Chapter Summaries

Chen Yuan found Zhang Xiu'e's hotel room while she tried to stall Wang Dahai, Sun Deming, and Li Yan. Zhang Xiu'e knocked Li Yan unconscious with an ashtray, and Chen Yuan burst into the room as Wang Dahai kicked at the bathroom door.

• Chen Yuan learned that Wang Dahai had booked room 1806 and raced to the eighteenth floor.
• Wang Dahai and Li Yan brought Zhang Xiu'e into the room with Sun Deming, and Zhang Xiu'e pretended to accept their demands while insisting on taking a shower first.
• Li Yan accompanied Zhang Xiu'e into the bathroom, where Zhang Xiu'e struck her in the head with an ashtray and left her unconscious but alive.
• Wang Dahai and Sun Deming noticed the silence, and Wang Dahai began kicking at the locked bathroom door.
• Chen Yuan found room 1806 and kicked its door open.

Chen Yuan rescued Zhang Xiu'e from Wang Dahai, Sun Deming, and Li Yan, then beat the two men after they attacked him. Hotel manager Zhou called the police, and Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e waited to explain what happened as officers arrived.

• Chen Yuan forced his way into the hotel room and found Zhang Xiu'e hiding in the bathroom beside an injured Li Yan.
• Chen Yuan subdued Wang Dahai when he tried to strike him with a bottle, then caught Sun Deming as he tried to flee and beat him until he begged for mercy.
• Zhang Xiu'e told Chen Yuan she was frightened and worried that she would go to prison, but he urged her to stay and tell the truth.
• Hotel manager Zhou arrived with security guards, called the police, and questioned Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e about what had happened.
• Zhang Xiu'e explained that Wang Dahai and the others had lured her to the hotel and tried to assault her, while Chen Yuan admitted beating the men in self-defense.
• As Chen Yuan sat with Zhang Xiu'e and reassured her, footsteps approached their room and someone asked which room they were looking for.

Police officers arrived after Chen Yuan rescued Zhang Xiu'e, and Wang Dahai, Sun Deming, and Li Yan accused her of attacking them while Liu Ming appeared to favor their version. Zhao Jianguo ordered the injured trio taken to the hospital before the station, leaving Zhang Xiu'e frightened as Chen Yuan noticed Zhao speaking privately in the corridor.

• Zhao Jianguo and the officers entered the hotel room, where Wang Dahai recognized Liu Ming and appealed for help.
• Wang Dahai, Sun Deming, and Li Yan claimed Zhang Xiu'e had attacked them, while Zhang Xiu'e said they had forced her to drink and tried to harm her.
• Liu Ming challenged Zhang Xiu'e's account and said everyone could explain themselves at the station, while Chen Yuan regretted holding back during the fight.
• Zhao Jianguo ordered the three injured accusers taken to the hospital for examinations before being brought to the station.
• Wang Dahai, Sun Deming, and Li Yan threatened Zhang Xiu'e as they left, and Chen Yuan reassured her that Zhao Jianguo had not taken a side.
• Chen Yuan noticed Zhao Jianguo making a quiet phone call in the corridor.

Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e were taken to the Deep City Second Detention Center after Chen Yuan injured Wang Dahai and Sun Deming while protecting her from an attempted rape. Separated for the night, Chen Yuan was left wondering why Zhao Jianguo had not investigated what happened.

• Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e arrived at the detention center, where the officers mocked them about the fight.
• Chen Yuan reassured Zhang Xiu'e and held her as they were taken inside.
• Liu Ming questioned them and recorded Chen Yuan's account of Wang Dahai and Sun Deming's assault on Zhang Xiu'e.
• A policewoman led Zhang Xiu'e away while Chen Yuan promised that things would be better tomorrow.
• Chen Yuan was locked in a cell and wondered what Zhao Jianguo was doing and why no one had investigated.

Zhao Jianguo visited Chen Desheng after Chen Jingshen asked him to check on his father following a car accident. Chen Desheng revealed that he was furious his men had not found the young man who saved him, and the chapter ended with him lamenting that Chen Jingshen had stayed away for nearly twenty years.

• Zhao Jianguo left Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e's case with Liu Ming before driving to Chen Desheng's home at Chen Jingshen's request.
• Chen Desheng berated Lei Zhen and his men for failing to find the young man who had saved his life.
• Zhao Jianguo told Chen Desheng that Chen Jingshen was worried, but Chen Desheng complained that his son had not returned or called in nearly twenty years.
• Chen Desheng discovered that Lei Zhen had told Chen Jingshen about the accident and scolded him for it.
• Chen Desheng ordered Lei Zhen to keep searching for the young man who had saved him, then asked Zhao Jianguo about Chen Jingshen's life in Sea City.
• Chen Desheng told Zhao Jianguo to pass on that he was fine and ended by remarking that Chen Jingshen had some guts to stay away for nearly twenty years.

