Recaps

After learning that Pingchuan Technology had gone bankrupt, Ji Ran realized he had transmigrated into a novel and rushed to find Zhao Pingchuan, determined to protect him from the fate written in the story. He brought the grieving, penniless Zhao Pingchuan to his apartment and stayed by his side as he slept off a drunken collapse.

• Ji Ran learned from Pingchuan Technology's HR that the company had entered bankruptcy liquidation and his job offer was canceled.
• Ji Ran recognized that he had transmigrated into the novel and that Zhao Pingchuan had lost his company and sister Zhao Xiaoran.
• Ji Ran searched for Zhao Pingchuan and found him drinking alone in a tavern near the company.
• Ji Ran offered to take Zhao Pingchuan home and support him, but Zhao Pingchuan responded with bitter disbelief before passing out drunk.
• Ji Ran carried Zhao Pingchuan to his apartment, cared for him, and comforted him as he murmured Zhao Xiaoran's name in his sleep.

Ji Ran decided to care for Zhao Pingchuan after the latter lost his company and sister because of the novel’s plot. After sharing breakfast at Ji Ran’s home, Zhao Pingchuan thanked him and said he had to leave.

• The chapter recounted how invalidated patents, financial pressure, broken contracts, and Zhao Xiaoran’s death drove Pingchuan Technology into bankruptcy and left Zhao Pingchuan with nothing.
• Ji Ran resolved to change Zhao Pingchuan’s fate and began his life of raising the villain, while looking for more work to support them both.
• Ji Ran made minced pork congee and vegetables for Zhao Pingchuan the next morning and set out a toothbrush, towel, and breakfast for him.
• Zhao Pingchuan ate quietly, thanked Ji Ran, and said he had to go.

Ji Ran persuaded Zhao Pingchuan to stay with him by asking him to become his family, and Zhao Pingchuan agreed to try. Ji Ran bought him clothes and necessities, and Zhao Pingchuan showered and changed into the new loungewear.

• Ji Ran refused to let Zhao Pingchuan leave and asked him to stay as family because Ji Ran was an orphan who wanted someone to keep him company.
• Zhao Pingchuan agreed to stay for the time being, and Ji Ran happily asked to call him big brother.
• Zhao Pingchuan declined to go out, so Ji Ran went shopping for clothes and personal necessities while reminding him to wait at home.
• Ji Ran returned to find Zhao Pingchuan still on the sofa and showed him the items he had bought; Zhao Pingchuan thanked him.
• Zhao Pingchuan took a shower, shaved, and changed into the loungewear, while Ji Ran praised his looks and resolved to make more money.

Ji Ran cared for Zhao Pingchuan while helping him reconnect with everyday life, and the two gradually grew closer. After Ji Ran found a new job and began interning, Zhao Pingchuan started caring for him in return, ending the chapter by making him noodles after a late night at work.

• Ji Ran dried Zhao Pingchuan's hair, lent him his phone, and made lunch while keeping him company.
• Ji Ran received a job offer from Yusheng Technology and told Zhao Pingchuan that he was his lucky star.
• Ji Ran coaxed Zhao Pingchuan into taking walks and prepared meals for him while beginning his internship.
• Ji Ran bought Zhao Pingchuan a phone and SIM card so they could stay in touch.
• When Ji Ran came home late from work, he found Zhao Pingchuan waiting with a bowl of noodles, and Zhao Pingchuan felt the urge to touch his hair.

Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan grew into a close family as Zhao recovered from his losses and Ji Ran graduated and began working. They settled into a happy domestic routine, with Zhao appreciating Ji Ran’s care and support.

