Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Bai Chen discovers that Lin Jingchen made the porridge he ate earlier. Though he thought it tasted bad, he awkwardly tells Lin it was “pretty good” and offers to cook dinner in return for Lin caring for him.
• Lin plucks the chicken while Bai Chen takes his medicine. Bai Chen then confidently prepares chicken with mushrooms and a vegetable soup, surprising himself by how naturally cooking comes to him.
• Lin praises the meal, and Bai Chen is relieved—and delighted—to find that he genuinely enjoys his own cooking.
• The next morning, Lin makes stir-fried noodles. Bai Chen apologizes for sleeping late and says Lin should wake him next time; Lin’s suggestive reply embarrasses Bai Chen.
• Bai Chen admits Lin’s earlier porridge was not good, despite initially trying to spare his feelings. They spend the day sightseeing, visiting the market, and cooking, then leave after two days.
• Bai Chen asks why they came to the area. Lin says he brought him there and that Bai Chen forgot after developing a fever. Bai Chen accepts this explanation without suspicion.

Character developments

• Bai Chen discovers an unexpected talent and enthusiasm for cooking. He is proud of his food, but remains awkward and easily flustered around Lin.
• Lin Jingchen shows affection through practical care, encouragement, and playful teasing. However, he privately wrestles with his decision to conceal the truth about Bai Chen’s past and memories, acknowledging that he has denied Bai Chen a choice.

Significant themes

• Care and intimacy: Cooking, sharing meals, and helping with chores bring the two closer.
• Honesty and white lies: Bai Chen’s attempt to spare Lin’s feelings gives way to candid criticism, while Lin continues withholding important information.
• Trust and secrecy: Bai Chen trusts Lin completely, even as Lin recognizes the moral cost of keeping the truth from him.
• Self-discovery: Cooking gives Bai Chen a glimpse of a skill and source of happiness that may connect to his past.

Character interactions

• Bai Chen and Lin gently trade care: Lin helps with the chicken and cooks breakfast, while Bai Chen prepares dinner.
• Lin encourages Bai Chen’s cooking and enjoys seeing his pride and happiness.
• Their meal conversations mix affectionate praise with teasing, especially when Lin catches Bai Chen being dishonest or accidentally making a suggestive remark.
• Beneath their easy companionship, Lin’s secrecy creates an unspoken imbalance: Bai Chen trusts him, while Lin chooses to keep control of what Bai Chen knows.

Key plot points and events

• As Bai Chen and Lin Jingchen prepare to leave Miaojiang, Ajike arrives with a group of young people and recognizes Bai Chen.
• Bai Chen doesn’t remember Ajike, explaining that a high fever may have left gaps in his memory. Ajike reminds him that he once fell into a mud pit.
• Ajike begins to tell Bai Chen he came to find a girl named Bai—, but Lin Jingchen interrupts her and signals her not to continue.
• Lin Jingchen claims that he was the one searching for someone and says the person was not at the village. He tells Bai Chen that this person is more important than anyone else.
• Ajike keeps quiet, suspecting Bai Chen’s memory loss was caused by a powerful Gu Poison rather than an ordinary fever. She believes only the High Priest could wield it, and that using it carries serious risks.

Character developments

• Bai Chen remains troubled by his missing memories and feels an unexplained tightness when reminded of what he may have come to find. He also realizes he genuinely likes Lin Jingchen and plans to pursue him.
• Lin Jingchen protects Bai Chen from learning more about the girl and presents himself as the person who had been searching for someone. His teasing, intimate manner makes his feelings seem increasingly clear.
• Ajike is disappointed to discover that the handsome motorcyclist she likes appears to be involved with Bai Chen. Though she is curious about Bai Chen’s memory loss, she chooses to respect Lin Jingchen’s warning and stay silent.

Significant themes

• Memory and hidden truth: Bai Chen’s forgotten past may conceal an important search, while the cause of his memory loss points to deliberate interference.
• Protection and concealment: Lin Jingchen withholds information, seemingly to shield Bai Chen—or control what he learns.
• Romantic jealousy and attraction: Bai Chen’s jealousy gives way to a clearer recognition of his feelings for Lin Jingchen, while their flirtation leaves Ajike feeling like an awkward bystander.
• The danger of power: The suspected Gu Poison is rare and costly to use, linking supernatural influence with serious physical consequences.

Character interactions

• Ajike tries to reconnect with Bai Chen and nearly reveals the identity of the person he came to find.
• Lin Jingchen quietly warns Ajike off, then redirects Bai Chen’s questions by claiming the search was his.
• Bai Chen worries the person Lin Jingchen sought might be a romantic rival, but Lin Jingchen’s answer and gaze intensify their mutual attraction.
• Ajike watches their exchange, privately lamenting her single status, and ultimately decides not to expose what she suspects about Bai Chen’s poisoning.

Plot points and events

• Ajike suspects the village High Priest, A Lingyi, erased Bai Chen’s memories, but keeps quiet, believing the act had a good reason and that revealing it would violate a “heavenly secret.”
• She maintains the story that no girl matching Lin Jingchen’s description lives in the village. Bai Chen accepts this and feels relieved that the girl may not be an important former love.
• To save them the long walk down the mountain, Ajike lends Bai Chen her motorcycle and asks him to leave it at a milk-tea shop in town. She departs to rejoin her friends.
• Bai Chen drives Lin Jingchen to the shop. The shopkeeper, a friend of Ajike’s, welcomes them with two cups of hot milk tea.

