Chapter Summaries

Ji Ting apologized to Ji Yanzhi for lying about spending the New Year with Zhang Xu, and Ji Yanzhi ended the call without revealing whether he was angry. The sound of firecrackers brought Ji Ting back to childhood memories with Aunt, until a visitor knocked at his door.

• Zhang Xu told Ji Ting that Ji Yanzhi had discovered their lie and urged him to apologize.
• Ji Ting called Ji Yanzhi, admitted he had lied because he did not want to go home for the New Year, and apologized.
• Ji Yanzhi confronted Ji Ting about trying to spare him guilt, then warned him not to lie again and hung up.
• Hearing children set off snap pops, Ji Ting remembered Aunt sharing her homemade meatballs with the other children so they would include him.
• Ji Ting recalled watching New Year's fireworks with Aunt, then returned to the present when someone knocked on his door and called him Ji Ear.

Ji Yanzhi visited Ji Ting at Xu Ren’s apartment and took him shopping to prepare a New Year’s Eve meal. After they decorated the door and Ji Ting cooked meatballs, Ji Yanzhi burned his mouth by eating one before it had cooled.

• Ji Yanzhi found Ji Ting living on dumplings in Xu Ren’s apartment and insisted they go shopping together.
• Ji Yanzhi told Ji Ting, “Aren’t you my family?” and Ji Ting thanked him before joining him in the car.
• Ji Ting and Ji Yanzhi bought ingredients for New Year’s Eve, including lotus root, fish, ground beef, and century eggs.
• Ji Ting and Ji Yanzhi put up Spring Festival Couplets, then Ji Ting fried meatballs.
• Ji Yanzhi ate a meatball straight from the chopsticks Ji Ting held and spat it out after burning the roof of his mouth.

Ji Ting and Ji Yanzhi prepared and ate New Year’s Eve dinner together, sharing a rare warm moment as they watched the Spring Festival Gala. After only a tiny sip of liquor, Ji Ting turned red and told Ji Yanzhi he thought he was drunk.

• Ji Yanzhi burned his mouth on a hot meatball, and Ji Ting checked that he had not seriously injured himself.
• Ji Ting cooked the New Year’s Eve meal while Ji Yanzhi helped peel and cut century eggs.
• Ji Yanzhi brought out a bottle of liquor, and he and Ji Ting moved dinner to the living room to watch the Spring Festival Gala.
• Ji Ting toasted Ji Yanzhi as his big brother and took a tiny sip of liquor, then quickly flushed red.
• Ji Yanzhi stopped Ji Ting from drinking more, and after dinner Ji Ting said he thought he was drunk.

After drinking, Ji Ting calmly revealed that he had created Unit One to collect Ji Yanzhi’s expressions because Ji Yanzhi had begun to matter to him. The night ended with Ji Ting suddenly getting up to write down a formula, leaving Ji Yanzhi astonished by what he saw.

• Ji Yanzhi helped the drunk Ji Ting get ready for bed and heard him admit he was afraid of returning to the Isolation Room.
• Ji Ting said he had made Unit One to collect Ji Yanzhi’s expressions and confessed that Ji Yanzhi had started to mean something to him.
• Ji Yanzhi took a quick shower, returned to bed, and warned Ji Ting not to creep onto his pillow.
• Ji Ting got out of bed to write down a derivation involving split supersymmetry, and Ji Yanzhi watched him with astonishment.

Ji Ting woke embarrassed by the drunken note he had written, then learned Ji Yanzhi was leaving for Crane Garden and received a call from Lu Yanchu. Lu Yanchu revealed that Ling Xi had claimed Ji Ting promised to issue Qin Zaiye a letter of forgiveness.

• Ji Ting remembered getting drunk the night before and found his note about tofu, while Ji Yanzhi teased him about it.
• Ji Yanzhi left for Crane Garden and told Ji Ting that breakfast was on the table.
• Ji Ting ate breakfast and answered a call from Lu Yanchu, who apologized for bringing up an unpleasant matter.
• Lu Yanchu told Ji Ting that Ling Xi had said Ji Ting promised to issue Qin Zaiye a letter of forgiveness.

Ji Ting learned that Ling Xi had lied to Lu Yanchu to obtain a letter of forgiveness for Qin Zaiye, and decided not to forgive Qin. After returning to the Old Residence, Ji Yanzhi confronted Ji Shize about Shili’s leadership changes and then rebuffed Ling Xi, who came to see him.

