Chapter Summaries

Dong Xuebin joined the Xie family elders as they discussed Zhong Lizhen’s career and Xie Guojian’s prospects. He revealed a hard drive he had secretly taken from the Fuzhou Military Research Institute, and its contents proved to be valuable scientific research.

• Xie Guobang said the family would help Zhong Lizhen secure authority and support her development at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
• Xie Guobang and Xie Guoliang discussed Xie Guojian’s uncertain promotion prospects and considered possible posts for him.
• Dong Xuebin gave Xie Guojian a hard drive he had secretly taken from the Fuzhou Military Research Institute.
• Xie Guojian summoned a military technical specialist, who found design blueprints and research materials from American scientific projects on the drive.
• Xie Guojian thanked Dong Xuebin for bringing back the valuable research.

Dong Xuebin returned to Zhenshui County after securing fifty million in funding and winning the support of Finance Bureau Director Yan Yizhi and Deputy Director Chen Xiaomei. He learned that Deputy Secretary Zhang Wanshui and Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Pu An were holding separate weddings at the same hotel that day, leaving him to decide which celebration to attend.

• Dong Xuebin called Yan Yizhi, who said the county finances were tight and confirmed he had kept the expected central funding secret from Secretary Meng and County Chief Jiang.
• Dong Xuebin arrived at the airport and learned from Ma Bin that no county government car was available to pick him up.
• Ma Bin explained that Zhang Wanshui and Pu An were holding their children's weddings at the same hotel on the same day, creating a politically sensitive choice for county officials.
• Dong Xuebin asked his secretary Yao Cui to arrange a County Party Committee car and she offered to pick him up herself.
• On the plane, Dong Xuebin weighed attending Zhang Wanshui's son's wedding against attending Pu An's daughter's wedding, considering the county's factional balance.

After the county failed to send a car to collect him from the provincial capital, Dong Xuebin took a long-distance bus back to Zhenshui County. He concluded that Zhang Wanshui and Secretary Meng's faction had deliberately snubbed him and vowed to remember it.

• Yao Cui told Dong Xuebin that the County Party Committee and several departments had no cars available because their vehicles were being used for Deputy Secretary Zhang Wanshui's son's wedding.
• Dong Xuebin told Ma Bin and Yao Cui not to make the long trip and said he would return by bus, while reassuring Ma Bin that their earlier differences were settled.
• Dong Xuebin boarded a crowded long-distance bus to Zhenshui County and grew increasingly annoyed by two noisy passengers.
• Dong Xuebin suspected Zhang Wanshui and Secretary Meng's faction had denied him a pickup in retaliation for his stance at the last Standing Committee meeting, and vowed to remember the slight.

Dong Xuebin returned to Zhenshui County by bus and endured two drunken passengers mocking him and insulting County Chief Jiang. After he quietly alerted Yao Cui, police officers arrived at the station and arrested the men, while Dong Xuebin continued on his way.

• Jiang Fangfang called Dong Xuebin on the bus and learned he was returning to Zhenshui County without a car.
• Two drunken passengers mocked Dong Xuebin’s call and discussed county politics before making lewd remarks about Jiang Fangfang.
• Dong Xuebin texted his secretary, Yao Cui, who replied that she would handle the matter.
• When the bus reached Zhenshui County, officers from the Chengguan Township Police Station arrived and greeted Dong Xuebin as County Chief Dong.
• Dong Xuebin pointed out the two passengers, and the officers took them away as the other passengers realized he was a deputy county chief.

Dong Xuebin returned to Zhenshui County and drove to the County Party Committee Family Compound, where two rival wedding parties were competing for attention. As Zhang Wanshui’s faction left Dong without a car, he headed toward a tense confrontation at the compound.

• Dong Xuebin cleaned his Land Rover and drove toward the County Party Committee Family Compound.
• Officials gathered for the weddings of Pu An’s and Zhang Wanshui’s relatives, while Meng Rui and Jiang Fangfang watched the rival convoys from upstairs.
• Li Xiaona asked Yao Cui whether Dong Xuebin needed a ride from the station, but Yao Cui said he had not requested one.
• Yao Cui grew angry when she saw Zhang Wanshui’s convoy using county vehicles while Dong Xuebin had been left without a car.
• Zhang Wanshui told his secretary to ignore Yao Cui’s complaint, having knowingly declined to lend Dong a vehicle.

