Chapter Summaries

Chapter summary

• Lu Xunli accepts the evidence against Chen Xiwan. After Lu Xiaoxiao’s blunt confrontation—and a punch to prove he is awake—he admits he failed to see Chen Xiwan’s schemes. Xiaoxiao credits Ji Yunhuai’s private investigator, Qian Annie, for uncovering the evidence, and Xunli promises to thank them.
• Xiaoxiao pushes him to respond firmly. Xunli initially proposes sending Chen Xiwan home and ending the relationship, but hesitates to punish her or seek repayment. Xiaoxiao mocks his excessive mercy and warns that Chen Xiwan may have helped Chen Haiqing, who worked for a rival company, potentially putting the Lu family and its business at risk. She insists Xunli recover the money he spent and stop protecting someone who wronged the family.
• A frightening “dream” changes Xunli’s resolve. Xiaoxiao describes a future in which Chen Xiwan’s schemes lead to the family’s bankruptcy and each sibling’s suffering. Moved by her apparent fear, Xunli comforts her, vows to make the Chen family repay their losses, and promises to act more carefully. Xiaoxiao’s private thoughts reveal that the dream was an emotional tactic; Xunli hears this but chooses to honor his promises.
• The siblings leave united. Xunli apologizes to Qian Annie and thanks her and Ji Yunhuai through her. He agrees to preserve a sample for a paternity test, keeping the investigation moving. He also apologizes to Lu Yubai for suspecting him, but quickly resumes scolding him for skipping school and orders him back for evening study.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xunli shifts from stunned, overly forgiving, and inexperienced in love to a more resolute protector of his family. He recognizes Xiaoxiao’s influence—and perhaps her manipulation—but does not withdraw his commitments.
• Lu Xiaoxiao acts as investigator, strategist, and fiercely protective younger sister. She balances humor and tough scolding with an emotional appeal, steering Xunli toward decisive action.
• Lu Yubai is relieved when Xunli believes his innocence, only to be reprimanded again for missing school.
• Qian Annie and Ji Yunhuai receive Xunli’s gratitude for uncovering the evidence; Xiaoxiao also subtly tries to improve Ji Yunhuai’s standing with her eldest brother.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and responsibility: Xunli must consider how personal choices can endanger the entire family.
• Mercy versus accountability: Xiaoxiao argues that kindness without consequences rewards wrongdoing.
• Persuasion and trust: Xiaoxiao’s blend of blunt honesty, humor, and calculated emotion moves Xunli, while his decision to keep his promise shows growing trust between them.

Key plot points

• Lu Yubai is dragged back to studying by his eldest brother, Lu Xunli, because his exam is approaching and his mock-exam scores are poor.
• Lu Xiaoxiao and Lu Xunli decide to expel Chen Xiwan from the Lu Family and recover the money she took from Lu Xunli. They will also let the truth become known, accepting that the resulting rumors may damage Chen Xiwan’s future.
• Qian Annie warns Xiaoxiao that the Chen Family—especially Chen Xiwan’s mother—will be difficult to confront. Xiaoxiao leaves the recovery effort to her eldest brother, believing he should learn firsthand what the Chen Family is like. Annie asks to accompany them to satisfy her own suspicions; Xiaoxiao agrees, once DNA results are ready.
• Xiaoxiao visits newly promoted hospital director Xiao Yichen to ask for a quick DNA test using samples she brings. She also checks on finding a therapist for her third brother. Yichen has selected a patient therapist who shares an interest in painting, and Xiaoxiao plans to arrange an introduction when the family situation settles.
• As Xiaoxiao leaves, Yichen awkwardly invites her to walk out with him, claiming he needs dinner. They encounter rain, and he offers to fetch her an umbrella. Xiaoxiao points out that Ji Yunhuai is waiting to drive her home and openly calls him her “boyfriend-in-waiting,” saying they will soon make the relationship official.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiaoxiao is decisive and strategic about confronting Chen Xiwan, while remaining warm and informal with Yichen. She credits him with overcoming his past himself, even as he thanks her for supporting him.
• Yichen is focused on his demanding work and proud of his promotion, but he is visibly nervous around Xiaoxiao and struggles to conceal his feelings. Her mention of Ji Yunhuai leaves him startled and conflicted.
• Qian Annie supports Xiaoxiao’s plan and seeks to join the confrontation for personal investigative reasons.
• Lu Xunli takes responsibility for dealing with the Chen Family, while Lu Yubai remains reluctant to return to schoolwork.
• Xiaoxiao’s relaxed friendship with Yichen contrasts with her clear romantic confidence about Ji Yunhuai.

