Chapter Summaries

Chapter 21 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao successfully captures an enormous Giant Grouper, estimated to weigh seventy or eighty jin—around 35–40 kilograms.
• After transforming into a lizard to subdue the fish, Lu Ao is left exhausted and naked because his diving suit fell into the sea. He recovers beside the tide pool while admiring the dawn.
• He retrieves his diving suit and fins from the water but is unable to find his diving mask and snorkel. Concerned about polluting the ocean, he searches thoroughly before giving up.
• Lu Ao contacts Lin Manzhang and asks to borrow oxygenation equipment to keep the grouper alive. He also requests food because of his extreme exhaustion.
• Lin Manzhang’s wife prepares a large meal consisting of roast duck, braised eggs, pickled mustard greens, and coconut milk, showing great concern for Lu Ao.
• Lin Manzhang, Lin Gongshang, and the others arrive with tanks and oxygenation devices. They are astonished by the grouper’s immense size.
• Lu Ao explains that the fish panicked, swam toward shore, and became stranded, allowing him to catch it. He conceals the true extent of his abilities.
• The group transfers the grouper to a water tank. Lu Ao also reveals that he collected sea snails and sea urchins and promises to treat everyone to drinks.
• After packing up, they head back toward Lu Ao’s home, with Lu Ao walking slowly because he is still physically depleted.

Character Development

• Lu Ao demonstrates extraordinary physical strength, endurance, and resourcefulness by capturing the giant fish, but the effort leaves him nearly powerless. He also shows environmental responsibility by searching for his lost equipment rather than abandoning it in the sea.
• He remains humble and cautious when questioned, giving a believable but incomplete explanation for his success. He agrees not to take such dangerous risks again.
• Lin Manzhang acts as a dependable friend, immediately bringing equipment and helping transport the fish. He is also concerned about Lu Ao’s safety and warns him against repeating the feat.
• Lin Manzhang’s wife shows maternal warmth and favoritism toward Lu Ao by preparing far more food than necessary and insisting he receive something nutritious to eat.
• Lin Gongshang and the others are amazed and envious of Lu Ao’s catch, treating the giant grouper as an extraordinary discovery.

Significant Themes

• Human strength versus nature: Lu Ao’s capture of the grouper highlights his unusual abilities, but the fish remains powerful and dangerous.
• Friendship and communal support: Lu Ao’s friends quickly provide food, equipment, transportation, and physical help.
• Environmental responsibility: His effort to recover the diving suit and avoid leaving marine debris reflects respect for the ocean.
• Concealed identity and abilities: Lu Ao continues hiding the supernatural transformation and physical power that made the capture possible.
• Reward and risk: The valuable fish promises a large financial return, but the chapter emphasizes that obtaining it nearly endangered Lu Ao’s life.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Ao messages Lin Manzhang for help, and Lin Manzhang responds immediately.
• Lin Manzhang’s wife expresses concern for Lu Ao and prepares an enormous meal, prompting Lin Manzhang to jokingly acknowledge her favoritism.
• Upon seeing the grouper, Lin Gongshang reacts with shock and admiration, while Lin Manzhang focuses on the danger involved.
• The friends tease and question Lu Ao about his catch, but ultimately accept his explanation and help him transport the fish.
• Lu Ao repays their assistance by offering the sea urchins and sea snails for a shared meal and promising to explain the story later.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

Lu Ao and the others return home with the enormous Giant Grouper he caught. They weigh it and confirm that it is 83.8 jin, astonishing everyone. The fish is still alive and healthy, so the group transports it in an oxygenated tank to Long Township Wharf to sell it. At Deyu Fish Shop, the fish attracts a large crowd of curious fishers and onlookers. Niu Deyu is shocked by its size and immediately contacts Jiacheng Grand Hotel to negotiate a sale. Other buyers attempt to outbid him, arguing that the grouper’s exceptional size, freshness, and living condition justify a price above the usual 188 yuan per jin. Niu Deyu anxiously protects the deal and invites Lu Ao’s group inside while awaiting the hotel’s response.

Character developments

Lu Ao’s physical exhaustion after catching and transporting the grouper is emphasized; despite his usual confidence and graceful appearance, he becomes pale and must rest. His success also increases his reputation among the local fishers. He modestly attributes the catch to luck rather than skill. Lin Manzhang continues acting as a supportive, practical companion, helping Lu Ao care for the fish and negotiate its sale. Niu Deyu’s attitude reveals his eagerness to secure valuable business, while Lu Ao’s popularity and attractiveness become subjects of teasing among the men.

Significant themes

The chapter highlights luck versus ability, as Lu Ao insists that the grouper’s capture was partly accidental, while others argue that luck itself reflects strength or skill. It also explores competition and commercial value, with buyers competing over the rare fish and debating how much its freshness and size are worth. The grouper represents Lu Ao’s growing fortune and potential success in the fishing trade.

Character interactions

Lin Gongshang and Lu Ao exchange teasing remarks about Lu Ao’s looks, wealth, and prospects for marriage, though Lu Ao conceals his sexuality. The group cooperates closely while weighing and transporting the difficult, struggling fish. At the wharf, Niu Deyu interacts urgently with Lu Ao and Lin Manzhang, trying to secure the sale, while rival buyers openly attempt to purchase the grouper. Niu Deyu then hosts the group with tea and offers to order them a large lunch, especially because Lu Ao has a notably large appetite.

Chapter Summary: “It Was a Dragon”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Niu Deyu arranges lunch and tea for Lu Ao and the fishermen while waiting for representatives from Jiacheng Grand Hotel.
• Manager Shen arrives specifically to inspect the enormous live Giant Grouper. He is shocked by its size and vitality.
• After examining the fish, Manager Shen offers Lu Ao 200 yuan per jin, explaining that this is a strong price for such a large grouper. Lu Ao accepts.
• The fish weighs 42.2 kilograms, or 84.4 jin, making the total sale price 16,880 yuan.
• After a 45% tax deduction, Lu Ao receives 9,284 yuan.
• Lu Ao treats Lin Manzhang and the others to a modest lunch, adding several more expensive signature dishes out of gratitude.
• He declines Lin Manzhang’s offer of a ride, planning instead to retrieve his new covered tricycle, buy groceries, and return home.
• Lu Ao collects the tricycle, shops for supplies, and slowly drives back through the poor village roads, arriving after dark.
• At home, he encounters a pale, refined stranger dressed entirely in white. The man introduces himself as Song Zhou.
• Song Zhou recognizes Lu Ao as an A-class dangerous individual listed by the Anomalous Personnel Affairs Regulatory Agency, strongly suggesting that his arrival is connected to Lu Ao’s unusual abilities or past.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao successfully turns the dangerous fishing expedition into substantial income, though the tax significantly reduces his earnings. His decision to accept Manager Shen’s offer shows practicality and restraint.
• His generosity becomes clear when he pays for lunch and deliberately orders better dishes for his companions, despite having just endured a risky and physically demanding trip.
• Lu Ao appears increasingly independent, purchasing transportation and supplies while remaining considerate toward his friends and their families.
• His calm response to Song Zhou’s threatening presence demonstrates composure and confidence. Rather than being intimidated, he simply greets him.
• Lin Manzhang continues to act as a supportive friend, offering Lu Ao transportation and reminding him about the vegetable seedlings.
• Manager Shen is portrayed as business-minded and eager, but also knowledgeable enough to recognize the grouper’s true market value.
• Song Zhou is introduced as outwardly elegant and polite but inwardly dangerous, immediately creating suspense around Lu Ao’s identity.

