Chapter Summaries

Zeng Haiyan’s stinky tofu stall drew a huge crowd after Wei Zijin posted an interview video, making her reconsider Liu Xinyu’s claim that several people in her life brought her good fortune. She arrived late at a private dining room where four people were already seated.

• Zeng Haiyan recalled how she had judged Wang Xiaoliang as a failure and embellished the story of why she left her job when she spoke to Wei Zijin.
• After Wei Zijin interviewed her for a two-thousand-yuan appearance allowance, the edited video portrayed Zeng Haiyan as a devoted daughter carrying on her family’s stinky tofu business.
• Customers flocked to Zeng Haiyan’s stall after seeing the video, and she sold all her stock within two hours.
• Seeing her parents celebrate the booming business, Zeng Haiyan realized Wei Zijin had brought her good fortune and wondered whether Zhou Qiang, Li Lanxiang, and Wang Xiaoliang would too.
• Zeng Haiyan called Wei Zijin to thank her, then hurried into a private dining room carrying napkins, a soft drink, and baijiu, where four people were already seated.

Zeng Haiyan apologized to Wang Xiaoliang and thanked Wei Zijin, then asked Zhou Qiang and Wang Xiaoliang how to grow her stinky tofu business. She left with a clearer plan to establish the stall and build her online presence.

• Zeng Haiyan apologized to Wang Xiaoliang for saying he was not good enough for Wei Zijin, and Wang Xiaoliang accepted her apology by drinking with her.
• Zeng Haiyan toasted Wei Zijin for helping her stall become popular and praised Li Lanxiang and Zhou Qiang.
• Zeng Haiyan asked Zhou Qiang how to grow her business, and he advised her to find a permanent location and maintain high product and hygiene standards.
• Wang Xiaoliang advised Zeng Haiyan to make videos and livestreams centered on her identity as the Stinky Tofu Beauty, her tofu, and her story of leaving a state-owned enterprise to sell it.
• Zeng Haiyan thanked Wang Xiaoliang, and she, Wei Zijin, and Li Lanxiang left the room together while Wang Xiaoliang and Zhou Qiang discussed her change in attitude.

Wang Xiaoliang and Wei Zijin discussed Zeng Haiyan’s guarded friendship and her plans to expand her business. At the store, Li Sanmei proposed selling exclusive snacks, and Wang Xiaoliang learned she was actually Li Fengxia’s sister, Li Fengying, before assigning her to manage Store Three.

• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang that Zeng Haiyan had said her stinky tofu business was earning more than three times as much and had asked her and Li Lanxiang to invest in expansion.
• Wang Xiaoliang advised Wei Zijin to keep spending time with Zeng Haiyan if their friendship felt good and to distance herself if it became uncomfortable.
• Li Fengxia introduced Li Sanmei to Wang Xiaoliang, who hired her to learn the procedures at Store One before managing Store Three.
• Li Sanmei suggested that Wang Xiaoliang stock exclusive snacks to attract students from across campus, and he said he would consider her idea.
• Li Fengxia confessed that Li Sanmei was actually her younger sister, Li Fengying, and explained she had feared Wang Xiaoliang would refuse to hire her.
• Wang Xiaoliang accepted Li Fengxia’s explanation and assigned Li Fengying to manage Store Three with the same pay and benefits as her sister.

After the three supermarkets’ first month, Zhou Qiang, Wang Xiaoliang, and Kong Xiuyun reviewed the accounts and distributed profits. Wang Xiaoliang celebrated his salary and dividend before Huang Xueli arrived at the private room.

• Kong Xiuyun reported that the three stores had earned a combined net profit of 59,881 yuan.
• Wang Xiaoliang checked the ledger, learned he would receive a 9,000-yuan base salary, and agreed the accounts were clear.
• Zhou Qiang transferred Wang Xiaoliang a 17,964.30-yuan dividend and told him to maintain professional distance from Kong Xiuyun.
• Kong Xiuyun left to transfer the employees’ salaries, and Wang Xiaoliang celebrated the stores’ first-month earnings with Zhou Qiang.
• Huang Xueli entered the private room smiling.

Huang Xueli reviewed the accounts with Zhou Qiang and questioned how quickly the business was recovering its investment, while Zhou Qiang said breaking even in a little over a year was reasonable. The partners discussed expanding beyond the school, and Wang Xiaoliang was left to manage the employee bonus pool before they celebrated their first dividends.

• Huang Xueli examined the account photos and asked Zhou Qiang whether recovering the investment in a little over a year was too slow.
• Zhou Qiang explained that the business would still have more than a year to earn profit after breaking even, and Huang Xueli approved the accounts and accepted his dividend.
• Zhou Qiang warned that future school tenders could bring tougher terms and competition, so he proposed opening off-campus supermarkets and pursuing bids at other schools.
• Zhou Qiang transferred Wang Xiaoliang the employee bonus pool and told him to reward core employees according to their work and performance.
• Huang Xueli and Wang Xiaoliang argued over who would pay for the celebratory meal, then Wang Xiaoliang ordered every dish on the menu.

