Episode Summary
He Gang is kidnapped from a nightclub by Su Hongbao, who wants revenge for Ma Jin. He Biao refuses to pay the ransom and orders a reluctant Liu Tianye to kill the kidnapper. Meanwhile, He Biao blackmails an official, Peng Hanzhang, to force him to help with the rescue.
Spoiler Alert
Prison Politics
The year is 2002. Things take a dark turn for Mai Hongchao. He lands in prison. Su Hongbao ends up in the same place. This is no accident. They share a dorm room. They even share a bunk bed. Su Hongbao arranged this setup personally. It sends a loud message to the other inmates. These two are thick as thieves. You do not mess with one without dealing with the other.
Business Moves and Bad Blood
Liu Tianye slips out of town at the crack of dawn. Back in the city, Qiao Defu celebrates a big win. His company secured a major bid. He parties at He Biao’s territory. He Gang sees dollar signs. He demands his commission immediately. He Biao shuts him down. He wants to play the long game. He plans to fatten the fish before catching it.
Zhang Xin is furious about the bidding process. She complains to her mysterious boss. Someone in the city is fighting them. She wants to crush the opposition. Fear holds her back. She worries a messy fight will expose her boss. She stays angry but cautious.
Chaos at the Club
Night falls on the Big Paradise club. The place is packed. Luo Xiaomei has too much to drink. She drops her bag and spills everything. Xiaoshuai steps in to help. She is grateful. They start running into each other more often. A romance begins to brew.
The vibe at the club shifts violently. Chaos erupts. It looks like a diversion. Xiaoshuai manages to pull Liu Tianye to safety. He Gang is not so lucky. Kidnappers grab him in the confusion.
Jealousy and Lies
Liu Tianye ends up in the hospital. His phone rings. It is Zhou Sisi. She wants to thank him for lending her money. Zhao Ziyi picks up the phone instead. She hears another woman's voice. She gets jealous immediately.
Qin Feng hears about the kidnapping. He rushes to the club with Wen Bo. He Biao plays it cool. He lies to their faces. He claims He Gang is just sleeping off a drunk. Qin Feng watches the performance. He knows it is fake. He warns He Biao to call the police instead of handling it alone. He Biao ignores the advice. He sends his entire crew out to search the streets.
The Kidnapper's Demands
Rumors fly about Liu Tianye having a mistress. Wen Jiangyan hears them. She confronts her brother. Liu Tianye explains himself. He says he only helped Zhou Sisi because they were old classmates. He swears there is nothing romantic going on.
We find out who took He Gang. It was Su Hongbao. He Gang tries to threaten his captor. He brags about his father's power. Su Hongbao does not care. He beats He Gang until the boy shuts up. The police start their investigation. They trace the fireworks used to cause the panic at the club. They hunt for the buyer.
An Impossible Choice
Su Hongbao calls He Biao. He drops the act. He reveals his identity. He wants revenge for Ma Jin. He demands money to settle his crew. He is ready to die for this. Liu Tianye offers a solution. He suggests paying the money to end the conflict. He Biao refuses. His pride is too big. He orders Liu Tianye to rescue He Gang and kill Su Hongbao.
Liu Tianye hates this order. He is tired of the violence. He fears the police will catch him. He feels trapped. Peng Hanzhang visits He Biao. He knows He Biao is hiding facts. He says this kidnapping is complicated. He Biao turns on him. He reminds Peng who helped him get promoted. He issues a threat. Save He Gang, or get reported for corruption.
