Chapter Summaries

Dong Xuebin celebrated Jiaolin County’s one-billion-yuan investment achievement and learned that his wife, Xie Huilan, was coming to Baohong City. He arranged a countywide celebration banquet for that evening, where he expected to see her.

• Dong Xuebin reviewed the investment report and was pleased that Jiaolin County had secured one billion yuan in investment.
• Xie Huilan called Dong Xuebin and said she was leading a delegation to Baohong City, with plans to arrive that evening and visit him.
• Dong Xuebin told Su Yan to arrange a large celebration banquet in the city, invite the county’s contributors and their families, and pay for it himself.
• Zhang Dongfang praised Dong Xuebin’s work and offered to help transfer Xie Huilan to Jiaolin County, but Dong Xuebin said her situation was special.

Dong Xuebin watched news reports reveal that he had brought a large group of famous stars to Jiaolin County’s Investment Promotion Culture Festival without paying appearance fees. The news caused a province-wide sensation, and Dong Xuebin concluded that the Investment Task was more than halfway complete.

• Dong Xuebin hurried home to watch the County TV Station report on the Investment Promotion Culture Festival.
• The county news showed the stars arriving and greeting Dong Xuebin and Zhang Dongfang, astonishing officials who had not known the performers were coming.
• Provincial Television Station aired the report, prompting excitement among residents and fans across the province.
• Baohong City officials called Jiaolin County and learned that Dong Xuebin had invited the stars through personal connections without appearance fees.
• Websites and media portals spread the story as praise, excitement, and skepticism poured in; Dong Xuebin checked the coverage and judged the Investment Task more than halfway successful.

The day before Jiaolin County’s Investment Promotion Culture Festival, Dong Xuebin inspected Central Park and assured anxious officials that performers would arrive in time for the gala. The performers’ identities and arrival remained unknown as preparations continued.

• Dong Xuebin arrived early at Central Park, where county staff were setting up the festival venue.
• Dong Xuebin met Zhang Dongfang, who described plans to pick up arriving investors and transport them to county hotels.
• Director Sun criticized the disorganized stage setup and asked where the performers and program list were.
• Wei Zhixuan, Meng Hanmei, Chang Lin, and other officials arrived and worried that no performers had appeared before the festival.
• Dong Xuebin assured Director Sun and the officials that performers would arrive by the start of the gala, though he could not confirm who would come.

Dong Xuebin’s costly move to drive away the Foreign Guests caused an uproar across Jiaolin County and prompted an angry call from Vice Mayor Wang Cheng. Dong defended himself by recounting the municipal team’s failures and inventing an explanation for booking the hotels, leaving Wang with little room to answer.

• Zhang Dongfang, Wei Zhixuan, and Meng Hanmei were stunned that Dong Xuebin had spent several hundred thousand to book every major hotel and drive off the Foreign Guests.
• News of Dong’s actions spread through Jiaolin County, where cadres and Civil Servants reacted with a mix of approval and concern.
• At home, Dong relaxed while expecting the city to punish him for the incident.
• Vice Mayor Wang Cheng called and berated Dong after the Foreign Guests complained to the Municipal Party Secretary.
• Dong argued that Deputy Director Niu had mishandled the visit, describing how county entrepreneurs and veteran comrades had been left waiting and then scolded.
• Dong claimed he had canceled the hotel bookings to save public funds and had booked rooms for private investors who could not arrive; Wang recognized that Dong was lying but could not match his verbal skill.

Dong Xuebin chaired Jiaolin County’s Standing Committee meeting, approved Zhang Dongfang’s nominee for deputy town head, and presented a plan for an Investment Promotion Culture Festival. The committee discussed the proposal’s risks, and Dong Xuebin began arguing that the county could draw on artistic culture from elsewhere.

• Dong Xuebin opened the Standing Committee meeting and led discussion of routine directives and documents.
• Han Wu presented two candidates for a vacant deputy town head position, and Dong Xuebin agreed with Zhang Dongfang to appoint Xiao Chen.
• Dong Xuebin distributed his plan for an Investment Promotion Culture Festival and argued that Jiaolin County needed new sources of fiscal revenue beyond land sales.
• Wei Zhixuan, Xu Zhuang, Zhang Dongfang, Meng Hanmei, Chang Lin, and others raised concerns about the festival’s appeal, cost, and chances of success.
• Dong Xuebin acknowledged the county’s limited cultural foundation and proposed drawing on artistic culture from other areas.

