Dr. Cutie Episode 2 Recap
> Dr. Cutie Recap
Ji Zheng, Ji Heng’s brother, had rushed back for his brother’s wedding, yet he still found time to journey by boat, enjoying the unique charm of the drizzling rain. As he walked, he spotted Shen Zhaoer, now in female attire, on a bridge, her graceful presence captivating him. A gust of wind carried a white silk handkerchief to his hand.
He noted the lines embroidered on it, which spoke of the dim, dusty night and the mournful lute of a princess. He pondered why a woman raised in a boudoir would favor such verses, recognizing in them a broad mind that embraced the world. Meanwhile, Shen Zhaoer, disguised as the male doctor Tian Qi, entered a bustling brothel, where she was greeted by Wan Hong and Lin Qian as "Miss" and led to a private room.
Wan Hong expressed her worry, urging Shen Zhaoer to abandon her dangerous quest to find her parents' killer, emphasizing that her life was paramount. Shen Zhaoer, however, could not forget the tragic deaths of her parents. She recounted leaving a bite mark on her parents' killer and recently learning that her sister Jieer had attended to a man who possessed a Buddhist bracelet identical to the killer’s, and crucially, an access token to Ji Mansion.
This new lead solidified her resolve, making it impossible to give up. She explained that her disguise as a male doctor was also a strategic advantage, allowing her to operate unsuspected and follow in her late father’s footsteps, who also served as a doctor in Ji Mansion, thus enabling her to uncover the truth behind his demise. She then informed them of Infanta Shuncheng’s death, a revelation that shocked Wan Hong and Lin Qian.
They suggested she seize this opportunity to leave Ji Mansion and avoid being sent back to the General Medical Academy, but Shen Zhaoer firmly refused, telling them to be prepared for any eventuality. Upon returning to Ji Mansion, Shen Zhaoer noticed the other servants’ strange glances and evasive behavior, making her uneasy. Elsewhere, Ji Heng furiously interrogated Ding Zhi about the Infanta's sudden demise.
Ding Zhi revealed that Infanta Shuncheng had suffered from excruciating abdominal pain before her death, leading him to suspect she was poisoned with "Cun Duan," a potent medicine developed by Shen Qingyun to combat plague. He explained that this medicine, if taken in excessive doses, could be fatal, causing internal bleeding and agonizing pain. Crucially, as it was technically a medicine and not a conventional poison, it was undetectable by silver needles, allowing the culprit to act covertly.
Enraged by Ding Zhi's incompetence as the Infanta’s personal physician, Ji Heng ordered him to be given fifty strikes with a cane for failing in his duties and offering excuses. That night, Ji Heng questioned Sheng Anhuai about the background check on Tian Qi.
Sheng Anhuai reported rumors spreading throughout the mansion that Tian Qi was an "unlucky star" or "hoodoo," whose presence would inevitably bring misfortune and death to her masters, implying Tian Qi was responsible for Infanta Shuncheng's death. Ji Heng scoffed at these superstitions, recalling how he himself was once branded an "unlucky star" destined to kill his father and seize power.
He dismissed such talk as "nonsense" and ordered Sheng Anhuai to write to the General Medical Academy, stating that he would retain Tian Qi due to her cleverness and potential value in solving the current case. Later that evening, a black-clad figure moved stealthily through the heavily guarded Ji Mansion, entering Ji Heng’s study and then leaping onto the roof. Ji Heng calmly confronted the intruder.
The figure attacked with a sword, but Ji Heng, though unarmed, effortlessly parried the strikes and disarmed his opponent, revealing the face of Ji Zheng, his younger brother. Ji Heng, who had already suspected his brother’s identity, chastised him for his playful antics. Ji Zheng explained he was merely testing the mansion’s defenses after hearing about the assassination attempt on Ji Heng.
Ji Heng, acknowledging Ji Zheng's skill, urged him to stay by his side as a strategist, dismissing Ji Zheng’s desire to be a wandering martial artist. Ji Zheng, while expressing his trust in Ji Heng, insisted on his need for freedom. He did, however, agree to stay and assist with the Infanta’s case, which he believed was far from simple, on the condition that he would be free to leave once it was resolved.
Ji Zheng shared his findings that the assassin at the banquet was a mere mercenary, whose crude methods did not align with the elaborate planning involved. He concluded that the true target was Infanta Shuncheng, part of a calculated plot to frame Ji Heng and dismantle his entire family.
The next day, reflecting on his conversation with Ji Zheng, Ji Heng realized this was a cunning scheme of "borrowed knife to kill," and that an "inside mole" must have poisoned the Infanta during the chaos. Acting swiftly, Ji Heng, without even pausing for a meal, led his guards to Tian Qi’s quarters for a search.
Shen Zhaoer, who was bathing at the time, instinctively threw a basin of bathwater at the intruders, unaware that Ji Heng was among them, to protect her identity. The guards found nothing incriminating in her room. Shen Zhaoer was then brought to the training grounds, her heart pounding with fear, dreading Ji Heng’s wrath. Ji Heng interrogated her, demanding to know if her profound sorrow at the Infanta's coffin was genuine or merely an act.
Shen Zhaoer claimed sincere grief, portraying the Infanta as a maternal figure whose kindness she could never repay. Ji Heng, unconvinced, ordered her to be given twenty strikes with a cane, instructing his men to be harsh but not to kill her. After the painful punishment, Ji Heng escalated his threats, vowing to cut out her tongue, and then her hands, if she continued to lie.
Terrified, Shen Zhaoer finally confessed that her tears were indeed genuine, but born of despair for her own financial woes. She explained that she had incurred significant debts and pulled many strings to secure the position by Infanta Shuncheng’s side, viewing the Infanta as a "hot property" whose rise would ensure her own prosperity. Now, with the Infanta’s death, all her investments and hopes were lost, leaving her in profound financial distress.
Ji Heng then accused her of poisoning the Infanta’s wine and attempting to poison his own. Shen Zhaoer vehemently denied the accusations, pleading her innocence. Ji Heng then presented her with an ultimatum: she must prove her innocence by finding the true murderer before the precious azaleas in his study withered, or he would send her to "see her mistress."
Later, Ding Zhi applied medicine to Shen Zhaoer's bruised buttocks, lamenting that she should have left Ji Mansion when she had the chance. Shen Zhaoer playfully complained about Ji Heng, calling him "General Ugly" (a pun on "General Ji," as "醜" means ugly) and refused Ding Zhi's help with the medicine out of shyness, eventually taking the notoginseng medicine she had previously prepared for him. Unaware of Shen Zhaoer's plight, Ji Zheng continued his independent investigation.
His subordinates reported no new leads, but he remained calm, stating that they were not in a hurry and would continue the search patiently. He gazed at a portrait he had drawn of Shen Zhaoer, clearly cherishing it, and instructed his men to find the woman in the painting, cautioning them to be discreet and not harm her reputation. He claimed to have "something to return to her," oblivious that the woman he sought was living under the same roof.
The next day, Shen Zhaoer diligently cared for the azaleas in Ji Heng's study. She carefully moved them away from the window, fearing the strong wind would damage them. Ji Heng observed her, then confronted her, asking why he had assigned her this task. Shen Zhaoer reiterated his instruction: to find the killer before the flowers wilted. Ji Heng, however, corrected her, reminding her that it was "his" will, not the flowers’ natural life cycle, that would determine their fate. He again threatened her, and Shen Zhaoer, understanding the gravity, begged him not to "torture" the flowers, confirming her comprehension of his grim warning.
