Episode Summary
Cui Jiayi begins recalling the events surrounding her abduction by Hu Minmin and decides to return home to heal. The police investigation into Hu Minmin hits roadblocks as her identity appears fabricated, and the mentioned "Teacher Min" doesn't exist. Meanwhile, young Hu Li's behavioral problems escalate at the welfare center, leading Lin Zhitao and Bai Enyu to seek psychological help for her. With Lu Sheng's support, Hu Li shows signs of improvement, revealing she can speak and witnessed Hu Minmin bringing Cui Jiayi home. A tragic new case emerges when Wang Hengquan assaults his daughter Xiao Qing's dance teacher, Wan Xuemin, after discovering the teacher sexually abused Xiao Qing during private lessons. Wang Hengquan is subsequently arrested.
Spoiler Alert
Cui Jiayi Starts Remembering & Healing
First up, Cui Jiayi. She's having flashbacks, specifically to that moment in the practice room with Hu Minmin. She remembers being thirsty, Hu Minmin handing her a water bottle, and then... nothing. Total blank. While she still can't pinpoint exactly what happened after she lost consciousness, just remembering this much is a step. It seems finding strength, possibly through her connection with Sai Qi (who we gather is her sister?), is motivating her. The big news is she's decided to leave wherever she's been staying and go back home to try and piece her life together. It's a fragile recovery, but it's progress.
The Mystery of Hu Minmin Deepens
Meanwhile, the police investigation into Hu Minmin is hitting some serious snags. They've dug into her background and found... well, almost nothing. Besides a seemingly valid ID number, everything else about her smells fishy, like she's a ghost with a manufactured identity. The cops are burning the midnight oil, sifting through old records, desperate to figure out where this woman came from and what her life was like before all this. Adding to the confusion, that "Teacher Min" Cui Jiayi mentioned from the training program? The police checked, and the training center confirms: no such person ever worked there. So, who was that person Hu Minmin introduced? The plot thickens!
Trouble with Hu Li
Over at the welfare center, things are getting difficult with little Hu Li. The staff called Lin Zhitao in for a serious chat. The poor kid is deeply troubled – she isolates herself, clutches a stuffed doll, and has started biting anyone who approaches her. Understandably, the other children are now scared of her. The welfare center, needing to protect the other kids, gently but firmly told Lin Zhitao that Hu Li needs to be moved somewhere better equipped to handle her needs.
Lin Zhitao feels responsible and, with Bai Enyu's help, takes Hu Li out of the center. Bai Enyu, ever the optimist perhaps, is driving and remarks that maybe Hu Li isn't that bad. Famous last words! Right on cue, Hu Li latches onto Lin Zhitao's arm and bites down hard. Yikes.
A Glimmer of Hope for Hu Li?
Lin Zhitao takes Hu Li straight to a psychological rehabilitation center. To help ease the situation, she asks Lu Sheng to come along. Interestingly, Hu Li visibly calms down in Lu Sheng's presence. After some observation and testing, the psychologist offers a theory: Hu Li probably can speak, but trauma has silenced her. She's choosing not to talk as a defense mechanism to avoid further hurt.
Later, after therapy, Lin Zhitao returns Hu Li to the welfare center. That night, a staff member overhears Hu Li talking in her sleep, whispering things like "Sister, come back..." and "I want to go home." Confirmation! She can talk. Lu Sheng visits her again and gently asks if she'd be willing to start speaking, offering his help. Hu Li nods. It's a small breakthrough, but a significant one.
A Near Miss and a Chilling Connection
Here's where storylines nearly collide. Cui Jiayi is also receiving psychological help, likely at the same facility. One day, as Hu Li is leaving her session, she and Cui Jiayi almost run into each other. The moment Hu Li sees Cui Jiayi, she becomes extremely agitated, grabbing Cui Jiayi's hand and trying desperately to communicate something, though the words won't come out. Later, Lu Sheng quietly asks Hu Li if she knows Cui Jiayi. Hu Li nods yes. Then comes the chilling part: Hu Li indicates, likely through gestures or simple confirmation, that she personally witnessed her sister (Hu Minmin) bringing Cui Jiayi home that fateful time. This connects Hu Li directly, as a witness, to Cui Jiayi's abduction.
A Tragic New Case Emerges
Just when you think the episode has delivered enough drama, a new, heartbreaking story unfolds. The police get a call – a man named Wang Hengquan has assaulted another man, Wan Xuemin. Wan Xuemin is a dance teacher at the studio Wang Hengquan's young daughter, Xiao Qing, attends.
The reason for the assault is gut-wrenching: Xiao Qing was sexually assaulted by Wan Xuemin. It turns out her mother, worried Xiao Qing wasn't progressing fast enough in dance, had secretly paid Wan Xuemin extra for private lessons. Instead of getting extra coaching, Xiao Qing was victimized.
The horrible truth came to light one day when Wang Hengquan was taking Xiao Qing to her lesson. The little girl was clearly distressed, trying to tell her dad she didn't want to go anymore, but he didn't grasp the severity initially. It wasn't until they arrived at the studio and saw police tape cordoning off the area, hearing whispers from bystanders about previous incidents of assault against minors there, that the horrifying reality clicked. Confirming his own daughter had suffered the same fate, Wang Hengquan was overcome with grief and rage, leading him to track down and attack Wan Xuemin.
The episode ends with Wan Xuemin suffering minor injuries from the assault, but Wang Hengquan is arrested and taken to the detention center. It's a tragic situation born from a parent's protective fury, adding another layer of darkness to the show's exploration of harm and its consequences.
