Chapter Summaries

Dong Xuebin grew anxious about his chances of becoming deputy director and struggled to ask Xu Yan for help. Xu Yan remembered his nomination and promised to advocate for him, though she could not guarantee the result.

• Dong Xuebin received warm greetings from colleagues after his performance in the football tournament, while Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei resumed their rivalry in the General Office.
• Dong Xuebin worried that the upcoming deputy director decision would leave him vulnerable to Guo Shunjie's retaliation, but he could not decide how to approach Xu Yan.
• Tan Limei told Dong Xuebin that Xu Yan had asked him to deliver the keys assigned to Lao Shen in the Political Department.
• Dong Xuebin delivered the keys to Xu Yan but nervously avoided asking her to support his nomination.
• Xu Yan recalled that Dong Xuebin had been nominated for deputy director and said she would do her best to fight for him, though she could not promise success.

With four days left before the deputy director nomination, Dong Xuebin worked to win over Yang Yizhong and identified Liu Hua as another potential supporter. He left work planning to visit Liu Hua that night, despite learning that Liu kept everyone at a distance.

• Dong Xuebin chose Yang Yizhong and Liu Hua as his next targets for support.
• Dong Xuebin delivered Yang Yizhong a polished speech, which Yang approved and agreed to use.
• Yang Yizhong criticized Guo Panwei and Guo Shunjie for separately delivering identical materials and told Dong Xuebin to handle deliveries from then on.
• Tan Limei told Dong Xuebin that Liu Hua avoided workplace ties, abstained from votes, and refused gifts.
• Dong Xuebin asked about Liu Hua's home and decided to visit him that night.

Dong Xuebin tried to win Liu Hua over with a gift, but Liu Hua refused it, so Dong stole a look at Liu Hua’s notebook using Back. He discovered Liu Hua urgently wanted a matched pair of rare 4.6-centimeter Lion’s Head walnuts for his wife’s wedding anniversary, but realized they would be extremely difficult to find.

• Dong Xuebin spotted Guo Shunjie leaving Liu Hua’s residential complex after an unsuccessful attempt to give Liu Hua gifts.
• Dong Xuebin visited Liu Hua and offered cosmetics for Liu Hua’s wife, but Liu Hua refused the gift and would not invite him inside.
• When Liu Hua wrote in his notebook after a phone call, Dong Xuebin snatched it and used Back to return to the moment before Liu Hua noticed.
• Dong Xuebin recalled that Liu Hua’s notebook repeatedly mentioned finding a 4.6-centimeter Lion’s Head walnut for Tian Tian.
• Dong Xuebin recognized Lion’s Head as a valuable collectible walnut and realized that finding a matched pair in that size would be extremely difficult.

Dong Xuebin tried to find a pair of 46 mm Lion’s Head walnuts at Panjiayuan but came up empty. He spotted a green-husk walnut stall and considered gambling on the possibility of finding the rare pair inside.

• Qu Yunxuan woke Dong Xuebin, accepted the cosmetics he had bought for his superior’s wife, and left for work at the newspaper office.
• Dong Xuebin decided to find another way to earn money while Qu Yunxuan worked toward opening her own company.
• Dong Xuebin withdrew twenty thousand yuan and went to Panjiayuan to search for 46 mm Lion’s Head walnuts for Liu Hua and Tian Tian.
• Dong Xuebin visited several walnut shops, but none had the rare walnuts he wanted.
• Dong Xuebin noticed a stall selling green-husked walnuts and considered trying his luck at finding 46 mm Lion’s Heads inside them.

Dong Xuebin waited all day for a chance to find a 46mm Lion's Head walnut, then used Back to claim the rare walnut before another buyer could take it. He ended the chapter thrilled with his flawless 46.8mm find.

• Dong Xuebin watched buyers open green-skinned walnuts for hours but saw none large enough to meet his 46mm target.
• A Big Man bought two walnuts, and the second revealed a 46.8mm Lion's Head that he refused to sell.
• Dong Xuebin used Back to return to the moment before the Big Man chose the walnuts.
• Dong Xuebin grabbed the two rotten-skinned walnuts first and paid 800 yuan for them.
• The vendor opened one and found a flawless 46.8mm Lion's Head, which Dong Xuebin joyfully claimed.

Dong Xuebin searched the Shilihe Flower and Bird Market for another 46mm Lion's Head and found a 46.6mm walnut he could trade for a pair of large Chicken Hearts. When nearby shops had none, he decided to gamble on fresh green-peel walnuts himself.

