Chapter Summaries

Mo Fei and the children celebrated earning 28 pounds, 10 shillings, and 5 pence from their first day selling bread, and he gave Zane the job of keeping the accounts. Their success worried a nearby bakery owner, whose bread had begun to go unsold.

• The orphanage sold all its bread in a few hours, bringing in customers who had heard neighbors praise it.
• Mo Fei counted the earnings with the children, and Zane correctly announced the total of 28 pounds, 10 shillings, and 5 pence.
• Mo Fei praised Zane's arithmetic and made him responsible for counting and recording future earnings, giving the sick boy a useful role.
• The children discussed using their profits to improve the orphanage, while Mo Fei explained that sales would likely fall the next day.
• A nearby bakery owner noticed that some of his bread had gone unsold and made his female workers buy the leftovers at cost.

After bread sales dropped from their first-day peak, Mo Fei adjusted production and built the orphanage’s business into a steady source of income. He secured protection and a new sales outlet through Vil-V, then began training the children in useful skills, discovering that Lina showed promise while Aiwen remained hopeless at cooking.

• Mo Fei explained the disappointing second-day sales and advised the children to make half as much bread on ordinary days, saving larger batches for days off.
• Over the next month, the orphanage’s bread business grew, and Mo Fei took Aiwen and another child to sell goods in the West End.
• When local thugs began threatening the orphanage, Vil-V used her veterans’ contacts to warn nearby gangs and end the trouble.
• Vil-V asked to buy steamed buns daily for her tavern, and Mo Fei agreed and taught the children how to make them.
• Mo Fei trained Lina in cooking, while Kyle made novelty-shaped buns and Aiwen failed at cooking and was sent back to leveling the ground and feeding the cow.

Mo Fei considered how to nurture Tom Riddle and concluded that Tom’s magical bloodline might be shaping his unnervingly cold nature. He decided to counter that influence with affection and a warmer upbringing at Mo Orphanage.

• Mo Fei watched Tom, who had grown rapidly and rarely cried, and wondered how best to develop his exceptional magical talent.
• Jimmy told Mo Fei that Tom’s eyes sometimes seemed more like a snake’s, but Mo Fei reassured him and sent him to play with Aiwen.
• Mo Fei rejected the idea of leaving Tom to grow up alone, recalling that neglect and bullying had marked Tom’s childhood at Wool's Orphanage.
• Mo Fei reasoned that Tom’s Parseltongue and Gaunt family blood might influence his nature, and decided to offset that influence with love, care, and contact with the other children.
• Mo Fei planned to have Jimmy bring Tom among the children at Mo Orphanage and joked that he could use force if his efforts failed.

Mo Fei reviewed his Belief Points and considered which skill to upgrade, ruling out animal husbandry because winter limited the available feed. He upgraded Fighting to Combat, but the transformation brought on severe pain that nearly made him pass out.

• Mo Fei asked Jimmy to take Tom outside for sunlight and play, and Aiwen began to suspect Tom had a significant identity.
• Mo Fei checked the updated system data and saw that Aiwen reliably provided one Belief Point while the other children offered only small amounts of trust.
• Mo Fei considered upgrading Fighting and weighed it against animal husbandry and other practical skills.
• After hearing the children play outside, Mo Fei realized winter made animal husbandry a poor choice and removed it from consideration.
• Mo Fei spent one Belief Point to upgrade Fighting to Combat, gaining combat knowledge and techniques as intense pain overwhelmed him.

After improving his brawling skill into combat, Mo Fei discovered that his body had grown stronger and considered the risks of further rapid improvements. He spent his remaining Belief Point on novice medicine, gaining knowledge focused on restoring health before going to sleep to recover.

• Mo Fei stood up after the painful combat improvement and noticed his joints, stamina, and physique had improved considerably.
• Mo Fei realized that Belief Points could elevate existing skills, transforming brawling into the more effective combat skill.
• Mo Fei decided to postpone further combat improvements because he feared the pain might make him lose consciousness and interrupt the process.
• Mo Fei spent his remaining Belief Point to improve medicine and focused the knowledge he gained on restoring the body to health.
• Mo Fei considered using his medical knowledge to treat injuries and help the children at the orphanage, including a child with a congenital illness.
• Mo Fei lay down to let the flood of medical knowledge settle and slept soundly through the night.