Pu Tao complained that her wedding procession had an unimpressive lead car, while Pu An’s family faced a stark contrast with Zhang Wanshui’s lavishly supported wedding. County Chief Jiang Fangfang joined Pu An’s procession, and the chapter ended with Secretary Meng Rui joining Zhang Wanshui’s.

• Pu Tao argued with Pu An over the Audi leading her wedding procession, and Pu An explained that better cars were unavailable or unaffordable.
• Jian Xiangrong visited Pu An and heard why the family had struggled to arrange a more impressive convoy.
• Pu An and Zhang Wanshui’s families left the compound for their weddings, and Zhang Wanshui’s larger convoy and crowd of officials overshadowed Pu An’s.
• Jiang Fangfang congratulated both families, then joined Pu An’s procession, prompting several officials, including Yao Cui and Ma Bin, to follow her.
• Meng Rui arrived, congratulated Pu An and Zhang Wanshui, and got into Zhang Wanshui’s car.

As the Pu and Zhang wedding convoys competed to leave the County Party Committee Compound first, the Zhang family's lead car forced the Pu family's Audi into a gatepost, injuring Pu Tao and the groom. After Meng Rui dismissed the crash as a misunderstanding, Dong Xuebin rammed his SUV into the Zhang family's Lexus outside the compound.

• Jian Xiangrong learned that no county car had been sent to pick up County Chief Dong, despite county vehicles being used in Zhang Wanshui's wedding convoy.
• The Pu and Zhang convoys raced toward the narrow compound gate, and the Zhang family's Lexus cut off the Pu family's Audi, which crashed into a gatepost.
• Pu Tao and the groom got out injured, while Pu An and Zhang Wanshui argued until Meng Rui called the collision a misunderstanding.
• Zhang Wanshui's convoy drove away as the Pu family stayed behind to deal with the damaged Audi and continue the wedding.
• Dong Xuebin drove his black SUV into the front of the Zhang family's Lexus outside the compound.

Dong Xuebin deliberately rammed his Land Rover into the Lexus carrying Zhang Wanshui’s son and daughter-in-law, then argued that the other driver was at fault. He left Zhang Wanshui’s family furious and their wedding procession delayed.

• After seeing Zhang Wanshui’s family and Meng Rui mistreat Pu An and the others, Dong Xuebin drove his Land Rover into their Lexus.
• Zhang Wanshui and his wife rushed to check on their son and daughter-in-law, who were unharmed, while the driver recovered from the impact.
• Onlookers recognized Dong Xuebin’s expensive Land Rover and Capital City license plate, then realized he had been the one driving.
• Dong Xuebin blamed Zhang Wanshui’s driver for the crash and mocked Zhang Wanshui by pretending to mistake the wedding for his remarriage.
• Zhang Wanshui agreed to settle responsibility through an accident assessment and left with his family, while Dong Xuebin sarcastically criticized the damaged Lexus.

Dong Xuebin returned to the courtyard in his wife's Land Rover and let the officials know it was legally purchased, surprising them with his family's apparent wealth. When Pu Tao's wedding lead car broke down, he lent her the Land Rover, leaving the Pu family's procession far more impressive than Zhang Wanshui's.

• Zhang Wanshui switched to another lead car after the Lexus would not start, while Pu An's car also remained broken down.
• Dong Xuebin told Pu An and the other officials that the Land Rover belonged to his wife and had been bought with their legal income, prompting widespread surprise.
• Pu Tao refused to use a Passat as her wedding lead car and asked Dong Xuebin to lend her his Land Rover.
• Dong Xuebin handed Pu Tao the keys and said he would attend the wedding with the Pu family.
• Pu Tao and the groom rode in the Land Rover, while Zhang Wanshui's side was left with a much less expensive Audi.

Dong Xuebin arrived at Pu Tao’s wedding in a luxury Land Rover after his car had collided with Zhang Wanshui’s procession, drawing attention and leaving Zhang unhappy. The chapter ended with Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei following Dong Xuebin into the Pu family’s banquet hall, surprising the guests who expected them to attend Zhang’s wedding.

• Zhang Wanshui’s and Pu An’s wedding processions arrived at the hotel, and Dong Xuebin’s Land Rover overshadowed Zhang’s cars.
• Guests learned that the Land Rover belonged to County Chief Dong and that it had accidentally hit Zhang’s original lead car.
• Pu Tao introduced Dong Xuebin as the newly appointed executive deputy county chief after Niu Zi mistook him for a wealthy businessman.
• Dong Xuebin greeted guests in the lounge while Pu An and the two wedding parties gathered upstairs.
• Dong Xuebin invited Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei into Pu An’s wedding venue, and their decision stunned the guests and members of Meng’s faction.

