Chapter Summaries

After discovering Lu Shilan and Ji Dong’s secret connection, Jiang Ye resolved to reclaim her life and return to acting. She persuaded Ye Jin to cast her as the female lead by promising to arrange trusted childcare and compensate the production for any delays.

• Jiang Ye photographed Lu Shilan and Ji Dong’s call history, installed monitoring software on her phone, and vowed not to let them off while she reclaimed her life.
• Ye Jin invited Jiang Ye to discuss the female lead role, and Jiang Ye arrived energetic and composed.
• Ye Jin explained that Jiang Ye’s young child could make her a scheduling risk and asked how she would handle childcare and delays.
• Jiang Ye promised to have her parents care for her child, avoid asking for time off, and compensate the production for losses if she caused delays.
• Ye Jin agreed to proceed with contract discussions, and Jiang Ye thanked her for the opportunity.

After Jiang Ye accepted the female lead role, Lu Shilan blamed Ji Dong for failing to stop her, and Jiang Ye told Ji Dong she planned to work in Hengcheng and divorce him. Ji Dong tried to use their young daughter to threaten Jiang Ye, who challenged his grounds for seeking custody.

• Ye Jin informed Fruit Video and the partners that Jiang Ye had been chosen for the female lead, while Lu Shilan and Xin Yue learned they had not gotten the role.
• Lu Shilan called Ji Dong and accused him of failing to stop Jiang Ye, then ordered him to ruin the production opportunity.
• Ji Dong rushed home and found Jiang Ye packing for her three- or four-month stay in Hengcheng to work on the production.
• Jiang Ye told Ji Dong she wanted a divorce, and he threatened to divorce her if she took the role.
• Ji Dong demanded that their daughter stay with him, but Jiang Ye questioned whether he had the income or caregiving record to win custody.

Jiang Ye confronted Ji Dong with evidence that he had colluded with Lu Shilan and refused to abandon her divorce plans. After Ji Dong tried to imprison her, Jiang Ye's parents rescued her and the police took him away to investigate.

• Ji Dong tried to dissuade Jiang Ye from divorcing him, then threatened to damage her entertainment career by speaking against her online.
• Jiang Ye played a recording of Ji Dong conspiring with Lu Shilan, and Ji Dong begged her not to expose him.
• Ji Dong threatened to ruin Jiang Ye and grabbed her by the neck, intending to lock her in the bedroom until her drama finished filming.
• Jiang Ye's parents arrived, stopped Ji Dong, and called the police after Jiang Ye shouted for help.
• Ji Dong begged Jiang Ye to tell the police they had been fooling around, but she described his attack, and the officer arranged an injury examination and statements.

Jiang Ye had Ji Dong detained and publicly announced their divorce and his abuse, while preparing to pursue Lu Shilan as well. Su Chengjing told Ye Jin that Xie Haoyu was nearing bankruptcy and arranged protection for her, leaving Ye Jin surprised by how quickly their plan had succeeded.

• Jiang Ye went to the hospital for an injury assessment, gave a statement, and hired a lawyer to seek a long sentence for Ji Dong.
• Jiang Ye posted on Weibo that she had divorced Ji Dong, reported him for hitting her, and begun criminal proceedings against him.
• Ye Jin called Jiang Ye, who reassured her that her injuries were minor and said she would keep studying her script while recovering.
• Ye Jin focused on preparations for filming, then came home and found Su Chengjing waiting to discuss something serious.
• Su Chengjing told Ye Jin that Xie Haoyu's company was near bankruptcy and warned that he might retaliate, so he arranged security for her.

Su Chengjing arranged bodyguards for Ye Jin after realizing Xie Haoyu was watching her, and Ye Jin accepted the protection when she remembered her past with Xie Haoyu. When filming for "The Phoenix First Rises" began, a show of support from executives and celebrities made the low-profile production a trending topic.

