Chapter Summaries

Su Can learned about Pei Fengshan’s financing methods and met several of his business associates, including Luo Zhiyi. After gaining their attention, Su Can asked them to help rig the bidding at Zhan Hua’s auction, leaving them stunned by his audacity.

• Pei Fengshan explained how private lenders used individual borrowers, collateral, and upfront fees to work around restrictions on company-to-company lending.
• Pei Fengshan introduced Su Can to his financing associates, and Director Wang recognized Su Can from his earlier deal with Fan Zhiliang over Saisi Camera advertising.
• Su Can revealed that he ran a fashion magazine, impressing Pei Fengshan and surprising Luo Zhiyi, who then warmly shared business advice with him.
• Zhang Yue’s friends recognized Luo Zhiyi and wondered about Su Can’s identity after seeing him socialize with prominent business figures.
• Su Can asked Pei Fengshan, Director Wang, President Zhang, and Luo Zhiyi to help rig the bidding at Zhan Hua’s auction, and they reacted with shock.

Su Can secured Pei Fengshan and several financiers’ backing for a bid-rigging plan targeting Zhan Hua’s auction, agreeing to their terms and offering his home as collateral. Afterward, he ran into Lele and joined her group, where he greeted Zhang Yue.

• Su Can proposed pooling funds to rig Zhan Hua’s auction, and Pei Fengshan agreed to lend money at three percent monthly interest, with a higher penalty rate and a two-month term.
• Luo Zhiyi, President Zhang, and Director Wang agreed to participate, while Su Can kept the auction item confidential.
• Pei Fengshan and the others accepted Su Can’s home as collateral, and Su Can felt relieved that he had secured the funds needed to guarantee his bid.
• On his way back from the restroom, Su Can met Lele, who explained that her friends had bet she could persuade him to join them.
• Lele brought Su Can to her table, where he introduced himself and greeted Zhang Yue.

Su Can joined Zhang Yue's group, where He Shile showed interest in him and Gao Lan warned her that he might be dangerous. After the gathering was disrupted by Wei Ding Ding's men, Su Can realized he had been cornered.

• Zhang Yue introduced Su Can to his friends, and He Shile took his side when Gao Lan pressed him to drink.
• The group discussed Luo Zhiyi, and Su Can said he had only just met him.
• Gao Lan challenged He Shile about how much money it would take to spend a night with someone, and Zhang Yue asked whether Su Can would leave his girlfriend for a hundred million yuan; Su Can said he was not short of money.
• In the restroom, Gao Lan warned He Shile to be cautious around Su Can, and He Shile decided to lose interest in him.
• He Shile and Gao Lan returned to find unfamiliar young men around the booth, while Su Can spotted Wei Ding Ding watching from nearby and realized he had been cornered.

Zheng Mingchuan confronted Su Can at the Clubhouse and demanded that he either fight one of his men or cut ties with Lin Luoran. Su Can attacked Zheng Mingchuan, and Pei Fengshan’s men intervened before the conflict could escalate further; Zhang Yue’s parents then arrived and focused their attention on Su Can.

• Zheng Mingchuan and his friends surrounded Su Can’s table at the Clubhouse, and Zheng Mingchuan demanded that Su Can choose between a fight and ending contact with Lin Luoran.
• Su Can chose to fight Zheng Mingchuan and knocked him across the teahouse with a body-first tackle.
• Zheng Mingchuan ordered his friends to attack Su Can, but Pei Fengshan stepped in and called Wang Ya and the company’s Asset Protection Department.
• Wang Ya arrived with several men, and Zheng Mingchuan’s group recognized him and left the Clubhouse.
• Pei Fengshan and the other guests said goodbye to Su Can, while Luo Zhiyi praised his attack on Zheng Mingchuan.
• Zhang Yue’s parents arrived, saw his swollen cheek, and Zhang’s Father fixed his gaze on Su Can.

Su Can argued with Zhang Yue’s parents after Zhang Yue was hurt in a fight, and Zhang Yue revealed that Su Can was his future brother-in-law. Tang Wu reassured Su Can that she would stand by him, while Zhan Hua prepared to auction a dinner with himself in Shanghai.

• Zhang Yue’s parents, Zhang Taolue and Yang Yinghua, confronted Su Can, but Su Can defended himself and refused their attempt to dictate his relationship with their family.
• Zhang Yue told his friends that Su Can was his future brother-in-law before leaving with his parents.
• Su Can and Tang Wu exchanged messages, and Tang Wu told him she would not like anyone who disliked him.
• Zhan Hua called Ye Shuiquan and confirmed that the Zhongshan Charity Association would auction a dinner with him.