Significant themes

• Consequences and justice: Xiaoxiao believes Chen Xiwan should face the repercussions of harming the Lu Family, including public exposure.
• Learning through experience: Xiaoxiao wants Xunli to encounter the Chen Family’s behavior himself rather than rely on warnings.
• Healing and support: Yichen’s recovery from his past is linked to personal resolve and the help of friends; the family also seeks tailored therapy for Xiaoxiao’s third brother.
• Unspoken affection and romantic uncertainty: Yichen’s awkward hesitation reveals feelings he cannot express, while Xiaoxiao straightforwardly identifies Ji Yunhuai as her future partner.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Yichen learns that Lu Xiaoxiao is romantically involved with Ji Yunhuai. Though clearly affected, he congratulates her and accepts that his own feelings have come to an end. He leaves without buying food, reflecting that meeting her was fortunate enough.
• Ji Yunhuai picks Lu Xiaoxiao up from the hospital and jokingly admits he was jealous of her conversation with Xiao Yichen. Lu Xiaoxiao teases him, and his exaggeratedly wounded act amuses her.
• Thinking about her ties to this world, Lu Xiaoxiao asks system 037 whether she can travel between worlds after completing her mission. Its supervisor has rejected the request, arguing that she cannot demand extra benefits before completing the mission.
• 037 reveals that Lu Xiaoxiao might earn approval by making a major additional contribution—such as finding the mysterious “Unknown Bug” that the system itself has been unable to locate. Lu Xiaoxiao decides to try and orders 037 to resubmit her travel request every day to annoy the supervisor.

Character development

• Xiao Yichen shows restraint and maturity: he hides his disappointment, lets Lu Xiaoxiao go, and finds peace in having known her.
• Lu Xiaoxiao balances playful confidence with genuine anxiety about leaving the world and the people she has grown close to. Rather than give up, she turns the system’s obstacle into a new goal.
• Ji Yunhuai reveals a possessive, jealous side, but expresses it through teasing and comic self-pity. His willingness to pick Lu Xiaoxiao up reinforces his interest in her.
• 037 is exposed as an inexperienced, easily intimidated system guide. Despite being bullied by Lu Xiaoxiao, it remains loyal and agrees to help.

Significant themes

• Unrequited affection and letting go: Xiao Yichen accepts that his feelings cannot become a relationship and finds comfort in the connection he did have.
• Belonging and separation: Lu Xiaoxiao’s relationships make the prospect of returning to her original world emotionally complicated.
• Agency and persistence: She refuses to accept the system’s rejection as final, pursuing both the Unknown Bug and repeated appeals.
• Humor and affection: Jealousy, teasing, and Lu Xiaoxiao’s banter with 037 soften the chapter’s underlying uncertainty.

Character interactions

• Xiao Yichen and Lu Xiaoxiao part warmly, while Ji Yunhuai’s polite greeting to Xiao Yichen carries an undercurrent of rivalry.
• Lu Xiaoxiao calls out Ji Yunhuai’s jealousy, and their playful exchange strengthens their flirtatious rapport.
• Lu Xiaoxiao confronts 037 about withholding information, jokes about its inexperience, and makes it promise to keep pressing the supervisor.

Plot points

• Lu Xiaoxiao tells system 037 she suspects the world’s collapse is connected to the Original Host’s suicide—possibly to herself, the Original Host, or someone in the Lu Family.
• She has no concrete plan for investigating, but suggests starting with matters related to the Original Host and insists they proceed step by step.
• After ending her mental conversation with 037, Lu Xiaoxiao is startled when Ji Yunhuai asks who she was thinking about. Distracted, she answers, “You,” then hastily claims she meant she was worried about his work.
• Ji Yunhuai explains that, although his father and other Ji Family branches may cause trouble, his grandfather’s presence keeps them from acting openly. He assures her he can handle himself.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao shows pragmatic curiosity about the world’s underlying problem, while remaining uncertain about how to investigate it. Her optimism reassures 037.
• Her unguarded answer to Ji Yunhuai reveals possible affection—or at least creates a moment of romantic tension. Embarrassed, she quickly covers it with concern for his career.
• Ji Yunhuai responds with playful teasing, then speaks confidently about defending himself against family pressure. His expression softens when addressing Lu Xiaoxiao, suggesting he values her concern.

Significant themes

• Mystery and investigation: Lu Xiaoxiao begins narrowing down possible causes of the world’s collapse.
• Romantic tension and miscommunication: A distracted, honest remark leads to teasing and an awkward cover story.
• Family power and resilience: Ji Yunhuai faces potential hostility within his family but believes he has enough support and strength to resist it.

Chapter Summary

• Lu Xiaoxiao insists she is not worried about her eldest brother’s girlfriend, whose wrongdoing is already backed by strong evidence. She expects her brother to handle the confrontation and repayments himself, arguing that he needs to learn from the experience. Ji Yunhuai offers to intervene, but she refuses.
• Ji Yunhuai notices that Lu Xiaoxiao is distracted and asks what is really troubling her. She is touched by how closely he watches her moods, but feels unable to explain her actual concern: her questions about her life in this world, which she had previously tried to describe to him as a fictional reality.
• Instead, Lu Xiaoxiao frames the issue as a story Wei Yun is adapting. Its heroine has transmigrated into another world and may have to choose between returning home and staying with the male lead. Because the male lead resembles Ji Yunhuai, she asks how he would feel if the heroine left—and whether he would still choose to be with her knowing she would eventually go.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is increasingly aware of her emotional closeness to Ji Yunhuai. His attention makes her feel valued, yet she avoids revealing the source of her anxiety directly, using a fictional scenario to test his feelings.
• Ji Yunhuai shows perceptiveness and genuine concern, pressing her to share what is on her mind and affirming that he wants to hear anything that concerns her.
• Their conversation is tender but indirect: Lu Xiaoxiao seeks an answer about separation and commitment without admitting that the question may reflect her own situation.

