Chapter Summaries

Dong Xuebin stood up for Han Fei after Yang Zhen of the General Affairs Department damaged her car, then smashed Yang’s Audi and kicked him. As both departments’ leaders appealed to higher-ups and Second Office feared Dong would be punished, Han Fei insisted she should take responsibility.

• Dong Xuebin led Second Office back to the office building while onlookers predicted he would face discipline for beating Yang Zhen and wrecking his car.
• Han Fei, Sun Zhaobang, and Zhang Dongliang worried about the consequences, and Dong returned to his office without showing concern.
• Yin Cheng'an returned, heard how Yang Zhen had damaged Han Fei’s car and Dong had retaliated, then called leaders to plead Dong’s case.
• Zeng Ming heard Yang Zhen’s account and complained to an Eighth Office leader, demanding justice against Dong Xuebin.
• He Zhou warned that Dong might be suspended or dismissed, and Han Fei vowed to take responsibility before he suggested her father might know senior leaders.

Han Fei and her colleagues worried that Dong Xuebin would be punished after he fought Yang Zhen, so Han Fei called her father to ask for help. Han Zhenghe recognized Dong Xuebin’s name as someone he had heard about, leaving Han Fei wondering what her father knew.

• He Zhou suggested Han Fei ask her father to plead for Dong Xuebin, but Han Fei doubted he would intervene.
• Yin Cheng'an told Han Fei that the Eighth Office’s leaders intended to hold Dong Xuebin accountable and that Zhu Weiye was still unavailable.
• Han Fei decided to call Han Zhenghe and explained how Yang Zhen had scraped her car before Dong Xuebin crashed into Yang Zhen’s car and kicked him.
• Han Zhenghe questioned Dong Xuebin’s conduct, then recognized his name and said he had heard of him since Dong Xuebin transferred to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Zeng Ming and Yang Zhen complained to Zhou Dai about Dong Xuebin’s assault and the damage to Yang Zhen’s car, while Yin Cheng’an defended the Second Office and argued with Zeng Ming. Han Zhenghe reassured Han Fei that Dong Xuebin would be safe, hinting that his standing in the Capital City made him untouchable.

• Zeng Ming showed Zhou Dai Yang Zhen’s bruises and photos of his damaged Audi, and Zhou Dai agreed to report the incident while reminding Yang Zhen that he had also acted rashly.
• Yin Cheng’an arrived and argued with Zeng Ming over who had started the conflict and who had laid hands on someone first.
• Zhou Dai stopped the argument and ordered everyone to leave until Director Zhu could handle the matter.
• Yin Cheng’an returned to his office worried that Dong Xuebin would face serious punishment.
• Han Fei told Han Zhenghe that Dong Xuebin had stood up for her and she feared he would be removed from his post.
• Han Zhenghe assured Han Fei that Dong Xuebin would be fine and said that in the Capital City, no one would dare touch him.

After Dong Xuebin’s confrontation with Yang Zhen became a crisis, Han Fei learned that her father believed no one at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection would dare touch him. Dong Xuebin was summoned to face Eighth Office leaders, where Yang Zhen minimized his role and Zhou Dai criticized Dong, leaving the dispute unresolved.

• Han Fei’s father told her that no one would dare touch Dong Xuebin, but he refused to explain why.
• Yin Cheng'an returned with news that Deputy Director Zhou Dai had lost his temper and Zeng Ming had taken Yang Zhen to the leaders.
• Secretary Chen summoned Dong Xuebin to meet Director Zhu Weiye and Zhou Dai, while Yin Cheng'an was barred from accompanying him.
• Dong Xuebin calmly asked Zhang Dongliang to save his music before following Secretary Chen.
• Zhu Weiye questioned Yang Zhen, who admitted arguing with Second Office and damaging a car but denied starting a fight.
• Dong Xuebin challenged Zhou Dai’s account, and Zhou Dai accused him of beating someone as their confrontation continued.

Dong Xuebin argued with Deputy Director Zhou Dai after his fight with Yang Zhen, but Director Zhu Weiye decided not to discipline him. The chapter ended with Zhou Dai realizing that Dong Xuebin’s powerful family connections made him difficult to punish.

