Chapter Summaries

Dong Xuebin brought Su Jia and Zhou Xiaoru to Xinhua News Agency to ask Xie Jing for help with their exchange slots. Xie Jing secured two additional places, leaving Su Jia and Zhou Xiaoru grateful and surprised by Dong Xuebin’s connections in Beijing.

• After Su Jia and Zhou Xiaoru’s plans fell through, Dong Xuebin drove them to Xinhua News Agency to seek help with the exchange program.
• Dong Xuebin told Xie Jing that Su Jia and Zhou Xiaoru needed exchange slots, but Xie Jing explained that all the places had been finalized.
• Xie Jing called Director Sun and other officials, then arranged for the agency to add two temporary slots.
• Xie Jing gave Su Jia and Zhou Xiaoru forms to complete, and the three visitors left after thanking her.
• In the car, Su Jia and Zhou Xiaoru thanked Dong Xuebin, while Su Jia marveled at his connections in Beijing.

Dong Xuebin witnessed Taekwondo students assaulting and framing Chinese people in Seoul, while the police failed to hold them accountable. After arranging for Yu Meixia to return to the hospital, he set out with Li An to confront the Taekwondo Gyms himself.

• Dong Xuebin took Yu Meixia outside the hospital, where Kim Hee-jin taunted Li An, Chen Dahui, and injured Chinese students by offering them money instead of apologizing.
• Three Taekwondo Gym members assaulted Dong Xuebin and Yu Meixia, then Yellow Hair falsely accused them of stealing his phone and had them taken to the Police Station.
• After Li An and the others interpreted for them, the police released Dong Xuebin and Yu Meixia without addressing Yellow Hair's false report.
• Dong Xuebin arranged for an international student to escort Yu Meixia back to the hospital and asked Li An to identify the Taekwondo Gyms involved in the assaults.
• Dong Xuebin told Li An they were going to kick down the dojo and strode after Yellow Hair.

Dong Xuebin met Su Jia and Zhou Xiaoru in Beijing and learned they had come seeking a rare Xinhua News Agency internship exchange slot. After their contacts failed to secure one, he decided to look into the matter himself.

• Dong Xuebin called Su Jia and invited her to lunch after learning she was in Beijing.
• Su Jia introduced Dong Xuebin to Zhou Xiaoru, and the three drove to a restaurant together.
• Su Jia and Zhou Xiaoru explained that they wanted an exchange slot at Xinhua News Agency, but Su Jia learned by phone that every slot had been taken.
• Dong Xuebin recognized the exchange program and learned why it could benefit Su Jia’s career.
• Dong Xuebin called Xie Jing to ask about the slots, but her phone was switched off, so he planned to go to Xinhua News Agency headquarters.

Dong Xuebin spent the night at Geng Yuehua’s home while sick and unable to leave, and she quietly cared for him despite their awkward silence. He fell asleep on the sofa beside her after eating the millet porridge she made.

• Dong Xuebin asked Geng Yuehua for water so he could take his fever medicine, and she brought him a cup.
• Dong Xuebin explained that he had nowhere else to go for the night, and Geng Yuehua agreed to let him stay.
• Geng Yuehua made Dong Xuebin millet porridge after hearing his stomach rumble and cleared his wet clothes away.
• Dong Xuebin tried to discuss the Japanese Delegation, but Geng Yuehua told him not to talk about work during rest time.
• Geng Yuehua sat at the end of the sofa beside Dong Xuebin, and he eventually drifted off to sleep.

Dong Xuebin tested his time commands and thought advancing an object forward was useless, until he advanced his newspaper box and found tomorrow’s Nanqi Morning News inside. He was left stunned by the discovery.

• Dong Xuebin reviewed his time commands and concluded that moving objects forward in time seemed to have little use.
• Yu Meixia told Dong Xuebin that she and Qian Qian had decided to acknowledge Yu Meixia’s parents, and Dong arranged to help them meet the next day.
• Dong Xuebin found the morning newspaper in his box and advanced the box by nearly a day with forard.
• Dong Xuebin reopened the box, found another newspaper inside, and realized it was tomorrow’s Nanqi Morning News.

