Episode Summary
A dual-timeline hustle! In 1994, rookie cop Guo Pengfei stalks thief brothers Jinjiao/Yinjiao while fumbling to impress mentor Fang Zhao and crushing on his daughter Fang Hui. By 2004, Guo investigates a stolen cornea tied to a seductive thief (Butterfly), uncovering shady schemes, cryptic crime boss Fo Ye, and a donor’s dark past. Everyone’s lying, stealing, or eating dim sum.
Spoiler Alert
Let’s rewind to 1994, when rookie cop Guo Pengfei was just a greenhorn at Dayuan Station, obsessively tailing local pickpocket duo Jinjiao and Yinjiao (Golden Horn and Silver Horn, because of course that’s their nickname). The brothers linger at a bustling market—prime theft territory—but instead of snatching wallets, they zero in on Fang Hui, a fiery red-dress-wearing bombshell playing ring toss. Why? Turns out she’s the daughter of legendary anti-theft detective Fang Zhao, and these two chuckleheads plan to slip a wad of cash into her pocket as a twisted "peace offering" to her dad. Their scheme gets foiled when Fang Hui’s sassy little sister shows up, forcing them to abort. Guo, watching from the shadows, sprints to Fang Zhao like an overeager puppy: "Sir! They’re scared of you! They tried to bribe your daughter!"
But Fang Zhao ain’t impressed. Guo, desperate to become his protégé, pulls a "Hey, watch this!" move by swiping Fang’s watch… only to realize Fang already pickpocketed his keys. Oof. The student gets schooled.
Cut to Fang Hui hobbling home with a broken heel (thanks, uneven pavement!), where Guo bandages her foot while bragging about his failed watch heist. Little Sister snorts: "You’re so into her." Guo bribes her with a popsicle to scram. Classic.
2004 enters the chat. Hong Kong eye doctor Jiang Jifeng storms into the anti-theft squad, panicked: His cooler of corneas (destined for a VIP transplant) got swiped on a train by Butterfly, a black-dress-wearing femme fatale. Plot twist? Jiang fell for a classic honeytrap—he bragged about "sexy Licheng girls" on the phone, Butterfly overheard, and boom: spiked drink, stolen goods, walk of shame.
Guo deduces Butterfly’s crew will try to sell the corneas (expiring in 10 days!) and needs Jiang to play bait. Jiang’s response? "Absolutely not. Also, screw you." Meanwhile, Butterfly (real name: A’Lan) gets cryptic orders from crime boss Fo Ye (via a note reading "0940"). She meets accomplices Cai Shen and Dashen at a dim sum joint, where Fo Ye scolds her for going rogue. "Sell those corneas NOW."
Back at the crime scene, Guo finds a bizarre clue: neatly arranged sunflower seeds in Butterfly’s hotel room. "She’s got OCD," he declares, like Sherlock with a badge. His partner Li Tang rolls their eyes.
Subplots collide: A crew of grifters (Dachun, mute Siyan, and sharp-tongued He Xiaozhu) arrive in town, dodging scam artists pitching fake "found wallets." Meanwhile, Guo lectures a petty thief (Dong Fugui) who steals pocket change for his elderly mom. "Retire. Now," Guo warns, making him fish a paperclip off the floor like some bizarre morality test.
The Big Mystery? That cornea donor was a dead con artist killed in a crash. Coincidence? In this show? Never.
Final takeaway: Guo’s still chasing approval (and criminals), Fang Hui’s still rocking red dresses, and everyone’s either scamming, scheming, or eating dim sum. Stay tuned for more chaotic ’90s nostalgia and 2004 crime spaghetti.
