Chapter Summaries

Key plot points

• After Lu Xiaoxiao and Ji Yunhuai are found, the group reunites. Old Master Ji arrives and tells Ji Yunhuai to return with him on the family’s private jet.
• Lu notices Ji standing alone and feels sorry for him. She suspects Old Master Ji is more displeased than relieved because Ji’s recklessness nearly endangered him—and, in the old man’s eyes, threatened his last connection to his deceased youngest son.
• Ji leaves quietly after giving Lu one last glance. She is surprised by how obedient he is around his grandfather, and the system explains that Old Master Ji is still the family member who treats him best.
• Back on the plane, Old Master Ji confronts Ji about joining a dangerous show, resisting the family business, and abandoning his studies abroad. He urges Ji to grow up and reconsider taking a role in the company.
• Ji listens without showing much emotion and finally says he understands and will consider it. Meanwhile, Song Zhilan draws Lu’s attention back to food and getting home.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao shows unexpected sympathy for Ji, noticing his isolation even while others focus on her. She sees a vulnerable side beneath his aloofness.
• Ji Yunhuai remains outwardly indifferent and composed, but his final glance at Lu suggests she matters to him. Around his grandfather, he is unusually compliant, though his muted response to the lecture leaves his feelings unclear.
• Old Master Ji reveals both concern and frustration: Ji’s disappearance frightened him, but he also treats Ji’s choices as defiance and pressures him to join the company.
• Song Zhilan gently cares for Lu, reminding her to eat after the ordeal.

Significant themes

• Loneliness and compassion: Lu recognizes that Ji is isolated, prompting her to feel for him.
• Family care mixed with control: Old Master Ji’s worry is genuine, but it comes wrapped in criticism, expectations, and pressure over Ji’s future.
• Emotional restraint: Ji’s calm silence contrasts with his grandfather’s anger and concern, leaving the conflict between them unresolved.

Key plot points

• The deserted-island reality show is abruptly canceled after Old Master Ji intervenes, leaving Lu Xiaoxiao surprised that the original novel’s plot has veered so far off course.
• Lu Xiaoxiao asks the system whether the canceled filming means she will miss her assessment. The system says her current-stage task is already complete: the world’s vitality value has exceeded the original novel’s level at this point.
• The system attributes much of the increase to Ji Yunhuai’s arrival. Though Lu Xiaoxiao resists giving him credit, she learns that his influence—not his screen time—makes him a key character whose presence can affect the main story.
• The system confirms that Ji Yunhuai conceived the idea for the show, while his friend He Mingchuan supplied the investment. Lu Xiaoxiao is charged ten points for the information and complains that the system is a swindler.
• Reassured that the plot’s twists can still sustain the world’s vitality, Lu Xiaoxiao falls asleep on the comfortable private jet. She wakes at the Lu family home, where Song Zhilan asks her to wake Bochen for dinner.
• Seeing her family gathered in a warm, lively atmosphere, Lu Xiaoxiao realizes she increasingly feels she belongs with them and looks forward to their reunion meal.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao moves from alarm about the plot’s disruption to cautious reassurance. She remains skeptical of the system’s praise of Ji Yunhuai, but is pleased by her growing sense of home and family.
• The system explains the vitality score and Ji Yunhuai’s narrative influence, while nervously flattering Lu Xiaoxiao to avoid provoking her. Its point deduction prompts her irritation.
• Ji Yunhuai, though absent from the scene, is revealed as an influential behind-the-scenes figure whose decisions can shape events and relationships.
• Song Zhilan welcomes Lu Xiaoxiao home affectionately and encourages her to reconnect with Bochen. Other family members gather for dinner, reinforcing the household’s warmth.

Significant themes

• A story’s vitality can survive plot changes: The world does not need to follow the original events exactly, as long as its developments remain compelling.
• Influence beyond visibility: A character’s importance depends on the effects of their choices, not how often they appear.
• Belonging and family: Lu Xiaoxiao’s return highlights her growing emotional attachment to the Lu family.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao visits Lu Bochen’s room and finds it unnaturally dark and silent. An empty bottle of his sleeping pills lies beside the bed, and he appears pale and barely breathing.
• The family calls emergency services and takes him to the hospital. Xiaoxiao, shaken and disoriented, remembers the frantic first-aid response and waits outside the emergency room with the others.
• The chapter ends when a doctor emerges from the resuscitation room and Lu Yubai urgently asks about Bochen. His condition remains unknown.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is overwhelmed by dread and guilt. She realizes Bochen’s apparent suicide attempt was never part of the original story and fears her choices may have caused this change. She silently begs him to survive, having just resolved to protect the family.
• Lu Yubai blames himself for previously stopping Bochen from boarding a plane and calling him a nuisance. In anguish, he slaps himself; Lu Xunli restrains and rebukes him, while Lu Yuan firmly insists Bochen will be all right.
• Song Zhilan faints after seeing Bochen’s condition. Once she revives, she desperately asks to see him and sobs against Lu Yuan, who tries to comfort her while concealing his own fear.
• Lu Xunli takes charge of calling emergency services and remains outwardly composed, supporting the family through the crisis.

