Chapter Summaries

Chen Shi'an and Lin Meng Qiu discussed their holiday plans before returning to her home, where he cooked dinner for her and Lin Ming. Lin Meng Qiu helped in the kitchen, and Lin Ming admired Chen Shi'an’s skill at preparing boneless crucian carp.

• Wen Zhixia said goodbye at the school gates, then Chen Shi'an told Lin Meng Qiu he would visit Wen Zhixia’s home for lunch on the way to the Mountains.
• Chen Shi'an and Lin Meng Qiu talked about their holiday plans, bought groceries together, and returned to Lin Meng Qiu’s home.
• Lin Ming welcomed Chen Shi'an and offered to help him cook, but Lin Meng Qiu took the groceries into the kitchen to assist.
• Chen Shi'an assigned Lin Meng Qiu kitchen tasks, including washing meat and peeling vegetables, while he prepared the ingredients for dinner.
• Chen Shi'an deboned and sliced crucian carp, impressing Lin Ming with his knife skills.

After dinner at Lin Ming's home, Chen Shi'an invited Lin Meng Qiu to walk with him by the West River, where the two grew closer as they talked and took photos together. The evening ended with Lin Meng Qiu pleased by a candid photo of them, though she continued to tell Chen Shi'an that he annoyed her.

• Lin Ming praised Chen Shi'an's cooking and discussed health and traditional Chinese learning with him over tea.
• Chen Shi'an invited Lin Ming and Lin Meng Qiu for a walk; Lin Ming stayed home so the two could go together.
• On the way to the West River, Chen Shi'an teased Lin Meng Qiu about whether she found him annoying, and she admitted her answer depended on the situation.
• Amid the holiday crowds, Lin Meng Qiu asked to take photos of Chen Shi'an and secretly saved several in her private album.
• Chen Shi'an and Lin Meng Qiu took a selfie together, and he captured her glare after she struggled to smile for the camera.
• Lin Meng Qiu liked the candid photo and acknowledged that they had stood close together, while telling Chen Shi'an she had been annoyed with him.

Li Wanyin ran her sweet soup stall with Chen Shi'an's help, and the two shared a relaxed evening by the West River after closing. As Chen Shi'an prepared to leave for the mountains the next morning, Li Wanyin offered to make him breakfast, and he promised to repair her broken cart wheel.

• Li Wanyin served Lin Meng Qiu two portions of taro sago dessert, and Chen Shi'an walked Lin Meng Qiu home before returning to the stall.
• Chen Shi'an took over serving customers so Li Wanyin could rest, and Li Wanyin fed him a skewer as customers teased them about being a couple.
• After closing the sold-out stall, Chen Shi'an and Li Wanyin sat by the West River, where Fat Ink caught a fish.
• Li Wanyin told Chen Shi'an that she had signed a permanent contract for a six-thousand-yuan monthly salary and planned to test a milk tea stall before deciding whether to quit.
• Chen Shi'an said he would travel with Wen Zhixia the next morning, and Li Wanyin offered to cook him fried rice for breakfast.
• Chen Shi'an noticed Li Wanyin's cart wheel was broken and offered to fix it the next morning.

Chen Shi'an left for the holiday with Wen Zhixia, bringing Handmade Incense as a gift for her parents. On the bus to her home, he gave her the Wood Carving Little Cicada, and she treasured the thoughtful portrait.

• Chen Shi'an packed his Taoist robes and Handmade Incense, repaired Li Wanyin's cart, and ate the fried rice she made before leaving.
• Chen Shi'an met Wen Zhixia, helped carry her luggage, and talked with her about whether they would have met if they had not sat together on the bus.
• Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia boarded buses toward her home, with Fat Ink riding in Chen Shi'an's backpack.
• Chen Shi'an gave Wen Zhixia the Wood Carving Little Cicada he had made, depicting her as he remembered her when they first met.
• Wen Zhixia admired the carving and happily told Chen Shi'an she loved it.

During a holiday traffic jam, Chen Shi'an decided to buy a bicycle, and Wen Zhixia eagerly looked forward to riding with him. While they watched a movie, Wen Zhixia learned about Chen Shi'an's bets with Lin Meng Qiu and challenged him to a bet of her own, leaving her prize undecided.

• Chen Shi'an saw a cyclist passing the traffic jam and asked Wen Zhixia where he could buy a bicycle in her county town.
• Chen Shi'an promised to give Wen Zhixia rides to the Mountains and to school, and she agreed to help him find a bicycle when they got home.
• Wen Zhixia and Chen Shi'an watched Interstellar together in the car while Fat Ink complained about being left out.
• Wen Zhixia learned that Lin Meng Qiu had lost bets to Chen Shi'an and agreed to wash his clothes and fetch his water for a week.
• Wen Zhixia challenged Chen Shi'an to bet on playing ball and the problem; they agreed that if she lost, she would carry his bag for a week.

