Chapter Summaries

Shen Si threatened Cen Xia with the story of how he had tormented Shi Su and Zhou Zanli, but Cen Xia chose to fight back and briefly pinned him down. Their struggle ended with Shen Si landing on top of Cen Xia, and they remained trapped together as Shen Si was too hurt to get up.

• Shen Si threatened Cen Xia and offered to spare him if he told him what he wanted to hear, recounting Zhou Zanli's betrayal and suffering.
• Cen Xia said, "I choose you," then broke free, restrained Shen Si, and warned the two other people not to interfere.
• The two people left, and Shen Si escaped Cen Xia's hold before throwing him down; Cen Xia grabbed Shen Si's ankle, causing him to fall on top of him.
• Cen Xia and Shen Si argued while pinned together, and Cen Xia bit Shen Si's shoulder to make him stop talking.
• Cen Xia realized Shen Si was too injured to move and wondered why Shen Si had been hurt worse despite landing on top of him.

After Shen Si and Cen Xia were trapped together, Cen Xia left and reunited with the worried Shi Su. Shi Su invited Cen Xia to dinner alone, and they planned to see a movie afterward, leaving Shi Su wondering if it was a date.

• Cen Xia and Shen Si recovered enough to separate, and Cen Xia left after telling Shen Si to choose a cleaner place next time.
• Cen Xia called Shi Su back and found him waiting nearby after he ran over worried about Cen Xia.
• Shi Su noticed the dirt on Cen Xia’s clothes, but Cen Xia claimed it came from moving things and changed the subject.
• Shi Su invited Cen Xia to dinner alone the next day, and Cen Xia agreed while suggesting they watch a movie afterward.
• Shi Su happily agreed and wondered whether their plans counted as a date.

Cen Xia and Ding Yiheng trained as substitutes for their class’s upcoming basketball game and watched the school crowd gather around Pei Huaiyi. Ding Yiheng revealed that Pei Huaiyi had once joined the national team but left after an injury.

• Shen Si’s wound reopened, and he asked a man to take him to the hospital without telling his father while he continued working on an unspecified matter.
• Cen Xia forgot to call Ding Yiheng before bed, and Ding Yiheng vowed not to speak to him the next day but quickly resumed chatting with him.
• During basketball practice, Ding Yiheng showed Cen Xia the class’s substitute roster and warned him that Pei Huaiyi was an exceptionally strong player.
• The cheerleaders and other students crowded around Pei Huaiyi’s court, distracting the players and coach from their training.
• During a break, Ding Yiheng told Cen Xia that Pei Huaiyi had made the national team before leaving because of an injury.

Cen Xia and Ding Yiheng met Pei Huaiyi at the basketball court, where Pei Huaiyi bluntly asked Cen Xia to add him as a friend and send videos of his episodes. After Pei Huaiyi made plans to avoid his mother’s cooking, he spotted Cen Xia nearby and considered using him as an excuse.

• Cen Xia and Ding Yiheng discussed Pei Huaiyi’s basketball skills, and Pei Huaiyi sat beside them and overheard.
• Pei Huaiyi asked Cen Xia to show him a video of an episode, explaining that he wanted to collect footage; Cen Xia reluctantly added him as a friend.
• Ding Yiheng learned that He Wangsheng had taken Pei Huaiyi’s place on the court and hurried over to watch him play.
• Pei Huaiyi received a message from his mother asking whether he would come home for her cooking and claimed he had plans with a friend.
• Pei Huaiyi struggled to name a friend his mother would not recognize, then noticed Cen Xia sitting nearby.

Cen Xia spent the school sports meet taking photos with Pei Huaiyi and filming He Wangsheng, who caught his attention on the basketball court. After He Wangsheng spoke with him, Ding Yiheng’s cousin Qi Jiayan shared the video with a group chat and pointed everyone to a specific moment.

• Pei Huaiyi took a selfie with Cen Xia to show his mother that he had plans with a friend, then retook the photo after Cen Xia objected to how he looked.
• Ding Yiheng asked Cen Xia to film He Wangsheng playing basketball so he could send the video to his cousin.
• He Wangsheng noticed Cen Xia filming, then later approached him, said he was looking forward to seeing him play, and removed a scrap of paper from his shoulder.
• Ding Yiheng told his cousin that Cen Xia had filmed the video and sent her Cen Xia’s name when she asked who he was.
• Qi Jiayan sent the video to a group chat and urged the members to look at the footage at 4 minutes and 34 seconds.

