Chapter Summaries

Xiao Mo and Nuomi refused He Rumeng and Li Zhenglu’s request to give Nuomi a kidney to save her half-brother, and Xiao Mo defended the family he had built with her. Afterward, Nuomi broke down over her birth mother’s motives, but Xiao Mo comforted her and helped her accept that the old hope was gone.

• Xiao Mo rejected He Rumeng’s offer of compensation and said nobody could touch Nuomi without his and their future child’s agreement.
• Xiao Mo reminded He Rumeng that she had abandoned Nuomi and warned Li Zhenglu not to retaliate against his family; Li Zhenglu agreed to keep the meeting private.
• Nuomi backed Xiao Mo’s refusal, and the four of them left the private room together.
• The group booked rooms and celebrated over dinner, where Xiao Mo told Nuomi she could cry if she wanted to.
• Nuomi cried and said He Rumeng had returned after more than twenty years only to demand a kidney for her son; Xiao Mo comforted her as she let go of her remaining hope.

After Nuomi’s risky attempt to punish He Rumeng, Xiao Mo explained why avoiding a deal with Li Zhenglu was the best outcome. Li Zhenglu then ordered He Rumeng to force Nuomi into matching tests and threatened both his wife and son.

• Nuomi said she had wanted to wait until the paperwork and money transfer were complete before learning whether she matched Li Zhenglu’s son.
• Xiao Mo warned Nuomi that Li Zhenglu’s lawyers could exploit loopholes and that Li Zhenglu’s patience made him dangerous, so she should keep her distance.
• Nuomi admitted she had acted out of hurt and wanted He Rumeng to feel pain, then lowered her head as tears returned.
• Li Zhenglu ordered He Rumeng to have Nuomi tested for a match the next day and said to force her into surgery if she refused.
• Li Zhenglu threatened to cut Nuomi off and warned He Rumeng to control their son’s diet or have him restrained.
• Li Zhenglu told He Rumeng to stop harassing Mi Shanshan and the others, threatening to ruin her if she exposed the family’s affairs.

Nuomi proposed turning Li Le’s fruit-cutting skills into a creator business for Wang Xiaoliang’s night market, while Wang Xiaoliang reflected on Nuomi’s painful history with He Rumeng. After reading a new line in the Book of Fate, he connected Li Le’s and Nuomi’s suffering to their expectations of family and wondered whether letting go of those hopes would protect them.

• Nuomi watched Wang Xiaoliang’s video of Li Le cutting fruit and outlined content, livestream, and sales strategies for building his audience.
• Wang Xiaoliang rejected Nuomi’s suggestion to sign Li Le to Mimo and decided not to use Wei Zijin’s influence for an interview until Li Le was more comfortable on camera.
• Wang Xiaoliang drove Xiao Mo, Wei Zijin, and Nuomi to the airport after their stay, then thought about how He Rumeng had abandoned Nuomi and later sought her kidney.
• Xiao Mo warned Wang Xiaoliang to be careful and protect Wei Zijin, while Wang Xiaoliang urged him not to make a comeback and said Nuomi should be allowed to act as she wished.
• Wang Xiaoliang read the Book of Fate’s instruction to expect nothing of others and considered how unmet family expectations had hurt Li Le and Nuomi.

Ma Yuanyuan visited Chengyou with her parents, spotted a job advertisement, and persuaded her father to ask Liu Xinyu for help returning to the company. Liu arranged an interview with Wang Xiaoliang for Monday, while Ma Yuanyuan agreed to attend a blind date next week.

• Ma Yuanyuan saw an assistant job advertisement at the night market gateway and took a photo of it.
• Ma Yuanyuan asked her father to contact her cousin Liu Xinyu about transferring her back to Chengyou, but he initially refused.
• Ma Yuanyuan's mother said her father would make the call if Ma agreed to go on a blind date, and Ma accepted.
• Ma Yuanyuan's father called Liu Xinyu, who agreed to speak with Wang Xiaoliang about her.
• Liu Xinyu called back and told Ma Yuanyuan to interview with Wang Xiaoliang on Monday, advising her not to resign from her current job first.
• Ma Yuanyuan's mother reminded her to keep her promise and attend the blind date next week.

