The Romance of Tiger and Rose Recap, Plot, Synopsis

The Romance of Tiger and Rose Synopsis

Chen Xiaoqian is a screenwriter who is always single since her birth. She has worked hard and finished writing a costume drama. The drama should have started shooting smoothly, but it collapsed. Because the actor Han Mingxing questioned too much about the script’s emotional scenes.

She can’t keep in her indignation, swear to prove her ability, but she entered the world of her script accidentally. becoming the third princess of Hua Yuan City, who is exalted but with a bad reputation.

She should be a female supporting role in the drama, who can’t survive more than three episodes. But in order to survive, she opens a new scriptwriter, reverses her ridiculous life, and finally learns to love and grows up with Han Shuo, the young lord of Xuan Wu city, and Pei Heng, the superstar of Hua Yuan City, who has a perfect persona and appearance.

The Romance of Tiger and Rose Recap

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In Huayuan City, women rule, while in Xuanhu City, men hold power. The two cities have long been at odds. After a fierce battle, Xuanhu City was defeated, forcing them to send their Young Master, Han Shuo, to marry into Huayuan City. Han Shuo is both strategically brilliant and strikingly handsome, admired by all who see him. However, he suffers from a congenital heart condition and is fated not to live past twenty.

Now, at nineteen, as onlookers discuss his plight, the third princess, Chen Qianqian, gallops through the streets, charging toward the escort caravan. The Dragon Bone, a secret treasure of Huayuan City, can cure all ailments, and there is only one. Han Shuo’s primary reason for marrying into Huayuan City is to obtain the Dragon Bone.

To achieve this, he orchestrates a heroic rescue to make the second princess, Chen Chuchu, fall in love with him at first sight, planning to use her to acquire the Dragon Bone. However, despite his careful planning, things go awry. By mistake, Han Shuo saves Chen Qianqian, who unexpectedly takes a liking to him and immediately arranges to marry him.

Han Shuo pretends to have a heart attack and collapses, with his attendants crying in support, hoping Chen Qianqian will retract her decision. Instead, she orders them to rush him to her residence while he’s still alive, then rides off. " The Romance of Tiger and Rose" is Chen Xiaoqian’s online novel. She has secured the filming rights after contacting Mr. Zhang, but the male lead refuses to join the production.

As a writer living off royalties, Chen Xiaoqian, driven by financial need, decides to visit the set to resolve the issue with the male lead. He believes the male protagonist’s romantic character arc is inconsistent and demands changes from Chen Xiaoqian. Furious, Chen Xiaoqian initially wants to complain to Mr. Zhang, but when she sees the payment already transferred to her account, she’s overjoyed. She works tirelessly to revise the script, perfecting the finale, only to faint from exhaustion.

When she wakes, she discovers she has transmigrated into her own script, becoming the extravagant and incompetent Chen Qianqian. In Huayuan City, where women hold supremacy, men are at the bottom of society. Even a street vendor auntie can flirt with or marry a good-looking man she fancies. As a princess, Chen Qianqian has a noble status but is merely a cannon-fodder character destined to die in the third episode.

While still adjusting to her surroundings, someone delivers a wedding dress, making her realize she’s already in the third episode’s plot. Due to her later revisions, Han Shuo is set to poison her on their wedding day. Meanwhile, Xuanhu City has sent assassins to ensure the Dragon Bone’s acquisition. At Han Shuo’s command, they are ready to kill.

However, Han Shuo opts for a different plan: by killing Chen Qianqian and helping Chen Chuchu ascend to power, he can light the beacon tower and seize Huayuan City. Fearing Han Shuo’s intent to kill her, Chen Qianqian’s subordinate, Zi Rui, dismisses the threat, believing Han Shuo is just a useless man from a remote land.

As the script’s author, Chen Qianqian knows Han Shuo’s true identity and orders Zi Rui to speak less and skip all wedding formalities, rushing straight to the consummation. Han Shuo prepares a poison, Soul-Breaking Powder, for the wedding night’s drinks. His subordinate hands him a dagger for self-defense, noting that the third princess’s only strength is her martial prowess. Han Shuo throws a wine cup, shattering a vase to intimidate his men.

Though the third princess is notoriously tyrannical, the Owner of Huayuan City dotes on her, so her death would be justified. The Owner of Huayuan City hears of Chen Qianqian’s plan to skip formalities and allows it. Han Shuo follows Huayuan City’s customs, where men are treated as women, wearing veils that women remove. Once removed, a man must remain loyal to that woman forever. Han Shuo endures this, but he refuses the custom of applying the chastity mark.

Chen Qianqian rushes in, declaring the chastity mark unnecessary, and everyone leaves the room. Han Shuo suggests drinking to liven the mood, triggering Chen Qianqian’s memory of the script’s poisoned wine. Instead of objecting, she thinks drinking it will let her return home and agrees. Han Shuo pretends to cough and swaps their cups. When they drink again, he spills the wine with another fake cough. Chen Qianqian, thinking it’s because his veil is still on, removes it.

Stunned, she recognizes Han Shuo as the male lead. Believing he’s also in the novel, she reveals the wine is poisoned, vowing to take him with her if she leaves. To spite the male lead who once dismissed her, Chen Qianqian calls in Zi Rui, accusing Han Shuo of attempting to poison her and ordering his family’s execution after her death. However, neither the food nor drink is poisoned.

Suspecting the actor improvised by coating his lips with poison, she kisses Han Shuo to confirm. After the kiss, her tongue goes numb, her head spins, and she collapses into his arms.

Chen Qianqian wakes up to find Zi Rui and others still before her, instantly frustrated, believing she’s still trapped in a dream or that Han Shuo altered the script. Her attempt to return to reality through suicide failed, and with the script’s filming looming and no draft submitted, she grows anxious. She knows Chen Chuchu must endure trials to ascend the throne, but on the day of her coronation, a celestial phenomenon opens the Heavenly Gate.

Chen Qianqian realizes she might only return home on that day, which requires Han Shuo to help Chen Chuchu ascend. Chen Qianqian rushes to find Han Shuo, only to learn he’s been imprisoned. In his cell, Han Shuo is furious, vowing to execute Chen Qianqian by a thousand cuts, but his need for the Dragon Bone prevents him from leaving. Chen Qianqian pleads with the Owner to release Han Shuo and have him marry Chen Chuchu.

The Owner, suspecting Han Shuo, the sole son of Xuanhu City, has ulterior motives, refuses. Desperate, Chen Qianqian lies, claiming she’s pregnant with Han Shuo’s child. The Owner, exasperated but unwilling to scold her, sends Han Qi to tell Han Shuo he’ll be released if he acknowledges the child. Han Shuo is freed and showered with treasures, kneeling until his legs go numb. Han Qi instructs him to uphold husbandly virtues.

Knowing the child isn’t his, Han Shuo glares in anger but can’t vent. Chen Qianqian, standing nearby, urges him not to be picky, noting the child won’t bear his surname. Han Shuo plots to eliminate Chen Qianqian’s unborn child. Zi Rui tampers with the food in glass cups. Per Huayuan City’s customs, the female master is served by her male spouse, so Han Shuo endures to execute his plan. Chen Qianqian eats heartily, demanding all dishes be served.

Han Shuo notices they look identical, all in glass cups, and glares at Zi Rui, frustrated but helpless. He diligently serves her every dish. Noticing his unusual attentiveness, Chen Qianqian recalls the script, overturns the table, and goes to dine with the Owner. The Owner, mindful of Chen Qianqian’s pregnancy, urges her to watch her diet but spots the chastity mark on her arm. Enraged, the Owner scolds her for ruining her reputation over a man.

Chen Qianqian kneels, begging mercy for Han Shuo, claiming she truly loves him. The Owner, moved, advises her to keep Han Shuo in check and avoid trouble. Seeing Han Shuo as a ticking time bomb, Chen Qianqian decides to push him toward Chen Chuchu to reach the story’s end.

She consults local storytellers to revise the script, hoping to steer it back on track by arranging a “damsel saves hero” or “hero saves damsel” moment for Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu. Chen Qianqian takes Han Shuo to Lin Qi’s “courtesan house.” Facing a crowd of handsome men, she boldly boasts about finding a good man and proposes a public contest. Han Shuo, her first wager, competes against Lin Qi’s choice, Su Mu, a renowned male beauty.

Chen Qianqian, smitten at first sight, fawns over Su Mu, who gifts her a folding fan. Han Shuo scoffs. Su Mu plays the zither, Han Shuo performs a sword dance, filling the courtyard with flying petals—a breathtaking scene. As Chen Qianqian anxiously awaits Chen Chuchu’s arrival, Han Shuo suddenly swings his sword at her. Chen Chuchu arrives just in time, blocking the strike and berating Han Shuo for daring to attack Chen Qianqian.

Zi Rui whispers the newcomer’s identity to Han Shuo, who grabs Chen Qianqian’s fan to cover his face. Chen Qianqian explains she forced Han Shuo to compete with the performer, angering him. Chen Chuchu insists a husband must obey his female master unconditionally and not resort to violence. During the scuffle, she tears Han Shuo’s clothes. Pei Heng intervenes, and Chen Qianqian freezes, recognizing him as her favorite character from the script.

Pei Heng, Huayuan City’s most handsome and accomplished man, is the idol of the city’s maidens. He was once betrothed to Chen Qianqian, but she broke it off. Learning the situation, Pei Heng pulls Chen Qianqian aside to “reprimand” her for mistreating Han Shuo after forcing him into marriage and bringing him to a courtesan house to humiliate him. Chen Qianqian, in tears, claims she’s lonely and treading on thin ice, desperate to return home, which led to her actions. Pei Heng, seeing her cry uncontrollably, is taken aback, never expecting this vulnerable side of Chen Qianqian.

