Chapter Summaries

After rescuing Liu Hanqing and Ning Shaoyang from a collapsing wall, Dong Xuebin underwent hospital tests and was found to have only superficial wounds and muscle strain. Zhan Guiping praised him for saving the others and said he would seek a commendation.

• Dong Xuebin told Xie Huilan over the phone that Feng Jie was unlikely to get the vacant deputy mayor position and urged her to act quickly.
• Dong Xuebin reassured his family, friends, and colleagues who called to ask about his condition.
• Zhan Guiping and Liang Xuan rushed to the hospital, fearing Dong Xuebin had been badly injured, but the doctor reported that he had no serious damage or fractures.
• Dong Xuebin asked to be discharged, but Zhan Guiping insisted on additional examinations, which again showed no serious injuries.
• Liu Hanqing and Ning Shaoyang blamed themselves for the accident, while Dong Xuebin told them not to worry.
• Zhan Guiping thanked Dong Xuebin for saving the others and promised to seek a commendation for him.

Dong Xuebin learned that Hui Lan had confronted Zheng Shizhang and helped shield him from repercussions, so he continued his actions in Dafeng County. After Li Feng ordered the Public Security Bureau to monitor him, Dong caught two officers following him and warned Deputy Director Sun Pengpeng not to do it again.

• Luo Haiting told Dong Xuebin that Hui Lan had challenged Zheng Shizhang and had Peng Kenong's teahouse sealed, while Yantai County issued no order for Dong to return.
• Dong decided to stay in Dafeng County for the week and make the county pay for what it had done.
• Li Feng ordered Wang Bo to have Sun Pengpeng's officers monitor Dong around the clock.
• Dong spotted a Beijing Hyundai trailing him and stopped the car, confronting the two officers inside.
• Sun Pengpeng arrived and denied that his officers had followed Dong, who warned him against trying it again.

Dong Xuebin reported the violent clash during the forced demolition to Wu Liang and blamed Peng Kun for inflaming the crowd and abandoning the Street Office. After Wu Liang ordered action against the attackers, Dong returned to the office and learned Peng Kun’s promotion might be in jeopardy, then received a call from Cao Xupeng, who had heard about the incident from a district leader.

• Dong Xuebin told Wu Liang that armed merchants and residents had attacked the demolition team and said Peng Kun’s intervention had provoked the clash.
• Wu Liang criticized the Street Office’s preparations but said the district would investigate Peng Kun’s conduct and ordered that lawbreakers be detained.
• Dong Xuebin returned to the Street Office, where Zhou Yanru told him Peng Kun was expected to attend cadre training before a likely promotion.
• Cao Xupeng called Dong Xuebin and said Secretary Anshi had asked what kind of cadre Yantai County had recommended to Nanshan District.

Dong Xuebin used Back and Stop to plant Guo Mingfeng’s phone on a live call with District Committee Secretary Wang Anshi, letting Wang hear Guo and his wife insult him and discuss groping his wife. Dong Xuebin left convinced Guo Mingfeng’s career was finished.

• Dong Xuebin rewound time, froze it, and found Guo Mingfeng’s phone hidden beneath a sofa cushion.
• Dong Xuebin called Wang Anshi from Guo Mingfeng’s phone, then froze time and hid the connected phone beneath the cushion.
• Wang Anshi overheard Guo Mingfeng and his wife mock him and discuss Guo groping Wang Anshi’s wife.
• Guo Mingfeng answered Wang Anshi’s call, identified himself, and was disconnected without learning what Wang had heard.
• Dong Xuebin froze time, taunted the motionless Guo Mingfeng about his remarks, and left the apartment.

Dong Xuebin and Zhou Yanru struggled to submit supplementary materials for their Street Office’s Model Unit nomination, as officials at the Ministry of Civil Affairs repeatedly sent them away. Dong Xuebin finally lost his temper and confronted Director Ling after Ling rejected the materials and told them to start over.

• Dong Xuebin called Cheng Yandong, who confirmed that the Ministry of Civil Affairs handled the filing, so Dong returned there with Zhou Yanru and Wang Yuling.
• Dong told Wang Yuling to wait in the car while he and Zhou Yanru went inside to see Director Ling.
• Ministry staff made Dong and Zhou Yanru wait for hours before Director Ling finally called them upstairs.
• Director Ling left his office, sent them back to the Respect-the-Elderly Office, then rejected their materials as incorrectly formatted and sealed.
• Dong blocked Director Ling’s way and angrily told him to fix his grandfather.