Ma Yuanyuan went through Wang Xiaoliang’s recruitment process and, after he assigned her to film a night-market video, learned to edit and worked through the night to submit one. Wang Xiaoliang asked Cui Wanqiu about Ma Yuanyuan’s character and then began watching her video.

• Ma Yuanyuan visited Second Mom Cafeteria before going to Chengyou Company, where Li Shumei avoided discussing pay and benefits in detail.
• Wang Xiaoliang interviewed applicants in the Huanluo Hotel lobby and assigned Ma Yuanyuan to make a night-market video, which left her angry at the time she had spent waiting.
• Ma Yuanyuan watched editing tutorials, filmed the night market, and worked until three thirty in the morning to finish her video.
• Ma Yuanyuan sent Wang Xiaoliang her video the next morning, one of three submissions he received.
• Wang Xiaoliang asked Cui Wanqiu what Ma Yuanyuan was like, and Cui Wanqiu described her as capable but headstrong.
• Wang Xiaoliang opened Ma Yuanyuan’s video and pressed play.

Wang Xiaoliang agreed to hire Ma Yuanyuan after seeing the distinct perspective in her video, but required her to resolve the transfer with Gu Junhao. After Ma Yuanyuan secured Gu Junhao’s approval, Liu Xinyu called Wang Xiaoliang with news that might anger him.

• Wang Xiaoliang watched Ma Yuanyuan’s video and noticed how its footage of the stallholders revealed their different expressions and circumstances.
• Wang Xiaoliang offered Ma Yuanyuan a job but told her to make sure Gu Junhao did not think he had poached her.
• Ma Yuanyuan asked her father for help, and he arranged for an elder to speak with Gu Junhao.
• Gu Junhao confronted Ma Yuanyuan, warned her that Wang Xiaoliang was less easygoing, and gave her two days to hand over her work.
• Liu Xinyu called Wang Xiaoliang and warned him that what she had to say might make him angry.

Wang Xiaoliang learned that Xie Hui would be promoted and considered Liu Xinyu’s plan to fold Chengyou into the Property Management Company. He reaffirmed his wish to return to Jiangcheng to start a media company and find Brother Qiang, then reluctantly agreed to consider hiring Liu Xinyu’s cousin Ma Yuanyuan.

• Liu Xinyu told Wang Xiaoliang that Xie Hui would become general manager of the Property Management Company after the Sima family repaid embezzled money and transferred Liu Xinyu a twenty-percent stake.
• Wang Xiaoliang agreed to Xie Hui’s promotion and realized Liu Xinyu planned to place Chengyou under the Property Management Company.
• Wang Xiaoliang told Liu Xinyu he still wanted to return to Jiangcheng to start a media company and find Brother Qiang, while Liu Xinyu suggested they build the business together in Fucheng.
• Liu Xinyu asked Wang Xiaoliang to take Ma Yuanyuan back at Chengyou, and Wang Xiaoliang agreed only to consider it as a favor.
• After ending the call, Wang Xiaoliang entered Fan Qishan’s bedroom and found him sitting cross-legged with his eyes nearly closed.

Ma Yuanyuan returned to Chengyou and joined the office team as Wang Xiaoliang reorganized responsibilities. Xie Hui was promoted to general manager of Fucheng Chengyu Property Management Company and prepared to leave his current post.

• Wang Xiaoliang had made Ma Yuanyuan complete an interview assignment before agreeing to take her back.
• Ma Yuanyuan told Li Shumei and Cui Wanqiu that she had transferred back to Chengyou.
• Wang Xiaoliang announced that Xie Hui was being reinstated as general manager of Fucheng Chengyu Property Management Company.
• Wang Xiaoliang assigned Cui Wanqiu Xie Hui's duties and gave Ma Yuanyuan Cui's former work at her previous pay and benefits.
• Xie Hui asked for a farewell meal and gift, and Wang Xiaoliang told him to pack his things and make room for Ma Yuanyuan.