Significant Themes

• Reward versus risk: Lu Ao earns a large sum from the grouper, but the money reflects the danger he faced while fishing.
• Friendship and generosity: Lu Ao shares his earnings and success with the fishermen, emphasizing mutual support rather than selfish profit.
• Ordinary life versus hidden danger: The chapter moves from routine business, transportation, and grocery shopping to the ominous arrival of a government-linked figure.
• Appearances can be deceptive: The grouper’s impressive vitality and Song Zhou’s gentle appearance both conceal deeper significance or danger.
• Lu Ao’s mysterious status: The reference to him as an A-class dangerous individual raises questions about his abilities, history, and why the authorities are watching him.

Character Interactions

• Niu Deyu acts as the intermediary between Lu Ao’s group and the hotel, proudly presenting the grouper to Manager Shen.
• Manager Shen negotiates directly with Lu Ao, while Lin Manzhang strengthens Lu Ao’s bargaining position by mentioning the higher outside offer.
• Lu Ao and Lin Manzhang share a friendly, respectful exchange about transportation, dinner plans, and the vegetable seedlings.
• Lu Ao’s lunch with the fishermen reinforces their camaraderie and his appreciation for their help.
• The chapter ends with the first meeting between Lu Ao and Song Zhou. Though the exchange is polite, Song Zhou’s concealed danger and knowledge of Lu Ao’s classification create immediate tension.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Song Zhou arrives at Lu Ao’s rural home, introducing himself as the head of the China Division of the Anomalous Personnel Affairs Regulatory Agency.
• He explains that the agency detected the abnormal disturbance caused by Lu Ao’s transformation earlier that morning, when Lu Ao lost control and reverted to a lizard-like form.
• After inspecting Lu Ao’s unusually quiet, animal-free home and exceptionally vigorous plants, Song Zhou demonstrates his supernatural power by instantly freezing and reheating Lu Ao’s tea.
• Song Zhou reveals that Lu Ao has fused with a Young Dragon’s bloodline. Lu Ao is no longer fully human and is now the only known Dragon in their plane.
• Lu Ao learns that his original human body was absorbed genetically into the Dragon body rather than literally eaten. Because he is the first known human-Dragon fusion, the possible long-term effects remain unknown.
• Song Zhou explains that registration with the agency is currently Lu Ao’s only obligation. He describes the organization as a semi-official authority that handles anomalous individuals and offers assistance, sometimes for a fee.
• The two exchange contact information through WeChat, and Song Zhou directs Lu Ao to the agency’s official online forum.
• Song Zhou then asks to draw Lu Ao’s blood for testing. Lu Ao remains suspicious, while Song Zhou emphasizes that he is powerful enough to take the sample by force if necessary.

Character developments

• Lu Ao: Becomes increasingly aware that his transformation is far more significant than he initially believed. He shifts from uncertainty and distrust to cautious acceptance after recognizing Song Zhou’s overwhelming strength, though he remains guarded and insists on verifying Song Zhou’s identity.
• Song Zhou: Presents himself as polite, calm, and mildly humorous, but his effortless supernatural abilities establish him as extremely powerful. He acts as both an official representative and a potential source of guidance for Lu Ao.

Significant themes

• Identity and transformation: Lu Ao must confront the fact that he is no longer simply a human with unusual abilities, but a new hybrid entity whose Dragon nature may redefine his identity.
• The unknown consequences of power: Since Lu Ao is the first human known to successfully fuse with a Dragon, even the authorities cannot predict what will happen to him.
• Authority and trust: Lu Ao’s demand for identification reflects his caution toward mysterious institutions, while Song Zhou’s demonstration of power substitutes for conventional proof.
• The ordinary within the extraordinary: Supernatural revelations are handled through mundane actions—tea, house visits, phone numbers, WeChat, and blood tests—creating a contrast between Lu Ao’s extraordinary condition and everyday life.

Character interactions

• Lu Ao cautiously hosts Song Zhou and tests the legitimacy of his claims.
• Song Zhou responds to Lu Ao’s suspicion without hostility, using his ice-and-heat manipulation as evidence of his authority.
• Their conversation moves from official introduction to personal revelation, with Song Zhou explaining Lu Ao’s Dragon transformation and offering institutional support.
• Although Song Zhou is friendly, his reminder of their difference in strength creates an underlying power imbalance, especially when he requests Lu Ao’s blood.

Chapter Summary: “Growing Vegetables”

Key plot points and events

• Song Zhou visits Lu Ao to complete the registration process for gifted individuals. He draws Lu Ao’s blood, explaining that the authorities collect samples to identify and monitor people whose abilities may cause trouble.
• Song Zhou leaves in an unnatural, almost teleportation-like manner, making Lu Ao wary of the organization and its methods.
• After Song Zhou departs, Lu Ao transforms into his non-human form and finally confirms that he is not a lizard but a traditional Chinese dragon, complete with whiskers, horns, and a distinctive dragon-like face. He is surprised—and somewhat charmed—by his appearance.
• Lu Ao browses the organization’s online forum, finding credible discussions about non-humans and supernatural matters. However, he remains reluctant to become involved, preferring a quiet and ordinary life.
• The next morning, he resumes spearfishing despite nearly drowning the previous day. He catches several kinds of fish, earning slightly over six hundred yuan.
• He spends part of his earnings on groceries and uses the rest to buy two oxygen concentrators from Lin Dawu’s family shop, likely preparing for his unusual agricultural plans.
• Lin Dawu’s wife, Gui Yandan, warmly invites him to breakfast. While eating potato pancakes, Lu Ao learns that Lionhead Geese are available from a nearby town and discusses purchasing them for his farm.
• Lu Ao then heads home to collect vegetable seedlings arranged by Lin Manzhang. The chapter ends when Lin Manzhang’s wife, Ye Zhiying, greets him and asks why he did not visit the previous day.

Character development

• Lu Ao: Becomes more accepting of his true identity after examining his dragon form. Although he acknowledges his supernatural nature, he remains cautious about the authorities and avoids deeper involvement with the non-human community. At the same time, he continues building a practical, self-sufficient rural life through fishing, farming, and plans to raise geese.
• Song Zhou: Comes across as efficient, powerful, and mysterious. His polite explanation reassures Lu Ao somewhat, but his rapid blood draw and inhuman departure reinforce the sense that he belongs to a formidable supernatural organization.
• Gui Yandan and Lin Dawu: Their hospitality shows that Lu Ao is becoming familiar and accepted within the local community. Gui Yandan is especially enthusiastic about caring for him.
• Ye Zhiying: Her friendly greeting suggests that Lu Ao has developed relationships with the neighboring villagers and is expected to participate in their social circle.

Significant themes

• Identity and self-acceptance: Lu Ao confronts the reality that he is a dragon rather than a lizard, marking an important step toward understanding himself.
• Desire for peace and normalcy: Despite his supernatural abilities and contact with authorities, Lu Ao wants to avoid trouble and live a quiet life.
• Integration of the extraordinary into ordinary life: Blood registration, supernatural transformations, fishing, shopping, farming, and neighborly meals all coexist naturally.
• Community and hospitality: The warmth of the Lin family contrasts with Lu Ao’s guarded attitude toward the regulatory organization, emphasizing the comfort of ordinary human relationships.
• Self-sufficiency and rural living: Lu Ao’s investments in vegetables, geese, fish, and oxygen equipment show his continued effort to create a stable, independent home.

