Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Dai Rongsheng reluctantly agrees to let Zhang Yang examine his ailing grandfather. Zhang’s knowledge of the family’s secrets has left Dai wary, while the prospect of delaying treatment—and the consequences for his grandfather—forces his hand.
• Lin Dongqiang strongly encourages the consultation, reassuring Dai that Zhang knows his limits. Dai suspects Lin may have a financial arrangement with Zhang but keeps the suspicion to himself.
• The group shares tea and lunch before setting out. Zhang avoids alcohol because he will be treating a patient, though he says it would not impair him.
• Jiang Haoran, unexpectedly, follows the group to Old Master Dai’s villa to observe the examination, despite being an outsider.
• Dai explains that the old Chinese-style courtyard villa was once the family home. His grandfather stayed there out of attachment to the past after the rest of the family moved away.

Character developments

• Dai Rongsheng shifts from resentment and doubt toward cautious respect for Zhang, realizing that openly antagonizing him could endanger his position and fortune.
• Lin Dongqiang continues to ingratiate himself with Zhang and uses his confidence in Zhang’s abilities to persuade Dai.
• Zhang Yang stays quiet and measured, giving Dai time to decide. At lunch, he shows a polished, sociable side that contrasts with his capacity for ruthless violence.
• Jiao Long reflects on his own gentleness as an assassin and recognizes that Zhang embodies opposing sides—kindness and lethal resolve—more completely.
• Su Xiner sees through Lin’s eagerness, viewing it as self-serving opportunism. Zhang’s presence also earns her greater respect and freedom within the group.
• Jiang Haoran’s arrival at the villa signals an unusual interest in Zhang’s medical work.

Significant themes

• People’s many sides: Zhang can be warm and courteous yet deadly, while Jiao Long recognizes that even an assassin can have a compassionate side.
• Power, secrets, and vulnerability: Zhang’s knowledge gives him leverage over powerful people, and Dai’s fear of losing his position shapes his choices.
• Self-interest and loyalty: Lin’s support appears driven by a desire to benefit from Zhang’s influence, while others carefully adjust their behavior around power.
• Family, inheritance, and the past: The villa represents Old Master Dai’s attachment to earlier family life, while the family’s succession struggles form the tense background to his illness.

Key events

• Dai Rongsheng brings Zhang Yang and his companions to the Dai family villa to examine his ailing grandfather, Old Master Dai. He has kept the visit quiet to avoid relatives interfering.
• Zhang Yang immediately identifies Old Master Dai’s long history of heavy smoking and serious lung and liver problems. Though he already knows the family’s history, he still conducts his own examination rather than relying on reports.
• The family’s private doctor, Zhang Qiang, takes the visit as an insult to his work. He argues that he has already kept Old Master Dai alive for two years after hospitals offered little hope.
• When Zhang Yang reaches for the patient, Zhang Qiang tries to stop him. Jiao Long restrains the doctor while Zhang Yang proceeds.
• Zhang Yang’s pulse examination reveals that Zhang Qiang has managed the old man’s condition remarkably well, despite his partial lung removal. Zhang Yang says acupuncture may ease the patient’s condition.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang shows restraint and pragmatism: he wants to benefit from the powerful families’ wrongdoing without destroying them. He is also confident in his medical abilities, but acknowledges Zhang Qiang’s genuine success after examining the patient.
• Dai Rongsheng is anxious about entrusting his grandfather to Zhang Yang, yet determined to try another approach. He reassures Zhang Qiang that the consultation is not a rejection of his care.
• Zhang Qiang is proud of his professional record and initially sees Zhang Yang’s arrival as a threat to his position. His anger leads him to confront Zhang Yang physically, but he is quickly stopped.
• Jiao Long serves as Zhang Yang’s protector, intervening when Zhang Qiang lunges.

Significant themes

• Professional pride versus openness to new treatment: Zhang Qiang’s defensiveness conflicts with Dai Rongsheng’s wish to explore another option.
• Recognition of good work: Zhang Yang’s examination leads him to credit the private doctor rather than dismissing his efforts.
• Power and restraint: Zhang Yang has the ability to overwhelm others, but prefers measured action and aims to preserve what he can rather than ruin the Dai family.

Key plot points

• Yang Yang begins treating Old Master Dai, a frail, bedridden patient whose condition is so serious that a doctor and nurse must watch him constantly.
• Doctor Zhang Qiang tries to stop Yang Yang, doubting that acupuncture can help an internal illness and fearing he may worsen the patient’s condition. Dai Rongsheng permits Yang Yang to proceed, while Jiao Long physically keeps Zhang from interfering.
• Yang Yang reassures Dai that the existing medicine and dosage are appropriate; he is adding acupuncture as a more forceful treatment, not replacing the medication.
• With a small set of filiform needles, Yang Yang performs acupuncture through the old man’s clothes. After waiting and removing the needles, he asks how the patient feels. The old man’s expression relaxes into a smile, suggesting immediate relief.
• Yang Yang says the full result will be clearer in thirty to forty-five minutes, then leaves the room. Zhang remains outside the villa, angry and bewildered that Dai trusted Yang Yang over him.