In the script, Chen Qianqian loves Pei Heng, to whom she was betrothed, but he despises her. Now, being both Chen Qianqian and not, she decides to apologize to Han Shuo after Pei Heng’s rebuke. Back at the third princess’s residence, Han Shuo has already stationed assassins, ready to kill her on signal. Chen Qianqian musters the courage to apologize to him. Earlier, during Chen Chuchu’s duel with Han Shuo, she slashed his clothes, humiliating him.

Han Shuo rejects her apology. Chen Qianqian removes her outer robe, offering to run outside for all to see. Alarmed, and mindful of the assassins, Han Shuo stops her. As she continues undressing, he panics, wrapping her in a blanket. Scolding her, he notices her chastity mark, realizing she faked a pregnancy to save him, softening his heart.

Chen Qianqian proposes a three-rule agreement to set boundaries: in public, Han Shuo follows Huayuan City’s customs, obeying her; in private, he follows Xuanhu City’s, where she obeys him. As she leaves, Han Shuo remembers the assassins and rushes out, using the blanket to block their arrows. Chen Qianqian senses something amiss but doesn’t confront it, her face paling as she flees.

Recalling the script’s ending, where Han Shuo, a vile villain, conquers Huayuan City and kills many, Chen Qianqian resolves to stay vigilant. To survive, she consults the storytellers, asking how to reverse her fate as a doomed side character. They suggest that, knowing the script, she should change how others perceive her by currying favor and gaining their trust. Han Shuo’s spy obtains Huayuan City’s defense map and arranges to meet him at midnight.

Chen Chuchu, the second princess and head of the city’s defense, tracks Xuanhu City’s spies. In truth, no spy contacted Han Shuo, and no map exists. Chen Qianqian, knowing the script, wrote a letter to lure Han Shuo out, tipped off Chen Chuchu, and planned to save him at the critical moment to earn his gratitude. Her plan backfires. Han Shuo doesn’t show, and Chen Chuchu, lying in wait with her men, finds Chen Qianqian instead.

Suspicious of her presence, Chen Chuchu believes Han Shuo manipulated her but doesn’t report it to the Owner. Chen Qianqian returns and argues fiercely with Han Shuo. Cautious, he can’t decipher her intentions, doubting her intelligence and suspecting Chen Chuchu’s cunning trap, with Chen Qianqian seemingly trying to save him. Narcissistically, he assumes she’s smitten and scheming to win him. The Owner’s eldest daughter is frail, and her favorite, Chen Qianqian, is too reckless for leadership.

Only the second daughter, Chen Chuchu, though disliked, is capable and the best heir. Per Huayuan City’s rules, princesses must pass a selection exam, and the most outstanding becomes the Young Owner. Other noblewomen study alongside, earning various official posts if they pass. Lin Qi, at odds with the third princess, is goaded by Han Shuo into a poetry contest.

The real Chen Qianqian is illiterate, but as a modern screenwriter, Chen Qianqian recites rhyming verses effortlessly, humiliating Lin Qi, who’s forced to clean latrines and later vents her anger on Su Mu.

Lin Qi forbids Su Mu from accepting gifts from the third princess, forcing him to return them. Enraged that Lin Qi struck Su Mu, Chen Qianqian storms to the courtesan house to confront her, offering to buy Su Mu’s freedom. Han Shuo, hearing of this, quietly follows, intending to mock Chen Qianqian.

Instead, he overhears her conversation with Lin Qi, learning she’s not redeeming Su Mu for her own amusement but because he dislikes the courtesan house, and she’s arranged another path for him. Intrigued by the rumored third princess, Han Shuo leaves, growing curious. She apologizes, composes poetry, and rescues Su Mu, revealing a kind nature, not the illiterate brute he assumed. When Lin Qi arrogantly refuses to release Su Mu, Han Shuo decides to help.

He tearfully pleads with the Owner, citing his heart condition and limited time, asking her to order the courtesan house’s performers to join the princess’s residence to entertain Chen Qianqian. The Owner, deeply partial to Chen Qianqian, agrees. Lin Qi, furious, sends the performers to the residence, taunting Han Shuo. He snatches her whip and gifts it to Chen Qianqian.

Intending to keep only Su Mu, Chen Qianqian plans to return the others, but Lin Qi, livid, storms off, refusing them. Han Shuo’s true motive is that one performer is a Xuanhu City spy, making contact easier in the princess’s residence. Unsure how to handle the performers, Chen Qianqian keeps only Su Mu, while Han Shuo, in her name, sends the rest to Chen Chuchu.

When the Owner learns Chen Chuchu accepted them, she’s disappointed, believing Chen Chuchu is fraternizing with performers and failing her expectations. Chen Qianqian gifts Pei Heng a renowned zither. He refuses, but knowing his character as the scriptwriter, she urges him to follow his heart and keep Su Mu. Pei Heng plays the zither, signaling he’ll keep Su Mu. Mistaking this as Chen Qianqian forcing him, Lin Qi attacks, dislocating Chen Qianqian’s arm.

Fearing pain, Chen Qianqian lets Pei Heng, dismissing others, distract her with banter while resetting her arm. A spy in Chen Chuchu’s residence uncovers that she’s not the Owner’s biological daughter, explaining the Owner’s disfavor. Han Shuo’s subordinate suggests killing Chen Qianqian, the Owner’s favorite, to destabilize her and seize Huayuan City. Thinking of the Dragon Bone, which can save only one life, Han Shuo hesitates. Pei Heng visits Chen Qianqian, bringing Xuanhu City fruits.

She doesn’t share them with Han Shuo, citing homesickness concerns, touching him further. Chen Qianqian, with Zi Rui, shops for Han Shuo’s birthday gift, but stores close, fearing her past habit of buying on credit. Zi Rui shouts they’ll pay cash, and shops open. Chen Qianqian measures Han Shuo for clothes, making him think she’s flirting, and prepares bamboo fireworks for his birthday.

That night, she presents the clothes and sets up a hotpot, urging Han Shuo not to despair over his heart condition. Han Shuo, hiding poison in his sleeve, hesitates and pockets it. Both get drunk, falling asleep entwined in the flower garden.

Lin Qi and Chen Chuchu grew up together, and Lin Qi, fiercely loyal to Chen Chuchu, despises Chen Qianqian, leading to constant clashes since childhood. With the Young Owner selection exam approaching, Lin Qi, suspecting Chen Qianqian has lost her martial skills, suggests adding a martial test to the exam to humiliate her and ensure her defeat. Chen Qianqian’s only strength is her martial prowess, rivaling Chen Chuchu’s, while she’s otherwise hopeless.

The Owner, hoping Chen Qianqian will prove herself and avoid passing the title to the non-biological Chen Chuchu, agrees to Lin Qi’s proposal without hesitation, adding the martial test. Chen Qianqian, actually Chen Xiaoqian, knows no martial arts and protests loudly, but the Owner dismisses her objections. Unwilling to become Young Owner, Chen Xiaoqian seeks Han Shuo’s help to avoid the martial test.

Han Shuo examines the bamboo fireworks, identical to the secret message container, and recalls Chen Qianqian’s words from the previous night. After investigating her, he concludes she’s feigning weakness to lure him, suspecting she orchestrated the earlier trap. Furious, Han Shuo’s heart condition flares, and he faints. Chen Qianqian returns, force-feeding him medicine with her mouth. Upon waking, he demands why she deceived him.

She admits to the secret letter scheme, claiming it was for his benefit, but he doesn’t believe her, resolving to poison her and inviting her to a banquet that evening. Panicked, Chen Qianqian, desperate to change Han Shuo’s mind and avoid his wrath, consults the three storytellers. She remembers the Dragon Bone—Han Shuo came to Huayuan City for it. If she gives it to him to cure his illness, might he be moved to spare her?

Chen Qianqian rushes to the ancestral hall, ignoring the female officials’ pleas, and takes the Dragon Bone. She stews it into a small pot of soup. Zi Rui and others, horrified at cooking the national treasure, try to stop her but fail. The Dragon Bone, merely an ancient beast bone, produces a foul-smelling soup that nearly knocks Chen Qianqian out.

Enraged that Chen Qianqian took the Dragon Bone, the Owner storms to the princess’s residence, threatening to punish her for squandering it. Chen Qianqian, preparing the evening banquet, apologizes to Han Shuo for her actions and reveals she stewed the Dragon Bone as a gift to cure him. Skeptical, Han Shuo checks the kitchen, stunned by the stench and the sight of the soup.

Knowing Han Shuo poisoned the wine, Chen Qianqian pours it out and pretends to drink it, feigning death to gain his trust. Zi Rui, hiding nearby, enhances the drama with music and fireworks, unaware that Chen Chuchu, tracking spies, uses fireworks as a signal. Her ambush fails, and she’s injured. As Chen Qianqian plays dead, the Owner panics, ordering the Dragon Bone soup to be given to her as an antidote. Han Shuo, anxious, feeds it to her mouth-to-mouth.

Chen Qianqian, resisting, nearly gives herself away. To maintain the ruse, she persuades the Owner to let Han Shuo drink the remaining soup. Relieved to see Chen Qianqian recover, the Owner worries about the backlash from officials and citizens over the lost Dragon Bone, fearing for Chen Qianqian’s safety.

The Owner, no fool, suspects Han Shuo manipulated Chen Qianqian to steal the Dragon Bone for his cure and decides to punish him, reducing him to a useless man again. Xuanhu City has many operatives in Huayuan City, including Yang Sihu, a key official secretly loyal to Han Shuo, who was chased by Chen Chuchu last night but escaped exposure due to the fireworks. Injured, Chen Chuchu doesn’t report the operation to the Owner, fearing blame for failure.

