@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 ObjectStack. Licensed under the Apache-2.0 license.
+
+/**
+ * [#26167] A stored `sys_activity` row's `summary` as a reader in `locale` is
+ * served it, for suites that write through the audit writer and read the row
+ * straight from their store (no engine read, so no middleware ran). It applies
+ * the read side's own overlay (`localizeActivityRow`) to a copy of the row, so
+ * what it answers is what `installActivitySummaryLocale` serves that reader.
+ */
+
+import {
+  localizeActivityRow,
+  readerSummaryLocale,
+  type ActivitySummaryI18n,
+} from '../activity-summary-message.js';
+
+/** The engine slice a summary's labels are read from. */
+interface DefinitionSource {
+  getSchema?(objectName: string): unknown;
+}
+
+export function summaryAsRead(
+  row: Record<string, unknown> | undefined,
+  i18n: unknown,
+  locale: string | undefined,
+  engine: DefinitionSource,
+): unknown {
+  if (!row) return undefined;
+  const copy: Record<string, unknown> = { ...row };
+  const reader = readerSummaryLocale(i18n as ActivitySummaryI18n | undefined, locale, (objectName) =>
+    typeof engine.getSchema === 'function' ? engine.getSchema(objectName) : null,
+  );
+  localizeActivityRow(copy, reader, false);
+  return copy.summary;
+}
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ import { ObjectQL } from '@objectstack/objectql';
 import { createMemoryI18n } from '@objectstack/core';
 import { installAuditWriters } from './audit-writers.js';
 import { singlePostureDefaultOrganization } from './__tests__/single-posture-tenancy.js';
+import { summaryAsRead } from './__tests__/summary-as-read.js';
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Fixtures
@@ -274,6 +275,20 @@ const lastSummary = (storeFor: (o: string) => Map<string, Record<string, unknown
   return all.length > 0 ? all[all.length - 1] : undefined;
 };
 
+/**
+ * [#26167] …and as a reader in `locale` is served it: the summary is stored in
+ * English, and its field labels are localized per reader.
+ */
+const lastSummaryAsRead = (
+  storeFor: (o: string) => Map<string, Record<string, unknown>>,
+  i18n: unknown,
+  locale: string,
+  engine: unknown,
+) => {
+  const rows = Array.from(storeFor('sys_activity').values());
+  return summaryAsRead(rows[rows.length - 1], i18n, locale, engine as any);
+};
+
 /**
  * Seed the two accounts, the region, the user, and TWO deals:
  *
@@ -372,24 +387,30 @@ describe('[#7230] value half — a tracked reference renders a title, not a raw
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 describe('[#7230] label half — the tracked-change branch gets the locale-bound translator', () => {
-  it('localizes the tracked field label to the workspace locale (zh-CN)', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+  // [#26167] The label is localized for the READER: the row stores the English
+  // sentence and the field's key, and a zh-CN reader is served the zh-CN label.
+  it('localizes the tracked field label to the reader locale (zh-CN)', async () => {
+    const i18n = makeI18n();
+    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n });
     await seed(engine);
 
     await engine.update('biz_deal', { owner: 'usr_1' }, { where: { id: 'deal_1' } } as any);
 
     // Both halves at once, which is the reported string's actual shape:
     // localized label + resolved title, where it read `Owner: ∅ → usr_1`.
-    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('负责人: ∅ → 张伟');
+    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('Owner: ∅ → 张伟');
+    expect(lastSummaryAsRead(storeFor, i18n, 'zh-CN', engine)).toBe('负责人: ∅ → 张伟');
   });
 
   it('localizes a non-reference tracked label too (the label half is not lookup-only)', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const i18n = makeI18n();
+    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n });
     await seed(engine);
 
     await engine.update('biz_deal', { stage: 'won' }, { where: { id: 'deal_1' } } as any);
 
-    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('阶段: open → won');
+    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('Stage: open → won');
+    expect(lastSummaryAsRead(storeFor, i18n, 'zh-CN', engine)).toBe('阶段: open → won');
   });
 
   it('falls back to the authored field label when the bundle has no entry for it', async () => {
@@ -400,6 +421,7 @@ describe('[#7230] label half — the tracked-change branch gets the locale-bound
     await engine.update('biz_deal', { partner_id: 'acc_2' }, { where: { id: 'deal_1' } } as any);
 
     expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('Partner: ∅ → Globex');
+    expect(lastSummaryAsRead(storeFor, makeI18n(), 'zh-CN', engine)).toBe('Partner: ∅ → Globex');
   });
 
   it('keeps the authored label when no i18n service is resolvable (status quo)', async () => {
 
