveness toward Jiang and concern for Meng Cheng, but his restrained feelings turn to visible hurt when Jiang avoids defining their relationship.
• Meng Cheng remains cheerful and loyal. Though puzzled by Jiang’s warning, he takes Meng Zhiyuan’s advice seriously.

Significant themes

• Belonging and choice: Jiang must reconsider whether returning to his original world is still what he wants.
• Love and fear of separation: His hesitation about commitment stems partly from seeing himself as temporary, even as his feelings deepen.
• Destiny and survival: Jiang’s warning may help Meng Cheng avoid a foretold death, while the system offers a complicated account of what happens to the body Jiang inhabits.
• Miscommunication: Jiang’s evasiveness and Meng Zhiyuan’s wounded reaction leave their feelings unresolved.

Character interactions

• Meng Zhiyuan gently checks on Jiang and indirectly acknowledges their unusual bond, while Jiang deflects his hints.
• Meng Cheng’s teasing label for Jiang embarrasses him, and Meng Zhiyuan’s silence seems to confirm the implication.
• Jiang’s warning prompts Meng Zhiyuan to protect Meng Cheng from the danger of his upcoming mission.
• Jiang’s tentative offer to accompany Meng Zhiyuan becomes a painful exchange when he cannot answer whether he would go as his boyfriend.

Key plot points and events

• Meng Zhiyuan reunites with former army comrades at a roadside eatery. The men warmly toast him, but his stern mood suggests something is troubling him. When Meng Cheng asks why Jiang Ze—the “little wife”—didn’t come, Meng says he had something to do and drinks heavily.
• Jiang Ze waits alone at the hotel until midnight, worrying that Meng is angry and wondering what his earlier words meant.
• Jiang Ze tells his system he has decided to remain in this world rather than return to his original one. He wants to stay with Meng Zhiyuan and resolve the danger posed by the world’s preference for its protagonists. He plans to earn Points and Luck Value to change both their fates.
• Meng returns drunk and kisses Jiang Ze, calling him his husband and “wifey.” Jiang, flustered but drawn to him, eventually calls him “husband.”
• Meng abruptly pins Jiang to the bed and says he will never let him leave, even if he dies. His intensity frightens Jiang, who asks him not to scare him. Meng softens, but ends by insisting Jiang stay beside him forever.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze makes a firm emotional choice to stay in this world because he cannot bear to leave Meng. His resolve to protect their future strengthens, although Meng’s possessive behavior unsettles him.
• Meng Zhiyuan appears controlled in public but reveals a vulnerable, possessive side while drunk. His words suggest a deep fear of losing Jiang and possibly an unresolved hurt.
• Meng Cheng remains loyal and cheerful, but misreads Meng’s mood and fails to notice the tension behind it.

Significant themes

• Choosing belonging over home: Jiang prefers staying with the person he loves to returning to a lonely life.
• Love and fear of loss: Meng’s devotion is expressed as an intense promise that borders on possessiveness.
• Uncertainty and fate: The protagonists remain threatened by the world’s favoritism toward Shen Yun and Meng Zimu, so Jiang feels compelled to change the story.
• Vulnerability beneath restraint: Meng’s drunken declarations expose emotions he usually keeps hidden.

Character interactions

• Meng’s comrades show affection and respect through their toasts, while Meng keeps his worries to himself.
• Jiang’s conversation with the system confirms his choice and his determination to alter their fate.
• In private, Meng’s intimate teasing and declarations leave Jiang both embarrassed and captivated; when Jiang expresses fear, Meng tells him not to be scared but still demands that he remain with him forever.

• After their night together, Jiang Ze wakes beside Meng Zhiyuan, embarrassed but happy. Meng Zhiyuan reassures him that he isn’t angry and will wait until Jiang Ze is ready to tell him what he’s feeling. Jiang Ze considers revealing that he has transmigrated into a novel and knows their fates, but fears frightening Meng Zhiyuan, so he says nothing.
• They return to B City after the rain. At the airport, Meng Zhiyuan offers to support the men who worked with him if they ever need help. Jiang Ze is impressed by his generosity and thinks of him as a “perfect husband,” unaware that Meng Zhiyuan’s private thoughts reveal a more possessive, obsessive side: he intends to wait until Jiang Ze chooses to stay with him willingly.
• Over the next half month, Meng Zhiyuan quietly uses his influence to investigate Meng Zhixiong’s businesses and inflict serious losses on him and Meng Zimu. Jiang Ze suspects this is connected to Meng Zimu’s dismantled tomb-robbing operation. Meanwhile, Shen Yun turns his attention to his career after splitting from Meng Zimu and forming a connection with the mysterious Young Master Chen; the system warns that the original plot may no longer predict what happens next.
• Meng Zhiyuan becomes increasingly involved in Jiang Ze’s daily life. When Meng Zimu visits, Elder Feng turns him away on Meng Zhiyuan’s orders, and Meng Zhiyuan bars both Meng Zimu and Meng Zhixiong from the house. He then asks Jiang Ze to choose a color for decorating, suggesting plans for a shared space. Jiang Ze notices how unusually gentle he has become and admits that he likes him however he is. Meng Zhiyuan responds with dark satisfaction, treating the confession as something Jiang Ze cannot take back.
  Character developments and interactions: Jiang Ze’s affection for Meng Zhiyuan deepens, but he remains unable to reveal his hidden knowledge or fully explain his feelings. Meng Zhiyuan is tender and protective outwardly, yet his concealed possessiveness contrasts with Jiang Ze’s idealized view of him. Their intimate, affectionate exchanges grow more comfortable, while Meng Zhiyuan’s hostility toward the Meng family intensifies.
  Themes: The chapter contrasts love and control, tenderness and concealed obsession, and Jiang Ze’s desire for honesty with his fear of rejection. The unraveling original plot—especially Shen Yun’s uncertain future—also highlights how the characters’ choices may reshape their expected fates.