Significant Themes

• Honesty and vulnerability: Lu Xiaoxiao wants to confide in Ji Yunhuai but fears he will not believe her.
• Love in the face of uncertainty: The central question is whether someone would choose a relationship despite knowing it may end.
• Attention and emotional intimacy: Ji Yunhuai’s close observation of Lu Xiaoxiao makes her feel seen in a way she has not experienced before.

Key plot points and events

• Outside the Lu family home, Lu Xiaoxiao asks Ji Yunhuai how he would feel if a woman he loved had to return to her own world and leave him.
• Ji answers by stepping into the male lead’s perspective. He says he would support her choice if she had no alternative and still wanted to go, and would choose to be with her despite knowing they would eventually part.
• He adds that missing her would count as a negative feeling—and says he expects she would miss him too. His response reassures Lu Xiaoxiao, who plans to share the idea with Wei Yun.
• Xiaoxiao suggests the story might avoid the separation by giving the heroine a special ability. Ji praises her idea and ruffles her hair.
• Before she gets out, Xiaoxiao admits she is reluctant to part because their work may leave them little time together. Ji reassures her that she can visit whenever she is free, and they seal the promise with a pinky swear.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao becomes more aware of how deeply she cares for Ji Yunhuai: her nervousness around him contrasts with her composed rejection of Xiao Yichen earlier. His answer eases her anxiety, and she openly admits she wants to spend more time with him.
• Ji Yunhuai shows himself to be supportive, pragmatic, and quietly affectionate. He accepts that love need not mean holding someone back, values time together in the present, and makes himself available to Xiaoxiao.

Significant themes

• Love and freedom: Loving someone can mean supporting their important choices rather than treating them as abandonment.
• Making the most of the present: Since every relationship eventually ends in separation, shared time should be valued rather than overshadowed by future loss.
• Unspoken feelings and reassurance: Xiaoxiao’s fictional scenario gives her a way to explore her real feelings, while Ji’s response indirectly comforts her.

Character interactions

• Their conversation shifts from a hypothetical drama plot to an intimate exchange shaped by their own bond. Ji gently probes Xiaoxiao’s assumptions, then reassures her without pressing her to confess her feelings.
• Their casual teasing, his affectionate hair ruffle, and the pinky promise underscore their growing closeness and Xiaoxiao’s eagerness to maintain it.

Plot points and events

• Seven days after her surgery, Chen Xiwan has been kept in a private hospital room, without visitors, a phone, or information about what is happening. The isolation leaves her increasingly anxious.
• When told the Lu family is coming, Chen Xiwan assumes she may still persuade Lu Xunli to support her. She pretends to be frail and begins apologizing for the miscarriage, while claiming Lu Yubai was not responsible.
• Lu Xiaoxiao interrupts and openly accuses Chen of never wanting the baby, rejecting her performance of grief and insisting she does not deserve respect.
• Chen demands to see Lu Xunli, but detective Qian Annie arrives instead. Qian announces that she has evidence of Chen’s financial schemes, cheating, and purchase of banned drugs, along with a paternity test showing the baby was not Lu Xunli’s.
• Qian hands Chen the evidence and declares her case hopeless, while also digressing into complaints about Chen’s family and neighborhood.

Character developments

• Chen Xiwan shifts from anxious hope to alarm as it becomes clear that the Lu family has uncovered her deception. She tries to regain control by acting weak and redirecting blame, but her composure falters when confronted with evidence.
• Lu Xiaoxiao is blunt and openly contemptuous, no longer willing to entertain Chen’s excuses or theatrics.
• Qian Annie is shown as an energetic, excitable detective: confident in her findings, proud of her work, and prone to long, unfocused tangents.

Character interactions

• Chen tries to appeal to Lu Xunli, but Lu Xiaoxiao challenges her directly and refuses to let her frame herself as an innocent, grieving mother.
• Chen questions Lu Xiaoxiao’s authority, then is confronted by Qian, whose rapid-fire accusations and evidence leave her with little room to respond.
• Lu Xiaoxiao has to rein Qian in when the detective veers away from the case to criticize Chen’s relatives and neighbors.

Significant themes

• Deception exposed: Chen’s carefully planned story collapses as evidence and a paternity test reveal her lies.
• Performance versus truth: Chen’s staged weakness and grief are contrasted with the investigators’ concrete findings.
• Accountability: The chapter signals that Chen will face consequences rather than the sympathy or marriage she expected.

