Episode Summary
Prosecutors Lin Zhitau and Bai Enyu investigate a boating incident where Tu Huaiwei took his daughter Yang Huihui and two younger children, Xiao Hu and Xiao Hua, out on a lake. Xiao Hu drowned, and Xiao Hua survived after falling in. Tu Huaiwei claims Yang Huihui recklessly rocked the boat, causing the fall. Yang Huihui initially accuses Tu Huaiwei of pushing them but later claims ignorance about how they fell. The investigation uncovers evidence that Yang Huihui abused her younger siblings, corroborated by neighbors and a shop owner. Lin Zhitau finds evidence of abuse on Xiao Hua in the hospital and is disturbed by a twisted wire hanger at their home, triggering her own trauma. A recording surfaces of Yang Huihui's mother demanding Tu Huaiwei "deal with" the children. The episode ends with conflicting testimonies and strong suspicions of abuse and foul play involving Yang Huihui and potentially her mother.
Spoiler Alert
Endless Protection Episode 7 Recap: Tragedy on the Lake and a Web of Lies
The prosecutors have a deeply disturbing new case on their hands. It starts with what sounds like a tragic accident: a man named Tu Huaiwei took three kids out boating – his young daughter Yang Huihui (from his current wife), and two even younger children, a boy named Xiao Hu (from his ex-wife) and a girl named Xiao Hua (also from his current wife). The boat trip ended in disaster. According to the initial report, Yang Huihui was rocking the boat like crazy, causing Tu Huaiwei and little Xiao Hu to fall into the water and drown. Xiao Hua also fell in but survived. (Okay, quick note: The source material initially says Tu Huaiwei drowned, but then has him giving testimony later. For the recap to make sense based on the rest of the info, we're proceeding as if Tu Huaiwei survived the incident, and the initial report of his death might have been inaccurate or there's a detail missing. It seems he survived, but Xiao Hu tragically did not).
Our investigative duo, Lin Zhitau and Bai Enyu, are on the case and head straight to the scene. A park worker who helped with the rescue confirms he heard cries for help while cleaning up trash. He rushed over and saw Tu Huaiwei, Xiao Hu, and Yang Huihui in the water. Sadly, Xiao Hu had ingested too much water and couldn't be revived.
Now, things get murky fast. Lin and Bai follow procedure and interview the key players at home.
- Tu Huaiwei's Story: He claims Yang Huihui was driving the boat recklessly fast and deliberately rocking it, which caused the two younger kids, Xiao Hu and Xiao Hua, to lose their balance and fall overboard.
- Yang Huihui's Story: She points the finger straight back at Tu Huaiwei, insisting he pushed the two little ones into the water.
We've got completely conflicting accounts. Bai Enyu immediately gets bad vibes from Yang Huihui – he watches her expression and is convinced the kid is lying through her teeth. He tells Lin Zhitau, but she (rightfully, as a prosecutor) reminds him that gut feelings aren't evidence. They need cold, hard proof.
Lin Zhitau decides to check out the school attended by Xiao Hua (the survivor) and Xiao Hu (the victim). Bai Enyu, meanwhile, gets clever. He makes an excuse to hang around Xiao Hu's neighborhood, striking up chess games with the locals to casually fish for information. Bingo. One of the old chess players spills some tea: he says that girl, Yang Huihui, has a nasty streak and is known for frequently hitting her younger step-brother and half-sister.
Bai Enyu tries a more direct approach next. He treats Yang Huihui to burgers, hoping to get her talking. He even secretly turns on his phone's voice recorder. But Yang Huihui is sharp and wary. She sticks to her story – Tu Huaiwei pushed them – but clams up when asked for details. Bai Enyu, seasoned in spotting fibbing kids, is about to press harder when Yang Huihui's father (presumably Tu Huaiwei, reinforcing the idea he survived) shows up, cutting the questioning short. Dang it!
But Bai Enyu did get some corroborating evidence for the abuse claims. The burger joint owner confirmed Yang Huihui often brings the younger kids there, doesn't buy them food, and even makes them eat her scraps. Yikes.
Meanwhile, Lin Zhitau makes a chilling discovery at Yang Huihui's home. On the clothes-drying rack, she spots a wire coat hanger twisted tightly together. The sight hits Lin Zhitau hard – it instantly triggers traumatic flashbacks of her own father abusing her with the exact same kind of makeshift weapon. It's a visceral, painful moment for her, shaking her to the core.
The evidence of abuse mounts. Lin Zhitau visits little Xiao Hua in the hospital and is horrified to see the girl covered in bruises – her arms barely have any unmarked skin. This aligns with what Lin learned at the school: the teachers noticed Xiao Hua and Xiao Hu frequently came in bruised and injured. They were cared for by an elderly nanny who always brushed it off, claiming they fell while playing on the slide. The teachers suspected otherwise; kids don't get that consistently banged up from a slide.
And then, a bombshell: The police find an audio recording on the phone of Yang Huihui's biological mother (Tu Huaiwei's current wife). In the recording, she's heard demanding Tu Huaiwei (presumably) get rid of the kids – "deal with them" quickly. It sounds like the mother had completely lost patience with the children, adding a potentially sinister layer to the whole situation.
Lin Zhitau brings Tu Huaiwei and Yang Huihui in for another round of questioning.
- Tu Huaiwei firmly denies harming the children.
- Yang Huihui slightly changes her story. She admits she was rocking the boat but now claims she doesn't really know how or why the two younger kids ended up in the water.
So, Episode 7 leaves us hanging. The investigation points heavily towards Yang Huihui potentially causing the "accident," fueled by cruelty and possibly influenced by her mother who wanted the kids gone. There's clear evidence of long-term abuse suffered by Xiao Hua and Xiao Hu. But Yang Huihui is sticking to (a modified version of) her story, and Tu Huaiwei denies direct involvement in their fall. Lin Zhitau and Bai Enyu have uncovered a deeply troubled family dynamic, but they still need that concrete proof to solve the case of Xiao Hu's death and Xiao Hua's abuse.