Chen Shi'an accompanied Wen Zhixia to her hometown and agreed to stay overnight at her family’s house. After meeting her father and giving her parents his handmade Calming Incense, he impressed Wen Zhixue with its fragrance.

• Wen Zhixia persuaded Chen Shi'an to stay at her house for the night instead of returning to the Mountains that day.
• Wen Zhixia brought Chen Shi'an home, where he greeted her father, Wen Zhixue, and they discussed his wood carving and Taoist life.
• Chen Shi'an gave Wen Zhixue and Wen Zhixia’s mother handmade incense as a host gift.
• Wen Zhixia lit a stick of Calming Incense, and Wen Zhixue praised Chen Shi'an’s craftsmanship after experiencing its fragrance.

Li Yilan welcomed Chen Shi'an into the Wen family home and was impressed by his manners, gifts, and calming incense. Wen Zhixia tried to persuade her parents to let Chen stay overnight and join the family’s trip, then eagerly followed him and her father when they went to see a woodcarving factory.

• Li Yilan arrived home, recognized Chen Shi'an as the classmate who had given her a wood carving, and warmly welcomed him.
• Chen Shi'an gave Li Yilan Handmade Incense and explained that his Calming Incense could help her relax and sleep more comfortably.
• Wen Zhixia cooked rice while Li Yilan teased her about Chen Shi'an and reminded her to focus on her college entrance exam.
• Wen Zhixia asked to have Chen Shi'an stay overnight and join her family’s trip to the village for dinner.
• Wen Zhixia heard that Chen Shi'an and her father planned to visit a woodcarving factory and hurried downstairs to go with them.

Chen Shi'an toured Wen Zhixue's solid wood furniture factory and offered detailed advice on judging nanmu and matching carvings to its grain. The Wens invited him to lunch and dinner with the grandparents, while Wen Zhixia tried to pass off a sack of stolen wood as his consulting fee.

• Wen Zhixue drove Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia to the family furniture factory, where Chen Shi'an learned about its production and sales.
• Wen Zhixia secretly gathered wood from the factory piles while Wen Zhixue showed Chen Shi'an around.
• Chen Shi'an praised the nanmu batch and sketched a peony design that followed a log's grain, then suggested other motifs and uses for different sections of the wood.
• Chen Shi'an advised Wen Zhixue to let the newly received nanmu dry for two months and answered his questions about the factory's craftwork.
• Wen Zhixia told them that her mother had called them home for lunch, and Wen Zhixue invited Chen Shi'an to dinner with the grandparents.
• Wen Zhixue noticed Wen Zhixia dragging a sack of wood out of the factory, and she claimed it was Chen Shi'an's consulting fee.

Wen Zhixia eagerly hosted Chen Shi'an at her home, prepared his guest room, and showed her mother the lifelike wooden carving he had made of her. Li Yilan realized Wen Zhixia likely had feelings for Chen, while Wen Zhixia insisted they were only friends and refused to give her mother the carving.

• Li Yilan served Chen Shi'an a lavish lunch, and Wen Zhixia kept turning dishes toward him and urging him to eat.
• Wen Zhixia carefully made up a guest room for Chen Shi'an, then pretended to be tidying when Li Yilan found her relaxing on his bed.
• Wen Zhixia showed Li Yilan the wooden carving Chen Shi'an had made of her, and Li Yilan marveled at how lifelike it was.
• Li Yilan asked whether Wen Zhixia and Chen Shi'an were dating, and Wen Zhixia blushed and denied that anything was going on.
• Li Yilan asked if Wen Zhixia liked Chen Shi'an, but Wen Zhixia insisted they were just good friends and turned on the air conditioner because she felt hot.
• Wen Zhixia said she would buy a bicycle with Chen Shi'an before meeting her parents in their hometown, then snatched the carving back when Li Yilan asked to keep it.

Wen Zhixia took Chen Shi'an around town to buy a bicycle, and the two grew more comfortable riding together. After Chen Shi'an bought a long-distance bike, they set off for her grandfather’s house, where her family was fishing by the reservoir.

• Wen Zhixia took Chen Shi'an out on her electric scooter, but he took over driving after she nearly lost control.
• Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia visited a bicycle shop, where they met her uncle Wen Zhicheng and the owner, A Guang.
• Chen Shi'an chose and bought a gravel bike, and A Guang fitted it with a light, phone mount, passenger footrests, and a seat cushion.
• Wen Zhixia persuaded Black Cat to give up the rear seat, then rode behind Chen Shi'an as they headed to her grandfather's house.
• Wen Zhixia told Wen Zhicheng to ride her scooter back, then left without giving him the key.