Character developments and interactions

• Yang Yang remains composed despite the confrontation, showing confidence and practiced skill. He also acknowledges that Zhang’s treatment and medical ability are sound, even as he challenges Zhang’s rigid skepticism.
• Zhang Qiang is protective of the patient but increasingly frustrated when Dai sides with Yang Yang. He leaves the bedroom rather than accept the decision, though he does not leave the property.
• Dai Rongsheng is uneasy about relying on acupuncture but ultimately trusts Yang Yang enough to let him treat his grandfather. The old man’s visible relief strengthens that trust.
• Jiao Long acts as Yang Yang’s enforcer, warning and restraining Zhang to protect the treatment.
• Old Master Dai, initially confused and afraid, submits to the procedure and appears comforted afterward. His reaction gives the onlookers their first sign that Yang Yang’s treatment may be working.
• Lin Dongqiang supports Yang Yang by recounting his earlier successful use of acupuncture, helping explain why Dai is willing to take the risk.

Significant themes

• Traditional medicine versus modern skepticism: Zhang questions acupuncture’s effectiveness, while Yang Yang’s results begin to challenge his certainty.
• Trust, reputation, and evidence: Dai must choose between a doctor’s established authority and Yang Yang’s reported successes; the old man’s immediate response becomes a form of evidence.
• Professional conflict and respect: Although Zhang opposes Yang Yang’s method, Yang Yang credits his existing care, suggesting disagreement need not erase professional respect.
• Hope in a grave illness: The old man’s brief relief offers hope, though the treatment’s lasting effect remains uncertain.

Plot points and events

• Zhang Yang treats Old Master Dai with three acupuncture needles while the Dai family and their guests wait anxiously.
• About half an hour later, the nurse announces that the old master is getting up. With help, he sits up and briefly stands for the first time in a long while.
• Zhang Qiang worries that this apparent improvement could be a temporary rally before death, but he helps the old man into a wheelchair. Zhang Yang suggests taking him outside for fresh air.
• Zhang Yang explains that he has halted the illness’s decline but has not cured it; the old master will need continued medication.
• Dai Rongsheng, overwhelmed and grateful, offers Zhang Yang a 20-million-yuan check. Zhang Yang accepts it, then leaves with Jiao Long.
• On the drive, Jiao Long asks who taught Zhang Yang medicine. Zhang Yang says he is self-taught, and Jiao Long suspects he is concealing his background.

Character developments and interactions

• Dai Rongsheng moves from doubt to wholehearted respect after witnessing his grandfather’s improvement. He focuses on caring for the old man before thanking and paying Zhang Yang.
• Zhang Qiang, initially anxious about losing influence, is stunned by the result but remains cautious as a doctor.
• Jiao Long shifts from thinking Zhang Yang may be a fraud to believing in his medical ability. He remains baffled by the contrast between Zhang Yang’s calmness in healing and his brutality when fighting.
• Lin Dongqiang gains Dai Rongsheng’s gratitude for recommending Zhang Yang and earns Zhang Yang’s favorable regard.
• Zhang Yang stays composed, presents himself as a humble physician, and is honest about the limits of his treatment. His reminder that he treated only an illness also carries an implied warning: Dai Rongsheng’s cooperation is expected, particularly concerning the murder secret Zhang Yang knows.

Significant themes

• Proof over reputation: Zhang Yang’s results silence skeptics more effectively than his claims could.
• The ambiguity of power and character: His calm competence in both healing and violence leaves others unsure what kind of person he is.
• Healing and its limits: The treatment brings meaningful improvement without promising a cure.
• Gratitude, obligation, and leverage: The payment is both a medical fee and part of a relationship shaped by Zhang Yang’s knowledge of Dai Rongsheng’s secret.

Plot points and events

• Cheng Hai, realizing Zhang Yang had successfully sold the Bronze Zun and could identify antiques, regrets having ignored his son-in-law and wants to repair their strained relationship. Pride keeps him from approaching Zhang Yang directly.
• Cheng Hai invites business acquaintances to inspect four antiques he recently bought, expecting that Zhang Yang’s guidance has helped him avoid being cheated.
• The guests confirm all four pieces are genuine. After competitive bidding, Cheng Hai sells the sandalwood armrests and inkstone for 60,000, the small bowl for 8,000, and the porcelain vase for 10,000. He earns nearly 80,000 in total.
• Delighted by his first real profit from antiques, Cheng Hai goes home and suggests that he and Yang Su eat out to celebrate.

Character developments

• Cheng Hai shifts from dismissing Zhang Yang to recognizing his skill and feeling regret. His confidence in antiques rises after his successful sales, though he still struggles to set aside his pride.
• Yang Su remains resentful toward Zhang Yang, blaming him for no longer cooking and criticizing him as useless. Cheng Hai pushes back, reminding her that Zhang Yang helped them earn money.
• Zhang Yang, though absent, gains greater respect from Cheng Hai, whose new success depends on his expertise.

Significant themes

• Recognition and regret: Cheng Hai sees too late that he undervalued Zhang Yang’s abilities.
• Pride versus reconciliation: Cheng Hai wants to make amends but finds it difficult to approach Zhang Yang as an elder.
• Expertise and earned success: Zhang Yang’s knowledge turns Cheng Hai’s risky hobby into a profitable venture.
• Changing family roles: Yang Su’s complaint that Zhang Yang no longer cooks reflects her discomfort with a household routine that has changed.