Su Can watched Facebook grow while navigating college life and used Fashion Magazine’s Bentley cover to boost its sales and advertising. As Zhan Hua’s charity auction drew near, a group led by Pei Fengshan secured all one hundred places with thirty million in deposits, completing Su Can’s force for the auction.

• Zhang Xiaoqiao saw Ye Huishang teasing Su Can through Facebook and learned that Su Can expected online social networking to become mainstream, though China would need a different approach.
• During a late-night dorm conversation, Zhang Xiaoqiao revealed that his cousin had died in a work accident, prompting the students to wonder what their futures would hold; Su Can said he did not know what he planned to do.
• Fashion Magazine’s second issue featured Su Can’s Bentley on its cover, lifting sales by thirty percent and winning new advertisers, while Fan Zhiliang refused to honor his contract.
• Su Can told Lin Guangdong that he would spend more to grow the magazine as attention shifted from the Bentley to Zhan Hua’s planned charity auction.
• Pei Fengshan and the heads of four investment companies brought thirty million in deposits, filling all one hundred places at Zhan Hua’s auction and completing Su Can’s bid-rigging army.

Su Can and Lin Guangdong attended Zhan Hua’s charity auction, where Su Can hoped to secure control of the bidding for Zhan Hua’s three-hour private dinner. The crowded venue raised doubts about their plan, and Su Can unexpectedly ran into Ning Dong, Pang Yiran, He Guoke, and Tang Wu’s cousin Mu Kaizhu.

• Lin Guangdong told Su Can that Pineapple Media’s second magazine issue had sold much better, while Xiao Zhaoxu had gone silent about his stake in the fashion magazine.
• Su Can said he was willing to confront Xiao Zhaoxu if necessary and argued that a growing business had to be prepared to make enemies.
• Su Can and Lin Guangdong arrived at the Weian International Club and saw a large crowd of reporters, bidders, and luxury-car owners gathering for the auction.
• Su Can worried that the turnout meant more competition than expected, despite his allies having secured one hundred of the roughly 150 registration slots.
• Su Can recognized Ning Dong and Pang Yiran at the conference hall, then noticed He Guoke and Tang Wu’s cousin Mu Kaizhu with them.

Su Can attended Zhan Hua’s auction with Pei Fengshan’s support, intending to win three hours over dinner with the financier. After unexpected bidders drove the price upward, Su Can made a one-million-yuan bid and won the dinner.

• Su Can reunited with Ning Dong, Pang Yiran, Mu Kaizhu, and Qian Yu before entering the auction with Lin Guangdong.
• Pei Fengshan told Su Can that his group had secured a hundred places to ensure he won, while warning him not to reveal their arrangement over dinner.
• Qian Yu won the British woodcarving for eighty thousand yuan before Zhan Hua announced that dinner would accompany the auction of a Qianlong imperial edict.
• Luo Zhiyi and Lin Guangdong opened the bidding, but other bidders pushed the price to six hundred thousand yuan.
• Su Can raised the bid to one million yuan, and the auctioneer declared him the winner amid applause.

Su Can won Zhan Hua’s dinner auction for one million yuan, securing a chance to meet with him while also buying a Qianlong Imperial Edict. After the auction, Zhan Hua recognized the bidding contest and ordered his executives to prepare for contact with Su Can’s company, while Su Can judged the outcome a narrow victory.

• Gu Xilai explained that Zhan Hua had used the edict and the dinner auction to attract knowledgeable bidders and build a high price, but he had not expected Su Can’s carefully planned bid.
• Zhan Hua handed Su Can the bidding certificate and congratulated him on winning three hours over dinner.
• Zhan Hua’s planted bidder complained that he had been stopped from raising the price, and Zhan Hua told Ye Shuiquan to arrange a meeting with his company’s departments.
• Pei Fengshan congratulated Su Can and Lin Guangdong before leaving, while Qian Yu and Mu Kaizhu departed after completing their auction paperwork.
• Lin Guangdong called the result a resounding victory, but Su Can said it was only a narrow victory and showed him the Qianlong Imperial Edict.
• Su Can and Lin Guangdong left the club with the edict and drove away.

Su Can explained how he controlled the auction and why his three-hour lunch with Zhan Hua could benefit both his investments and Pineapple Media. He and Lin Guangdong discussed expanding the company and building it into an enduring enterprise through systems and corporate culture.

• Su Can told Lin Guangdong that he had used private capital to rig the auction and explained how publicity around his lunch with Zhan Hua could attract investors to his projects.
• Lin Guangdong proposed selling Campus Consumption Magazine after Fashion Culture became established and increasing Pineapple Media's staff from thirty-two to forty-five.
• Su Can approved the hiring and said Pineapple Media needed to improve its employees' skills and begin building corporate culture.
• Su Can explained that lasting enterprises depended on culture as well as talent and systems, and Lin Guangdong agreed they should reform gradually as the company grew.
• Su Can resolved to build a company that could keep operating beyond the advantages of his rebirth.

