Chapter Summaries

After Su Qiao accepted Xiao Jingsheng’s marriage proposal, the two shyly held hands. A week later, Liu Chunfang learned that the Su family had taken the compensation for their requisitioned land, and Su Qiao proposed taking their land deeds to the railway construction team in town.

• Xiao Jingsheng gently held Su Qiao’s hand as they walked, then let go near the village entrance to protect her reputation.
• Su Qiao kept busy after the college entrance exam by preparing skincare cream, researching nutrient fluid, helping her grandmother, and gathering herbs with Xiao Jingsheng.
• Liu Chunfang learned that the railway land compensation had been paid to the Su family despite her family’s land being requisitioned.
• Xiao Jingsheng told Old Lady Liu and Liu Chunfang that the village chief was away in the county seat.
• Su Qiao stopped Old Lady Liu from confronting Yang Fugui and suggested they take their land deeds to the railway construction team in town.

Su Qiao and her companions went to the railway construction camp to demand compensation for the land taken from her family. There, Lin Xiuying recognized Captain Lin Bingkun as her younger brother, reuniting with him after eighteen years.

• Su Qiao, Lin Xiuying, Liu Chunfang, and two others took the land deed into town to confront the construction team over the missing compensation.
• Li Zi brought the group to Captain Lin Bingkun, who became visibly taken with Liu Chunfang when he saw her.
• Lin Bingkun invited the group to his office to explain their claim that the land compensation had not reached them.
• Lin Xiuying recognized Lin Bingkun as her younger brother, and he excitedly confirmed that she was his sister.

Lin Xiuying reunited with her younger brother, Lin Bingkun, and learned what had happened to their family while they were apart. After grieving their parents’ deaths, she was asked to explain who had embezzled her compensation money.

• Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng helped Lin Xiuying calm down as Lin Bingkun reassured her.
• Lin Bingkun and Lin Xiuying explained how they had searched for each other after her move and marriage.
• Lin Xiuying introduced her son, Xiao Jingsheng, to his uncle, Lin Bingkun, and told him that her husband had died.
• Lin Bingkun told Lin Xiuying that their older brother and his family were well, but their parents had died years earlier.
• Lin Bingkun changed the subject and asked who had embezzled Lin Xiuying’s compensation money.

Lin Bingkun learned how the Liu family and Su Qiao had cared for Lin Xiuying, then agreed to resolve the Liu family’s stolen compensation. Meanwhile, Su Youqing and Yang Yue'e remained confident the money belonged to them as they discussed what to do if Su Qiao objected.

• Lin Xiuying introduced Lin Bingkun to the Liu family and explained how Su Qiao had treated her and supported the family.
• Lin Bingkun thanked Su Qiao and, after hearing the Liu family’s compensation had been taken by Su Qiao’s estranged father’s side, promised to address it.
• Lin Bingkun invited Su Qiao to call him Uncle Lin, and she accepted after glancing at her grandmother.
• Su Youqing worried that Su Qiao might discover the compensation issue, but Yang Yue'e and Su Qiaoqiao insisted the money belonged to their family.

Su Qiaoqiao persuaded Yang Yue'e to let her pursue college, while Old Lady Su insisted on keeping the money from selling the land. The chapter ended with Yang Fugui warning that Captain Lin had come to demand the money back for Old Lady Liu’s family.

• Old Lady Su insisted that the land money belonged to the Su family and said she would use it to buy milk powder for her grandson.
• Su Qiaoqiao asked Yang Yue'e to support her college plans, promising she would find a good job and help her family.
• Yang Yue'e agreed to discuss college with Su Youqing but asked whether Su Qiaoqiao had done well on the exam.
• Su Qiaoqiao claimed she would get into college and dismissed the chance that Su Qiao had outperformed her.
• Yang Fugui arrived with a group of people and told Old Lady Su that the money had to be returned to Old Lady Liu's family.
• Yang Fugui warned Yang Yue'e that Captain Lin had brought people to demand the money, putting him in serious trouble.

Su Qiao and her allies confronted Old Lady Su over the money she had taken, while Lin Bingkun revealed that Lin Xiuying was his biological sister and threatened anyone who mistreated her. The chapter ended with Lin Bingkun ordering his men to arrest Yang Fugui for taking state funds and abusing his authority.

