Chapter Summaries

Ma Bin discovered that Yao Cui and County Chief Dong were university classmates and worried about repairing the offense he had caused. After dinner, Dong Xuebin walked Yao Cui toward the bus stop and encouraged her to believe she might still be promoted.

• Ma Bin realized that the guest dining at Yao Cui's home was County Chief Dong and asked Section Chief Cai to investigate Yao Cui's background.
• Section Chief Cai found that Yao Cui and Dong Xuebin had attended United University in the same class year, and Ma Bin considered how to make amends.
• Dong Xuebin offered to leave alone because Yao Cui had a cold, but she changed clothes and insisted on seeing him off.
• On the way to the bus stop, Yao Cui said she hoped to become deputy director of the county government office but doubted she would be promoted.
• Dong Xuebin told Yao Cui that her prospects might be better than she thought.

On his first official day in Zhenshui County, Dong Xuebin reviewed local materials and selected his former university classmate Yao Cui to serve as his secretary. He left Ma Bin to complete her appointment procedures.

• Dong Xuebin arrived early at the County Government Office and studied documents to learn about Zhenshui County.
• Ma Bin visited Dong Xuebin and offered help with his housing, but Dong Xuebin kept their strained relationship at a distance.
• Ma Bin presented résumés of deputy directors as possible secretaries, and Dong Xuebin asked to review the files of other staff as well.
• Dong Xuebin chose Yao Cui, and Section Chief Cai and Ma Bin praised her work and qualifications.
• Dong Xuebin explained that Yao Cui was his former university classmate, then told Ma Bin to begin the appointment procedures.

Yao Cui arrived late to work after taking cold medicine and was ordered to handle routine chores, but Section Chief Cai abruptly began treating her with great respect. Ma Bin then hinted that Yao Cui would soon be promoted, leaving her and the Secretarial Section stunned.

• Yao Cui arrived late and was reprimanded by Deputy Section Chief Chen before being assigned printing, typing, and water-fetching tasks.
• Xiao Hong offered to help Yao Cui, while Yao Cui kept her head down because she was worried about having offended Ma Bin and Section Chief Cai the day before.
• Section Chief Cai stopped Lao Wang from making Yao Cui fetch water, scolded him, and affectionately took Yao Cui to her office.
• Ma Bin arrived looking for Yao Cui, asked after her health, and told her that she might be moving up soon.
• Yao Cui asked where she would be transferred, but Ma Bin said she would find out that afternoon.

Yao Cui remained unaware of her rumored promotion as leaders across the County Government Office treated her with unusual deference. By the end of the morning, her colleagues were convinced her transfer would be significant, though its destination remained unknown.

• After Ma Bin and Section Chief Cai treated Yao Cui warmly, Xiao Hong and other colleagues questioned her about the apparent promotion, but she said she knew nothing.
• Lao Wang apologized to Yao Cui, and Deputy Section Chief Chen investigated with Section Chief Cai before returning and ordering Little Li to take over Yao Cui's work so she could rest.
• Deputy County Chief Lu stopped to greet Yao Cui kindly, surprising the Secretarial Section staff.
• A leader from the Poverty Alleviation Office shook Yao Cui's hand and invited her to a meal, further convincing her colleagues that her promotion would be substantial.

Yao Cui learned that she had been promoted to Deputy Director of the county government office and chosen as secretary to the executive deputy county chief, though she did not know why he had selected her. She told her family the news and planned to meet the leader, while her father eagerly prepared for a possible dinner with him.

• The Secretarial Section staff treated Yao Cui with unusual deference, and the County Party Committee Organization Department assessed her and confirmed her transfer.
• Yao Cui learned she had been named Deputy Director of the county government office and personally selected as the executive deputy county chief's secretary.
• Xiao Hong urged Yao Cui to meet the executive deputy county chief before the appointment document arrived, and Yao Cui agreed to go back to the office.
• Yao Cui called Yao's Father and told him about her promotion, while admitting she had never met the executive deputy county chief.
• Yao's Father shared the news with Yao's Mother and Yao Li, then urged them to prepare dinner in case a County Leader visited.

