Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Growing Up”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan discover two unusually large Coconut Snails beneath a rock. Lin Qiyan is impressed by Lu Ao’s sharp eyesight and films the find for his camera.
• Lu Ao reminds Lin Qiyan that he lost their bet and must spend two hours the next morning cutting sweet potato leaves to feed Lu Ao’s geese.
• Although the Coconut Snails could sell for a substantial amount, Lu Ao decides to keep them and serve them to a friend, implying that he intends to treat Song Zhou.
• After returning home with the geese, Lu Ao showers, prepares a large meal of cold noodles and braised pork, and enjoys an unusually satisfying lunch.
• He naps through the hottest part of the afternoon, later relaxing in bed and playing on his phone.
• Lin Manzhang visits with a bucket of Mud Crabs caught from an abandoned wild pond in a neighboring village. He explains that the pond had gone unmanaged for years and was drained so the villagers could catch the crabs.
• Lu Ao accepts the Mud Crabs and briefly discusses his plans to bid on a boat. Lin Manzhang suggests that Lu Ao may have little competition because no one else has shown interest in the vessel.
• The chapter ends with Lu Ao transferring the Mud Crabs into a basin and preparing to return Lin Manzhang’s bucket.

Character Development

• Lu Ao continues to demonstrate practical skills, keen observation, self-sufficiency, and a strong connection to rural life. His ability to spot the Coconut Snails highlights his attentiveness and experience.
• He is generous and increasingly willing to share the benefits of his work with friends, choosing to keep the valuable snails for a meal rather than sell them.
• Lu Ao also appears more settled and comfortable in his rural routine, taking pleasure in cooking, resting, caring for his geese, and building toward his goal of acquiring a boat.
• Lin Qiyan remains energetic, talkative, and somewhat impulsive. His humorous frustration at losing the bet adds a playful dynamic to his friendship with Lu Ao.
• Lin Manzhang is shown as considerate and community-minded. He gives Lu Ao Mud Crabs simply because he has more than he needs and is pleased that Lu Ao has returned.

Significant Themes

• Rural self-sufficiency and resourcefulness: The characters make use of local natural resources, including snails, crabs, wild ponds, and home-raised geese.
• Friendship and generosity: Food and catches from the countryside are shared freely, strengthening relationships more than money would.
• Enjoyment of ordinary life: Lu Ao’s pleasure in a homemade meal, an afternoon nap, and a cool room emphasizes the value of simple comforts.
• Growing independence and stability: Lu Ao is gradually establishing a life of his own through his home, livestock, cooking, and plans to obtain a boat.
• Humor and companionship: The teasing over the bet and the friendly conversations make the rural lifestyle feel communal and warm.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao teases Lin Qiyan about losing their bet, while Lin Qiyan admires Lu Ao’s abilities and jokingly comments on his relationship with Song Zhou.
• Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan’s exchange suggests a close but playful friendship built on competition and mutual familiarity.
• Lin Manzhang treats Lu Ao like a younger relative or friend, bringing him Mud Crabs and offering advice about the boat.
• Their conversation reveals the cooperative nature of the local community, where people share food, information, and access to rural resources.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao gives Lin Manzhang a bucket of Mud Crabs, secretly placing a Coconut Snail inside as well. Lin takes the bucket without noticing the extra catch.
• Lu Ao asks about taking the Certificate of Competency exam. Lin explains that Lu Ao must register, undergo a physical examination, and receive training, offering to recommend an instructor.
• Before Song Zhou arrives, Lu Ao goes alone to a secluded stretch of sea to practice transforming into his Dragon Form and gather snails.
• After ensuring no one is nearby, Lu Ao changes into his Dragon Form. He discovers that he has grown significantly—from roughly one meter to over three meters—and that his dark green scales, strength, and swimming speed have all improved.
• While experimenting with his powerful tail, Lu Ao accidentally drenches himself and breaks part of a reef. He then spends time joyfully swimming and adjusting to his larger body.
• Song Zhou senses Lu Ao’s transformation from a distance and comes to investigate. Lu Ao is initially tense but relaxes when he realizes who it is.
• Lu Ao discovers that he can speak while in Dragon Form. He chats with Song Zhou about his transformation and physical abilities.
• Song Zhou warns him that maintaining Dragon Form consumes considerable energy and advises him to return to shore and change back.
• After transforming back into a human, Lu Ao experiences intense weakness and soreness. He discovers that both feet are bruised and swollen, suggesting that the strain of Dragon Form has caused delayed injuries.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Becomes more confident and curious about his Dragon Form. He learns that it is larger, stronger, faster, and more powerful than before, but also realizes that he is not yet accustomed to controlling it or managing its physical consequences. His playful reaction to swimming and his cute behavior in dragon form reveal a more carefree side.
• Song Zhou: Continues acting as Lu Ao’s protector and guide. He is attentive to Lu Ao’s condition, recognizes the risks of prolonged transformation, and gives practical advice. His gentle touch and concern show increasing familiarity and affection.
• Lin Manzhang: Serves as a helpful contact for Lu Ao’s human-world plans, particularly his intention to pursue professional certification.

Significant Themes

• Growth and adaptation: Lu Ao’s enlarged Dragon Form reflects his physical development, while his experimentation shows the process of learning to control newfound abilities.
• Power and responsibility: His strength and speed are impressive but potentially dangerous, as demonstrated by the accidental damage to the reef and his own injuries.
• Trust and secrecy: Lu Ao carefully chooses an isolated location to transform, but he is comfortable revealing himself to Song Zhou, showing the trust between them.
• Care beneath playfulness: Although the scene is lighthearted, Song Zhou’s warnings emphasize that Lu Ao’s transformation carries real risks and requires discipline.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Lin Manzhang discuss the Certificate of Competency exam, establishing a possible future path for Lu Ao.
• Lu Ao and Song Zhou share a warm, intimate exchange at the shore. Song Zhou touches and examines Lu Ao’s dragon body, while Lu Ao eagerly demonstrates his tail and describes his experience.
• Their interaction highlights Lu Ao’s growing comfort with Song Zhou and Song Zhou’s protective concern, ending with Song Zhou politely turning away while Lu Ao changes back into human form.

Chapter Summary: “Invitation”

Key plot points and events

• After their earlier adventure, Lu Ao’s excitement fades and he notices that his feet and legs are badly scraped and bruised. Song Zhou helps him home and offers him a healing ointment.
• Song Zhou’s medicine rapidly reduces the swelling and pain, healing Lu Ao’s minor injuries almost completely within minutes. Although Lu Ao feels the ointment may be too valuable to waste, Song Zhou tells him to keep it.
• Once recovered, Lu Ao cooks a substantial meal of instant noodles, eggs, vegetables, meat, and sea fish. Sharing the meal restores his energy.
• Lu Ao and Song Zhou then travel to the vegetable fields to tend the crops and practice making rain. Song Zhou teleports them there, while Lu Ao brings matching straw hats and jokes about taking it easy.
• Lu Ao receives a call from Shen Mingquan, manager of Jiacheng Grand Hotel. Shen invites him to join an international scientific research team on a week-long sea expedition, where Lu Ao would dive to help catch fish.
• The project supposedly has official approval, proper permits, researchers from multiple countries, and payment of two thousand per day. Lu Ao remains cautious, asking about the researchers’ identities, the project’s legality, and the departure schedule before considering the offer.

Character developments

• Lu Ao: Shows physical vulnerability after overexerting himself but remains good-humored and practical. He is embarrassed by his injuries, grateful for Song Zhou’s help, and cautious about accepting unfamiliar work. His curiosity about marine research and desire to gain experience make him seriously consider the expedition.
• Song Zhou: Acts protectively and attentively toward Lu Ao, carrying him home, providing medicine, checking his injuries, and accompanying him to the fields. His suspicion increases when Shen mentions Lu Ao’s work with the Public Security Bureau, suggesting he is alert to possible hidden motives.
• Shen Mingquan: Presents the expedition enthusiastically and attempts to reassure Lu Ao about its legitimacy, emphasizing the team’s reputation, official permits, and international status.

