Chapter Summaries

Dong Xuebin delayed the Provincial Investigation Team’s inquiry by moving county officials into temporary quarters, provoking the investigators and alarming his colleagues. After the move was finished, he agreed to take the team to the site in the photographs and summoned other county leaders to join them.

• Cheng Wei and the Provincial Investigation Team demanded an explanation about the buildings in their photographs, but Dong Xuebin insisted he would cooperate only after handling the county’s move.
• Dong Xuebin directed Jiaolin County officials to unload trucks and settle into temporary quarters, leaving the investigation team waiting outside.
• Zhang Dongfang confronted Dong Xuebin for not informing him about the move, then walked away in frustration.
• Meng Hanmei, Chang Lin, Sun Changzhi, and other Dong Faction cadres privately questioned Dong Xuebin’s resistance, but he said he knew what he was doing and used the delay to buy the Urban Management Bureau time.
• After the rest of the investigation team arrived and the move was completed, Dong Xuebin agreed to take Cheng Wei to the site and called Zhang Dongfang, Meng Hanmei, and Chang Lin to accompany them.

Dong Xuebin ordered the Old County Party Committee Compound renovated while the Provincial Investigation Team prepared to build a case against him. At the New County Party Committee Compound, Huo Yibang led the officials and investigators to a site where the entire compound had vanished, leaving everyone but Dong Xuebin and Huo Yibang stunned.

• Dong Xuebin put Meng Hanmei in charge of renovating the old compound and told her to begin work immediately.
• Cheng Wei spoke with a provincial leader, who urged him to gather evidence and said Dong Xuebin could be suspended for investigation.
• Dong Xuebin stopped the cars near the New County Party Committee Compound and had everyone continue on foot.
• Huo Yibang told Dong Xuebin that the job was done, then led the group onward.
• The group saw that the New County Party Committee Compound had been reduced to a flat, empty expanse of land.

The Provincial Investigation Team arrived to inspect the New County Party Committee Compound, but found that the entire site had disappeared. A construction expert confirmed the demolition would have taken all night, leaving Cheng Wei and the others unable to explain how it had begun before the scandal broke.

• The leaders and investigators were shocked to find the compound, its walls, buildings, and garden completely gone.
• Dong Xuebin invited Cheng Wei and the Provincial Investigation Team to investigate the empty site.
• Cheng Wei accused Dong Xuebin of stalling while the county demolished the compound, but Dong challenged him to explain how it could have been done so quickly.
• A construction expert compared the site with the photos and confirmed that the demolition and debris removal could not have been completed in a few hours.
• The investigators realized the work must have started the previous night, before the online exposé and investigation, and wondered how Dong Xuebin could have known the scandal was coming.

Dong Xuebin defended Jiaolin County’s demolition of the New County Party Committee Compound before Cheng Wei’s provincial investigation team, presenting it as a collective decision made for the people. The team struggled to hold the county accountable, while Cheng Wei remained frustrated that he could not discover how Dong Xuebin had acted in advance.

• Huo Yibang and the Urban Management Bureau officers realized Dong Xuebin had ordered the compound demolished before the provincial investigation began, and Huo Yibang became convinced of Dong’s judgment.
• Dong Xuebin told Cheng Wei and the investigation team that the compound had been proposed under former Secretary Li Guian and that he had ordered its demolition after judging it inappropriate.
• Dong Xuebin apologized on behalf of the county and asked the investigation team to handle the matter leniently, while emphasizing that the county had acted voluntarily before the controversy arose.
• Zhang Dongfang and the other county leaders supported Dong Xuebin’s decision and presented a united front before the provincial team.
• Cheng Wei found the investigation team had little basis to pursue the county and remained unable to understand how Dong Xuebin had known to demolish the compound in advance.

Dong Xuebin’s demolition of the New County Party Committee Compound blunted the Provincial Investigation Team’s inquiry and won the support of Jiaolin County’s leaders. After consulting his superior, Cheng Wei was told to investigate briefly, provide a suitable explanation, and withdraw the team, leaving Dong Xuebin relieved that the immediate danger had passed.

