Episode Summary
Pei Ji exposes herself as Xu Man, confessing to taking the blame for a fatal car crash to protect Lan Xiaotang—her childhood savior-turned-imposter heir. Flashbacks reveal their bond forged through poverty and betrayal, while present-day threats from manipulative Manni force Xu Man to confront her past. A bittersweet reunion occurs before Xu Man faces prison, unaware of Nu Na’s deathbed redemption. Meanwhile, gang tensions escalate as Tie Xin targets an AH7 drug leak.
Spoiler Alert
Pei Ji shockingly confesses to being the real Xu Man, unraveling a decades-long web of lies. In a tearful interrogation, she reveals her traumatic past: Born intersex due to chromosomal abnormalities, she was abandoned by her father in Buhe alongside her mother. Homeless and desperate, young Xu Man crossed paths with neighbor Lan Xiaotang, who offered her food and shelter after Lan’s parents died. The girls forged a sisterly bond, with Xu Man vowing to protect Lan Xiaotang "no matter the cost."
Years later, Xu Man worked tirelessly to build a business in Buhe, hoping to give Lan Xiaotang a better life. But tragedy struck when she discovered Lan at the scene of a car crash involving the Nu Na sisters. Xu Man rescued an unconscious Lan Xiaotang just as the other car exploded. Though Man Ni pinned blame on Lan for the crash, the real driver was Man Ni herself. To shield Lan from legal consequences, Xu Man forged a letter sending her to Nanyang under Xu Man’s identity—allowing Lan to unknowingly inherit the Xu family fortune while Xu Man took the fall.
Lan Xiaotang, believing Xu Man had vanished after the crash, returned to Buhe years later and learned the truth from Annieee: Xu Man had served prison time as Lan for the accident. Now free, Xu Man avoided reuniting to protect Lan’s new life—until Man Ni resurfaced with photos of the crash, blackmailing Lan for money. Xu Man intervened, confronting Man Ni and her accomplice Ross, who admitted to deleting surveillance footage and framing Lan. Ross, coerced by Man Ni’s lover A-Lin through a sex tape, helped cover up their crimes.
In a gut-wrenching twist, Xu Man confesses she underwent gender-confirmation surgery and surrendered to police to cement Lan’s identity. The two finally reunite outside the station, collapsing into each other’s arms in tears. But Xu Man’s remorse deepens when detective Liao Siyuan reveals Nu Na—who died in the crash—had terminal cancer and tried bribing Man Ni to leave Xu Man and Lan alone. "I wish I’d met you sooner," Xu Man whispers, haunted by her vengeance.
Meanwhile, crime boss Tie Xin hosts a dangerous dinner for Xun Ge, demanding he track down the AH7 drug leak tied to Liao Siyuan’s brother, Liao Sibai. Later, Xu Man is mysteriously escorted from prison under "medical parole"—a request she never filed. Who’s pulling the strings now?
Burning Questions: Will Lan Xiaotang uncover Xu Man’s new peril? Can Liao Siyuan expose the AH7 conspiracy? And what role does the shadowy "man in black" play in Buhe’s underworld? The fuse is lit…