Plot points and events

• Meng Zhiyuan takes Jiang Ze from the villa on a long drive, blindfolding him and refusing to explain where they are going.
• He carries Jiang Ze into a secluded, cozy two-story house and fastens a restraint around his wrist, tethering him to the bed’s headboard. He claims the outside is unsafe and the restraint is for Jiang Ze’s protection.
• While Meng Zhiyuan is away, Jiang Ze explores the house and realizes it has been prepared with care—possibly planned well in advance. He confronts Meng, demanding to know why he has been tied up.
• Meng sidesteps the question with affection, then kisses Jiang Ze intensely. Jiang Ze bites his lip, but Meng’s response grows more forceful.
• When Jiang Ze calls him “Meng Zhiyuan” and challenges his intentions, Meng carries him back to bed, confesses that he loves him, and begs him not to leave.
• The system reports that Jiang Ze has disrupted a major plot point and earned a reward, but also warns that Meng Zhiyuan has begun to “turn dark,” with darkening at 5%. The system’s promised reward has changed to Meng’s heartfelt confession.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze shifts from confused unease to fear and anger as he realizes he has been restrained and may be held against his will. Despite the intimacy between them, he pushes for an honest explanation and recognizes that Meng seems unfamiliar.
• Meng Zhiyuan reveals a more possessive, controlling side: he has brought Jiang Ze to a secluded house, restrained him, and avoids explaining why. His confession suggests genuine emotional vulnerability, but his forceful behavior makes his love feel threatening.
• The system remains unreliable, delivering contradictory rewards and a warning about Meng’s darkening.

Significant themes

• Love versus possession: Meng’s declaration of love is paired with confinement and control.
• Consent and coercion: Jiang Ze’s resistance and unanswered questions clash with Meng’s increasingly forceful intimacy.
• Uncertainty and loss of control: Jiang Ze struggles to understand both Meng’s motives and the system’s confusing intervention.
• A turning point in the plot: The system’s warning signals that Meng’s behavior may be changing in a dangerous direction.

Character interactions

• Jiang Ze repeatedly asks Meng for an explanation, but Meng answers with reassurance, kisses, and evasions rather than addressing the restraint directly.
• Jiang Ze’s affectionate compliance gives way to confrontation; he bites Meng during a forceful kiss and insists on knowing whether Meng intends to keep him imprisoned.
• Meng alternates between indulgent tenderness, physical force, and a vulnerable confession, leaving Jiang Ze unsure how to respond.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Ze discovers that a new reward lets him hear Meng Zhiyuan’s thoughts. Though Meng says little aloud, Jiang Ze can hear his longing to kiss him and his hurt when Jiang pulls away.
• A system message reports that Meng’s corruption rises from 5% to 6% after Jiang refuses a kiss, then to 8% after Meng leaves. The system admits an unknown error may be affecting the stat.
• The system warns that excessive corruption could make Meng’s character collapse, disrupt the story, and lead the world’s consciousness to erase him. It suggests Jiang must reform him “with his heart.”
• Confined in a softly padded chain and an emptied, escape-proof room, Jiang waits for Meng to return, hoping to learn what caused his sudden change.
• When Meng comes back, Jiang asks to be held and says he is hungry. His affectionate response lowers Meng’s corruption to 7%. Meng carries him to dinner and cooks his favorite steak.
• Jiang enjoys the tenderness of the domestic scene—until hearing Meng’s increasingly explicit thoughts about wanting to “eat” him makes him blush and struggle to finish his meal.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze is alarmed by the corruption increases but quickly decides to use his new ability and affection to keep them down. His practical plan is complicated by his fondness for Meng and embarrassment at hearing his private desires.
• Meng Zhiyuan appears possessive and troubled, yet remains tender and attentive: he restrains Jiang carefully, removes hazards from the room, and cooks for him. His private thoughts reveal strong desire and emotional sensitivity.
• The system offers uncertain explanations and ominous warnings, leaving Jiang to manage the situation largely on his own.

Significant themes

• Private thoughts versus outward behavior: Jiang’s new ability exposes feelings Meng does not say aloud.
• Affection and control: Tender care coexists with confinement and restraint.
• Uncertain fate and responsibility: The unstable corruption stat may threaten Meng and the world, making Jiang feel responsible for changing the outcome.
• Comic embarrassment: Jiang’s attempt to use affection strategically turns awkward when he hears Meng’s unfiltered desire.