Su Can explained why he was not investing in Shanda despite believing Legend and Chen Overpass had enormous potential, since he was focused on his own ventures and wanted to build a future online carnival of his own. After returning to Nanjing University, he sent Lin Guangdong to park the Bentley at his new Shanghai home, while Lin received a stream of calls from people seeking information about Su Can’s auction win.

• Su Can told Lin Guangdong how Chen Overpass had rescued Legend and predicted that Shanda would become a major internet entertainment company.
• Lin Guangdong asked why Su Can would not invest in Shanda, and Su Can said his resources were committed to his own businesses and his vision for an online carnival.
• Su Can and Lin Guangdong ate at Starbucks and discussed the publicity surrounding Su Can’s win of a dinner with Zhan Hua.
• Su Can gave Lin Guangdong the address of his Shanghai home and asked him to park the Bentley there and arrange a parking pass.
• Lin Guangdong parked the Bentley at Manhattan First Residence, then received more than twenty calls from contacts seeking details about Su Can’s auction win.

Su Can put away the Imperial Edict he had won at auction, then waited outside Teaching Building 3 for Tang Wu, thinking about how his business achievements would reach her family. Tang Wu joined him after class, and their reunion was interrupted by Lin Luoran announcing her arrival at the university.

• Su Can stored the Imperial Edict in his dorm wardrobe and went to Teaching Building 3 to wait for Tang Wu.
• Su Can reflected that his dinner with Zhan Hua and his ownership of Fashion Culture would demonstrate his capabilities to Tang Wu's family.
• Qian Zhongyuan and his friends saw Su Can and Tang Wu outside the building but left without confronting them.
• Tang Wu came out of class, recalled her parents' growing admiration for Su Can, and greeted him beneath the plane tree.
• Lin Luoran texted Su Can that she had arrived at the university and ordered him and Tang Wu to welcome her.

Lin Luoran visited Su Can and Tang Wu at Nanjing University before flying to Beijing, where she planned to see Wang Weiwei. As they talked and strolled around campus, she revealed why she had cut ties with Wei Ding Ding, and Su Can hinted that he might soon dine with Zhan Hua.

• Lin Luoran met Su Can and Tang Wu for barbecue after arriving from Shanghai, and said she was leaving that night for Beijing to visit Wang Weiwei.
• Lin Luoran told Su Can and Tang Wu that she had cut ties with Wei Ding Ding after learning he had helped start the trouble with Zheng Mingchuan.
• Lin Luoran apologized to Su Can for the incident at the Holy Land Clubhouse, and Su Can explained that he had struck Zheng Mingchuan after Zheng spoke offensively.
• Su Can, Tang Wu, and Lin Luoran walked around Nanjing University together, where Lin Luoran teased Su Can about the man on a magazine cover.
• When Lin Luoran mentioned that Zhan Hua was auctioning off dinner with him, Su Can said he might be having dinner with Zhan Hua soon, surprising both girls.

After seeing Lin Luoran off, Su Can explained to Tang Wu how publicity could help his magazine while warning that sound fundamentals mattered more than hype. He revealed that he hoped to become an angel investor supporting Chinese entrepreneurs, then returned to student life as Zhan Hua’s dinner auction stirred industry-wide discussion.

• Su Can and Tang Wu saw Lin Luoran off to the airport, where Lin Luoran praised Su Can and urged him to keep succeeding.
• Tang Wu questioned whether winning a dinner with Zhan Hua would benefit the magazine, and Su Can explained how targeted publicity could build its brand while strong content and management remained essential.
• Su Can told Tang Wu that private companies struggled to raise capital and described his plan to pursue angel investing to support promising entrepreneurs.
• Su Can teased Tang Wu about joining him in business and called her his future wife, and they returned to her dormitory holding hands.
• Zhan Hua’s auction of three hours over dinner became a major industry talking point, while Su Can focused on his studies at Nanjing University.

Su Can used his winning bid for a dinner with Zhan Hua to bring his business managers together in Shanghai and prepare for a meeting with Zhan Hua’s investment team. He met Lin Guangdong, Jiang Ming, and Chen Kerry at Nanjing University while balancing the preparations against his approaching exams.