• Cheng Wei’s team photographed the demolished compound, then followed Meng Hanmei to check its funding records while Dong Xuebin stayed to handle relocation and county business.
• Jiaolin County’s leaders praised Dong Xuebin for demolishing the compound, and he claimed he had acted alone because he believed it would cause trouble.
• In the car, Cheng Wei told his superior that the compound had been demolished before the public revelations and asked how to proceed.
• Cheng Wei’s superior ordered the team to investigate briefly, find a suitable explanation, and withdraw from Jiaolin County.
• Fang Wenping told Dong Xuebin that the investigation team was expected to leave that afternoon, and Dong Xuebin finally relaxed.

Dong Xuebin watched Jiaolin County’s Morning News report on the demolition of the New County Party Committee Compound and saw residents and officials praise the decision. The broadcast left him satisfied that his media strategy had strengthened public trust in the county leadership.

• Dong Xuebin watched a news report in which he explained that the county had demolished the New County Party Committee Compound and apologized to residents.
• Residents interviewed by the station supported the demolition and praised Dong Xuebin’s concern for ordinary people.
• Zhang Dongfang said the demolition had been proposed by Dong Xuebin and decided by the county’s main leaders.
• Meng Hanmei recounted Dong Xuebin’s remarks about working anywhere so long as the people trusted the county leadership.
• Dong Xuebin recalled arranging the interview-focused broadcast with Sun Changzhi and approved of how it presented the county’s decision.

After the investigation team withdrew, Dong Xuebin saw provincial news praise Jiaolin County’s response and ignored newspapers criticizing the demolition. At the temporary offices, county staff treated him with greater respect, recognizing that he had turned a political crisis to his advantage.

• Dong Xuebin watched a provincial TV commentator praise his decision to demolish the County Party Committee Compound and Jiaolin County’s handling of the scandal.
• Dong Xuebin bought newspapers on the way to work and dismissed criticism of the demolition, reasoning that it had been necessary to protect himself and the county.
• Dong Xuebin arrived at the temporary offices and noticed that county officials, including some Zhang faction members, greeted him more respectfully than before.
• Dong Xuebin’s actions in the crisis showed Jiaolin County officials that he could reverse seemingly hopeless political situations to his advantage.

Dong Xuebin began the county leadership’s first workday in their cramped temporary offices and urged staff to endure the poor conditions while renovations continued. His focused example helped calm the office, and the chapter left him preparing for a Standing Committee meeting.

• Meng Hanmei told Dong Xuebin that staff were struggling with the disorganized, crowded workspaces, and he ordered her to reassure them and accelerate renovations at the Old County Party Committee Compound.
• Dong Xuebin told Meng Hanmei to convene a Standing Committee meeting at ten o’clock and had Su Yan summon Huo Yibang.
• Dong Xuebin returned to his windowless office, accepted the noisy conditions, and began processing documents with his door open.
• Staff saw Dong Xuebin concentrating on work, and the office gradually grew quieter as they followed his example.

Dong Xuebin used the County Party Committee Standing Committee meeting to propose promoting Huo Yibang to fill the deputy county chief vacancy. The committee approved the recommendation, though the city still had to make the final decision.

• Dong Xuebin’s open office helped the county staff settle into work, and Su Yan admired his leadership.
• Dong Xuebin told Su Yan to have Huo Yibang attend the Standing Committee meeting as an observer, without explaining the purpose beforehand.
• Dong Xuebin decided to reward Huo Yibang for his role in the demolition operation by recommending him for the vacant deputy county chief position.
• Dong Xuebin proposed Huo Yibang’s appointment at the meeting, and the Dong Faction members supported it.
• Zhang Dongfang agreed after the proposal gained majority support, and the committee passed its recommendation for the city to consider.

Dong Xuebin consolidated his authority in Jiaolin County and reached out to Zhang Dongfang after a calm Standing Committee meeting. The city approved Huo Yibang’s appointment as deputy county chief, strengthening Dong’s position as the county’s political balance settled.

