Chapter Summaries

Su Can met Song Zhen during his flight to San Francisco, where their conversation and growing familiarity caught Liu Ming’s attention. After Song Zhen gave Su Can her contact information at the airport, she learned he had not been traveling alone after all, as Mark Zuckerberg and Michael Wolf came to greet him.

• Su Can introduced himself to Song Zhen, who explained that Liu Ming was the son of an engineer at her family’s company and said Liu was not a bad person despite being annoying.
• Song Zhen asked Su Can about his trip to the United States, and they said farewell after landing in San Francisco.
• Song Zhen woke with her head on Su Can’s shoulder, prompting Liu Ming to stare in dismay.
• Song Zhen’s Uncle Wang and two bodyguards met her at the airport, and she gave Su Can her contact information before he left.
• Song Zhen teased Su Can about traveling alone, but Mark Zuckerberg called out to him as Michael Wolf and his bodyguards arrived to welcome him.

Su Can and Mark Zuckerberg reunited with Michael Wolfe at San Francisco airport and flew with him to New York State aboard Viacom’s Gulfstream V. In the air, Michael presented two proposals for Viacom to invest in or acquire Facebook, leaving Su Can and Zack to consider the company’s future.

• Zack introduced Su Can to Michael Wolfe, who invited them to travel to New York State on Viacom’s private jet.
• Su Can boarded the Gulfstream V with Zack and Michael while Song Zhen and Liu Ming watched from the airport.
• Aboard the jet, Michael praised its luxury and tried to impress the young Facebook founders with the prospect of owning a similar plane.
• Michael offered to buy ten percent of Facebook for twenty million dollars or acquire the company for up to one and a half billion dollars under specified terms.
• Su Can and Zack listened to Michael’s proposals as Viacom executives awaited news of the meeting at headquarters.

Su Can and Zack rejected Viacom's $1.5 billion offer to buy Facebook and chose to discuss a $20 million investment instead. Michael Wolfe left without the result Viacom wanted as Su Can and Zack reunited with Zack's parents in Westchester.

• Michael Wolfe offered Su Can and Zack $1.5 billion for Facebook aboard Viacom's Gulfstream V.
• Su Can asked Zack what he thought, and Zack revealed that he valued the venture and its ideals more than the acquisition money.
• Michael Wolfe imposed a three-hour deadline and left Su Can and Zack to discuss the proposal.
• Su Can and Zack told Michael Wolfe they would not sell Facebook and wanted to discuss the $20 million investment.
• The Gulfstream V landed in Westchester, and Michael Wolfe canceled the planned media interview after Viacom's acquisition attempt failed.
• Su Can and Zack met Zack's parents near the private terminal while Michael Wolfe watched from his limousine.

Su Can joined Zack at Facebook’s Palo Alto headquarters, helped the team resolve proposals, and signed a shareholder confirmation before they pursued financing. After days of investor offers and lavish events, a yacht meeting with SUN founder Mike ended with Zack asking whether anything was priceless.

• Su Can rejected Facebook’s history-viewing feature over privacy concerns, approved its status feature, and won the employees’ respect by clearing the black box proposals.
• Su Can signed documents confirming that he and Mark Zuckerberg held 45 percent and 55 percent of Facebook’s authorized ten million shares, respectively.
• Katherine made a drunken pass at Su Can during the team’s party, but he declined her advances.
• Su Can and Zack attended investor meetings and banquets as Facebook sought funding, while companies tried to buy the startup or win its founders over.
• SUN founder Mike invited Su Can and Zack onto his yacht and served them koala meat, which Zack later vomited up beside the highway.
• Zack asked Su Can whether anything was priceless, and Su Can said some things were worth cherishing before they broke.

While Su Can was away in the United States, his friends gathered in Rongcheng and Zhang Feifei explained that she would only consider a wealthy partner. In Palo Alto, Su Can confronted Sean Parker over Zhan Hua’s effort to steer Facebook toward the Red Leaf Fund, and he refused to accept the proposed twenty-million-dollar investment for ten percent.