• Zhu Weiye ordered Yang Zhen to write a self-criticism and dismissed him from the office.
• After Zhou Dai and Yang Zhen left, Zhu Weiye scolded Dong Xuebin and ordered him to write a self-criticism and pay Yang Zhen’s repair and medical expenses.
• Zhu Weiye told Zhou Dai that Dong Xuebin would receive no formal discipline, and Zhou Dai began wondering who Dong Xuebin was.
• Zhou Dai learned from Zhu Weiye’s explanation that Dong Xuebin’s father-in-law was Capital City’s Municipal Party Secretary and his fourth granduncle was the Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Yang Zhen and Zeng Ming learned that Dong Xuebin would receive no serious punishment because senior officials considered him difficult to touch. Yang Zhen sought help from Vice Minister Fang, who also warned him to let the matter go.

• Yang Zhen waited for Dong Xuebin to be punished, but Zeng Ming learned that the decision was limited to compensation and a written self-criticism.
• Zeng Ming confronted Zhou Dai, who said Director Zhu had ordered the matter closed and hinted that Dong Xuebin had an unusual background.
• Zeng Ming told Yang Zhen that even Director Zhu found it difficult to punish Dong Xuebin, then accepted the decision and returned to the department.
• Yang Zhen ignored his colleagues’ questions and called his father’s friend, Vice Minister Fang, to ask for help.
• Vice Minister Fang recognized Dong Xuebin’s name, said the matter was beyond his ability, and warned Yang Zhen not to provoke him further.

After the higher-ups spared Dong Xuebin from formal punishment, Yang Zhen accepted defeat and colleagues speculated about Dong’s powerful background. Dong collected compensation for the damage and medical costs, then received a scolding call from Han Jing, who told him to be more careful.

• Yang Zhen heeded Uncle Fang’s warning and gave up trying to fight Dong Xuebin.
• Colleagues in the discipline inspection offices learned Dong had only been ordered to write a self-criticism and pay compensation, and they speculated about his background.
• Dong Xuebin withdrew one hundred thousand yuan from a bank to cover repairs and medical expenses before driving back.
• Han Jing called Dong Xuebin about the workplace fight and car crash, and he admitted what happened while insisting he had been provoked.
• Han Jing criticized Dong Xuebin’s temper but ended the call by telling him to be more careful in the future.

After settling the consequences of his clash with Yang Zhen, Dong Xuebin returned to the office and accepted his colleagues’ invitation to dinner. The group planned to gather at his home, while Han Fei remained curious about his background.

• Dong Xuebin submitted a self-criticism letter to Zhu Weiye and paid seventy thousand in repair costs and medical compensation.
• Dong Xuebin told his colleagues the matter was settled, and Han Fei thanked him for standing up for her and offered to repay part of the cost.
• Han Fei and the others offered to share the payment, but Dong Xuebin refused and agreed to join them for dinner.
• Dong Xuebin invited Yin Cheng'an and the Second Office staff to eat at his home, and Zhang Dongliang volunteered to buy groceries.
• Han Fei wondered whether Dong Xuebin had a powerful background, and He Zhou suggested she ask her father about him again.

Dong Xuebin brought his colleagues from the Second Office to his villa for a meal, surprising them with the contrast between his home and his battered car. When they arrived, they found Su Jia hosting a class reunion there, and Dong Xuebin offered to take his colleagues elsewhere so she and her classmates could stay.

• Dong Xuebin and his colleagues left the government offices to head to his home for dinner after celebrating the Second Office’s success.
• Dong Xuebin guided Han Fei’s car into an upscale residential complex and revealed that he lived in a villa, astonishing his colleagues.
• Dong Xuebin found the villa lit and occupied, then discovered Su Jia was hosting her classmates there with Aunt Luan’s permission.
• Su Jia offered to take her classmates elsewhere, but Dong Xuebin insisted that she continue hosting and said he and his colleagues would find another place to eat.

Dong Xuebin let Su Jia and her classmates use his villa, then took his colleagues to his new home in Houhai for dinner. He revealed that the entire Courtyard House belonged to him, leaving them stunned.

• Dong Xuebin let Su Jia stay in his villa and told her she could use the cars, rooms, and supplies.
• Dong Xuebin told Luan Xiaoping that he had bought another home and invited his colleagues to eat at his place in Houhai.
• On the drive, Dong Xuebin's colleagues wondered how he had become so wealthy and praised his audacity after the car crash.
• Dong Xuebin greeted neighbors in the alley and brought his colleagues into a spacious Courtyard House.
• When Han Fei asked which room was his, Dong Xuebin said the entire Courtyard House belonged to him, stunning Han Fei, He Zhou, and Sun Zhaobang.

