Chapter Summaries

• Plot: In the second round of their game, Lu Xiaoxiao loses to Ji Yunhuai and chooses truth. He asks about her favorite romantic setting. She struggles to answer, eventually naming familiar, book-inspired scenes such as a Ferris wheel beneath the stars and a flower-filled landscape. She explains that her childhood—first at an orphanage and later spent mostly at school—gave her little experience with romance. After finishing, she urges them to move on to the next round.
• Character development: Lu Xiaoxiao reveals her limited romantic experience and her preference for relationships that develop gradually and sincerely. Past suitors’ impatience put her off, while her connection with Ji Yunhuai feels comfortable and naturally paced. She also suspects he may be preparing to confess, but pretends not to notice to spare his dignity.
• Character interactions: Ji Yunhuai asks a personal but gentle question and listens intently, watching Lu Xiaoxiao throughout her answer. His earnest attention makes her self-conscious; she fidgets and finally redirects the game.
• Themes: The chapter contrasts genuine, patient affection with rushed courtship, and explores how childhood circumstances shape someone’s ideas of romance. Their growing closeness is conveyed through attentive listening, unspoken understanding, and Lu Xiaoxiao’s awareness of Ji Yunhuai’s possible feelings.

Key plot points and events

• While playing dice with Ji Yunhuai, Lu Xiaoxiao briefly considers sharing more about her unhappy past, but avoids the subject by starting the next round.
• She rolls a six, then Ji rolls a five, giving her the win. She celebrates and taunts him before insisting that his choice of “dare” would still require him to answer a truth question.
• Lu asks Ji to reveal a secret. He calmly says he has an older half-brother—same father, different mother—leaving her shocked.
• In a separate scene, Gu Sipei arrives at Yongjing Grand Court. He asks Assistant Lin whether Lu has been busy, having noticed that she has stopped messaging him.
• Assistant Lin confirms that Lu has had no unusual commitments. Gu realizes she is choosing not to contact him and becomes increasingly angry, interpreting her silence as deliberate rejection and a game.
• Worried about Gu’s mood and the resulting pressure on the company staff, Assistant Lin suggests Gu ask Lu directly rather than rely on an investigation.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao shows both guarded vulnerability and playful confidence: she is reluctant to discuss her painful past, but becomes exuberant and provocative during the game.
• Ji Yunhuai responds warmly to her antics, teasing her about the dice and accepting her contrived rules without protest. His unexpected disclosure hints at complicated family circumstances.
• Gu Sipei reveals possessiveness and wounded pride beneath his controlled exterior. Though he regarded Lu’s earlier messages as trivial, he had come to expect them and is unsettled by their absence.
• Assistant Lin carefully manages his employer’s moods, ultimately encouraging direct communication as a practical way to resolve the situation.

Significant themes

• Guarded vulnerability: Lu wants to be understood but is wary of emotional consolation and revealing too much.
• Miscommunication and assumptions: Gu treats Lu’s silence as intentional rejection without asking her why.
• Control and emotional entitlement: Gu’s belief that he had “accepted” Lu’s advances makes her withdrawal feel, to him, like a personal affront.
• Playfulness masking deeper tensions: The lighthearted game contrasts with the serious family secret Ji reveals and the growing strain in Gu’s relationship with Lu.

Plot points

• Gu Sipei rejects Assistant Lin’s suggestion that he contact Lu Jiaoyue again, deciding not to chase her while she is keeping her distance.
• He orders the plan against Gu Sijing accelerated and tells Assistant Lin to investigate the Lu Corporation. When asked whether to acquire it, Gu Sipei hesitates and says to wait.
• Lu Xiaoxiao listens as Ji Yunhuai openly shares secrets about his family. She takes his disclosure as a sign of trust and privately decides she will eventually tell him about her own past and identity in return.
• After two drinks leave her unexpectedly tipsy, Lu Xiaoxiao remembers that her current body has a low alcohol tolerance. Wanting to respond to Ji Yunhuai’s vulnerable confession, she asks him to come closer and gently ruffles his hair, explaining that she is comforting him.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Sipei remains proud and guarded, but his hesitation over the Lu Corporation suggests his personal feelings may be tempering his business instincts.
• Assistant Lin suspects Gu Sipei has fallen for Lu Jiaoyue and cautiously offers advice, but backs down when rebuked.
• Lu Xiaoxiao becomes more willing to trust Ji Yunhuai. She treats his candor with serious attention rather than humor or skepticism, and expresses care through an awkwardly tender gesture.
• Ji Yunhuai shares painful family secrets and responds to Lu Xiaoxiao’s unusual request with patience and amusement, allowing her to comfort him.

Significant themes

• Trust and reciprocity: Lu Xiaoxiao sees Ji Yunhuai’s openness as an invitation into his world and resolves to be equally honest.
• Vulnerability and affection: A small, playful gesture becomes Lu Xiaoxiao’s sincere response to Ji Yunhuai’s painful disclosure.
• Pride versus restraint: Gu Sipei’s reluctance to pursue Lu Jiaoyue contrasts with the possibility that his feelings are influencing his calculated business decisions.

