Chapter Summaries

Wei Zijin fled Nuomi’s office after learning that Jin Huaqi was Nuomi’s friend, then rushed to find Wang Xiaoliang, fearing he had left her. At their home, she found rose petals leading toward the study.

• Wei Zijin argued with Nuomi, who criticized her treatment of Wang Xiaoliang and revealed that Jin Huaqi was her university friend, not a spy.
• Jin Huaqi assured Wei Zijin she had not betrayed her, but Wei Zijin ran from the office in disbelief.
• Nuomi and Jin Huaqi discussed their plan to push Wei Zijin toward reconciling with Wang Xiaoliang.
• Wei Zijin found their apartment dark and smelling of alcohol, then drove to their other home to look for Wang Xiaoliang.
• Wei Zijin entered the dark house, switched on the lights, and followed wilted rose petals toward the study.

Wei Zijin read Wang Xiaoliang’s letter explaining why he had gone to Fucheng and warning her about several people, then understood his concern and forgave him. She ended the night with his handwritten Book of Fate and a message telling him she loved and missed him.

• Wei Zijin found Wang Xiaoliang’s letter and flowers in the study and learned that he had gone to Fucheng for six months to help Liu Xinyu.
• Wang Xiaoliang apologized for his part in their fight and explained his concerns about Wei Zijin’s safety and growing public attention.
• Wang Xiaoliang warned Wei Zijin to be cautious of Li Lanxiang, He Rumeng, and Jin Huaqi, while advising her to keep employing Jin Huaqi unless she acted underhandedly.
• Wei Zijin read the first half of the Book of Fate that Wang Xiaoliang had copied by hand and felt her anger and hurt dissolve.
• Wei Zijin messaged Wang Xiaoliang to apologize, reaffirm her love, and say she missed him.

Wei Zijin found the love letter and saw how carefully Wang Xiaoliang had cleaned their home before leaving, then waited for his reply and read Jin Huaqi’s farewell message. When she could not reach her husband by phone, Wang Xiaoliang was already at the airport, leaving with Wei Zijin’s songs on his phone.

• Wei Zijin treasured Wang Xiaoliang’s letter, discovered that he had cleaned their home, and recorded the trail of roses before gathering them up.
• Wei Zijin read the Book of Fate and Wang Xiaoliang’s annotations, then fell asleep without noticing the notebook slip from her hands.
• Wei Zijin read Jin Huaqi’s farewell message, replied that they should part ways, and sent her twice-monthly salary before keeping Jin Huaqi as a contact.
• Wei Zijin repeatedly called Wang Xiaoliang after his chat remained unanswered, but every call failed because he was out of service range.
• Huang Xueli saw Wang Xiaoliang off at the departures hall, where Wang Xiaoliang waited with recordings of Wei Zijin’s songs on his phone.

Wang Xiaoliang arrived alone after leaving Wei Zijin without saying goodbye, and Fu Zhaojun welcomed him to Liu Xinyu’s villa. Exhausted and feverish, he fell asleep without realizing his phone was still in airplane mode, leaving him unable to receive Wei Zijin’s messages.

• Wang Xiaoliang listened to a recording of Wei Zijin’s graduation song on the plane and cried as he thought about leaving without saying goodbye.
• Fu Zhaojun met Wang Xiaoliang at the airport, remarked on how much older and more worn out he looked, and took him to eat and register at the property office.
• Fu Zhaojun brought Wang Xiaoliang to Liu Xinyu’s villa, gave him a car key, and told him to treat the house as his home.
• Wang Xiaoliang unpacked in the bedroom he had shared with Wei Zijin, charged his phone, and showered before falling ill with chills and a fever.
• Wang Xiaoliang fell asleep hoping Wei Zijin had messaged him, unaware that his phone was still in airplane mode.

Wang Xiaoliang drifted through a dreamlike parade of friends and loved ones before struggling to answer a call from Wei Zijin. Fan Qishan ordered everyone out and shouted Wang Xiaoliang’s name, jolting him back into a wave of cold and pain as his consciousness faded.

• Wang Xiaoliang dreamed that his parents, Song Yi, Zhou Qiang, Kong Xiuyun, and others visited him with invitations and news from their lives.
• Wang Xiaoliang realized the visitors were part of a dream and watched Tian Jiayi, Nuomi, Xiao Mo, and Hu Yang arrive.
• Wang Xiaoliang received repeated calls from Wei Zijin but could not swipe to answer before the calls stopped.
• Pei Lu brought in medical workers with a stretcher, but Fan Qishan sent them away and locked the door.
• Fan Qishan shouted Wang Xiaoliang’s name, and Wang Xiaoliang felt cold and pain as his consciousness blurred.

