Episode Summary
Lin Zhitao mourns her mother's death and faces accusations of corruption due to the Zhang Wenxuan case. Bai Enyu continues his work as a prison guard, guiding inmates towards reform. Lin Zhitao is assigned to lead a new juvenile division, and her first task is to revisit Huang Jiawang at the detention center.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 3: Family, Justice, and New Beginnings
Lin Zhitao is driving home, a heavy cloud hanging over her. She receives a call from her brother about their mother's passing. This triggers a flood of memories – moments of joy with her mother and brother, overshadowed by the constant presence of their alcoholic and abusive father. Lin Zhitao remembers trying to protect her mother from his violent outbursts. Now, her mother is finally at peace, but Lin Zhitao is left with a mix of grief and a sense of relief that her mother is no longer suffering.
Meanwhile, things are heating up for Lin Zhitao professionally. A classmate of Zhang Wenxuan, feeling outraged, secretly contacts Zhang Wenxuan's mother and promises to help her get justice for her son. They create a video that goes viral, accusing Lin Zhitao of bending the law. This causes a major uproar, and Zhang Wenxuan's mother publicly reports Lin Zhitao for corruption. The disciplinary committee takes the matter seriously, launching a full-scale investigation into Lin Zhitao's conduct and ethics, scrutinizing everyone around her.
Over at the prison, Bai Enyu continues his work as a dedicated prison guard. He often shares his own life experiences with the inmates, trying to guide them toward a better path. On the day of one young man's release, Bai Enyu even buys him a new set of clothes. Noticing the inmate's arm covered in scribbled phone numbers, Bai Enyu doesn't hesitate to wipe them off with a wet towel, urging him to cut ties with his past and never return to prison.
Saying goodbye to the released inmate leaves Bai Enyu feeling a little down. He sees each reformed prisoner leaving as losing a friend.
Back to Lin Zhitao, she's facing her own set of problems. After a thorough investigation, the disciplinary committee finds no evidence of wrongdoing on her part. They bring in Zhang Wenxuan's mother, Chen Huiwen, for mediation. Chen Huiwen is adamant that Huang Jiawang and the others should receive the death penalty to avenge her son. Lin Zhitao explains that the law dictates the sentence they received, but Chen Huiwen remains inconsolable. In a moment of despair, Chen Huiwen grabs Lin Zhitao's hair, accusing her of being a murderer.
After a tough day, Lin Zhitao returns home, overwhelmed by the injustice of it all. She hates Huang Jiawang for what he did and feels deeply for the boy who died, but she's bound by the law. The next day, her boss informs her about a new juvenile division being established within the prosecutor's office, and she's being appointed as its director. This news is a complete shock. It feels like a punishment for handling the juvenile crime case. After some convincing from her superiors, Lin Zhitao reluctantly accepts the new position and starts packing her things.
The new office is bare and still filled with unpacked boxes. Feeling lost and dejected, Lin Zhitao asks her assistant for ideas. The assistant suggests revisiting the three recently convicted minors. Lin Zhitao agrees, hoping to find some direction.
At the juvenile detention center, Lin Zhitao meets Huang Jiawang, who puts on a show of remorse for the cameras, claiming to be a changed person. Lin Zhitao sees right through his act. She asks Huang Jiawang to draw a picture, and he draws a rose, proclaiming himself to be a "flower of the motherland" who is now removing his thorns.
