Chapter Summaries

On the first day of school, Zhang Zhaomu discovered that a mysterious [refined] persona had transformed his habits, appearance, and social confidence. After chatting with his beautiful neighbor Duan Chan'er on the way to school, he reached Liu's Rice Noodles and startled his friend Chen Zhenzhen with his new look.

• Zhang Zhaomu woke with the thought that his persona for the week was [refined] and felt compelled to clean himself and his room.
• Zhang Zhaomu cut his hair, cleaned his room, and realized the persona had made him look and act more composed.
• Zhang Zhaomu greeted Duan Chan'er in the hallway, and they talked as they walked downstairs together.
• Duan Chan'er headed to school while Zhang Zhaomu went to Liu's Rice Noodles for breakfast.
• Zhang Zhaomu found Chen Zhenzhen at the shop, greeted him loudly, and left him wondering who he was.

After returning from Shanghai, Zhang Zhaomu met his longtime best friend Chen Zhenzhen and showed off his newfound refined manners, which left her unsettled. They ate rice noodles together and talked about their school tracks, ending with Zhang accepting that he was still a salted fish despite his Refined Persona.

• Zhang Zhaomu greeted Chen Zhenzhen with a Wing Chun pose, and she was shocked by his changed appearance and manner.
• Zhang Zhaomu and Chen Zhenzhen teased each other about their names, clothes, and how he had changed during his time in Shanghai.
• Zhang Zhaomu charmed Sister Liu at the noodle shop and earned a free fried egg, prompting Chen Zhenzhen to remark that he had never been so polite before.
• Zhang Zhaomu gave Chen Zhenzhen the fried egg, and their familiar teasing eased her discomfort about his changes.
• Chen Zhenzhen asked Zhang Zhaomu about choosing the humanities track, and he admitted that he struggled with science subjects and remained an unremarkable student.

Zhang Zhaomu arrived at Arts Class 9 after noticing his changed appearance drew attention, and sized up the classmates he would spend the next two years with. Their laid-back homeroom teacher, Chen Yongchao, introduced himself and began calling roll.

• Zhang Zhaomu and Chen Zhenzhen walked to school, joked about dating, and agreed to meet at an internet café during lunch.
• Zhang Zhaomu and Chen Zhenzhen parted at Xinxi No. 1 High School, where she headed to Science Class 1 and he went to Arts Class 9.
• Zhang Zhaomu entered Arts Class 9, spotted Duan Chan'er, and took a seat in the back row as he surveyed the specialized arts students and academic slackers.
• Chen Yongchao arrived late, introduced his relaxed approach to teaching, and began roll call with Xiang Qing.

Zhang Zhaomu attended roll call in Class Nine and drew his classmates’ attention with his changed appearance. After the class chose seats, he ended up beside Xiang Qing, and Chen Yongchao moved on to choosing class officers.

• Xiang Qing and Duan Chan'er stood during roll call and drew murmurs, while Zhang Zhaomu noticed Duan Chan'er greeting him.
• Girls nearby discussed Zhang Zhaomu’s appearance and asked a former classmate what he had been like before Chen Yongchao interrupted them.
• Chen Yongchao organized the class by height, but the students chose seats among themselves, leaving Zhang Zhaomu with a spot beside Xiang Qing.
• Zhang Zhaomu greeted Xiang Qing and privately thought she was beautiful before Chen Yongchao warned the class against early romance.
• Chen Yongchao asked whether anyone would volunteer to become a class officer.

Humanities Class Nine chose its class officers, and Chen Yongchao appointed Zhang Zhaomu class president after the class backed him. Zhang Zhaomu intended to refuse, but his polite words instead committed him to serving temporarily.

• Chen Yongchao asked students to nominate themselves for class officer positions, and many volunteered for arts and sports representative.
• When no one volunteered to be class president or academic representative, Chen Yongchao appointed Xiang Qing and Zhang Zhaomu to the positions.
• Zhang Zhaomu tried to refuse the class presidency, citing his lack of experience and poor grades.
• After classmates voiced support for Zhang Zhaomu, Chen Yongchao declared him class president and led the class in applause.
• Zhang Zhaomu accepted the role temporarily and offered to hold another election later, then internally berated his body for speaking so politely.

Zhang Zhaomu was made acting class monitor and watched the class finish electing its officers before Chen Yongchao assigned him to collect textbooks. When several sports students left to dodge the task, Zhang Zhaomu suspected they were trying to embarrass him and faced the problem of gathering the books with too few helpers.