• Old Lady Su refused to return the money and tried to strike Su Qiao, but Xiao Jingsheng stopped her.
• Old Lady Su insulted Su Qiao, and Old Lady Liu slapped her while Su Qiao and Lin Xiuying tried to calm the situation.
• Lin Bingkun silenced Old Lady Su and warned the villagers not to trouble Lin Xiuying.
• Su Youqing backed away in fear as Lin Bingkun revealed he was Lin Xiuying's biological brother and the railway engineering team's leader.
• Lin Bingkun ordered his men to arrest Yang Fugui for taking state money and abusing his authority.

Lin Bingkun arrested Yang Fugui for secretly distributing the compensation money and forced the Su Family to return it to Su Qiao's family. Afterward, Liu Chunfang and Old Lady Liu hosted Lin Bingkun and Xiao Jingsheng for a meal, where Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng showed their affection for each other.

• Li Zi and several men restrained Yang Fugui, and Lin Bingkun told him he would face legal responsibility for distributing the money privately.
• Lin Bingkun ordered the Su Family to return the compensation money within ten minutes or face arrest and an investigation.
• Old Lady Su returned the 4,000 yuan to Su Qiao's family, and Su Qiao thanked Lin Bingkun for his help.
• Old Lady Liu invited Lin Bingkun, Xiao Jingsheng, and Su Qiao to a meal, and Liu Chunfang served them food.
• Su Qiao gave Xiao Jingsheng a chicken leg, and he tried to give it back to her before Old Lady Liu put another leg in each of their bowls.

Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng shared a meal with Old Lady Liu and Lin Xiuying while villagers praised Su Qiao and condemned the Su family and Yang Fugui. Later that night, Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng crouched behind an earthen wall, and Xiao Jingsheng asked what they were going to do.

• Su Qiao sweet-talked Old Lady Liu, who praised her and Xiao Jingsheng as they ate together.
• Lin Xiuying recalled how Su Qiao had persuaded Xiao Jingsheng to pursue his studies and helped him earn his tuition.
• News spread through Xiaohe Village about Lin Xiuying's influential brother and Yang Fugui's embezzlement of land-compensation funds.
• Villagers praised Su Qiao and regretted that the Su family had driven her out.
• That night, Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng crouched behind an earthen wall, and Xiao Jingsheng asked what they were going to do.

Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng dug up Old Lady Su’s hidden valuables to fund their plans to buy a house, then returned to the wall outside Su Qiao’s home. Xiao Jingsheng confessed that he wanted them to stay together forever, and Su Qiao realized he was asking to get engaged.

• Su Qiao led Xiao Jingsheng to the Su family’s backyard, where they dug beneath a banyan tree and recovered a jar of valuables.
• Su Qiao explained that Old Lady Su’s family had once been landlords and planned to sell the valuables at the Black Market in Beijing.
• Xiao Jingsheng worried the valuables could be recognized and cause trouble, then agreed to keep them safe himself.
• As Su Qiao prepared to climb back over the wall, Xiao Jingsheng asked to tell her something and confessed that he wanted them to be together forever.
• Su Qiao understood that Xiao Jingsheng was asking to get engaged, and he promised to treat her well.

Xiao Jingsheng confessed his feelings to Su Qiao, and she agreed to become engaged to him. The next morning, his family began arranging a proper engagement before the two returned to school.

• Xiao Jingsheng asked Su Qiao if she liked him and promised to listen to her, and Su Qiao agreed to their engagement.
• Xiao Jingsheng lifted Su Qiao over the wall, then went home and later threw the jar he had carried into the river.
• Xiao Jingsheng told Lin Xiuying the next morning that he and Su Qiao had agreed to become engaged.
• Lin Xiuying sent Xiao Jingsheng to fetch Lin Bingkun, who proposed buying gifts and arranging an auspicious date before the children returned to school.

Lin Bingkun gave Lin Xiuying money for Xiao Jingsheng’s engagement and revealed that he had fallen for Liu Chunfang, asking his sister to find out whether she might remarry. Xiao Jingsheng then chose the earliest engagement date, leaving Lin Xiuying exasperated by the two eager men.

