Chapter Summaries

Chi Ye discovered that Shen Zhiyi was in severe pain and rushed her to the hospital, where a doctor identified signs of depression and years of harmful eating habits. The doctor warned that her recovery would depend largely on Shen Zhiyi finding hope for herself.

• Shen Zhiyi rejected Chi Ye’s confession and tried to hide her worsening pain from him.
• Chi Ye noticed Shen Zhiyi trembling and hurting herself, then took her to the hospital.
• Hospital staff treated Shen Zhiyi’s wounds while she slept, and the doctor discussed her condition with Chi Ye.
• The doctor reported that Shen Zhiyi showed physical symptoms associated with depression and had eaten irregularly for years, leaving her stomach unable to handle rich food.
• Chi Ye realized he had failed to notice Shen Zhiyi’s insomnia and eating problems, and the doctor warned that her recovery depended on her finding hope.

After bringing Shen Zhiyi home from the doctor, Chi Ye cared for her and persuaded her to let him sleep in her room so he could reassure Madam Ye during her visit. The two avoided discussing the afternoon’s events, and Chi Ye ended the evening by telling Shen Zhiyi it was time for bed.

• Chi Ye brought Shen Zhiyi home and followed the doctor’s advice to care for her gently, while Xu Housekeeper prepared the prescribed meals.
• Chi Ye held Shen Zhiyi at dinner and debated whether to wake her until she opened her eyes and scolded him for taking liberties.
• Chi Ye asked Shen Zhiyi to let him sleep in her room, citing Madam Ye’s planned visit, and she agreed after he promised to sleep on the floor.
• Chi Ye applied medicine to Shen Zhiyi’s bruised arm and left after telling her she should have hit him instead.
• Shen Zhiyi read messages from Madam Ye and Liu Muyan, including news about Chu Yanqing and the Chu Group, before Chi Ye came downstairs and called her to bed.

Chi Ye and Shen Zhiyi shared a bedroom, where he read her French poetry until he fell asleep and reached for her hand. Shen Zhiyi slept more peacefully than usual, and Chi Ye left quietly the next morning while she was still asleep.

• Chi Ye arranged floor bedding beside Shen Zhiyi’s bed and asked her to share the room.
• Shen Zhiyi said good night to Chi Ye, who began reading her a fairy tale before switching to French poetry.
• Chi Ye read until he fell asleep, while Shen Zhiyi lay awake and felt calmer than on previous nights.
• Chi Ye woke from a nightmare, took Shen Zhiyi’s hand, and fell asleep holding it; Shen Zhiyi let him keep hold of her hand.
• Chi Ye woke first, watched Shen Zhiyi sleeping, and quietly went to the guest bedroom to wash up.

Shen Zhiyi hid her worsening insomnia from Chi Ye and secretly visited her smashed-up house, where she found her coffin untouched. Chi Ye later went looking for her at the tearoom and learned she had left almost immediately.

• Shen Zhiyi pretended she had slept well while Chi Ye offered to keep reading aloud to help her rest.
• Shen Zhiyi lied to Chi Ye about meeting a woodcut client, and he drove her to a tearoom before leaving for work.
• Shen Zhiyi took a narrow lane to her damaged house and found her black coffin still beside her bed.
• Shen Zhiyi cleaned the dusty coffin, messaged Chi Ye, and planned to end their arrangement in half a month.
• Chi Ye searched the tearoom for Shen Zhiyi at lunchtime and learned she had left less than two minutes after arriving.

Chi Ye coaxed Shen Zhiyi into bringing him lunch, then proudly showed his assistants that she was his girlfriend. The chapter ended with the assistants stunned by Chi Ye’s deliberate public display of affection.

• Chi Ye called Shen Zhiyi and persuaded her to bring him a proper lunch by pretending he would settle for bread.
• Chi Ye told his skeptical assistants that his girlfriend would bring him lunch, but they did not believe him.
• Shen Zhiyi arrived at Chi Ye’s office building with the food, and Chi Ye hurried downstairs to meet her.
• Chi Ye kissed Shen Zhiyi’s cheek in front of the assistants and led her into his office.
• The assistants realized Chi Ye really had a girlfriend and called his public display of affection a dirty move.

Shen Zhiyi rejected Chi Ye’s attempts to draw them closer and reminded him that their contract would end in half a month. Chi Ye refused to accept their separation, insisting he had told Aunt Ye he would marry no one but her.

