Chapter Summaries

After Old Master Song tried to leave Xia Zhiyi his assets along with the Song family’s debts, Xia Zhiyi refused and prepared to use Fu Chi’s legal team to fight back. The chapter ended with Xia Zhiyi and Fu Chi sharing a sweet moment while they waited for Wang Sheng at the university cafeteria.

• Xia Zhiyi learned that Old Master Song wanted to transfer his remaining assets to him, potentially leaving him responsible for the Song family’s debts.
• Xia Zhiyi borrowed Fu Chi’s legal team and decided to sue the Song family rather than accept the inheritance.
• Fu Chi explained that the Song family’s remaining assets would not cover its debts, and Xia Zhiyi wondered whether Old Master Song was trying to make him support the family’s remaining children.
• Xia Zhiyi and Fu Chi ate lunch at the university cafeteria, where they ran into Wang Sheng and Liu Xi.
• Xia Zhiyi teased Fu Chi about Liu Xi noticing his looks, and Fu Chi asked whether he should wear a mask.

Xia Zhiyi arranged to stay at the apartment, gave the lawyers more materials to use against the Song family, and returned to class before going back to Fu Chi. They discussed testing how intimacy affected the duration of color in Fu Chi’s eyes, and Fu Chi suggested starting that night.

• Xia Zhiyi told Wang Sheng he would stay at the apartment for a few nights, and Wang Sheng agreed to cover his share of the dorm cleaning with the others.
• Xia Zhiyi took Fu Chi off campus to meet the lawyers and gave them additional materials in Li Jing’s name before returning to class.
• Xia Zhiyi asked Fu Chi how his eyes had been, and Fu Chi revealed that kissing him had gradually made the color last longer.
• Fu Chi admitted he had kept the change secret because he feared Xia Zhiyi would limit their kisses to experiments.
• Xia Zhiyi recalled their recent intimacy and his sore lower back, and Fu Chi proposed controlling the variables by starting the experiment that night.

After class, Lin Sixun warned Xia Zhiyi that someone was investigating Xia Zhiyi’s older sister and the little girl with her. Xia Zhiyi concealed his anger and said he would verify the information, while Lin Sixun hoped to earn a favor from him.

• Xia Zhiyi zoned out in class until Lin Sixun called him back to the conversation.
• Lin Sixun told Xia Zhiyi that someone was looking into his older sister and the little girl with her.
• Xia Zhiyi briefly showed killing intent, then thanked Lin Sixun and said he would have someone verify the information.
• Lin Sixun declined a thank-you gift because he wanted Xia Zhiyi to owe him a favor.

After Lin Sixun warned Xia Zhiyi that someone was investigating Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen, Xia Zhiyi traced the inquiry to a private detective and discovered the investigator was trying to confirm Xia Zhen’s identity. The investigation stemmed from Xia Zhen’s resemblance to her biological mother and a suspected connection to the Song family.

• Lin Sixun told Xia Zhiyi that someone had been asking about Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen, then returned to his group and claimed they had discussed next year’s programming competition.
• Xia Zhiyi checked Lin Sixun’s information and considered whether the person investigating his sisters might be targeting Xia Wanyi or Xia Zhen.
• Xia Zhiyi followed the online trail to a private detective hired to investigate Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen and obtain their hair under the pretext of searching for lost relatives.
• Xia Zhiyi learned that the investigator suspected Xia Zhen because she resembled her biological mother as a child and believed Xia Wanyi’s confirmed Song family connection might explain it.

Xia Zhiyi discovered that Xia Zhen’s maternal uncle had hired Wan Mingming to investigate Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen, likely hoping to profit from the Song family’s assets and debts. He confronted Wan by phone and left him terrified enough to end the commission.

• Xia Zhiyi suspected Xia Zhen’s maternal uncle wanted to use her identity to claim the Song family’s assets while leaving her with its debts.
• Xia Zhiyi called Wan Mingming and demanded that he stop investigating Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen, warning he would report him to the police.
• Wan Mingming hung up, but his phone answered Xia Zhiyi’s next call and switched to speaker on its own.
• Xia Zhiyi explained that Wan’s surveillance of his sisters had angered him and asked whether Wan would end the commission.
• Wan Mingming apologized and promised to leave the area and stay away from Xia Zhiyi’s family.