Significant themes

• Care and intimacy: Song Zhou’s practical concern, healing medicine, and willingness to accompany Lu Ao reveal a growing closeness between them.
• Trust and caution: Lu Ao does not accept Shen’s invitation blindly; he investigates the project’s background, funding, participants, and legal authorization.
• Adventure and opportunity: The expedition offers Lu Ao a chance to explore the sea, work with researchers, and expand his experience.
• Recovery and renewal: Lu Ao’s rapid healing and restored appetite symbolically mark his return to strength after the earlier ordeal.

Character interactions

• Song Zhou treats Lu Ao’s injuries despite Lu Ao’s embarrassment and reassures him that the medicine is not too valuable to keep.
• The two share food and prepare to work together in the fields, with their matching straw hats adding a light, affectionate touch.
• During Shen’s phone call, Song Zhou immediately questions how the caller learned about Lu Ao’s involvement with the Public Security Bureau, while Lu Ao calmly gathers information and evaluates the offer.

Chapter Summary

• Plot and events: Lu Ao receives a potential weeklong job at sea through Manager Shen. Interested in the work but concerned about caring for his geese and vegetables, he negotiates with Song Zhou, who agrees to help in exchange for Lu Ao’s cooking. Song Zhou then trains Lu Ao in controlling water after Lu Ao’s recent transformation into dragon form. Lu Ao struggles to move clouds but manages to produce a few droplets of rain, marking his first progress. Song Zhou summons rain to water the fields while Lu Ao harvests vegetables and tends the watermelon patch. Back home, Lu Ao prepares an elaborate dinner of Crab-and-Lamb Hotpot and Coconut Snails.
• Character development: Lu Ao is shown as hardworking, practical, and increasingly committed to mastering his dragon abilities. Although embarrassed by his lack of progress, he remains determined to practice. He is also generous and domestic, willingly cooking for Song Zhou and carefully tending his crops and livestock. Song Zhou acts as a patient mentor, encouraging Lu Ao without criticizing his failures, while also becoming increasingly comfortable sharing Lu Ao’s daily life.
• Character interactions: Lu Ao and Song Zhou’s relationship is marked by easy teasing and mutual consideration. Lu Ao offers meals in return for Song Zhou’s help, while Song Zhou playfully points out the inconsistency in Lu Ao’s concern about villagers seeing magical rain. Song Zhou reads while Lu Ao cooks, but the smell draws him into the kitchen, revealing his anticipation and growing familiarity with Lu Ao’s home and routines.
• Significant themes: The chapter emphasizes domestic companionship, cooperation, and the blending of the ordinary with the supernatural. Lu Ao’s farming and cooking provide stability and warmth, contrasting with his developing dragon powers. His first successful creation of raindrops symbolizes gradual growth through patience and practice, while the shared meal reinforces the pair’s increasing intimacy and interdependence.

Chapter Summary: “Scientific Expedition”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao prepares a meal of stir-fried Coconut Snail, Crab-and-Lamb Hotpot, and pumpkin for Song Zhou. His exceptional strength allows him to remove the snail meat without damaging it, and his cooking produces remarkably delicious results.
• Both Lu Ao and Song Zhou enjoy the meal, with Song Zhou—usually a light eater—even having a second bowl of rice.
• After dinner, Lu Ao investigates an offer from hotel guests who want to hire him for a seven-day sea expedition involving scientific sample collection and fishing.
• Because fishermen are trained to remain alert to possible espionage, Lu Ao checks whether the foreign guests and their vessel are legitimate. Little Du confirms that they are operating a legally registered scientific research ship.
• Lu Ao accepts the job at a daily wage of four thousand and agrees to sign the contract the next morning.
• He packs clothing, diving equipment, jerky, and a fishing rod, intending to fish during his free time and contribute extra food to the expedition.
• Lu Ao informs his friends and relatives through a group chat. They express concern about his safety, advise him to examine the contract carefully, and offer to help care for his home and animals while he is away.

Character Development

• Lu Ao: Demonstrates his physical strength, cooking ability, caution, and sense of responsibility. Although excited by the opportunity to work at sea, he does not act recklessly and verifies the expedition’s legitimacy before agreeing. He also remains practical, preparing food and equipment while ensuring his vegetables and geese will be cared for.
• Song Zhou: Shows growing familiarity and trust with Lu Ao. He enjoys the meal enthusiastically, agrees to look after Lu Ao’s household, and encourages him to take snacks and remain careful at sea.
• Little Du: Supports Lu Ao by checking the research vessel’s registration and helping establish that the job is safe and legitimate.
• Lu Ao’s friends and relatives: Their concern and willingness to help reveal a supportive community around him, particularly Lin Gongshang’s practical warnings about contracts and the group’s offers to assist while he is gone.

Significant Themes

• Food and companionship: The meal strengthens the warm domestic bond between Lu Ao and Song Zhou, with carefully prepared food serving as an expression of comfort and mutual enjoyment.
• Trust balanced with caution: Lu Ao is willing to pursue new opportunities but first verifies the expedition and plans to inspect the contract, reflecting responsible judgment.
• Community and mutual support: Friends, relatives, and Song Zhou all offer practical help, showing that Lu Ao is not isolated despite his independent lifestyle.
• Adventure and transition: The upcoming scientific expedition introduces a new phase of exploration and hints at future dangers or discoveries at sea.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Song Zhou share an appreciative meal, with Song Zhou agreeing to care for Lu Ao’s vegetables and geese.
• Lu Ao consults Little Du about the expedition’s legitimacy before making his decision.
• He speaks with Shen Mingquan, who confirms the guests’ offer and arranges the contract signing.
• In the group chat, Lin Gongshang warns Lu Ao about unfair contract penalties, while Lin Qiyan and the others discuss harvesting crops, feeding the geese, and helping with groceries.

Chapter 86 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Gongshang suggests adding Lu Ao’s frequently seen friend, Song Zhou, to the group chat. Lu Ao asks Song Zhou, who readily agrees, and adds him.
• Song Zhou immediately wins everyone’s goodwill by sending five red packets worth 200 yuan each. Lu Ao has exceptional luck, winning the top amount three times for a total of 367.46 yuan.
• In return, Lu Ao sends Song Zhou an exclusive 188-yuan red packet. When Lin Gongshang jokingly demands one too, Lu Ao tells him to call him “Dad.” Several group members comply, prompting Lu Ao to send a large group red packet. The chat continues in a playful, chaotic mood.
• The next morning, Lu Ao travels by bus and taxi to the Jiacheng Grand Hotel in the county seat for a new assignment.
• Shen Mingquan and a large man known as Brother Wu greet him. Brother Wu explains that the project involves surveying the Qianming Waters and nearby seas, including collecting seawater, sand, fish, and algae samples. The work will generally involve diving no deeper than 200 meters and will not exceed eight hours per day.
• Lu Ao carefully reviews the project’s permits, identification, and application documents before signing the contract. Brother Wu is visibly relieved and welcomes him to the team.
• Brother Wu and Shen Mingquan reveal that they already know of Lu Ao’s diving and spearfishing abilities, especially his successful capture of the enormous giant grouper.
• Lu Ao travels with Brother Wu to Yandong Wharf, where he sees the large passenger vessel Xiwan Passenger No. 00265. The vessel is significantly larger than the speedboats he usually uses and contains a mixture of crew, researchers, and temporary workers.
• Lu Ao meets Xiang Xingchang, the diving team’s captain. Xiang appears skeptical of Lu Ao, likely because of his youthful, refined appearance and fair skin. Lu Ao remains calm and ignores the scrutiny.
• Brother Wu assigns Lu Ao a private cabin with a bathroom, giving him relatively comfortable accommodations aboard the ship.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Demonstrates generosity and a playful side in the group chat, while also showing his usual caution and professionalism by thoroughly verifying the marine project before signing. His questions reveal strong curiosity and a serious attitude toward safety and legality.
• Song Zhou: Quickly integrates into the group through his generous red packets, though he remains quiet afterward. His acceptance of Lu Ao’s invitation suggests a growing connection between them.
• Brother Wu: Emerges as a respected, well-connected leader who is responsible, transparent, and attentive to safety. His admiration for Lu Ao’s abilities is clear.
• Xiang Xingchang: Is introduced as a skeptical authority figure whose initial distrust may create tension with Lu Ao.
• Lin family/group members: Their teasing and willingness to humor Lu Ao reinforce the group’s friendly, informal atmosphere.

