Chapter Summaries

Jiang Xun stopped Jiang Yu from beating Shen Yuxing and trapped Jiang Yu in a locker as punishment. That night, videos of Jiang Yu’s bullying spread across Jinghua Middle School’s forum, where students exposed and mocked him.

• Jiang Yu punched Shen Yuxing in the changing room and grabbed his collar.
• Duan Qizhao interrupted Jiang Yu, photographed him, and threatened to post evidence of the bullying on the school forum.
• Jiang Xun entered the changing room and tied Jiang Yu’s hands behind his back, then trapped his head in a locker.
• Jiang Xun ordered Gray Hair to record Jiang Yu and post the footage on the school forum.
• Shen Yuxing left with Jiang Xun and Duan Qizhao after glancing back at Jiang Yu trapped in the locker.
• That night, videos of Jiang Yu’s humiliation and bullying spread across the school forum, and students uncovered his personal accounts.

Jiang Changping confronted Jiang Xun about his poor exam results and announced a banquet to welcome him into the family, but Jiang Xun mocked him and drove him away. The next day, Duan Qizhao slipped Jiang Xun a mysterious string of numbers, anticipating his reaction.

• Jiang Xun became a campus celebrity and spent his days ignoring lessons while avoiding Jiang Yu and his followers.
• Jiang Xun placed third from the bottom in his class on the monthly exam, while Jiang Yu was marked absent; Jiang Xun hid his report card instead of showing it to his father.
• Jiang Huaixiao signed Shen Yuxing's report card without paying much attention to the grades and stared toward Jiang Xun's closed bedroom door.
• Jiang Changping saw Jiang Xun's low exam score, offered to hire him a tutor, and announced a family welcome banquet.
• Jiang Xun mocked Jiang Changping about ignoring him and Liu Wanying, prompting Jiang Changping to storm out.
• Duan Qizhao gave Jiang Xun a slip bearing a mysterious string of numbers, but Jiang Xun tossed it back and went to sleep.

After Shiban Village received poverty relief and a new telephone line, Duan Qizhao gave Jiang Xun the Shen family's number. Jiang Xun finally called it from a secluded corner at school, his heart pounding as the phone rang.

• Zhao Fugui was investigated for embezzling poverty relief funds, and Shiban Village got a new chief who uncovered its debts.
• After Metamorphosis brought attention to the village, authorities approved poverty relief, repairs began, and Shen Wangjing's home got a telephone line.
• Duan Qizhao secretly obtained the Shen family's number and gave it to Jiang Xun, who kept the slip while denying he wanted to call.
• Jiang Xun entered the number into the phone Jiang Huaixiao had given him and pressed the call button during PE.
• Jiang Xun held the phone to his ear as it rang, his heartbeat racing.

Jiang Xun called Shen Wangjing, and they spoke awkwardly about life in the village before Shen told him to remember to eat properly. After returning home, Jiang Xun came downstairs for dinner, startling Wang Ma and prompting her to order sweet-and-sour ribs.

• Jiang Xun called Shen Wangjing and asked about his knee, his health, and life in the village.
• Shen Wangjing told Jiang Xun that Yellow Dog had slept on his bed for three nights after he left, making Jiang Xun laugh.
• Duan Qizhao interrupted the call and shouted that Jiang Xun had terminal lovesickness, causing Jiang Xun to drop his phone, though the call stayed connected.
• Jiang Xun told Shen Wangjing he would call again, and Shen reminded him to eat properly before they hung up.
• Jiang Xun returned home and came downstairs for dinner, so Wang Ma hurried to have Old Li make sweet-and-sour ribs.

After Jiang Xun suddenly returned to eating, Jiang Yanchu wondered what had changed, while Duan Qizhao realized Shen Wangjing’s call had lifted Jiang Xun’s spirits. Jiang Xun began calling Shen Wangjing every afternoon, but on Friday his calls went unanswered.

• Jiang Xun ate a large dinner, asked Wang Ma for fish with pickled mustard greens the next day, and went upstairs.
• Jiang Yanchu called Duan Qizhao to ask whether anything at school had set Jiang Xun off, and Duan Qizhao concealed that Shen Wangjing’s call had improved his mood.
• Jiang Xun began calling Shen Wangjing after school each afternoon and chatting about his day while Duan Qizhao went to basketball practice.
• Duan Qizhao found Jiang Xun happily sprawled on a gymnastics mat during the calls and teased him about being lovesick.
• On Friday, Jiang Xun called Shen Wangjing twice, but neither call was answered.

Jiang Xun failed to answer repeated calls, then disappeared just before the Jiang family’s lavish reunion banquet to introduce him to Capital City. As the family searched for him, Jiang Huaixiao ordered the security footage checked.

