The Hidden Dragon Rises

A man is held against his will on the street, pleading repeatedly to be let go. His captor refuses and issues a threatening warning, implying the man has gotten himself into serious trouble.

Overseas leaders request the Dragon Head to chair a meeting, but Franklin Everett postpones it to cook for his son and orders the troublemakers released. His godfather hands over a work summary for Heaven Group, and Franklin receives a call from his son, who has found him a match on a dating site and tells him to go on a blind date the next day.

Franklin Everett grumbles about his son’s blind date arrangement. His godfather urges him to reveal his identity as Dragon Head, but Franklin insists his son is not mature enough. When his godfather offers the Heart of the Ocean necklace as a gift for the date, Franklin declines and instead orders an investigation into a hotel cleaner around forty.

Franklin Everett's blind date demands a huge bride price, a villa, and a luxury car, then humiliates him upon learning his modest income. Kate Sutton appears, claims to be his date, and slaps the woman. The woman's son arrives seeking revenge but stops when he recognizes Kate as the chairwoman of Starlight Group.

Kate Sutton fires Wang Hui on the spot for assaulting the chairwoman and throws him and his mother out. She formally introduces herself to Franklin Everett, thanking him for his help the previous night. Dismissing his concerns about age and his grown son, she insists she values his character and proposes they get married immediately.

Franklin Everett and Kate Sutton become legally married, and she gives him a necklace as a gift. Learning that Franklin's son's fiancée is an intern at her company, Kate orders an immediate promotion to Director of Administration as her first gesture to him.

At her birthday dinner, Lin Mengyao and her friends lavish praise on Shaw, whose wealthy background secured the private room. Shaw reveals his father will arrive soon and mentions a new charitable foundation funded by five percent of annual revenue.

Franklin Everett works as a temporary server at the hotel and is recognized by Shaw and his group. They humiliate him by demanding he park their car. His son tries to defend him, but Franklin backs down and leaves. At her birthday dinner, Lin Mengyao receives a surprise promotion to executive director of Starlight Group with a two-million annual salary.

After Lin Mengyao's promotion, Shaw and his group humiliate Franklin Everett further, demanding he toast her in public and offering a thousand per toast. His son objects, but Lin Mengyao accepts the demand. Franklin leaves after a phone call, and Shaw insults Kate Sutton on the line.

After her promotion, Lin Mengyao tells Chen Hao he is not good enough for her and breaks up with him in front of everyone. Shaw and his group mock Franklin Everett and his son, blaming Franklin for Chen Hao's failures. Chen Hao defends his father, but Lin Mengyao remains resolute.

Lin Mengyao forces Chen Hao to toast her in apology while Shaw and his group mock Franklin Everett and his son as worthless. Chen Hao drinks to protect his father, and Franklin joins him, warning that their laughter will soon turn to tears. Enraged, Shaw orders his men to attack and vows to blacklist them.

Kate Sutton arrives as chairwoman of Starlight Group and publicly rebukes Shaw. She announces lavish gifts for a family member she is meeting for the first time. When everyone assumes the gifts are for the newly promoted Yao Yao, Kate instead presents them to Chen Hao and reveals she is Franklin Everett's new wife.

Franklin Everett asks his son Chen Hao to call Kate Sutton mom, and Chen Hao complies. Kate insists on giving him the lavish gifts, but Franklin leaves the decision to his son. Chen Hao politely declines, saying he is young and wants to prove himself through his own efforts.

After learning that Chen Hao's stepmother is Kate Sutton, chairwoman of Starlight Group, Yao Yao regrets throwing away her chance at wealth. Urged by a companion, she approaches Chen Hao and pleads for forgiveness, citing their five-year relationship. Chen Hao coldly refuses and warns her not to touch him with her dirty hands.

Lin Mengyao keeps begging Chen Hao to reconcile, but he remains unmoved. Kate Sutton appears and announces on behalf of Starlight Group that both Lin Mengyao and Xiao Qun are fired. Xiao Qun dismisses the threat, boasting that his family has tied itself to a major figure in Heaven Group and his father is about to head its Cloud City branch.

Xiao Qun boasts that his family has tied itself to Heaven Group and can get Lin Mengyao a job there with a single word. Lin Mengyao begs him to teach Franklin Everett, Chen Hao and Kate Sutton a lesson. Xiao Qun reveals he has called in the fearsome underworld enforcer Yu Jiaolong, alarming everyone present.

Xiao Shuo invokes the fearsome reputation of the Jade Dragon, a subordinate of the Mud Dragon, to intimidate Franklin Everett's group. Chen Hao tries to take the blame alone, but Franklin remains unimpressed, declaring that even the Mud Dragon himself would not dare act recklessly in his presence.

The Jade Dragon summoned by Xiao Shuo arrives and vows to punish Franklin Everett for insulting the Mud Dragon. Franklin urges Kate Sutton to leave, but she refuses to abandon her husband and son. Kate offers to bear any cost alone, but the Jade Dragon flatly rejects her plea.