• Dong Xuebin spent the morning watching walnut stalls but did not find a four-six Lion's Head.
• Dong Xuebin saw a high school student with a 46.6mm Lion's Head and offered to buy it, but the boy wanted to trade it for a pair of large Chicken Hearts above four-six.
• Dong Xuebin rushed to three shops to look for the Chicken Hearts, but none had them.
• Dong Xuebin spotted a shop bringing out fresh green-peel walnuts and decided to gamble on large Chicken Hearts to secure the trade.

Dong Xuebin tried to trade for a 46mm Dwarf Lion’s Head, but another buyer got it first, and he was left with walnuts from a stall. When the stall’s mislabeled green peels turned out to contain Dwarf Lion’s Heads, the sellers refused to honor the deal, and Dong Xuebin used his ability to turn back time.

• Dong Xuebin chose four pairs of Big Chicken Heart green peels and asked the stall owner to open them quickly while he watched the high school student with the 46mm Dwarf Lion’s Head.
• A buyer traded with the high school student first, giving him Big Chicken Hearts in exchange for the Dwarf Lion’s Head.
• Dong Xuebin asked the stall owner to open only two walnuts, but the owner refused to refund him, so Dong Xuebin told him to open all eight.
• Dong Xuebin and the onlookers discovered that the supposed Big Chicken Hearts were Dwarf Lion’s Heads from a basket the stall owner’s son had mislabeled.
• The stall owner’s son said Dong Xuebin had paid for only one pair, and both sellers insulted him when he objected.
• Dong Xuebin smiled coldly and activated his ability, saying, “...back.”

Dong Xuebin bought all 202 green-husked walnuts from the dark-skinned young man and spent the afternoon peeling them, hoping to find a 46mm Dwarf Lion’s Head. He finally uncovered a 46.8mm walnut that nearly perfectly matched the one he had found earlier.

• Dong Xuebin changed his mind and bought all 202 green-husked walnuts from the dark-skinned young man for the remaining twenty thousand yuan.
• Dong Xuebin returned home and began peeling and scrubbing the walnuts, confirming that the first several were Dwarf Lion’s Heads.
• Dong Xuebin spent the afternoon peeling walnuts and found examples ranging from 39mm to 44mm, including some with flaws.
• Dong Xuebin received Qu Yunxuan’s message that she would not be home for dinner, then continued peeling the fifty-fifth walnut.
• Dong Xuebin uncovered a 46.8mm Dwarf Lion’s Head and compared it with his earlier walnut, finding that the two were an almost perfect match.

Dong Xuebin matched his Dwarf Lion's Head walnuts into pairs and sold them to a shop for 70,000 yuan. He returned home with his assets at 100,000 yuan, one step closer to his million-yuan goal.

• Dong Xuebin finished opening the walnuts and matched the undamaged ones into pairs.
• Dong Xuebin packed the walnuts into a suitcase and took them to a shop near the North Entrance of Heping Street.
• Dong Xuebin showed the shop owner several pairs, then laid out the rest for appraisal.
• The shop owner offered 70,000 yuan for the walnuts, and Dong Xuebin accepted the cash.
• Dong Xuebin returned home and realized that his total assets had reached 100,000 yuan.

Dong Xuebin brought Liu Hua the rare walnuts he wanted for his wedding anniversary, and Liu Hua accepted them after paying him. Liu Hua planned to surprise Tian Tian with the gift and began wondering about Dong Xuebin’s abilities.

• The bureau inspection passed through the General Office, where Dong Xuebin noticed Deputy Director Liu Hua among the leaders.
• Liu Hua recalled his difficult early years with Tian Tian and searched for a pair of 46-millimeter Dwarf Lion's Head walnuts for their tenth wedding anniversary.
• Dong Xuebin visited Liu Hua and offered him a pair of 46.8-millimeter Dwarf Lion's Heads.
• Liu Hua paid Dong Xuebin five thousand yuan for the walnuts and accepted them.
• Liu Hua called Tian Tian to arrange a weekend dinner and promise her a surprise, then wondered about Dong Xuebin’s reputation for handling difficulties.

Dong Xuebin waited anxiously for the Party Committee meeting that would decide the deputy director of the General Office, as Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei sought support from opposing leaders. Xu Yan explained Dong Xuebin’s remarkable record to Song Shoujie, hoping to win support for his candidacy, while Guo Shunjie remained confident Zhou Guoan would secure the appointment for him.