• Jiang Xun called the same number repeatedly without getting an answer, and Duan Qizhao noticed his distress at training and dinner.
• Jiang Changping welcomed guests to the reunion banquet and told them Jiang Xun would come downstairs shortly.
• Jiang Yanchu found Jiang Xun’s room empty, searched the floor, and reported his disappearance to Jiang Changping.
• Jiang Huaixiao prepared three expensive cars as gifts for Jiang Xun, heard Jiang Yanchu’s report, and ordered the security footage checked.

Jiang Huaixiao and Jiang Yanchu discovered that Jiang Xun had escaped the Jiang family villa by climbing out a second-floor window. Jiang Huaixiao tracked his likely route toward Shiban Village and raced south, fearing Jiang Xun was stranded overnight in town.

• Secretary Chen showed Jiang Yanchu surveillance footage of Jiang Xun entering the storage room and later climbing out its window to escape the villa.
• Jiang Huaixiao saw Jiang Xun smiling in the footage, then drove off and ordered Secretary Chen to search bus stations and notify Shiban Village's Town Police Station.
• Jiang Yanchu worried that Jiang Xun had been threatened, but Jiang Huaixiao dismissed the idea that Liu Wanying could have arranged it.
• Jiang Huaixiao calculated that Jiang Xun had likely missed the last minibus to Shiban Village and was stuck in town without his phone or much money.
• Jiang Huaixiao took a shortcut toward the town and pressed harder on the accelerator as he imagined Jiang Xun spending the night in a rundown inn.

Jiang Xun missed the last bus to Shiban Town, spent the evening hungry in Yunling County, and was brought to the police station after officers recognized him. Jiang Huaixiao arrived to collect him and learned that Jiang Xun had tried to leave after eating, prompting the police to use unspecified measures.

• Jiang Huaixiao ordered Secretary Chen to have local police search for Jiang Xun after learning he had boarded a bus to Yunling.
• Jiang Xun missed the last minibus to Shiban Town and waited outside the bus station, recalling how he had endured hunger at the orphanage and in middle school.
• A police officer recognized Jiang Xun from a surveillance photo, brought him to the station, and lent him money for noodles.
• Jiang Huaixiao received word that Jiang Xun was eating his second bowl of noodles and owed an officer twenty yuan.
• Jiang Huaixiao arrived at Shiban Town Police Station near two in the morning and learned that Jiang Xun had tried to leave after eating, so the officers had resorted to unspecified measures.

Jiang Huaixiao found Jiang Xun asleep in the police station after learning officers had handcuffed him, and arranged to file a formal complaint against them. After carrying him to the car, Jiang Huaixiao watched over him until dawn and treated his bruised wrist, while reflecting on how quickly Jiang Xun had tried to escape the Jiang family.

• Jiang Huaixiao questioned Lao Zhou about how the police had restrained Jiang Xun and called Secretary Chen to obtain recordings and prepare a complaint.
• Jiang Huaixiao found Jiang Xun asleep with a bruised wrist and carried him out of the guardroom.
• Jiang Xun murmured in his sleep about calling Shen Wangjing, and Jiang Huaixiao carried him to the car and covered him with a blanket.
• Jiang Huaixiao stayed outside the car through the night, recalling how Jiang Xun had escaped in less than forty seconds.
• At dawn, Jiang Huaixiao treated Jiang Xun's wrist with iodine and gauze, then returned to the driver's seat while Jiang Xun continued sleeping.

Jiang Huaixiao struggled with how to bring Jiang Xun back to Capital City without extinguishing the last of his hope. When Jiang Xun woke and tried to leave, Jiang Huaixiao restrained him and asked if he wanted to know why he could not get through to him.

• Jiang Huaixiao considered how Jiang Xun had withdrawn after returning to Capital City and feared forcing him back there would make him lose hope again.
• Secretary Chen called Jiang Huaixiao with urgent news as Jiang Xun slept in the car.
• Jiang Xun woke, realized his phone was missing, and accused Jiang Huaixiao of turning the reunion banquet into a manhunt.
• Jiang Xun denounced the Jiangs for their hypocrisy and demanded that Jiang Huaixiao unlock the car door.
• Jiang Huaixiao opened the back door, forced Jiang Xun into his seat, and fastened his seat belt despite his resistance.
• Jiang Huaixiao stopped Jiang Xun's struggle by asking whether he wanted to know why he could not get through to him.

Jiang Xun learned that Shen Wangjing had been trapped in a mine collapse and rushed to the County Hospital to find him. He arrived to see Shen Wangjing alive but badly injured, and entered the ward to face him.