Character interactions

• Jiang’s rejection of a kiss hurts Meng and raises his corruption; later, requesting an embrace and accepting his care lowers it.
• Meng comforts, carries, feeds, and cooks for Jiang, while Jiang responds with increasing warmth.
• Their dinner is outwardly gentle but inwardly charged, as Jiang hears the thoughts Meng keeps to himself.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Ze tries to manage Meng Zhiyuan’s intense attention, but even after insisting he can walk, Meng carries him upstairs. The system repeatedly reports sudden increases in Meng’s corruption value, leaving Jiang Ze confused about what triggers them.
• Meng, unable to hear Jiang Ze’s thoughts, suspects he has decided to leave and vows not to let him go. He privately thinks of Shen Yun and Meng Zimu, hinting at plans involving them.
• Hoping to calm Meng down, Jiang Ze asks him to help with a bath because his wrist is restrained. Their intimate encounter leaves Jiang exhausted and sore; Meng admits he went too far but stays gentle afterward and promises to return in the morning.
• The next morning, Meng has made breakfast and continues caring for Jiang, carrying and feeding him. Jiang believes his efforts to please Meng have lowered the corruption value to 5%.
• Jiang asks Meng to remove the restraint from his wrist. Meng interprets this as a wish to escape, turns cold, and the system raises his corruption value by 20%, returning it to 25%.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze is increasingly embarrassed and physically dependent on Meng, but remains wary of being kept helpless. He tries to appease Meng and sees the restraint as a major inconvenience, though he misjudges how Meng will react to asking for its removal.
• Meng Zhiyuan alternates between tenderness and possessiveness. His fear that Jiang will leave drives his determination to keep him close, and his inability to hear Jiang’s thoughts seems to heighten his suspicion.

Significant themes

• Possessiveness versus autonomy: Meng’s care is inseparable from his refusal to let Jiang leave.
• Miscommunication and mistaken motives: Jiang’s practical requests are repeatedly taken as signs of escape.
• Unpredictability and control: The fluctuating corruption score leaves Jiang unable to predict or manage Meng’s behavior.

Character interactions

• Meng repeatedly carries, tends to, bathes, and feeds Jiang; Jiang alternates between accepting the help and protesting his dependence.
• Jiang tries to soothe Meng with affection and cooperation, then asks for his restraint to be removed. Meng’s response reveals how strongly he equates Jiang’s freedom with abandonment.

Key plot points

• Jiang Ze spends his days confined at Meng Zhiyuan’s home, where he is comfortable and well cared for, though bored and unable to leave or use a phone.
• The system reports that Meng Zimu’s luck has turned sharply for the worse, while Shen Yun is prospering with help from a mysterious benefactor and has started a company.
• Hoping to win Meng Zhiyuan over—and lower his corruption level—Jiang Ze uses points to gain cooking skills and prepares dinner for him.
• Meng Zhiyuan praises the meal but questions how Jiang Ze learned to cook, since he nearly wrecked a kitchen only days earlier. Jiang Ze invents an explanation; Meng Zhiyuan sees through it but chooses not to press him.
• At bedtime, Jiang Ze hopes Meng Zhiyuan will stay with him. Meng Zhiyuan teases him, kisses his forehead, and leaves for the neighboring room. The system reports that the corruption level has fallen by five points, to 20%, but Jiang Ze is still upset that he left.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze is growing attached to Meng Zhiyuan and tries to disguise his longing with complaints and teasing. His attempt to cook shows both his affection and his willingness to spend valuable system points to please the man.
• Meng Zhiyuan remains attentive and affectionate, but his calm questioning suggests he knows Jiang Ze is hiding something. He deliberately gives the boy time to confess rather than confronting him.
• Their relationship is warm and playful, with Jiang Ze seeking reassurance and Meng Zhiyuan answering with teasing, a forehead kiss, and carefully maintained distance.
• The system serves as Jiang Ze’s confidant and commentator, tracking the wider plot and reacting to his choices.

Significant themes

• Affection expressed through everyday care, food, and small gestures.
• The tension between trust and secrecy: Meng Zhiyuan suspects Jiang Ze’s hidden knowledge but waits for him to share it.
• Jiang Ze’s growing emotional dependence contrasts with the restriction of his freedom.
• The chapter’s playful romance unfolds alongside shifting fortunes in the wider conflict between Shen Yun and Meng Zimu.

Plot points and events

• Meng Zhiyuan drinks at a bar with his friend Mu Shaoxuan, but repeatedly says he needs to get home to Jiang Ze. When a woman tries to flirt with him, he ignores and dodges her, making clear that Jiang Ze is the only person who interests him.
• Mu teases Meng about being overly focused on Jiang Ze. His joke about Meng keeping the “little guy” away from other men unexpectedly touches on Meng’s possessiveness.
• At home, Jiang Ze—sleep-deprived after worrying about Meng sleeping in a separate room—reads a “Boyfriend Training Manual.” He decides to win Meng’s heart and keep him from falling further into darkness, while also restoring his Luck Value.
• When Meng returns, Jiang Ze greets him affectionately, following the manual’s advice to make him feel special. But Jiang notices perfume and a lipstick stain on Meng’s collar, misinterprets them as evidence of another woman, and pushes him away.

Character developments

• Meng Zhiyuan appears cold and aloof, but his eagerness to return home and his tenderness toward Jiang reveal how attached he is. His reaction to the bar’s attention also suggests growing possessiveness.
• Jiang Ze is anxious about Meng’s distance but hopeful about their relationship. He takes active steps to court him, yet his insecurity quickly turns affection into jealousy.
• Mu Shaoxuan remains a teasing friend, amused by how much Meng’s behavior has changed.