• Chi Ye apologized for kissing Shen Zhiyi without permission, then persuaded her to eat lunch with him.
• Chi Ye asked Shen Zhiyi to carve his desk, and she rebuffed his requests before going to nap.
• While Shen Zhiyi slept, Chi Ye arranged a carving table and wooden boards in his office as a surprise for her.
• Shen Zhiyi told Chi Ye to prepare Aunt Ye for their separation because their contract ended in half a month.
• Chi Ye kissed Shen Zhiyi to interrupt her, then refused to accept the contract ending and said he had promised his mother he would marry no one but her.

Shen Zhiyi agreed to give Chi Ye a chance, and he took her to his company, where she offered the game director suggestions on character designs. The chapter left the director and the others watching her as she asked whether they had any other questions.

• Chi Ye asked Shen Zhiyi to trust him and give their relationship a chance, and she agreed after warning that she could not easily express herself.
• Chi Ye embraced Shen Zhiyi and took her around the company, but he was called away while she waited in an empty chair.
• The employees looked to Shen Zhiyi to solve a software bug, but she told them to fix the problem they had created themselves.
• The game director showed Chi Ye sketches for the farming game, and Chi Ye asked Shen Zhiyi to give him pointers.
• Shen Zhiyi recommended making the younger sister character livelier and reducing the colors' saturation, then asked whether anyone had other questions.

Chi Ye introduced Shen Zhiyi as his girlfriend and took care of her while preparing to finish his work before their trip. Meanwhile, Chu Yannan struggled to manage the Chu company as employees continued to compare his decisions to Chu Yanqing’s.

• Chi Ye introduced Shen Zhiyi to his employees as his girlfriend and asked them to look after her.
• Shen Zhiyi remained too unsettled to work, so Chi Ye took her home and bought her a chocolate cake.
• Madam Ye began taking Shen Zhiyi and Liu Muyan to afternoon tea, while Liu Muyan confronted Chi Ye about dating Shen Zhiyi.
• Chu Yannan insisted that An Qian join the company as his secretary, despite his parents’ objections and her difficulty with the work.
• After employees rejected another of Chu Yannan’s decisions by invoking Chu Yanqing, Chu Yannan grew frustrated and insisted that his decisions were correct.

Shan Yirou and An Qian clashed at the Chu Group after an important contract document went missing, and An Qian accused Shan of taking it. Surveillance proved the document had reached President Wen, but Chu Yannan reassigned document handling to Special Assistant Gao, leaving him resentful of his new errand work.

• Shan Yirou joined the Chu Group hoping to get close to Chu Yannan, and her conflict with An Qian stirred up the office.
• Shan Yirou confronted An Qian for handing an important document to a stranger, and An Qian accused her of taking it.
• Chu Yannan asked Special Assistant Gao to investigate while An Qian insisted Shan return the missing document.
• Special Assistant Gao reviewed the surveillance footage and found that President Wen had received the document shortly before.
• Chu Yannan ended the dispute and assigned Special Assistant Gao to handle the documents, prompting his frustration at becoming an errand boy.

Chi Ye tried to cook dinner for Shen Zhiyi, setting off a kitchen disaster, but he believed he saw her smile and cherished the moment. After Xu Housekeeper was sent back to the Old Residence, Chi Ye stocked the kitchen with cooking supplies and another microwave.

• Chi Ye emerged from the smoking kitchen with a charred, unidentifiable dinner, and Shen Zhiyi showed a faint trace of amusement.
• Chi Ye realized Shen Zhiyi had smiled, then blushed as she wiped the soot from his hands and washed them with him.
• Xu Housekeeper finished cleaning the kitchen, but Chi Ye sent him back to the Old Residence so he could be alone with Shen Zhiyi.
• Chi Ye returned with a box of kitchen supplies and a microwave, explaining that it was different from the one Xu Housekeeper had used.

Chi Ye secretly practiced making desserts for Shen Zhiyi while she worked and went out to meet a client. At a restaurant, Shen Zhiyi overheard Chu Yannan comforting An Qian before someone suddenly snatched her drink.

• Chi Ye repeatedly attempted desserts at home, following a book and trying to keep his noisy experiments from disturbing Shen Zhiyi.
• Chi Ye let Shen Zhiyi meet a client alone, then worked on a dessert while she was out.
• Shen Zhiyi delivered her painting, accepted Liu Muyan's invitation to eat, and ordered food at a nearby restaurant.
• Shen Zhiyi overheard An Qian complain about Ms. Shan and Chu Yannan promise to make her leave after his company's collaboration with the Shan Family ended.
• Someone reached over and snatched the drink in front of Shen Zhiyi.