Plot and character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao notices Ji Yunhuai’s response to her offer to comfort him. Though he insists he is not upset and calls the incident “just a game,” she is troubled by how casually he speaks about his own life.
• Slightly drunk and struggling to explain herself, Lu Xiaoxiao calls him foolish for showing no sympathy toward himself. Ji Yunhuai finds her earnest scolding adorable and gently teases her by asking what he should do instead.
• She answers by squeezing his cheeks and telling him to cry. She argues that he hides his hurt behind a smile, making it hard for others to notice and care for him. Remembering that he once said he did not want to see her treated unfairly, she objects to his being so hard on himself.
• Her empathy overwhelms her: she begins crying herself, lamenting how miserable his life is. Ji Yunhuai is left bewildered by her sudden emotional outburst.

Themes and interactions

• The chapter focuses on self-compassion and the difficulty of accepting care: Lu Xiaoxiao sees that Ji Yunhuai conceals his pain so effectively that others may not realize he needs comfort.
• Their relationship grows more tender. Ji Yunhuai responds to her concern with unusual gentleness and amusement, while Lu Xiaoxiao’s drunken, muddled sincerity reveals how deeply she cares for him.

Plot points and events

• After Lu Xiaoxiao cries over Ji Yunhuai’s painful childhood, he reassures her that he has long since made peace with it. Her concern makes him unexpectedly happy.
• They keep playing dice. Lu Xiaoxiao loses a round and offers to share a secret; she whispers, “This world isn’t real.”
• Leaving the bar late at night, Lu Xiaoxiao—drunk but insisting she isn’t—mistakes a puddle for a river. Ji Yunhuai carries her over it.
• On his back, she jokes that he is her “mount” and celebrates winning many rounds. Ji Yunhuai reveals internally that he rigged the dice so she would win.
• As they walk, Lu Xiaoxiao reflects that she cannot be lucky because her birth parents abandoned her.

Character developments

• Ji Yunhuai shows that he has emotionally detached from his father’s past neglect, yet is moved and comforted by Lu Xiaoxiao’s sympathy. He responds to her drunkenness with patient, playful care.
• Lu Xiaoxiao is affectionate, uninhibited, and increasingly confused by alcohol. Beneath her humor, her remark about being abandoned reveals lingering hurt and low expectations of good fortune.

Significant themes

• Care and emotional connection: Lu Xiaoxiao’s compassion gives Ji Yunhuai a rare sense of happiness.
• Humor and vulnerability: Their teasing disguises deeper pain, especially Lu Xiaoxiao’s loneliness.
• Illusion and reality: Her secret that the world is unreal, followed by her imagined “river,” introduces uncertainty about perception and reality.
• Kindness expressed through small acts: Ji Yunhuai quietly rigs the game and carries her, letting her enjoy herself without making a show of helping.

Character interactions

• Ji Yunhuai gently wipes away Lu Xiaoxiao’s tears and teases her until she calms down.
• Their banter continues through the dice game and the walk home: she accuses him of being mean, then praises him and playfully treats him as a mount.
• Ji Yunhuai accommodates her confusion and lets her believe her victories were luck, while Lu Xiaoxiao’s final comment exposes a more vulnerable side.

Key plot points and events

• While carrying a tipsy Lu Xiaoxiao home, Ji Yunhuai listens as she talks about her birth parents rejecting her and the loving Lu Family she has found. She says she feels lucky to have a wonderful family again and admits that she likes Ji Yunhuai too.
• Lu Xiaoxiao insists that the world is fake and her real identity is “beyond this world,” though Ji Yunhuai assumes she is drunk and does not believe her. She worries he might leave her behind; he reassures her that he has a firm hold on her.
• Ji Yunhuai takes his time walking with her, enjoying their closeness. At the car, she tells him they are fortunate to have survived their difficult pasts and wishes them both congratulations.
• The next morning, Lu Xiaoxiao learns from 037 that Ji Yunhuai called her brother Lu Shiyan, who brought her inside. Alarmed by the potential awkwardness, she then hears that Lu Yubai has gone out with Chen Xiwan.

Character development and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is unusually open and sentimental while tipsy. She expresses gratitude for her adoptive family, affection for Ji Yunhuai, and a lingering fear of being abandoned.
• Ji Yunhuai responds with tenderness and reassurance. His concern about her being left behind suggests he understands her vulnerability, while his wish to prolong the walk hints at growing romantic feelings.
• Lu Shiyan calmly helps bring Xiaoxiao inside and thanks Ji Yunhuai, though Xiaoxiao suspects this may make things more awkward.
• 037 wakes Xiaoxiao with an urgent warning about Chen Xiwan and Lu Yubai, prompting her to focus on the situation downstairs.

