Chapter Summaries

Wang Xiaoliang and Wei Zijin had dinner with He Rumeng, who offered to send celebrity publicity work Wei Zijin’s way. On the drive home, Wang Xiaoliang suggested He Rumeng might be Nuomi’s biological mother.

• Wang Xiaoliang arrived early at the hotel and calmed his nerves before He Rumeng and Wei Zijin joined him.
• He Rumeng asked Wei Zijin about her marriage and career, then offered to refer publicity work from her famous friends.
• Wang Xiaoliang had the uneaten food packed up, prompting He Rumeng to praise him and Wei Zijin to worry that he had embarrassed them.
• Wei Zijin questioned Wang Xiaoliang about He Rumeng’s offer, and he suggested she might be Nuomi’s biological mother.

Wang Xiaoliang told Wei Zijin that He Rumeng was probably Nuomi’s biological mother and had approached them to confirm it and secure their silence. He warned Wei Zijin to keep her distance and stay loyal to Xiao Mo and Nuomi, leaving her wondering how to refuse He Rumeng’s future offers.

• Wang Xiaoliang explained that He Rumeng’s warmth toward Nuomi and her probing questions suggested they were mother and daughter.
• Wang Xiaoliang reasoned that He Rumeng had arranged dinner to learn whether Nuomi was Xiao Mo’s child and to bring Wei Zijin into her circle as a trusted intermediary.
• Wang Xiaoliang speculated that Nuomi avoided cameras because she feared He Rumeng might find her and take her away from Xiao Mo.
• Wang Xiaoliang told Wei Zijin not to help He Rumeng and to protect Xiao Mo and Nuomi, who had been their benefactors.
• Wei Zijin asked how to refuse He Rumeng’s offers, then teased Wang Xiaoliang about packing leftovers at an awkward dinner.

Wang Xiaoliang declined to appear on camera to clear his name, while Wei Zijin received an offer to interview an A-list actor through He Rumeng. The next morning, Wang learned the police planned to clarify his case, and he and Wei prepared to celebrate at Mimo.

• Nuomi suggested Wang Xiaoliang appear on camera to clear his name and use the attention to promote his calligraphy, but he chose to let Boss Xiao handle it.
• Wei Zijin asked whether she might be able to persuade He Rumeng's contacts, and Wang warned her not to get involved as a go-between.
• Wei Zijin received He Rumeng's message offering an A-list actor as a guest for her interview show, leaving Wang worried about how much they owed He Rumeng.
• Wang went to the police station, where an officer said they planned to release a statement that afternoon explaining his case.
• Wang called Xiao Mo about the statement and learned Nuomi had written a script for a video; Wei Zijin suggested celebrating at Mimo.

Xiao Mo released footage proving Wang Xiaoliang had punched a man attempting to secretly film Wei Zijin and her assistant, while the police classified Wang’s actions as courageous intervention. After public opinion turned in his favor, Wei Zijin proposed inviting He Rumeng to a livestream, and Wang Xiaoliang grew suspicious of Nuomi’s reaction.

• Xiao Mo published edited and alternate-angle footage showing the man trying to grab Wei Zijin and hidden cameras in the old man’s shoes.
• Xiao Mo showed the police announcement classifying Wang Xiaoliang’s actions as courageous intervention and condemned the secret filming.
• Wang Xiaoliang watched the video and reflected that his main concern was how to repay He Rumeng for her help and opportunities.
• After the livestream, Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang, Xiao Mo, and Nuomi that He Rumeng would appear in her next video and had referred another guest.
• Wei Zijin suggested inviting He Rumeng to their livestream, and Nuomi and Xiao Mo supported the idea.
• Wang Xiaoliang noticed Nuomi’s reaction seemed unusually restrained and wondered whether her earlier remark about He Rumeng had meant something else.

Wei Zijin celebrated securing an award-winning actor for her crew’s shoot, while Wang Xiaoliang registered a media company and heard that Luo Bisheng had confessed to Huanhuan. The chapter ended with Wei Zijin and Wang Xiaoliang planning a celebratory night before she flew to Beijing the next morning.

• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang that he had misread He Rumeng’s intentions and said she hoped she had been overthinking Nuomi’s reaction.
• Wang Xiaoliang registered a sole-shareholder media company and struggled to find an available name.
• Luo Bisheng called Wang Xiaoliang to announce that Huanhuan had accepted his public confession at Jiang University.
• Wang Xiaoliang named his company Huanluo Media, combining Huanhuan and Luo Bisheng’s names, and submitted the application.
• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang that her crew had finalized a deal with an award-winning actor and would fly to Beijing for the shoot the next day.
• Wei Zijin invited Wang Xiaoliang to Boundless to celebrate, and he agreed.

