Episode Summary
Xu Dongyang, driven to desperation by his manipulative girlfriend Xiaoxin's greed and threats, murders her after she steals his father's savings. The police investigate, uncovering Xu's financial crimes and fabricated evidence. Meanwhile, a mysterious "mind control" group is discovered, and Gu Zhen confronts a past trauma related to his partner's death.
Spoiler Alert
This episode dives deep into the tragic downfall of Xu Dongyang, a young, inexperienced man in love, and the events that led him to commit murder. Xu, who had never been in a relationship before, struck gold with a popular app he developed after graduating from college. His newfound success led him to meet Xiaoxin, a nurse at the hospital. Xu professes his love, showering her with everything she desired. However, Xiaoxin's demands escalated, eventually wanting a seaside villa that was far beyond Xu's means. When he couldn't deliver, she threatened to expose his tax evasion. Desperate, Xu falsified accounts and embezzled company funds to buy the villa, but the scheme was soon discovered. After investors investigated, Xu was forced to liquidate his assets, including his house and car, to avoid prosecution. The app's user base plummeted, his career collapsed, and Xiaoxin broke up with him, demanding a two million yuan settlement. When Xu refused, she stole his father's 500,000 yuan retirement savings.
Consumed by rage and betrayal, Xu lured Xiaoxin to his home, leading to the confrontation heard in the recording. Xu claims he never intended to kill her, and that he wouldn't have done it if she had simply apologized. Kong Rubai points out that while Xiaoxin should face legal consequences for her actions, a twisted heart can never find its way back. It's revealed that Xu fabricated video chat logs with his father, leading Kong to accuse him of potentially harming his own father, causing Xu to break down in tears. Xiaoxin's father arrives at the police station, accusing Xu of being a deceitful scumbag, lamenting that his daughter wanted to marry a rich man but ended up with "poor" Xu. Kong Rubai and Yu Yue intervene, stating that morality stands at the pinnacle of the law, and Xiaoxin should bear the consequences of her actions.
With the two murder cases closed, both Xu Dongyang and Ke Hai deny sending threatening letters to the police. Yu Yue examines Xiaoxin's chat records, finding only a few men with whom she had close contact, but all of them were incredibly generous. Curious about other potential victims, Yu discovers a "mind control" group on Xiaoxin's phone. Yu Yue asks Kong Rubai whether he still blames Gu Zhen for his brother's death, but Kong does not answer.
Gu Zhen, while buying cold dishes at a street food stall, spots a mysterious figure. Xiao Tang informs Gu that the custom shirts for Liu Ang were purchased by Anna, revealing their ongoing romantic relationship. Anna not only gave Liu gifts and money but also introduced Xiao Tang to him to please him. Teacher Wang is seen at Anna's bedside, peeling an apple for her. Anna believes he is the best person to her and is willing to trust him no matter what.
Gu Zhen has a nightmare, reliving the traumatic event where he and Kong Yingsong chased a suspect in a night market. The suspect, armed with a knife, took a young girl hostage and threatened them with explosives, demanding they drop their weapons. Kong Yingsong, in a selfless act to save the girl, charged the suspect and was ultimately killed. Gu Zhen wakes up late and rushes to pick up Xiao Tang, who felt like she was being followed on the way. Indeed, someone was following her, and if Gu hadn't shown up, the person might have succeeded.