• Jiang Huaixiao told Jiang Xun that Shen Wangjing had been buried in a mine collapse for nearly six hours and was in the County Hospital.
• Jiang Xun learned that Shen Wangjing had secretly taken underground mining work to earn more money.
• Jiang Xun rushed to the hospital and found out Shen Wangjing was in surgery on the fourth floor of the inpatient building.
• A nurse told Jiang Xun that Shen Wangjing had a fractured left leg, multiple contusions, and a moderate concussion, and had narrowly survived.
• Jiang Xun entered the ward and saw Shen Wangjing asleep with his leg in a cast and injuries across his face.

Jiang Xun confronted Shen Wangjing for risking his life in the mine, then returned with food and cared for him until exhaustion overcame him. As Jiang Xun slept beside the bed, Shen Wangjing gently touched his hair and reflected that he had not gone to the mine to repay a debt.

• Jiang Xun visited Shen Wangjing in the hospital and angrily demanded to know why he kept risking his life, while Shen Wangjing focused on Jiang Xun’s injured wrist.
• Jiang Xun left the ward, but soon returned with food and fed Shen Wangjing, whose injured arms were too weak to hold a bowl.
• Jiang Xun washed Shen Wangjing’s face and body, then fell asleep beside the bed after days without proper rest.
• Shen Wangjing gently touched Jiang Xun’s hair as he slept and thought that he had not gone to the mine to pay off a debt.

After the Jiang family eased Shen Wangjing’s financial burdens, he worked himself to exhaustion in the mine to save enough to visit Jiang Xun, but a collapse left him gravely injured. In the hospital, Jiang Huaixiao arranged his compensation and warned him to stay away from Jiang Xun, who was asleep at his bedside.

• After the show aired, the Shen family’s debts were paid, Grandpa received a medication subsidy, and the Jiang family covered Shen Yuxing’s expenses, but Shen Wangjing kept working at the mine to save for a visit to Jiang Xun.
• As he hauled ore, Shen Wangjing remembered Jiang Xun’s kindness and hoped to call him and tell him that he had never abandoned him.
• The mine roof collapsed, trapping Shen Wangjing beneath rubble as he wished he could get closer to Jiang Xun.
• In the hospital, Shen Wangjing gently touched the sleeping Jiang Xun’s face, but Jiang Huaixiao caught him and set down documents about his compensation.
• Jiang Huaixiao told Shen Wangjing that the Jiang family would cover his treatment and his brother’s expenses, then warned him that Jiang Xun belonged in a different world and that he must not pursue him.

Jiang Huaixiao failed to persuade Jiang Xun to return home and waited outside the hospital room, where he overheard nurses mistake Jiang Xun and Shen Wangjing for lovers. The chapter ended with Jiang Huaixiao listening to Jiang Xun laugh with Shen Wangjing and growing grim at the nurses’ romantic interpretation.

• Jiang Huaixiao brought food and urged Jiang Xun to return home, but Jiang Xun rejected him and told him to leave.
• Jiang Huaixiao told Jiang Yanchu he would call later, unable to say when Jiang Xun might come home.
• Jiang Huaixiao stayed outside the room and heard Jiang Xun laughing and talking with Shen Wangjing.
• Two nurses discussed Jiang Xun and Shen Wangjing’s closeness and concluded they were lovers.
• Jiang Huaixiao listened to the nurses praise their romance and looked increasingly grim.

Jiang Xun visited Shen Wangjing in the hospital and decorated his cast with cats, then panicked when Shen Wangjing appeared to be in pain. Shen Wangjing examined Jiang Xun’s bruised wrist, and after their teasing turned physical, he caught Jiang Xun as he fell toward him.

• Jiang Xun finished drawing twelve cats on Shen Wangjing’s cast and invited him to make a wish.
• Shen Wangjing asked to see Jiang Xun’s bandaged wrist, and Jiang Xun claimed he had sprained it arm-wrestling a police officer.
• When Shen Wangjing appeared to be in pain, Jiang Xun leaned close to check on him, and Shen Wangjing caught his wrist.
• Shen Wangjing lifted the gauze and questioned Jiang Xun about the bruise beneath it, while Jiang Xun tried to change the subject.
• Shen Wangjing said his wish had already come true, and Jiang Xun realized he had been tricked.
• Jiang Xun grabbed Shen Wangjing’s collar and threatened to hit him, but Shen Wangjing pressed his lower back and caught him as he pitched forward.

Jiang Xun struggled to get free as Shen Wangjing held him close and asked about his injured wrist, but Duan Qizhao’s arrival interrupted them. After seeing the two together, Jiang Huaixiao learned that their father had been hospitalized and returned to the inpatient building.