• Su Chengjing learned that Xie Haoyu had people watching Ye Jin and assigned bodyguards to protect her.
• Ye Jin accepted the bodyguards after remembering that Xie Haoyu considered her the first love who had abandoned him for being poor.
• Four bodyguards accompanied Ye Jin, who soon adjusted to their discreet presence while she worked in her office.
• Ye Jin began filming "The Phoenix First Rises" with a modest opening ceremony, but Xu Yan, Su Chengjing, Lin Xiwen, Yang Manhui, and Yan Xuelan showed their support.
• Online discussion spread about the drama's unexpected backing and its casting, including the choice of Jiang Ye.

Ye Jin watched Jiang Ye prove herself on the set of The Phoenix First Rises, then spent her vacation sleeping and watching dramas while Su Chengjing tried to get closer to her. She agreed to visit one of the islands he had given her, but still suspected his generosity was meant to appease her for the sake of his supposed true love.

• Jiang Ye impressed the cast and crew with her performance in The Phoenix First Rises, easing their doubts about her casting.
• Ye Jin began her vacation by sleeping and binge-watching shows at home, leaving Su Chengjing little chance to spend time with her.
• Su Chengjing invited Ye Jin to visit one of the islands he had given her, and she agreed after learning they could travel there by private jet.
• Ye Jin and Su Chengjing flew to the island, where Ye Jin admired its scenery and amenities.
• Ye Jin wondered whether Su Chengjing had given her the island to keep her from causing trouble for his true love, and joked inwardly that more gifts could make her accept the arrangement.

Su Chengjing took Ye Jin to a flower-filled restaurant on his island, hoping to surprise her with a romantic meal. Ye Jin focused on the food and scenery, while Su Chengjing waited for a chance to talk after she finished eating.

• Su Chengjing led Ye Jin by the hand toward the island restaurant and kept holding it despite her wondering whether he had forgotten to let go.
• Ye Jin admired the restaurant’s setting and worried that its flowers and live band might be paid for with her money.
• Su Chengjing explained that a professional company managed the island and that it usually broke even or made a profit, easing Ye Jin’s concern.
• Ye Jin suspected the meal might be a romantic date but dismissed the idea because she thought Su Chengjing had no sense of romance.
• The servers brought out the food, and Ye Jin eagerly enjoyed the meal while Su Chengjing watched her with a smile.
• After Ye Jin had nearly finished eating and began admiring the view, Su Chengjing started a conversation.

Ye Jin and Su Chengjing cleared up her misunderstanding about his fidelity, but she remained distant as they returned from their holiday. Their plane then suffered a malfunction, and both suspected Xie Haoyu had sabotaged it.

• Su Chengjing told Ye Jin she was the only woman in his life and promised he would never betray her.
• Ye Jin admitted she had mistaken her assumptions for the truth, though she continued to treat Su Chengjing politely rather than warmly.
• Su Chengjing accompanied Ye Jin on island activities until their three-day holiday ended, and they boarded a flight home.
• The plane began shaking violently, and a flight attendant announced that the crew was seeking an emergency landing.
• Ye Jin remembered that Su Chengjing had died in a plane crash in the original novel and suspected Xie Haoyu had tampered with the plane.
• Su Chengjing also suspected Xie Haoyu and regretted that his carelessness might cause Ye Jin to die with him.

As the sabotaged plane plummeted, Ye Jin’s repaired system returned and worked to fix the malfunction while Su Chengjing confessed his growing feelings for her. The plane stabilized, and Su Chengjing went to check the cockpit.

• Ye Jin urged Su Chengjing to search for parachutes, but they hoped the experienced pilots could make an emergency landing.
• The system reconnected and admitted it could not guarantee saving them, though it would try to help.
• Believing they might die, Su Chengjing confessed that he had agreed to marry Ye Jin because he had feelings for her and had grown to care for her.
• Ye Jin stopped Su Chengjing’s confession and insisted they could talk after they survived.
• The system repaired the plane’s electronic malfunction, and the plane stabilized and regained altitude.
• Su Chengjing confirmed the plane was flying steadily, then told Ye Jin to remain seated while he checked the cockpit.