Important character interactions

• Song Zhou calmly registers Lu Ao and explains the purpose of the blood sample, while Lu Ao remains respectful but suspicious.
• Gui Yandan warmly hosts Lu Ao for breakfast, and Lin Dawu jokes about how much she enjoys having him as a guest.
• Gui Yandan provides practical information about purchasing Lionhead Geese, helping Lu Ao expand his plans.
• Lu Ao collects his vegetable seedlings from the Lin family and is greeted by Ye Zhiying, reinforcing his growing connection with the local community.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Ye Zhiying delivers the vegetable seedlings Lu Ao asked her to buy: winter melon, pumpkin, loofah, bird’s-eye chili, tomato, long chili, eggplant, and bean seedlings. She carefully explains how to shade, plant, water, and fertilize them.
• Lu Ao plans to cultivate his family’s remaining three mu and eight fen of fertile land, which had already been plowed by a hired worker.
• He spends the day preparing half the field, then begins transplanting the seedlings in the evening. He deliberately separates the long chilies and bird’s-eye chilies to prevent cross-pollination from affecting their flavor and quality.
• Lin Gongshang arrives to invite Lu Ao squid fishing that night. Lu Ao agrees to leave at ten after finishing the planting.
• Seeing Lu Ao struggle with the farm work, Lin helps him plant the remaining tomato seedlings and teaches him a more efficient method.
• Lin advises Lu Ao on spacing, watering, staking tomatoes with bamboo, and fertilizing. He also offers to bring sweet-potato cuttings from his family’s fields.
• Lu Ao reveals that he plans to buy geese, hoping to use their manure as fertilizer. Lin warns him that geese are difficult to raise and that goslings are prone to illness.

Character developments

• Lu Ao demonstrates determination and practicality. Although inexperienced with farming, he carefully follows instructions, works through the entire day, and commits Lin’s advice to memory.
• He also shows foresight by separating chili varieties and planning to expand his crops with sweet potatoes and other vegetables.
• Ye Zhiying acts as a considerate and knowledgeable helper, taking responsibility for choosing suitable seedlings and giving Lu Ao detailed agricultural guidance.
• Lin Gongshang is revealed as friendly, energetic, and experienced in farming. He readily helps Lu Ao instead of merely giving advice and shows concern about Lu Ao’s ambitious plans to raise geese.

Significant themes

• Self-reliance and rebuilding: Lu Ao is actively establishing a productive life by reclaiming his family’s land and growing his own food.
• Learning through cooperation: Despite Lu Ao’s independence, progress depends on the practical knowledge and assistance of people around him.
• Agricultural patience and care: The chapter emphasizes that successful farming requires careful timing, spacing, watering, fertilizing, and ongoing maintenance.
• Community and friendship: Ye Zhiying and Lin Gongshang support Lu Ao in different ways, reflecting the cooperative nature of village life.

Character interactions

• Ye Zhiying and Lu Ao interact respectfully, with her taking a protective, almost elder-sibling role as she gives him detailed planting instructions.
• Lin Gongshang’s teasing and practical help reveal an easy friendship with Lu Ao. He notices Lu Ao’s inexperience, teaches him directly, and offers additional sweet-potato plants.
• Lu Ao listens attentively to both of them, accepting their help while continuing to make his own plans, particularly regarding his land, crops, and future goose farming.

Chapter Summary: “Night Fishing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao decides to experiment with raising Lionhead Geese, planning to begin with a manageable batch of thirty to fifty birds. Lin Gongshang advises him not to buy too many at once.
• After dinner and a shower, Lu Ao drives to the coast near Lin Family Village to join Lin Manzhang and the others for a nighttime squid-fishing trip.
• He meets Lin Qiyan, a refined young man who makes fishing videos and recognizes Lu Ao as “God Lu,” aware of Lu Ao’s growing popularity through Tian Mingzhi’s videos.
• The group launches their boat and travels carefully through the dark sea. Lu Ao remains comfortable despite the night voyage and does not suffer from seasickness.
• Lu Ao prepares the octopus hooks with market bait and earthworms. The hooks are designed to catch squid securely, while a glowing wooden shrimp lure attracts them.
• After more than forty minutes, they reach a remote fishing area. Before turning on the fishing lights, everyone pauses to admire and photograph the exceptionally clear, star-filled sky.
• The group lowers red fish-attracting lights into the water and prepares to begin fishing, waiting for the squid to gather.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Shows practical independence by planning his own goose-raising venture. He is capable, calm, and experienced at sea, taking responsibility for preparing the fishing equipment. He also remains reserved about personal attention, asking Lin Qiyan not to film his face.
• Lin Qiyan: Is introduced as an enthusiastic videographer eager to record the trip and benefit from Lu Ao’s popularity. He is openly fascinated by Lu Ao, filming his hands and reacting warmly when Lu Ao notices him.
• Lin Manzhang and the group: Continue to treat Lu Ao as a trusted member of their fishing circle, welcoming his help and relying on his knowledge.
• Lin Gongshang and Lin Guixiao: Maintain a humorous, casual rapport, teasing each other while helping organize the trip.

Significant Themes

• Independence and practical ambition: Lu Ao continues developing his own plans, such as raising geese, while making careful, manageable decisions.
• Skill and preparation: The detailed baiting and use of specialized hooks emphasize the importance of experience and technique in fishing.
• Nature and tranquility: The starlit sea creates a peaceful, almost dreamlike atmosphere, allowing Lu Ao to feel calm and emotionally settled.
• Growing recognition: Lin Qiyan’s interest reflects Lu Ao’s increasing public reputation and the potential for his presence to attract more viewers and opportunities.
• Community and companionship: The group works together, jokes with one another, and shares the quiet beauty of the nighttime sea.

Character Interactions

• Lin Gongshang advises Lu Ao about buying geese, showing concern for his success.
• Lu Ao helps the group carry the boat, immediately reinforcing his place among them.
• Lin Qiyan recognizes and films Lu Ao, while Lu Ao sets a polite boundary by allowing only footage of his hands.
• Lin Gongshang and Lin Guixiao joke about Lin Qiyan’s focus on Lu Ao’s appearance.
• The group cooperates in preparing the boat, bait, lights, and fishing equipment before beginning the night’s squid fishing.

Chapter Summary

Key events

Lu Ao and the others successfully locate a large concentration of squid attracted by the boat’s lights. The group catches squid using wooden shrimp lures, carefully avoiding ink sprays and bites. Once more than thirty squid fill the livewell, Lin Gongshang boils them with ginger and serves them with soy sauce and garlic chili sauce. Everyone enthusiastically enjoys the exceptionally fresh, crisp squid while drinking beer and discussing how much better freshly caught seafood tastes than market-bought squid.

Lu Ao’s development and actions

Lu Ao demonstrates calm expertise and physical skill throughout the fishing trip. He handles the squid safely, eats enthusiastically, and then discovers that he can catch them far more efficiently with a landing net than the others can with fishing rods. His sharp eyesight, accuracy, speed, and silent confidence impress the group. He catches several squid per scoop, eventually bringing in dozens, but remains modest and composed rather than boasting.

Other character developments

Lin Gongshang is energetic, food-loving, and openly delighted by the chance to eat freshly caught squid after craving it for months. He takes charge of cooking, urges everyone to eat quickly, and later tries to imitate Lu Ao’s success with the landing net. Lin Qiyan focuses on filming the outing, especially Lu Ao’s impressive catches. Tan Junhao helps by scooping squid, while the others contribute to fishing, cooking, and serving the meal.