Character developments

• Bai Chen reflects on how he once learned to ride—and changed his appearance—in hopes of pleasing Fang Ye. He now sees those sacrifices as misguided and recognizes the contrast between Fang Ye’s selfishness and Lin Jingchen’s sincere kindness.
• He resolves to cherish his chance with Lin Jingchen, whom he trusts and wants to grow closer to.
• Lin Jingchen enjoys riding close behind Bai Chen and quietly wishes for greater intimacy.
• Ajike remains loyal to A Lingyi and helps conceal the truth, while showing her warm, playful friendship with Bai Chen.

Character interactions

• Ajike and Bai Chen exchange friendly farewells; she lends him her bike and jokes about a past mishap involving mud.
• Bai Chen asks Lin Jingchen to hold his waist for safety. Their ride becomes a moment of physical closeness that both appreciate.
• At the shop, the owner’s generous gift of milk tea extends Ajike’s hospitality to the two travelers.

Significant themes

• Trust and secrecy: Ajike protects the High Priest’s secret out of faith in her judgment.
• Moving on from unrequited love: Bai Chen reconsiders the compromises he made for Fang Ye and begins to focus on someone who treats him well.
• Growing intimacy: The motorcycle ride gives Bai Chen and Lin Jingchen a small but meaningful step toward closeness.

Key plot points and events

• Bai Chen and Lin Jingchen accept free milk tea from a friendly shop owner, then continue sightseeing.
• Bai Chen leads them to a popular local restaurant near the station, mindful of catching their ride to the airport and returning to university. He is also eager to catch up on lectures and pursue a future research trip with Professor Lin Xiaoqian, where he hopes to see unusual plants and meet an admired botanist.
• They order Miaojiang specialties, including oil tea, in a busy restaurant frequented by locals.
• A group of young women notice the pair and dare one of their friends to ask for their WeChat details. Lin Jingchen politely refuses. When the girl turns to Bai Chen, he says he already likes someone and that “he’d get jealous.” The girl retreats in embarrassment.

Character developments

• Bai Chen’s enthusiasm for botanical research is clear: he worries about falling behind in class but remains determined to pursue the overseas research opportunity and meet his scientific idol.
• Lin Jingchen stays courteous but reserved, declining to share his contact information with a stranger.
• Bai Chen’s response suggests that his feelings for Lin Jingchen may be more than friendship, though he expresses them awkwardly and indirectly.

Significant themes

• Ambition and opportunity: Bai Chen wants to develop his knowledge and seize a rare chance to learn from leading researchers.
• Local culture and hospitality: The chapter highlights Miaojiang’s oil tea, restaurant life, and the generosity of its residents.
• Romantic tension and public perception: The women speculate about the pair’s relationship, while Bai Chen’s answer hints at an unspoken attachment.

Character interactions

• The milk tea owner warmly gives Bai Chen and Lin Jingchen drinks; Bai Chen thanks him and promises to visit again.
• Bai Chen guides Lin Jingchen to the restaurant and orders local food with him.
• The women debate whether the men are a couple and encourage one another to approach them.
• Lin Jingchen refuses the first request; Bai Chen then turns down the girl with a revealing, jealousy-themed explanation that leaves her flustered.

Key events

• Lin Jingchen realizes Bai Chen has someone he likes and gently asks about him.
• Bai Chen admits he plans to confess when the right moment comes, hoping for a lasting relationship. Lin Jingchen reassures him that any day he chooses will be the right time.
• The pair share a meal of Miaojiang specialties. Bai Chen asks the server about the dishes, enjoys the three-color rice, and eats most of the food.

Character developments

• Bai Chen becomes clearer and more decisive about his feelings: he intends to confess rather than leave the person he loves uncertain.
• Lin Jingchen remains outwardly composed but is pleased by Bai Chen’s words. His tender looks and private thought that Bai Chen is “clueless” suggest he understands more than he lets on.
• Bai Chen’s concern for Lin Jingchen’s health emerges when he notices how little Lin eats.

Character interactions

• Their conversation about Bai Chen’s crush carries gentle teasing and unspoken romantic tension. Bai Chen is flustered by Lin’s gaze, while Lin encourages him without revealing his own thoughts.
• At lunch, Bai Chen serves Lin rice and urges him to eat more because of his demanding work. Lin accepts the concern warmly.

Significant themes

• Confession and timing: Bai Chen wants to be honest and committed, but is waiting for what feels like the right moment.
• Unspoken affection: Their tender, teasing exchange suggests a mutual understanding that neither directly names.
• Care expressed through everyday acts: Serving food and worrying about health show growing intimacy.

Key plot points and events

• Bai Chen and Lin Jingchen return to G City. Lin Jingchen has his assistant take Bai Chen to G University, where Bai Chen finds that the dorm no longer feels suffocating to him.
• In the dorm, Bai Chen reunites with Lin Sen, gives him candy, and thanks him for staying behind. He learns that Gu Yun and Li Xingzhu left campus together, apparently because of an urgent family matter.
• At the Gu family residence, Gu Yun sits with Li Xingzhu, who urges him not to fear Gu Cheng or Gu Cheng’s mother and to seek justice for the wrongs done to him and his late mother.
• The chapter explains why Gu Yun went home: Gu Zhengde, claiming to be his biological father, approached him at university with a photo and DNA report. He said he had loved Gu Yun’s mother but lost her after she left, and claimed he hadn’t known she was pregnant or how hard her life became.
• Gu Yun rejects his excuses and resents his attempt to bring him into the Gu family, where he fears his mother would be dishonored as a mistress and he would be treated as an illegitimate son. Gu Zhengde gives him his number, but Gu Yun keeps it only because the man forces it on him.