Dong Xuebin arranged a lavish celebration banquet for Jiaolin County’s successful investment promotion, paying for it himself to avoid using public funds. The banquet began with county officials and their families, while Xie Huilan was still on her way from the airport.

• Zhang Dongfang offered to help transfer Dong Xuebin’s wife, but Dong explained that the arrangement was difficult and changed the subject.
• Zhang Dongfang warned that an extravagant banquet could attract criticism, so Dong Xuebin decided to pay the expenses privately.
• Jiaolin County officials and their families arrived by chartered buses at Baohong City’s Longde Hotel for the celebration banquet.
• Dong Xuebin joked that he would say two words, then ended his speech after exactly two sentences.
• Zhang Dongfang announced that Dong Xuebin had paid for the buses and banquet hall, and Dong urged everyone to enjoy the meal while joking about explaining the expense to his wife.

Dong Xuebin arranged for Jiaolin County’s hotels to deny lodging to the Foreign Guests, forcing them and Deputy Director Niu’s city delegation to return to the city. The County Leaders learned that Dong had booked the remaining rooms with his own money and were stunned by the likely cost.

• Su Yan told Dong Xuebin that one hotel refused to accept payment, and Dong understood that the owner was supporting his plan.
• General Manager Sun called Dong Xuebin and said she would not charge for the rooms at her hotel, citing solidarity against the Foreign Guests.
• Deputy Director Niu failed to find the Foreign Guests suitable lodging in Jiaolin County, and they refused to stay at a small inn.
• Deputy Director Niu took the Foreign Guests and city officials back to the city after they threatened to report the failed exchange.
• Zhang Dongfang, Meng Hanmei, and Wei Zhixuan learned that Dong Xuebin had booked all the remaining rooms in the county’s sizable hotels and wondered how much he had spent.

Dong Xuebin helped Fang Wenping move into her new apartment, astonishing Xiao Dongnan and the neighbors by carrying an enormous stack of furniture upstairs in one trip. After seeing Fang Wenping and Dong Xuebin finish the move together, Xiao Dongnan was dismissed and left without a chance to help.

• Xiao Dongnan bragged to Fang Wenping about his stamina and insisted he could handle the move alone.
• Dong Xuebin stacked Fang Wenping's furniture and belongings into a towering load, while Fang Wenping calmly trusted him to carry it.
• Dong Xuebin lifted the enormous pile and carried it up the five-story building's stairs, stunning Xiao Dongnan and the neighbors.
• Dong Xuebin quickly unloaded everything into Fang Wenping's apartment, and he and Fang Wenping worked together without needing to speak.
• Xiao Dongnan offered to help, but Fang Wenping told him to go back because the move was nearly finished.

Dong Xuebin recruited relatives to find performers for his county’s upcoming Investment Promotion Culture Festival gala, despite having no budget or experience. By the end, his plans included domestic and foreign stars, a director, and possible performers from the General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe.

• Dong Xuebin asked Xie Huilan to find popular stars willing to perform without appearance fees, and she agreed to contact her connections.
• Dong Xuebin asked Ci Lifen for help finding performers, and she agreed to approach entertainment companies for him.
• Ci Lifen warned Dong Xuebin that a successful gala needed careful planning and offered to find a director to organize it.
• Ci Lifen suggested that her husband use his former General Political Department connections to invite performers from the General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe.
• Dong Xuebin recorded the stars and group performers as essentially settled and looked forward to the gala.

Dong Xuebin and Huo Yibang summoned the Urban Management Bureau’s personnel to the New County Party Committee Compound in the middle of the night. Dong Xuebin ordered them to demolish the entire compound before morning, leaving the stunned crew facing the task.

• Dong Xuebin and Huo Yibang went outside when the Urban Management Bureau’s vehicles arrived at the compound.
• Lao Zhou brought roughly fifteen or sixteen personnel and several vehicles into the compound after Huo Yibang confirmed the group was present.
• Dong Xuebin introduced himself as the newly appointed County Party Secretary and ordered everyone to hand their communication devices to Huo Yibang.
• Dong Xuebin promised the personnel four times their daily wage in overtime pay and told Huo Yibang to explain the assignment.
• Huo Yibang ordered the personnel to level every building and wall in the New County Party Committee Compound before morning, leaving them dumbfounded.