Significant themes

• Affection and possessiveness: Meng’s devotion to Jiang is evident, though it has a controlling edge.
• Miscommunication and jealousy: Jiang draws a painful conclusion from ambiguous clues rather than asking what happened.
• Love as deliberate effort: Jiang treats romance as something to learn and pursue, while also tying it to his larger mission and Luck Value.
• Appearance versus reality: Meng’s apparent unfaithfulness conflicts with what the reader has seen of his behavior at the bar.

Character interactions

• Mu jokes with Meng about Jiang, prompting Meng to respond with guarded displeasure.
• A woman’s advances expose Meng’s lack of interest in anyone but Jiang and provoke Mu’s exasperation.
• Jiang welcomes Meng warmly, but the lipstick mark transforms their reunion into a confrontation before Meng can explain.

Plot and events

• Jiang Ze sees lipstick on Meng Zhiyuan’s collar and assumes he has been with another woman. Hurt and jealous, he tries to leave and refuses to see him.
• When Jiang Ze retches, Meng Zhiyuan mistakenly wonders if he is pregnant. Jiang Ze’s anger rises, and Meng Zhiyuan forcibly draws him close.
• Jiang Ze accuses him of having another woman. Meng Zhiyuan explains that a woman approached him at a bar, but he didn’t speak to her; the lipstick mark came from his own carelessness.
• They both apologize for the misunderstanding. Meng Zhiyuan takes Jiang Ze to a room with a huge window overlooking the starry mountain sky.
• Jiang Ze hears Meng Zhiyuan’s unspoken fear that he might leave and promises to stay by his side. Meng Zhiyuan then asks him to make amends, teasingly leading him toward an intimate moment by the window. The chapter ends playfully, clarifying that nothing actually happens—they only talk.

Character development

• Jiang Ze recognizes that his jealousy stems from feelings he has not openly acknowledged. After reacting impulsively, he feels embarrassed and apologizes.
• Meng Zhiyuan shows tenderness beneath his controlling manner. His fear of losing Jiang Ze becomes apparent, though he also enjoys teasing and provoking him.

Themes

• Jealousy and insecurity can turn an ambiguous situation into a painful misunderstanding.
• Honest explanation and mutual apology help restore closeness.
• The chapter contrasts emotional vulnerability with playful flirtation, hinting at the characters’ growing attachment.

Character interactions

• Jiang Ze’s accusations and Meng Zhiyuan’s reassurance shift their confrontation into reconciliation.
• Their teasing, kisses, and affectionate names reveal increasing intimacy, while Jiang Ze’s promise to stay reassures Meng Zhiyuan.

Key plot points and events

• The system warns Jiang Ze that Shen Yun has formed a rival faction with help from a mysterious ally and is now cooperating with Meng Zimu. Meng Zhiyuan has been aggressively pressuring them, and Jiang Ze fears they may retaliate.
• Remembering an earlier plot in which someone tampered with Meng Zhiyuan’s car, Jiang Ze suspects Meng Zixiong and Meng Zimu may be involved in a plan against him.
• Jiang Ze decides he must leave the villa and stay near Meng Zhiyuan, but the man is away and tells him by message to remain at home.
• Unable to reach Meng Zhiyuan and too worried to wait, Jiang Ze breaks out of his confinement. With help from the system and an animal-attracting pill, he finds a donkey and rides out of the mountains.
• Once he gets a signal, Jiang Ze sees more than thirty missed calls from Meng Zhiyuan. He calls back and pretends he had simply woken up and gone looking for him because he was scared.
• Meng Zhiyuan tells Jiang Ze to wait for him. He arrives and orders him into the car, his expression dark and stern.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze shifts from anxious speculation to decisive action, risking his safety because he fears Meng Zhiyuan may be harmed. He also relies on improvisation, humor, and a tearful excuse to manage the consequences of escaping.
• Meng Zhiyuan appears exhausted and preoccupied by his conflict with Shen Yun and Meng Zimu. His many calls and immediate response show concern for Jiang Ze, though his cold manner suggests strong anger.
• Shen Yun is revealed to be rebuilding his power and aligning with Meng Zimu, making him a more immediate threat.
• The system provides plot information, directions, and practical support, though it is not always certain about the mountain wildlife.

Significant themes

• Foreknowledge and responsibility: Jiang Ze’s knowledge of the plot makes him feel responsible for preventing danger to Meng Zhiyuan.
• Protection and attachment: Jiang Ze’s escape is driven by fear for Meng Zhiyuan, while the man’s repeated calls suggest concern despite his anger.
• Control versus independence: Meng Zhiyuan keeps Jiang Ze confined for safety, but Jiang Ze chooses to take risks rather than remain protected and uninformed.
• Comedy amid danger: The absurd donkey ride and Jiang Ze’s improvised sob story lighten an increasingly tense situation.