Character developments

• Bai Chen feels newly at ease in the dorm, suggesting a shift in his emotional state. He is considerate toward Lin Sen and concerned about Gu Yun.
• Lin Sen plays up his loneliness humorously, but welcomes Bai Chen back and shares what little he knows about Gu Yun and Li Xingzhu’s departure.
• Gu Yun reveals deep anger and grief over his mother’s suffering and death. He refuses to accept Gu Zhengde’s remorse or claim of love, and remains wary of the Gu family.
• Li Xingzhu acts as Gu Yun’s steadfast supporter, encouraging him to demand accountability rather than forgive those who hurt him.
• Gu Zhengde presents himself as regretful and loving, but his explanations fail to earn Gu Yun’s trust.

Significant themes

• Accountability versus remorse: Gu Yun believes apologies cannot undo years of harm or bring his mother back.
• Family, legitimacy, and social judgment: He fears that joining the Gu family would expose his mother to further stigma and make him an outsider.
• Grief and unresolved injustice: Gu Yun’s anger is rooted in his mother’s death and the hardship she endured alone.
• Belonging and emotional change: Bai Chen’s newfound comfort in the dorm contrasts with Gu Yun’s painful confrontation with his family history.

Character interactions

• Bai Chen and Lin Sen reconnect through teasing, candy, and Bai Chen’s promise to treat him to barbecue.
• Bai Chen’s concern for Gu Yun prompts Lin Sen to recount the hurried departure with Li Xingzhu.
• Li Xingzhu offers Gu Yun reassurance and encourages him to confront the Gu family.
• Gu Yun confronts Gu Zhengde’s account with accusations and rejects the idea that a belated parental claim can repair the past.

Key plot points

• Li Xingzhu tells Gu Yun that Sheng Feng—the driver who killed Gu Yun’s mother ten years earlier—has asked to see him and claims he can reveal the truth behind the crash.
• Gu Yun recalls the horrific accident and his childhood attempts to save his mother. Though the police called it reckless driving, he has long suspected the crash was intentional.
• Gu Yun and Li Xingzhu travel to the detention center. Sheng Feng says he kept evidence on his phone and left it in a drawer at home; Gu Yun should ask Sheng Feng’s wife for it.
• Sheng Feng admits the incident was deliberate and apologizes. Gu Yun refuses to forgive him and says he deserves to remain imprisoned for life.
• Outside the center, Gu Yun is overwhelmed by the traumatic memories and nearly collapses. Li Xingzhu supports and calms him.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Yun moves from controlled suspicion to renewed fury when he learns his mother’s death was intentional. Despite wanting to lash out at Sheng Feng, he restrains himself and leaves to pursue the evidence.
• Sheng Feng expresses shame and remorse, acknowledges his guilt, and gives Gu Yun a way to uncover the full story.
• Li Xingzhu acts as Gu Yun’s steady companion, warning him not to sacrifice his life through revenge and physically helping him when the memories leave him unable to stand.

Significant themes

• Trauma and grief: Gu Yun’s vivid recollections show how deeply the childhood loss still affects him.
• Justice versus revenge: Gu Yun rejects forgiveness but restrains himself from violence, choosing to seek the evidence.
• Truth and accountability: Sheng Feng’s confession suggests the crash was murder rather than an accident, setting up the search for proof.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Yun and Li Xingzhu visit Sheng Feng’s home to retrieve an old phone, which may hold further evidence about the events surrounding Gu Yun’s mother’s death.
• Sheng Feng’s wife recognizes Gu Yun as the child affected by the past incident. Their young daughter, Xiao Fei, innocently approaches him, but Gu Yun struggles to hide his anger and grief.
• Gu Yun tells Sheng Feng’s wife that he hates her, but will not punish her or her daughter for her husband’s actions: “Whoever did it should be the one to pay.”
• After Gu Yun and Li Xingzhu leave, Sheng Feng’s wife recalls the family’s past: Sheng Feng’s debts were suddenly paid off by a supposed friend, and soon afterward he fatally struck Gu Yun’s mother with his car. The wife has lived with guilt and fear, believing her family owes Gu Yun an apology.
• Gu Yun and Li Xingzhu return to the old house where Gu Yun once lived with his mother. The phone contains the truth about her death, setting up the next stage of the investigation.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Yun confronts the family connected to his mother’s death. His grief initially spills over onto Xiao Fei, though he recognizes that she is innocent. He shows a clear moral distinction between the guilty and their family.
• Li Xingzhu supports Gu Yun quietly, handling the door and calming Xiao Fei with a gesture.
• Sheng Feng’s wife is frightened and burdened by guilt. She protects her daughter while acknowledging, at least privately, the harm done to Gu Yun’s family.
• Xiao Fei is an innocent child who wants her father to come home and does not understand the history behind Gu Yun’s anger.

