Episode Summary
Xiao Rou, driven by years of abuse and a recent blackmail threat, murders actress Liu Meng and assumes her identity. Wei Lun, witnessing the murder, becomes Xiao Rou's accomplice, killing the blackmailer to protect her. Xiao Rou's trauma resurfaces, leading to a breakdown where she stabs herself. A'Lai realizes Wei Lun's involvement, and the investigation shifts to gathering evidence against him.
Spoiler Alert
The investigation into the murder of famous actress Liu Meng hits a wall. Her driver, Wei Lun, confesses to the crime, but A'Jia, based on the crime scene evidence and the medical examiner's report, believes Wei Lun is not the killer. The mystery deepens when A'Lai visits the hospital and opens a notebook, revealing a comic book storyline mirroring Liu Meng's life.
The comic depicts Liu Meng as a top star who employs a body double, Xiao Rou, who bears a striking resemblance to her. Xiao Rou is a more talented actress, which fuels Liu Meng's resentment. Liu Meng takes Xiao Rou to social events, gets her drunk, and delivers her to a powerful figure, Boss Luo. Xiao Rou cries for help, but Liu Meng, present in another room, ignores her pleas, and Xiao Rou is sexually assaulted by Boss Luo. Afterward, Xiao Rou confronts Liu Meng, who claims she was asleep and heard nothing, advising Xiao Rou to move on.
Wei Lun, suspicious, stays at Liu Meng's house that night. He hears Xiao Rou being assaulted and is dismissed by Liu Meng. Wei Lun waits for Xiao Rou and drives her home, intending to persuade her to report the crime. However, Xiao Rou is afraid, needing the job to pay off her father's massive debts.
Liu Meng often brings Xiao Rou to work, dressing them identically so Xiao Rou can take over whenever Liu Meng feels like it. During a car ride, Liu Meng provokes Xiao Rou, and Wei Lun, siding with Xiao Rou, gets distracted, leading to a crash. Xiao Rou pulls Wei Lun from the wreckage. When she checks on Liu Meng, she finds glass piercing Liu Meng's neck. Xiao Rou wants to check on Wei Lun, but Liu Meng dismisses him as insignificant, demanding Xiao Rou stay with her. Triggered by Liu Meng's disrespect and years of abuse, Xiao Rou kills Liu Meng and throws her body into the river.
Xiao Rou wakes up in a hospital, mistaken for Liu Meng by her assistant. Realizing she killed Liu Meng and burdened by her father's demands, she embraces the deception, becoming Liu Meng. She moves into Liu Meng's home and imitates her signature.
A key difference between them is a red mole on Xiao Rou's neck, which she initially conceals but later ignores. During a shoot, a stranger greets her, but she doesn't recognize him. He later enters her dressing room, threatening her with an envelope and demanding she meet him to learn a secret. Frightened, she complies and is assaulted. She learns he only had photos of Liu Meng with powerful figures, taken from behind. However, he also discovered her mole, revealing she is Xiao Rou. Terrified, she appeases him with money, but his demands escalate. To end the blackmail, she goes to his house and poisons his drink. He is prepared, and Xiao Rou is overpowered. Wei Lun arrives in time to save her. Wei Lun, having witnessed Xiao Rou killing Liu Meng, remains silent, pledging loyalty by killing the blackmailer.
Later, Xiao Rou films a scene mirroring her own experience: a body double killing the original. Traumatized, she hallucinates Liu Meng at home, who taunts her. Xiao Rou grabs scissors and stabs at the hallucination, then sees her reflection and stabs herself. Wei Lun arrives during this episode. A'Lai realizes Wei Lun is an accomplice, and the focus shifts to finding concrete evidence.