• Zhao Pingchuan shared the hardships of his past with Ji Ran, and Ji Ran promised he would never be alone again.
• Zhao Pingchuan gradually began going out on his own, and Ji Ran gave him access to his bank card for expenses.
• Ji Ran took Zhao Pingchuan to his graduation ceremony, where they took photos together and talked about Zhao’s university and his achievements.
• After Ji Ran started work at Yusheng Technology, he cared for Zhao Pingchuan and promised they could buy a larger home together when they had saved enough.
• Zhao Pingchuan began taking Ji Ran to and from the subway entrance by electric scooter, and the two enjoyed sharing their everyday life.
• At dinner, Zhao Pingchuan reflected on how Ji Ran supported him and told him to rest, and felt grateful to have met him.

Zhao Pingchuan brought Ji Ran's forgotten hard drive to work, and Ji Ran proudly praised his handsome brother while planning a birthday celebration for him. As Zhao Pingchuan grew more aware of his feelings and dependence on Ji Ran, he decided to think about his future and indulged the wish to keep Ji Ran close.

• Zhao Pingchuan delivered Ji Ran's hard drive to a coworker, who admired his looks, and Ji Ran proudly told her they were not biological brothers.
• Ji Ran learned Zhao Pingchuan's birthday from his ID card and insisted on celebrating it, prompting Zhao Pingchuan to question what he could offer Ji Ran in return.
• Zhao Pingchuan picked Ji Ran up from the subway station in the cold and brought him home to a warm dinner.
• Ji Ran told Zhao Pingchuan that coworker Lin Lin was being pursued, then said he was not interested in dating because having Zhao Pingchuan was enough.
• Zhao Pingchuan felt secretly pleased by Ji Ran's answer and imagined that Ji Ran might never marry or have children.

Ji Ran reassured Zhao Pingchuan that he could use his savings to invest, and Zhao Pingchuan began trading stocks with fifty thousand yuan. For Zhao Pingchuan’s birthday, Ji Ran prepared longevity noodles and took him to an arcade, where they spent the morning playing games together.

• Zhao Pingchuan asked Ji Ran to lend him money for an investment, and Ji Ran told him to use their savings without worrying about paying him back.
• Ji Ran showed Zhao Pingchuan all his savings, and Zhao Pingchuan transferred fifty thousand yuan to a stock trading account.
• Zhao Pingchuan made returns, returned the original fifty thousand yuan to Ji Ran’s card, and continued investing the profits.
• Ji Ran cooked Zhao Pingchuan carrot-juice longevity noodles for his birthday and insisted that Zhao Pingchuan leave the kitchen chores to him.
• Ji Ran took Zhao Pingchuan to an arcade, where they played racing and fighting games together and Zhao Pingchuan discovered he enjoyed them.

Ji Ran gave Zhao Pingchuan a full birthday celebration, taking him to the arcade, hot pot, and a movie before they baked a cake together at home. Zhao Pingchuan ended the day happy and grateful, but Ji Ran’s promise to celebrate every birthday with him made him fear losing Ji Ran as he had lost his sister.

• Zhao Pingchuan won a jackpot at the arcade, and he and Ji Ran spent their extra tokens on claw machines and exchanged their plushies for mugs.
• Ji Ran took Zhao Pingchuan to a popular hot pot restaurant and then to a movie, and Zhao enjoyed spending the day with him.
• At home, Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan baked and decorated a birthday cake together, and Zhao made a wish before blowing out its candle.
• Ji Ran promised to celebrate every birthday with Zhao from then on, and Zhao resolved to keep Ji Ran by his side.

Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan celebrated Ji Ran’s workplace success and prepared for their first New Year together. At Zhao Xiaoran’s grave, Zhao Pingchuan admitted he blamed himself for her death, and Ji Ran helped him find the resolve to move forward.

• Ji Ran received a sizable year-end bonus, and Zhao Pingchuan encouraged him to treat his coworkers to a meal.
• Ji Ran invited Zhao Pingchuan to dinner with his team, where Zhao Pingchuan charmed the group and made a good impression.
• Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan bought New Year supplies and agreed to visit Zhao Xiaoran’s grave together.
• At Zhao Xiaoran’s grave, Zhao Pingchuan asked whether she resented him for leaving her alone and said he had caused her death.
• Ji Ran reassured Zhao Pingchuan that Zhao Xiaoran had been happy with him and promised to stay by his side, and Zhao Pingchuan agreed to go home and move forward.

Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan celebrated New Year's Eve together, sharing homemade dumplings, dinner, and the Spring Festival Gala. At midnight, Zhao Pingchuan gave Ji Ran a new car, and they returned home to celebrate it as a family.

• Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan made dumplings together and enjoyed them for lunch.
• Ji Ran prepared a six-dish New Year's Eve dinner, and he and Zhao Pingchuan watched the Spring Festival Gala together.
• At midnight, Zhao Pingchuan gave Ji Ran a car key and led him downstairs to see the new car he had bought as a gift.
• Ji Ran learned Zhao Pingchuan had made money investing and accepted the car, then declared they should celebrate their family getting a new car.

Ji Ran’s colleague Zhang Tao insulted Zhao Pingchuan and questioned his relationship with Ji Ran, prompting Ji Ran to fight him. After Ji Ran explained what happened, Zhao Pingchuan admitted he was afraid of failing again and disappointing Ji Ran, who reassured him that his worth would not change.

• Ji Ran drove his new car to work and told his colleagues that Zhao Pingchuan usually took him to the subway station.
• Zhang Tao insulted Zhao Pingchuan’s bankruptcy and mocked his relationship with Ji Ran, so Ji Ran punched him and the two colleagues were made to reconcile.
• Zhao Pingchuan treated Ji Ran’s injuries while Ji Ran explained the argument and why he had fought Zhang Tao.
• Zhao Pingchuan confessed that he feared failing again and becoming nothing special in Ji Ran’s eyes.
• Ji Ran told Zhao Pingchuan that he would always value him, and Zhao Pingchuan thanked him and resolved to become strong enough to protect Ji Ran.

After Ji Ran reassured Lin Lin and his colleagues that Zhao Pingchuan had not been harmed by Zhang Tao’s remarks, Zhao Pingchuan decided to start a business again. Facing a shortage of startup funds, he accepted Ji Ran’s support and prepared to contact former subordinates for help.

• Lin Lin apologized to Ji Ran for Zhang Tao’s insults, and Ji Ran reassured her that she was not responsible.
• Ji Ran’s colleagues praised Zhao Pingchuan and encouraged him to try starting a business again, while Ji Ran gave them a cover story about how the brothers met.
• Zhao Pingchuan told Ji Ran he had carefully decided to start a business again, and Ji Ran promised to support him.
• Zhao Pingchuan struggled to find enough startup capital, while Ji Ran borrowed 200,000 yuan from colleagues to add to their savings.
• Moved by Ji Ran’s support, Zhao Pingchuan decided to contact several former Pingchuan Technology subordinates for help.

Zhao Pingchuan reunited with former Pingchuan Technology colleagues and secured their support and investment for his new business. Chen Qi’s offer to discuss his plans left Zhao Pingchuan, Lin Zhou, and Chen Mo wondering whether she would join the venture.

• Zhao Pingchuan called Chen Qi, told her he was alive and staying with Ji Ran, and said he wanted to start another business.
• Chen Qi arranged a weekend meeting with Lin Zhou and Chen Mo, and Ji Ran stayed behind so Zhao Pingchuan could meet his old colleagues alone.
• At the café, Zhao Pingchuan realized Gu Xingye had been suppressing Lin Zhou and Chen Mo, who had waited for his comeback.
• Chen Mo, Lin Zhou, and Chen Qi pledged 250,000, 250,000, and 200,000 yuan respectively, bringing their startup funds with Zhao Pingchuan’s money to 1.3 million yuan.
• Over a meal, Zhao Pingchuan told them what he had been through, and they praised Ji Ran’s kindness and urged Zhao Pingchuan not to forget him.
• Chen Qi asked about Zhao Pingchuan’s business plans and offered to discuss them in detail, prompting Zhao Pingchuan, Lin Zhou, and Chen Mo to look at her in surprise.