Wang Xiaoliang offered Ma Yuanyuan a job filming videos for Li Le’s fruit stall, along with a ten-percent stake, after recognizing her talent in a video she had made. Ma Yuanyuan remained unsure about accepting until Cui Wanqiu revealed that she herself owned a ten-percent stake in the busy Luckin Coffee shop.

• Wang Xiaoliang invited Ma Yuanyuan downstairs, asked about her experience making a video, and offered her a paid role promoting Li Le’s fruit stall with a ten-percent stake.
• Ma Yuanyuan admitted she had enjoyed filming and editing but doubted her ability; Wang Xiaoliang praised her eye for Li Le’s expressions and gave her two days to decide.
• Ma Yuanyuan completed a handover with Cui Wanqiu, who reminded her to take her work seriously.
• Ma Yuanyuan told Cui Wanqiu about Wang Xiaoliang’s offer while they sat at Luckin Coffee and asked whether it was legitimate.
• Cui Wanqiu urged Ma Yuanyuan to accept and revealed that she owned a ten-percent stake in the Luckin Coffee shop.

Wang Xiaoliang brought Ma Yuanyuan into Li Le’s fruit-stall partnership and laid out their roles, pay, and profit shares. After the three signed an agreement, he gave Ma Yuanyuan a detailed plan for Li Le’s short-video account, and she admitted she needed to improve her filming and editing skills.

• Ma Yuanyuan reflected on Wang Xiaoliang’s approach to sharing business opportunities with employees.
• Wang Xiaoliang summoned Li Le and introduced Ma Yuanyuan as their new partner, responsible for filming, editing, and managing the account.
• Li Le objected to sharing profits, but Wang Xiaoliang set the shares at fifty percent for Li Le, forty percent for himself, and ten percent for Ma Yuanyuan, with salaries and losses covered by Wang Xiaoliang.
• Wang Xiaoliang urged Li Le to set aside his pride and focus on earning money for his mother’s kidney transplant.
• Wang Xiaoliang, Li Le, and Ma Yuanyuan signed an agreement that included immediate termination for misconduct.
• Wang Xiaoliang gave Ma Yuanyuan a detailed short-video management plan, and she said her filming and editing skills were limited.

Wang Xiaoliang discussed Luo Bisheng’s prospects with Li Yongling, who wanted to match him with Yi Jiahui. He explained that Luo Bisheng already had a girlfriend, then worried that Luo’s relentless work and study were signs that he was struggling with love.

• Wang Xiaoliang reflected on whether Ma Yuanyuan could handle the filming and bookkeeping that Li Le struggled with.
• Xie Hui told Wang Xiaoliang he was leaving early on his last day and would arrange dinner with Bisheng.
• Li Yongling asked Wang Xiaoliang whether Yi Jiahui and Luo Bisheng would make a good match.
• Wang Xiaoliang told Li Yongling that Luo Bisheng had a girlfriend, disappointing her matchmaking plan.
• Li Yongling said Yi Jiahui admired Luo Bisheng, while Wang Xiaoliang worried that Luo was pushing himself too hard.

At his farewell banquet, Xie Hui looked back on how Liu Xinyu had placed him at Chengyou to observe Gu Junhao and how working with Wang Xiaoliang had restored his sense of purpose. After Liu Xinyu confirmed Wang Xiaoliang approved his return to property management, Xie Hui left Chengyou grateful for Wang Xiaoliang and hopeful they could become true friends.

• Xie Hui paid for his farewell banquet, toasted Wang Xiaoliang and his colleagues, and lingered outside Chengyou as he prepared to leave.
• Xie Hui recalled how Liu Xinyu transferred him from property management to Chengyou, where he had little to do while observing Gu Junhao and reporting his actions to Liu Xinyu.
• After Wang Xiaoliang took control of Chengyou, Xie Hui became busy again and told Liu Xinyu about Wang Xiaoliang's business deals and connections.
• Liu Xinyu told Xie Hui he could return to property management, and Xie Hui asked him to first confirm whether Wang Xiaoliang wanted him to stay.
• Liu Xinyu reported that Wang Xiaoliang approved Xie Hui's departure, and Xie Hui finished his drink reflecting on his respect for Wang Xiaoliang.

