Dong Zhenghao

Biodata

Background / History

Dong Zhenghao was previously married to Zhuo Jiayue. Their marriage ended shortly after the birth of their daughter, who was reported to have been abducted as a toddler; the separation was later revealed to have followed Dong Zhenghao's infidelity. While he ran a small business in Qing City, his mother Wang Guixiang was entrusted with the child in their hometown. He made several police reports after the disappearance, but stopped actively pursuing the case after marrying Jiang Li, who was pregnant at the time. 2 87

Unbeknownst to him, Wang Guixiang had sold the child for one thousand yuan and fabricated the abduction. Before her death, she was consumed by guilt and asked Dong Zhenghao to find his lost daughter and ensure she was provided for. 2 3

The Qing City Public Security Bureau later contacted him after Liu Mumu claimed to be his missing daughter. A paternity test confirmed the relationship, but Dong Zhenghao initially regarded her return with suspicion and attempted to keep her in a hotel rather than bring her into his family. 2 3

Wang Guixiang died shortly after meeting Liu Mumu. In his grief, Dong Zhenghao blamed Liu Mumu for her death, until she exposed Wang Guixiang's role in selling her. He subsequently tried to settle the matter through compensation and non-recognition, but Liu Mumu refused; he ultimately allowed her to move into the Dong home. 3 4

Personality

Dong Zhenghao is practical, status-conscious, and strongly motivated by business interests. He assesses relationships in terms of their potential benefit to his family, including seeing Liu Mumu's possible relationship with Zheng Xuan as a valuable connection for the Dongs. He also pursues commercial opportunities aggressively, such as approaching Mr. Zhuo at Qin Kai's funeral and later becoming drawn into jade gambling through Liu Dafu. 8 10 88 95

At the beginning of the story, he is deeply biased toward his son. He believes Dong Qi should inherit the family assets, while his daughters should receive dowries rather than shares of the family business. His favoritism was shaped in part by Wang Guixiang's similar treatment of the family. 2 6

His relationship with Liu Mumu gradually changes from suspicion and avoidance to reliance and paternal concern. After witnessing the effectiveness of her divinations during his curse, he begins seeking her advice daily. He later adjusts his work habits because she dislikes his late, drunken returns, worries about her safety around Yan Xiu, and publicly treats her as a daughter he spoils. 13 14 25

Although often overbearing and easily tempted by profit, Dong Zhenghao becomes more willing to discipline Dong Qi and acknowledge his daughters' place in the household. His authority steadily weakens within the family as Liu Mumu becomes the person everyone—including Dong Zhenghao—hesitates to offend. 35 36 84 101

Relationships

• Liu Mumu / Dong Xinrui — His long-lost biological elder daughter. Dong Zhenghao initially tries to compensate her without acknowledging her, but eventually takes her into his home and comes to rely on her divinations and protection. 2 4 13 25
• Jiang Li — His second wife. Their marriage is frequently strained by disagreements over Dong Qi's upbringing, finances, and Liu Mumu's place in the household. 11 36 89 95
• Zhuo Jiayue — His former wife and Liu Mumu's biological mother. Their marriage ended after Dong Zhenghao's infidelity; when she later seeks to take Liu Mumu to the Qi family, he refuses to cooperate. 2 87
• Dong Qi — His biological son with Jiang Li. Dong Zhenghao initially indulges him and plans to leave him the family company, but begins punishing him over his dishonesty, spending, and poor academic performance. 6 35 38 84
• Dong Yue — His daughter with Jiang Li. Though initially overlooked in favor of Dong Qi, she becomes part of the closer bond formed around Liu Mumu. 5 35 84
• Wang Guixiang — His late mother. Dong Zhenghao was initially blind to her mistreatment of Jiang Li and the children; her concealed sale of Liu Mumu permanently changes his view of the past. 2 3 4
• Qin Kai — Business partner and friend. Qin Kai's sudden death disrupts their planned contract and leaves Dong Zhenghao vulnerable to Zhan Hongye's business maneuvering. 5 7
• Zhan Hongye — Brother-in-law through Jiang Li's sister, Jiang Jia, and a business rival. Dong Zhenghao suspects Zhan Hongye of cursing him and later becomes a police suspect after Zhan's death. 7 13 15 20
• Liu Dafu — An antiques and raw-stone dealer who befriends Dong Zhenghao under Qi Mingzhao's instructions, gifts him a polluted water-filled agate, and steers him toward jade gambling. 88 89 92

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Reunion with Liu Mumu — Learns that Liu Mumu may be the daughter he lost nearly two decades earlier. Once her identity is verified, he brings her to see Wang Guixiang, triggering the revelation that his mother sold her. 2 3
• Forced family integration — Attempts to pay Liu Mumu to stay away, then permits her to move in when she refuses. His household becomes increasingly divided over her presence, especially through Dong Qi and Jiang Li's hostility. 4 6
• Zhan Hongye curse — Develops unexplained bleeding cuts after Master Ning obtains his birth details. Liu Mumu identifies the situation as a curse and instructs him to leave the province, causing the marks to fade. 11 13 14
• Investigation into Zhan Hongye — Helps Liu Mumu investigate Zhan Hongye's whereabouts and ex-wife's death, then faces police questioning when Zhan is found dead after Dong Zhenghao had arranged for him to be taught a lesson. 15 18 20
• Changing role as a father — Begins defending Liu Mumu against Dong Qi, disciplines Dong Qi over forged grades and reckless spending, and becomes more involved in the children's daily lives. 6 35 36 38
• Qi family retaliation — Rejects Zhuo Jiayue's request to take Liu Mumu away, making him a target of Qi Mingzhao's scheme. Liu Dafu uses a water-filled agate to expose him to pollution, amplifying his emotions and causing violent, irrational behavior. 87 88 89 90
• Jade-gambling loss — After recovering from the pollution, he attempts to profit through jade gambling. Though he ultimately makes a profit, he loses more than one million yuan in the broader scheme and decides to return to his regular business. 95

Trivia

• Dong Zhenghao has only an elementary-school-level grasp of mathematics, a fact Liu Mumu uses to expose Dong Qi's forged math score. 35
• He repeatedly seeks Liu Mumu's divinations despite formerly dismissing fortune-telling and viewing her grandfather's profession as fraudulent. 3 13
• His family considers it highly abnormal when he dares to openly defy Liu Mumu, reflecting her rise in authority within the household. 89 90