Character interactions

The group works cooperatively, warning one another about squid ink and bites, preparing food together, and sharing the catch. They eagerly encourage Lu Ao when he begins netting large numbers of squid and humorously compare their poor results with his. Lin Gongshang jokingly protests when Lu Ao attributes his superior skill to being “young,” creating a playful, teasing atmosphere.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes companionship, shared pleasure, and the rewards of working together. Fresh food becomes a source of communal joy and nostalgia, while Lu Ao’s competence and quiet confidence strengthen his standing among the group. The lighthearted competition and teasing reinforce the warmth and camaraderie of the outing.

Chapter Summary: “Eels”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After a successful night of squid fishing, Lu Ao impresses the group with both his enormous appetite and exceptional ability to catch squid. He eats roughly ten kilograms of squid and helps fill all three live wells, catching more than half of the total haul himself.
• When the group returns to shore, Lu Ao refuses his share of the squid, insisting that the others take it home for their families. Lin Manzhang points out that everyone has relatives to feed, and the catch is divided among them.
• Having become acquainted with Lu Ao during their squid-fishing trip, Lin Qiyan visits him the following day to invite him eel-catching. He explains that eels are easiest to catch at night by shining a flashlight into the rice paddies and grabbing them with metal tongs.
• Lu Ao agrees to join Lin Qiyan and Lin Gongshang. They meet that evening, with Lin Qiyan filming the outing for a video.
• The three men walk through the rice paddies, spotting and catching several large eels. Lin Gongshang catches the first one and proudly displays it, while Lu Ao proves particularly effective: although he sees fewer eels from the rear of the group, nearly every eel he spots is successfully caught.
• After about half an hour, Lu Ao suggests splitting up to cover more ground. Lin Qiyan, who wants more footage of Lu Ao, asks to accompany him. Lin Gongshang dislikes the idea of hunting alone, so the group decides to remain together, with Lu Ao moving to the front and Lin Qiyan following behind him.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao continues to establish himself as unusually capable in outdoor work. His stamina, appetite, sharp eyesight, and precise movements make him the most successful member of the group.
• His generosity is emphasized when he gives up his share of the squid so that the others can feed their families, revealing a considerate and selfless side beneath his otherwise calm, detached manner.
• Lin Qiyan grows more comfortable around Lu Ao and actively seeks his company. His eagerness to film Lu Ao suggests both friendship and an interest in featuring Lu Ao’s abilities in his videos.
• Lin Gongshang remains energetic, playful, and competitive. He is delighted by the eel-catching activity and takes pride in catching and showing off the first eel.
• The group dynamic becomes more familiar and cooperative as the men share food, fishing, jokes, and nighttime work.

Significant Themes

• Community and generosity: Lu Ao’s decision to let others keep his squid highlights the importance of family responsibility and mutual support in the village.
• Practical rural life: The chapter depicts traditional food-gathering activities—squid fishing and catching eels in rice paddies—as ordinary but enjoyable parts of village life.
• Skill and competence: Lu Ao’s effectiveness in both fishing and eel-catching reinforces his image as someone exceptionally capable in physical and outdoor tasks.
• Friendship and companionship: The trips allow the characters to become better acquainted, strengthening bonds through shared labor and recreation.
• The relationship between work and leisure: Although catching seafood provides food and income-like value, the outings are also social events filled with excitement, humor, and enjoyment.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao exchanges teasing remarks with Lin Gongshang and the others during the squid trip but remains mostly focused on eating and fishing.
• Lin Manzhang challenges Lu Ao’s refusal to accept squid, emphasizing that everyone should share in the group’s success.
• Lin Qiyan personally invites Lu Ao to catch eels, promises to cook for him, and reassures him that filming will not show his face if he is uncomfortable.
• Lin Gongshang welcomes Lu Ao enthusiastically and jokes with Lin Qiyan about arriving late.
• While eel hunting, Lin Gongshang celebrates his first catch, Lin Qiyan films the activity, and Lu Ao quietly demonstrates the highest success rate.
• When Lin Qiyan chooses to stay with Lu Ao for better footage, Lin Gongshang’s reluctance to continue alone leads the three men to remain together, reinforcing their developing camaraderie.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao, Lin Gongshang, and Lin Qiyan continue catching eels in the rice paddies at night. Lu Ao takes the lead, using his sharp senses and iron tongs to catch eels rapidly and efficiently.
• Lu Ao also catches several loaches and refuses to take an eel he considers too small, showing restraint and concern for allowing young animals to grow.
• By the end of the outing, Lu Ao has nearly filled his bucket and caught enough for Lin Gongshang as well. The three men divide the catch fairly before returning to the village.
• Lin Qiyan advises them to let the eels sit for a few days so their muddy taste will lessen. He also invites Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang to a future late-night meal.
• When Lu Ao reaches home, he finds Song Zhou waiting outside his gate. Song gives him a dark green bottle of spiritual wine, explaining that it will strengthen his body and prevent health problems caused by relying only on food.
• Lu Ao initially refuses because he feels he has not earned such a valuable gift, but Song Zhou insists, and Lu Ao accepts gratefully.
• As Song prepares to leave, Lu Ao invites him to stay for a late-night meal. Song agrees and helps prepare the food, using his supernatural ability to heat the braised meat, roast the eggplant, and chill the beer.
• The chapter ends with the two men eating together in Lu Ao’s yard, enjoying food gathered and prepared by Lu Ao.

Character Development

• Lu Ao demonstrates practical skill, confidence, and efficiency while catching eels. He is also selective and considerate, refusing to catch an undersized eel.
• His fairness and straightforward nature appear when he divides the catch evenly and initially hesitates to accept Song Zhou’s expensive spiritual wine.
• Lu Ao becomes increasingly comfortable with Song Zhou, moving from formal gratitude to spontaneously inviting him into his home for a meal.
• Lin Gongshang acts protectively toward Lu Ao by warning him about snakes and encouraging him to keep a reasonable share of the eels.
• Lin Qiyan remains friendly and observant, filming the outing and showing consideration for Lu Ao by offering to return some of the catch.
• Song Zhou continues to show quiet care for Lu Ao. He brings him a health-enhancing gift, insists that he accept it, and willingly helps with household tasks and cooking.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and mutual generosity: The eel-catching trip and the shared distribution of the catch strengthen the bond among Lu Ao, Lin Gongshang, and Lin Qiyan.
• Care expressed through practical actions: Rather than making grand declarations, the characters show concern by sharing food, giving useful gifts, offering warnings, and helping with chores.
• Trust and growing intimacy: Lu Ao and Song Zhou quickly become comfortable with each other, despite having met only twice.
• Balance between nature and livelihood: Lu Ao’s refusal to catch a small eel suggests respect for natural growth and sustainable harvesting.
• Ordinary life alongside the supernatural: Spiritual wine and extraordinary abilities are integrated naturally into familiar activities such as cooking, eating, and visiting friends.

Character Interactions

• Lin Gongshang warns Lu Ao about snakes, while Lu Ao calmly leads the group through the paddies.
• The three men joke about the size of the eels and negotiate how to divide the catch, revealing their cooperative and easygoing relationship.
• Song Zhou and Lu Ao exchange polite greetings, but their interaction quickly becomes more relaxed.
• Lu Ao’s initial reluctance to accept the spiritual wine contrasts with Song Zhou’s direct insistence, emphasizing Song Zhou’s concern and Lu Ao’s modesty.
• Their shared late-night meal marks a developing personal connection: Song Zhou enters Lu Ao’s domestic space, helps him cook, and spends time with him in a comfortable, almost intimate atmosphere.