• Lu Yanchu told Ji Ting that Ling Xi had lied about obtaining Ji Ting’s letter of forgiveness for Qin Zaiye.
• Ji Ting told Lu Yanchu he would never provide Qin Zaiye with a letter of forgiveness, and they added each other back on WeChat.
• Ji Ting packed his luggage and messaged Ji Yanzhi that he was returning to the Old Residence.
• Ji Shize told Ji Yanzhi that Li Tianhua would become Shili’s Executive Vice President, and Ji Yanzhi rejected his advice and taunted him.
• Ji Yanzhi saw security footage of Ji Ting going to the West Building, then told Ling Xi to state his business instead of lingering in his room.

Ling Xi visited Ji Yanzhi and claimed his company had helped Ji Ting recover, but Ji Yanzhi confronted him with evidence that he had let Qin Zaiye take the blame for Ji Ting’s aphasia. Their argument exposed Ling Xi’s efforts to protect Qin Zaiye and his uncle’s scheme to use him to drive a wedge between the Ji brothers, leaving Ling Xi furious and humiliated.

• Ling Xi told Ji Yanzhi that Ji Ting’s aphasia had improved because Ling Xi had stayed with him.
• Ji Yanzhi showed Ling Xi a video in which Ji Ting tried to defend him, then asked why Ling Xi had stayed silent despite knowing Qin Zaiye was responsible.
• Ling Xi defended Qin Zaiye, arguing that he had only been doing his duty and that the investigation was tied to Lu Yanchu’s public influence.
• Ji Yanzhi accused Ling Xi of letting Ji Shize and Lin Qing blame him to protect Qin Zaiye, and revealed that Ling Xi’s uncle had tried to get money from him to repay gambling debts.
• Ling Xi cried as Ji Yanzhi rejected his pleas for sympathy, then accused him of treating him cruelly because of Ji Ting.

Ji Yanzhi warned Ling Xi not to defend Qin Zaiye, then invited Ji Ting to share meals with him after criticizing Ling Xi. Ji Ting explained that his former attraction to Ling Xi had been based on appearance, leaving Ji Yanzhi asking whether he still desired him.

• Ji Yanzhi accused Ling Xi of double standards and threatened him against pleading Qin Zaiye's case to Ji Ting.
• After Ling Xi left, Ji Yanzhi called Ji Ting, then went out to find him when his phone remained off.
• Ji Ting finished processing simulation data, turned on his phone, and called Ji Yanzhi before going to the study.
• Ji Yanzhi told Ji Ting he had scolded Ji Shize and Ling Xi and asked him to eat meals with him in the West Building.
• Ji Ting said Ling Xi had not cured his aphasia, and Ji Yanzhi claimed Ling Xi had insulted him first.
• Ji Ting said he had liked Ling Xi because he was good-looking and described such attraction as desire overpowering reason, prompting Ji Yanzhi to ask whether he still desired Ling Xi.

Ji Ting told Ji Yanzhi that he no longer liked Ling Xi, and the brothers shared a late-night meal that Ji Yanzhi had brought back especially for him. Ji Shize secretly watched them and then summoned someone to the study.

• Ji Ting told Ji Yanzhi that he had outgrown his feelings for Ling Xi and agreed to keep his distance from him.
• Ji Yanzhi took Ji Ting to the Dining Room after hearing his stomach growl and heated eel noodles for him.
• Ji Yanzhi asked Ji Ting who he thought was better-looking than Ling Xi, and Ji Ting mentioned celebrities and Lu Yanchu.
• Ji Yanzhi told Ji Ting that he had brought the noodles back especially for him, and they ate together.
• Ji Shize watched the brothers from outside the Dining Room, returned to the study, and called someone to meet him there.

Ji Shize questioned Ling Xi about Ji Yanzhi and Ji Ting, then promised to help secure Qin Zaiye’s release in exchange for a favor. Ji Ting arranged to revisit Shili’s Laboratory, but lunch was interrupted when Ling Xi said he was willing to be with him.

• Ji Shize questioned Ling Xi about the brothers’ changed relationship, and Ling Xi described Ji Yanzhi’s interest in Ji Ting and his conflict over Qin Zaiye.
• Ji Shize promised Ling Xi he would make Ji Ting write a letter of forgiveness for Qin Zaiye, but asked Ling Xi to do him a favor first.
• Ji Ting asked Ji Yanzhi to visit Chief Wang’s R&D Center again, and Ji Yanzhi agreed that he could go the next day.
• Ji Yanzhi left Zhao Tian to ensure Ji Ting ate lunch, and Ji Ting went to the Dining Room.
• Ling Xi entered and told Ji Ting he regretted his earlier choice and was willing to be with him, and Ji Ting rejected his offer coldly.