Yao Cui went to meet the new executive deputy county chief and discovered that the official who had promoted her was her old college classmate, Dong Xuebin. They reconciled over his keeping the news from her, and Yao Cui agreed to help him settle into his new role and invited him to dinner.

• Yao Cui climbed to the County Leaders' offices after colleagues congratulated her on becoming the executive deputy county chief's secretary.
• Dong Xuebin ended a phone call with his mother when Yao Cui knocked on his office door.
• Yao Cui entered the Executive Deputy County Chief's Office and was shocked to find Dong Xuebin behind the desk.
• Dong Xuebin admitted he was the new executive deputy county chief and had chosen Yao Cui as his secretary.
• Yao Cui teased Dong Xuebin for hiding his position and promotion plans, then agreed to help him with his work.
• Yao Cui invited Dong Xuebin to her home for dinner that evening, and they joked together as old classmates.

Dong Xuebin publicly showed his closeness to Yao Cui, then accompanied her to her family’s home after her transfer was settled. Her parents and Yao Li were stunned to learn that Dong Xuebin was the executive deputy county chief who had helped secure her promotion.

• Dong Xuebin waited outside the Office Building and left with Yao Cui so officials would know they were old classmates.
• Yao Cui rode her bicycle while Dong Xuebin sat on the back seat, and they traveled to her family’s Small Courtyard.
• Yao Cui told her anxious parents that her transfer had been settled, then introduced Dong Xuebin as Zhenshui County’s executive deputy county chief.
• Yao Cui’s parents and Yao Li were shocked, and Yao’s Mother and Yao’s Father hurried to offer County Chief Dong tea and hospitality.

Dong Xuebin shared dinner with Yao Cui and her family, who thanked him for promoting her and discussed how she could succeed as his secretary. Afterward, Yao Cui’s parents urged her to use her new position to find her younger brother a job.

• Dong Xuebin eased Yao Cui’s parents’ nervousness, then toasted with them and thanked Yao Cui for agreeing to help him.
• Yao Cui asked Dong Xuebin how he had risen so quickly, and he promised to explain when he had more time.
• After Dong Xuebin left, Yao Cui’s family praised his career and urged her to perform well as his secretary.
• Yao’s Mother asked Yao Cui to find Yao Li a job, and Yao’s Father suggested placing him in a state-owned enterprise.

After Yao Cui's parents urged her to use her new position to help Yao Li find work, officials and local business representatives arrived at the Yao family home to apologize for past fines and offer favors. Yao Li accepted a supervisor position at the county Printing Factory, while a stream of visitors sought to connect with Yao Cui, leaving her parents astonished by her influence as County Chief Dong's secretary.

• Yao Cui resisted her parents' request to arrange a job for Yao Li, saying she was unsure she could help and felt embarrassed to ask.
• A representative from the County Industry and Commerce Bureau returned the family's old fines and promised to deliver their breakfast stall's approved business license.
• Deputy Director Zhang returned a health inspection fine and apologized for the Health Bureau's conduct toward the Yao family's stall.
• The county Printing Factory's personnel manager offered Yao Li a supervisor position with good benefits, and Yao Cui agreed that he should take it.
• Yao's Father and Yao's Mother watched county officials and other visitors arrive to seek favors and connections with Yao Cui.

Yao Cui’s family endured a flood of visitors eager to congratulate her on her promotion and curry favor, while her father celebrated the family’s new standing and Yao Li’s job prospects. Yao Cui escaped the crowded courtyard by saying she had to visit County Chief Dong.

• Yao Cui massaged her mother’s waist and insisted that her new position would not change how she treated her parents.
• Yao’s Father said County Chief Dong’s connections had helped Yao Li secure a supervisor position, and Yao Li thanked Yao Cui.
• Yao’s parents discussed Yao Cui’s future and agreed she could make her own decisions about work and marriage.
• Yao Cui’s uncle and aunt arrived and praised her promotion, while her aunt described what she thought a leader’s secretary did.
• Relatives and neighbors crowded into the courtyard with congratulations, gifts, and matchmaking suggestions.
• Yao Cui claimed she needed to visit County Chief Dong and left the courtyard to escape the crowd.