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ import { ObjectQL } from '@objectstack/objectql';
 import { createMemoryI18n } from '@objectstack/core';
 import { installAuditWriters } from './audit-writers.js';
 import { singlePostureDefaultOrganization } from './__tests__/single-posture-tenancy.js';
+import { summaryAsRead } from './__tests__/summary-as-read.js';
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Fixtures
@@ -343,6 +344,17 @@ const lastSummary = (storeFor: (o: string) => Map<string, Record<string, unknown
   return all.length > 0 ? String(all[all.length - 1].summary) : undefined;
 };
 
+/** [#26167] The last summary as a reader in `locale` is served it (`summary-as-read.ts`). */
+const lastSummaryAsRead = (
+  storeFor: (o: string) => Map<string, Record<string, unknown>>,
+  i18n: unknown,
+  locale: string,
+  engine: unknown,
+) => {
+  const all = Array.from(storeFor('sys_activity').values());
+  return summaryAsRead(all[all.length - 1], i18n, locale, engine as any);
+};
+
 const lastType = (storeFor: (o: string) => Map<string, Record<string, unknown>>) => {
   const all = Array.from(storeFor('sys_activity').values());
   return all.length > 0 ? String(all[all.length - 1].type) : undefined;
@@ -534,7 +546,8 @@ describe('[#7290] precedence and locale behaviour are unchanged', () => {
   });
 
   it('a milestone template is the author’s sentence and is NOT translated', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const i18n = makeI18n();
+    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n });
     await seed(engine);
 
     await moveStage(engine, 'deal_2', 'closed_won');
@@ -543,18 +556,23 @@ describe('[#7290] precedence and locale behaviour are unchanged', () => {
     // and it must NOT leak into the milestone sentence: milestone summaries have
     // never been localized, and this card does not change what a template says.
     expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('Deal won by 张伟');
+    // [#26167] Nor for a zh-CN READER: a milestone row stores no summary code.
+    expect(lastSummaryAsRead(storeFor, i18n, 'zh-CN', engine)).toBe('Deal won by 张伟');
   });
 
   it('the generic verb branch still localizes around it (the bundle really is live)', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const i18n = makeI18n();
+    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n });
     await seed(engine);
 
     // A write that fires no milestone and moves no tracked field falls through
-    // to `messages.activityUpdated`. If this stayed English the bundle above
-    // would be inert and the previous case would prove nothing.
+    // to the generic update summary. If a zh-CN reader were served English the
+    // bundle above would be inert and the previous case would prove nothing.
+    // [#26167] This bundle has only the field-less `messages.activityUpdated`,
+    // so the reader is served that frame.
     await engine.update('biz_deal', { priority: 'p2' }, { where: { id: 'deal_2' } } as any);
 
-    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('已更新商机"Already linked"');
+    expect(lastSummaryAsRead(storeFor, i18n, 'zh-CN', engine)).toBe('已更新商机"Already linked"');
   });
 });
 
 
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ import { createMemoryI18n } from '@objectstack/core';
 import { installAuditWriters } from './audit-writers.js';
 import { zhCNObjects } from './translations/zh-CN.objects.generated.js';
 import { singlePostureDefaultOrganization } from './__tests__/single-posture-tenancy.js';
+import { summaryAsRead } from './__tests__/summary-as-read.js';
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Fixtures
@@ -347,7 +348,16 @@ async function boot(opts: { locale?: string; i18n?: unknown } = {}) {
     getI18n: () => opts.i18n as any,
     getLocale: async () => opts.locale,
   });
-  return { engine, ...stub };
+  // [#26167] The summaries as a reader in `opts.locale` is served them: the
+  // row stores the English sentence and its code, and the field and option
+  // labels are localized per READER (`summary-as-read.ts`).
+  const readerSummaries = () =>
+    Array.from(stub.storeFor('sys_activity').values()).map((r) => summaryAsRead(r, opts.i18n, opts.locale, engine));
+  const readerSummary = () => {
+    const all = readerSummaries();
+    return all[all.length - 1];
+  };
+  return { engine, readerSummaries, readerSummary, ...stub };
 }
 
 const summariesOf = (storeFor: (o: string) => Map<string, Record<string, unknown>>) =>
@@ -387,40 +397,42 @@ const setStage = (engine: any, id: string, stage: string) =>
 
 describe('[#7289] tracked-change branch — select option labels resolve through the bundle', () => {
   it('localizes the option label on BOTH sides of the diff (the reported string)', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const { engine, storeFor, readerSummary } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
     await seed(engine);
 
     await setStage(engine, 'deal_1', 'closed_won');
 
     // Was `阶段: Proposal → Closed Won` — localized frame, authored values.
-    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → 已赢单');
+    // [#26167] Stored in English with the option VALUES; read in zh-CN.
+    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('Stage: Proposal → Closed Won');
+    expect(readerSummary()).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → 已赢单');
   });
 
   it('falls back to the AUTHORED option label per VALUE, not per field', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const { engine, readerSummary } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
     await seed(engine);
 
