Episode Summary
Liu Zhendong openly declared his opposition to the Shanhai Gang to a suspicious Zheng Qiu, who still sees value in him. Meanwhile, Huang Zhongxin dramatically confronted Cheng Hui, accusing him of financial misdeeds and the attempted murder of his father, Huang Jinhu. After injuring himself to sever ties with Cheng Hui, Huang Zhongxin tried to flee Shicheng with his father. However, Cheng Hui tracked them to the hospital. When confronted, Huang Jinhu accused Cheng Hui of trying to harm him. While being fed by Cheng Hui later at the gang's headquarters, Huang Jinhu had a sudden, violent reaction, seemingly recalling past events before collapsing.
Spoiler Alert
Things kicked off with Liu Zhendong and Zheng Qiu in a tense verbal sparring match. Liu Zhendong, trying to play it cool and lower Zheng Qiu's guard, straight-up said he's gunning for the Shanhai Gang. Zheng Qiu, ever the manipulator, tried to get nostalgic, hinting that the cancellation of their families' arranged marriage way back when wasn't his fault. Liu Zhendong wasn't buying it, though. He coolly stated that his mother's family fell from grace, leading to the broken engagement, and he holds no grudges against Zheng Qiu. He even mentioned his mom still speaks well of Zheng Qiu, but then, bam! He reiterated his determination to wipe out the Shanhai Gang. Smooth.
Once Zheng Qiu left, his associate Wang Ahui, who escorted him, voiced some serious doubts about Liu Zhendong. He found Liu Zhendong hard to read, sometimes seeming straightforward and other times cunning as a fox. Wang Ahui even suggested they just get rid of Liu Zhendong to avoid future trouble. But Zheng Qiu shot that idea down. For now, Liu Zhendong is too valuable; they've apparently already found a key clue thanks to him. Intriguing!
Meanwhile, Zhao Tiehan was having zero luck finding Huang Zhongxin, only for Huang Zhongxin to dramatically appear out of nowhere. Cheng Hui, seeing him, assumed he was there because of Cheng Nanping and tried to play the understanding elder, saying Cheng Nanping was just being impulsive and would come around. Huang Zhongxin, however, cut him off cold, stating his visit had nothing to do with Cheng Nanping. Cheng Hui then guessed Huang Zhongxin was in a tight spot financially and brought up the leads on Director Zhang and Xu Guangrong. Huang Zhongxin didn't flinch, admitting he was behind it all.
Then, Huang Zhongxin flipped the script, accusing Cheng Hui of secretly manipulating private accounts and, more shockingly, of trying to murder his father! Cheng Hui’s face changed instantly, and he vehemently denied it, demanding to know who was framing him. Huang Zhongxin just scoffed, claiming he saw his father alive with his own eyes, leaving Cheng Hui and Zhao Tiehan stunned. Things escalated quickly as Huang Zhongxin suddenly drew a knife. Zhao Tiehan scrambled to stop him. In the end, Huang Zhongxin didn't attack Cheng Hui but instead wounded himself with the knife, declaring their ties officially severed. Talk about a dramatic exit!
Huang Zhongxin then rushed to the hospital, planning to take his father and leave Shicheng for good. He promised to use his savings to buy a house and use his skills to ensure his father lived out his remaining years comfortably. Just as he went to find a vehicle, Cheng Nanping, having heard Huang Zhongxin was injured, hurried over. But it was too late for a quiet escape. Cheng Hui and his crew had already tracked them down and, sure enough, found Huang Jinhu in the hospital room, though he wasn't lucid.
Huang Jinhu, in a moment of clarity (or perhaps delirium?), pointed at Cheng Hui and accused him of trying to harm him. Cheng Hui frantically denied it, claiming Huang Jinhu was a hero who sacrificed for the gang and he’d never hurt him. Cheng Hui then ordered his men to take Huang Jinhu back to the Shanhai Gang headquarters. He even personally tried to feed Huang Jinhu. But as Huang Jinhu swallowed, his expression suddenly changed. A flood of memories seemed to hit him, and he started choking, clutching his throat and foaming at the mouth. Cheng Hui, panicking, yelled for Xu Guangrong, ordering him to save Huang Jinhu at any cost, before being forcibly dragged away by his own men.
