Episode Summary
Ai Lian poisons A Wu after he confronts her about her betrayal, leading to his death. She tries to cover it up with help from her daughter, Chen Yun’er, but the police close in. As Ai Lian attempts to flee, Chen Yun’er sacrifices herself to buy time, strapping a bomb to her body while urging her mother to escape. Meanwhile, the police continue their search for the real drug lab.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 23 of The Love of Charge Cars kicks things into high gear with a deadly breakfast, a cold-blooded betrayal, and a mother-daughter escape that ends in a terrifying standoff.
Let’s break it down:
The Calm Before the Raid
The police make a major break in their investigation, uncovering a stash of drugs at the beauty salon. But instead of storming in, they decide to play it cool — keeping the salon running as usual and making sure Ai Lian doesn’t catch wind of it. Meanwhile, Chen Yan finally cracks and agrees to spill the tea.
Breakfast with a Side of Poison
Ai Lian tries to play the doting partner by making breakfast for A Wu and sweet-talking him about their future together. She says she’ll follow his lead and one day, they’ll run away once they’ve made enough money.
But A Wu isn’t buying it.
He calls out her real plan: once he’s out of the picture, she can take all his money and disappear with Chen Yun’er. He even finds drugs in her bag and accuses her of poisoning the milk.
Then comes the ultimate power move: A Wu demands that Ai Lian drink the milk herself. Without flinching, she does. But A Wu suddenly breaks down in tears — despite everything, he confesses that Ai Lian is the only woman he’s ever loved. Tragic twist? That poison was meant for him all along.
☠️ A Quiet, Calculated Kill
Here’s the kicker: Ai Lian only pretended to drink the poisoned milk. She slipped the real dose into A Wu’s cup — a backup plan inspired by one of A Wu’s own sayings: "Don’t put all your eggs in one basket."
After A Wu collapses and dies, Ai Lian calmly pours her milk down the drain, draws the curtains, and prepares to clean up the mess.
Knock Knock, It’s... Everyone
As Ai Lian is mid-body-disposal, Ye Zhen and her team just happen to drive by. Even worse, Chen Yun’er spots her mother through the window. The team stops by, but Ai Lian plays it cool — opening the door with a smile and inviting them in for tea. Ye Zhen doesn’t sense anything off and even hands over Chen Yun’er before leaving.
Only later does Chen Yun’er stumble upon A Wu’s body. Though clearly shocked, she silently helps her mom move the corpse.
Closing In
Meanwhile, Chen Yan admits she once followed Ai Lian to a remote area near Feiyun Mountain and suspected something shady but backed off. Zhu Huaiyang thinks the location might be a drug lab and alerts the SWAT team, who turn back immediately.
Back at the house, Ai Lian confesses everything to Chen Yun’er — her crimes, her regrets, and her wish for her daughter to escape and live a clean life overseas. She explains that A Wu wouldn't let them go and even used Chen Yun’er as leverage, leaving her no choice but to kill him.
Ai Lian might be beyond saving, but she’s determined to save her daughter.
The Great Escape (Almost)
Sensing danger, Ai Lian grabs Chen Yun’er and makes a run for it. As they drive off, Ye Zhen and her team pass them going the opposite way — but Ye Zhen doesn’t chase. She knows the entire area is sealed off. Ai Lian won’t get far.
At a checkpoint, Ai Lian quickly turns east and starts making backup plans. She tells Chen Yun’er they must cut all contact after this. But just when she thinks they’ve bought some time, she spots Ye Zhen’s car in the rearview mirror.
Missed Calls & Bad Feelings
Ta Ta (An Tata) keeps calling Chen Yun’er, but she refuses to answer, visibly shaken. This alarms Ta Ta, who starts suspecting that Chen Yun’er knows more than she’s letting on. Ye Zhen agrees — if Chen Yun’er were clueless, she wouldn’t be acting this way.
Ta Ta is told to stay professional and remember: she’s a cop first.
Mother, Daughter, and a Bomb
Ai Lian takes Chen Yun’er to a remote house, right before the police arrive and begin searching the place. In a shocking twist, they find a bomb in the basement. Surveillance footage shows them closing in.
In a heartbreaking scene, Chen Yun’er straps the bomb to herself and begs her mother to leave — she’ll stall the police. Ai Lian refuses, but Chen Yun’er threatens to detonate, forcing her mother to escape.
Clues & Dead Ends
The police find a man’s clothes — likely A Wu’s — and Zhu Huaiyang fills Ye Zhen in on Ai Lian’s relationship with him. After checking the scene, they determine this place isn’t a drug lab after all. Zhu Huaiyang leaves Ye Zhen behind to investigate further while he heads out to track down the real factory.
Final Thoughts
Episode 23 is a rollercoaster of emotion and suspense. Ai Lian’s descent into crime hits rock bottom as she sacrifices her humanity to protect her daughter. With Chen Yun’er now stepping into the line of fire, the stakes have never been higher.
Can Ai Lian escape the tightening net? Or is this the end of the road?
