Chapter Summaries

Xia Shule killed Jiang Gechen, who had tried to force his way into Xia Shule’s home, and the police ruled the death an accident. With the last obstacle to his freedom gone, Xia Shule planned a trip to Chestnut Tree Island with Yan Zhiyi and their friends.

• Xiao Zhou told Jiang Gechen that the Jiang Family had collapsed, and Xia Shule and Yan Zhiyi arrived as Jiang Gechen was restrained and given a muscle relaxant.
• Xia Shule told Jiang Gechen that he had called the police, then dragged him to the pond and drowned him.
• Song Jing'an and Yu Song recorded Jiang Gechen’s death as an accidental fall after an attempted home invasion and robbery.
• Yan Zhiyi comforted Xia Shule, while Yan Zhishu felt a sudden pain followed by a sense of release.
• Lin Yushan told Lin Yuzhen that he no longer blamed their parents but wanted little contact with them, then messaged Xia Shule that he understood what Xia Shule had said before.
• Xia Shule and Yan Zhiyi decided to take everyone to Chestnut Tree Island so Leyi could visit his hometown, and Xia Shule affirmed that he was a living person, not a character in a book.

Xia Shule invited his friends to Chestnut Tree Island and decided to confront his fear of bathing after nearly drowning. He managed to enter the bathtub, then reunited with Yan Zhiyi, and the chapter ended with Xia Shule joking about Yan Zhiyi serving him.

• Xia Shule invited the group chat to Chestnut Tree Island, but Lu Mingwen did not reply.
• Xia Shule told Ming Yue he was happy and grateful to be alive, then decided to bathe on his own.
• Xia Shule struggled with memories of nearly drowning but entered the tub and stayed in the bathroom for an hour.
• Yan Zhiyi helped Xia Shule dry his hair, and Xia Shule comforted him before they spent the night together.
• Xia Shule slept until noon, and Yan Zhiyi carried him to wash; Xia Shule teased him about being his servant.

Xia Shule and Yan Zhiyi prepared to leave for Chestnut Tree Island with their friends, who revealed new details about their relationships. On the way, Xia Shule learned of Su Jin’s wife’s death and Xu Suidong’s vow to leave Su Jin alone if he still rejected him at thirty-five.

• Xia Shule, Yan Zhiyi, and their friends prepared to travel to Chestnut Tree Island, while Xiang Zhou stayed behind in Jingjiang to work.
• Song Jing'an announced that he and Yu Song were together, explaining that they had attended the same police academy and that he had pursued Yu Song.
• Yin Xian admitted that he and Xiang Lin’s brother had dated before Yin Xian left the country without telling him, and Xiang Lin revealed that his brother had hired a private investigator to find Yin Xian.
• Xiang Lin showed Xia Shule news that Xu Suidong planned to retire at thirty-five and remain single for life.
• Yan Zhiyi told Xia Shule that Su Jin’s wife had died after a premature birth and that Xu Suidong had vowed to leave the country if Su Jin still rejected him at thirty-five.
• Xia Shule fell silent, troubled by the news of the woman’s death.

After hearing about Su Jin’s loss, Xia Shule felt low, but Song Dimu’s video and a playful day on Chestnut Tree Island lifted his spirits. Yan Zhiyi cared for him as the group played at the beach, and the chapter ended with Xia Shule going upstairs for a nap while the others planned a barbecue and stargazing.

• Xiang Lin and Yin Xian discussed Su Jin’s grief, and the story recalled how Su Jin found hope in raising his baby after his wife died.
• Yan Zhiyi noticed Xia Shule was upset, took him back to their room, and made sure he took his medication before bed.
• The group arrived on Chestnut Tree Island, where Xiang Lin excitedly explored and Xia Shule received a fan video from Song Dimu that cheered him up.
• Xia Shule and Xiang Lin played in the sea and pretended to cook lunch on the beach while the others joined in and praised their make-believe meal.
• At lunch, Yan Zhiyi fed Xia Shule while they discussed Leyi, and Xia Shule watched the other couples interact before Yan Zhiyi took him upstairs for a nap.
• Xiang Lin and Lai Jiangtian agreed to have a barbecue and watch the stars together that evening.

Xiang Lin and Lai Jiangtian explored Chestnut Tree Island, found a hermit crab for Leyi, and joined their friends for a barbecue before everyone returned home. Later, Xu Wenchuan asked Xia Shule whether to pursue someone who did not love him or accept an overseas study opportunity, and Xia Shule urged him to choose his career.