• Dong Xuebin secured approval for the meeting’s proposals, including renovating the Old County Party Committee Compound, while Zhang Dongfang’s faction offered little resistance.
• Dong Xuebin and Zhang Dongfang left the meeting together and exchanged friendly words to signal that relations had eased.
• Dong Xuebin told Huo Yibang that the city might challenge his appointment, and Huo pledged his loyalty to Dong.
• Qian Litao criticized Dong Xuebin’s appointment proposal but set it aside amid the city’s other urgent problems.
• The Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee approved Huo Yibang’s appointment as deputy county chief.

Dong Xuebin took a day off to search Qingluan Mountain for the ancient tomb that could speed up his promotion. After hours of fruitless searching, he kept digging around the mountain.

• Dong Xuebin reviewed the progress he had made in Jiaolin County and decided his work could proceed without him for a day.
• Dong Xuebin took a taxi alone to Qingluan Mountain to find the tomb before villagers discovered it months later.
• Dong Xuebin told Su Yan to handle routine matters during his break and contact him only about urgent issues.
• Dong Xuebin searched around the mountain’s lower slopes for two hours but found nothing.
• Dong Xuebin made makeshift shovels from branches and trunks and continued digging as he searched.

Dong Xuebin searched Qingluan Mountain for an ancient tomb, then stopped to avoid changing the future he had foreseen. As he tried to get home, Fang Wenping invited him to celebrate her birthday, and he agreed to visit her immediately.

• Dong Xuebin searched Qingluan Mountain for hours while talking with Xie Huilan, who teased him about the difficulties of becoming a county leader.
• Dong Xuebin realized he could not find the ancient tomb himself and feared that searching might disrupt the future, so he abandoned the hunt.
• Dong Xuebin struggled to find a taxi because he was covered in mud and headed toward a station to take a long-distance bus home.
• Fang Wenping called Dong Xuebin and told him to come to her home for her birthday because she knew few people after her transfer.
• Dong Xuebin called Fang Wenping back, agreed to come, and asked her to send him the address.

Dong Xuebin traveled from Qingluan Mountain to the provincial capital and stopped at an Omega boutique to buy a birthday gift for Fang Wenping. While he considered watches in his mud-covered clothes, he learned Huo Yibang’s appointment had been approved and helped arrange care for Huo’s child at 301 Hospital.

• Dong Xuebin bought a handwritten bus ticket and rode to the provincial capital, resting despite the other passengers’ stares at his muddy clothes.
• Dong Xuebin went into an Omega boutique to choose a watch for Fang Wenping’s birthday, while staff and customers judged his appearance.
• Huo Yibang called Dong Xuebin to thank him after his appointment as deputy county chief was approved.
• Huo Yibang told Dong Xuebin he had brought his child to 301 Hospital, and Dong instructed him to call Dean Liu for help.
• The boutique’s staff and customers overheard Dong Xuebin’s confident conversation and looked at him with surprise.

Huo Yibang brought his sick child to 301 Hospital, where Liu Xuemei arranged prompt treatment through Dong Xuebin’s connection. Meanwhile, Dong Xuebin bought watches for Fang Wenping and himself, astonishing the boutique’s customers with his wealth despite his muddy clothes.

• Huo Yibang called Liu Xuemei as Dong Xuebin had instructed, and she sent staff to receive his family at 301 Hospital.
• Liu Xuemei personally examined Huo Yibang’s child and arranged tests, admission to a private room, and a free stay at a partner hotel.
• Dong Xuebin chose a 100,800-yuan Omega watch as a gift for Fang Wenping and asked the saleswoman to size it to his wrist.
• The saleswoman recognized Dong Xuebin’s Patek Philippe as genuine, and customers watched him pay for the Omega watch without hesitation.
• Dong Xuebin also bought a 660,000-yuan Omega pocket watch for himself, leaving the boutique customers and staff stunned.

Dong Xuebin went to Fang Wenping’s home for her birthday after getting covered in mud, bringing groceries and stopping to shower. The chapter left him dressed in Fang Wenping’s oversized thermal underwear while his clothes washed.

