Chapter Summaries

Song Shi'an returned to campus, enjoyed takeout and a night in his familiar dorm bed, then went to class the next morning. When a professor posed a difficult battery-storage question, Jiang Yu was called on and could not answer.

• Song Shi'an used a VPN to view overseas trending searches, recoiled from the images, and then ate takeout with Pei Zhiyan and Jiang Ye.
• Song Shi'an searched for his missing shirts, showered, and watched videos in bed before falling asleep.
• Song Shi'an watched fans debate his acting and repeated edits of his character dying, then switched to cow-hoof-trimming videos.
• Song Shi'an rode to class, offered Liu Xue a bread roll, and settled in as the classroom filled.
• The professor asked Jiang Yu to explain design optimizations for a low-temperature lithium iron phosphate energy-storage system, and Jiang Ming could not help her.

Song Shi'an impressed Professor Wang by presenting a detailed energy-storage temperature-control solution, then followed him to his office, where the professor invited him to participate in a project. The chapter ended with Song Shi'an receiving a document and considering the opportunity.

• Jiang Yu sat down in embarrassment after failing to answer Professor Wang's question.
• A student mocked Song Shi'an for rarely attending class, so Professor Wang challenged him to answer an advanced question.
• Song Shi'an explained a practical composite temperature-control solution for energy storage, earning Professor Wang's praise and leaving the classroom stunned.
• Professor Wang asked Song Shi'an to meet him in his office after class, while Jiang Ming and Jiang Yu reacted with admiration.
• Professor Wang offered Song Shi'an a document and invited him to participate in a project despite his undergraduate status.

Song Shi'an agreed to consider Professor Wang's offer to join his graduate program, then prepared new snacks and returned to the night market. There, he discovered a vendor had copied his stall and menu.

• Professor Wang offered Song Shi'an a place in his graduate program and showed him a research project with a fifty-billion budget, and Song Shi'an said he would choose Wang as his supervisor if he got in.
• Professor Wang told Professor Gao that Gao had lost their bet, prompting Gao to rush over and complain about Wang poaching someone.
• Song Shi'an bought ingredients, prepared braised food and salt-and-pepper baby potatoes, and announced his return in the snack group chat.
• Luo Yang bought three portions of each snack from Song Shi'an and posted a photo, only to realize his fitness trainer could see it.
• Song Shi'an arrived at the night market and saw a vendor across from his usual spot selling copied versions of his clam glass noodles and braised food.

Song Shi'an reopened his food stall beside Jiang Mingheng's copycat stall, drawing a crowd and attention from livestreaming food blogger Zhu Yujie. After comparing food from both stalls, Zhu Yujie devoured Song Shi'an's cooking and left viewers waiting for his review.

• Song Shi'an set up his stall opposite Jiang Mingheng, and Zhu Tao arrived to buy food and film him.
• Customers were drawn to Song Shi'an's stall by its aroma, while Zhu Yujie livestreamed the two identical-looking stalls and investigated the rivalry.
• Zhu Tao repeatedly blocked Zhu Yujie's camera until Zhu Yujie asked Song Shi'an for permission to film, and Song Shi'an agreed.
• Zhu Yujie compared portions from both stalls, finding Song Shi'an's food visibly better and the other stall's flavor unremarkable.
• Zhu Yujie took several bites of Song Shi'an's food and buried his face in the container, leaving his livestream viewers demanding a review.

After selling out his food stall, Song Shi'an reunited with Shen Xingluo and gave him two containers of food. Shen Xingluo returned home to find Elder Shen and Shen Lingshu had eaten every bite, leaving him with nothing.

• Zhu Yujie praised Song Shi'an's food during a livestream, then learned the stall had sold out and joined its customer group.
• Song Shi'an met Shen Xingluo and Auntie Zhang on his way home and gave the boy braised snacks and baby potatoes.
• Auntie Zhang took Shen Xingluo home, where Elder Shen spotted the food and prepared to try it.
• Shen Lingshu returned, and she and Elder Shen ate all the food while Shen Xingluo washed his hands.
• Shen Xingluo came back to find the containers empty and tearfully realized he had not gotten any.

Shen Lingshu brushed off Elder Shen’s insistence that she marry Pei, while Song Shi'an learned he had landed a three-million endorsement with outdoor brand Fengtu PEAKWAY. Two days later, Fengtu teased its new endorser, leaving commenters guessing who it was.

