Black & White Forest Episode 15 Recap
> Black & White Forest Recap
Twenty-one years ago at the Binjiang Child Welfare, Na Fan brought medicine to Luo Tianyi, who was sick with a fever. Luo Tianyi felt disliked by adults because he wasn't good at studying and wasn't obedient. He asked Na Fan if she was only there because the director told her to be, suggesting she wouldn't want to play with him otherwise. Na Fan admitted that was the reason at first, but it wasn't later.
When asked why, she suggested it might be because she wasn't an adult either. Luo Tianyi then proposed that when they grew up, they would still play together and be the best friends in the world. They made a pinky promise. As the clock struck past midnight, Luo Tianyi excitedly realized it was Na Fan's birthday.
He said he had been saving snacks for a long time just for this day and pulled her away to share them, seemingly forgetting he still had a fever. Later, Xing Liang showed Sun Changhai photos of the deceased Sun brothers, asking if he was surprised. Sun Changhai replied that he was not surprised, believing it was inevitable.
Xing Liang described the crime scene as far more gruesome than the photos, stating even their veteran coroner had never seen anything so shocking. He commented on the brothers' toughness, saying they hadn't shamed the Sun family, but noted Sun Changhai's calm demeanor, not seemingly in a hurry to catch the killer. A flashback showed Sun Changhai's uncle assigning him the task, stating they needed a capable person and he was chosen.
The uncle explained this job was special; he was to do and say whatever the other party instructed. This was because they owed a favor from years ago when his little uncle was almost killed in Shenchuan and needed their help. He instructed Sun Changhai not to bring weapons as everything would be arranged there. Sun Changhai questioned this, but the uncle insisted it was the master's special instruction.
The contact person was a middleman named Uncle Long who would handle arrangements on the ground. The uncle warned Sun Changhai that if anything went wrong, he should only reveal information up to Uncle Long. Back in the present, Xing Liang offered to wait until Sun Changhai was ready to talk. Sun Changhai confirmed the contact was Uncle Long, stating he had only spoken to him by phone and never met him, offering to provide the number.
Bao Chenyan received a call from Chen Mingyuan, who wanted to meet but insisted Bao come alone. Their conversation was tense; Chen Mingyuan accused Bao of trying to trap him by bringing others and sending scouts, while Bao called Chen Mingyuan a "mad dog" given his current situation. Despite the animosity, they agreed to meet, with Chen Mingyuan instructing Bao to drive alone with his phone on speaker for directions.
Bao Chenyan asked Luo Tianyi to return home, but Luo Tianyi insisted on accompanying him, suggesting Wen Binbin would also come. Bao refused any negotiation, firmly stating the decision was final. He allowed Luo Tianyi to inform others but stressed that no one should appear until after his meeting with Chen Mingyuan was concluded. Meanwhile, Xing Liang and Liu Yong were monitoring Bao Chenyan, following his location via his phone that was left in his car.
Xing Liang directed surveillance units to keep track of Bao's movement. Bao Chenyan drove in circles under Chen Mingyuan's guidance, growing frustrated as his car's fuel ran low. He questioned how much longer it would take, calling it a "giant wheel of fortune." Chen Mingyuan, visible on the street with injuries on his face, told Bao he was almost there and instructed him to turn right. Bao pulled over and told Chen Mingyuan to get in.
Upon seeing his injuries, Bao asked what happened, to which Chen Mingyuan responded, "Pathetic." Feeling unsafe there, Chen Mingyuan directed them to go to Xingyu Pier. They drove to the pier, where Chen Mingyuan got out, intending to leave. Bao called out to him, got out of the car, and gave him a hug. Chen Mingyuan's parting words were "Hope we'll meet again," followed by "Take care."
Observing from a distance in a car, Wen Binbin commented that it looked like they were making peace. Suddenly, a motorcycle sped towards Chen Mingyuan, and the rider fired a shot, killing him instantly. Witnessing this, Wen Binbin reported that Bao was heading towards Chen Mingyuan's territory and urged speed. Xing Liang, informed of the killing, immediately ordered a citywide search for the murderer, emphasizing they must find the killer even if they had to dig three feet deep.