Significant themes

• Justice versus revenge: Gu Yun insists that the person responsible should pay, not innocent relatives.
• Inherited guilt and innocence: Sheng Feng’s wife and daughter are caught in the consequences of his actions, though neither is responsible for the crime.
• Trauma and grief: Gu Yun’s mother’s brutal death continues to shape him, while the memory torments Sheng Feng’s wife.
• The search for truth: The retrieved phone may reveal what really happened and who was involved.

Key plot points and events

• The chapter recalls how Li Xingzhu first met Gu Yun as a child: after becoming trapped in a dark cellar, Li was rescued by a little boy in a red jacket. He became devoted to Gu Yun, visiting weekly and bringing him snacks.
• In the present, Gu Yun returns to his mother’s home with Li. He lights incense and burns spirit money at her altar, then privately grieves and tells her he has evidence against the man responsible for what happened. He considers burning the phone containing it, but realizes it belongs to that man.
• An author’s note explains that Bai Chen’s memories were erased so he could recover from severe depression and find happiness. His sister arranged the forgetting out of love, while Lin Jingchen withholds the truth because he wants Bai Chen to experience more joy before those memories return.

Character developments and interactions

• Li’s childhood attachment to Gu Yun began with a protective, almost reverent image of him as fragile and beautiful. As an adult, Li remains considerate: he respects Gu Yun’s smoking and quietly gives him privacy to mourn.
• Gu Yun shows how much has changed since childhood. He now smokes to cope with stress, but still carries deep grief and anger over his mother’s death.
• Bai Chen’s current cheerfulness is presented as a return to his pre-depression self, not a different identity. He is now more direct in love and self-respecting when feelings are not returned.
• Lin Jingchen is portrayed as Bai Chen’s source of warmth and support—someone he can rely on, unlike others who depend on him. The author says Bai Chen is not meant to fall for Gu Yun, in part because they are too alike.

Significant themes

• Grief and unresolved injustice: Gu Yun’s ritual for his mother is mixed with the knowledge that he now has evidence against the person who harmed her.
• Love as care and protection: Li’s childhood devotion and Lin Jingchen’s support both take the form of looking after someone vulnerable.
• Memory, healing, and identity: Forgetting painful experiences is framed as a compassionate choice that gives Bai Chen a chance to recover, though his memories will eventually return.
• Mental illness: The author emphasizes that severe depression is serious and cannot simply be overcome through reassurance or medication alone.
• Hope: Despite the chapter’s painful revelations, the author promises happier outcomes for Bai Chen, Bai Xi, and the body’s original owner.

Key plot points and events

• While mourning at his mother Guan Ci’s memorial altar, Gu Yun reflects on the man who claimed to be his father, Gu Zhengde. He suspects Gu Zhengde could have found him earlier but chose not to, and distrusts the motives behind his return.
• Gu Yun’s memories of being exploited by relatives and others reinforce his belief that people often approach him for selfish reasons.
• Outside, Gu Yun finds Li Xingzhu waiting in the cold beneath the poplar tree. The tree prompts them to remember their childhood habit of marking their heights on its trunk.
• They go inside, where Li Xingzhu repairs an old phone belonging to Sheng Feng. Gu Yun searches its recordings for evidence about his mother’s death.
• The recordings reveal that a woman from the Xiao family paid Sheng Feng to kill Guan Ci and her young son, Gu Yun, and stage the deaths as an accident. Sheng Feng agreed under pressure from debt and threats to his family.
• Sheng Feng killed Guan Ci but spared Gu Yun after Guan Ci pushed her son out of danger. He told the woman that Gu Yun did not know who his father was and was unlikely to threaten her. The woman then paid off Sheng Feng’s debt and warned him not to expose her.

Character developments

• Gu Yun is grieving and increasingly angry, but the recordings turn his suspicions into concrete knowledge of a conspiracy behind his mother’s death. His resentment toward those who have used or deceived him deepens.
• Li Xingzhu continues to show steady, caring support. His childhood devotion to Gu Yun is recalled through the height-marking story, and his practical skill in repairing the phone helps uncover the truth.
• Sheng Feng is revealed as a desperate accomplice who accepted a murder scheme to protect his wife and daughter, but ultimately failed to kill Gu Yun.
• The unnamed Xiao woman emerges as the calculating instigator, willing to order the deaths of both a woman and her child to eliminate a perceived threat.
• Guan Ci is remembered as a woman with artistic ambitions, and the recordings reveal that she died saving Gu Yun.

Significant themes

• Trust and betrayal: Gu Yun’s painful experiences make him suspicious of others, while the recordings confirm that people around his mother acted from hidden motives.
• Love and sacrifice: Guan Ci’s final act saved her son; Li Xingzhu’s longstanding care offers Gu Yun a contrasting, dependable bond.
• Power and coercion: The Xiao woman uses money, status, and threats to manipulate Sheng Feng.
• Memory and grief: The family home, old keepsakes, and childhood memories connect Gu Yun to his mother while intensifying his sorrow.
• The consequences of ambition and circumstance: Guan Ci’s abandoned singing dream and Sheng Feng’s debt-ridden desperation point to lives redirected by circumstance and other people’s choices.

