Chapter Summaries

Qin An and Ye Zhulan climbed Daqing Mountain, where they shared an innocent romantic moment and agreed that he could kiss her if he scored higher on the entrance exams. They hunted a pheasant and cooked it together, leaving Ye Zhulan delighted by Qin An’s thoughtful preparations.

• Qin An led Ye Zhulan up Daqing Mountain by the hand and told her he wanted to kiss her.
• Ye Zhulan challenged Qin An to score higher than her on the entrance exams before she would let him kiss her, then ran ahead.
• Qin An caught up with Ye Zhulan, and they spotted a pheasant behind a mound.
• Qin An shot the pheasant with his slingshot, and he and Ye Zhulan excitedly retrieved it.
• Ye Zhulan discovered Qin An had brought supplies to cook the pheasant, and they roasted it over a campfire.
• Qin An gave Ye Zhulan a drumstick and wiped sweat from her forehead as she happily ate.

After returning to school, Qin An interrupted Luo Bofu’s attempt to force himself on Liao Yu and used his slingshot to drive him away. Luo Bofu fled after Qin An rejected his bribe, leaving Qin An alone with a crying Liao Yu.

• Ye Zhulan and Qin An came down the mountain and parted at the school gates.
• Qin An overheard Luo Bofu arguing with Liao Yu and learned that Luo Bofu had infected her after sleeping with a prostitute.
• When Luo Bofu tried to pull at Liao Yu’s clothes, Qin An shot him with a steel ball and entered the classroom with his slingshot.
• Qin An threatened Luo Bofu and refused the money he offered, so Luo Bofu left in a panic.
• Liao Yu cried after Luo Bofu fled, and Qin An threatened to make a slingshot from her underwear if she kept crying.

Qin An used the secret he had learned about Liao Yu and Luo Bofu to bargain for her noninterference in his relationship with Ye Zhulan and a future apology to Qin Huai. He left Liao Yu shaken, then returned to the dormitory and encountered Li Xinlan studying.

• Qin An taunted Liao Yu about Luo Bofu and said he would keep their secret in exchange for two conditions.
• Qin An demanded that Liao Yu stay out of his relationship with Ye Zhulan and, if he reached the grade’s top ten, ask Qin Huai to let him transfer back to Class 68.
• Liao Yu considered his demands but realized she doubted he could reach the top ten and felt relieved.
• Qin An returned to the Education Committee dormitory and watched Journey to the West at Grandma Li’s place.
• Li Xinlan, studying in the hallway, noticed Qin An looking at her and pulled her skirt down in embarrassment.

Qin An embarrassed himself when Li Xinlan discovered the evidence of his wet dream, then went to visit his grandfather at the old family home. There, he encountered An Shui again, just as he remembered their first meeting.

• Qin An dreamed about Ye Zhulan, Liao Yu, and Li Xinlan, then woke with a wet dream.
• Li Xinlan saw Qin An in his boxer shorts and recognized that he had experienced a nocturnal emission, leaving him chagrined.
• Qin An visited his grandfather, Qin Jude, at the old family home across the Xiaoqing River.
• Qin An found An Shui reading Caigentan beneath the oak tree and recognized the scene as their first meeting.
• Qin An recited a passage from the book, and An Shui looked up at him with gentle eyes.

Qin An met An Shui in Qingshan Town and, after Qin Xiaotian accidentally knocked them onto a stack of rice stalks, kissed her for the first time in this life. An Shui reacted with embarrassed amusement rather than anger, while Qin Xiaotian returned to boast about his Game Boy.

• Qin An introduced himself to An Shui and explained that his grandfather, Qin Jude, lived nearby.
• An Shui and Qin An walked toward Qin Jude’s house, where she planned to visit Qin Xiaotian.
• Qin Xiaotian rushed out from behind a stack of rice stalks and shoved Qin An, causing him and An Shui to fall together.
• Qin An kissed An Shui, then admitted that he could not help himself because she looked beautiful.
• An Shui laughed and said Qin An had taken her first kiss, while Qin Xiaotian accused him of taking advantage of her.
• Qin Xiaotian showed Qin An his Game Boy and complained that there was nothing fun in Qingshan Town.