Xia Zhiyi drove off Wan Mingming and suspected the Song family was trying to pull Xia Zhen back into her destined role as Song Zhen. Meanwhile, Xia Zhen grew more comfortable and affectionate with Xia Wanyi, who agreed to take her out for a roasted sweet potato.

• Xia Zhiyi let Wan Mingming go after confirming he had left, but warned him to stay away from Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen.
• Xia Zhiyi reviewed Xia Zhen’s uncle’s information and suspected the Power of the Plot was using the Song family to force her back into the original story.
• Xia Zhiyi resolved to break the plot rather than let the Song family push Xia Zhen toward Fu Yunyi.
• Xia Zhen woke from the study and cuddled up to Xia Wanyi, showing how much she had come to trust her.
• Xia Zhen asked for a roasted sweet potato, and Xia Wanyi agreed to take her out after she changed.

Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen talked about Wan Mingming and how much they missed Xia Zhiyi, who had been busy with filming and school. Xia Zhiyi called to say he was coming to visit the next day, leaving the sisters looking forward to seeing him.

• Xia Wanyi suggested inviting Wan Mingming to eat with them, but Xia Zhen said she only wanted to dine with her sister and mentioned missing Xia Zhiyi.
• Xia Wanyi told Xia Zhen that Xia Zhiyi's filming had wrapped and promised to take her to visit him during the New Year's Day break.
• Xia Zhiyi called Xia Wanyi and said his work was mostly finished, though he might have to return for extra filming or publicity.
• Xia Zhen squeezed into the video call to greet Xia Zhiyi, and he asked whether she had been eating well and thanked her for looking after Xia Wanyi.
• Xia Zhiyi told Xia Wanyi that he would arrive the next day and explained that he had initially planned to surprise them.

Xia Zhiyi arranged for Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen to join him on a family trip while he filmed a promotional music video for Jianghu. The sisters agreed to go, and Xia Zhen was happy just to watch her brother work.

• Xia Zhiyi secured the Jianghu promotional music video collaboration after the game company learned about his backing and martial arts skills.
• Xia Zhiyi invited Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen to travel with him to the filming location, covering their expenses and assuring them they would not interfere with work.
• Xia Wanyi considered the flexible timing of her thesis and asked Xia Zhen whether she wanted to go; Xia Zhen eagerly agreed.
• Xia Wanyi accepted Xia Zhiyi's invitation and planned to pack that evening.
• Xia Wanyi warned Xia Zhen that Xia Zhiyi might have little time for sightseeing because of work and exams, and Xia Zhen said she was content to watch him work.

Xia Wanyi worried that Xia Zhiyi was working too hard to support the family, while Xia Zhen comforted her by saying she liked her brother. Xia Zhiyi prepared to leave for the ancient town filming location, unaware that Ming Taotao had been left behind and that Xu Chen was juggling a growing workload managing him and Fu Yunyi.

• Xia Wanyi worried that Xia Zhiyi might be working during winter break only to earn money for the family, and Xia Zhen comforted her by saying she liked her brother.
• Xia Zhiyi found Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen cuddling and heard that Xia Wanyi planned to take Xia Zhen to see the ancient town filming location.
• Xia Zhiyi told Xia Wanyi to bring Ming Taotao along, then claimed Ming Taotao would meet them at the destination, though he had actually forgotten her.
• Xia Zhiyi assumed Ming Taotao would forgive him after a few kind words or a red packet, and he considered Xu Chen unlikely to interfere in his private life.
• Xu Chen faced a heavy workload managing both Xia Zhiyi and Fu Yunyi, whose acting required little attention from her but whose career brought her constant negotiations and other tasks.

Xia Zhiyi reflected on Fu Yunyi’s protagonist halo, which drew trouble toward him, and on how Xia Zhiyi’s choices had weakened its influence on himself. He also traced how his actions helped keep Gu Miaomiao out of Huanyu’s reach, while Xu Chen and the company pursued their own response to Huanyu.

