Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Yang treats Zhang Daoru’s long-standing ailment with the rare Seven Star Acupuncture Technique. Zhang Daoru recognizes the technique and is impressed by Zhang Yang’s skill, though Zhang Yang claims he learned it himself from an old book.
• Zhang Daoru feels stronger after the treatment. To test the results, he and Zhang Yang fight in the Peach Orchard. Zhang Daoru finds his movements and power greatly improved, though Zhang Yang remains the stronger fighter.
• Convinced that Zhang Yang has helped him rather than harmed him, Zhang Daoru thanks him and urges Zhang Xinzhi to show respect.
• Zhang Daoru proposes that he and Zhang Yang become sworn brothers, with Daoru as the elder brother. Zhang Xinzhi objects to the generational confusion, but Daoru silences him.

Character developments

• Zhang Yang demonstrates exceptional medical and martial skill while remaining evasive about his background. He is open to Daoru’s unexpected offer of brotherhood.
• Zhang Daoru shifts from cautious skepticism to trust and gratitude. His renewed strength restores his hope, and he seeks to bind Zhang Yang to him as an ally.
• Zhang Xinzhi moves from suspicion to reluctant acknowledgment of Zhang Yang’s medical ability, but remains proud and resentful.
• Old Li secretly watches the treatment and fight, stunned and afraid of being discovered.

Significant themes

• Skill earns trust: Zhang Yang’s abilities persuade Daoru more effectively than explanations could.
• Gratitude and obligation: Daoru feels indebted after Zhang Yang helps him despite their earlier hostility.
• Generational hierarchy versus chosen bonds: The proposed sworn brotherhood challenges ordinary age and family ranks.
• Power and alliances: Daoru’s offer reflects both genuine appreciation and a desire to secure a powerful ally.

Character interactions

• Daoru carefully observes Zhang Yang’s acupuncture before trusting him; afterward, he tests the treatment through combat.
• Zhang Yang and Daoru fight as a practical demonstration of Daoru’s recovery and their relative strength.
• Daoru demands that Xinzhi pay respects, prompting Xinzhi to offer a stiff, reluctant thanks.
• When Xinzhi objects to the sworn-brother proposal, Daoru rebukes him and asserts his authority.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Daoru and Zhang Yang become sworn brothers after their fight, with Daoru taking the elder-brother role. Daoru insists his grandson, Zhang Xinzhi, call Zhang Yang “Grandpa”; Xinzhi reluctantly does so, humiliated and resentful.
• Old Li, the Peach Orchard owner, has secretly watched the ceremony. Zhang Yang notices him, buys a large basket of peaches for 500 yuan, and leaves with Daoru and Xinzhi.
• Zhang Yang tells Cheng Dongxue he cannot pick her up and asks her to take a taxi home. He then shares a meal at a nearby farmhouse restaurant with Daoru, and the two quickly grow close.
• Daoru phones Xu Mingxian in Zhang Yang’s presence, saying Zhang Yang defeated him and accusing Xu of deceiving him. Xu, who had arranged the attack, is shocked and alarmed that Zhang Yang survived.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang shows confidence, humor, generosity, and restraint: he accepts Daoru’s offer of brotherhood, treats Xinzhi’s forced deference lightly, pays Old Li for the peaches, and spares the men who had come to kill him.
• Zhang Daoru shifts from opponent to grateful ally. Zhang Yang saved and healed him, and Daoru’s new sense of loyalty leads him to confront Xu rather than betray his sworn brother.
• Zhang Xinzhi is baffled and resentful at having to treat someone near his own age as his grandfather, while Daoru presses him to comply.
• Old Li watches in astonishment, first fearing Zhang Yang’s ability to detect him, then realizing the peach purchase is genuine.
• Xu Mingxian goes from anticipating Zhang Yang’s death to fearing retaliation and worrying that Daoru may turn against him.

Significant themes

• Fate and unexpected bonds: A fight becomes the basis for sworn brotherhood.
• Loyalty and gratitude: Daoru’s debt to Zhang Yang outweighs his original agreement with Xu.
• Power and shifting allegiances: Zhang Yang’s strength overturns Xu’s plans and changes who holds influence.
• Humor and social absurdity: The age gap and Xinzhi’s “Grandpa” dilemma make the traditional oath seem comically out of place in modern life.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Daoru’s side defeats Xu Mingxian’s attempt to harm Zhang Yang. Xu, furious at the failure, blames Zhang Daoru and fears Zhang Yang’s promised retaliation.
• After lunch, Zhang Daoru offers Zhang Yang the several million in cash Xu had brought for the job. Zhang Yang refuses, saying money would make their new brotherly relationship awkward.
• Instead, Zhang Daoru gives Zhang Yang a battered, incomplete manuscript he found in Liulichang. Though much of it is missing, Zhang Yang recognizes it as a Tang Dynasty copy of a text about cultivation, possibly involving alchemy and talisman arts.
• Zhang Yang accepts the book, sensing it may provide the opportunity to explore forms of cultivation beyond the Martial Dao. Zhang Daoru explains that he has memorized the text and believes Zhang Yang may be able to decipher it.
• As Zhang Daoru and Zhang Xinzhi leave, Zhang Xinzhi complains about giving away the valuable manuscript. Zhang Daoru rebukes him and insists he address Zhang Yang as his “young granduncle.”