Significant themes

• Time and uncertainty: The slow, tense hospital wait makes every passing second feel unbearable.
• Family guilt and helplessness: Each relative reacts differently to the possibility of losing Bochen, but all are bound by fear and regret.
• Consequences of changing fate: Xiaoxiao’s awareness of the “butterfly effect” makes her question whether her actions altered the story’s course.
• The value of connection: Xiaoxiao’s resolve to protect the family becomes urgent as she realizes how much she wants Bochen to live.

Plot points

• Lu Bochen survives his suicide attempt after doctors treat him for swallowing pills. His condition is stable, though he must remain in hospital for observation.
• Lu Yubai explains that he refused to let Bochen join the search for Lu Xiaoxiao on the Deserted Island and, in frustration, called him a nuisance. He blames himself for Bochen’s attempt.
• Lu Xiaoxiao doubts that Yubai’s remark alone could have driven Bochen to such an extreme. She and Lu Jiaoyue suspect a deeper cause and decide to ask Bochen’s psychologist, who usually visits on Fridays.
• That night, unable to sleep and distressed over Bochen, Xiaoxiao accidentally nudges Ji Yunhuai in their chat. After he teases her about it, she objects to his use of the word “dead,” explaining that it feels like bad luck.
• Ji Yunhuai recognizes that Xiaoxiao is unusually subdued, calls her, and asks what is troubling her.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Yubai is overwhelmed by guilt and believes his thoughtless words caused Bochen’s crisis. Lu Jiaoyue comforts him, while Xiaoxiao listens skeptically and looks for an underlying explanation.
• Lu Xiaoxiao remains composed during the family discussion but is privately shaken by Bochen’s attempt. Her distress shows in her sensitivity to death-related language and her restless search for someone to talk to.
• Ji Yunhuai moves from playful teasing to perceptive concern, noticing Xiaoxiao’s change in tone and reaching out directly.
• The family rallies around Bochen: Lu Yuan handles the hospital paperwork, while Lu Xunli and Song Zhilan stay at his bedside.

Significant themes

• Guilt and responsibility: Yubai’s self-blame raises the question of whether his words were truly the cause of Bochen’s actions.
• Hidden emotional distress: Xiaoxiao suspects that Bochen’s crisis has deeper roots, highlighting the importance of looking beyond an apparent trigger.
• Care and connection: Family members comfort one another, and Ji Yunhuai’s attentiveness offers Xiaoxiao support as she struggles to discuss what happened.

Plot points and events

• While waiting for news about her brother Lu Bochen, Lu Xiaoxiao calls Ji Yunhuai and tells him what happened. Bochen survived, but she fears he may remain mentally unwell and face another crisis.
• Xiaoxiao suspects Bochen’s long-term therapist may be contributing to his lack of improvement. Ji points out that the therapist need not be malicious to be a poor fit: well-meant treatment could still harm or mislead Bochen.
• Ji advises Xiaoxiao to wait until Bochen wakes and ask him directly about the therapist. His reasoning helps her see a new possibility, and she resolves to speak with her brother.

Character developments

• Xiaoxiao’s initial anxiety and vulnerability give way to some relief and clearer thinking. She also shows growing warmth toward Ji, telling him he is more likable than before.
• Ji briefly reveals a compassionate side, sharing that he waited outside an emergency room when his mother died. He comforts Xiaoxiao, then retreats into his familiar dry, cutting manner when she teases him.
• Xiaoxiao recognizes that concern about Bochen does not automatically mean his therapist is deliberately harming him.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao teases Ji about worrying over her; he jokes that he only wanted to hear her story so he could laugh.
• Ji’s disclosure about his mother’s death creates a sincere moment of understanding, and he reassures Xiaoxiao that fear and tears are natural.
• Xiaoxiao jokes that Ji is “breaking character” by being kind. His return to sarcasm makes her feel more at ease.
• Their discussion of Bochen’s therapist is serious and constructive: Ji offers a nuanced interpretation, and Xiaoxiao listens closely.

Significant themes

• Fear and grief: Waiting for a loved one in danger brings understandable fear, which need not be hidden.
• Good intentions and unintended harm: A caregiver may mean well yet still provide treatment that is unsuitable.
• Trust and communication: Xiaoxiao needs to hear Bochen’s own perspective before drawing conclusions.
• Growing intimacy through candor: Humor and teasing coexist with moments of genuine vulnerability between Xiaoxiao and Ji.

