Episode Summary
Yan Tuo secures a partnership with Xing Shen but gets caught by his mother, Lin Xirou, who forces a dinner meeting with Nie Jiuluo. Nie survives the tense dinner and a physical test of her injury while Yan convinces Lin's henchmen of their fake romance. As the couple shares a romantic New Year's Eve kiss, the villains break into Yan's home and discover a hidden box outside.
Spoiler Alert
Meeting the Parents, Sort Of
Things are finally moving for Yan Tuo. He gets a call from Xing Shen. The intel Yan provided actually checked out. Xing is ready to cooperate. But there is a catch. They need to burn their contact channels after every single conversation. New numbers every time. It sounds paranoid. But in this world, it is probably smart.
Yan is thrilled. He calls Nie Jiuluo immediately to share the good news. But he gets sloppy. Lin Xirou appears right behind him like a ghost. Yan tries to play it cool. He claims Nie is just an internet friend. Lin isn't buying it. She knows everything about Nie. She doesn't just threaten him, though. She invites Nie over for dinner.
The Strategy
Lu Jie has to leave town for a bit. Before she goes, she pulls Nie aside. She gives her a long list of warnings. She is clearly worried.
Nie gets the dinner invite from Lin Xirou. She thinks it over carefully. She decides to go. Refusing now would look suspicious. It would make things complicated. Nie figures Lin is actually scared too. Lin suspects Nie might be the "Feng Dao." A fight would hurt Lin as well. That fear is Nie's leverage.
Nie decides to lean into the cover story. She implies she is willing to be Yan's girlfriend. Yan hears this and lights up. He is practically glowing. The guy is head over heels.
The Dinner from Hell
The next day, Nie heads to Lin's house. The vibe is weird immediately. Fourth Sister grabs her bag at the door. Xiong Hei and Feng Mi are there too. They are pretending to be regular company employees. They put on fake smiles.
The dinner conversation is a minefield. Everyone is testing everyone else. Lin Xirou decides to get physical. She presses down hard on Nie's unhealed arm wound. It has to hurt. Nie barely flinches. She frowns a little but laughs it off. She says coming to dinner was a bit sudden. She acts casual to lower their guard.
Selling the Lie
Lin separates the group. She keeps Nie alone to grill her about the relationship. This gives Yan a chance to work on the henchmen. He tells Xiong Hei and Feng Mi a story about how he met Nie. He leaves out his real identity, obviously. He spins a tragic, romantic tale. It works like a charm. The bad guys actually believe him.
New Year's Eve Chaos
It is New Year's Eve. Lu Xian shows up to see Lin Ling. He brings gifts. He asks if he can take her out. Lin Ling has never been out for the holiday. She is ecstatic.
Yan takes Nie home. Her arm is bleeding from Lin's little "test" earlier. He bandages her up. He gets ready to leave, but a water pipe bursts. Water goes everywhere. They fix it, but they are soaked. Yan stays over. He ends up wearing her pajamas. They go up to the roof to dry off and watch the night sky.
Fireworks and Felonies
Lu Xian and Lin Ling are at the beach. They light fireworks in the sand. It is a sweet moment. Back on the roof, Yan and Nie watch the display. The mood shifts. They kiss. It is finally happening.
But while they are having their romantic moment, trouble is brewing. Xiong Hei and Feng Mi break into Yan's house. They toss the place. They don't find anything inside. They leave empty-handed. But on the way out, Xiong Hei spots something. There is a pile of stones by the door. He checks under them. He finds a hidden password box.