Character developments

• Zhang Yang shows that wealth does not interest him as much as knowledge and spiritual advancement. The manuscript sparks hope that he can finally pursue a path beyond Martial Dao.
• Zhang Daoru deepens his trust and respect for Zhang Yang, treating him as family and giving him the manuscript he prizes.
• Zhang Xinzhi remains attached to the manuscript’s apparent value and struggles with Zhang Yang’s sudden elevation in the family hierarchy.
• Xu Mingxian is left enraged and afraid after his scheme fails.

Significant themes

• Knowledge over wealth: Zhang Yang rejects a fortune but accepts a damaged book with the potential to change his life.
• Hidden value: Others dismissed the manuscript as worthless, but its significance depends on who can recognize and interpret it.
• Family, respect, and hierarchy: Zhang Daoru’s gratitude turns into a formal bond, while Zhang Xinzhi must adjust to Zhang Yang’s new status.
• Opportunity and destiny: Zhang Yang feels the manuscript may be the long-awaited chance to begin a broader cultivation journey.

Character interactions

• Zhang Yang and Zhang Daoru affirm their brotherly bond through mutual trust: Zhang Daoru offers the manuscript, and Zhang Yang accepts it only after hearing the older man’s reasons.
• Zhang Xinzhi questions the gift, prompting Zhang Daoru to defend Zhang Yang’s ability and authority—and to slap and correct his grandson.
• Xu Mingxian’s failed plot leaves him reacting with anger toward his own associates and fear of Zhang Yang.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Daoru cannot decipher a damaged ancient text about alchemy and talismans, but believes Zhang Yang may be able to uncover its secrets. He gives Zhang Yang the book partly in hopes that the young man might eventually help his cultivation.
• Though hired by Xu Mingxian to assassinate Zhang Yang, Zhang Daoru failed. He knows he should return Xu’s money and leave Gong City, but decides the opportunity involving Zhang Yang is too valuable and plans to change his approach.
• Zhang Yang begins pursuing his business plan, searching for an office so he can register a company. He tells Cheng Dongxue he intends to offer solutions and handle clients’ problems, though he has not yet settled on a detailed plan.
• Zhang Yang and Cheng visit his mother, Liu Mei, in Long’ao. He gives her money and urges her to stop working so hard, while she insists that his happiness and safety matter most.
• At dinner, Zhang Yang reflects on Liu Mei’s unexplained past. She brought him to Long’ao when he was three, carrying substantial luggage and money, and built a home there. She has never fully explained where they came from.
• Liu Mei worries that Zhang Yang’s proposed work will make enemies. Cheng Dongxue promises to help keep him from acting recklessly.
• Meanwhile, Xu Mingxian remains frightened after hearing from Zhang Daoru. He hires several bodyguards, but is still unable to sleep.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang is determined to build a legitimate business and provide for his mother. His confidence reassures Liu Mei, but his past questions about her reveal lingering curiosity and concern.
• Liu Mei is loving and self-sacrificing, reluctant to accept Zhang Yang’s money. Her unusual background and unexplained arrival in Long’ao remain a mystery.
• Cheng Dongxue supports Zhang Yang’s ambitions while encouraging practical planning. She also acts as a reassuring go-between, promising Liu Mei she will watch over him.
• Zhang Daoru shifts from failed assassin to opportunist, hoping to learn from Zhang Yang and the ancient text.
• Xu Mingxian is shown as anxious and vulnerable after his failed attempt to eliminate Zhang Yang.

Significant themes

• A parent’s love: Liu Mei values Zhang Yang’s wellbeing above financial support, while Zhang Yang wants to repay her sacrifices and give her a better life.
• Family and belonging: Zhang Yang sees Long’ao as home, though he suspects his mother’s earlier life—and their origins—were very different.
• Ambition and responsibility: Zhang Yang pursues success but must balance confidence with the risks of work that could create enemies.
• Hidden motives and mysteries: Zhang Daoru’s interest in Zhang Yang and Liu Mei’s past both suggest important secrets remain unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Xu Mingxian waits nervously in his villa, protected by five armed bodyguards, but Zhang Xin’ai suddenly appears and swiftly incapacitates all of them.
• She reveals that she has come because Xu hired a hitman to kill Zhang Yang. Xu recognizes the irony: his failed murder plot has brought danger to his own home.
• On her grandfather Zhang Daoru’s instructions, Xin’ai beats Xu as a warning: Zhang Yang is not someone he can afford to cross, and he should keep his head down if they meet again.
• Xin’ai leaves before Xu can respond. He considers calling the police but realizes that reporting the assault could expose his own murder-for-hire attempts—and leave him vulnerable to what Jiao Long and Zhang Daoru might tell authorities.
• Xu vents his frustration on his bodyguards, then pays them the agreed wages when they insist. They leave without seeking compensation for their injuries.

Character developments

• Xu Mingxian shifts from anxious bravado to humiliation and fear. Though furious, he is too intimidated—and too compromised by his own crimes—to seek legal help or challenge Xin’ai.
• Zhang Xin’ai is shown as swift, formidable, and controlled: she overwhelms five guards but uses only enough force to deliver a warning, not to kill.
• The bodyguards prove ineffective against Xin’ai but assert themselves over Xu when collecting their agreed pay.

Significant themes

• Consequences and retaliation: Xu’s attempt to have Zhang Yang killed brings violence back to his own doorstep.
• Power and vulnerability: Wealth and armed protection offer Xu little defense against Xin’ai’s skill, while his fear of exposure further limits his choices.
• Justice outside the law: Xu cannot safely turn to the police because his own wrongdoing would be revealed.

Character interactions

• Xin’ai confronts and punishes Xu on behalf of Zhang Daoru, making clear that Zhang Yang is protected.
• Xu responds with fear and resentment but does not fight back; afterward, he takes his anger out on the bodyguards.
• The bodyguards, having recovered, demand their wages and pressure Xu into paying what he owes.