Mo Fei practiced Tai Chi to get control of his newly enhanced strength, then taught Lina how to judge heat while baking bread and making soup. The chapter ended with the children gathered at the table, eager to eat breakfast.

• Mo Fei practiced Tai Chi in the orphanage courtyard to adjust to his increased strength.
• Lina baked bread while Mo Fei taught her to feel the oven's heat and control the flame.
• Mo Fei praised Mia for chopping vegetables and Lucy for washing them, encouraging both girls.
• At Lina's request, Mo Fei demonstrated how to make vegetable soup and explained how to adjust the heat.
• Lina helped bake bread with a browned crust, and the children gathered expectantly as breakfast was served.

Mo Fei diagnosed Zane with congenital heart disease and began treating him with daily massages, nutrition, and Tai Chi. Zane chose to keep fighting for his life, and the other children joined the morning Tai Chi practice.

• After the children praised Lina's bread, Mo Fei called Zane to his room and concluded that Zane had congenital heart disease.
• Mo Fei promised to massage Zane daily and give him milk to support his health.
• Zane remembered the people who had cared for him and feared being abandoned, but Mo Fei's help gave him hope, and he told Mo Fei that he wanted to live.
• The system reported that Zane's trust in Mo Fei had increased significantly, and Mo Fei began massaging him.
• Mo Fei later taught Zane Tai Chi to help his condition, and Lucy, Jimmy, and the other children joined the morning practice while Lina and Mia stopped.

In spring 1927, Mo Fei learned that the children were content despite missing Christmas, while baby Tom became the orphanage’s “Lucky Star” and recovered from a mild fever. The bread workshop owner blamed Mo Fei’s bread sales for his falling profits and headed to the orphanage to confront him.

• Aisha’s question made Mo Fei realize he had missed Christmas, but Jimmy told him the children were already living the happiness they had once hoped for.
• The children nicknamed Tom the “Lucky Star of the Orphanage” after his presence seemed to boost bread sales.
• Mo Fei treated Tom’s mild fever and warned Jimmy to be more careful caring for the baby.
• The bread workshop owner investigated his declining sales, learned that Mo Orphanage was selling bread, and decided to confront Mo Fei.
• As Aiwen, Boer, and Kyle cleaned up outside the orphanage, the workshop owner approached with an ill-intentioned look.

Miles Archer, a bakery owner, came to the orphanage looking to profit from Mo Fei’s bread business. After Aiwen stood his ground until Mo Fei arrived, Miles accused the orphanage of breaking the rules and demanded compensation.

• Aiwen recognized the hostile visitor as a possible threat and sent Boer and Kyle inside to find Mo Fei.
• Aiwen recalled how Mrs. Field had once driven off extortionists and how Mo Fei had later used his family connections to keep them away.
• Miles considered turning the orphanage into a bakery kitchen and using its space and workers for his own business.
• Mo Fei arrived, asked the visitor who he was, and learned that he was Miles Archer, a bakery owner.
• Miles accused Mo Fei of illegally selling bread and demanded that he stop and compensate him for his losses.

Mo Fei confronted Miles, a bakery owner who threatened the orphanage over its bread sales, and used Tai Chi to send him sprawling in the mud. Miles fled after vowing revenge, and Mo Fei reassured Aiwen while privately deciding to prepare for further trouble.

• Mo Fei mocked Miles for blaming his declining sales on the orphanage and refusing to improve his own baking.
• Miles threatened to have the orphanage attacked, but Mo Fei calmly challenged him to try.
• Miles shoved at Mo Fei, who evaded him and used Tai Chi to throw him off balance and onto his knees in the mud.
• Miles threatened revenge and hurried away, while Mo Fei chose not to pursue him because the children were watching.
• Mo Fei reassured the worried Aiwen and returned to the orphanage with the children, while privately planning for Miles to strike back by other means.

Mo Fei secretly investigated Miles and learned that he and his cook planned to use city officials and false rumors to drive the orphanage out of the bread business. He considered asking a young noblewoman he had met for protection, but had not yet decided whether to approach her.

