Chapter Summaries

Fang Youcheng defied Ji Cheng’s demand to frame others, and Ji Cheng slapped him before accidentally injuring Shi Zhiyi. As Shi Zhiyi withdrew from him, Ji Cheng feared losing the family he had tried to control, then learned that the Old Master had revised his will.

• Fang Youcheng told Ji Cheng he refused to frame people and wanted to live honestly, provoking Ji Cheng’s fury.
• Ji Cheng slapped Fang Youcheng, leaving his cheek swollen and his eyes tearful.
• Shi Zhiyi rushed out to shield Fang Youcheng, but Ji Cheng struck her while gesturing, and she hit her waist on the dining table.
• Ji Cheng apologized in panic, but Shi Zhiyi pushed him away and asked Fang Youcheng to help her back to her room.
• After Shi Zhiyi closed the bedroom door, Ji Cheng feared his family was slipping away, then received a call saying the Old Master had revised his will.

The Lu family struggled with the sudden silence of Lu Xiaoxiao’s inner thoughts, and Lu Shiyan tried to find out whether anything was wrong. He failed to uncover her secret but recommended a cat-demon role that excited her, while she wondered which family member would investigate next.

• The Lu family grew anxious after Lu Xiaoxiao’s inner monologues vanished, while she pretended not to notice their concern.
• Lu Shiyan tried to regain contact with Lu Xiaoxiao’s thoughts by concentrating, but heard nothing as he asked about her studies and Ji Yunhuai.
• Lu Shiyan directly asked whether anything felt different, but Lu Xiaoxiao acted puzzled and turned the question back on him.
• Lu Shiyan changed the subject by recommending a mischievous cat-demon role, and Lu Xiaoxiao eagerly asked to read the script.
• Lu Shiyan left reassured that Lu Xiaoxiao seemed well, while she privately anticipated the next family member’s attempt to investigate her.

Lu Xiaoxiao read the script for "Graceful" and learned about Wen Yao, a cat demon whose devotion to Cen Ye led to tragedy and misunderstanding. Though nervous about the demanding role and an audition only half a month away, she resolved to study Wen Yao and prepare.

• Lu Xiaoxiao received the encrypted script, character biographies, and concept art for "Graceful" from Lu Shiyan's assistant.
• Lu Xiaoxiao read Wen Yao and Cen Ye's story, including Wen Yao's use of the Soul Seal, Cen Ye's betrayal of her, and their eventual reunion against the Cen Family.
• Lu Xiaoxiao complained that the so-called light comedy was really a tragic romance and wondered whether Wen Yao was too forgiving.
• Lu Xiaoxiao checked the audition schedule, realized it was only half a month away, and worried she might not be able to portray Wen Yao.
• Lu Xiaoxiao encouraged herself, accepted the challenge, and began studying Wen Yao's character biography.

Lu Xiaoxiao spent two weeks preparing intensely to audition for Wen Yao in "Graceful" while major developments unfolded around her. As the audition approached, Jiang Ci revived her career, Gu Sipei secured control of the Gu Group, and Ji Yunhuai established himself as the Ji heir; Lu Xiaoxiao was ready to show what she could do.

• Lu Xiaoxiao studied Wen Yao's emotional layers and feline mannerisms, and asked Jiang Ci for acting advice as she prepared for the role.
• Jiang Ci held a press conference announcing her move to Starlight Media and calmly described the unfair treatment she had endured at her former agency.
• Wei Yun promoted "Spirit Abyss Chronicle" after Jiang Ci's comeback attracted widespread attention, announcing the drama would premiere in one month.
• The Gu Group and Ji Group announced a major partnership on the Riverside Project as Gu Sipei moved against Gu Sijing and secured control of the Gu Group.
• Ji Yunhuai's role in the alliance changed public perceptions of him, and he emerged as the undisputed heir to the Ji Corporation.
• After two weeks of preparation, Lu Xiaoxiao faced her audition for "Graceful," which was scheduled for the next day.

Lu Xiaoxiao ran into Ji Yunhuai’s father, Ji Cheng, outside Ji Yunhuai’s apartment and bluntly insulted him while pretending not to recognize him. Ji Cheng accused her of pursuing Ji Yunhuai for money and offered her five million to leave him, leaving her to answer his demand.

• Lu Xiaoxiao went to Ji Yunhuai’s apartment for dinner on the eve of her audition and encountered Ji Cheng as he left.
• Lu Xiaoxiao joked that Ji Cheng was Ji Yunhuai’s hired cook, then said she had mistaken him for someone handsome when he claimed to be Ji Yunhuai’s father.
• Lu Xiaoxiao told Ji Cheng she disliked him because he treated Ji Yunhuai badly and urged him to leave.
• Ji Cheng denied mistreating Ji Yunhuai, said he had wanted to speak with Lu Xiaoxiao, and accused her of clinging to Ji Yunhuai for money.
• Ji Cheng offered Lu Xiaoxiao five million to end her relationship with Ji Yunhuai.