After learning that his supermarket profits and salary had brought his balance above 51,000 yuan, Wang Xiaoliang celebrated the news with Wei Zijin and dreamed about their future. Reading the Book of Fate afterward, he worried that its warning about danger facing someone beloved by many people referred to Wei Zijin, whose videos had recently made her famous.

• Wang Xiaoliang saw a bank notification confirming a deposit of 7,309 yuan and a balance of 51,052.50 yuan.
• Wang Xiaoliang sent Wei Zijin a screenshot of his balance, and she praised him, urged him to buy gifts for his parents, and told him to save for a car and a place together.
• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang that someone had recognized her on the street and asked for her autograph, then reassured him that she loved only him.
• Wang Xiaoliang calculated that his supermarket income might exceed 200,000 yuan a year and could not fall asleep from excitement.
• Wang Xiaoliang read the Book of Fate's warning that those beloved by many enjoyed flourishing fortune but faced nearby danger, and suspected it referred to Wei Zijin.
• Wang Xiaoliang realized Wei Zijin's viral fame could make her beloved by the public and abruptly sat up, alarmed by the warning.

Wang Xiaoliang inspected his stores, discussed bonuses with the managers, and confronted Store Three’s staffing problems. He dismissed Liang Yanni from the store and learned that Sun Ting needed ten days off to return to her hometown for a family matter.

• Wang Xiaoliang visited all three stores, noting the employees’ different attitudes and hearing that Liang Yanni had skipped work without asking for leave.
• Wang Xiaoliang called Wei Zijin, told her to keep her distance from people who might be interested in her, and failed to convince her that he was serious.
• Wang Xiaoliang invited Li Fengxia, Sun Ting, and Li Fengying to lunch and said the store managers would decide how to distribute employee bonuses.
• Li Fengying told Wang Xiaoliang that Liang Yanni skipped work and undermined her authority, while Li Fengxia tried to stop her from complaining.
• Wang Xiaoliang called Liang Yanni twice, got no answer, and told Li Fengying to replace her with another part-timer.
• Sun Ting asked Wang Xiaoliang for ten days off to return to her hometown because something had happened at home.

Wang Xiaoliang returned to Wei Zijin's apartment with food, but found her waiting in a furious, icy mood. She showed him a video from an interview, and he saw Liang Yanni on the screen.

• After finishing his business with a supplier, Wang Xiaoliang bought Wei Zijin's favorite foods and drinks on his way to her apartment.
• Wang Xiaoliang found Wei Zijin sitting in the dark and tried to comfort her, but she slapped his hand away and told him to look at her phone.
• Wei Zijin showed Wang Xiaoliang an interview video and demanded that he watch it before they discussed their relationship.
• Wang Xiaoliang played the video and recognized the woman being interviewed as Liang Yanni.

Liang Yanni recounted how she fought her father and poverty to reach university, where her ambitions and her boyfriend’s plans diverged until they broke up. Wang Xiaoliang realized that her account explained why Old Third had once spent three days in bed without eating or drinking.

• Liang Yanni described how she overcame her father’s opposition to attend school and eventually earned admission to Jiangcheng University.
• Liang Yanni and her boyfriend worked while studying, but she felt out of place among wealthier students and grew determined to stay away from her hometown.
• Liang Yanni and her boyfriend disagreed about returning home after graduation, and she asked to break up.
• Liang Yanni said she agreed to have a meal with a local man, and her ex caught them, leading to a terrible fight.
• Wang Xiaoliang remembered that Old Third had gone without food or drink for three days after that fight.

Liang Yanni recounted how an exploitative second boyfriend and a brutal job hunt led her to meet Wang Xiaoliang, whose courage and business success won her over. As his name appeared on her phone during the interview, she declined his repeated calls while looking provocatively at Wei Zijin.

• Liang Yanni described how her second boyfriend used false promises to sleep with her and then disappeared, leaving her to struggle through job hunting and consider postgraduate study.
• Liang Yanni condemned gender discrimination in hiring and family traditions that favored men, then explained how she worked at an internet café while preparing for entrance exams.
• With only ten yuan left after the internet café owner fled without paying her, Liang Yanni found work at a supermarket and met its manager, a fellow Jiang University alumnus.
• Liang Yanni said the manager took over the internet café's supply business from Fat Pig and later secured operating rights to three Jiang University supermarkets, asking her to help run them.
• Liang Yanni said she and the manager became a couple and built a thriving business together, abandoning her plans for postgraduate study.
• Wang Xiaoliang called Liang Yanni twice during the interview, and she declined both calls while showing his name to Wei Zijin and the camera.