Key plot points and events

• Ji Yunhuai tells Lu Xiaoxiao to browse Weibo before abruptly ending their call. She is confused by his pointed remark and checks the site.
• Lu discovers a flood of fan “shipping” posts pairing her with various people, including Ji Yunhuai, Lu Jiaoyue, and Su Miaohan—and even jokes about being paired with an injured deer.
• Her pairing with Ji Yunhuai is the most popular. Lu insists from an alternate account that they are enemies, but fans argue that their constant bickering is proof of romantic tension. She gives up and decides to ask her second brother to suppress the trending topics.
• At Phantom, Ji’s friends tease him after overhearing his call. He Mingchuan reveals Ji arranged to invest in Lu’s variety show, secure himself a guest spot, and organize a feast for her.
• Shen Yufeng questions Ji about his feelings. Ji admits he thinks about Lu when she is absent, and his reaction to imagining her with another man gives him away. Shen declares him “head over heels,” though Ji refuses to acknowledge it.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is oblivious to the romantic implications of her relationship with Ji and rejects fans’ interpretations, even as her defensive reaction hints that the rumors unsettle her.
• Ji Yunhuai continues to deny liking Lu, but his quiet admissions and jealousy reveal feelings he has not openly recognized.
• He Mingchuan, Jiang Lei, and Shen Yufeng act as teasing friends and informal matchmakers. He Mingchuan recounts Ji’s efforts to get close to Lu, while Shen draws out Ji’s feelings through pointed questions.
• Lu’s online argument with fans contrasts with the friends’ certainty that Ji’s actions are romantic.

Significant themes

• Denial versus evidence: Ji’s actions and reactions contradict his insistence that he will not pursue Lu.
• Romance and misinterpretation: Fans interpret the pair’s bickering as affection, while Lu sees only hostility.
• Friendship and matchmaking: Ji’s friends use humor and candid questioning to expose what he will not admit.

Plot points and events

• Lu Bochen wakes in his bedroom, disoriented and unable to remember what happened. He notices his painting, Soul, which depicts him as a beautiful but fragile, drifting presence.
• The painting now bears a roughly painted red heart added by Lu Xiaoxiao. In the dream, the heart seems to beat.
• His therapist appears and criticizes him for self-harm, difficulty communicating, idealism, and worrying his family. As the therapist advances, the room darkens and Lu Bochen feels trapped beneath the pressure to become “normal.”
• Overwhelmed by guilt, Lu Bochen considers taking a bottle of sleeping pills, believing his death would spare others trouble.
• The painted heart suddenly beats in time with his own, and Lu Xiaoxiao’s voice calls him to wake up. He breaks free of the dream and opens his eyes to meet her gaze.

Character developments

• Lu Bochen is shown as deeply anxious, self-critical, and convinced his flaws burden others. The dream reveals how strongly he has internalized the demand to change, as well as the danger of his despair.
• Lu Xiaoxiao is absent from most of the dream but has left a vivid sign of care in his painting; her voice ultimately reaches him and brings him back.
• The therapist appears as a threatening figure despite his gentle manner, embodying the pressure and judgment Bochen associates with treatment.

Significant themes

• The harm caused by treating difference as something that must be corrected.
• Self-loathing, guilt, and the crushing weight of perceived failure.
• Art and human connection as lifelines: Xiaoxiao’s heart becomes a symbol of warmth and vitality capable of reaching Bochen through despair.

Character interactions

• The therapist’s gentle-sounding admonitions become an oppressive barrage that leaves Bochen feeling exposed and cornered.
• Xiaoxiao’s earlier addition to the painting links her care to Bochen’s inner life; her urgent call breaks through the therapist’s accusations and the dream’s suicidal logic.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao wakes her younger brother, Lu Bochen, from a nightmare. He is tense and expects her to blame him, but her cheerful, caring thoughts reassure him.
• Xiaoxiao helps him drink warm water, then gently asks about his therapist. Bochen admits the therapist makes him uncomfortable, yet resists the idea of changing therapists because he believes his slow recovery is his own fault.
• Apologizing repeatedly, Bochen falls into self-blame. Xiaoxiao hugs him and insists he has nothing to apologize for, praising his kindness, artistic talent, and importance to the family.
• Xiaoxiao explains the hopeful meaning of his name: a wish that his life shine like morning light.

Character developments

• Bochen is physically and emotionally fragile after waking. His fear of criticism and belief that he is a burden deepen into a suicidal thought: he wonders why his attempt failed and considers trying again. He also feels responsible for disappointing his therapist and worrying his mother.
• Xiaoxiao shows patient care and perceptiveness. Though inexperienced at looking after someone ill, she notices Bochen’s discomfort and approaches difficult questions gently. She recognizes his worth and tries to counter his shame with sincere reassurance.

Character interactions

• Bochen listens to Xiaoxiao’s unspoken thoughts, which reveal that she is worried about him rather than judging him; this helps him relax.
• Xiaoxiao uses simple questions and observes his reactions to understand his feelings about therapy.
• Her embrace and praise offer Bochen warmth and affirmation, while his halting apologies reveal how deeply he blames himself.