The Jade Dragon insists on punishing Franklin Everett for disrespecting Wei Ping, rejecting Kate Sutton's offer to pay. Franklin warns that acting without Wei Ping's approval could bring disaster. He then orders Wei Ping to appear within three minutes or face expulsion from the organization.

Convinced Franklin Everett is bluffing, the Jade Dragon attacks Franklin, Kate Sutton, and Franklin's son despite their resistance. Just then, Franklin receives word that the Dragon Head has summoned the Jade Dragon, giving him only three minutes to comply or face severe punishment.

Just as the Jade Dragon is about to strike again, Master Wei arrives and orders everyone to stop. He publicly scolds the Jade Dragon for bullying the weak and violating the rules of the jianghu, then commands him to leave immediately and reflect on his actions.

After Kate accepts the Jade Dragon's apology, his female companion continues to insult Franklin, calling him a worthless freeloader. Enraged, Master Wei slaps her and then publicly offers a formal apology to Franklin.

Xiao Qun cries for help as his father Xiao Yunting arrives and confronts Wei Ping over the beating. Lin Mengyao backs Xiao Qun, insisting Franklin is just an ordinary man. As Xiao Yunting demands an explanation, Franklin calmly produces the Ocean Star jade, stunning him.

Kate's Ocean Heart necklace is recognized as a treasure the Heaven organization purchased at auction for 250 million dollars, meant to be offered to the Dragon Head. When Master Wei demands to know how Franklin obtained it, Franklin dismisses it as a trifling gift. Kate's niece then publicly claims that Franklin is just a temp worker and insists he must have stolen it.

Kate's niece insists Franklin stole the Ocean Heart and mocks Kate for associating with a thief. Franklin's son defends him while his ex-girlfriend gloats over their breakup. Franklin remains unruffled, repeating the necklace was a gift and not denying he might be the Dragon Head.

A senior Heaven executive accuses Franklin of impersonating the Dragon Head and demands he explain the Ocean Heart necklace. When the executive orders Franklin seized, Kate intervenes, insisting the matter is not yet clear. The executive warns her against opposing Heaven, but Kate stands firm, ready to defy the organization if it acts unjustly.

The senior executive and another man mock Kate for defending Franklin, but she insists she trusts her husband and will share his fate. Franklin tries to speak but is ignored. A bystander proposes calling in President Chen to determine the truth about the Ocean Heart necklace.

The Xiaos continue mocking Kate and Franklin, threatening to destroy Starlight Group. Franklin stops holding back, condemns them for abusing Heaven's name, and declares he will expel them permanently. He then orders all exits sealed to clean house himself.

The Heaven president arrives, and the Xiaos' men accuse Franklin of stealing the Ocean Heart, backed by false witnesses. Franklin's son and Kate defend him, but the president stuns everyone by stating that he personally gave the Ocean Heart to Franklin.

After the Heaven president presents the Ocean Heart, the Xiaos' men panic, fearing Franklin may be the legendary Dragon Head. Franklin's son asks if he is really the Heaven Dragon Head, but Franklin denies it. The group remains puzzled by the president's gesture.

Ning Luo claims the Ocean Heart was merely a tip for a hotel waiter, insisting the Heaven organization would never value such a trinket. The crowd concludes Franklin just got lucky. Then Xiao Yunting is accused of embezzling company funds and is seized on the spot.

Kate asks Franklin about the rumored Heaven organization investment summit. He confirms it happens every ten years to select a single industry partner for maximum resource support. Kate admits Starlight Group has hit a ceiling and hopes the summit can help it expand beyond the southern province.

Kate admits she has little hope for the investment summit, and Franklin hints she holds an unmatched advantage. She then reveals she has already purchased a new home for them, leads Franklin to the villa complex, hands him the keycard to Villa No. 1, and goes back to the car for her phone.

Franklin runs into his high school classmate Zhao Guifen in the villa complex. She mocks him for his lack of a proper job and questions why someone like him would be there, calling him an outsider. Franklin calmly replies that he lives there.

Zhao Guifen and her husband refuse to believe Franklin lives in Tianlai Cloud Palace, stressing that only the wealthy and powerful can reside there. Franklin calmly states he lives in Villa Number One. Zhao Guifen scoffs and demands he take them to see it.

Zhao Guifen and her husband continue mocking Franklin, insisting he does not even know where Villa Number One is. Franklin leads them to the villa, and Zhao Guifen declares she will kneel and lick his toes if he can prove he is the owner. Franklin uses the access system, and the door opens.

Zhao Guifen and her husband still refuse to accept it, claiming Franklin is just a hired servant at the villa. They mention an upcoming class reunion at Vermilion Bird Hotel and dare him to show up. Kate reveals she owns the hotel and offers to accompany him as his wife to back him up.

Franklin returns home to find Kate's younger brother waiting. He openly insults Franklin, calling him too old and unworthy of Kate, and demands to know how Franklin tricked his sister into marriage.

Han Jian continues insulting Franklin, declaring the Han family too prestigious for such a son-in-law. He offers five or ten million to make Franklin leave Kate. When Franklin refuses, Han Jian summons his men to rough him up, but Kate steps in front of Franklin and orders them to stop.

