Chapter Summaries

Xu Shi dealt with a wave of online attacks, and Xie Yanci quietly ordered the Xie Corporation’s PR team to protect him. After learning that his stepmother Lin Yuxiang had orchestrated the smear campaign, Xu Shi received an invitation to her birthday meal and decided to go.

• Xu Shi saw insulting comments and trending topics about his red-carpet appearance with Wen Yu, while Xiao Chi warned that the negative publicity was growing.
• When Xiao Chi suggested asking Xie Yanci for help, Xie Yanci ordered his PR manager to handle the crisis and investigate who was behind it.
• The Xie Corporation removed the negative trending topics, and Secretary Zhou told Xu Shi that Lin Yuxiang had arranged the smear campaign.
• Xu Shi grew angry when Xie Yanci did not speak to him, then received a call inviting him to Lin Yuxiang’s birthday meal.
• Xu Shi mocked the caller’s invitation, hung up, and texted back that he would attend.

Xu Shi went to the Xu family villa to confront Lin Yuxiang, but his younger brother Xu Xingqi welcomed him affectionately. After Lin Yuxiang attacked him, Xu Shi slapped her; Xie Yanci arrived, and Xu Shi ran to him claiming she had hit him.

• Xu Shi entered the Xu family villa after messaging Xiao Chi to seek help if he did not check in within an hour.
• Xu Xingqi greeted Xu Shi warmly and called him “Suisui,” while Xu Shi struggled to remember that he had come to settle scores.
• Lin Yuxiang confronted Xu Shi about the suppressed trending topics and insulted him, and Xu Shi insulted her in return.
• Lin Yuxiang tried to grab Xu Shi by the throat, so Xu Shi slapped her and knocked her onto the sofa.
• When Lin Yuxiang’s servants surrounded him, Xu Shi saw Xie Yanci arrive and ran into his arms, claiming Lin Yuxiang had hit him.

Xie Yanci backed Xu Shi after a confrontation at the Xu Family home, demanding that Xu Xingjian answer for the alleged hit while Xu Shi chose to discuss his wishes later. As the family sat through dinner, Xie Yanci remembered finding Xu Shi stranded in the rain after he had lost his home.

• Xu Shi sought Xie Yanci’s support against Lin Yuxiang, and Xie Yanci asked Xu Xingjian how he planned to resolve the matter.
• Xie Yanci covered Xu Shi’s ears and promised to let him decide what happened next; Xu Shi said they would talk about it later.
• Xie Yanci remembered that Xu Shi had once been bullied at school and that he had gone to find him despite their broken childhood betrothal.
• Xie Yanci recalled carrying Xu Shi through heavy rain after Xu Shi said he had no home, but the Xu Family’s door had not opened.

After Xie Yanci backed Xu Shi up at the Xu family dinner, Xu Shi kissed him and returned home wondering whether his husband cared for him. Xiao Chi suggested Xie Yanci might only be fulfilling his duties, leaving Xu Shi’s new hopes uncertain.

• Xu Shi left the Xu family home with Xie Yanci and agreed to attend Xu Xingqi’s next birthday, while Xie Yanci warned Xu Xingqi to mind his manners.
• Xu Shi kissed Xie Yanci on the cheek and called him honey before they left together.
• In the car, Xie Yanci revised a business deal to concede three percentage points and told Xu Shi he did not need to apologize.
• Xie Yanci asked Xu Shi to contact him directly if anything happened, and Xu Shi agreed.
• Back at his apartment, Xu Shi asked Xiao Chi whether Xie Yanci’s concern and sacrifices meant he loved him, but Xiao Chi said they could be a husband’s sense of responsibility.

Xu Shi asked whether Xie Yanci would cast him as the second male lead in Director Song’s film, and Xie Yanci began to choose him before a strange voice stopped him. Xie Yanci was plunged into a dark space and saw text foreshadowing a funeral, love at first sight, and a death in a car accident.

• Xu Shi told Xiao Chi he expected Xie Yanci to choose him for the second male lead and admitted to himself that he liked Xie Yanci.
• Xu Shi messaged Xie Yanci to ask whether he would get the role, calling him “Hubby.”
• Song Zhixing told Xie Yanci that the contract was signed and asked him to name the film’s three male leads.
• Xie Yanci decided to choose Xu Shi for the second male lead, but a strange voice warned him that the male protagonist could not choose anyone else.
• Xie Yanci remembered rushing into a burning villa to save Xu Shi ten years earlier, then found himself in a dark space where text mentioned a funeral and a car accident death.

