Episode Summary
In this episode, the consequences of Duan Hongshan's case ripple through his daughter's school life. Duan Hongshan explains his legal philosophy on justifiable defense to Fang Lingyuan. The investigation into Jiang Ting's case deepens, with Fang Lingyuan suspecting a third party planned the murder. The episode culminates in two major revelations: Jiang Ting hires Lei Shuang, linking her case directly to Duan Hongshan's, and a past connection between prosecutor Fang Lingyuan and defendant Jiang Ting is discovered, revealing they were former classmates.
Spoiler Alert
Spoilers for "Justifiable Defense" Episode 6
At school, Duan Yingying's life continues to be affected by her father's situation.Upset, Yingying returns to the radio station and uses the broadcast system to demand an apology from whoever defaced her artwork. Her mother, Lei Shuang, confronts the principal, who is unwilling to reveal the student's name. Lei Shuang insists that the student responsible must apologize to Yingying in front of the entire school.
Yingying later finds the letters she wrote to her father, Duan Hongshan, in her mother's car and questions her. Lei Shuang explains that due to her father's "special situation," letters containing drawings are not allowed. She firmly reassures her daughter that Duan Hongshan is not a murderer and that she will prove everyone's assumptions wrong.
Meanwhile, prosecutor Fang Lingyuan discusses a past competition with Duan Hongshan, who confirms that Li Mufeng participated. Duan Hongshan also admits his ambition to revive the legal principle of justifiable defense. He explains that since the 1980s, the courts have applied it very strictly because it was often used as an excuse for mutual combat. He believes times have changed and that if law enforcers themselves shy away from protecting a person's right to self-defense in moments of crisis, the law itself loses its meaning.
Convinced that Li Mufeng is not the mastermind behind the current events, Fang Lingyuan crosses his name off her investigation board. Her analysis leads her to believe that Jiang Ting's case has become a nexus, drawing in everyone who harbored murderous intent. She recalls a detail from Jiang Ting's statement: her husband, Zhang Yuan, felt that another person had been in their home. Fang Lingyuan now sees this not as a throwaway line but as a crucial clue. She reasons that since Jiang Ting had been away from home for months with no contact with old acquaintances, and her new high-rise apartment was difficult to see into from the ground, someone must have given Zhang Yuan her new address. Furthermore, considering that a person's cooking habits don't change overnight, she and her colleague Ding Yi conclude that someone must have planned everything for Jiang Ting.
During an interrogation, Fang Lingyuan presses Jiang Ting about why she had a new knife specially sharpened. Jiang Ting acts hurt, retorting that the new knife wasn't the murder weapon. When Fang Lingyuan asks about her motive, Jiang Ting hesitates but insists she was the one who cooked the asparagus on the night of the incident. As she recalls the event, a fierce look flashes in her eyes, and she maintains that she killed Zhang Yuan in self-defense and that no one helped her plan it. As Fang Lingyuan is about to leave, Jiang Ting makes a startling comment: "You look good in a prosecutor's uniform." The remark catches Fang Lingyuan off guard, and she realizes they were once classmates.
Jiang Ting hires Lei Shuang as her lawyer. Though initially hesitant, Lei Shuang listens as Jiang Ting argues that their fates are intertwined with Duan Hongshan's. Only if her actions are ruled as justifiable defense can the accusations against Duan Hongshan be dismissed, proving his innocence. Observing Jiang Ting's sharp and calculated demeanor, Lei Shuang questions why someone who endured years of domestic abuse didn't seek other solutions, instead resorting to murder. She cuts to the heart of the matter, suggesting what she believes Jiang Ting truly feels: that abusive men deserve to die.
Lei Shuang later relays this conversation to Duan Hongshan, who advises her to pay close attention to Fang Lingyuan, sensing the prosecutor is unusually eager to see Jiang Ting proven guilty. Ding Yi, also sensing a hidden connection, searches the online forum for their old school, San Zhong (No. 3 Middle School). He finds a graduation photo, and in it, he sees both Fang Lingyuan and Jiang Ting.