• Su Can’s friends gathered at Soho in Rongcheng and complained that he had disappeared, while Zhuang Zhiyu encouraged Xue Yiyang to approach Zhang Feifei.
• Zhang Feifei said she wanted a partner with substantial wealth and asked whether Xue Yiyang had ten million.
• Zack introduced Sean Parker to Su Can and said Sean had arranged a Red Leaf Fund offer of twenty million dollars for ten percent of Facebook.
• Sean argued that Viacom’s offer was bait for an acquisition and urged Su Can to accept the Red Leaf Fund’s terms.
• Su Can accused Sean and Zhan Hua of bypassing him and using him to keep Zack from other investors, then insisted on his earlier proposal of sixteen million dollars for five percent.
• Sean said he would pass Su Can’s position along and left after wishing him luck.

As Facebook’s rising valuation draws more investors, Su Can begins attending selected meetings with Zack while facing doubt from the company’s core team. At a Fairmont Hotel reception hosted by Donald Graham, Song Zhen clashes with Lucy and is rebuked by her aunt Diana before unexpectedly encountering Su Can.

• Venture capitalists and corporations compete more intensely to invest in Facebook as its valuation rises.
• Su Can attends selected gatherings with Zack, though Sean doubts his efforts and undermines him afterward.
• Song Zhen arrives at the Fairmont Hotel reception and ends a call from Liu Ming.
• Lucy criticizes Song Zhen’s appearance and behavior, and Diana tells her not to embarrass the family.
• Su Can appears behind Song Zhen, questions her strained relationship with Diana, and catches her by surprise.

At The Washington Post Company’s gathering, Su Can explained to Zack why he favored steady financing over venture capital and why he intended to resist Zhan Hua’s influence over Facebook. Donald Graham introduced Su Can and Mark Zuckerberg as Facebook’s founders, and Song Zhen realized the young man she had met on the flight was one of them.

• Song Zhen politely declined to discuss her family with Su Can, then left for the gathering after remarking on his casual clothes.
• Zack asked Su Can about Tang Wu and questioned accepting The Washington Post Company’s invitation, and Su Can argued that its steady approach suited Facebook better than venture capital.
• Su Can reflected that Zhan Hua’s involvement with Sean Parker threatened his control of Facebook, while Zack considered the risks and agreed to try Su Can’s approach.
• Donald introduced Su Can and Mark Zuckerberg to the gathering as Facebook’s founders, drawing the attention of the assembled guests.
• Song Zhen recognized Su Can as a Facebook founder and realized that the young man she had met on their flight had helped create the popular social network.

Su Can and Mark Zuckerberg negotiated Facebook's first major investment with Donald of The Washington Post Company, while Song Zhen unexpectedly reconnected with Su Can at a gathering. Su Can accepted Donald's offer after asking Song Zhen for her opinion, leaving her realizing his intervention might change her life.

• Donald introduced Su Can and Mark Zuckerberg to business elites and explained Facebook's appeal to marketers and college students.
• Su Can offered Donald a five-percent stake in Facebook along with a seat on its five-member board, and Donald considered the proposal.
• Song Zhen accidentally dropped a glass, then greeted Su Can and offered to personally guide him around the United States.
• Donald offered thirteen million dollars for a five-percent stake in Facebook, subject to the company's rights being guaranteed.
• Su Can asked Song Zhen what she thought of Donald's offer, then accepted it after she said it seemed good.

Su Can and Zack accepted The Washington Post Company's $15.7 million investment, valuing Facebook at about $318 million. Zack was troubled because he had promised Sean Parker, so Su Can urged him to call Sean and make his own choice.

• Donald visited Facebook's Palo Alto apartment headquarters, listened to the founders' presentation, and impressed the employees with his interest in their plans.
• Su Can told Zack to put Facebook's growth and the team's interests ahead of his promise to Sean Parker and the Red Leaf Fund.
• At the Village Pub, Su Can negotiated with Donald, who agreed to invest $15.7 million in Facebook at a valuation of about $318 million.
• Su Can and Zack signed the agreement, but Zack later went to the restroom and cried because he felt guilty about breaking his word to Sean.
• Su Can sat with Zack and urged him to call Sean and ask what he thought, assuring Zack that he respected his choice.

Sean Parker advised Zack to accept The Washington Post Company's $16 million offer for a five-percent stake in Facebook, while Zhan Hua dismissed the deal as a bluff and continued waiting for the founders to seek his financing. Sean ended his attempt to secure Facebook and asked Zack to tell Su Can that he had lost.