Zhao Jianguo visited Chen Diansheng, who reminisced about their shared past with Zhao Tiezhu and asked him to help find the young man who had saved his life in a car accident. As Zhao Jianguo drove away, he reflected on how witnessing his mother’s fear and his father’s injuries had led him to become a police officer.

• Chen Diansheng recalled how he and Zhao Tiezhu built Hung Hing together and said he understood why Zhao Tiezhu had returned home to live peacefully with his family.
• Chen Diansheng asked Lei Zhen to send Zhao Jianguo the accident surveillance video so he could help identify the young man who had saved Chen Diansheng.
• Zhao Jianguo promised to investigate the surrounding surveillance footage, while Chen Diansheng said he would look into the accident himself.
• Lei Zhen asked Zhao Jianguo why he had become a police officer despite growing up among Hung Hing, and Zhao Jianguo left without explaining.
• As he drove home, Zhao Jianguo remembered his mother’s distress and his father returning home covered in blood, which had made him resolve not to follow their path.

Zhao Jianguo urged Chen Jingshen to reconcile with his estranged father, Chen Desheng, after seeing how lonely and old the man had become. Chen Jingshen agreed to think about returning, and Zhao Jianguo found comfort in his wife, Shen Jing, before joining her in the shower.

• Zhao Jianguo returned home and told Shen Jing that Chen Desheng had only suffered superficial injuries in the car accident.
• Zhao Jianguo called Chen Jingshen and described Chen Desheng’s loneliness, his memories of old friends, and the birthday meals he still prepared for his son.
• Zhao Jianguo challenged Chen Jingshen’s long-held blame toward his father, arguing that Lin Zhengye had opposed his relationship with the Lin Family girl instead.
• Chen Jingshen said he would think about visiting Chen Desheng, and Zhao Jianguo ended the call relieved.
• Shen Jing reassured Zhao Jianguo that she was happy with their life and their family, then invited him to join her in the shower.

After a call from Zhao Jianguo, Chen Jingshen remembered his family’s violent past, his years building Nianwei Capital, and the son and love he had lost. He began wavering over whether to return to Deep City and see his aging father, but still did not know how to face him.

• Chen Jingshen revisited the memory of the night armed men killed his mother and sister while he hid in a wardrobe.
• Chen Jingshen recalled that his father, Chen Desheng, had supported his relationship with Lin Nianwei, though Chen Jingshen left Hung Hing to protect her and their unborn child.
• Chen Jingshen remembered losing the child and leaving Deep City, then building Nianwei Capital from his savings and borrowed money.
• Chen Jingshen recalled visiting his son Chen Nianzhi’s grave each year and keeping track of Lin Nianwei while never contacting her.
• Chen Jingshen considered Zhao Jianguo’s advice to return to Deep City because Chen Desheng was over seventy, but remained unsure what to say to his father.

Zhao Jianguo discovered that Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e had been wrongly detained after Liu Ming reviewed the hotel surveillance footage. He set out for the Second Detention Center to release them while ordering the men who had attacked Zhang Xiu'e detained.

• Zhao Jianguo shared a warm breakfast with Shen Jing and drove their son, Zhao Mingyuan, to school, learning that he ranked thirty-eighth in the city mock exams.
• At the station, Liu Ming told Zhao Jianguo that he had sent Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e to the Second Detention Center based on the other men's statements and the station's performance needs.
• Zhao Jianguo ordered Liu Ming to review the Shangri-La Hotel surveillance footage, then recognized Chen Yuan in a video of a young man rescuing someone from a burning car.
• After reviewing the footage, Liu Ming admitted that Wang Dahai, Sun Deming, and Li Yan had dragged Zhang Xiu'e from the private room and planned to assault her.
• Zhao Jianguo ordered Liu Ming to take Wang Dahai, Sun Deming, and Li Yan to the Second Detention Center, then called ahead as he drove there to release Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e.

Chen Yuan fought off Brother Lei and a large group of inmates after they threatened and attacked him in the workshop. When Zhao Jianguo and Deputy Director Sun arrived, the attackers lay scattered across the floor and Chen Yuan stood unharmed among them.