After returning to the property management company, Xie Hui removed former colleagues who had mistreated him and settled into his new role. A farewell calligraphy gift from Wang Xiaoliang delighted him, and Liu Xinyu showed him another piece Wang had written for her, leaving Xie Hui joking that the chairman should not be jealous between brothers.

• Xie Hui's wife teased him about getting blackout drunk and insisting that Wang Xiaoliang and Luo Bisheng call him “Brother” and swear brotherhood with him.
• On his first day back, Xie Hui fired or reassigned staff who had mistreated him and cleared out Young Master Sima's former office before renting out the unit.
• Xie Hui set up his desk among the property management staff so he could supervise their work.
• A courier delivered Xie Hui a framed calligraphy gift reading “Come Home Often,” signed with the seals of Wang Xiaoliang, Li Yongling, Cui Wanqiu, Yi Jiahui, Ma Yuanyuan, and Luo Bisheng.
• Xie Hui hung the calligraphy in the office and told Liu Xinyu that Xiaoliang had given it to him.
• Liu Xinyu revealed that Wang Xiaoliang had written the calligraphy himself and showed Xie Hui a bold cursive piece Wang had made for her; Xie Hui joked that the chairman should not get jealous between brothers.

After Xie Hui left, Wang Xiaoliang made calligraphy gifts for him and Fu Zhaojun, then gave Liu Xinyu's mother a third piece that prompted her to call him her son. While practicing calligraphy afterward, Wang Xiaoliang realized he could begin building a media company before returning to Jiangcheng, though he had not yet decided where to start.

• Wang Xiaoliang moved into Xie Hui's former room and made a calligraphy piece for Xie Hui, collecting coworkers' personal seals to stamp it.
• Wang Xiaoliang wrote gifts for Fu Zhaojun and Liu Xinyu's mother, then delivered the latter's framed character, «affection,» to the Villa with Fan Qishan and Luo Bisheng.
• Liu Xinyu's mother happily called Wang Xiaoliang her son and gave him and Zijin a pair of Jade Plaques.
• Wang Xiaoliang reflected on starting a media company and realized he did not have to wait until he returned to Jiangcheng, but wondered where to begin.

Wei Zijin surprised Wang Xiaoliang at home, where they shared a meal with Luo Bisheng and Fan Qishan and discussed her plans to visit more often. Later, Wang Xiaoliang offered to help Luo Bisheng see Cheng Huan, but Luo Bisheng chose to wait until after retaking the graduate school exam.

• Wei Zijin surprised Wang Xiaoliang, and they kissed before he returned to cooking dinner.
• Luo Bisheng came home and joined Wei Zijin, Wang Xiaoliang, and Fan Qishan for a meal that felt like a family dinner.
• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang she planned to return to livestreaming at Mimo and visit Fucheng at least once a month, and he showed her the Jade Plaques his mother had given them.
• Over time, Wei Zijin kept belongings at Wang Xiaoliang's villa and registered with property management, making the villa their home.
• Wang Xiaoliang noticed Luo Bisheng was troubled because he and Cheng Huan spoke less often, and offered to run the hotel while Luo Bisheng visited her.
• Luo Bisheng declined and said he would wait until he got into grad school, planning to take the exam again.

Ma Yuanyuan filmed Li Le during a sudden rainstorm and an angry customer’s confrontation, then stopped Li Le from escalating matters after the customer insulted his mother. Though she had planned to quit, Li Le asked her to stay, and she agreed on the condition that he do something for her.

• Ma Yuanyuan continued filming Li Le while privately planning to quit because of his hostility toward her.
• A sudden downpour drove customers away and threatened the watermelons Li Le had left outside.
• Li Le snapped at Ma Yuanyuan for filming instead of helping him, and they exchanged insults.
• An intoxicated customer insulted Li Le’s mother, and Li Le pressed his knife against the man’s cheek before Ma Yuanyuan shouted for him to stop.
• Li Le offered the customer watermelon, and the shaken man paid full price and left.
• Li Le thanked Ma Yuanyuan for bringing him back to his senses and asked her not to quit; she agreed to keep quiet about the incident if he accepted a condition.