Qin An showed off his skill at Contra and Super Mario, impressing Qin Xiaotian before walking hand in hand with An Shui. As they teased each other about being boyfriend and girlfriend, An Shui agreed to be both his big sister and his girlfriend.

• Qin An named several PC games and challenged Qin Xiaotian to let him play the Game Boy.
• Qin An cleared Contra with two lives and beat Super Mario with more than ten lives remaining, leaving Qin Xiaotian astonished.
• Qin An held An Shui’s hand and told her that her head-patting made him feel like her little brother.
• An Shui joked that Qin An could be her little boyfriend, and Qin An said he already liked someone else and might become her relative.
• An Shui agreed to be both Qin An’s girlfriend and his big sister, while Qin An promised to cherish her most in secret.

Qin An asked An Shui to help submit his English novella to a publisher, and she agreed to support him after being impressed by the story and moved by his trust. After An Shui went to read the manuscript, Qin An greeted his grandfather and cousin Qin Xiangshan, who gave him a red envelope.

• Qin An and An Shui talked about their first kiss, and An Shui joked about choosing a first-meeting gift for her new little brother.
• Qin An gave An Shui his English novella and asked her to help find a publisher, including Bloomsbury Publishing.
• An Shui praised the story and agreed to help with publication, telling Qin An she would even pay to publish it herself if no publisher accepted it.
• An Shui went to the rear courtyard to read the manuscript, while Qin An considered waiting until after publication to approach Joanne Kathleen Rowling.
• Qin An greeted Qin Jude and Qin Xiangshan, accepted a red-envelope gift from Qin Xiangshan, and explained that Qin Xiaotian was playing outside.

Qin Xiangshan tested Qin An’s English and offered him holiday work at his company, then discussed investing in a machinery factory in Qingshan Town with Secretary Tang and other local officials. Qin Xiangshan raised concerns about local thugs demanding protection money, and Qin An identified Zhu Hongzhi as the gang leader who had already tried to pressure him.

• Qin Xiangshan tested Qin An’s English, praised his fluency, and offered him part-time work at his company during college or the holidays.
• The village chief brought Secretary Tang, Wu Huade, Li Linjian, and other town officials to visit Qin Jude and Qin Xiangshan.
• Qin Xiangshan explained that he wanted to invest in a machinery factory in Qingshan Town but worried that local people might extort money from the business.
• Secretary Tang promised that the town government would protect the investors’ lawful interests.
• Qin An identified Zhu Hongzhi as Qingshan Town’s local thug boss, and Qin Xiangshan revealed that Zhu had already demanded to work with him on the investment.

Secretary Tang backed Qin Xiangshan’s investment plans and treated him to a meal at Sister-in-law Qi’s restaurant. Qin An caught Secretary Tang and Sister-in-law Qi sharing a private moment, then reassured them he would keep quiet, leaving Junzi to relax his guard around him.

• Wu Huade agreed to investigate Zhu Hongzhi and promised that local thugs who threatened investors would face legal punishment.
• Secretary Tang assured Qin Xiangshan that the local government would support his investment, and Qin Xiangshan discussed specific plans with him.
• Secretary Tang took Qin Xiangshan, Qin An, Qin Xiaotian, and the others to Sister-in-law Qi’s small restaurant for lunch.
• Qin An went to ask Sister-in-law Qi for a bottle of Jianlibao and saw her kiss Secretary Tang on the cheek.
• Qin An joked that he would not tell anyone about them, and Secretary Tang introduced him to the watchful Junzi.

Qin An spent time with his family and Sun Pao after the banquet, then offered Li Xinlan a ride to class to confront Tu Gang, who had been following her. The chapter ended with Tu Gang blocking Qin An and Li Xinlan on the way to school, as Qin An appeared ready to fight him.