After an electronic failure nearly caused a plane crash, Ye Jin and Su Chengjing made an emergency landing and returned home by train. Ye Jin then learned that nearly all her missions were complete and asked the system to find evidence against Xie Haoyu, which it agreed to do.

• Su Chengjing told Ye Jin that the plane’s electronic systems had failed and mysteriously restarted, and he arranged an emergency landing followed by a train journey home.
• The plane landed at a nearby airport, where staff examined the passengers and sent two injured flight attendants to the hospital; Su Chengjing covered their expenses and compensation.
• Ye Jin returned to the Su Family’s old residence, while Su Chengjing went back to the company to pursue Xie Haoyu.
• The system told Ye Jin that all but three of her missions were complete, and Ye Jin said the supporting characters had awakened and changed their own destinies.
• Ye Jin asked the system to find evidence that Xie Haoyu had tampered with the plane and committed other crimes, and the system agreed to hack his computer.

After Ye Jin survived the plane crash, Lin Xiwen and Su Chenglan realized they could no longer hear her thoughts and hoped the change had not harmed her. Unable to sleep, Ye Jin had the system search for Xie Haoyu’s crimes and began trading celebrity gossip with it while Su Chengjing returned home at midnight.

• Lin Xiwen and Su Chenglan fussed over Ye Jin and scolded Su Chengjing for taking her out without proper security.
• After Ye Jin left, Lin Xiwen and Su Chenglan noticed they could no longer hear her thoughts and wondered whether the plane crash had caused the change.
• Ye Jin stayed awake and asked the system about its search for evidence of Xie Haoyu’s crimes.
• The system said it had infiltrated the world’s network and told Ye Jin gossip about a top idol who had paid to conceal his child and a TV Best Actor who had used drugs overseas.
• Ye Jin and the system continued exchanging gossip as Su Chengjing returned to the Su residence at midnight and found Ye Jin awake and excited.

Ye Jin and Su Chengjing avoided discussing his feelings after surviving danger, while Ye Jin focused on work at Cloud Brocade Entertainment. A month later, the police obtained approval to arrest Xie Haoyu, and Ye Jin watched the arrest through surveillance footage provided by the system.

• Su Chengjing told Ye Jin that the police had opened an investigation and that he had gathered evidence against Xie Haoyu, and Ye Jin offered to provide more evidence.
• Su Chengjing and Ye Jin spent the night in silence, and Ye Jin woke to find he had left early for an urgent matter at the office.
• The system explained that Su Chengjing had not deliberately avoided Ye Jin, but Ye Jin decided to work late with Huo Yun to avoid seeing him.
• Ye Jin and Huo Yun reviewed promotion plans for “The Phoenix First Rises” and chose a low-budget arthouse film and a campus drama for Cloud Brocade Entertainment to invest in.
• Nearly a month later, the police obtained approval to arrest Xie Haoyu, and Ye Jin watched surveillance footage of the arrest through the system.

After Xie Haoyu was arrested and sentenced, Ye Jin celebrated his removal from the Su Family’s lives by releasing The Phoenix First Rises. The drama premiered to strong viewer interest and enthusiastic praise, leaving its early success poised to grow through word of mouth.

• Ye Jin watched Xie Haoyu being taken away in handcuffs and learned that his many crimes would likely keep him imprisoned for life.
• The Su Family celebrated their freedom from Xie Haoyu and the fear of being controlled by the book’s plot.
• Ye Jin released The Phoenix First Rises on the day Xie Haoyu was formally sentenced and avoided excessive promotion.
• Fruit Video gave the drama strong promotional support, and it premiered with six episodes.
• Viewers watched the episodes in one sitting and praised the drama’s story, performances, and costumes online.

The Phoenix First Rises became a record-breaking hit, transforming the careers of Jiang Ye, Song Miao, and Ye Jin’s company. Song Miao tried to cut ties with the Wan family, and after the Wan parents mocked her, she posted an account of her treatment that went viral.