After a video enraged Wang Xiaoliang and made Wei Zijin doubt him, he confronted Liang Yanni by phone and their argument escalated into threats. Wei Zijin apologized and comforted him, leaving Wang Xiaoliang exhausted but reassured that she was beside him.

• Wang Xiaoliang angrily called Liang Yanni after Wei Zijin confronted him about the video.
• Liang Yanni mocked Zhou Tao and insisted his death had nothing to do with her, while Wang Xiaoliang condemned how she had treated him.
• Liang Yanni accused Wang Xiaoliang of distancing himself from her and erupted over being looked down on for coming from the countryside.
• Wang Xiaoliang warned Liang Yanni to stay away and threatened her if she harassed his wife, but Liang Yanni defied him before ending the call.
• Wei Zijin hugged Wang Xiaoliang, apologized for doubting him, and urged him not to stay angry; he held her hand and said he was upset because he had lost the argument.

Wang Xiaoliang told Wei Zijin how Zhou Tao became consumed by his relationship with Liang Yanni and, alongside his roommates, sank into gaming. He recounted how Zhou Tao jumped to his death in front of him, leaving Wei Zijin shaken as the story ended.

• Wang Xiaoliang recalled that Zhou Tao had loved Liang Yanni since high school and poured his savings into her.
• After Liang Yanni wanted to break up, Zhou Tao got drunk and grieved while his roommates tried to comfort him.
• Wang Xiaoliang, Zhou Tao, and their roommates became hooked on gaming, while Zhou Tao continued spending money on Liang Yanni.
• After Zhou Tao saw Liang Yanni with another man, he withdrew for three days, and his roommates forcibly got him out of bed.
• Wang Xiaoliang described returning to the dorm one night and watching Zhou Tao climb onto the window and jump to his death.

Wang Xiaoliang told Wei Zijin about his university friends’ tragedies and how they drove him to change his life. They reconciled over the misunderstanding involving Liang Yanni, then Wei insisted they share every grievance before the day ended.

• Wang Xiaoliang described how Old Third’s suicide shattered their dorm, leaving Fourth Brother mentally ill and their eldest roommate missing.
• Wang Xiaoliang explained that thinking of his parents pushed him to change, study, earn money, and build a friendship with Liu Xinyu.
• Wei Zijin admitted she had interviewed Liang Yanni despite recognizing her, partly because she expected the story to go viral.
• Wei Zijin confessed she had felt jealous and panicked when Liang Yanni’s story implicated Wang Xiaoliang, while still wanting to believe his explanation.
• Wei Zijin asked Wang Xiaoliang to tell her what he disliked about her, insisting they discuss everything openly that day.

Wang Xiaoliang asked Wei Zijin why she had deliberately kept him waiting on their first date, and she explained that she wanted to hear the dorm matron call for her over the loudspeaker. He then asked whether she agreed with Zeng Haiyan that he was not good enough for her.

• Wang Xiaoliang confronted Wei Zijin about making him wait outside her dorm on their first date.
• Wei Zijin admitted she had ignored his calls because she wanted him to ask the dorm matron to call her over the loudspeaker, as she had long wished to experience that romantic gesture.
• Wei Zijin explained that she had lied about having a boyfriend to attend Chen Xiaoying's dorm dinner and had chosen Wang Xiaoliang because she had liked him for four years.
• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang she had planned to confess her feelings if he got the matron to call her, and said she had become indecisive about whether to break up with him.
• Wang Xiaoliang asked Wei Zijin whether she thought he was unworthy of her and whether she had ever defended him when Zeng Haiyan said so.

Wei Zijin explained that she had hidden Wang Xiaoliang’s good qualities to protect their relationship, and the two reconciled and planned a day together. Their plans fell through when Wang Xiaoliang remembered he had to cover for the manager of Store Two, who was taking leave.

• Wei Zijin told Wang Xiaoliang that Lanxiang had taught her to keep Zhou Qiang’s strengths private, and she explained that she had likewise avoided telling Haiyan about Wang Xiaoliang’s qualities.
• Wei Zijin said Wang Xiaoliang’s hard work made her feel secure and admitted she feared Haiyan might fall for him; Wang Xiaoliang agreed to keep his distance from other women and fans.
• Wei Zijin suggested they take the next day off to look at cars, see a movie, and share a meal, then proposed moving in together after they bought a car.
• Wang Xiaoliang prepared to ask Kong Xiuyun for leave but remembered he had to cover for the manager of Store Two, who was taking ten days off.

Wang Xiaoliang managed Store Two smoothly until inspections and a labor complaint disrupted his routine. He went with Kong Xiuyun to the Labor Supervision Brigade, where they found Liang Yanni waiting for them.