Significant themes

• Belonging and family: Xiaoxiao feels fortunate to have found a caring family after rejection by her birth parents.
• Fear of abandonment and reassurance: Her joking question about being dropped carries an underlying need for security, which Ji Yunhuai answers firmly.
• Healing and survival: Xiaoxiao celebrates that both she and Ji Yunhuai made it through their difficult pasts.
• Reality and identity: Her claim that the world is fake and her identity is otherworldly adds a mysterious contrast to the chapter’s intimate, grounded emotions.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao comes downstairs after hearing that her younger brother, Lu Yubai, is playing a game with Chen Xiwan.
• She finds Yubai enthusiastically gaming with Chen, who praises his skills. He is so pleased that he calls her “sis-in-law” and promises to protect her in the game.
• When Xiaoxiao appears, Chen immediately stands and apologizes nervously, claiming she worried she had disturbed Xiaoxiao’s sleep.
• Xiaoxiao calmly tells her the house is soundproof and says there is no need to act so cautiously. Chen’s eyes well up, and she launches into a dramatic plea: she says she knows Xiaoxiao dislikes her, offers to leave or have her cousin fired, and begs Xiaoxiao not to separate her from Xiaoxiao’s eldest brother because she is carrying his child.
• Yubai, absorbed in the game, misses the exchange. After winning the match, he notices Chen looks upset but has no idea why.
• Xiaoxiao scolds him for neglecting his homework and thinks about how quickly he has become fond of Chen. She privately recalls that Chen may later steal the family’s confidential documents and ruin the Lu family, despite appearing harmless.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao is suspicious of Chen’s sudden meekness and emotional display. She tries to remain composed but is increasingly frustrated by both Chen’s theatrics and Yubai’s gullibility.
• Lu Yubai is shown as excitable, easily flattered, and oblivious to the tension around him. He quickly warms to Chen after gaming with her.
• Chen Xiwan presents herself as timid and self-sacrificing, but her rapid escalation from apology to tearful pleas makes Xiaoxiao suspect she is deliberately cultivating a vulnerable persona.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus intentions: Chen’s seemingly gentle behavior conflicts with Xiaoxiao’s knowledge of her potentially harmful future actions.
• Manipulation and performance: Xiaoxiao wonders whether Chen is using a “Lin Daiyu”-like, fragile persona to influence the family.
• Family loyalty and trust: Yubai’s quick acceptance of Chen contrasts with Xiaoxiao’s determination to protect the Lu family.
• Dramatic irony: Readers hear Xiaoxiao’s private thoughts about Chen’s future danger while Yubai remains unaware.

Character interactions

• Chen flatters Yubai during the game, and he responds by calling her “sis-in-law.”
• Chen approaches Xiaoxiao with excessive caution and apologizes; Xiaoxiao answers coolly but does not initially insult or threaten her.
• Chen reframes Xiaoxiao’s neutral response as hostility and presents herself as willing to sacrifice anything for her relationship and unborn child.
• Xiaoxiao redirects her irritation toward Yubai, scolding him for gaming and silently warning herself that his trust in Chen is misplaced.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao’s thoughts about Chen Xiwan frighten Lu Yubai, who fears Chen will ruin the Lu family. Taking Xiaoxiao’s thoughts as fact, he abruptly decides to stop gaming and go study.
• Chen Xiwan brings Yubai his forgotten phone and frames herself as someone who had merely been helping him relax. Yubai sees Xiaoxiao’s cold expression, panics, refuses the phone, and runs upstairs.
• Left alone with Xiaoxiao, Chen Xiwan adopts a wounded, timid pose and hints that leaving might harm her unborn baby.
• Xiaoxiao rejects the implied accusation that she has mistreated Chen. She says she dislikes her but has no intention of harming a pregnant woman, and points out that Chen’s display could make others blame her.
• Xiaoxiao accuses Chen of trying to sow discord between her and her eldest brother. She says the Lu family will support the child if it is truly her brother’s, but will not accept a false claim—and challenges Chen to prove her sincerity.

Character developments

• Lu Yubai is shown as impressionable and fearful: his respect for Xiaoxiao’s supernatural insight makes him obey even her unspoken judgments, though he realizes her threats may put him in danger too.
• Lu Xiaoxiao is blunt and suspicious of Chen, but distinguishes dislike from cruelty. She remains protective of her family and insists on direct, verifiable answers.
• Chen Xiwan tries to appear caring toward Yubai and vulnerable before Xiaoxiao. Her motives remain suspect, especially as Xiaoxiao interprets her behavior as calculated manipulation.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and divided allegiance: Xiaoxiao sees Chen as trying to turn Yubai—and potentially her brother—against the family.
• Manipulation versus directness: Chen’s carefully staged gestures contrast with Xiaoxiao’s demand that people speak plainly.
• Trust, proof, and responsibility: The unborn child’s connection to the Lu family is presented as something that must be established rather than accepted on assertion alone.
• Comic fear and power dynamics: Yubai’s panicked reactions provide humor while showing how strongly Xiaoxiao’s thoughts and authority affect him.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao and Yubai: She remains an intimidating older sister; he looks to her for cues and flees before her imagined “violence” can reach him.
• Yubai and Chen: Chen tries to maintain their friendly gaming relationship, but his sudden fear and rejection leave her bewildered.
• Xiaoxiao and Chen: Their tense exchange moves from Xiaoxiao’s sarcasm to a controlled challenge: Chen must stop performing victimhood and establish whether her claim about the baby is true.

