Chapter Summaries

Dong Xuebin recovered in the hospital while Qu Yunxuan cared for him, and he confessed his feelings to her again. She declined to date for now because she was focused on starting her own company, leaving him hopeful that she might consider him once she achieved that goal.

• Qu Yunxuan returned with supplies and patiently cared for Dong Xuebin, even helping him use the restroom while he was attached to an IV.
• Qu Yunxuan fed Dong Xuebin a banana, and he confessed that he liked her and asked her to be his girlfriend.
• Qu Yunxuan said she was not ready to date because she was pursuing her dream of starting her own company.
• Dong Xuebin asked whether she might date him after establishing her company, and Qu Yunxuan blushed before leaving to ask the doctor about his condition.

Dong Xuebin decided to help Qu Yunxuan start a company and make a million yuan, but while recovering in the hospital he had no way to act on his plans. A rude collision with an antique-appraisal expert gave him a new idea: he might make money through antiques.

• Dong Xuebin used BACK to hide his feelings from Qu Yunxuan and decided to earn a million yuan to help her start a company.
• After two more days of recovery, Dong Xuebin went for a walk with Qu Yunxuan outside Jiangong Hospital.
• A middle-aged man bumped Dong Xuebin's injured shoulder and refused to apologize, prompting Qu Yunxuan and Dong Xuebin to confront him.
• Dong Xuebin recognized the man as Teacher Cheng, an expert on an antique-appraisal television program.
• Qu Yunxuan left to handle a problem at the newspaper office, and Dong Xuebin wondered whether antique collecting could help him make money.

Dong Xuebin watched Teacher Cheng buy nine rusty Ancient Coins for 4,500 yuan, then used back to rewind time and buy the entire stall’s collection for 5,000 yuan. He left for the hospital carrying the coins, eager to discover whether his gamble would pay off.

• Dong Xuebin saw Teacher Cheng identify and buy nine Ancient Coins from a street stall after the vendor raised their price to 500 yuan each.
• After Teacher Cheng paid 4,500 yuan, Dong Xuebin activated back and rewound the scene to before the purchase.
• Dong Xuebin bundled up the whole pile of coins and bargained with the stall owner, settling on 5,000 yuan.
• Dong Xuebin withdrew the money from an ATM, paid the stall owner, and hurried toward the hospital with the coins.

Dong Xuebin spent the afternoon and night identifying the copper coins he had bought, separating hundreds of worthless ones from a Jiading Yuanbao that appeared to match a Southern Song coin sold at auction for 62,000 RMB. He ended the chapter excited about its potential value, though he still wondered whether it was genuine.

• Dong Xuebin brought his bag of copper coins to the hospital and borrowed the old man's son's laptop to research them online.
• Dong Xuebin sorted through the coins for hours, setting aside more than five hundred that appeared worthless.
• Qu Yunxuan called Dong Xuebin to say she could not visit that night, and he told her to focus on work.
• Dong Xuebin researched a rusty Jiading Yuanbao and found an auction record for a similar coin that sold for 62,000 RMB.
• Dong Xuebin finished checking the remaining coins, packed away the junk, and kept the Jiading Yuanbao, hoping it was valuable and genuine.

Dong Xuebin sold ancient coins at Liulichang, turning one rare coin and the rest of his bag into 51,000 yuan. He returned to the hospital, where Qu Yunxuan scolded him for skipping his IV, and he resolved to make money and rise through the ranks.

• Dong Xuebin left the hospital before his scheduled IV and took his bag of ancient coins to Rongbaozhai at Liulichang.
• A middle-aged shopkeeper identified Dong Xuebin's Jiading Yuanbao Zheshi as a genuine, rare Southern Song coin and offered 50,000 yuan for it, plus 1,000 yuan for the rest of the coins.
• Dong Xuebin deposited the money at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, raising his savings to more than 51,000 yuan.
• Qu Yunxuan confronted Dong Xuebin when he returned to the hospital, and he apologized for leaving without telling her or getting his IV.
• Dong Xuebin kept his windfall secret from Qu Yunxuan and resolved to earn enough to start a company for her while pursuing his own ambition of becoming a high-ranking official.

After being discharged, Dong Xuebin returned home and spotted a stunning woman whose wallet was stolen by a pickpocket. He used BACK to reverse time, recovered her wallet, and left her with his phone number before she hurried away.

