Chapter Summaries

Hu Yang advised Wang Xiaoliang to use the compensation crisis to promote Mimo, Wei Zijin, and the distillery, then take over the factory and build the Lasting Love baijiu brand. As Wang Xiaoliang’s friends and family offered money, Wei Zijin showed him Yang Qingyu’s offer of her ten million in savings, and he saw her tear up.

• Hu Yang told Wang Xiaoliang that the actual refund rate would likely be below one hundred percent and urged him to turn the compensation into a public show of responsibility while taking over the distillery.
• Wang Xiaoliang returned to the conference room and explained Hu Yang’s plan, prompting Nuomi and the others to recognize that the available funds would likely cover compensation.
• Uncle Luo offered Wang Xiaoliang sixty million and promised to raise it to a hundred million if needed, but Wang Xiaoliang said they had enough.
• Liu Xinyu scolded Wang Xiaoliang for not asking him for help and offered support if the money ran short.
• Wang Xiaoliang confronted Luo Bisheng for telling others about his financial need, and Luo revealed that Yang Qingyu had also heard.
• Wei Zijin showed Wang Xiaoliang Yang Qingyu’s message offering her ten million in savings, and Wang Xiaoliang looked at Wei Zijin as a tear slid down her cheek.

Xiao Mo and his team finalized their response to the counterfeit liquor crisis and negotiated a confidential takeover of the Liquor Factory. Boss Yan signed the transfer agreement, but the team still needed a reliable new legal representative with no public connection to them.

• Xiao Mo and his team decided not to retaliate against He Rumeng and planned advance reports to Industry and Commerce and the platform.
• Nuomi drafted a detailed plan covering apologies, refunds, announcements, and the factory takeover.
• The team postponed choosing the Liquor Factory's new legal representative because their own identities were too easily linked to Mimo.
• Xiao Mo proposed a confidential factory transfer to Boss Yan, and Nuomi warned that refusing cooperation would lead to compensation claims.
• Boss Yan agreed to cooperate, keep the transfer secret, and reassure the factory workers.
• Boss Yan signed the contract, Manager Wang stamped it, and Xiao Mo arranged to send someone with the lawyer to inventory and take over the factory that day.

Specializes in Exposing Fakes fueled outrage over the fake-liquor incident by criticizing Mimo, Wei Zijin, and the distillery, while Mimo prepared Wei Zijin’s response and promised tenfold compensation. Wei Zijin and Wang Xiaoliang stayed upbeat amid calls and messages from concerned acquaintances, as the station’s deputy director confronted her about the scandal.

• Specializes in Exposing Fakes posted a viral video accusing Mimo, Wei Zijin, and the distillery of evading responsibility and urged consumers to seek refunds and compensation.
• Online criticism of Wei Zijin and Mimo intensified as the fake-liquor story continued trending.
• Xiao Mo, Nuomi, Wang Xiaoliang, and Wei Zijin rehearsed a statement promising tenfold compensation, refining its wording and delivery.
• Zeng Haiyan called Wei Zijin to offer help, while Wei Zijin asked Li Lanxiang to come help with Brother Qiang; Li Lanxiang read the message but did not reply.
• Wang Fen and Chen Zhifei sent Wei Zijin supportive messages, and Xie Hui, Cui Wanqiu, Yi Jiahui, and Fang Dongxu messaged Wang Xiaoliang.
• Director Jiang called Wei Zijin and said she had put the television station in a difficult position.

Hong Guodong, a counterfeit-exposing blogger, accepted money from an unknown person to target Wei Zijin and turned the liquor controversy into a lucrative campaign. As he urged viewers to sue Wei Zijin, Mimo Media, and the distillery, his audience began leaving for Wei Zijin's livestream.