Key plot points

• Lu Xiaoxiao questions Chen Xiwan about whether her unborn child is really Lu Xunli’s, prompting Chen to react with hurt and anger.
• Xiaoxiao keeps her distance, explains she has no proof and was not sent by her brother, and insists that Chen should focus on the pregnancy.
• Chen says she would not bear a child for a man she did not love. Xiaoxiao agrees, clarifying that all she expects is for Chen to care for herself and agree to a paternity test after the birth.
• Xiaoxiao warns that a baby may not secure Chen’s place in the family, then hints that Lu Xunli’s traditional views make fidelity especially important.
• She asks Chen to guess when Xiaoxiao woke up in the lounge on an earlier occasion, implying she may have overheard something incriminating.
• Chen briefly panics, then dismisses the hint as a bluff. She claims nothing happened in the lounge, suggests Xiaoxiao was half-asleep, and agrees to a future paternity test before excusing herself to rest.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is cautious and probing: she avoids physical contact, challenges Chen’s emotional outbursts, and uses indirect hints rather than making a direct accusation.
• Chen Xiwan shifts from offended and confrontational to anxious, then regains her composure and tries to placate Xiaoxiao. Her insistence that Lu Xunli will not abandon her suggests she is confident in her hold over him.
• Their exchange becomes a tense contest of insinuation and self-control. Xiaoxiao implies she knows more than she can prove; Chen counters by minimizing the possibility that Xiaoxiao heard anything.

Significant themes

• Trust, fidelity, and paternity: The child’s parentage and Chen’s faithfulness are central sources of suspicion.
• Power and security: Chen sees her relationship with Lu Xunli—and possibly the baby—as protection, while Xiaoxiao questions whether that security is reliable.
• Evidence versus bluffing: Both women carefully manage what they reveal, and the unresolved hint about the lounge leaves the accusation unproven.

Key events

• After Chen Xiwan leaves, 037 questions why Lu Xiaoxiao didn’t confront her more aggressively. Lu explains that Chen is controlled and difficult to expose, and that she plans to wait for Ji Yunhuai’s investigation to uncover evidence. She admits her earlier threat was mostly for amusement.
• 037 reveals that Lu apparently told Ji Yunhuai while drunk that their world is a novel. Lu had forgotten, but learns that characters generally dismiss such claims as nonsense—though other hosts have faced serious consequences when they were believed.
• Lu gets angry at 037 for not warning her, suspecting it wanted her to get into trouble. 037 panics, then claims it stayed quiet because it was distracted watching Lu and Ji Yunhuai’s affectionate interaction. Lu enjoys hearing that Ji Yunhuai seemed in love with her, then complains that 037 failed to record it.
• 037 redirects her attention to a message from Director Wei, inviting Lu and her brother Shi Yan to review the revised script for Spirit Abyss Chronicle and meet its new female lead.
• Embarrassed because she thinks her second brother, Lu Shiyan, knows she slipped out to meet Ji Yunhuai, Lu tries to invent an excuse. When she learns he is away, she agrees to visit the production alone—then discovers he has gone to meet his returning “dream girl” and reacts with alarm.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is shrewd about handling Chen Xiwan, relying on Ji Yunhuai to investigate rather than confronting Chen without proof. Her teasing confidence gives way to embarrassment over her nighttime outing, then curiosity and flattered excitement when told Ji Yunhuai looked at her tenderly.
• 037 acts as Lu’s comic foil: it teases her about romance, gets caught withholding information, and placates her with flattering claims before changing the subject.
• Ji Yunhuai does not appear directly, but is portrayed through 037’s account as deeply affectionate toward Lu; he is also expected to investigate Chen Xiwan.
• Lu Shiyan is absent, but his knowledge of Lu’s outing makes her anxious. His trip to see his dream girl becomes the final surprise.
• Lu and 037 trade playful, argumentative banter, while Lu’s intended meeting with Director Wei connects her personal drama to the ongoing film project.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and strategy: Lu uses a threat as a bluff while waiting for solid evidence against Chen Xiwan.
• Romance and denial: Lu is pleased by signs of Ji Yunhuai’s affection, even as her reactions remain playful and defensive.
• The boundary between fiction and reality: Lu’s drunken revelation that the world is a novel raises the question of what happens when fictional characters hear the truth.
• Comedy through secrets and misunderstandings: Lu’s blackout, 037’s evasions, and her worry about explaining her escape drive the chapter’s humor.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao learns from 037 that her second brother, Lu Shiyan, is at the airport because his first love, Yu Sangning, is returning after seven years abroad.
• Xiaoxiao recalls their tragic history: the Yu family’s jewelry business collapsed after industry sabotage, and Sangning’s parents died by suicide after sending her abroad under a new identity. Before leaving, Sangning sent Shiyan a letter falsely claiming she no longer loved him, hoping to keep her troubles from affecting him.
• Shiyan later tracked her through her private entries on the journaling app Secret and learned when she would return. Xiaoxiao realizes he has come only to watch her from a distance.
• At the airport, Shiyan waits in disguise, telling himself he only wants one glimpse of an old acquaintance. Seeing Sangning again overwhelms him, but he remains seated and does not approach her.
• Xiaoxiao arrives intending to intervene and secretly follows Shiyan. Though he is heavily disguised, he recognizes her by hearing her thoughts and spots her hiding behind a pillar.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao is energetic, meddlesome, and determined to prevent the pair from missing their chance to explain the past. She believes courage and honest communication matter even more than whether two people remain in love.
• Lu Shiyan is revealed as deeply affected by the separation, despite trying to act detached. His longing is clear, but hurt and fear keep him from speaking to Sangning.
• Yu Sangning, though not yet directly interacting with Shiyan, is established as someone who sacrificed her own happiness to protect him and has built a new life abroad.

