Chapter Summaries

After Dong Xuebin brought Zhong Lizhen safely back to China, officials welcomed her and arranged her next steps. Zhong chose to join the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Dong’s extraordinary role in the operation ensured his military registration level would rise.

• Commander Yan thanked Dong Xuebin for bringing Zhong Lizhen home, while Zhong handed over her research materials and confirmed she would restore her Republic nationality.
• Xie Guobang joined the gathering, praised Dong, and heard Commander Yan jokingly suggest a future match between their grandchildren.
• Zhong Lizhen asked Chen Xuekai for advice, then decided to join the Chinese Academy of Sciences and continue her research there.
• Commander Yan prepared to escort Zhong and Chen away, and Dong urged Zhong to contact him if her safety was threatened.
• The military officers recognized Dong’s feats during the rescue and expected his registration level with the military to rise by several grades.

Dong Xuebin’s enormous shout rang across Qing'e Mountain as he tried to guide the missing students and teachers toward the rescue team. His voice stunned the rescuers and was heard in distant villages, and the operation paused while everyone recovered and waited for a response.

• Dong Xuebin shouted for the missing students and teachers, leaving people across the mountain with ringing ears and some nearly collapsing.
• Chang Lin and Meng Hanmei stopped Dong Xuebin from shouting again, while rescuers checked Zhang Dongfang and the other affected people.
• Dong Xuebin asked rescuers to call for more stretchers, and the team at the foot of the mountain confirmed they had heard his shout too.
• The rescue effort paused while the team rested and waited to see whether the missing students and teachers would follow the sound.
• Chang Lin reported that people in Zhangkou Village and Nan-Town had filed complaints about Dong Xuebin’s shout, astonishing everyone nearby.

Dong Xuebin stunned the audience by appearing on the main stage moments after seeming to fall into the lake, then turned the finale into a comedy routine and promoted Jiaolin County’s investment projects. The performance ended with the crowd and investors laughing and applauding.

• Dong Xuebin appeared dry and unharmed on the main stage after seemingly falling into the lake, leaving the audience astonished.
• Meng Hanmei and Sun Changzhi recovered from their fright as the audience erupted in applause and celebrities backstage wondered how Dong Xuebin had done it.
• Dong Xuebin joked with the hosts about Jiaolin County’s spatial technology and invited the audience to inspect the table for hidden mechanisms.
• Dong Xuebin moved and turned over the table, revealing no mechanism, then insisted that his feat demonstrated Jiaolin County’s spatial technology.
• Dong Xuebin addressed the investors and urged them to contact the Investment Bureau about cooperating on the county’s technology projects.

Dong Xuebin stepped in after Jiaolin County officials made a poor first impression on arriving investors by forgetting their business details. He impressed Wang Ying and Zhou Zhongxiang by reciting precise facts about Zhou’s company, leaving the county officials astonished.

• Jiaolin County officials split up to welcome investors arriving by plane, train, and local transport while Dong Xuebin coordinated the cultural gala preparations.
• Zhang Dongfang and Wei Zhixuan greeted Wang Ying, Zhou Zhongxiang, and another investor but could not recall their companies’ details.
• An Investment Bureau employee wrongly claimed that Zhou Zhongxiang’s company was about to go public, cooling the investors’ reception.
• Dong Xuebin intervened and correctly described Wanxiang Real Estate’s listing date, recent projects, stock performance, and possible financing deal with Fang Ke.
• The investors and Jiaolin County officials were stunned by Dong Xuebin’s detailed knowledge.

Dong Xuebin picked up Xie Huilan and Little Chongchong at the airport, where Xie Hao reminded him of his promise to buy him a car for getting into college. Dong Xuebin agreed to cover a car costing up to 1.2 million yuan if Xie Hao’s parents approved, and the family arrived at Xiao Ran’s engagement banquet.

• Dong Xuebin left Yu Meixia’s home and drove toward the airport to pick up Xie Huilan.
• Xie Hao called Dong Xuebin and insisted on going to the airport to meet his sister.
• At the airport, Xie Hao brought Xie Huilan and Little Chongchong to Dong Xuebin’s car.
• Xie Hao asked Dong Xuebin to honor his promise to buy him a car, and Dong Xuebin agreed to reimburse a purchase under 1.2 million yuan if his parents approved.
• The family arrived at Jingcheng Restaurant for Xiao Ran’s engagement banquet, and Dong Xuebin affectionately reunited with Xie Huilan and Little Chongchong in the car.