• Hong Guodong accepted payment to buy Jiuqing Liquor from Wei Zijin's livestream, and Old Zhou judged it genuine grain liquor that was overpriced and insufficiently aged.
• After Wei Zijin's scandal broke, Hong Guodong received instructions to post his exposé, and the video went viral as Zeng Haiyan's livestream outburst intensified the backlash against Mimo Media.
• Hong Guodong posted more videos attacking Wei Zijin, gained hundreds of thousands of followers, and prepared a livestream urging customers to sue Wei Zijin, Mimo Media, and the Guizhou Jiuqing Liquor Distillery.
• As Hong Guodong promoted his legal advice, viewers noticed Wei Zijin had started a livestream and rapidly left his broadcast to watch her.

Wei Zijin, Mimo Media, and the liquor factory apologized publicly and announced tenfold compensation for customers who bought misrepresented liquor. As the livestream showed buyers receiving their refunds and compensation, public support swung in their favor, leaving Hong Guodong with a suspicion about Luo Bisheng that he could not make anyone hear.

• Hong Guodong watched Wei Zijin's livestream surge to hundreds of thousands of viewers as she, Mi Shanshan, and Luo Bisheng apologized and announced tenfold compensation for counterfeit goods.
• Luo Bisheng accepted the factory's responsibility, explaining that customers had received three-year liquor labeled as ten-year liquor, though it was still pure grain liquor.
• Zeng Haiyan guided buyers through the refund and compensation process, and the first buyers confirmed that their payments had arrived.
• Viewers praised Wei Zijin and the other parties as more buyers received compensation, while Hong Guodong's accusation that the livestream was staged was ignored.
• Hong Guodong recalled that the factory owner had a different surname from Luo Bisheng, but he doubted anyone would listen to his suspicion.

Hong Guodong livestreamed his refund and tenfold compensation, then publicly praised Wei Zijin and Lasting Love liquor. Xiao Mo explained Mimo Media’s response and the compensation plan, while Tang Heihu posted a viral couplet praising Wei Zijin’s promise.

• Hong Guodong resumed his livestream, demonstrated receiving a refund and tenfold compensation, and declared himself a fan of Wei Zijin and Lasting Love liquor.
• Xiao Mo apologized on behalf of Mimo Media and explained how the liquor problem was discovered and handled.
• Xiao Mo showed that Wei Zijin’s contract did not make her responsible for product quality, then said she had volunteered to cover more than a third of the compensation.
• Xiao Mo thanked Guizhou Jiuqing Liquor Distillery, Mimo Media staff, and Zeng Haiyan for helping process refunds and compensation.
• Xiao Mo said the total compensation could reach 330 million yuan and described borrowing money from friends to pay it.
• Tang Heihu posted a video of a couplet praising Mimo Media, Wei Zijin, and her promise to compensate customers; the video quickly went viral.

Wei Zijin and her team continued processing refunds and compensation for the defective liquor while public support surged after Jiangcheng Television Station praised their response. The chapter ended with their follower counts and views soaring as Xiao Mo and the team celebrated their unexpected success.

• Jiangcheng Television Station praised Wei Zijin, Mimo Media, and Lasting Love Liquor Factory for paying consumers tenfold compensation and keeping refunds available indefinitely.
• Wei Zijin told viewers she would sell Lasting Love liquor again after all three parties strictly monitored and tested future batches.
• The "Specializes in Exposing Fakes" account praised the team's response, showed proof of his own refund, and defended his fair assessment of Wei Zijin.
• Wei Zijin gained 4.3 million followers, Xiao the Great Chatterbox gained 1.8 million, and Tang Heihu's couplet video reached 120 million views.
• Xiao Mo and the team exchanged celebratory messages in their WeChat group about how easily they had turned the crisis into a success.

Wei Zijin continued refunding customers while a prominent product-review blogger challenged the accusations against her liquor and accused Specializes in Exposing Fakes of manufacturing a shakedown. Hong Guodong panicked under the public challenge and decided to post a video.

• Wei Zijin and Zeng Haiyan continued livestreaming refunds and compensation, saying they would finish reviewing every order and check the liquor factory before listing products.
• I'm Not the Fake God examined the inspection report and argued that it showed the liquor met national standards, while its price did not make it fake.
• I'm Not the Fake God accused Specializes in Exposing Fakes of manufacturing a shakedown and challenged its creator to face him on a livestream.
• Hong Guodong watched the video, feared that refusing the challenge would cost him his followers, and decided to post a video.