Chapter 14: “Green Crab” — Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao and Song Zhou share a late-night meal and drinks. Their conversation becomes more relaxed, and Song Zhou apologizes for having offended Lu Ao previously.
• When Lu Ao asks whether Song Zhou is human, Song Zhou reveals that he is not. He explains that his true form is Song Zhou itself—an ancient geographical region, rather than a conventional creature.
• Song Zhou leaves by fading away like mist, leaving Lu Ao fascinated and unsettled. Lu Ao spends the night researching him online and discovers that Song Zhou is both an ancient place name and the head of the Chinese branch of the Anomalous Personnel Affairs Regulatory Agency.
• Unable to stop thinking about Song Zhou, Lu Ao sleeps poorly and performs badly while fishing the next morning. Nevertheless, he catches twenty-six jin of fish and earns 360 yuan.
• At the market, Lu Ao encounters Lin Gongshang, who jokes crudely about his tired appearance. Lin then invites him to join a group digging for green crabs by the river.
• Lu Ao agrees and later joins Lin Gongshang, Lin Qiyan, Lin Manzhang, and the others at Lin Manzhang’s house before they set out.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Becomes increasingly curious about the supernatural world and especially about Song Zhou. His sleepless night shows that Song Zhou’s revelation has affected him deeply. He remains practical, however, returning to fishing and joining the crab-digging trip.
• Song Zhou: Reveals his extraordinary nature as a sentient geographical region. His easygoing attitude, humor, generosity, and willingness to apologize make him seem approachable despite his immense and unusual identity.
• Lin Gongshang: Acts as Lu Ao’s familiar, teasing friend. His crude humor contrasts with Lu Ao’s reserved personality, while his invitation reinforces their connection through ordinary village activities.

Significant Themes

• The extraordinary hidden within the ordinary: Song Zhou appears as an ordinary man but is actually an ancient region given consciousness and human form.
• Human curiosity and adjustment: Lu Ao is still learning how to understand nonhuman beings after recently entering the supernatural world.
• Friendship and social connection: Song Zhou and Lu Ao grow more comfortable with each other, while Lu Ao remains integrated into everyday village relationships.
• Contrast between the supernatural and rural life: Profound revelations about sentient geography are placed alongside fishing, market sales, tea drinking, and digging for crabs.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Song Zhou bond over food and beer, exchange an apology and acceptance, and part on friendly terms.
• Song Zhou deliberately teases Lu Ao about guessing his true form before revealing the truth.
• Lu Ao’s fascination with Song Zhou continues even after Song Zhou leaves, leading him to research him online.
• Lin Gongshang jokes about Lu Ao’s dark circles and invites him to join the group’s green-crab expedition.
• At Lin Manzhang’s house, Lu Ao is welcomed by the group and shares tea with the villagers before their outing.

Chapter Summary: “Unexpected”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao, back in his hometown for nearly a month, joins the others in catching Mud Crabs along the riverbank to sell.
• Lin Manzhang teaches Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan how to identify crab burrows, dig safely, locate the crab tunnels, and retrieve the crabs without damaging the embankment.
• Lin Manzhang successfully pulls out a very large Mud Crab, demonstrating how to blind it with mud, restrain its claws, and tie it securely.
• He explains that grass, leaves, and branches must be placed in the bucket to keep the crabs from fighting and injuring one another, since damaged crabs are worth less.
• After catching several crabs under Lin Manzhang’s guidance, Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan split off to try catching them independently.
• Lu Ao uses his unusual ability to sense where Mud Crabs are located, allowing him to find burrows and catch four or five crabs quickly and efficiently.
• While the heat exhausts the others, Lu Ao remains energetic and fills his bucket nearly to the top.
• Lin Gongshang calls across the river, proudly announcing that he has caught five large crabs. Lu Ao silently compares this claim with his own nearly overflowing bucket, setting up an amusing contrast.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Quickly learns the practical technique of catching Mud Crabs. His ability to sense the crabs gives him a major advantage, and he demonstrates improving confidence and independence when he chooses to work on his own.
• Lin Manzhang: Acts as a patient and competent instructor. He teaches both the technical and safety aspects of crab catching, including proper digging, handling, tying, and restoring the riverbank.
• Lin Qiyan: Films the activity while learning alongside Lu Ao. He is curious and easily startled by the large crab but becomes willing to try catching one himself.
• Lin Gongshang: Remains enthusiastic and competitive, proudly boasting about his catch from across the river. His confidence contrasts humorously with Lu Ao’s unexpectedly superior results.

Significant Themes

• Learning through experience: Lu Ao gains practical knowledge by observing Lin Manzhang and then applying the techniques himself.
• Respect for nature and communal resources: The group takes care not to damage the embankment and fills in the holes after digging.
• Competition and cooperation: Although the crab catchers are technically competitors, they share knowledge and help one another with tools and safety.
• Unexpected ability and success: Lu Ao’s hidden talent for sensing Mud Crabs allows him to outperform more experienced catchers.
• Humor through contrast: Lin Gongshang’s proud announcement is undercut by Lu Ao’s much larger catch, creating a quietly comic moment.

Character Interactions

• Lin Manzhang patiently instructs Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan and demonstrates how to safely handle a large crab.
• Lu Ao worries about Lin Manzhang being pinched, showing concern despite being inexperienced.
• Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan react with surprise and fear when the Mud Crab escapes and raises its claws.
• After receiving encouragement from Lin Manzhang, both Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan venture downstream to work independently.
• Lin Gongshang calls to Lu Ao from across the river, comparing their catches, while Lu Ao responds internally rather than revealing how dramatically he has outperformed him.

Chapter Summary

• Key events: Lin Gongshang, Lu Ao, and Lin Qiyan spend the morning digging for wild Mud Crabs. Lin Gongshang is pleased with his haul of five large crabs, worth over 500 yuan before taxes, and initially assumes Lu Ao has caught very few. However, Lu Ao reveals that his grass-filled bucket contains nine Mud Crabs, twice as many as Lin Gongshang’s catch.
• Lin Qiyan arrives with only one small crab and admits that he has had poor luck. When he examines Lu Ao’s haul, he discovers that one of the crabs is actually a rare Butter Crab, a transformed mature female Mud Crab whose roe has melted into golden oil throughout its body.
• After washing and examining it, the group identifies it as a top-grade Top-Hand Butter Crab. Because of its size and the approaching Dragon Boat Festival, it could be worth well over 1,800 yuan per jin, potentially more than all of Lin Gongshang’s crabs combined.
• Lin Qiyan offers to carry the Butter Crab separately to protect it, while Lin Gongshang warns Lu Ao not to damage its legs, since leaking butter would sharply reduce its value.

Character development and interactions

• Lu Ao continues to demonstrate exceptional physical ability and luck. His calm response—claiming he simply digs faster—contrasts with Lin Gongshang’s frustration and reinforces his understated confidence.
• Lin Gongshang begins the scene smug about his successful haul but quickly becomes humbled and irritated when Lu Ao catches more than he does and finds an extraordinarily valuable crab. Despite his envy, he gives practical advice about preserving it.
• Lin Qiyan is disappointed by his own poor catch but remains curious and supportive. His careful observation is what allows the group to recognize the Butter Crab.
• The friendly rivalry between Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang is highlighted through teasing and comparison, while Lin Qiyan acts as an observant, helpful companion.