At Pu An’s family wedding, Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei openly aligned themselves with Jiang Fangfang’s camp, while Pu An’s warm toast to Jiang Fangfang suggested that he was also moving closer to the Jiang Faction. The chapter left Zhenshui County’s political balance poised to shift against Meng Rui’s faction.

• Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei entered the wedding with Dong Xuebin, signaling their departure from Meng Rui’s faction and their support for Jiang Fangfang.
• Jiang Fangfang welcomed Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei at her table, confirming that she accepted their allegiance.
• Pu Tao and her husband toasted their parents, Jiang Fangfang, and Dong Xuebin during the wedding banquet.
• Pu An personally poured Jiang Fangfang a full glass and drank his own, prompting guests to suspect that he was joining the Jiang Faction.
• Jian Xiangrong noticed Pu An’s gesture but stayed silent as Dong Xuebin realized the wedding had strengthened Jiang Fangfang’s position.

After the wedding banquet, Dong Xuebin gave Pu Tao a wedding gift and let her keep his car, then rode back with Jiang Fangfang. In private, they revealed that they had each deliberately helped bring about the clash between Pu An and Zhang Wanshui, and they ended the conversation laughing together.

• Dong Xuebin gave Pu Tao a thousand-yuan wedding gift and let her use his car overnight.
• Jiang Fangfang waited for Dong Xuebin and drove him back to the Family Compound with Li Xiaona.
• Jiang Fangfang warned Dong Xuebin that the Land Rover crash might be reported, and he explained that his wealth came from lottery winnings and had been disclosed during earlier investigations.
• Jiang Fangfang asked whether the Finance Bureau officials were reliable, and Dong Xuebin confirmed their support and credited the wedding-day dispute with helping win Pu An over.
• Jiang Fangfang revealed that she had instructed her contact at Zhenshui Hotel to schedule Pu Tao's and Zhang Wanshui's family weddings on the same day.
• Dong Xuebin admitted that he had deliberately crashed into Zhang Wanshui's family's wedding car, and Jiang Fangfang laughed with him.

After lending his Land Rover to Secretary Pu’s family, Dong Xuebin realized he had left his keys and belongings in it and spent the afternoon waiting for the car to return. When it still had not arrived by night, Jiang Fangfang invited him into her place to wait.

• Jiang Fangfang drove Dong Xuebin home, then left for her parents’ house, and Dong Xuebin discovered he had no keys because they were in the Land Rover.
• Dong Xuebin learned that retrieving a spare key required procedures he could not complete until the next morning, so he decided not to bother Secretary Pu’s family.
• Li Xiaona offered to drive the Land Rover back after dinner at Secretary Pu’s Daughter’s home, and Dong Xuebin spent several hours resting at a teahouse.
• Dong Xuebin returned to the Family Compound at night but found the Land Rover had not arrived, leaving him locked out with his luggage and work documents inside.
• Jiang Fangfang found Dong Xuebin waiting outside, then invited him into her place until the car returned.

Dong Xuebin visited Jiang Fangfang’s home while waiting for his car keys to be returned, and she cooked dinner for him. When the car could not be brought back that night, Jiang Fangfang offered him the spare room, and he agreed to stay over.

• Dong Xuebin followed Jiang Fangfang into her home and waited while she prepared dinner.
• Jiang Fangfang asked about Dong Xuebin’s trip to the Capital City, and he told her the Ministry of Finance had agreed to provide fifty million in funding.
• Dong Xuebin helped clear the table and then watched television with Jiang Fangfang while waiting for his car keys.
• Jiang Fangfang learned that Xiao Na had stayed at a Guest House after drinking and that the car would not return that night.
• Jiang Fangfang offered Dong Xuebin the spare room, and he accepted her offer to stay overnight.

Dong Xuebin stayed overnight at Jiang Fangfang’s home and discovered that she suffered from severe insomnia after her husband’s death. He offered to read to her, and the economics book quickly put her to sleep.

• Jiang Fangfang told Dong Xuebin that she had relied on sleeping pills for years because she could not sleep after her husband died.
• Jiang Fangfang explained that her husband used to read to her at bedtime, and Dong Xuebin offered to try reading to her himself.
• Dong Xuebin brought an economics book into Jiang Fangfang’s bedroom and noticed that her wedding photo had been taken down.
• Dong Xuebin read aloud, and Jiang Fangfang fell asleep within minutes, so he tucked her in and turned off the light.