Character interactions

• Cheng Hai initially entertains his business friends’ teasing, then earns their respect when they verify his antiques and bid against one another.
• Cheng Hai celebrates his success with Yang Su, but their exchange exposes her continued hostility toward Zhang Yang and Cheng Hai’s growing willingness to defend him.

Key plot points and events

• Cheng Hai tells Yang Su that Zhang Yang helped him choose four antiques, bought for just over 10,000 yuan and resold for nearly 80,000. Yang Su doubts the story at first, then accepts that Zhang Yang may have real skill.
• Delighted by the profit, Cheng Hai arranges a family dinner and hopes to improve his relationship with Zhang Yang.
• At dinner, Cheng Dongxue asks Zhang Yang about his future. He announces that he plans to start a consulting company that buys and sells business intelligence.
• Yang Su and Cheng Dongxue worry that the business will create enemies and bring trouble to the Cheng family. Zhang Yang says his decision is final and that he has considered the risks.
• Cheng Dongxue suggests that Zhang Yang pursue medicine instead, but he clarifies that he does not intend to stop treating patients.

Character developments and interactions

• Cheng Hai becomes more openly supportive of Zhang Yang after seeing him generate a substantial profit. He praises Zhang Yang and encourages him to build a future.
• Yang Su, who has long looked down on Zhang Yang, begins reconsidering her judgment. Though she initially objects to his business plan, she offers him some reluctant encouragement.
• Cheng Dongxue remains deeply concerned for Zhang Yang and the family, pressing him to think about the consequences and proposing medicine as a safer career.
• Zhang Yang is confident and self-directed. He listens to the family but makes clear that he no longer considers Yang Su’s objections decisive.
• Lin Xiaofei praises Zhang Yang and hints that she knows more about him than the others do. A brief exchange with Cheng Dongxue suggests she may have revealed more than she intended.

Significant themes

• Changing perceptions: Zhang Yang’s abilities begin to overturn the family’s old assumptions about him.
• Ambition and risk: His intelligence business promises opportunity but could provoke powerful adversaries.
• Family loyalty and autonomy: His relatives worry about the consequences, while Zhang Yang insists on choosing his own path.
• Multiple talents: Zhang Yang sees no need to choose between business intelligence and medicine.

Plot points and events

• Zhang Yang’s family learns that he has taught himself Traditional Chinese Medicine and successfully treated someone. Cheng Hai is surprised, while Yang Su remains skeptical. Cheng Dongxue confirms Zhang Yang’s account, and Cheng Hai postpones further discussion.
• Zhang Yang sees that revealing his abilities has not erased Yang Su’s hostility. He plans to move out of the Cheng family home, both to give her distance and to change his position within the family.
• The next morning, Zhang Yang receives a friendly message from Xiao Ai, a sales representative reminding him to finish paying for his new house. Although he can afford it, he delays moving so his mother, Liu Mei, has time to adjust.
• Chang Wu tells Zhang Yang that the Bronze Four-Ram Square Zun will be auctioned that evening. Zhang Yang agrees to attend but insists that the artifact’s ownership remain concealed; Chang Wu presents himself as selling it for a friend.
• At the auction, bidding for the authenticated bronze vessel starts at ten million and rises quickly. When a foreign bidder enters at sixteen million, Zhang Yang bids seventeen million, determined not to let the rare artifact leave China.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang remains strategic and self-reliant: he is willing to reveal his talents but understands that changing his family’s attitudes will take more than one evening. He also shows a patriotic commitment to keeping the bronze vessel in China.
• Cheng Dongxue supports Zhang Yang by explaining his medical skills to her parents, despite the family tension surrounding him.
• Cheng Hai is unsettled by how unfamiliar Zhang Yang seems, but trusts his daughter’s account.
• Yang Su refrains from her usual insults at dinner, yet her deep-rooted prejudice against Zhang Yang remains.
• Chang Wu proves discreet and useful, protecting Zhang Yang’s anonymity while arranging the auction.
• Xiao Ai’s cheerful message offers Zhang Yang a small sense of being welcomed, even though it is also a sales reminder.

Significant themes

• Trust and family acceptance: Zhang Yang’s abilities surprise his in-laws, but trust—especially Yang Su’s—cannot be won instantly.
• Independence and changing one’s status: His plan to move out reflects a desire to reshape his place in the Cheng family rather than remain defined as an underappreciated son-in-law.
• Practical alliances and discretion: Chang Wu’s reliability allows Zhang Yang to act through a trusted intermediary.
• Patriotism and cultural heritage: Zhang Yang’s bid is driven not only by the artifact’s value but by his refusal to see it sold abroad.