• Xiang Lin and Lai Jiangtian spent the afternoon exploring the island and found a large hermit crab for Leyi.
• Xia Shule and Xiang Lin named the new hermit crab Borrow Five Hundred Years from Heaven while their friends prepared a barbecue and fireworks.
• After two days, everyone left the island, and Xia Shule postponed visiting Shengshi because they were preparing for a film festival.
• Xu Wenchuan called Xia Shule and asked whether he should stay near someone he loved or study abroad; Xia Shule advised him to choose his career.
• Yan Zhiyi told Xia Shule that Xu Wenchuan liked him, and Xia Shule said he had known but wanted to avoid hurting him with a direct rejection.
• Xia Shule teased Yan Zhiyi about supporting the family, and Yan Zhiyi showered him with kisses.

Xia Shule met the transfer student Jiang Gechen and stepped in when their classmates mocked and isolated him. He invited Jiang Gechen to join his group for lunch, unaware that Jiang Gechen mistook his kindness for a calculated attempt to control him.

• Zhou Anyang tried to give Xia Shule his protection money, but Xia Shule refused and told him he would keep him safe.
• Jiang Gechen transferred into the class, found no one willing to sit beside him, and took the empty seat behind Xia Shule.
• After classmates bullied Jiang Gechen, Xia Shule confronted them and invited Jiang Gechen to have lunch with him and his friends.
• Jiang Gechen watched Xia Shule's close friends and Zhou Anyang, then misread their group as an organization trying to recruit and manipulate him.
• Xia Shule kept Jiang Gechen close to protect him from further bullying, while Jiang Gechen suspected that Xia Shule was using kindness to gain leverage over him.

Xia Shule helped Jiang Gechen settle into the class and developed feelings for him, while Jiang Gechen privately planned to use Xia Shule’s influence for his own ambitions. During PE, Jiang Gechen objected to Xia Shule’s use of privileges and decided that he would refuse to join the class’s acceptance of them.

• Xia Shule found Jiang Gechen naked in the changing room and called the principal to get him sportswear.
• Xia Shule spent several days helping Jiang Gechen fit in, and he confessed to Xiang Lin that he liked him, while Xiang Lin warned him that Jiang Gechen might hurt him.
• Jiang Gechen became the Physical Education Committee Member, then acted warmly toward Xia Shule while privately thinking he could use the Xia Family to advance his career.
• During PE, Jiang Gechen criticized Xia Shule for sitting out the run, but a classmate told him that Xia Shule’s choice did not affect anyone else.
• Jiang Gechen asked Zhou Anyang why the class accepted Xia Shule’s privileges and declared that he would refuse to become one of them.

Jiang Gechen misjudged Xia Shule after a missed breakfast and continued letting Xia Shule pursue him. At Xia Shule’s manor, the group played games while Zhou Anyang and Wang Nuosen watched a horror movie, where Xia Shule’s lunch question startled them.

• Jiang Gechen told Zhou Anyang he was the Jiang Family’s only son and promised that Zhou Anyang would not have to endure Xia Shule’s bullying forever.
• Jiang Gechen agreed when Xia Shule asked to pursue him, but later regretted it after Zhou Anyang said Xia Shule had left him to deliver breakfast.
• Xia Shule returned from visiting his ill maternal grandparents, while Jiang Gechen mistakenly believed he had gone on vacation and grew more negative toward him.
• Xia Shule continued pursuing Jiang Gechen with breakfasts and gifts, then invited their friends to his manor after finals.
• Ming Yue welcomed Jiang Gechen, and the group played a multiplayer VR game while Zhou Anyang and Wang Nuosen went to the billiards room and then watched a horror movie.
• Xia Shule opened the theater door to ask what they wanted for lunch, and Zhou Anyang and Wang Nuosen screamed in fright.

Xia Shule and Jiang Gechen confessed their feelings before Xia Shule went abroad, while Jiang Gechen secretly hired struggling student Song Dimu to imitate Xia Shule. When Xia Shule returned and met Song Dimu, Jiang Gechen manipulated them both into hurting each other, still convinced Xia Shule was cruel by nature.

• Xia Shule told Jiang Gechen he liked him, and Jiang Gechen said he liked Xia Shule too but suggested they discuss it when they were older.
• After graduation, Xia Shule went overseas, and Jiang Gechen gradually stopped messaging him as often.
• Song Dimu accepted Jiang Gechen's offer of a hundred thousand a month to imitate Xia Shule because he needed money for his family's expenses.
• Xia Shule returned and found Song Dimu in Jiang Gechen's office; Jiang Gechen claimed he had hired Song to play Xia Shule.
• Jiang Gechen told Song Dimu he had defended him, then hoped Xia Shule would bully him, and began using each young man to torment the other.