Chapter Summaries

Xia Zhiyi reassured Xu Zixu that he trusted her and her company to help resolve the dating rumors, while explaining that Fu Chi’s jealousy had put him in a good mood. Xu Zixu suspected Lou Wangxing was behind the smear campaign and prepared to apologize to President Fu, while Xia Zhiyi later checked on the investigation’s progress.

• Xia Zhiyi told Xu Zixu he trusted her and suggested they work together through their managers to resolve the rumors.
• Xia Zhiyi explained that Fu Chi had visited him and found the rumors amusing because Fu Chi was jealous.
• Xu Zixu and her manager suspected Lou Wangxing had targeted Xu Zixu, recalling how Lou Wangxing had driven her out of the industry before her comeback.
• Xu Zixu’s manager said the influencer who posted the rumors demanded thirty million and appeared unwilling to cooperate.
• Xu Zixu’s manager decided to prepare an apology for President Fu after learning he had visited Xia Zhiyi.
• Xia Zhiyi walked with Xia Wanyi, took her back to her room, and then checked on their progress.

Xia Zhiyi and Fu Chi handled rumors linking Xia Zhiyi to Xu Zixu without making their relationship public, and Xu Zixu’s studio clarified that she had taken him as a younger brother. The next morning, Xia Wanyi and Xu Zixu began playing along as close sisters, leaving Ming Taotao bewildered.

• Fu Chi offered to issue a statement about his relationship with Xia Zhiyi, but Xia Zhiyi refused to make their relationship public over the rumors.
• The reposting accounts deleted the rumors, and Xu Zixu’s studio explained that she had taken Xia Zhiyi as her younger brother and had originally visited Xia Wanyi’s older sister.
• Xia Zhiyi told Xia Wanyi to treat Xu Zixu naturally and asked her to go shopping with Xu Zixu to support their public story.
• Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhiyi returned to their lodgings, where Xu Zixu was waiting with her assistant and greeted Xia Wanyi as Wanyi.
• Ming Taotao watched the two women greet each other and looked bewildered.

After wrapping up his four-day filming trip, Xia Zhiyi returned to the Imperial Capital, where Fu Chi picked him up and invited him to attend one of his companies’ annual parties. They went to a friend’s newly opened restaurant, leaving Xia Zhiyi amused by its elaborate approach.

• Ming Taotao praised Xia Wanyi’s acting talent, and Xia Zhiyi reflected that he wanted his sister to live the life she chose.
• Xia Zhiyi’s work proceeded smoothly, and the game company visited the crew, gave out top-up cards, and invited Xu Zixu to join an upcoming event.
• On the final day of filming, Xia Zhiyi dressed Xia Zhen in traditional clothes for photos, then checked the area around Xia Wanyi’s residence before returning to the Imperial Capital.
• Fu Chi picked Xia Zhiyi up at the station, explained that he had returned early after a business partner changed representatives, and asked whether Xia Zhiyi would attend one of his companies’ annual parties.
• Fu Chi took Xia Zhiyi to a friend’s new restaurant, whose entrance lay beyond a winding garden path, and Xia Zhiyi privately thought its owner was pretentious.

Xia Zhiyi and Fu Chi ran into Teng Shu at a restaurant, where Teng Shu discussed a possible business collaboration with Fu Chi and thanked Xia Zhiyi for looking after Teng Si'an. Fu Chi's friends joined them for dinner, and Gu Zhiyuan revealed that Fu Yunyi had hit a guest on a variety show and fled to his place.

• Xia Zhiyi and Fu Chi met Teng Shu in the restaurant lobby, where Teng Shu mentioned that Min had invited him and thanked Xia Zhiyi for being friends with Teng Si'an.
• Fu Chi told Xia Zhiyi that Teng Shu wanted to involve him in Orchid TV's new project, though Fu Chi still needed to consider whether Tianhuan would collaborate with Teng Shu's company or Hangu.
• Gu Shenlan, Gu Zhiyuan, and Fu Yunyi arrived to join Fu Chi and Xia Zhiyi for dinner, and Gu Zhiyuan accidentally called Xia Zhiyi "Uncle."
• Xia Zhiyi asked Fu Yunyi how he had found time to come, and Gu Zhiyuan explained that Fu Yunyi had hit a guest before a variety show recording and run to his place.

Xia Zhiyi learned that Fu Yunyi had beaten Miki after catching him molesting a female staff member, and realized the incident could trigger the smear campaign from the original plot. He resolved to prevent Fu Yunyi from suffering baseless accusations, while asking whether Miki was okay.