• Shen Wangjing kept Jiang Xun pinned against him, checked his bruised wrist, and asked whether anyone at home was bullying him.
• Jiang Xun denied that anyone was bullying him, then tried to escape Shen Wangjing’s grasp.
• Duan Qizhao arrived with sunflowers, teased Jiang Xun and Shen Wangjing about their closeness, and was silenced by Jiang Xun.
• Shen Yuxing entered with fruit and asked whether Shen Wangjing was feeling better.
• Jiang Huaixiao postponed his meeting after Jiang Yanchu told him their father had been hospitalized with dangerously high blood pressure, then went back into the inpatient building.

Jiang Huaixiao tried to persuade Jiang Xun to visit their hospitalized father, but Jiang Xun rejected him and was hurt when he invoked their late mother. Jiang Xun left the room after a nurse called a family member to the doctor's office.

• Duan Qizhao, Jiang Xun, and Shen Wangjing played cards in the hospital room until Jiang Huaixiao arrived.
• Jiang Huaixiao told Jiang Xun that Jiang Changping had been hospitalized with dangerously high blood pressure and showed him a photo of their father.
• Jiang Xun refused to visit Jiang Changping, recounting how his father had abandoned him during the seventeen years he spent in the orphanage.
• Jiang Huaixiao invoked Song Minzhi, and Jiang Xun recalled the comfort he had longed for from his mother as a child.
• Jiang Xun dodged Jiang Huaixiao's attempt to touch his shoulder and left when a nurse called a family member to the doctor's office.

After Shen Wangjing was admitted to a Capital City hospital for his brain injury, Jiang Xun devoted himself to caring for him while Jiang Huaixiao stayed nearby and tried to keep the situation under control. Jiang Yanchu remained shut out, and Jiang Huaixiao continued watching from the corridor as the family gathered around Shen Wangjing’s room.

• Doctor Qin warned Jiang Xun that Shen Wangjing’s prolonged oxygen deprivation could cause lasting or delayed brain injury and recommended transferring him to a better-equipped hospital.
• Jiang Huaixiao arranged Shen Wangjing’s transfer to a Capital City hospital, secured specialists, and sent caregivers to help Grandpa Shen at home, intending to bring everyone back safely before addressing Jiang Xun’s relationship with Shen Wangjing.
• After Shen Wangjing was admitted to the Neurosurgery ward, Jiang Xun moved into his room and took charge of his daily care, while Duan Qizhao brought food and was driven out after teasing Jiang Xun.
• Jiang Changping told visiting friends that Jiang Xun was staying with him, although Jiang Xun had not visited his room, which was less than twenty meters from Shen Wangjing’s.
• Jiang Yanchu left congee outside Shen Wangjing’s room, watched Jiang Xun feed it to Shen Wangjing, and kept his distance because he feared Jiang Xun would not want him there.
• Jiang Huaixiao worked from a bench outside Shen Wangjing’s room day and night, while Jiang Xun occupied the attendant’s bed and left no room for another.

Jiang Xun dreamed that his mother ignored him and woke up sobbing, so Shen Wangjing comforted him. After calming down, Jiang Xun asked what Shen Wangjing’s mother was like and whether she had treated him well.

• Jiang Huaixiao adjusted Jiang Xun’s blanket and the beds to keep him apart from Shen Wangjing during his night watch.
• Jiang Xun dreamed that his family and his mother ignored him, leaving him alone in the dark.
• Shen Wangjing woke to Jiang Xun’s muffled sobs and crossed the room on crutches to comfort him with an embrace.
• Jiang Xun calmed down, moved away slightly, and asked Shen Wangjing what his mother was like and whether she had been good to him.

Shen Wangjing comforted Jiang Xun by sharing memories of his mother, while the Jiang family struggled to plan a grand celebration for Jiang Xun’s eighteenth birthday. Duan Qizhao reminded Jiang Xun that his birthday was next Wednesday, leaving him momentarily stunned.

• Shen Wangjing told Jiang Xun about his late, mute mother and gently patted his back until he fell asleep.
• Shen Wangjing watched over Jiang Xun through the night and covered him again when he kicked off his blanket.
• Jiang Huaixiao received a message from Jiang Yanchu and considered Jiang Changping’s plans for Jiang Xun’s birthday celebration.
• Jiang Changping insisted the family hold a lavish coming-of-age celebration at Cloudwave Hall, while Jiang Huaixiao and Jiang Yanchu questioned whether Jiang Xun would attend.
• Jiang Yanchu recalled that Shen Yuxing had taken his cake to Jiang Xun, who was laughing with Shen Wangjing instead of sleeping.
• Duan Qizhao told Jiang Xun that next Wednesday was his eighteenth birthday, and Jiang Xun’s smile froze.