Character interactions

• Jiang Ze and the system discuss the changing plot and plan how to reach Meng Zhiyuan.
• Jiang Ze treats the donkey kindly, rewarding it with grass after their journey.
• On the phone, Jiang Ze hides the truth about escaping by claiming fear and cold prompted him to go outside. Meng Zhiyuan does not accept the excuse openly, but comes to retrieve him.
• Their reunion is tense: Jiang Ze recalls their earlier, gentler meeting, while Meng Zhiyuan now faces him with a stormy expression.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Ze, exhausted and cold after a nighttime ordeal, falls into Meng Zhiyuan’s arms. Meng is furious with him, and Jiang’s corruption meter rises by 20 points to 40%.
• On the drive to Meng’s office, Jiang resolves that he must not be sent away. He clings to Meng and asks to be held; despite his cold demeanor, Meng carries him inside.
• Jiang refuses to leave Meng’s arms while the president works and eventually falls asleep there. Meng watches over him, stroking his hair and privately admitting he fears Jiang might disappear.
• Qiao Si interrupts with documents, but Meng dismisses him sharply to avoid waking Jiang. Qiao leaves jealous and convinced Jiang will eventually lose Meng’s favor.
• The next morning, Jiang wakes in the office’s adjoining room. Xiao Liu tells him Meng arranged breakfast and is away at a meeting, reassuring Jiang that he will return.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze responds to Meng’s anger by choosing dependence and physical closeness, determined to remain at his side. Though embarrassed by how clingy he is, he feels safe with Meng.
• Meng Zhiyuan remains outwardly stern but shows affection through his actions: carrying Jiang, letting him sleep in his arms, protecting him from interruptions, and arranging breakfast. His private fear of losing Jiang reveals his emotional attachment and insecurity.
• Qiao Si is introduced as a jealous rival, resentful of Jiang’s place beside Meng and confident that Meng will eventually discard him. He appears to have connections through Meng’s older brother.
• Xiao Liu acts as a practical, observant assistant, discreetly helping Jiang and cautioning Qiao against prying into Meng’s private life.

Significant themes

• Possessiveness and fear of abandonment: Jiang clings to Meng to avoid being sent away, while Meng fears Jiang may vanish.
• Affection beneath a cold exterior: Meng’s protective gestures contradict his harsh words.
• Jealousy and rivalry: Qiao interprets Jiang’s closeness to Meng as a threat and plans to compete for favor.

Plot points and events

• After Xiao Liu leaves, Jiang Ze eats breakfast in Meng Zhiyuan’s office.
• Qiao Si arrives, claiming to be Meng Zhiyuan’s “personal secretary.” He emphasizes the title and probes Jiang Ze about his relationship with Meng. Jiang Ze feigns sadness, leading Qiao Si to assume he is merely a disposable lover.
• Near lunchtime, Jiang Ze sees Qiao Si trying to get close to Meng while carrying documents. Meng repeatedly avoids him and is already irritated.
• Jiang Ze initially holds back, but Meng’s unspoken disappointment prompts him to hurry over and embrace him. He sweetly complains that he missed Meng, then kisses the corner of his mouth to provoke Qiao Si.
• Meng tells Jiang Ze quietly to wait in the office. Jiang Ze leaves in a deliberately tearful show, which Qiao Si mistakes for genuine hurt.
• Qiao Si criticizes Jiang Ze to Meng, hoping to drive them apart. Meng reacts with disgust, asks who Qiao Si thinks he is, and leaves.
• Back in the office, Meng kisses Jiang Ze and tells him to go into the adjoining room, saying that only a “good boy” can make him stop being angry. The chapter ends as Jiang Ze opens the door.

Character development

• Jiang Ze uses playful acting and calculated affection to manage Meng’s mood and needle Qiao Si. He also enjoys reading Meng’s unspoken thoughts and seeing that Meng wants him close.
• Meng Zhiyuan remains outwardly stern but is clearly possessive and emotionally attached to Jiang Ze. He is frustrated by Jiang Ze’s earlier avoidance and by Qiao Si’s interference.
• Qiao Si presents himself as Meng’s personal secretary but appears to have romantic ambitions. He misreads Jiang and Meng’s relationship, then grows resentful when his attempt to undermine Jiang backfires.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and rivalry: Qiao Si tries to position himself against Jiang, while Jiang deliberately provokes him.
• Appearance versus reality: Qiao Si mistakes Jiang’s performance of hurt for genuine distress and interprets Meng’s sternness as rejection.
• Unspoken feelings and communication: Meng’s thoughts and subtle gestures reveal an attachment he does not openly express.
• Performance and manipulation: Jiang and Qiao Si both use deliberate behavior to influence how others perceive their relationships.

Character interactions

• Jiang and Qiao Si exchange polite but pointed questions, with Jiang concealing his intentions behind an act of vulnerability.
• Jiang and Meng reconnect through an embrace and kiss; Meng’s private instruction contrasts with his public severity.
• Qiao Si attempts to turn Meng against Jiang, but Meng rebuffs him sharply.

Plot points and events

• After an intimate encounter in Meng Zhiyuan’s office, Jiang Ze suggests becoming Meng’s personal secretary. Meng agrees, though their private moment is interrupted when Qiao Si tries to reach him.
• Meng indulges Jiang’s demands at dinner, carries him when he is too sore to walk, and agrees to take him back to his villa. He tells Elder Feng that the pair have returned from a trip, concealing what really happened.
• Jiang reminds Meng of their agreement and starts work as his secretary the next day. He proves capable by organizing documents efficiently.
• Qiao Si, who resents Jiang’s new position, spills coffee on Meng and tries to use the accident to get close to him. Meng coldly dismisses him.
• Meng implies that Jiang should personally clean him up. Jiang reluctantly complies, and the system reports that Meng’s corruption level has fallen by five points, to 35%.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze shifts from sulking and resisting Meng’s control to using charm and caretaking to secure greater access to him. He is pleased to return to the villa and determined to reduce Meng’s corruption, though his “secretary” role quickly becomes personal.
• Meng Zhiyuan continues to indulge Jiang’s wishes while showing possessive, controlling feelings. His private wish to keep Jiang by his side forever contrasts with his gentle treatment of him.
• Qiao Si emerges as a jealous rival. His attempt to exploit the coffee spill fails when Meng sees through him and orders him out.
• Elder Feng warmly welcomes Jiang back, unaware that Meng has invented a cover story. Meng’s treatment of Jiang—feeding him, carrying him, and accommodating him—underscores the contrast between his public coldness and private doting.

