Episode Summary
Jiang Ting is released, but the focus shifts to who leaked her address, with suspicion falling on Mei Zheng and Li Mufeng. Flashbacks reveal the origins of the 14-year-old case: Zhang Yuan, after being rejected by Mei Zheng, manipulated Zhou Lin into attacking her. Jiang Ting then lied to the police, repeating Zhang Yuan's narrative. We also learn that Fang Lingyuan was bullied by Jiang Ting and that her own knife became part of the evidence. In the present, a wiped phone proves to be a dead end, prompting Fang Lingyuan to revisit the Dongjiao Fish Farm for new leads.
Spoiler Alert
The Aftermath and a New Mystery
So, the big news is that Jiang Ting has been acquitted. She walks free. Fang Lingyuan discusses the outcome with Duan Hongshan. They talk about what the law even is. Duan Hongshan thinks it's just people's hope for a better life. The real boundaries of the law are blurry. But those boundaries decide who is guilty and what their punishment is.
The Jiang Ting case is over. But a new question pops up. Who leaked her home address to Zhang Yuan in the first place? Fang Lingyuan says Mei Zheng is the top suspect. Li Mufeng is also a possibility, though.
Here's a theory. What if Li Mufeng wanted to keep Mei Zheng out of the whole mess? He could have secretly given the address to Zhang Yuan. He knew Zhang Yuan would break in when Mei Zheng wasn't there. That would completely separate Mei Zheng from the crime. At the hearing, Mei Zheng exposed her own secret from fourteen years ago. She made sure everyone knew Zhang Yuan was her enemy. Fang Lingyuan thinks Mei Zheng might be protecting someone else. It looks like Mei Zheng and Li Mufeng are hurting each other. But they could actually be making a sacrifice to save themselves.
Duan Hongshan adds another piece to the puzzle. He says that fourteen years ago, Li Mufeng almost confessed. He had asked if Mei Zheng would be forced to describe the attempted rape in court. If she had to do that, he would rather just plead guilty.
Ghosts of High School
Fang Lingyuan's Trauma
Fang Lingyuan goes to a noodle shop she used to love. The food brings back a flood of memories. She remembers being bullied by Jiang Ting in high school. It’s a shadow that has followed her for her entire life.
One time, she was crying at that same noodle stall. When she went to pay, the owner said her bill was already covered. He pointed, and she saw Zhou Lin. She used to wear a mask home from school. She didn't want her parents to see the bruises on her face. She even took a knife and slashed her own skirt once. The next day, she brought that knife to school. Security at the gate was too tight, so she turned around.
The Original Sin
We get a clearer picture of what happened back then. Mei Zheng was tutoring Zhang Yuan in English. He confessed his feelings for her, but she turned him down. After the rejection, he started manipulating Zhou Lin, who was a lonely outcast. He basically directed Zhou Lin to go after Mei Zheng.
After the incident, Fang Lingyuan saw an evidence bag from a distance. Inside it was her knife.
The school's teacher told Jiang Ting to be "objective" when speaking to the police. But even the teacher thought Mei Zheng was a troublemaker. Before Jiang Ting went to the police, she met with Zhang Yuan. She then told the police exactly what Zhang Yuan had told her. She said Mei Zheng was a slut who flirted with everyone. She claimed the fight between Zhou Lin and Li Mufeng was because they were fighting over her. When Duan Hongshan questioned Mei Zheng back then, she was a wreck. She couldn't bear to relive what happened.
Present-Day Clues
Lei Shuang visits Li Mufeng at his glass workshop. She encourages him to hold a solo exhibition. She also tells him it's amazing that he doesn't hate Duan Hongshan anymore. Li Mufeng tells his own master about the exhibition idea. He wants to hold it at the Wuyan Art Museum.
The data from the cell phone has been recovered. But there's nothing on it. The phone is completely wiped, like it's brand new. This tells Fang Lingyuan one thing. She needs to go back to the Dongjiao Fish Farm.