Key plot points and events

• After Zhang Yang beats him and his bodyguards, Xu Mingxian pays the guards extra for their injuries. He concludes that ordinary force cannot defeat Zhang Yang and considers finding an unexpected way to exploit a weakness.
• Xu is horrified by his battered appearance and vows revenge, but his fear of Zhang Yang now outweighs his desire to pursue Cheng Dongxue.
• At the Cheng family dinner, Zhang Yang’s absence from the kitchen exposes how much the household has come to rely on his cooking. Yang Su wonders why Xu has stopped visiting and calls him.
• Xu tells Yang Su that he and Cheng Dongxue are no longer a suitable match. He declines to visit and ends the call, leaving Yang Su’s plan to pair him with Cheng Dongxue in ruins.
• Yang Su blames Zhang Yang and threatens to force her daughter to divorce him. Cheng Hai also questions whether Zhang Yang can make Cheng Dongxue happy.
• Lin Xiaofei argues that happiness is not fundamentally about wealth. Cheng Dongxue, frustrated by her parents’ pressure, says she may leave rather than be controlled. Zhang Yang assures everyone that he can give her happiness and a good life.

Character developments

• Xu Mingxian shifts from confidence and aggression to fear and caution. He still resents Zhang Yang, but recognizes that he cannot safely pursue Cheng Dongxue or challenge Zhang directly for now.
• Yang Su remains focused on wealth and status, treating Xu as a desirable match and her daughter’s marriage as a means to security. When Xu withdraws, she redirects her anger toward Zhang Yang.
• Cheng Dongxue grows more openly defiant of her parents and asserts her right to choose her own partner.
• Zhang Yang stays calm in the face of Yang Su’s accusations and offers confidence rather than argument, though his silence during Cheng Hai’s challenge frustrates Cheng Dongxue.
• Lin Xiaofei continues to support her friend, openly challenging Yang Su and Cheng Hai’s materialistic assumptions.

Significant themes

• Love versus material security: Cheng Dongxue and Lin Xiaofei value personal choice and affection, while Yang Su judges partners by status and money.
• Control and autonomy: Cheng Dongxue resists being treated as a bargaining chip in her parents’ plans.
• Power and intimidation: Xu’s defeat makes him wary of Zhang Yang and shows the limits of wealth and hired muscle against Zhang’s strength.
• Actions versus promises: Zhang Yang claims he can make Cheng Dongxue happy, but the chapter leaves that claim to be proven through his actions.

Character interactions

• Xu pays his injured guards, then reflects on his failed attempts to overcome Zhang Yang.
• Yang Su’s call to Xu exposes the gap between her expectations and his fear-driven decision to withdraw.
• At dinner, Yang Su and Cheng Hai pressure Zhang Yang to give up Cheng Dongxue; Lin Xiaofei defends the couple, and Cheng Dongxue directly challenges her parents.
• Zhang Yang’s final assurance closes the confrontation, but his earlier silence leaves tension between him and Cheng Dongxue.

Plot points and events

• Cheng Dongxue confronts her parents, insisting that Zhang Yang—not Xu Mingxian—saved the Cheng Family by transferring six million yuan: five million for the company and one million to cover Cheng Hai’s loss on antique jade.
• Cheng Hai is shaken but uncertain; Yang Su remains skeptical and accuses Zhang Yang of pretending. Dongxue says the family never checked the bank records before crediting Xu Mingxian.
• Zhang Yang comforts Dongxue and suggests they should find a home of their own. Lin Xiaofei says she would like to stay with them as well.
• Dongxue explains that Zhang Yang earned the money through trading jadeite rough, or “gambling on stones.” Lin Xiaofei supports the claim, noting that her father once made ten million from a stone.
• Cheng Hai recalls Zhang Yang warning him not to buy the antique jade that cost him a million, and remembers Zhang Yang’s advice to Yang Gang about purchasing a Blue-and-White Porcelain Vase. Wanting to verify the story, he calls Yang Gang.
• Yang Gang does not directly confirm the vase’s authenticity, but arranges a family meal for the next day, hoping Zhang Yang can prove himself to the Cheng parents. Cheng Hai agrees. Dongxue wakes Zhang Yang to prepare, and he and Lin Xiaofei go grocery shopping in his new Mercedes.

Character developments and interactions

• Cheng Dongxue openly defends Zhang Yang and finally voices her anger and hurt at her parents’ rejection of him. She relies on him for comfort as she breaks down.
• Zhang Yang remains calm and supportive, avoiding a direct argument while reassuring Dongxue with the promise of a home together.
• Cheng Hai begins to reconsider his assumptions after hearing about the six million and recalling Zhang Yang’s sound judgment, though he still wants proof.
• Yang Su remains distrustful and dismissive, unwilling to accept Dongxue’s account without verification.
• Lin Xiaofei backs Zhang Yang and shows interest in both his stone-trading success and living with him and Dongxue.
• Yang Gang quietly supports Zhang Yang by setting up a chance for him to demonstrate his abilities to the family.

Significant themes

• Recognition and loyalty: Dongxue resents that her family accepts Zhang Yang’s help without acknowledging it.
• Trust versus prejudice: Yang Su’s assumptions and Cheng Hai’s doubts contrast with the evidence of Zhang Yang’s financial support and good judgment.
• Independence and belonging: Zhang Yang and Dongxue consider creating a home apart from the family that rejects their relationship.
• Family support: Yang Gang’s behind-the-scenes effort offers a path toward reconciliation and a fairer hearing for Zhang Yang.