• Chen Yongchao appointed Xiang Qing as study representative after she agreed to the role.
• The class elected its remaining officers, including Xue Jingshu as arts representative.
• Chen Yongchao told Zhang Zhaomu to organize the boys and collect the class's textbooks from the multipurpose building.
• Kang Hao and the other sports students claimed they needed the bathroom and slipped out of the classroom.
• Zhang Zhaomu suspected the sports students had targeted him and considered how to collect the textbooks without enough help.

Zhang Zhaomu was set up by Kang Hao and the sports students, but Duan Chan’er rallied the girls to help him collect the textbooks. As they reached the multipurpose building, Kang Hao and the others continued waiting in the restroom, revealing their resentment and that several of them liked Duan Chan’er.

• Zhang Zhaomu considered speaking with the sports students to avoid a confrontation over collecting textbooks.
• Duan Chan’er offered to help collect the books, and several girls joined her, allowing Zhang Zhaomu to lead a group to the multipurpose building.
• Zhang Zhaomu thanked Duan Chan’er and offered to treat her to lunch, but she firmly declined and talked instead about cooking for herself.
• Kang Hao and the sports students waited in the restroom, expecting Zhang Zhaomu to come beg them to carry the books.
• Xu Xiujie admitted he liked Duan Chan’er, and the other sports students revealed they did too.

Zhang Zhaomu returned with the textbooks after the girls helped him move them, leaving Kang Hao and the other sports students embarrassed by their failed attempt to make him look bad. He then went to look for Chen Zhenzhen but found her stuck in a class meeting, so he headed off to play games in the Rift.

• Kang Hao and the sports students mocked Zhang Zhaomu and planned to offer help only after he asked them nicely.
• Kang Hao saw Zhang Zhaomu return with Duan Chan'er and the other girls carrying the books, and accused him of making them do the heavy lifting.
• Zhang Zhaomu asked the sports students if they had been constipated in the restroom, while Duan Chan'er and the girls reacted to the lingering smell.
• Zhang Zhaomu finished handing out the textbooks and hurried downstairs, hoping to play games during the free time at noon.
• Zhang Zhaomu found Chen Zhenzhen sitting through a class meeting and decided to go fight in the Rift instead.

Zhang Zhaomu realized his [Refined] Persona could help him earn money by giving people image makeovers, and planned to start with his classmates. He decided Chen Zhenzhen would be his first example.

• Zhang Zhaomu visited New Era Internet Cafe and considered ways to earn money after realizing he could not afford a gaming computer.
• Zhang Zhaomu recognized that the [Refined] Persona’s image makeover ability could become a paid service and considered offering it to girls in arts Class Nine.
• Chen Zhenzhen found Zhang Zhaomu at the internet cafe and asked about his new role as class monitor.
• Zhang Zhaomu told Chen Zhenzhen about his plan to give classmates image makeovers, but she doubted his ability.
• Chen Zhenzhen found herself struck by Zhang Zhaomu’s changed appearance, and he offered to make her his first makeover example.

Zhang Zhaomu planned a makeover for Chen Zhenzhen to promote his styling skills, despite her objections. After gaming, they went to his rented place, where Chen Zhenzhen was surprised to find it spotless.

• Zhang Zhaomu outlined a makeover plan for Chen Zhenzhen, suggesting new clothes and a haircut while she insisted she had not agreed.
• Zhang Zhaomu returned to his game, found his team losing badly, and fought to defend his mother's honor in chat.
• Zhang Zhaomu refused Chen Zhenzhen's request for another match and persuaded her to visit his classroom the next day by offering food.
• Zhang Zhaomu and Chen Zhenzhen joked and tussled as they walked to his rented place.
• Chen Zhenzhen entered Zhang Zhaomu's unusually clean apartment and asked whether they had come to the wrong floor.

Zhang Zhaomu brought Chen Zhenzhen to Class Nine, where she admired Xiang Qing and accidentally told Duan Chan'er that Xiang was prettier. After teasing Chen Zhenzhen, Zhang Zhaomu discussed his image-makeover skills with Duan Chan'er and exchanged WeChat details with her.

• Zhang Zhaomu walked Chen Zhenzhen to the entrance of Class Nine and showed her Xiang Qing sitting in his usual seat.
• Chen Zhenzhen praised Xiang Qing's beauty and said she thought Xiang Qing was prettier than Duan Chan'er, who had just arrived and overheard her.
• Zhang Zhaomu introduced Chen Zhenzhen to Duan Chan'er and teased her about her name, prompting Chen Zhenzhen to flee in embarrassment.
• Duan Chan'er asked Zhang Zhaomu about his image-makeover plans, and he described possible changes to her hairstyle and clothing.
• Duan Chan'er asked whether Zhang Zhaomu would give her a discount on an image consultation, and they exchanged WeChat details.