• Mo Fei left the orphanage at night and inspected Miles's poorly maintained bakery oven.
• Mo Fei overheard Miles explain that the Iron Hand Gang's ties to the orphanage made it risky to use gang violence.
• Miles and his cook plotted to report the orphanage to city hall and spread rumors that Mo Fei exploited the children.
• Mo Fei realized Mrs. Field could help counter the rumors, while a noble backer might protect the orphanage from the authorities.
• Mo Fei thought of seeking help from a kindhearted young noblewoman he had met before.

Mo Fei and Aiwen sold bread in the West End, where a noble young lady noticed Aiwen and stopped her carriage to buy their remaining loaves. The encounter ended with the young lady and her maid impressed by Aiwen’s manners and Mo Fei’s care for the children.

• Mo Fei and Aiwen arrived late in the West End and still had two loaves left as the sun began to set.
• A noble young lady spotted Aiwen from her carriage and asked her maid to call him over.
• Mo Fei reassured Aiwen and sent him to speak with the young lady while he stayed back.
• Aiwen introduced himself, explained that he lived at the Mo Orphanage, and offered the bread for ten pence a loaf.
• The young lady bought both remaining loaves, and Aiwen carefully accepted the payment and returned the change.

Aiwen refused to accept the noblewoman’s change as charity, so Colleen Winter gave him a deposit for fine white bread instead. After tasting the orphanage’s bread on the journey home, Colleen remembered Aiwen and the Mo Orphanage.

• Aiwen explained that the children earned their living by selling bread rather than accepting handouts, and Colleen asked him to bring fine white bread the following week.
• Colleen returned the change as a deposit, and Aiwen promised to bring the bread at the agreed time.
• Mo Fei recognized Colleen as Earl Winter’s daughter and resolved to make the white bread well, hoping the connection could help the orphanage.
• In the carriage, Molly inspected the brown bread and judged its quality surprisingly high before giving a broken loaf to the coachman to dispose of.
• After the play, Colleen ate some of the remaining loaf, enjoyed its distinctive flavor, and remembered Aiwen and the Mo Orphanage.

Miss Colleen bought Mo Fei’s exquisite white bread from Aiwen and arranged to buy another loaf the following week. After tasting it, she asked her household cooks to recreate it, but their failure made Earl Winter remember Mo Fei.

• Aiwen offered Miss Colleen the white bread Mo Fei had made, and Molly inspected it before asking its price.
• Aiwen told Molly the bread cost three pounds to make and offered it for four, which she paid without objection.
• When Aiwen tried to return last week’s deposit, Colleen told him to keep it for her next purchase and said she would return the following week.
• Colleen tasted the bread on the way to the theater and was so taken with its flavor that the evening’s play seemed lackluster.
• Colleen told her father about Mo Fei and Aiwen, then asked the household cooks to recreate the bread.
• The cooks failed to fully reproduce the bread the next day, giving Earl Winter a reason to remember Mo Fei.

Mo Fei let the rumors Miles had stirred up spread rather than defend the orphanage, hoping to draw out Miles’s next move. The slander cut bread sales in half, and the chapter ended with Mo Fei and Aiwen facing hostile looks at the market.

• Mo Fei learned that rumors accused him of abusing the children, training them to steal, and exploiting them for labor.
• Mrs. Field told Mo Fei how Miles had used false accusations and gang intimidation to drive rival bakeries out of business.
• Mo Fei asked Mrs. Field and his supportive neighbors not to clear his name yet, intending to wait for Miles to reveal his next move.
• As the rumors halved bread sales, Mo Fei reduced local sales and sent Aiwen, Boer, and the others to sell bread in the West End.
• Mo Fei took Aiwen to the market, where the people’s murmurs and contemptuous looks filled Aiwen with anger and confusion.

Mo Fei tried to reassure Aiwen as rumors and neighborhood hostility threatened the orphanage, while Miles accused him of illegal bread sales. Three days later, officials arrived with a warrant and ordered Mo Fei to accompany them for questioning.