She dismisses the fireworks at Chen Qianqian’s residence as a coincidence, instructing her subordinate Zi Zhu to stay quiet. Chen Qianqian, claiming side effects from poisoning, says she’s lost her martial skills, conveniently avoiding the martial test. Feeling guilty, Han Shuo tends to Chen Qianqian warmly. She, feigning despair as a “useless” person, proposes ending their marriage and sending him to Chen Chuchu’s residence to pair the main characters and steer the plot back on track. Han Shuo refuses.

Chen Qianqian, smug about her acting fooling him, believes she’s secured her safety. The Owner orders Han Shuo bound, accusing him of seducing Chen Qianqian to steal the Dragon Bone and sentencing him to have a rib removed to appease public outrage. Chen Qianqian desperately begs the Owner to spare him, arguing that losing a rib would negate the Dragon Bone’s effects, rendering him useless again.

When the Owner refuses, Chen Qianqian threatens to die to protect Han Shuo, offering her own rib to atone, as she stole the Dragon Bone, not him. Furious, the Owner watches as Han Shuo, his heart condition cured by the Dragon Bone, breaks his chains with inner strength, shielding Chen Qianqian and accepting the bone-removal punishment. To save him, Chen Qianqian relinquishes her princess title.

Sang Qi, fearing the situation could spiral, suggests the Owner temporarily grant her request and reconsider later. The Owner complies, demoting Chen Qianqian to a commoner, stripping her of her princess status. The eldest princess, crippled and self-abandoned despite her medical expertise, meets Su Mu at the academy library. When she struggles to reach a book, Su Mu helps, crouching to her eye level to hand it over.

Touched by his kindness, she warms to him and scolds servants who mock his performer status. Now a commoner, the once-arrogant Chen Qianqian faces creditors led by Lin Qi storming her residence to collect debts. Helpless, she surrenders nearly everything, almost emptying the mansion. Han Shuo steps in to protect her, vowing to support her, while Pei Heng arrives, citing their past betrothal to settle her debts.

Furious, Lin Qi accidentally pushes Chen Qianqian into a water tank, causing her to catch a cold. Ill, Chen Qianqian is cared for by Pei Heng, who plays the zither to soothe her sleeplessness. Han Shuo, unable to stay away, visits and feels uneasy seeing them together but still feeds her medicine. Penniless, Chen Qianqian asks Han Qi to bring out her dowry, wanting to manage the finances. Han Shuo agrees, and Bai Ji presents the account books for her review.

Han Shuo hopes Chen Qianqian will stay quietly in the residence and avoid trouble, but the third princess is too restless. She sneaks out with Zi Rui to watch a play, only to find a crowd outside. Furious citizens, blaming her for destroying the Dragon Bone, Huayuan City’s national treasure, chase her, pelting her with rotten eggs and vegetable leaves. Tearful and regretful, Chen Qianqian feels her actions backfired, leaving her in a worse situation.

She visits the three storytellers for solutions, but they’re helpless. Dejected, she returns to the residence, enduring another chase until Han Shuo pulls her back. Lin Qi gloats over Chen Qianqian’s plight, but her own misfortune follows. Her family’s steward reports their mine was struck by lightning and collapsed, trapping miners for over a century. The only escape route connects to Huayuan City’s Fortune Vein, but opening it risks destabilizing the city.

The Owner and officials hesitate, having just lost the Dragon Bone. Losing the Fortune Vein would shake Huayuan City’s foundation. Citizens, blaming Chen Qianqian for the disasters, petition the Owner to execute her to appease their anger. Unwilling to kill her beloved daughter, the Owner is swayed by Yang Sihu, who suggests stalling until the mine collapses fully, then claiming rescue efforts were too late, sacrificing the trapped miners.

Chen Chuchu, after reporting to the Owner, stations troops around the princess’s residence, ostensibly to arrest Chen Qianqian but actually to protect her from further chaos. Han Shuo, aiming to resolve the crisis, studies maps and concludes the Fortune Vein must be blasted. Chen Qianqian hesitates but seeks Chen Chuchu, urging her to destroy the vein to save the miners and win public favor.

Chen Chuchu, knowing the Owner’s bias and lacking Chen Qianqian’s favor, refuses, prioritizing the Owner’s approval over public support, and forbids Chen Qianqian from leaving. Pei Heng helps Chen Qianqian sneak out. When Chen Chuchu learns of her escape, she reports it to the Owner.

Pei Heng tries to dissuade Chen Qianqian from going to the mine and blasting the Fortune Vein, arguing the trapped male miners’ lives are lowly, but she insists all lives are equal and resolves to proceed. The Owner, furious that Chen Chuchu failed to stop Chen Qianqian, learns she’s gone to the mine. The explosives needed were used by Chen Qianqian for fireworks. Han Shuo waits for her to ask for his help, but she doesn’t think of him.

He steps in, revealing he’s prepared the explosives. They argue over who will ignite them, but Bai Ji lights the fuse, blasting the Fortune Vein. The explosion frees the miners. Officials and nobles like Lin Qi demand Chen Qianqian’s execution, but the grateful miners plead for her mercy. Amid the standoff, Chen Qianqian notices black liquid seeping from the ground—fierce fire oil, rarer than black stone ore, a heaven-sent treasure. With the discovery of this valuable resource, officials fall silent. The Owner, delighted, reinstates Chen Qianqian’s princess title. The citizens, shifting allegiance, begin to see her as Huayuan City’s lucky star.

The third princess’s heroic rescue is turned into a popular tale, spreading widely and boosting her fame. Han Shuo grows closer to Chen Qianqian, even kissing her. Lin Qi, struggling with a failing courtesan house and a destroyed profitable mine, faces reduced rations from noble families, fueling her anger and resentment. Pei Heng, breaking tradition, becomes the academy’s instructor, a first for Huayuan City. Chen Qianqian encourages him, believing he could become the city’s defense commander like his mother.

Pei Heng, self-conscious of his male status, doubts he can achieve such a role, as no man has ever held it in Huayuan City. With her princess title restored, Chen Qianqian must face the Young Owner selection exam, unable to escape it. Pei Heng supports her, believing her popularity makes her a promising future Owner, and vows to help her excel. Jealous, Han Shuo competes with Pei Heng, both tutoring Chen Qianqian rigorously. Citizens bet on the exam’s outcome.

Despite Chen Qianqian’s fame, they favor the more accomplished Chen Chuchu. No one bets on Chen Qianqian—not even herself, as she wagers all her wealth on Chen Chuchu, determined to avoid becoming Young Owner. Chen Qianqian visits Chen Chuchu’s residence, gifting her renowned scholars’ notes and encouraging her to strive for first place. To fool Han Shuo and Pei Heng’s inspections, she takes Chen Chuchu’s completed test booklets to pass off as her own.

Chen Chuchu, touched by her sister’s thoughtfulness, regrets her past suspicions, instructing her subordinates to stop criticizing Chen Qianqian. To push Chen Qianqian’s studies, Han Shuo has the entire household quiz her constantly, even during meals, frustrating her to the point of refusing food. The eldest princess, hearing of Chen Qianqian’s situation, considers a perfunctory visit but makes excuses to avoid it.

Ultimately, the eldest princess visits and overhears Chen Qianqian arguing with Han Shuo, expressing her despair and refusal to compete. Moved by shared feelings, the eldest princess leaves without entering. She submits a petition to withdraw from the selection. Su Mu, noticing her low spirits, informs Chen Qianqian, urging her to persuade the eldest princess not to give up.

Regretting her reckless words, Chen Qianqian encourages the eldest princess to stay in the exam and compiles treatments for her leg condition. The eldest princess, feeling insulted, rejects the advice and drives Chen Qianqian away. Chen Qianqian suggests that despite her medical expertise, fear prevents the eldest princess from treating herself, urging her to try. Unconvinced, the eldest princess expels her.

Han Shuo apologizes for pushing Chen Qianqian too hard with studies and crafts two wooden puppets to cheer her up. Han Shuo, once resigned to his heart condition and short life, credits Chen Qianqian for changing his outlook and is grateful. Lin Qi, having bribed exam officials, arranges a match against Chen Qianqian. Han Shuo privately informs Chen Qianqian and offers a plan to help her.

To inspire the eldest princess to pursue rehabilitation, Chen Qianqian visits her again, vowing to compete against Lin Qi and win the martial test, hoping to convince the eldest princess to agree to treatment.

Seven days before the Young Owner selection exam, Han Shuo personally trains Chen Qianqian, starting with horse stance, teaching her one-strike winning techniques. He advises that if she ties with Lin Qi in the arena, she should grapple and roll off the stage with her, as her status would likely secure her the win despite a draw. Han Shuo instructs his spy, Yang Sihu, to secretly aid Chen Qianqian, ensuring she becomes Young Owner to facilitate his plans.

Chen Qianqian only aims to defeat Lin Qi in the martial test to inspire the eldest princess to keep her promise and recover, with no interest in becoming Young Owner, still hoping to lose so Chen Chuchu can take the title. During the literary test, Chen Qianqian submits a simple sketch instead of answers, but Yang Sihu’s operatives swap her paper with a prepared one.

In the martial test, Han Shuo’s arranged opponent, a noblewoman, deliberately flies off the stage without effort, pretending to faint. Chen Qianqian, bewildered, assumes Lin Qi, eager for a final showdown, rigged the earlier matches, as do the onlookers. The Owner turns a blind eye, and others stay silent, convinced Chen Qianqian can’t pass the literary test even if she wins the martial one. A novice, Chen Qianqian breezes through three rounds with minimal effort.

In the fourth, facing an opponent unaffiliated with Lin Qi or Han Shuo, she’s knocked down, dodging attacks and fleeing clumsily. Outlasting her exhausted opponent with stamina, she tricks and pushes her off the stage, winning dramatically by luck. Chen Qianqian reaches the final against Lin Qi, a tough battle. Worried about the match, she gazes at the moon with Han Shuo, who comforts and encourages her.

