Episode Summary
Episode 16 reveals that Ning Kai Tong, initially believed to be under 14 and thus protected from prosecution for attempted murder and framing, is actually 16 years old based on a bone age test. This makes her legally culpable. Simultaneously, Bai En Yu uncovers the truth about her past: she was adopted by parents who later staged the father's death for insurance money due to his terminal illness and financial hardship. Her adoptive mother confessed this before passing away in prison. Confronted with this and evidence clearing prosecutor Lin Zhi Tao (whom she blamed), Ning Kai Tong feels remorse. Lin Zhi Tao, recovering from surgery after being attacked, offers forgiveness. Ning Kai Tong is sentenced to five years for her attempted crimes. The episode ends with Lin Zhi Tao recovering and Bai En Yu rushing to the hospital for the birth of his child.
Spoiler Alert
"Endless Protection" Episode 16 Recap & Spoilers: The Truth Comes Out
Alright, so things kick off with a major complication surrounding Ning Kai Tong. She's the prime suspect in a murder investigation and has been caught framing others multiple times – pretty nasty stuff. But here's the kicker: everyone believes she's under 14 years old. Because of her age, the authorities, represented by Zheng Yanlai, announce they can't formally arrest her just yet.
Understandably, Bai En Yu is floored by this. He's thinking, "This kid is seriously manipulative, and Lin Zhi Tao is still fighting for her life in the hospital – how can this be the decision?" Zheng Yanlai explains he still needs to report up the chain. After discussion with higher-ups, the official plan becomes mandatory counseling and regular sessions with a psychologist for Ning Kai Tong.
The prosecutor's office calls in Ning Kai Tong and her guardians, along with a well-known local psychologist. After the session, the psychologist pulls the prosecutor aside with some intriguing insights. Ning Kai Tong was asked to pick from some photos, and one she chose showed a mother hugging a child. Superficially sweet, right? But the psychologist noted the child's hands were hidden behind their back, suggesting secrets or reservations towards the mother. The psych thinks this hints at issues stemming from both Ning Kai Tong and possibly her mother, requiring more digging to figure out the right approach.
Meanwhile, some good news! After intensive treatment, Lin Zhi Tao finally wakes up. Her younger brother, Xiao Yang, has been by her side constantly, and it's clear their bond has strengthened through this ordeal. Even from her hospital bed, Lin Zhi Tao is thinking about the case. She tells Bai En Yu a crucial piece of info: the KTV involved in the case originally belonged to Ning Kai Tong's father. However, after Ning Kai Tong's mother was imprisoned, ownership somehow transferred to Lin Zhi Tao's uncle. The reason? Still a mystery.
This prompts Bai En Yu to dig deeper into Ning Kai Tong's background. He personally visits the prison where her adoptive mother was held. A guard informs him that sadly, the mother passed away shortly after Ning Kai Tong's last visit just two months prior. Bai En Yu gets access to the security footage of that final meeting. It's heartbreaking – mother and daughter are both in tears. During this visit, the mother dropped a bombshell: Ning Kai Tong isn't her biological child. Years ago, the adoptive mother's first child died young, leaving her devastated. Later, at a hospital, she encountered a couple who were abandoning their baby girl (who had a heart condition) because they were too poor to care for her. That baby was Ning Kai Tong. The adoptive mother took her in and raised her as her own, only revealing the truth at the very end.
A DNA test confirms it: Ning Kai Tong and her adoptive mother share no biological relationship. This proves the adoption story. Bai En Yu also addresses Ning Kai Tong's long-held grudge against Lin Zhi Tao for prosecuting her adoptive mother. He plays a recording from the actual trial. The truth? Ning Kai Tong's adoptive father had been suffering from a debilitating illness for years, causing immense pain and financial strain. To leave some money for their daughter, he and the adoptive mother concocted an insurance fraud scheme. The terminally ill father deliberately drove his car into a river, staging his death.
Then, Bai En Yu has a brainwave: a bone age test for Ning Kai Tong. And bam – the results show she's actually 16 years old, not under 14. Legally, this changes everything. She can be held criminally responsible.
Faced with the recording of her adoptive mother's trial and the truth about her adoption and her parents' desperate actions, Ning Kai Tong finally understands. Lin Zhi Tao wasn't the villain; her adoptive mother made her choices. Everything she did to hurt Lin Zhi Tao was based on a misunderstanding. The weight of it hits her, and she breaks down in tears of regret.
When Lin Zhi Tao learns about Ning Kai Tong's true age and tragic backstory, she writes a formal letter of forgiveness from her hospital bed and asks Zheng Yanlai to deliver it.
The court eventually delivers its verdict. Because her crimes were ultimately attempted rather than fully completed (presumably referring to the murder plot/framing), Ning Kai Tong is sentenced to five years in prison.
In the episode's closing moments, Lin Zhi Tao successfully undergoes brain surgery. Bai En Yu is back on the grind, continuing his investigations with Cheng Wei. But life throws another curveball – he gets a call that his wife is going into labor! He rushes off to the hospital, reminding us that even amidst all this crime and drama, life, in all its messy, urgent ways, goes on.