Wei Zijin learned that Wang Xiaoliang was unconscious in Fucheng and rushed to the airport, terrified that he might be seriously ill. Yang Qingyu told her that Fan Qishan was treating him and had ordered them to stay apart while he recovered, leaving Wei Zijin to board for Fucheng still waiting for news.

• When Wang Xiaoliang's phone was switched off, Wei Zijin called Yang Qingyu and learned he had arrived in Fucheng but was unconscious with a fever.
• Wei Zijin drove to the airport despite a station meeting and learned from Old Ma that Xie Hui's undercover videos had earned praise and the station was considering a promotion.
• Fu Zhaojun told Wei Zijin that Fan Qishan had arrived and was treating Wang Xiaoliang, then Yang Qingyu explained that Qishan believed exhaustion had harmed his body and spirit.
• Yang Qingyu said Fan Qishan had forbidden Wei Zijin from visiting and ordered Wang Xiaoliang to abstain from women for six months; Wei Zijin agreed to wait and asked Yang Qingyu to ensure he was cared for.
• Wei Zijin boarded a flight to Fucheng, hoping to see Wang Xiaoliang, just as an unfamiliar Beijing number called her.

Wang Xiaoliang woke at Liu Xinyu’s villa in Fucheng, gravely weak and unable to speak until Fan Qishan’s old Daoist master examined him and declared he would recover with time. After repeatedly being fed congee and sleeping through disturbing dreams, Wang Xiaoliang got up and discovered how emaciated he was and that both phones gifted by Wei Zijin and Liu Xinyu were broken.

• Wang Xiaoliang woke in Fucheng at Liu Xinyu’s villa, remembered he and Wei Zijin had separated, and found himself too weak to speak.
• Fan Qishan brought an old Daoist to examine Wang Xiaoliang, who asked for chicken soup and admitted he missed women; the old Daoist said he was all right but needed to recuperate.
• Fan Qishan fed Wang Xiaoliang congee and sent him back to sleep, repeating the routine as Wang Xiaoliang dreamed about his family and friends.
• Wang Xiaoliang woke in a dim room, struggled to the bathroom, and was frightened by his gaunt appearance in the mirror.
• Wang Xiaoliang found and ate leftover congee, then discovered his phone beneath the bed with its screen shattered and it would not turn on.

Wang Xiaoliang woke after several days of illness, confronted his self-pity through the Book of Fate, and recovered enough to leave his room. He found Fan Qishan and the old Taoist waiting in the Tea Room, where they began an absurd tea-tasting lesson.

• Wang Xiaoliang found his phone broken and worried that Wei Zijin had gone days without hearing from him.
• Wang Xiaoliang read the Book of Fate's Thirty-Seventh and Thirty-Eighth Arts of Changing Fate and tried to reject self-pity before falling asleep again.
• Wang Xiaoliang woke feeling stronger, heated porridge, and climbed downstairs without getting winded.
• Wang Xiaoliang entered the lit Tea Room and saw Fan Qishan smiling beside the old Taoist.
• The old Taoist served Wang Xiaoliang plain boiled water and said their practice was to taste Duck Shit Fragrance in it.

Wang Xiaoliang learned that he had been unconscious for thirty-one days after his body and spirit gave out, and that he had briefly died. After learning Zijin had not visited, he turned his thoughts toward improving his life and asked Yimu Hermit what he needed to avoid; Yimu Hermit began examining him.

• Wang Xiaoliang asked the Old Daoist his name, and the Old Daoist introduced himself as Yimu Hermit.
• Wang Xiaoliang thanked Yimu Hermit for caring for him, and Fan Qishan called Wang Xiaoliang his friend.
• Yimu Hermit told Wang Xiaoliang that he had been asleep for thirty-one days and explained that exhaustion, injuries to his spirit, and emotional strain had caused his collapse.
• Fan Qishan told Wang Xiaoliang that he had already died once, and Yimu Hermit confirmed that he had suffered something like sudden death.
• Wang Xiaoliang learned that his parents did not know what had happened and that Zijin had not visited him.
• Wang Xiaoliang asked Yimu Hermit what to avoid, and Yimu Hermit took his wrists to examine him.

Wang Xiaoliang asked Fan Qishan to divine whether Zhou Qiang was safe, then asked Yimu Hermit when he could return to work. He learned he could resume work soon but had to follow strict restrictions for six months.

• Wang Xiaoliang asked Yimu Hermit about Zhou Qiang, but the Old Daoist said he needed Zhou Qiang's birth date and time to answer.
• Wang Xiaoliang wrote the character “Qiang” for Fan Qishan's character divination, and Fan Qishan said Zhou Qiang was fine.
• Wang Xiaoliang decided not to ask about his chances with Wei Zijin, reasoning that her silence had already given him an answer.
• Yimu Hermit laughed at Wang Xiaoliang's name and made cryptic remarks about his fortune and an old Liu's grandson.
• Wang Xiaoliang asked when he could return to work, and Yimu Hermit told him to stay calm, avoid late nights, alcohol, overexertion, and women for at least six months.