Fearing the eldest princess won’t attend, Chen Qianqian sends Su Mu to invite her. The eldest princess, secretly eager, feigns reluctance. Lin Qi, always defeated by Chen Qianqian since childhood, sees her lack of martial skills as a chance to settle scores. Chen Qianqian, fearing pain, wears protective gear and suggests a “slow-motion” fight. Lin Qi, underestimating her, takes a punch. Following Han Shuo’s strategy, Chen Qianqian grapples closely, stalling, but this only buys time.

Enraged, Lin Qi fights seriously, pummeling Chen Qianqian and shredding her gear. Discarding it, Chen Qianqian, ignoring her injuries, charges and clings to Lin Qi, enduring blows without yielding or surrendering. Pei Heng, unable to watch, rings the truce gong despite Han Shuo’s protests, but Chen Qianqian refuses to stop, entrusting Han Shuo to uphold her resolve to continue. Waiting for the eldest princess, Chen Qianqian learns from Su Mu that her injuries have forced the eldest princess’s hand.

Su Mu wheels her to the arena, where she urges Chen Qianqian to concede, promising to undergo rehabilitation. Seizing Lin Qi’s distraction, Chen Qianqian pulls her down, rolling off the stage, ending in a draw. Han Shuo, heartbroken for Chen Qianqian, wants to confront Lin Qi but is stopped by her. Pei Heng visits Chen Qianqian. As he leaves, Han Shuo warns him to abandon his feelings, noting his heart condition is cured and he’ll stay with Chen Qianqian forever. Pei Heng, however, refuses to give up.

Lin Qi is tied up in a room with twenty-seven rats, her greatest fear, terrifying her. Chen Qianqian, venting her anger, indirectly spares Lin Qi’s life through Han Shuo’s intervention. Laughing at Lin Qi’s plight outside, Chen Qianqian doesn’t notice a stray rat nibbling her skirt hem, startling her into jumping. Han Shuo instinctively catches her, creating a fleetingly romantic moment that secretly delights him. After the martial test comes the policy essay, themed on current affairs.

Chen Qianqian’s proposal is a population tax to boost revenue and control population growth to ease pressure. Though sound, her plan includes taxing both adult men and women. In Huayuan City, where men hold the lowest status, granting them tax-paying rights could lead to equality like Xuanhu City, breaking ancestral rules. Officials oppose, and Chen Qianqian backtracks, joking she’s still a “baby” and her words were childish. The Owner, indulgent, openly protects her, excusing her remarks.

Chen Chuchu’s strategy mimics Xuanhu City, proposing black stone explosives to strengthen Huayuan City’s military and for trade. In the final policy round, Chen Chuchu is the undisputed winner. Chen Qianqian, thrilled, prepares a congratulatory gift for her. To everyone’s shock, Chen Qianqian is announced as the literary test’s top scorer, leaving even her dumbfounded. The Owner, overjoyed, immediately names her Young Owner, giving her no chance to refuse.

Chen Chuchu, believing Chen Qianqian’s earlier kindness was fake, feels betrayed by the pre-prepared gift. Unaware she’s not the Owner’s biological daughter, Chen Chuchu resents the Owner’s favoritism, sulking. Learning Han Shuo rigged the results to make her Young Owner, Chen Qianqian, furious, vents and gives him the cold shoulder. During the Young Owner’s parade, Han Shuo and Chen Qianqian argue publicly, exposing each other’s flaws.

In a huff, Han Shuo steps on her dress, tearing it as he walks away, forcing her to follow. To apologize, he wears women’s clothing, letting her tug his fabric in retaliation, but Pei Heng’s visit catches him in the act, embarrassing him. Chen Qianqian asks Pei Heng to review documents and advise her, unintentionally leading him to think she has feelings for him, delighting him. Han Shuo, jealous, fumes.

The Owner, on officials’ advice, orders Chen Qianqian to suppress bandits at Weihu Mountain to prove her worth as Young Owner, with Han Shuo assisting. Reluctant, Chen Qianqian accepts the decree. Bai Ji assumes she wants to stay home with Pei Heng to review documents, angering Han Shuo. To advance the plot, Chen Qianqian agrees to go but insists on bringing Chen Chuchu. Pei Heng, distrusting Han Shuo, sends men to protect her. Chen Qianqian sets off with heaps of luggage. Han Shuo, annoyed at Pei Heng’s escorts, nearly clashes with him, giving Chen Qianqian the sudden feeling of a “backyard fire” brewing.

As the caravan prepares to depart, Han Shuo, concerned about the cold, brings a cloak for Chen Qianqian, but Su Ziying preempts him with one. Annoyed by Su Ziying’s attentiveness, Han Shuo nearly reprimands him, only for Su Ziying to kneel dramatically, accusing Han Shuo first, leaving him furious but unable to retort. The second and third princesses head to Weihu Mountain to fight bandits, leaving Chen Yuanyuan, hindered by her leg condition, feeling useless and self-pitying.

Su Mu arrives to comfort her, and, touched by his care, she agrees to continue rehabilitation. Chen Qianqian tries to pair Chen Chuchu with Han Shuo, but he only has eyes for her, insisting on sharing her carriage. Su Ziying, citing massage skills, stays close, prompting Han Shuo’s jealousy. At the inn, Bai Ji, oblivious to Han Shuo’s intentions, books three separate rooms, thwarting their alone time.

Frustrated, Han Shuo considers scolding Bai Ji, who has his own plan: to recruit the bandit Meng Guo to guard Xuanhu City’s trade caravans without Chen Qianqian noticing, avoiding complications. Han Shuo agrees. Meanwhile, Chen Qianqian, focused on matchmaking, secretly writes letters to Chen Chuchu and Han Shuo, arranging a meeting at a hillside cabin at noon, setting up a romantic scene. Confident, Chen Qianqian hides to watch, expecting a love scene.

But while Chen Chuchu is receptive, Han Shuo misinterprets the letter as a challenge to spar. A romantic setup turns into a martial arts clash, with Han Shuo fighting fiercely. Chen Qianqian grits her teeth, trying to salvage the situation with excuses. Like master, like servant—Han Shuo’s bluntness mirrors Bai Ji’s. As Han Shuo nearly overpowers Chen Chuchu, Su Ziying steps on Zi Rui’s foot, whose yelp disrupts the fight. Exposed, Chen Qianqian steps forward.

Chen Chuchu, humiliated, storms off, thinking Han Shuo meant to embarrass her. Chen Qianqian, exasperated by Han Shuo’s cluelessness, is further annoyed when he assumes she’s jealous, grinning foolishly. Her plan ruined, she orders Su Ziying to force Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu together, hoping proximity will spark romance. Su Ziying devises a plan: he digs a trap on the march route and spreads false military reports to lure Chen Chuchu into it. Han Shuo, unsuspecting, rescues her.

Covered in dirt, they rest in a ruined temple. Chen Chuchu, emotional, regrets letting Chen Qianqian take Han Shuo, wishing to be his partner if time could rewind. Han Shuo, aware of her feelings, knows his heart lies with Chen Qianqian. Despite their accidental meeting, their shared trials have deepened his love for the straightforward, kind third princess. Meanwhile, Su Ziying’s cooking fire attracts bandits. Meng Guo aims to capture Chen Qianqian as his bride.

As she’s cornered, Han Shuo arrives on horseback, taking a knife wound for her. Meng Guo is captured, and when Chen Chuchu orders his death, Chen Qianqian persuades the group to spare him. Han Shuo gains a valuable ally in Meng Guo, and his admiration for Chen Qianqian grows.

Meng Guo’s death penalty is spared, but Su Ziying’s negligence must be addressed. Chen Chuchu plans to send him back to Pei Heng, but discovers a jade pendant identical to one found in the trap, uncovering the truth after questioning. Han Shuo, angry and hurt by Chen Qianqian’s matchmaking, scolds her for being willful and heartless.

Chen Qianqian tries to explain, but Chen Chuchu, unwilling to listen or accept her goodwill, mocks her before taking medicine to tend Han Shuo’s wounds. Seeing their close proximity and Han Shuo offering Chen Chuchu fresh fruit, Chen Qianqian leaves in anger. Han Shuo then tasks Bai Ji with secretly monitoring Su Ziying. In Chen Qianqian’s original novel, Su Ziying, saved by Chen Chuchu in childhood, is fiercely loyal to her, appearing harmless but cunning, serving as her trusted advisor.

Recognizing Chen Chuchu’s feelings for Han Shuo, he schemes to create opportunities for her, undermining Chen Qianqian and Han Shuo’s relationship while pretending to serve Pei Heng. However, Bai Ji’s surveillance thwarts him, as every pigeon he releases at night is shot down. While the young city owner’s romantic entanglements unfold at the frontier, the city owner hosts a banquet for officials in Huayuan City.

When Su Mu is harassed at the event, Chen Yuanyuan gifts him her personal jade pendant, naming him an honored guest of Risheng Mansion, sparking gossip about the performer winning the eldest princess’s favor. When Meng Guo was captured, Chen Qianqian referenced Zhuge Liang’s “seven captures, seven releases” strategy. She mimics it, repeatedly capturing and releasing Meng Guo six times.

Despite Chen Chuchu’s frustration, Chen Qianqian insists on a seventh battle, prompting Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu to lead an ambush while Su Ziying volunteers to stay and protect Chen Qianqian. The next day, the camp is attacked, and Su Ziying deliberately soaks the signal fireworks, preventing communication. By the time Han Shuo arrives, Chen Qianqian is taken to the bandit stronghold.

