Be Reborn Episode 18 Recap
> Be Reborn Recap
Zhuang Wenjie had recently confronted Xu Zhengqing, suspecting him to be the one who rescued him from the warehouse. Xu Zhengqing admitted to it, revealing that he and Zhuang Wenjie’s father, Zhuang Yaobo, were fellow apprentices, learning lock-picking skills from Zhuang Wenjie’s grandfather in their old family home. As young men, they ventured into the world together, committing numerous crimes, the first of which was stealing the "Water Lily" painting.
This masterpiece, previously owned by a returned overseas Chinese and hidden in a villa safe, required a specialized "dotting method" that only two people could execute. Xu Zhengqing confessed that he felt responsible for Zhuang Yaobo's fate, which was why he hesitated to acknowledge Zhuang Wenjie. Xu Zhengqing continued his account, explaining that his partnership with Zhuang Yaobo ended in late 1998 when Zhuang Yaobo met Zhuang Wenjie’s mother, Xiaoyu.
Zhuang Yaobo decided to leave his criminal past behind for a peaceful life. Zhuang Wenjie was born later, and Xu Zhengqing and Zhuang Yaobo never met again, though they occasionally heard news of each other. This separation lasted until 2007, twelve years prior. It was in 2007 that Ding Shenghuo approached Xu Zhengqing, seeking his expertise to steal the "Luoshen" painting from the highly secure Chayuan Vault.
Ding Shenghuo promised to handle all external security, requiring only that Xu Zhengqing open three vault locks within ten minutes. Doubting his own ability to accomplish this, Xu Zhengqing recommended Zhuang Yaobo to Ding Shenghuo. Zhuang Yaobo vehemently refused the offer, leading Xu Zhengqing to believe the matter was closed, and he subsequently left Qingcheng. However, Ding Shenghuo did not give up. To coerce Zhuang Yaobo, he kidnapped Xiaoyu.
Tragically, Xiaoyu, who suffered from severe asthma, had a sudden bronchospasm, leading to her accidental death. When Zhuang Yaobo returned, he desperately tried to administer her medicine, but it was too late. He kept the truth of her death from young Zhuang Wenjie, telling him that his mother was simply away for medical checks.
Ding Shenghuo, despite Xiaoyu's accidental death, pressed Zhuang Yaobo, offering an additional million yuan for him to steal the "Luoshen," promising a peaceful life for him and Zhuang Wenjie. Xu Zhengqing, distraught by the unintended consequences of his recommendation, urged Zhuang Yaobo to flee with Zhuang Wenjie. But Zhuang Yaobo refused, revealing that the group behind Ding Shenghuo was a powerful crime syndicate led by a figure known as Monsieur.
He also mentioned that the "Luoshen" painting held a significant secret related to the Zhuang family, which could not fall into the wrong hands. Zhuang Yaobo believed that escaping was futile due to Monsieur's vast influence. He foresaw his own demise. On June 12, 2007, Xu Zhengqing saw the news: the "Luoshen" had been stolen, and Zhuang Yaobo’s car plunged into a river, making him the prime suspect.
Police reports confirmed the car was recovered but Zhuang Yaobo’s body was not found, likely swept away by the strong current. Terrified, Xu Zhengqing decided to lay low. He initially wanted to take in Zhuang Wenjie, but seeing him safely taken to an orphanage, he left Qingcheng. Five years ago, after the case had cooled down, Xu Zhengqing returned, renting the Zhuang family's old house and opening a watch shop, while discreetly investigating the past events.
Zhuang Wenjie informed Xu Zhengqing that the "Luoshen" painting had reappeared and that Monsieur was actively seeking it. This revelation shocked Xu Zhengqing. He confirmed that Monsieur was indeed the powerful leader of the crime syndicate behind Ding Shenghuo. Xu Zhengqing described Monsieur as a formidable figure who sustained a leg injury during his youth and now relied on a black cane.
Monsieur was an elusive figure, never revealing his true face or age, always operating through online directives to his subordinates. Xu Zhengqing surmised that Monsieur meticulously planned the 2007 "Luoshen" theft, including Xiaoyu's death, as a display of ruthless power to force Zhuang Yaobo's cooperation. Xu Zhengqing recalled an incident from six months prior.
Chang Le, a skilled appraiser in the black market antique scene, who operated an antique shop as a front, discreetly told Xu Zhengqing that he had encountered the "Luoshen." Chang Le, known to be a teetotaler due to a severe liver condition, was found dead a few days later, officially ruled as drunken drowning. Xu Zhengqing believed Chang Le was murdered by Monsieur or Ms. Hong to silence him.