Significant Themes

• Friendship and belonging: Song Zhou’s inclusion in the group marks his gradual integration into Lu Ao’s social circle.
• Generosity and reciprocity: Song Zhou sends red packets to everyone, while Lu Ao responds with a special gift, highlighting their mutual consideration.
• Professionalism and trust: Lu Ao refuses to sign the contract until he has checked the project’s documentation, emphasizing the importance of responsibility and legitimacy.
• Adventure and discovery: The marine survey introduces a larger-scale ocean expedition and suggests future exploration of unfamiliar waters.
• First impressions and prejudice: Xiang Xingchang judges Lu Ao based on his appearance, contrasting with Lu Ao’s demonstrated experience and competence.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Song Zhou share a quiet but meaningful exchange when Lu Ao invites him into the chat and sends him a private red packet.
• Lu Ao jokes with Lin Gongshang and the others, turning their requests for money into a humorous “call me Dad” exchange.
• Brother Wu treats Lu Ao respectfully, explains the project in detail, answers his questions patiently, and personally welcomes him aboard.
• Shen Mingquan supports Brother Wu’s introduction and reminds Lu Ao of Brother Wu’s admiration for his giant-grouper achievement.
• Xiang Xingchang’s guarded reaction to Lu Ao establishes a potentially tense professional relationship aboard the vessel.

Chapter Summary: “Spear-tail”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao boards a research vessel and goes to the dining deck, where he bribes the chef with cigarettes to prepare egg noodles.
• While eating, he questions the chef about the vessel’s mission. The chef reveals that the ship traveled from West Bay City for over ten days and that the foreign researchers secretly planned to investigate or capture a rare species of fish.
• After breakfast, Lu Ao returns to his cabin and sleeps. Later, he attends the crowded lunch service.
• He notices groups of R Country and U Country researchers discussing fish in their respective languages. Because of his knowledge of U Country’s language, he realizes their conversation concerns a particular fish but cannot understand the technical terminology.
• A tall U Country researcher named Jin Li approaches Lu Ao, introduces himself, and asks whether Lu Ao has ever encountered unusual or valuable fish while fishing in the Qianming Waters.
• Jin shows Lu Ao a photograph of a strange gray-brown fish with white spots, a protruding mouth, unusual fins, and a broad, rounded tail.
• Lu Ao immediately recognizes it as a Spear-tail Fish, a rare and ancient lobe-finned species believed to be a crucial evolutionary link between fish and four-limbed vertebrates.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao is established as practical, self-reliant, and physically formidable. He is comfortable navigating shipboard life, uses cigarettes strategically, eats heartily, and remains calm despite the attention he attracts.
• His background as a diver and local fisherman becomes important because it gives him knowledge of the region’s marine life, even though he initially conceals or downplays what he knows.
• Lu Ao’s language skills and observational ability distinguish him from ordinary crew members and suggest that he may play a significant role in the expedition.
• Jin Li is introduced as curious, persistent, and friendly. Unlike Lu Ao’s reserved manner, Jin eagerly seeks information and appears especially interested in Lu Ao’s experience in the local waters.
• The chefs and laborers are shown to be largely excluded from the researchers’ plans, emphasizing the divide between the ship’s workers and its scientific personnel.

Significant Themes

• Secrecy and hidden motives: The foreign researchers refuse to explain the expedition, leaving the crew and Lu Ao uncertain about the true purpose of the voyage.
• Scientific discovery and evolution: The Spear-tail Fish represents a living connection between ancient fish and land vertebrates, making it scientifically invaluable.
• Local knowledge versus academic expertise: Although Lu Ao lacks the researchers’ formal scientific background, his practical experience allows him to recognize the fish immediately.
• Isolation and monotony: Life at sea is portrayed as tedious and repetitive, with cigarettes and casual conversation helping the crew endure the long voyage.
• First impressions and prejudice: Lu Ao’s striking appearance draws attention, while the researchers initially view him mainly as a handsome, potentially useful local fisherman.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao builds a casual rapport with the chef, exchanging cigarettes for food and learning details about the expedition.
• He silently observes the foreign researchers before they approach him, maintaining emotional distance despite their interest.
• Jin Li initiates a direct conversation with Lu Ao, questioning him about rare fish and testing whether he may know anything about the species shown in the photograph.
• Lu Ao responds curtly but cooperates, carefully examining the image and privately identifying the fish as the legendary Spear-tail.

Chapter 88 Summary

• Illegal Spear-tail Fish hunt: Lu Ao learns that the critically endangered Spear-tail Fish is highly protected and that catching one is illegal. Kim and another woman from U Country attempt to persuade him to find one in exchange for an untaxed reward of 10,000 yuan per fish. Lu Ao refuses to help, though he allows them to believe he may cooperate. He also realizes that the foreign group likely has official connections to U Country and R Country and quietly gathers information by listening to their conversation.
• Arrival at the dive site: After the ship travels for most of the day, it reaches the first research location. Brother Wu instructs Lu Ao to dive with Captain Xiang Xingchang’s team, film the seafloor, and collect valuable samples for possible bonuses. The research staff begin gathering seawater, seabed mud, and other materials.
• Preparation and safety: Xiang Xingchang carefully inspects Lu Ao’s diving equipment and questions him about his experience. Though initially somewhat prejudiced toward Lu Ao, Xiang proves responsible and safety-conscious, reviewing emergency procedures with the entire team before the dive. Lu Ao is positioned in the middle of the group because it is his first time working with them.
• Deep-sea descent: The divers descend slowly toward a seafloor more than 200 meters below the surface, using hand signals to communicate in the dark and increasingly low visibility. At approximately 100 meters, one diver’s buoyancy-control vest malfunctions, causing him to sink uncontrollably. Xiang identifies the mechanical failure, helps stabilize the diver, and decides to escort him back to the surface.
• Lu Ao continues alone: Lu Ao assists Xiang before separating from the others and continuing downward by himself. He carefully monitors his depth, equipment, and air supply despite being a Dragon and theoretically more resistant to underwater dangers. The silence and darkness make him uneasy. By the end of the chapter, he has reached 173 meters, still several dozen meters above the seabed, with roughly an hour of air remaining.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Lu Ao displays caution, intelligence, and moral restraint by refusing to participate in the illegal capture of an endangered species. He also conceals his language ability, allowing him to observe the foreigners’ behavior without arousing suspicion. During the dive, he proves capable and dependable by assisting the malfunctioning diver, but he experiences understandable nervousness while descending alone.
• Xiang Xingchang develops from a potentially biased team leader into a conscientious professional. He carefully checks the divers’ equipment, prioritizes the injured diver’s safety, and trusts Lu Ao enough to let him continue the descent alone.
• Kim and the foreign researchers attempt to manipulate and recruit Lu Ao, treating him as a fortunate fisherman rather than fully understanding his principles or abilities.
• Brother Wu gives Lu Ao practical instructions and responsibility, showing growing reliance on him.

Significant Themes

• Conservation versus scientific curiosity and greed: The endangered fish is valuable to researchers, but its protected status makes capturing it unethical and illegal. The foreigners’ reward offer contrasts with Lu Ao’s refusal to exploit nature.
• Trust and hidden motives: Lu Ao quietly investigates the foreigners while they try to extract information from him, creating an atmosphere of suspicion.
• Human vulnerability in nature: Despite advanced equipment and careful procedures, a minor mechanical fault can become fatal in the deep ocean.
• Responsibility and teamwork: Xiang’s safety-first leadership and Lu Ao’s assistance emphasize the importance of cooperation, even in an environment where the divers are quickly separated by the vastness of the sea.