Significant themes

• Luck versus ability: Lu Ao’s success appears miraculous, but he attributes it to his strength and speed.
• Sudden wealth and opportunity: The Butter Crab represents an unexpected financial breakthrough and shows how valuable discoveries can transform an ordinary day’s work.
• Humility and comparison: Lin Gongshang’s pride is deflated as Lu Ao repeatedly outperforms him, emphasizing the contrast between boasting and quiet competence.
• Cooperation amid rivalry: Although the men compare their catches, they also help one another identify, evaluate, and protect the valuable crab.

Chapter Summary: “Visitors”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao, Lin Gongshang, and Lin Qiyan wash their catch in hopes of finding more Butter Crabs, but discover that Lu Ao’s single Butter Crab is the only one.
• They return to Lin Manzhang’s house with over forty mud crabs in total: Lin Qiyan caught one, Lin Gongshang five, and Lu Ao nine. Lin Manzhang and the others are impressed by the rare, valuable Butter Crab, which has not been seen locally for five or six years.
• The group agrees to sell the crabs together at Long Township Wharf after the afternoon heat passes, since the prices there are better.
• Ye Zhiying warmly invites Lu Ao to stay for lunch, serving oysters brought by her younger brother. Everyone eats together before resting.
• Before leaving, Lu Ao asks Lin Manzhang about purchasing fish fry. He explains that he wants to release young Giant Grouper, Black Seabream, and other fish into the sea to replenish the species he has caught.
• Although Lin Manzhang and Ye Zhiying find the idea unusual and financially wasteful, Lin Manzhang helps him contact a reputable fish-fry farm. The farm has no Giant Grouper fry immediately available, but agrees to breed an order of at least 200, with delivery in a month.
• Lu Ao leaves the crabs at Lin Manzhang’s house and returns home. Still hungry after lunch, he prepares another large meal for himself.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao is shown to be generous, environmentally conscious, and unusually successful. Rather than only profiting from the sea, he wants to give back by restocking fish populations. His immense appetite is also emphasized.
• Lin Gongshang is enthusiastic and hopeful about finding more Butter Crabs, but becomes disappointed when none are found. He participates in the crab-selling arrangement despite his dejection.
• Lin Qiyan remains practical and realistic, correctly predicting that a second Butter Crab is unlikely.
• Lin Manzhang acts as a helpful mediator and community connection. Though baffled by Lu Ao’s plan, he respects Lu Ao’s intentions and assists him in arranging the fish-fry order.
• Ye Zhiying demonstrates warmth and hospitality by insisting Lu Ao stay for lunch, while also reacting skeptically to his plan to spend money releasing fish.
• Lin Guixiao and Tan Junhao share the group’s amazement at the rare Butter Crab.

Significant Themes

• Reciprocity with nature: Lu Ao believes that benefiting from the sea creates an obligation to replenish it, presenting conservation as a personal responsibility.
• Community and hospitality: The characters share food, help each other with business, and cooperate in selling the crabs.
• Traditional expectations versus unconventional generosity: Lin Manzhang’s family sees the sea as a source of livelihood, so Lu Ao’s decision to “throw money into the sea” challenges their assumptions.
• Prosperity and abundance: The large crab haul, rare Butter Crab, plentiful meal, and Lu Ao’s enormous appetite all reinforce the chapter’s atmosphere of material abundance.
• Luck and rarity: The Butter Crab is treated as a remarkable stroke of fortune, emphasizing how unusual Lu Ao’s catch is.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao, Lin Gongshang, and Lin Qiyan work together to wash and sort the crabs, with Lin Gongshang pushing the others to search for another Butter Crab.
• Lin Manzhang welcomes the returning fishermen, examines the catch, and organizes the sale at the wharf.
• Ye Zhiying repeatedly urges Lu Ao to stay for lunch, showing familial warmth and hospitality.
• Lin Manzhang questions Lu Ao about his fish-stocking plan and helps him contact a supplier, while Ye Zhiying voices practical concerns about the expense.
• The chapter ends with Lu Ao returning home and preparing an enormous second meal, humorously contrasting his modest behavior at the communal lunch with his true appetite.

Chapter Summary

• Lu Ao’s mysterious dream: After cooking and eating lunch, Lu Ao naps in the afternoon and dreams of ancient Song Zhou. He sees the people worshipping the God of Land and Grain, who gradually takes on Song Zhou’s appearance, comes to life, and descends from the altar. Lu Ao wakes abruptly to his alarm, briefly revealing a strange dark-green flash in his eyes. He cannot determine whether the dream is connected to Song Zhou or is simply meaningless.
• A proposed fishing-hosting job: After washing up, Lu Ao meets Lin Manzhang and Lin Gongshang. The other villagers do not come because of farm work and a poor Mud Crab haul. Lin Manzhang explains that Brother Niu is looking for Lu Ao because Jiacheng Grand Hotel wants to hire local fishermen to take three wealthy guests out to sea. They would pay three thousand yuan per day for an authentic fishing experience, including activities such as squid fishing, Mud Crab digging, and eating wild seafood. Although Lin Gongshang emphasizes how profitable the arrangement could be, Lu Ao rejects it because he considers organizing and entertaining the guests too troublesome.
• Journey to the fish shop: After eating iced watermelon, the three men load their Mud Crabs into Lin Manzhang’s van and travel to Long Township Wharf. Lu Ao is unusually sleepy after his afternoon nap and the morning’s crab digging. Lin Manzhang notices this and questions him, but Lu Ao casually attributes it to fatigue.
• Niu Deyu examines the Butter Crab: At Deyu Fish Shop, Niu Deyu warmly welcomes them and is especially excited to see the enormous Butter Crab Lu Ao caught. The crab is exceptionally large and well-filled, with plump yellow-orange legs and joints. Niu recalls seeing a Butter Crab of comparable quality only twice in his career, emphasizing how rare the catch is.
• Sale negotiated: Niu Deyu offers two thousand yuan per pound, explaining that the price is higher than a similar crab sold the previous year but still reflects the risk of reselling such expensive seafood. Lu Ao has researched the market and considers the offer fair, so he accepts. Niu then prepares to weigh the crab.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Lu Ao remains calm, detached, and uninterested in easy money when it involves inconvenience. His strange dream and the brief change in his eyes hint at a deeper supernatural connection to Song Zhou.
• Lin Manzhang and Lin Gongshang act as Lu Ao’s practical companions and business intermediaries. They encourage him to take profitable opportunities and help transport his catch.
• Niu Deyu is friendly and commercially minded, but his excitement over the Butter Crab shows genuine appreciation for its rarity and quality. His fair negotiation strengthens his trust-based relationship with Lu Ao.