After waking from a thirty-one-day ordeal, Wang Xiaoliang thanked Yimu Hermit and Fan Qishan, who told him he could not leave until Fan Qishan allowed it. As he worried about his overdue mortgage and his future with Wei Zijin, the Book of Fate helped him recognize what he still had, and he finally fell asleep.

• Wang Xiaoliang bowed to Yimu Hermit and Fan Qishan to thank them for saving his life.
• Yimu Hermit credited Fan Qishan with saving Wang Xiaoliang, and Fan Qishan told Wang Xiaoliang he could not leave until he allowed it.
• Wang Xiaoliang returned to his room, worried that his missed mortgage payment had damaged his credit, and decided he would try to make up the payments.
• Wang Xiaoliang read a new line in the Book of Fate and reflected on his family, friends, apartment, and memories with Wei Zijin.
• Wang Xiaoliang put away the Book of Fate, accepted that he had much to be grateful for, and drifted to sleep.

Wang Xiaoliang recovered enough to join Fan Qishan and Yimu Hermit for a meal at Liu Xinyu’s home, where Fu Zhaojun delivered a new phone from Liu Xinyu. At the table, Fan Qishan challenged Yimu Hermit’s rule against eating beef, and the Old Daoist accepted the challenge and ate some himself.

• Wang Xiaoliang woke feeling stronger and followed Fan Qishan and Yimu Hermit to Liu Xinyu’s home for lunch.
• Fu Zhaojun arrived with a new Huawei phone from Liu Xinyu and expressed relief that Wang Xiaoliang had recovered.
• Liu Xinyu’s mother served Wang Xiaoliang restorative soup and a carefully prepared meal.
• Yimu Hermit told Fan Qishan that Daoists must not eat beef, but Fan Qishan continued eating and questioned the rule.
• Yimu Hermit bowed to Fan Qishan, praised his words, and ate beef while complimenting Liu Xinyu’s mother’s cooking.

After recovering from a month-long unconscious spell, Wang Xiaoliang learned Yimu Hermit had kept him sedated to protect his recovery, then watched the old master leave. Wang Xiaoliang discovered Wei Zijin had transferred him five million yuan, and her call ended on an unexpected woman’s excited shout.

• Fu Zhaojun told Fan Qishan that someone wanted to see Wang Xiaoliang, and Fan agreed to an afternoon meeting.
• Yimu Hermit explained that he had kept Wang Xiaoliang sedated and that a professional nurse had cared for him while he was unconscious.
• Yimu Hermit said goodbye to Wang Xiaoliang and left the villa with his bag.
• Wang Xiaoliang restored his old SIM card on a new phone and checked his bank account, where he found his salary payment and a five-million-yuan transfer from Wei Zijin.
• Wang Xiaoliang answered Wei Zijin’s call, but an unfamiliar woman shouted, “It went through!”

Wang Xiaoliang and Wei Zijin reunited over the phone after his recovery, and they reassured each other that their relationship was still strong. Zhao Nan told him she had become Wei Zijin’s assistant and warned him not to believe online gossip, leaving him curious about the rumors.

• Wang Xiaoliang recognized his cousin Zhao Nan’s voice on the phone, then heard Wei Zijin speak and break down sobbing.
• Wei Zijin confessed she had feared Wang Xiaoliang no longer wanted her and blamed herself for his coma; he reassured her that it was not her fault.
• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang that Zhao Nan was now her assistant and said she wanted to visit him after her interview.
• Zhao Nan explained that Wei Zijin had hired her the day after Wang Xiaoliang left for Fucheng, and that her salary had helped her mother leave the hospital.
• Zhao Nan told Wang Xiaoliang to ignore online gossip about her and Wei Zijin, but he pressed her to explain what people were saying.

After reconciling with Wei Zijin, Wang Xiaoliang welcomed Huang Xueli and Luo Bisheng, who had come to visit after his coma. He explained how several strains had combined to nearly kill him, and the conversation ended with Luo Bisheng confused by their talk of readings and Fan Qishan.

• Wang Xiaoliang called Wei Zijin, realized they had made up, and decided he would ask directly instead of imagining the worst next time.
• Wang Xiaoliang saw Fu Zhaojun's Audi arrive and welcomed Huang Xueli and Luo Bisheng, who embraced him and cried over his condition.
• Huang Xueli and Luo Bisheng explained that Liu Xinyu had told them Wang Xiaoliang was awake and arranged their trip to visit him.
• Wang Xiaoliang told Huang Xueli and Luo Bisheng that sleep deprivation, drinking, stress, a cold shower, and a quarrel with Zijin had combined to overwhelm his body.
• Huang Xueli asked Wang Xiaoliang to help him meet Fan Qishan, while Luo Bisheng asked what they meant by readings.