Significant themes

• The cost of silence and misunderstandings in relationships.
• Courage versus cowardice: Xiaoxiao argues that people should face one another and seek clarity rather than let fear create lasting regret.
• Love, sacrifice, and the difficulty of moving on after years apart.
• The contrast between Shiyan’s public acting skills and his inability to perform confidently in his own emotional life.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao argues with 037 about its delayed revelation, then asks it to fill in the missing details about Shiyan and Sangning.
• 037 explains how Shiyan found Sangning’s account and tracked her return.
• Shiyan and Sangning have not yet spoken, but their reunion is imminent; Shiyan watches her from afar while struggling with the urge to approach.
• Xiaoxiao secretly observes Shiyan, setting up her planned intervention.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao spots her second brother, Lu Shiyan, at the airport and asks system 037 to identify Yu Sangning, whom she enthusiastically regards as her future sister-in-law.
• Xiaoxiao hopes to reunite the pair, whose romance was derailed by misunderstandings, but worries that both are too hesitant to approach each other.
• Through Xiaoxiao’s thoughts, Shiyan learns that Sangning’s supposed romantic interest abroad was actually a neighbor’s singing bird, and that her painful farewell letter was written out of concern for him, not rejection.
• Shiyan is relieved to discover their relationship may still have hope, but decides not to reveal himself in the crowded airport, partly because he is disguised and doesn’t want to create publicity or trouble for Sangning. He waits to see what Xiaoxiao will do.
• Sangning ends a call with her late mother’s friend, who is currently her only reliable contact in the capital. Feeling alone and reluctant to impose on others, she reflects on the one person she still remembers vividly: Shiyan.
• Seeing his poster, she quietly pretends he has come to meet her, then walks on—only to collide with someone.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao is an energetic, meddlesome romantic matchmaker who is sincerely invested in giving the couple a happy ending.
• Lu Shiyan remains deeply in love with Sangning. His earlier jealousy and regret ease when he learns the truth, though shyness, concern for Sangning, and practical worries keep him from approaching her.
• Yu Sangning appears gentle but self-reliant, shaped by years abroad and the loss of her parents. Beneath her composure, she feels isolated and still carries strong, bittersweet feelings for Shiyan.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao argues with 037 about her matchmaking plans while unknowingly broadcasting her thoughts to Shiyan.
• Shiyan internally reacts to Xiaoxiao’s blunt teasing and revelations, then trusts her to manage the reunion.
• Sangning speaks politely with her mother’s friend, downplaying her needs, before privately addressing Shiyan’s poster as though it were him.

Significant themes

• Miscommunication and missed chances: Both lovers have misread the other’s actions and feelings.
• Loneliness and belonging: Sangning’s independence masks how little support she has after returning home.
• Hope and second chances: New information suggests the pair’s separation may not have ended their love.
• Comic intervention versus personal hesitation: Xiaoxiao’s bold matchmaking contrasts with Shiyan’s and Sangning’s guardedness.

Key plot points and events

• At an airport, Lu Xiaoxiao stages an exaggerated collision with Yu Sangning, scattering magazines and theatrically introducing herself. Yu recognizes the name as Lu Shiyan’s younger sister.
• Xiaoxiao pretends Yu is a fan who has watched her show. Yu admits she used to like Lu Shiyan and, when asked, insists he is still wonderful.
• While they gather the magazines, Xiaoxiao warmly befriends Yu, praises her kindness, and persuades her to exchange WeChat details by offering to get Lu Shiyan’s autograph and a gift.
• Yu gives Xiaoxiao the name Sang Yu, an alias she adopted after going abroad, rather than revealing her real name. Xiaoxiao compliments it and wishes her happiness.
• The two walk together toward the parking area. Xiaoxiao deliberately leads Yu away from the crowded route, intending to create a quiet opportunity for her and Lu Shiyan to meet.
• Xiaoxiao believes Lu Shiyan is following them but expects him to remain hidden unless she engineers a suitable entrance.