Significant themes

• Possession versus affection: Meng’s tenderness is bound up with a desire to prevent Jiang from leaving.
• Manipulation and negotiation: Jiang uses affection and playful obedience to gain concessions, while Meng turns even Jiang’s new job into an extension of their intimacy.
• Public image versus private reality: The “trip” story hides their situation, and the president’s office becomes a setting for both business and private entanglement.
• Rivalry and jealousy: Qiao Si’s failed attempt to attract Meng highlights the threat he sees in Jiang’s closeness to the president.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Ze is enjoying a day off at Meng Zhiyuan’s villa when former classmates Wang Ping and Yang Qing arrive, ostensibly to thank him for helping them during a dangerous incident.
• Their visit becomes awkward: Yang Qing keeps asking about Meng Zhiyuan and makes a cutting remark about Wang Ping’s obvious fascination with Jiang Ze.
• Wang Ping asks whether Jiang Ze has a girlfriend. Jiang Ze replies that he has a boyfriend, surprising both visitors.
• Wang Ping moves closer as if preparing to confess something. Jiang Ze is ready to defend himself when Meng Zhiyuan suddenly appears, lifts Wang Ping aside, and demands to know what he is doing in the house.
• Meanwhile, Meng Zhiyuan has watched the visitors on surveillance footage. Jealous of Jiang Ze’s warm smile toward them, he cancels an afternoon meeting and rushes back to the villa.

Character development

• Jiang Ze is relaxed and more confident at home, but quickly grows uncomfortable with Yang Qing’s barbs and Wang Ping’s increasingly personal attention. He openly acknowledges having a boyfriend without embarrassment.
• Wang Ping appears nervous around Jiang Ze and seems to have romantic feelings for him; he becomes hopeful when Jiang Ze says he is single, then is stunned by the revelation that Jiang Ze has a boyfriend.
• Yang Qing acts curious about Meng Zhiyuan but also openly antagonistic toward Jiang Ze, worsening the tension between the guests.
• Meng Zhiyuan shows possessiveness and jealousy, reacting strongly to seeing Jiang Ze smile at another man and abandoning work to intervene.

Significant themes

• Jealousy and possessiveness: Meng Zhiyuan’s reaction to the footage reveals how strongly he resents Jiang Ze’s attention going to others.
• Awkward attraction and boundaries: Wang Ping’s apparent interest clashes with Jiang Ze’s discomfort and his stated relationship.
• Home and belonging: Meng Zhiyuan’s furious question emphasizes his claim over the villa—and hints at his concern for Jiang Ze.

Character interactions

• Jiang Ze tries to host Wang Ping and Yang Qing politely, but Yang Qing’s snide comments make the visit uncomfortable.
• Wang Ping’s shy attention and sudden personal question shift the encounter from gratitude toward possible confession.
• Meng Zhiyuan interrupts before Wang Ping can speak, physically removing him from Jiang Ze and confronting the visitors.

Plot points

• Wang Ping confronts Jiang Ze and is thrown aside after behaving inappropriately. Meng Zhiyuan arrives, kisses Jiang Ze in front of Wang Ping and Yang Qing, and has Elder Feng escort them out.
• Once alone, Meng Zhiyuan teases Jiang Ze about attracting admirers. Jiang Ze insists he had the situation under control and might have injured Wang Ping if he had used his strength.
• Meng Zhiyuan remembers Jiang Ze’s wish for a gym and arranges to combine two upstairs rooms into one. Jiang Ze is pleased, though flustered by Meng Zhiyuan’s affectionate teasing.
• The next morning, Meng Zhiyuan takes Jiang Ze running while the gym is being built. They return to find Elder Feng and the workers handling everything, so the two relax together instead.
• Meng Zhiyuan receives a call from his brother, Meng Zhixing: their father has fallen ill, and Zhixing suspects something is wrong. Meng Zhiyuan leaves to investigate, and Jiang Ze insists on coming with him.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Ze is embarrassed by Meng Zhiyuan’s public kiss and flirtation, but also reassured by his attention and touched that he remembered the gym request. He remains playful and quick to stand up for himself.
• Meng Zhiyuan is openly possessive and affectionate, teasing Jiang Ze while also showing care through practical gestures. His mood shifts sharply when he hears his father is ill.
• Wang Ping and Yang Qing are stunned by Meng Zhiyuan’s arrival and the kiss; Wang Ping appears especially crushed.
• Jiang Ze encourages Meng Zhiyuan to answer Zhixing’s call and chooses to accompany him, showing support as the situation turns serious.

Significant themes

• Possessiveness and affection: Meng Zhiyuan’s kiss establishes his claim over Jiang Ze, while their teasing and closeness reveal their romantic dynamic.
• Care expressed through action: Meng Zhiyuan remembers Jiang Ze’s wish and makes time for him despite his demanding work.
• A shift from lighthearted romance to family tension: The chapter ends on an ominous note, suggesting that the father’s illness may involve more than ordinary sickness.