Plot points and events

• Cheng Hai watches Zhang Yang leave in an expensive Mercedes G-Class. Unsure whether Zhang Yang owns it or borrowed it, he concludes either possibility suggests money or influential connections.
• Zhang Yang returns from the market with good ingredients bought cheaply. Cheng Lin takes over the cooking, while Yang Gang and the others help prepare an elaborate lunch.
• Zhang Yang reflects on how few relatives recognize his abilities. Though he previously identified valuable antiques and demonstrated skill at stone gambling, most of the family still dismisses him; Yang Gang is the main exception.
• At the table, Cheng Hai asks about the Blue-and-White Porcelain Vase Yang Gang bought for 300,000. Before Yang Gang can explain, Cheng Dongyu declares it fake and criticizes Zhang Yang. Yang Gang and Zhang Yang exchange a knowing smile, leaving the vase’s true value for the next reveal.

Character developments

• Cheng Hai is unsettled by Zhang Yang’s apparent wealth and begins to suspect he may have more resources or connections than expected.
• Zhang Yang remains confident and amused by his relatives’ lack of faith, while showing particular respect for Yang Gang and Cheng Lin.
• Yang Gang continues to trust Zhang Yang and deliberately saves the vase’s news for the family meal.
• Cheng Lin is shown as capable and hardworking, managing much of her household’s cooking and work rather than relying on paid help.
• Cheng Dongyu remains contemptuous and judgmental, assuming the vase is worthless before hearing any evidence.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: The Mercedes raises questions about Zhang Yang’s wealth and connections, while the vase’s value remains hidden behind the family’s assumptions.
• Prejudice and recognition: Relatives judge Zhang Yang by their fixed impression of him, overlooking his demonstrated expertise.
• Trust and reciprocity: Zhang Yang respects Yang Gang and Cheng Lin because they treat him with respect and take his abilities seriously.

Character interactions

• Cheng Hai consults a car-savvy friend, then speculates about Zhang Yang’s wealth and connections with Yang Su.
• Cheng Lin and Zhang Yang share the kitchen before she playfully takes charge; Yang Gang welcomes Zhang Yang and treats him warmly.
• Zhang Yang and Lin Xiaofei share a private, knowing glance.
• Cheng Dongyu tries to embarrass Zhang Yang and scold Cheng Lin over the vase, while Yang Gang’s knowing look toward Zhang Yang hints that her judgment may be wrong.

Plot points and events

• At a family meal, Yang Gang confirms that Zhang Yang correctly identified his blue-and-white vase as genuine, though it was not Yuan-dynasty porcelain. An expert and modern testing verified it.
• Yang Gang and Cheng Lin explain that the vase sold for one million. Yang Gang had initially asked two million, trusting Zhang Yang’s assessment, but the buyer negotiated him down.
• Cheng Lin offers the million to help Cheng Company, honoring Yang Gang’s promise. Zhang Yang reveals that he had already covered the company’s shortfall, so Cheng Lin keeps the money.
• The meal ends in an awkward silence: the family’s usual mockery of Zhang Yang has been shaken by his proven expertise and generosity.
• The next day, Cheng Hai checks his bank records and confirms that Zhang Yang transferred the six million that helped resolve the company’s crisis.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang is no longer timid or easily dismissed. He calmly lets his actions speak for him, and briefly reminds the family that the son-in-law they scorned paid the shortfall.
• Yang Gang and Cheng Lin show faith in Zhang Yang’s judgment and follow through on their promise to help Cheng Hai. Their generosity contrasts with relatives who contributed nothing.
• Cheng Hai moves from skepticism toward belief. The vase’s sale makes him reconsider Zhang Yang’s abilities, and the bank records finally convince him of Zhang Yang’s financial contribution.
• Yang Su tries to preserve her pride when the offered money is no longer needed, while remaining resentful of Zhang Yang.
• Xia Shiying and Cheng Dongyu, who hoped to regain their sense of superiority, are left uncomfortable and largely silent.
• Cheng Dongxue is surprised and relieved to see Zhang Yang’s ability recognized.

Significant themes

• Prejudice overturned: The family’s assumptions about Zhang Yang prove wrong.
• Actions over appearances: His appraisal and financial support carry more weight than arguments or self-promotion.
• Trust and recognition: Yang Gang trusts Zhang Yang early; Cheng Hai needs concrete evidence before changing his view.
• Generosity versus self-interest: Yang Gang and Cheng Lin honor their promise, while others’ concern for money and status is exposed.

Plot points and events

• Cheng Hai learns Zhang Yang made twelve million yuan from a stone purchase in under a minute and asks him to appraise antiques again. Zhang Yang refuses, irritated by Cheng Hai’s commanding tone.
• Yang Su continues to dismiss Zhang Yang as useless and urges the family to get rid of him. His standing in the Cheng household remains poor, though he endures it for his relationship with Cheng Dongxue.
• Zhang Yang returns Jiao Long’s Volkswagen CC after borrowing it for two weeks. Jiao Long anxiously asks what will happen to him; Zhang Yang tells him to turn over a new leaf and drives away.
• Zhang Daoru calls Zhang Yang to meet at a hotel before returning home. At the meeting, Zhang Yang finds Zhang Daoru with Zhang Xinzhi and Zhang Xin’ai.
• Xin’ai resents having to call Zhang Yang “Grandpa” and attacks him. Zhang Yang easily holds his own in the cramped tea room, while taking care not to hurt her. The confrontation is still underway when the chapter ends.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang remains self-assured and independent: he rejects Cheng Hai’s orders, refuses to hold Jiao Long’s past against him, and handles Xin’ai’s attack without losing control.
• Cheng Hai and Yang Su continue to underestimate and mistreat Zhang Yang, despite his demonstrated abilities.
• Jiao Long now regards Zhang Yang as his boss and is relieved when Zhang Yang lets him go.
• Zhang Daoru treats Zhang Yang with deference and appears to have called him for an important discussion, though he has not yet explained the matter.
• Xin’ai is proud and hot-tempered, while Xinzhi resents Zhang Yang’s strength and status. Both are frustrated by having to address him as their grandfather.