Dong Xuebin welcomed his secretary and old classmate Yao Cui to his apartment, where she joked with him and insisted on handling household chores as part of her duties. The chapter left them sharing a comfortable friendship as Yao Cui organized his belongings and Dong Xuebin felt touched by her care.

• Yao Cui called Dong Xuebin and said she was escaping a stream of visitors who had come to her home after her appointment as secretary.
• Yao Cui arrived at Dong Xuebin’s apartment and joked with him about their friendship and her new role as his secretary.
• Yao Cui made tea, swept Dong Xuebin’s bedroom, and tidied his bedding despite his protests.
• Yao Cui unpacked Dong Xuebin’s suitcase and neatly arranged his clothes, socks, and underwear, insisting that caring for his daily life was part of her work.

Dong Xuebin asked his new secretary, Yao Cui, to explain Zhenshui County’s finances and leadership. He learned the county faced severe debt and funding shortages, while County Chief Jiang Fangfang had become detached after her husband’s death, leaving Secretary Meng with most of the influence.

• Dong Xuebin found Yao Cui cleaning his office and received notice of a County Chief Office Meeting.
• Yao Cui explained that Zhenshui County relied on annual appropriations and borrowing to cover debts, leaving little money for development.
• Yao Cui described the county’s weak agriculture and small-scale animal husbandry, which offered little prospect for growth.
• Dong Xuebin asked why County Chief Jiang Fangfang seemed indifferent, and Yao Cui revealed that Jiang’s husband had died several years earlier.
• Yao Cui said Secretary Meng effectively called the shots because Jiang seemed detached and many County Party Committee Standing Committee Members sided with Meng.

Dong Xuebin heard from Yao Cui that Secretary Meng dominated Zhenshui County while County Chief Jiang Fangfang had little support, so he decided to postpone choosing a side. He attended his first county government meeting and watched Jiang Fangfang take her place to begin.

• Yao Cui told Dong Xuebin that Secretary Meng controlled most of the county leadership and advised him to join Meng's camp, but Dong chose to wait and observe.
• Dong Xuebin asked Yao Cui to turn down dinner invitations on his behalf while he delayed choosing a faction.
• Dong Xuebin arrived early at the county government meeting, noticed the room's smoky atmosphere, and introduced himself to Ci Boyang, Lu Zhi, and other officials.
• Jiang Fangfang entered the conference room, and the officials stopped smoking and took their seats as she opened the meeting.

Dong Xuebin attended his first County Chief Office Meeting, where Jiang Fangfang assigned him personnel, finance, office affairs, and Investment Promotion Work. After the meeting, he approached Ci Boyang politely about the transferred portfolio and began reconsidering Jiang Fangfang’s political strategy.

• Jiang Fangfang introduced Dong Xuebin and assigned him the former executive deputy county chief’s responsibilities, along with Investment Promotion Work previously handled by Ci Boyang.
• Ci Boyang accepted the transfer without openly objecting, and the other deputy county chiefs stayed silent.
• Dong Xuebin kept his remarks cautious during the meeting and planned to observe the county’s political situation before taking a side.
• After the meeting, Dong Xuebin offered to learn about Investment Promotion from Ci Boyang, who agreed to visit his office instead.
• Back in his office, Dong Xuebin concluded that Jiang Fangfang’s reassignment was a calculated move amid Secretary Meng’s growing influence.

Dong Xuebin reflected on choosing a political camp and proving himself, then struggled to find dinner in Zhenshui County. The chapter left him stunned when County Chief Jiang Fangfang brought groceries to his home and began cooking for him.

• Dong Xuebin considered how to win local leadership’s recognition and earn a promotion, but decided not to rush into choosing a side or producing results.
• Yao Cui invited Dong Xuebin to eat at her home and offered to cook for him, but he declined and went searching for a restaurant.
• Dong Xuebin found the nearby restaurants unappealing and returned to the Family Compound without having eaten.
• Dong Xuebin ran into Jiang Fangfang taking out the garbage, and they walked upstairs together while discussing his difficulty finding food.
• Jiang Fangfang returned with groceries, entered Dong Xuebin’s apartment, and began washing vegetables to cook dinner for them.

