Episode Summary
Lu Sheng returns to detention, pressured by Pan Xiong to protect his family. Lin Zhitao helps Lu Sheng realize his brother is safe and encourages him to testify against Pan Xiong. Bai Enyu supports Lu Sheng during the trial, leading to a job offer from the Bureau of Justice. Lin Zhitao receives a call from Zhang Wenxuan's mother, who is contemplating suicide.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 5 Recap & Spoilers: A Second Chance (Maybe?)
So, Lu Sheng is back in the detention center, and he's a mess. He's tossing and turning, haunted by his recent release. He genuinely wanted to go straight after getting out, but things went south fast. His mom's not doing well, and his little brother is under Pan Xiong's thumb. To protect them, he felt like he had no choice but to go back to doing Pan Xiong's dirty work.
Lin Zhitao visits Lu Sheng again. She shows him a video of his brother, who's now safe and sound in a foster home, away from Pan Xiong. Finally, Lu Sheng spills everything about Pan Xiong's shady dealings to the police. Bai Enyu overhears this and is clearly frustrated. He confronts Lu Sheng, asking why he couldn't find a job after his two years in the juvenile detention center. Lu Sheng breaks down, explaining that he was doing well at a restaurant, but Pan Xiong framed him. Once you've been to jail, people look at you differently, he says. The stigma and discrimination were too much, so he went back to what he knew.
Lin Zhitao is heartbroken when she learns about Lu Sheng's situation. She realizes that Lu Sheng and his brother, being minors, should have been protected by their guardians. But those guardians failed them miserably. Lin Zhitao is determined to help Lu Sheng escape the shadow of his upbringing and wants to change his legal guardian. The head of the foster home is floored by Lin Zhitao's proposal. It's unprecedented to remove parental guardianship like this. But Lin Zhitao asks a powerful question: why can parents choose their children, but children can't choose their parents? This really hits the director hard, and she promises to look into it.
Lin Zhitao informs Bai Enyu about the trial date for Lu Sheng's theft case. The trial is on the same day as Bai Enyu's wife's prenatal appointment. Lin Zhitao insists that the trial date can't be changed. Bai Enyu rushes his wife to her appointment and then sprints off to find Da Gu (Big Drum). He finds out the exact location of the courthouse and sets up the drum on the roof of a building across the street. Right on time, he starts drumming to cheer Lu Sheng on. Lu Sheng, already intimidated by all the officials in the courtroom, is instantly comforted by the sound of the drum. He knows Bai Enyu is there for him. He stands tall and answers the judge's questions honestly.
Lu Sheng's transformation doesn't go unnoticed. The head of the foster home sees potential in Bai Enyu, who is compassionate and experienced. She wants to recruit him to the newly established juvenile division of the justice department. That night, she gets Bai Enyu's number from prison officials and invites him to dinner.
After the trial, Bai Enyu gets reported for disturbing the peace and is taken to the local police station. They even confiscate the drum! His wife shows up, furious that he's spending so much time on a juvenile delinquent instead of focusing on his career. Just then, the phone rings. It's the head of the foster home, inviting him to dinner! Bai Enyu is ecstatic and rushes to meet her.
The head of the foster home asks about Bai Enyu's work philosophy and his past experiences. She's impressed by his compassion and concern for the kids in juvenile detention. She explains that she's going on a business trip the next day and wants to transfer Bai Enyu to the Bureau of Justice. Bai Enyu is beyond thrilled.
Late that night, Lin Zhitao gets a call from a stranger claiming to be Chen Huiwen, Zhang Wenxuan's mother. She's overwhelmed by grief and plans to end her life at the same place her son died. Lin Zhitao is alarmed and immediately jumps out of bed to stop her.