Shan Yirou, Chu Yannan, and An Qian fought at the restaurant until Shen Zhiyi splashed all three with grape drinks, while Liu Muyan backed her up. After the trio left, Liu Muyan confided that she suspected Yan Qing was pursuing her, and Shen Zhiyi listened as she tried to sort out her feelings.

• Shan Yirou splashed An Qian with Shen Zhiyi's drinks, and Chu Yannan retaliated by throwing water in Shan Yirou's face.
• Shen Zhiyi ordered more drinks and threw one at each of Chu Yannan, An Qian, and Shan Yirou.
• Liu Muyan arrived, photographed the drenched trio, and stood beside Shen Zhiyi as she mocked them; Chu Yannan asked to talk, but Liu Muyan refused.
• Shen Zhiyi paid the cleaning fee, and Liu Muyan told her she suspected Yan Qing was pursuing her.
• Someone called out, "Shen Zhiyi, I'm here!"

Chi Ye joined Shen Zhiyi and Liu Muyan at the restaurant, then helped Chu Yanqing find a way to leave with Liu Muyan. On the drive home, Shen Zhiyi worried that she still lacked money for a gift, and Chi Ye pulled over to ask why she seemed sad.

• Chi Ye arrived after Liu Muyan called him and angrily asked who had bullied Shen Zhiyi, but Shen Zhiyi said the women had only taken her drink.
• Chi Ye noticed Liu Muyan was bored, pointed out Chu Yanqing approaching, and watched as Chu Yanqing sat beside her and greeted her.
• When Chi Ye prepared to take Shen Zhiyi home, Chu Yanqing pretended to feel unwell so Liu Muyan would take him to the hospital.
• Shen Zhiyi saw through Chu Yanqing's pretense and asked Chi Ye whether he tricked her too; Chi Ye denied it.
• Shen Zhiyi checked messages from clients in Chi Ye's car and worried that she needed several more commissions to afford a gift.
• Chi Ye heard Shen Zhiyi sigh, pulled over, and asked, "Shen Zhiyi, what's wrong? Are you feeling sad?"

Shen Zhiyi listened as Chi Ye admitted he had schemed to spend more time with her, then kissed him and let him hold her. Chi Ye explained that he kept calling her by her full name because he hoped she would think of his home as hers and stay with him.

• Chi Ye confessed that he had lied and schemed because he wanted Shen Zhiyi to like him and stay by his side.
• Shen Zhiyi told Chi Ye to drive them home, then kissed him in the parking garage.
• Chi Ye kissed Shen Zhiyi passionately, and she told him to stop when she struggled to breathe.
• Chi Ye carried Shen Zhiyi to the sofa and thanked her for making him happy.
• Shen Zhiyi asked why Chi Ye called her by her full name, and he said he wanted her to remember home and not take the wrong road.

Chi Ye and Shen Zhiyi shared a domestic moment after he failed to bake chocolate cookies, then agreed to dye their hair together. They went to a salon, where Madam Ye joined them and wealthy customers began noticing and gossiping about the pair.

• Chi Ye served Shen Zhiyi burnt chocolate cookies, and she tried to spare his feelings while admitting they were hard to eat.
• Shen Zhiyi comforted Chi Ye and agreed to dye her hair with him after he suggested changing their hair colors.
• Chi Ye and Shen Zhiyi visited a salon and chose trendy hair colors, while Chi Ye attentively arranged food and drinks for her.
• Madam Ye came to watch them dye their hair after Chi Father persuaded her not to join in.
• Salon customers recognized Chi Ye and gossiped about him and Shen Zhiyi as they sat together in a private room.

Chi Ye and Shen Zhiyi dyed their hair the same color, and Chi Ye prepared a road trip to lift Shen Zhiyi’s spirits. Just before they were due to leave, Shen Zhiyi saw people from her past approaching, and Chi Ye sensed her hand tremble.