Dong Xuebin hosted Yin Cheng'an and his colleagues at his luxurious Courtyard House, cooking them dinner and serving expensive drinks. As the gathering turned into a toast-filled banquet, Han Fei asked why he drove a Xiali, and Dong Xuebin said it had been wrecked and he would probably buy a new car the next day.

• Dong Xuebin stunned Yin Cheng'an and the others by revealing that the entire Courtyard House belonged to him.
• Han Fei and Zhang Dongliang explored the house while Dong Xuebin insisted on cooking dinner for everyone.
• Dong Xuebin served his colleagues a meal, then offered a selection of expensive alcohol and let them stay overnight if needed.
• Han Fei and the others toasted Dong Xuebin for helping her, and Dong Xuebin toasted the group in return.
• After two glasses of red wine, Han Fei asked why Dong Xuebin drove a Xiali, and he said it had been wrecked and he would probably buy a new car tomorrow.

Dong Xuebin hosted his colleagues for dinner and served them rare Big Red Robe tea and expensive Trinidad cigars, leaving them stunned by his extravagant lifestyle. The gathering ended with the officials marveling at how wealthy he seemed.

• Dong Xuebin and his colleagues finished dinner, then gathered around the stone table to drink tea.
• Yin Cheng'an recognized Dong Xuebin's tea as rare old-tree Big Red Robe and declined Dong's offer to take some home.
• Han Fei calculated that the food, wine, and tea had cost hundreds of thousands of yuan, while Dong Xuebin said the supplies came from relatives and friends.
• When He Zhou found his cigarette pack empty, Dong Xuebin brought out cigars that Zhang Longjuan had given him.
• He Zhou identified the cigars as Trinidad, estimated their value at tens of thousands of yuan, and the colleagues marveled at Dong Xuebin's wealth.

After his colleagues left, Dong Xuebin invited Su Jia to his new Courtyard House, where she shared news of her upcoming transfer to Central TV Station. The chapter ended with Su Jia catching him staring at her while they sat together in his study.

• Dong Xuebin saw Yin Cheng'an, Han Fei, He Zhou, and the others off after dinner, then returned to his study to sober up.
• Su Jia called Dong Xuebin and arranged to visit, bringing his Land Rover because his other car had been damaged in a crash.
• Su Jia arrived at the Courtyard House and told Dong Xuebin that her Xinhua News Agency internship had led to a successful assessment for Central TV Station.
• Dong Xuebin showed Su Jia around the house, and she joked that she might stay the night.
• While they sat in the study looking for a movie, Dong Xuebin glanced at Su Jia, and she teased him for being interested in his sister.

Dong Xuebin watched a movie with Su Jia, who stayed overnight before a trip to CCTV, and caught himself staring at her while she changed. His mother, Luan Xiaoping, warned him not to develop improper ideas about Su Jia, leaving him exasperated.

• Dong Xuebin invited Su Jia to watch a movie and sat beside her on the sofa when he could not see the screen clearly from a chair.
• Dong Xuebin grew bored with the movie and secretly looked down Su Jia's sweater, glimpsing her bra when she shifted.
• Su Jia finished the movie and stayed in the North Room, while Dong Xuebin prepared to sleep in the West Room.
• Dong Xuebin saw Su Jia's silhouette undressing behind the North Room curtain and hurried away when the light went out.
• Luan Xiaoping called Dong Xuebin and warned him not to get any ideas about Su Jia because she was his sister and Uncle Yang's niece.

Dong Xuebin helped Su Jia repair her bra clasp before she left for an interview at Central TV Station. On his way to work, he confronted Yang Zhen again and drove his Land Rover into the office compound ahead of him, leaving onlookers astonished by the car’s price.

• Su Jia asked Dong Xuebin to find pliers after the clasp on her bra broke, and he repaired it for her.
• Dong Xuebin saw Su Jia off in a taxi, then drove his Land Rover to work.
• Dong Xuebin spotted Yang Zhen approaching the compound and accelerated to force his way through the entrance first.
• Yang Zhen braked to avoid a collision, and Dong Xuebin entered the compound ahead of him.
• Dong Xuebin and Yang Zhen argued after Dong Xuebin revealed himself, while onlookers recognized him and discussed his expensive Range Rover.