Dong Xuebin’s evacuation warning proved correct when another earthquake began collapsing the hospital, but falling debris injured him and trapped Zhan Rourou inside. Wang Anshi and Xue Qingrong fled instead of helping, while Geng Yuehua, Wu Liang, and civilians rushed toward the danger to save them.

• Dong Xuebin continued evacuating people as Wang Anshi and Xue Qingrong demanded that patients return to the hospital.
• A powerful aftershock split and tilted the hospital, confirming Dong Xuebin’s warning that the building was unsafe.
• A falling window struck Dong Xuebin and left him bleeding and unable to move, while Zhan Rourou cried for help inside.
• As the hospital began collapsing, Wang Anshi and Xue Qingrong abandoned Dong Xuebin and Zhan Rourou and ran toward safety.
• Geng Yuehua, Wu Liang, Ma Li, district officials, and civilians rushed forward to try to rescue Dong Xuebin and Zhan Rourou.

Dong Xuebin spent the morning sightseeing and hiking with Yu Meixia and Yu Qianqian before learning that Xie Huilan was coming to Beijing and her mother had invited him to dinner at the Xie family home. He sent Yu Meixia and Yu Qianqian back to the county and prepared to face a potentially awkward reunion with Old Xie.

• Dong Xuebin woke to find Yu Qianqian eager to go sightseeing, and he took her and Yu Meixia to visit Beijing and hike at Fragrant Hills.
• Dong Xuebin told Yu Qianqian he would bring her back to Beijing during summer break, then planned to return to the county with Yu Meixia and her daughter.
• Xie Huilan called and told Dong Xuebin she was driving to Beijing and that Han Jing had invited him to dinner at her grandfather's home.
• Dong Xuebin agreed to bring Changbai Mountain Wild Ginseng as a gift and postponed his return to the county.
• Dong Xuebin took Yu Meixia and Yu Qianqian to the long-distance bus station, then worried that Old Xie and the Xie family might treat him coldly.

Dong Xuebin learned that his mother, Luan Xiaoping, was dating Yang Zhaode, the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department Minister, and went to meet him. Yang Zhaode made a warm first impression and asked Dong Xuebin for his opinion about the relationship, leaving Dong unsure how to respond.

• Luan Xiaoping invited Dong Xuebin to meet her boyfriend at his home in the Municipal Party Committee Family Compound.
• Dong Xuebin confirmed with Luo Haiting that Luan Xiaoping's boyfriend was Yang Zhaode, the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department Minister.
• Dong Xuebin drove to Yang Zhaode's apartment, where Luan Xiaoping welcomed him with fruit he had brought.
• Yang Zhaode greeted Dong Xuebin warmly and cooked while Luan Xiaoping joined them, accidentally revealing that she had stayed at Yang's place the night before.
• Yang Zhaode asked Dong Xuebin for his opinion about his relationship with Luan Xiaoping, and Dong agreed to call him Old Yang.

Dong Xuebin arranged for the Municipal Industrial and Commercial Bank to investigate Liu Hanqing’s father, Liu Dong, over alleged corruption and bribery. After evidence was found, Liu Hanqing’s transfer was revoked, leaving him furious and his colleagues shaken by Dong Xuebin’s methods.

• Dong Xuebin told Luo Haiting to assist the Municipal Industrial and Commercial Bank’s investigation and ordered Liu Hanqing to recuse himself because the case involved his father, Liu Dong.
• Luo Haiting and Zhu Zhu went to the bank, whose discipline inspection department took Liu Dong into custody and corroborated a tip-off and evidence of a 100,000-yuan bribe.
• News of Liu Dong’s detention spread through the Discipline Inspection Committee, and colleagues suspected Dong Xuebin had set the investigation in motion.
• Liu Hanqing learned that his transfer had been temporarily revoked and kicked over an office chair in rage.
• Zhu Zhu, Fei Fan, and other staff were stunned by how quickly Dong Xuebin had crushed Liu Hanqing’s prospects.

Dong Xuebin decided to buy the Pink Diamonds to propose to Xie Huilan, but realized he was short of money. After hearing about a valuable painting destroyed in Wei Nan’s villa fire, he rushed off, hoping its ashes could help him raise the money.