• Zack told Sean that The Washington Post Company had offered $16 million for five percent of Facebook and asked what he should do.
• Sean called Zhan Hua, who insisted the offer was a smokescreen and told him to keep waiting for the founders to come to him.
• Zhan Hua told Minister Wang that capital would eventually make Su Can and Zack bow to him.
• Sean called Zack again and urged him to accept The Washington Post Company's investment so Facebook could keep growing.
• Sean wished Zack well and asked him to tell Su Can that Sean admitted he had lost.

After securing The Washington Post Company's sixteen-million-dollar investment in Facebook, Su Can prepared to return to China and met Song Zhen, who visited to thank him and share her personal history. Song Zhen hinted that she wanted to rebel against her family's expectations once more, while Su Can remained unsure what she had heard about him before their meeting.

• Su Can finalized Facebook's agreement with Donald and prepared to leave California after the company's fundraising victory.
• Song Zhen visited Su Can's residence, then invited him to walk with her near Stanford University and offered to guide him around America.
• Song Zhen explained that her relationship with her aunt had improved after the Fairmont Hotel incident and described her family's wealth and responsibilities.
• Song Zhen told Su Can about her year pursuing modeling in Paris, the friend she supported, and her return to China to prepare for the Gaokao.
• Song Zhen revealed that she had heard of Su Can before and said she wanted to rebel one last time, but kept secret when she first learned about him.

Su Can returned to China after Facebook secured a $16 million investment from The Washington Post Company, reflecting on how he and Zack still needed to learn and grow. At the airport in Rongcheng, he reunited with Tang Wu, explained the investment, and learned she had found out about his return by calling his home.

• Su Can left San Francisco as news spread that The Washington Post Company had invested $16 million in Facebook for a 5% stake.
• Before leaving, Su Can advised Zack to continue learning at Harvard, and reflected that both of them needed more business and management knowledge as Facebook grew.
• During the flight, Su Can wondered what Song Zhen had meant when she said she wanted to “rebel one more time.”
• At the Rongcheng airport, Su Can discovered Tang Wu was waiting for him and apologized for leaving for America without telling her.
• Su Can told Tang Wu that Facebook had raised $16 million from The Washington Post Company, and she realized how much effort he had put into the trip.
• Tang Wu said she had learned of Su Can’s return by calling his home, and he took her hand as they rode into the city.

After returning to Rongcheng, Su Can told Tang Wu about his success securing investment for Facebook and considered the danger posed by Zhan Hua after their conflict in America. As the holiday ended, Su Can and Tang Wu prepared to return to Nanjing University.

• Tang Wu met Su Can at the airport in a car driven by Uncle Yang and heard about his experiences and investment deal in America.
• Su Can wondered whether Song Zhen was related to Song Pengcheng, then concluded she was only a passing acquaintance he had met in California.
• At home, Zeng Ke questioned Su Can about America, his business, and his relationship with Tang Wu, while Su Licheng also wanted to hear about his trip.
• Su Can reflected that Zhan Hua might retaliate after losing their contest in America and resolved to act cautiously around him in Shanghai.
• Su Can spent the remaining Spring Festival holiday at home before preparing to return to Nanjing University with Tang Wu.

Su Can shared his economic analysis with Wang Bu over dinner, warning that infrastructure-led growth and unrestrained investment could create overcapacity and weaken domestic demand. Wang Bu considered Su Can’s suggestions for Rongcheng and asked him to guide and watch over Wang Weiwei.

• Wang Weiwei returned to Rongcheng and invited Su Can to dinner at his home, where Wang Bu prepared the meal.
• Wang Bu praised Su Can for standing up to Tao Chuhong and discussed Nanning Group’s land-deal tactics and the case involving Zeng Qu anming.
• Wang Bu asked Su Can to assess Rongcheng’s economic policies, and Su Can warned that excessive infrastructure construction and investment could fuel overcapacity and export dependence.
• Su Can recommended supporting industrial parks and manufacturing, regulating property prices, and expanding domestic demand, and Wang Bu said the proposals were worth considering.
• Wang Bu walked Su Can out and asked him to guide Wang Weiwei and keep an eye on him.

Wang Bu recognized Su Can as a positive influence on Wang Weiwei, while Tao Changping pressured Su Licheng and Big Banyan Construction over their projects and land. Wang Bu and Lin Guozhou then intervened on Su Can’s behalf, leaving Tao Changping furious and the Tao Family facing serious trouble.

