Episode Summary
Junrong and Xiang Qian botch a stakeout, leading to Xiang Qian losing his chance to collect unpaid wages from his old foreman. Junrong reveals he was the model for the stolen statue 24 years ago, explaining his obsession with finding it. They discover the painter Yuan Zai is the real thief and track the statue to a scrapyard boss named Master Tiger. A fight ensues, but police arrive to arrest the criminals. The episode ends with the two men bonding over birthday cake.
Spoiler Alert
The Stakeout Goes South
Li Junrong and Xiang Qian are hot on the trail of the missing statue head. A tip leads them to a guy named Ah Qiang. They head to his place, the Four Seasons Food Stall. The suspect isn't there. They decide to wait it out.
The tension is high between these two. Xiang Qian just wants to call the cops. He wants to clear his name and be done with it. Junrong disagrees. He is obsessed with catching the thief red-handed. The wait gets long. Xiang Qian is starving. He asks Junrong to buy him a meal. Junrong pulls a cheap move. He lies and says his phone battery is dead. He ducks into the bathroom to avoid paying the bill.
A Costly Mistake
Xiang Qian spots a familiar face outside. It is Brother Li. This is the crooked foreman who owes him back wages. Brother Li is busy flirting with a waitress. Xiang Qian sees red. He demands his money. Brother Li panics and runs. Xiang Qian jumps on Junrong’s e-bike and gives chase.
Junrong returns from the bathroom. He sees his bike is gone. He assumes Xiang Qian is bailing on the mission. He grabs Xiang Qian’s phone off the table. He scans a shared scooter and speeds after them.
Brother Li hits a dead end. Xiang Qian is about to grab him. Suddenly, Junrong crashes the party. He tackles Xiang Qian to the ground. He thinks he is stopping a runaway suspect. Brother Li uses the confusion to escape. Xiang Qian is devastated. He screams at Junrong. He needed that money for his brother's surgery. He worked hard for those wages. Junrong realizes he made a massive error. He apologizes profusely. Xiang Qian is too angry to care. He demands to know why this statue head is worth ruining his life.
The Guardian of the City
Junrong finally opens up. We get a flashback to 24 years ago. He had just arrived in Shenzhen. He was broke and lost. He spotted a bag full of cash left on a bicycle. He didn't steal it. He intended to call the police.
A sculpture teacher named Su witnessed this moment. Su was looking for inspiration. He wanted to build a statue representing the ordinary people of Shenzhen. He chose Junrong as his model. That moment changed Junrong's life. He felt seen. He felt like a guardian of the city. That is why the statue matters. It is his legacy.
The Real Culprit
Xiang Qian softens up after hearing the story. But he still needs money. They go back to the food stall to confront Ah Qiang. It turns out Ah Qiang is innocent. The customers vouch for him. They realize the tip was a lie. The painter, Yuan Zai, gave them the bad info. He is the real suspect.
They track Yuan Zai down. He is in the middle of a deal. He is selling the bronze head to a local heavy named Master Tiger. Junrong tells Xiang Qian to call the police. The phone is actually dead this time. They have to handle it themselves.
Scrapyard Showdown
They follow Master Tiger to a scrapyard. Xiang Qian walks right up to Tiger. He starts haggling to create a distraction. Junrong sneaks to the truck. He grabs the bronze head. The plan falls apart quickly. Tiger spots them. He orders his goons to beat them up. It looks like the end for our duo.
Sirens wail in the distance. The police arrive just in time. A concerned citizen had already reported the missing item. The cops arrest Tiger and his crew.
Birthday Cake and Bonding
The chaos is over. The police handle the rest. Junrong and Xiang Qian finally catch a breath. It happens to be Junrong's birthday. He shares his cake with Xiang Qian. He still feels guilty about the foreman getting away. He offers Xiang Qian all the money in his bank card. They started this journey fighting each other. Now they sit together in the city lights. They are just two people finding warmth in a cold city.