• Shen Lingshu sent Shen Xingluo to bed and asked Elder Shen why he had come to visit.
• Elder Shen urged Shen Lingshu to date Pei and marry him after he graduated, but she rejected the arrangement and left for work.
• Song Shi'an tallied his stall earnings and learned from Ji Shuyao that Fengtu PEAKWAY had offered him a six-month endorsement deal worth three million.
• Fengtu chose Song Shi'an after comparing candidates, citing his wilderness-show appearance, looks, and active following.
• Two days later, Fengtu teased its new endorser, and commenters speculated about the identity behind the silhouette.

Song Shi'an visited Fengtu headquarters to film promotional material for his endorsement and tried on a stylish winter sports outfit. The tour and fitting left Fengtu's staff impressed, and Lin Fan prepared to share Song Shi'an's striking new look with Brother Yao.

• Lin Fan explained that Song Shi'an would tour Fengtu's R&D center and factory for promotional footage before the commercial.
• Song Shi'an played with his flip-up sunglasses at the airport, where Lu Shiyue photographed him; Lin Fan unsuccessfully tried to get him to take them off.
• Song Shi'an met Fang Yancheng at Fengtu headquarters and removed his sunglasses and mask so the cameraman could film him.
• Fang Yancheng toured Song Shi'an through the busy headquarters and introduced him to designer Ou Wen.
• Song Shi'an changed into a black-and-gray snowsuit with ski goggles, and Ou Wen marked details for adjustments as Lin Fan photographed him for Brother Yao.

Song Shi'an finished his skiwear fitting and went to a lavish hotel dinner with Lin Fan, where he spotted Ye Qinghe dining with Su Ling. After Ye Qinghe noticed him watching and came over to tease him, he was left scrambling to explain himself.

• Ji Shuyao jokingly threatened to dock Lin Fan's pay after receiving a photo of Song Shi'an in his ski suit.
• Ou Wen finished altering Song Shi'an's skiwear, and Fang Yancheng arranged for him and Lin Fan to stay at a luxury hotel.
• Song Shi'an and Lin Fan went to the hotel restaurant, where Lin Fan recognized Ye Qinghe and Su Ling dining together despite their rumored feud.
• Song Shi'an ordered a lavish spread and watched Ye Qinghe and Su Ling while eating, then realized the two women had left.
• Ye Qinghe appeared beside Song Shi'an's booth and teased him for staring, leaving him flustered.

Song Shi'an accepted Ye Qinghe's invitation to star in her next music video, then moved into a spacious suite and completed an outdoor brand's winter collection poster shoot. After the shoot, the director praised his camera presence, while Song Shi'an prepared to fly to Altay for training.

• Ye Qinghe invited Song Shi'an to be the male lead in her next music video, and he accepted.
• Ye Qinghe left digestive tablets for Song Shi'an, who passed one to Lin Fan after a large meal.
• Song Shi'an moved into a large suite, shared its night view with the F4 Group, and Pei Zhiyan offered to upgrade him.
• Lin Fan woke Song Shi'an and reminded him about the poster shoot and the next day's flight to Altay.
• Song Shi'an posed for the outdoor brand's winter collection, and the director praised his appearance on camera.

Song Shi'an traveled to Altay to train for a winterwear endorsement and began learning to snowboard from coach Xie Hanzheng. After a photo of him wearing a turtle butt pad went viral, he focused seriously on his first lesson.

• Song Shi'an flew to Altay with Lin Fan and changed into the brand's winter collection for promotional training photos.
• Xie Hanzheng, a champion skier recovering from a leg injury, doubted Song Shi'an could learn to ski in a week but was impressed by his grasp of the theory.
• Song Shi'an put on a green turtle butt pad before his first lesson, and a girl photographed him and posted the image on Xiaohongshu.
• The photo's commenters recognized Song Shi'an as a celebrity, ending the girl's new crush before she decided to become his fan instead.
• Song Shi'an struggled to stand on his snowboard, defended wearing protective gear, and carefully studied Xie Hanzheng's basic instructions.

Song Shi'an progressed quickly at snowboarding under Xie Hanzheng's instruction, but Xie left to help rescue someone trapped by an avalanche in Altay's backcountry. After hours without news, Song Shi'an went to the restricted area and feared something had happened to him.