Ma Yuanyuan edited and posted a video of Li Le’s knife skills, which went viral and drew crowds to his stall and the night market. Wang Xiaoliang told her to focus on building the account’s following, while she began developing new ideas and remained distracted by her upcoming blind date.

• Ma Yuanyuan edited Li Le’s knife demonstration, recorded a new line with him, renamed the account “Little Li’s Swift Blade,” and posted the video.
• The next day, Ma Yuanyuan found that the video had received millions of views and showed Wang Xiaoliang the surging attention.
• Wang Xiaoliang praised Li Le’s online persona but told Ma Yuanyuan to ignore offers and focus on growing the account before monetizing it.
• Local creators flocked to Li Le’s stall, crowds gathered to see him, and the increased traffic boosted business across the night market.
• Ma Yuanyuan studied Wang Xiaoliang’s proposal at home while her mother reminded her about the Saturday blind date.

As the fruit stall grew busier, Ma Yuanyuan filmed more content and learned that Li Le was saving money because his mother needed a kidney transplant, though he was not a match. Her feelings toward him shifted, but the chapter ended with her seeing him arrive hand in hand with a tattooed woman.

• Ma Yuanyuan hired a quiet nineteen-year-old to help Li Le at the crowded stall and filmed customers, knife work, and Li Le from three angles.
• Ma Yuanyuan asked Li Le why he lived so frugally, and he told her his mother needed a kidney transplant and he was saving money for it, but he was not a match.
• Ma Yuanyuan began bringing Li Le extra food and rejected a well-off suitor after asking whether he would donate a kidney to his mother.
• Ma Yuanyuan saw Li Le enter the cafeteria holding hands with a young woman whose hand bore a black rose tattoo, then watched them leave with Wang Xiaoliang.

Ma Yuanyuan saw Li Le arrive at the hotel holding hands with a woman, then learned the next day that she was his best friend and had emigrated. As rain emptied the night market, Ma Yuanyuan persuaded Li Le to stop selling for the day, and they went upstairs to eat and drink with the remaining vendors.

• Cui Wanqiu urged Ma Yuanyuan to consider Luo Bisheng, but Ma Yuanyuan said they were not a good fit.
• Ma Yuanyuan saw Li Le arrive at the hotel holding hands with a woman, and heard him book them a twin room.
• Ma Yuanyuan noticed Li Le acting warmly with the woman and left with Cui Wanqiu before they finished checking in.
• Li Le told Ma Yuanyuan that his best friend had visited from Jiangcheng, then said she had emigrated and he probably would not see her again.
• Li Le stocked little fruit during heavy rain and gave his helper the day off, while Ma Yuanyuan came to the night market anyway.
• Ma Yuanyuan persuaded Li Le to stop selling and eat upstairs with the vendors, and she agreed to have beer with him.

Ma Yuanyuan filmed Li Le’s exhausting workday, and a video showing his efforts to pay for his mother’s surgery went viral, leading Wang Xiaoliang to plan livestreaming for the stall. When Wang later called Li Le and Ma Yuanyuan in to discuss their accounts and future plans, they asked to end their agreement and leave him.

• Ma Yuanyuan filmed Li Le working from before dawn until night, ending the video with the amount still needed for his mother’s surgery.
• The video passed five million views within four hours, and the account’s followers surged from just over two hundred thousand to eight hundred thousand.
• Wang Xiaoliang told Li Le to go live, then drove Wei Zijin to the airport two months later and explained that he had stopped watching short videos for entertainment.
• Wang Xiaoliang reviewed the stall’s accounts with Li Le and Ma Yuanyuan, proposed a new profit split, and asked Ma Yuanyuan to learn livestreaming in Jiangcheng.
• Ma Yuanyuan and Li Le asked to terminate their agreement, and Ma Yuanyuan announced that she was resigning.
• Wang Xiaoliang agreed to their departure without compensation and was left alone in his office after they walked out.