• After the banquet, Qin Xiangshan visited Qin Huai with Qin An and Qin Xiaotian, and he and Qin Huai reminisced over an old photo album and discussed bringing their youngest uncle's ashes back to the ancestral graveyard.
• Qin An met Sun Pao outside and demonstrated his slingshot aim, then asked how Sun Pao was preparing for the school placement test.
• Qin An and Sun Pao saw Li Xinlan return from extra classes, and Sun Pao said Tu Gang had been following her and offering to escort her.
• On Monday morning, Qin An took Li Xinlan's bicycle and rode with her toward school.
• Tu Gang blocked Qin An's way, and Li Xinlan realized Qin An seemed ready to pick a fight with him.

Qin An confronted Tu Gang for harassing Li Xinlan, then rode her to County No. 2 Middle School, where their closeness left her flustered. He arrived just before an exam and found Ye Zhulan seated in front of him, while Zhao Weiguo watched their familiar intimacy with jealousy.

• Qin An mocked Tu Gang and punctured the tire of his mountain bike after Tu Gang admitted Li Xinlan had no younger brother.
• Qin An rode away with Li Xinlan on the rear rack, and she clung to his waist as they sped along before he gradually slowed down.
• At County No. 2 Middle School, Qin An returned Li Xinlan's bicycle and offered to take her home after school, but she hurried off without accepting.
• Qin An rushed to his exam seat and saw Li Hao smirk at his disheveled appearance before the results were announced.
• Qin An found Ye Zhulan sitting in front of him, and their close conversation made Zhao Weiguo jealous.

As the midterm examinations began, Qin An teased Ye Zhulan about his bet with Li Hao and the rumors it might cause with Sun Sun. Liao Yu watched Qin An closely during the Chinese exam, then discovered his composition was shockingly inappropriate.

• Zhao Weiguo pointed out Qin An and Ye Zhulan to Zhu Qinghe, who watched Qin An with a guarded expression.
• Ye Zhulan warned Qin An that Li Hao was making trouble over their bet, and Qin An teased her about what people might say of him and Sun Sun.
• Ye Zhulan lent Qin An a pen and offered to let him check her test paper, but Liao Yu's attention made that unlikely.
• Liao Yu began proctoring the Chinese examination, while Qin An chose to write his composition first.
• Liao Yu read a paragraph of Qin An's composition and was shocked by what he had written.

Qin An finished his placement exams early, then met Ye Zhulan outside school for lunch. After they shared food from one pair of chopsticks, Ye Zhulan realized their closeness felt like an indirect kiss, and Qin An offered her chocolate.

• Qin An asked Liao Yu to check his Chinese paper, and she told him his score would be in the forties because his essay received zero.
• Qin An finished the English exam in half an hour, so Huang Yaohua sent him outside after checking his paper.
• Qin An waited outside the teaching building until Ye Zhulan came down, then they ran to their secluded patch of grass.
• Ye Zhulan shared Alaskan red shrimp and rice with Qin An, who took shrimp from her chopsticks and teased her about the indirect kiss.
• Qin An took gold-wrapped chocolate from his schoolbag and offered it to Ye Zhulan.

Qin An gave Ye Zhulan a homemade lump of chocolate, and she shyly agreed to try it. During the afternoon nap, he watched over her and kept Zhao Weiguo from disturbing her before turning to the chemistry exam with memories of his reckless childhood experiments.

• Qin An offered Ye Zhulan his homemade chocolate and explained what it meant, but she hid the ugly lump and asked him to unwrap white chocolate instead.
• Qin An watched Ye Zhulan sleep during the afternoon nap while Zhao Weiguo grew jealous and angry at seeing them together.
• Qin An warned Zhao Weiguo not to wake Ye Zhulan by aiming his slingshot at him, and Zhao Weiguo swallowed his anger.
• As the chemistry exam began, Qin An recalled how he and Sun Pao had built an oversized chain gun that injured a dog and got them bitten.
• Qin An confidently wrote answers to the chemistry questions, which he had already reviewed.

After exams, Qin An discussed a flawed English question with Sun Sun and her classmates, then followed Sun Sun toward No. 2 Middle School and told her a story about a porcelain girl. Sun Sun suggested protecting the girl in a museum, and Qin An decided to act on her idea.