Plot points and events

• At auction, a foreign buyer competes for the Bronze Four-Ram Square Zun. Zhang Yang—who had previously owned and sold the vessel—keeps bidding to prevent it from going to a foreigner.
• The price climbs from eighteen million to twenty million, then to twenty-one million. Zhang Yang risks buying the piece back at a loss, but waits rather than bidding against every rival.
• The foreign buyer’s antiques expert advises restraint. The foreigner later has his companion bid on his behalf, but Zhang Yang sees through the maneuver.
• As the auctioneer heightens the tension, Zhang Yang jumps to twenty-four million. The foreign buyer withdraws, and a wealthy, patriotic businessman eventually bids twenty-five million.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang shows patience, strategic judgment, and a strong sense of responsibility toward the artifact. Though uncertain about its future value, he is determined not to let it leave the country. His bidding also turns out to benefit him financially.
• Chang Wu worries that Zhang Yang is recklessly spending money to reclaim his own property and urges him to stop. He gradually understands Zhang Yang’s motive.
• Jiao Long is anxious as the bidding unfolds, while Zhang Yang remains composed.
• The foreign buyer is competitive but ultimately pragmatic; after consulting his expert, he stops bidding and acknowledges Zhang Yang.
• The businessman hesitates, studies the vessel, and ultimately makes the winning bid. He admires Zhang Yang’s resolve.

Significant themes

• Cultural heritage and patriotism: Zhang Yang’s central aim is to keep a significant Chinese artifact from going abroad.
• Risk, value, and speculation: The bidding tests how much buyers believe the vessel is worth, while Zhang Yang weighs possible profit against personal conviction.
• Strategy and composure: Zhang Yang’s restraint and timing shape the contest as much as the size of his bids.
• The legacy of lost artifacts: The narration recalls how Chinese antiques were taken overseas through buying, deception, and force, giving the auction a broader historical significance.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Yang attends the auction mainly to see how his Bronze Four-Ram Square Zun sells. He has no interest in the other lots unless a foreign buyer’s interest gives him reason to intervene.
• A Hainan huanghuali square table from the early Republic of China period opens at 200,000 yuan. Zhang Yang unexpectedly bids one million, startling his companions, Chang Wu and Jiao Long.
• Zhang Yang explains that the table could reach three to five million. Jiao Long says he genuinely likes it, so Zhang Yang agrees to help him buy it.
• As bidding climbs to four million, Zhang Yang checks that Jiao Long still wants the table despite its limited potential for resale profit. Jiao Long confirms, and Zhang Yang wins it for five million with a decisive bid.
• Zhang Yang estimates Jiao Long could later resell it without a loss, though likely earning no more than 800,000 to one million yuan. Chang Wu, unable to afford the bidding, leaves without a purchase.
• After the auction, entrepreneur Qiao Jin praises Zhang Yang for helping ensure that a national treasure would not go abroad. Zhang Yang apologizes for driving up the price, and Qiao Jin is surprised that he knows his name.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang shows both commercial judgment and patriotic conviction. Though usually focused on substantial profits, he spends freely to secure the table for Jiao Long and expresses concern about Chinese treasures leaving the country.
• Jiao Long reveals a personal love of hardwood furniture, not merely an interest in investment. He trusts Zhang Yang’s assessment and is reassured that the purchase is unlikely to lose money.
• Chang Wu considers bidding but recognizes that the price is beyond his means, underscoring the difference between his modest position and Jiao Long’s resources.
• Qiao Jin openly admires Zhang Yang’s actions, creating a new connection between them; his surprise at being recognized hints that he and Zhang Yang have no prior dealings.

Significant themes

• Cultural preservation and national identity: Zhang Yang is unwilling to let a valuable Chinese object pass into foreign hands.
• Money versus personal value: The table is a comparatively weak investment, but Jiao Long’s affection for it makes the purchase worthwhile.
• Trust and loyalty: Jiao Long relies on Zhang Yang’s expertise, while Zhang Yang makes the bid on his behalf.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Yang impresses antique collector Qiao Jin, who recognizes his knowledge and boldness in competing with foreigners. They exchange names and talk before parting.
• Afterward, Zhang Yang celebrates with Chang Wu and Jiao Long. Chang Wu proposes that he fund antique purchases Zhang Yang approves, then split the resale profits; Zhang Yang agrees, and Jiao Long also wants to participate.
• Zhang Yang returns home tipsy but clear-headed. Cheng Dongxue asks why he has started drinking and smoking. He promises to explain, but when he comes out of the shower, their conversation turns into playful flirting. She stops him from taking a picture and warns him about the sensitive material on his phone.

Character developments

• Zhang Yang shows his expertise and confidence in antiques, while treating Chang Wu’s help as a favor he should repay. At home, he remains affectionate and playful with Cheng Dongxue, though he continues to keep some of his changed life unexplained.
• Chang Wu sees a business opportunity in Zhang Yang’s appraisal skills and seeks to build a profitable partnership.
• Jiao Long is eager to share in the opportunity but remains disciplined and professional, especially by not drinking while driving.
• Cheng Dongxue is curious about Zhang Yang’s recent changes but trusts him and values his feelings for her more than immediate answers.

Significant themes

• Trust and mutual benefit: Zhang Yang’s agreement with Chang Wu and Jiao Long turns gratitude into a practical arrangement.
• Expertise and opportunity: Zhang Yang’s antique knowledge offers others a chance to profit, though he warns that such opportunities will be occasional.
• Trust, privacy, and intimacy: Cheng Dongxue accepts what Zhang Yang does not yet reveal, while their teasing exchange shows affection and ease.