• Dong Xuebin asked Xie Hao for proposal advice and resolved to buy the Pink Diamonds for Xie Huilan.
• Dong Xuebin learned from Qu Yunxuan that she had deposited 190 million yuan from the company sale onto a bank card for him.
• Dong Xuebin realized the money he had was not enough to buy the rings and wondered how to obtain another 100 million yuan.
• Xie Huilan and the others discussed Xu Yang’s painting Triumphant Return of the Western Territory, which had burned in Wei Nan’s villa fire.
• Dong Xuebin learned the painting’s ashes might still be at the villa and hurried off, believing he had found a way to buy the rings.

Dong Xuebin and Xie Huilan flirted as she let him undress her on the balcony, then went to bed together. After teasing him by leaving the room while he showered, Xie Huilan returned and agreed to make love with him.

• Dong Xuebin removed Xie Huilan's bra and panties, leaving her naked as she teased him.
• Xie Huilan asked Dong Xuebin to take off his shirt, then told him to carry her inside.
• Dong Xuebin carried Xie Huilan to bed, but she stopped him and sent him to shower first.
• After Dong Xuebin showered, he found Xie Huilan missing from the bed and called for her.
• Xie Huilan returned naked with ice and wine, climbed into bed, and asked Dong Xuebin if he wanted to make love.
• Dong Xuebin agreed, and Xie Huilan said they should do it then.

Dong Xuebin and Xie Huilan flirted on the villa balcony as she playfully offered to let him remove pieces of her clothing. Their teasing ended with Xie Huilan in her underwear and Dong Xuebin undoing her bra clasp.

• Dong Xuebin accepted Xie Huilan's offer to remove one piece of clothing and pulled down her lounge pants.
• Xie Huilan refused to let him remove her underwear, then offered him another choice of clothing.
• Dong Xuebin removed Xie Huilan's stockings and high heels, while the two teased each other over what counted as one piece.
• Xie Huilan offered Dong Xuebin two more pieces of clothing, and he unbuttoned and removed her shirt.
• Dong Xuebin embraced Xie Huilan and unclasped her bra.

Dong Xuebin scrambled to raise the money needed to pay for the pink diamond rings he had won at auction. After collecting the rings, he arranged to meet Xie Huilan that evening, preparing to propose to her.

• Dong Xuebin asked Luan Xiaoping to lend him two million yuan toward the auction payment.
• Dong Xuebin borrowed five hundred thousand yuan from Xu Yan after explaining that he was short on funds.
• Dong Xuebin pooled his savings and borrowed money, then paid the auction balance and collected the rings.
• Dong Xuebin had the ring sizes adjusted so Xie Huilan would receive the larger diamond.
• Dong Xuebin told Xie Huilan to wait for him at her parents' home that evening, intending to propose.

Dong Xuebin finished using reverse to make Xu Yan look several years younger, transforming her into a stunning beauty. Xu Yan discovered the change when Lao Zhou failed to recognize her and then saw herself in the mirror.

• Dong Xuebin stopped reverse with five minutes remaining after estimating it had made Xu Yan five or six years younger.
• Dong Xuebin saw that Xu Yan's wrinkles, freckles, and excess weight had vanished, leaving her looking remarkably beautiful.
• Xu Yan woke up, asked Dong Xuebin whether she looked younger, and decided to check a mirror.
• Lao Zhou arrived with Xu Yan's requested document but did not recognize her at the door.
• Xu Yan took the document, looked in the bathroom mirror, and cried out in astonishment.

Dong Xuebin auctioned Xu Yang's painting, Triumphant Return of the Western Territory, to raise money for the Pink Diamonds. It sold for 100 million RMB, leaving him with about 280 million in total funds as he prepared to bid on the diamonds the next evening.

• Dong Xuebin checked the details of Xu Yang's painting and waited anxiously for its auction, knowing the proceeds would determine whether he could afford the Pink Diamonds.
• Wei Nan told a friend that Triumphant Return of the Western Territory had burned in his family's villa and that any version on the market must be a forgery.
• Bidders drove the painting's price up during the auction, and bidder No. 6 won it for 100 million RMB.
• Dong Xuebin learned that, after taxes and commissions, he would receive a little over 80 million RMB, bringing his total funds to about 280 million.
• Dong Xuebin checked the auction schedule and prepared to bid for the Pink Diamonds the following evening.