Dong Xuebin stayed at Jiang Fangfang’s home and made breakfast before she showered. When Jiang Fangfang slipped in the bathroom and injured herself, he carried her to bed and brought her medicine, leaving her to treat the wound.

• Dong Xuebin made breakfast while Jiang Fangfang got ready, and they discussed her reliance on sleeping pills.
• Jiang Fangfang told Dong Xuebin she was going to shower while he waited for work to begin.
• Dong Xuebin heard Jiang Fangfang fall in the bathroom and broke open the locked door when she could not stand.
• Dong Xuebin found Jiang Fangfang bleeding from a scrape and carried her to the bedroom.
• Jiang Fangfang asked for Yunnan Baiyao, and Dong Xuebin brought her the medicine and gauze before stepping out.

After Jiang Fangfang injured herself in the bath, Dong Xuebin helped bandage the wound on her buttocks. She was able to walk afterward but insisted on going to work despite still limping.

• Dong Xuebin waited while Jiang Fangfang tried to apply medicine, then went into her bedroom when she called him.
• Jiang Fangfang said she could not reach the wound on her back and asked Dong Xuebin to help bandage it.
• Dong Xuebin lifted her bathrobe, applied Yunnan Baiyao to the bleeding wound on her buttocks, and secured gauze over it.
• Jiang Fangfang got out of bed with Dong Xuebin's help and said she could walk and still had to go to work.
• Dong Xuebin supported Jiang Fangfang as they walked slowly, holding her hand and keeping his other hand near her waist.

Dong Xuebin helped Jiang Fangfang recover after her fall, then hid in her bathroom when Li Xiaona arrived with his car keys. Jiang Fangfang kept Li Xiaona from discovering him, and Dong Xuebin left with the keys as she reminded him to prepare for the Standing Committee meeting.

• Dong Xuebin supported Jiang Fangfang as she walked around the room, then cleaned the bathroom while she changed.
• Dong Xuebin put Jiang Fangfang's bra and underwear into the washing machine when the doorbell rang.
• Li Xiaona arrived to return Dong Xuebin's car keys, and Jiang Fangfang told him to hide in the bathroom.
• When Li Xiaona asked to use the bathroom, Jiang Fangfang went inside and stalled until Li Xiaona left.
• Jiang Fangfang handed Dong Xuebin the keys and told him to prepare for the Standing Committee meeting.

At the County Party Committee Standing Committee meeting, Meng Rui and his allies criticized Dong Xuebin over the county’s worsening finances, while Pu An and Jian Xiangrong defended him. Dong Xuebin announced that the Ministry of Finance had approved 50 million in funding, ending the attacks and leaving him with greater standing in the county leadership.

• Dong Xuebin arrived at the County Party Committee compound in his Land Rover as officials discussed his confrontation with Zhang Wanshui and Secretary Meng’s faction.
• Meng Rui criticized Dong Xuebin for failing to secure funding, and Liao Haiwei, Cheng Fuguang, Ci Boyang, and Zhang Wanshui pressed him about delayed wages and the county’s financial crisis.
• Pu An and Jian Xiangrong defended Dong Xuebin, while Pu An challenged Zhang Wanshui over his own failed attempts to obtain central funding.
• Dong Xuebin received a call during the meeting informing him that the Ministry of Finance had approved 50 million for Zhenshui County.
• Meng Rui praised Dong Xuebin for securing the funding, and Secretary Meng’s allies stopped criticizing him for the remainder of the meeting.

Dong Xuebin learned that the fifty million yuan he secured for Zhenshui County had been reduced to five million after passing through the City Finance Bureau. He confirmed that the city had withheld forty-five million and prepared to investigate and recover the funds.

• Officials in Zhenshui County welcomed Dong Xuebin and sought his favor after hearing he had secured fifty million yuan in funding.
• Dong Xuebin asked Yao Cui to check whether the funds had arrived, but the Finance Bureau initially had no news.
• Yan Yizhi told Dong Xuebin that only five million yuan had reached the county, leaving forty-five million missing.
• Dong Xuebin called Xie Guoliang, who said the funds had likely been intercepted between the city and the county and advised him to investigate quickly.
• Chen Xiaomei confirmed that the province had transferred fifty million yuan, but the City Finance Bureau had sent only five million to Zhenshui County.