Chapter Summaries

After receiving an invitation from Xing Zhanyun, Xie Yibai agreed to audition for Sheng Ke’s new movie, hoping to move beyond historical idol dramas. The chapter left him heading to the audition after learning almost nothing about the role.

• After filming wrapped, Xie Yibai received purple roses and an audition invitation from Xing Zhanyun.
• Xie Yibai contacted Xing Zhanyun, who arranged for him to audition for Sheng Ke’s new movie.
• Xie Yibai considered his stalled career in idol dramas and decided to pursue the opportunity.
• The casting director gave Xie Yibai the audition’s time and place but kept the project and role details confidential.
• The next morning, Xie Yibai got ready and left for the audition.

Xie Yibai auditioned for Sheng Ke’s film but was rejected because the director thought he was too good-looking for the role. Afterward, producer Zou Yan asked Shu Lin for Xie’s WeChat contact, while Xie vented to his agent about the audition.

• Xie Yibai arrived late to Mirror World’s 404 Studio and introduced himself to Sheng Ke, Zou Yan, and casting director Shu Lin.
• Xie Yibai described his acting and music experience and said he was willing to take supporting roles.
• Sheng Ke rejected Xie Yibai and ended the audition before he could perform his prepared piece.
• Zou Yan and Shu Lin discussed Sheng Ke’s stubborn casting preferences, and Zou Yan asked Shu Lin for Xie Yibai’s WeChat contact.
• Xie Yibai told his agent he had not gotten the role and complained that the audition had felt like a waste of time.

Xie Yibai agreed to meet producer Zou Yan for dinner after being rejected at an audition, but his former roommate Xing Zhanyun tracked him down while he shopped and insisted on accompanying him. Meanwhile, Zou Yan and Sheng Ke made separate plans at the same private restaurant, setting up a likely encounter there.

• Xie Yibai accepted Zou Yan’s dinner invitation after learning he was producer Zou Ruoqing’s son.
• Xie Yibai went shopping, where crowds gathered after photos and videos of him spread online.
• Xing Zhanyun found Xie Yibai at the store and asked why he kept blocking him.
• Xie Yibai said he had dinner plans with a producer, and Xing Zhanyun followed him toward the parking garage.
• Zou Yan declined Sheng Ke’s invitation to President Ye’s dinner because he had plans to meet an actor.
• Zou Yan and Sheng Ke chose the same private restaurant, the Vastness Residence, for their separate engagements.

Xie Yibai let Xing Zhanyun visit Little Biscuit, then heard Xing ask if he still had a chance with him despite Xie Yibai's inability to date. The chapter ended with Xie Yibai petting Xing Zhanyun as Xing apologized and confessed he had liked him since they first met.

• Xie Yibai let Xing Zhanyun come home to see Little Biscuit, who barked at the visitor before returning to play.
• Xing Zhanyun looked around Xie Yibai's apartment and suggested consulting a Taoist priest about its feng shui, but Xie Yibai told him to leave.
• Xing Zhanyun brought beers to Xie Yibai and asked if they could be good again in a romantic way.
• Xie Yibai said he could not date because of his work, and Xing Zhanyun asked whether he might have a chance someday.
• Xie Yibai patted his thigh and stroked Xing Zhanyun's hair as Xing rested his head there and apologized for their past arguments.

Xie Yibai weighed whether to pursue film roles or remain in web dramas, while Sheng Ke drunkenly messaged him that Zou Yan would make him a web drama's male lead. The next day, Xie Yibai considered his career path and booked a trip to Indonesia.

• Xie Yibai told Xing Zhanyun he wanted to move on, then sent him home after they argued about their past and the rumors surrounding them.
• Sister Hu warned Xie Yibai that independent films carried financial and career risks, while recommending he consider television dramas; Xie Yibai remained frustrated about his failed audition.
• Xie Yibai messaged Zou Yan that he still wanted to do web dramas, and Sheng Ke, using Zou Yan's phone, agreed to make one with Xie Yibai as its male lead.
• Xie Yibai dismissed the messages as drunken joking and reflected on his career prospects and the risks of changing his image.
• Xie Yibai woke refreshed, booked a flight to Indonesia, and began choosing a hotel.

Zou Yan realized he wanted to pursue Xie Yibai, while Xie Yibai struggled with his first rejection and resolved to transition into film acting. After Xie returned from vacation, Zou Yan discovered the script Binding Knife and saw a possible role suited to him.