• Wang Xiaoliang ran Store Two efficiently and kept up affectionate messages with Wei Zijin.
• Market Supervision and Administration Bureau officers inspected the campus supermarkets, found only minor hygiene, labeling, and fire-escape issues, and left.
• Wang Xiaoliang learned that Liang Yanni had filed a complaint accusing him of unfair dismissal, withheld wages, and failing to provide social insurance.
• Kong Xiuyun reassured Wang Xiaoliang and drove him to the Labor Supervision Brigade to address the complaint.
• Wang Xiaoliang and Kong Xiuyun entered Mediation Room One and found Liang Yanni sitting there with a smug, provocative smile.

At a mediation hearing, Kong Xiuyun produced evidence that Liang Yanni had received her wages and that the supermarket had prepared to promote her, sign a contract, and provide social insurance. Liang Yanni admitted her complaint was a misunderstanding, and Wang Xiaoliang asked what consequences she could face for making false accusations and damaging the company's reputation.

• The mediator confirmed that Liang Yanni had worked at Jiangchuang Student Budget Supermarket and asked whether her wages had been withheld.
• Kong Xiuyun submitted a signed receipt for Liang Yanni's 600-yuan holiday bonus and a bank transfer record showing her wages had been paid.
• Kong Xiuyun presented call records showing Liang Yanni had ignored more than twenty calls during three days of unexplained absence, along with a prepared employment contract and social insurance records for the staff.
• The mediator reviewed the evidence and asked Liang Yanni whether she objected, and she called the complaint a misunderstanding.
• Kong Xiuyun told Liang Yanni to pursue Wang Xiaoliang openly instead of using underhanded tactics, and Liang Yanni apologized and blamed her broken phone.
• Wang Xiaoliang asked the mediator what consequences Liang Yanni could face for malicious false accusations and harming the company's business reputation.

Wang Xiaoliang prepared to report Liang Yanni for her false accusations, but Kong Xiuyun persuaded him to accept a signed written pledge instead. As they drove back, Kong explained how careful business practices had protected the supermarket, then revealed she knew Wang Xiaoliang's girlfriend was a big star.

• The mediator explained that Wang Xiaoliang could seek criminal or civil action, and Wang decided to go to the police with Kong Xiuyun.
• Liang Yanni chased after Wang Xiaoliang and begged him not to report her, but he said he would not tolerate her harassment of his wife.
• Kong Xiuyun proposed that Liang Yanni write a pledge admitting her false accusations and promising not to harass Wang or defame the supermarket again.
• Liang Yanni wrote and signed the pledge, then pressed her fingerprint onto it before Wang Xiaoliang and Kong Xiuyun left the office.
• On the drive back, Wang Xiaoliang praised Kong Xiuyun for preparing the paperwork, and she explained that honest, careful business practices had left the supermarket with nothing to fear.
• Kong Xiuyun told Wang Xiaoliang that she knew Liang Yanni was not his girlfriend and that his girlfriend was a big star.

Wang Xiaoliang reflected on how his pity for Liang Yanni had blinded him to her character and resolved to judge people more carefully. He told Wei Zijin about Liang Yanni’s failed scheme and asked her not to post a video about her.

• Wang Xiaoliang realized he had helped Liang Yanni because she reminded him of Old Third, and that he had ignored signs of her character.
• Wang Xiaoliang recalled how Liang Yanni had accepted expensive gifts after breaking up with Old Third and talked her way out of blame when he confronted her.
• Wang Xiaoliang recognized that Kong Xiuyun’s careful records had protected the company from serious losses and resolved to use the Book of Fate’s ability to read people more carefully.
• Wang Xiaoliang called Wei Zijin after work and recounted Liang Yanni’s failed attempt to harm him and the supermarket.
• Wei Zijin warned Wang Xiaoliang that Liang Yanni might seek revenge, and he asked Wei Zijin not to post her video about Liang Yanni.

Wang Xiaoliang was approached by Tian Jiayi, the student he had rescued after a delivery rider struck her outside the Library. After thanking him and explaining how close she had come to dying, Tian Jiayi added him on WeChat so she could treat him to a meal.

• Tian Jiayi recognized Wang Xiaoliang at the supermarket checkout, but he was too busy to speak with her and she left after paying.
• Tian Jiayi returned during a quiet period and thanked Wang Xiaoliang for saving her life.
• Tian Jiayi explained that only three people had helped at the accident scene and that her parents had already arranged to thank the other two.
• Wang Xiaoliang asked about the delivery rider, and Tian Jiayi said her parents had not made things difficult for him because his company’s insurance covered her medical expenses.
• Tian Jiayi introduced herself, insisted on treating Wang Xiaoliang to a meal, and added him on WeChat.