Plot points and events

• After Qian Annie presents evidence about Chen Xiwan, Chen accuses Lu Xiaoxiao of investigating her and claims Lu Xunli was secretly involved.
• Chen throws a cup at Xiaoxiao, but Xiaoxiao dodges. Chen then insists that Lu Xunli must tell her in person if he wants to end their relationship.
• Xiaoxiao says Lu Xunli has already decided to break up with her. Qian Annie adds that ending a relationship does not require both people’s consent.
• Xiaoxiao explains why the family waited seven days: they were awaiting paternity-test results and recovering money and possessions given to Chen’s family. Lu Xunli collected most of it and forgave the remaining debt.
• Chen panics at the thought of returning to her family after they have lost the valuables, and Xiaoxiao dismisses her complaint that the Lu family needs the money.
• Xiaoxiao then reminds Annie to ask the question she came for. Annie asks when Chen’s relationship with her older male cousin began and whether their feelings were mutual, explaining that she is curious about people.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao remains composed under Chen’s accusations and provocation, revealing a sharper, more intimidating side as she delivers the breakup news and details of the family’s losses.
• Chen Xiwan shifts from indignation and attempted negotiation to shock and fear, especially when she learns her family’s support has been taken back.
• Qian Annie is impressed by Xiaoxiao’s unexpectedly fierce manner. Her curiosity ultimately resurfaces, and she openly questions Chen about her relationship with her cousin.
• Lu Xunli, though absent, is presented as devoted and loyal; Xiaoxiao says Chen herself ruined the relationship.

Significant themes

• Accountability and consequences: Chen’s deception damages her relationship and leaves her facing the fallout with her family.
• Control and consent in relationships: Annie stresses that one person can end a relationship without the other’s agreement.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Chen accuses the Lu family of distrust, while Xiaoxiao portrays her brother as sincere and wronged.
• Curiosity versus tact: Annie treats Chen’s painful circumstances as an opportunity to satisfy her interest in human behavior.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao calmly counters Chen’s accusations and refuses to let her dictate how the breakup is handled.
• Annie backs Xiaoxiao up, reinforces that the breakup is final, and later takes over the conversation with blunt personal questions.
• Chen attempts to provoke Xiaoxiao, then demands access to Lu Xunli, but ultimately has little control over either the breakup or the confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Qian Annie tries to question Chen Xiwan about her actions, suggesting she might feel sympathy if Chen had faced hardship.
• Chen reacts angrily, knocks the pen from Qian’s hand, and accuses her of meddling.
• Qian gives up and leaves with Lu Xiaoxiao. Once they turn away, Chen panics, realizing that both her past and her attempt to manipulate the situation have been exposed.
• Chen reassures herself that she can still recover by exploiting Lu Xiaoxiao’s sense of justice and kindness. She calls after the women, then collapses to her knees and claims she was forced to do what she did.

Character developments and interactions

• Chen Xiwan shifts from furious defensiveness to fear, then quickly regains her composure and begins planning another manipulation. Her thoughts reveal pride in having overcome a gender-discriminating family and in manipulating Lu Xunli; she refuses to accept defeat.
• Qian Annie is startled by Chen’s aggression but remains outspoken and disappointed that she cannot get an explanation. She leaves rather than continue pressing her.
• Lu Xiaoxiao has wanted to leave and follows Qian without further discussion. Chen’s sudden plea is aimed at drawing her back in.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and victimhood: Chen decides to present herself as a victim to regain sympathy and influence.
• Exposure and control: Her carefully hidden past and improvised scheme are brought to light, threatening the control she believes she has.
• Morality as leverage: Chen sees Lu Xiaoxiao’s kindness and concern for justice not as virtues to respect, but as vulnerabilities to exploit.

Key plot points and events

• Chen Xiwan confesses that Chen Haiqing coerced and blackmailed her with intimate photos when she was young. She says she feared her family’s judgment and had no way out.
• She claims she initially approached Xunli because she was drawn to his loving, wealthy family, but that Chen Haiqing encouraged the relationship and later pressured her to use the pregnancy to blackmail Xunli for money and resources.
• Xiwan insists she never wanted Chen Haiqing’s child, says she is a victim too, and begs Lu Xiaoxiao to let her apologize to Xunli in person.
• After listening in silence, Xiaoxiao acknowledges that Chen Haiqing’s actions were wrong, but rejects Xiwan’s attempt to use his wrongdoing to excuse her own.

Character developments

• Chen Xiwan presents herself as frightened and coerced, hoping her confession will win sympathy and access to Xunli. Her plea falters when Xiaoxiao refuses to accept it as a reason for forgiveness.
• Lu Xiaoxiao remains composed and unswayed. She firmly distinguishes compassion for Xiwan’s past from accountability for the harm she caused her brother.
• Qian Annie listens in shock but stays silent, watching Xiaoxiao’s response.

