Episode Summary
Hu Xiaolu's daughter is kidnapped, leading the understaffed Anti-trafficking Office to suspect her estranged husband and her best friend. Meanwhile, the child is with a grieving couple as part of a larger criminal plot, and a new lead emerges in the death of a fellow officer.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with a heart-stopping abduction. Hu Xiaolu is taking her daughter, Tang Zhikui, to a daycare center, with her best friend Fang Minmin along for the ride. After a minor car accident, Hu Xiaolu steps out to check the damage. For safety, she asks Fang Minmin to put the child back in the car, but in that fleeting moment, a blue van appears and Tang Zhikui is snatched away.
A distraught Hu Xiaolu immediately calls the Anti-trafficking Office. When officer Ai Xin arrives, Hu Xiaolu, who is currently separated from her husband Tang Dongquan, wastes no time in accusing him of kidnapping their daughter. The Anti-trafficking Office is already stretched thin; Deng Yan has been suspended, and the team is still mourning the loss of Yin Jiansheng, who died in the line of duty. A grieving Chang Rui pushes himself to return to work and take charge. He sends officers Yan Lei and Feng Junjie to locate Tang Dongquan, while Ai Xin stays to get a detailed statement from Hu Xiaolu. The case hits an early wall when analyst Yang Jiajia reports that the kidnappers' van disappeared after entering an area without any surveillance cameras.
In a separate investigation, Han Liang looks into the case against Deng Yan. He discovers that the security camera outside her building was intentionally broken. Footage from a nearby store shows a suspicious man entering with a bag full of cash and leaving empty-handed. Combined with evidence that her wardrobe was forced open, Han Liang determines that Deng Yan was framed. With her name cleared, she is reinstated and returns to work.
The investigation into Tang Zhikui's disappearance takes a turn when the focus shifts to the "best friend," Fang Minmin. While interviewing her, police learn that she has long harbored romantic feelings for Tang Dongquan. This raises the suspicion that she may have orchestrated the kidnapping in a twisted attempt to get closer to him.
Meanwhile, the audience learns the child's true whereabouts. A man named Fu Haochen has taken Tang Zhikui home to his wife. His wife, who is suffering from the trauma of losing her own daughter, Wenwen, believes Tang Zhikui is her child and refuses to let her go.
Back at the Anti-trafficking Office, Deng Yan's return is bittersweet. She tries to lift the team's spirits but is overcome with sadness when she sees Yin Jiansheng's empty desk. The case progresses as Tang Dongquan is brought in for questioning. He denies taking his daughter but confesses that Fang Minmin has been pursuing him romantically. He admits he told her he wanted to gain custody of his daughter, a detail that casts further suspicion on her.
When questioned again, Fang Minmin admits her love for Tang Dongquan and that she hoped he would divorce his wife. However, she swears she would never do anything to harm Tang Zhikui, a child she genuinely cares for. She pleads with the officers not to reveal her secret feelings to Hu Xiaolu. After Tang Dongquan is released, he is confronted by an emotional Hu Xiaolu. He comforts her with an embrace, a moment that Fang Minmin witnesses from afar, her face filled with jealousy.
The masterminds behind the kidnapping are finally revealed. A woman named Zhen Ni is seen surveilling Fu Haochen's home. She reports to her accomplice, Liu Gang, that the plan is working—Fu Haochen's wife has accepted the child as her own—and that their "overseas labor contract" has been signed.
The episode also provides a glimmer of hope for another family. Meilian, a recurring character whose son was abducted, receives a call from the office informing her that her son has been found. In contrast, Luo Xiaoxing is heartbroken that her brother, Luo Xiaoyu, remains missing after fifteen years.
The episode concludes with Chang Rui revisiting the scene of Yin Jiansheng's fatal car crash. He discovers a new clue: a set of tire tracks in the nearby woods, suggesting the truck driver had an escape vehicle. He successfully tracks down the car, only to learn from its owner that the license plate used during the escape was a fake.