Dong Xuebin secured the ancient tombs for Jiaolin County and showed magnanimity toward the defeated Yanbei County officials. As he left the mountain with the city leaders, his mother told him to return to the Capital City for his son’s Hundred Days Banquet.

• Yang Gang led Yanbei County’s injured officers and staff off the mountain after the city confirmed the ancient tombs belonged to Jiaolin County.
• Dong Xuebin sent Jiaolin County staff to help Yanbei County descend, and ordered them to continue despite Yanbei County’s angry refusals.
• Qian Litao and the other city leaders observed Dong Xuebin’s conduct before he, Zhang Dongfang, and the teachers accompanied them down the mountain for a meal.
• Dong Xuebin’s mother, Luan Xiaoping, told him the Hundred Days Banquet for his son was set for Saturday and demanded that he return to the Capital City on Friday.

Jiaolin County’s star-studded gala thrilled the crowd and impressed visiting investors, ending with unplanned encore performances. The audience finally left around ten twenty, still talking about Dong Xuebin’s spectacular act.

• Major stars performed one after another, driving the 120,000-person audience into a frenzy and entertaining the visiting investors and their families.
• Allen, Amy, and the SS group appeared and sparked the gala’s biggest wave of excitement.
• After the hosts announced the gala had ended at ten o’clock, most of the audience and the county’s leading cadres stayed and called for more songs.
• Dong Xuebin gave the hosts permission to continue, and Zhou Xuguo returned to sing an a cappella encore.
• Chen Ying and Li Mengmeng each performed another song, and the gala finally ended around ten twenty.
• The audience went home discussing the performances, with many finding Dong Xuebin’s act the most shocking and spectacular.

Dong Xuebin went to the Fang Family estate to propose marriage on behalf of the Xie Family, but the guards refused him entry while Fang relatives voiced opposition to Xiao Ling marrying Xie Ran. He found his way inside and came face to face with Old Master Fang, who recognized his abilities.

• Dong Xuebin drove to the Fang Family estate after saying goodbye to the Xie Family and received the address from Fang Shuiling.
• The Fang Family guards denied Dong Xuebin entry, and his calls to Fang Wenping went unanswered.
• Inside, Fang relatives criticized the proposed match between Xiao Ling and Xie Ran, while Fang Wenping said she would stay out of the discussion.
• Old Master Fang told his security officer to ignore Dong Xuebin, but Dong Xuebin entered the room despite the estate's security.
• Old Master Fang stopped his security officer from reaching for his gun and acknowledged that the villa's guards could not keep Dong Xuebin out.

After celebrating his encounter with Fang Wenping, Dong Xuebin turned his attention to producing political achievements in Jiaolin County before the ancient tomb’s discovery and the county’s possible elevation. He decided to pursue investment promotion and planned to organize an Investment Promotion Culture Festival.

• Dong Xuebin drove home while singing loudly and thinking about his encounter with Fang Wenping.
• After returning home, Dong Xuebin considered the political achievements he still needed to secure his future in Jiaolin County.
• Dong Xuebin concluded that he should not wait for the ancient tomb’s discovery and needed to prove his governing ability through tangible results.
• Dong Xuebin chose investment promotion as his next priority because he knew the field and believed it could benefit Jiaolin County over the long term.
• Dong Xuebin decided to learn from other places and develop a comprehensive program, including an Investment Promotion Culture Festival.

Dong Xuebin secured the entrance after stopping a crowd from forcing its way into Central Park, then returned to prepare for Jiaolin County’s gala. As the live event approached, he changed the speaking order and hinted that he had plans for his appearance.

• Dong Xuebin let the troublemakers disperse, had park staff lock the gate, and told Jiaolin County staff to document the damage and contact the police.
• Dong Xuebin returned to the venue, assured the cadres he was unharmed, and said he had not yet decided when to perform his magic act.
• Dong Xuebin greeted visiting leaders and investors, then reassured Director Sun and Chen Ying that he was fit to perform without props.
• The gala’s lights came on as Television Station staff prepared the live broadcast and the countdown began.
• Dong Xuebin told Zhang Dongfang to speak before him, despite Zhang Dongfang’s objection that the order broke protocol, and said he had other arrangements.

Dong Xuebin’s improvised magic performance delighted the audience and impressed the performers backstage. He then joined the investors to socialize as the gala continued, leaving Chen Ying onstage after her song received enthusiastic applause.