Significant themes

• Compassion and reassurance: Patient, nonjudgmental care can help someone feel safe enough to open up.
• Self-worth versus shame: Bochen sees himself as a failure, while Xiaoxiao reminds him that his kindness and talent matter.
• Hope and renewal: The meaning of Bochen’s name frames the closing moment as a wish for a brighter future.

Plot points and events

• Lu Bochen quietly asks Lu Xiaoxiao to replace his therapist. She agrees and, after discussing it with Lu Yuan, arranges to meet the therapist, Zhou Qiming.
• Zhou greets Xiaoxiao warmly and boasts that his treatment has improved Bochen and will soon help him rejoin society.
• Xiaoxiao tells him Bochen is in the hospital after taking a potentially fatal overdose of sleeping pills.
• Zhou denies responsibility. He defends his “aggressive” methods, which involve provoking vulnerable children, and claims Bochen was probably only pretending to want to die to pressure his family.
• Furious at Zhou’s dismissive attitude, Xiaoxiao confronts him, declares him fired, and demands that he pay Bochen’s medical costs and emotional-distress compensation. She threatens legal action if he refuses.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao moves from polite and composed to openly furious as Zhou minimizes Bochen’s crisis. She becomes fiercely protective, taking decisive action on her brother’s behalf.
• Lu Bochen has expressed a clear wish to change therapists, showing some agency in his recovery, though the chapter focuses on Xiaoxiao carrying out that request.
• Zhou Qiming is revealed as self-congratulatory and defensive. Rather than acknowledge the danger his approach may have caused, he blames Bochen and treats the overdose as manipulation.

Significant themes

• The importance of listening to people in psychological distress rather than dismissing their suffering.
• Accountability for professionals whose actions may harm vulnerable patients.
• Family loyalty and advocacy: Xiaoxiao uses her voice and influence to protect Bochen.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao and Bochen: He asks her to help change therapists; she reassures him and promises to handle it.
• Xiaoxiao and Lu Yuan: They discuss Bochen’s request and agree on replacing the therapist.
• Xiaoxiao and Zhou: Their initially courteous meeting turns into a confrontation when Zhou boasts about his treatment and then minimizes Bochen’s overdose.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao confronts therapist Zhou Qiming over the harm his treatment caused her brother Bochen. Zhou defends his methods by citing a past success and claiming good intentions, but Lu insists he failed to adapt his approach to Bochen’s needs and put his life at risk.
• She presents an agreement requiring Zhou to accept responsibility and pay compensation, threatening legal action if he refuses. Zhou tries to negotiate, but Lu rejects his excuses; he signs.
• Lu leaves determined to vet Bochen’s replacement therapist carefully. She considers asking Dr. Xiao Yichen, whom she trusts, for a recommendation.
• On her way home, Lu is suddenly blindfolded, restrained, and bundled into a car. Her captors help her sit upright without being rough, prompting her to wonder whether kidnappers have become considerate. When her system checks on her, she matter-of-factly confirms she has been kidnapped.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is forceful and protective of Bochen, prioritizing accountability over Zhou’s intentions or financial worries. She also takes greater responsibility for choosing his care team. Her calm, curious reaction to being abducted contrasts with the seriousness of the situation.
• Zhou Qiming reveals his self-interest by focusing on his reputation, family, and compensation rather than the harm done to Bochen. Though he resists, Lu’s ultimatum leaves him no choice but to sign.
• The system assumes Lu is frightened and checks whether she is hurt; Lu’s cheerful confirmation surprises it.
• The kidnappers are introduced through their unexpectedly gentle handling of Lu.

Significant themes

• Professional accountability: Good intentions and past successes do not excuse careless treatment of an individual patient.
• Protection and trust: Lu is determined to safeguard Bochen by choosing a therapist she can trust.
• Dark humor and tonal contrast: Lu’s almost amused response to her kidnapping undercuts the danger with comedy.

Key events

• Lu Xiaoxiao is kidnapped but remains remarkably calm, joking with her system, 037, and politely bargaining with the kidnappers.
• The kidnappers explain that they are acting for a wealthy young woman who wants Lu to experience the fear of being abducted. They refuse to remove her hood because they fear losing pay.
• At their destination, Lu meets Cui Anhe, Ji Yunhuai’s childhood sweetheart. Cui accuses Lu of lying to her and declares that the kidnapping is punishment.
• Lu’s lack of fear—and her spontaneous compliment of Cui’s elaborate red dress—throws Cui off. When Cui notices a wound on Lu’s forehead, she angrily demands to know why the kidnappers hurt her, saying Ji Yunhuai will be upset.

Character development and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao shows confidence, humor, and empathy, treating even her kidnappers as ordinary workers and trying to cooperate. She has little idea why Cui is targeting her.
• 037 is exasperated by Lu’s recklessness and reminds her that protecting her costs points; Lu immediately objects to the expense.
• Cui Anhe arrives hostile and intent on frightening Lu, but her concern about the injury reveals that she had ordered the kidnappers not to harm Lu—and cares about Ji Yunhuai’s reaction.
• The kidnappers are surprisingly polite, and Lu’s considerate manner makes the abduction feel almost like a courteous escort. Cui’s attempts to intimidate her repeatedly fall flat.