Significant Themes

• Mystery and supernatural foreshadowing: Lu Ao’s dream of the land god becoming Song Zhou, together with the dark flash in his eyes, suggests that his connection to the region may be more profound than he understands.
• The value of nature’s abundance: The rare Butter Crab represents the village’s rich natural resources and reinforces the belief that Song Zhou is a “blessed land.”
• Rural livelihood versus convenience: The chapter contrasts the promise of lucrative tourism income with Lu Ao’s preference for a simple, unburdened life.
• Community and commerce: The villagers depend on cooperation and personal relationships, while Niu Deyu’s shop serves as an important link between their catches and the wider market.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao sells his catch: a Butter Crab for 3,600 yuan and the rest of his Mud Crabs for 1,300 yuan. After taxes, he earns 2,695 yuan, while Lin Manzhang and the others also make several hundred yuan.
• During dinner, Niu Deyu tells the group about wealthy visitors seeking an “authentic fisherman” experience. They had hoped to stay with Lu Ao and are willing to pay 3,000 yuan per day.
• Lu Ao repeatedly refuses, explaining that he dislikes strangers in his home and has no time to entertain guests because of his fishing and farming responsibilities. Lin Gongshang eagerly volunteers, while Lin Manzhang offers to take the visitors out to sea instead.
• A few days later, Lu Ao encounters a convoy of extremely expensive cars on the narrow provincial road. He assumes the wealthy visitors have come to the fishing villages, though he remains uninterested in them.
• Lu Ao spends the next several days working intensively on his crops during the hot June weather. He waters, weeds, fertilizes, and treats the plants for pests, discovering that farming is far more demanding than he expected.
• He finishes converting the old woodshed beside his house into a clean, well-ventilated goose pen, complete with a cement floor, faucet, and larger windows.
• Lu Ao travels to Tuanbao Town to collect the 51 geese he ordered—45 females and 6 males—from farmer Li Xinyong. The chapter ends as Li shows him the flock and asks him to inspect and count them before they are packed.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao remains independent and resistant to money-making opportunities that require social obligations. Even 3,000 yuan per day cannot persuade him to host or entertain wealthy guests.
• His priorities are shown to be practical and personal: fishing, tending his crops, improving his home, and preparing to raise geese.
• Lu Ao also reveals his inexperience with farming. He learns firsthand that crops require constant maintenance, fertilizer, pesticides, watering, and weed control.
• Niu Deyu acts as a persistent intermediary, trying to help the villagers profit from the wealthy visitors.
• Lin Gongshang is eager to seize the easy income and immediately volunteers to host the guests.
• Lin Manzhang is more cautious because of his family responsibilities but is willing to offer his skills as a fisherman.
• Li Xinyong is presented as a friendly, accommodating goose farmer who has carefully prepared Lu Ao’s order.

Significant Themes

• Independence versus easy wealth: Lu Ao values privacy and freedom more than lucrative but socially demanding opportunities.
• Hard work and self-sufficiency: His farming efforts emphasize that rural independence requires constant labor rather than simply planting crops and waiting.
• Contrasts between ordinary life and wealth: The luxury cars and wealthy visitors stand out sharply against the remote village setting, yet Lu Ao remains unimpressed by their status.
• Building a new livelihood: Lu Ao is gradually expanding beyond fishing by cultivating vegetables and raising geese, creating a more diverse and self-sustaining rural life.
• The hidden extraordinary: Lu Ao’s casual reference to gods and supernatural beings contrasts humorously with the wealthy visitors’ supposedly remarkable luxury cars, hinting at his unusual background and perspective.

Character Interactions

• Niu Deyu pressures Lu Ao to accept the wealthy clients, but Lu Ao firmly rejects the proposal.
• Niu then redirects the opportunity to Lin Gongshang and Lin Manzhang, who respond according to their different attitudes and circumstances.
• Lu Ao has a brief, impersonal encounter with the luxury-car convoy, yielding the road without confrontation.
• Lu Ao and Li Xinyong interact cordially as they confirm the goose order and prepare for the flock’s inspection.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao purchases a group of unusually large, sturdy goslings from Li Xinyong and brings them home in bamboo cages. He prepares their pen, water, and food, planning to give them medicine later to prevent illness.
• On the way home, Lu Ao encounters Lin Gongshang, who is going into town to buy medicine for two of his three city guests. The guests reportedly developed fevers after squid fishing, though Lu Ao finds it suspicious that they became ill despite the hot weather.
• At home, Lu Ao watches the goslings settle into their pen before preparing to weed and water his fields.
• Song Zhou unexpectedly visits. He asks about Lu Ao’s health and whether he has been drinking the spirit wine he previously gave him.
• Lu Ao reports no major changes beyond feeling less hungry after drinking the wine. Concerned for Lu Ao’s survival as “the last Dragon,” Song Zhou promises to bring him something else to help.
• Song Zhou decides to accompany Lu Ao to the fields. When Lu Ao worries about mud and water staining Song Zhou’s white robes, Song Zhou reminds him that his true form is connected to mud and water.
• Rather than walk, Song Zhou offers to transport Lu Ao himself, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Continues adapting to ordinary rural life, taking responsibility for raising geese and tending crops. He remains cautious and practical, especially regarding his health, alcohol consumption, and Song Zhou’s comfort. His suspicion about Lin Gongshang’s guests shows his growing awareness of unusual events.
• Song Zhou: Demonstrates increasing concern and affection for Lu Ao by checking on his health, offering additional medicine or nourishment, and volunteering to help with farm work. His relaxed behavior in Lu Ao’s courtyard suggests growing familiarity and intimacy.
• Lin Gongshang: Appears anxious about his guests’ unexplained fevers and takes responsibility for obtaining medicine, though his explanation raises Lu Ao’s suspicions.

Significant Themes

• Care and companionship: Song Zhou’s repeated concern for Lu Ao’s health and willingness to accompany him emphasize their developing bond.
• Human and nonhuman coexistence: Lu Ao’s attempt to live as a farmer contrasts with his identity as a dragon, while Song Zhou’s remark about being a nonhuman highlights the characters’ supernatural nature.
• Ordinary rural life amid hidden mysteries: Feeding goslings, watering crops, and visiting the clinic create a mundane setting, while the sick visitors and spirit wine suggest deeper supernatural or unexplained developments.
• Responsibility and survival: Lu Ao works diligently to sustain himself, while Song Zhou stresses that Lu Ao must remain alive as the last dragon.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Li Xinyong complete the goose purchase amicably, with Li offering future help.
• Lu Ao questions Lin Gongshang about his guests’ illness, subtly expressing doubt about the explanation.
• Lu Ao and Song Zhou share a warm, increasingly familiar conversation about health, spirit wine, farming, and their true forms.
• Song Zhou’s decision to escort Lu Ao to the fields marks another moment of protective, personal attention between them.

Chapter Summary: “Taking Them to the Hospital”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Song Zhou accompanies Lu Ao to his two-mu vegetable field. He admires how well the crops are growing, though Lu Ao complains about the weeds.
• Using supernatural abilities, Song Zhou instantly withers all the weeds and eliminates pests without harming the vegetables. The crops become healthier and more vigorous.
• When Lu Ao mentions that the field still needs watering, Song Zhou summons a precisely targeted drizzle over the farmland, completing Lu Ao’s work for him.
• After Song Zhou leaves, Lu Ao reflects on his true form as a dragon and wonders whether he might eventually be capable of similar powers.
• That evening, Lu Ao contacts Lin Gongshang to ask about two guests, Shi Chen and Liu Qiming, who have been suffering from persistent fevers.
• Lin Gongshang reveals that the men had been pricked by the dorsal spines of a black seabream while fishing. Lu Ao suspects the wounds may have become infected by marine bacteria and urges Lin to check their legs for ulcers or other symptoms.
• Lin discovers that both men are dangerously ill: they are unresponsive, feverish, gray-lipped, and yellow-faced. Although there is no obvious swelling or ulceration, red marks are visible on their legs.
• Alarmed, Lin goes to check Liu Qiming, who is in nearly the same condition as Shi Chen. Yan Zhengning witnesses the situation and becomes increasingly worried.
• Lu Ao arrives at the house in his three-wheeler, presumably intending to help transport the sick men to the hospital.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Becomes more aware of the possibilities associated with his dragon nature and continues to demonstrate concern and responsibility toward others. His suspicion about the guests’ illness shows practical intelligence and attentiveness.
• Song Zhou: Reveals greater control over nature, effortlessly improving Lu Ao’s farmland. His helpfulness and calm, understated manner deepen his mysterious and powerful image.
• Lin Gongshang: Initially treats the guests’ illness casually, but becomes frightened once he realizes how serious their condition is. He acts quickly after receiving Lu Ao’s warning.
• Shi Chen and Liu Qiming: Their previously domineering personalities contrast sharply with their helpless, unconscious state as their illness worsens.
• Yan Zhengning: Shifts from curiosity to alarm after seeing the men’s condition and follows Lin as the situation develops.

