Are You Safe Episode 9 Recap
> Are You Safe Recap
Zhou You arrived at work 45 minutes late, an entry recorded by the access control system. As he sat down looking disheveled, Qin Huai approached, startled him, and asked if he had done anything wrong. Qin Huai docked his half-day pay, instructing Tang Lin to make a note of it. Qin Huai then handed Zhou You a USB drive containing information on fake followers who had been attacking him online, tasking him with identifying their leader.
He explicitly stated that there would be no overtime pay for this assignment. Online, Zhou You messaged a contact named "Bubble Gum Evil," who warned him to be careful and hinted at untold depths to Chen Mo's past, which he deemed Qin Huai's "old sore spot." Zhou You found Qin Huai intriguing and promised to share any updates. The next day, Tang Lin found Zhou You still looking exhausted from working overtime.
Zhou You declared he was going home to sleep, but Qin Huai, equally disheveled, stopped him. Zhou You presented the compiled names, ages, and addresses of the fake followers, stating he couldn't do any more. Qin Huai insisted he must verify all thousand-plus identities by visiting their homes, urging him to be brave. Following Qin Huai's instructions, Zhou You disguised himself as a telecom technician to investigate door-to-door in a community.
He questioned an elderly woman about her internet usage and personal information disclosure. The shrewd granny tested him by asking about a fictional "Xiao Zhang." Zhou You's attempt to cover his tracks failed, and the granny, exposing him as a conman, chased him out with a feather duster, shouting "Catch the thief!" Her calls rallied other elderly residents, who joined the pursuit.
Back at the office, Zhou You recounted the chaotic experience to Tang Lin, while Qin Huai noted that most identity theft victims were elderly. He speculated that a wide-net phishing attack was likely used, wondering about the perpetrators' methods and their unethical targeting of the elderly. Meanwhile, the leader of the paid posters discovered Qin Huai's investigation and demanded an additional ¥30,000,000 from Shen Yizhang, threatening to expose everyone if the payment was not made.
Shen Yizhang, with no other choice, reluctantly agreed. Remembering a past encounter, Shen Yizhang instructed his assistant to connect him with a "Mr. Mo," a cyber technology expert he met at a bar. He hired Mr. Mo to "take care of" Qin Huai. However, Mr. Mo turned the tables, sending Shen Yizhang a malicious link that, once opened, granted Mr. Mo access to all information on Shen Yizhang's phone.
This included evidence of sexual harassment messages, cooked books, and client blackmail. Mr. Mo threatened to release this damning information if Shen Yizhang did not cooperate. He proposed a partnership: Mr. Mo would handle the hacking, and Shen Yizhang would manage the crisis resolution, allowing them to make a fortune together. Mr. Mo assured Shen Yizhang he would deal with Qin Huai, leaving Shen Yizhang to choose between success or ruin.
Shen Yizhang, angry but trapped, agreed, and Mr. Mo ended the call, saying he would keep in touch. In another development, Auntie Ding, a local resident, complained about incessant spam calls from loan companies. Zhou You offered to help filter her phone and discovered she had a genuine ¥200,000 loan from "Fuwa Loans." Auntie Ding was horrified, denying she ever applied for it.
When Qin Huai arrived, having been called back to the office, he suspected her personal information had been leaked and suggested filing a police report and checking her phone for hacking. Auntie Ding couldn't recall losing her ID or providing information. As Qin Huai went to call Guo Yao, Zhou You, Tang Lin, and Auntie Ding frantically deleted messages from Auntie Ding's phone, fearful that Qin Huai might discover their private chat group where they frequently criticized him.
Qin Huai returned and snatched Auntie Ding's phone. He scrolled through their chat, discovering that they had called him a cheapskate, mercenary, and lecher. He confronted them, leading to an argument among the three. Qin Huai also found posts on Auntie Ding's social media accusing him of being a womanizer, greedy, and lecherous. Auntie Ding vehemently denied posting them, stating she had never seen them.