• Dong Xuebin came home from the hospital with Qu Yunxuan, who left for work after reminding him to stay in and wait for dinner.
• Dong Xuebin went out to buy vinegar and saw an elegant woman talking on her phone beneath a tree.
• A skinny man passed close behind the woman, and she soon realized her wallet was missing.
• Dong Xuebin used BACK to return to the moment before the theft and tackled the pickpocket, who dropped the wallet and ran.
• Dong Xuebin returned the wallet to the woman, exchanged phone numbers with her, and watched her leave to handle an urgent matter.

After becoming a probationary Party member, Dong Xuebin returned to the General Office, where colleagues praised his recovery and discussed the bureau’s football tournament. Tan Limei told him that the Branch Bureau had nicknamed him “Firefighter” for repeatedly stepping in to solve problems, leaving him pleased with the recognition.

• Li Qing and Zhou Changchun welcomed Dong Xuebin back, praised his work, and assigned him document deliveries while he recovered.
• Dong Xuebin returned to the General Office and exchanged greetings with his colleagues, while Guo Shunjie remained aloof.
• Dong Xuebin asked Zhuangzi and Tan Limei about their exhaustion and learned that their team had lost five to zero to the Miyun Branch Bureau in a football match.
• Dong Xuebin teased Zhuangzi and Tan Limei about dating, and Tan Limei confirmed their relationship while telling him to keep it private.
• Tan Limei told Dong Xuebin that colleagues and leaders called him “Firefighter” because he had repeatedly handled urgent problems, and Dong Xuebin felt proud of the recognition.

After Zhou Changchun was hospitalized with Cerebral Thrombosis, Dong Xuebin and the General Office staff visited him, where he privately told Dong Xuebin and Guo Panwei to work hard. News then spread that Zhou Changchun was about to retire due to illness, leaving the deputy director position open and prompting the office staff to wonder who would replace him.

• Dong Xuebin learned that Zhou Changchun had been hospitalized with Cerebral Thrombosis, and the General Office staff traveled together to visit him.
• Zhou Changchun told Dong Xuebin and Guo Panwei that they were the subordinates he trusted most and urged them to work hard.
• Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei unexpectedly began working diligently after receiving phone calls or returning from an errand.
• Tan Limei reported that Zhou Changchun was about to retire due to illness and that the new director would likely come from the General Office.
• Dong Xuebin realized that Zhou Changchun's departure would leave the deputy director position vacant.

After Director Zhou’s impending retirement opened the deputy director position, Guo Panwei and Guo Shunjie competed for support while Dong Xuebin concluded that neither he nor his friends had a realistic chance. Guo Shunjie began ordering Dong around, and Dong feared life in the office would worsen if either rival won.

• Guo Panwei and Guo Shunjie courted bureau leaders as they competed for the deputy director position.
• Tan Limei asked Dong Xuebin and Zhuangzi to assess the contenders, and Dong dismissed his own chances.
• Guo Panwei returned acting more confident and told the office to prepare for an inspection.
• Guo Shunjie assigned Dong Xuebin and Xiao Sun to clean the conference room, and Dong refused to obey him.
• At lunch, Dong judged Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei to be the only serious candidates and worried that either promotion would make his life difficult.

After Zhou Changchun returned to the General Office, his former subordinates distanced themselves, assuming he had fallen from favor. When Zhou revealed that Director Yan had asked him to recommend a deputy director candidate, Dong Xuebin realized he still had a chance to compete for the position.

• Dong Xuebin considered visiting Zhou Changchun, but Tan Limei warned him to keep his distance because Zhou might be under investigation.
• Zhou Changchun returned to the General Office, where Guo Panwei and the others treated him coldly and refused to help him.
• Zhou Changchun asked Guo Panwei to come into his office, but Guo refused and claimed he had a document to deliver.
• Zhou Changchun called Director Yan and recommended Xiao Gao for the deputy director position, while saying the General Office staff still needed more training.
• Guo Panwei and Guo Shunjie regretted turning Zhou away, while Dong Xuebin secretly recognized a new opportunity and used BACK to return himself.

After Zhou Changchun returned from the hospital to complete his retirement, Dong Xuebin stood by him when the General Office staff avoided him. Zhou Changchun then nominated Dong Xuebin for deputy director, putting his name before the Bureau Party Committee while warning that the promotion would be difficult.