• Chen Yuan went to work in the workshop, where Brother Lei and his men targeted him and tried to force him to come along.
• Chen Yuan punched Brother Lei, then defeated the tall, thin man and several more attackers who rushed him.
• A bearded man arrived with more than a dozen men and ordered them to attack Chen Yuan because he had struck Brother Lei.
• Chen Yuan fought off the new attackers, then chased down the bearded man and pinned him to the floor until he surrendered.
• Zhao Jianguo, two guards, and Deputy Director Sun entered the wrecked workshop and found Chen Yuan surrounded by the fallen inmates.

After leaving the detention center, Zhang Xiu'e confronted Wang Dahai, Sun Deming, and Li Yan before Zhao Jianguo drove her and Chen Yuan home. They found Zhou Min entertaining a tattooed young man in their apartment, leaving Chen Yuan suspicious that she had returned to her old habits.

• Zhang Xiu'e angrily confronted Wang Dahai, Sun Deming, and Li Yan as Liu Ming condemned them and warned they faced prison for attempted rape and false accusations.
• Zhao Jianguo ordered Liu Ming to question the three thoroughly and pursue the harshest penalties, then drove Zhang Xiu'e and Chen Yuan home.
• Zhao Jianguo asked Chen Yuan about rescuing an elderly man from an overturned car, and Chen Yuan explained that he had pulled him out the previous day.
• Zhao Jianguo exchanged contact information with Zhang Xiu'e and Chen Yuan, dropped them at their alley, and told them to rest.
• Zhang Xiu'e and Chen Yuan returned to find Zhou Min sitting with a tattooed blond young man, who had scattered sunflower shells across the floor.
• Zhou Min teased Zhang Xiu'e about spending the night with Chen Yuan, and Zhang Xiu'e ordered the young man to clean up before she went to bed.

Chen Yuan tried to avoid Zhou Min's teasing after overhearing her with a man, but she flirted with him anyway. Zhang Xiu'e intervened and warned him to stay away from women like Zhou Min.

• Chen Yuan overheard Zhou Min with a man in her bedroom and pretended to be asleep when the man left.
• Zhou Min teased Chen Yuan about listening through the wall and offered to teach him about relationships.
• Zhang Xiu'e interrupted Zhou Min as she flirted with Chen Yuan, and Zhou Min winked at him before returning to her room.
• Zhang Xiu'e asked Chen Yuan what Zhou Min had said, then told him to stay away from women like her.

Chen Yuan received a call from Chen Desheng, the elderly man he had rescued from an overturned car, who insisted on inviting him over to show his gratitude. Lei Zhen picked Chen Yuan up and drove him toward Chen Desheng’s home, leaving Chen Yuan wondering who the old man was.

• Zhang Xiu'e went to look for work at a friend's staffing agency and told Chen Yuan to stay home and rest.
• Chen Yuan received a call from Chen Desheng, who said Zhao Jianguo had recognized him in surveillance footage and invited him over to thank him for saving his life.
• Chen Desheng insisted on sending a car to pick Chen Yuan up, and Chen Yuan gave him his address.
• Lei Zhen arrived in a black sedan and drove Chen Yuan out of the alley toward Chen Desheng's home.
• Chen Yuan texted Zhang Xiu'e that he had been invited to an older gentleman's home and would return that night.

Chen Yuan visited Chen Desheng at his villa and discussed his background, his Baji Fist training, and the circumstances that brought him to Deep City. Chen Desheng offered him a well-paid job under Lei Zhen, and Chen Yuan agreed to give it a try.

• Lei Zhen drove Chen Yuan to Chen Desheng's villa, where Chen Desheng welcomed him and asked about his hometown and family.
• Chen Yuan explained that his grandfather had adopted and raised him after finding him by a river.
• Chen Desheng asked about Chen Yuan's fight in the detention center and learned that he had trained in Baji Fist for more than ten years.
• Chen Yuan said he had come to Deep City to look for work but had not found a job yet.
• Chen Desheng offered Chen Yuan a high-paying position under Lei Zhen, with meals and lodging included.
• Chen Yuan accepted the job after Chen Desheng insisted that he take it as repayment for saving his life.

Chen Yuan accepted a bodyguard job with Chen Desheng but postponed starting until Zhang Xiu'e settled into work. After he returned to the apartment, he drove off Zhou Min’s three rowdy companions when they tried to intimidate him, and learned that Zhang Xiu'e had found a job too.

• Chen Yuan told Chen Desheng he wanted to wait until Zhang Xiu'e had found work before starting his new job, and Chen Desheng agreed.
• Lei Zhen drove Chen Yuan home and explained that he would work alongside him to protect Chen Desheng.
• Zhou Min brought three men into the apartment, and they confronted Chen Yuan and demanded that he leave.
• When the blond man tried to shove him, Chen Yuan caught his wrist and threw him back; he then disarmed Baldy when Baldy attacked with a switchblade.
• Chen Yuan ordered the three men out, discarded the knife, and heard Zhou Min ask him not to tell Xiu'e about what happened.
• Zhang Xiu'e messaged Chen Yuan that she had found a job, and he replied that he had found one too.

