Fell Upon Me Episode 12 Recap
> Fell Upon Me Recap
An Zhenzhen returned home with her parents, who immediately inquired about the recent events at school. While An Zhenzhen was upset by her parents' apparent suspicion, she explained how the 200 yuan had mysteriously appeared in her pencil case. She recounted going back to the classroom to rest during morning assembly due to leg pain and falling asleep, only to wake up to the class monitor announcing the money was missing. She was certain someone was trying to frame her.
Her father attempted to console her by offering to buy her anything she wanted and take her to a buffet. An Zhenzhen vehemently denied this, reiterating her innocence and questioning if he believed she had stolen the money to buy something. Her mother then subtly questioned if An Zhenzhen had recently offended anyone at school, given that the college entrance exam was approaching, making it an odd time for someone to frame her.
During a thunderstorm, An Zhenzhen called Lao Jiang, asking for an update on the milk fee theft case from twelve years prior. Lao Jiang admitted his memory of the incident was vague but confirmed he was still investigating and vaguely recalled the money being returned. An Zhenzhen shared more details, including that the money went missing during morning assembly, and she, along with Qi Shuo, Gu Ming, and Qiu Qian, were questioned.
She specified that 200 yuan belonging to Qiu Qian was found in her pencil case, leading to her being blamed. She suspected someone had planted it. Lao Jiang then remembered a recent drinking session with Qi Shuo, where a drunken Qi Shuo expressed regret over something he had done to An Zhenzhen, leading Lao Jiang to believe it might be connected to the theft. An Zhenzhen, wondering if it was related to Qi Yan, urged Lao Jiang to investigate further.
Just then, her mother knocked on the door, expressing concern. Later, An Zhenzhen’s parents discussed the situation, with her mother suggesting her father go to school the next day to pay the milk fee to ensure An Zhenzhen could focus on her exams. Her father mused that An Zhenzhen, who had been asking for a new phone, didn't logically need to steal the money.
Lao Jiang, still determined, tried calling Qi Shuo again, but Qi Shuo was evasive and unwilling to discuss the past incident. The narrative shifted to a flashback in 2012. Jiang Ling, upon noticing nail polish on the envelope where the milk fees were kept, suspected Qiu Qian, recalling she had been painting her nails when he collected the money. He later discussed his suspicions with Gu Ming.
Gu Ming raised the possibility that the nail polish could have simply rubbed off from Qiu Qian's nails and urged caution, insisting they shouldn't jump to conclusions or wrongly accuse anyone without further investigation. Jiang Ling blamed himself for being careless and getting An Zhenzhen involved. Gu Ming reassured him, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation to clear An Zhenzhen's name. As they prepared to leave school, Jiang Ling feigned needing to stay behind to covertly follow Qiu Qian.
He witnessed her being harassed by a small-time thug, who demanded money from her while making reference to a "1314 promise." Qiu Qian reluctantly handed over cash. Later, Jiang Ling was at a noodle stall when he received change from the owner, Mr. Kong. He noticed a 10-yuan bill with "Qiu Qian" written on it. When he questioned Mr. Kong about its origin, the owner couldn't recall who gave it to him due to the large number of students.
Jiang Ling requested Mr. Kong to keep an eye out for any more money with similar writing. Back in the present, Lao Jiang located Qi Shuo working as a doorman at the Crown Hotel. Confronting him, Lao Jiang pressed Qi Shuo about the milk fee incident, frustrating Qi Shuo, who complained that Lao Jiang constantly brought up An Zhenzhen. Qi Shuo tried to dismiss Lao Jiang, even threatening to have him thrown out.
Lao Jiang retorted that he was staying at the hotel and threatened to call the police if Qi Shuo didn't reveal what he knew. Qi Shuo, initially defiant, relented when Lao Jiang began dialing. Just then, a celebrity named Yi Nuo emerged from the hotel, drawing a crowd of fans. Amidst the chaos, Qi Shuo seized the opportunity to slip away, leaving Lao Jiang mistaken for a fan and receiving an autograph from Yi Nuo.