Cen Xia secretly arranged to have dinner with Shi Su, while Fang Sheng revealed that Lu Mian’s identity would be announced at a banquet. Shi Su’s insecurity surfaced as he compared himself with Cen Xia, and Qi Jiayan’s group analyzed basketball videos that suggested He Wangsheng had repeatedly watched Ding Yiheng’s camera.

• Cen Xia hid his dinner plans with Shi Su from Ding Yiheng, while Fang Sheng said he had to attend a banquet for the president’s newly discovered second son, Lu Mian.
• Cen Xia met Shi Su at the school gate and noticed him staring at the luxury cars before they left in Cen Xia’s family car.
• Shi Su gave the driver the restaurant address, then quietly asked Cen Xia whether he thought Shi Su was good as the car entered a tunnel.
• Qi Jiayan and the other girls reviewed basketball videos, and Liuxia Hui concluded that He Wangsheng scored ten points after seeing someone and repeatedly looked toward Ding Yiheng’s camera.

Shi Su took Cen Xia to a restaurant from his childhood for what he considered their first date, while Fang Sheng reported from a banquet where the He Family’s second son was expected to appear. The He Family delayed the banquet, and Fang Sheng overheard that the second young master was missing.

• Cen Xia comforted Shi Su after mistaking his words for a sign that he had suffered a grievance at school.
• Shi Su brought Cen Xia to his longtime neighborhood restaurant, shared memories of his childhood there, and privately hoped the meal would deepen their bond.
• Cen Xia suggested bringing Ding Yiheng and Fang Sheng to the restaurant another time, and Shi Su agreed despite wanting to keep it as a place for just the two of them.
• Fang Sheng sent updates from the He Family banquet and told the group that Wen Xingzhou, Wen Ci’s older brother, was there.
• Fang Sheng reported that the He Family postponed the banquet because the old master was unwell, then revealed that he had overheard their butler say the second young master was missing.

Cen Xia and Shi Su went on their planned movie date, but Lu Mian called in distress after apparently ingesting something drugged. Cen Xia left to check on him, leaving Shi Su alone at the cinema.

• Fang Sheng decided to keep quiet about the He Family's secret and stayed beside his mother at the banquet.
• Shi Su bought back-row movie tickets, and he and Cen Xia walked toward the cinema together.
• Cen Xia stopped for a haircut while Shi Su grew jealous of the stylist's attention to him.
• Cen Xia bought popcorn and shared a piece with Shi Su as they waited for the movie.
• Lu Mian called Cen Xia and said he had eaten something drugged and was hiding in a wardrobe.
• Cen Xia canceled the movie and left to find Lu Mian, while Shi Su stayed alone in the cinema lobby.

Cen Xia was brought into the He Family’s old residence by the World Will, which warned that Lu Mian was in danger and urged him to find Wen Xingzhou. After reaching the guarded main courtyard, Cen Xia tried to get an urgent message to Chief Wen but was stopped and asked to show his invitation.

• The World Will told Cen Xia that a new plot node had emerged and that Lu Mian was in great danger unless all the protagonists were present.
• Cen Xia found Fang Sheng, who led him toward the main courtyard and pointed out where Wen Xingzhou might be.
• The World Will argued with Cen Xia and threatened that the world and his friends would die if he failed to help Lu Mian, then vanished after Cen Xia challenged it.
• Cen Xia admitted to himself that he would not leave Lu Mian in danger and walked toward the main courtyard.
• Two bodyguards stopped Cen Xia at the gate and demanded his invitation and identification before he could see Chief Wen.

Cen Xia searched for Lu Mian and found Wen Xingzhou, who learned that Lu Mian was trapped in a wardrobe in the He Family’s western side courtyard. Meanwhile, He Wangsheng pressed He Qi to reveal where Lu Mian had been hidden.

• Cen Xia failed to show an invitation, but Lu Qianyu escorted him into the main courtyard and directed him toward Wen Xingzhou.
• Cen Xia overheard Shen Zhong confront He Qi, who admitted he had wanted to teach Lu Mian a lesson but claimed not to know where he was.
• Cen Xia found Wen Xingzhou and showed him that Lu Mian had called; the World Will then revealed Lu Mian was in a room in the western side courtyard marked by a water jar with withered lotus plants.
• He Wangsheng questioned He Qi about Lu Mian, and He Qi eventually said he thought Lu Mian was in the west courtyard.