• Fu Yunyi’s popularity and blunt attitude led rivals to spread rumors and poach people around him instead of confronting him directly.
• Xia Zhiyi recognized that Fu Yunyi’s protagonist halo tended to turn private hostility into trouble that ultimately benefited Fu Yunyi.
• After meeting Fu Yunyi, Xia Zhiyi found that the halo had little effect on him and continued associating with Fu Yunyi.
• Xia Zhiyi discovered that Gu Miaomiao had not joined Huanyu because Zhou Kai’s arrest left the company unable to produce the web drama that could have recruited her.
• Xia Zhiyi had supplied paparazzi with evidence of Zhou Kai’s scandals, and Xu Chen and the company also took action against Huanyu over its repeated schemes against Fu Yunyi.

Xia Zhiyi’s actions helped Huanyu cancel a vanity web drama project, though he knew the protagonists might still be pulled back onto the plot’s destined path. He then arrived to film a game promotion, impressing the crew when he appeared in costume and performed a sword dance.

• Huanyu suffered losses after its offensive against Tianhuan, so it cut several planned projects, including the web drama Xia Zhiyi had indirectly helped Gu Miaomiao avoid.
• Xia Zhiyi greeted Xu Zixu and chatted with her before meeting the filming crew’s director.
• The director confirmed Xia Zhiyi had memorized the script, and Xia Zhiyi went to change into a sword sect disciple’s outfit from Jianghu.
• Xia Zhiyi emerged in costume and impressed Xu Zixu, the director, and the crew with his presence as a young wandering swordsman.
• When Xia Zhiyi wondered if his costume’s waist was too tight, he demonstrated that it did not restrict him by performing a sword dance.

Xia Zhiyi demonstrated his martial arts and Qinggong skills to the production team, astonishing the director and crew. The director had him hold a rooftop pose for a poster shoot and grew excited about the music video’s prospects.

• Xia Zhiyi told the staff member he knew how to use a sword, then impressed him by twirling it.
• The director asked Xia Zhiyi whether he really knew kung fu and could fly without wires, and Xia Zhiyi confirmed he knew a little Qinggong.
• Xia Zhiyi checked that he could step on the rooftops, then leapt onto the eaves and balanced there in a pose.
• Xu Zixu and the crew watched in amazement as the director called for the cameraman to capture Xia Zhiyi.
• The director asked Xia Zhiyi to hold his pose for a poster shoot and celebrated the possibility that the music video would be a hit.

Xia Zhiyi’s martial arts skills impressed the director, who paused filming to revise the script and asked him to reproduce moves from the game. Xia Zhiyi then visited Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen at a teahouse, where they discussed the shoot and the damp winter cold.

• Xia Zhiyi and Xu Zixu were released from filming while the director held a meeting to revise the script.
• A staff member asked Xia Zhiyi to reproduce martial arts moves from the game, and Xia Zhiyi agreed.
• Xia Zhiyi left Xu Zixu with her manager and went to find Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen at a nearby teahouse.
• Xia Zhiyi told Xia Wanyi that the director was considering script changes, then ordered the same drink as hers.
• Xia Wanyi asked Xia Zhiyi whether he was hot inside the teahouse.

Xia Zhiyi discussed Xia Zhen’s health, martial arts training, and school plans with Xia Wanyi. They decided she would stay home for another six months before starting school, leaving Xia Zhiyi to explain the arrangement to the relevant authorities.

• Xia Zhiyi visited Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen before returning to a lunch engagement, and explained that it did not necessarily involve drinking.
• Xia Zhiyi suggested that Xia Zhen learn martial arts once her health had improved, noting that she had some aptitude.
• Xia Zhiyi proposed delaying Xia Zhen’s school enrollment by six months so she could build up her health, catch up in her studies, and start with a reshuffled class.
• Xia Zhen happily accepted the possibility of staying home longer, while Xia Wanyi agreed that they should discuss the plan with the relevant authorities.
• Xia Zhiyi said he would handle informing the Women's Federation and the Education Bureau, which continued to follow up on Xia Zhen’s welfare.

Xia Zhiyi met a fan who admitted she had secretly filmed a short clip of him on the set of "Chasing." After he gently asked her to delete it and not repeat the mistake, he spotted another man filming him nearby.

• Xia Zhiyi reassured Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen that he would handle the arrangements for Xia Zhen's schooling.
• A server revealed she was Xia Zhiyi's fan and explained that she had watched an unauthorized ten-second clip of him fighting on set.
• Xia Zhiyi asked the server to use official channels and delete the clip, then offered her an autograph after she apologized.
• Xia Wanyi questioned Xia Zhiyi about secret filming on the production, and he said he could detect cameras within a hundred meters.
• Xia Zhiyi noticed a nearby man holding up his phone and asked him not to secretly film.