• Fu Yunyi and Gu Zhiyuan explained that Fu Yunyi had stopped Miki from molesting a female staff member and then beaten him.
• Xia Zhiyi asked about the woman and learned Fu Yunyi had urged her to leave before the fight.
• Fu Yunyi and Gu Zhiyuan struggled to remember Miki's name, and Xia Zhiyi recognized him as the person who had smeared Fu Yunyi in the original plot.
• Xia Zhiyi recalled that Miki's side would portray Fu Yunyi as a bully and exploit the incident for publicity.
• Fu Yunyi advised Xia Zhiyi to keep his distance from Miki, and Xia Zhiyi asked if Miki was okay because he worried Fu Yunyi might have injured him badly.

Fu Chi reprimanded Fu Yunyi for handling Miki’s misconduct with violence and assured Xia Zhiyi that he would deal with Miki. After a caring dinner together, Fu Chi sent Fu Yunyi back to the old residence while Xia Zhiyi prepared to go home alone.

• Fu Chi questioned Fu Yunyi about hitting Miki, and Xia Zhiyi pointed out that they could have looked for evidence against Miki’s company instead.
• Fu Chi told Fu Yunyi to return to the old residence and promised Xia Zhiyi that Miki would not be allowed to bother him.
• Fu Chi showed Xia Zhiyi care during dinner, and Xia Zhiyi called Fu Chi the best cook in the world.
• Fu Chi told Gu Shenlan that cooking for someone he liked tasted different, and Gu Shenlan said he was more interested in making money.
• After dinner, Fu Chi ordered Fu Yunyi to go straight to the old residence and have the butler record his arrival time.

Fu Chi kissed Xia Zhiyi goodbye but kept his promise to return to the old residence, while Xia Zhiyi considered surprising him at work. On his way to class, Xia Zhiyi was invited to cosplay as a character from the game Jianghu.

• Xia Zhiyi pulled Fu Chi back for a passionate kiss, but Fu Chi ultimately left to return to the old residence as promised.
• The next morning, Xia Zhiyi messaged Fu Chi, who replied with his work schedule.
• Xia Zhiyi considered visiting Fu Chi at his company to surprise him.
• A classmate invited Xia Zhiyi to join an anime club cosplay event and asked if he had played Jianghu.

Xia Zhiyi turned down a student's request to play a character at a convention, then reunited with Lin Li in class and shared game top-up cards from a recent job. When the professor assigned a difficult programming project, Lin Li and their classmates asked Xia Zhiyi to help them.

• A student asked Xia Zhiyi to play a kung fu character at a convention, but Xia Zhiyi declined because he had plans around New Year's Day.
• The student tried to find out what Xia Zhiyi's part-time job was, but Xia Zhiyi said he could not discuss his contract.
• Xia Zhiyi met Lin Li in class and said he had been working during his trip rather than sightseeing.
• Xia Zhiyi gave Lin Li four Jianghu top-up cards, explaining that two were gifts from his assistant.
• After the professor assigned a challenging programming project, Lin Li and the other students asked Xia Zhiyi to carry them through it.

Xia Zhiyi discussed the suspected scheme against Xu Zixu with Xu Chen, then watched the completed promotional music video with Lin Li. The video was ready for release pending Xia Zhiyi’s approval.

• Xia Zhiyi learned from Xu Chen that Lou Wangxing was the sole suspect in the scheme against Xu Zixu, and he explained how Lou Wangxing might have acted despite knowing about his relationship with Fu Chi.
• Xu Chen acknowledged that she had been judging the situation from her own perspective and asked Xia Zhiyi to review the music video before she responded to the company.
• Lin Li returned and recognized the game company’s ink-wash animation as Xia Zhiyi opened the completed promotional video.
• Xia Zhiyi restarted the five-minute video for Lin Li, who was captivated by its fight scenes and asked if Xia Zhiyi had helped make it.
• Lin Li asked Xia Zhiyi to help him find a part-time opportunity if another one came up, and Xia Zhiyi agreed.

Xia Zhiyi arranged for the man caught following Xia Zhen to be taken to the police station and made sure she and Xia Wanyi remained unaware of the incident. He then discovered that his roommate Lin Li had not realized he was an actor, despite recognizing him in a promotional video.

• Xia Zhiyi told Lin Li he could keep watching the video, then messaged Xu Chen about a crew member's shoe appearing in one shot.
• A bodyguard reported that her team had caught and recorded a middle-aged man secretly following Xia Zhen, and Xia Zhiyi ordered them to take him to the police station and keep watch on him.
• Xia Zhiyi asked the bodyguard to keep the incident from Xia Wanyi and Xia Zhen, then called Xia Zhen and confirmed she was happily doing her art homework.
• Lin Li said the martial hero in the video looked like Xia Zhiyi, and Xia Zhiyi revealed that he was the actor in it.
• Lin Li was surprised to learn that Xia Zhiyi's part-time job was acting and admitted he had never connected him with the student rumored to be filming a TV drama.