• Zhou Changchun returned to the General Office, where Guo Panwei and the other staff members refused to leave their seats or accompany him.
• Dong Xuebin helped Zhou Changchun carry and pack his belongings, earning his gratitude while Guo Shunjie, Guo Panwei, and Tan Limei questioned Dong’s judgment.
• Zhou Changchun called Director Yan and nominated Dong Xuebin for deputy director instead of Guo Panwei.
• Director Yan confirmed that Director Li Qing had also nominated Dong Xuebin, allowing the General Office to put forward a unified recommendation for the Bureau Party Committee meeting.
• Zhou Changchun warned Dong Xuebin that Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei had powerful backers, but Dong resolved to fight for the position.

Dong Xuebin learned that his nomination for deputy director had been submitted, but Director Li Qing doubted he could win and urged him to use the opportunity to meet bureau leaders. Dong decided to seek Xu Yan’s support, but their first meeting ended without him making an impression.

• Tan Limei warned Dong Xuebin that associating with Zhou Changchun could put him at risk, while Dong insisted Zhou had no financial problems.
• Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei traded barbs as they competed for the deputy director position, unaware that Dong Xuebin had also been nominated.
• Li Qing told Dong Xuebin his nomination had gone to Director Yan and advised him to build relationships with bureau leaders rather than expect to win the post.
• Dong Xuebin considered the Bureau Party Committee members and chose Xu Yan as someone who might support his promotion.
• Dong Xuebin delivered files to Xu Yan, but she did not recognize him and questioned why he had not joined the soccer tournament; he explained he had recently been hospitalized and left without building a rapport.

Dong Xuebin went to watch Chengxi Branch Bureau face Chaoyang Branch Bureau as the team tried to avoid another loss. With the match tied in stoppage time, a collision let Chaoyang’s No. 21 break through, and the referee awarded a penalty after the goalkeeper brought him down.

• Li Qing told the bureau’s soccer players that avoiding defeat was a political assignment, while Dong Xuebin stayed behind at the office.
• Dong Xuebin and Tan Limei went to Yuetan Sports Field, where Chengxi Branch Bureau was holding Chaoyang Branch Bureau to a 0–0 draw.
• Chang Juan told Dong Xuebin and Tan Limei that Director Xu and East City Branch Bureau’s deputy political commissar Xu Yan were rivals because Xu Yan had married Director Xu’s ex-husband.
• In stoppage time, Guo Panwei collided with a teammate and Chaoyang’s No. 21 broke into the penalty area.
• Goalkeeper Xiao Gao brought No. 21 down, and the referee awarded Chaoyang Branch Bureau a penalty.

After a disputed penalty call and a series of arguments, the Chengxi Branch Bureau struggled to find a goalkeeper to face Chaoyang’s No. 21. Dong Xuebin volunteered at the last moment, hoping to earn Director Xu’s favor.

• The referee awarded Chaoyang a penalty, and Xu Yan and Xu Yan argued over whether the call was correct.
• A Municipal Bureau leader ordered Xu Yan to stop arguing and let the penalty proceed.
• Xiao Gao could not continue because of his injured leg, and Xu Yan demanded that a substitute goalkeeper be found.
• Li Qing asked several substitutes to take the position, but each refused or claimed he could not do it.
• As Xu Yan berated the substitutes, Dong Xuebin offered to go in goal.

Dong Xuebin volunteered to defend Chengxi’s goal against No. 21’s penalty, and his first attempt failed. He rewound time, saved the shot on his second try, and left the Chengxi Team celebrating.

• Xu Yan asked Dong Xuebin whether he could save the penalty, and he guaranteed he would complete the task.
• Dong Xuebin took Xiao Gao’s gloves and faced No. 21 as his colleagues worried he had never played goalkeeper.
• No. 21 sent the ball into the upper-left corner, scoring and giving Chaoyang the victory.
• Dong Xuebin used his ability to rewind time and returned the match to the penalty kick.
• Dong Xuebin anticipated No. 21’s shot, blocked it, and pinned the ball beneath himself.
• Xu Yan and the Chengxi Team cheered Dong Xuebin for saving the penalty.