Chen Qi joined Zhao Pingchuan, Lin Zhou, and Chen Mo in founding Hengtu, while Ji Ran supported the new company with money and unpaid work. After three months, Hengtu turned a profit and began expanding, and Zhao Pingchuan kept making time to pick Ji Ran up.

• Chen Qi agreed to resign from her job and help Zhao Pingchuan establish the company.
• Ji Ran told Zhao Pingchuan that his four colleagues had pooled 230,000 for them, and Zhao Pingchuan resolved to live up to their trust.
• Zhao Pingchuan, Chen Qi, Lin Zhou, and Chen Mo founded Hengtu in a makerspace, and Ji Ran often helped them with code on weekends.
• Hengtu focused on outsourced business projects and began turning a profit three months later.
• Chen Qi hired two programmers as the team agreed to expand, while Zhao Pingchuan pursued clients and partnerships.
• Zhao Pingchuan continued picking Ji Ran up despite his busy schedule, telling Ji Ran that he wanted to do it.

Hengtu prospered under Zhao Pingchuan’s leadership, and Ji Ran’s colleagues became founding shareholders after converting their loans into equity. At Ji Ran’s birthday gathering, he recognized Jiang Jinyue meeting a friend and watched Gu Xingye forcibly take him away, an incident from the original novel that made Ji Ran wary of Zhao Pingchuan getting involved.

• Zhao Pingchuan offered Ji Ran’s four colleagues the choice to convert their loans into Hengtu shares or receive interest, and all four chose equity.
• Hengtu’s first business tool brought in 300,000 yuan a month, and Zhao Pingchuan later expanded the product into a successful management system for small processing plants.
• Zhao Pingchuan offered Ji Ran shares from his own stake, but Ji Ran refused and said Zhao’s money was his to spend.
• At the end of the year, Li Xuan, Zhou Jianghua, Li Chang, and the other colleagues received dividends from their Hengtu shares.
• At Ji Ran’s birthday party, Ji Ran recognized Jiang Jinyue at a café across the street, and Gu Xingye arrived and dragged Jiang Jinyue away from his friend.
• Ji Ran recalled that the incident matched the original novel and resolved to keep Zhao Pingchuan from getting involved with Gu Xingye and Jiang Jinyue.

Ji Ran’s suggestion that Hengtu invest in short-video platforms led to heavy losses, leaving him consumed by guilt while Zhao Pingchuan comforted him. As they wondered whether an unseen force was blocking Zhao Pingchuan’s success, they resolved to keep fighting it.

• Ji Ran urged Zhao Pingchuan to consider investing in short-video platforms, and Hengtu committed a quarter of its available funds after approving the proposal.
• The short-video boom ended early, and hostile competition and negative publicity caused Hengtu to lose almost all of its investment.
• Ji Ran blamed himself for the losses, while Zhao Pingchuan and their friends reassured him and tried to lift his spirits.
• Ji Ran broke down in tears, and Zhao Pingchuan told him the investment advice had seemed sound and the sudden market shift reminded him of Pingchuan Technology’s bankruptcy.
• Ji Ran suspected the original story’s plot was preventing Zhao Pingchuan from succeeding, and Zhao Pingchuan promised they would fight the force opposing them.

Hengtu recovered, expanded, and accepted Liu Chengxi’s investment, bringing it greater success and visibility. As Zhao Pingchuan watched Gu Xingye’s turbulent relationship with Jiang Jinyue unfold, Ji Ran again warned him to be careful around Gu Xingye.

• Hengtu moved into a larger office, focused on its SaaS product, and Zhao Pingchuan and Ji Ran moved into a three-bedroom apartment where Ji Ran struggled to sleep alone.
• Liu Chengxi offered Hengtu five million for a twenty percent stake, and Zhao Pingchuan and the shareholders negotiated the share down to eighteen percent and accepted.
• Hengtu used the investment to expand research and development and marketing, rapidly growing its customer base and reputation.
• Gu Xingye was deceived by forged photos of Jiang Jinyue and accused him of betraying him; Jiang Jinyue refused to explain, and they separated for half a year.
• Zhao Pingchuan told Ji Ran about Gu Xingye and Jiang Jinyue’s conflict, and Ji Ran warned Zhao Pingchuan to be careful if he encountered Gu Xingye.

