Episode Summary
In this episode, Xia Mo's investigation reveals that the murder victim is not Hong Xiu. After he and the others survive a deliberately set fire, which is revealed to be the work of Gao Ying's brother, Gao Fei, Xia Mo officially takes a job as a forensic examiner. He and Tang Zhenyun follow a lead and find the real Hong Xiu alive. She explains that she was kidnapped by a spurned suitor, Wen Yuting, who intended to kill them both.
Spoiler Alert
Rosefinch Episode 2 : Flames, Family Feuds, and a Shocking Revelation
The episode picks up with a tense standoff as Tang Zhenyun and Xia Mo come face-to-face with Gao Ying and her associate, Zuo Ping, at the crime scene. Gao Ying insists she is only there to search for clues, but Tang Zhenyun remains suspicious. Meanwhile, Xia Mo’s sharp eye for detail uncovers vital evidence: a man's shoe print, blood on the doorframe, and the indentation of two pillows on the bed. He then makes a crucial discovery after looking at a photo of Hong Xiu—the victim is not her.
Based on the evidence, Xia Mo theorizes that the real Hong Xiu was subjected to a violent struggle, having been dragged and hung upside down. He also observes Gao Ying's peculiar reaction to a detail on the shoe print, suggesting she has a connection to the mysterious man involved. Just as Xia Mo discovers a matchbox from a place called "Baofa," the situation escalates when an arsonist sets the building on fire, trapping them inside.
In a heroic move, Xia Mo's sister, Xia Yingqi, rushes to their aid with a ladder. As the fire intensifies, Gao Ying demonstrates her composure by kicking away an exploding oil drum, which allows Xia Mo to escape to safety.
Following the incident, Gao Ying confronts her brother, Gao Fei, at the Zhuque Hall. She accuses him of orchestrating the fire, an accusation he readily admits to while mocking her claim to the family inheritance. The confrontation turns violent when he slaps her, and she retaliates by stabbing his hand with a dagger. Gao Ying then exposes his dangerous secret: he was the one who swapped the body in the closet, a reckless act that nearly led the police to their doorstep.
The next day, after some persuasion from Fu Ying, Xia Mo agrees to work with Tang Zhenyun as a forensic examiner. Their investigation leads them to the Baofa place, where they follow a suspicious man into a courtyard. There, they find both Gao Ying and the very much alive Hong Xiu. Under questioning from Tang Zhenyun, Hong Xiu reveals her harrowing story: she had been kidnapped by a man named Wen Yuting after repeatedly rejecting his advances. Enraged, he planned for them to die together as a "ghost couple."