• Zou Yan confronted Sheng Ke about the message he had sent Xie Yibai while drunk, then admitted he had fallen for Xie and asked Sheng Ke to help him win Xie over.
• Sheng Ke refused to interfere with his film's casting and warned Zou Yan that he was already in trouble over Xie.
• Xie Yibai brooded over being rejected at Sheng Ke's audition, then watched one of Sheng Ke's films and vowed to find another director and make his career transition.
• Zou Yan read the script Binding Knife during a work meeting and became engrossed in its story, which could offer Xie Yibai a path into film acting.
• Zou Yan contacted Xie Yibai and asked to meet, but Xie said he was abroad and remained unsure why Zou Yan was pursuing him.
• Xie Yibai returned from vacation and was picked up at the airport by his parents.

Xie Yibai returned home for a brief visit, where his mother told him Xing Zhanyun had sent her an expensive bag and asked whether they had reunited. After Xie Yibai sent Xing Zhanyun the money and asked him not to send more gifts, work called him back for a celebration banquet, where he arrived in a rebellious new look.

• Xie Yibai said goodbye to his parents and reflected on how his mother had supported him after he came out, while his father remained unaware.
• Xie Yibai's mother told him Xing Zhanyun had sent her a color-block Kelly bag and asked whether they had rekindled their relationship.
• Xie Yibai transferred Xing Zhanyun the cost of the bag and asked him not to send more gifts, then decided not to cut ties completely.
• Xie Yibai's agent called him back from vacation for a banquet celebrating the unexpected success of Jade Steps Ode.
• Xie Yibai's styling team dressed him in a gray haute couture suit, dyed his hair pale blond, and added a unicorn earring for his upcoming game endorsement.

After leaving a celebratory dinner feeling ill, Xie Yibai mistook Sheng Ke’s car for his ride and climbed inside. He recognized Sheng Ke after the car door locked, and Sheng Ke asked whether Zou Yan was still upstairs.

• Su Xiaotang left the dinner early, and Xie Yibai tried to leave as well, but Hao Jun told him to return to his seat.
• Zou Yan arrived and joined the dinner; after drinking too much, Xie Yibai threw up and called his assistant to pick him up.
• Xie Yibai waited outside in the rain, mistook Sheng Ke’s black sedan for his ride, and got into the back seat.
• Sheng Ke recognized Xie Yibai in the rearview mirror and told him to wait in the car until his ride arrived.
• Xie Yibai recognized Sheng Ke as Director Ke when he asked whether Zou Yan was still upstairs.

Xie Yibai accidentally fell asleep in Sheng Ke’s car, while Zou Yan resolved to pursue him by producing a web drama. Sheng Ke found Xie Yibai’s lost earring and later sent him an awkward warning before deleting the contact, leaving Xie Yibai confused and Sheng Ke regretting his actions.

• Xie Yibai fell asleep in Sheng Ke’s car, and Sheng Ke arranged for his assistant to collect him when his own car arrived.
• Xie Yibai realized he had mistaken Sheng Ke’s car for his own and left embarrassed, while Zou Yan continued pitching his plans to pursue him through a web drama.
• After Zou Yan joined him, Sheng Ke drove them to the airport, found Xie Yibai’s unicorn earring beneath the back seat, and secretly kept it.
• At the airport lounge, Sheng Ke obtained Xie Yibai’s WeChat contact and sent a warning about accepting Zou Yan’s invitations before quickly recalling it and deleting the contact.
• Xie Yibai saw the message, tried to reply after it was recalled, and found that Sheng Ke had already removed him; Sheng Ke then regretted his impulsive actions while thinking about the earring.

Xie Yibai struggled to explain why he had rejected acting scripts and decided that Sister Hu could no longer advance his career, so he asked Hao Jun for a new agent. Zou Yan recommended the accomplished Yin Ran, leaving Hao Jun to decide whether to put her forward to Xie Yibai.

• Xie Yibai let the rumor about Zou Yan and the jewelry fade and spent nearly three months focusing on fashion work instead of acting roles.
• Sister Hu worried about Xie Yibai's lack of acting work and tried to find out what kind of role he wanted, but he could not explain his feelings to her.
• Xie Yibai called Hao Jun and demanded a new agent, saying he would find one himself if the company could not provide someone more capable.
• Hao Jun heard Sister Hu's call after speaking with Xie Yibai and offered her brief comfort before ending the conversation.
• Zou Yan recommended Yin Ran as a capable agent, and Hao Jun avoided committing to the suggestion, saying Xie Yibai should decide.

Xie Yibai discovered that Zou Yan had arranged a meeting to confess his interest and offer him a new manager and a possible leading role. Xie Yibai accepted the opportunities while weighing the risks of getting involved with Zou Yan.