Character interactions

• Qiao Jin and Zhang Yang bond over antiques, with Qiao Jin expressing respect for Zhang Yang’s unusual skill and nerve.
• Chang Wu and Jiao Long both ask to benefit from Zhang Yang’s eye for valuable antiques; Zhang Yang agrees while setting modest expectations.
• Cheng Dongxue questions Zhang Yang about his new habits, then playfully rebuffs his attempt to take a photo, reminding him that his phone contains compromising material.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Yang tells Cheng Dongxue that he recovered the Bronze Zun after its first buyer tried to rob him and reclaim the check. The robbery failed, and Zhang Yang took the artifact back.
• At a later auction, Zhang Yang pushed the bidding to 24 million before Boss Qiao made the winning bid at 25 million. Zhang Yang still has the check and plans to use the money toward a house.
• As the couple reconnects, Zhang Yang suggests they move out of the Cheng Family villa and establish a home of their own. Cheng Dongxue is open to the idea but wants to avoid conflict with Yang Su.
• Zhang Yang reassures her that they can make their own decisions. He also begins considering having a child, hoping it may strengthen his place in the family.

Character developments

• Zhang Yang is confident and playful as he recounts his success. He shows a growing sense of independence and takes practical steps toward building a separate family life.
• Cheng Dongxue displays deep concern for Zhang Yang’s safety and affection for him. Though she has been disappointed in him before, she is willing to hope again; she favors moving at a cautious pace to preserve family harmony.
• Yang Su remains a powerful, potentially difficult influence in the Cheng household, even though she does not appear directly.

Significant themes

• Renewed intimacy and trust: Their teasing and affectionate closeness signal that warmth has returned to the relationship.
• Independence and self-determination: Zhang Yang wants a home where he and Cheng Dongxue can shape their own lives, rather than remain constrained by her family.
• Building a family: The chapter links a physical home with partnership and the possibility of children.
• Risk, resourcefulness, and success: Zhang Yang turns an attempted robbery into an opportunity and earns a substantial sum from the artifact.

Character interactions

• Zhang Yang’s dramatic storytelling alternately amuses and worries Cheng Dongxue; she checks him for injuries and keeps pressing for the full account.
• Their playful banter and physical affection help restore closeness after a period of strain.
• When Zhang Yang proposes moving out, Cheng Dongxue expresses both interest and concern about Yang Su’s reaction. Zhang Yang responds with reassurance, while she urges patience.

Plot points and events

• After successfully treating Old Master Dai, Zhang Yang receives a call from Dai Rongsheng confirming that the old man can walk again.
• Old Master Dai offers Zhang Yang a reward, but Zhang Yang refuses both a lavish favor and an invitation to dinner, saying his twenty-million-yuan fee is enough.
• To thank him and cultivate a relationship, Old Master Dai offers him any car from the Dai Family’s Mercedes-Benz dealership. Zhang Yang accepts because he needs his own transportation.
• Zhang Yang takes a taxi to the dealership. The staff judge him by his plain, student-like appearance and assume he cannot afford the cars, leaving him unattended.
• He decides to look at smaller cars, then gravitates toward the high-performance AMG coupes. As he inspects an S-Class AMG display car, a saleswoman rushes over to stop him.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang remains self-assured and principled: he declines extra compensation rather than exploit the Dais’ gratitude, but accepts a practical gift he genuinely needs. His enthusiasm for powerful cars reveals a personal passion and hints at exceptional driving experience.
• Old Master Dai is grateful and warm toward Zhang Yang, while also thinking strategically about maintaining a good relationship with him. He already knew the truth about Dai Rongsheng killing his cousin and wants to preserve stability within the family.
• Dai Rongsheng is excited by his grandfather’s recovery and helps arrange the car offer, showing that he understands how to appeal to Zhang Yang’s needs.
• At the dealership, the staff’s dismissive treatment contrasts with the Dai family’s respect for Zhang Yang and sets up a likely confrontation.

Significant themes

• Gratitude and reciprocity: The Dais try several ways to repay Zhang Yang, while he distinguishes between fair payment and unnecessary favors.
• Appearances and social judgment: His modest clothes lead dealership staff to underestimate him.
• Power and influence: Old Master Dai’s generosity is both sincere gratitude and a way to secure Zhang Yang’s goodwill and protect family harmony.
• Practicality and personal desire: Zhang Yang needs transportation, but choosing an AMG also reflects his enjoyment of speed and performance.

Plot points and events

• Zhang Yang visits a luxury-car dealership and becomes interested in an S-Class AMG Coupe, imagining that his mother might like it.
• The saleswoman, Su Dayi, assumes he cannot afford the car and tries to keep him from touching it. Zhang Yang remains calm, continues browsing, and eventually sits in both the front and back seats.
• When Su Dayi asks whether he intends to buy the 2.6-million-yuan car, Zhang Yang says he does. She remains doubtful and fetches dealership manager Zhong Qingrong.
• Zhong treats Zhang Yang with open contempt and says he cannot afford the car. Zhang Yang asks for a test drive; Zhong immediately refuses, claiming no test-drive car is available.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang stays composed despite being judged by his appearance. He deliberately takes his time and challenges the staff’s assumptions, while privately considering the car for his mother and mentioning that Mibai could sit in the back.
• Su Dayi is wary and dismissive, concerned both about possible complaints and losing a sale. Her suspicion grows as Zhang Yang continues to inspect the car.
• Zhong Qingrong is more openly hostile than Su Dayi, turning their initial condescension into a direct confrontation.
• Zhang Yang identifies the staff by their name badges and tells Zhong plainly that his manner is unfriendly.