Character interactions

• Gu Yun confides his doubts and bitterness to his mother’s memorial, seeking answers he cannot receive.
• Li Xingzhu gently reconnects him with their childhood and quietly supports him, first by waiting nearby and then by fixing the phone.
• Gu Yun listens to Sheng Feng’s recorded conversations with the Xiao woman, learning how she pressured and threatened him—and how his mother’s intervention saved him.

Plot and events

• After hearing recordings exposing the people behind the fire that nearly killed Gu Yun, he remains outwardly calm. Li Xingzhu explains that he secretly investigated the arsonist, who identified a middle-aged man as the person who hired him. Further inquiries led Li to the Xiao family’s eldest daughter and to the history between Gu Yun’s mother, Gu Zhengde, and the Gu family.
• Li believes Gu Zhengde knowingly abandoned Gu Yun and his mother, marrying Xiao Muling to gain control of the family. Li also built alliances in G City, which helped him obtain the recordings.
• Gu Yun calls Gu Zhengde and says he will return to the Gu family in two days. Gu Zhengde is pleased, unaware of Gu Yun’s real intentions.
• Gu Yun and Li clean the small house together. They will share Gu Yun’s room, since the others are used for storage and for his mother.
• While preparing to sleep, Gu Yun gives Li a childhood pillow. Li claims it still carries the scent of the floral water Gu Yun used as a child, prompting Gu Yun to tease him for making it up.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Yun responds to painful revelations with controlled resolve rather than anger. By agreeing to return to the Gu family, he appears to be taking a deliberate step toward confronting the people involved.
• Li Xingzhu has spent years investigating the fire and gathering evidence and allies. Though he aches for Gu Yun and wishes he could shield him, he respects his need to face the truth and stays close and supportive.
• Their serious conversation gives way to familiar, playful banter over the pillow, showing their intimacy and Li’s affection for Gu Yun.

Significant themes

• Truth and agency: Learning what happened is painful but necessary for Gu Yun to protect himself and act against those who harmed him.
• Betrayal and revenge: The fire and Gu Zhengde’s alleged abandonment reveal a web of family greed and cruelty; Gu Yun’s return may be a step toward confronting it.
• Care and closeness: Li’s quiet support, their shared household work, and their teasing exchange offer warmth amid the trauma.

Plot points

• Gu Yun rejects Li Xingzhu’s attempts to cheer him up. He is consumed by grief and hatred over his mother’s death and wants to find “Miss Xiao,” whom he blames for ordering Sheng Feng to kill Guan Ci.
• He also condemns Sheng Feng for sacrificing Guan Ci to settle his own debts and protect his wife and daughter.
• While sorting his wardrobe, Gu Yun comes across old childhood clothes, prompting memories of his early life and his mother’s struggles.

Character developments

• Gu Yun is shown as grief-stricken and determined to seek revenge. His memories reveal how deeply he was cared for by Guan Ci, despite the hardship his childhood brought her.
• Guan Ci emerges as resilient and devoted. She raised Gu Yun alone, accepted the sacrifices motherhood required, and never regretted having him.
• Gu Zhengde is remembered as a man who loved Guan Ci but valued status and wealth more. She understood his ambition and the danger of challenging his position, yet loved him knowingly.
• Li Xingzhu tries to use humor and teasing to lift Gu Yun’s spirits, but Gu Yun is too consumed by grief to respond.

Significant themes

• Grief and vengeance: Gu Yun’s mourning has hardened into a desire to punish those responsible.
• Cruelty of gossip and social judgment: Neighbors invent and spread degrading rumors about Guan Ci, treating repetition as proof and leaving her isolated.
• A mother’s sacrifice: Guan Ci gives up opportunities and faces stigma to raise her son, without regretting her choice.
• Love versus ambition: Guan Ci recognizes that Gu Zhengde’s love cannot outweigh his desire for power.
• Prejudice and projection: The chapter’s central idea is that people with “tainted hearts” interpret others through their own suspicion and malice.

Character interactions

• Gu Yun and Li Xingzhu trade teasing remarks, but the exchange reveals the limits of Li’s attempt to comfort him.
• Gu Yun’s memories contrast the neighborhood’s condemnation of Guan Ci with her tenderness toward him.
• Guan Ci’s relationship with Gu Zhengde is portrayed as unequal: she understands his priorities and risks, but still chooses to love him.

Key plot points and events

• Gu Zhengde asks Gu Yun to call him “Dad.” Gu Yun agrees readily and says he trusts him. Gu Zhengde is moved, but privately views Gu Yun as gentle and easy to control.
• Gu Zhengde introduces Gu Yun at a family reception as his son from a college relationship, claiming he and Gu Yun’s mother parted amicably. The guests largely disbelieve him and suspect he has acknowledged Gu Yun because Gu Cheng is unavailable. Gu Cheng is in custody, while Xiao Muling is ill and bedridden, leaving them unable to disrupt the event.
• Meanwhile, Bai Chen returns to school and is overwhelmed by the assignments he missed during his trip to Mu Village.
• Lin Sen shows Bai Chen a bridge model he has made, though he is frustrated that it cannot yet be both attractive and structurally stable.
• A playful tussle takes an unexpected turn when Bai Chen reflexively pins Lin Sen with apparent fighting skill. Bai Chen insists he has never learned to fight, but the incident adds to his sense that unfamiliar abilities or memories may be emerging from within him.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Yun presents himself as calm, trusting, and accepting of Gu Zhengde, while Gu Zhengde’s private thoughts reveal a more calculating attitude toward him.
• Gu Zhengde is visibly delighted by Gu Yun’s filial address, but frames his public account to protect his reputation and manage the family’s response.
• Bai Chen is burdened by schoolwork and increasingly puzzled by strange, automatic reactions that seem unlike anything he remembers learning.
• Lin Sen teases Bai Chen, then is surprised by Bai Chen’s reflexes. The two quickly return to friendly banter and talk about their studies and interests.