Dong Xuebin settled into his work at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and received a visit from Luo Haiting, a former subordinate who had come to Capital City for a meeting and to handle a problem. The chapter ended as he greeted her in his office and became distracted by her appearance.

• Dong Xuebin arrived at work in his Land Rover, surprising Han Fei and the staff of Second Office with his expensive car and license plate.
• Dong Xuebin reviewed and processed a backlog of documents before Luo Haiting called to say she was at the compound and needed his help.
• Dong Xuebin asked Zhang Dongliang to let Luo Haiting come directly into his office.
• Luo Haiting arrived, and Dong Xuebin welcomed her and offered her water and snacks.
• As Luo Haiting leaned over to take fruit, Dong Xuebin caught sight of her cleavage and became distracted.

Luo Haiting came to Beijing to stop a petition against the Fenzhou City Discipline Inspection Committee from being submitted, and asked Dong Xuebin for help. Dong accompanied her to the Letters and Visits Office, where Director Sun ordered the petition withdrawn after recognizing Dong.

• Luo Haiting told Dong Xuebin that petitioners had exposed a confidential investigation, allowing the investigated cadre to flee, and were now accusing the City Discipline Inspection Committee of protecting him.
• Dong Xuebin agreed to help Luo Haiting locate the petition and took her to the Letters and Visits Office.
• Dong introduced Luo to Lan Xuewen, who explained that the petition had been forwarded and was due to be submitted soon.
• Director Sun heard Luo's explanation, then ordered Lan Xuewen to withdraw the petition and not submit it.
• Lan Xuewen told Luo that Director Sun had granted the request to give Dong Xuebin face.

Dong Xuebin helped Luo Haiting settle a petition at the Letters and Visits Office, and the two returned to his office to catch up and plan lunch. The chapter ended with Luo Haiting choosing a restaurant while leaning close enough for her chest to brush Dong Xuebin’s head.

• Dong Xuebin accompanied Luo Haiting to the Letters and Visits Office, where the matter was quickly settled and her petition was withdrawn.
• Luo Haiting thanked Dong Xuebin and invited him to lunch, then went with him to his office to wait until noon.
• Luo Haiting told Mayor Zhong by phone that the matter was resolved, and Mayor Zhong asked her to pass along his regards to Dong Xuebin.
• Dong Xuebin and Luo Haiting caught up about their colleagues and agreed to meet again while she was in the Capital City.
• Dong Xuebin searched for nearby restaurants, and Luo Haiting chose Roasted Lamb Leg after leaning over him and brushing her chest against his head.

Dong Xuebin invited the Xie siblings to see his new Courtyard House and met Xie Ran’s girlfriend, Fang Shuiling, for the first time. He welcomed her with an expensive gift, but Xie Jing’s quiet reaction left him sensing something was wrong.

• Han Jing told Dong Xuebin that she had heard about his Courtyard House, and Xie Jing and Xie Hao arranged to visit it.
• Dong Xuebin invited Xie Jing, Xie Hao, and Xie Ran to the house and prepared food for them.
• Xie Ran arrived with his girlfriend, Fang Shuiling, and introduced her to Dong Xuebin.
• Dong Xuebin gave Fang Shuiling a bank card with about one million on it as a first-meeting gift, and Xie Ran told her to accept it.
• Dong Xuebin noticed that Xie Jing was unusually quiet around Fang Shuiling and wondered what was wrong.

Dong Xuebin hosted Xie Ran’s girlfriend, Fang Shuiling, and learned that she belonged to the powerful Fang Family. Xie Jing revealed that the Fang and Xie families had been sworn enemies for years, leaving Dong Xuebin eager to hear the story behind their feud.

• Dong Xuebin questioned Fang Shuiling about her studies and praised her for choosing to study in China, then argued with Xie Jing about studying abroad.
• Dong Xuebin decided to cook lunch for Fang Shuiling and took Xie Jing with him to the kitchen.
• Dong Xuebin confronted Xie Jing about her distant attitude toward Fang Shuiling, and Xie Jing explained that Fang Shuiling’s grandfather was the Premier.
• Xie Jing told Dong Xuebin that the Fang Family and Xie Family had been sworn enemies for many years.