Character interactions

• Xiwan directs her emotional appeal at Xiaoxiao, recounting her history and repeatedly asking to see Xunli.
• Xiaoxiao challenges Xiwan’s reasoning: though Chen Haiqing abused and threatened her, Xiwan still chose to involve Xunli and use him for her own ends.
• Xiaoxiao tells Xiwan that she could have sought help or reported the blackmail, and that suffering does not justify hurting others. She refuses forgiveness on her own and Xunli’s behalf.

Significant themes

• Accountability versus victimhood: A person can be victimized and still be responsible for harming others.
• Manipulation and self-justification: Xiwan’s confession shifts blame toward Chen Haiqing, but Xiaoxiao sees it as an attempt to evade responsibility.
• Boundaries and forgiveness: Xiaoxiao refuses to let sympathy override her loyalty to her brother and the Lu family.
• The limits of hardship as an excuse: The chapter’s central message is captured in Xiaoxiao’s final words: Xiwan’s pain does not excuse what she did to them.

Plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao rejects Chen Xiwan’s attempt to justify herself, asking what right Chen has to judge others when she has never suffered as Chen did. Xiaoxiao leaves, with Qian Annie following and briefly mocking Chen from the doorway.
• Chen chases after them, desperately demanding that they tell Lu Xunli to visit her. A caregiver restrains her.
• Chen insists she is well enough to leave, but learns she must first pay the bill for her expensive private room. The Lu family is not covering it, and staff remind her that she chose not to move to a cheaper room.
• Overwhelmed by the cost and her recent losses, Chen collapses. As she loses consciousness, memories and thoughts reveal how she understands her relationships and past.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao stands firm and refuses to accept Chen’s appeal to her suffering as an excuse. Qian Annie supports Xiaoxiao and relishes a small act of payback.
• Chen Xiwan shifts from rage and self-pity to a destabilizing reckoning with her past. She recalls accepting her cousin Chen Haiqing’s attention in exchange for playing his “games,” and concludes that what bound her to him was dependence rather than hatred.
• Chen’s thoughts show that she never trusted Lu Xunli: she assumes men’s kindness always demands repayment and interprets his devotion as a hidden scheme. She blames herself for losing, but still denies that he truly loved her.
• The caregiver remains practical and firm, stopping Chen from leaving without settling her bill.

Significant themes

• Suffering and moral judgment: Chen’s pain does not persuade Xiaoxiao to excuse her actions.
• Dependence and exploitation: Chen’s childhood memories complicate her view of her cousin, whom she remembers as kind even as those memories suggest a troubling dynamic.
• Distrust and self-deception: Chen reframes Lu Xunli’s care as manipulation, preserving her belief that affection always comes at a cost.
• Consequences and collapse: Her chosen luxury and expectation that the Lu family would pay leave her facing a bill she cannot afford; accumulated setbacks finally overwhelm her.

Key plot points and events

• While Lu Xiaoxiao is out, the Lu family gathers for a meeting about the unusual ability to hear her thoughts. Lu Yuan and Song Zhilan arrange the meeting because everyone is free and Xiaoxiao is away.
• Lu Xunli worries the meeting may be about his past romantic mistake. Lu Shiyan, who already knows the family shares the ability, is relaxed.
• The brothers discuss Lu Shiyan’s girlfriend, Sangning. He says she and Xiaoxiao are close and credits Xiaoxiao with helping them get together. Lu Xunli, still smarting from his breakup, envies his brother but resolves to ask Xiaoxiao’s opinion about future romantic prospects.
• Lu Bochen hurries downstairs after hearing the meeting concerns Xiaoxiao. Jiaoyue teases him for how much he cares about her; he insists he cares about everyone equally.
• Lu Yuan brings down the sleepy Lu Yubai for oversleeping and staying up late gaming, then gathers everyone in a circle.
• He opens the meeting by asking whether they can all hear Xiaoxiao’s thoughts.

Character developments

• Lu Xunli remains regretful about his failed relationship, but turns that experience into a plan to seek Xiaoxiao’s judgment in the future.
• Lu Shiyan is content in his relationship and openly appreciates Xiaoxiao’s role in it.
• Lu Bochen shows strong concern for Xiaoxiao, though he tries to hide it behind an insistence that he cares equally for the whole family.
• Lu Yuan takes charge of formally addressing the family’s shared mind-reading ability.

Significant themes

• Family closeness and affection: teasing, concern, and everyday scolding reveal the family’s warmth.
• Romantic lessons and judgment: Lu Xunli’s regret contrasts with Lu Shiyan’s successful relationship, with Xiaoxiao portrayed as a perceptive judge of character.
• Hidden feelings: Lu Bochen’s hurried reaction and Lu Xunli’s envy expose emotions the characters try not to show.
• The extraordinary within ordinary life: the family treats the ability to hear Xiaoxiao’s thoughts as a practical matter to discuss together.

Character interactions

• Lu Xunli envies Lu Shiyan’s romantic happiness but congratulates him and considers following his example of consulting Xiaoxiao.
• Jiaoyue teases Bochen about his concern for Xiaoxiao, while Xunli helps ensure he gets safely downstairs.
• Lu Yuan sternly disciplines Yubai, with Zhilan watching, amused.
• The chapter ends as Lu Yuan asks the family to confirm their shared ability, setting up the meeting’s main discussion.