     // `stage.options.on_hold` is absent from the bundle; `proposal` is present.
     // A mixed assertion on purpose: a single-sided one would survive deleting
     // the translate limb, which is the trap #7291 measured on its raw-id case.
     await setStage(engine, 'deal_1', 'on_hold');
 
-    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → On Hold');
+    expect(readerSummary()).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → On Hold');
   });
 
   it('localizes the BARE-STRING option shape, whose authored label is the value', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const { engine, readerSummary } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
     await seed(engine);
 
     // `options: ['p1', 'p2']` → the authored label chain has only `ov` in it.
     // `p1` is in the bundle, `p2` is not, so both directions are pinned here.
     await engine.update('biz_deal', { priority: 'p1' }, { where: { id: 'deal_1' } } as any);
 
-    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('优先级: p2 → 最高');
+    expect(readerSummary()).toBe('优先级: p2 → 最高');
   });
 
   it('renders String(value) for a value matching NO declared option, bundle key or not', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const { engine, readerSummary } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
     await seed(engine);
 
     // The bundle DOES declare `channel.options.phone_call = '电话'`, and
@@ -431,11 +443,11 @@ describe('[#7289] tracked-change branch — select option labels resolve through
     // by the translate limb being dead.
     await engine.update('biz_deal', { channel: 'phone_call' }, { where: { id: 'deal_1' } } as any);
 
-    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('渠道: 网页 → phone_call');
+    expect(readerSummary()).toBe('渠道: 网页 → phone_call');
   });
 
   it('leaves the reference branch (#7230 / #7291) rendering titles beside the options', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const { engine, readerSummary } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
     await seed(engine);
 
     await engine.update(
@@ -446,7 +458,7 @@ describe('[#7289] tracked-change branch — select option labels resolve through
 
     // Option label from the bundle, record title from the read: the two
     // resolutions are independent and both must be present in one summary.
-    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → 已赢单; 负责人: ∅ → 张伟');
+    expect(readerSummary()).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → 已赢单; 负责人: ∅ → 张伟');
   });
 
   it('keeps the authored option label when no i18n service is resolvable', async () => {
@@ -474,7 +486,7 @@ describe('[#7289] tracked-change branch — select option labels resolve through
 
 describe('[#7289] fired-milestone branch — option labels stay AUTHORED, on purpose', () => {
   it('renders the authored option label inside the untranslated author sentence', async () => {
-    const { engine, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const { engine, storeFor, readerSummaries } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
     await seed(engine);
 
     // Two writes, and the first one is the CONTROL: it proves the locale is
@@ -486,13 +498,15 @@ describe('[#7289] fired-milestone branch — option labels stay AUTHORED, on pur
     await setStage(engine, 'deal_2', 'archived');
 
     const all = summariesOf(storeFor);
-    expect(all[all.length - 2]).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → 已赢单');
+    expect(readerSummaries()[all.length - 2]).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → 已赢单');
 
     // `{stage}` → the AUTHORED `Archived`, although the bundle declares
     // `stage.options.archived = '已归档'`. `{owner}` → `张伟`, because #7290's
     // title resolution is locale-INDEPENDENT data, not a translation. The
     // author's sentence and the author's option label stay in one language.
     expect(all[all.length - 1]).toBe('Deal moved to Archived by 张伟');
+    // [#26167] …and a zh-CN READER is served it as written: no summary code.
+    expect(readerSummaries()[all.length - 1]).toBe('Deal moved to Archived by 张伟');
   });
 
   // ⚠️ Status-quo pin, not coverage of this change: the locale is OFF here, so
@@ -517,7 +531,7 @@ describe('[#7289] fired-milestone branch — option labels stay AUTHORED, on pur
 
 describe('[#7289] localizing an option label is a bundle lookup and adds no reads', () => {
   it('a tracked option-only change pays ZERO reads, on a row that HOLDS references', async () => {
-    const { engine, reads, storeFor } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
+    const { engine, reads, readerSummary } = await boot({ locale: 'zh-CN', i18n: makeI18n() });
     await seed(engine);
     const before = { user: reads.findOn['sys_user'] ?? 0, acct: reads.findOn['crm_account'] ?? 0 };
 
@@ -530,7 +544,7 @@ describe('[#7289] localizing an option label is a bundle lookup and adds no read
 
     expect((reads.findOn['sys_user'] ?? 0) - before.user).toBe(0);
     expect((reads.findOn['crm_account'] ?? 0) - before.acct).toBe(0);
-    expect(lastSummary(storeFor)).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → 已赢单');
+    expect(readerSummary()).toBe('阶段: 提案中 → 已赢单');
   });
 
   // ⚠️ Retained as a forward guard, not as coverage of this change: a create