Episode Summary
A down-on-his-luck Go teacher gets entangled in a violent heist after compromising his principles for money, leading to deadly consequences and an unlikely alliance with a teenage robber.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 1 : "Playing Go" – When Life Checkmates You
Or: How a Go Champion Accidentally Joins a Heist (Yes, Really)
The Celebration That Wasn’t
The episode kicks off with a hilariously awkward school ceremony. Cui Ye, a mild-mannered Go teacher, finally gets his moment in the sun after winning a provincial Go championship. But hold your applause—the spotlight’s instantly stolen by local tycoon Wang Hongyu, whose checkbook apparently outranks Cui Ye’s actual trophy. Principal Zhang Yingjie shamelessly shoves Cui Ye aside to suck up to Wang, leaving our hero clutching his amateur status like a consolation prize.
Brotherly Love (and Judgement)
Cui Ye’s life continues its tragicomedy spiral: His school pockets his prize money (ouch), his kid Yanyan gets into a school brawl, and his cop brother Cui Wei swoops in like Captain Responsible™️ to scold him for… well, existing. The brothers’ tension peaks when Cui Wei gifts Yanyan a fancy study tablet, making Cui Ye’s sad wallet (and dad cred) weep.
Desperation, Go Style
Things go from "mildly depressing" to "full-on crisis" when Yanyan breaks his leg. Surgery costs? Thousands. Cui Ye’s savings? $1.24 and a pack of gum. He resorts to selling his prized Go tournament wine collection—only to get lowballed by a sketchy shop owner. Even his classroom projector rebels, while students literally throw chess pieces at his head. (We’ve all had those days.)
Enter: The Ex-Wife (Of Course)
Forced to play Go with Wang Hongyu (and lose on purpose, per Principal Zhang’s orders), Cui Ye discovers Wang’s secretary is none other than his ex-wife Gao Shuhua. Awkwardness level: 1000. But hey, at least Wang pays him off with a fat stack of cash! Cui Ye heads to the credit union to deposit it… just as five masked men storm in.
Heist 101: Consult Your Local Go Master
Chaos erupt as robbers hijack an armored truck. Trapped inside, Cui Ye—channeling his inner John Wick but with a Go board—concocts a genius escape plan using… chess strategy? He directs the gang to slip through hidden passages and create diversions like it’s a high-stakes tournament. But when the gang turns on each other mid-getaway, Cui Ye swerves their van into a literal explosion, nabs a bag of cash, and hides it at his school.
The Bag Full of… Monopoly Money?
Plot twist: The "cash" is just practice banknotes (RIP). Teen robber Jin Xiasheng tracks Cui Ye down, but they’re interrupted by Detective Cui Wei—leading to the episode’s most absurd scene: a tense Go game where everyone pretends they’re not hiding a crime. By nightfall, Cui Ye’s burning evidence at his dad’s gravesite while Jin (now a fugitive BFF) begs for help.
Spoiler Snacks:
- That injured hostage from the heist? They’ve seen Jin’s face. Uh-oh.
- Cui Ye’s "genius" plan accidentally got Jin’s brother killed. Guilt incoming!
- The police are very interested in that missing fifth robber.
Final Thought:
Imagine getting life advice from your principal about "learning to lose," then accidentally joining a heist gang. Cui Ye’s rock-bottom arc is the chaotic crossover between Breaking Bad and The Queen’s Gambit we never knew we needed.