Jiang Jinyue was assaulted during an arranged date, then disappeared amid a growing feud between the Jiang Family and Gu Xingye. Meanwhile, Zhao Pingchuan’s business negotiations succeeded, and Ji Ran brought his drunken partner home, grateful they had found each other.

• Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan witnessed Jiang Jinyue’s arranged-date partner grab him by the throat, but they left without intervening.
• After Jiang Jinyue was hospitalized, Gu Xingye vowed to punish the Jiang Family, while they pressured Jiang Jinyue to apologize to his prospective marriage partner.
• Jiang Jinyue disappeared, prompting Gu Xingye and the Jiang Family to accuse each other of hiding him and sparking a public feud.
• Zhao Pingchuan told Ji Ran that his business negotiations had gone smoothly and the company could meet the partner’s requirements.
• Chen Qi brought a heavily drunk Zhao Pingchuan home, and Ji Ran settled him on the sofa and quietly told him he was lucky to have met him.

After waking with a hangover, Zhao Pingchuan reassured Ji Ran that business drinking was unavoidable but rare, and Ji Ran went with him to Hengtu for the day. Ji Ran’s architectural expertise impressed his coworkers, and the chapter ended with him going to buy milk tea for Lu Zhaozhao and asking Zhao Pingchuan if he wanted some.

• Zhao Pingchuan woke with a headache after entertaining a client, and Ji Ran worried about how much drinking his business required.
• Zhao Pingchuan told Ji Ran he could avoid most drinking once he rose to a higher position, and Ji Ran agreed to spend his day off at Hengtu with him.
• Ji Ran impressed his Yusheng coworkers by diagnosing problems with their merchant management mini program and suggesting architectural changes.
• Ji Ran joined Zhao Pingchuan at Hengtu, where he greeted Lin Zhou and Lu Zhaozhao while Zhao Pingchuan went to a meeting.
• Ji Ran offered to buy Lu Zhaozhao milk tea, then asked Zhao Pingchuan if he wanted some; Zhao Pingchuan declined.

Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan spent time together at work and at home while avoiding their new neighbor, Jiang Jinyue. At Hengtu’s anniversary celebration, Lu Zhaozhao confessed that she liked Ji Ran and asked him to be her boyfriend.

• Ji Ran brought Lu Zhaozhao mango pomelo sago, and Zhao Pingchuan asked whether they were close before sharing a work proposal for Ji Ran to study.
• Ji Ran and Zhao Pingchuan spotted Jiang Jinyue entering the apartment across from theirs and waited before going home, then began checking the hallway whenever they came or went.
• Hengtu celebrated its third anniversary, where Zhao Pingchuan gave a speech and Ji Ran looked after him as coworkers toasted him.
• Lu Zhaozhao asked Ji Ran to speak with her privately and confessed that she liked him, asking him to consider being her boyfriend.

Ji Ran gently rejected Lu Zhaozhao, while Zhao Pingchuan wrestled with his growing fear of losing Ji Ran and wondered whether Ji Ran could love a man. Meanwhile, Gu Xingye tracked Jiang Jinyue to an apartment across from Zhao Pingchuan’s and waited there after finding it empty.

• Ji Ran rejected Lu Zhaozhao’s request to try developing romantic feelings, and she agreed they could remain friends.
• On the drive home, Ji Ran asked Zhao Pingchuan whether unchanging love existed, and Zhao Pingchuan said it did while privately fearing Ji Ran would someday leave him.
• Zhao Pingchuan wondered whether Ji Ran might like men, then dismissed the possibility that Ji Ran could see him as anything but family.
• Gu Xingye located Jiang Jinyue’s apartment and discovered Zhao Pingchuan lived across the hall, prompting him to investigate their connection.
• Gu Xingye and his men broke into Jiang Jinyue’s empty apartment, and Gu Xingye ordered them to wait for him there.