Wen Zhixia and Chen Shi'an rode his new bicycle through the countryside toward a reservoir, while Li Wanyin video-called Wen Zhixia to catch a glimpse of Chen Shi'an. The ride continued after Wanyin ended the call, leaving Wen Zhixia briefly suspicious before she reassured herself that their relationship was innocent.

• Chen Shi'an rode quickly with Wen Zhixia on the back of his bicycle, then slowed down after she begged him to stop speeding.
• Wen Zhixia filmed the countryside during their ride and posted the video to WeChat Moments, where she chatted with Li Wanyin.
• Li Wanyin watched Wen Zhixia's video and called her, hoping to see Chen Shi'an through the camera.
• Wen Zhixia turned the camera toward Chen Shi'an, who greeted Li Wanyin, then showed her the countryside scenery.
• Li Wanyin ended the call to prepare sweet soup for her stall, and Wen Zhixia wondered about her interest in seeing Chen Shi'an before deciding their relationship was innocent.

Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia joined Wen Zhixue and Old Mr. Wen at a reservoir to fish, where Wen Zhixia caught a carp and Chen Shi'an hooked a much larger topmouth culter. The chapter ended with Wen Zhixue eagerly rushing to net Chen Shi'an’s fish.

• Chen Shi'an arrived at the reservoir with Wen Zhixia and greeted Wen Zhixue and Old Mr. Wen, who had yet to catch any fish.
• Chen Shi'an chose a long fishing rod, prepared bait for himself and Wen Zhixia, and helped her cast near the bank.
• Wen Zhixia caught a carp weighing about two jin, with Chen Shi'an guiding her and landing the fish.
• Chen Shi'an hooked a topmouth culter that he estimated weighed over eight jin, drawing the attention of nearby anglers.
• After Chen Shi'an tired out the fish and brought it toward the bank, Wen Zhixue hurried over with the landing net to help.

Chen Shi'an joined Wen Zhixia's extended family gathering, cooked a large fish, and impressed her cousins by mastering a mobile game. After returning to her home, he prepared to leave for the Mountains the next morning, while Wen Zhixia tried to spend more time with him; Lin Meng Qiu learned he was staying at Wen Zhixia's place and reacted angrily.

• Chen Shi'an went with Wen Zhixia to her grandparents' family gathering and cooked the large culter he had caught.
• Chen Shi'an played Honor of Kings with Wen Zhixia and her cousins, learned quickly, and led their team to victory.
• Wen Zhixia rode home with Chen Shi'an and persuaded him to leave for the Mountains at seven the next morning instead of before dawn.
• Wen Zhixia brought Chen Shi'an her shampoo and body wash, washed his clothes with hers, and came to his door to offer him a mosquito coil.
• Chen Shi'an told Ling that he was staying at Wen Zhixia's home, and Lin Meng Qiu learned of it and grew angry.

Chen Shi'an left Wen Zhixia’s home after sharing a sunrise and breakfast with her family, then cycled back to his mountain village. He reached the foot of the mountain and stopped at Uncle Wang’s farmhouse to leave his bicycle before heading up.

• Chen Shi'an watched the sunrise on the rooftop with Wen Zhixia and the cat, and they took a photo together.
• Li Yilan offered Chen Shi'an a place on the family’s road trip, but he declined because he needed to return to the Mountains.
• Wen Zhixue, Li Yilan, Wen Zhixia, and Chen Shi'an ate noodle soup together before Chen Shi'an set off on his bicycle with Fat Ink.
• Chen Shi'an cycled through the countryside and reached his familiar village, where villagers greeted him and asked about his studies.
• Chen Shi'an decided not to take his bicycle up the mountain and stopped at Uncle Wang’s farmhouse.

Chen Shi'an visited Uncle Wang’s family and performed a blessing ceremony for Luo Xiuzhen’s newborn son, Wang Haobo. After sharing lunch with the family, he left with food and supplies for the mountain.

• Chen Shi'an left his bicycle in Uncle Wang’s courtyard and learned that Luo Xiuzhen had recently given birth to a boy.
• Uncle Wang asked Chen Shi'an to bless the baby, and Chen Shi'an agreed and held the crying child until he quieted.
• Chen Shi'an blessed Wang Haobo with a prayer, drew a protective talisman, and placed it in the baby’s swaddling.
• Uncle Wang tried to give Chen Shi'an a red envelope, but Chen Shi'an refused it and accepted an invitation to lunch instead.
• Chen Shi'an ate with Uncle Wang’s family, then accepted rice, cured pork, chicken, and vegetables to take up the mountain.