Ji Cheng tried to pay Lu Xiaoxiao to leave Ji Yunhuai, but she mocked his offer and defended Ji Yunhuai as the more valuable choice. Ji Cheng left after warning her that she might regret refusing him.

• Ji Cheng offered Lu Xiaoxiao five million to turn against Ji Yunhuai, and she burst out laughing at the amount.
• Lu Xiaoxiao told Ji Cheng that Cui Anhe had offered her ten times as much, then rejected his demand that she name a price.
• Lu Xiaoxiao argued that Ji Yunhuai, as Old Master Ji's chosen heir, carried more weight than Ji Cheng and said she would stand by him for future gains.
• Lu Xiaoxiao dropped her mocking act and told Ji Cheng that calling Ji Yunhuai worthless would not make others blind to his value.
• Ji Cheng suppressed his anger, warned Lu Xiaoxiao she might regret her choice, and left in the elevator.

Lu Xiaoxiao visited Ji Yunhuai and teased him after he made a disastrously salty batch of chicken wings. Ji Yunhuai flirted back, and Lu Xiaoxiao offered to cook dinner herself, insisting her earlier cooking disaster had been deliberate.

• Lu Xiaoxiao entered Ji Yunhuai's apartment and took a photo of him cooking in an apron.
• Ji Yunhuai smeared flour on Lu Xiaoxiao's face and photographed her, so she retaliated by covering his face with flour.
• Lu Xiaoxiao tried Ji Yunhuai's chicken wings and discovered they were unbearably salty.
• Ji Yunhuai admitted he had never made the dish before, and Lu Xiaoxiao teased him about giving her one of his firsts.
• Ji Yunhuai flirted that he had plenty more firsts to give her, making Lu Xiaoxiao blush and change the subject.
• Lu Xiaoxiao offered to teach Ji Yunhuai to cook and revealed that she had intentionally made toothpaste scrambled eggs the previous time.

Lu Xiaoxiao enjoyed a relaxed evening with Ji Yunhuai, then went to audition for a role at Starlight Media. She drew a simple, warm scene and prepared to perform it for the panel.

• Lu Xiaoxiao kept her encounter with Ji Cheng from Ji Yunhuai and told him she was nervous about her audition.
• Ji Yunhuai encouraged Lu Xiaoxiao but said he could not accompany her because he had already agreed to meet friends with He Mingchuan.
• Lu Xiaoxiao arrived early at Starlight Media's audition facility and waited among the other candidates.
• Lu Xiaoxiao entered the audition room, introduced herself to director Sun Yuchen and the panel, and drew a scene about Wen Yao tending to Cen Ye's injured hand.
• Lu Xiaoxiao considered how to make the understated scene memorable, signaled she was ready, and began the audition.

Lu Xiaoxiao performed a gentle scene as Wen Yao and received praise from the audition judges, though she briefly wondered whether they were being unusually kind. The final auditionee, Tang Ruoning, began a difficult silent scene as a grievously wounded Wen Yao, leaving Lu Xiaoxiao and the other waiting actors captivated.

• Lu Xiaoxiao portrayed Wen Yao caring for Cen Ye, adding a fleeting hint of restrained longing that earned the judges' approval.
• Director Sun Yuchen, the producer, and the casting director praised Lu Xiaoxiao's performance and told her to wait outside for the scores.
• Lu Xiaoxiao watched the remaining auditions and judged most performances competent but unremarkable.
• Tang Ruoning drew the challenging scene of Wen Yao's pain and rage as she nearly lost her human form.
• Tang Ruoning transformed her manner and began portraying Wen Yao as a wounded, feral creature through her movements and expression.

Lu Xiaoxiao unexpectedly won the role of Wen Yao over Tang Ruoning, despite being impressed by Tang’s audition. After accepting the role, Lu Xiaoxiao went to the restroom and heard someone sobbing in a stall.

• Tang Ruoning delivered a powerful audition that impressed Sun Yuchen and the panel.
• Lu Xiaoxiao acknowledged Tang Ruoning’s talent, accepted that she might lose, and stayed to hear the decision.
• Sun Yuchen announced that Lu Xiaoxiao would play Wen Yao, explaining that her subtle emotional control better suited the character’s full arc.
• Lu Xiaoxiao accepted the role but felt something was off despite the director’s explanation.
• After discussing the contract and joining arrangements, Lu Xiaoxiao went to the restroom and heard stifled sobs from the farthest stall.