Chapter Summary: “Discovery”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao dives to the seabed and unexpectedly discovers the mission’s target: the rare Spear-tail Fish.
• He finds several fish—three large and one small—hiding among the rocks.
• To conceal the discovery from the foreign scientific expedition, Lu Ao deliberately destroys the two cameras attached to his diving vest, preventing visual evidence from being recorded.
• He collects seawater, mud, and sand samples from locations away from the fish so the expedition team cannot trace the Spear-tail Fish through environmental samples.
• Lu Ao makes a difficult, hour-long ascent and uses his backup air tank before returning safely to the ship.
• Once aboard, the damaged and missing cameras cause an argument over whether Lu Ao should pay for them.
• Team leader Jin Li ultimately dismisses the issue and tells Lu Ao to be more careful.
• Lu Ao eats an unusually large meal to recover from exhaustion and low blood sugar.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Demonstrates strong underwater ability, caution, quick thinking, and strategic secrecy. He prioritizes protecting the discovery from outsiders, even at personal cost, and calmly accepts blame for the damaged equipment. His extreme hunger reveals the physical toll of the dive.
• Xiang Xingchang: Shows increasing concern and sympathy toward Lu Ao. He defends him during the equipment dispute, helps him after the dive, and reveals his own former military background.
• Brother Wu: Becomes suspicious and angry when both cameras are unusable, focusing on the financial loss and demanding accountability.
• Jin Li: Acts as a practical authority figure, recognizing Lu Ao’s condition and ending the dispute without demanding compensation.
• The diving team: Their resistance to blaming Lu Ao highlights their solidarity and concern about unfairly holding divers responsible for equipment failures.

Significant Themes

• Secrecy and national loyalty: Lu Ao hides the Spear-tail Fish from the foreign expedition, implying the discovery has scientific or strategic value and should not be surrendered to outsiders.
• Resourcefulness under pressure: He must manage limited oxygen, conceal evidence, and return safely despite the danger of deep-sea diving.
• Trust and responsibility: The camera dispute raises questions about accountability, but the team ultimately protects Lu Ao from unfair blame.
• Physical endurance: The chapter emphasizes the demanding nature of the dive and Lu Ao’s extraordinary stamina and recovery needs.
• Prejudice and changing impressions: Xiang initially judges Lu Ao as a fragile “pretty boy,” but Lu Ao’s performance begins to challenge that assumption.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao briefly interacts with the Spear-tail Fish, whose sudden movement leads to his discovery.
• Brother Wu confronts Lu Ao about the broken and missing cameras, while Xiang Xingchang defends him.
• Jin Li intervenes, refuses to demand compensation, and orders Lu Ao to rest.
• Xiang Xingchang personally assists Lu Ao and takes him to eat, building rapport through shared military experience.
• Their conversation ends on a lighter note when Xiang admits he initially disliked Lu Ao because his attractive appearance made him seem too delicate.

Chapter Summary: “Fishing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiang Xingchang and Lu Ao joke about “pretty boys,” revealing Xiang’s frustration that women he pursued in the past were taken by more attractive men. Their teasing establishes a friendly but sharp-edged relationship.
• Xiang asks Lu Ao why both underwater cameras malfunctioned during the previous dive. Lu Ao privately reveals that he destroyed them intentionally after accidentally recording evidence of the rare Spear-tail Fish.
• Lu Ao explains that the Spear-tail Fish is critically endangered, classified as a Class I protected animal in China, and illegal to export or trade. He also notes that there have been no known sightings in the neighboring countries involved in the expedition.
• Xiang realizes the foreign researchers’ “sampling and research” mission may actually be an attempt to capture and exploit the protected fish. He agrees to keep the information from his crew and prevent them from helping the researchers.
• Lu Ao warns that they must act carefully because he may already be under suspicion. Xiang jokes that the researchers may simply think Lu Ao is incompetent, but both understand the danger.
• Over the next several days, Lu Ao and the other divers continue following orders while deliberately avoiding filming anything significant. This allows them to conceal the fish’s location.
• Kim’s research team grows suspicious. By analyzing the divers’ air-tank positioning data, they determine that Lu Ao repeatedly visits the same underwater area, suggesting that he has found the Spear-tail Fish.
• The researchers discuss bribing or pressuring Lu Ao, including increasing his reward or offering immigration privileges, but Kim rejects these plans. He decides to pilot a submersible himself and capture the fish during the next operation.
• After six days at sea, the crew is exhausted and their fresh food is nearly gone. They return to the dining hall, where Lu Ao eats heavily while Xiang smokes. The chapter ends as the chef sits beside Lu Ao and praises his cooking.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao is shown to be observant, knowledgeable, and morally determined. He risks suspicion and sabotages equipment to protect an endangered species, while carefully concealing his motives.
• Xiang Xingchang initially appears rough, sarcastic, and pessimistic about marriage, but he demonstrates strong loyalty and patriotism when he agrees to protect China’s natural resources. He also reveals confidence in his crew’s integrity.
• Kim becomes more threatening and proactive. Rather than relying on persuasion or rewards, he takes personal responsibility for capturing the fish, raising the stakes of the expedition.
• The crew quietly cooperates with Lu Ao’s deception by conducting searches that appear legitimate while ensuring they do not record useful evidence.

Significant Themes

• Environmental protection and national sovereignty: The Spear-tail Fish represents a valuable natural resource threatened by foreign exploitation.
• Moral responsibility versus obedience: Lu Ao and Xiang must decide whether to follow the expedition’s orders or defy them to protect a protected species.
• Secrecy and surveillance: The researchers use positioning data to track the divers, while Lu Ao and his allies manipulate their behavior to hide the truth.
• Trust and loyalty: Lu Ao relies on Xiang’s crew despite his doubts, while Xiang emphasizes that his men can be trusted to defend their country’s resources.
• Appearance versus reality: The researchers’ scientific mission conceals a capture operation, while the divers’ apparent incompetence masks deliberate resistance.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Xiang exchange sarcastic remarks, revealing an increasingly familiar and companionable dynamic.
• Their private conversation about the Spear-tail Fish shifts their relationship from casual banter to covert cooperation.
• Xiang reassures Lu Ao that his crew will not betray the information, while Lu Ao urges greater caution.
• Kim and the foreign researchers collaborate in analyzing the divers’ movements and speculate about Lu Ao’s knowledge, ultimately deciding to intervene directly.
• The chef’s friendly interaction with Lu Ao at the end provides a brief moment of warmth and normalcy before the expected confrontation over the fish.

Chapter 91 Summary

Key plot points and events

• Xiang Xingchang and the ship’s chef discuss the blandness of food prepared with electric woks, then notice that the foreign researchers have eaten unusually early and are behaving mysteriously.
• The chef mentions hearing the researchers make phone calls, which alarms Xiang Xingchang and Lu Ao because ordinary phones have no signal at sea and satellite phones are restricted to the captain.
• One of Xiang Xingchang’s crew members privately informs him of something suspicious. Soon afterward, Xiang tells Lu Ao that Kim and the other researchers appear to know that Spear-tail Fish live beneath the ship.
• The researchers have deployed a submersible to the seabed roughly half an hour earlier, apparently intending to capture the nationally protected Class I animal.
• Lu Ao and Xiang decide to report the incident to the Maritime Shipping Public Security Bureau and rush to borrow the captain’s satellite phone.
• The captain initially refuses, citing company rules, but accepts cigarettes and five hundred yuan before lending the phone for one minute.
• While Xiang distracts the captain, Lu Ao runs outside and calls the Qianyong City Maritime Shipping Public Security Bureau. He identifies himself and begins formally reporting the researchers’ illegal operation.

Character developments

• Lu Ao becomes increasingly responsible and decisive. Although he initially wants the phone to call his brother and say he will return home soon, he quickly prioritizes protecting the Spear-tail Fish and reporting the researchers.
• Xiang Xingchang demonstrates vigilance and leadership. He recognizes the danger, coordinates with Lu Ao, handles the captain, and helps create an opportunity for the report to be made.
• The chef provides comic relief but also unintentionally reveals important information about the researchers’ unusual schedule and phone calls.
• The captain is portrayed as rule-bound and suspicious, though ultimately willing to bend regulations when pressured with money and cigarettes.
• The foreign researchers, especially Kim and the others, become more threatening as their secret objective is exposed. Their actions suggest deliberate poaching rather than innocent scientific research.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal concerns: Lu Ao’s wish to contact his family is displaced by the urgent need to protect a protected species.
• Suspicion and secrecy: The researchers’ early meal, phone calls, and hidden submersible operation create an atmosphere of conspiracy.
• Protection of nature and law enforcement: The chapter emphasizes the legal and moral importance of safeguarding the Spear-tail Fish.
• Improvisation and cooperation: Lu Ao and Xiang work together, using deception, bribery, and quick thinking to overcome bureaucratic obstacles.
• Cultural and institutional tension: The foreign researchers’ behavior conflicts with the ship’s crew and local authorities, raising concerns about outsiders exploiting protected resources.

