Episode Summary
In this episode, Qin Yu survives a targeted assassination attempt that lands Han Kuilong in prison. As Han Kuilong suffers, Han Lie is forced to consolidate power under Councilman Huang's watch. Tang Xuan grows more suspicious of a larger conspiracy, while an old enemy, Qi Changrong, makes his own move against a vulnerable Qin Yu.
Spoiler Alert
A Brutal Attack and a Bizarre Rescue
The episode kicks off with a bang. Qin Yu is just walking to his car in a parking garage. Suddenly, someone ambushes him and attacks him brutally. He was completely unprepared.
Tang Xuan happens to be there. She sees the whole thing. Without hesitating, she floors it and rams the attacker with her car. It’s a bold move. But it doesn't quite work. The attacker’s partner shows up and drags him away before he can be caught. They make a quick escape.
Tang Xuan doesn't waste a second. She gets Qin Yu to the hospital immediately. Later, when she has a moment to think, she replays the escape in her head. She realizes something chilling. The way the attacker moved looked exactly like Ma Shanbao's style.
The Hospital and a Shady Promise
Qin Yu is rushed into emergency surgery. While he’s under, he dreams of his family having a happy day out together. Then the dream shifts. He sees his wife turn and walk away from him. He finally wakes up from the coma. The good news is the surgery was a success.
Councilman Huang shows up at the hospital. He says he came to check on Qin Yu. He promises he'll do everything to catch the "thief" who did this. He also makes a big show of guaranteeing the safety of both Qin Yu and Yi Wei. His certainty is so strong that Qin Yu has no choice but to go along with it.
Yi Wei is a wreck when he hears his dad got hurt. His grandmother has to calm him down. She tells him his father is out of danger. Elsewhere, Han Lie gets home. He finds his own man badly injured. He instantly puts two and two together. He knows his father, Han Kuilong, sent that man to kill Qin Yu.
The Mighty Have Fallen
Han Kuilong Goes to Jail
Councilman Huang is sharp. He figures out Han Kuilong was behind the assassination attempt on Qin Yu. Huang shows no mercy. He has Han Kuilong thrown into the old district prison. This is a massive fall from grace.
A Rough Welcome
Life in prison is not good for Han Kuilong. He gets bullied constantly. The other inmates spit on his food to humiliate him. Even the guards give him a hard time on purpose. He’s forced to eat his meals squatting against a wall. At one point, another prisoner walks up and urinates right next to him. He has to just sit there and take it, swallowing his rage.
Tang Xuan Smells a Rat
Tang Xuan visits Qin Yu in the hospital. She’s full of questions. She asks him what he is hiding from everyone. She points out something she noticed on the way to the hospital. He looked strangely relaxed. It was almost like he was hoping to die. Qin Yu just stays silent. He refuses to tell her anything.
She can't let it go. She thinks about how the man who killed Shi Ziyang also confessed to killing Han Gang. Why would he do that? Isn't he afraid of running into Han Kuilong in prison? And then there's the attack on Qin Yu. It looked like a robbery on the surface. But why would a robber hit someone in a parking garage instead of a mansion or a jewelry store? She feels like there's an invisible hand pulling all the strings.
She isn't alone. Hu Jian agrees with her theory. He tells her to investigate, but to do it quietly. He specifically warns her not to get on Da Gama's radar.
The Han Family Power Play
Aunt Lin visits Han Kuilong in prison. He's completely broken down by the abuse. He tells her he needs to get out on bail as soon as possible. He's afraid someone will kill him in there.
Aunt Lin is terrified. She rushes home and begs Han Lie to do something. Han Lie feels cornered. He goes to Councilman Huang and asks for help. He suggests getting his father out on medical parole, just so he can see that he's safe. For his own reasons, Huang agrees to help this one time.
Han Lie visits his father in prison with the good news. He tells him he has applied for medical parole. He also brings him some restorative soup. Han Kuilong is suspicious of the soup. But he drinks it anyway.
Old Enemies and New Threats
Qi Changrong's most trusted subordinate gets out of prison. Qi Changrong is thrilled. He throws a welcome-back party for him. He even takes him to an ancestral ceremony in the Old District. The people there are holding the ceremony to show their unity. They are standing together against developers who want to buy their land.
That same night, Qi Changrong goes to the hospital. He sneaks into Qin Yu's room, fully intending to kill him. But he stops. He sees a security camera pointed right at him. Qi Changrong isn't willing to trade his own life for Qin Yu's. He leaves the room, completely frustrated.
