Cambrian Period Episode 21 Recap
> Cambrian Period Recap
Tang Yin and Jian Zi were packing their bags in the small tavern, preparing to leave South Island. Jian Zi gazed at the place he had grown up in, thinking of his mother who had been gone for so long. He wished to bid her farewell one last time before leaving. He took Tang Yin to his mother's grave by the sea, calling out to her that he was finally free.
Tang Yin was astonished to see the photo on the tombstone; it was clearly her own mother. Shocked, she questioned if she and Jian Zi were biological siblings. Jian Zi clarified that he was adopted and they were not blood-related, much to Tang Yin's relief. However, Tang Yin decided she couldn't leave.
Having lived in a world without her mother since childhood, she felt a strong need to uncover the truth now that she had finally found a clue about her. She recounted how people had mocked her, claiming her mother ran away with another man for wealth, but she always believed her mother was not that kind of person.
Jian Zi offered to accompany her, but Tang Yin declined, wanting to avoid embarrassing him or herself, and told him to wait for her at the tavern. Meanwhile, Li Yongji had not given up on his mission against Qiu Men. A superior in the police department noted that while some criminal cases were closed, other matters were "just beginning," a clear reference to Qiu Men.
Earlier, Zhan Shili, through Mr. Hao, had suggested to Li Yongji that he make Tang Yin leave Jian Zi, or Zhan Shili would use his own methods. Li Yongji had reluctantly agreed to try his best. Li Yongji then instructed Cai Jiayi to retrieve confidential files—Level 5 and above—from the database, which were typically only accessible to former directors.
He was determined to find evidence against Qiu Men, and through these documents, he unexpectedly discovered that Tang Yin's mother had been illegally held captive by Zhan Shili. Upon learning that Tang Yin had gone alone to Zhanfu to confront Zhan Shili, Li Yongji rushed to the tavern to warn her. Realizing she might be in danger, he and Jian Zi split up to search for her.
Tang Yin arrived at Zhanfu and directly confronted Zhan Shili with her mother's photo, demanding to know their relationship. Zhan Shili identified the woman as "Xiaoyun" and his wife, and was surprised by Tang Yin's knowledge of her mother's marital status. Tang Yin then revealed her identity as Xiaoyun's daughter.
Upon this revelation, Zhan Shili realized Tang Yin resembled Xiaoyun, and it then became clear to him why he couldn't stand Tang Yin and Jian Zi being together, because Jian Zi was his biological son. As Tang Yin pressed for answers, Zhan Shili recounted that Xiaoyun was his wife before she married Tang Yin's father, claiming her father "stole his love," and described a happy time on South Island until Xiaoyun's death.
He then explicitly revealed that Jian Zi was his biological son. Tang Yin, enraged, lashed out at him, calling him a liar and hypocrite for breaking up families. Overwhelmed and unable to process the revelations, Tang Yin wandered aimlessly on the street, distraught. Jian Zi found her, but rather than disturbing her, he silently followed behind, observing her pain.
Cai Jiayi, frustrated by a professional setback that made her the "laughing stock" of her anti-pornography team, was drinking alone by the roadside when Mai Quancheng happened to pass by. She grabbed his collar, angrily accusing him of liking her but being too self-conscious to admit it, instead using "inferior methods" to make her hate him. Mai Quancheng remained silent. As Cai Jiayi was intoxicated, Mai Quancheng ended up carrying her home.
Along the way, they engaged in their usual playful banter. This time, Mai Quancheng didn't hold back and directly asked her if she would be his girlfriend. She playfully refused, but when he suggested he become her boyfriend instead, she turned away shyly, her heart secretly delighted. The two finally made their relationship official. Back at the tavern, Tang Yin wept as she recalled her childhood trauma of losing her mother and the cruel words of others.
She couldn't forgive Zhan Shili. Seeing Tang Yin's anguish from outside, Jian Zi sought out Zhan Shili and knelt, pleading with him to let Tang Yin go. Zhan Shili was furious, calling Jian Zi a disappointment for kneeling for a woman and for daring to threaten him. He declared that if Jian Zi insisted on leaving, he must face the consequences of betraying Qiu Men: a severe beating, but not to death, after which he would regain his freedom.
The beating commenced. After a prolonged assault, Zhan Shili asked Jian Zi if he regretted his decision, but Jian Zi remained unyielding. Enraged, Zhan Shili pulled out a handgun and pointed it at Jian Zi's head. The butler tried to intervene and reveal the truth, but Zhan Shili silenced him. Just as the tension peaked, someone shouted "Stop!" The next morning, Song Mingzhu visited Tang Yin at the tavern, ordering her to leave Jian Zi.
Mingzhu argued that Tang Yin and Jian Zi were incompatible due to their vastly different statuses and that their relationship would only harm Jian Zi. She claimed that if Jian Zi married her, he would quickly and stably take over Qiu Men, gaining immeasurable wealth and power, something Tang Yin couldn't offer. Tang Yin dismissed her perspective on love as "vulgar."
Song Mingzhu retorted by asking what Tang Yin had contributed to Jian Zi besides trouble, asserting that Jian Zi would certainly inherit Qiu Men because he was Zhan Shili's biological son. To prove her point, Mingzhu presented Tang Yin with a paternity test report she had obtained after overhearing Zhan Shili and Mr. Hao's conversation. The report showed a 99% probability that Jian Zi was Zhan Shili's son.
Mingzhu then questioned if Jian Zi would still want to run away with Tang Yin after discovering his true parentage, especially after Tang Yin's past actions had damaged his relationship with his father. Tang Yin, however, rejected Mingzhu's claims, stating she would not believe any of this.