Wang Xiaoliang rushed home after Wei Zijin missed their dinner, only to find her packing and confronting him about his closeness with Tian Jiayi. Wei Zijin showed him evidence that made her suspect he had been unfaithful and accused him of hiding important matters from her, leaving their marriage in crisis.

• Wang Xiaoliang waited at Boundless, then learned from Jin Huaqi that Wei Zijin had gone home and hurried back after she ignored his calls.
• Wang Xiaoliang found Wei Zijin packing a suitcase, and she told him to calm down before they talked.
• Wei Zijin asked Wang Xiaoliang whether he still wanted to be with her and showed him Cheng Huan's photos of a date with Luo Bisheng, pointing out that Wang Xiaoliang had sat in a couples' seat with Tian Jiayi.
• Wang Xiaoliang explained that he had sat in Tian Jiayi's seat by mistake and left after half an hour, but Wei Zijin challenged why he had stayed and cared about her feelings.
• Wei Zijin showed Wang Xiaoliang Tian Jiayi's post about his supermarket being taken back and said Tian Jiayi had learned about it before she did.
• Wei Zijin sobbed that she felt like the last person to know what was happening in her husband's life and asked whether she was still the person closest to him.

Wei Zijin and Wang Xiaoliang fought over his secrecy about his mother, his closeness with other women, and the unequal sacrifices in their marriage. Wei Zijin asked for time apart, and Wang Xiaoliang left their home fearing their next meeting might be at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

• Wei Zijin confronted Wang Xiaoliang for hiding that his uncle had swindled his mother out of 1.6 million and argued that money could ease the family’s hardship.
• Wang Xiaoliang accused Wei Zijin of hiding her deal with Zhang Fei and monitoring Nuomi, and Wei Zijin admitted she had turned to her because Wang Xiaoliang had sat in Couple Seats with Tian Jiayi.
• Wei Zijin said she wanted time apart after considering divorce, packed a suitcase, and planned to stay with Lanxiang before an early flight.
• Wang Xiaoliang argued that Wei Zijin’s friends were untrustworthy and that she had advanced with help from Brother Qiang and Brother Huang, while Wei Zijin insisted she had earned her success herself.
• Wang Xiaoliang said he would leave instead, refused to take Wei Zijin’s money, packed his clothes and the Book of Fate, and walked to the apartment without taking a taxi.
• After hearing Wei Zijin sob inside, Wang Xiaoliang walked away and feared their separation might end with them meeting at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Wang Xiaoliang returned to the apartment he shared with Wei Zijin and struggled to find a way to repair their broken trust, but the Book of Fate advised him not to force the issue. After a sleepless night, he learned that his company application had been approved while he lacked the money to pay his mortgage.

• Wang Xiaoliang returned to the dusty apartment and worried that he would lose it if he and Wei Zijin divorced.
• He read the Book of Fate’s advice to avoid forcing an unresolved matter and concluded that he had no way to restore Wei Zijin’s trust yet.
• After staying awake all night, Wang Xiaoliang went downstairs to buy three pork buns and charged his dead phone at a nearby shop so he could pay.
• Wang Xiaoliang received notice that Jiangcheng Huanluo Media Co., Ltd. had been approved and a bank warning that his mortgage payment was overdue unless he deposited enough money by noon.

Wang Xiaoliang struggled to make his mortgage payment after his breakup with Wei Zijin, secured a job at Bugbug Internet Cafe, and cashed out part of his credit card to cover the overdue bill. He planned to make videos to address next month’s shortfall and headed to Old Sichuan to meet Huang Xueli for a drink.

• Wang Xiaoliang called Luo Bisheng to ask about money, learned he would have to wait ten days, and accepted a job at Bugbug Internet Cafe starting in three days.
• Wang Xiaoliang asked Brother Zhang to cash out twelve thousand yuan from his credit card and deposited the proceeds at a bank.
• Wang Xiaoliang paid his mortgage but realized he would owe more than twenty thousand yuan next month and decided to make videos for extra income.
• Wang Xiaoliang called Huang Xueli and arranged to meet him at Old Sichuan for a drink.
• Wang Xiaoliang passed Hongbin Little Tower, saw Sun Ting working inside, and walked toward Old Sichuan.

Wang Xiaoliang told Huang Xueli about his breakup with Zijin and learned why she saw Tian Jiayi as a rival. Huang advised him to wait rather than force a reconciliation, leaving Wang to reflect on the advice and the Book of Fate.