Lin Li discovered that Xia Zhiyi had been acting as a side job, then learned that Ouyang Qi and Wang Sheng already knew and that he had once turned down an invitation to Xia Zhiyi’s fan club. After getting Xia Zhiyi’s autograph, Lin Li joined the fan club and changed his nickname to Xia Zhiyi’s number one bro fan.

• Lin Li jumped up in shock at Xia Zhiyi’s acting job and hit his head on the bed frame.
• Ouyang Qi confirmed that he knew Xia Zhiyi acted and explained that Wang Sheng had joined Xia Zhiyi’s fan club and invited Lin Li before.
• Lin Li realized he had rejected the invitation because he had not understood it was Xia Zhiyi’s fan club, then asked Xia Zhiyi for an autograph.
• Lin Li changed his nickname to Xia Zhiyi’s number one bro fan while he and Ouyang Qi looked at their phones.

Xia Zhiyi chatted with Fu Chi about his friends and agreed to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas with him. When Xu Chen offered him a last-minute spot on a Christmas variety show, Xia Zhiyi turned it down because he had already made a date with Fu Chi.

• Lin Li told people he was Xia Zhiyi's fanboy after learning Xia Zhiyi was an actor.
• Xia Zhiyi told Fu Chi about Lin Li and discussed whether Teng Si'an knew about his acting career.
• Fu Chi asked Xia Zhiyi about his availability on the twenty-fourth, and Xia Zhiyi agreed to spend the holiday with him.
• Xia Zhiyi finished his group's assignment and arranged for classmates to test it before submitting it to their instructor.
• Xu Chen offered Xia Zhiyi a last-minute guest spot on a Christmas variety show, but Xia Zhiyi declined because he had plans with Fu Chi.

Xia Zhiyi turned down a work opportunity so he could prioritize his relationship with Fu Chi, then spent a quiet evening in the dorm talking with Wang Sheng. He helped Wang Sheng find a place to stay during winter break by connecting him with Li Jing.

• Xia Zhiyi discussed a possible show opportunity and Jianghu's upcoming update with Xu Chen, then ended the call and watched the snow from the balcony.
• Wang Sheng returned to the dorm and learned that Lin Li had gone singing with friends while Xia Zhiyi chose to stay in and relax.
• Wang Sheng asked about Xia Zhiyi's New Year's plans, and Xia Zhiyi said he would stay in the Imperial Capital for a while before visiting his family in Yue Province.
• Wang Sheng explained that he planned to find a winter-break job and asked whether he could stay at Xia Zhiyi's apartment while the dorm lacked heating.
• Xia Zhiyi told Wang Sheng he could not lend him the apartment but contacted Li Jing, who had an available room, and gave Wang Sheng his contact information.

Xia Zhiyi arranged for Wang Sheng to rent a room from Li Jing and explained why he was confident he would be noticed for the project without entering a competition. His confidence was shaken when he learned Fu Chi had been injured in a pileup, which Xia Zhiyi suspected was a deliberate attack aimed at him.

• Xia Zhiyi introduced Wang Sheng to Li Jing, who agreed to rent him a room, and Li Jing told Xia Zhiyi that the project team would likely begin recruiting after the New Year.
• Li Jing urged Xia Zhiyi to enter a programming competition to demonstrate his abilities, but Xia Zhiyi said he had already laid the groundwork at University A and expected someone to recommend him.
• Xia Zhiyi learned that Fu Chi had been caught in a pileup and rushed to the hospital, believing the crash was not an accident.
• At the hospital, Xia Zhiyi learned Fu Chi was in surgery after losing too much blood but was expected to survive, and that Fu Chi had asked his staff to contact Xia Zhiyi before losing consciousness.
• Xia Zhiyi ordered the staff to find out where Old Master Fu was and wondered why Fu Chi had been injured despite seeming protected by the story's plot.

Xia Zhiyi saw Fu Chi gravely injured in a hospital bed and believed the accident was a warning from fate. Old Master Fu tried to reassure him that the crash appeared accidental, but Xia Zhiyi remained convinced something was behind it.

• Xia Zhiyi saw Fu Chi's head injury, broken arm, and deep wound near his shoulder and neck, and sensed that fate had left him a warning.
• Old Master Fu told Xia Zhiyi that Fu Chi was out of danger and tried to comfort him about the injuries and other victims.
• Old Master Fu warned Xia Zhiyi that his frightening expression and presence had scared the hospital staff.
• Xia Zhiyi asked whether anyone had found the cause of the crash, and Old Master Fu said the evidence pointed to an accident caused by a drunk driver.
• Old Master Fu explained that the driver had died and had been a heavily indebted gambling addict whose ex-wife and daughter had left the country.