The stronghold is festively decorated, and Chen Qianqian, despairing, vows to protect her honor and avoid becoming a bandit bride. Surprisingly, Meng Guo, grateful for her six releases, treats her as a benefactor and proposes sworn brotherhood, naming her the leader. Unable to refuse, she joins the bandits in feasting until Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu attack. Drunk, Chen Qianqian causes a scene, mistaking Han Shuo for a pretty boy and declaring she’ll take him as her husband.

Amused yet exasperated, Han Shuo comforts her softly in his arms and orders Meng Guo and the bandits to surrender to Huayuan City, pledging loyalty to Chen Qianqian. Seeing Chen Chuchu’s distress, Su Ziying plots to help her reclaim the young city owner title and topple Chen Qianqian. He bribes a cook to summon Han Shuo to a storage room in Chen Qianqian’s name, planning to lure Chen Chuchu there, where they’ll be affected by aphrodisiac incense, forcing intimacy.

Han Shuo arrives, finding no Chen Qianqian, only a lit incense stick with an odd scent. Feeling strange effects, he removes it, but it’s too late. Chen Qianqian, learning from Zi Rui, rushes over, finding Han Shuo in pain at the table. As he grabs her, driven by desire, he struggles to restrain himself. With the door locked by the cook, Chen Qianqian instructs Zi Rui to keep quiet and fetch Bai Ji for help. As they speak through the door, Han Shuo, increasingly tormented, stumbles closer to her.

The aphrodisiac incense is so potent that resisting it could be fatal. Chen Qianqian, fond of Han Shuo, can’t stand by idly. As she prepares to sacrifice herself to save him, Bai Ji barrels through the wooden door with brute force, naively dousing the pair with cold water, drenching them thoroughly. Su Ziying is stunned, Zi Rui speechless, and Chen Qianqian bewildered, while Han Shuo glares murderously at Bai Ji.

Bai Ji’s endearing honesty comes from his obliviousness to his blunder. Han Shuo, fuming in the room, wants to banish him to Xuanhu City, while Chen Qianqian, muttering to herself by the bed, feels both relief at avoiding intimacy and regret, even disappointment. When Han Shuo nearly crossed the line, she didn’t push him away but felt a flicker of anticipation. Reflecting, she realizes she might be falling for him.

Though Han Shuo is a fictional character, he’s the novel’s male lead—handsome, commanding, skilled in both academics and combat. Qualities she once overlooked now shine in her eyes. Unversed in love, Chen Qianqian thinks it should involve a racing heart and unwavering gaze, sensations she hasn’t felt, leaving her confused about her feelings. As she ponders, Han Shuo enters, and seeing him, she suddenly understands what “falling in love” means.

Han Shuo apologizes for his earlier behavior, saying if Chen Qianqian were from Xuanhu City, he’d marry her with full ceremony, vowing lifelong fidelity. Flustered, her heart racing like a startled deer, she nearly receives his kiss when Zi Rui interrupts the tender moment. Su Ziying reports the incident to Chen Chuchu, blaming the inn’s servant.

Zi Rui, outraged, nearly exposes him, but Chen Qianqian stops her, planning to keep Su Ziying close to manipulate the plot later, ensuring Chen Chuchu becomes Young city owner. Han Shuo, knowing Su Ziying’s deceitful nature, could easily kill him but fears Pei Heng would exploit it. He decides to wait for Su Ziying’s next move, catching him red-handed to discredit him before Pei Heng.

Chen Chuchu, under the guise of a chess match, meets Chen Qianqian and declares she’ll compete openly for both the Young city owner title and Han Shuo. Chen Qianqian, feigning calm, agrees to divorce Han Shuo upon returning to Huayuan City, but feels uneasy, sensing a loss despite the plot aligning. On the journey back, Chen Qianqian distances herself from Han Shuo’s affectionate gestures and words, stressing they belong to different worlds.

Han Shuo believes she’s in denial, suspecting the conflict between Huayuan and Xuanhu Cities is her biggest barrier to embracing her feelings. With bandits subdued and the mission triumphant, the city owner rewards Chen Qianqian generously. Pei Heng, provoked by Su Ziying, grows more hostile toward Han Shuo. To push Han Shuo away, Chen Qianqian uses Pei Heng as a shield at the academy, further overshadowing Chen Chuchu, who earned less praise despite the mission’s success, fueling her resentment.

At a theater, Pei Heng and Han Shuo encounter a play about a woman divorcing her husband, its subtext clear. They clash again. Chen Qianqian, thinking Han Shuo bullied Pei Heng, rushes over, but Pei Heng has left. Han Shuo, upset by her bias, nearly argues with her. Han Shuo invites Pei Heng to the residence, along with Meng Guo and Su Ziying, and brings up the theater’s divorce play, asking for opinions. Tired of their rivalry, Chen Qianqian pretends to be drunk, acting out, and has Zi Rui escort her away.

Knowing the plot, Chen Qianqian has Zi Rui pretend to sleep in the storeroom, catching Su Ziying leaving a city defense map and sending a secret report to Chen Chuchu. Since Su Ziying aims to frame her, Chen Qianqian plays along, hoping to pin the crime on him and relinquish the Young Owner title. Chen Chuchu, receiving the tip, rallies troops to confront the traitor, only to find someone got there first.

Su Ziying accuses Chen Qianqian of treason, but when Chen Chuchu’s soldiers surround Yueli Mansion, the defense map found was already swapped by Han Shuo. Pei Heng arrives, finding the floor littered with drawings of himself. Su Ziying, his plot foiled, takes the blame, admitting he acted out of a childhood grudge against Chen Qianqian. Chen Chuchu orders him imprisoned for judgment. What began as a conspiracy ends in farce. After everyone disperses, Han Shuo arrives leisurely with Bai Ji.

Chen Qianqian, furious at his interference, demands a divorce. Han Shuo swallows his jealous complaints, pretending magnanimity and avoiding mention of Pei Heng’s drawings. Chen Qianqian’s possession of Pei Heng’s portraits inadvertently ruins his reputation, sparking citywide gossip. Pei Heng, already fond of her, proposes in person. The Owner orders Chen Qianqian to divorce Han Shuo and marry Pei Heng, but she, flustered, insists she doesn’t love Pei Heng.

Despite Han Shuo’s volatile nature, their marital bond makes her hesitant to divorce casually. Though the Owner is firm, Chen Qianqian wants to discuss it with Han Shuo first, knowing his tiger-like temper requires gentle handling. Han Shuo boldly confesses his feelings again, leaving Chen Qianqian torn. She seeks advice from the three storytellers, who ask about the script’s ending.

Chen Qianqian recalls two pivotal scenes: Chen Yuanyuan choosing Su Mu as her husband by throwing an embroidered ball at the Qixi Festival, and Han Shuo detonating explosives, injuring the Owner. With Qixi approaching, Chen Qianqian remains wary of Han Shuo, the “tiger,” while he secretly meets Xuanhu officials, learning their plans are set but delaying, citing poor timing. At a banquet, a drunken Chen Chuchu confesses to Han Shuo, who brushes it off, reminding her of her status.

Two Xuanhu officials disrespect Chen Qianqian, prompting Pei Heng to defend her and Han Shuo to angrily rebuke them. The officials urge Han Shuo to prioritize the plan and Xuanhu City’s hopes. The Owner, testing Han Shuo, orders Chen Qianqian and Pei Heng to marry soon, leaking the news to Han Shuo. Jealous, he wavers on the officials’ advice.

Pei Heng escorts Chen Qianqian home, but she firmly rejects his affection, later asking Su Mu to spend time with Pei Heng to prevent him from despair. Chen Qianqian accidentally mentions Chen Yuanyuan and Su Mu’s romance, unaware they haven’t confessed to each other. Her words act as a spoiler. Though Chen Yuanyuan is annoyed at Chen Qianqian’s meddling, she smiles, noticing Su Mu’s mutual feelings.

At Huayuan City’s annual hunting festival, the city owner orders Chen Qianqian to divorce Han Shuo, but Chen Qianqian, distressed, delays and pleads with Pei Heng to convince her mother to retract the command. Pei Heng, smitten with Chen Qianqian, refuses to give up, offering comfort and subtle confessions, making even Zi Rui uncomfortable.

Han Shuo arrives as promised, and the city owner confronts him, stating that to maintain the marriage, he must wear a copper ring with Huayuan City’s emblem, proving his allegiance, never to be removed. As Chen Chuchu and Chen Yuanyuan join the gathering, the city owner shifts topics, noting Qixi Festival’s approach and her intent to find husbands for both princesses.

Knowing Chen Yuanyuan and Su Mu’s mutual affection, Chen Qianqian privately plans for Chen Yuanyuan to choose Su Mu via embroidered ball toss, ensuring a natural union. However, Su Mu, bound by propriety, declines. Chen Chuchu, under the guise of hunting, attempts to assassinate Chen Qianqian, but Han Shuo saves her. Pretending ignorance, Chen Qianqian leaves with a rabbit, overhearing Han Shuo’s stern warning to Chen Chuchu.

That night, escaped prisoner Su Ziying meets Chen Chuchu, presenting intercepted reports proving Xuanhu City’s envoys hid explosives, planning an uprising during Qixi’s lantern festival. He pledges loyalty, offering to help Chen Chuchu replace Chen Qianqian by capturing Han Shuo, implicating her to strip her Young city owner title. Trusting Su Ziying more, knowing he’s the boy she saved in childhood, Chen Chuchu, despite her military role, can’t deploy the city guard without the city owner’s knowledge.

Su Ziying suggests Pei Heng’s skilled soldiers, and Chen Chuchu persuades Pei Heng by promising to help him win Chen Qianqian. After consideration, Pei Heng agrees. Meanwhile, Han Shuo, with Bai Ji, visits the armory. Huayuan City’s emblem involves branding a man’s wrist with molten metal, fusing it permanently—excruciating and akin to torture, akin to slave markings in Xuanhu City. The city owner promised that if Han Shuo wears the bracelet, Chen Qianqian’s engagement to Pei Heng will be dropped.