Dong Xuebin faced isolation at a district investment meeting, where he cheerfully imposed himself on officials who avoided him. The meeting ended with Shen Fei criticizing Guangming Street Office’s poor investment figures, leaving others convinced that Geng Yuehua had begun targeting Dong Xuebin.

• Officials from both district factions avoided Dong Xuebin, but he sat beside Pan Zhengyi and Chu Qinghua and pushed them to have dinner with him.
• Ma Wu prepared meeting materials, and Shen Fei and Geng Yuehua arrived to begin the investment promotion conference.
• Shen Fei explained that a Japanese delegation from Tokyo would visit Nanshan District to inspect investment projects the next day.
• Geng Yuehua directed Street Offices to prepare for the delegation and offer appropriate preferential treatment to attract investment.
• Shen Fei singled out Guangming Street Office for attracting only fifteen million in investment in the first half of the year and receiving seven million in actual funds.
• Geng Yuehua left without acknowledging Dong Xuebin, who calmly gathered his things and left the meeting.

Dong Xuebin and Zhong Lizhen bought clothes, then checked into a hotel to clean up after their ordeal. After their showers, Zhong Lizhen said she would take him to meet Sister Han, Xie Huilan’s mother, and repay and thank him for rescuing her.

• Dong Xuebin bought a jacket and paid for Zhong Lizhen’s white lab coat, while she carefully recorded their expenses.
• Dong Xuebin discovered his bank card was broken, so Zhong Lizhen paid for a single hotel room while the staff questioned their arrangements.
• Dong Xuebin and Zhong Lizhen went upstairs together, and she showered first while he waited outside.
• After they both showered, Zhong Lizhen reflected that she was glad to be home and offered to take Dong Xuebin to meet Sister Han.
• Zhong Lizhen explained that Sister Han was Xie Huilan’s mother and promised to repay and thank Dong Xuebin.

Dong Xuebin and his Zhenshui County colleagues were summoned to meet Minister Xie at the Ministry of Finance. The meeting revealed that Dong Xuebin was personally related to Xie Guoliang, leaving Director Qian, Yan Yizhi, and Chen Xiaomei stunned.

• Zhang Hui told Chen Xiaomei and Yan Yizhi that Minister Xie wanted to see them, and Director Qian led the group upstairs.
• Secretary Zhang greeted Dong Xuebin warmly and called him Brother Dong, surprising Director Qian and Zhang Hui.
• Secretary Zhang let Dong Xuebin, Yan Yizhi, Chen Xiaomei, and Director Qian enter Xie Guoliang's office.
• Dong Xuebin called Xie Guoliang Uncle, and the others realized Dong Xuebin was related to the minister.

Dong Xuebin transfused 2,000 milliliters of his blood to save Geng Yuehua, using REVERSE on himself to keep going despite his failing condition. The doctors declared Geng Yuehua out of danger, while Dong Xuebin was wheeled away for emergency treatment.

• Dong Xuebin insisted that the doctors continue Geng Yuehua’s operation despite his dangerously low blood pressure.
• Dong Xuebin used REVERSE on himself to recover and continued donating blood until he had given 2,000 milliliters.
• The doctors came out and announced that Geng Yuehua was out of danger, crediting Dong Xuebin with providing the blood of five people.
• The doctors explained that Dong Xuebin had given half the blood in his body and survived an amount that would have killed an ordinary person.
• Geng Yuehua and Dong Xuebin were wheeled out on separate beds, and the nurse said Dong Xuebin was in worse condition and needed emergency treatment.

After learning that Chenggang County cadres had pushed his pregnant wife, Xie Huilan, during the accident, Dong Xuebin demanded accountability from Meihe City Vice Mayor Hua Li. Hua dismissed her account as an accident, and Dong hung up on him, determined to find evidence and make Chenggang County answer.