Zhang Zhaomu added Duan Chan'er as a friend, then investigated a strange QQ group notification he had glimpsed on her phone. His search led him to Bing Chan's popular webnovel, which he found unexpectedly compelling before class interrupted his reading.

• Duan Chan'er added Zhang Zhaomu as a friend, and he found her Moments nearly empty.
• Zhang Zhaomu searched for the QQ group named "Have You Complained About Bing Chan Today?" and found its verification question asked about Lu Zhaoheng's first time.
• Zhang Zhaomu discovered that Lu Zhaoheng was the protagonist of the webnovel "All I Wanted Was to Get Ahead, but Now I'm Surrounded by Beauties."
• Zhang Zhaomu read the story's opening and continued through chapter seven, intrigued by its writing and plot.
• The class bell interrupted Zhang Zhaomu, who checked the author's profile and realized Bing Chan was likely the author of Duan Chan'er's reader group.

Zhang Zhaomu spent the day browsing novels and choosing clothes for Chen Zhenzhen while observing his quiet new deskmate, Xiang Qing. After evening study, he startled Chen Zhenzhen outside her classroom and urged her to buy every item he had picked out.

• Zhang Zhaomu chose a blouse, skirt, sandals, hair accessories, and white stockings for Chen Zhenzhen, then sent her the shopping links.
• Zhang Zhaomu passed his relaxed classes and evening study reading novels while Xiang Qing studied quietly beside him.
• Zhang Zhaomu waited outside Science Class One and frightened Chen Zhenzhen and Wang Qianzi as they left.
• Zhang Zhaomu joked with Chen Zhenzhen about Wang Qianzi and learned that Chen Zhenzhen had completed three difficult placement-test papers.
• Zhang Zhaomu told Chen Zhenzhen to buy everything he had selected, and she suspected he was acting guilty.

Zhang Zhaomu settled into the tidy habits brought on by his [Refined] persona while teasing Chen Zhenzhen about wearing a skirt and white stockings. The next morning, Chen Zhenzhen admitted she had spent the night worrying over his clothing links, and their familiar friendship seemed to be changing as they started their second year of high school.

• Zhang Zhaomu and Chen Zhenzhen agreed to meet at Liu Family Rice Noodle Shop the next morning, while Chen Zhenzhen declined to play Honor of Kings because she had placement tests.
• Zhang Zhaomu showered, washed his uniform, and went to bed after joking with Chen Zhenzhen over messages about the skirt and white stockings he had picked out for her.
• Zhang Zhaomu woke early, tidied his room, and dressed neatly before heading to Liu's Noodle Shop.
• Chen Zhenzhen complained that Zhang Zhaomu's clothing links had kept her awake, then insisted she had not bought anything.
• Zhang Zhaomu guessed that Chen Zhenzhen had ordered the clothes, and she privately reflected on trying feminine clothes and how their carefree days together might be ending.

Zhang Zhaomu settled into his new class and tried talking with his distant deskmate, Xiang Qing, before meeting Chen Zhenzhen at lunch. Chen Zhenzhen bristled after Wang Qianzi asked her to introduce them, but she and Zhang Zhaomu went to check whether the makeover delivery had arrived.

• Classmates greeted Zhang Zhaomu as class rep, and he tried making conversation with Xiang Qing, who briefly answered before reading aloud to end it.
• Wang Qianzi teased Chen Zhenzhen about Zhang Zhaomu and asked her to set them up; Chen Zhenzhen agreed but warned she could not promise he would accept.
• Chen Zhenzhen met Zhang Zhaomu outside her classroom and snapped at him for drawing attention to them.
• Zhang Zhaomu reminded Chen Zhenzhen they planned to give her a makeover and said he had chosen a nearby shop to speed up the delivery.
• Chen Zhenzhen accused Zhang Zhaomu of being overly eager, and he insisted he wanted to launch GG and make money before urging her to go.

Zhang Zhaomu gave Chen Zhenzhen a haircut and styled her hair before she tried on the clothes he had bought for her. When she emerged in a blouse that was too tight, he took a picture and regretted giving her a makeover.