Ji Ting confronted Ling Xi about offering himself only to secure Qin Zaiye’s release, then gave him ten minutes to persuade him to write a letter of forgiveness. Ling Xi failed, and Ji Ting left him believing Qin Zaiye would remain imprisoned.

• Ji Ting accused Ling Xi of treating love as a transaction to save Qin Zaiye.
• Ji Ting offered to write a letter of forgiveness if Ling Xi could persuade him within ten minutes.
• Ling Xi insisted his feelings were genuine, but Ji Ting argued they were no longer suited to each other.
• Ling Xi accused Ji Ting of toying with him and compared him to Ji Yanzhi.
• After the time expired, Ji Ting told Ling Xi that he had lost his only chance to save Qin Zaiye.

Ji Ting confronted Ling Xi and left him convinced that their conversation would eventually damage his relationship with Qin Zaiye. After reviewing surveillance and connecting several suspicious events, Ji Shize began to suspect Ji Ting and ordered an investigation into Qin Zaiye.

• Ji Ting admitted he had never intended to forgive Qin Zaiye, then warned Ling Xi that Qin might learn about his accusations.
• Ji Ting left the Dining Room, and Ling Xi feared he would tell Qin Zaiye what had happened.
• Chef Sun worried that Ji Ting would fire him after the Second Young Master barely touched his first meal.
• Ji Shize questioned Ling Xi about his meeting with Ji Ting, then watched the Dining Room surveillance footage.
• Ji Shize linked Ji Ting to several reports and incidents, began to suspect his younger son, and ordered an investigation into Qin Zaiye.

Ji Yanzhi learned that Ji Ting had skipped lunch after arguing with Ling Xi, then watched footage revealing Ling Xi had confessed to Ji Ting and been rejected. He realized Ji Shize had sent Ling Xi and planned to keep Ji Ting openly at his side, letting Ji Shize mistake him for a decoy.

• Zhao Tian told Ji Yanzhi that Ji Ting had barely touched his lunch, and Ji Yanzhi confronted Ji Ting at dinner about not eating.
• Ji Ting suggested serving fewer dishes when only he and Ji Yanzhi were eating, then ate a large meal made mostly from vegetables disguised as other foods.
• Ji Yanzhi watched the lunch footage and saw Ling Xi confess to Ji Ting, who rejected him and left without looking back.
• Ji Yanzhi checked the entrance hall footage and saw Ji Shize summon Ling Xi to his study after returning home.
• Ji Yanzhi concluded that Ji Shize had directed Ling Xi's confession and decided to keep Ji Ting close and visible as a possible smokescreen.

Ji Yanzhi took Ji Ting to the R&D Center and arranged for him to enter freely, while Ji Shize kept watch on their movements. After Ji Ting finished his visit and sat alone in the staff dining room, Shen Mu Lan called to say his older brother had scolded him.

• Ji Yanzhi asked Liao Kai about arranging protection for Ji Ting, and Liao Kai confirmed Feng Lei would start the following week.
• Ji Shize invited Ji Yanzhi to play golf with Yue Ling, but Ji Yanzhi challenged him to confirm Yue Ling was willing before accepting.
• Ji Yanzhi took Ji Ting's hand as they left, tightened his grip in the elevator, and escorted him to the R&D Center.
• Liao Kai gave Ji Ting a device granting him access, and Ji Ting entered the R&D Center without saying goodbye to Ji Yanzhi.
• Ji Shize sent Shi Qingbo to investigate Ji Ting, but Shi Qingbo found Ji Ting leaving the supercomputing center and learned little from him.
• Ji Ting went to the staff dining room, bought almond milk, and received a call from Shen Mu Lan saying his older brother had scolded him.

Ji Ting met Shen Lin in private and handed over two advanced technologies despite his unresolved grievances over Qin Zaiye, believing the nation's interests came first. He left Shen Lin to pursue an answer from the organization, while expecting the technologies to bring Qin Zaiye severe punishment.

• Ji Ting visited Tiananmen Square and realized that wherever the national flag flew was his home, despite still longing to return to his original world.
• Ji Ting met Shen Lin at the Shen Family residence and set up a Signal Jammer to protect their confidential conversation.
• Ji Ting gave Shen Lin the technical documents requested by the 13th Institute and the Aerospace Engineering Institute.
• Ji Ting explained that national interests outweighed his personal grievances and urged Shen Lin to pass the technologies on.
• Shen Lin promised the organization would answer Ji Ting, but Ji Ting told him to stay out of the matter from then on.

Ji Ting earned Shen Gongda’s admiration by offering two military technologies and sharing his commitment to serving the country. After Ji Ting asked Shen Lin for help concerning Qin Zaiye, Shen Gongda learned what had happened to him and vowed to demand accountability from the Qin family.