Significant themes

• Disrespect versus earned authority: Zhang Yang’s abilities are evident, but the Cheng family’s prejudice persists.
• Restraint and mercy: He chooses not to punish Jiao Long and holds back against Xin’ai.
• Family obligation and loyalty: Zhang Yang tolerates the Cheng household’s treatment because of his genuine bond with Dongxue.

Plot points and events

• Zhang Xin’ai challenges Zhang Yang to a fight, and Zhang Xinzhi joins her. Zhang Yang easily defeats both, forcing them to their knees before Zhang Daoru stops the sparring.
• After the family settles down for tea, Zhang Daoru asks whether Zhang Yang has deciphered a damaged ancient book. Zhang Yang admits he needs more time, but says he has understood the surviving text and believes he may eventually uncover its meaning.
• Zhang Daoru invites Zhang Xin’ai to stay with Zhang Yang, ostensibly to help him, but actually hoping she can monitor his research. Zhang Yang refuses, preferring to work without someone watching him.
• Zhang Yang continues studying the book whenever he can, gradually understanding its remaining passages and considering what the missing sections might have contained.
• News spreads that Zhang Yang has saved people at Elegant Residence using an improvised needle made from steel wire. The restaurant becomes a hub for people seeking his medical help, though Zhang Yang is not eager to treat patients for money.
• He readily agrees to help Zhao Cinian’s elderly friend, whose frequent nighttime urination has not improved with medication or injections. With no convenient transport, Zhang Yang calls Jiao Long for help.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang demonstrates his superior fighting skill but also shows confidence in his ability to decipher the book. He remains independent, declines Zhang Daoru’s offer to place Zhang Xin’ai near him, and is willing to help Zhao Cinian out of gratitude.
• Zhang Xin’ai and Zhang Xinzhi are competitive and resent being beaten, though Xinzhi privately recognizes that Zhang Yang is stronger. Their hostility eases during the tea conversation, but they remain skeptical of his progress with the book.
• Zhang Daoru mediates the fight and respects Zhang Yang’s knowledge. He is also invested in the ancient text and tries to keep informed about Zhang Yang’s research.
• Zhao Cinian calls on Zhang Yang for help with an old friend, relying on their established mutual goodwill.

Significant themes

• Humility and pride: Zhang Yang urges the younger pair to accept defeat, while their anger reflects how difficult that is for them.
• Independence and trust: Zhang Yang refuses to be monitored, even while cooperating with the family over the ancient text.
• Persistence and learning: Repeated study and Zhang Yang’s accumulated experience help him make progress with the damaged book.
• Skill, reputation, and generosity: His improvised medical treatment brings him public attention, but he chooses whom to help rather than pursuing fame or income.

Plot and events

• Jiao Long, Zhang Yang’s new subordinate, picks him up in a Mercedes G-Class. Zhang Yang tells him not to act so obsequiously; Jiao Long realizes he should show more confidence now that he works for him.
• Yang Su takes Zhang Yang’s absence of the luxury car as proof that he merely borrowed it, reinforcing her negative view of him. She decides to seek a lawyer, apparently to pursue the divorce.
• Cheng Hai, by contrast, is beginning to suspect Zhang Yang has hidden potential. He wants another trip to Antique Street with him, hoping to learn more about him and perhaps make money from antiques.
• Cheng Hai asks his son-in-law Yang Gang to help arrange the outing, disguising his real intention as a plan to sell a fake jade piece. Yang Gang understands the hint and agrees to ask Zhang Yang.
• Cheng Hai stops Yang Su from rushing to a lawyer, warning that giving Zhang Yang another chance could benefit the family. Yang Su remains unconvinced and favors Xu Mingxian, but grows uneasy when she realizes she has not heard from him recently. She leaves to check on him.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang shows authority without wanting excessive deference from Jiao Long, while remaining an increasingly unreadable figure to the Cheng family.
• Jiao Long adjusts from servile underling to a more self-assured subordinate.
• Cheng Hai shifts from uncertainty toward cautious respect for Zhang Yang, deciding to observe him rather than risk alienating him. He relies on Yang Gang as a trusted intermediary.
• Yang Su remains dismissive of Zhang Yang and impressed by Xu Mingxian’s wealth and self-made success, though concern for her daughter makes her question Xu’s sudden silence.
• Yang Gang understands Cheng Hai’s indirect request and tries to help without promising Zhang Yang will agree.
• The chapter contrasts Cheng Hai’s growing caution with Yang Su’s continued preference for Xu Mingxian.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus hidden potential: Zhang Yang’s ordinary background and recent behavior conceal a side his in-laws cannot explain.
• Family judgment and reconciliation: Cheng Hai considers whether a second chance might repair relations, while Yang Su is ready to push for divorce.
• Power, status, and respect: Zhang Yang discourages Jiao Long’s submissiveness, suggesting that loyalty need not mean humiliation.
• Risk and uncertainty: Cheng Hai fears making the wrong move, while the family’s assumptions about wealth and worth remain unsettled.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Yang visits Zhao Cinian’s home to treat Zhao’s friend, Yang Hua, accompanied by Jiao Long.
• Yang Hua and his daughter, Yang Weiwei, agree to the consultation after seeing Zhao recover from epilepsy under Zhang Yang’s care.
• Zhang Yang examines Yang Hua and hears his symptoms: frequent urination, constipation, cold sweats, and weakness.
• He treats Yang Hua with just three acupuncture needles, assuring him that the effects should be noticeable that evening. He recommends nourishing food rather than a prescription.
• Yang Weiwei offers a consultation fee of several tens of thousands of yuan.