As the molten liquid is poured, Bai Ji worries Han Shuo might faint, but he endures silently, managing a pale smile upon completion. With Qixi tomorrow, Han Shuo plans to invite Chen Qianqian, but she avoids him, even agreeing to divorce. Since leaving the courtesan house, Su Mu is replaced by Lu Peng as the new star performer. Hearing of Chen Yuanyuan’s husband selection, many men, including Lu Peng, vie for her.

Chen Yuanyuan plans to toss the embroidered ball as Chen Qianqian suggested, but Su Mu, hurt by gossip, leaves dejectedly. Chen Qianqian tries to stop him with Zi Rui but learns Han Shuo wore the ring, stirring guilt for her harsh words. Knowing Han Shuo plans to destroy Huayuan City tonight, Chen Qianqian seeks Chen Chuchu, who, ignoring their bond, traps her in the mansion. Pei Heng, unable to bear Chen Qianqian’s tears, agrees to find Han Shuo.

As they search separately, Han Shuo pulls Chen Qianqian from a corner. Chen Yuanyuan, missing Su Mu, grows anxious, as do Zi Rui and Meng Guo. Refusing others’ control over her marriage, Chen Yuanyuan angrily tosses the embroidered ball, which Lu Peng catches. Seeing Han Shuo’s copper ring, Chen Qianqian, filled with heartache and guilt, confesses her love. Overjoyed, Han Shuo has no time to explain as the city owner’s parade float passes, and he ignites the explosives.

The fuse is lit, and soldiers hidden throughout the city emerge, but the expected chaos doesn’t come. Instead, vibrant fireworks burst across the sky, a dazzling display. Before the plan’s execution, Han Shuo had drugged the envoys’ tea and swapped the explosives. Though Bai Ji worries about Xuanhu City owner’s wrath, Han Shuo knows harming Huayuan City owner would forever estrange him from Chen Qianqian, leaving no room for reconciliation.

No one expected Han Shuo to abandon the attack for Chen Qianqian, forsaking the cities’ conflict. The city owner, deeply pleased, bows slightly toward Xuanhu City, grateful for such a fine son-in-law. Moved, Chen Qianqian kisses Han Shuo before he can explain. Lu Peng, having caught the embroidered ball, is set to marry Chen Yuanyuan, who remains depressed in her mansion.

Chen Qianqian apologizes and promises to fix things, but Lu Peng arrives with pastries from Maixiang Village, even moving his belongings in. Helpless, Chen Yuanyuan orders Zi Nian to arrange a house for him. As Chen Qianqian starts to protest, Su Mu arrives, returning the jade pendant Chen Yuanyuan gave him.

Unaware, Han Shuo buys food to please Chen Qianqian, but seeing Maixiang Village pastries, she recalls Lu Peng’s antics, ranting about freeloading men, startling Han Shuo into thinking she means him. After a long marriage, Chen Qianqian and Han Shuo finally resolve their differences, confessing their feelings and parting reluctantly before bed. Bai Ji and Zi Rui, watching, feel both touched and queasy. Dressed and at her vanity, Chen Qianqian daydreams about her moments with Han Shuo, smiling foolishly.

Missing her, Han Shuo sneaks through the window. Zi Rui, hearing a noise, checks but leaves suspiciously after Chen Qianqian’s insistence. With Zi Rui guarding outside, Han Shuo stays the night. Though married and intimate before, they haven’t crossed the final line. Respecting Chen Qianqian’s modesty, Han Shuo doesn’t push. Nervous, she climbs into bed, giggling as he extinguishes the bedside candle, gently tucking her into his arm.

In a tender moment, he gazes at her, leaning to kiss, but she panics, pushes him away, turns over, and closes her eyes happily. The next morning, Han Shuo leaves, shocking Zi Rui and Bai Ji, who bicker over their masters. News of the Young city owner’s consummation spreads through the academy. Han Shuo sweetly accompanies Chen Qianqian to class, but troublemakers whisper to Chen Chuchu, whose anger flares at their affection.

Pei Heng resigns as instructor, and Chen Qianqian’s persuasion fails, making Han Shuo jealous. Su Mu, finding the academy dull, returns to the courtesan house, but the city’s women flocking to him annoy him. To please the city owner, Lu Peng brands himself with the emblem ring and visits her mansion daily, witnessing her argue with Chen Chuchu. When Chen Chuchu’s request to search Yueli Mansion is denied, her reckless words cause the city owner to faint from a stroke.

Disappointed, Chen Qianqian orders citywide lockdown, suppresses news of the city owner’s condition, and has Sang Qi confine Chen Chuchu to Xingzi Mansion, copying the Filial Piety Classic a hundred times. With Chen Qianqian managing city affairs, Su Ziying believes quelling rumors is key to maintaining public support. Determined to reclaim power and Han Shuo, Chen Chuchu recalls meeting Lu Peng at the city owner’s mansion.

With Lu Peng’s newfound status, he grows increasingly arrogant, living lavishly, harassing Su Mu at the courtesan house, and disrespecting Chen Yuanyuan. Enraged, Su Mu beats him. Su Ziying, lurking in a dark alley, slits Lu Peng’s throat as he returns injured. Learning of Lu Peng’s murder, Chen Qianqian is puzzled. Though the plot has shifted, some events align with the original.

In the novel’s ending, Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu’s battle is inevitable, where Bai Ji dies saving him, and Han Shuo, unable to resist Chen Chuchu, dies by her hand. Recalling the current stage, Chen Qianqian deduces Lin Qi, seeking revenge for Chen Chuchu, planted a fake weapon on Lu Peng to frame Han Shuo. Before Lin Qi can act, Chen Qianqian raids her mansion, ignoring explanations and uncovering key evidence.

Despite her bond with Lin Qi, Chen Chuchu, fearing implication, sacrifices her, publicly urging Chen Qianqian to execute Lin Qi. Knowing Lin Qi’s death sentence in the original plot, Chen Qianqian refuses, clashing with Chen Chuchu. To protect Lin Qi, she visits her in prison, where they bicker due to their clashing personalities. Chen Qianqian orders Lin Qi’s exile to Xuanhu City, giving her a Huayuan City gold token.

On the escort route, Lin Qi, upset, learns Chen Qianqian instructed the guards to care for her. Stunned, she’s ambushed by black-clad assassins who kill the guards. Lin Qi fights back, unmasking one as Chen Chuchu’s death warrior. Distracted, she’s shot by an arrow and falls into a river, her fate unknown. Chen Yuanyuan frequently visits the courtesan house to see Su Mu, who initially avoids her.

Persistent, she returns his jade pendant, declaring she’ll keep choosing performers as husbands if he stays. Su Mu relents. Handling city affairs for the owner, Chen Qianqian faces piles of reports. Han Shuo, aware Xuanhu City spies remain, orders their withdrawal, touching Chen Qianqian. She asks if he’ll stay in Huayuan City forever. Unsure of the future, Han Shuo uses a seal and inkpad to symbolize their inseparable bond, like their love.

Understanding, Chen Qianqian gazes at him lovingly, and as they lean in for a kiss, Zi Rui knocks, urging rest, disrupting the moment. After sending Zi Rui away, Bai Ji knocks, but Han Shuo bars him, forbidding interruptions. As they prepare to embrace, Meng Guo nearly breaks the door, shouting urgent news. Lin Qi’s reported death panics Chen Qianqian, who resolves to change the ending.

To prevent Han Shuo’s death, she sends him to persuade Su Mu to reconcile, then seeks Pei Heng’s help. Chen Yuanyuan, hearing Su Mu is missing, fears he’ll meet Lu Peng’s fate and posts his portrait citywide. Han Shuo feels guilty over Su Mu’s disappearance, but Chen Qianqian shifts focus, asking for command of the Shadow Guard he brought from Xuanhu City. Bai Ji objects, but Han Shuo hands over the token without hesitation. Overwhelmed by his trust, Chen Qianqian calls him “husband.”

Su Mu’s disappearance sparks widespread speculation. Only Han Shuo’s footprints are found at the scene, and with other performers’ testimonies, he, as the last to see Su Mu, becomes the prime suspect. Chen Qianqian signals the judicial officer to detain Han Shuo temporarily. At the scene, she finds a Shadow Guard token, and Han Shuo realizes Chen Qianqian orchestrated everything. Drugged tea, prepared by the judicial officer, causes Han Shuo to collapse.

Upon waking, Pei Heng delivers a decree banishing him to the southern frontier under heavy guard, never to return to Huayuan City or Xuanhu City, along with Chen Qianqian’s handwritten divorce letter. Refusing to believe her cruelty, Han Shuo begs to see her. To crush his hopes, Pei Heng takes him to Yueli Mansion. Chen Qianqian is Huayuan City’s third princess, but Chen Xiaoqian, inhabiting her, knows her purpose and Han Shuo’s scripted fate.

To save him from the story’s main arc, she claims she never loved him, calling their past a ruse to use him as leverage against Xuanhu City’s Owner. Han Shuo spots the seal on her desk—a keepsake he gave her—clinging to hope that she’s hiding her true feelings. To sever their bond, Chen Qianqian smashes the seal, its fragments mirroring Han Shuo’s shattered heart and memories.

Devastated, Han Shuo, ignoring the pain, rips off his copper ring, declaring their ties severed. As his forlorn figure recedes, Zi Rui, pitying him, questions why Chen Qianqian and Pei Heng framed Han Shuo, but she remains silent. That day, as Han Shuo leaves Huayuan City, Chen Qianqian sits alone under a tree, sobbing in the rain, with Pei Heng quietly holding an umbrella beside her.

