Black & White Forest Episode 19 Recap
> Black & White Forest Recap
Wen Binbin remarked to Xing Liang that it was rare for him to be invited to dinner. Xing Liang told him not to overthink it, as they would be seeing each other often soon and he wanted to get used to it and adapt early. Wen Binbin asked what he meant and if his return time was set.
Xing Liang commented that Wen Binbin seemed happy living with Bao Chenyan, but Wen Binbin clarified that once the Tuan Island project was settled, Bao would be on track, and his presence wouldn't make a difference. Xing Liang then said that Wen Binbin and his sister Wen Zixuan were quite something, stating he believed one person could influence a project but questioned if Wen Binbin believed a project could change a person. Wen Binbin affirmed that he did.
Wen Binbin found Xing Liang interesting, understanding his comments on familiar topics but not on things he didn't understand. Xing Liang asked if Wen Binbin's understanding of Bao Chenyan came from a family member's perspective or a police officer's. Wen Binbin noted that Xing Liang's way of speaking was very rigid, emphasizing that the world wasn't just black and white and that there were shadows even under the sun.
He shifted the topic from Bao to his father, Xing Liang's father-in-law. He mentioned his father's successful venture into international trade years ago when many failed, questioning Xing Liang's perspective on this. He also brought up his father's handling of the Tuan Island market, where he never took protection fees and even paid out of pocket for construction, asking for Xing Liang's perspective on that as well.
Xing Liang replied that when there were things he couldn't change, he viewed them as an objective observer. Wen Binbin countered that he wasn't objective, given that his sister was Xing Liang's wife and his niece was Xing Liang's daughter. Xing Liang felt they couldn't talk if Wen Binbin was going to play dumb, and suggested they just eat. Wen Binbin said he understood Xing Liang's point; while black-and-white thinking was a fundamental police attitude, it wasn't a survival rule.
He compared the world to a farm where each person was a tree, and the dense trees formed a forest. As the sun moved, each tree changed between light and shadow. Ultimately, he said, it was all about survival. That's why he and his sister firmly believed the Tuan Island project could be Bao's lifeline, capable of completely dispelling the darkness around him from a survival perspective.
Xing Liang found his "black-and-white forest" theory interesting but limited to theory, asking if he had considered that the perceived light might be nourishment for darkness. During an interrogation, Chen Yiming was warned by Xing Liang that perjury carried legal responsibility. Chen Yiming stated he wouldn't dare speak if it weren't for the safety of Luo Jiahui and their children. He claimed Bao Chenyan was behind everything.
When asked what "everything" meant, Chen Yiming said the police gun was the start. He admitted he didn't know who grabbed the gun and had never seen it, nor did he know about the gunshot at Birkin Paris or Sun Changhai's appearance initially. He said Bao later told him about Sun Changhai just before Xing Liang went to Ninghai, instructing him to either help Sun escape or silence him, emphasizing not to harm Wen Binbin.
Chen Yiming confirmed the phone used to alert Sun Changhai was from Bao Chenyan. Xing Liang questioned Chen Yiming further, noting the same phone number that called Sun Changhai also appeared on Wu Ajin's phone. He asked why Wu Ajin would try to kill Bao Chenyan if Bao hired him, or how Chen Yiming got Wu Ajin's contact if Bao didn't know him.
Chen Yiming insisted he only used the phone Bao gave him to contact Sun Changhai and didn't know Wu Ajin at first. He later revealed he met Wu Ajin before going to Xingyu Pier. He recounted Bao telling him to bring someone to Xingyu Pier and mentioning that Wen Binbin would call both him and Er'leng as he wouldn't go alone.
Chen Yiming's task was to kill Wen Binbin there, though Bao noted it was just a matter of time, not necessarily at the pier due to many eyes. He then described a setup where Bao asked him to have someone hide in an alley to watch a car, which later turned out to be part of Bao's plan, which Chen Yiming found terrifying.
He related how someone drove the car away and took photos as instructed by Chen Yiming, who told him to print the photos and send them by courier to the Crime Investigation Unit. Chen Yiming explained he had a spare phone in his car's trunk used to contact Bao and send the package, which should contain payment records. The bar phone Bao gave him was also in the car.
He identified the person who took the photos as Zheng Liu, who recycles electronics. Chen Yiming also confirmed Bao Chenyan knew about Luo Jiahui and their child because Bao had introduced them. He believed Bao had intentionally set a trap for him through Luo Jiahui, making him feel trapped because he loved Luo Jiahui and their child and couldn't risk their safety. He confessed he was being controlled by Bao's threats.
When asked if Dian Lao'er's death was also planned by Bao, Chen Yiming said it was part of the scheme. He described how Bao called him to the company to discuss meeting Dian Lao'er. He was surprised to see Luo Tianyi there, as he usually didn't work with him. Later, he received a message from Bao during the meeting, realizing Bao wanted him to slip away in the chaos to kill Dian Lao'er.
Regarding the money in his mother Cai Jinhua's account and the goods Luo Jiahui sold, Chen Yiming explained they came from Wu Tong, a chip exchanger from Ao City brought back by Bao, who had fled to Southeast Asia and was running a large online gambling operation. The money was wired from Wu Tong, and the goods were from the company warehouse. Bao never gave him money directly.