Significant themes

• Public image versus private truth: Gu Zhengde’s polished story contrasts with the guests’ cynicism about his motives.
• Control and trust: Gu Yun’s easy trust may make him vulnerable to his father’s plans.
• Hidden identity and unexplained abilities: Bai Chen’s reflexive defense suggests there may be more to his past or nature than he knows.
• Friendship and humor: The dorm-room teasing offers comic relief and shows the easy closeness between Bai Chen and Lin Sen.

Key plot points and events

• Bai Chen talks with Lin Sen about his career plans. He prefers fieldwork and would join research expeditions into uninhabited wilderness, despite the risks, especially to study rare plants.
• Lin Sen gives Bai Chen tickets for a new escape room and encourages him to invite the girl he supposedly likes. Bai Chen clarifies that the person he likes is a man—and believes the feelings may be mutual.
• Lin Sen is surprised that Bai Chen cannot remember why he previously thought the relationship was impossible. He also notices Bai Chen seems happier and less burdened than before.
• After a reception, a knife-wielding Xiao Muling attacks Gu Yun. Li Xingzhu blocks the blade with his arm and knocks her down.
• Gu Zhengde arrives and reprimands Xiao Muling. Gu Yun recognizes her as the woman who murdered his mother, but, prompted by Li Xingzhu, restrains his anger and tells his father he will not blame her.

Character developments

• Bai Chen shows enthusiasm for exploring nature and is open about being attracted to a man. His cheerful demeanor contrasts with Lin Sen’s memory of him being deeply upset before.
• Lin Sen responds supportively to Bai Chen’s sexuality, though he is startled by the revelation and puzzled by Bai Chen’s apparent memory gap.
• Gu Yun faces the woman who killed his mother but keeps his composure, aided by Li Xingzhu’s quiet intervention.
• Li Xingzhu demonstrates his devotion to Gu Yun by taking a knife wound to protect him.
• Gu Zhengde excuses Xiao Muling’s behavior by citing her recent illness and poor mental state.

Significant themes

• Risk and curiosity: Scientific discovery can require entering dangerous, remote environments.
• Acceptance and romantic vulnerability: Lin Sen encourages Bai Chen to pursue the person he loves and accepts that person is male.
• Memory and change: Bai Chen cannot recall an upsetting conversation, while Lin Sen senses that something about him has changed.
• Protection and restraint: Li Xingzhu protects Gu Yun physically and helps him control his urge for revenge.
• Unresolved trauma and forgiveness: Gu Yun’s calm response to Xiao Muling contrasts with the hatred he feels over his mother’s murder.

Character interactions

• Lin Sen playfully tries to set Bai Chen up, then shifts to supporting his same-sex attraction and gives him the tickets to use with the man he likes.
• Bai Chen promises Lin Sen they can visit a future escape-room attraction together.
• Li Xingzhu shields Gu Yun from Xiao Muling’s attack and signals him not to retaliate.
• Gu Zhengde questions Xiao Muling and praises Gu Yun for responding calmly; Gu Yun accepts his father’s explanation without revealing the full force of his anger.

Key plot points and events

• After Li Xingzhu kicks Xiao Muling unconscious, Gu Zhengde leaves Gu Yun and Li Xingzhu alone.
• Gu Yun notices Li Xingzhu’s injured arm and takes him upstairs to treat it. When Li Xingzhu resists removing his shirt, Gu Yun recalls Bai Chen’s hint that his rescuer was someone close by and realizes Li Xingzhu saved him years ago.
• Li Xingzhu admits the truth. While bandaging him, Gu Yun also suspects Li arranged an earlier incident involving Sheng Feng; Li’s silence effectively confirms it.
• Li promises to explain everything the next day and introduce Gu Yun to someone who can help him. Gu Yun is hurt by Li’s secrecy but says he is grateful for being saved and no longer angry about the past.
• Elsewhere, Xiao Zhao arranges a meeting with Li Xingzhu through his mother, insisting their childhood betrothal must be honored. She proposes meeting the day after tomorrow and messages Li to ask whether he has agreed, but he is occupied with Gu Yun and does not see it.

Character developments and interactions

• Gu Yun shifts from confusion to recognition, then confronts Li about keeping secrets. His rough handling of the bandage reflects his hurt and frustration, but he ultimately accepts Li’s explanation and agrees to hear more.
• Li Xingzhu reveals that he was Gu Yun’s childhood rescuer and acknowledges his involvement in the earlier incident. He reassures Gu Yun that he considers him his most important friend and promises greater honesty.
• Xiao Zhao appears polite and composed while maneuvering to secure the arranged marriage, relying on Li’s mother to pressure him.
• Gu Yun and Li’s friendship is tested by Li’s concealment, but their conversation ends with a promise of renewed trust. Li’s relationship with Xiao Zhao remains unresolved.