Character developments

• Zhang Yang demonstrates confidence and a reassuring bedside manner, treating medical care as both curing illness and easing a patient’s worries.
• Yang Weiwei moves from cautious hope to strong confidence in Zhang Yang and expresses deep devotion to her father.
• Jiao Long is surprised when Zhang Yang introduces him as his bodyguard, but accepts the role. Seeing Zhang’s treatment also makes him consider asking for help with his facial paralysis.

Significant themes

• Trust built through results: Zhao’s recovery convinces Yang Hua to seek Zhang Yang’s help.
• Healing and reassurance: Zhang Yang sees a doctor’s responsibility as restoring health while giving patients hope.
• Unconventional expertise: His concise, medicine-free acupuncture treatment challenges expectations, though he notes that this method suits only certain conditions.

Character interactions

• Zhao warmly hosts and introduces the group, acting as the link between Zhang Yang and the Yang family.
• Zhang Yang treats Yang Hua directly and reassures both father and daughter; Yang Weiwei responds with gratitude and offers payment.
• Jiao Long quietly observes Zhang Yang’s gentler side and his unusual medical skill.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Yang successfully treats Elder Zhao and refuses Yang Weiwei’s payment, despite her insistence. His refusal leaves her wondering whether he expects some other form of compensation.
• On the drive home, Jiao Long asks whether Zhang Yang’s bodyguard offer is genuine. Zhang Yang says he will pay him a proper salary, and Jiao Long accepts.
• Zhang Yang’s brother-in-law, Yang Gang, invites him to Antique Street and plans to help reconcile him with Cheng Hai. Yang Gang brings the money from a recent porcelain-vase sale, hoping Zhang Yang can help him find antiques.
• At the Cheng family villa, Zhang Yang sees Cheng Hai waiting with Yang Gang and agrees to go with them without comment.
• Jiao Long introduces himself as Zhang Yang’s bodyguard, startling Cheng Hai and Yang Gang, who know his reputation as a notorious assassin. They privately wonder why Zhang Yang needs protection and who might threaten him.
• The group visits the crowded Antique Street. Cheng Hai follows along quietly, watching how buyers and dealers evaluate antiques.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang remains modest about his medical earnings and accepts the family’s effort to make peace. He offers Jiao Long paid, legitimate work, hoping to help him leave his former life behind.
• Jiao Long accepts the bodyguard role because he respects Zhang Yang’s strength and sees the job as honest work. His principles distinguish him from a mere cold-blooded killer.
• Yang Weiwei is impressed by Zhang Yang but misreads his glance and refusal of payment, suspecting he may want something personal.
• Yang Gang continues to support Zhang Yang, as he has in the past, and acts as a mediator between Zhang Yang and Cheng Hai.
• Cheng Hai is unsettled by Zhang Yang’s mysterious new bodyguard and becomes more cautious, watching and learning rather than taking charge.

Significant themes

• Integrity and duty: Zhang Yang refuses payment, while Jiao Long insists on work with clear responsibilities and fair wages.
• Redemption and new beginnings: Zhang Yang offers Jiao Long a path away from assassination and toward ordinary employment.
• Family reconciliation: Yang Gang tries to ease tensions between Zhang Yang and Cheng Hai, and Zhang Yang is willing to let him.
• Appearance, reputation, and uncertainty: Jiao Long’s fearsome reputation raises suspicions, while Zhang Yang’s abilities and circumstances leave others unsure how powerful or threatened he may be.
• Skill and risk: Antique collecting requires patience and judgment; the abundance of fakes makes knowledge essential to avoid costly mistakes.

Plot points and events

• Yang Su visits Xu Mingxian’s company, learns he has been recovering at home, and goes to his villa.
• Xu expects her visit concerns Cheng Dongxue and regrets having encouraged Yang Su’s hopes. He believes she is interested mainly in his money.
• Yang Su sees Xu’s bruised face. Xu blames Zhang Yang, but cannot report the assault because a police investigation might expose his own role in hiring an attacker. He confirms Zhang Yang was alone and admits he did not fight back.
• Yang Su says she has drafted a lawsuit to force Zhang Yang and Cheng Dongxue to divorce. Xu refuses to get involved, though he privately considers seeking revenge. Yang Su leaves subdued.
• The scene shifts to Gong City’s Antique Street, where Zhang Yang accompanies Yang Gang and Cheng Hai. Zhang Yang encourages them to browse while he remains in a supporting role. Yang Gang focuses on porcelain, but Zhang Yang rejects the pieces he examines.

Character developments and interactions

• Xu Mingxian is badly frightened by Zhang Yang and withdraws from his pursuit of Cheng Dongxue. He hides the truth about his own misconduct and avoids confronting Zhang Yang directly.
• Yang Su arrives confidently, but Xu’s injuries shake her certainty about Zhang Yang. Her plan to break up the couple now sounds less assured.
• Zhang Yang appears formidable even in his absence: Xu fears him, and Yang Su is forced to reconsider her assumptions about him.
• Yang Gang is eager to learn about antiques, especially porcelain, while Cheng Hai follows quietly and defers to Zhang Yang’s expertise.