• Xie Hanzheng impressed Song Shi'an with a daring snowboarding demonstration, then warned him that mastering difficult moves would take too long.
• Song Shi'an learned to ride the beginner and intermediate slopes, and he and the company agreed to use a stunt double for difficult moves.
• Xie Hanzheng learned that an avalanche had trapped someone in the backcountry and rode off to help with the rescue despite his lingering leg injury.
• Song Shi'an waited as news spread that the rescue was delayed, then went to the backcountry's outskirts after reading that Xie Hanzheng was injured.
• Song Shi'an found security blocking the crowded rescue area and could see only darkness and searchlights, with no way to contact Xie Hanzheng.

Song Shi'an used a skiing skill card to enter the dangerous off-piste area and reach Xie Hanzheng and the injured person. He arrived with a drone's lights guiding him, while Xie Hanzheng recognized him as he offered help.

• Song Shi'an spent 150,000 Affection Points on a Single-Use Expert Skiing Card and received a Good Luck Card that guaranteed his safety for three hours.
• Song Shi'an distracted Lin Fan, slipped through a gap in the barrier, and skied into the restricted area.
• Qi Muyang spotted Song Shi'an and used his drone's searchlights to illuminate the hazardous slope.
• Song Shi'an followed the system's location marker through unstable snow and difficult terrain toward Xie Hanzheng.
• Xie Hanzheng, injured and stranded beside the semiconscious person, saw Song Shi'an arrive and wave for help.
• Song Shi'an stopped beside Xie Hanzheng and asked whether he could still move.

Song Shi'an rescued Xie Hanzheng and an injured man from the backcountry, then slipped away before the rescue team could identify him. Xie Hanzheng woke in the hospital and refused Cheng Yao's suggestion that he return to work for President Xie after recovering.

• Song Shi'an carried Xie Hanzheng and the injured man down the mountain on his snowboard, and rescuers took them to the hospital by helicopter.
• Song Shi'an left before security could find him, while Qi Muyang recognized him as the rescuer from drone footage but decided not to post the video yet.
• Song Shi'an met Lin Fan, who had been buying durian pastries, and changed the subject when Lin Fan noticed his torn, deflated turtle butt pad.
• Lin Fan showed Song Shi'an news about the rescued men and the reporters gathering outside the hospital to interview Xie Hanzheng.
• Xie Hanzheng woke in the hospital and learned his leg would need at least six months to recover before he could return to peak condition.
• Cheng Yao told Xie Hanzheng that President Xie wanted him back after his recovery, but Xie Hanzheng refused to return.

After finishing the Fengtu commercial, Song Shi'an returned home to find Ji Shuyao waiting with news that a big-budget film had offered him a supporting role. The chapter left Song Shi'an holding the script and considering the difficult move from television to film.

• Xie Hanzheng read news praising his rescue and reconsidered his judgment of Song Shi'an after watching videos of his athletic ability and a drama he had acted in.
• Song Shi'an filmed the remaining Fengtu commercial scenes himself on an advanced slope, using a double for the difficult skiing shots, then messaged Xie Hanzheng before flying home.
• Fengtu released Song Shi'an's spokesperson poster, and fans flooded the comments with praise and questions about the new collection.
• Lu Shiyue posted airport photos of Song Shi'an wearing old LUMIERE Liumi sunglasses, prompting fans to sell out the remaining stock and the brand to ask Ji Shuyao about an endorsement deal.
• Ji Shuyao visited Song Shi'an at home, told him his Fengtu endorsement payment was coming, and gave him a script for a supporting role in a big-budget film.

Song Shi'an read the script for Number One Winner and discovered that Qu Lingzhou, a seemingly useless supporting character, had repeatedly survived deadly stages without being harmed. The story left Lu Ci's party entering the final stage and finding a room that monitored every trapped player's consciousness.

• Ji Shuyao gave Song Shi'an the Number One Winner script and urged him to work hard on the role.
• Song Shi'an read that Lu Ci entered the deadly game to find his sister and was trapped after the system crashed.
• Lu Ci rescued Qu Lingzhou in the Plague Town stage, where Qu Lingzhou appeared unable to do more than pass bandages.
• Song Shi'an discovered that Qu Lingzhou secretly paused the Mirror Labyrinth instance and emerged from the Deep-Sea Abyss unharmed.
• Lu Ci's party reached the final stage after losing most of its members and entered a white room displaying the status of every trapped player.

