Episode Summary
Jia Yunwu is demoted, while Yang Deng gets a cushy new job with Li Heng's help. A leaked political report triggers a major investigation, which Li Heng secretly solves by connecting a family relationship to an earlier clue. He identifies the leaker and gives the evidence to Jia Yunwu.
Spoiler Alert
A Shake-Up at the Office
So, Shen Yihe finally makes a move on Jia Yunwu. He strips Jia Yunwu of his deputy director title. He’s now stuck doing internal inspections. He won't get his old job back until this whole mess is cleared up. It's a classic corporate sidelining.
Yang Deng immediately runs to Li Heng to complain. He says Shen Yihe has always been suspicious of him. He feels like he's working with a smiling tiger. You know the type. Friendly on the outside, but ready to bite. Li Heng offers a solution. He can recommend Yang Deng for a sweet job in the provincial government. Yang Deng is thrilled. He promises he can get Shen Yihe to sign off on the transfer.
Secret Meetings and Close Calls
Li Heng meets secretly with Yu Tong. He thinks Jia Yunwu is still a major risk. They decide it's time to go dark. They're pausing all obvious intelligence activities until things cool down.
Then, Jia Yunying shows up out of nowhere. Yu Tong has to shove Li Heng into a hidden room just in time. She comes with a warning. Wu Shiren knows about the radio. She tells Yu Tong to keep his distance from him. Jia Yunying definitely senses someone else is in the apartment. She glances toward the secret room but doesn't push it. Instead, she just suggests they should start using the radio again.
Money Troubles and Shady Deals
The Society's Finances Are a Mess
While all this is happening, Li Heng gets home. He finds Lu Shufen stressing over the Deqing Society's account books. She tells him the business is in trouble. Ever since they made those new rules and cut out the shady side hustles, their income has tanked. On top of that, the medical bills for the older, retired members are piling up. It's a huge expense.
Li Heng tells her not to worry. He insists he has a way to solve their money problems. She just reminds him to be careful and stay away from dangerous people. She also makes it clear the Deqing Society is ready to back him up if he needs it.
Yang Deng's Big Move
Yang Deng is practically bouncing off the walls. He tells Li Heng he got the new job. He's now the Head of the Provincial Finance and Grain Department. This is a seriously good position. To thank Li Heng, he tries to give him a house he bought in the city. Li Heng turns him down flat. Yang Deng just seems more impressed. He says Li Heng is too talented and honorable for his current post.
Later, Li Heng runs into Shen Yihe and offers him a ride. He uses the drive to pitch a business idea. It's an arms deal. He proposes they split the profits fifty-fifty. Shen Yihe is definitely tempted.
The Leaker Is Exposed
A New Investigation Kicks Off
A big story breaks in the newspapers. A politician named Zhang Qi has been quoted tearing into Chiang Kai-shek. The article even has pictures. We learn the quotes came from a leaked internal report from the Youth Party. The bosses are furious. They order a full-blown investigation to find the source of the leak. Jia Yunwu gets put in charge of managing all the case files.
Of course, Li Heng starts his own quiet investigation. He gets Qingtian to start digging into Zhang Qi's family and personal connections.
Connecting the Dots
Wang Xiaofei is hanging out at the New Xianlin Ballroom. He sees a guy named Zhang Qingyu and immediately tries to duck out of sight. Sisi, the dancer, notices his weird behavior. She tells Wang Xiaofei that she already knows his real identity. She says it doesn't matter to her. He'll always be her "A-Fei."
Meanwhile, Qingtian comes back with Zhang Qi's family tree. Li Heng studies it. He finds a connection. Zhang Qingyu is related to Zhang Qi. Suddenly, it all clicks. Li Heng remembers that Da Kui saw Zhang Qingyu secretly reading that same internal report.
Li Heng now has his man. He knows Zhang Qingyu is the leaker. He puts all the evidence together and hands it directly to Jia Yunwu.
