Episode Summary
In "Fancy Land" Episode 17, the case against Li Xiulan weakens when investigator Sun Mou finds no official record of the rape that supposedly provided her motive. During a crime scene reenactment at an auto shop, a nervous Li Xiulan correctly operates the car lift, temporarily easing suspicion. Meanwhile, her daughter, Li Yan, follows a suspicious woman, Li Meng, to an apartment and discovers planted evidence and a script for a false confession. Hiding in a closet, Li Yan overhears Li Meng and Lin Yi plotting against her mother before passing out from smoke as they burn the script. She awakens in Lin Yi's home, where he proposes a shocking deal: to save her mother, Li Yan must make Li Meng "disappear." The episode ends with a cliffhanger as the hospitalized Bai Fan murmurs about forcing someone to admit their daughter to a mental hospital.
Spoiler Alert
Fancy Land Episode 17 Recap: A Dangerous Bargain
The case against Li Xiulan for the murder of Zhang Xiaochuan appears to be built on a foundation of lies, and as Qin Yang digs deeper, the entire narrative begins to crumble. Meanwhile, Li Yan’s own desperate search for the truth pulls her into a deadly confrontation, culminating in a shocking ultimatum.
A Case Without a Motive
The episode opens with an exhausted Qin Yang catching a moment of sleep in his office. He’s updated on Bai Fan’s stable condition, but more importantly, he’s reminded that Bai Fan's testimony about being raped by the victim, Zhang Xiaochuan, is the cornerstone of the prosecution's motive against Li Xiulan. The theory is simple: it was a revenge killing.
This crucial piece of evidence is shattered when investigator Sun Mou returns with a bombshell report from the Shigang County police: no rape was ever officially reported. The "ironclad" proof of motive has vanished, leaving Qin Yang to question everything he thought he knew about the case.
A Suspicious Reenactment
At the auto repair shop where Zhang Xiaochuan was killed, Qin Yang presses a nervous Li Xiulan to walk them through the crime. She appears flustered and insists her only target was Zhang Xiaochuan, claiming she had no idea someone else was in the car. Her story is shaky, and Qin Yang's suspicion grows. To test her, he asks her to operate the car lift used in the murder. Li Xiulan, feigning confidence, randomly hits a button—and the lift whirs to life. Her apparent luck momentarily placates the detectives, but the seeds of doubt remain.
A Daughter's Desperate Investigation
Watching from the sidelines is Li Xiulan’s daughter, Li Yan. She spots the suspicious Li Meng in the crowd and, on instinct, decides to follow her. The trail leads to a youth apartment building. After Li Meng leaves, Li Yan cleverly tricks a service attendant into giving her a key to the apartment by pretending she's there to pick something up for her "sister."
Inside, her worst fears are realized. She discovers a plastic bag containing items that look suspiciously like evidence meant to frame her mother. On a desk, she finds a script written by Li Meng, detailing a full confession for Li Xiulan to recite at the crime scene reenactment. The premeditation is terrifying.
Overheard in the Closet
Before Li Yan can process the discovery, Li Meng returns with Lin Yi. Li Yan dives into a nearby closet, hiding just in time. From the darkness, she overhears a chilling conversation. Lin Yi coldly states that Li Xiulan "deserves to die" and predicts she’ll receive the death penalty once she confesses. Li Meng, sensing something is amiss, glances toward the closet but says nothing. She then proceeds to burn the script, filling the small room with thick smoke. Trapped in the closet, Li Yan is overcome by the fumes and loses consciousness.
An Unholy Alliance
Li Yan awakens in an unfamiliar bed, disoriented. She is in Lin Yi's home. In the next room, she hears his daughter, Lin Nian, scolding a doll for "eavesdropping"—a chilling echo of her own predicament. When she confronts Lin Yi, he calmly explains he found her passed out near the auto shop and brought her to his home.
Panicked and furious, Li Yan demands to know why he is conspiring with Li Meng and insists he must help exonerate her mother. Cornered, Lin Yi makes a stunning proposal. He produces evidence of Li Meng's crimes and tells Li Yan there is only one way to save Li Xiulan: she must make Li Meng "disappear."
The episode closes on a deeply unsettling note from the hospital. The comatose Bai Fan, trapped in a nightmare, murmurs, "You begged me to admit your daughter to the mental hospital, you can't blame me..." The cryptic confession hints at an even darker conspiracy, leaving yet another mystery to unravel.