Chen Yuan told Zhang Xiu'e that Chen Desheng had offered him a bodyguard job, while she shared news of her new job and plans to move. They agreed she would move into a nearby one-bedroom apartment, leaving Chen Yuan to start work with room and board.

• Zhang Xiu'e cooked dinner for Chen Yuan, while Zhou Min left without joining them.
• Chen Yuan told Zhang Xiu'e that Chen Desheng had offered him a bodyguard job with room and board.
• Zhang Xiu'e recognized Chen Desheng as the famous founder of Hung Hing Group and said she had found a new job.
• Chen Yuan suggested that Zhang Xiu'e move away from Zhou Min, and she revealed she had already found an apartment near her workplace.
• Zhang Xiu'e said Chen Yuan could stay with her briefly before his job began and visit on his days off.

Lin Zhengfang and Lin Hao tried to secure Lin Zhengye’s favor by praising Hao’s work at Yuanda, while Lin Nianwei rejected her father’s attempt to arrange a match for her. Lin Zhengye was left believing she had never let go of the child from her past.

• Lin Zhengfang praised Lin Hao’s diligence and education to Lin Zhengye, while Lin Hao promised to learn from Lin Nianwei and Director Zhang.
• After leaving the villa, Lin Hao admitted he had been showing Lin Zhengye his abilities, and Lin Zhengfang said she expected Yuanda Group to depend on their family.
• Lin Nianwei told Lin Zhengye that Lin Zhengfang’s visit had been intended to put Lin Hao in his mind, and Lin Zhengye agreed Hao could become a capable employee.
• Lin Zhengye suggested Lin Nianwei consider Ye Mingyuan as a husband, but she refused and told him not to arrange her personal life or worry about an heir.
• Lin Nianwei went upstairs, and Lin Zhengye reflected that she seemed never to have let go of that child.

Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e packed to move out, and Zhou Min tried to explain her role in the attempt to drive Chen Yuan away. Zhang Xiu'e rejected Zhou Min's excuses and continued preparing to leave with Chen Yuan.

• Chen Yuan and Zhang Xiu'e ate breakfast and began packing their belongings to move.
• Zhou Min woke up, saw the packed bags, and claimed her boyfriend had pressured her to arrange for people to scare Chen Yuan away.
• Zhang Xiu'e realized Zhou Min had exposed her involvement and demanded to know what had happened.
• Zhang Xiu'e condemned Zhou Min for sending people after Chen Yuan and refused to stay, despite Zhou Min pleading about the rent.
• Chen Yuan helped Zhang Xiu'e finish packing, and they decided to book a car.

After Zhang Xiu'e left for a welcome party at her new company, Chen Yuan ate lunch and explored the neighborhood around their new apartment. He encountered a sex worker in an alley, fled her advances, and hurried back toward the street, still embarrassed and shaken.

• Zhang Xiu'e received a call inviting her to a welcome party and left Chen Yuan at home, promising to make braised fish that evening.
• Chen Yuan ate stir-fried rice noodles at a nearby eatery, then wandered through the old neighborhood to learn the streets.
• Chen Yuan saw a woman in a short pink dress smoking in an alley and tried to walk past her.
• The woman called Chen Yuan handsome, offered him sex for a hundred yuan, and touched his chest.
• Chen Yuan rejected her, hurried around several corners until he escaped her voice, then headed for the alley's exit with his face still burning.

Chen Yuan rushed to Cashbox KTV after learning Zhang Xiu'e had become too drunk to leave safely. He found her surrounded by a group led by a burly man who refused to let her go, and the chapter ended as Chen Yuan faced him down.

• Chen Yuan received a call from Sister Wang asking him to pick up the drunken Zhang Xiu'e at Cashbox KTV.
• Chen Yuan heard a commotion and Sister Wang's warning that a man was blocking their group from leaving and trying to take Xiu'e away.
• Chen Yuan pushed past two security guards and found Sister Wang, Xiu'e, and their companions confronting a burly man and his group.
• Sister Wang told Chen Yuan that the man had tried to drag Xiu'e away to drink with him after she refused.
• Chen Yuan said Xiu'e was his sister and tried to take her home, but the burly man threatened him; Chen Yuan removed the man's hand from his shoulder and revealed his strength.