Be Reborn Episode 13 Recap
> Be Reborn Recap
Luo Jian pressed Zhuang Wenjie about what Li Shuting whispered to him at the construction site before her death. Zhuang Wenjie hesitated, falsely claiming he couldn't recall and remaining silent. Luo Jian, observing that it's normal for the mind to go blank in dangerous and stressful situations, explained this phenomenon, hinting at his skepticism about Zhuang Wenjie's complete memory loss. Luo Jian, leaving money for their meal, departed.
The restaurant owner, Mrs. Zhou, praised Luo Jian as a kind person who genuinely cared for Zhuang Wenjie, advising Zhuang Wenjie to cherish such a friend. Feeling conflicted, Zhuang Wenjie asked Mrs. Zhou hypothetically what she would do if a trusted friend was secretly doing many bad things. Mrs. Zhou unequivocally stated she would distance herself from such a person, making Zhuang Wenjie's guilt palpable as he knew he was hiding crucial information from Luo Jian.
Later, Zhuang Wenjie looked at an old photo of himself with his father, Zhuang Yaobo. He recalled the painful memories of his childhood, specifically being taken from school by police and then to an orphanage shortly after his father's disappearance twelve years prior. He also remembered Li Shuting’s ominous warning echoing in his mind: "What you're getting close to is what I'm trying to stay away from. Stop investigating.
If you don't want to end up like your father, stop investigating. Stay away from him." As he was reviewing files related to his father's old case, a student named Xue approached him. She inquired about his involvement in the "Water Lily" theft case and his relationship with the police, observing that officers frequently visited him. Zhuang Wenjie downplayed his connections, stating his involvement was accidental.
Xue, after a moment of hesitation, denied needing police assistance and claimed she was merely asking on Lin Zhiyue's behalf, worried he might be in trouble again. Zhuang Wenjie, however, sensed something was amiss with her behavior. Meanwhile, Ye Jia consulted a jewelry expert, who confirmed the necklace found in the pool was indeed the genuine "Tears of Moon Goddess" and was completely undamaged.
Luo Jian found this perplexing, pondering why the suspect would abandon a valuable stolen item and whether it was related to something "else" connected to the "Tears of Moon Goddess," not just the jewel itself. Pang Dazhi reported Li Shuting’s true identity: a 35-year-old ethnic Chinese woman with a Philippine passport, wanted by Thai police since 2015 for stealing the top diamond ring "Earl." She was also a suspect in numerous other unsolved jewelry thefts across Southeast Asia.
She had been in Qingcheng for at least three months, residing in an apartment in Hongfu Community, Building 3, Unit 3710. Luo Jian instructed Pang Dazhi to investigate Li Shuting’s movements in the month leading up to the incident. Ye Jia also reported discovering old scar tissues on Li Shuting’s body, indicating severe abuse she likely suffered during her teenage years, over a decade ago.
While acknowledging Li Shuting's strong anti-reconnaissance skills which might stem from her past, Luo Jian redirected their focus to how the initial clues for the case came to them, suspecting Ding Shenghuo. Luo Jian and Liao Shuang proceeded to interrogate Ding Shenghuo. Luo Jian remained silent for an extended period, making Ding Shenghuo uneasy until he broke the silence himself.
Luo Jian then thanked Ding Shenghuo for the Sotheby's auction lead and revealed that the thief had been caught, and was now dead. Mistaking the reference, Ding Shenghuo expressed satisfaction, believing it was Zhuang Wenjie who had died due to his own actions, driven by a grudge against Zhuang Wenjie's father. Luo Jian, realizing Ding Shenghuo’s misunderstanding, clarified that it was Li Shuting who was dead. Ding Shenghuo was visibly shocked.
Luo Jian then pressed him for details about his relationship with Li Shuting, how they met, their collaboration, their plans, and the identity of any accomplices, particularly the person who instructed him to send an email in the vault. Ding Shenghuo, however, feigned a headache and refused to cooperate further with the investigation. Elsewhere, Zhuang Wenjie visited the Civil Affairs Bureau to inquire about his father’s belongings.
An official informed him that after twelve years of no news, his father was presumed missing, and as an adult, Zhuang Wenjie could apply for an official declaration of death to inherit his father's properties, including real estate. Zhuang Wenjie said he needed time to consider this. The official then directed him to the Jiangbei branch of the Public Security Bureau for his father's personal effects.