Significant themes

• Fear and power: Zhang Yang’s unexpected capacity for violence changes how others behave around him.
• Self-interest and money: Yang Su’s hopes for Xu are tied to his wealth, while Antique Street draws visitors with the promise of sudden fortune.
• Deception and accountability: Xu accuses Zhang Yang while concealing his own part in the conflict, leaving him unable to seek justice openly.
• Expertise and humility: Cheng Hai holds back his limited knowledge, and Yang Gang relies on Zhang Yang’s judgment.

Plot points and events

• Zhang Yang explains that the antique market is crowded with fakes and ordinary handicrafts; making money requires identifying genuine pieces, assessing their condition and significance, and knowing their market value.
• At an antique shop, Yang Gang spots a Qianlong-era red agate bird-and-flower snuff bottle. Zhang Yang recognizes it as authentic almost immediately, then checks it for defects that might support bargaining.
• With Zhang Yang’s silent approval, Yang Gang negotiates the price down from 250,000 to 180,000. He buys the bottle, which Zhang Yang estimates is worth at least 250,000 at current market prices.
• Yang Gang decides to hold onto it, expecting its value to rise. Cheng Hai, impressed by Yang Gang’s potential profit, hopes Zhang Yang will help him find another opportunity.

Character developments

• Zhang Yang demonstrates confidence and expertise: he quickly authenticates the bottle, assesses its resale potential, and guides the negotiation without taking over.
• Yang Gang shows that he has been studying antiques and is learning how to bargain. Though he cannot assess the bottle as well as Zhang Yang, he increasingly handles the deal himself.
• Cheng Hai becomes more eager to profit from antiques after seeing Yang Gang’s gains, but remains too hesitant to ask Zhang Yang directly.

Character interactions

• Zhang Yang advises Yang Gang on the market and gives him discreet signals during the bargaining.
• Yang Gang and the shopkeeper trade practiced bargaining tactics: Yang Gang emphasizes the bottle’s limited historical significance, while the shopkeeper resists low offers and eventually names a final price.
• Cheng Hai watches Yang Gang’s success and hints to him that he wants Zhang Yang’s help.

Significant themes

• Expertise and risk: The antique trade is difficult and uncertain; authenticity alone does not guarantee an object is valuable.
• Negotiation and profit: Knowledge of market value, patience, and bargaining can create a substantial margin.
• Learning and opportunity: Yang Gang’s growing skill lets him act more independently, while Cheng Hai’s envy and interest reveal the appeal of quick gains.

Plot points and events

• Cheng Hai, an inexperienced antiques speculator, joins Zhang Yang and Yang Gang on a search for antiques. Because Cheng Hai is Yang Gang’s future father-in-law and had proposed the outing, Yang Gang wants him to come away with something worthwhile.
• At the street stalls, Zhang Yang rejects several items Cheng Hai considers, including a piece of jade, but approves a pair of old Red Sandalwood paperweights.
• Cheng Hai buys the paperweights after Yang Gang haggles the price down from 10,000 to 7,000.
• Zhang Yang then helps Cheng Hai and Yang Gang identify other small objects worth buying, advising them that modest profits can accumulate through repeated purchases.
• Zhang Yang declines to buy the smaller pieces himself. He prefers higher-stakes opportunities, especially stone gambling, and continues searching shops for a more valuable antique.
• Near lunchtime, after finding nothing suitable, Zhang Yang asks a shop owner whether he has anything special. The owner doubts Zhang Yang’s expertise and wealth based on his youthful, ordinary appearance.

Character developments and interactions

• Cheng Hai remains eager to speculate but is increasingly aware of how little he knows. His earlier losses make him hesitant to trust his own judgment, so he relies on Zhang Yang’s approval.
• Yang Gang looks after Cheng Hai and acts as the more cautious negotiator, saving money through haggling. His frugality reflects his modest family background.
• Zhang Yang demonstrates confident appraisal skills by judging objects without close inspection. He is willing to help others profit but has little interest in small returns, preferring larger, more lucrative opportunities.
• Jiao Long, Zhang Yang’s bodyguard, is impressed by his judgment but puzzled by his refusal to buy the small items.
• The stallholders tolerate Zhang Yang’s repeated rejections, apparently assuming he and his companions are working together. The shop owner later underestimates him because of his appearance.

Significant themes

• Experience versus overconfidence: Cheng Hai’s costly mistakes highlight the risks of entering antiques trading without expertise.
• Knowledge and perception: Zhang Yang’s unusual appraisal ability contrasts with others’ uncertainty and with the shop owner’s superficial judgment of him.
• Different approaches to profit: Yang Gang values careful bargaining and incremental gains, while Zhang Yang seeks bigger, faster returns.
• Appearance can mislead: The shop owner assumes Zhang Yang lacks means and knowledge, setting up a contrast with Zhang Yang’s demonstrated skill.

Plot points and events

• Zhang Yang visits an antiques shop and rejects a bronze vessel after identifying it as a forgery at a glance.
• The shopkeeper brings out a second, nearly identical Bronze Zun. Jiao Long assumes it is the same piece and nearly attacks the shopkeeper, but Zhang Yang restrains him and explains that this vessel is different.
• Cheng Hai and Yang Gang examine the Zun but cannot identify any difference from the first. Zhang Yang explains its late Shang form, casting, decoration, and naturally formed patina, even tasting the patina as part of his inspection.
• Zhang Yang confirms the vessel is genuine and notices fine sand left on it. He deduces it was used as the original mold for the forged Zun.
• Interested in buying it, Zhang Yang negotiates with the shopkeeper, who asks ten million. Zhang Yang considers the price too high and prepares to make a counteroffer.