Dong Xuebin left the kindergarten after Hou Jing staged his departure for the police, then returned home and defended his decision to beat Teacher Zhou. He told his family that Zhou had been fired and the official responsible for hiring him would be transferred.

• Hou Jing had an officer return Dong Xuebin’s car keys and let him go after they passed the intersection, explaining that the police had only taken him away for appearances.
• Dong Xuebin returned home, where Luan Xiaoping scolded him for beating Teacher Zhou so badly.
• Xiao Qianqian defended her father and called him a hero, and Dong Xuebin proudly played along.
• Dong Xuebin told Luan Xiaoping and Qu Yunxuan that Teacher Zhou had been fired and the kindergarten official who hired him would be transferred.
• Luan Xiaoping said she would speak with Old Yang about cleaning up the education system, while Dong Xuebin insisted that beating Zhou had taught him a lesson.

Jiaolin County's star-studded gala thrilled the massive crowd and gave the Investment Promotion Culture Festival a strong start. After the audience demanded an encore, Dong Xuebin approved one, and the gala finally ended around 10:20.

• The performers' successive high-profile acts kept the 120,000-person audience and visiting investors cheering throughout the gala.
• Allen, Amy, and the SS group sparked the biggest wave of excitement when they appeared onstage.
• At ten o'clock, the hosts announced the gala had ended, but nearly all the audience and officials stayed and called for more performances.
• Dong Xuebin gave the hosts permission to hold an encore, and Zhou Xuguo returned to sing a cappella.
• Chen Ying and Li Mengmeng also returned to sing, and the gala ended around 10:20 as attendees headed home praising Dong Xuebin's act.

Dong Xuebin struggled with office politics while writing a Party Membership Application to improve his promotion prospects. After he submitted it to Li Qing, Li Qing assigned Zhou Changchun a speech draft for Director Yang, leaving the General Office staff visibly uneasy.

• Dong Xuebin wrote a lengthy Party Membership Application and asked Tan Limei who handled applications in their Party Branch.
• Li Qing arrived at the General Office, and Dong Xuebin handed him his application.
• Li Qing gave Zhou Changchun the material for Director Yang’s upcoming speech and urged him to make it better than the last draft.
• Tan Limei, Guo Shunjie, Guo Panwei, and the others looked troubled by the speech assignment, while Dong Xuebin and Zhuangzi wondered what made it so difficult.

Dong Xuebin tried to save District Governor Yuehua and the others trapped on the burning District Government Office Building roof. With the fire closing in and only a thin layer of car seats, mats, and clothes below, a woman fell from the roof, and Dong Xuebin caught her.

• District Governor Yuehua and six officials and staff members became trapped on the roof as the fire spread through the building.
• Dong Xuebin told people to gather anything soft, then tore seats from cars and helped lay them out beneath the building.
• As the flames reached the roof, Dong Xuebin stopped Geng Xinke from rushing into the fire and ordered everyone outside the courtyard.
• Dong Xuebin told the people on the roof to jump and assured District Governor Yuehua that he could save them.
• A female staff member fell from the roof, and Dong Xuebin caught her on the makeshift cushion.

Dong Xuebin woke up beside Xie Huilan, then checked on Qu Yunxuan and baby Qian Qian while the family recovered at the villa. After he and Qu Yunxuan had sex, Luan Xiaoping walked in and caught them, leaving them embarrassed.

• Dong Xuebin woke up beside Xie Huilan and spoke with Luan Xiaoping about the baby and Qu Yunxuan's recovery.
• Dong Xuebin quietly changed Qian Qian's diaper while Qu Yunxuan slept, but she woke and found him caring for the baby.
• Dong Xuebin climbed into bed with Qu Yunxuan and persuaded her to have sex despite her recent injury.
• Luan Xiaoping opened the bedroom door and caught Dong Xuebin and Qu Yunxuan together.
• Qu Yunxuan scolded Dong Xuebin, and they hurriedly got dressed after Luan Xiaoping left.

Dong Xuebin arranged a possible teaching job in Lü'an City for Sun Kai and urged Luan Xiaoping to use her education connections to help place him. After learning that Qu Yunxuan was transferring to Lü'an City, Dong saw his mother on television accompanying Mayor Yang Zhaode and admired her poised public appearance.