Hong Guodong tried to defend himself against I'm Not the Fake God, but Du Xiaoman exposed him for extorting her over a false counterfeit claim. The police detained Hong, and two more creators came forward with similar allegations.

• Hong Guodong posted videos accusing I'm Not the Fake God of bullying him and chasing views, but viewers criticized him for avoiding the evidence.
• Du Xiaoman posted chat logs and a transfer record showing that Hong had demanded fifty thousand yuan to delete a video falsely accusing her of selling counterfeit face masks.
• Du Xiaoman said she had reported Hong to the police, and her video rapidly went viral as Hong's account was banned.
• The police announced that Hong had been detained on suspicion of repeatedly extorting people by threatening to publish negative videos.
• Two more small creators said Hong had extorted thirty thousand and twenty thousand yuan from them in similar schemes.

Cheng Xinhua followed Wei Zijin’s response to the liquor controversy and became interested in Xiao the Great Chatterbox’s videos. After seeing his daughter’s ex-boyfriend Luo Bisheng speak for the distillery, Cheng Xinhua tried to hide the video from Cheng Huan, unaware she was already watching it.

• Cheng Xinhua’s mahjong friends mocked him after buying liquor from Wei Zijin’s livestream, then praised her when she refunded them and paid ten times the purchase price in compensation.
• Cheng Xinhua began watching Wei Zijin’s livestreams and Xiao the Great Chatterbox’s videos, including one explaining the distillery’s batch mix-up and the arrest of Specializes in Exposing Fakes for extortion.
• Cheng Xinhua saw Luo Bisheng’s video explaining that the liquor was not counterfeit and that the distillery would continue its refund and compensation plan.
• Cheng Xinhua worried that Cheng Huan might see Luo Bisheng’s video, so he marked it as unwanted and deleted it from his viewing history.
• Cheng Xinhua considered asking Cheng Huan about her relationship, while Cheng Huan watched Luo Bisheng’s video on her own phone.

Xiao Mo and Wang Xiaoliang identified Li Zhenglu’s connection to the police report and discussed how to divide the liquor factory’s profits. After Wei Zijin’s ten-day refund livestream ended, the group gathered to mark the milestone, and Xiao Mo prepared to make an announcement.

• Xiao Mo told Wang Xiaoliang that “I'm Not the Fake God” had waited until public opinion shifted before helping, and they identified Du Xiaoman’s entertainment company as belonging to Li Zhenglu.
• Xiao Mo and Wang Xiaoliang agreed to counter Li Zhenglu’s moves and discussed sharing the liquor factory’s profits, including giving Anyang half.
• Wei Zijin ended the refund livestream while confirming that the refund channel would remain open until every buyer had been processed.
• Zhao Nan gathered Wei Zijin, Zeng Haiyan, Nuomi, Xiao Mo, and Wang Xiaoliang for a meal, while Luo Bisheng remained in Fucheng and Dahuang stayed away.
• Xiao Mo cleared his throat, got the group’s attention, and said he had an announcement.

Xiao Mo announced new Mimo shares for the team, while Wang Xiaoliang and Wei Zijin discussed giving up control of other ventures and their worries after the crisis. Wei Zijin agreed to accompany Wang Xiaoliang to visit Fourth Brother the next day, then revealed her period had ended and he carried her home.

• Xiao Mo announced that he and Nuomi would hold fifty percent of Mimo, Wang Xiaoliang and Wei Zijin thirty percent, and Zeng Haiyan and Zhao Nan ten percent each.
• Zeng Haiyan and Zhao Nan accepted their shares after Nuomi and Xiao Mo insisted that the whole team deserved a reward.
• After dropping Zeng Haiyan and Zhao Nan off, Wang Xiaoliang and Wei Zijin discussed the liquor factory shares and why Wang Xiaoliang and his big brother had chosen to share profits.
• Wei Zijin said she could finally relax, and Wang Xiaoliang admitted he feared losing his friends and could not bring himself to visit Fourth Brother.
• Wei Zijin promised to go with Wang Xiaoliang to see Fourth Brother the next day.
• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang her period had ended, and he carried her toward their apartment.