Significant themes

• Class prejudice: The staff judge Zhang Yang’s ability to pay from his appearance.
• Respect and consumer treatment: The dealership’s obligation to serve visitors contrasts with its employees’ contempt.
• Composure and quiet defiance: Zhang Yang responds to insults without losing his temper, using the staff’s assumptions against them.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Yang recognizes Zhong Qingrong, a former university Student Union officer who once rejected his application. Zhong Qingrong does not remember him until Zhang mentions his wife, Cheng Dongxue.
• Remembering Zhang as a poor, supposedly useless student—and resenting him for marrying Cheng—Zhong insults him and assumes he cannot afford a car at the luxury dealership.
• Zhang remains calm, explaining that he can afford a Mercedes-Benz, but privately waits for Dai Rongsheng, who is arranging the car for him.
• Zhong’s resentment escalates. He threatens to have Zhang removed and summons four security guards, ordering them to throw him out.
• Dai Rongsheng arrives just as the guards reach for Zhang. He recognizes the danger of having offended Zhang, but Zhong interrupts to disparage Zhang and repeats his order. Dai finally roars at Zhong and the guards to “Get lost!”

Character developments

• Zhang Yang stays composed under humiliation, confident that his circumstances have changed. He is ready to defend himself but does not waste money or act rashly just to prove a point.
• Zhong Qingrong reveals that his old contempt for Zhang is tied to envy and bitterness over losing Cheng Dongxue to him. His anger undermines his judgment and authority.
• Dai Rongsheng is anxious to keep Zhang in good standing and realizes Zhong’s behavior may have made the situation much worse.

Character interactions

• Zhang taunts Zhong with their shared past and the irony that the “good-for-nothing” can now afford a Mercedes-Benz.
• Zhong’s insults and attempt to eject Zhang turn an old university rivalry into a public confrontation.
• Dai’s arrival briefly halts the guards, but Zhong mistakenly assumes his boss shares his disdain for Zhang. Dai’s sharp command signals that Zhong has badly misread the situation.

Significant themes

• Appearances and status: Zhong judges Zhang by his inexpensive clothes and outdated reputation, overlooking his current position.
• Resentment and envy: Zhong’s treatment of Zhang is driven less by business concerns than by his lingering jealousy over Cheng.
• Power and reversal: The former student who once had no power over Zhong now commands the respect Zhong fails to recognize.
• Patience amid provocation: Zhang stays controlled while Zhong lets his emotions dictate his actions.

Key plot points and events

• At a car dealership, Zhong Qingrong assumes Zhang Yang is still a poor, powerless live-in son-in-law and treats him dismissively. He orders Zhang and his party to leave.
• The dealership’s owner, Dai Rongsheng, arrives, recognizes Zhang Yang’s importance, and sharply orders Zhong and the security guards away. He apologizes to Zhang for the staff’s behavior.
• Dai questions Su Dayi, the salesperson who served Zhang. Zhang clarifies that Su was not at fault and identifies Zhong as his former university senior.
• Zhang says he has chosen a moderately priced car but explicitly notes that Zhong’s service was unsatisfactory. Dai promises to handle it, tells Su to complete the paperwork, and orders that Zhang pay nothing.
• Dai informs Zhong that he will be fired unless he earns Zhang’s forgiveness. Zhong is stunned and begins to realize Zhang is far more influential than he had believed.

Character developments

• Zhang Yang remains composed and measured: he defends Su, but refuses to overlook Zhong’s deliberate disrespect. His influence is evident in how readily Dai accommodates him.
• Dai Rongsheng acts deferentially toward Zhang and quickly moves to protect the dealership’s relationship with him. He gives Zhong a chance to keep his job, but makes clear that Zhang’s forgiveness is decisive.
• Su Dayi moves from confusion and fear about her job to relief when Zhang defends her. She apologizes and becomes curious about his real status.
• Zhong Qingrong shifts from condescending confidence to alarm as he realizes his treatment of Zhang may cost him his position.

Significant themes

• Status and mistaken assumptions: People still see Zhang through his old reputation, failing to notice how much his circumstances have changed.
• Respect and consequences: Zhong’s arrogance toward a customer has professional repercussions.
• Power and influence: Dai’s deference and the free car reveal Zhang’s standing, even as his exact identity remains unexplained.
• Fairness and restraint: Zhang distinguishes between Su, who was not responsible for the mistreatment, and Zhong, whom he holds accountable.

Character interactions

• Zhang’s calm response contrasts with Zhong’s hostility and Dai’s anxiety to appease him.
• Zhang protects Su despite her earlier harshness, earning her gratitude.
• Dai interprets Zhang’s restrained but pointed complaint as a demand for action and makes Zhong’s fate contingent on Zhang’s forgiveness.