• Fang Wenping called Dong Xuebin and told him to buy groceries on his way to her home.
• Dong Xuebin took a bus to the Provincial Party Committee Family Compound, where guards stopped him until he showed his Jiaolin County work ID.
• Fang Wenping let Dong Xuebin into her apartment and told him to shower after seeing how muddy he was.
• Fang Wenping gave Dong Xuebin a set of her thermal underwear to wear, and he put his dirty clothes in the washing machine.
• Dong Xuebin discovered he had washed Fang Wenping’s lace underwear with his clothes, then put on her loose thermal underwear.

Dong Xuebin spent Fang Wenping’s birthday at her home, where she gave him her laundry to wash and expected him to cook dinner. He gave her an Omega watch, which she tried on and kept wearing, then went to the kitchen to prepare a meal.

• Dong Xuebin hung up the clothes he had washed with Fang Wenping’s laundry and watched her take her underwear upstairs to dry.
• Dong Xuebin gave Fang Wenping an Omega watch for her birthday, and she tried it on and said it was alright.
• Fang Wenping told Dong Xuebin to cook dinner because she could not cook and did not want to go out.
• Dong Xuebin asked what food she liked, got no preference from her, and went to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients.

Dong Xuebin spent Fang Wenping’s birthday cooking dinner at her home, then waited with her for his soaked clothes to dry. When they still were not dry late at night, Fang Wenping told him he could stay in a guest room, leaving him to decide whether to spend the night.

• Fang Wenping made Dong Xuebin clean and cook fish while she watched TV and gave him orders from the living room.
• Fang Wenping spoke warmly with her niece Fang Shuiling on the phone, and Dong Xuebin reflected that she had invited only him for her birthday.
• Dong Xuebin served dinner, toasted Fang Wenping, and ate and drank while she gave his cooking only lukewarm praise.
• Dong Xuebin checked his clothes on the balcony and found them still soaked, so he hung them near the radiator and watched TV with Fang Wenping.
• When his clothes remained wet at nine o’clock, Fang Wenping told Dong Xuebin he could stay in a guest room and went upstairs to bed.

Dong Xuebin stayed overnight at Fang Wenping's house because his clothes were soaked and it was too late to travel. After she called him upstairs to bring her a pillow, he stood by her bed, unsure whether she wanted him to leave or lie down.

• Dong Xuebin decided to sleep in a guest room at Fang Wenping's house rather than leave in his wet clothes.
• Dong Xuebin tried to fall asleep but stayed awake, thinking about Fang Wenping.
• Fang Wenping called and asked Dong Xuebin to bring her a buckwheat-hull pillow from downstairs.
• Dong Xuebin took his own pillow upstairs and set it on Fang Wenping's bed.
• Fang Wenping replaced her pillow and lay back down, leaving Dong Xuebin uncertain what to do.

Dong Xuebin climbed into bed beside Fang Wenping and cautiously touched her while she lay still. After a call from her secretary interrupted him, Fang Wenping sat up and began drinking, leaving him unsure what she intended to do.

• Dong Xuebin decided to stay in Fang Wenping's bedroom and slipped naked beneath her covers.
• Dong Xuebin reached toward Fang Wenping, but her phone rang before he could touch her.
• Fang Wenping scolded her secretary for calling about a visiting English delegation during her rest and said they would discuss it on Monday.
• Dong Xuebin took Fang Wenping's stillness as permission, wrapped an arm around her waist, and squeezed her buttocks.
• Fang Wenping sat up, smoothed her hair, fetched a drink, and began drinking while Dong Xuebin waited beneath the covers.

Dong Xuebin pursued Fang Wenping after she drank heavily, and the two had sex. He prolonged the encounter by using Reverse to turn back his body's time.

• Dong Xuebin watched Fang Wenping drink about half a bottle of baijiu despite her earlier complaint that her stomach hurt.
• Dong Xuebin touched and kissed Fang Wenping, who initially responded with silence and resistance.
• Fang Wenping undressed, and Dong Xuebin began having sex with her.
• Dong Xuebin continued for hours and used Reverse to turn back the time of his own body.