Wang Xiaoliang and Wei Zijin tried to visit Zhao Weiqiang at Seventh People's Hospital but were turned away and learned that Zhao's father had also lost the right to visit him. After Wei Zijin left for a brand endorsement meeting in Beijing and Wang set off for Fucheng, Huang Xueli called to say he might have found Old Zhou.

• Wang Xiaoliang and Wei Zijin went to Seventh People's Hospital, but a nurse refused their visit to Zhao Weiqiang without authorization from immediate family.
• Zhao Weiqiang's father told Wang that he could no longer visit Zhao either, then left the hospital with a woman who demanded half of some money.
• Wang and Wei returned home, but changed their plans when Wei received an offer to represent a major brand and decided to go to Beijing while Wang went to Fucheng for work.
• Wang drove Wei and Zhao Nan to the airport, said goodbye to Wei, then packed and headed to the airport for his own flight.
• Huang Xueli called Wang on his way to the airport and said he thought he had found Old Zhou.

Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli traced the restaurant Suiyun Residence to Zhou Qiang and went there to confirm their suspicions. They found Zhou Qiang with Kong Xiuyun and their daughter, and the two men got out to confront him.

• Wang Xiaoliang canceled his flight and joined Huang Xueli, who suspected Zhou Qiang was connected to Suiyun Residence after spotting Guoguo there.
• Wang Xiaoliang called Master Sui and learned that Brother Qiang owned the restaurant, whose award-winning design had been created by Sui Yiming.
• Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli discussed Huang Xueli's feelings for Hongqiu while watching the restaurant's side entrance.
• Huang Xueli recognized Zhou Qiang driving an electric three-wheeler to the restaurant, where a little girl ran out and called him Daddy.
• Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli got out of the car, and Zhou Qiang and Kong Xiuyun noticed them.

Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli confronted Zhou Qiang and Kong Xiuyun over years of lies, and Zhou began explaining his history with her. He recounted their early relationship and how they built Hongbin Tower together, then started describing how he persuaded her to stay after the university took it back.

• Yuanyuan clung to Zhou Qiang and warned Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli that her father and Guoguo were strong.
• Wang Xiaoliang accused Kong Xiuyun of lying about her life and her contact with Zhou Qiang.
• Zhou Qiang brought Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli to an office, where they refused to eat or drink until he explained himself.
• Zhou Qiang told them Kong Xiuyun had been his first girlfriend, but she ended their relationship after learning about his family.
• Zhou Qiang explained that he funded the restaurant venture that became Hongbin Tower while Kong Xiuyun brought its experienced staff.
• Zhou Qiang recounted dating Lanxiang, maintaining a professional relationship with Kong Xiuyun, and promising to open another restaurant for her after the university took Hongbin Tower back.

Zhou Qiang told Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli how his relationship with Kong Xiuyun began, how she became pregnant, and how he confessed to Lanxiang that he had been involved with another woman. He left the story after Lanxiang stabbed him in the shoulder and her mother stopped her from going further.

• Zhou Qiang recounted how he and Kong Xiuyun chose a restaurant location, got drunk together, and spent the night together after she revealed why she had ended their relationship.
• Zhou Qiang said Kong Xiuyun became pregnant, while he struggled to leave Lanxiang and admitted he could not do without either woman.
• Zhou Qiang described picking Lanxiang up at the airport and seeing that she was pregnant, then telling Kong Xiuyun to return to her hometown to give birth.
• Zhou Qiang told Lanxiang he had paid for sex, and she tied him to the bed and demanded to know whether his confession was true.
• Zhou Qiang admitted he had become involved with another woman, and Lanxiang stabbed him in the shoulder before her mother entered and restrained her.

