Chapter Summaries

After waking in the body of a disgraced actor, Shen Lian realized he had landed in a novel where his character was doomed to ruin. He avoided provoking Chu Yilan and responded to the scarred man's hostility with unexpected composure, leaving their encounter poised to unfold.

• Shen Lian absorbed the original Shen Lian's memories and learned how his obsession with Zhou Tangsi had destroyed his career.
• Shen Lian recalled that the original Shen Lian was blamed for a fire that disfigured Chu Yilan and later died in debt and obscurity.
• Shen Lian asked whether he had already insulted anyone, then relaxed when he learned he had not.
• Chu Yilan entered the room and poured liquor over Shen Lian's head, expecting him to lose control.
• Shen Lian stayed calm, unbuttoned his wet collar, and asked Chu Yilan whether he felt better.

Shen Lian tried to win Chu Yilan’s mercy by confessing his attraction and kissing the scar on his face, then collapsed with a fever. He woke up in Chu Yilan’s home, recovered enough to eat, and learned his agent was furious that he had missed a commercial shoot.

• Chu Yilan threatened to ruin Shen Lian’s career, but Shen Lian claimed he had targeted Zheng Ge to draw Chu Yilan’s attention and kissed Chu Yilan’s scar.
• Shen Lian lost consciousness, and Chu Yilan caught him and discovered he had a high fever.
• Shen Lian woke up two days later in Chu Yilan’s home and recognized Auntie Fen, Chu Yilan’s longtime caregiver.
• Shen Lian ate Auntie Fen’s cooking and answered a furious call from his agent, Qian Gao, who ordered him to go to the XZ commercial shoot.

Shen Lian impressed photographer Zhao Ban with an unexpectedly successful ad shoot, then bought roses for Chu Yilan on his way back. Chu Yilan greeted him angrily for leaving without a word, but Shen Lian's gift and affectionate teasing left him flustered.

• Shen Lian arrived at the studio and apologized to photographer Zhao Ban for missing the previous day's shoot.
• Zhao Ban was impressed by Shen Lian's camera presence, and Shen Lian improvised a sensual pose with a rose and water that kept the shoot going for three hours.
• Shen Lian recalled that Chu Yilan would suffer because Zheng Ge treated him as a backup, then stopped to buy Chu Yilan red roses.
• Chu Yilan seized Shen Lian by the collar when he returned to the villa and accused him of running off after Zhou Tangsi refused to help him.
• Shen Lian offered Chu Yilan the roses, explained that he had simply forgotten to leave a message, and suggested a kiss, prompting Chu Yilan to push him away in embarrassment.

Shen Lian moved into Chu Yilan’s home and tried to reassure him that he could support himself, while Chu Yilan offered to support Shen Lian instead. After Shen Lian injured his ankle, Chu Yilan showed him a rare hint of compromise, but Shen Lian insisted on working so he could provide for Chu Yilan.

• Shen Lian explained that his commercial shoot had paid poorly and asked Chu Yilan to let him stay at his home for a while.
• Chu Yilan agreed to let Shen Lian stay, and Shen Lian promised to give him flowers every day.
• Qian Gao called Shen Lian after an advertiser praised his shoot and arranged to meet him the next day.
• Shen Lian felt dizzy in the shower, fell at the bathroom entrance, and injured his ankle.
• Chu Yilan helped Shen Lian up and offered to support him if work was too exhausting, but Shen Lian refused and said he wanted to provide for Chu Yilan.

Shen Lian chose an adventure show over a dating show because he did not want Chu Yilan to misunderstand his feelings, and Chu Yilan secretly listened in. After accepting Shen Lian’s lilies and hearing about his plans, Chu Yilan remained guarded, while Shen Lian returned to live at his home.

• Shen Lian met Qian Gao and chose an adventure show rather than a dating show, saying he did not want the person he liked to get the wrong idea.
• Chu Yilan heard Shen Lian’s words through a listening device and later accepted the pink lilies Shen Lian had sent him.
• Qian Gao agreed to book Shen Lian on the adventure show, which was set to begin in three days.
• Shen Lian confronted Qian Gao over unpaid fees and decided to end his company contract after the show.
• Shen Lian packed his belongings and returned to Chu Yilan’s home, where he asked whether Chu Yilan had liked the lilies.