Significant themes

• Fear versus composure: Lu’s calmness disrupts the expected power dynamic of a kidnapping.
• Humor amid danger: Lu’s jokes and politeness turn a threatening situation into comedy.
• Power and insecurity: Cui uses her status and threats to assert control, but Lu’s indifference undermines her.
• Misplaced sympathy: Lu empathizes with the kidnappers as wage workers, while Cui’s concern centers on the consequences for Ji Yunhuai.

Key plot points and events

• Cui Anhe confronts her two “kidnappers” over the small wound on Lu Xiaoxiao’s forehead. Lu explains that she hurt herself in a fall, and Cui reluctantly accepts the explanation.
• Cui warns Lu not to complain to Ji Yunhuai, then insists she would never be afraid to do anything—she simply doesn’t want Yunhuai to think badly of her.
• Lu jokes that Cui should pay her to stay away from Yunhuai, as in a conventional threat-and-bribe scenario. Cui takes the suggestion seriously and offers fifty million.
• Lu eagerly fetches a check and pen. Cui decides to pay in installments, giving her ten million now, and demands that Lu keep her distance from Yunhuai.
• Lu promises not to approach him first, privately noting that she cannot control whether he approaches her. While Cui writes the check, Lu asks what she likes about Yunhuai. Cui answers that he is handsome; Lu points out that she knows plenty of handsome men.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao remains composed and playful under pressure. She turns Cui’s jealousy into a lucrative joke and shows that money matters to her, while leaving herself a loophole in her promise.
• Cui Anhe is impulsive, possessive, and easily provoked, but also naive enough to be drawn into Lu’s improvised bargain. Her concern about Yunhuai’s opinion reveals insecurity beneath her bravado.
• The two “kidnappers” are obedient and wary of their employer. They avoid intervening when Cui is talked into the deal, partly because they fear having their pay docked.

Significant themes

• Comedy through misunderstanding: Cui interprets Lu’s joking “bribe” as a real proposal.
• Money and romantic rivalry: Lu treats the attempted separation as a negotiation, while Cui believes paying her can secure peace of mind.
• Words versus intent: Lu’s promise is carefully limited to not approaching Yunhuai first, preserving the possibility that he might approach her.

Character interactions

• Cui accuses the kidnappers of injuring Lu; Lu steps in to defend them.
• Lu needles Cui about her threats and then persuades her to name a price for staying away from Yunhuai.
• Cui sets conditions on the payment, while Lu agrees outwardly and privately keeps her options open.
• Their conversation ends with Cui praising Yunhuai’s looks and Lu casually challenging her claim that he is exceptionally handsome.

Key plot points and events

• Cui Anhe insists that Ji Yunhuai is the world’s most handsome man, while Lu Xiaoxiao humorously declines to argue.
• Lu Xiaoxiao asks why Anhe is dressed so elegantly. Anhe admits she dressed up to meet Xiaoxiao—but then claims it was to impress her romantic rival and show her the difference between them.
• Xiaoxiao collects her check for the work she has done. Before leaving, she gets Anhe’s contact details so they can arrange payment of the remaining balance.
• Anhe’s older brother, Cui Anze, unexpectedly arrives home. He notices the security guards, the black sack on the floor, and Anhe’s nervous behavior, and begins questioning her.
• Anhe lies that Xiaoxiao is her friend and calls the sack trash. When Anze presses her, she lashes out rather than admit wrongdoing. He turns to the guards for an explanation.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao remains playful, sharp, and unbothered by Anhe’s hostility; being paid puts her in an especially good mood. She also admires Anze’s looks and quickly reads him as polished but potentially sly.
• Cui Anhe is shown as a devoted Ji Yunhuai fangirl, fiercely competitive with Xiaoxiao, and spoiled. When confronted, she becomes flustered, lies poorly, and shifts blame instead of taking responsibility.
• Cui Anze is introduced as composed, perceptive, and authoritative. He recognizes that Anhe’s reaction suggests guilt and challenges her rather than accepting her explanation.

Significant themes

• Pride and rivalry: Anhe’s attempt to outshine Xiaoxiao reveals how strongly she views her as a romantic rival.
• Privilege and upbringing: The system explains that Anze was raised as the heir, while Anhe was indulged as the beloved daughter of a grieving father, helping account for their contrasting temperaments.
• Accountability versus deflection: Anze looks for evidence and asks direct questions, while Anhe responds to criticism with excuses and anger.
• Humor and internal commentary: Xiaoxiao’s teasing thoughts—and the system’s explanations—provide comic contrast to Anhe’s increasingly awkward situation.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao teases Anhe about whether she likes her or Ji Yunhuai more; Anhe angrily insists they are rivals.
• Their practical arrangement continues despite the hostility: Xiaoxiao secures Anhe’s number to ensure she can collect the balance.
• Anze’s arrival changes the dynamic. He scrutinizes the scene, Anhe tries to pass Xiaoxiao off as a friend, and Anze redirects his questions to the security guards when Anhe refuses to explain.