• Dong Xuebin left the hospital corridor, furious over Hui Lan and their child nearly being killed by Chenggang County's cadres.
• A Fenzhou City education cadre passed Dong a call from Meihe City Vice Mayor Hua Li, who offered to visit the hospital.
• Dong told Hua that Li Zhixin and other Chenggang County officials had pushed Hui Lan, rather than her simply slipping.
• Hua questioned Hui Lan's account and called the incident an accident, while Dong argued that witnesses had seen what happened and demanded an explanation.
• Hua told Dong to find evidence, and Dong angrily hung up on the vice mayor.

Dong Xuebin discovered that foraro could advance a newspaper box in time and produce tomorrow’s paper, then learned from it that Yu Meixia’s mother, Qian Lihua, would die in a drunk-driving crash that night. With the accident less than forty minutes away, he was left racing against time to prevent it.

• Dong Xuebin used foraro on a newspaper box and retrieved a printed copy of the next morning’s Nanqi Morning News.
• Dong Xuebin realized foraro could let him read news from the future and celebrated by cooking dinner and drinking.
• Dong Xuebin called Liu Chenglong to arrange a meal with him and Qian Lihua for Yu Meixia’s friend.
• Dong Xuebin read that Qian Lihua would be killed when a drunk driver crashed into a café at 8:10 that night.
• Dong Xuebin checked the time and realized it was only 7:30, with the fatal crash less than forty minutes away.

After Xie Huilan and her unborn child survived emergency treatment, Dong Xuebin confronted the officials who had shoved her and found them denying responsibility. He decided to punish the Chenggang County group regardless of who had pushed her.

• Hua Li called Li Zhixin, urged him to keep the incident under control, and accepted his claim that Xie Huilan had slipped.
• Dong Xuebin learned that Li Zhixin had left and that five Chenggang County officials remained at the hospital.
• Dong Xuebin went downstairs and found Liao Yimin and Fenzhou City officials arguing with the Chenggang County group, who insisted Xie Huilan had fallen on her own.
• Zhou Wei challenged Dong Xuebin and continued denying that anyone had pushed Xie Huilan.
• Dong Xuebin calmly decided to deal with all five officials, whether or not they admitted what they had done.

Dong Xuebin and Jiang Min ran through the heavy rain searching for a place to stay, but every inn was nearly full. They secured the last wooden cabin, which had only one bed, and Jiang Min agreed they could share it; they went to see the room and warm up.

• Dong Xuebin and Jiang Min ran through the rain to an inn, where the receptionist told them every room was occupied.
• Dong Xuebin shielded Jiang Min with his umbrella as they ran west to another inn.
• The second inn's owner told them only one cabin with a single bed remained, and Dong Xuebin asked whether they could add a bed.
• When another guest arrived, Jiang Min quickly accepted the last cabin and agreed to share the bed with Dong Xuebin, with an extra quilt.
• Dong Xuebin offered to sleep on the floor if sharing the bed did not work, and Jiang Min suggested they inspect the room and take a shower.

Dong Xuebin headed to Macau to join Xie Huilan on a provincial inspection trip and unexpectedly reunited at the airport with his university roommate Hou Wen. They boarded the same flight, eager to catch up after three years apart.

• Dong Xuebin called Xie Huilan and learned that Vice-Governor Jia had withdrawn from the trip because he was reportedly unwell.
• Dong Xuebin checked in for his flight to Macau and waited in the airport lounge.
• Hou Wen recognized Dong Xuebin, and the former roommates teased each other about losing contact after graduation.
• Dong Xuebin and Hou Wen reminisced about their college days and agreed that their old friendships had felt more genuine.
• Hou Wen revealed that he and Dong Xuebin were taking the same flight and planned to switch seats so they could talk during the journey.

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.

Dong Xuebin prepared to infiltrate the research institute, but an unexpected meeting revealed Zhang Longjuan’s connection to National Security. Zhai Shun asked her to help with a Level One mission after the previous liaison died, and she agreed to hear the details.