Shen Lian joined the jungle-adventure variety show "Stars, Boldly Charge Ahead" and discovered that Zheng Ge was also a guest, setting him up for hostility from Zheng Ge’s fans. The chapter ended with Shen Lian greeting the cast and livestream viewers on his own terms despite the production’s apparent plan to make him the scapegoat.

• Shen Lian arrived at the filming location and met regular cast members Zhao Lin, Li Jiabo, and Zhu Yingyu.
• Fang Ke and Feng Susu arrived as guests, followed by Zheng Ge, whose appearance made Shen Lian realize the show was likely using their feud to attract attention.
• The assistant director announced Shen Lian as the final guest, prompting Zheng Ge’s fans in the livestream chat to attack him.
• Shen Lian stood beside his chair, faced the cameras, and greeted everyone without trying to flatter them.

Shen Lian returned to filming and confounded the guests and production team by staying composed, pushing back against their provocations, and rejecting his former obsession with Zhou Tangsi. The chapter ended with Zheng Ge stunned and Shen Lian resolved to use his bad reputation to outshine everyone.

• Shen Lian greeted Zheng Ge calmly, surprising viewers who had expected him to make a scene.
• Zhu Yingyu shared her food with Shen Lian, and he thanked her while calmly deflecting Feng Susu's and Li Jiabo's remarks.
• Shen Lian criticized Li Jiabo's focus on his persona and praised Fang Ke's acting.
• When Zheng Ge brought up Zhou Tangsi, Shen Lian cut him off and said he did not want to hear that name.
• Zhao Lin urged everyone to eat as Zheng Ge remained dazed, and Shen Lian resolved to make the most of his situation.

On a jungle livestream, Shen Lian led the guests along a difficult trail and found a spring, while Li Jiabo and Zheng Ge tried to provoke him. The chapter ended with Chu Yilan asking his assistant about Li Jianing after viewers caught Li Jiabo bullying Shen Lian on camera.

• Shen Lian kept a low profile during the livestream as Chu Yilan watched him from his office.
• Shen Lian found a buried trail marker and took the lead through the jungle.
• Shen Lian identified White-Gel Bamboo Shoot as a sign of nearby spring water, and Li Jiabo slipped into the mud and tore his trousers.
• Zheng Ge hinted that Shen Lian had known about the hazard, but Shen Lian returned his apology with the same words.
• Li Jiabo kicked dirt into the spring after Shen Lian drank, and a hidden camera caught him rolling his eyes as viewers criticized his behavior.
• Chu Yilan asked his assistant Yang Bin what Li Jianing did.

Chu Yilan watched Shen Lian on a variety show, reacted jealously to his interactions with other guests, and received the sunflowers Shen Lian sent him. After filming, Shen Lian left the mountain with Qian Gao, speeding past Zhou Tangsi, who had come to meet Zheng Ge.

• Chu Yilan saw Li Jiabo grab Shen Lian on the livestream and ordered Yang Bin to end Li Jiabo's work with Xingkai.
• Shen Lian smiled after learning the time, and Chu Yilan received his bouquet of sunflowers and read the card explaining that Shen Lian would buy him roses once he got paid.
• Shen Lian told Zhu Yingyu he hoped the sunflowers would put their recipient in a good mood, prompting Chu Yilan to react jealously to his apparent declaration of affection.
• After filming ended, Shen Lian planned to leave rather than stay in the crowded lodge, and Qian Gao called to pick him up for dinner.
• Zheng Ge injured his ankle on the way down the mountain, then reunited with Zhou Tangsi, while Shen Lian got into Qian Gao's van and drove away as Zhou Tangsi approached.

Shen Lian was pressured by Qian Gao and an advertiser to drink and submit to Manager Liu, but he fought back when the men humiliated him. Injured and reeling in the corridor, he encountered Chu Yilan and Feng Yueshan, who confronted Qian Gao.

• Qian Gao brought Shen Lian to dinner with Manager Liu of Tianhe Advertising and left him to face the men’s pressure.
• Manager Liu touched Shen Lian’s thigh, and Shen Lian pushed his hand away and tried to leave.
• A man threw hot tea in Shen Lian’s face and threatened to ruin his career, so Shen Lian slammed the man into a bowl of chicken soup and fought the group.
• Shen Lian fought Qian Gao and the five men, then stumbled into the corridor as Liu Kaisheng threatened him.
• Chu Yilan found Shen Lian bruised and demanded to know what had happened, while Feng Yueshan confronted Qian Gao.

