Episode Summary
Ye Zhen investigates a missing child case and discovers that Lu Xiaoying, a grieving mother who lost her son a year ago, has taken another child, believing it's her own. With help from Zhao Meng, her ex-husband, Ye Zhen safely rescues the child. Meanwhile, Ai Lian’s secret life unravels—her ties to drug trafficking come to light, and she’s forced to stay silent as A Wu manipulates her using her daughter, Chen Yuner.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 22 of The Love of Charge Cars pulls no punches. It delivers a heavy mix of emotional breakdowns, long-buried secrets, and a few steps closer to uncovering the web behind the missing children and hidden drug ops. Let’s break it down.
Ye Zhen’s Gut Feeling Pays Off
Ye Zhen is back at it, this time investigating the local terrain with help from the scenic area’s security team. Just as she’s piecing things together, a villager named Uncle Wang drops a bombshell—he saw Lu Xiaoying, a woman from their village, carrying a child with her daughter. What’s the issue? Lu Xiaoying’s own son died a year ago, and she hasn’t been the same since.
The police had already found clothes belonging to a previously missing girl in a nearby restroom, making it almost certain that Lu Xiaoying is involved. Ye Zhen wastes no time and heads straight to Lu’s house with Uncle Wang.
Ai Lian’s Secret Life Gets Messier
Meanwhile, we get a deeper dive into Ai Lian’s double life. She secretly meets up with A Wu—her long-time lover. Turns out, Ai Lian had intentionally gotten close to Zhu Huaiyang, trying to dig up dirt, but came up empty.
When she notices police in the village, she gets nosy at a local shop. The shopkeeper clearly isn’t a fan and brushes her off. Moments later, Chen Yuner arrives, asking for directions. The same cold shopkeeper at least points her the right way.
The Truth About Lu Xiaoying and Her Past
Back at Lu Xiaoying’s house, her ex-husband Zhao Meng opens up. Since their son’s death, Lu’s been mentally unstable. But there’s more—Zhao admits she’s not mentally ill per se, but started abusing medication and eventually got hooked on drugs. That’s what led to their divorce.
Liu Danyang finds an old birthday video in the house—kids laughing, cake, singing. It’s a gut punch. Zhao Meng breaks down watching it, the grief still raw.
Out in the fields, Lu Xiaoying is playing with two children among the wheat. When Uncle Wang tries to retrieve the child she took, she flips, thinking he’s trying to steal her “baby,” and attacks him with a stick.
Ye Zhen gets the call and rushes to the scene. Lu is now wielding a sickle, totally convinced everyone’s after her kids. Ye Zhen calmly talks her down, and Zhao Meng steps in to help. He pretends to take the child to the hospital and manages to get the kid out safely. Police take Lu into custody. Zhao gently reminds her: their son is gone. Reality hits, and Lu crumbles.
Zhu Huaiyang’s Investigation Heats Up
Elsewhere, Zhu Huaiyang confronts Wang Yutian, who works at a beauty salon. At first, she’s tight-lipped, but eventually confesses: she had been clean for a while, but last month she caught Ai Lian sneaking something suspicious—facial mask powder—for a regular customer. Ai Lian always handled those clients herself.
Wang noticed the powder was treated like gold. One day, when it accidentally dropped, Ai Lian wouldn’t even let her touch it. Suspicious, Wang made a copy of the storage key and discovered—yep, drugs. She swapped the drugs for regular flour, planning to sell the real stuff later.
She also reveals that Ai Lian’s contact was someone known only as “Sister Chen.” When Zhu shows her a photo of Chen Yan, recently busted by the cops, Wang confirms it’s her. The police rush to Ai Lian’s studio, but she’s already gone—off on a “business trip.”
Ai Lian’s Dilemma: Love, Regret, and Survival
Ye Zhen and the gang take a short breather, enjoying a scenic trip. Chen Yuner manages to track them down and sends a video of their happy moment to Ai Lian—who is clearly not having such a great time.
A Wu shows up again, and Ai Lian suggests they run away together. She wants to protect her daughter, Chen Yuner, and start a peaceful life. But A Wu has other plans. He’s bitter—he once risked everything for Ai Lian, and she married someone else, a “loser” in his eyes. He’s been hustling ever since in hopes of giving Ai Lian and her daughter a better life.
Ai Lian pleads with him to let her go, but A Wu uses Chen Yuner as leverage. He hints that she’s in danger and might not make it out if Ai Lian doesn’t cooperate. Backed into a corner, Ai Lian has no choice but to give in.
Final Thoughts
Episode 22 blends tension, emotion, and backstory in all the right ways. Lu Xiaoying’s arc is absolutely heartbreaking, and the layers of Ai Lian’s life just keep getting darker. With the net tightening around Ai Lian and the police closing in, it’s only a matter of time before everything comes crashing down.