• Lin Xiuying offered Lin Bingkun money for Xiao Jingsheng’s engagement, but he refused and gave her money he had withdrawn from the credit union.
• Lin Xiuying urged Lin Bingkun to find someone to marry, and he asked whether Liu Chunfang planned to remarry.
• Lin Bingkun told Lin Xiuying he had fallen for Liu Chunfang and said he was willing to wait despite her recent divorce.
• Lin Xiuying agreed to sound Liu Chunfang out about remarrying and teased her brother about his eagerness.
• Xiao Jingsheng chose the soonest of three auspicious dates for the engagement, leaving Lin Xiuying speechless.

The Lin family brought an extravagant set of betrothal gifts to the Liu family, prompting Liu Chunfang and Old Lady Liu to insist that Su Qiao would have a substantial dowry of her own. Su Qiao then showed Lin Bingkun her Soilless Cultivation technique, leaving him astonished by its potential.

• Lin Bingkun and Xiao Jingsheng brought the Lin family's betrothal gifts to the Liu family, impressing the gathered villagers with their value and abundance.
• Old Lady Liu and Liu Chunfang worried that the gifts were too lavish, but Lin Bingkun offered to buy the young couple a color television and refrigerator after the wedding.
• Su Qiao and Liu Chunfang reassured Lin Bingkun that the Liu family had money and said Su Qiao hoped to buy a house in Beijing with proceeds from her technology.
• Su Qiao took Lin Bingkun and Xiao Jingsheng to her backyard base and explained her Soilless Cultivation technique.
• Lin Bingkun heard that the technique could grow vegetables year-round in about a month and praised Su Qiao as a talent.

Su Qiao asked Lin Bingkun to help her sell her cultivation technology to the state, and he agreed to contact his Maternal Aunt-in-law. The discussion ended when Xiao Jingsheng reminded Lin Bingkun that it was the day he and Su Qiao got engaged.

• Xiao Jingsheng proudly told Lin Bingkun about Su Qiao's strength, medical skills, and accomplishments.
• Lin Bingkun warned Su Qiao that keeping her cultivation technology private could bring trouble, and she explained that she wanted to sell it to the state.
• Lin Bingkun offered to contact his Maternal Aunt-in-law and assured Su Qiao that she would receive credit and rewards.
• Su Qiao told Lin Bingkun that her technology could be used for planting in soil as well as soilless cultivation, making large-scale farming easier.
• Lin Bingkun hurried to leave, but Xiao Jingsheng stopped him and reminded him that it was their engagement day.

The Liu family hosted village elders and neighbors, while Old Lady Su and Su Youqing left jealously after they could not cause trouble. Later, Lin Bingkun confessed his feelings to Liu Chunfang, but she resisted his proposal, leaving him trying to convince her they were suitable.

• The Liu family served two full tables for the village elders, the village chief, and neighbors, who praised Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng.
• Old Lady Su and Su Youqing left the Liu home grumbling because the village chief and Lin Bingkun were there.
• Old Lady Su blamed Yang Yue'e and suspected the child she was carrying was a girl.
• Lin Bingkun asked Liu Chunfang whether his sister had told her about his feelings, then said he wanted to marry her.
• Liu Chunfang refused, saying she wanted to focus on her daughter and that their ages and circumstances made them unsuitable.
• Lin Bingkun told Liu Chunfang that he had once been engaged and praised her qualities as he tried to persuade her to accept him.

Lin Bingkun defended Liu Chunfang from Su Youqing, and Liu Chunfang said she would think about his pursuit. More than half a month after the college entrance examination, admission notices arrived as Su Qiaoqiao whispered with her mother at home.

• Su Youqing confronted Lin Bingkun and claimed Liu Chunfang was still his business, but Liu Chunfang reminded him they were divorced and Xiao Qiao had cut ties with him.
• Lin Bingkun threatened Su Youqing and ordered him to stay away from Liu Chunfang, prompting Su Youqing to run off to report him to the village chief.
• Liu Chunfang thanked Lin Bingkun indirectly by admitting she would consider his proposal, and he promised to wait for her.
• Su Qiao praised Lin Bingkun while watching from behind an earthen wall, and Xiao Jingsheng vowed to train harder so he could protect her.
• More than half a month after the college entrance examination, admission notices arrived, and Su Qiaoqiao pulled her mother aside to whisper.