• Dong Xuebin explained to Sun Kai why he was finding him a job in Lü'an City and arranged a hotel while promising to contact schools.
• Dong Xuebin called Luan Xiaoping and asked her to help Sun Kai find a school leadership position through her Education Bureau connections.
• Luan Xiaoping told Dong Xuebin that Qu Yunxuan was transferring to Lü'an City Television Station, where Yang Zhaode could look after her and her child.
• Dong Xuebin spotted Luan Xiaoping on a televised news segment accompanying Yang Zhaode at a charity event and admired her dignified demeanor.

Dong Xuebin traveled to Ma Yang County ahead of an inspection and unexpectedly reunited with his high school classmates Pang Shuo and Du Juan, who now held deputy section-level posts there. Over dinner, he learned that the county was preparing for the City Discipline Inspection Committee’s inspection the next day, without realizing that he was leading the team.

• Dong Xuebin left home early after saying goodbye to Xie Huilan and drove to Ma Yang County to inspect the area before his team arrived.
• At a restaurant, Dong Xuebin ran into Pang Shuo and Du Juan, his former high school classmates, and joined them for a meal.
• Pang Shuo and Du Juan told Dong Xuebin about their civil service careers and their new deputy section-level positions in Ma Yang County.
• Pang Shuo offered to help Dong Xuebin find work locally, assuming Dong Xuebin was a company employee earning just over four thousand a month.
• Pang Shuo and Du Juan complained that the county was preparing to receive an inspection team from the City Discipline Inspection Committee the next day, and Dong Xuebin realized they were talking about his team.

Dong Xuebin spent New Year's Eve preparing gifts and exchanging greetings before joining Xie Huilan at her home to celebrate. After sharing dumplings, drinks, and the Spring Festival Gala, they agreed to play cards with the loser taking off an item of clothing.

• Dong Xuebin told his uncle he would celebrate New Year's in the county and visit Huitian Township the next day.
• Dong Xuebin bought gifts, exchanged New Year's greetings with colleagues and leaders, and called Xie Huilan when she did not answer.
• Hu Silian told Dong Xuebin that Xie Huilan was attending a previously recorded county Spring Festival Gala, so he let himself into her home and prepared chive dumplings.
• Xie Huilan returned, welcomed Dong Xuebin's company, and made a cucumber salad while he cooked the dumplings.
• Dong Xuebin and Xie Huilan ate, drank, and watched the Spring Festival Gala together.
• Xie Huilan suggested playing cards, and she accepted Dong Xuebin's joking proposal that the loser remove an item of clothing.

Dong Xuebin learned that Yu Meixia’s husband may have been murdered by people connected to Jin Di Mountain Villa, a suspected illegal casino protected by powerful officials. Despite the danger and his limited authority, he promised to help expose the truth and told Yu Meixia to keep reporting the case.

• Dong Xuebin avoided Yu Meixia after recalling how he had touched her while drunk, then encountered Hu Yiguo at the County Public Security Bureau as a human-trafficking case stalled.
• At home, Dong Xuebin accepted Yu Meixia’s massage, but when she began crying, she revealed that her husband’s death had been ruled a suicide despite her belief that Jin Di Mountain Villa’s people had killed him.
• Yu Meixia explained that her husband had gambled at Jin Di Mountain Villa, accumulated debts, disappeared after his final gamble, and was later found dead in a lake.
• Dong Xuebin called Qin Yong, who warned him that Jin Di Mountain Villa had powerful connections and was secretly owned by Qian Sen’s son.
• Dong Xuebin promised Yu Meixia he would pursue the truth if her husband had been murdered, then advised her to keep reporting the case through the police hierarchy.

Dong Xuebin used Forward to look ahead and discovered that an online exposé of Baohong City’s lavish government compounds had triggered a sweeping investigation. The papers reported that he had been suspended pending investigation, leaving him facing the possibility that he would be implicated in the scandal.

• Dong Xuebin worried that the newspapers had stopped arriving and used Forward to check the drawer two minutes into the future.
• Dong Xuebin found three newspapers, including issues for the next day and the day after, and saw that their headlines concerned an exposé of Baohong City’s extravagant government compounds.
• The exposé spread across major news outlets, prompting the province to dispatch an investigation team to examine construction, accounts, and officials across Baohong City.
• Dong Xuebin learned that Jiaolin County was hit especially hard and that he had been suspended pending investigation over the new County Party Committee Compound.
• Dong Xuebin realized that Li Guian had likely been implicated in the scandal and feared that he would suffer the same fate.

