Episode Summary

A flashback reveals Hua Jie’s fierce takedown of a pickpocket couple in 1994, leading her to raise their resentful daughter Li Xiaoli. Present-day schemes unfold as con artist A’Lan swipes a target’s keys, while cop duo Guo Pengfei and Li Hongqi close in on cornea thieves. Meanwhile, Siyan’s crush on Ma Mingzhu crashes into drama, and gang tensions boil over with a bloody bus stabbing.

Spoiler Alert

Let’s time-travel to 1994 Licheng first, folks! Our no-nonsense heroine Hua Jie (literally the bus-riding queen of justice) spots a pickpocket couple boarding her morning commute. While the wife swipes a passenger’s wallet, the husband prepares to bolt at the next stop. But Hua Jie—who’s been stalking cough observing these two for a MONTH—shuts down the bus doors like a boss. The dude panic-jumps out the window (Olympic-level agility?), but Hua Jie nabs the wife, delivering a "change your life or perish" speech. Spoiler: The wife’s fate? Jail. The couple’s daughter Li Xiaoli later shows up at Hua Jie’s doorstep with a "my parents suck, pls adopt me" vibe. Despite nursing Xiaoli through illness (kid’s got attitude), the girl resents Hua Jie for arresting her folks. Fast-forward to 2003: Xiaoli nearly bombs her college entrance exam by forgetting her ID. Guess who rides in like a hero? Hua Jie, proving she’s the ultimate grudging mom figure.

Cut to A’Lan, the modern-day con artist queen. She tricks a sleazy guy into a hotel rendezvous, then yeets his house keys out the window to her partner Cai Shen (literally "God of Wealth"—subtle). After faking a fire alarm (chaos = her love language), she ditches the guy at a second hotel. Hilariously, he’s left holding a useless room key while A’Lan ghosts him. Later, cops find his home robbed clean. Karma’s a thief, huh?

Meanwhile, Siyan (the adorkable nerd) tries gifting Ma Mingzhu a music box, but she’s MIA after getting fired from her factory. Cue dramatic chase scenes! Siyan slaps himself in regret (ouch), while sidekick Dachun advises him to "stop being honest if you wanna keep your crush." Mingzhu storms off—teen drama at its finest.

Over at the criminal underworld, Que Zai runs a "steal-to-pay-my-boss" racket. His lackey Beifeng (Xiaoli’s sketchy boyfriend) hides stolen tweezers in her backpack. When Xiaoli overhears Hua Jie ranting about thief tools? Awkwarddd. Meanwhile, hotheaded thief Hongzhong gets stabbed by Que Zai on a bus (blood trails = not a vibe).

The cornea heist plot thickens! Cop duo Guo Pengfei and Li Hongqi tail suspect Jiang Jifeng to a fish market, only to witness a shady stranger swap his wallet. Pengfei’s big-brain moment: "They’re using his business card to track his address!" They race to intercept the thieves, who call Jiang to negotiate the cornea price. Cops vs. criminals chess game: ON.

Final Thoughts: This episode’s got more layers than a Licheng onion—generational grudges, heist shenanigans, and enough teen angst to fuel a CW show. Will Xiaoli ditch her criminal boyfriend? Can Siyan ever redeem himself? And why does everyone in Licheng suck at keeping their keys safe? Stay tuned!

Spoiler Snacks:

  • A’Lan’s key heist = flawless. Girl deserves an Oscar.
  • Hua Jie’s "I’ll raise your kid but also arrest you" energy is iconic.
  • Que Zai stabbing Hongzhong on a public bus? Bold choice. CCTVs who?
  • That cornea thief better hope Guo Pengfei doesn’t Sherlock Holmes their whole operation.