Plot points and events

• Lu Yuan reveals that everyone in the family can hear Lu Xiaoxiao’s thoughts. The news stuns the household, while Lu Yubai laments that he is not the uniquely “chosen” one he imagined himself to be.
• Lu Yuan checks that nobody has told outsiders. The family confirms they have kept the ability secret.
• Song Zhilan explains that she initially thought she alone could hear Xiaoxiao’s thoughts and kept quiet to avoid frightening the others. Lu Shiyan noticed the situation and told his father, leading to the family meeting.
• The family agrees the secret must remain private, since Xiaoxiao could be taken away for experimentation if outsiders learned about her.
• Lu Jiaoyue raises a new concern: should they tell Xiaoxiao that they can hear her thoughts? She worries that their access to her private thoughts may frighten or hurt her.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Yubai is theatrical about losing his “main character” status, but insists he has never exposed the secret. He also claims Xiaoxiao is harsh toward him; Jiaoyue and Bochen immediately defend their sister as gentle, and Yubai backs down.
• Lu Xunli responds seriously to the revelation and emphasizes the danger of revealing the ability.
• Lu Shiyan is credited with recognizing the situation first and bringing it to their father. He also uses humor to ease the family’s tension.
• Lu Jiaoyue shifts from enjoying the ability as a way to understand Xiaoxiao to questioning whether it violates her sister’s privacy. Her worry unsettles the room.
• Song Zhilan guides the discussion and treats the children’s concerns with warmth.

Significant themes

• Privacy and consent: The family’s ability to hear Xiaoxiao’s thoughts may be invasive, even when motivated by love.
• Family loyalty and protection: Everyone agrees to keep the ability secret to protect Xiaoxiao from exploitation.
• Responsibility and empathy: Jiaoyue begins to consider how the situation feels from Xiaoxiao’s perspective, making the question of whether to confess the central unresolved issue.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Jiaoyue worries that Lu Xiaoxiao would feel betrayed or grow distant if she learned the family could hear her thoughts.
• Lu Shiyan comforts Jiaoyue and reminds everyone how much Xiaoxiao’s sincerity and influence have improved the family’s lives.
• Lu Xunli acknowledges that Mind Reading intrudes on Xiaoxiao’s privacy, but the family cannot currently control it. Lu Yubai suggests keeping away from her; the others reject this as hurtful and suspicious.
• Lu Yuan orders the family to behave normally around Xiaoxiao and keep their Mind Reading ability secret, even indefinitely, to preserve family harmony.
• As the meeting ends, Song Zhilan raises a new concern: Xiaoxiao seems livelier and more assertive than before, and sometimes appears not to recognize family details. She wonders whether Xiaoxiao’s personality has changed or whether she needs psychological help.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiaoyue shows empathy and concern for Xiaoxiao, while Shiyan reassures her and praises her thoughtfulness.
• Shiyan’s account of Xiaoxiao’s positive impact moves Lu Yuan, who reflects that adopting her has brought the family good fortune.
• Yubai’s awkward suggestion to avoid Xiaoxiao is dismissed; Bochen quietly points out that being ignored would hurt her.
• Lu Yuan takes charge but speaks gently to Song Zhilan, reflecting the couple’s improved relationship. Zhilan, in turn, voices a serious doubt that could complicate the family’s understanding of Xiaoxiao.

Significant themes

• Privacy and secrecy: The family recognizes the ethical problem of hearing Xiaoxiao’s thoughts but chooses concealment for now.
• Family harmony and belonging: They agree not to treat Xiaoxiao differently, since exclusion could damage their bonds.
• Change and uncertainty: Xiaoxiao’s growing confidence is celebrated, yet her apparent changes also raise suspicion and concern.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao comes home while the family is quietly discussing whether her thoughts and behavior have changed.
• Lu Shiyan quickly covers up the conversation by claiming they were criticizing Lu Yubai for placing last on a quiz and refusing tutoring. Lu Yubai is pressured to play along.
• Xiaoxiao misunderstands the situation and cheerfully suggests the family take turns beating Yubai so no one gets tired. Her inner thoughts also reveal that she plans to find him a tutor.
• Lu Jiaoyue distracts Xiaoxiao and takes her upstairs, allowing the family to resume their discussion.
• Yubai protests being used as a cover story, but Lu Yuan insists his poor grades justify getting a tutor. Yubai sinks into despair at the prospect of more study.
• Lu Yuan and Lu Shiyan reassure Song Zhilan about her suspicions concerning Xiaoxiao. Zhilan admits she prefers Xiaoxiao’s current lively, cheerful personality and agrees she may be overthinking.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao appears upbeat and affectionate, but her casual advice about beatings—and her plan to arrange tutoring—shows her blunt, mischievous approach to family problems.
• Lu Yubai is unwillingly made the scapegoat. He plays along under pressure, then complains to Lu Shiyan and despairs when his father supports the tutoring idea.
• Lu Jiaoyue protects the family’s secret by inventing a reason to draw Xiaoxiao away.
• Lu Shiyan quickly manages the awkward moment and gently steers Song Zhilan away from suspicion.
• Lu Yuan supports Shiyan’s reassurance while remaining stern about Yubai’s school performance.
• Song Zhilan moves from concern and doubt toward accepting Xiaoxiao’s present personality.

