Episode Summary
Tax inspector Chen Dajun leads a raid on a company suspected of tax evasion, successfully uncovering their illicit activities. Simultaneously, his colleague Zheng Hao prepares for his engagement dinner. Chen Dajun is later murdered after receiving a mysterious USB drive, leaving Zheng Hao to uncover the truth and care for Chen's orphaned son. The episode ends with a connection between Zheng Hao's future father-in-law and the tax investigation, hinting at a larger conspiracy.
Spoiler Alert
The series kicks off in 2012 in Xindong City, where we're introduced to Chen Dajun, the head of the inspection department at the Xindong City National Taxation Bureau. Chen is a dedicated and by-the-book kind of guy. Early one morning, he leads his team, including Zheng Hao, Li Dongjie, and Xiao Tian, on a mission to audit the books of Fengtailun Company. They're staking out the company bright and early, with Zheng Hao grabbing some street food to tide them over.
Li Dongjie calls the company's General Manager, a man named Qi, to inform him that they'll need to see the Chief Financial Officer, Huang, in half an hour. Qi immediately panics, claiming Huang is out of town on business, and frantically tries to get Huang to cover his tracks. Chen Dajun, however, is no fool. He senses Qi's deception and leads Li Dongjie and Xiao Tian into the company, leaving Zheng Hao as a lookout.
The receptionist alerts Qi, who tries to stall by ushering Chen Dajun and his team into an office and claiming he doesn't have the key to CFO Huang's office. He even pretends to call Huang, but the call goes unanswered. Chen Dajun, seeing through the charade, starts playing games on his phone, clearly unfazed.
Suddenly, Huang's assistant, Xiao Wang, calls Qi, claiming to have the key. Qi rushes Chen Dajun and Li Dongjie to the office, where they begin their work. Qi then makes a show of finally getting through to Huang, who supposedly will be on the earliest flight back. Li Dongjie throws a wrench in the works by suggesting they send someone to pick Huang up from the airport, exposing Qi's lie completely.
Meanwhile, CFO Huang is busy smuggling two large boxes of accounting records into the underground parking garage. Just as they're about to make their escape, Zheng Hao and Chen Dajun corner them, catching them red-handed. Mission accomplished! The team brings the records back to the bureau. It also happens to be Chen Dajun's son, Chen Xiaoxing's, sixth birthday, and his wife and son arrive to celebrate. Chen Dajun urges Zheng Hao to settle down and get married.
Chen Dajun is recognized as a top investigator, receiving an award from the bureau chief. Zheng Hao, beaming, announces that he and his longtime girlfriend, Liang Jinqiu, are finally getting their families together tonight to formalize their engagement. Chen Dajun is thrilled for him. However, the celebration is cut short when Li Dongjie rushes in, needing Zheng Hao's help to check some invoices at Xindong Zhanlan Property Company. Chen Dajun insists Zheng Hao go to his dinner, offering to handle the invoice check with Li Dongjie.
Zheng Hao, dressed in a new suit bought by Liang Jinqiu, is driven to the dinner by his friend Zhao Mingda, who encourages him to get married soon. At the restaurant, Zheng Hao's father, Zheng Tianchou, the director of the Second Taxation Office, is already waiting. Liang Jinqiu's parents arrive, showering Zheng Hao with praise and expressing their desire for a quick wedding. Liang's father, Liang Zhongwei, has even prepared a house for the couple. Zheng Tianchou gives Liang Jinqiu a jade bracelet that belonged to his late wife, wishing the couple a lifetime of happiness. He also offers to put all his savings towards the down payment on the house, leaving Zheng Hao and Liang Jinqiu to handle the mortgage.
A sudden phone call interrupts the joyous occasion. Liang Zhongwei steps aside to take it, learning that the tax bureau is investigating invoices. He instructs his secretary to "clean up" the accounts and promises to "smooth things over" with the tax bureau. At the same time, Zheng Tianchou receives a call from his subordinates, unable to reach the finance personnel of Jinqiu Trading Company. The owner of Jinqiu Trading? Liang Zhongwei. Zheng Tianchou promises to handle the matter quickly. Both men return to the table, their smiles masking hidden anxieties.
Meanwhile, Chen Dajun and Li Dongjie arrive at Zhanlan Property Company. They meticulously examine the invoices, with the company supervisor nervously looking on. Chen Dajun takes a bathroom break, and the supervisor discreetly sends a message. Li Dongjie notices this. As Chen Dajun leaves the restroom, a man brushes past him. Chen Dajun discovers a USB drive in his pocket, realizing it was from the man. He tries to find him, but the man is gone.
Back in the meeting room, Li Dongjie and the team finish their check, finding nothing amiss. They leave. The supervisor is informed that Chen Dajun received a USB drive and sends someone to find the "mole." Li Dongjie receives a call for help from his colleague, Xiao Wang, and rushes off.
After the dinner, Liang Jinqiu drives Zheng Hao and Zheng Tianchou home. Zheng Tianchou claims he needs to return to the office. Zheng Hao calls Chen Dajun to inquire about the invoice check, but Chen Dajun, hearing Liang Jinqiu's voice, keeps the conversation brief. The supervisor's men catch the mole and brutally beat him. Chen Dajun drives back to the bureau, but receives a frantic call from his wife – their son has a high fever. He rushes home.
As Chen Dajun enters his apartment building's elevator, a man in black follows him. Liang Jinqiu drops off Zheng Tianchou at the office, and Zheng Hao gets out with him. Sensing something was off in Chen Dajun's voice, Zheng Hao calls him again. Chen Dajun reveals the USB drive incident, but before he can finish, he's attacked by the man in black. Zheng Hao hears a gunshot over the phone. He can't reach Chen Dajun and, realizing the gravity of the situation, races to his house. He arrives to a horrific scene: Chen Dajun and his wife are dead. Chen Xiaoxing, hiding in a closet, is the only survivor.
Zheng Hao keeps vigil at Chen Dajun's wake. The director of the Xindong City National Taxation Bureau, Ji Donglin, and the deputy director, Xiao Yilin, arrive to pay their respects. Zheng Tianchou arrives, heartbroken. Ji Donglin consoles him. Chen Dajun was Zheng Tianchou's star pupil, and Zheng Tianchou decides to adopt Chen Xiaoxing. Zheng Hao confronts Ji Donglin and Xiao Yilin about the investigation, but they defer to the police. Zheng Hao suggests starting with the USB drive, but he's the only one who knows about it. Furious, he confronts Li Dongjie, who is equally devastated and insists that Chen Dajun died taking Zheng Hao's place. Zheng Hao is left speechless.
Liang Jinqiu brings Chen Xiaoxing to the wake in the pouring rain. Zheng Hao drives them home. Chen Xiaoxing hasn't cried or spoken since his parents' death. Liang Jinqiu is heartbroken, and Zheng Hao proposes that they raise Chen Xiaoxing together. Liang Jinqiu readily agrees.