• Chen Zhenzhen followed Zhang Zhaomu to his rented place, where he offered to cut her hair.
• Zhang Zhaomu trimmed and dried Chen Zhenzhen's hair, then styled it in two buns.
• Chen Zhenzhen looked in the mirror and felt surprised by her new hairstyle before trying on the clothes Zhang Zhaomu had bought.
• Chen Zhenzhen emerged in a tight blouse, and Zhang Zhaomu stared at her and quickly took a picture despite her protests.
• Zhang Zhaomu praised Chen Zhenzhen's appearance and admitted he was beginning to regret giving her a makeover.

Chen Zhenzhen wore the outfit Zhang Zhaomu had picked out, and his teasing helped her feel less self-conscious about her appearance. They agreed to keep their usual friendship and gaming plans unchanged, though she soon got annoyed when he pushed his outfit jokes too far.

• Zhang Zhaomu mourned that Chen Zhenzhen's makeover had changed how he saw her, while she took his reaction as confirmation that she looked good.
• Chen Zhenzhen reflected on why she admired Zhang Zhaomu and how much she valued their carefree friendship.
• Zhang Zhaomu compared her new look to Garen wearing an Ahri skin, prompting Chen Zhenzhen to wonder if he had once seen her as a burly man.
• Zhang Zhaomu suggested they play games together that night and sneak off to the internet café that weekend, and Chen Zhenzhen tentatively agreed.
• Zhang Zhaomu complained that her outfit lacked white stockings, then teased her about being the only person at school who had seen her dressed that way.
• Chen Zhenzhen twisted Zhang Zhaomu's waist when he made an unwelcome remark, and he backed away while insisting he had only said two words.

Zhang Zhaomu persuaded Chen Zhenzhen to keep her new, more feminine appearance, though she worried about drawing attention and explaining her changed look to her mother. After they agreed to have lunch and visit his classroom, Chen Zhenzhen stepped outside and struggled with the attention her appearance attracted.

• Zhang Zhaomu encouraged Chen Zhenzhen to keep her new look, and she admitted that she liked it despite feeling self-conscious.
• Chen Zhenzhen realized Zhang Zhaomu also hoped her new appearance would raise his status at school, and she teased him about his motives.
• Chen Zhenzhen insisted on a restaurant lunch, and Zhang Zhaomu agreed on the condition that she visit his classroom afterward.
• Chen Zhenzhen felt uncomfortable when strangers stared at her and tried to hunch over, so Zhang Zhaomu smacked her back and told her to stand tall.

Kang Hao and Xu Xiujie tried to comfort each other over their crushes before a crude debate about pain turned into an argument about romance. Their attention shifted when Zhang Zhaomu arrived with a girl transformed by a makeover, leaving Xu Xiujie stunned and Kang Hao eager to pursue her.

• Kang Hao told Xu Xiujie that Xiang Qing still would not speak to him, and the boys argued about which kind of loss was most painful.
• A girl rebuked Xu Xiujie, Kang Hao, and another sports student for discussing shit in the classroom.
• Xu Xiujie revealed that he liked Duan Chan'er, then dismissed Zhang Zhaomu's knowledge of fashion as something anyone could learn.
• Xu Xiujie and Kang Hao noticed a striking girl at the classroom door and immediately began arguing over who should pursue her.
• The sports student recognized the girl as the boyishly dressed visitor who had accompanied Zhang Zhaomu the previous day, and Xu Xiujie realized Zhang Zhaomu had successfully given her a makeover.

After Zhang Zhaomu showed off Chen Zhenzhen’s new look to his classmates, she returned to Class One and dealt with her classmates’ surprise and teasing. Wang Qianzi praised her makeover and joked about her relationship with Zhang Zhaomu, leaving Chen Zhenzhen wondering whether their friendship was truly only platonic.

• Zhang Zhaomu defended bringing Chen Zhenzhen to his classroom to show off her makeover, then told her to return to class and meet him after evening self-study.
• Chen Zhenzhen worried that classmates would misunderstand when Zhang Zhaomu mentioned she would come to his place to change, then entered Class One despite the attention.
• Wang Qianzi was surprised by Chen Zhenzhen’s new hairstyle and learned that Zhang Zhaomu had helped choose her clothes and style her hair.
• Wang Qianzi teased Chen Zhenzhen about Zhang Zhaomu and mentioned other attractive girls, making Chen Zhenzhen feel jealous.
• After Wang Qianzi joked that Chen Zhenzhen had an advantage with boys, Chen Zhenzhen wondered whether Zhang Zhaomu was really as oblivious as he seemed and whether pure friendship existed.