• Chi Ye sent away a girl who interrupted Shen Zhiyi’s sleep to invite him to dinner.
• Madam Ye joined Chi Ye and Shen Zhiyi at the salon, teased them, and photographed them after they finished dyeing their hair blue-gray-purple.
• Chi Ye developed his desserts and planned a road trip with a camera, tent, and car so Shen Zhiyi could experience the changing seasons.
• As dusk unsettled Shen Zhiyi, Chi Ye held her and asked her to kiss him, and she comforted him with a kiss.
• While Chi Ye and Shen Zhiyi went out to buy something they needed for the trip, Shen Zhiyi recognized people approaching from her past, and Chi Ye felt her hand tremble.

Shen Zhiyi ran into Hao Qiulan, the classmate who had led the bullying and rumors that drove her into despair, and Chi Ye defended her when Hao Qiulan taunted her. After Hao Qiulan threatened her and left, Shen Zhiyi confronted Chi Ye about knowing her past, while his anger shook him.

• Hao Qiulan encountered Shen Zhiyi and Chi Ye outside a restaurant and mocked Shen Zhiyi, questioning whether Chi Ye truly liked her.
• Chi Ye threatened Hao Qiulan, while Shen Zhiyi asked whether the people she had brought into the restaurant were people Hao Qiulan could not afford to offend.
• Hao Qiulan taunted Shen Zhiyi about their former classmates and the rumors spread about her, then froze when Shen Zhiyi said she knew where Hao Qiulan's father was.
• Hao Qiulan accused Shen Zhiyi of investigating her, but stopped arguing when Chi Ye warned her that they were in public and she remembered her clients were waiting.
• Chi Ye hurried Shen Zhiyi away, and she stopped him to say he must have read her file and know who Hao Qiulan was.
• Shen Zhiyi held Chi Ye back as he trembled with anger, remembering that Hao Qiulan had led the bullying that left her wanting to die.

After Shen Zhiyi was overwhelmed by painful memories, Chi Ye stayed close while she withdrew from everyone. A week later, Shen Zhiyi arranged to meet Hao Qiulan alone in an abandoned park and retaliated when Hao Qiulan repeated her old bullying tactics.

• Chi Ye comforted Shen Zhiyi as she broke down, then carried her home and quietly stayed with her.
• Shen Zhiyi spent the following week staring into space while Chi Ye remained nearby without crowding her.
• Hao Qiulan called Shen Zhiyi and challenged her to meet, and Shen Zhiyi agreed to go without telling Chi Ye the real reason.
• Shen Zhiyi sent Chi Ye out to buy fried chicken, then went alone to the abandoned park where Hao Qiulan was waiting.
• Hao Qiulan threw a beer can at Shen Zhiyi, and Shen Zhiyi picked it up and hurled it back at Hao Qiulan.

Shen Zhiyi confronted Hao Qiulan, exposed the secrets she had uncovered about Hao Qiulan and her father, and said she would reunite them. As Chi Ye headed home with fried chicken, gathering clouds and a sudden unease made him hurry back to Shen Zhiyi.

• Hao Qiulan tried to slap Shen Zhiyi, but Shen Zhiyi kicked her down and pinned her to the ground.
• Shen Zhiyi revealed that she knew about Hao Qiulan's abusive home life, private writings, and estrangement from her father, who had gone to prison after robbing a store to pay her tuition.
• Hao Qiulan taunted Shen Zhiyi about her dead parents and claimed she had helped turn Shen Zhiyi into an emotionless person by stirring up others against her.
• Shen Zhiyi told Hao Qiulan that her father was out of prison and coming to find her, and said she would reunite them.
• Chi Ye noticed dark clouds gathering despite the forecast and hurried to buy fried chicken and return home to Shen Zhiyi.

Shen Zhiyi confronted Hao Qiulan beside a lake, revealing that she had exposed Hao Qiulan’s secrets and urging her to push her in. As Hao Qiulan reached for her, Shen Zhiyi thought of Chi Ye and the life she would leave behind.

• Shen Zhiyi followed Hao Qiulan and recalled watching her resent her family, classmates, and teachers while hiding her true feelings.
• After Hao Qiulan disappeared following her exams, her father turned to robbery, was imprisoned, and was injured by the jewelry store owner.
• Shen Zhiyi gathered information about Hao Qiulan and passed messages to her father in prison, then confronted Hao Qiulan as he neared release.
• At an abandoned park lake, Shen Zhiyi told Hao Qiulan she had spread her secrets and urged her to push her into the water.
• Hao Qiulan reached toward Shen Zhiyi and shouted, “go to hell!” as Shen Zhiyi imagined Chi Ye grieving and Chi Ye ran toward her, calling her name.