Episode Summary
Li Heng settles a gang dispute by stabbing his own hand and agreeing to join the Deqing Society as a leader. He navigates a tense love triangle and secures a corrupt profit-sharing deal between the gang and his boss, Shen Yihe. The episode ends with Li Heng officially taking power within the gang, despite internal resentment.
Spoiler Alert
Street Cred and Old Grudges
Li Heng steps up to handle Wang Xiaofei. He surprises everyone. He speaks the underworld slang fluently. He acts like a veteran of the streets, not a government suit. The gang members start whispering. They wonder about his real background. But Wang Xiaofei doesn't care. He hates that Li Heng works for Central Statistics Bureau. He refuses to budge. He insists on following gang rules. He says Li Heng can't enter unless he accepts a challenge.
Things get heated. Then Lu Shufen shows up. She grabs Li Heng’s arm and yells at the crowd to move. She drags him straight to see Lu Kaide. We get some history here. Li Heng’s biological father, Xiao Long, died saving Lu Kaide years ago. Lu raised the boy, then named Xiao Heng, as his own. Now, Lu is furious. He thinks Li Heng betrayed his roots by changing his name and joining the government.
Blood for Peace
Li Heng tries to explain himself. He lived on the edge for years. He stayed away to keep the Lu family safe. He tells Lu Kaide he isn't here to make arrests. He wants peace. Lu is still angry. So Li Heng pulls a knife. He stabs his own left hand without hesitation. Shufen screams and tries to grab the blade. She says she will take the punishment for him.
The blood works. Lu Kaide softens. He sends everyone else away and takes Li Heng and Shufen into the back room. Li Heng talks business. The Deqing Society runs Chengdu, but Central Statistics Bureau has power too. Fighting hurts everyone. Cooperation makes them rich.
Lu Kaide agrees to a deal. He will release Yang Deng, but he has three demands. First, Yang pays for the funeral and mourns the dead. Second, Shen Yihe must apologize personally. Third, Li Heng must join the Deqing Society as a top boss. That last one is dangerous. Li Heng thinks it over. He agrees.
Hospital Run-Ins and Backroom Deals
Shufen takes Li Heng to the hospital for his hand. They run into Jia Yunying on her shift. It’s awkward. Shufen has loved Li Heng for years. He only sees her as a little sister. She doesn't give up, though. She asks her dad to arrange a marriage between them. Lu Kaide agrees to try.
The next day, Shen Yihe puts on a show. He yells at Yang Deng in front of everyone. Then he praises Li Heng for fixing the mess. Privately, Shen is suspicious. He asks if Li Heng is turning traitor. Li Heng swears his loyalty is to Central Statistics Bureau first. Shen buys it for now.
Wang Xiaofei is still mad about releasing Yang Deng. Lu Kaide gives him a lesson in leadership. You have to be flexible. Lu knows Shen Yihe has weaknesses. The man loves money and women. Lu invites Shen for a chat.
The Price of Business
Shen Yihe plays hard to get. He says Li Heng joining a gang looks bad for a government official. Lu Kaide cuts to the chase. He offers a fifty-fifty split of the gang's profits. In exchange, he wants protection. Shen stops pretending. He smiles and takes the deal immediately.
Shufen tries to fix things with Jia Yunying. She hosts a dinner. She invites Li Heng, Yunying, and Yunying's fiancé, Wu Shiren. It is a disaster. Li Heng and Yunying try not to look at each other. The tension is thick. Wu Shiren notices. He sits there with a dark look on his face. Shufen tries to keep the conversation going, but the meal is miserable.
Lu Kaide makes his move. He officially promotes Li Heng to the head of the Deqing Society. The gang is furious. Wang Xiaofei leads the complaints. Lu Kaide shuts them down. He reveals Li Heng’s true identity. He tells them about Xiao Long’s sacrifice. He says the son of a hero deserves the spot.