Character interactions

• Xiang and the chef banter over cooking, while the chef’s comments unintentionally alert Xiang and Lu Ao to the researchers’ suspicious behavior.
• Xiang privately consults with a crew member, then brings Lu Ao into the crisis.
• Lu Ao and Xiang jointly decide to seek official intervention.
• They manipulate the captain: Lu Ao offers money and cigarettes, while Xiang physically and verbally distracts him.
• Lu Ao directly contacts the maritime police and begins an official report, ending the chapter on the moment when the researchers’ illegal expedition is formally exposed.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao reports the suspicious activity to authorities, providing the ship’s coordinates. A law-enforcement vessel is promised, though it will not arrive until later.
• After returning to the deck, Lu Ao and Xiang Xingchang discover that the U Country researchers have begun working secretly and now treat them with hostility.
• Xiang deliberately provokes a confrontation, refusing to leave the deck on the grounds that the contract does not prohibit them from being there. The rest of the diving team supports him, creating a standoff with Brother Wu, the researchers, and the crew.
• The captain recognizes that the divers’ resistance is connected to Lu Ao’s earlier satellite-phone call. He attempts to mediate, but neither side is willing to retreat.
• At nightfall, Kim pilots the submersible back to the surface. The researchers celebrate and hurriedly retrieve its contents, clearly having recovered something important.
• Lu Ao overhears Kim and a female researcher discussing how to secretly send the recovered item away that night so that no evidence will remain.
• Xiang demands to inspect the catch, accusing the researchers of illegally capturing a protected Spear-tail Fish in Chinese waters. The researchers claim it is merely part of their scientific sampling and call the contents a commercial secret.
• The standoff continues late into the night. The researchers move the sealed materials into their cabins, while Xiang and the divers repeatedly try—but fail—to seize them.
• Lu Ao senses that the nets do contain Spear-tail Fish, confirming the divers’ suspicions and making them even more determined to prevent the researchers from escaping with it.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao remains controlled and observant. Rather than openly confronting the researchers, he gathers information, reports the situation to authorities, and uses his heightened perception to identify the recovered specimen.
• Xiang Xingchang takes on the role of outspoken resistance leader. He intentionally creates a disturbance to prevent the researchers from working unobserved and openly challenges their authority.
• Brother Wu becomes increasingly defensive and threatening, attempting to enforce the contract, but is unable to make the divers leave.
• The captain appears to understand the seriousness of the situation after Lu Ao’s call and adopts a cautious, conciliatory position instead of forcefully siding with the researchers.
• Kim and the researchers shift from cordial cooperation to secrecy and hostility. Their private conversation reveals that they know they may have been exposed and intend to dispose of or transport the evidence clandestinely.

Significant Themes

• Protection of national resources: The divers’ refusal to let foreign researchers remove a protected species reflects their sense of responsibility toward China’s waters and natural heritage.
• Conflict between scientific research and exploitation: The researchers hide behind the language of sampling and commercial confidentiality, while their behavior suggests illegal harvesting.
• Resistance against authority and contractual manipulation: The divers exploit the ambiguity of the contract to obstruct the researchers, showing that formal rules can be used strategically by both sides.
• Secrecy and evidence: The researchers’ attempt to move the specimen at night creates urgency, emphasizing the importance of exposing wrongdoing before proof disappears.
• Collective solidarity: The diving team acts together, refusing both threats and persuasion and strengthening Xiang’s confrontation with the expedition team.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Xiang work in tandem: Lu handles the authorities and observes the situation, while Xiang publicly provokes and delays the researchers.
• Xiang repeatedly clashes with Brother Wu, rejecting his accusations of contractual breach.
• The captain mediates between the two groups but cannot resolve the conflict.
• The researchers dismiss Xiang’s accusations and refuse to reveal their catch, intensifying suspicion.
• Kim’s eye contact with Lu Ao, followed by his whispered plan to remove the evidence, establishes a direct but largely unspoken confrontation between them.

Chapter Summary: “First Merit”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The passengers remain on deck overnight, expecting maritime police to rescue them after someone secretly contacts the authorities by satellite phone.
• As everyone gradually falls asleep, Lu Ao notices a second large vessel approaching and realizes the smugglers have arranged a rendezvous. Their confidence comes from having a receiving ship waiting nearby.
• Lu Ao observes Kim and the female researcher, Katherine, secretly leaving their ship with a large case. They plan to cross to the other vessel by speedboat.
• Kim reveals his hostile intentions by displaying a handgun, while Katherine also aims her weapon at Lu Ao. Lu Ao chooses not to wake the others, recognizing that the pair are more dangerous than expected.
• As Kim and Katherine head toward the rendezvous ship, Kim mockingly waves at Lu Ao. Lu Ao responds by using his supernatural ability to draw moisture from the sea and create a dense fog.
• The fog quickly surrounds the speedboat, blocking visibility and cutting off communication with the receiving vessel. The people on the other ship urgently demand that Kim hurry because the fog threatens to trap them.
• Kim attempts to accelerate, then stops the engine when the fog becomes impenetrable. He believes he sees a mysterious black shadow behind Lu Ao, which seems connected to the sudden intensification of the fog.
• Trapped in the mist and unable to determine the locations of either large ship, Kim and Katherine realize they may be in mortal danger.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao becomes more calculating and assertive. Rather than panic or alert the sleeping passengers, he independently assesses the threat and quietly retaliates using his powers.
• Kim is exposed as a ruthless smuggler or conspirator. His friendly facade disappears once he believes he is leaving safely, and he openly carries a gun and displays confidence in his escape plan.
• Katherine, previously presented as a female researcher, is revealed to be complicit in the dangerous operation. She is armed and helps transport the case, though she becomes increasingly frightened once Lu Ao’s fog disrupts their escape.
• Lu Ao’s abilities develop beyond manipulating clouds and rain: he can now draw moisture from the open sea and weaponize it to create fog.

Significant Themes

• Deception and hidden motives: Kim’s apparent friendliness masks criminal intentions, while the supposed rescue situation conceals a smuggling rendezvous.
• Power and retaliation: Lu Ao does not confront the armed pair directly; instead, he uses patience, observation, and supernatural control of the environment to turn the situation against them.
• Nature as a weapon: The sea and fog become extensions of Lu Ao’s power, transforming the open ocean from a means of escape into a deadly trap.
• Fear of the unknown: The mysterious shadow behind Lu Ao suggests that his abilities may involve forces beyond simple weather manipulation, increasing the supernatural tension.
• Isolation and vulnerability: Once surrounded by fog, Kim and Katherine lose communication, visibility, and control, leaving them helpless in the vast ocean.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao silently observes Kim and Katherine preparing to escape, while Kim notices him and exchanges threatening, triumphant waves.
• Kim and Katherine communicate in their native language, excluding Lu Ao and emphasizing the secrecy of their plan.
• Their conversation with the receiving ship confirms that the case contains valuable Chinese Spear-tail Fish and that specialized water tanks and cold storage have been prepared.
• When the fog appears, Katherine urges caution, while Kim insists on speed. Their differing reactions reveal her growing fear and his determination to complete the operation.
• Kim tells Katherine about the shadow he saw behind Lu Ao, but she initially dismisses it as impossible before recognizing that something unnatural has happened.