Song Shi'an studied his new role in Number One Winner while his friends told him about Pei Zhiyan's new company, Rui'an Technology. On the way to celebrate its opening, Song Shi'an saw his own advertisements filling a subway station and was recognized by a fan on the train.

• Song Shi'an read the script for Number One Winner and told Chi Xun he was not planning to change careers.
• Jiang Ye told Song Shi'an and Chi Xun that Pei Zhiyan had established Rui'an Technology, a company researching intelligent robots, and invited them to celebrate.
• Song Shi'an and his friends saw his Fengtu advertisements covering a subway station, where passersby praised his looks.
• A girl on the crowded subway recognized Song Shi'an from his eyes and became so flustered that he wondered whether she felt sick.

Song Shi'an visited Rui'an Technology with Jiang Ye and Chi Xun, where Pei Zhiyan showed them the company’s AI research and robots. Shen Lingshu arrived at Pei Zhiyan’s office and asked Song Shi'an to speak with her outside.

• A fan spotted Song Shi'an on the subway, but he got off at Business Center Station before she could approach him.
• Song Shi'an, Jiang Ye, and Chi Xun visited Rui'an Technology and rode the elevator to the top floor, where Pei Zhiyan met them.
• Pei Zhiyan showed them the R&D center and explained the company's robots and its haptic-feedback project.
• The group entered Pei Zhiyan’s office and found Shen Lingshu there with a gift for him.
• Shen Lingshu asked Song Shi'an to come outside because she had something to discuss with him.

Song Shi'an received his 1.8 million payment and joined the film crew at a ruined-city set, where the team prepared him for promotional photos as the movie’s final boss. The chapter left him transformed into a worn, wandering boy from Plague Town, ready for publicity and filming.

• Shen Lingshu told Song Shi'an to do a good job when he joined the crew, while Jiang Ye and Chi Xun tried to learn what she had said.
• Pei Zhiyan treated the group to lunch, then sent Song Shi'an 2,000 yuan as tenfold cashback after Song Shi'an shared a red packet with the group.
• Song Shi'an received the 1.8 million deposit, celebrated by ordering an extravagant meal, and later went back to sleep.
• A few days later, Ji Shuyao took Song Shi'an to the set, where Director He welcomed him as the last cast member to arrive.
• The makeup artist and stylist dressed Song Shi'an in distressed workwear, goggles, a patched tool bag, and an old woven bracelet for promotional photos.

Song Shi'an joined the filming of Plague Town and played the frightened survivor Qu Lingzhou, whom Lu Ci's team found hiding in a clinic. Lu Ci offered to take him along, but Mo Zhao objected because resources were limited.

• Song Shi'an posed for character stills that showed both Qu Lingzhou's fearful innocence and his contemptuous side.
• Wen Qing and He Minglou welcomed Song Shi'an before the director hurried the cast into filming.
• As Qu Lingzhou, Song Shi'an hid behind the clinic's medicine cabinets while zombies attacked the door.
• Lu Ci's squad broke into the clinic to gather medicine, and a falling bottle drew them to Qu Lingzhou's hiding place.
• Lu Ci stopped himself from striking Qu Lingzhou and offered to let him join the team, but Mo Zhao opposed bringing him along.

Lu Ci’s group searched the church and municipal hospital for patient zero, Shen Du, while zombie hordes repeatedly separated them. Qu Lingzhou revealed an eerie ability to freeze nearby zombies, and Cheng Zhiwei encountered him alive on the ninth floor as Mo Zhao drew the hordes toward himself.

• Cheng Zhiwei, Mo Zhao, and Lu Ci split up to investigate the church and hospital after learning patient zero had last been seen at the hospital.
• At the church, Mo Zhao found the morgue records identifying patient zero as Shen Du, a thirty-seven-year-old man last recorded at the municipal hospital.
• Mo Zhao shoved Qu Lingzhou into the path of a zombie tide on the hospital’s sixth floor and escaped with the others, leaving Qu Lingzhou surrounded.
• Qu Lingzhou froze the approaching zombies in place and smiled after realizing the others had abandoned him.
• Mo Zhao drew the zombies as he fled toward the ninth floor, while Cheng Zhiwei pursued patient zero and a pathogen sample.
• Cheng Zhiwei encountered Qu Lingzhou alive in the corridor, and he told her he had hidden in a ward.