Episode Summary
A jewelry designer, Shi Yue, is found murdered, and her lover, Su Muxin, is the prime suspect. He goes on the run after the crime. The investigation reveals a complex and tragic history involving Su Muxin's wife, Qu Tong, and the death of their autistic daughter. We learn about accusations of domestic abuse, a stay in a sanatorium, and deep-seated grudges that connect everyone involved.
Spoiler Alert
A Murder in the City
The Crime Scene
We open on a crime scene. A woman is dead in her apartment on Hesheng Street. The lead detective is Zhou Mi. He’s a seasoned pro from the criminal investigation team. He gets a rookie partner, Wu Dong, assigned to him to learn the ropes.
The victim's name is Shi Yue. She was a designer for a company called Zhuo'er Jewelry. The apartment is a rental. Her phone and wallet are gone. The cops find the bathtub faucet running with the drains all plugged up. It's a messy scene. While looking around, Zhou Mi finds an old newspaper tucked inside a book.
The First Lead
A neighbor downstairs says she’s seen the victim with her husband. She mentions the guy doesn't come home very often. Zhou Mi shows her a group photo from that old newspaper. The neighbor points to a man and confirms it's him.
That man is Su Muxin. He’s the general manager of the same jewelry company, Zhuo'er. Zhou Mi immediately suspects they weren't married. They were lovers. The apartment is too modest for a general manager. Plus, there are no photos of them together anywhere. The neighbors also thought they seemed off as a couple.
A Tangled Web
The Wife and the Lover
Zhou Mi goes to question Su Muxin's actual wife, Qu Tong. Su Muxin isn't home. Qu Tong tells the police their marriage is great. She says they just celebrated their anniversary the night before. But she claims he left right after their dinner. She doesn't know where he went.
Zhou Mi asks about their daughter, who passed away. He wants to know if it affected their relationship. Qu Tong hesitates for a moment, then says no.
The truth is, Su Muxin went straight to Shi Yue's apartment after the anniversary dinner. Qu Tong has a complicated look on her face. She has seen Shi Yue at the company before. Still, she lies to Zhou Mi. She insists her marriage is strong. She even says Su Muxin's visit to Shi Yue's place was just for work. The second the police are gone, she tries to call her husband. His phone is off.
The Husband on the Run
The investigation kicks into gear. Wu Dong checks Su Muxin's phone records. He booked a taxi to the North Bus Station. The autopsy on Shi Yue brings more details. She had multiple plastic surgeries and a history of suicide attempts. She also had asthma and died from suffocation. The police are sure it was a homicide. Su Muxin is their top suspect.
They trace his steps from the anniversary. He celebrated with Qu Tong, got drunk, and went to Shi Yue's. She helped him into her apartment. Early the next morning, he left and went to the long-distance bus station. A homeless man at the station gives them a tip. He says Su Muxin paid him to buy four separate bus tickets to four different cities.
The Tragic Backstory
A Daughter's Death
Shi Yue's mother, Shi Muxian, comes to identify the body. She is devastated and furious. She tells the police she will not let Qu Tong get away with this.
We learn about Su Muxin and Qu Tong's daughter, Su Momo. She had autism and died after choking on a piece of food. Su Muxin was alone with her that day. He was driving and on the phone with his lover, Shi Yue. To keep his daughter quiet, he gave her a candy. He had to brake hard suddenly. The candy got stuck in her throat. By the time he hung up the phone and noticed what was happening, it was too late.
A History of Abuse
Zhou Mi tells his rookie, Wu Dong, to keep an eye on the wife, Qu Tong. He thinks she's the key to breaking the case. Zhou Mi also talks to the officer who handled Su Momo's death. That officer confirms Qu Tong was adamant that Su Muxin murdered their daughter.
Three months ago, Qu Tong had called the police on Su Muxin for domestic violence. He denied it. The investigation concluded that she likely made a false report. But Qu Tong insisted he was abusing both her and their daughter.
Then, a strange thing happens. A person on the street hands Qu Tong a card with Braille on it. After reading it, she leaves her house.
Zhou Mi goes back to talk to Shi Yue's mother. She says Shi Yue's most recent suicide attempt was just a month or two ago. It happened right after Su Muxin brought Qu Tong home from a sanatorium. We then see what happened. Qu Tong's mother, Shen Jing, had gone to the police station about the abuse. Su Muxin claimed he never touched his wife. He said he was the one being abused. He even showed Shen Jing injuries on his own body. After that, Shen Jing was the one who had Qu Tong committed to the sanatorium.
