Dr. Cutie Episode 3 Recap
> Dr. Cutie Recap
Ji Heng stood before a potted flower, plucking its petals one by one. With each plucked petal, the kneeling Shen Zhao’er, disguised as Tian Qi, felt a pang of fear, knowing that when the last petal fell, her life would end. Finally, after Ji Heng plucked the third petal, Shen Zhao'er could no longer bear it. Being bait, though dangerous, was better than immediate death.
Ji Heng questioned her about her task, and she responded that it was to find the murderer quickly. Ji Heng emphasized that he, not the flower, controlled its fate. He then proposed a plan: she would act as bait to expose the killer. She was to spread rumors that the Infanta had died of poisoning and that she, under Ji Heng's command, was actively investigating throughout the mansion.
This, he explained, would make the killer anxious and force them to make a move to silence her. Initially, Shen Zhao’er pleaded for her life, but as Ji Heng continued to pluck petals, threatening to send her to meet her master, she reluctantly agreed to his dangerous proposal. Later, Ji Heng and Ji Zheng discussed the plan.
Ji Zheng questioned the wisdom of using a suspect as bait, but Ji Heng reasoned that whether "Tian Qi" was truly the killer or merely an unwitting accomplice, using him as bait was advantageous. The real culprit would certainly try to eliminate "Tian Qi" to cover their tracks. Ji Heng outlined his intention to provide a decent funeral and support for "Tian Qi's" family, justifying the sacrifice by stating that "Tian Qi" was indirectly responsible for the Infanta's death.
Ji Zheng, softer-hearted than his brother, expressed concern and asked Ji Heng to spare "Tian Qi's" life if he was found innocent, to which Ji Heng agreed, remarking on Ji Zheng's unchanging compassion. Meanwhile, Eunuch Zhuang arrived, conveying the Emperor's command for Ji Heng to apprehend the Infanta's killer within one month, as public opinion demanded justice.
Ji Heng assured the Eunuch that he would deliver the killer, making them pay with their life, even if the Emperor had not issued the decree. He vowed to resolve the matter within the given timeframe, relieving the Emperor of any further trouble. In another part of the mansion, Kang De, his sister Kang Ning'er, and Madame Shu were having tea. Kang Ning'er was willful but straightforward, while Madame Shu was calm yet hypocritical.
Kang De, despite his polite exterior, harbored a sense of intellectual superiority and resentment over his leg disease, making him narrow-minded and petty. These three, each with their own thoughts, discussed the Infanta's death, leading to an unpleasant conclusion. Kang Ning'er mentioned "Tian Qi" being punished yet still allowed to investigate. Madame Shu subtly implied Kang Ning'er's possible involvement, citing her well-known affection for Ji Heng as a motive. Enraged, Kang Ning'er stormed off.
Kang De, feeling slighted by Madame Shu, then indirectly challenged her past, hinting at her dependence on the Ji family. After dismissing himself, Kang De mused that if his sister possessed half his intelligence and composure, she would have already secured Ji Heng's affection, revealing his own ambition and resentment towards those who looked down on him. As evening fell, Ji Heng watched fireworks being practiced for the upcoming festival, a nostalgic reminder of his childhood.
He recalled a young Shen Zhao’er, the first and only person who dared to climb on him to get a better view, and their shared promise to watch fireworks together every year. The memory of her family's tragic end, a disaster he felt responsible for failing to prevent, brought him immense pain, causing his old wound to reopen. He called for "Tian Qi" to re-bandage it.
As "Tian Qi" bandaged him, Ji Heng looked at her, a fleeting image of young Zhao'er tending to his wounds in childhood. Yet, despite the vivid memory and the fact that this person was the very Shen Zhao’er he yearned for, years of separation meant Ji Heng failed to recognize her true identity. " Tian Qi" presented two types of medicine: one potent but painful, the other mild but slower.