Significant themes

• Trust and secrecy: Hidden acts of protection can still hurt when they are withheld from a close friend.
• Gratitude and forgiveness: Gu Yun recognizes Li’s sacrifice and chooses not to remain resentful.
• Duty versus choice: Xiao Zhao and Li’s mother treat the childhood betrothal as an obligation, while Li’s own agreement is uncertain.

Key plot points and events

• Bai Chen invites Lin Jingchen to a new horror-themed escape room, and Lin accepts, rearranging his busy schedule to attend.
• In a phone call, Lin and Xiao Zhao discuss long-running plans nearing completion. Xiao Zhao intends to reveal his true identity and apologize to the person he has been dating.
• At the escape room, Bai Chen and Lin join a larger group for a scenario about an orphanage haunted by a madwoman and the spirits of murdered children. Players must solve the mystery while avoiding NPCs and elimination.
• The staff separates Bai Chen from the others, sending him to a solo area. In the darkness, a small figure traces symbols on his hand. A girl in red then appears in a mirror and asks him to sing a nursery rhyme; Bai Chen refuses and searches for clues instead.
• Bai Chen finds a light switch hidden in a cosmetics box. In what appears to be an office, he spots a doctored group photograph of five children, memorizes their names and faces, and finds a rusty key behind it.
• Meanwhile, Lin searches a maze-like area with two other players. Though they are exhausted and have found neither an exit nor an NPC, Lin continues looking for clues.

Character developments

• Bai Chen is increasingly comfortable with Lin: while blindfolded, he lets Lin take his hand and then holds it back, marking a meaningful step beyond his usual tendency to withdraw.
• Lin is delighted by Bai Chen’s reciprocal gesture but carefully restrains himself, mindful not to overwhelm him.
• Bai Chen remains calm and resourceful under pressure, prioritizing clues over the ghost girl’s intimidation.
• Lin’s dedication shows in both his efforts to make time for Bai Chen and his continued searching despite fatigue.

Character interactions

• Bai and Lin exchange warm, teasingly intimate messages; Bai calls Lin “senior,” a more familiar form of address than “Mr. Lin.”
• At the venue, Lin apologizes for arriving late, and Bai responds with concern rather than annoyance.
• During the blindfolded entry, Bai holds Lin’s coat so they will not be separated; Lin takes his hand, and Bai returns the gesture.
• The red-clad girl tries to engage and unsettle Bai, but he refuses to play along and sends her away.
• Lin works alongside two other players, while Bai faces the solo challenge alone.

Significant themes

• Growing trust and intimacy: Bai’s returned handhold signals a shift in his relationship with Lin.
• Courage and self-control: Bai resists the girl’s psychological pressure and focuses on solving the room.
• Mystery and hidden truths: The altered photograph, traced symbols, rusty key, and haunting point toward secrets behind the orphanage’s history.
• Long-awaited change: Lin and Xiao Zhao’s conversation suggests their years of planning—and Xiao Zhao’s concealed identity—are close to resolution.

Key plot points and events

• Bai Chen solves his room in B Zone by connecting a picture-frame clue with children’s records, then sets out to find Lin Jingchen.
• He helps two frightened players by sorting through their scattered clues, spotting the useful details, and identifying a stopped clock as the final piece needed for their code.
• As NPCs approach, Bai Chen gives the girls the code and warns them to wait for the singing to stop, then flees when he sees red embroidered shoes.
• The girls catch up with him, and the three navigate the maze together. During the search, a moving fake skeleton startles the girls; one accidentally triggers a trapdoor, dropping them into a safety net. Bai Chen finds a key in the skeleton.
• Bai Chen reunites with Lin Jingchen, who had also escaped but was searching on another floor. Combining their clues, they solve the remaining puzzles and clear the game first, earning the first choice of prizes: an illustrated escape-room strategy guide.

Character developments

• Bai Chen proves perceptive, systematic, and calm under pressure. Though he once considered himself timid, he discovers that horror settings no longer frighten him much. He also readily helps other players.
• Lin Jingchen is resourceful and patient, and his reunion with Bai Chen reveals their mutual concern and eagerness to work together.
• The two girls begin terrified and dependent on others, but follow Bai Chen and gradually feel safer. They remain mostly spectators, though their accidental trapdoor discovery moves the group into a new area.

Significant themes

• Fear and bravery: The girls’ panic contrasts with Bai Chen’s composure, while the chapter emphasizes how atmosphere and psychological dread can be as frightening as physical danger.
• Cooperation and shared knowledge: Individual clues become more useful when Bai Chen and Lin Jingchen combine what they found.
• Trust and companionship: The girls rely on Bai Chen, and Bai Chen and Lin Jingchen’s teamwork turns the victory into something personally meaningful.
• Preparation and persistence: Bai Chen’s habit of recording clues, shaped by past gaming experience, helps the group solve later puzzles.

Character interactions

• Bai Chen patiently listens to the girls’ clues and guides them through solving their room.
• The girls follow him for reassurance, while he protects them by warning them about the approaching NPCs.
• Lin Jingchen greets Bai Chen warmly and brushes him off after their reunion; Bai Chen is visibly delighted to find him.
• The girls jokingly interrupt the pair’s reunion to ask for help climbing down, and the group then works together to escape.

