Episode Summary
Tian Jun attempts to blackmail Xia Qiu with photos, luring her into a dangerous situation. Xia Qiu alerts Zhen Rong, who overcomes his mother's interference to get help. Tian Jun assaults Xia Qiu, but she is unexpectedly rescued by a passerby, Ma Wen Wen. Bai En Yu feels immense guilt over the incident and apologizes. Meanwhile, Lin Zhi Tao investigates the Chen Hui Wen case, discovering the instigator was Ning Kai Tong, seeking revenge for her mother's imprisonment handled by Lin Zhi Tao years ago. Bai En Yu's great-grandmother arrives, bringing his rebellious nephew for Bai En Yu to handle. Finally, Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu visit a bar frequented by underage teens to better understand youth behavior, considering stricter regulations.
Spoiler Alert
The Setup: Blackmail and a Desperate Plan
Things kick off with Tian Jun pulling a seriously scummy move. He texts Xia Qiu, claiming he has a bunch of photos of her (the really private kind, we assume) and insists she has to meet him in person to get them back. Ugh, major creep vibes. Xia Qiu, understandably freaked out about her privacy, agrees to meet him but she's no fool. Before heading out, she smartly sends a flurry of messages to Zhen Rong, including photos pinpointing her location – basically, a digital breadcrumb trail in case things go south.
Zhen Rong's Stand and the Race Against Time
Now, here's where it gets frustrating. Zhen Rong's phone is practically being held hostage by his overbearing mother. As Xia Qiu's urgent messages keep pinging, Zhen Rong gets increasingly worried. He finally reaches his breaking point and confronts his mom, completely losing his temper. In a powerful moment, he snatches his phone back, telling her point-blank that he's an independent person, not her puppet, and firmly states that he and Xia Qiu are just classmates (though we all know there might be more feelings there, right?).
Once he sees Xia Qiu's messages, panic sets in. He realizes she's in real danger and immediately calls Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu for backup.
The Confrontation and a Shocking Rescue
Meanwhile, Tian Jun has lured Xia Qiu to a secluded spot. It gets dark fast – he forces her into a vulnerable position (the text mentions Lin Zhi Tao being photographed naked, but given the context of Xia Qiu meeting Tian Jun and being rescued, it seems overwhelmingly likely this was a typo in the source material and it was Xia Qiu he targeted) and starts snapping pictures with his camera. Xia Qiu is terrified, crying and begging him to stop, to let her get dressed. But Tian Jun isn't just taking photos; he looks like he's about to physically assault her.
Just when things look absolutely dire, salvation arrives from an unexpected source! A girl named Ma Wen Wen happens to be passing by, sees what's happening, and without hesitation, walks up and clocks Tian Jun with a hammer! Bam! Xia Qiu is saved, thanks to this absolute hero.
The Aftermath: Guilt, Apologies, and Reflection
Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu arrive, likely meeting Xia Qiu at the police station to sort things out. Bai En Yu is absolutely wrecked with guilt. He feels responsible, admitting that if he hadn't been "clever" (implying some previous action of his, maybe a bad plan or advice, inadvertently led to this), Xia Qiu wouldn't have been targeted. He writes up a formal self-criticism/apology letter. In a quiet moment, Xia Qiu simply signs it, perhaps signifying acceptance or just exhaustion from the whole ordeal.
This terrifying incident forces Bai En Yu to do some serious self-reflection. He realizes he often acts without thinking things through deeply. He's also genuinely grateful to Lin Zhi Tao, who not only takes responsibility alongside him but also defends him. Looks like Bai En Yu might finally stop talking smack about Lin Zhi Tao from now on. Character growth, maybe?
Case Updates and Past Ghosts
Shifting gears, the prosecutor's office has made progress on the Chen Hui Wen case (the girl who fell from a building). Remember how Chen Hui Wen kept harassing Lin Zhi Tao and even threatened suicide? Well, Lin Zhi Tao tracks down the person who was apparently egging Chen Hui Wen on: Ning Kai Tong. Surprisingly, Ning Kai Tong looks like just a young student. Her motive? Revenge. She reveals that Lin Zhi Tao handled her mother's case years ago, which resulted in her mom going to prison. Ning Kai Tong blames Lin Zhi Tao for losing her mother for years and holds a massive grudge. Lin Zhi Tao remembers the case but stays silent about the real reasons Ning Kai Tong's mother was jailed, seemingly because she promised the mother she wouldn't tell the daughter the truth. Heavy stuff.
Family Drama Comes Calling
As if Bai En Yu didn't have enough on his plate, his great-grandmother ("Tai Ma") shows up out of the blue, having traveled a long way after hearing he works at the prosecutor's office now. Bai En Yu initially panics, thinking she's there to critique his work. But nope! Tai Ma is actually fed up with Bai En Yu's nephew, who's apparently gone off the rails, even selling a treasured family heirloom motorcycle. Fearing he's becoming uncontrollable, she's basically dumped the kid on Bai En Yu.
Bai En Yu tries to lecture his nephew, but the kid is pure sass and rebellion. He mocks Bai En Yu right there in the office – in front of Lin Zhi Tao and another clerk, no less – calling him out for being raised by relatives ("eating from a hundred families," a way to say he depended on many households). Ouch. Talk about awkward.
Undercover Insights
Finally, to better understand the mindset of minors (likely relevant to their cases, including maybe Ning Kai Tong and the nephew situation), Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu, along with a clerk, tag along with a community volunteer named Tao Jia. Their mission? To see the world through younger eyes. They end up at a bar popular with young people and witness underage teens sneaking in to drink and dance. This experience gets Lin Zhi Tao thinking that maybe stricter regulations are needed for places minors shouldn't be frequenting.
