Episode Summary
Chen Chuchuan denies killing Hu Jie but reveals she accidentally killed Fan Jiangxue years ago during a medical emergency. Chen uses Qi Sizhe as his alibi for the recent murder. The police discover Hu Jie's home was staged. Qi realizes the clinic is the real murder scene. He proves this by finding traces of a specific chemical cleaner used to hide blood evidence.
Spoiler Alert
Chen Chuchuan Takes the Hot Seat
Chen Chuchuan is finally talking. He tells Qi Sizhe to trust him. He claims he is innocent. Han Feng and Zhu Qingyue run the interrogation. Chen denies any involvement in Hu Jie’s murder. However, he admits he knows plenty about the old Fan Jiangxue case.
A Toxic History Lesson
We get the backstory on this messy triangle. Chen met Hu Jie at an art contest over ten years ago. She invited him to Li Family Town. He met Fan Jiangxue there and fell in love instantly. Hu Jie had feelings for Chen. She did not handle the rejection well. She demanded Fan Jiangxue stop contacting him.
Chen panicked. He thought he would lose Fan. He asked her to meet him at a cabin in the botanical garden. Hu Jie intercepted him on the way. She claimed Fan was badly hurt. She led Chen on a wild goose chase around the back mountain. They found no one. Later, news broke that Fan was murdered in that very cabin.
The Truth About the Pen
Hu Jie visited Chen just a month ago. She wanted him to recreate a specific painting. Chen refused. He hasn't touched a brush since Fan died. Hu Jie lost her temper. She revealed a massive secret about Fan’s death.
Fan had a severe pollen allergy. Hu Jie claimed she tried to save her. She used a pen for an emergency procedure. Her hand slipped. She pierced the carotid artery instead. She blamed Chen for the whole thing. He was the one who brought flowers into the cabin. Chen was skeptical. But his training as a psychologist told him she wasn't lying. Her body language was genuine. He went back to Li Family Town to verify the scene. That explains why the police couldn't find him recently.
The Alibi Problem
Chen has a strong defense for the night Hu Jie died. He says he was with Qi Sizhe. Qi confirms this to the police. He was indeed at the clinic. Han Feng is frustrated. He thinks Chen is gaming the system. Chen only came in because he knew the police lacked evidence. He also knew he had a perfect witness.
Gao Yuan runs tests on Chen. There are no drug residues in his system. Qi suggests they revisit Hu Jie’s home. He wants to see the alleged crime scene again.
Cracking the Timeline
The team analyzes Hu Jie's apartment. The killer likely waited inside for her. But Su Huaining finds a crucial detail. The water was shut off in the complex that night. This changes the timeline. The killer likely moved the body and staged the scene after the water came back on. This happened after Ruan Mingyu left. The apartment is a secondary location.
Qi Sizhe Goes Solo
Qi suspects the clinic is the real murder scene. He asks to interrogate Chen alone. Chief Bai approves the request. Han Feng watches the monitor closely. Qi confronts Chen with forensic details.
The wounds on Fan and Hu look similar. But the intent was different. Hu Jie was killed without hesitation. Fan’s wound matches the location for an emergency allergy treatment. It was a botched rescue, not a cold-blooded attack.
Science vs. The Perfect Crime
Chen keeps hiding behind his alibi. He challenges Qi to prove the clinic is the murder site. The police already checked. Luminol tests showed no blood. Qi notices something else. Chen seems to know about the hallucinogenic drugs involved in the case.
The twelve-hour holding period expires. The police have to let Chen go. As Chen leaves, Qi gets a sudden idea. The bathroom might be clean of blood, but maybe it was scrubbed with a chelating agent. That would mask the blood from Luminol. They need to test for the cleaning agent instead. Gao Yuan runs the test at the clinic. It is a match. They find traces of the chelating agent. The clinic is the primary crime scene.