Chapter 94 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao exhausts himself creating a vast supernatural fog intended to trap Kim, Katherine, and their associates. Song Zhou arrives after sensing the disturbance and helps stabilize him by giving him spiritual spring water.
• The fog causes everyone nearby—including the opposing ship’s crew—to fall into a deep sleep, while their instruments stop functioning. Song Zhou reveals that Lu Ao initiated the fog, while he helped expand it, suggesting Lu Ao is progressing in his ability to control water and may soon learn to create rain.
• Rather than rest, Lu Ao contacts the Qianyong City Maritime Shipping Public Security Bureau. He reports Kim’s illegal Spear-tail Fish poaching, possession of firearms, and the arrival of a larger armed ship.
• Lu Ao remains on deck with Song Zhou until dawn. Their quiet time together emphasizes their growing closeness, but Song Zhou eventually leaves before the authorities arrive.
• A Chinese naval vessel from the Qianming Sea Third Fleet reaches the area. Lu Ao provides his coordinates and warns them about the fog.
• As the fog clears, the soldiers board the foreign ship and catch its occupants off guard. Kim and Katherine, surrounded on a speedboat, surrender. Katherine repeatedly mutters about ghosts, revealing her terror and guilt.
• Captain Zhang and several dozen soldiers board Lu Ao’s vessel. The captain of Lu Ao’s ship cooperates with the investigation.
• Old Zhang praises Lu Ao for his assistance and reveals that authorities seized valuable equipment, including high-end instruments illegally exported from U Country. Lu Ao is credited with making the capture possible.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Demonstrates major growth in his supernatural water-related abilities by creating the fog, though the effort leaves him physically drained. He acts responsibly by reporting the threat and coordinating with the authorities. Despite his exhaustion, he prioritizes protecting others and ensuring the criminals are captured.
• Song Zhou: Shows concern and practical support for Lu Ao, providing spiritual spring water and staying beside him through the night. His collaboration in expanding the fog indicates trust and cooperation between them. His departure leaves Lu Ao visibly reluctant and saddened.
• Kim and Katherine: Their confidence collapses once trapped and confronted by Chinese forces. Katherine’s fear and claims of seeing ghosts suggest she is psychologically overwhelmed by the consequences of their actions.
• Old Zhang and the authorities: They recognize Lu Ao’s increasing value and treat him as a reliable ally, giving him explicit credit for the successful operation.

Significant Themes

• Growing supernatural power: Lu Ao’s control over mist and water continues to develop, hinting at future abilities such as rainfall.
• Trust and partnership: Song Zhou and Lu Ao work seamlessly together, with Song Zhou supporting Lu Ao physically and emotionally.
• Justice and accountability: Illegal poaching, weapons trafficking, and prohibited technology are exposed and punished through coordinated action between Lu Ao and the authorities.
• Emotional attachment and separation: Lu Ao’s sadness when Song Zhou disappears highlights how deeply attached he has become, even though their separation is temporary.
• Human ability versus technology: Lu Ao’s fog disables sophisticated instruments and traps the opposing ship, demonstrating the power of supernatural forces against advanced equipment.

Important Character Interactions

• Song Zhou comforts and tends to Lu Ao after the fog-making ritual.
• Lu Ao reports the criminals and warns the police about the second armed ship.
• Lu Ao and Song Zhou spend a rare, peaceful night leaning together and talking before Song Zhou leaves.
• Lu Ao coordinates with the naval fleet by providing his location and identifying himself.
• Soldiers arrest Kim and Katherine, with Katherine reacting in fear and disbelief.
• Old Zhang congratulates Lu Ao and informs him that the seized technology makes his contribution especially significant.

Chapter Summary: “Fruit Trees”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the foreign poachers are captured, Old Zhang praises Lu Ao and tells him to rest before returning to help with the investigation.
• The crew celebrates aboard the ship, treating Lu Ao as the hero responsible for their success. The suspects and their boat have already been taken back by a warship, while Lu Ao’s group returns more slowly on the civilian vessel.
• Xiang Xingchang questions Lu Ao about the mysterious fog that trapped the poachers and about their possession of guns. Lu Ao deliberately gives vague answers, refusing to reveal what truly happened.
• Xiang invites Lu Ao to join the Marine Conservation Volunteer Association, which organizes beach and seabed cleanups, reports illegal fishing and aquaculture, and promotes marine conservation. Lu Ao accepts and is warmly welcomed by the group.
• Upon reaching Qianyong City, the crew is taken to the Maritime Shipping Public Security Bureau for questioning. Lu Ao’s interview is brief, and he is quickly released.
• Song Zhou waits outside to take Lu Ao home. They decide to eat at a food stall, where Lu Ao recovers his spirits after eating extensively.
• Lu Ao recalls that the police may recommend him for a “Qianyong City Outstanding Youth” award, which includes a five-thousand-yuan bonus. His wages from the confiscated vessel remain uncertain.

Character Development

• Lu Ao is shown as modest but capable and courageous. He accepts the crew’s praise without boasting and protects the secret behind the strange fog by maintaining that he does not know what happened.
• He also demonstrates growing involvement in marine conservation by joining Xiang Xingchang’s volunteer association, suggesting that he is becoming more connected to the community and its environmental concerns.
• Though initially tired and worried about losing his wages, Lu Ao’s mood improves through companionship, food, and the possibility of receiving official recognition.
• Xiang Xingchang becomes more openly affectionate and trusting toward Lu Ao after their shared ordeal. He views Lu Ao as a valuable friend and potential member of the conservation group.
• Song Zhou continues to provide calm emotional support, meeting Lu Ao after the investigation, offering to treat him to dinner, and helping ease his concerns.

Significant Themes

• Camaraderie and trust: The crew’s celebration and Xiang’s invitation show how shared danger creates strong bonds.
• Environmental responsibility: The volunteer association emphasizes the chapter’s broader concern with protecting the sea and combating illegal exploitation.
• Secrecy and the supernatural or unexplained: Lu Ao’s refusal to explain the fog hints that the capture involved forces or events beyond ordinary weather, while his silence protects the mystery.
• Recognition versus material reward: Lu Ao may receive an award and bonus, but his actual wages remain uncertain, highlighting the difference between public praise and fair compensation.
• Homecoming and emotional recovery: Returning to Qianyong City, reuniting with Song Zhou, and eating familiar food allow Lu Ao to recover from the exhausting events at sea.

Character Interactions

• Old Zhang praises Lu Ao and instructs him to rest.
• The crew enthusiastically drinks with Lu Ao and credits him for catching the poachers.
• Xiang Xingchang repeatedly presses Lu Ao for details about the fog, then shifts to inviting him into the conservation association.
• The association members celebrate Lu Ao’s acceptance and welcome him as one of their own.
• Police officers question Lu Ao formally but politely.
• Song Zhou meets him outside, accompanies him home, and comforts him when he worries about his unpaid wages.

Chapter Summary: “Peach”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao returns home with Song Zhou after receiving the “Outstanding Youth” title from the police. He suspects the authorities overlooked inconsistencies in the previous day’s events, but Song Zhou explains that he intervened through his connections. The police now understand that Lu Ao is not an ordinary human and that Song Zhou supports him, so they will not investigate him too deeply.
• Back in his village, Lu Ao informs Lin Manzhang and the others that he is safe, then sleeps peacefully at home.
• The next morning, he discovers that the geese—including their leader, Sesame Ball—are loudly demanding food. He feeds them rice, eggs, and water, cleans their pen, and privately considers how long it will be before he can eat one of them.
• Lu Ao calls Lin Qiyan for a ride into town. Lin Qiyan picks him up on his motorcycle and takes him to breakfast.
• Lu Ao eats an enormous meal at a seafood congee shop, consuming most of the food and leaving Lin Qiyan impressed by his appetite.
• They then visit Lin Dawu’s shop. Dawu tells Lu Ao about a friend selling mature fruit trees cheaply because of problems at home. Lu Ao is interested because he wants to grow fruit trees.
• Dawu calls his friend to find out whether the trees have already been sold. The chapter ends as the conversation begins.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Becomes more comfortable with the protection Song Zhou provides and recognizes the practical benefits of having powerful backing. After returning home, he resumes his ordinary rural routine—caring for animals, eating, shopping, and planning agricultural improvements. His dragon nature remains partly hidden, but his extraordinary appetite and strength continue to stand out.
• Song Zhou: Demonstrates significant influence over the authorities. His intervention ensures that Lu Ao’s unexplained identity and recent actions will not be scrutinized closely, reinforcing his protective and influential role in Lu Ao’s life.
• Lin Qiyan: Continues to act as a dependable friend, immediately giving Lu Ao a ride and taking care of him by making sure he eats breakfast.
• Lin Dawu: Shows concern for Lu Ao after being unable to contact him and helps connect him with a potential source of mature fruit trees.
• Sesame Ball and the geese: The geese have grown noticeably and behave noisily and assertively, while Lu Ao increasingly treats them as livestock that may eventually become food.