Key plot points and events

• Cui Anze questions his guards about an attempted kidnapping, and they admit Cui Anhe ordered them to abduct Lu Xiaoxiao.
• Anhe insists she only meant to retaliate because Lu upset her, but Anze reprimands her and grounds her for a week.
• Anze apologizes to Lu and escorts her away. In the quiet hallway and on the drive home, they make friendly conversation.
• Lu realizes Anze doesn’t know Anhe gave her a ten-million check and feels uneasy about keeping it from him.
• Before leaving Lu at home, Anze gives her a fashion designer’s business card and offers to commission a dress as an apology.

Character developments

• Cui Anze comes across as firm and responsible when dealing with his sister, then considerate and gracious toward Lu. He explains that he has managed the family company for eight years.
• Cui Anhe remains defiant, blaming Lu and resenting that both her brother and Yun Huai seem to favor her.
• Lu Xiaoxiao is initially awkward about being caught in the Cui family’s conflict, but relaxes as Anze treats her kindly. She also grows guilty about concealing the check.

Significant themes

• Accountability versus favoritism: Anze says he is acting fairly, not taking sides, and holds Anhe responsible for her behavior.
• Privilege and family indulgence: Anze attributes Anhe’s conduct to being spoiled, while his grounding challenges her sense of entitlement.
• Courtesy and obligation: Anze’s apology and gift show his care for Lu, but the offer also increases her discomfort over the undisclosed money.

Character interactions

• Anze confronts Anhe and the guards, then formally apologizes to Lu and takes her out of the house.
• On the way, he praises Lu’s father, eases the awkwardness with conversation, and promises to keep Anhe from bothering her.
• Anze offers Lu a custom dress through a designer who owes him a favor; Lu accepts his kindness while privately wrestling with whether to confess about the check.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao tries to return the ten-million check Cui Anhe gave her to stay away from Ji Yunhuai, but Cui Anze insists she keep it as compensation and says his sister often wastes money.
• Cui Anze offers to help arrange a custom gown and tells Xiaoxiao not to worry about Anhe’s demand: Anhe has no say in Xiaoxiao’s relationship with Ji Yunhuai, whom Anhe regards only as a younger sister.
• Xiaoxiao clarifies that she and Ji Yunhuai are not romantically involved and may only be friends. Cui Anze accepts her explanation and leaves.
• Lu Yubai sees Xiaoxiao with Cui Anze’s luxury car and the check, and wrongly assumes she has become someone’s sugar baby. He offers her his savings to dissuade her.
• Xiaoxiao realizes the misunderstanding, scolds and playfully hits Yubai, threatening to expose his secret savings. He runs off, while Lu Jiaoyue watches fondly from a window.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao shifts from guilt over the check to delighted acceptance, then becomes exasperated when Yubai misjudges her. Her teasing, forceful response shows their familiar sibling rapport.
• Cui Anze remains calm, generous, and considerate. He reassures Xiaoxiao about both the money and Anhe’s interference, while gently probing her connection with Ji Yunhuai.
• Lu Yubai shows genuine concern for his sister, but his dramatic, misguided assumptions lead to comic chaos.
• Lu Jiaoyue enjoys watching the siblings bicker, seeing Xiaoxiao’s beating of Yubai as a heartwarming sign of being home.

Significant themes

• Family affection expressed through teasing: Xiaoxiao and Yubai’s quarrel is comic but rooted in concern and familiarity.
• Misunderstandings and appearances: Yubai interprets Xiaoxiao’s meeting and check as evidence of a scandal, despite her actual circumstances.
• Wealth and power: Cui Anze’s casual acceptance of a ten-million check highlights the enormous gap between his world and Xiaoxiao’s perspective.
• Personal autonomy: Cui Anze affirms that Anhe cannot dictate Xiaoxiao’s relationship with Ji Yunhuai.

Plot points and events

• Lu Jiaoyue wakes Lu Xiaoxiao early for a cast lunch gathering arranged by the Desert Island Survival director. The event will reassure viewers and provide behind-the-scenes footage.
• Xiaoxiao remembers that, in the original story, a similar gathering led to paparazzi publishing unflattering comparison photos of Jiaoyue and Bai Xinyan. Online attacks then pushed Jiaoyue toward Gu Sipei and his agency, creating a relationship Xiaoxiao wants to prevent.
• Worried the same thing could happen, Xiaoxiao insists Jiaoyue dress and do her makeup carefully. Jiaoyue initially takes this as criticism of her usual appearance, but Xiaoxiao reassures her.
• Jiaoyue asks whether Xiaoxiao can predict the future, explaining that Xiaoxiao often seems to know things about people. Xiaoxiao panics over how much Jiaoyue has noticed, then claims she often has prophetic dreams and a strong sixth sense.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao is energetic and protective once reminded of the gathering. She uses her knowledge of the original plot to try to shield Jiaoyue from online harassment and Bai Xinyan’s continued hostility, while struggling to conceal her own unusual knowledge.
• Lu Jiaoyue is increasingly close to Xiaoxiao but remains hesitant and insecure. She worries that Xiaoxiao dislikes her clothes and holds back the truth about her own mind-reading ability for fear of damaging their relationship.
• Their affectionate sisterly bond is central: Xiaoxiao comforts Jiaoyue, while Jiaoyue admires Xiaoxiao and tentatively probes her apparent foresight.