Chen Yiming concluded he didn't know Bao's ultimate motive but knew whatever Bao wanted, he would achieve it. After a fight, Bao Chenyan was brought into a holding room. He was approached by a lawyer sent by Wen Zixuan. The lawyer informed him he was detained for five days due to the fight, despite attempting reconciliation and offering a fine. The other party was firm, had a video record, and sought justice, not compensation.
Bao's previous fighting record made things difficult. Five days of detention meant he would miss the hearing in five days. While postponements were possible, a prior delay and concerns about credibility and providing leverage to opponents made it unlikely. The lawyer estimated Bao could be released around noon in five days. Bao saw this as a chance with two weeks until the rebid, urging them to recover the lost time for the Tuan Island project.
Meanwhile, Wen Binbin and Luo Tianyi went to Hai's place, trying to convince him to testify. Hai was afraid of getting involved and refused to open the door. Wen Binbin appealed to his past words about connections, calling him indifferent. Luo Tianyi pulled Wen Binbin away, saying it was useless to keep talking. Xing Liang and his team reviewed Chen Yiming's testimony, noting the difficulty in determining its authenticity. They decided to organize clues and verify them before further questioning.
During their investigation, they interviewed Zheng Liu, the man who took the photos for Chen Yiming. Zheng Liu admitted Chen Yiming paid him 5,000 yuan for the photo. He didn't recognize a clear photo of a person but immediately recognized a sketch of a person wearing a mask. Security footage showed neither person at his location.
When told the person in the sketch was dead, Zheng Liu confessed Chen Yiming paid him 20,000 yuan to direct anyone asking about the photo subject to Xingyu Pier. Police confirmed a local delivery order number on Chen Yiming's spare phone matched the courier's timeline. The phone number used matched the one found on Sun Changhai's and Wu Ajin's phones. Technical analysis recovered deleted message fragments, including instructions to go to Yiwei Motor, get a tool, and kill Dian Lao'er.
While this pointed to Bao Chenyan, the message was a network pop-up on the old bar phone, not a standard text. Further investigation found the owner of the SIM card had died ten years ago, but the card was never deactivated. It was a cloned card, making it possible for one number to be used on two phones, which supported Chen Yiming's claim of not contacting Wu Ajin directly while the number appeared on Wu Ajin's phone.
Qi Hanchen called Uncle Long, expressing thanks for his friend's effective suggestion. Uncle Long conveyed another message from his friend: kidnapping the witness wouldn't solve the real problem, and focusing on the result was key. He likened the situation to fishing, where the crucial part wasn't the bite but the balance of tight and loose during reeling, advising Qi Hanchen that he was currently too tight.
Qi Hanchen found the friend interesting and was curious about him, despite his background being unclear. He instructed his subordinate to prevent any issues, especially with the witness. Wen Binbin and Luo Tianyi returned to Hai's place, but he was gone. Wen Binbin asked people nearby if they knew where Hai went. They mentioned seeing a "Jinzai Seafood" minibus at Hai's place earlier that day. Wen Binbin and Luo Tianyi decided to check the seafood markets.
Days later, just as Bao Chenyan's detention was ending and the hearing for the Benniu Group share transfer was about to begin, police discussed the mounting evidence against Bao Chenyan based on Chen Yiming's testimony. They considered applying for an arrest warrant but also noted the oddity of Bao exposing himself so easily if he was the mastermind. Despite doubts, the evidence pointed to Bao, requiring action. Xing Liang decided to report the findings.
Bao Chenyan was released from detention just before the hearing and was rushed to the location. The hearing commenced, and the moderator announced that based on current evidence, Wen Group could not prove the validity of the share transfer agreement signed by Chen Mingyuan. Just then, Wen Binbin arrived with Hai, stating their key witness had arrived. Hai was brought forward and presented with a handwritten agreement.
Hai confirmed it was the document Chen Mingyuan asked him to give Bao Chenyan, stating Bao read it in front of him. Hai also confirmed he was present when Chen Mingyuan wrote it. He quoted Chen Mingyuan saying that the previously forced agreement was invalid and only this handwritten one was real. Chen Mingyuan had given this to Bao, betting the company shares for a promise to his father, believing Bao was righteous and trustworthy despite being in the underworld.
Hai confirmed Chen Mingyuan said this document was his will if anything happened to him. Later, Wen Binbin, Wen Zixuan, Bao Chenyan, Luo Tianyi, and others celebrated the hearing outcome. Wen Binbin and Wen Zixuan playfully argued about who paid for the expensive meal. Wen Zixuan thanked Wen Binbin for his efforts in finding Hai, acknowledging he was more important behind the scenes.
Wen Zixuan joked that if selling his sister could get him a wife, Wen Binbin would have sold her long ago. Wen Binbin retorted that he should be toasted first for spending a night at the seafood market. They drank together. Just as they were enjoying the moment, police officers arrived and announced they were arresting Bao Chenyan based on someone accusing him of hiring a killer and investigations linking him to two murders.
Wen Zixuan protested, asking if Xing Liang sent them and how Bao could be involved when he was also attacked. The officer stated that all evidence pointed to him, and they would investigate, but he had to be detained immediately. Despite Wen Zixuan's objections and Bao's claims of innocence, Bao Chenyan was taken away with an arrest warrant. Wen Zixuan tried to contact Xing Liang, whose phone was dead. Unbeknownst to her, Xing Liang was also being led away by members of the Inspection team.