Su Qiaoqiao pressured Yang Yue'e to help her change her name so she could attend college in Su Qiao's place, while Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng realized her admission letter had likely been intercepted. Su Qiao led Xiao Jingsheng toward the principal's house and encountered Su Qiaoqiao and Old Lady Su, leaving Su Qiaoqiao's college plans unresolved.

• Su Qiaoqiao persuaded Yang Yue'e to ask First Uncle for a new ID card changing her name to Su Qiao so she could use the admission opportunity.
• Xiao Jingsheng rushed to Su Qiao with his admission letter, and Su Qiao suspected Su Qiaoqiao had intercepted hers.
• Xiao Jingsheng wanted to confront the Su family, but Su Qiao instead led him toward the principal's house.
• Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng met Su Qiaoqiao and Old Lady Su on the way, and Su Qiaoqiao asked whether Su Qiao had received her admission letter.
• Su Qiaoqiao mocked Su Qiao for possibly failing to get in, then admitted her own admission letter had not arrived.

Su Qiao discovered that Su Qiaoqiao had hidden her university admission notice and brought the principal and postal worker to confront her. The principal revealed that Su Qiao was the national top student, and the Old Village Chief condemned Su Qiaoqiao for her actions.

• Su Qiao told the Old Village Chief that a problem had kept her from getting her admission notice and left with Xiao Jingsheng to investigate.
• Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng returned with the principal and a postal worker, who identified Su Qiaoqiao as the person who had taken the notice.
• The principal accused Su Qiaoqiao of hiding Su Qiao's admission notice and revealed that Su Qiao was the national Zhuangyuan.
• The Old Village Chief believed Su Qiaoqiao was guilty and angrily denounced her for trying to prevent Su Qiao from attending university.

Su Qiao recovered her college admission letter after Su Qiaoqiao was caught taking it, and the principal decided to record the offense in Su Qiaoqiao’s school records. Old Lady Liu learned what happened and set out to confront Su Qiaoqiao.

• Su Youqing slapped Su Qiaoqiao and demanded that she return Su Qiao’s admission letter, while Su Qiao accused her of planning to impersonate her.
• Su Qiaoqiao apologized and retrieved the envelope, and Su Qiao checked that her admission letter was intact.
• The principal warned Su Qiaoqiao that the incident would be added to her graduation records.
• Su Youqing pleaded with the Old Village Chief to let Su Qiaoqiao stay, but the village chief warned him not to let her cause more trouble.
• Old Lady Liu heard that Su Qiaoqiao had taken the admission letter and went to confront her.

After Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng succeeded in their exams, Old Lady Liu planned a family celebration. In town, Xie Hui told Su Qiao he had also gotten into Jing University and tried to confess his feelings, but she wanted nothing to do with him.

• Su Qiao stopped Old Lady Liu from confronting the woman who had stolen someone else's admission notice, and Liu Chunfang redirected the family to celebrate Su Qiao and Xiao Jingsheng's results.
• Old Lady Liu asked Su Qiao to invite Aunt Lin and Uncle Lin to dinner and buy liquor, so Su Qiao went to town with Xiao Jingsheng.
• Su Qiao left the department store and ran into Xie Hui, who told her he had been admitted to Jing University too.
• Xie Hui followed Su Qiao and hinted that he had feelings for her, while Su Qiao denied understanding and tried to get away from him.

Xie Hui confessed his love to Su Qiao, but she rejected him and told him she had always liked Xiao Jingsheng. After Xie Hui’s mother confronted Su Qiao and accused her of scheming, the argument was left unresolved.

• Xie Hui confessed that he liked Su Qiao and wanted to be with her forever.
• Su Qiao rejected Xie Hui and explained that studying together did not mean she liked him.
• Xie Hui refused to accept the rejection, and Su Qiao told him she had always liked Xiao Jingsheng.
• Xie Hui left to help his sister after his mother called him, but he promised to visit Su Qiao again the next day.
• Madam Xie approached Su Qiao, rejected her polite greeting, and accused her of schemes that had made Xie Hui think about her day and night.