Significant themes

• Fate versus intervention: Xiaoxiao tries to change the story’s expected events before they can unfold.
• Secrets and trust: Both sisters conceal extraordinary abilities, even as they grow closer.
• Public image and online cruelty: The chapter highlights how manipulated celebrity photos and fan comparisons can fuel harassment.
• Protective family bonds: Xiaoxiao’s plans are driven by her determination to keep Jiaoyue safe and out of others’ control.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao tells Lu Jiaoyue that her vivid dreams have shown her possible bad outcomes for the family. She asks Jiaoyue to keep the explanation secret, saying she may know a little more about the future but cannot predict it with certainty.
• Jiaoyue accepts Xiaoxiao’s claim without question and says she is willing to entrust her fate to her. Xiaoxiao gently rejects that idea, urging Jiaoyue to discover what she wants for herself and live as her own person.
• The sisters leave for a team-building event, where Lu Shiyan is waiting to drive them. He says he came back especially because he wanted them to feel comfortable attending.
• Xiaoxiao’s thoughts reveal that Shiyan once had unrequited feelings for a girl from school. Jiaoyue catches the gossip, while Shiyan realizes Xiaoxiao somehow knows about this private part of his past.
• Xiaoxiao asks whether Ji Yunhuai will attend the event. Shiyan becomes wary and asks whether she cares about Ji, then wonders aloud whether the two already knew each other before filming their show.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao shows concern for Jiaoyue’s independence, not merely her safety. She wants her sister to make her own choices rather than become dependent on others.
• Lu Jiaoyue demonstrates deep trust in Xiaoxiao, but her readiness to hand over control of her future reinforces Xiaoxiao’s concern that Jiaoyue lacks agency. Jiaoyue also eagerly tunes in to family gossip.
• Lu Shiyan is considerate toward his sisters, but his reaction to Xiaoxiao’s knowledge of his past reveals suspicion and curiosity. His jealousy or protectiveness surfaces when she asks about Ji Yunhuai.
• The sisters’ affectionate exchange contrasts with Shiyan’s guarded questions, setting up possible revelations about both his past romance and Xiaoxiao’s connection to Ji.

Significant themes

• Personal agency versus fate: Xiaoxiao encourages Jiaoyue to shape her own life instead of surrendering it to someone else.
• Trust and hidden knowledge: Jiaoyue’s faith in Xiaoxiao deepens, while Shiyan begins to suspect Xiaoxiao knows more than she lets on.
• Romantic disappointment: Xiaoxiao reflects that several men in the family seem to have troubled love lives, hinting at recurring romantic complications.

Plot and events

• Lu Shiyan warns Lu Xiaoxiao to be cautious around Ji Yunhuai, citing his difficult family background and temperament. Xiaoxiao agrees outwardly but privately intends to keep using Ji’s help to raise the world’s vitality score.
• The siblings arrive with Lu Jiaoyue at the extravagant Louvre Reverie restaurant for a team gathering. Shiyan receives an urgent call from his manager and sends the two girls ahead to the private room on the third floor.
• Xiaoxiao spots Ji Yunhuai in the lobby, surrounded by bodyguards and speaking with an elderly butler. Remembering the money she accepted from Cui Anhe—and wanting to playfully get even with Ji—she decides to slip past without greeting him.
• As Xiaoxiao and Jiaoyue creep by, Xiaoxiao overhears that Ji’s grandfather has ordered the staff to keep him under close watch. Ji catches Xiaoxiao by the wrist just before she can get away and teases her for sneaking around like a petty thief.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Xiaoxiao remains mischievous and calculating: she hides her intentions from Shiyan, privately treats Ji as useful to her goal, and plans to act aloof toward him as payback. Her thoughts also reveal lingering irritation over their past clashes.
• Lu Shiyan is protective of his sister but avoids pushing the issue when he senses she is only agreeing to placate him.
• Lu Jiaoyue is still uneasy in the upscale setting, but trusts and follows Xiaoxiao, even joining her quiet attempt to avoid Ji.
• Ji Yunhuai appears important and closely supervised by his family. His quick intervention shows he has noticed Xiaoxiao’s attempted escape and is ready to tease her.
• Xiaoxiao and Ji’s relationship remains playfully antagonistic: she tries to evade him, while he turns her stealth into an opportunity to mock her.