• Xie Yibai arrived at a rooftop garden expecting to meet President Hao, but found Zou Yan waiting instead.
• Zou Yan admitted he had arranged the meeting because Xie Yibai had declined his earlier invitation, then confessed that he wanted to pursue him.
• Xie Yibai questioned Zou Yan about his intentions and romantic history, and Zou Yan insisted he was single and serious.
• Zou Yan offered to introduce Xie Yibai to a reliable manager and invited him to audition for a new long-form series.
• Xie Yibai agreed to meet the manager and considered whether accepting Zou Yan's help meant climbing to a higher branch or stepping into trouble.

Zou Yan brought Xie Yibai to the studio so he could keep their date and attend a meeting, while Sheng Ke began the meeting without him. Xie Yibai waited in the reception room, where he met Jiang Ni and learned about her ambitions as a screenwriter.

• Zou Yan agreed to take Xie Yibai home, then changed plans and brought him to the studio so he could make the meeting without leaving him behind.
• Sheng Ke started the meeting without Zou Yan and criticized the special effects team's proposal for the studio logo.
• Zou Yan left Xie Yibai in the reception room with coffee, desserts, and a copy of the script before joining the meeting on time.
• Jiang Ni brought Xie Yibai the script, asked him to sign photos, and took a selfie with him.
• Xie Yibai learned that Jiang Ni had studied dramatic writing and hoped to get one of her scripts noticed at 404.

Xie Yibai read the script for Beacon Fires West of the City and learned that Zou Yan had arranged a role tailored for him. Sheng Ke confronted Zou Yan over the project, then met Xie Yibai and bluntly explained how the series had been developed for him.

• Xie Yibai read the first five episodes of Beacon Fires West of the City and decided he wanted the chance to rise beyond the roles he had been given.
• Sheng Ke told Zou Yan he would not help shoot a web drama, and they argued over Zou Yan approaching Shu Lin for the project.
• Sheng Ke entered the reception room and met Xie Yibai, who recognized his expensive watch from an earlier incident involving Xing Zhanyun.
• Zou Yan asked Xie Yibai what he thought of the script, and Xie Yibai said he liked it.
• Sheng Ke revealed that the script, screenwriter, and role had been carefully chosen for Xie Yibai, who thanked Zou Yan for the effort.

Xie Yibai navigated Zou Yan’s advances and later discovered that Xing Zhanyun had sent him another batch of extravagant gifts. Zou Yan arranged for him to meet Yin Ran as a potential new manager, and their conversation ended with Xie Yibai recalling the drama he had acted in instead of Summer Palace.

• Sheng Ke provoked Zou Yan and warned him that Xie Yibai did not like him, but Zou Yan dismissed him and comforted Xie Yibai afterward.
• Xie Yibai acted worried that Sheng Ke’s dislike might cause trouble for Zou Yan, while Zou Yan touched his waist and then saw him safely to his residential complex.
• Xie Yibai found Xing Zhanyun’s impractical gifts at home, reprimanded Little Biscuit for making a mess, then softened and gave the puppy a chew treat.
• Xie Yibai told He Limei that a producer was pursuing him and asked her to return packages from unknown senders; she assessed Zou Yan’s looks and agreed.
• Zou Yan arranged a meeting between Xie Yibai and Yin Ran, who praised his acting and recalled that her team had once considered casting him in Summer Palace.
• Xie Yibai said he had acted in Jade Steps Ode that year, while Zou Yan discussed how Summer Palace had launched two popular stars.

Xie Yibai told Zou Yan that Xing Zhanyun’s persistent pursuit was troubling him before a dinner he could not avoid. Zou Yan promised to accompany him, secured an invitation through Sheng Ke, and left Xie Yibai looking forward to seeing him there.

• Xie Yibai explained that he wanted to change agents so he could move beyond idol dramas and pursue more demanding acting roles, and Yin Ran discussed her commission and possible representation.
• Zou Yan told Xie Yibai that he had offered to help package and sell Dusk Star Entertainment’s dramas in exchange for Hao Jun’s cooperation.
• Xie Yibai confided that he expected Xing Zhanyun to attend the next evening’s brand dinner and said he felt unable to stop Xing Zhanyun’s advances.
• Zou Yan offered to accompany Xie Yibai, then asked Sheng Ke to obtain an invitation to the dinner.
• Sheng Ke sent Zou Yan a screenshot confirming the invitation, and Zou Yan told Xie Yibai he would see him the next day.