Bao Chenyan was taken to the police station for questioning. Xing Liang pressed him to reveal what Chen Mingyuan had told him. Initially, Bao claimed Chen Mingyuan had just wanted to make peace and asked to be spared, stating he hadn't plotted against Bao. Xing Liang found this evasive, asking if Chen Mingyuan had offered evidence of his innocence, or why he would run otherwise.
Bao speculated that perhaps Chen Mingyuan had no choice and felt someone was after him, seeing Bao as his last hope due to their long relationship and Bao's perceived reasonableness. Xing Liang accused him of not being honest, noting the killer's strong counter-surveillance skills and successful escape into an urban village with poor surveillance. At the station, police reviewed blurry surveillance footage of the motorcycle killer, noting the outfit seemed different from a previous killer.
They discussed the difficulty of the search. They also identified a modified caliper on the motorcycle, noting it was an expensive part, suggesting the owner was likely someone with resources. Back home, Bao Chenyan was in a complex mood, unresponsive to Wen Binbin and Luo Tianyi's attempts to talk to him or cheer him up. Wen Binbin suggested taking a bath to wash off bad luck.
Bao dismissed it, saying he was just annoyed, not scared, as he hadn't committed a crime. While alone, Bao remembered Chen Mingyuan's final words about finding "Hai" for a "souvenir" if something happened. He decided to visit Hai. Meanwhile, police continued their investigation. Xing Liang and Yang discussed the possibility that a parental location tracking application on Chen Mingyuan's father's phone might have inadvertently led the killer to him. They visited the nursing home where the father resided.
The staff confirmed the elderly man had dementia and always kept his phone with him because it showed him his son's location, even sleeping with it. They noted no recent visits from strangers or unusual incidents, as visitors were required to register. The police also reviewed the visitor log for a recent volunteer event at the nursing home. Out of the fourteen volunteers registered, only twelve were noted leaving later.
A staff member recalled seeing two men leaving earlier around 1:30 PM, wearing hats and keeping their heads down, making them difficult to identify. They hoped volunteers' photos might help. Police received photos from the volunteers and reviewed them, but the faces were blurry.
They also analyzed the volunteer event itself, noting an anonymous donation requested more volunteers before noon, delivery by noon, and keeping the elderly active for at least an hour, which staff found suspicious and believed was targeting the father. They concluded the person behind it must know Chen Mingyuan well. Separately, Tian identified the modified motorcycle from vehicle inspection records as matching one brought by 'Hu', the boss of 'Yiwei'.
Tian found it strange that Yiwei, a company with resources, would outsource this, though Hu claimed his shop was short on a specific caliper and the client was in a hurry. Police initiated a facial recognition search based on the blurry volunteer photos. Liu Yong provided information on Qi Hanchen, noting his wealthy family background and extensive connections, but also the strange fact that he held only honorary positions in companies for consulting fees, with no shares under his name.
Xing Liang assessed Qi Hanchen as an expert who had built a strong defense, making him difficult to investigate, and ordered close surveillance. Bao Chenyan arrived to meet Hai. Hai explained that Chen Mingyuan had entrusted him to give Bao the transfer agreement for all shares of Benniu Trading Co., Ltd., transferring ownership to Bao Chenyan.
Hai relayed Chen Mingyuan's last thoughts: after a lifetime of schemes and being schemed against, Chen Mingyuan realized he had never cultivated a trusted confidant. He felt he could only rely on Bao. Chen Mingyuan reflected on helping Hai when he was crippled years ago, seeing it as fate and them being mutual benefactors. He spoke of not wanting violence and attempting to hide, but if he couldn't escape, he would die.
However, he couldn't leave his elderly father with dementia alone. Chen Mingyuan believed only Bao had the ability and loyalty to take care of his father. Hai confirmed Chen Mingyuan's last request was for Bao to care for his father after receiving the company shares. Chen Mingyuan had gambled one last time, believing that in the Tuan Island project, only Bao was capable of confronting Qi Hanchen.