Plot points and events

• After realizing Dai Rongsheng is willing to act against him to appease Zhang Yang, Zhong Qingrong rushes to apologize.
• Zhang rejects the apology, pointing out that Zhong has repeatedly mistreated him and saying he will not forgive him.
• Zhong’s apology turns into anger when he sees it has failed. Dai intervenes, dismisses him, and orders security to remove him.
• Zhong threatens Zhang as the guards seize him. Zhang calmly answers that he is not afraid.
• Zhang then offers Zhong a way to keep his job: kneel and apologize sincerely. The chapter ends before Zhong responds.

Character developments

• Zhong Qingrong shifts from arrogant and dismissive to frightened and ingratiating, then lashes out when his attempt to save his job fails. His pride remains even as he faces the consequences of his behavior.
• Zhang Yang stays composed and assertive. He refuses to accept a superficial apology and uses the situation to make Zhong confront the humiliation he once inflicted on him.
• Dai Rongsheng acts decisively, firing Zhong to satisfy Zhang and address Zhong’s worsening conduct.
• The sales staff remain mostly observers, relieved they were not the ones who provoked Zhang and curious about his influence.

Significant themes

• Consequences of arrogance: Zhong’s habitual mistreatment of others catches up with him.
• Power and status: The staff try to explain Zhang’s influence through wealth or connections, while his confidence unsettles the dealership.
• Humiliation and revenge: Zhang’s offer to spare Zhong only if he kneels mirrors the degradation Zhong previously imposed on him.
• Insincere apologies: Zhong’s apology is driven by fear of losing his job, not genuine remorse.

Character interactions

• Zhong apologizes repeatedly, but Zhang refuses to forgive him.
• Dai sides with Zhang, dismisses Zhong, and summons security to carry out the order.
• Zhong threatens Zhang as he is taken away; Zhang responds without fear and offers him a humiliating chance to remain manager.
• The staff watch and whisper, turning the confrontation into a public spectacle.

Plot points and events

• After Dai Rongsheng orders Zhong Qingrong removed, Zhong refuses to yield and continues insulting Zhang Yang. At Zhang’s cue, the guards beat Zhong severely outside the showroom.
• Zhang eventually tells them to stop, takes the car keys from Su Dayi, and drives off. He leaves without paying because Dai declares the dealership is giving him the car.
• Su asks who Zhang is. Dai says his background is what she already knows, but people have underestimated his abilities, and she should treat him respectfully.
• Dai brings Su to his office and unexpectedly promotes her to manager, saying the dealership needs one and her performance has been satisfactory.

Character developments

• Zhang Yang shows confidence in his influence and ruthlessness toward those who challenge him, but also restraint: he calls off the beating before it becomes even worse. He appears interested in returning to ordinary life rather than pursuing every attractive woman he meets.
• Dai Rongsheng is eager to satisfy Zhang and clearly fears the trouble Zhong might have caused. He rewards Su with a promotion, though his motives and the connection between the promotion and the day’s events remain somewhat ambiguous.
• Su Dayi is cautious and self-aware. She is shaken by Zhang’s power and the violence, then surprised and anxious when Dai calls her to his office—only to learn she is being promoted.
• Zhong Qingrong loses his position and is humiliated and badly beaten after refusing to back down.

Significant themes

• Power and intimidation: Zhang’s hidden influence makes others defer to him, while Zhong’s defiance leaves him vulnerable.
• Loyalty and self-preservation: Dai and the guards act quickly to avoid displeasing Zhang.
• Unexpected advancement: Su’s promotion follows a day of upheaval, showing how sudden shifts in power can create new opportunities.
• Appearance versus reality: Zhang may look harmless, but others underestimate his capabilities.

Character interactions

• Zhang directs the outcome indirectly, while Dai translates his wishes into orders; the guards enforce them.
• Su is frightened by Zhang’s apparent ruthlessness and puzzled by Dai’s deference to him.
• Dai reassures Su about Zhang, then promotes her, shifting their interaction from a tense summons to an unexpected professional opportunity.

Key plot points and events

• Dai Rongsheng promotes Su Dayi from sales clerk to manager, explaining that the decision is final. Su realizes Zhang Yang’s new influence likely secured the promotion. Coworkers promptly switch to congratulating and flattering her.
• Zhang Yang leaves the dealership in his newly acquired luxury car and visits Wolong Villa. He pays the remaining balance, completes the purchase paperwork, and receives the keys to Villa No. 82; the property certificate is still being processed.
• On his way toward Long’ao, Zhang Yang receives a call from his wife, Cheng Dongxue. She asks him to pick her up and explains that her family has pressured her to meet Jiang Chi, a childhood friend recently returned from the United States. She does not want to see him.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Dayi is astonished by her unexpected promotion but accepts it confidently and promises to work hard. Her new authority immediately changes how her coworkers treat her.
• Dai Rongsheng appears cautious around Zhang Yang’s associates and uses the promotion to avoid offending Zhang Yang.
• Zhang Yang enjoys the sudden change in his fortunes, having acquired both a luxury car and a villa in one day. He remains eager to visit Long’ao and see Liu Mei.
• Cheng Dongxue is uneasy about Jiang Chi’s return. Though she and Jiang grew up together, she has rejected his romantic interest and feels he has changed. She also worries about how Zhang Yang’s solo visits to Long’ao reflect on their marriage, and wants to help him maintain face in the village.
• Jiang Chi, described through Cheng Dongxue’s account, has stayed in contact and hinted at loving her. Rather than approach her directly, he informed her relative Yang Su of his return, leading Yang Su to pressure Cheng into meeting him.