At a luxury jewelry dinner, Xie Yibai tried to focus on his promotional work while Xing Zhanyun embarrassed him by calling him Zou Yan’s boyfriend. Zou Yan arrived and calmly challenged Xing, leaving their rivalry unresolved.

• Xing Zhanyun called Xie Yibai’s boyfriend comment out in front of the banquet guests, and Xie Yibai stayed silent to avoid drawing attention.
• Zou Yan arrived, and Xie Yibai was delighted to see him and asked where he would be seated.
• Zou Yan offered to help Xie Yibai meet the dinner’s sales target, but Xie Yibai refused to let him spend money for his sake.
• Zou Yan greeted Xing Zhanyun and offered him a job, pointedly mentioning that Xing’s father had said he lacked experience.
• Xing Zhanyun ignored the business card and asked Zou Yan whether he should call him brother or uncle.

Xie Yibai lost his temper at Xing Zhanyun, who attacked Zou Yan when he saw him holding Xie Yibai’s hand. Sheng Ke arrived at the hospital and found Zou Yan injured and Xie Yibai in tears.

• Zou Yan gave Xie Yibai expensive jewelry and told him to keep wearing it.
• Xing Zhanyun cornered Xie Yibai in the men’s room, and Xie Yibai rebuked him for his insults and bad manners.
• Zou Yan took Xie Yibai by the hand, and Xing Zhanyun punched Zou Yan; Zou Yan fought back.
• Xie Yibai ran to find help as Zou Yan and Xing Zhanyun fought in the bathroom.
• Zou Yan called Sheng Ke from the hospital, and Sheng Ke arrived to find Zou Yan treated for a minor fracture, a forehead cut, and bruises.

After Zou Yan and Xing Zhanyun’s fight, Xie Yibai tried to keep the incident quiet while Sheng Ke questioned their account and eventually drove him home. Sheng Ke brought up Xie Yibai trying films, leaving their conversation—and the earring Sheng Ke meant to return—unresolved.

• Xie Yibai apologized to Zou Yan and Sheng Ke, while Zou Yan asked Sheng Ke to keep the fight from reaching his father.
• Sheng Ke warned Zou Yan and Xie Yibai that the public fight and damage to the brand could have consequences, but Zou Yan reassured Xie Yibai and blamed Xing Zhanyun.
• Xie Yibai described the fight as a personal dispute with Xing Zhanyun, and Sheng Ke challenged the pair’s evasive explanation before deciding to leave.
• Sheng Ke insisted on driving Xie Yibai home, hoping to return the earring he had found in his car, but forgot it as he drove.
• After Xie Yibai gave him his address, Sheng Ke started the drive and suggested that Xie Yibai try making films.

Xie Yibai and Sheng Ke shared an awkward drive, during which Xie fell asleep and Sheng forgot to return his earring. The next day, Xie visited Zou Yan, who explained that his support came from professional respect and a desire to work with him, not an expectation of repayment.

• Xie Yibai asked Sheng Ke to add him on WeChat and teased him about deleting him before, and Sheng agreed to accept the request after they stopped driving.
• Xie Yibai fell asleep in Sheng Ke’s car, and Sheng drove him to his residential complex but failed to return his earring before he left.
• Xie Yibai went home, fed his dog, removed his makeup, and completed his skincare routine before bed.
• Zou Yan checked himself out of the hospital and rested at home, and Xie Yibai visited him after work.
• Zou Yan showed Xie Yibai his courtyard home and served him tea, prompting Xie to ask what he could do for Zou Yan in return.
• Zou Yan explained that he had pursued the adaptation and cast Xie Yibai because he valued him as an actor, not to demand anything in exchange.

Zou Yan invited Xie Yibai to a dinner with President Xing and offered to pick him up, while Xie agreed after Zou Yan accepted his friendship. Xie’s management changed as Yin Ran signed a joint agreement with his company and assigned A Chu as his new day-to-day manager.

• Zou Yan explained that President Xing wanted to apologize and invited Xie Yibai to the dinner, but Xie hesitated about seeing Xing Zhanyun again.
• Zou Yan told Xie Yibai he would not force him to attend, and Xie agreed to go after asking whether they could be friends.
• Zou Yan served Xie Yibai a Jiangnan-style dinner, and Yin Ran called to say she had reached an agreement with Xie’s company.
• Hao Jun signed a joint management agreement with Yin Ran, making Xie Yibai’s studio and Yin Ran jointly responsible for his film and television work.
• Yin Ran introduced A Chu as Xie Yibai’s new day-to-day manager, and Xie asked her to note his personal engagement and avoid scheduling conflicts.