• Dong Xuebin saw Guo Shunjie dismiss his wife at the bureau gate, and Guo Shunjie warned him he would make trouble for him after his promotion.
• Guo Panwei went to seek Pang Bin’s support, while Guo Shunjie visited Zhou Guoan, who assured him his appointment would face no problems.
• Xu Yan summoned Dong Xuebin to copy and file a document, then discussed his candidacy with Song Shoujie.
• Xu Yan reminded Song Shoujie that Dong Xuebin had risked himself to save a document from a fire and had made decisive plays in soccer matches.
• Xu Yan told Song Shoujie that Dong Xuebin had memorized the clothing and other details of three people who passed during his civil service interview, leaving Song impressed by him.

The Chengxi Branch Bureau Party Committee discussed several bureau matters and approved relocating its Guest House before turning to a contested personnel appointment. The meeting ended as Pang Bin argued for Guo Panwei, while Zhou Guoan’s efforts to secure the deputy director post left Guo Panwei’s prospects uncertain.

• The Party Committee began its meeting with all ten members present and debated whether to relocate the Guest House.
• Yan Liang called for a show-of-hands vote, and the proposal to relocate the Guest House passed despite opposition and an abstention.
• The committee discussed several other proposals, which passed with differing levels of support.
• Pang Bin presented Guo Panwei, Guo Shunjie, and Dong Xuebin as candidates for deputy director of the General Office.
• Pang Bin backed Guo Panwei on the grounds of seniority and experience, while Cheng Haimei stayed silent and Zhou Guoan’s support for securing the post became apparent.

The branch bureau committee clashed over who should become Deputy Director of the General Office, with Xu Yan nominating Dong Xuebin against the leading support for Guo Shunjie. Zhou Guoan remained confident that Yan Liang would ultimately back Guo Shunjie, leaving the appointment unresolved in the meeting.

• Zhao Jinxi challenged Pang Bin's support for Guo Panwei and argued that Guo Shunjie was the better choice, prompting a heated exchange.
• Cheng Haimei and Li Mingyu supported Guo Shunjie, while Yan Liang sought to move the meeting along.
• Xu Yan asserted her authority over the General Office and nominated Dong Xuebin, citing his achievements and drive.
• Song Shoujie and Yang Yizhong supported Dong Xuebin, while Zhao Jinxi and Li Mingyu dismissed his candidacy as too young and inexperienced.
• Zhou Guoan noted that Dong Xuebin had gained three supporters but remained confident Yan Liang would ultimately support Guo Shunjie.

Yan Liang expected to support Guo Shunjie for Deputy Director of the General Office, but the Party committee vote took an unexpected turn when Liu Hua backed Dong Xuebin. With the vote at five to four, Yan Liang realized that his own vote for Guo Shunjie would only create a tie, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Yan Liang privately planned to support Guo Shunjie, while Zhou Guoan and others argued that Dong Xuebin was too new and needed further review.
• Yan Liang called for a vote, and Zhou Guoan, Li Mingyu, Zhao Jinxi, and Cheng Haimei supported Guo Shunjie while Xu Yan, Song Shoujie, and Yang Yizhong supported Dong Xuebin.
• Pang Bin unexpectedly supported Dong Xuebin, bringing the vote to four votes for each candidate.
• Liu Hua cast his first vote at a Party committee meeting and supported Dong Xuebin, putting him ahead five to four.
• Yan Liang realized that voting for Guo Shunjie would only produce a tie, and the chapter ended before he announced his vote.

After the Bureau Party Committee meeting, Xiao Lü announced that Dong Xuebin had been appointed deputy director of the General Office. Dong Xuebin accepted the news with barely contained joy, while Guo Shunjie rushed off to challenge the unexpected result.

• The General Office staff waited through lunch for Xiao Lü to bring news of the Party Committee meeting, while Guo Shunjie assumed he had won the deputy director position.
• Chang Juan warned Dong Xuebin to accept his place beneath the leaders, but he refused to bow to Guo Shunjie.
• Xiao Lü entered the office, ignored Guo Shunjie and Guo Panwei, and congratulated Dong Xuebin as Director Dong.
• Dong Xuebin told his astonished coworkers that the appointment had not yet been formally announced, and Guo Panwei slumped into his chair.
• Guo Shunjie ran off to find Political Commissar Zhou, while Xu Yan called Dong Xuebin to confirm that the appointment was settled.