Significant themes

• Family concern and independence: Shiyan’s warning reflects his desire to protect Xiaoxiao, while she quietly pursues her own plans.
• Hidden motives and private thoughts: Xiaoxiao’s outward agreement contrasts sharply with her inner calculations and grudges.
• Power and restraint: Ji’s entourage suggests family control over his freedom, even as his own forceful personality remains evident.
• Comic payback: Xiaoxiao’s attempt to give Ji a taste of unexplained treatment is undercut when he catches her immediately.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao tries to avoid speaking directly to Ji Yunhuai, repeatedly asking her younger sister, Lu Jiaoyue, to pass along messages—even though Ji is standing nearby and can hear her.
• Ji teases Xiaoxiao about her supposed fondness for cleaning toilets, then asks why she seems unwilling to speak to him.
• He realizes Cui Anhe has visited and checks whether she hurt Xiaoxiao, suggesting he suspects Cui of threatening her.
• Xiaoxiao insists she acted willingly: Cui offered her money to distance herself from Ji. She reveals that the offer was fifty million in total, with ten million already paid.
• Xiaoxiao jokingly offers Ji a chance to outbid Cui, promising to keep him happy if he pays more.
• Ji’s amusement disappears. He says he does not make deals with people and walks away toward the elevator.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao is playful, blunt, and seemingly oblivious to the effect of her words. Though Ji’s concern briefly registers, she remains focused on the money and treats the situation as a negotiation.
• Ji Yunhuai shifts from teasing and concern to cold hostility when he learns Xiaoxiao accepted payment to distance herself from him. His abrupt departure suggests he feels more personally affected than he lets on.
• Lu Jiaoyue acts as Xiaoxiao’s reluctant messenger and notices Ji’s mood turning dangerous, but cannot understand her sister’s motives.

Significant themes

• Money versus personal attachment: Cui’s payment turns Xiaoxiao’s relationship with Ji into an apparent transaction, whether or not she intends to hurt him.
• Miscommunication and emotional blindness: Xiaoxiao treats the exchange as a joke, while Ji interprets it as a serious rejection.
• Concern concealed by teasing: Ji’s checking for injuries shows care, but his insults and aloofness make that care difficult to recognize.
• Power and bargaining: The characters test where affection, loyalty, and self-interest meet.

Character interactions

• Ji and Xiaoxiao trade teasing remarks, with Ji physically guiding her attention and Xiaoxiao responding with irritation and indirect communication.
• Ji’s concern about Cui’s visit clashes with Xiaoxiao’s insistence that she chose the arrangement herself.
• Jiaoyue tries to soften the confrontation, but Xiaoxiao’s offer to Ji escalates it instead.
• Ji ends the exchange by withdrawing, leaving the tension unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Lu Xiaoxiao leaves after deliberately provoking Ji Yunhuai, while Lu Jiaoyue is left confused.
• Lu Xiaoxiao tells System 037 she believes Ji likes her: despite her provocation, he restrained his temper rather than having her thrown out. She admits she wanted to annoy him, partly because his lack of precautions around Cui Anhe’s kidnapping put her at risk.
• She says she must not let Ji know how much she understands him, and jokes that her confidence in romance comes from novels rather than experience. She expects him to cool off and says she can accept it if they do not reconcile.
• Privately, she acknowledges that she is from another world and will eventually leave, so Ji keeping his distance might be for the best.
• Lu Xiaoxiao and Lu Jiaoyue arrive at the production’s private dining room. Xiaoxiao is pleased by the hearty food and joins the Pirate Team. Su Miaohan saves her the seat beside Ji, since the others find him intimidating.

Character developments

• Lu Xiaoxiao is perceptive and playful about Ji’s feelings, but also guards her independence and hides the emotional weight of her eventual departure.
• System 037 shifts from alarm to partial acceptance of her reasoning, though it remains uncertain about the risks of her tactics.
• Ji Yunhuai, absent from the dining-room scene, is characterized through Xiaoxiao’s interpretation: he seems unusually tolerant of her, suggesting affection.
• Su Miaohan shows warmth toward Xiaoxiao and trusts her to handle Ji comfortably.

Significant themes

• Romance and self-protection: Xiaoxiao tests Ji’s feelings while resisting becoming too accommodating or dependent.
• Communication and assumptions: She relies on instinct and indirect signals rather than openly discussing their relationship.
• Impermanence and emotional distance: Her knowledge that she must eventually leave makes closeness feel risky.
• Theory versus experience: Xiaoxiao jokingly claims expertise in love despite having no practical experience.

Character interactions

• Xiaoxiao teases and debates System 037, defending her decision to provoke Ji and her confidence in reading his feelings.
• She links the earlier kidnapping to Ji’s failure to protect her, framing her irritation as justified.
• At dinner, Su Miaohan enthusiastically welcomes Xiaoxiao and steers her toward the seat beside Ji, highlighting that Xiaoxiao is the team member most at ease with him.