• Dong Xuebin ended his lengthy magic act to loud demands for an encore, then announced that more performances were coming.
• Director Sun, Chen Ying, Zhou Xuguo, and foreign performers praised Dong Xuebin backstage, while he kept the method of his tricks secret.
• Dong Xuebin returned to the investors’ seating area to speak with them, and Zhang Dongfang went to join the leaders in the front row.
• The General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe performed “Spring Breeze” and received warm applause.
• Chen Ying sang “Let Fly,” then bowed as the audience cheered and held up signs bearing her name.

Dong Xuebin woke after a long sleep and learned that his mother had gone out to buy spirit money for his father’s memorial day. At midnight, he and Luan Xiaoping went to burn offerings, where Xie Huilan arrived with their baby.

• Dong Xuebin woke after sleeping for more than six hours and found Xie Huilan soothing their baby in another bedroom.
• Xie Huilan told Dong Xuebin that Luan Xiaoping had gone out, and he later found her returning with spirit money.
• Dong Xuebin realized that the next day was his father’s memorial day and learned that Luan Xiaoping wanted to observe it quietly after midnight.
• Dong Xuebin and Luan Xiaoping went to an intersection and burned paper offerings while telling his father about Dong Xuebin’s career, Xie Huilan’s promotion, and their grandson.
• Luan Xiaoping grew tearful that Dong Xuebin’s father had died before meeting his grandson, and Xie Huilan arrived with the baby, saying his father could see him now.

Dong Xuebin settled Xu Yan’s return to the Capital City and offered Zhang Longjuan’s unborn child his company shares as he traveled toward Zhenshui County. He learned that Yanbei County would come under Jiaolin City’s jurisdiction after Jiaolin’s restructuring, and he began considering how to remove Yang Gang and fill his post.

• Dong Xuebin asked Xie Guojian to help Xu Yan transfer to the Capital City and secure a promotion through the new Security Committee.
• Dong Xuebin told Zhang Longjuan he intended to transfer his twenty percent company stake to her unborn child, though she did not agree.
• Liang Na, Yanbei County’s deputy secretary, invited Dong Xuebin to dinner, prompting him to ask Meng Hanmei about her call.
• Meng Hanmei and other contacts confirmed that Yanbei County would be placed under Jiaolin City’s jurisdiction once Jiaolin County became a city.
• Dong Xuebin decided he would seek Yang Gang’s removal and began weighing who should take over his position, ruling out Luo Haiting.

Dong Xuebin prepared for Jiaolin County’s coming conversion into a county-level city by bringing former subordinates into the County Party Committee Office. Guo Panwei and Chang Juan arrived unaware that the change could soon promote them another rank.

• Xie Huilan asked Dong Xuebin to reserve two Zhengke Level positions for people she planned to transfer after the city upgrade, and he agreed.
• Ci Lifen asked Dong Xuebin to receive her old classmate’s son in a Fuchu Level position after the restructuring, and he agreed.
• Su Yan told Dong Xuebin that new deputy directors Guo Panwei and Chang Juan had arrived, and Dong summoned them to his office.
• Dong Xuebin introduced Guo Panwei and Chang Juan to Meng Hanmei, who began arranging their work in the County Party Committee Office.
• Meng Hanmei told Guo Panwei and Chang Juan that Jiaolin County would become a county-level city and that cadres would generally be promoted one rank, leaving them stunned and delighted.

Dong Xuebin managed Jiaolin County’s work while Zhang Dongfang and Xu Zhuang secured the county’s approval to establish a city in the Capital City. When they returned, their new knowledge of Dong Xuebin’s reputation and powerful connections changed how they regarded him.

• Dong Xuebin directed staff to keep the ancient tomb closed, raise teacher salaries, and monitor investment projects while he handled the County Government’s workload.
• Fang Shuiling told Dong Xuebin that her engagement banquet with Ran-ge would take place the following month, and he promised to attend.
• Zhang Dongfang and Xu Zhuang returned to the compound, where Wei Zhixuan and other cadres learned that their effort to establish a city had succeeded.
• Zhang Dongfang and Xu Zhuang met Dong Xuebin and thanked him for his support, including connecting them with Fang Shuiling.
• After hearing stories about Dong Xuebin’s exploits and learning of his family connections in the Capital City, Zhang Dongfang and Xu Zhuang became more respectful and wary of him.