Character development and interactions

• Zhang Yang demonstrates exceptional expertise and confidence, using the inspection to teach the others while discreetly negotiating for a valuable piece he wants.
• Jiao Long reacts aggressively when he thinks the shopkeeper is deceiving them, but obeys Zhang Yang and backs down.
• Cheng Hai is impressed by Zhang Yang’s skill and speaks with him more casually, though his own appraisal cannot distinguish the vessels.
• Yang Gang recognizes his limited knowledge and stays cautious rather than pretending to understand.
• The shopkeeper shifts from skeptical to respectful after seeing Zhang Yang’s expertise, then leaves the bargaining to him.

Significant themes

• Expertise and perception: Zhang Yang can discern what others miss through detailed knowledge and careful observation.
• Appearance versus authenticity: Two vessels look identical, but one is forged and the other genuine.
• Restraint and trust: Zhang Yang prevents a needless confrontation, and Jiao Long follows his lead.
• Knowledge as leverage: Zhang Yang’s appraisal informs both his purchase decision and his bargaining strategy.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Yang negotiates the price of a Late Shang dynasty bronze vessel down to eight million yuan and pays for it immediately. Its value and the purchase leave Cheng Hai and Yang Gang astonished.
• At lunch, Zhang Yang explains how antique names are formed from features such as period, material, shape, and decoration. He identifies his purchase as the Late Shang Dynasty Bronze Four-Ram Square Zun, also noting its Taotie-pattern decoration.
• Cheng Hai regrets not relying on Zhang Yang’s appraisal skills earlier. He has gained confidence in Zhang Yang, recognizing that Zhang may bargain hard with outsiders but would not cheat his own associates.
• Zhang Yang wants to keep the valuable vessel safe and find a suitable domestic buyer rather than risk it being taken overseas. He is unwilling, however, to donate it to a museum.
• As the group drives away, Zhang Yang receives a call from Lin Dongqiang of Elegant Residence. Lin says a patient is waiting and asks Zhang Yang to treat him. Zhang Yang considers the opportunity, since earning money could help him establish a home and career independent of the Cheng family.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang demonstrates confidence and expertise in bargaining and antique appraisal. His wealth surprises his companions, while his concern about the vessel leaving China reveals a sense of cultural responsibility alongside his practical desire to profit.
• Cheng Hai shifts from regret over his earlier mistakes toward trust in Zhang Yang’s judgment and loyalty.
• Yang Gang admires Zhang Yang’s purchase and asks him to explain the vessel.
• Jiao Long follows Zhang Yang’s lead and waits for instructions about where to go.
• Lin Dongqiang approaches Zhang Yang deferentially, motivated in part by a referral fee from the prospective patient.

Significant themes

• Expertise and trust: Zhang Yang’s knowledge proves valuable and earns Cheng Hai’s confidence.
• Money and independence: Zhang Yang seeks income not just for wealth, but to gain respect and build a life of his own.
• Cultural heritage: He wants the bronze relic to remain in China, though he does not consider himself altruistic enough to give it away.
• The cost of lost time: Zhang Yang’s hidden thousand-year time loop means Cheng Hai’s imagined opportunity to have received his help earlier could never have worked as he assumes.

Plot points and events

• Lin Dongqiang asks Zhang Yang to consult with Jiang Haoran, a wealthy, influential businessman. Zhang agrees because he knows Jiang’s illness and believes he may eventually be able to treat it, though he cannot yet.
• On the way to Elegant Residence, Zhang studies an old handwritten medical book, reflecting his determination to master its contents.
• At the private meeting, Jiang doubts Zhang’s ability based on his ordinary appearance and refuses to take him seriously. He dismisses reports of Zhang’s earlier successes as tricks or coincidences.
• Jiang orders his secretary, Xin Tong, to pay Zhang 20,000 yuan and send him away.
• Zhang reveals that Jiang has AIDS—an intensely private fact known only to Jiang and his personal doctor. Jiang is shocked and furious.

Character developments

• Zhang Yang appears confident and unruffled, but is also cautious about practicing medicine without a license. His knowledge of Jiang’s condition comes from his investigations, not an examination.
• Jiang Haoran’s wealth and status feed his arrogance and distrust. His composure collapses when Zhang exposes his secret illness.
• Lin Dongqiang tries to mediate, but is trapped between his respect for Zhang and Jiang’s dismissive behavior.
• Xin Tong follows Jiang’s orders, unaware of his illness and apparently unaware of the secret life he keeps from her.

Character interactions

• Lin acts as the intermediary who brings Zhang and Jiang together, then attempts to smooth over their increasingly tense meeting.
• Jiang judges and insults Zhang without assessing his medical skill, while Zhang responds with cold confidence.
• Xin Tong offers Zhang money on Jiang’s command; Zhang rejects the dismissal by revealing Jiang’s condition.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus ability: Jiang assumes Zhang cannot be a doctor because he looks unremarkable.
• Arrogance and status: Jiang’s wealth makes him accustomed to controlling others, but it cannot protect his secret.
• Knowledge and preparation: Zhang’s continued study of the ancient book shows his serious commitment to learning.
• Secrecy and vulnerability: Jiang’s hidden illness threatens the public image he carefully maintains.