• Mo Fei comforted Aiwen, explaining that the neighbors were avoiding trouble rather than necessarily believing the rumors.
• Miles publicly taunted Mo Fei and implied he might become violent, but Mo Fei warned the neighbors that suspicions should be reported to the police and city government.
• Miles accused the orphanage of selling bread without a permit and raised concerns about food safety, so Mo Fei took Aiwen back without revealing his preparations.
• Aiwen worried that the orphanage would have to stop selling bread, and Mo Fei promised he had a solution.
• Three days later, a uniformed official presented Mo Fei with an investigation warrant over unregulated commercial activity, and Aiwen turned pale as he heard the accusation.

Mo Fei was taken from the orphanage for questioning after a complaint, leaving Aiwen in charge of the children and telling him to seek Mrs. Field’s help. During interrogation, Mo Fei defended the orphanage’s bread sales as legitimate labor, but the examiners raised further accusations, and he relied on the hope that the young lady of the Winter family would intervene.

• Mo Fei asked the investigators for time to settle the children, then reminded Aiwen to have Lina care for them and seek Mrs. Field’s help if needed.
• Aiwen promised to look after everyone, and Mo Fei reassured him that he would return before leaving with the investigators.
• Dylan Kennedy stopped Harvey from manhandling Mo Fei, and the investigators escorted Mo Fei away in a carriage.
• At the interrogation, Mo Fei argued that selling bread to obtain necessities complied with the orphanage rules.
• The examiners challenged Mo Fei with accusations of exploiting the children, overcharging customers, violence, and mistreating the children.
• Mo Fei suspected that the hearing was biased and counted on the young lady of the Winter family to intervene.

Mo Fei asked Miss Colleen to help the orphanage secure permission to sell bread, and her reply gave him hope. After learning about the orphanage’s hardship, Colleen began investigating the matter and studying imperial law.

• Mo Fei sent Miss Colleen a letter explaining that officials might stop the orphanage from selling bread and asking her to speak to inspectors.
• Colleen read the letter while Molly learned that city hall officials had taken the orphanage’s relief funds.
• Colleen learned that Mo Fei had raised nine children and became distracted during a play, then left early.
• Colleen sent Molly to investigate and went to her father’s study to read a book of imperial law.
• The Earl heard that Colleen had returned early and was studying, then waited for Molly to return.

After learning about the orphanage’s troubles, Colleen discussed a solution with the Earl, who taught her to use the city’s rules and influential allies rather than simply punish officials. Colleen sent the plan to Mo Fei, who recognized the Earl’s family’s strategy and agreed to cooperate, confident he could handle the danger if needed.

• Molly told the Earl that Colleen had investigated the orphanage and might have searched his study for information about the law.
• The Earl guided Colleen to see that corrupt city officials caused the orphanage’s troubles and that punishing them might not improve the children’s lives.
• The Earl proposed that a merchant sell the orphanage’s bread and donate the proceeds, giving the orphanage legal income and protection.
• The Earl advised Colleen to wait until Mo Fei was taken away before stepping in, so her help would have the greatest effect.
• Colleen sent Mo Fei a letter with the plan, and Mo Fei recognized the Earl’s family’s intentions and accepted their cooperation.
• Mo Fei remained calm because he had Belief Points to upgrade skills and believed he could escape prison if necessary.

Earl Winter intervened to free Mo Fei from the false accusations at city hall, then arranged for him to run a bakery whose profits would support the orphanage. Mo Fei agreed to manage the business and help publicize the charity before returning home.

• Earl Winter's butler arrived at city hall and said Mo Fei had acted on the Earl's orders, prompting the judge to dismiss all complaints.
• Butler Morgan escorted Mo Fei to Earl Winter's residence, where Molly greeted him and he waited while the Earl spoke with Colleen.
• Earl Winter asked what should come next, and Mo Fei thanked him for his help and offered to follow reasonable instructions.
• Colleen proposed opening a bakery in Earl Winter's name, with Mo Fei supplying and selling bread and all profits donated to the orphanage in her name.
• Mo Fei agreed to keep records, promote Colleen's charity and Earl Winter's generosity, and settle the matter without further trouble before returning home.