Wang Xiaoliang reunited with Xiao Mo and Nuomi, then learned they had come to meet Fan Qishan. After Pei Lu delivered his packages, Fan Qishan led Wang Xiaoliang to the Tea Room.

• Xiao Mo arrived walking on prosthetic legs, and he and Wang Xiaoliang tearfully reunited.
• Nuomi hugged Wang Xiaoliang and scolded him for nearly dying before joking with him again.
• Xiao Mo explained that he had recently been fitted with prosthetic legs in Beijing after maintaining his livestream persona with crutches.
• Nuomi asked Wang Xiaoliang to meet Master Fan, and he headed toward Fan Qishan's room.
• Pei Lu delivered Wang Xiaoliang's accumulated packages, and Luo Bisheng and Huang Xueli helped unload them.
• Fan Qishan left his book-filled room and told Wang Xiaoliang to go to the Tea Room.

Fan Qishan interpreted the characters written by Huang Xueli, Nuomi, and Luo Bisheng, giving Huang Xueli an encouraging sign about his political path and Nuomi and Xiao Mo hope for a child. After Xiao Mo invited everyone to dinner, Fan Qishan sent them away so Wang Xiaoliang could rest.

• Huang Xueli wrote 首, and Fan Qishan added the walking radical to make 道, which Huang Xueli took as a sign of an open path ahead.
• Nuomi wrote 子 to ask about having a child, and Fan Qishan added 女 to make 好, then signed the paper at her request.
• Luo Bisheng wrote 欢, and Fan Qishan crossed out its 欠 component to leave 又, telling Luo Bisheng to work out the meaning himself.
• Xiao Mo offered to treat everyone to dinner and drinks, but Fan Qishan said Wang Xiaoliang needed quiet rest and sent the others away.

Wang Xiaoliang watched his friends leave, then opened the gifts Wei Zijin had sent and spoke with Fan Qishan about his recovery. His friends celebrated his survival on the road while Wang Xiaoliang learned he could return to work in about twenty days and would live to two hundred.

• Wang Xiaoliang saw Xiao Mo, Huang Xueli, Nuomi, and Luo Bisheng off, and Nuomi explained that Qi Qi had not been spying on him.
• Luo Bisheng called Huanhuan and asked her to tell Jiajia that Wang Xiaoliang was safe without disturbing him, then broke down crying in the van.
• Xiao Mo, Huang Xueli, Nuomi, and Luo Bisheng agreed to drink half a bottle each that night.
• Wang Xiaoliang opened Wei Zijin's boxes of clothes, medicine, skincare products, and electronics, including a new iPhone.
• Wang Xiaoliang gave Fan Qishan some spare clothes and shoes, and Fan Qishan said Wang could return to work in about twenty days and would live two hundred years.

Wang Xiaoliang reflected on the Book of Fate and resolved to let Wei Zijin build her own friendships and career while he focused on recovering. He spoke with Liu Xinyu and Wei Zijin, who hid his condition from his mother and confessed how deeply she loved him.

• Wang Xiaoliang understood that body and spirit had to be in harmony and decided to rest, follow a healthy routine, and stop involving himself so heavily in Wei Zijin's career.
• Wang Xiaoliang called Liu Xinyu and asked whether Qishan had arranged for him to stay there because he foresaw his danger; Liu Xinyu denied it and explained that the company only needed its accounts and contracts settled before deregistration.
• Qingyu told Wang Xiaoliang that Wei Zijin had been suffering and urged him to treat her well, then handed the call back to Liu Xinyu to discuss Wang's role as the company's legal representative.
• Wang Xiaoliang declined Wei Zijin's video call and told her they should avoid seeing each other while he recuperated for six months.
• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang that she had called his mother Mom, sent her twenty thousand, and said he was abroad in Singapore; she then confessed that the thought of losing him had shown her how much she loved him.

Wang Xiaoliang moved into a downstairs room and began practicing a standing posture and reading the Tao Te Ching under Fan Qishan’s guidance. Fan Qishan then asked him to brew tea, setting up a conversation about Wang Xiaoliang’s story.

• Wang Xiaoliang tried Fan Qishan’s stance training but stopped after nine minutes when his muscles began shaking and cramping.
• Wang Xiaoliang asked the housekeeper to move his belongings into the downstairs guest room, then ate while Fan Qishan held his stance for two hours.
• Fan Qishan recommended the Tao Te Ching, and Wang Xiaoliang read it before noticing that Fan Qishan ate eagerly only when served familiar food.
• Fan Qishan took Wang Xiaoliang to the Tea Room and told him to brew tea, saying, “People made it all up.”
• Wang Xiaoliang brewed tea and realized Fan Qishan wanted to hear his story.