After waking in the hospital, Xie Yanci realized his choice of Wen Yu for the role of Xia Cen had hurt Xu Shi, his wife, and withdrew his investment so the film could recast its Male Lead. He told Xu Shi the role would be recast, leaving Xu Shi stunned that Xie Yanci had chosen Wen Yu in the first place.

• Xie Yanci woke in the hospital and asked Xu Shi about the role of Xia Cen, prompting Xu Shi to leave the ward in tears.
• Xie Yanci saw his messages confirming he had chosen Wen Yu for the Male Lead role and told Song Zhixing that Xu Shi was his only wife.
• Xie Yanci announced he would withdraw his investment and accept the billion-plus breach-of-contract penalty so the film could choose a new Male Lead.
• Xie Yanci found Xu Shi smoking in the Emergency Stairwell and told him the Male Lead would be recast, leaving Xu Shi to ask whether he had not chosen Wen Yu.

Xu Shi confronted Xie Yanci over the casting of Wen Yu, but refused to discuss whether he trusted him and insisted he only cared about winning the role of Xia Cen. The next day, Xu Shi learned that Xie Corporation had pulled its investment and the second male lead was being recast, leaving him waiting for news and doubting his fate.

• Xie Yanci denied choosing Wen Yu and asked Xu Shi to trust him, but Xu Shi said their business marriage and each other's sincerity did not matter.
• Xu Shi woke in a luxury apartment after spending Xie Yanci's money and asked Secretary Zhou about Xie Yanci's illness, learning he had recovered and gone to work.
• Xu Shi saw trending searches linking Xie Yanci and Wen Yu, then called Xiao Chi to ask about the casting of Director Song's film.
• Xiao Chi told Xu Shi that Xie Corporation had pulled its investment and the second male lead was being recast, despite facing over a billion in penalties.
• Xu Shi learned Wen Yu had not signed a contract but had received no casting news himself, so he decided to wait and questioned whether he could change his fate.

Song Zhixing met with Wen Yu to offer him the male lead role, while keeping Xu Shi in mind for Xia Cen. At Xie Corporation, Xie Yanci learned Xu Shi had sent him a meal and claimed that his wife had always loved him.

• Song Zhixing reviewed Xu Shi’s audition for Xia Cen and reconsidered casting him despite his earlier concerns.
• Song Zhixing offered Wen Yu the male lead contract, but Wen Yu asked if he could still compete for Xia Cen.
• Song Zhixing told Wen Yu that he had someone more suitable in mind for Xia Cen and encouraged him to consider the lead role.
• Secretary Zhou told Xie Yanci that Xu Shi had sent him a meal, though Xu Shi still had not visited him since his discharge.
• Song Zhixing arrived at Xie Corporation, and Secretary Zhou clarified that Xu Shi had specially sent the food.
• Xie Yanci teased Song Zhixing by saying that his wife had always loved him.

Song Zhixing proposed that Xie Yanci act opposite Xu Shi, but Xie refused and spent the evening struggling to find a reason to contact his absent wife. When he learned Xu Shi was at Wanzhen Nightclub selecting male models, Xie headed there to stop them from touching Xu Shi.

• Song Zhixing suggested that Xie Yanci play Gu Jinnan opposite Xu Shi, but Xie refused after confirming the casting would not affect who played Xia Cen.
• Xie Yanci asked the butler whether Xu Shi had come home and learned that Xu Shi was still away on the sixth day.
• Xie Yanci opened his chat with Xu Shi but could not decide what to say before the nightclub manager reported Xu Shi had ordered eight male models.
• Xie Yanci set out for Wanzhen Nightclub, angrily telling the manager not to let the men touch his wife.
• Xu Shi carefully chose several attractive Alpha male models and asked the attendant to bring them to his VIP room.

After six days apart, Xie Yanci found Xu Shi asleep in a private dining room after ordering male models, and confronted him about going to a place he had forbidden. The chapter ended with Xie Yanci kissing Xu Shi and asking if he wanted to have sex, and Xu Shi tearfully agreeing.

• The manager learned Xu Shi had ordered five more male models and told the attendant to keep the matter quiet.
• Xie Yanci arrived at the private dining room and found Xu Shi asleep on the couch in revealing clothes.
• Xu Shi woke and mistook Xie Yanci for an attractive nightclub model, imagining him as her husband.
• Xie Yanci grabbed Xu Shi by the throat and demanded to know why he had spent six days away from home fooling around there.
• Xu Shi insisted it was his first visit and called Xie Yanci “Hubby” to soothe him.
• Xie Yanci kissed Xu Shi and asked whether he wanted to have sex, and Xu Shi tearfully said yes.