Significant themes

• Power reshapes social behavior: Su’s coworkers quickly become deferential once she gains authority.
• Sudden wealth and changing status: Zhang Yang’s new car and villa mark a dramatic reversal from his former financial struggles.
• Appearance versus reality in marriage: Cheng Dongxue worries about public perceptions of her relationship with Zhang Yang, while he seeks more than appearances.
• Family pressure and personal boundaries: Cheng’s relatives push her toward an unwanted meeting despite her clear reluctance.

Key plot points and events

• Zhang Yang learns that Jiang Chi—his former rival for Cheng Dongxue’s affection—is returning from the United States. During the repeated day of his thousand-year imprisonment, Zhang Yang had killed Jiang Chi several times without consequence because the day always reset.
• Zhang Yang abandons his drive home and heads to the Cheng family villa, determined to accompany his wife.
• Yang Su has tricked Cheng Dongxue into coming home by falsely claiming there is a fire. She then pressures Cheng to pick up Jiang Chi, hoping the old friendship will revive her interest in him and weaken her marriage to Zhang Yang.
• Cheng refuses, but Yang Su threatens to disown her. Cheng reluctantly gets into her Volkswagen CC, while Yang Su stays behind and tells her to be warm and proactive with Jiang.
• Zhang Yang arrives in a new Mercedes-AMG coupe. Cheng wonders whether he has borrowed it; Yang Su immediately says he has. Zhang Yang stays silent rather than correcting her.
• Zhang Yang says he will go with Cheng. Yang Su objects that it is none of his business, but he tells Cheng to get out of the car.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhang Yang is intensely jealous and protective, viewing Jiang Chi as a threat to his marriage. He remains gentle with Cheng, directing his anger at Yang Su instead. His new car suggests his changed circumstances, though Yang Su refuses to acknowledge them.
• Cheng Dongxue is increasingly disillusioned with her mother. She resents Yang Su’s manipulation and disrespect toward Zhang Yang, but struggles to resist because Yang Su uses their mother-daughter bond as leverage.
• Yang Su openly tries to push Cheng toward Jiang Chi, treating her daughter’s marriage as a means to secure a better match. She uses deception, emotional blackmail, and condescension to control Cheng.
• The chapter’s central conflict is between Zhang Yang and Yang Su over Cheng’s loyalty and autonomy, with Jiang Chi’s return looming as the catalyst.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and family obligation: Yang Su exploits Cheng’s sense of duty to force her into an unwanted encounter.
• Marriage, loyalty, and jealousy: Zhang Yang’s response shows how fiercely he wants to defend his relationship.
• Change versus prejudice: Zhang Yang appears to have improved his circumstances, but Yang Su’s fixed low opinion of him prevents her from recognizing it.

Key plot points and events

• Cheng Dongxue joins Zhang Yang in his new Mercedes and learns he says he bought it for “Mom.” She assumes he means Liu Mei, Zhang Yang’s birth mother.
• They go to the airport to pick up Jiang Chi, Cheng’s childhood friend, who has asked Yang Su to arrange the pickup.
• Jiang Chi assumes the expensive car belongs to Cheng and that Zhang Yang is merely her driver, judging him by his inexpensive clothes.
• Jiang refuses Zhang Yang’s offered handshake, then insults his manners and implies he lacked a father to teach him. Zhang Yang takes this as a personal attack.
• Zhang Yang makes Jiang ride in the cramped back seat with his luggage, refuses to accommodate him, and finally shoves him into the car. Cheng gets in too, and Zhang Yang drives off.

Character developments

• Zhang Yang stays outwardly controlled at first, but becomes confrontational when Jiang’s insult touches a sensitive part of his upbringing. He uses the car and his strength to assert control rather than abandon Jiang at the airport.
• Cheng Dongxue is embarrassed by the clash and tries to intervene, yet privately feels Jiang deserves the rebuke for insulting her husband.
• Jiang Chi arrives expecting a warm, private reunion with Cheng. His assumptions about Zhang Yang and his sense of superiority lead him to provoke the man whose help he needs.

Significant themes

• Status and appearances: Jiang judges Zhang Yang by his clothes and assumes the car must belong to Cheng.
• Respect and manners: Jiang’s own discourtesy undermines his claim to be better-mannered.
• Family and vulnerability: His remark about Zhang Yang’s upbringing strikes a painful nerve.
• Loyalty and boundaries: Cheng’s sympathy for an old friend is tempered by her recognition that he has insulted her husband.

Character interactions

• Zhang Yang and Cheng discuss his car and his connection to Liu Mei, while Cheng remains curious about Liu Mei’s elusive past.
• Jiang’s familiar greeting to Cheng contrasts with his dismissive treatment of Zhang Yang.
• Zhang and Jiang escalate from a refused handshake to open hostility, while Cheng attempts to contain the situation and ultimately accepts Zhang’s response.