Dong Xuebin helped Chengxi hold the Chaoyang Branch Bureau to a draw with a crucial penalty save, earning Xu Yan’s praise. As Xu Yan prepared the team for its must-win match against East City, Dong decided to impress her again and strengthen his chances of blocking Guo Shunjie’s promotion.

• Dong Xuebin saved a penalty in the final moments, and Chengxi ended its losing streak by drawing 0:0 with Chaoyang.
• Xu Yan praised Dong Xuebin and learned that he was the newcomer who had rescued important documents from a fire.
• Xu Yan asked Dong to replace the goalkeeper for the next match, but he said his doctor had forbidden strenuous exercise and offered to play only if a dangerous set piece arose.
• Xu Yan rallied the team for its final match against East City, insisting that Chengxi had to win.
• Dong Xuebin resolved to perform well in the next match so Xu Yan might support his bid for deputy director and oppose Guo Shunjie.

The Chengxi Team faced the Chengdong Team in a crucial match, where the opponents’ rough play and the referee’s calls left Chengxi with several injured players and no substitutes remaining. The score stayed 0–0 at halftime, and Xu Yan worried that the team might be forced to finish short-handed.

• Xu Yan urged the Chengxi Team to win as both teams and their leaders exchanged hostile remarks before kickoff.
• The Chengdong Team attacked aggressively, and Zhuangzi was injured by a dangerous tackle and replaced.
• The Chengxi players protested the rough play, but the referee gave the Chengdong player only a yellow card.
• Near halftime, Chengdong’s number 13 elbowed a Chengxi Political Department player during a header, but the referee did not punish him and instead booked a Chengxi player.
• The first half ended 0–0, with Chengxi having one yellow card, Chengdong four, and Chengxi no substitutes left after the injuries.

Chengxi Team remained unable to score as Chengdong Team’s dirty play injured another player and sparked a confrontation. After Xu Yan suffered a personal setback and accepted that the match was lost, Dong Xuebin asked to enter the game.

• Chengdong Team fouled Chengxi Team repeatedly, and the score stayed 0–0 as the match neared its end.
• With two minutes remaining, a Chengxi striker broke toward the penalty area, but a Chengdong defender deliberately crashed into him and left him unable to continue.
• Chengxi players confronted their opponents until two Municipal Bureau leaders arrived and Director Lü ordered the teams to resume play.
• Xu Yan’s ex-husband called to take their son away early, and she swallowed half a blood pressure pill after the call left her shaken.
• As Xu Yan slumped on the bench and the match seemed lost, Dong Xuebin clenched his fist and asked to go in.

Dong Xuebin entered as a forward for the final minute, and Chengxi Team appeared to lose again after the match ended. He then rewound time, intercepted Chengdong Team’s back pass, and scored a last-second winner, leaving Chengxi Team celebrating its victory.

• Xu Yan initially refused to substitute Dong Xuebin into the match, but relented after he insisted and told him to be careful.
• Chengxi Team failed to recover the ball before time expired, and the referee ended the match with the team facing its eighth winless game.
• Dong Xuebin used BACK to return to the closing seconds and anticipated Chengdong Team’s center forward’s back pass.
• Dong Xuebin collected the ball, beat the goalkeeper, and scored in the upper-right corner just before time ran out.
• Xu Yan and Chengxi Team’s players celebrated as they realized Dong Xuebin had won the match for them.

Dong Xuebin scored a last-second goal to give Chengxi Branch Bureau a 1:0 victory over Chengdong Team, earning praise from his colleagues and leaders. As the team celebrated and Xu Yan thanked him, Guo Shunjie remained resentful, while Dong Xuebin’s nickname “Firefighter” spread through the bureau.

• With seconds left, Dong Xuebin ran forward, met Chengdong Team’s back pass, and scored the winning goal.
• The referee ended the match, and Chengxi Branch Bureau celebrated its 1:0 victory as colleagues praised Dong Xuebin.
• The team tossed Dong Xuebin into the air until Xu Yan and Li Qing reminded them that his injuries had not healed.
• Xu Yan berated Chengdong Team’s players for their failed back pass and poor marking, then quietly thanked Dong Xuebin.
• Guo Shunjie walked behind the celebrating group, resentful of Dong Xuebin’s success, while the nickname “Firefighter” spread through Chengxi Branch Bureau.