Jiang Fangfang visited Dong Xuebin at home, cooked him dinner, and surprised him by insisting on washing his underwear and socks. Dong Xuebin remained baffled by her unexpected kindness and could not decide what it meant.

• Jiang Fangfang told Dong Xuebin that his work assignment would go before the Standing Committee, though his city-level approval was still pending.
• Jiang Fangfang cooked dinner for Dong Xuebin, who praised her food and wondered if she had invited him over to discuss something.
• Dong Xuebin washed the dishes while Jiang Fangfang went to the bathroom and noticed his unwashed underwear and socks.
• Jiang Fangfang offered to wash Dong Xuebin's laundry, explaining that she could treat him like a younger brother after work.
• Dong Xuebin tried to stop Jiang Fangfang, but she sat down and began washing his underwear and socks herself.

Jiang Fangfang cooked for Dong Xuebin and washed his clothes, leaving him baffled about why she was treating him so well. She left without asking for his support, and Dong Xuebin remained unsure what her intentions were.

• Jiang Fangfang continued washing Dong Xuebin’s underwear and socks despite his protests.
• Dong Xuebin called Yao Cui to ask what she knew about Jiang Fangfang, and Yao Cui said Jiang Fangfang did not try to win officials over.
• Dong Xuebin concluded Jiang Fangfang’s behavior must have an explanation he could not understand.
• Dong Xuebin watched Jiang Fangfang finish washing and hang up his clothes, while he became distracted by her appearance.
• Jiang Fangfang accepted wood ear mushrooms and regular mushrooms, then left without asking Dong Xuebin to support her.

Dong Xuebin learned that the city had appointed him to Zhenshui County’s Standing Committee, and Jiang Fangfang told him to report to Secretary Meng. After Jiang gave her secretary unusual orders to let Dong in without an announcement, Li Xiaona discovered that he strongly resembled Jiang’s deceased husband as a young man.

• Li Xiaona called Dong Xuebin and told him Jiang Fangfang wanted to see him when he arrived at work.
• Dong met Chu Peng leaving Jiang’s office, then learned from Jiang that the city had approved his appointment to the county’s Standing Committee.
• Jiang told Dong to report to Secretary Meng, who had returned that morning.
• After Dong left, Jiang instructed Li Xiaona to let him enter her office at any time without announcing him.
• Li searched archived photos of Jiang’s deceased husband and found that his face at age twenty-two looked strikingly like Dong’s, then decided to keep her discovery secret.

Dong Xuebin met County Party Secretary Meng Rui and County Chief Jiang Fangfang before attending his first Standing Committee meeting in Zhenshui County. After discovering that Jiang’s deceased husband resembled him, he joined the meeting with the county’s financial shortage on the agenda.

• Dong Xuebin reported to Meng Rui, who told him to prepare for a Standing Committee meeting about the county’s financial shortage.
• Dong Xuebin went to Jiang Fangfang’s office to learn about the county’s finances and spotted a photograph of Jiang with her deceased husband, whose face strongly resembled his.
• Jiang Fangfang returned, turned the photograph facedown, and discussed the county’s financial situation with Dong Xuebin.
• Dong Xuebin arrived at his first Standing Committee meeting and greeted the other members as they took their seats.

At an emergency Standing Committee meeting, Zhenshui County’s leaders confronted a fiscal crisis after the county ran nearly out of money and both the city and province refused extra support. Jiang Fangfang opposed diverting education funds and proposed seeking ten million from the central government, a suggestion Meng Rui and his allies dismissed as unrealistic.

• Yan Yizhi reported that the Finance Bureau had less than two million left and might not be able to pay county government salaries.
• Meng Rui revealed that neither the city nor the province would provide additional funding, and the committee discussed delaying salaries as a temporary measure.
• Jiang Hai proposed using surplus earmarked education funds to cover the fiscal gap, and Meng Rui supported the idea.
• Jiang Fangfang objected to diverting education funds, insisting that students’ rights had to be protected even if government workers went without salaries.
• Jiang Fangfang proposed applying to the central government for ten million, but Meng Rui and several committee members doubted the request would succeed.