Significant Themes

• Protection and hidden identity: Lu Ao’s supernatural identity is becoming known to powerful people, but Song Zhou’s influence shields him from official investigation.
• Return to ordinary life: Despite recent extraordinary events, Lu Ao quickly returns to familiar domestic concerns such as feeding geese, eating breakfast, and improving his home.
• Community and mutual support: Friends and neighbors help Lu Ao in practical ways, from transportation and meals to locating fruit trees for his future plans.
• Self-sufficiency and cultivation: Lu Ao’s interest in buying mature fruit trees reflects his desire to develop his property and build a more stable, productive life.
• Humor through appetite and animals: Lu Ao’s huge appetite and his calculating attitude toward eventually eating the geese provide comic relief and emphasize his unusual physical nature.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Song Zhou discuss the police’s reaction to Lu Ao, revealing Song Zhou’s influence and Lu Ao’s growing trust in him.
• Lu Ao interacts affectionately but pragmatically with the geese, especially Sesame Ball, while also viewing them as potential food.
• Lin Qiyan eagerly helps Lu Ao, drives him to town, and shares breakfast with him.
• Lin Dawu welcomes Lu Ao warmly, expresses relief that he is safe, and offers him the opportunity to purchase mature fruit trees.
• Dawu’s phone call to the seller sets up the chapter’s next development: whether Lu Ao can acquire the trees for his land.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Dawu contacts his friend Old Chen about Lu Ao’s interest in purchasing trees from Chen’s mountain orchard.
• Old Chen agrees to show Lu Ao the trees immediately, so Lin Dawu prepares to drive Lu Ao to Chen’s home.
• Lin Qiyan asks to accompany them and film the possible tree purchase for his video content. Lin Dawu agrees, provided Old Chen consents.
• Qiyan rushes home to collect his recording equipment, then returns and joins Lin Dawu and Lu Ao.
• While waiting, Gui Yandan serves Lu Ao tea and homemade pickled-vegetable pancakes. The conversation turns to her university-aged son, his upcoming vacation, and his plans to bring friends to the seaside.
• Lin and Gui discuss the advantages of remaining in their hometown, contrasting their comfortable rural life with the pressures and uncertainties of city living.
• The group leaves in Lin Dawu’s van. Lin explains that Chen’s orchard has been leased for nearly twenty years and that the mature trees will require a truck and crane if Lu Ao buys them.
• They arrive at Chen Family Village, a quiet, declining mountain settlement with only a few remaining households.
• At Old Chen’s shabby two-story home, a tall, thin, poorly dressed woman answers the door and appears startled to see Lin Dawu.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao shows practical interest in expanding or improving his surroundings by purchasing mature trees. He is polite and willing to accept help from Lin Dawu’s family.
• Lin Dawu acts as a reliable intermediary, arranging the visit, providing transportation, and advising Lu Ao about the logistical difficulties of moving large trees.
• Lin Qiyan is eager to create new video content and seizes the opportunity to document the potential transaction. His enthusiasm makes him rush back for his equipment.
• Gui Yandan is warm, hospitable, and openly proud of her son. Though she verbally complains about his choices and concerns for her health, her happiness reveals how much she values his attention.
• Lin Dawu and Gui Yandan are portrayed as affectionate and comfortable with one another. Their teasing reflects a stable marriage and shared satisfaction with their rural lifestyle.
• Old Chen, though not yet present in person, is established as a longtime orchard leaseholder with a potentially valuable collection of mature trees.
• The unnamed woman at Chen’s house is introduced as poor and visibly surprised by the visitors, creating suspense about her relationship to Old Chen and the circumstances awaiting them.

Significant Themes

• Rural comfort versus urban ambition: Gui Yandan argues that village life offers food, space, income, and freedom that cities cannot match.
• Family attachment and generational expectations: The discussion of Gui and Lin’s son highlights parental hopes, his desire for a town-based future, and the emotional importance of his returning home.
• Community hospitality: Tea, snacks, and offers of food emphasize the warmth and generosity of rural relationships.
• Declining rural villages: Chen Family Village is nearly deserted, suggesting migration, aging communities, and the gradual disappearance of traditional village life.
• Modern opportunities in traditional settings: Qiyan’s attempt to turn an ordinary business meeting into video content reflects the intersection of rural life and modern media.
• Economic differences: The contrast between Lin and Gui’s comfortable home and the woman’s shabby appearance hints at uneven prosperity within the countryside.

Character Interactions

• Lin Dawu and Old Chen coordinate the orchard visit by phone.
• Lin Dawu and Lu Ao discuss the timing and practical arrangements for viewing and transporting the trees.
• Lin Qiyan persuades Lin Dawu to let him film the visit, showing their familiar, cooperative relationship.
• Gui Yandan welcomes Lu Ao with food and conversation, treating him as a friend rather than a customer or stranger.
• Lin Dawu and Gui Yandan tease each other about their son, revealing mutual affection and shared pride.
• The chapter ends with the group’s first encounter with the unexpected woman at Old Chen’s home, setting up a potential complication in the tree-buying arrangement.

Chapter 98 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Dawu introduces Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan to Old Chen’s wife, who welcomes them into the modest family home.
• While waiting for Old Chen, they are offered tea, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and television entertainment.
• Old Chen returns with a watermelon and warmly serves them before discussing his orchard.
• He explains that he grows peaches, plums, waxberries, loquats, cherries, tangerines, figs, and other fruit trees. He advises Lu Ao not to buy the older peach and plum trees but recommends the other varieties, which are still productive.
• Lin Dawu praises Old Chen’s fruit, saying merchants pay more for it because of its exceptional sweetness and quality.
• The group heads to the mountain orchard. Lin Qiyan receives permission to film Old Chen for a video, prompting Old Chen to change into oversized formal clothes so he will look presentable on camera.
• Old Chen shows them the orchard and gives them pesticide-free, tree-ripened honey peaches. Lu Ao is deeply impressed by their intense sweetness and decides he wants to bring some home for Song Zhou.
• Old Chen identifies other available or upcoming fruit crops, including waxberries, Harumi mandarins, and pomelos. Lu Ao becomes curious about the unfamiliar Harumi mandarin variety.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao: Becomes increasingly interested in purchasing Old Chen’s fruit trees after tasting the exceptional peaches. His thoughts turn toward sharing the fruit with Song Zhou, revealing his consideration for and attachment to Song Zhou.
• Lin Qiyan: Takes an active role in documenting the visit, showing his enthusiasm for creating video content. His friendly compliment boosts Old Chen’s confidence.
• Old Chen: Is portrayed as hardworking, humble, hospitable, and proud of his agricultural achievements. Despite his poor appearance and modest circumstances, he is energetic, knowledgeable, and eager to present himself well on camera.
• Sister Chen: Appears shy and understated but expresses hospitality through serving tea and snacks.
• Lin Dawu: Acts as the bridge between Lu Ao, Lin Qiyan, and Old Chen, reassuring them about the quality of Old Chen’s produce.

Significant Themes

• Hospitality and generosity: Old Chen and his wife warmly receive their guests despite their limited possessions, offering food, drinks, and homegrown fruit.
• Pride in honest labor: Old Chen takes great pride in his orchard and the superior quality of his produce.
• Rural simplicity versus value: The modest home contrasts with the high quality and potential commercial value of the orchard.
• Authenticity and natural produce: The tree-ripened, pesticide-free peaches emphasize the appeal of fresh, naturally grown food.
• Community and trust: Lin Dawu’s recommendation helps establish confidence between Lu Ao and Old Chen.