Meanwhile, Lin Qi, though shot, survives thanks to the gold token Chen Qianqian gave her. After Han Shuo’s departure, Chen Qianqian drowns in debauchery, drinking and carousing with performers, exhausting them until they beg for mercy, only to be promptly expelled by her. Pei Heng, aware of her lingering attachment, meticulously reassembles the broken seal. Su Mu bids farewell to Chen Yuanyuan, falsely claiming he doesn’t love her and wishing her a good match.

As he turns to leave, Chen Yuanyuan reaches for him and miraculously stands, but he doesn’t look back. At the bedside, Chen Qianqian recounts recent events to the city owner, who unexpectedly awakens and can eat. The city-owner, upset that Chen Qianqian drove Han Shuo away, reveals Lu Peng was present during her argument with Chen Chuchu, leading Chen Qianqian to suspect Chen Chuchu’s role in Lu Peng’s suspicious death.

Skilled in tracking, Su Ziying helps Chen Chuchu intercept Han Shuo’s prison caravan and recruit him. Blinded by vengeance, Han Shuo agrees, ostensibly for black water ore, but truly to seize Huayuan City to spite Chen Qianqian. That night, Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu lead a team to assassinate the guards and infiltrate the city.

Though confined, Chen Chuchu can’t use the city talisman to mobilize the guard, but her city defense map proves useful, and Han Shuo’s Shadow Guard offers crucial support. Suspecting Chen Chuchu of killing Lu Peng and Lin Qi, Chen Qianqian visits Xingzi Mansion, angrily accusing her of madness. Han Shuo, hidden nearby, witnesses it all. Following her, Han Shuo sees Chen Qianqian drunkenly collapse, tended by Pei Heng, fueling his resentment. The city owner, though awake, remains frail.

Sang Qi urges her to retire, but fearing Chen Qianqian’s drinking impairs her leadership, the city owner considers replacing her as Young city owner. She then learns the city gate is breached, with the talisman still in Chen Chuchu’s hands. The next morning, a hungover Chen Qianqian wakes to find Han Shuo in her room, startling her back to bed. Bai Ji has surrounded Yueli Mansion.

Fearing Han Shuo’s revenge, she explains her actions were for his sake, but he, disbelieving, threatens the city owner’s life to force her to take medicine. Only one of ten bottles is poison, and luckily, Chen Qianqian picks bitter melon juice, though she must now take it daily. Huayuan City descends into chaos, with soldiers sealing the gates, banning entry and exit.

Su Mu, planning to leave, hears of this and, worried for Chen Yuanyuan, rushes to Risheng Mansion, confessing his feelings and vowing to face the crisis together, reconciling them. Chen Qianqian, under house arrest, and the city owner maintain a facade of harmony with Chen Chuchu, who privately schemes. Chen Chuchu, feigning loyalty, reports to the city owner, blaming Han Shuo and falsely claiming a decree to assume the Young city owner title, suppressing dissenting officials.

Pei Heng warns Chen Chuchu to stop, then storms Yueli Mansion, berating Han Shuo for betraying Chen Qianqian and trying to take her. Outmatched, Pei Heng is beaten bloody by Han Shuo, who scoffs at Huayuan’s divorce customs, declaring Chen Qianqian his woman under Xuanhu City’s rules, vowing no one will take her. Unyielding, Pei Heng tries again but is kicked down. Chen Qianqian rushes to help Pei Heng, but Han Shuo, intolerant of their contact, carries her back inside.

Jealous, Han Shuo misreads her bond with Pei Heng and moves to consummate their marriage. Terrified, Chen Qianqian slaps him. Seeing her sob, he softens, especially knowing she’s lost her martial skills, and leaves, torn, ordering Bai Ji to replace guards per the defense map. Learning from Zi Rui that Chen Chuchu will soon become city owner, Chen Qianqian, realizing the plot has reverted, seeks to intervene.

Bai Ji presents medicine for her to choose, but, refusing to wait passively, she mixes and drinks them all, feigning pain. The medicines are just soy sauce and scallion juice, and Han Shuo, seeing through her ploy, drinks some to mock her. Meanwhile, Pei Heng, disguised as a performer, infiltrates Yueli Mansion. With Zi Rui cleverly stalling Bai Ji, Chen Qianqian and Pei Heng escape.

Grateful for Chen Qianqian’s efforts to save Lin Qi, the Lin family steward shelters her and Pei Heng at the Lin residence. A mysterious box arrives, containing Lin Qi’s gold token and a brief letter confirming her survival. Realizing Lin Qi is alive, Chen Qianqian reflects on past events, discovering she can alter others’ fates. This makes her regret using a harsh ploy to drive Han Shuo away.

Seeing her muttering, Pei Heng inquires, but Chen Qianqian resolves to return to Yueli Mansion to clear things with Han Shuo. At the city owner’s mansion, Han Shuo demands the city owner’s seal, but the city owner, knowing he still loves Chen Qianqian, refuses, subtly warning him about Chen Chuchu. Han Shuo, unfazed but alert, orders Xuanhu City soldiers to guard the city owner’s room tightly.

Chen Qianqian returns to Yueli Mansion with performers, intending to keep them quiet, but Han Shuo, arriving, mistakes her for eloping with Pei Heng. Ignoring her explanations, Han Shuo refuses to believe her. Chen Qianqian tears up the divorce letter and offers herself to prove her sincerity, but Han Shuo, thinking she’s sacrificing herself for Pei Heng and her mother, angrily declares her a servant.

When Chen Chuchu visits to negotiate, Han Shuo has Chen Qianqian serve them, deliberately acting close with Chen Chuchu to provoke her. To clear the misunderstanding, Chen Qianqian endures being a maid, and Han Shuo, enjoying it, assigns her endless tasks. With the city owner withholding the seal, Chen Chuchu, anxious, can forge documents but needs the seal to subdue senior officials.

She threatens the city owner with Chen Qianqian’s life and warns Han Shuo to honor their deal for the black water ore. Hearing Han Shuo is tormenting Chen Qianqian, Pei Heng confronts him, but Han Shuo dismisses him. Learning Chen Qianqian burned her hand ironing, Han Shuo, despite denying his concern, rushes to check on her. Bursting in and lifting her blanket, Han Shuo is met with Chen Qianqian’s tearful accusation of being a beast for approaching her while injured.

He doesn’t argue much, only grumbling that Pei Heng knew first. After her explanation, he softens, checks on her, and starts to leave. Chen Qianqian begs him to stay, and though he agrees, he takes the bed, leaving her on the floor. Neither sleeps; she complains about the hard floor, and he retorts it’s good for her back. By morning, they reconcile.

Han Shuo plans for Chen Qianqian to join him in Xuanhu City as his lady once the city owner signs the abdication decree, but she, unwilling to abandon her mother, argues with him. He orders her confined to the room, and Zi Rui, pitying her, bickers with Bai Ji. Determined to rescue Chen Qianqian, Pei Heng plans to steal the city talisman and rally the city guard. Investigating, he finds many soldiers resent Chen Chuchu’s oppressive policies.

With help from an old nanny who knew Chen Chuchu’s origins and served Pei Heng’s late mother, he steals the talisman and heads to the guard’s camp. As a man, Pei Heng lacks authority in Huayuan City to hold high office, so the guard commander refuses him. Pei Heng kills her, and with the commander dead, the leaderless guards, loyal to the city owner and traditionally led by the Pei family, obey Pei Heng’s talisman-backed orders, storming Yueli Mansion.

Chen Chuchu prepares an abdication decree, forcing the city owner to stamp it with the city seal to legitimize her succession. The city owner, after reading it, mocks Chen Chuchu and urges her to reconsider, but Chen Chuchu, unmoved, seizes Sang Qi to threaten her, causing the city owner to collapse in anger. At that moment, Su Ziying reports Han Shuo’s betrayal, revealing he never intended to cooperate, only to expose Chen Chuchu’s schemes.

Her plans thwarted, Chen Chuchu duels Han Shuo but is outmatched. Su Ziying’s intervention saves her life. Chen Qianqian and Pei Heng arrive with the city guard, surrounding Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu, while Meng Guo and his bandits secure the gate. Bai Ji urges Han Shuo to flee, but as he tries to take Chen Qianqian, the city owner intervenes, ordering both Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu imprisoned.

Pei Heng privately meets the city owner, revealing childhood memories that confirm Chen Chuchu is his sister. He begs leniency for her, citing their late mother, and suggests executing Han Shuo, pinning all blame on him. The city owner, having promised Pei Heng’s mother to protect Chen Chuchu and distrusting Han Shuo, agrees. As Han Shuo faces execution, Chen Qianqian’s pleas fail, and she shocks everyone by pulling a dagger to kill herself. Pei Heng, distraught, rushes to hold her.

With Chen Qianqian “dead,” Yueli Mansion hangs white banners, and the grieving city owner frees Han Shuo. Pei Heng, regretting his actions, mourns, but Han Shuo’s lack of grief puzzles him. As they nearly clash, Chen Qianqian speaks from the coffin. She had used a retractable spring dagger to fake her death after her pleas failed. Seeing Pei Heng’s devastation, she feels guilty and, sending Han Shuo out, reaffirms to Pei Heng that she only loves Han Shuo.

Accepting defeat, Pei Heng leaves. Mourning citizens gather at Yueli Mansion, but Chen Chuchu, sensing a ruse, has Su Ziying prepare items. Unaware of the deception, the city owner weeps by the coffin. Chen Chuchu requests to see her sister’s body, then suggests filling the coffin with cinnabar and mercury to preserve it. Han Shuo objects, arguing with her. The city owner, realizing Chen Qianqian’s ploy, knows it was to save Han Shuo and protect Huayuan City’s people.

