Episode Summary
We learn through a flashback that Cao Xiaojun and Wu Ximei murdered Ni Xiangdong years ago. In the present, the police figure out that Wu Ximei faked her alibi and that Cao Xiaojun cut off his own ear to frame Xu Qingli. In a massive twist, Xu Qingli reveals he survived the murder attempt. He learns they tried to kill him over a case of mistaken identity and an insurance scam.
Spoiler Alert
The Truth About Ni Xiangdong
I hope you were sitting down for the start of this one. We finally get the full story in a flashback.
It begins with Cao Xiaojun remembering a time he bought a bracelet for Wu Ximei. He was clearly in love with her even then. But he watches as she goes to Ni Xiangdong. The two of them look close.
Then it cuts. Wu Ximei and Cao Xiaojun brutally murder Ni Xiangdong.
Just like that. They kill him. Afterward, she gives Cao Xiaojun a calm haircut. It's incredibly chilling. Then they pack up and leave town together. They plan to start a completely new life.
A New Life Built on Lies
Domestic Bliss on the Run
We see them living in a small, cheap hotel. For them, it's a step up. Cao Xiaojun can't sleep that night. They talk quietly about what to name their baby. They decide on Tianbao, whether it's a boy or a girl. This child means everything to them.
Cao Xiaojun then remembers the bracelet he bought for her five years ago. He can finally give it to her now. Wu Ximei is genuinely touched. She had no idea he'd been carrying a torch for her for so long. Later, the baby is born. For a little while, their life seems sweet.
The Past Catches Up
Their peace doesn't last. They run into an old acquaintance named A Tian. He mentions that a gangster, Boss Liang, is still looking for Ni Xiangdong. Apparently, Ni ripped him off and stole some goods.
Cao Xiaojun immediately lies. He claims they haven't seen Ni Xiangdong since he and Wu Ximei got together. The close call spooks them. The family packs up and moves to another new city. They can't risk running into anyone else they know.
Things get worse when Tianbao gets a dangerously high fever. At the hospital, Wu Ximei holds their son tightly. Cao Xiaojun quietly tells her about his own awful childhood. It's a truly miserable story. She just holds him, trying to offer some comfort.
Meng Chao Connects the Dots
The cops are finally putting the puzzle together. Meng Chao makes a breakthrough at Wu Ximei's workplace.
He inspects the storeroom. He finds a back window that was supposed to be sealed shut. It's been opened. That window leads directly to a hill behind the building. A colleague then mentions something important. On the day the ear was found, she forgot her USB drive. She went back to the office and saw Wu Ximei there.
Meng Chao realizes what happened. Wu Ximei wanted her colleague to see her. It was the perfect alibi. She was officially "at work" when the ear was discovered downstairs. But the back window has no cameras. She could have easily slipped out, taken a shortcut down the hill, and gotten home.
The initial plan was simple insurance fraud. She was going to use Ni Xiangdong's disappearance to cash in a policy. But Liu Cheng'an showing up complicated everything. Tong Hao points out the most disturbing part of the new plan. Cao Xiaojun cut off his own ear. He mutilated himself just to frame Xu Qingli.
Xu Qingli Is Alive
Here is the biggest shock of the night. Xu Qingli is not dead.
When they threw him off the building, he landed in a pool of water. The shock of the cold water woke him up from his drugged state. He managed to get away. After they left, he found Cao Xiaojun's phone at the scene.
He calls the number. Wu Ximei picks up. She anxiously asks, "Is it done?"
The realization hits Xu Qingli like a truck. He is completely heartbroken. He treated them like family. He remembers coming to the city alone. He remembers how they took care of him. They gave him a warmth he hadn't felt in years. And they tried to murder him.
In his shock, he figures it might be about "Ni Xiangdong." This just makes him angry. He didn't do anything wrong. He is Xu Qingli. He is not Ni Xiangdong.
Driven by this anger, Xu Qingli tracks down the agent who sold him his insurance policy. He confirms his suspicions. The agent was in on a scam. He was trying to collect insurance money by falsely claiming that Cao Xiaojun was dead. It's just another layer of fraud in this whole mess.
