Episode Summary
Xian Biyun suspects Yi Aida is the spy "White Night" but discovers her meeting is a trap set by Liang Jingyuan. Biyun sees through the deception by noticing calluses on Aida's hands and her suspicious behavior. Meanwhile, Gu Yangshan is ordered to kill Shen Wanqing. A clue from a conversation leads Biyun and Ding Yi to a socialite named Susu. Her story about Shen Wanqing's strange visits makes Biyun believe he might be the real White Night.
Spoiler Alert
The Trap for White Night
Xian Biyun is getting more certain about Yi Aida. She's connecting the dots. Aida has a stomach condition. She used to have a specific job. And she tried to hide her illness. Biyun is convinced Aida is the spy she’s been hunting, White Night.
At the same time, Liang Jingyuan is moving his own pieces. He gives a secret and important task to Shen Wanqing's students. When Shen hears about it, he puts on a show. He acts all flattered and quickly agrees to it.
Then, Old Owl gives Xian Biyun her next big mission. It’s a critical contact meeting. She opens a book he gives her and finds a photo of a little girl inside. This just confuses her.
A Birthday Truce and a Deadly Order
Things get intense on another front. Luo Han gives Gu Yangshan a mysterious drug. He orders him to eliminate Shen Wanqing. Luo Han doesn't even care if Shen is a communist or not. He just needs Shen dead before he can crack the Xige code. A leak would be a disaster.
Later that night, the mood shifts completely. Ding Yi cooks a huge meal for his own birthday. His cheerful, optimistic attitude is a welcome break for Xian Biyun and Gu Yangshan. He spends the evening trying to get those two to make peace. After a few drinks, the three of them actually have a great dinner. The atmosphere is surprisingly warm.
Ding Yi grabs a camera to capture the moment. Just then, a radio broadcast announces a new anti-communist operation. The mood shatters. Gu Yangshan is a Nationalist, but he hates the idea of Chinese people killing each other. You can see the conflict tearing him up inside. Xian Biyun just gets worried. She looks at him and fears he's going to sell them out.
Right then, Yi Aida shows up. She brought snacks to thank Xian Biyun. She also brings up that book they never finished talking about. She asks Biyun to meet her at a cafe the next day to discuss it.
The Cafe Showdown
The next day, Gu Yangshan sees that Ding Yi and Xian Biyun are heading out. He fakes being sick so he doesn't have to go to the research institute. He's really just giving them some time alone, hoping they'll sort things out.
Biyun and Ding Yi arrive at the cafe. Yi Aida is already there waiting. As soon as Biyun walks in, the owner flips the sign on the door to "Closed." It creates a very private, very staged atmosphere. Yi Aida pulls some books with independent political views from a hidden shelf compartment. The two women start talking about their ideals. For a moment, Xian Biyun is thrilled. She thinks she has finally found her comrade.
Ding Yi is waiting in the car outside. He’s sharp. He notices a few things that seem off. You can see him putting the pieces together. Inside, Yi Aida talks about feeling lost, like a kite with a broken string. She asks Xian Biyun to help her find her lost friends. Biyun agrees without hesitation.
Reading Between the Lines
Biyun then leaves the cafe, helping Joseph Needham out as she goes. Once they're in the car, she drops the bomb on Ding Yi. Yi Aida is not White Night. She figured it all out. The whole thing was a trap set by Liang Jingyuan.
We learn Liang Jingyuan had promised Yi Aida a promotion for her father if she pulled off this mission. But Aida wasn't careful enough. Xian Biyun noticed the calluses on her hand. They were from holding a gun for a long time. That was the first red flag. The second was the coffee. Why would someone with a serious stomach condition meet at a cafe and drink coffee so happily? It just didn't add up.
Liang Jingyuan already found out about these mistakes. He was furious with Yi Aida. He yelled at her for being so careless and almost ruining the entire plan.
A New Lead Emerges
Back in the car, Xian Biyun mentions White Night's daughter, Susu. This makes Ding Yi remember something. Shen Wanqing once took a car to a place called Lüban Road. And the car keys were with someone named Huang Susu. He wonders if it's the same person. They decide to go check it out.
This Susu turns out to be a socialite. Xian Biyun gives her some money for information. Susu tells them about Shen Wanqing's strange visits. He comes to see her but never touches her. He just sits and watches her smoke. Then, she says she always falls asleep. When she wakes up, the cigarettes and alcohol are gone. She also reveals her real name is Huang Yingying.
This is a huge break for Xian Biyun. She realizes the cigarettes and alcohol must have a strong anesthetic in them. This new evidence points in a shocking direction. Shen Wanqing might be the real White Night. A spark of hope ignites in her.