• The Phoenix First Rises surpassed ten thousand on the popularity index, broke the platform’s finale record, and established Ye Jin’s company as a major industry player.
• Song Miao became financially independent through her book rights and hired a lawyer to sever ties with the Wan family.
• The Wan parents dismissed Song Miao’s attempt to leave as attention-seeking and mocked her, so she walked away.
• Song Miao posted an account of her experiences with the Wan family on Weibo, and it quickly reached the top of the trending searches.
• Online commenters condemned the Wan parents’ treatment of Song Miao and criticized Wan Shiliu’s behavior.

Song Miao learned that the Wan Family’s scandals and product failures led to its bankruptcy, then faced the Wan parents’ apology and chose to end their relationship for good. Ye Jin heard that Song Miao’s mission was complete, and the system then announced that Jiang Ye’s mission had also finished, prompting Ye Jin to ask what had happened.

• Public outrage and official product inspections drove Wan Corporation into bankruptcy, while Wan Shiliu failed to marry the wealthy heir despite becoming pregnant.
• Song Miao ran into the impoverished Wan parents at a noodle shop, where they apologized for how they had treated her.
• Song Miao accepted their apology without forgiving them and said they should remain strangers, since their legal relationship had already been severed.
• The system told Ye Jin that Song Miao’s mission was complete, then announced that Jiang Ye’s mission was complete too.
• Ye Jin eagerly asked the system what had happened with Jiang Ye and Lu Shilan.

Ye Jin learned how Lu Shilan’s pursuit of fame led her into a fraudulent marriage, debt, and prison, while wondering whether Jiang Ye had helped set the trap. The system completed its mission and fell silent, then returned as Ye Jin was leaving work.

• Lu Shilan married Yue Bin after he promised her fame and resources, then discovered that his wealth and businesses were fake.
• Lu Shilan borrowed money for Yue Bin’s failed business, divorced him after he squandered it, and continued working to repay their shared debts.
• Lu Shilan stabbed Yue Bin during a fight, and both were injured and sentenced after the police intervened and their crimes came to light.
• Ye Jin suspected Jiang Ye might have arranged Yue Bin’s appearance but concluded Lu Shilan’s greed had made her vulnerable to the scam.
• The system celebrated completing its mission and fell silent, then spoke again to Ye Jin after she had finished work.

After completing the mission, Ye Jin learned that a system bug had let the villains hear her thoughts and learn the future plot, leaving her mortified about returning to the Su residence. She went home to face Lin Xiwen and the others, who noticed her unusual silence and privately wondered what was wrong.

• The system told Ye Jin that its earlier bug had linked her brainwaves to the villains and supporting characters, letting them hear her thoughts and learn the future plot until the link was severed.
• Ye Jin realized that the Su Family, including Su Chengjing, had likely heard her embarrassing thoughts and hesitated to go home.
• Lin Xiwen called to ask why Ye Jin was late, and Ye Jin decided to return to the Su residence rather than avoid her family.
• Ye Jin ate dinner in silence, and Lin Xiwen noticed her behavior had changed and asked if she felt unwell.
• Lin Xiwen and her children exchanged looks, while Lin Xiwen recalled that they could still discuss Ye Jin's thoughts privately without telling anyone else.

Ye Jin learned that the Su family had heard her thoughts, and they assured her they welcomed her honest self. Later, she took the lead in confessing her feelings to Su Chengjing, and they agreed to build a life together.

• Lin Xiwen told Ye Jin that the family had enjoyed hearing her thoughts and encouraged her to speak freely.
• Su Chengjing and Su Chenglan reassured Ye Jin that they liked the real her, and Ye Jin promised to share gossip with them.
• After more than half a year of Su Chengjing hesitating to confess, Ye Jin decided to speak first on her birthday.
• At the sky restaurant, Ye Jin listed Su Chengjing's faults before telling him she wanted them to support each other and spend their lives together.
• Su Chengjing eagerly accepted, promised to be a good partner and father, and embraced Ye Jin as they agreed to a happy partnership.