• Key events: At the Meng Family Old Residence, the family gathers after Grandpa Meng suddenly collapses. Meng Zhixing tells Meng Zhiyuan that doctors are treating their father and tests are still underway. Jiang Ze is relieved to see Meng Zhixing’s health—and legs—have improved. He spends time with Meng Ziqing and Ruan Ying, reassuring the boy about his grandfather, then wanders into a secluded courtyard and overhears Meng Zhixiong and his wife, Ye Rong, discussing their poisoning scheme. They admit Ye Rong has been poisoning Meng Zhixing for years, that Grandpa Meng is now close to death, and that they intend to take control of the Meng Corporation. Jiang Ze returns and prepares to tell Meng Zhiyuan what he heard.
• Character developments: Jiang Ze recognizes that he has changed Meng Zhixing’s fate, but worries that Grandpa Meng may still be in danger. His discovery makes him more alert and protective. Meng Zhiyuan’s composure softens when he is worried about his father; Jiang Ze notices his vulnerability and comforts him. Meng Ziqing appears healthy and lively, while Ruan Ying is shown as caring toward him.
• Character interactions: Meng Zhiyuan and Meng Zhixing discuss their father’s condition. Jiang Ze comforts Meng Ziqing, then offers Meng Zhiyuan reassurance through physical affection before drawing him aside to share important information. Meanwhile, Meng Zhixiong and Ye Rong reveal their conspiracy in a tense exchange.
• Themes: Family loyalty is complicated by ambition and betrayal: relatives gather around Grandpa Meng, but some may be protecting their own interests. The chapter also contrasts Jiang Ze’s compassion and growing protectiveness with the couple’s calculated cruelty, while highlighting the emotional vulnerability beneath Meng Zhiyuan’s stern exterior.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Ze asks Meng Zhiyuan whether he trusts him. Zhiyuan says he does, despite knowing Jiang has kept things from him.
• Jiang reports that Meng Zhixiong and his wife have been plotting against Grandpa Meng. Zhiyuan is unsurprised: an earlier box of pastries from Jiang contained poison, alerting him to the danger.
• Jiang reveals he has an antidote that can save Grandpa Meng. Zhiyuan believes him and says he has already prepared a “generous gift” for the conspirators.
• At the hospital, Zhixiong tries to block Zhiyuan from seeing their father and insults Jiang. Zhiyuan has bodyguards move him aside and takes Jiang into the room.
• Jiang gives Grandpa Meng an antidote pill. The old man’s condition quickly stabilizes.
• As Zhiyuan embraces and kisses Jiang in relief, Grandpa Meng wakes up and witnesses their affection.

Character developments

• Jiang Ze is anxious about whether Zhiyuan trusts him, but grows more confident when his antidote works. He remains bashful about Zhiyuan’s intimate attention.
• Meng Zhiyuan demonstrates unwavering trust in Jiang and reveals he has been alert to the poisoning plot for some time. His protectiveness and romantic possessiveness are also apparent.
• Meng Zhixiong shows open hostility toward Zhiyuan and Jiang, while maintaining a public show of grief over his father.
• Grandpa Meng is saved from the brink of death and wakes at an awkward moment.

Significant themes

• Trust and loyalty: Zhiyuan accepts Jiang’s word and relies on him to save his father.
• Betrayal and family power struggles: Zhixiong’s plot turns the family crisis into a struggle for control and accountability.
• Love amid danger: Intimate, teasing moments between Jiang and Zhiyuan contrast with the poisoning plot and hospital emergency.

Character interactions

• Jiang seeks Zhiyuan’s reassurance and shares what he overheard; Zhiyuan responds with trust, affection, and confidence in Jiang’s antidote.
• Zhiyuan confronts Zhixiong, threatens to treat him as a suspect, and has him removed from the way.
• Jiang and Zhiyuan work together to save Grandpa Meng, then share a kiss—unaware that the newly conscious old man is watching.

• Meng Zhiyuan and Jiang Ze keep Grandpa Meng’s recovery secret, while the family assumes the old man is near death. Meng Zhiyuan arranges for Elder Qian to pretend Grandpa’s condition has worsened, so they can observe how relatives behave and keep them away from the patient.
• Meng Zhixing helps stall the elders outside the room, claiming Meng Zhiyuan is overcome with grief. When the medical staff arrive, Meng Zhiyuan convincingly plays the part of a devastated son; Jiang Ze realizes the family members are all putting on an act.
• The staged decline continues in the hospital room. Meng Zhixiong wails beside the bed, while Grandpa Meng secretly listens and resents his relatives’ eagerness for him to die. Meng Zhiyuan clears the room, finally giving his father some peace.
• That evening, Meng Zhixiong gathers the immediate family and announces that Grandpa Meng left a will. He is poised to have the lawyer open it and claims he must take charge while their father is ill. Meng Zhixing challenges his authority and questions how he knew about the will.
  Character developments and interactions: Meng Zhiyuan is shown as strategic and commanding, but notably affectionate with Jiang Ze, openly taking his hand and stroking it even during a tense family meeting. Jiang Ze is amused by the family’s theatrical deception but embarrassed by Meng Zhiyuan’s public intimacy. Meng Zhixing remains loyal to his second brother and reluctantly joins the plan. Grandpa Meng appreciates Meng Zhiyuan’s ability to protect him, while Meng Zhixiong’s grief-stricken performance masks his ambition to seize control.
  Themes: The chapter explores family power struggles, deception as a tool for protection and advantage, the contrast between public appearances and private motives, and the growing tenderness between Meng Zhiyuan and Jiang Ze.