After a rough night with Xie Yanci, Xu Shi learned that Song Zhixing had chosen him for the male lead role. Xie Yanci praised him for earning the part through his own ability, while Xu Shi privately hoped the success might change his fate.

• Xie Yanci took Xu Shi home after their encounter in the private dining room and promised they would continue there.
• Xu Shi woke to Xiao Chi calling and learned that Song Zhixing wanted him to sign the male lead contract.
• Xu Shi discovered that Song Zhixing had chosen him for the role over Wen Yu.
• Xu Shi excitedly kissed Xie Yanci and said he had won the part through his own ability.
• Xie Yanci told Xu Shi that he had always been capable and did not need anyone's approval.

Xu Shi learned that his new drama included a sex scene with Xia Shian and a kissing scene with Wen Yu, while Xie Yanci reacted with jealousy. Xie Yanci took Xu Shi’s phone and insisted on accompanying him to sign the contract that afternoon.

• Xu Shi heard from Xiao Chi that filming would begin in ten days and that Wen Yu had the male lead role.
• Xiao Chi told Xu Shi that Xia Shian would play Gu Jinnan, Xia Cen’s second husband, and that they would have a sex scene.
• Xu Shi learned he also had a kissing scene with Wen Yu and privately looked forward to both scenes while Xie Yanci overheard.
• Xie Yanci took Xu Shi’s phone, cut off the call, and reacted coldly to the planned scenes.
• Xu Shi tried to reassure Xie Yanci that he had not agreed to the kissing scenes, and Xie Yanci said he would take Xu Shi to sign the contract that afternoon.

Xu Shi signed a Male Lead contract with Song Zhixing, but Xie Yanci objected to the script’s kissing and bed scenes and had them reconsidered. When Xu Shi argued with him about interfering, Xie Yanci kissed him and claimed others might not kiss as well as he did.

• Song Zhixing went to the VIP lounge and found Xie Yanci letting Xu Shi nap with his head on his lap.
• Xu Shi woke and slapped Xie Yanci before sitting up primly when he heard Song Zhixing was there.
• Song Zhixing gave Xu Shi the Male Lead contract, but Xie Yanci objected to its kissing and bed scenes and told Song Zhixing to change them.
• Xu Shi signed the contract, then criticized Xie Yanci for interfering with Song Zhixing’s film.
• Xie Yanci asked whether Xu Shi wanted to kiss other men, then kissed him and said others might not kiss as well as he did.

Xu Shi and Xie Yanci kissed in the lounge until Wen Yu interrupted them. After Wen Yu left, Xu Shi encouraged Xie Yanci to treat him more gently, still believing Wen Yu was Xie Yanci’s destined partner.

• Xie Yanci kissed Xu Shi again, but Xu Shi slapped him and told him to get ahold of himself when someone knocked at the lounge door.
• Xu Shi hid behind the curtains when he recognized Wen Yu, and Xie Yanci opened the door to speak with him.
• Wen Yu asked whether Xie Yanci had arranged for Xu Shi to play Xia Cen, and Xie Yanci said Xu Shi had earned the role on his own.
• Wen Yu tried to use Xu Shi’s marriage to threaten Xie Yanci, but Xie Yanci said he liked being the other man, and Wen Yu ran off in tears.
• Xu Shi criticized Xie Yanci for being harsh to Wen Yu and urged him to treat the Omega gently, while Xie Yanci wondered who Wen Yu was to Xu Shi.

Xu Shi prepared to join Song Zhixing’s film New Life while reflecting on his loveless marriage and wondering whether divorce would harm his career. At the kickoff ceremony, he rebuffed Song Zhixing’s advances and ended up caught between Wen Yu and Xia Shian, trusting Xie Yanci to deal with any fan backlash.

• Xu Shi learned that his devoted fan, Only Shi Above All, had supported his career and agreed to meet him at the kickoff ceremony.
• Xu Shi left for filming and told Xiao Chi that he did not love Xie Yanci, though he considered his husband handsome, rich, respectful, and reassuring.
• Song Zhixing asked Xu Shi about his rumored divorce and tried to hold his hair, but Xu Shi teased him and walked away.
• At the kickoff ceremony, Xia Shian and Wen Yu praised their upcoming work with Xu Shi, leaving him between their fans and shippers.
• Xiao Chi warned Xu Shi that fans might attack them, and Xu Shi said his husband would handle it.