Ji Ran warned Jiang Jinyue that Gu Xingye had found his apartment, but Jiang returned and was forced to leave with Gu. Zhao Pingchuan and Ji Ran realized Gu’s discovery threatened their peaceful life and promised to face him together.

• Ji Ran spotted people searching Jiang Jinyue’s room, warned Jiang, and then went to Hengtu.
• Jiang returned to his apartment, where Gu Xingye demanded he come back with him, and Jiang reluctantly left with Gu.
• Gu Xingye suspected Zhao Pingchuan had influenced Jiang, then vowed to investigate and wondered about Zhao’s involvement.
• Ji Ran and Zhao returned home, recognized that Gu would likely target them, and Ji Ran told Zhao he would protect him.

Gu Xingye targeted Hengtu by cutting off investment and undercutting its prices, while Zhao Pingchuan insisted the company compete on product quality. After working late, Zhao Pingchuan carried his sleeping brother Ji Ran to bed, struggling to suppress his desire to kiss him.

• Chen Qi learned from Zhao Pingchuan that Gu Xingye had pressured Hengtu's investors because he blamed Zhao Pingchuan for Jiang Jinyue's troubles.
• Gu Xingye began poaching Hengtu's customers by offering a competing product at seventy percent of Hengtu's price.
• Zhao Pingchuan reassured Hengtu's staff that its system's quality and user experience would outlast Gu's cheaper product, and refused to lower Hengtu's prices.
• Ji Ran joined Zhao Pingchuan in the study late at night and fell asleep beside him while he worked.
• Zhao Pingchuan resisted kissing Ji Ran, carried him to his bedroom, tucked him in, and left.

Jiang Jinyue discovered that Gu Xingye had been investigating Zhao Pingchuan and Ji Ran, and tried to clear Zhao Pingchuan of helping him escape. Gu Xingye refused to believe him, leaving Jiang Jinyue questioning why he was being kept there while Gu Xingye hardened himself against doubt.

• Jiang Jinyue found Gu Xingye’s files on Zhao Pingchuan and Ji Ran and memorized Ji Ran’s contact information to avoid implicating them.
• Jiang Jinyue told Gu Xingye that Zhao Pingchuan had not helped him run away, but Gu Xingye suspected Zhao Pingchuan had pressured him to speak.
• Gu Xingye pointed out that Zhao Pingchuan lived with someone, and Jiang Jinyue challenged him for suspecting they were romantically involved.
• Jiang Jinyue asked why Gu Xingye kept him there despite hating and distrusting him, but Gu Xingye stayed silent.
• Gu Xingye privately recognized he was taking his anger out on others, then resolved to remove anyone he believed stood between him and Jiang Jinyue.

Hengtu’s employees stayed united as Zhao Pingchuan weathered Gu Xingye’s competition, while Ji Ran celebrated his promotion with Zhao. Less than two months later, Hengtu’s product won customers back, leaving Gu Xingye furious at his failed attempt to crush the company.

• Lin Zhou and Hengtu’s colleagues encouraged one another to keep working despite losing customers to the Gu Group.
• Ji Ran told Zhao Pingchuan he had been promoted, and Zhao congratulated him and offered to celebrate.
• Ji Ran’s colleagues agreed to invite Zhao Pingchuan to a celebratory meal, and Zhao met Ji Ran with a bouquet of sunflowers after work.
• Zhao Pingchuan told Ji Ran that Hengtu had lost forty percent of its customers but was holding steady, and Ji Ran praised Zhao while criticizing Gu Xingye’s domineering behavior.
• Less than two months later, former customers returned to Hengtu’s product, and the employees celebrated its success.
• Gu Xingye learned that the Gu Group had failed to beat Hengtu, blamed Zhao Pingchuan, and angrily dismissed his secretary.