Zhou You realized that Auntie Ding's posts were identical to those from the fake accounts and had appeared around the same time. He deduced that her phone had likely been hacked, recalling that Auntie Ding had previously scanned QR codes and provided personal information to receive free eggs, which probably led to the data breach. Guo Yao held an emergency meeting, confirming that most fake account users were elderly, and many, like Auntie Ding, were victims of loan fraud.
Qin Huai and Zhou You traced the IP addresses of the fake accounts and the loan scam to "Xin Yuan Limited," identifying it as a shell company suspected of money laundering and stealing personal information. They suspected the company's owner was the leader of the paid posters and decided to stake out the location. Before they could act, the police, led by Guo Yao, swiftly moved in and arrested the company's head, Feng Zhi.
Upon learning of the raid, Shen Yizhang spoke with Mr. Mo, who reassured him that all incriminating data was handled, and Shen Yizhang would not be implicated. Still furious at Qin Huai for the trouble caused, Shen Yizhang ordered Mr. Mo to "teach Qin Huai a lesson," which Mr. Mo acknowledged, referring to Shen Yizhang as a "biting dog."
Separately, Tang Lin was assigned as a legal consultant to Hupo, a leading cybersecurity firm, a role that aligned with her doctoral research on internet law. She shared this good news with Shen Yizhang, her boyfriend, over the phone. Shen Yizhang praised her idealistic goal of helping people protect themselves, contrasting it with his own mercenary perspective in public relations.
He professed his admiration for her pure pursuit of her dreams and asked about her upcoming birthday, to which she replied that his presence was her only desired gift. Back at "Kai Gua Le Cybersecurity Company," phones rang off the hook with bizarre inquiries about selling game equipment, amending grades, or a CEO's gambling habit. The staff struggled to cope, complaining about the deluge of spam calls and questioning Qin Huai's advertising methods.
Qin Huai denied any such advertising, realizing they were being targeted. Just then, officials from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce arrived, announcing that "Kai Gua Le" was under suspicion for false advertising. Qin Huai vehemently denied any wrongdoing, stating his company was law-abiding and couldn't even afford advertising, concluding he was being set up. The officials insisted he cooperate with their investigation and took him away. Despite their earlier complaints, his employees rallied, defending him as stingy but honest.
As Qin Huai was led to the police car, he calmly instructed Tang Lin to unplug the phones and halt new jobs for a few days, and tasked Zhou You with identifying who was behind the spam messages, urging them not to panic. Zhou You jokingly offered to wait for him "no matter how many years" he spent in jail, a sentiment Qin Huai dismissed, clarifying he was merely cooperating with an investigation.
His staff assured him they would manage the company in his absence. Outside, Shen Yizhang watched Qin Huai being driven away, a satisfied smirk on his face. He then spoke to Mr. Mo, commending his professionalism and the profitable opportunities their partnership offered. Meanwhile, Chen Mo returned to China and visited his mother at the Nangang Rehabilitation Center, where they shared an emotional reunion.
Sister Zhang, his mother's caregiver, entered and greeted Chen Mo, remarking on how often his mother spoke of him. Chen Mo's mother, however, grew noticeably anxious and urged Chen Mo to take her home immediately. Sister Zhang informed Chen Mo that Qin Huai, as his mother's legal guardian, needed to consent to her discharge. Chen Mo offered to speak to the doctor.
Once Chen Mo left the room, Sister Zhang closed the door and threatened his mother, coercing her to remain silent about any abuse she suffered at the center once discharged. Sister Zhang warned that if her mother spoke out, she would reveal Chen Mo's past imprisonment to everyone in the hospital. Later, Chen Mo's mother asked if he had informed Qin Huai of his return.
She recounted how Qin Huai had worried about him, traveled to Taimanda to find him, and cared for her throughout his absence, emphasizing their deep debt of gratitude. Chen Mo, however, suggested keeping his return a secret from Qin Huai for the time being.