Xu Shi reunited with Xu Xingqi at the filming kickoff ceremony, then spotted Xie Yanci leaving and learned that he had rushed back from France specifically to see him. Xu Shi went to find Xie Yanci in his lounge.

• Xu Xingqi ran into Xu Shi’s arms and said he had flown from Beijing to witness the kickoff ceremony with him.
• Xu Shi noticed Xie Yanci watching them from a distance, but Xie Yanci turned and left before Xu Shi could reach him.
• Xu Shi arranged for Xiao Chi to take Xu Xingqi back to school and headed toward the lounge, agitated.
• Secretary Zhou told Xu Shi that Xie Yanci had returned after flight delays, had gone without sleep, and had come straight to the ceremony to see him.
• Xu Shi asked where Xie Yanci was, and Secretary Zhou told him he was in Xu Shi’s lounge.

Xu Shi confronted Xie Yanci about rushing to see him, but Xie Yanci denied coming for him and made Xu Shi feel rejected. As Xu Shi tried to leave, Xie Yanci held him from behind and admitted, “I missed you.”

• Xu Shi discovered Xia Shian and Wen Yu kissing in the Emergency Stairwell and quietly left them alone.
• Xu Shi teased the jealous Xie Yanci in lounge 107 and learned that he had traveled through several countries to arrive that morning.
• Xu Shi asked whether Xie Yanci had come especially to see him, but Xie Yanci insisted he had only been passing by.
• Hurt by Xie Yanci’s denial, Xu Shi gathered his things and prepared to leave.
• Xie Yanci pulled Xu Shi into an embrace from behind and told him he had missed him.

Xie Yanci and Xu Shi reconciled with a kiss, but their private moment was interrupted by Xu Xingqi and Song Zhixing. Xu Shi defended Xie Yanci as his husband, while Xu Xingqi insisted they would soon divorce.

• Xie Yanci struggled through a painful ringing in his ears as he explained that he had meant to keep Xu Shi company the previous day.
• Xu Shi kissed Xie Yanci and told him he forgave him, and Xie Yanci returned the kiss.
• Xu Xingqi entered the lounge and accused Xie Yanci of hitting him after Xie Yanci shoved him away.
• Xu Xingqi tried to strike Xie Yanci, but Xie Yanci caught his wrist and warned him not to act out.
• Song Zhixing interrupted from outside, and Xu Shi corrected Xu Xingqi by saying Xie Yanci was his husband.
• Xu Xingqi snorted that Xu Shi and Xie Yanci would soon be divorced.

At the cast and crew dinner, Xu Shi teased his jealous husband, Xie Yanci, while trying to keep their secret marriage hidden. After Xie Yanci confronted Xu Xingqi, Xu Shi encountered Xia Shian outside the private room and worried that Xie Yanci would see them together.

• Xu Shi tried to coax Xie Yanci, who denied being jealous of Xu Xingqi, then told Xiao Chi to bring Xu Xingqi to dinner after the young man caused a scene on set.
• Xu Shi teased Xie Yanci about being jealous, and Xie Yanci insisted he could offer far more than Xu Xingqi and warned Xu Shi not to meet him again.
• At the restaurant, Xie Yanci questioned why Xu Shi wanted them to arrive separately, then let him go while warning him not to be seen with Xu Xingqi.
• Xu Shi messaged Xiao Chi to bring Xu Xingqi to Xie Yanci, then waited by a window and asked Xiao Chi to keep an eye on Xu Xingqi.
• Xia Shian joined Xu Shi by the window to get some air, and Xu Shi worried Xie Yanci would see them together.

Xie Yanci found Xu Shi teasing him beside Xia Shian, then arranged for Xu Xingqi to leave with Secretary Zhou. At a private dinner, Xie Yanci seated Xu Shi beside him, making their unusual relationship conspicuous, while Xu Xingqi insisted they would eventually divorce.

• Xie Yanci left after seeing Xu Shi greet him affectionately beside Xia Shian, and Secretary Zhou escorted Xu Xingqi after him.
• Xia Shian told Xu Shi he had overheard Xie Yanci talking about divorcing his wife, and Xu Shi decided he would eventually beat Xu Xingqi for spreading the news.
• Xu Shi arrived last at the private dinner and found that Xie Yanci had seated him beside himself.
• Xia Shian wondered whether Xie Yanci was divorcing his wife to make room for a lover, while Xu Xingqi stabbed at his food and declared that they would divorce sooner or later.