Significant themes

• Family secrecy and protection: The family hides its discussion from Xiaoxiao, using Yubai as an improvised distraction.
• Change and perception: Song Zhilan questions whether Xiaoxiao has changed, while the others suggest people may be more complicated—or more changeable—than they realize.
• Affection expressed through teasing: The family’s jokes, scolding, and exaggerated talk of beatings coexist with concern for one another.
• Pressure over education: Yubai’s resistance to tutoring contrasts with his family’s determination to improve his grades.

Plot points and events

• Lu Jiaoyue brings her sister, Lu Xiaoxiao, back to their room and asks whether she should accept Gu Sipei’s invitation to visit his home.
• Lu Xiaoxiao remembers that she previously made Jiaoyue stand Gu up at a cocktail party, because the system, 037, warned that their romance was progressing too quickly.
• Concerned Gu might still be resentful, Xiaoxiao asks 037 about his intentions. It says he may have been angry but is hiding it, and assures her he will not hurt Jiaoyue.
• Xiaoxiao decides the visit is safe and encourages Jiaoyue to go, joking that Gu’s family is wealthy and asking her to take pictures. Privately, she admits she is only trying to bring the couple together.
• Jiaoyue notices the gap between Xiaoxiao’s outward encouragement and her dismissive private thoughts about Gu. She asks what Xiaoxiao truly thinks of him—and whether she wants Jiaoyue to date him.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao wants to help Jiaoyue’s romance with Gu proceed, despite disliking Gu and remaining wary of the dangers hinted at in his original story. She is candid with 037 but not with Jiaoyue.
• Lu Jiaoyue becomes more direct and thoughtful, challenging her sister to explain her mixed signals rather than simply accepting her advice.
• 037 reassures Xiaoxiao that Gu’s invitation is genuine, while acknowledging he may still be angry about the earlier rejection.

Themes and interactions

• Appearance versus private thoughts: Xiaoxiao says encouraging things while inwardly dismissing Gu, and Jiaoyue catches the contradiction.
• Romance and hidden danger: The chapter contrasts Gu’s inviting, wealthy image with Xiaoxiao’s awareness that the original “sweet” romance could be frightening.
• Sisterly trust: Jiaoyue’s careful question suggests she wants honest guidance before acting on her sister’s encouragement.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Jiaoyue asks Lu Xiaoxiao whether she should date Gu Sipei. Xiaoxiao verbally tells her to decide for herself and to take things slowly, while privately believing their relationship may be necessary to save the world.
• Jiaoyue is confused by the gap between Xiaoxiao’s advice and her bizarre inner thoughts. She decides to visit Gu Sipei’s home, assess him, and “report” back. Xiaoxiao enthusiastically treats the visit like a mission.
• Later, relieved that her eldest brother’s problems are resolved, Xiaoxiao relaxes in bed and messages Ji Yunhuai. She invites him to watch her costume-photo shoot the next day.
• Their conversation turns flirtatious and playful. Xiaoxiao proposes that Ji wear historical costume and act out a rescue scene with her; they joke over whether he should be the hero or the beauty.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao remains protective and energetic, but her thoughts reveal how seriously she feels responsible for preventing disaster—even while she tries to give Jiaoyue sensible, measured advice. She also shows growing comfort and affection with Ji Yunhuai.
• Lu Jiaoyue is willing to explore a relationship with Gu Sipei, though she does not fully understand her sister’s reasoning. She takes Xiaoxiao’s encouragement seriously.
• Ji Yunhuai shows attentiveness by keeping track of Xiaoxiao’s schedule and says he had already planned to see her. He readily joins her teasing rather than rejecting her unusual idea.

Significant themes

• Slow, careful romance: Xiaoxiao’s stated advice is to evaluate a partner thoughtfully and avoid rushing.
• Comedy from misunderstandings: Jiaoyue hears Xiaoxiao’s contradictory inner monologue and mistakes casual dating advice for a serious assignment.
• Hidden responsibility and ordinary happiness: Xiaoxiao privately believes she must shoulder a larger burden so others can enjoy their lives.
• Playful intimacy: Xiaoxiao and Ji Yunhuai build closeness through teasing, shared imaginative scenarios, and easy banter.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao encourages Jiaoyue to consider Gu Sipei while trying to conceal her dramatic, world-saving rationale; Jiaoyue leaves promising to assess him and report back.
• Xiaoxiao and Ji Yunhuai exchange affectionate jokes about his knowledge of her schedule, then collaborate on a comically elaborate historical rescue scene.

