Episode Summary
In the explosive finale, Cui Wei tracks down Yi Zhi Er to an abandoned tunnel where a violent confrontation unfolds. Gao Shuhua wounds Yi Zhi Er to protect Yanyan, and Cui Ye sacrifices himself to save his brother. The truth about the past comes to light, leading to arrests and closure. A year later, the characters begin healing, though scars remain. Yanyan struggles with the emotional fallout, and Cui Ye faces the consequences of his choices behind bars.
Spoiler Alert
Buckle up—Episode 22 of Playing Go is a rollercoaster of high-stakes showdowns, emotional gut-punches, and poetic full-circle moments that wrap up this intense chapter of the story.
Guns, Gasoline, and a Burning Grudge
The episode kicks off with Cui Wei racing toward an abandoned tunnel on Highway 303. When he gets there, he spots a suspicious van—but before he can investigate further, gunshots ring out from inside. He quickly reports the location.
Flashback to a few minutes earlier: Yi Zhi Er, our unhinged antagonist (yeah, the guy with one ear), is holding Gao Shuhua and Yanyan hostage in a warehouse. As he casually preps instant noodles, he vents his twisted anger. Thanks to manipulation by Cui Ye, Yi Zhi Er wrongly believes Cui Ye is to blame for his disfigurement—and he’s taking it out on Cui Ye’s wife and son.
Yanyan, however, isn’t buying the lies. In a bold move, the kid kicks over the pot of noodles, pissing off Yi Zhi Er enough to slap him. Just as things escalate, Gao Shuhua grabs a gun and—boom—puts a bullet right into the good half of Yi Zhi Er’s remaining ear. That’s karma for you.
When Yi Zhi Er hears a noise outside, he dashes out, gun and flashlight in hand. Cue the long-awaited brawl between him and Cui Wei. Amid the chaos, Cui Wei urges Gao Shuhua and Yanyan to run—but they barely make it a few steps before more gunfire erupts. Cui Wei gets hit in the stomach. His cover as a cop? Blown.
Money, Fire, and Family Ties
Enter Cui Ye with a suitcase supposedly full of cash. He throws real bills at Yi Zhi Er and douses the suitcase in gasoline, threatening to torch it if Yi Zhi Er kills his brother. What follows is a tense standoff: they agree to count to three, then drop their weapons. But surprise—neither keeps their word.
Cui Wei lunges first, giving Cui Ye a chance to grab Yanyan and flee with Gao Shuhua. But Yanyan has one request: “Save Uncle.” And just like that, Cui Ye sheds his jacket, wraps it around Yanyan, and tells Gao Shuhua to take him and go.
Then, in a raw, emotional moment, Cui Ye turns back. He grabs a steel rod and pummels Yi Zhi Er, then helps his gravely injured brother limp out—only for Yi Zhi Er to come back swinging. To protect his brother, Cui Ye lights the gasoline-soaked suitcase on fire. Yi Zhi Er, obsessed with the money, dives in—and ends up a flaming figure stumbling into the darkness.
Truths, Farewells, and Forgiveness
As the Cui brothers emerge from the tunnel in the morning light, we see handcuffs linking their wrists. Cui Wei, barely standing, confesses that he’s always envied his younger brother—Cui Ye was the one who always stood out, even when Cui Wei became a cop. Cui Ye, resigned, compares himself to a lonely fish in a tank—his fate, it seems, was always sealed. In the distance, police sirens wail. Gao Shuhua and Yanyan wait in a patrol car, clinging to each other.
With the case finally closed, Cui Ye confesses to his crimes. The credit union robbery is officially solved, and the rest of the criminals—including Wang Hongyu, Uncle Yi, and the hit-and-run driver—are all brought to justice.
⏳ One Year Later...
Spring returns. Cui Wei visits their father’s grave with their mom, gently comforting her. Yanyan’s doing better in school, but the trauma from discovering the truth about Cui Ye has left its mark—he’s more withdrawn, often seen reading books about Go.
Eventually, Yanyan visits Cui Ye in prison with Gao Shuhua. But before a word is spoken, Yanyan bolts out the door. Gao Shuhua, eyes red, bows deeply to Cui Ye. Meanwhile, Cui Wei delivers some closure: the Jin family has taken Jin Xiasheng’s remains back home. He urges Cui Ye to reform, promising to look after Yanyan.
Though Cui Wei was only suspended temporarily, he chooses to resign from the force entirely. Now going by “President Cui,” he accepts a large sum of money from a friend without much explanation. Soon after, the whole extended family—Cui Wei, his wife and daughter, their mom, Gao Shuhua, and Yanyan—board a train for a new journey. Yanyan, now more mature, climbs up to his sleeper bunk like a pro.
Final Frames
In the closing moments, Xia Yu visits Jin Xiasheng’s grave alone, reminiscing about the day he kissed her after she agreed to marry him. It’s a bittersweet memory—one that now exists only in the past.
On the return train, Xia Yu sees a train cop who looks eerily like Jin Xiasheng and breaks down in tears.
Back at the Cui family home, a photo of the entire family sits on display. Cui Ye’s Go trophy is there too. In the fish tank, new goldfish swim freely—above them, Cui Ye’s jacket hangs on the wall. The final shot zooms in on the coat’s pocket, a quiet nod to everything lost, and everything that's still left behind.
Final thoughts:
Episode 22 ties up the core storyline with fire, blood, and bittersweet reconciliation. It’s messy, tragic, and deeply human. The show doesn’t pretend everyone gets a clean ending—but it does offer just enough light at the end of the tunnel.
Stay tuned for possible spin-offs—or just go cry about that fish tank.