• Qin An told Sun Sun and the others that an English exam question had no correct answer, but they doubted him and argued about his disrespect toward teachers.
• Ye Xiaohua and Qian Linlin teased Sun Sun and Qin An before leaving them alone, and Qin An followed Sun Sun despite their different routes home.
• Qin An told Sun Sun about a beloved singer who was pressured by others and ultimately shattered, then asked how he could protect her.
• Sun Sun proposed building the porcelain girl a museum where people would guard her while she continued singing, and Qin An said the plan was settled.

Qin An went to No. 2 Middle School to meet Li Xinlan and antagonized Xie Xiongli, a teacher he remembered despising. He arranged to take Li Xinlan to and from school, then joined her for a meal with Secretary Tang and Qi Mei, where Junzi agreed to help with the hoodlum bothering her.

• Qin An waited outside No. 2 Middle School’s experimental-class building and insulted Xie Xiongli, remembering how the teacher had harmed students’ futures, including his own.
• Qin An met Li Xinlan after school, took hold of her bicycle, and announced that he would take her to school and pick her up each day.
• Secretary Tang waved Qin An over at the school gates and invited him and Li Xinlan to eat at Qi Mei’s restaurant.
• Qi Mei mistook Li Xinlan for one of Qin An’s girlfriends, while Qin An claimed he was protecting her from a hoodlum who used school trips to harass her.
• Secretary Tang suggested Junzi could help with the hoodlum, and Junzi nodded in agreement.

Qin An explained to Li Xinlan why he had pretended they were close, then returned home to find An Shui visiting his family. An Shui revealed that she had opened a bank account for Qin An’s novel earnings, leaving Qin Huai demanding to know what was going on.

• Qin An reassured Li Xinlan that he had acted as though they were close so Secretary Tang would help protect her from Tu Gang.
• Qin An returned home and found An Shui visiting Qin Huai and Li Qin.
• An Shui praised Qin An’s English and discussed her family’s investment in Qin Xiangshan’s Taiwan Company.
• Qin An took An Shui’s hand and tried to bring her into his room, but An Shui stayed to discuss something with Qin Huai.
• An Shui handed Qin Huai a bankbook she had opened for Qin An, and Qin An explained that it was for money he might earn from publishing his novel.

Qin An reflected on how his father treasured his achievements and told An Shui about the grandfathers he admired. He flirted with An Shui, who promised to kiss him once he grew up, before Li Qin interrupted them at dinner.

• Qin An recalled that his father had called his early writing his greatest achievement and source of lifelong pride.
• Qin An told An Shui that he admired his grandfathers, describing how his maternal grandfather educated all five of his children despite hardship.
• An Shui teased Qin An about his handsome, serious expression, and he tried to persuade her to kiss him.
• An Shui said she would kiss Qin An when he had grown up and was taller than her.
• Qin An hugged An Shui and kissed her cheek, but Li Qin walked in and pulled him away to eat.

During exam day, Qin An finished his tests early and discovered Tu Gang and several students waiting to ambush him outside school. He used the school telephone to summon Junzi, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Sun Sun asked Qin An why he had not spent time with Ye Zhulan, and he explained that Ye Zhulan's mother had picked her up.
• Qin An struggled with history and politics exams but finished the afternoon mathematics exam in thirty minutes.
• Qin An spotted Tu Gang and several students waiting near the school gate to follow and attack him.
• Qin An persuaded Principal Zhu Wenliang to unlock the school telephone by claiming he needed to call about Secretary Tang's plans.
• Qin An called Qi Mei Restaurant and asked Qi Mei to send Junzi to help him, and Qi Mei agreed.

Qin An confronted Tu Gang for harassing Li Xinlan and, with Junzi’s help, beat him badly. He then took Tu Gang away to settle the conflict so Tu Gang would not seek revenge later.

• Qin An waited near the school gate and approached Tu Gang and four high school students who were lying in ambush for him.
• Qin An offered the students a hundred yuan to leave, and Junzi’s arrival made them take the money and run.
• Qin An punched Tu Gang while he was distracted, and Junzi restrained him as Qin An beat him.
• Qin An explained that Tu Gang might harm Li Xinlan and decided they needed to settle the matter once and for all.
• Qin An and Junzi dragged the dazed Tu Gang away, and Qin An startled Zhao Weiguo, who had hidden nearby to watch.