• Wang Bu considered Su Can a role model who could guide Wang Weiwei and help strengthen their friendship.
• Tao Changping pressured Su Licheng over Big Banyan Construction’s projects and urged him to transfer land to Tongda Company, but Su Licheng refused.
• Su Can spoke with Lin Luoran, who said someone would quiet Tao Chuhong, as pressure on Tao Changping began to ease.
• Tao Changping accused Su Licheng of mobilizing people against him and angrily ended their call.
• Wang Weiwei told Su Can that Wang Bu and Lin Guozhou had called their contacts to protect Su Can and Big Banyan Construction.

Su Can assessed how the provincial investigation into Big Banyan Construction had shifted Rongcheng’s political winds and tied his family more closely to the Wang and Lin family factions. He recognized that his family’s place in those networks depended on its value, while Shushan Chain’s nationwide growth offered a concrete source of strength.

• Su Can learned that Tao Changping had faced harsh calls from powerful officials and that Su Licheng’s standing had improved after the provincial investigation team stood down.
• Su Can considered the risks of his family joining the Wang and Lin family networks and resolved to build more leverage so they would not become expendable.
• Su Can regarded his businesses, alongside Facebook, as important sources of confidence while Wang Yue and Lin Guangdong handled their work and Zhao Mingnong pursued Shushan Chain’s expansion.
• Zhao Mingnong negotiated to move Shushan Chain’s new factory to Rongcheng’s High-Tech West District as the company expanded its nationwide retail network toward a projected thirty thousand outlets.

Su Can and Tang Wu returned to Shanghai, where they reunited with Ning Dong’s family and settled into Tang Wu’s new home. As Su Can prepared to leave for university, Tang Wu invited him to stay.

• Su Can greeted Mu Xuan at the airport, and she told him and Tang Wu to behave themselves in Shanghai before they departed.
• After landing in Shanghai, Tang Wu took Su Can’s hand, and they passed a crowd gathered to see actress Jiang Huiyuan.
• Ning Dong and her parents welcomed Su Can and Tang Wu, then drove them to Tang Wu’s home at Peninsula Bay.
• Su Can helped Tang Wu unpack and organize her belongings before preparing to return to university late that evening.
• Tang Wu told Su Can that he could stay.

Su Can stayed at Tang Wu’s home in Shanghai, where their shared memories and growing closeness led to an intimate evening. After bathing, he approached her bedroom, said good night, and then stepped inside.

• Tang Wu asked Su Can not to leave, and he put down his luggage and stayed at her home.
• Su Can and Tang Wu recalled their earlier days together in Xiahai while watching television.
• Su Can kissed Tang Wu’s earlobe and leaned over her, but she stopped him and sent him to take a bath.
• Tang Wu prepared a bath, towel, toothbrush, and pajamas for Su Can, then went upstairs to her bedroom.
• Su Can said good night at Tang Wu’s bedroom doorway, went to the guest room, and then entered her bedroom.

Su Can and Tang Wu spent the night together, and in the morning they woke in her bedroom and prepared for their registration. As the new term began at Nanjing University, they looked ahead to a future together amid the busy world around them.

• Su Can visited Tang Wu because he could not sleep, and they kissed and became intimate in her bedroom.
• Tang Wu told Su Can she would leave him each morning and that he had to win her back every evening.
• Su Can told Tang Wu he had once almost forgotten what she looked like, then said he was glad to have her again.
• Su Can and Tang Wu woke together, planned to register, and found blood on the sheet, which Tang Wu took downstairs to wash.
• Tang Wu boiled eggs for breakfast, and Su Can ate them before reflecting that the new term at Nanjing University had begun.

Su Can and Tang Wu returned to Nanjing University after spending the night together, and Tang Wu promised she would always stay with him. During registration, they met Cheng Congcong’s family-arranged acquaintance Ren Weiming, who had already heard of Su Can and Tao Chuhong’s troubles in Rongcheng.

• Su Can and Tang Wu talked about loss and their future, and Tang Wu promised to always be with him.
• Su Can and Tang Wu returned to campus and encountered Tang Wu’s roommate Tong Tong during registration.
• Cheng Congcong arrived with Ren Weiming, introduced him to the group, and denied that anything was going on between them.
• Ren Weiming told Su Can he had heard about him in Rongcheng and mentioned Tao Chuhong’s family troubles.
• Su Can advised Ren Weiming not to toy with Cheng Congcong, and Ren Weiming said he understood.