Significant Themes

• Supernatural power and harmony with nature: Song Zhou’s abilities allow him to control weeds, pests, and rain, presenting nature as something he can effortlessly regulate.
• Lu Ao’s developing identity: His thoughts about whether he can perform similar feats hint at his gradual discovery and acceptance of his dragon powers.
• Responsibility and compassion: Lu Ao takes the guests’ symptoms seriously and intervenes despite not being directly responsible for them.
• Hidden danger in ordinary activities: A simple fishing trip and minor puncture wounds become potentially life-threatening, emphasizing the unpredictability of nature.
• Contrasts between strength and vulnerability: Song Zhou displays overwhelming supernatural control, while the powerful, commanding guests are reduced to a fragile and unconscious state by illness.

Important Character Interactions

• Song Zhou and Lu Ao share a relaxed, increasingly familiar exchange at the farmland, with Song Zhou helping Lu Ao and Lu Ao expressing gratitude.
• Lu Ao and Lin Gongshang communicate through WeChat, with Lu Ao questioning him and directing him to investigate the guests’ injuries.
• Lin Gongshang and Yan Zhengning work together while checking on Shi Chen and Liu Qiming, though Lin takes the lead in the emergency.
• The chapter ends with Lu Ao arriving as Lin and Yan confront the seriousness of the men’s condition, setting up their urgent trip to the hospital.

Chapter 39 Summary

Key plot points and events

Lu Ao arrives at Lin Gongshang’s home and confirms that Shi Chen and Liu Qiming are likely infected with Vibrio vulnificus, a dangerous marine bacterium with a mortality rate of up to fifty percent. Because the local hospital is too far away and may lack the expertise or medication needed, Lu Ao decides to arrange an emergency medical helicopter to take them directly to the Provincial First Affiliated Hospital. He quickly signs the contract, pays the high transportation fee, and coordinates the flight.
While waiting, the Lin family, Yan Zhengning, neighbors, and villagers work together to carry the patients to the village threshing ground, preparing lights and signal cloth so the helicopter can land. The helicopter eventually arrives, and the medical staff confirm that the patients are stable enough for transport. Lu Ao volunteers to accompany them to the provincial capital.

Character developments

Lu Ao demonstrates calmness, medical knowledge, decisiveness, and financial responsibility under pressure. He immediately identifies the likely infection and finds the safest available solution rather than allowing panic to delay treatment. His actions also reveal his consideration for practical matters: before leaving, he gives Lin Gongshang his keys and asks him to feed the geese Lu Ao has recently begun raising.
Lin Gongshang is overwhelmed with fear and guilt, regretting that his guests became seriously ill, but Lu Ao’s leadership helps stabilize him. Yan Zhengning initially lashes out in anger and frustration, but his attitude softens after seeing Lu Ao efficiently organize the rescue. The Lin family and village residents show their willingness to help during the crisis.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes crisis management, responsibility, and the importance of remaining calm in emergencies. It also highlights the limitations of rural medical facilities compared with specialized urban hospitals, making modern transportation and medical resources crucial. Community cooperation is another major theme, as the villagers unite to transport the patients and prepare for the helicopter’s arrival. Lu Ao’s willingness to pay the enormous cost and personally accompany the patients underscores loyalty and compassion.

Character interactions

Lu Ao reassures and directs Lin Gongshang, coordinates with Yan Zhengning about hospital arrangements and family notifications, and works with the villagers to move the patients. Yan Zhengning contacts his private doctor and the patients’ families, while Lu Ao chooses the First Affiliated Hospital and ensures their relatives will be ready to sign treatment documents. The villagers cooperate enthusiastically, lending rattan chairs and helping carry the patients. The chapter ends with Lu Ao taking responsibility for accompanying Shi Chen and Liu Qiming while entrusting his newly raised geese to Lin Gongshang.

Chapter Summary: “Cooperation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Shi Chen and Liu Qiming are injured by a black sea bream’s poisonous dorsal spines, Lin Gongshang gives Lu Ao his bank card and tells him to use as much money as necessary for their treatment.
• Yan Zhengning insists on accompanying Lu Ao to the hospital, paying for an additional helicopter seat because he considers himself the victims’ friend.
• At First Affiliated Hospital, doctors stabilize Shi Chen and Liu Qiming. Their injuries are not life-threatening, but their drinking and preexisting liver problems worsen the infection.
• The two men’s families arrive and learn that the accident resulted from Shi Chen and Liu Qiming’s own recklessness in ignoring Lin Gongshang’s warning. They do not blame Lin Gongshang.
• Lu Ao explains the situation, arranges for Lin Gongshang to come to the hospital in the morning, and leaves once the patients are stable.
• Yan Zhengning offers Lu Ao a place to stay and a ride home, but Lu Ao refuses because he wants to return to Lin Family Village and reassure everyone there.
• Hungry after the exhausting night, Lu Ao stops at a late-night food stall and orders an enormous meal for himself.
• While messaging Lin Gongshang and reassuring him that the injured men are safe, Lu Ao notices Song Zhou sitting across from him unexpectedly.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao proves calm, capable, and dependable under pressure. He takes responsibility for coordinating the emergency response but avoids unnecessary involvement once the immediate crisis is over. His decision to return to the village shows his concern for the wider community.
• Lin Gongshang is deeply shaken and feels indebted to Lu Ao. His willingness to hand over his bank card and travel overnight to the hospital reflects both his anxiety and his sense of responsibility.
• Yan Zhengning becomes more personally invested in Lu Ao. He follows him to the hospital, tries to care for him afterward, and feels unexpectedly empty when Lu Ao leaves, suggesting growing admiration or attachment.
• Shi Chen and Liu Qiming suffer the consequences of their carelessness. Their injuries highlight how disregarding local warnings can lead to serious danger.
• Song Zhou reappears at the end of the chapter, creating a new point of tension or intrigue.

Significant Themes

• Cooperation and mutual responsibility: The emergency brings villagers, Lu Ao, Yan Zhengning, doctors, and the victims’ families together.
• Consequences of recklessness: Shi Chen and Liu Qiming’s refusal to heed warnings directly causes their injuries, though their health conditions make the situation worse.
• Trust and dependability: Lu Ao earns the trust of Lin Gongshang and the villagers through his decisive actions and emotional steadiness.
• Unspoken emotional attachment: Yan Zhengning’s reluctance to part with Lu Ao reveals that Lu Ao’s presence has begun to matter to him personally.
• Everyday warmth after crisis: The late-night food stall provides a contrast to the night’s danger, returning Lu Ao briefly to ordinary life before Song Zhou’s arrival interrupts the calm.

Character Interactions

• Lin Gongshang entrusts Lu Ao with financial support and asks him to manage whatever is needed.
• Yan Zhengning joins Lu Ao in the helicopter and later attempts to persuade him to stay at his home.
• The victims’ families thank Lu Ao and accept that the incident was not Lin Gongshang’s fault.
• Lu Ao reassures Lin Gongshang by message and directs him to coordinate with the families at the hospital.
• The chapter ends with Lu Ao confronting Song Zhou, whose unexpected appearance at the food stall suggests that their relationship or a new development will become important next.