After Xu Yan helped Dong Xuebin with his physical needs, he thanked her and wondered what their relationship had become. Xu Yan sent him home with health supplements and money, telling him he could come back whenever he needed a place to stay or help.

• Xu Yan finished helping Dong Xuebin, cleaned him up, and made him breakfast.
• Dong Xuebin worried that Xu Yan had helped him because she felt indebted, but she said she had acted because she felt bad seeing him suffer.
• Xu Yan changed into colorful clothes from ten years earlier, and Dong Xuebin praised her youthful appearance.
• After they watched the news, Xu Yan gave Dong Xuebin health supplements for his mother and money for a taxi.
• Xu Yan told Dong Xuebin to come back if his family threw him out or he needed help with his physical needs.

After his mother threw him out over his affair and the other woman's pregnancy, Dong Xuebin took shelter at Xu Yan’s home and confessed what had happened. Xu Yan comforted him and assured him that his mother would eventually forgive him.

• Dong Xuebin called Xie Huilan, who said his mother was still furious and told him to stay elsewhere for a few days.
• Xu Yan cooked soup for Dong Xuebin, washed his clothes, and looked after him while he stayed at her home.
• Dong Xuebin told Xu Yan that his mother had rejected him because he had gotten another woman pregnant while married.
• Xu Yan learned that Xie Huilan already knew and had accepted the situation, and she reassured Dong Xuebin that his mother would not truly disown him.

Dong Xuebin reviewed multiple reports accusing Wan Sichao of rape and molestation, then contacted Criminal Investigation Brigade Captain Li Taibo to ask why the cases had not been pursued. Li Taibo dismissed the allegations with explanations about relationships and insufficient evidence, leaving Dong Xuebin convinced the police had protected Wan Sichao.

• Dong Xuebin read several reports accusing Wan Sichao of rape, drugging women, and molestation, including a detailed real-name complaint from a clerk surnamed Liu.
• Dong Xuebin suspected the victims had turned to the Discipline Inspection Committee because the Municipal Public Security Bureau had failed to act on their complaints.
• Dong Xuebin called Li Taibo and offered to transfer the reports to the Public Security Department, but Li Taibo said his investigators were busy.
• Dong Xuebin asked Li Taibo about the reported assaults on the clerk surnamed Liu and Teacher Feng, and Li Taibo claimed the allegations had been disproved or lacked evidence.
• Dong Xuebin described the remaining reports, but Li Taibo dismissed them as relationship disputes or unsupported accusations, angering Dong Xuebin.

Dong Xuebin confronted Wan Sichao at Liuyang Restaurant while arranging for Li Taibo and Xu Dabing to be drawn away. After Wan Sichao boasted that he would pursue Yun Xuan, Dong Xuebin prepared to act before his Discipline Inspection Committee meeting.

• Dong Xuebin met Wan Sichao in the room where Yun Xuan had been attacked and noticed that Xu Dabing had given false testimony for Wan Sichao.
• Li Taibo brought criminal police officers to a nearby room to watch Dong Xuebin and protect Wan Sichao, prompting Dong Xuebin to circle Li Taibo and Xu Dabing’s names in his notebook.
• Dong Xuebin learned that his Discipline Inspection Committee meeting had been moved to 12:40 and locked the private-room door while he and Wan Sichao ate.
• Wan Sichao denied harming Yun Xuan and boasted that he would keep pursuing her, while Dong Xuebin warned that he would show Wan Sichao who he was.
• Luo Haiting lured Li Taibo and Xu Dabing into drinking and left for the restroom, giving Dong Xuebin the opening he had been waiting for.

On the plane, Dong Xuebin beat a Japanese territorial activist and his interpreter after they provoked the passengers over Diaoyu Island. Airport police removed the two men, and Dong recognized the team leader as an old acquaintance.

• Dong Xuebin struck the Japanese activist and then beat the interpreter after the interpreter threatened him.
• The Japanese man repeated his claim about Diaoyu Island, and Xie Hao joined in by kicking him before Xie Huilan called him back.
• Flight attendants reported the incident, while passengers offered to testify for Dong Xuebin.
• Team Leader Sun arrived, ordered the Japanese man and interpreter detained, and greeted Dong Xuebin as an old acquaintance.