Episode Summary
Liao Siyuan confronts his dissociative identity disorder triggered by childhood trauma linked to his brother Liao Zhibai’s death, while the Buche Avenue explosion investigation exposes AH7’s conspiracy. Qi Meihua forces a purification ritual to break Zhibai’s psychological hold, culminating in Siyuan embracing self-forgiveness. Meanwhile, Detective Shu He unravels gang leader Bai Han’s manipulation of the crash, and Qi Xia revisits painful memories of Zhibai.
Spoiler Alert
Liao Siyuan has always idolized his older brother Liao Zhibai, viewing him as both a master investigator and a skilled homemaker. Raised under Liao Zhibai’s mantra that “a real man faces consequences and embraces challenges,” Siyuan harbors occasional sibling squabbles but deeply admires his brother, yearning to grow up faster.
The episode opens with citywide media frenzy over the explosive Buche Avenue car crash, putting intense pressure on Buhe City Police. Lieutenant Reynolds, eager to resolve the case, learns of Siyuan’s dissociative identity disorder (DID) and consults psychologist Bian Ming. Bian confirms Siyuan’s DID episode during the crash exempts him from legal penalties but requires strict guardianship. Qi Xia, the crash victim, shockingly declines to press charges and volunteers as Siyuan’s guardian—a move that raises eyebrows.
Reynolds later confides in Detective Shu He, linking the explosion to the shadowy AH7 syndicate and the decade-old Yong’an Village fire. Fearing conflicts of interest, Reynolds insists Siyuan be removed from the case. Shu He counters by revealing suspicions that AH7’s elusive “boss” was present during the explosion, prompting Reynolds to greenlight an arrest warrant.
Qi Meihua, Siyuan’s aunt, storms into the police station to pay his fines, masking her worry with harsh words. After his release, a tense car ride home culminates in Meihua forcing Siyuan to “purify” himself by leaping over a flaming basin—a ritual she believes will expel Liao Zhibai’s lingering influence. When Siyuan resists, Meihua erupts, screaming at Zhibai’s ghost to stop haunting him.
This confrontation triggers a seismic shift: Siyuan’s repressed memories of the Yong’an fire resurface under Zhibai’s mental control. We witness the brothers’ final conversation—a heartbreaking reveal that young Siyuan suppressed trauma from Zhibai’s death. Zhibai praises Siyuan’s growth and urges him to let go. In a cathartic moment, Siyuan chooses self-forgiveness, vanquishing both his guilt and Zhibai’s spectral presence as he crosses the flames.
Meanwhile, Qi Xia visits Yong’an’scorn poppy fields at night with Meihua, overwhelmed by vivid memories of Zhibai. Her quiet grief underscores the episode’s theme of unresolved pasts.
Post-breakthrough, a reinvigorated Siyuan thanks Shu He for earlier advice. Shu He reveals a decade-old bite mark from Siyuan during the fire—a visceral reminder of their shared history. Their partnership reignites as new clues emerge: Shu He arrests Meng Kun, a crony of gangster Xun Ge, who confesses that AH7 lieutenant Bai Han manipulated the drug deal gone wrong. Flashbacks show Bai Han faking terror during a warehouse bomb setup while secretly puppeteering the chaos. The crash, it turns out, was Bai Han’s elaborate trap to sabotage Xun Ge.
The episode closes with Siyuan recognizing a mysterious black-clad figure from surveillance footage—a silent bombshell hinting at deeper conspiracies. Shu He notices Siyuan’s reaction, setting the stage for a high-stakes pursuit.
The shadowy figure’s identity ties directly to Liao Zhibai’s unsolved death, positioning Siyuan for a collision course with his brother’s killers in upcoming episodes.