Plot points

• Lu Xiaoxiao warns Ji Yunhuai to be polite to her second brother when they meet the next day, explaining that his gentle manner hides a devious side.
• Their late-night messages turn into playful flirtation and teasing. Ji offers to read Lu a story, then jokes that he could read her the Ji Corporation’s quarterly financial report to help her sleep.
• Lu goes to bed and quickly falls into a lucid nightmare. She finds herself alone in a pitch-black, damp space, unable to contact the normally responsive system, 037.
• Suspecting she may be inside a bugged space rather than an ordinary dream, Lu considers that investigating it could help her negotiate with the system’s superiors. After noticing the wet ground, she spots a distant figure and cautiously calls out to it.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is protective of Ji and genuinely anxious about how he will interact with her second brother, though she masks her concern with threats and jokes. She also sees the strange dream as a possible opportunity to advance her goals.
• Ji Yunhuai remains confident, flirtatious, and deliberately provocative. He interprets Lu’s warning as evidence that she cares about him, then keeps teasing her when she tries to end the conversation.
• Their affectionate, bantering exchange ends on a warm note before the chapter shifts into Lu’s unsettling dream and unexplained encounter.

Significant themes

• Teasing as a cover for affection: Lu denies or disguises her concern, while Ji readily recognizes—and playfully exploits—it.
• Humor and intimacy: Their jokes establish their growing ease with each other.
• Uncertainty and the supernatural: Lu’s inability to reach 037 raises doubts about whether she is dreaming or has entered an abnormal space.
• Agency and ambition: Rather than simply fear the strange setting, Lu quickly considers how investigating it might help her achieve her goal of connecting the two worlds.

Plot and events

• In a strange, dark space, Lu Xiaoxiao encounters a silent figure. Rather than panic, she tries to talk to it and steadily approaches, while it retreats in lockstep.
• When Lu Xiaoxiao suddenly runs toward it, the figure vanishes and a force throws her backward. She wakes in her bedroom, but the dampness on her fingertips confirms the experience was real.
• Lu Xiaoxiao questions system 037, which says the space may be a rift caused by a bug in a collapsed world. Systems cannot enter or interfere with such “dead zones,” and the figure might be an incarnation of the world’s consciousness.
• Lu Xiaoxiao recalls that the figure’s face resembled someone in the real world—and identifies that person as Lu Xiaoxiao herself.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is fearless, inquisitive, and assertive: she treats the mysterious figure less as a threat than as someone to interrogate. She also remains skeptical of 037’s abilities.
• The figure appears frightened or avoidant, retreating whenever Lu Xiaoxiao approaches, but its resemblance to Lu Xiaoxiao raises a new mystery.
• 037 insists it did not hear Lu Xiaoxiao calling in the strange space and explains the limits of its knowledge. Its helplessness prompts Lu Xiaoxiao to mock the system and its organization.

Significant themes

• Curiosity over fear: Lu Xiaoxiao’s boldness reverses the expected roles between investigator and mysterious stranger.
• Unreliable boundaries between dream and reality: Physical evidence suggests the encounter was real.
• Identity and the uncanny: The figure’s resemblance to Lu Xiaoxiao hints at a connection between her and the strange space.
• Limits of systems and control: 037 can offer theories but cannot intervene, leaving Lu Xiaoxiao to confront the mystery herself.

Plot and events

• An Tingxue arrives at the Lu family villa to begin work as a live-in psychological counselor, but Lu Xiaoxiao misses her calls because her phone is on silent.
• Xiaoxiao apologizes, welcomes An inside, and offers to drop the formality. An remains politely reserved, addressing her as “Miss Lu.”
• On the way to Lu Bochen’s room, Xiaoxiao asks about An’s striking white hair. An explains that it is natural, inherited from her mother, and not a sign of illness.
• They find Bochen’s room empty. Because he previously overdosed on pills, the family is especially anxious when he does not answer.
• Xiaoxiao suspects Bochen is hiding in a cabinet in the storage room, as he tends to do when upset. An asks to look for him and promises to leave immediately if he resists.

Character developments and interactions

• An Tingxue comes across as gentle, composed, and professionally cautious. She anticipates that Bochen may avoid her and makes his emotional safety her priority, while also expressing sincere interest in the position.
• Lu Xiaoxiao is warm and welcoming, but her concern for her brother shows how deeply the family was affected by his overdose. She is curious about An and openly admires her unusual appearance.
• Lu Bochen, though absent, is characterized as fearful of strangers after a bad experience with a previous psychologist and prone to hiding when distressed.
• An and Xiaoxiao establish a courteous, friendly rapport, though An maintains more formality than Xiaoxiao prefers.

Significant themes

• Trauma and its aftermath: Bochen’s withdrawal and the family’s heightened anxiety reflect the lingering effects of his overdose and prior counseling experience.
• Respect for boundaries: An emphasizes that Bochen’s comfort comes before her job, showing a careful, patient approach to counseling.
• First impressions and difference: An’s natural white hair draws attention, but the conversation also reveals her calm confidence in explaining it.