Xia Zhiyi dealt with a fan who had secretly tried to photograph him, then returned to the set and filmed revised action scenes for the game adaptation. The shoot continued until nightfall, with the director planning to negotiate for a new location for an added sequence.

• Xia Zhiyi pointed out a security camera, and the embarrassed man left after being caught trying to take secret photos.
• Xia Wanyi laughed as Xia Zhiyi assured her he did not care about cultivating a celebrity persona and had done nothing wrong.
• A young server apologized to Xia Zhiyi for her earlier behavior, promised to support idols through proper channels, and ran off.
• Xia Zhiyi returned to the set, where Xu Zixu's junior assistant told him Xu had left to handle something and would return that afternoon.
• Xia Zhiyi reviewed the revised script over lunch, and the director added sequences of him scaling walls and racing over rooftops.
• Filming continued until nightfall, while the director went to negotiate with the scenic area's administrator about a location for an added sequence.

Xu Zixu invited Xia Zhiyi to a dinner with investors and asked him to appear on a lifestyle variety show. Xia Zhiyi agreed to accompany her to dinner but declined the show because he already had work scheduled, and the two settled into an older-sister and younger-brother relationship.

• Xu Zixu invited Xia Zhiyi to a proper business dinner with investors who were planning a lifestyle variety show.
• Xia Zhiyi said he trusted Xu Zixu and thanked her for helping him, and she explained that she valued working with him and saw him as a promising future star.
• Xu Zixu offered Xia Zhiyi a one-episode guest appearance on the show, but he declined because he had already scheduled work.
• Xia Zhiyi agreed to go to dinner with Xu Zixu, and she called him her good little brother before leaving him to change.

Fu Chi surprised Xia Zhiyi by arriving in the ancient town, where he met Xia Wanyi, Xia Zhen, and Ming Taotao while Xia Zhiyi changed after filming. Fu Chi planned to have dinner with them before leaving, and Xia Zhiyi had yet to reunite with him.

• Xia Zhiyi waved to Xia Wanyi, Xia Zhen, and Fu Chi before heading to the changing room.
• Ming Taotao asked Xia Wanyi how long Xia Zhiyi and Teacher Xu had talked while she shivered and ate ice cream.
• Xia Wanyi asked Fu Chi whether he had told Xia Zhiyi he was coming, and Fu Chi said he had wanted the visit to be a surprise.
• Fu Chi told Xia Wanyi that he would have dinner with them but would leave afterward.
• Fu Chi reflected that Xia Zhiyi was so capable that he had found no chance to help with the filming work.

Xia Zhiyi and the others decided to stay the night rather than travel on snowy roads, then went out for a spicy dinner. After the meal, their phones rang at the same time as Xia Wanyi suggested a walk.

• Xia Zhiyi encouraged Fu Chi to stay overnight because snow made traveling by car dangerous, and Fu Chi agreed to leave early the next morning.
• Xia Wanyi suggested a local Xiang restaurant, and the group headed there for dinner.
• Xia Zhiyi warned Ming Taotao about eating ice cream in the cold and, at the restaurant, turned her remaining ice cream into a drink.
• The group ate authentic spicy food, while Xia Zhen stuck to mild dishes to protect her recovering health.
• After the snow stopped, Xia Wanyi asked whether everyone wanted to take a walk, and Xia Zhiyi's, Fu Chi's, and Ming Taotao's phones rang together.

Xia Zhiyi learned that photos of him and Xu Zixu had sparked dating rumors, while Xu Chen and others worked to handle the story. He reassured Fu Chi that the rumors were harmless, then received a call from Xu Zixu.

• Li Jing told Xia Zhiyi that the dating rumor likely originated from Xu Zixu's side and offered to connect him with someone who could help.
• Xia Zhiyi thanked Li Jing, declined help, and asked him to keep sharing news about him.
• Xia Zhiyi read Xu Chen's messages saying she was handling the rumors and that Fu Chi already knew about them.
• Xia Zhiyi teased Fu Chi about feeling jealous, then explained that he and Xu Zixu had become sworn siblings.
• Xia Zhiyi said he trusted Xu Chen and Xu Zixu to resolve the rumors, and Xu Zixu called him.