Dong Xuebin secretly inspected the nearly completed New County Party Committee Compound to check for construction problems. He and Su Yan were stunned by how luxurious it looked when they reached the gate.

• Dong Xuebin arrived at work hungover and heard from Meng Hanmei that Zhang Dongfang was sick and the new compound was awaiting inspection.
• Meng Hanmei gave Dong Xuebin the compound's documents, and he decided to visit the site with Su Yan without notifying anyone.
• Dong Xuebin and Su Yan drove to the compound discreetly and walked toward its main gate.
• Dong Xuebin and Su Yan saw the compound and were shocked by its extraordinary luxury.

Dong Xuebin received an angry call from Fang Wenping over his treatment of foreign guests and argued that he had done nothing wrong. Fang Wenping warned him that Baohong City’s Discipline Inspection Committee was sending investigators, and Dong Xuebin prepared to face them.

• Dong Xuebin finished lunch in his temporary office and answered Fang Wenping’s call.
• Fang Wenping berated Dong Xuebin for cursing at city officials and snubbing foreign guests, saying the incident had caused trouble for her reception work and drawn attention at a provincial meeting.
• Dong Xuebin defended his actions, saying the foreigners had repeatedly broken their promises and mistreated the county delegation.
• Dong Xuebin and Fang Wenping argued over the phone until Fang Wenping threatened to handle the matter strictly by the book.
• Fang Wenping told Dong Xuebin that someone from Baohong City’s Discipline Inspection Committee would investigate him, and he braced for their arrival.

Dong Xuebin and Fang Wenping spent the morning together, then ate lunch before Fang Wenping learned that the English delegation had arrived early. As she left to meet them, she reminded Dong Xuebin to keep their encounter secret.

• Dong Xuebin quietly left Fang Wenping to sleep and prepared food while she rested.
• Fang Wenping woke around midday, asked Dong Xuebin to cook more, and ordered him to wash the sofa cushions and her bedroom sheets.
• Dong Xuebin and Fang Wenping ate the meal he prepared, finishing all three dishes and the soup.
• Fang Wenping received a call saying the English delegation had arrived early and learned that they might stay in Dong Xuebin's county on Monday.
• Fang Wenping dressed to leave and told Dong Xuebin not to answer the house phone, touch anything, or open the curtains.
• Before leaving, Fang Wenping used Dong Xuebin's promised favor to make him swear not to tell anyone about their encounter.

Huo Yibang committed to Dong Xuebin’s secret, unauthorized demolition order and arranged trusted staff and equipment to carry it out. While they waited, Dong gave Huo a connection at a top hospital to help his frail son, leaving Huo more convinced that he had chosen the right side.

• Huo Yibang decided to gamble on Dong Xuebin’s order and secretly summoned trusted enforcement officers and demolition equipment.
• Dong Xuebin kicked down a locked door, and he and Huo waited inside the compound for the team to arrive.
• Dong learned that Huo Yibang’s twenty-year-old son suffered frequent fevers and had not received a diagnosis.
• Dong gave Huo the phone number of Liu Xuemei, a former major general and vice dean at the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, and told him to mention Dong’s name.
• Huo agreed to take his son to the Capital City for treatment and inferred that Dong had powerful connections there.

Fang Wenping arrived at Jiaolin County while the City Discipline Inspection Committee was questioning Dong Xuebin, and everyone assumed she had come to punish him. Instead, she defended the county, ordered foreign guest reception work canceled, and rebuked the investigators, leaving them unable to press their case.

• Jiaolin County staff worried that Dong Xuebin would be punished after the City Discipline Inspection Committee questioned him and Fang Wenping arrived.
• Fang Wenping entered the questioning room and challenged Zhang Ping when he claimed the foreign guests’ treatment had caused a serious impact.
• Fang Wenping condemned the investigators for worrying about foreign guests and called her office to cancel all foreign guest reception and exchange assignments.
• Fang Wenping told Zhang Ping to investigate her for cursing, then criticized the City Discipline Inspection Committee for pursuing minor faults instead of important work.