• Dong Xuebin mapped out the area around the research institute and prepared his gear for a move the next day without involving Zhang Longjuan.
• Zhai Shun arrived at Zhang Longjuan’s home, identified himself as a National Security officer, and verified her identity.
• Dong Xuebin recognized Zhai Shun from their flight, grew suspicious of the pair, and used STOP to hide beneath a bed while they spoke privately.
• Zhai Shun explained that he was taking over as the local liaison and that National Security considered Zhang Longjuan an external operative.
• Zhang Longjuan refused to take on work beyond providing money, but Zhai Shun urged her to help with a Level One mission linked to the deaths of his classmate and other agents.
• Zhang Longjuan agreed to hear what the mission involved.

Dong Xuebin encountered his uncle Xie Guoliang during a Ministry of Finance inspection and learned that Xie Guoliang was not angry with him. Afterward, Xie Guoliang called Director Qian and asked him to bring the Zhenshui County officials to his office, leaving Director Qian wondering why he wanted to see them.

• Director Qian kept Dong Xuebin and the Zhenshui County officials in his office while Ministry of Finance leaders inspected the building.
• Xie Guoliang spotted Dong Xuebin during the inspection, smiled at him, and continued on without stopping.
• After Director Qian dismissed them, Dong Xuebin received a call from Xie Guoliang and explained why he had not visited him.
• Xie Guoliang told Dong Xuebin he was not angry about Sun Kai and advised him to let Sun Kai prove himself.
• Xie Guoliang called Director Qian and instructed him to bring the Zhenshui County officials to his office.

Dong Xuebin arrived in Fu Continent and met Zhang Longjuan, Xu Yan’s outgoing old classmate, who offered to host and help him. He kept his real purpose vague as Zhang drove him away from the airport.

• Dong Xuebin landed in Fu Continent after a long flight and called Zhang Longjuan because he did not know where to stay.
• Zhang Longjuan met Dong at the airport, greeted him flirtatiously, and drove him away in her BMW convertible.
• Zhang offered Dong her car, but he declined because he did not want to involve her in his business.
• Zhang introduced herself as a single businesswoman who had inherited her family’s company in America.
• Dong said he was in Fu Continent mostly to sightsee, and Zhang invited him to stay at her place and explore the area with her.

Zhai Shun told Zhang Longjuan that National Security needed help rescuing scientist Zhong Lizhen from an American-controlled research institute, and Zhang agreed to provide funds and show him the perimeter. Dong Xuebin overheard their discussion and worried about the complications of joining the mission while Zhang Longjuan was involved.

• Zhai Shun explained that National Security's agents had been killed or captured while investigating Zhong Lizhen's situation and asked Zhang Longjuan for assistance.
• Zhang Longjuan refused to gather intelligence because of the risks to her company and employees, but agreed to provide funding and take Zhai Shun to view the institute's perimeter.
• Zhai Shun said he would bring another National Security expert when they visited the institute the next morning.
• After Zhai Shun left, Dong Xuebin used STOP to return to his room without being seen.
• Dong Xuebin decided not to tell Zhang Longjuan why he had come and worried about the mission's growing complications.

Dong Xuebin secured a fifty-million-yuan allocation for Zhenshui County and completed the funding procedures in the Capital City. Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei concealed his connection to Minister Xie from Secretary Meng, while Chen Xiaomei suggested they might join Dong Xuebin’s camp.

• Dong Xuebin told Xie Guoliang that the matter was settled, then left with confirmation of the fifty-million-yuan allocation.
• Director Qian apologized for his earlier treatment of Dong Xuebin and quickly completed the funding procedures.
• Dong Xuebin told Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei not to reveal his connection to Minister Xie, then gave them time to rest at Wangfu Restaurant.
• Zhang Hui called Chen Xiaomei and urged her to build a relationship with Dong Xuebin after learning about his status.
• Yan Yizhi and Chen Xiaomei discussed whether to tell Secretary Meng about Dong Xuebin, and Yan Yizhi told Zhang Feng that nothing else was happening.
• Chen Xiaomei suggested that she and Yan Yizhi join Dong Xuebin’s camp, leaving Yan Yizhi stunned.