Plot points and events

• At the reading of Grandpa Meng’s will, Lawyer Chen announces that Meng Zhixiong, his wife, and their children are to receive 60% of the estate, while Meng Zhiyuan—the current head of the Meng Corporation—gets only 10%.
• Meng Zhixing questions whether the will has been tampered with. Zhixiong defends the division by asserting that he is the eldest son and that his son, Zimu, will inherit the company.
• Zhiyuan initially says he has no objection to the eldest son receiving most of the estate, then challenges Zhixiong’s claim to that status.
• Zhiyuan’s bodyguard produces a paternity test indicating Zhixiong is not Grandpa Meng’s biological son. Zhixiong calls it forged, but his panicked reaction and the test’s reputable source fuel the family’s suspicions.
• Zhiyuan further declares that the will is invalid because Zhixiong is not a member of the Meng family, and questions the claim that Grandpa Meng is dying.
• Zimu protests, insisting he saw his grandfather near death. Grandpa Meng then appears alive and vigorous from behind a screen, shocking the assembled family.

Character developments

• Meng Zhiyuan remains composed and strategic, revealing evidence in stages while undermining Zhixiong’s authority.
• Meng Zhixiong shifts from smug confidence to visible fear and desperation as his lineage and inheritance claim are challenged.
• Jiang Ze watches with amused curiosity and realizes Zhiyuan has a plan, while reflecting on how little he knows about the family conflict.
• Meng Zimu enters the confrontation to defend his father and the claim that Grandpa Meng was dying.
• Grandpa Meng’s sudden, healthy appearance overturns the family’s assumptions about his condition.

Significant themes

• Inheritance and legitimacy: The conflict over the estate depends on who truly belongs to the family and who qualifies as its eldest son.
• Deception and appearances: The suspicious will, Zhixiong’s claimed lineage, and Grandpa Meng’s supposed imminent death all prove less straightforward than they seemed.
• Power and composure: Zhiyuan’s calm, controlled disclosures contrast with Zhixiong’s unraveling, shifting the balance of authority in the room.

Character interactions

• Zhixing openly challenges Zhixiong over the will; Zhixiong responds by invoking family hierarchy and his son’s expected succession.
• Zhiyuan confronts Zhixiong with the paternity test, while Jiang Ze quietly observes Zhiyuan’s confidence.
• Zimu defends Zhixiong against Zhiyuan’s accusations, but Zhiyuan ignores him.
• Grandpa Meng’s entrance abruptly redirects the entire gathering and leaves the family facing a new revelation.

Key plot points and events

• Grandpa Meng survives the poisoning and returns to the family gathering. Meng Zhixiong admits he poisoned him, and Meng Zhiyuan produces evidence of Zhixiong’s crimes, including tax evasion.
• Zhixiong and his wife, Ye Rong, are arrested. Their children watch in anger, and Meng Zimu vows revenge. Zhiyuan rejects Zimu’s claim to family closeness, telling him he is unworthy of calling him “Second Uncle.”
• Grandpa Meng explains that Zhixiong was adopted by him and his wife, who raised him with love and kept his origins private. He laments Zhixiong’s betrayal and entrusts the Meng Corporation to Zhiyuan.
• At their first meeting, Grandpa Meng gives Jiang Ze a pair of heirloom jade pieces and warmly urges him to be patient with Zhiyuan’s temper. Jiang Ze is flustered by what feels like a formal in-law welcome.
• Meng Zhixing and young Meng Ziqing arrive, relieved to find Grandpa Meng alive. Once the crisis is settled, Jiang Ze and Zhiyuan leave.
• A hurried, disguised servant passes them in the garage. Jiang Ze feels uneasy, and the system warns that the story’s altered plot means major events may occur earlier or differently. A remembered passage makes him suspect something is about to happen.

Character developments and interactions

• Grandpa Meng remains authoritative but shows grief over Zhixiong’s betrayal. He expresses trust in Zhiyuan and affection for Jiang Ze, whom he accepts as Zhiyuan’s companion.
• Meng Zhiyuan acts decisively against Zhixiong and remains protective and affectionate toward Jiang Ze, taking his hand and reassuring him.
• Jiang Ze is embarrassed by Grandpa Meng’s apparent approval, but his instincts and the system’s warning leave him increasingly anxious.
• Meng Zimu responds to his parents’ arrests with hatred and a vow of retaliation. Meng Zhixing is tearfully relieved, while Meng Ziqing greets Grandpa Meng affectionately.

Significant themes

• Betrayal contrasts with gratitude: Zhixiong repays his adoptive parents’ kindness with violence, while Grandpa Meng’s family bonds endure elsewhere.
• Justice and family power intersect as Zhiyuan uses evidence and authority to bring Zhixiong and Ye Rong to account.
• Romance and acceptance emerge through Grandpa Meng’s playful, in-law-like welcome to Jiang Ze.
• The changed story’s “butterfly effect” creates suspense and uncertainty about what comes next.