Chu Yilan rescued Shen Lian from Liu Kaisheng and took him to the hospital, where doctors found his injuries were severe. After learning Shen Lian had a broken rib, Chu Yilan ordered Feng Yueshan to break Liu Kaisheng’s leg.

• Chu Yilan ordered his bodyguards to seize Liu Kaisheng, while Feng Yueshan took Qian Gao and the others away to deal with them.
• Chu Yilan took the injured Shen Lian to the hospital, where Shen Lian leaned on him and spoke despite his worsening pain.
• Shen Lian passed out after reaching the hospital, and doctors found he had contusions, damaged leg ligaments, a broken rib, and a near-punctured lung.
• Chu Yilan called Feng Yueshan and ordered him to break Liu Kaisheng’s leg after hearing Shen Lian had a broken rib.
• Feng Yueshan struck Liu Kaisheng’s leg with a liquor bottle, and Qian Gao screamed even though Feng Yueshan had not hit him.

Shen Lian recovered from his injuries while Chu Yilan watched his career take its first steps, but their uneasy closeness erupted into a confrontation over Zheng Ge. The chapter ended with Shen Lian challenging Chu Yilan to stop protecting the man who had hurt him.

• Shen Lian received fifty thousand yuan in overdue appearance fees from Qian Gao, and Aunt Fen brought him bone broth while he recovered in the hospital.
• Chu Yilan learned Shen Lian had beaten Liu Kaisheng and his group, while Shen Lian joked about their relationship and promised to buy him roses.
• Shen Lian sent red roses bearing an “Eternal Love” card to Chu Yilan, and he later received an invitation to appear in an advertisement.
• After Shen Lian was discharged, he saw a message from Zheng Ge and deleted him from Chu Yilan’s phone, also sending Zheng Ge a message in Chu Yilan’s name.
• Chu Yilan seized Shen Lian during their argument, but Shen Lian broke free and challenged him to confront Zheng Ge before calling him a coward.

After fighting over Chu Yilan’s lingering interest in Zheng Ge, Shen Lian showed Chu Yilan his possessive side, and Chu Yilan found himself drawn to it. Shen Lian’s growing online popularity brought fresh attention and backlash, and he arrived at the next filming with a new assistant as the cast fell silent around him.

• Shen Lian threatened to leave unless Chu Yilan promised not to add Zheng Ge back, then bit at Chu Yilan’s collar and warned him not to smell of anyone else.
• Shen Lian gave Chu Yilan a framed photo of himself to put on his desk, hoping to keep himself on Chu Yilan’s mind.
• Shen Lian’s appearance on "Stars, Charge Ahead!" and the release of his studio photos boosted his Weibo popularity, while haters revived his past controversies.
• The production team called Shen Lian to resume filming, and Xingtu Entertainment assigned Jiang You as his new assistant.
• Shen Lian added Chu Yilan on WeChat using Chu Yilan’s personal number and arrived at the filming lounge, where everyone fell silent.

Shen Lian led Zhu Yingyu along a safe, direct route to Clear Creek Bank while weaving a basket from kudzu vine. They arrived clean and in good spirits as the other teams emerged muddy and exhausted.

• The guests drew team assignments, pairing Shen Lian with Zhu Yingyu, and the teams set off for Clear Creek Bank.
• Shen Lian chose a flat, short path he had surveyed earlier and reassured Zhu Yingyu as they walked.
• Shen Lian gathered silverback kudzu vine and quickly wove it into a basket while continuing along the trail.
• Shen Lian and Zhu Yingyu reached Clear Creek Bank ahead of the other teams, who had gotten lost and fallen in the mud.
• Shen Lian teased Li Jiabo, Zheng Ge, and the others about their muddy appearance while he and Zhu Yingyu remained clean.

Shen Lian used a basket and the river current to catch enough fish for the task, then cleaned and prepared them with improvised tools and plants while Zhu Yingyu watched. When the other group arrived, Shen Lian kept his catch to himself, and Zhu Yingyu suddenly ran off after sensing Zhao Lin had a trick in mind.