• Huang Xueli stopped Wang Xiaoliang from drinking before eating and urged him to think clearly about repairing things with Zijin.
• Wang Xiaoliang explained that Zijin had accused him of emotional infidelity with Tian Jiayi after they went to a movie together.
• Huang Xueli revealed that Tian Jiayi was Deputy Governor Tian's daughter and joked about Wang asking her father to save his supermarket.
• Wang Xiaoliang learned that Huang Xueli had married over the New Year after a blind date, though Huang hinted that his marriage involved resignation.
• Huang Xueli said Zijin felt insecure because Tian Jiayi was beautiful, influential, and interested in Wang, but insisted Wang and Tian Jiayi had no future together.
• Huang Xueli advised Wang to wait instead of pushing Zijin, and Wang drank while recalling the Book of Fate's similar counsel.

Huang Xueli told Wang Xiaoliang that he and Haiyan had ended their relationship because they came from different worlds, and warned him not to stay apart from Zijin for too long. After Wang Xiaoliang recovered from a night of drinking, Nuomi told him that their livestream partnership would pause after two more broadcasts, leaving him dizzy and worried about the decision.

• Huang Xueli explained that he and Haiyan had agreed to separate if either wanted to end things, and said their different backgrounds made a future together too difficult.
• Huang Xueli warned Wang Xiaoliang not to stay apart from Zijin long enough for them to become people from different worlds.
• Wang Xiaoliang drank with Huang Xueli, got sick after returning home, and woke the next morning with a dead phone and a painful hangover.
• Wang Xiaoliang saw Nuomi's message about pausing their work after two livestreams and called to ask whether their partnership was ending.
• Nuomi confirmed that the boss had decided to stop the collaboration for a while, and told Wang Xiaoliang to ask him directly about the reasons.

Wang Xiaoliang met Xiao Mo over a meal and learned that Xiao Mo was retiring and separating from Nuomi. After Wang Xiaoliang pressed him about how retirement fit with his planned three-year contract with Zijin, Xiao Mo admitted his decision had something to do with her.

• Wang Xiaoliang called Xiao Mo to discuss Zijin and agreed to meet him for a drink.
• Xiao Mo dismissed his driver and told him to collect his wages and severance before they parted ways.
• Xiao Mo and Wang Xiaoliang ate and drank together at a small restaurant.
• Xiao Mo explained that he had enough money and wanted to leave Nuomi and find a quiet place to live.
• Wang Xiaoliang pointed out that Xiao Mo had planned a three-year contract with Zijin, and Xiao Mo admitted that his retirement had something to do with her.

Xiao Mo told Wang Xiaoliang he planned to end his partnership with Zijin and disappear from Nuomi’s life, asking Wang to help Nuomi through the separation. He admitted He Rumeng’s connection to Zijin had influenced his decision, but insisted there was more behind it.

• Xiao Mo warned Wang Xiaoliang that Zijin had become too confident too quickly and that working with her put Xiao Mo and Nuomi at risk.
• Xiao Mo explained that he wanted to leave the partnership and thanked Wang for being Nuomi’s friend, then revealed he had seen through Nuomi’s matchmaking scheme but pretended not to.
• Xiao Mo said he would follow Nuomi’s travel plan for a few days before disappearing, and asked Wang to stay with her and stop her from searching for him.
• Wang Xiaoliang asked whether Xiao Mo was leaving because he hated He Rumeng, Nuomi’s biological mother; Xiao Mo confirmed it was a factor, but said that was not the whole story.
• Xiao Mo suggested Wang would be letting Nuomi suffer if he refused to help, and Wang challenged him for using a threat after drinking so much.

Wang Xiaoliang learned that Xiao Mo’s drinking and apparent romances had hidden his fear of intimacy after losing a leg, and urged him to stay with Nuomi. Xiao Mo discovered that Nuomi had heard their conversation and was coming to meet him.

• Wang Xiaoliang asked Xiao Mo whether he loved Nuomi, and Xiao Mo admitted he could not live without her.
• Xiao Mo revealed that he was impotent because of psychological distress over his missing leg and had faked his girlfriends to make Nuomi think he had moved on.
• Xiao Mo explained that he had pretended to be asleep when Nuomi covered him with her clothes, then began drinking heavily after realizing her feelings for him.
• Wang Xiaoliang urged Xiao Mo to give Nuomi a chance and warned that she was heartbroken by his plan to disappear.
• Xiao Mo discovered Wang Xiaoliang had secretly connected a WeChat call with Nuomi, who said she was coming, and raised the liquor bottle at him.

Nuomi confronted Xiao Mo and stopped him from leaving, while Wang Xiaoliang left them to make peace. Back at Wei Zijin's apartment, Wang Xiaoliang reflected on his fears and answered a repeated overseas call, recognizing the caller's familiar voice.

• Nuomi threatened to kill herself if Xiao Mo left her, and Xiao Mo lowered his head without replying.
• Wang Xiaoliang told Nuomi they were square, then left and called Luo Bisheng, who hinted that their work arrangement would change soon.
• Wang Xiaoliang returned to Wei Zijin's apartment, found a new instruction in the Book of Fate, and considered his fears about his mother's illness, his marriage, and his loan.
• Wang Xiaoliang declined an overseas call, then answered when the same number called again and recognized the man's voice.