To avoid a destructive feud with Chen Chuchu, Chen Qianqian staged her death. The city owner, feigning grief, taps the coffin and cracks it open for air, later privately instructing Han Shuo to treat Chen Qianqian well before leaving. The coffin is escorted to the cemetery, but Chen Chuchu, prepared, sends Su Ziying to assassinate her. Lin Qi arrives in time, capturing Su Ziying. Chen Qianqian spares him, ordering Meng Guo to guard him closely.

Later, Lin Qi reveals she married a Xuanhu City merchant who aided her recovery. Han Shuo urges Chen Qianqian to return to Xuanhu City with him, and she insists Lin Qi join them.

With Lin Qi alive and Su Ziying’s plan failed, Chen Chuchu, enraged, sends assassins after her. Pei Heng, disillusioned with Chen Chuchu, fails to dissuade her and leaves in anger, taking command of the city guard as its leader. The city owner, secluded, orders troops to secure her mansion. Though Chen Chuchu demands the execution of Xuanhu City prisoners, Pei Heng, prioritizing the bigger picture, assigns them to mine labor instead.

Impressed by his judgment, the generals openly mock Chen Chuchu’s immoral conduct. Chen Qianqian’s fame spreads in Huayuan City, with some compiling her life into a book. Having faked her death to part from her mother, she’s now en route to Xuanhu City. To keep her entertained, Han Shuo invites the three storytellers, who, recalling her apple, orange, and banana tale, recognize its metaphors. Chen Qianqian, seen as prophetic, humbly admits she’s the story’s architect, overheard by Han Shuo.

Fearing misunderstanding, she rushes to appease him, explaining everything. Initially shocked, Han Shuo finds it intriguing and asks about the story’s ending. When she mentions possibly leaving during a celestial event, he grows melancholic, but Chen Qianqian, resolved to stay in this fictional world, refuses to let go of love. After days of travel, Han Shuo brings Chen Qianqian to Xuanhu City, where male dominance sparks gossip about her, especially when Han Shuo leads her horse.

Her first act is attending a banquet hosted by the city owner’s wife. Though Chen Qianqian appears refined, Lin Qi’s blunt remark about her frequenting Huayuan’s courtesan house shocks the wife and noblewomen. The city owner’s wife orders Chen Qianqian to copy the Female Virtues a hundred times. Outraged, Chen Qianqian prepares to return to Huayuan City, but Han Shuo, returning, not only copies the text for her but washes her feet in front of servants.

The city owner, hearing this, nearly kicks over the basin, but his wife, assertive at home, keeps him in check. News of Han Shuo washing his wife’s feet spreads across Xuanhu City. Noblewomen, once scornful, now visit Chen Qianqian to learn her “husband-taming” ways. At a welcome banquet, officials, seeing Han Shuo serve Chen Qianqian food, scold their wives for recent defiance.

Annoyed by marriage issues, the city owner hears Chen Qianqian critique Xuanhu’s male-dominated system, which discourages marriage and reduces population. She proposes allowing intermarriage between Xuanhu and Huayuan Cities for free spouse choice, but the city owner rejects it. Meanwhile, in Huayuan City, the city owner selects loyal guards and tightens security. During a heated argument, Chen Chuchu learns her true identity. The city owner criticizes her unworthiness, stating that even passing the title to her wouldn’t gain public support.

Pei Heng’s mother, once adopted as a sworn sister by Huayuan City’s city owner, died from battle wounds. Entrusted with her orphaned daughter, the city owner raised her as her own, naming her Chen Chuchu. Now, kneeling in the Pei family shrine before her birth mother’s tablet, Chen Chuchu mocks her life as a fleeting dream, born unfit to be city owner yet burdened with expectations.

Pei Heng arrives to comfort her, but she blames others, her hatred for Chen Qianqian growing. Xuanhu City’s city owner’s wife, a general’s daughter skilled in martial arts and strategy, once disguised herself as a man to fight in her father’s place, meeting Han Shuo’s father, the current city owner, on the battlefield. Chen Qianqian, recognizing her as a true heroine now living a domestic life, urges that marriage should unite equals, with both men and women pursuing freedom.

Her words enlighten the city owner’s wife. Chen Chuchu, knowing she can’t become city owner, reveals her true parentage and, claiming her status as Pei Heng’s late mother’s daughter, seizes his military power, destroying the city talisman and declaring the guard will follow people, not symbols. Reinstated as commander, she tears up the intercity trade agreement, using the black stone ore to demand Xuanhu surrender Chen Qianqian.

Informed, Chen Qianqian decides to investigate, but the Xuanhu city owner blocks Han Shuo from joining her, intending to use her to resolve the crisis. Furious at her husband’s dismissal of women, the city owner’s wife declares war to aid Chen Qianqian, resigning a divorce letter, and reclaims the guard’s talisman from her father’s old retainers, resuming her commander role.

Losing his wife and authority, the Xuanhu city owner laments his son’s marriage to Chen Qianqian, blaming Huayuan women for his family’s ruin. Han Shuo stays silent to avoid their wrath, but the city owner, in a fit, enacts harsh policies against women, drawing complaints from Chen Qianqian and Lin Qi. Xuanhu’s women suffer, while Huayuan’s men face Chen Chuchu’s decrees punishing untidy attire, literacy, or commerce. Pei Heng confronts his sister over her actions.

Chen Qianqian frees Su Ziying, revealing Chen Chuchu’s deeds. Initially skeptical, Su Ziying accepts the truth as evidence mounts. Before departing, Han Shuo chats with his father, who recalls his youthful love for his wife’s bold, intelligent spirit, captivated by her rare courage. Han Shuo likens her to a magnolia, thriving in open skies, not confined indoors, lest she lose her brilliance. On departure day, Chen Qianqian appoints Su Ziying as the city owner’s wife’s deputy.

Inspired by his son, the Xuanhu city owner secretly follows the army. Su Mu, escaping with Chen Yuanyuan through a secret passage, joins Chen Qianqian, reporting the city owner and Pei Heng’s house arrest. Su Ziying, renouncing loyalty to Chen Chuchu, devises a ruse. With preparations complete, Su Ziying pretends to kidnap Chen Qianqian, and with Han Shuo’s aid, they infiltrate Huayuan City. The Xuanhu city owner, distracted by wooing his wife, is caught by the guard.

Locked together, the Xuanhu and Huayuan city owners discuss their children’s marriages, debating betrothal terms, until the city owner’s wife and Sang Qi mediate, agreeing boys will take the Han surname, girls the Chen surname. Meanwhile, Chen Chuchu leads a force against Chen Qianqian, but the guard, resentful of her ruinous policies, defects to Chen Qianqian.

As tensions peak, Pei Heng arrives with more city guards to support Chen Qianqian. Seeing her defeat imminent, Chen Chuchu lunges at her, but Han Shuo intercepts, collapsing instantly. Chen Yuanyuan’s examination reveals no heart damage, but his lungs are failing, leaving him little time. Devastated, Chen Qianqian sobs by his bedside, regretting scripting his death.

Han Shuo consoles her, saying he has no regrets meeting his true love and urges her to end the story and return to her world. The city owner couple, overhearing, weep at the tragedy of outliving their son but respect his choice, harboring no blame toward Chen Qianqian. The war’s dust settles, and Huayuan City transforms, its people thriving. Pei Heng opens a school, serving as its head, promoting literacy for all genders and equality.

Knowing grudges must end, Chen Qianqian visits Chen Chuchu in prison, now a disgraced captive stripped of pride. Chen Qianqian reflects that Chen Chuchu, the novel’s heroine, had every advantage, but her encounter with Chen Qianqian, an unexpected obstacle, changed everything. Rather than Chen Qianqian altering the plot, Chen Chuchu lacked the virtue to lead a city. Days later, Huayuan City holds its succession ceremony.

Legend says the first city owner saw a sun-moon alignment, a sign of a true ruler. Chen Qianqian suggests both sisters walk the ceremonial flower path to see who triggers the omen. After deliberation, the city owner agrees. At the ceremony, attended by officials and both cities’ leaders, Chen Chuchu, confident, walks the path, but dark clouds and eerie winds signal ill fortune.

She insists it’s a coincidence, yet when Chen Yuanyuan, supported by Su Mu, completes the path, the sky clears, showing no sign. As the sisters perform rituals, Chen Qianqian refuses her turn, unwilling to leave Han Shuo. He appears, frail and coughing blood, tumbling down the steps. Chen Qianqian rushes to him, ignoring the ceremony. Han Shuo, not wanting her to remain alone after his death, urges her on.

Furious and heartbroken, she orders Bai Ji to take him back, but the sky glows with auspicious light, astonishing officials who kneel in reverence. Han Shuo, smiling at the clouds, fades as Chen Qianqian’s vision blurs. Reaching for him, she sees only white light. When her eyes open, she’s back in her modern bedroom, the familiar ceiling and cluttered room confirming her return. The clock shows mere hours passed, her laptop still open to the revised story ending.

Stunned, Chen Xiaoqian struggles to accept it was a dream. Feeling empty, she receives a call from the director: the actor playing the male lead, Han, was injured in a car accident, damaging his lungs and needing rest. Recalling his resemblance to Han Shuo, Chen Xiaoqian rushes to the hospital. Seeing him, she recounts her and Han Shuo’s tale. Initially irritated, Han’s expression shifts when he mentions “orange and banana,” prompting her to embrace him.

Han is Han Shuo, Chen Xiaoqian is certain. The accident triggered foreign memories in him—of her bold marriage snatch, consuming Dragon Bone to cure his heart, the aphrodisiac at Weihu Mountain, their confessions at Yueli Mansion, and their mutual love. Life’s fleeting moments bring chance encounters, and their persistence forged this destined union.