• The staff announced that the guests had to catch fish, and Shen Lian reassured Zhu Yingyu that he could handle it alone.
• Shen Lian wedged his basket between rocks so the current swept fish into it, then made three trips to meet the ten-pound quota.
• Shen Lian fashioned a stone flake to clean fish, gathered ghost thread vines to string them together, and treated a cut with cogongrass root.
• Shen Lian asked about the points ranking as Li Jiabo's group arrived, then handed his basket to Zhu Yingyu and refused to share it.
• After Zhao Lin insisted the group would rely on their own abilities, Zhu Yingyu ran away before they could try their trick.

Shen Lian and Zhu Yingyu reached their task destination, traded fish with local farmers for supplies, and prepared food while waiting until eight. As Shen Lian openly described the man he was trying to win over, Chu Yilan watched the livestream and realized Shen Lian was talking about him.

• Shen Lian left with Zhu Yingyu and explained that their task was to reach the destination and hold out until eight that night.
• Shen Lian led Zhu Yingyu to a junction where local farmers passed, then traded two fish for a lighter, water containers, and roasted corn.
• Shen Lian found a spring, gathered water, and roasted the remaining fish while Zhu Yingyu chatted with him.
• Shen Lian said he avoided making Zhu Yingyu a hat because the person he liked was sensitive and might overthink things.
• Shen Lian described the man he was pursuing, and Chu Yilan watched the livestream, stunned.

Shen Lian excelled at the survival challenge, shared food and water with Zhao Lin and Fang Ke, and left the show with his reputation improved. Back home, he reunited with Chu Yilan and asked whether Chu had missed him.

• Shen Lian and Zhu Yingyu returned from fishing with cooked fish, while the other groups struggled to catch enough.
• Shen Lian and Zhu Yingyu rested and ate before Zhao Lin and Fang Ke arrived, then shared their remaining food and water with them.
• Zheng Ge's group arrived after dark, barely meeting the reduced fish requirement, and Zheng Ge watched Shen Lian laughing with resentment.
• The livestream ended with record ratings, and Shen Lian's assistant Jiang You drove him home.
• Shen Lian greeted Aunt Fen and Chu Yilan, then asked Chu whether he had missed him.

Shen Lian turned down Xingtu Entertainment’s attempt to renew his contract and settled into a peaceful life with Chu Yilan. He went with Zhu Yingyu to an anime convention, where he cosplayed Snake Flower to overwhelming attention.

• Shen Lian teased Chu Yilan over his livestream and talked about refusing to renew his contract with Xingtu Entertainment.
• Shen Lian massaged Chu Yilan, promised to bring him fresh roses, and agreed to accompany Zhu Yingyu to an anime convention.
• Shen Lian arrived backstage and let Feng Susu persuade him to cosplay Snake Flower.
• Shen Lian studied Snake Flower and recreated the character so convincingly that conventiongoers crowded around him and screamed as he recited the character’s lines.
• Yang Bin returned from a meeting with Chu Yilan and found the female executive assistant shrieking over her phone.

Shen Lian’s cosplay livestream caught Chu Yilan’s attention and made him jealous. When Shen Lian returned home, he reassured Chu Yilan that his affection and intimacy were reserved for him, leaving Chu Yilan flustered.

• Chu Yilan recognized Shen Lian’s voice on Cui Xue’s phone and watched him livestreaming as Snake Flower at a cosplay gathering.
• Viewers identified Shen Lian, his cosplay became a trending topic, and Feng Susu celebrated his popularity.
• Shen Lian left the gathering, bought flowers, and returned home before Chu Yilan, who was waiting in a bad mood.
• Chu Yilan confronted Shen Lian about posing with female fans, and Shen Lian brought out a washboard to pretend to kneel.
• Chu Yilan caught Shen Lian and pulled him onto his lap, where Shen Lian kissed his scar and promised that their intimacy was only for him.

Shen Lian’s cosplay success brought him back into the spotlight, and Xingtu summoned him to a banquet to capitalize on the attention. He attended, avoided Zhou Tangsi and Zheng Ge, and was dazzled when Chu Yilan arrived.

• Shen Lian saw his cosplay photos and videos trending, then challenged a hater to livestream eating a stockpot raw if he made a comeback.
• Qian Gao invited Shen Lian to a banquet, and Jiang You brought him a branded suit to wear.
• At the banquet, Shen Lian ran into Wu Cheng and sharply dismissed him.
• Zhou Tangsi arrived with Zheng Ge and warned him to stay away from Shen Lian, while Shen Lian kept his distance from them.
• Shen Lian looked up from his champagne and saw Chu Yilan enter, becoming utterly dazzled.