At home, An Zhenzhen's father presented her with a new iPhone 4S, something she had wanted. He tried to convey his care, offering to buy her anything and increase her allowance. However, An Zhenzhen's mother interjected, bluntly stating that An Zhenzhen should admit her mistake if she had done something wrong. This infuriated An Zhenzhen, who vehemently denied stealing the money and expressed her heartbreak that her own parents believed she would steal for a phone.
She emphasized that while she could tolerate gossip from classmates, she needed her parents' trust. Her mother reprimanded her for being disrespectful, though An Zhenzhen challenged this. Her mother then tried to pacify her, acknowledging An Zhenzhen's feelings of injustice and promising to go to school the next day to speak with the teacher and ensure a thorough investigation. The following day at school, Ms. Liu called Qiu Qian to her office to discuss the milk money.
Ms. Liu explained her lingering doubts about the situation despite pressure from the school administration and expressed her belief in her students. She noted An Zhenzhen’s recent unusual behavior and asked if Qiu Qian knew anything, but Qiu Qian claimed complete ignorance. An Zhenzhen's mother then arrived, and Qiu Qian was dismissed. An Zhenzhen's mother appealed to Ms. Liu, stressing their family's financial stability and Zhenzhen's character, asking for a more thorough investigation rather than wrongly accusing a child.
Ms. Liu assured her she would investigate thoroughly. Outside the office, Qiu Qian and Qi Shuo conversed nervously. Qiu Qian mentioned An Zhenzhen's mother was demanding a further investigation and that Ms. Liu seemed to believe An Zhenzhen was innocent.
Qi Shuo cautioned Qiu Qian to be careful not to slip up and stick to their pre-arranged story: that Qiu Qian went to the bathroom, and then to the morning meeting, while Qi Shuo claimed he was in the classroom for the morning meeting. Meanwhile, Ms. Liu praised An Zhenzhen's English essay in class, holding it up as an example. Outside, An Zhenzhen's father finalized arrangements to pay for the milk fees.
Soon after, milk was delivered to the classroom, which led students to openly speculate that An Zhenzhen must have stolen the money since her father was paying for everyone's milk. To clear An Zhenzhen's name, Jiang Ling reunited with Gu Ming. Jiang Ling explained their current evidence: the 10-yuan bill with Qiu Qian's name and the nail polish.
He acknowledged the nail polish was direct evidence but questioned why Qiu Qian would spend money with her own name on it if she were the culprit, suggesting someone else might be involved. He also noted that Qiu Qian disliked noodles, which made her spending money at a noodle stall suspicious. Gu Ming then proposed a plan of "psychological warfare." He asked Mr. Kong, the noodle stall owner, to prominently display the 10-yuan bill with "Qiu Qian" written on it.
Gu Ming explained that a criminal would spend such a marked bill in a state of panic, indicating weak nerves. By creating public awareness, they could set a trap for the perpetrator. Jiang Ling admired Gu Ming's reasoning, likening it to a detective novel. Back in the dorm, students continued to gossip about An Zhenzhen. That night, An Zhenzhen returned home unexpectedly, distraught and furious.
She confronted her father, accusing him of making her look like a thief by paying the milk fee. Her father argued he did it to prevent the school from calling the police, but An Zhenzhen countered that a police investigation would have been better than him rushing to condemn her. Her father attempted to downplay the situation, advising her to ignore the gossip and focus on her exams, as it would eventually subside.
However, An Zhenzhen burst out, expressing her deep pain over being treated like a thief and feeling abandoned by her parents. She questioned if they still cared about her or their family, lamenting her father's constant absence and the pretense of their "happy and perfect" family. She declared she no longer felt happy, directly accusing her parents of no longer caring about her or their family.