Zhou Qiang told Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli how Lanxiang demanded all his assets and that he disappear after discovering his affair. He gave up his property to preserve contact with his unborn daughter, and the chapter ended with the three men drinking together.

• Zhou Qiang recalled that Lanxiang’s mother demanded five million, but Lanxiang insisted she wanted all his money and wanted him to leave.
• Zhou Qiang agreed to surrender his assets and disappear after Lanxiang threatened to kill herself and their unborn daughter.
• Zhou Qiang transferred five million to Lanxiang and left without his phone or ID.
• Zhou Qiang said Xiuyun urged him to cooperate, so he transferred his homes, cars, and companies to Lanxiang and her mother.
• Zhou Qiang explained that Lanxiang let him see his daughter as long as he kept his promise not to contact friends, and he swore not to reach out to them.
• Wang Xiaoliang, Huang Xueli, and Zhou Qiang clinked their glasses and drank together.

Zhou Qiang confessed that he had coached Lanxiang through the Confidential Organization story to keep her calm until their child was born, and apologized to Huang Xueli and Wang Xiaoliang for the harm his deception caused them. He explained that he still sees Guoguo regularly and accepted that Lanxiang may learn about his life with Xiuyun and Yuanyuan, but said he had no intention of repairing their relationship.

• Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli challenged Zhou Qiang to explain who had orchestrated the Confidential Organization story.
• Zhou Qiang admitted that he had taught Lanxiang what to say and do, following Xiuyun's advice to avoid stressing Lanxiang during her pregnancy.
• Zhou Qiang apologized to Huang Xueli and Wang Xiaoliang and took responsibility for Lanxiang and her mother's treatment of them.
• The three men drank together, and Zhou Qiang spoke about how much he had longed to meet his friends again.
• Zhou Qiang said he saw Guoguo regularly through her grandmother and suspected Lanxiang might already know about Xiuyun and Yuanyuan.
• Zhou Qiang said Lanxiang would always hate him and that he did not intend to mend their relationship.

Wang Xiaoliang reunited with Zhou Qiang and Kong Xiuyun in Fucheng, shared the dangers he had survived, and learned that Zhou Qiang had first approached him because he admired his loyalty to a deceased friend. The conversation ended with Wang Xiaoliang asking what Zhou Qiang had learned while getting to know Lanxiang.

• Wang Xiaoliang lied to Wei Zijin about why he was still in Fucheng, and Huang Xueli teased him about having to cover up Zhou Qiang's lie.
• Wang Xiaoliang told Zhou Qiang how he had nearly died twice, including when kidnappers attacked him and Qishan at the villa.
• Huang Xueli confirmed that his relationship with Zeng Haiyan was real but over, and Kong Xiuyun warmly welcomed Wang Xiaoliang.
• Kong Xiuyun revealed that she and Zhou Qiang had first seen Wang Xiaoliang at Hongbin Tower when he stood up for his deceased friend.
• Zhou Qiang admitted he had approached Wang Xiaoliang hoping to recruit him, and Wang Xiaoliang asked what his efforts to get to know Lanxiang had revealed.

Wang Xiaoliang invited Zhou Qiang to join his media company, but Zhou refused and asked him and Huang Xueli not to contact Li Lanxiang, fearing she would take Guoguo away. Later, Wang and Huang discussed Zhou’s choices and the possibility that he was protecting Lanxiang and Guoguo, while Huang challenged Wang’s high expectations of their friend.

• Wang Xiaoliang asked Zhou Qiang to join his media company, but Zhou declined.
• Zhou Qiang asked Wang Xiaoliang and Huang Xueli not to let Li Lanxiang know they were in touch, warning she might disappear with Guoguo.
• Huang Xueli told Wang Xiaoliang that Zhou’s explanation seemed incomplete, and Wang suggested Zhou was protecting Lanxiang to protect Guoguo.
• Wang Xiaoliang took Huang Xueli home, where they ate noodles and drank together.
• Huang Xueli argued that Zhou Qiang had faced a difficult choice between Li Lanxiang and Kong Xiuyun, then told Wang Xiaoliang he expected too much of Zhou.