• Su Can read news coverage of the auction and judged that the dinner with Zhan Hua could raise the magazine’s profile but could not replace substantive work.
• Su Can called Wang Yue, Zhao Mingnong, and Lin Guangdong to arrange for key managers to come to Shanghai on the seventh and prepare proposals for the meeting.
• Lin Guangdong, Jiang Ming, and Chen Kerry arrived in Shanghai and arranged a reception room and conference plans at the Shangri-La Hotel.
• Su Can exchanged text messages with Tang Wu, who asked him to let her know when he returned.
• Lin Guangdong brought Jiang Ming and Chen Kerry to Nanjing University, where Su Can met them at a student restaurant and assessed the magazine’s editor-in-chief.

Su Can rejected Chen Kerry’s request to reinvest new funds in magazine circulation, but Chen Kerry proposed raising the magazine’s price and declared his own distribution plan. Later, Su Can left a lecture to travel to Shanghai for dinner with Zhan Hua, where Lecturer Li Changlong publicly challenged him as he exited.

• Chen Kerry urged Su Can to invest more in the magazine’s distribution, but Su Can refused to divert funds from his other businesses.
• Chen Kerry announced that he would raise the magazine’s price from ten yuan to twelve and expand distribution, treating Su Can’s silence as consent.
• At a Nanjing University lecture, Cheng Congcong joked with Ruan Si'ou and Tong Tong about pursuing Lecturer Li Changlong and possibly taking Su Can as a meal ticket.
• Su Can packed his books and left class to join his managers in Shanghai for his dinner with Zhan Hua.
• Li Changlong called out Su Can for leaving class again and asked whether Su Can objected to his teaching.

Su Can tried to leave Li Changlong’s lecture but was publicly rebuked for skipping class, then challenged Li’s claims about education and success. After arguing that students should pursue knowledge rather than wealth and status, Su Can slipped away, leaving the lecture hall buzzing.

• Li Changlong stopped Su Can from leaving and scolded him before the class for neglecting his studies.
• Su Can objected that Li’s former classmates seemed grateful chiefly for the wealth and status their education had brought them.
• When Su Can asked about students’ daily schedules, Tang Wu stood and described her packed routine of lectures and study.
• Su Can criticized an education system focused on grades, credits, prestigious jobs, and social approval rather than genuine learning.
• Su Can apologized for leaving, promised to make up the material in the study room, and slipped out while the class erupted behind him.

Su Can gathered his managers at a Shanghai hotel to prepare for his high-profile dinner with Zhan Hua, while their teams made arrangements for the meeting. The chapter ended as Su Can sat down with Zhan Hua, who asked after Xu Zheng.

• Lin Guangdong drove Su Can to the hotel and told him that Zhao Mingnong, Wang Yue, Ren Ying, and Wang Feng had arrived.
• Su Can met with his managers, and Wang Yue reviewed the dinner arrangements while Zhao Mingnong and Chen Kerry bickered.
• Wang Yue explained that Su Can and Zhan Hua would dine alone while their teams met separately, and Su Can learned that the restaurant had drawn a crowd of onlookers.
• Zhan Hua arrived early with seven members of his team, and his staff guided Su Can into the main dining area.
• Zhan Hua greeted Su Can and asked how Xu Zheng was doing.

Su Can met Zhan Hua privately and learned that Zhan Hua had uncovered how Su Can’s family and Old Master Xu helped set the stage for the auction. Su Can rejected the idea of relying on family connections for an easy investment and remained determined to earn his place himself.

• Zhan Hua asked Su Can about Xu Zheng’s health, and Su Can said the old master was recovering.
• Pei Fengshan and Luo Zhiyi secretly watched the dinner, worried that Zhan Hua might retaliate over their role in disrupting his auction.
• Zhan Hua showed Su Can a file of his student records and explained that his intelligence department had investigated who engineered the auction.
• Zhan Hua recalled that Old Master Xu and Su Licheng had encouraged the auction idea, then realized they had helped lay the groundwork for Su Can’s plan.
• Su Can reflected that he did not want Zhan Hua to invest or stage the auction merely because of his family ties, and resolved to make his own way.

Su Can met Zhan Hua over dinner, won his offer of potential investment and business support, and presented him with Facebook’s venture capital letter of intent. Zhan Hua agreed to consider it, while Fashion Culture gained widespread attention after the dinner.

• Zhan Hua offered Su Can investment and advice for Fashion Culture, while warning that the magazine needed stronger content and distribution.
• Su Can gave Zhan Hua Facebook’s venture capital letter of intent, surprising him by revealing that he had founded an overseas company.
• Zhan Hua ended the dinner by agreeing to consider the proposal, and his team shared business knowledge with Su Can’s colleagues.
• Guests at the Avant-Garde Lounge discussed Su Can and speculated that Zhan Hua might invest in Fashion Culture.
• Pei Fengshan and Luo Zhiyi left, concluding that Su Can had benefited most from the affair as word about Fashion Culture spread through Shanghai’s social circles.