After Fu Chi was hospitalized, Xia Zhiyi stayed by his bedside and realized the Power of the Plot had targeted Fu Chi in response to his warning Gu Miaomiao about Huanyu. He resolved to resist the plot, then received a call from the head coach asking about his conspicuous flight from the Imperial Capital.

• Xia Zhiyi persuaded Old Master Fu to go home and rest while he kept watch over Fu Chi, and Old Master Fu arranged bodyguards for the hospital room.
• Xia Zhiyi concluded that the Power of the Plot had struck Fu Chi because he had warned Gu Miaomiao about Huanyu’s internal affairs.
• Xia Zhiyi reasoned that Gu Miaomiao was central to the plot and vowed not to let it control their lives.
• A fierce wind rattled the hospital window, so Xia Zhiyi had a bodyguard tape it while he checked Fu Chi’s pulse.
• The head coach called Xia Zhiyi about flying from the Imperial Capital, and Xia Zhiyi apologized for acting in a hurry and asked whether he had caused trouble.

After Fu Chi’s car accident, Xia Zhiyi accepted the head coach’s offer to transfer him to a secure military hospital with advanced medical resources. The chapter ended with Old Master Fu learning that his son had been moved somewhere ordinary people could not enter.

• The head coach called Xia Zhiyi about the public video of him flying between buildings, and Xia Zhiyi explained that he had rushed out because Fu Chi was in a car accident.
• The head coach warned Xia Zhiyi to avoid flying in public except in a real emergency, then asked how Fu Chi was recovering.
• The head coach offered to arrange Fu Chi’s transfer to the military hospital, and Xia Zhiyi accepted the offer.
• The head coach considered the transfer a small favor for Xia Zhiyi, who had shared training methods that produced impressive results among the base’s trainees.
• The next day, Old Master Fu learned that Fu Chi had been transferred to the heavily protected military hospital.

Xia Zhiyi arranged for Old Master Fu to visit Fu Chi in a secure hospital, then told him Fu Chi might wake fully that day. As Old Master Fu went to the hospital without Fu Yunyi, Xia Zhiyi concealed his anger over Fu Chi’s cold, unfamiliar look and suspected the plot was influencing events.

• Old Master Fu asked Xia Zhiyi whether his hospital visit had been arranged and learned that he could not bring anyone else.
• Xia Zhiyi told Old Master Fu he had stopped attending classes and had already studied his university coursework on his own.
• Xia Zhiyi said Fu Chi had briefly regained consciousness and invited Old Master Fu to visit him, while Old Master Fu left Fu Yunyi to manage the company.
• Xia Zhiyi privately seethed over Fu Chi’s indifferent look when he had briefly awakened.
• Fu Yunyi called his grandfather after being left waiting at a company meeting and complained that he had not been told about Fu Chi or the hospital visit.

Fu Yunyi was left at the company while Old Master Fu and Xia Zhiyi went to the hospital to see Fu Chi. Fu Chi woke and called Xia Zhiyi by name, easing Xia Zhiyi’s fears, but something still seemed wrong.

• Fu Yunyi complained to Old Master Fu that he could not visit Fu Chi, then agreed to chair the company meeting.
• Old Master Fu asked Xia Zhiyi to keep an eye on Fu Yunyi when he came to visit later.
• At the hospital, Xia Zhiyi and Old Master Fu learned that Fu Chi was out of danger and watched him begin to wake.
• Fu Chi opened his eyes and called Xia Zhiyi, who briefly feared he might have forgotten him.
• Xia Zhiyi helped Fu Chi drink some water, then noticed something still seemed wrong when Fu Chi touched his hand.

After Fu Chi woke, his father and Xia Zhiyi learned that he might still have a concussion but had no other new problems. Left alone with Xia Zhiyi, Fu Chi confirmed that he remembered briefly waking the previous day, leaving Xia Zhiyi to confront what he had seen in Fu Chi’s unfamiliar, cold gaze.

• The doctor examined Fu Chi and said he might have a concussion, while his other findings showed no new problems.
• Fu Chi asked about the company and apologized to his father for making him worry, prompting Xia Zhiyi to leave them alone to talk.
• Xia Zhiyi told Fu Yunyi that Fu Chi had woken, and Fu Yunyi asked if he could visit.
• The old master told Xia Zhiyi that Fu Chi wanted to see him, then left them alone in the room.
• Xia Zhiyi asked whether Fu Chi remembered the previous day, and Fu Chi admitted that Xia Zhiyi had noticed.