At the Jiangbei branch, an officer explained that Zhuang Yaobo's car had plunged into a river twelve years ago. Despite extensive search efforts by a large number of water police and professional underwater rescuers for a month, his body was never recovered. Technical analysis concluded his survival was highly improbable due to the high-speed impact. Zhuang Wenjie completed the necessary paperwork and received two non-critical items that were all that remained of his father's belongings.
A secretive phone conversation took place between a man and an unknown "Monsieur." The man assured "Monsieur" that the plan was successfully executed using only one of the prepared options, and the others were not needed. " Monsieur" cautioned him to be careful, emphasizing that his actions were crucial to "my big plan," and instructed him to await definitive news before proceeding to the next step. The man expressed his honor in serving "Monsieur."
Later that evening, Zhuang Wenjie returned home to find Sun Zhijian waiting, hoping to play a new game since the school dorms had power and internet cut off at night. Lin Zhiyue called Sun Zhijian's phone, unable to reach Zhuang Wenjie, and expressed frantic worry about Xue, who hadn't returned to the dorm. She couldn't reach Xue on her phone or messaging apps, which was unusual as Xue always kept her phone close.
A classmate had seen Xue leave the school around 10 PM, agitated and on the phone. Zhuang Wenjie, recalling Xue’s earlier strange visit to the library, immediately suspected something serious. Lin Zhiyue mentioned Xue had been in a bad mood recently, possibly after an argument with her online boyfriend. Zhuang Wenjie and Sun Zhijian quickly left to search for Xue. Xue, despairing, had gone to the top of the Oriental Times Tower. Lin Zhiyue finally got through to her.
Xue's voice was distant and chillingly calm as she spoke, assuring Lin Zhiyue she was fine but making cryptic remarks about having "thought about it," hinting at a final decision. Lin Zhiyue desperately pleaded with her not to "take things too hard." Xue tearfully expressed how happy she was to have Lin Zhiyue as a friend, then abruptly hung up. Lin Zhiyue's attempts to call back were met with a powered-off message.
Zhuang Wenjie, during the call, had noticed a distinct clock chime and strong wind in the background. Realizing that the Oriental Times Tower, near their school, had a large clock on its rooftop that chimed on the hour, he deduced Xue’s location. The three rushed to the tower, but as they spoke to a security guard at the entrance, Xue tragically jumped from the rooftop, her phone shattering upon impact. Medical personnel arrived quickly but could not save Xue.
Lin Zhiyue was inconsolable. The tragic incident quickly became headline news for Qingcheng TV, with reporters swarming Qingcheng University to question the principal about the student's death. The principal, clearly uncomfortable, deflected questions, stating the school aimed to prevent further escalation and would only comment after a full investigation.
Zhuang Wenjie, seeing Lin Zhiyue’s grief and disbelief that Xue would commit suicide, finally confessed that Xue had visited him in the library the previous day, asking about his connections with the police. He admitted he found her odd at the time but now understood she was likely seeking help, regretting his missed opportunity.
Soon after, nude photos of Xue began circulating on the campus network, shocking students and Lin Zhiyue, who vehemently denied Xue would ever take such pictures, initially believing them to be malicious fakes. Luo Jian intervened, calling Lin Zhiyue, Zhuang Wenjie, and Sun Zhijian for questioning. He inquired if Xue’s family faced any financial hardship or if Xue had recently spent large sums. Lin Zhiyue denied both, highlighting Xue’s frugal nature due to her family’s humble background.
Luo Jian then revealed that their technical department had confirmed the nude photos were genuine and not synthesized. He explained that Xue was one of several victims whose photos were leaked from the backend data of a "nudes trap loan" software. Furthermore, Xue had taken out a loan of nearly three million yuan. Lin Zhiyue was stunned, questioning why Xue needed such an immense sum.
Luo Jian added that Xue's bank accounts showed no large transactions, leading him to believe Xue was forced into the loan and, unable to repay the high debt, took her own life. Lin Zhiyue then remembered that Xue had been in a bad mood for days, possibly due to a quarrel with her online boyfriend, whom she had only met in person that month after two months of online interaction. Luo Jian noted this detail.
Later, Ye Jia, working late, managed to recover data from Xue's shattered phone, preparing to report her findings to Luo Jian. Luo Jian, still anxious about the phone's data, stayed at the office, joking with Ye Jia about his need to learn more technical skills beyond Morse code.