Character Interactions

• Lin Dawu formally introduces Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan to Sister Chen and helps explain Lin Qiyan’s filming plans to Old Chen.
• Sister Chen and Old Chen repeatedly offer food and refreshments, demonstrating their kindness toward the visitors.
• Old Chen eagerly teaches Lu Ao how to eat the honey peaches, and Lu Ao responds with genuine appreciation.
• Lin Qiyan films Old Chen and compliments his appearance, making Old Chen visibly pleased.
• Lu Ao questions Old Chen about the orchard’s varieties, beginning a serious discussion about which trees might be worth purchasing.

Chapter Summary: “Buying Trees”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao, familiar with Harumi Mandarins as a fruit, learns that Old Chen owns three mature Harumi Mandarin trees. Old Chen explains that he originally bought five expensive imported saplings, but two died.
• Old Chen gives Lu Ao, Lin Dawu, and Lin Qiyan a tour of his orchard. They see the flourishing Harumi Mandarins in bloom, surrounded by bees from Old Chen’s beehives.
• The group visits Old Chen’s waxberry trees, whose unusually sweet, juicy fruit and tiny pits impress Lu Ao. Old Chen explains that the waxberries are unnamed hybrids developed from local varieties.
• Old Chen also shows them his loquats, cherries, and figs. His orchard is centered around fifty large cherry trees, which provide him with a substantial annual income.
• Lu Ao asks whether the trees are for sale. Old Chen reveals that he intends to sell nearly all of them, including valuable fruit-bearing trees after the current harvest.
• Lin Dawu explains that Old Chen’s wife is seriously ill, requiring regular dialysis and treatment for a brain tumor. Old Chen is selling the orchard to afford medical care in New Luzhou.
• Old Chen offers after-sales support to whoever buys the trees, promising to remain nearby and teach the buyer how to care for them.
• Old Chen gives Lu Ao prices for the various trees: cherries at 6,000 yuan each, Harumi Mandarins at 5,000, waxberries at 3,000, pomelos at 2,000, and loquats at 1,500. He offers a fig tree as a bonus for large purchases.
• Lu Ao does not consider the prices excessive but worries about where he could plant the trees. When he mentions that his family’s hill cannot be cleared, Lin Dawu suggests leasing land for fifty years.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao shows increasing interest in fruit cultivation. He carefully evaluates the orchard, tastes the waxberries, and seriously considers purchasing the trees. His practical concern shifts from price to finding suitable land.
• Old Chen is portrayed as hardworking, knowledgeable, and deeply devoted to his wife. His pride in the orchard contrasts with the pain of having to sell it. He remains generous and responsible by offering cultivation guidance to the future buyer.
• Lin Dawu acts as a supportive intermediary, explaining Old Chen’s circumstances and helping move the potential deal forward by suggesting a long-term land lease.
• Lin Qiyan documents the visit with her camera and is visibly affected by Old Chen’s devotion and difficult situation.
• Mrs. Chen, though absent, becomes important through the discussion of her illness. Her situation reveals the emotional stakes behind the sale.

Significant Themes

• Devotion and sacrifice: Old Chen is willing to sell the livelihood he built through years of labor to pursue treatment for his wife, regardless of her appearance or the uncertain outcome.
• Hard work and cultivation: The orchard reflects Old Chen’s years of effort in fertilizing, pruning, weeding, grafting, and maintaining the trees.
• Economic hardship and medical burden: Serious illness forces Old Chen to give up a productive and valuable orchard, highlighting the financial pressure of medical treatment.
• Opportunity and practical planning: Lu Ao recognizes the value of the trees, while the discussion turns toward land acquisition and the possibility of building a new orchard.
• Value beyond money: Although the trees are assessed in yuan, the orchard also represents Old Chen’s labor, livelihood, and personal history.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Old Chen discuss the origins, prices, and quality of the Harumi Mandarin trees.
• Old Chen proudly presents his orchard and offers the visitors fruit, seeking their approval of his produce.
• Lu Ao and Lin Dawu taste the waxberries, with Lu Ao’s praise visibly reassuring Old Chen.
• Lin Dawu reveals the reason for the sale, prompting sympathy from Lu Ao and Lin Qiyan.
• Old Chen offers cultivation assistance, showing that he wants the orchard’s future owners to succeed.
• Lin Dawu encourages Lu Ao to consider leasing land, keeping open the possibility that Lu Ao will purchase the trees.

Chapter Summary: “United in Purpose”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Ao considers buying Old Chen’s fruit trees, but hesitates because much of his money is tied up in bidding for a boat.
• The Chen family hosts Lu Ao, Lin Dawu, and the others for an abundant lunch despite their financial hardship. Their generosity makes the guests uncomfortable, but Old Chen and his wife insist they stay so the food will not spoil.
• During the meal, Lin Qiyan decides to buy two cherry trees for 12,000 yuan. Although Old Chen and Sister-in-law Chen warn him that the purchase is financially impractical, Lin explains that he wants the trees to become a family heirloom.
• Lu Ao then commits to buying all fifty cherry trees and ultimately purchases all sixty-four of Old Chen’s fruit trees for 332,500 yuan. He plans to leave them in place until he leases the mountain and can arrange transportation.
• Lu Ao also asks Old Chen to help him find a mature male ginkgo tree. His family has an old female ginkgo tree that cannot bear fruit because it lacks a male tree for pollination.
• Old Chen contacts his brother-in-law, who offers Lu Ao a five-year-old male ginkgo tree for free. Lu Ao insists on paying market price, unwilling to let Old Chen’s family suffer a loss.
• After lunch, Lu Ao and Old Chen sign a formal contract in front of the village chief and Lin Dawu. The trees must be transferred within six months; until then, Old Chen will care for them without charge and guarantee their survival.
• Lu Ao immediately transfers the full payment. Old Chen becomes emotional while counting the many zeros in his bank balance, overwhelmed by the financial relief.

Character Developments

• Lu Ao demonstrates generosity, decisiveness, and respect for others. Though initially concerned about his cash flow, he takes responsibility for the purchase and refuses to exploit Old Chen’s situation. His interest in the ginkgo tree also reveals his attachment to family history and tradition.
• Old Chen is shown as hardworking, hospitable, and proud. He worries about accepting too much money and tries to protect both Lin Qiyan and Lu Ao from making unwise purchases. The payment gives him a life-changing sense of security.
• Sister-in-law Chen reinforces the family’s humility and practicality. Despite poor health, she prepares an elaborate meal and advises Lin Qiyan not to spend beyond his means.
• Lin Qiyan reveals his loyalty and emotional investment in the Chen family. Although he has limited income and family responsibilities, he wants to support them by purchasing two trees, framing the purchase as an inheritance for future generations.
• Lin Dawu and the other guests recognize the Chen family’s poverty and feel uneasy accepting their lavish hospitality, highlighting their empathy and social conscience.

Significant Themes

• Mutual support and solidarity: The characters help one another through purchases, referrals, hospitality, and fair dealing.
• Generosity and dignity: The Chen family gives what little they have, while Lu Ao provides financial support without making them feel pitied or indebted.
• Family legacy and continuity: Both Lin Qiyan’s idea of preserving cherry trees and Lu Ao’s effort to unite a male ginkgo tree with his family’s female tree reflect the importance of inheritance and tradition.
• Economic hardship and opportunity: The sale of the trees offers the Chen family a major financial breakthrough, while Lu Ao turns a rural resource into part of his larger plans.
• Trust and formal commitment: The witnessed contract transforms an informal agreement into a secure partnership, protecting both sides.

Character Interactions

• Lu Ao and Old Chen negotiate respectfully, with Old Chen worrying about Lu Ao’s finances and Lu Ao ultimately assuring him through a full, non-negotiated purchase.
• Lin Qiyan’s offer to buy two trees reflects his personal desire to help the Chens, though the couple attempts to dissuade him.
• Lu Ao interrupts this exchange by offering to buy all the trees, removing the pressure on Lin Qiyan while ensuring Old Chen receives substantial compensation.
• Old Chen’s brother-in-law contributes to the arrangement by offering the male ginkgo tree, strengthening the network of cooperation among the families.
• The contract signing, witnessed by the village chief and Lin Dawu, symbolizes the community’s shared involvement and the chapter’s central idea of people united by a common purpose.