Episode Summary
Xu Tongsheng investigates a past family tragedy and a recent streamer's death, both involving explosions. He suspects foul play in both cases. The investigation into the streamer's death reveals a modified electric scooter battery and potential suspects, including the husband, Jia Sanmeng, and a reclusive co-tenant, Ye Meng. The episode focuses on uncovering the truth behind the explosions and the relationships between the individuals involved.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with Xu Tongsheng revisiting a traumatic event from his past. He's in the archives, looking at evidence from a house fire that killed his parents and his friend, He Xi, who was visiting for his birthday. The incident happened the day before his birthday. After the tragedy, Zhao Zhiyuan sent him to an orphanage and told him to use the name "Xu Tongsheng." Decades have passed, and the orphanage has become Xu Tongsheng's refuge.
Jin Chun, the daughter of the orphanage director Zeng Mingfang, finds Xu Tongsheng there. They're close friends, and Jin Chun tries to comfort him, urging him to let go of the past. However, Xu Tongsheng refuses to believe that Han Pei died in a fire, suspecting there's more to the story. Zeng Mingfang invites them to stay for dinner, but Xu Tongsheng has urgent matters to attend to.
Xu Tongsheng, using a real estate agent, looks at several rental properties. He finally settles on a modest room with a wide view, where he sets up a telescope to observe Han's Group.
Meanwhile, Shen Ye is at a familiar restaurant. He overhears two women discussing a live streamer whose home exploded during a broadcast. He immediately calls Xu Tongsheng, and they rush to the scene. The investigators identify the victim as Qin Qing, who lived with her husband, Jia Sanmeng, in a rented apartment. The initial assessment is that the explosion was caused by an electric scooter charging indoors, and there were no signs of suspicious individuals leaving the complex an hour before the incident.
Shen Ye and Huang Qi begin their investigation, while Xu Tongsheng examines the scene. He finds a lead-acid battery and charger. He also notices someone peering from a window across the way. Xu Tongsheng and Mao Mao go to the apartment, where a middle-aged man admits to frequently watching the live streamer, though he claims they didn't know each other. The man says that only the victim's husband lived with her.
Outside, a crowd has gathered, and several older women, seeing Xu Tongsheng and Mao Mao, try to set them up with potential partners. Shen Ye rescues them and asks about Qin Qing's relationships.
One of the women reveals that Qin Qing and her husband often argued, and there were often countdown sounds. Shen Ye asks about another tenant, Ye Meng, and her relationship with the couple, but the women don't know much.
Jia Sanmeng arrives at the ambulance, confirms his wife's identity, and collapses in grief. Shen Ye questions him, and Jia Sanmeng says they've been married for years, their relationship was ordinary, Qin Qing rarely went out, and had few friends. He explains that the electric scooter that exploded was used by Qin Qing for grocery shopping. Jia Sanmeng also mentions that he's a screenwriter and was at a pitch meeting during the day.
Jin Chun asks Jia Sanmeng to sign an autopsy consent form, but Qin Qing's mother arrives, distraught, and refuses to allow an autopsy. Jia Sanmeng consoles her, and Jin Chun asks Shen Ye to try to persuade the family.
Back at the fire investigation unit, Xu Tongsheng examines the evidence. Jin Chun still hopes to get consent for the autopsy, as there's a suspicious injury on Qin Qing's head. Xu Tongsheng determines that the electric scooter's battery was modified, and the charging protection device was tampered with, suggesting the explosion might have been intentional.
Shen Ye investigates Jia Sanmeng and Ye Meng's social connections. Qin Qing's mother says her daughter's marriage was envied because Jia Sanmeng was educated, and their relationship seemed stable. She says Jia Sanmeng seems even more devastated than she is. She still wants her daughter buried quickly and refuses the autopsy. Shen Ye explains the possibility of foul play and that they cannot leave the police station until the cause is determined. The mother still objects to the autopsy.
Shen Ye visits the convenience store where Ye Meng works. A coworker describes Ye Meng as reclusive and prone to making literary statements, often criticizing others' relationships as shallow. She briefly dated a boyfriend, but the coworker knows little else.
A man claiming to be Ye Meng's "ex-boyfriend" says he was the president of the school's literary society. He added Ye Meng on social media to arrange food deliveries, but she misinterpreted it as romantic interest. She started posting emotional messages, and he stopped going to the store to avoid misunderstanding.
Back at the police station, Ye Meng is being questioned. She denies any close relationship with Qin Qing and her husband, stating they were just ordinary tenants.
