Summary
Highlights
Tang Ao, a villain in a web novel, recounts his initial demise at the hands of the hero, Ye Chen, after a brief romantic encounter with Lin Ruoxue. The system, however, informs him that the plot collapsed because Lin Ruoxue died with Ye Chen to protect her innocence, requiring a restart. Tang Ao must now complete the villain's plot and survive to the end. He finds himself back in Lin Ruoxue's office, preparing for his 99th consecutive day of sending her flowers.
Tang Ao, who can hear people's inner thoughts, anticipates Lin Ruoxue's rejection and the arrival of a 'troublemaker' to expose Lin's Pharmaceutical Group for selling fake drugs. He correctly predicts the troublemaker's false accusation but inadvertently steals Ye Chen's thunder by exposing the man himself. Later, in a desperate attempt to push the plot forward and keep Lin Ruoxue and Ye Chen together, Tang Ao publicly asks Lin Ruoxue to kiss him, expecting her to refuse and use Ye Chen as a shield. To his shock, she kisses him, leaving them both stunned.
Lin Ruoxue asks Tang Ao to attend her class reunion. To avoid going, Tang Ao pretends he has a blind date with Zhou Qiao'er, hoping to push Lin Ruoxue closer to Ye Chen. However, Lin Ruoxue, driven by a desire to keep Tang Ao, insists on attending the blind date with him, bringing along Ye Chen. Unbeknownst to Tang Ao, Zhou Qiao'er hears his inner thoughts about his forced 'dog-licking' persona and his belief that he must be with Lin Ruoxue for the plot to progress.
Zhou Qiao'er, having heard Tang Ao's true feelings, arrives at his home, claiming her love for him and defending him against accusations related to the pharmaceutical scandal. Her unexpected loyalty and belief in him complicate Tang Ao's efforts to maintain his villainous role. The continuous misunderstandings and unexpected turns in the plot lead to Tang Ao acquiring a new passive skill, 'Super Bounce,' which allows him to evade serious damage and counterattack with equal strength.
Ye Chen orchestrates a commercial attack on Zhou's Special Spirit, causing its stock to plummet. Zhou Qiao'er, leveraging her ability to hear Tang Ao's inner thoughts, takes decisive action against her co-workers' advice and invests heavily in the falling stock, ultimately turning a profit and rescuing the company. Her parents, witnessing her success and believing it stemmed from Tang Ao's guidance, decide to fully support their potential marriage. Meanwhile, Tang Ao receives the 'Eternal Secrets' skill, further securing his confidential thoughts.
Zhou Qiao'er, now living with Tang Ao's family, continues to display her affection, much to Tang Ao's internal exasperation. They visit an antique street to find a birthday gift for Lin Ruoxue's classmate, Li Shiyun. Tang Ao, aware of future plot developments, tries to prevent Zhou Qiao'er from acquiring key artifacts meant for Ye Chen, like a specific tea pet. However, due to his attempts to subtly guide her, Zhou Qiao'er ends up with several valuable items, including the tea pet, at incredibly low prices, frustrating Tang Ao and further confusing the protagonist, Ye Chen.
Upon arriving at Li Shiyun's birthday party, Tang Ao and Zhou Qiao'er are greeted with grand hospitality by the entire Li family, including the patriarch. This unexpected welcome is meant for Tang Ao, not Ye Chen, leaving Ye Chen bewildered and feeling humiliated. Tang Ao further complicates matters by seemingly defending Ye Chen and offering a meager 'apology' on his behalf, which only serves to infuriate Ye Chen and confuse the Li family, who mistakenly interpret Tang Ao's internal struggles as generosity.
The Li family patriarch, sensing Tang Ao's hidden strength, challenges him to withstand a blow. Despite Tang Ao's internal panic and attempts to de-escalate, he accidentally provokes the patriarch into using his full strength. Due to his 'Super Bounce' skill, Tang Ao effortlessly withstands the blow, leaving the patriarch astonished and convinced of Tang Ao's superior martial prowess. The patriarch, recognizing Tang Ao's skill, begins to regard him as a mentor and offers him access to the Li family's secret martial arts texts.
Tang Ao, despite not understanding the martial arts texts, inadvertently provides insightful advice to the Li family patriarch, further solidifying his reputation as a martial arts genius. The situation culminates when Ye Chen makes a move for the 'Beastly Fist' secret book, attempting to injure Zhou Qiao'er as a distraction. However, Tang Ao protects her, leading to Ye Chen's unexpected demise. The system then announces Tang Ao will take over Ye Chen's identity as the Dragon King, freeing him from his previous plot constraints.