Ji Heng, a man of pride, chose the painful but effective one. When "Tian Qi" applied it, Ji Heng cried out. " Tian Qi" then instinctively blew on the wound to soothe it, a gesture that further echoed his childhood with Zhao’er. Startled from his reverie, Ji Heng pushed "Tian Qi" away, calling the act "effeminate." Later, Ji Heng awoke from a nightmare where a bloodied young Zhao’er cried out for help as her family was being massacred.
Unable to sleep, he asked Mr. Sheng to accompany him for a night walk. Meanwhile, "Tian Qi" pondered her precarious situation. Ji Heng's instructions meant she was either killed by the murderer or by Ji Heng if she failed. She resolved that she must live to avenge her parents, recalling her father's dying words to survive and remain silent. Her resolve strengthened, she encountered several male servants harassing Chunhua, a maid. "
Tian Qi" intervened, falsely claiming that Chunhua was Ji Heng's favored woman to scare them off. The men scoffed at the idea, knowing Ji Heng's reputation for not being interested in women, and turned to attack "Tian Qi." At that moment, Ji Heng appeared and sternly rebuked the servants for their misbehavior, ordering the main instigator to be given fifty strokes and the others thirty.
He then ordered "Tian Qi" to ensure Chunhua's safe return to her room, threatening "Tian Qi" with severe consequences if Chunhua came to any harm. Chunhua, still hopeful, asked "Tian Qi" if Ji Heng truly liked her, to which "Tian Qi," weary and stressed, responded dismissively. Elsewhere, a servant reported to their mysterious master that their attempt to frame "Tian Qi" had been foiled by "Tian Qi's" quick thinking.
The master, however, insisted that "Tian Qi" remained the ideal scapegoat and instructed the servant to lay low until "Tian Qi" was eliminated. Determined to continue her investigation outside the mansion, "Tian Qi" attempted to leave but was stopped by guards who demanded a permit, which she didn't have. After trying to bluff her way out, she feigned defeat and, with a piece of meat, distracted a guard dog to slip out through a "dog gate" – a clandestine passage.
Donning her female attire, she arrived at Club Wanhong. Unbeknownst to her, Xu Jin, Ji Zheng's subordinate, spotted her and immediately recognized her from the portrait Ji Zheng had painted. He quickly reported back to Ji Zheng, who was disheartened to learn that the woman he was captivated by was from a brothel. Ji Zheng handed Xu Jin the silk handkerchief he had kept, asking him to return it to her.
Inside Club Wanhong, Wan Hong, sensing a strange medicinal scent from Shen Zhao’er, began to search her. They soon discovered a packet of "deadly cure" powder hidden in her waist belt. Wan Hong, who knew the recipe because it was invented by her senior apprentice – Shen Zhao’er's late father – instantly recognized it. She warned Shen Zhao’er that someone was trying to frame her and urged her to dispose of the evidence immediately.
Back at Ji Mansion, Ji Heng and Ji Zheng discussed the "deadly cure." Ji Zheng noted that since Dr. Shen's death, no one knew the formula, raising the possibility of a connection to a descendant of the Shen family. Ji Heng firmly dismissed the idea that Zhao’er could be involved, reiterating that the Shen family's ethics were strictly about healing, not harming.
He explained that the "deadly cure" was originally developed by Dr. Shen to combat a plague, saving countless lives, and was considered property of the Ji family through Shen Qingyun. Its use now was a calculated move by the killer to incriminate the Ji family, making them appear undeniably guilty. He vowed to find the culprit who dared to tarnish Dr. Shen's legacy. As they spoke, a servant delivered a stack of official documents.
Hidden within the first page was a note specifically naming "Tian Qi" as the murderer. Ji Heng recognized this as a sign that the true killer was growing impatient, eager to make "Tian Qi" their scapegoat. He saw this as the long-awaited "bite" on his bait and prepared to reel in the big fish. Later, Ji Zheng, also known as Marquis Marvel, took his leave from the mansion, politely declining Mr. Sheng’s invitation to stay for dinner, citing Ji Heng’s busy schedule.