After overhearing Tang Ruoning's manager berate her, Lu Xiaoxiao tried to comfort Tang Ruoning, who mistook her sincerity for mockery and stormed off. Lu Xiaoxiao then overheard the casting director reveal that Ji Yunhuai had asked Director Sun to look out for her, influencing the casting decision.

• Lu Xiaoxiao overheard Tang Ruoning's manager scold her over the failed audition and order her to take supporting roles.
• Lu Xiaoxiao praised Tang Ruoning's performance, but Tang Ruoning accused her of mocking her and stormed out.
• Lu Xiaoxiao decided not to hold Tang Ruoning's outburst against her, though she felt hurt by the misunderstanding.
• Lu Xiaoxiao overheard the screenwriter say Tang Ruoning had performed brilliantly and the casting director admit that acting was not the only factor.
• The casting director revealed that Ji Yunhuai had called Director Sun to ask him to look out for Lu Xiaoxiao.

Lu Xiaoxiao learned that Ji Yunhuai had intervened to help her get Wen Yao’s role, so she gave it up and asked the production to offer it to Tang Ruoning instead. Meanwhile, Ji Yunhuai told He Mingchuan he planned to confess to Lu Xiaoxiao soon, then answered her call just after claiming everything was under control.

• Lu Xiaoxiao overheard the casting director tell the screenwriter that Ji Yunhuai had asked Director Sun to look after her.
• Lu Xiaoxiao confirmed the casting director’s account and withdrew from the role of Wen Yao, asking him to offer it to Tang Ruoning instead.
• Lu Xiaoxiao said Ji Yunhuai had meant well but acted inappropriately, and offered to pay any contract termination penalty.
• At a racetrack, He Mingchuan lost to Ji Yunhuai and teased him about confessing his feelings to Lu Xiaoxiao.
• Ji Yunhuai said he had prepared to confess in a couple of days and confidently claimed everything was under control.
• Lu Xiaoxiao called Ji Yunhuai, and he answered by asking whether her audition was over.

Ji Yunhuai called the director of “Graceful” to support Lu Xiaoxiao, but she learned that his intervention had unfairly cost a more deserving actress the role and confronted him. Lu Xiaoxiao gave the role back to the other actress and told Ji Yunhuai not to contact her until he had reflected, leaving him regretting that he had argued instead of apologizing.

• Ji Yunhuai explained to Lu Xiaoxiao that he had called the director of “Graceful” to praise her and ask him to pay attention to her audition.
• Lu Xiaoxiao accused Ji Yunhuai of using his status to pressure the director and said the director had rejected a more talented actress because of his call.
• Ji Yunhuai offered to arrange an equally important role for the other actress, but Lu Xiaoxiao said she had already given the role back to her.
• Lu Xiaoxiao told Ji Yunhuai not to speak to her until he had properly reflected, then hung up.
• He Mingchuan asked Ji Yunhuai why he had not apologized, and Ji Yunhuai admitted he had tried to save face and expected Lu Xiaoxiao to keep listening.

Ji Yunhuai prepared to apologize to Lu Xiaoxiao, but Uncle Zhong called to say Old Master Ji was dying. At the Lu Family home, Lu Xiaoxiao discussed her argument with Ji Yunhuai with An Tingxue, who pointed out how differently they viewed other people’s feelings.

• He Mingchuan teased Ji Yunhuai about his romantic disappointment, and Ji Yunhuai retorted that Jiang Feiwan saw He Mingchuan as a little brother.
• Ji Yunhuai decided to call Lu Xiaoxiao and apologize sincerely, but Uncle Zhong called and urgently summoned him to the old residence, saying Old Master Ji was dying.
• Lu Xiaoxiao returned to the Lu Family home still unsettled about her argument with Ji Yunhuai.
• An Tingxue noticed Lu Xiaoxiao’s bad mood and invited her to talk about the audition and her interactions with Ji Yunhuai.
• An Tingxue told Lu Xiaoxiao that she was unusually empathetic for someone from a wealthy family and observed that she and Ji Yunhuai approached other people’s feelings differently.

Lu Xiaoxiao reflected on her differences with Ji Yunhuai and decided to give him a chance to make amends, while snow began to fall. At the Ji Family's old residence, Ji Yunhuai learned that Old Master Ji was dying and that the family should come say goodbye.