Dong Xuebin learned that the Branch Bureau Party Committee had chosen him to become deputy director of the General Office, defeating Guo Shunjie and surprising colleagues across the bureau. After thanking the leaders who supported him, he reflected on how quickly his career was advancing toward his goal of entering the central government.

• News spread through the Chengxi Branch Bureau that Dong Xuebin was about to become deputy director, while Zhou Guoan blamed Guo Shunjie for losing the appointment.
• Guo Panwei questioned Pang Bin about why Dong Xuebin had gained support from several leaders, and they discussed his past work with Yang Yizhong and Xu Yan.
• Colleagues congratulated Dong Xuebin, who modestly said the appointment was not yet finalized and asked them not to call him Director Dong.
• Li Qing told Dong Xuebin that Xu Yan, Song Shoujie, Yang Yizhong, Pang Bin, and Liu Hua had supported him at the Party Committee meeting.
• Dong Xuebin thanked Xu Yan and Song Shoujie, then visited Yang Yizhong, Liu Hua, Pang Bin, and Yan Liang to express his gratitude.
• Dong Xuebin reflected that his promotion had brought him another step closer to entering the central government.

Dong Xuebin visited Qu Yunxuan and told her he had been appointed deputy director of the General Affairs Office, with deputy section-level pay and benefits. Qu Yunxuan believed the news after a colleague congratulated him and began preparing a celebratory meal.

• Dong Xuebin ran into Section Chief Xu and Xiao Dong, who were preparing for another civil service exam.
• Dong Xuebin used his spare key to enter Qu Yunxuan's apartment and found her fresh from a bath.
• Qu Yunxuan changed into a silk slip dress and explained that she had been drinking with a client at lunch.
• Dong Xuebin told Qu Yunxuan about his appointment as deputy director of the General Affairs Office.
• Lao Liu called to congratulate Dong Xuebin, convincing Qu Yunxuan that the promotion was real.
• Qu Yunxuan decided to celebrate by cooking Dong Xuebin a proper meal and sent him to wait in the living room.

After Dong Xuebin celebrated his promotion with Qu Yunxuan, he cared for her sore shoulders and wondered whether she returned his feelings. When he finally held her hand, she pulled away and scolded him for getting fresh.

• Dong Xuebin and Qu Yunxuan celebrated his promotion over dinner and watched the news together.
• Qu Yunxuan advised Dong Xuebin to secure his new position before trying to advance further.
• Dong Xuebin scraped Qu Yunxuan’s neck and shoulders, and she thanked him and massaged his tired hand.
• Dong Xuebin wondered whether Qu Yunxuan liked him and reached for her hand to test her reaction.
• Qu Yunxuan pulled her hand away and told Dong Xuebin not to get fresh with her.

On his first day as deputy director of the General Office, Dong Xuebin settled into his new authority and assigned work to his subordinates. After reflecting on how to manage the office, he decided to put Guo Shunjie in his place despite knowing that targeting an old rival could make him look petty.

• Dong Xuebin arrived late, enjoyed the clerks’ greetings, and entered the General Office as his staff stood to welcome him.
• Dong Xuebin assigned Guo Panwei and Guo Shunjie to prepare a meeting room, Tan Limei to print materials, and Chang Juan and Sun Zhuang to deliver documents.
• Dong Xuebin signed a document from Director Xu and told Tan Limei and Zhuangzi to call him Binzi when they were alone.
• Dong Xuebin considered how to assert his authority and decided that Guo Shunjie was the person he would target first.

Newly appointed Director Dong Xuebin used his authority to punish Guo Shunjie for past mistreatment, then reassured Chang Juan when she apologized for opposing him. The chapter ended with Dong Xuebin reflecting on the perks and pressures of power.

• Guo Panwei reported that preparations were complete, and Dong Xuebin decided to observe him rather than target him immediately.
• Dong Xuebin ordered Guo Shunjie to type a lengthy document alone and told Tan Limei to make sure no one helped him.
• After Guo Shunjie submitted the document, Dong Xuebin berated him for its many typos and ordered him to work overtime until it was finished.
• Chang Juan apologized to Dong Xuebin for her earlier remarks, and he told her he did not hold them against her.
• Chang Juan flirted with Dong Xuebin before leaving, and he reflected that his first day as a leader had shown him what power was like.