Wang Xiaoliang agreed to go to Fucheng for six months to manage Liu Xinyu’s construction labor company while Liu stayed with his pregnant wife. Before leaving, Wang tried to contact Wei Zijin but spoke with Jin Huaqi instead, then returned to the home he shared with Zijin.

• Liu Xinyu told Wang Xiaoliang that Yang Qingyu was pregnant and might suffer a threatened miscarriage.
• Liu Xinyu asked Wang to manage a construction labor company in Fucheng for six months, and Wang agreed to go within a few days.
• Liu Xinyu asked Wang to watch Uncle Fu and learned that Brother Qiang was missing.
• Wang called Wei Zijin, but Jin Huaqi answered and said Zijin was busy and doing a little better.
• Wang left his apartment and returned to the home he shared with Wei Zijin, wishing he could undo their argument.

Wang Xiaoliang rode with Huang Xueli to the airport, where Huang revealed that Feng Yuan had blocked a guaranteed graduate-school offer for Wang and Li Jun. Wang considered how that lost opportunity shaped the life he had with Wei Zijin and chose the life he had now as he neared his departure for Fucheng.

• Huang Xueli drove Wang Xiaoliang to the airport and worried that distance and their differing status would strain Wang’s relationship with Wei Zijin.
• Huang told Wang that the school principal had offered him and Li Jun guaranteed admission to a master’s program after the dorm incidents.
• Huang explained that Feng Yuan rejected the offer and claimed he had resolved the matter, costing them the opportunity to pursue graduate studies.
• Huang recounted how he and Zhou Qiang later realized that Wang Xiaoliang was Wei Zijin’s boyfriend.
• When Huang asked which path he would choose, Wang said he would choose the life he had now, including his relationship with Wei Zijin and the people he had met.

After Wang Xiaoliang left following an argument, Wei Zijin struggled with their separation while Li Lanxiang urged her to protect their finances. In Beijing, Wei discovered that Xiaoliang had borrowed money to make the mortgage payment rather than use her bank card, and she broke down at the ATM.

• After Wang Xiaoliang left, Wei Zijin called Jin Huaqi and told Li Lanxiang about their argument and separation.
• Li Lanxiang urged Wei Zijin to monitor their shared finances, and Wei decided to watch for withdrawals from her account.
• While working in Beijing, Wei Zijin saw a large deposit from Nuomi but no withdrawal for the mortgage payment.
• After midnight, Wei Zijin went with Jin Huaqi to a bank and printed the transaction history for Wang Xiaoliang's card.
• Wei Zijin saw that Xiaoliang had borrowed money to pay the mortgage and cried, realizing he had refused to use her money.

Wei Zijin struggled to contact Wang Xiaoliang while putting work first, then learned he had asked Nuomi to keep her safe from trouble. She rejected Nuomi’s offer to continue their collaboration, and Nuomi stopped her before she could leave to discuss two more matters.

• Wei Zijin resisted calling Wang Xiaoliang after a successful interview, then missed his call while meeting with a young actor’s team; Jin Huaqi told her Wang had asked her to take care of Wei Zijin.
• Wei Zijin delayed calling Wang Xiaoliang until she returned from work, but after her flight landed his phone was switched off despite her repeated calls.
• Wei Zijin struggled during a livestream and asked Jin Huaqi to take her home, telling her to wait in the car unless Wang Xiaoliang was there.
• Nuomi summoned Wei Zijin and said their collaboration would end after two more streams; she explained that Wang Xiaoliang had asked whether Wei Zijin should keep working with them because he worried she might run into problems.
• Wei Zijin refused to continue the collaboration and headed for the door, but Nuomi stopped her, saying she had two more things to discuss.

Nuomi confronted Wei Zijin about how she controlled her relationship with Wang Xiaoliang and revealed the hidden meaning behind his calligraphy for Li Lanxiang. She ended by telling Wei Zijin that she did not deserve Wang Xiaoliang.

• Nuomi told Wei Zijin she had been directing her relationship and work with Wang Xiaoliang while avoiding discussions about things she disliked.
• Nuomi challenged Wei Zijin's decision to control the money and explained that Wang Xiaoliang would manage the finances through their new company.
• Nuomi said Huang Xueli had explained that Wang Xiaoliang's calligraphy for Li Lanxiang warned her to let Guoguo grow up naturally.
• Nuomi described Wang Xiaoliang's loyalty to Wei Zijin and his willingness to act against people who threatened her.
• Nuomi stood before Wei Zijin and told her she did not deserve Wang Xiaoliang.