Han Jian orders his men to take Franklin outside and beat him, promising greater rewards for the harshest blows. Kate is held back by Han Jian and can only beg him to stop. Han Jian reluctantly grants a few minutes but implies Franklin is already down.

Han Jian's elite special forces are easily taken down by Franklin, leaving Han Jian in disbelief. Kate checks on Franklin and notices his torn clothes. She brings out new clothes she bought earlier so he won't lose face at the evening reunion.

Franklin's former classmates gossip about his supposed failures, mocking him for claiming to be a villa owner while working odd jobs. They assume he will show up just for a free meal. A new Maybach arrives, and everyone wonders which VIP has come.

Franklin arrives at the reunion in a Maybach and a tailored suit. His former classmates are briefly surprised, then question his hotel cleaning job and conclude the car and suit are rented to impress. They ridicule him and leave him standing alone outside.

Franklin's classmates are upgraded to the Emperor Pavilion and receive two complimentary bottles of Romanée-Conti. Surprised by the lavish treatment, they learn it was arranged by a special assistant from Starlight Group, who mentioned a VIP among them. Franklin casually tells them to pass on his thanks and not to trouble themselves further.

Franklin's classmates doubt his connection to the special assistant. They turn their attention to Mr. Lin, calling him the real VIP. Lin modestly denies it at first, then boasts that he has dined with Starlight Group's chairwoman, Kate Sutton, implying the special treatment was meant for him.

The classmates keep flattering Mr. Lin and mock Franklin for caring too much about face. During the toast, someone recalls an old school incident in which a female classmate suddenly bled in class and Franklin lent her his jacket. The woman snaps at him for bringing up the stale story.

A classmate brings up how Franklin once helped Mr. Lin fend off schoolyard thugs. Mr. Lin shows no gratitude, and the others mock Franklin for trying to cash in on old favors. They suggest he take a job as a factory gatekeeper.

His old classmates keep mocking Franklin, urging him to take a security guard job and sneering that he could only find a widow. Franklin calmly replies that he already has a wife and names her: Kate Sutton, chairwoman of Starlight Group. No one believes him.

Franklin's old classmates keep mocking him, claiming he isn't even qualified to meet Kate Sutton. One suggests he bring his wife to work as a factory gate guard. Franklin stays unmoved, and then Kate suddenly appears at the gathering.

Kate Sutton appears at the reunion and confronts the classmate who suggested Franklin and his wife work as gate guards. She announces she is Franklin's wife, then declares the man's factory will be removed from the approved supplier list.

After Kate Sutton publicly punishes the classmate who slighted Franklin, she leaves with him as he reflects sadly on how his old friends have changed. Kate comforts him, then her brother appears, insisting he is not here to cause trouble but to introduce a key figure from Heaven Group.

Despite Franklin’s concern, Kate insists on keeping the appointment her brother arranged, hoping for help at the investment conference. She arrives at a discreet location where her brother introduces a man he claims is the son of a Heaven Group figure named Li Zhang.

Kate and her brother meet a man introduced as the son of Heaven Group’s Li Zhang. He explains the organization’s hierarchy under the Dragon Head and agrees to help Kate at the investment conference, asking only for friendship in return.

Kate and her brother meet Qin, who drugs Kate's drink. She quickly becomes disoriented. When her brother protests, he learns Qin's real target was never friendship, but Kate herself.

When Kate fails to return, her brother confronts Qin about drugging her. Qin admits Kate was his target all along, humiliates the brother, and declares he will assault Kate in front of him. The brother struggles but cannot break free.

Franklin bursts past Qin's guards into the private room. Qin boasts that his father is a Heaven chairman and no one dares touch him. Franklin counters by invoking the Dragon Head, then swiftly takes Qin down.

Kate is burning up after Qin drugged her, and her sister insists only Franklin can help. He helps Kate back to her room and stays with her as she suffers.

Kate feels shy about the previous night, but Franklin reassures her they are now officially married. When she worries that offending Qin has ruined their chances with Heaven, Franklin tells her to attend the investment summit as planned and promises her a surprise.

At the investment summit, Qin mocks Kate and claims a company backed by his family is all but certain to win. Franklin appears and pushes back, prompting Qin to insult him as a bottom-feeder. Old Chai then arrives and declares that Starlight Group will be the winner.

Qin keeps mocking Franklin and demands he prove how Starlight Group can win. Kate and her sister worry, admitting they can only raise fifty billion. Unshaken, Franklin begins to reveal an object before the crowd.

Franklin reveals a Heaven Black Card, said to grant access to a trillion in credit, stunning the crowd. Qin questions its authenticity and orders a verification device brought in. The device displays a balance of one trillion, leaving Qin speechless.

Franklin's Heaven Black Card shows a trillion-dollar balance, leaving Qin speechless after verification. Franklin then announces Starlight Group as Heaven's permanent partner and reveals himself as the Dragon Head.

Franklin announces Starlight Group as Heaven's permanent partner with a trillion-dollar investment and orders severe punishment for Qin and two others. He then formally proposes to Kate in public, and she accepts. Franklin explains to his son why he hid his identity and hopes he will take over soon.