Character developments

• Yu Sangning is cautious and uneasy at first, but her lingering feelings for Lu Shiyan emerge through her nervousness and instinctive defense of him. She is kind, helpful, and gradually relaxes around Xiaoxiao.
• Lu Xiaoxiao proves bold, playful, and determined to reunite her brother with Yu. She uses theatrical antics and friendly persistence to build trust and maneuver them toward a meeting.
• Lu Shiyan remains unseen and outwardly calm, but hears the exchange through the story’s system-mediated commentary. He is embarrassed by Xiaoxiao’s matchmaking remarks, though privately receptive to the idea of reconnecting.

Significant themes

• Lingering affection and unresolved relationships: Yu’s response shows that time and distance have not erased her feelings for Lu Shiyan.
• Reconnection through small gestures: Xiaoxiao uses a chance encounter, conversation, and exchanged contact details to reopen a connection.
• Identity and concealment: Yu hides behind an adopted name, suggesting distance from her former life.
• Comedy and matchmaking: Xiaoxiao’s over-the-top performance and inner commentary turn her effort to bring the pair together into a humorous scheme.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao steers the conversation, while Yu responds shyly and offers to help pick up the magazines.
• Xiaoxiao teases Yu about liking Lu Shiyan; Yu corrects her to “used to,” but immediately defends him, revealing her attachment.
• Yu and Xiaoxiao exchange WeChat details, and Xiaoxiao’s warm wishes help ease Yu’s suspicion.
• Xiaoxiao speaks mentally with system 037 about her plan, while Lu Shiyan silently overhears her matchmaking commentary.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao leads Yu Sangning to a deserted spot, claiming a suspicious man followed them from the airport and is hiding behind a pillar. In reality, the “stalker” is Xiaoxiao’s second brother, Lu Shiyan, whom she has arranged to meet Sangning.
• Sangning believes Xiaoxiao and offers to confront the man herself, insisting Xiaoxiao stay back and film. She proves highly skilled at martial arts, catching Shiyan by surprise, though he turns her attack aside without hurting her.
• Sangning pins the masked man against the pillar and demands an explanation. Xiaoxiao plays along, recording and joking with her system, 037, while eagerly anticipating their reunion.
• Shiyan removes his disguise and apologizes. Sangning recognizes him, freezes in shock, then releases him and apologizes for attacking him.
• Xiaoxiao teases them about Shiyan coming to the airport to meet someone special, then makes a quick exit so they can be alone.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao shows her impulsive, mischievous matchmaking style, staging an elaborate “heroic rescue” to bring her brother and Sangning together. She also jokes about romance and resists 037’s suggestion that she take another assignment after this mission.
• Yu Sangning is cautious but brave and protective of Xiaoxiao. Her martial-arts ability is impressive, and her composure collapses when she realizes the stranger is Shiyan, revealing how emotionally affected she is by him.
• Lu Shiyan allows Sangning to overpower and confront him without retaliating. His gentle apology and appearance at the airport suggest he wants to see her, though he does not yet explain his feelings.
• 037 serves as a comic foil, reacting with alarm to Xiaoxiao’s scheme and trying—and failing—to rein in her jokes and matchmaking.

Significant themes

• Romance through comedy and misdirection: Xiaoxiao engineers a frightening misunderstanding to create a private reunion.
• Trust, vulnerability, and recognition: Sangning moves from suspicion and readiness to fight to shock and embarrassment when she sees Shiyan.
• Courage and competence: Sangning’s protective instincts and combat skills take center stage.
• Family meddling and teasing: Xiaoxiao openly pushes the pair together, while Shiyan’s restrained reactions suggest affection beneath the awkwardness.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao persuades Sangning to act by presenting the situation as a chance to stop a dangerous stalker; Sangning instead takes the greater risk herself to protect Xiaoxiao.
• Sangning and Shiyan briefly clash physically, then shift into a tense confrontation before recognizing one another.
• Xiaoxiao jokes about Shiyan’s supposed romantic motives, embarrassing him and intensifying the reunion’s awkwardness.
• Xiaoxiao’s banter with 037 provides running comic commentary, and she leaves before either Shiyan or Sangning can respond.

Key plot points and events

• After Lu Xiaoxiao leaves them alone, Yu Sangning realizes the day’s confusion was likely deliberately engineered. She feels guilty for cutting Lu Shiyan off seven years earlier and for mistaking him for a stalker, and apologizes profusely.
• Lu Shiyan stops her from bowing and addresses her by the old familiar name “Sangning,” stirring memories of their school days. He reveals he came specifically to see her and asks to drive her home, pleading with her not to hide from him again.
• On the way to his car, Lu Shiyan explains that he learned of her return through her online diary, which he first saw by accident during a school performance. Their conversation gradually becomes warmer as they recall their past.
• Sangning congratulates him on achieving his dream of becoming a famous actor, but his success makes her feel they now occupy different worlds. She says she never truly hated him and hopes he won’t forget her as an old classmate.
• Lu Shiyan rejects the idea of remaining merely classmates. He asks her to spend time with him and consider becoming his girlfriend, then explains that he has never stopped loving her.
• He recalls how she encouraged his acting ambitions and reveals that he bought the Yu family’s old house after her departure, preserving it so she would still have a home if she returned.