• Lu Xiaoxiao agreed with An Tingxue that she and Ji Yunhuai had different ways of thinking, and decided to hold to her principles while respecting his.
• An Tingxue offered Lu Xiaoxiao advice, and Lu Xiaoxiao resolved to give Ji Yunhuai an opening to make up the next time he reached out.
• Lu Xiaoxiao and An Tingxue noticed the first snow, and Lu Xiaoxiao looked forward to celebrating her first New Year since transmigrating.
• Ji Yunhuai waited anxiously at the Ji Family's old residence while doctors tried to save Old Master Ji, recalling that his grandfather had suffered a heart attack.
• A doctor told Ji Yunhuai that nothing more could be done and that Old Master Ji had briefly regained awareness, so the family should come in and say goodbye.

Ji Yunhuai watched his grandfather die, only to realize Old Master Ji had mistaken him for his deceased uncle. After the family turned to arguing over the will, Ji Yunhuai walked alone into the snow, refusing He Mingchuan’s company.

• Ji Cheng, Ji Yunhuai’s aunts, Ji Ming, and Ji Yunhuai entered Old Master Ji’s room as he lay dying.
• Ji Yunhuai clasped his grandfather’s hand, but Old Master Ji’s last words were the name “A-Huai,” which belonged to Ji Huai.
• Ji Yunhuai realized his grandfather had been looking through him to remember Ji Huai and wondered whether anyone in his family had ever seen him as himself.
• The Ji Family gathered around Uncle Zhong to ask about the will, and Uncle Zhong said it would be announced on the day of the funeral.
• Ji Yunhuai left the residence in the snow and told He Mingchuan not to follow him.

After learning that Ji Wenzhong had died and Ji Yunhuai had gone missing, Lu Xiaoxiao set out to find and comfort him. She suspected Ji Wenzhong’s death might not have been entirely natural and used her points to ask 037 for Ji Yunhuai’s location.

• Lu Xiaoxiao waited for Ji Yunhuai to contact her, but Cui Anhe video-called and asked whether he was with her.
• Cui Anhe told Lu Xiaoxiao that Ji Wenzhong had died that afternoon and Ji Yunhuai had been missing for hours with his phone off.
• Lu Xiaoxiao reassured Cui Anhe that she would search for Ji Yunhuai and learned that He Mingchuan had already checked his usual places.
• Lu Xiaoxiao recalled Ji Cheng’s meaningful look and suspected Ji Wenzhong’s death might have involved a conspiracy.
• Lu Xiaoxiao grabbed a men’s coat and asked 037 to spend her points to find Ji Yunhuai’s location.

Lu Xiaoxiao found Ji Yunhuai sitting alone in the snow after his grandfather’s death and wrapped him in her coat, urging him to care about his own feelings. She ended by asking him to be together.

• Lu Xiaoxiao followed 037’s directions to a secluded street and found Ji Yunhuai sitting motionless beneath a streetlamp, nearly buried in snow.
• Lu Xiaoxiao brushed the snow off Ji Yunhuai and bundled him into the coat she had brought.
• Ji Yunhuai asked whether Lu Xiaoxiao was still angry, and she told him that his feelings mattered most right now.
• Lu Xiaoxiao touched Ji Yunhuai’s icy face and pleaded with him to stop leaving himself alone and cold.
• Lu Xiaoxiao told Ji Yunhuai, “let’s be together.”

On a snowy street, Lu Xiaoxiao asked Ji Yunhuai to let her become his family after his loss, promising he would not be alone. Ji Yunhuai answered by kissing her, and they stayed close together until he told her she had warmed him.

• Lu Xiaoxiao told Ji Yunhuai she feared seeing him lonely and vulnerable after he lost an important family member.
• Lu Xiaoxiao formally asked Ji Yunhuai to let her become his family and promised to care for him.
• Ji Yunhuai kissed Lu Xiaoxiao before she could finish asking whether he believed her.
• Lu Xiaoxiao accepted the kiss and embraced Ji Yunhuai as they grew warm together in the snow.
• Ji Yunhuai told Lu Xiaoxiao he was no longer cold, then kissed her again.

After Lu Xiaoxiao comforts Ji Yunhuai with a kiss, he tells her he feels better, and they officially become boyfriend and girlfriend. They walk together after the snow eases, and Lu Xiaoxiao asks what he plans to do next.

• Ji Yunhuai and Lu Xiaoxiao share a long kiss that eases his grief and helps him feel grounded again.
• Ji Yunhuai thanks Lu Xiaoxiao for seeing him and holding him, then asks what he is to her.
• Lu Xiaoxiao calls him Fire Cloud and announces that he is her boyfriend; they joke together until both laugh.
• When the snow eases, Lu Xiaoxiao suggests walking nearby, and Ji Yunhuai takes her hand and apologizes for making a decision on his own that morning.
• Lu Xiaoxiao tells Ji Yunhuai she has already forgiven him, then asks what he plans to do next.