• Shen Lin promised that the two technologies Ji Ting provided would bear Ji Ting’s name, but Ji Ting declined credit and said he would help make them succeed.
• Shen Gongda welcomed Ji Ting to dinner, reminisced about his fallen comrade, and learned that one technology could greatly extend the Firegold No. 5 missile’s range.
• Shen Gongda asked whether Ji Ting was dating anyone and whether he had met Mu Lan, embarrassing Shen Lin.
• As Shen Lin saw Ji Ting off, Ji Ting asked him to say he had persuaded Ji Ting to provide the technologies and made another request concerning Qin Zaiye.
• Shen Lin told Shen Gongda how Ji Ting had helped catch a spy, been unjustly imprisoned, and nearly tortured by Qin Zaiye.
• Enraged, Shen Gongda announced that he would go to the Garrison District the next day and demand an answer from the Qin family.

Ji Yanzhi dreamed that Ji Ting woke and rejected his touch, then jolted awake beside the sleeping Ji Ting. When Ji Ting stirred, Ji Yanzhi claimed he thought he had a fever again.

• Ling Xi tried to confront Ji Ting, but Ji Ting walked past him and shut his bedroom door.
• Ji Yanzhi found Ji Ting studying perfect-score essays and told him to read during the day instead.
• Ji Ting asked why Ji Yanzhi had been coming home late, and Ji Yanzhi reassured him that he would keep returning to the Old Residence to sleep.
• After Ji Ting fell asleep, Ji Yanzhi worked on his laptop in bed and dreamed that Ji Ting woke and recoiled from him when he touched his hand.
• Ji Yanzhi woke from the dream and, after Ji Ting opened his eyes, said he thought he had a fever again.

Ji Yanzhi reflected on how completely Ji Ting differed from the person he remembered and asked him to always remain Ji Ear. After the holidays, Ji Ting visited the Garrison District with Shen Lin and Shen Gongda, where Qin Mingzhong approached him before Shen Gongda ordered Qin to come with him.

• Ji Yanzhi woke from a nightmare, compared Ji Ting with the loathsome person he had once been, and decided he did not want Ji Ting to change back.
• Ji Yanzhi asked Ji Ting if he could always be Ji Ear, but Ji Ting said he did not understand.
• After the Lantern Festival, Ji Yanzhi kept returning to the Old Residence before midnight, while Lin Qing remained missing from the family home.
• Ji Ting learned that his request to visit the Garrison District had been approved and arranged to go that afternoon.
• Shen Lin and Shen Gongda accompanied Ji Ting into the Garrison District, where Qin Mingzhong approached and told him to come along.
• Shen Gongda ordered Qin Mingzhong to come with him instead.

Ji Ting confronted Qin Zaiye in the interrogation room while Qin Mingzhong and others watched, using Ling Xi’s attempts to plead for him to expose the strain between Qin Zaiye and his family. He revealed that breaking their relationship was the first thing he intended to take from Qin Zaiye.

• Ji Ting asked Qin Mingzhong to watch his conversation with Qin Zaiye, and Shen Lin supported the proposal.
• Ji Ting entered the interrogation room alone and faced the restrained Qin Zaiye.
• Ji Ting asked whether Qin Zaiye regretted torturing him, then told him Ling Xi had begged Ji Ting and Lu Yanchu for a chance to help him.
• Ji Ting pointed out that Qin Mingzhong was watching and challenged Qin Zaiye to ask his father whether Ling Xi had played no part in his unlawful detention and torture.
• Ji Ting admitted he was deliberately provoking Qin Zaiye and said he would take away the love Qin Zaiye considered so profound.

Ji Ting confronted Qin Zaiye over abusing his authority during the interrogation and revealed that he had created the surveillance program used to expose Peng Zekun. He left Qin Zaiye facing the consequences of putting a personal grudge above his military duty.

• Qin Zaiye tried to use questions about the program that exposed Peng Zekun to make Ji Ting reveal incriminating thoughts, but Ji Ting said he had made it himself.
• Shen Lin laughed at Qin Zaiye's stunned reaction, while Commander Wu regretted trusting him and recalled that Ji Ting had already given the technology to the state.
• Ji Ting told Qin Zaiye that his prejudice came from Ling Xi and accused him of using his position to settle a personal score and concealing Ji Ting's condition from his superiors.
• Ji Ting challenged Qin Zaiye to explain a soldier's duty and described how letting personal grudges override battlefield intelligence could cost lives.
• Ji Ting asked whether Qin Zaiye could face the military insignia he had worn without shame.