Character developments

• Yu Sangning is nervous, ashamed, and convinced she is unworthy of Lu Shiyan, despite wanting to remain close to him. As they talk, old familiarity eases her anxiety, but she still struggles to believe his feelings could survive their long separation.
• Lu Shiyan is gentle and patient, but openly earnest about wanting Sangning back in his life. His plea that she not hide from him and his direct romantic proposal reveal the depth and constancy of his feelings.

Significant themes

• Regret and reconciliation: Both characters approach the reunion cautiously, apologizing and trying to repair the hurt of their past.
• Memory and enduring affection: Familiar names, school anecdotes, and keepsakes reconnect them across seven years.
• Insecurity versus acceptance: Sangning’s sense of inadequacy contrasts with Lu Shiyan’s unwavering esteem for her.
• Home and belonging: Lu Shiyan’s preservation of the old house symbolizes his hope that Sangning could return to a place—and a person—still waiting for her.

Character interactions

• Sangning repeatedly apologizes, while Lu Shiyan reassures her and takes her luggage, showing quiet care.
• Their awkward exchange gradually turns into comfortable reminiscing, with Sangning praising his character and success.
• When she tries to define their relationship as that of old classmates, Lu Shiyan firmly challenges that distance and asks for a chance at romance.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Shiyan tells Yu Sangning that he bought the Yu family’s old house to show how serious he is about her. He recalls her promise to be his number-one fan if he became famous and asks whether it still stands.
• Yu Sangning, overwhelmed and insecure about being ordinary and holding him back, tries to refuse him. Lu Shiyan reassures her that she is the one he wants beside him, and they make their relationship official.
• Lu Xiaoxiao is delighted by the news and reconciles with Yu Sangning over Sangning’s earlier use of an alias. She spends the next few days avoiding Chen Xiwan while waiting for evidence, and tacitly accepts Ji Yunhuai’s subtle appearance in a photo she posted.
• Cui Anhe invites Xiaoxiao to dinner, insisting she wants company. Xiaoxiao arrives to find an extravagant, romantic restaurant booked exclusively for them and wonders what is going on.
• Cui Anze enters, expecting to meet his sister, and is surprised to find Xiaoxiao there. The chapter then flashes back to explain how the dinner came about: weeks earlier, Cui Anhe told her brother to marry Xiaoxiao so she could become her sister-in-law.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Shiyan is direct and earnest, taking action to prove his commitment and patiently reassuring Sangning rather than being deterred by her self-doubt.
• Yu Sangning still loves Shiyan but feels unworthy of him now that he is famous. His reassurance helps them overcome that hesitation.
• Lu Xiaoxiao remains cheerful and sociable. She accepts Sangning’s apology, and her unchanged photo of Ji Yunhuai’s hand hints at growing comfort with their relationship.
• Cui Anhe, newly angry with Ji Yunhuai after his hurtful remarks, redirects her attention toward making Xiaoxiao her sister-in-law. Her matchmaking plan is partly revenge: she wants Ji Yunhuai to suffer heartbreak too.
• Cui Anze is caught off guard by his sister’s demand. Though he admits he has a good impression of Xiaoxiao, he initially misunderstands Anhe’s motives and tries to avoid provoking her.

Significant themes

• Love and insecurity: Sangning’s fear that she is not good enough contrasts with Shiyan’s insistence that love is a choice and that he wants her specifically.
• Healing and moving on: Xiaoxiao’s renewed optimism follows the turmoil surrounding Chen Xiwan, while Anhe tries to recover from rejection through anger and revenge.
• Matchmaking and comic misunderstanding: Anhe’s abrupt plan for her brother and the romantically decorated restaurant set up an awkward, humorous encounter between Xiaoxiao and Anze.

Summary

• Key events: Cui Anhe asks her brother, Cui Anze, to pursue Lu Xiaoxiao, apparently hoping to bring the pair together. Cui Anze refuses, saying he won’t interfere in the relationship between Lu Xiaoxiao and Ji Yunhuai or toy with anyone’s feelings. To change the subject, he offers to buy Cui Anhe a necklace she likes, but she rejects the offer and storms off after vowing to make the two spend more time together.
• Character developments: Cui Anze’s usual indulgence toward his sister has limits: he is gentle with her but firm when her request could hurt someone else. Cui Anhe remains spoiled, impulsive, and determined to get her way, though her threats do not shake her brother.
• Character interactions: Cui Anhe challenges and pressures Cui Anze, accusing him of not loving her when he refuses. He answers calmly, reassures her that he will always love her, and maintains his boundary. Their exchange shows both their close sibling bond and their familiar pattern of her dramatic demands meeting his patient resistance.
• Significant themes: The chapter emphasizes emotional responsibility and respect for existing relationships. It also contrasts sibling affection with personal boundaries: Cui Anze’s love for Cui Anhe does not mean he will comply with every request.

