Episode Summary
The episode uses a long flashback to explain how Wu Ximei, Ni Xiangdong, and Cao Xiaojun first met. We learn about her difficult past working for a gangster named Dao Ge, how the two men saved her, and how they all became entangled after Dao Ge was killed. In the present, Wu Ximei's son has a medical crisis, while the police discover a suspicious insurance policy in Ni Xiangdong's name, deepening the mystery.
Spoiler Alert
The Past Comes Knocking
The episode opens with Ni Xiangdong on edge. He’s walking down the street and spots cops everywhere. You can see the panic set in immediately. He whips out his phone and calls Wu Ximei. He tells her to act nervous around Meng Chao. This is clearly part of a bigger plan.
Then, the show throws us into a massive flashback. We're going way back. We get to see how Wu Ximei got her start.
How Ximei Met Her Saviors
Wu Ximei used to be a shampoo girl at a salon run by a guy named Dao Ge. You can tell he's a local crime boss. At first, he seems almost decent. Ximei is bad at her job. But Dao Ge doesn't yell. He actually shows her how to wash hair correctly himself. She's touched by this. She tells him she just wants to earn clean money, no matter how hard the work is. Dao Ge even gets someone to teach her how to cut hair. She learns fast and starts building a stable life.
Of course, it doesn't last. One night, a customer gets handsy. Her coworkers jump in to help. Later, Ximei is walking home after buying fruit from an old woman on the street. The same guys from the salon spot her. They drag her into a dark alley.
She screams for help. Two guys show up. It’s Ni Xiangdong and Cao Xiaojun. Ni Xiangdong has this wild yellow hair. He's obviously a small-time punk. But he saves her. She tries to give him all her money as a thank you. He refuses to take it.
Life at the salon gets darker. It's payday. One of Ximei's coworkers complains that her pay is short. Dao Ge's men drag her away to work at "another place." It's a clear threat. Dao Ge is still weirdly protective of Ximei. He offers her something more, but she insists on just washing hair. She wants no part of his other business.
Later, another customer tries something with her. It just so happens that Ni Xiangdong and Cao Xiaojun are there. They immediately start a fight to defend her. The customer's friends show up. A huge brawl breaks out between them and Dao Ge's crew. In the middle of the chaos, Ximei, Ni Xiangdong, and Cao Xiaojun escape together. She patches up their wounds. This is the moment they become real friends.
A Deal with the Devil
Ximei is terrified she'll never escape Dao Ge's control. Ni Xiangdong, full of confidence, tells her not to worry. He says he'll handle it.
The next day, he and his crew storm the massage parlor. But they find a surprise. The guys from the brawl got there first. They've already beaten Dao Ge badly. Dao Ge looks at them. He agrees to let Ximei go. But there's a condition. He wants them to cut off the finger of the man who attacked him.
Later, Dao Ge talks to Ximei in private. He asks if this is the life she really wants. He gives her a choice. She can stay and become the manager of the salon. She can finally be her own boss. Ximei thinks about it. She agrees to his offer.
The Night It All Fell Apart
Ni Xiangdong and Cao Xiaojun come back. They have the money and the severed finger. They walk in like heroes. But Dao Ge drops a bomb on them. He says Ximei has decided to stay. And since she's staying, they are all "family" now.
That night, Dao Ge takes his new "family" members on a big job. They're on a bridge, acting as lookouts. Everything goes wrong. An enemy shows up. Dao Ge gets stabbed and killed.
It's total chaos. They know Dao Ge's empire is about to crumble. Ni Xiangdong and Cao Xiaojun race back to the salon. They grab Ximei. They tell everyone else to run and save themselves. Ximei ends up staying at their place, her head spinning from everything that just happened.
Back to the Present Mess
We snap back to the present. Ni Xiangdong is frantically calling Wu Ximei. Meng Chao is with her and tells her to answer the phone. She says just one word before Ni Xiangdong abruptly hangs up. She knows something is wrong.
Suddenly, her son, Tianbao, has a medical emergency. Meng Chao doesn't hesitate. He scoops up the boy and rushes him to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Ni Xiangdong goes to his uncle for help. He's desperate to get out of his current jam. In the final scene, Meng Chao and Tong Hao go to Ni Xiangdong’s apartment. Meng Chao pops the lock open with a simple card. Inside, they find an insurance policy. The insured person is Cao Tianbao. This discovery just adds another layer of questions to the whole mess.