This re-emergence of the "Luoshen" led Xu Zhengqing to consider several possibilities: either the painting Chang Le saw was a fake (unlikely given Chang Le's expertise), or it was the genuine painting Zhuang Yaobo stole, which Monsieur had somehow lost possession of and was now trying to reclaim. He also entertained a more remote possibility: that Zhuang Yaobo was still alive and held the "Luoshen."
However, he struggled with this idea, questioning how a father could be so heartless as to not contact his son for twelve years. Meanwhile, Su Ying and Luo Jian reported to Chief Zhao on their progress. Chief Zhao lauded their combined efforts. Su Ying declared her intention to remain in Qingcheng to pursue the Monsieur case, which Chief Zhao enthusiastically supported, emphasizing continued collaboration. Luo Jian, however, was inwardly frustrated.
After Su Ying left, Chief Zhao pulled Luo Jian aside, attempting to play matchmaker, mentioning a previous "pillow incident" and their police academy past. Luo Jian vehemently deflected, joking that the Chief should consider working for the Civil Affairs Bureau instead. Later, Su Ying convened a special crime investigation meeting to strategize the apprehension of Monsieur.
Liao Shuang presented a profile of Monsieur, noting his mysterious nature, reliance on online communication with distorted voice and hidden face, and a distinctive limp in his left leg, often using a black cane. Luo Jian then proposed revisiting the "Tears of Moon Goddess" case. He suspected that Li Shuting intentionally placed the necklace near the pool for an accomplice, possibly Monsieur, to retrieve. Ye Jia presented surveillance footage from the hotel lobby and surrounding areas.
The team identified a suspicious individual who deliberately evaded cameras, last seen heading towards a crowded commercial street, making further tracking difficult. Su Ying pondered why Monsieur, if he was the suspicious individual, didn't take the "Tears of Moon Goddess" when he had the chance. Luo Jian, in agreement with Su Ying's observation, instructed Liao Shuang to arrange for Wen Yuanzheng to bring the "Tears of Moon Goddess" back for further examination.
Simultaneously, Lin Zhiyue's lost phone and wallet were recovered. Sun Zhijian, however, was upset because Yu Tian had stopped contacting him and blocked his calls, fearing his computer plan wasn't good enough. He tried to invite Zhuang Wenjie to a social gathering, but Zhuang Wenjie politely declined, citing urgent matters. Zhuang Wenjie, calling the housing authority using his identity, confirmed that Xu Zhengqing's watch shop was located in his old family home.
Seeking more information about the "Luoshen" painting, Zhuang Wenjie consulted Professor Fang, a renowned expert. Professor Fang explained that the painting displayed in the museum was merely a modern replica, based on old photographs. The original, a precious cultural relic from the Tang Dynasty by Zhou Fang, depicting the Luoshen goddess, had been stolen twelve years ago.
He recounted its tumultuous history, surviving the Republic of China era as a southward-migrating cultural relic when many others were destroyed and their escorts sacrificed. Professor Fang lamented that such a historical treasure was ultimately lost to a thief decades later, suggesting that only those directly involved in the theft knew the full truth. Determined to uncover the truth, Zhuang Wenjie once again sought out Xu Zhengqing, who advised him against taking further risks.
However, Zhuang Wenjie remained resolute, asserting he could no longer live in fear. He presented his theory to Xu Zhengqing: Monsieur, recognizing Ms. Hong as a competitor also interested in "Luoshen," orchestrated the recent cases to eliminate her by exposing her to the police. With that avenue of investigation now closed, Zhuang Wenjie believed that only Ding Shenghuo possessed knowledge of Monsieur's entire plan.
He revealed witnessing Ding Shenghuo stealing data from Liao Detong's computer and argued that this information was crucial to understanding Monsieur's next moves and ultimately, the truth behind his father's death. He stressed the importance of accessing Liao Detong's data, despite Ding Shenghuo's uncooperative nature. Meanwhile, Luo Jian's re-examination of the "Tears of Moon Goddess" necklace revealed a series of Arabic numerals on its back.
An expert confirmed that these were not engraved recently but were applied using a lost traditional method from the Republic of China era, designed to embed information without damaging the artifact. Luo Jian shared Zhuang Wenjie's suspicion that Monsieur's true objective in stealing the "Tears of Moon Goddess" was to acquire these specific numbers.
He aligned with Zhuang Wenjie's strategy, instructing his team to intensely monitor Liao Detong, aiming to extract information from him and unravel Monsieur's scheme, thus finally bringing closure to the mystery of Zhuang Yaobo's fate.