Plot and events

• Bai Chen and Lin Jingchen leave the escape room and spend the afternoon at the amusement park. Although Lin has work waiting, he chooses to stay with Bai Chen.
• Bai Chen recommends thrill rides, including a drop tower and roller coaster. Lin has never tried them before, but enjoys the experience despite being less accustomed to the rides than Bai Chen.
• Afterward, they walk along a quiet path. Lin asks whether Bai Chen’s earlier actions were meant as an answer to his feelings.
• Bai Chen confesses that he fell for Lin long ago, admits he had been afraid and had run from those feelings, and says he now wants to be with him.
• Lin accepts immediately, overwhelmed with happiness. They embrace and reassure each other that they have not missed their chance. The chapter ends with Bai Chen becoming flustered by how tightly and intimately Lin is holding him.

Character developments

• Bai Chen moves from hesitation to honesty, openly acknowledging his love and choosing not to let fear or self-doubt keep him from a relationship.
• Lin Jingchen shows how much his priorities have changed: despite his demanding work habits, he readily makes time for Bai Chen. His emotional vulnerability becomes clear when he admits he expected to wait much longer for Bai Chen to return his feelings.
• Together, they move from unspoken feelings to a mutual commitment.

Significant themes

• Choosing love over routine: Lin willingly sets aside work to spend time with Bai Chen.
• Courage and honesty: Bai Chen overcomes his fear and confesses rather than risking regret.
• Mutual affection and reassurance: Both are relieved that their feelings are returned and that they have not missed their opportunity.

Character interactions

• Lin gently encourages Bai Chen to choose the rides and joins him in trying attractions outside his experience.
• Bai Chen checks that Lin is well and thanks him for the day; Lin says the outing was worthwhile because Bai Chen was happy.
• Their walk leads to an earnest conversation: Bai Chen confesses, Lin accepts, and they hold each other closely.

Key plot points

• After reconciling at the amusement park, Bai Chen and Lin Jingchen decide to get food. Lin invites Bai to spend the night at the Lin Family Ancestral Home before leaving on a business trip Monday.
• Bai agrees and rides in the front passenger seat for the first time. The two joke that Lin’s car seat belongs to Bai and the back seat of Bai’s motorcycle belongs to Lin.
• Bai falls asleep during the drive. On arrival, he is amazed by the grandeur of the ancestral home.
• Lin brings Bai inside despite the usual rules against outsiders entering. He introduces Bai to the guards and to Uncle Chen, openly calling him his boyfriend.
• Uncle Chen welcomes Bai warmly. Lin asks him to prepare dinner, postponing further conversation until after they eat.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin is openly affectionate and eager to include Bai in his private family life. His proud, unhesitating introduction marks a step toward making their relationship public.
• Bai is shy and surprised by Lin’s directness, but he accepts the invitation and responds playfully to Lin’s teasing.
• Uncle Chen initially seems surprised, but quickly treats Bai kindly and welcomes him into the household. The guards also show Bai respect because Lin personally brought him.

Significant themes

• Trust and intimacy: Bai’s comfort grows through small shared gestures, while Lin’s invitation signals deeper commitment.
• Belonging and acceptance: Bai is welcomed into a space usually reserved for the Lin family, and Uncle Chen’s acceptance reassures him.
• Public acknowledgment: Lin’s straightforward introduction of Bai as his boyfriend shows his pride in their relationship.

Key plot points

• Lin Jingchen insists on learning to cook so he can fulfill his responsibilities as Bai Chen’s boyfriend. He asks Uncle Chen to take Bai Chen to a room in the main residence and let him rest.
• Uncle Chen is surprised: family custom reserves the main residence for the Lin family, while unmarried partners usually stay in the branch-family quarters. He realizes Jingchen is treating Bai Chen as someone he intends to keep, though he worries the branch family may object.
• Uncle Chen shows Bai Chen part of the estate, including flower beds once tended by Jingchen’s late grandmother, Ci Qing. Bai Chen is given a spacious, scholarly room.
• In the room, Bai Chen recognizes pottery he made at a teahouse. He realizes Jingchen had secretly bought and collected his pieces, including imperfect ones.
• After resting, Bai Chen wakes to Jingchen calling him “Little Chen.” They agree to use more intimate names: Jingchen will call Bai Chen “Little Chen,” and Bai Chen will call him “Jingchen” rather than “Mr. Lin.”

Character developments and interactions

• Jingchen shows his commitment through practical gestures: learning to cook, welcoming Bai Chen into the main residence, and keeping Bai Chen’s pottery. He also reveals a tender, slightly jealous desire for a special name between them.
• Bai Chen is moved by Jingchen’s care and warmth. He accepts the new terms of address, happy to deepen their intimacy.
• Uncle Chen is welcoming and attentive to Bai Chen, but privately anxious about the family implications of Jingchen’s choice.
• Jingchen and Bai Chen’s interactions shift from formal and teasingly affectionate to openly more intimate, while Uncle Chen watches their relationship take on greater significance.

Significant themes

• Commitment and building a home: Jingchen sees learning to cook and making space for Bai Chen as part of creating a life together.
• Intimacy through small gestures: A private collection of pottery and a personal nickname express affection more deeply than grand declarations.
• Tradition versus personal choice: Jingchen’s decision to place Bai Chen in the main residence challenges the estate’s customary boundaries.
• Memory and continuity: The grandmother’s flower beds link the family’s past to the present, while Bai Chen’s pottery becomes another cherished part of the home.