Summary

• Cui Anhe’s setup: After declaring that “triangles are stable,” Cui Anhe storms off when Cui Anze questions her, then behaves normally for several days. Cui Anze assumes she has dropped the idea—until he arrives at a French restaurant and finds Lu Xiaoxiao waiting there.
• Cui Anze realizes the plan: He understands that Anhe deliberately invited them both, and that her silence afterward was part of a longer game to lower his guard. He apologizes to Lu Xiaoxiao and tries to call his sister, but Anhe’s phone is switched off.
• Lu Xiaoxiao smooths things over: Embarrassed by Anhe’s matchmaking and her earlier teasing about “sister-in-law,” Lu Xiaoxiao insists she isn’t upset and suggests Anhe may only have wanted them to meet as friends. Cui Anze accepts the explanation and maintains a polite distance.
• An awkward dinner plan: Neither wants to leave the abundant food to waste. Lu Xiaoxiao seems ready to suggest giving it to the restaurant staff, but Cui Anze proposes inviting Ji Yunhuai to join them instead. Lu Xiaoxiao is startled at the prospect of a dinner with both men.

Character developments and interactions

Cui Anhe emerges as a more patient, strategic matchmaker, while Cui Anze’s initial wariness gives way to surprise and resigned exasperation. He remains courteous toward Lu Xiaoxiao, who responds tactfully but feels increasingly awkward about the situation. Their careful politeness contrasts with the increasingly strange circumstances Anhe has created.

Significant themes

The chapter plays matchmaking for comedy, highlighting the gap between Anhe’s confident schemes and the discomfort they cause. It also explores social tact: Cui Anze and Lu Xiaoxiao try to preserve one another’s dignity while navigating a setup neither openly chose.

• Plot points and events: Lu Xiaoxiao and Cui Anze end up at the same restaurant because of An He’s prank. Since the food is already prepared, Cui invites Ji Yunhuai to join them. Ji accepts but says he’ll bring someone. Xiaoxiao asks who, and Ji laughs when she hears Jiang Feiwan teasing her for sounding as though she is checking up on him. Feiwan explains that she is with Ji at the Ji Corporation to discuss a business project. She then reveals the project is connected to Ji Yunhuai’s illegitimate half-brother and promises to explain the details in person.
• Character developments: Xiaoxiao’s curiosity makes her blurt out questions, which leave her embarrassed when she realizes Feiwan is the one accompanying Ji. Cui’s invitation sounds unusually urgent to Xiaoxiao, prompting her to wonder if he is trying to head off suspicion, though this remains her impression. Ji is amused by Xiaoxiao’s reaction, while Feiwan shifts from playful teasing to a more serious tone when discussing the project.
• Character interactions: Cui speaks with Ji by phone and invites him to dinner. Xiaoxiao joins in, asks about Ji’s companion, and is teased by Feiwan. She hastily denies being jealous or suspicious, then warmly invites Feiwan to come eat. Feiwan and Ji appear comfortable together, and Ji gently tells Feiwan not to tease Xiaoxiao.
• Significant themes: The scene blends romantic misunderstanding and playful teasing with hints of family and business conflict. Feiwan’s disclosure about Ji’s illegitimate half-brother sets up a more serious dispute over family influence and business opportunities.

Plot points and events

• Ji Yunhuai and Jiang Feiwan arrive at the French restaurant after a business meeting, both dressed formally. Lu Xiaoxiao feels underdressed by comparison.
• Lu enthusiastically compliments Jiang’s commanding work look. Jiang responds warmly, joking that her position outranks a CEO’s.
• Lu and Ji fall into playful teasing: she criticizes his laughter, he pokes fun at her grin, and she swats him while he pretends to be hurt.
• As they bicker, Lu unconsciously moves closer to Ji, drawing Jiang and Cui Anze’s attention.
• Jiang remarks that Lu and Ji seem close, then tells Cui that Lu appears to be someone he likes.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is openly admiring toward Jiang, but switches to mock sternness around Ji. Her easy teasing and unintentional closeness suggest she feels comfortable with him.
• Ji Yunhuai remains relaxed and playful, enjoying Lu’s reactions and gently provoking her.
• Jiang Feiwan shows a softer side with Lu and observes the rapport between Lu and Ji. She then turns her attention to Cui with a pointed question.
• Cui Anze agrees that Lu is pleasant to be around and responds politely to Jiang’s probing.

Significant themes

• Playful intimacy: Lu and Ji’s bickering reveals a natural familiarity that speaks louder than their mock complaints.
• Public image and status: Lu notices the contrast between her casual clothes and the others’ formality, while Jiang’s confident professional presence emphasizes her high status.
• Reading relationships: Jiang and Cui observe Lu and Ji’s closeness, and Jiang’s final question hints at possible interest or romantic tension involving Cui and Lu.