Episode Summary
Xu Xiao investigates Hu Xiaomin's murder, while Lin Guoqiang and Chen Nan uncover a grave-robbing scheme involving local villagers. They discover Zhou Daye is actually Hu Xiaomin and is connected to a 10-year-old case involving his father, Zhou Jiahei, and a quest for immortality through a stolen tortoise shell. Someone murders Zhou Daye and steals the shell. The team identifies potential suspects, including Zhou Daming's friend, Zhou Wenhao, but Lin Guoqiang suspects a larger conspiracy.
Spoiler Alert
"Hanging Mirrors" Episode 7: Family Secrets and Deadly Obsessions
Alright, buckle up, because things are getting seriously twisty in "Hanging Mirrors"! Episode 7 dives deep into the past and unearths some shocking connections.
Xu Xiao is still at the crime scene, meticulously piecing together what went down. He's figuring out the sequence of events leading to Hu Xiaomin's murder. Meanwhile, Lin Guoqiang and Chen Nan are grilling the suspicious Third Grandpa. Turns out, he's been holding back some crucial info.
When Lin Guoqiang tries to bring Third Grandpa in for questioning, the local young bloods get all riled up and try to stop him. Why? Because they're all involved in grave robbing and are worried Third Grandpa will spill the beans. These guys are even ready to kill to keep their secret!
Chen Nan, quick on her feet, buys them some time by spinning a yarn about a tomb filled with treasure. The greedy villagers fall for it, letting them go. Chen Nan manages to call Xu Xiao for backup, but he's so focused on the crime scene that he misses the call.
Xu Xiao, realizing he missed Chen Nan's call, races to meet up with Lin Guoqiang and Chen Nan at Zhou Daye's place. Lin Guoqiang drops a bombshell: Zhou Daye is Hu Xiaomin! Dun dun DUN! Plus, Lin Guoqiang is obsessed with finding something called the "Cao Cao Seal."
Inside Zhou Daye's house, they find a tooth. Chen Nan gets the skull of a tomb's ruler sent over, and guess what? The tooth fits! This means the late Zhou Jiahei, Zhou Daye's father, definitely raided that tomb. Chen Nan figures Zhou Jiahei must have stashed a tortoise shell from the tomb in his safe – a shell that supposedly reveals the secrets to eternal life.
Lin Guoqiang then brings up a case from 10 years ago. Zhou Jiahei was spotted dumping a body by a couple. The cops found the body parts, but the case hit a dead end when Zhou Jiahei killed himself during the arrest. Turns out, Zhou Jiahei's suicide was a cover-up to protect Zhou Daye's existence. So, Zhou Daye inherited the tortoise shell and his father's obsession with immortality. Xu Xiao is understandably skeptical about this whole immortality thing. Chen Nan suspects Zhou Daye might have been cooking up elixirs, pointing to the roof of his house as a possible location for a furnace.
Xu Xiao also deduces that Zhou Jiahei's adoption of Zhou Daming wasn't out of kindness. He was grooming Zhou Daming to be a scapegoat for his secret son, Zhou Daye. And that's exactly what Zhou Daye did, blowing up Zhou Daming in the tomb to throw off the cops. But here's the kicker: someone else killed Zhou Daye and stole the tortoise shell!
Meanwhile, Ran Mingfei and Chen Xiaoxing track down Zhou Daye's ex-girlfriend for leads. Xu Xiao drives Chen Nan home, but they clash over their views on the case. Xu Xiao sees it as dangerous superstition, while Chen Nan approaches it with logic.
Back at the station, Xu Xiao briefs Chief Yang and Director Cao on the case. They discover that Hu Xiaomin was actually a dead man whose family sold his identity to a trafficker, which is how Zhou Daye was able to assume his identity. They also identify Zhou Wenhao, a close friend of Zhou Daming, as a possible suspect. Xu Xiao thinks Zhou Wenhao might have killed Zhou Daye to avenge Zhou Daming. Da Fei believes finding Zhou Wenhao will close the case. But Lin Guoqiang is convinced there's someone else involved, drawing parallels to the 10-year-old case and suggesting that another Zhou Jiahei/Zhou Daye figure might emerge.