Chen Shi'an returned to Pure Dust Temple, spent two days reflecting and restoring the neglected grounds, then headed back down the mountain. After reconnecting with Li Wanyin, Wen Zhixia, and Lin Meng Qiu, he learned how worried they had been and agreed to meet Lin Meng Qiu to play badminton.

• Chen Shi'an climbed to Pure Dust Temple with Black Cat, offered incense to his absent master, and settled into the temple's quiet routine.
• Chen Shi'an cleaned the temple, swept fallen ginkgo leaves, and spent time reflecting on his month away and his master's lesson about finding his own path.
• Chen Shi'an left the mountain after two days and discovered a flood of missed calls and messages from Li Wanyin, Wen Zhixia, and Lin Meng Qiu.
• Chen Shi'an called Li Wanyin and reassured her that he was safe, then sent Wen Zhixia a selfie and learned that Lin Meng Qiu had been trying to reach him.
• Chen Shi'an apologized to Lin Meng Qiu and replied to her unanswered messages; she agreed to his offer to take her by bicycle to play badminton.

Li Wanyin eagerly welcomed Chen Shi'an home after his trip to the mountain, and they shared lunch preparations and a tender reunion. Chen Shi'an gave her a handmade bamboo flute and played for her, leaving Li Wanyin delighted and holding the flute like a treasure.

• Li Wanyin prepared food while waiting for Chen Shi'an to return and learned from Shi Mo's arrival that he was nearby.
• Chen Shi'an arrived carrying luggage and village specialties, and Li Wanyin helped him bring everything inside.
• Chen Shi'an noticed Li Wanyin's pimple, gave her homemade ointment, and gently applied it for her.
• Chen Shi'an presented Li Wanyin with a handmade Xiangfei bamboo flute because she liked singing.
• Chen Shi'an played 'Journey to Suzhou' on the flute, and Li Wanyin praised his performance and treasured the gift.

Li Wanyin and Chen Shi'an prepared her drink-stall menu and set out to collect a secondhand vending cart. After an awkward attempt to ride with Li Wanyin pedaling, Chen Shi'an took over, leaving Li Wanyin smiling as she held his waist.

• Chen Shi'an praised the names Li Wanyin had given the original drinks on her menu, and she admitted she had put a lot of thought into them.
• Li Wanyin and Chen Shi'an headed out with the cat to collect her secondhand vending cart, and she accepted Chen Shi'an's offer to ride his bicycle.
• Li Wanyin pedaled with Chen Shi'an sitting behind her, but she nearly steered them into the landscaping, so they switched places.
• Chen Shi'an gave Li Wanyin a ride, and she held his waist more tightly as they set off.

Li Wanyin bought a used vending cart and decorated it with Chen Shi'an to prepare for selling milk tea. Wu Jia Yun and Yan Yufei visited, then took a commemorative photo of Li Wanyin and Chen Shi'an posing together beside the cart.

• Li Wanyin met a young seller at Dongsheng Primary School and bought her pink electric vending cart after inspecting it with Chen Shi'an.
• Li Wanyin rode the cart home while Chen Shi'an followed on his bicycle and Black Cat perched on the cart.
• Li Wanyin and Chen Shi'an cleaned and decorated the cart, replacing its sign with “Tea Fruit Formula” and setting up its menu and work area.
• Wu Jia Yun and Yan Yufei arrived and teased Li Wanyin by mistaking her and Chen Shi'an for a husband-and-wife team.
• Wu Jia Yun asked Chen Shi'an to put his arm around Li Wanyin for a commemorative photo, and Black Cat joined them on his shoulder.

Li Wanyin and Chen Shi'an opened their milk tea stall at the West River waterfront, where their distinctive drinks drew a huge crowd and quickly sold out. After closing, an exhausted Li Wanyin thanked Chen Shi'an for helping her, while Wu Jia Yun teased her about marrying him.

• Li Wanyin and Chen Shi'an set up their milk tea stall beneath a banyan tree at the West River waterfront, and nearby vendors came to support them.
• Wu Jia Yun and Yan Yufei tried the Seven-Fruit Drink and Pomelo-Tinted Cloud Tip, loved them, and helped promote the stall.
• As crowds of tourists and Chen Shi'an's fans gathered, Li Wanyin and Chen Shi'an made drinks while Wu Jia Yun and Yan Yufei helped manage orders and payments.
• The stall ran out of ice and other ingredients, so Li Wanyin apologized to the waiting customers and closed for the night.
• After closing, Li Wanyin thanked Chen Shi'an for his help, and Wu Jia Yun teased her about offering herself in marriage until Li Wanyin covered her mouth.