Light Beyond the Reed Episode 2 Recap
> Light Beyond the Reed Recap
Following a sexual assault, Ye Sibei found herself in profound distress and made a call to her mother. The police were subsequently alerted, and Officer Lin Feng from the Guantian Precinct Detective Unit met Ye Sibei's mother at the hospital. Lin Feng explained that they had received Sibei's alarm call at 6 AM, asking for a coat. They had located her hiding in a rapeseed field on the city's outskirts.
Although her personal belongings were found intact, Sibei had not spoken a word since, leading them to bring her to the hospital for examination. Lin Feng gently informed Mrs. Ye that Sibei might have been sexually assaulted, and that they had collected forensic evidence and were awaiting further tests. Lin Feng requested Mrs. Ye's help in comforting Sibei and encouraging her to cooperate if the assault was confirmed.
Mrs. Ye adamantly denied the possibility of an assault, insisting her daughter was a "good, well-behaved girl" and that there must be a misunderstanding. She demanded the police leave, stating she would contact them if needed. She then attempted to forcefully enter Sibei's room, arguing with the doctors and Lin Feng about privacy. Mrs. Ye claimed Sibei had merely argued with her husband, Qin Nan, the previous night, and that any police involvement would ruin Sibei's reputation and marriage.
She threatened to sue the police for defamation if they continued to imply an assault without a formal report. Once inside, Mrs. Ye comforted a silent Sibei, urging her to pretend nothing had happened. She insisted Sibei must tell the police that she had only argued with Qin Nan, emphasizing that public opinion was uncontrollable and that if the truth got out, Sibei's life would be ruined, regardless of whether the assailant was caught.
She warned that people would gossip, saying Sibei was drunk and "fooled around." Despite Sibei's quiet denial, stating it was a company dinner, Mrs. Ye reiterated that gossip could destroy her. She concluded by telling Sibei to trust her, not to call the police, and that they would go home to rest. Unaware of the victim's identity, Ye Nianwen, Sibei's younger brother and a newly graduated lawyer, arrived at the hospital, hoping to find a case and offer legal assistance.
He attempted to engage with Captain Zhang, offering cigarettes and stating his firm handled all types of cases, but Captain Zhang dismissively told him to leave. As Sibei was being taken out of the hospital by her mother, Mrs. Ye, not wanting her son to witness Sibei's distress, forcefully pressed Sibei's head down, and they both squatted on the ground. Lin Feng once again tried to convince Sibei to undergo the remaining medical tests and provide a formal statement.
But Sibei, influenced by her mother, reiterated that she had merely argued with her husband and that the police couldn't assist her. Mrs. Ye quickly interjected, asserting that spousal disputes do not require police statements, and whisked Sibei away, ignoring Lin Feng's repeated calls for Sibei. Lin Feng then spoke with Captain Zhang, expressing her concern about Sibei's distressed state and the preliminary medical findings that pointed to a sexual assault.
She questioned if this case might be linked to a previous one. Captain Zhang, however, curtly dismissed her, advising against jumping to conclusions without the victim's statement and hinting that her workload might be too light, urging her to focus on other pending assignments. Frustrated but undeterred, Lin Feng left to pursue other investigative leads related to the case at the Traffic Police unit. Under her mother's instruction, Sibei called her boss, Mr. Fan, to request leave.
Mr. Fan chastised her for not notifying him earlier but then made a chilling apology, stating that Mr. Zheng was a client and he "couldn't really stop him last night," effectively acknowledging and condoning the assault. Sibei quietly accepted this and confirmed she could not come to work. Later, Sibei's brother, Nianwen, came home. During dinner, Sibei questioned him about his presence at the hospital earlier.
Nianwen explained he was there scouting for potential clients, having followed the police from the station, and after losing them, he deduced a major case, likely a rape, was unfolding in the gynecology ward. He regretted not seeing the victim, as timely intervention was crucial for such cases. Sibei then hesitantly asked if these types of cases were difficult to win. When Nianwen mentioned he hadn't met the victim yet, Sibei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Nianwen explained the complexities of proving coercion in sexual assault cases, where perpetrators often resort to discrediting victims with "disgusting accusations" that severely damage their reputation. He concluded that many victims "break down before it even gets to trial," and sometimes it's better to "just pretend nothing ever happened, and just forget about it" to avoid further pain. Hearing this, Sibei's face crumpled in despair, and she silently went to serve dinner.
Meanwhile, Captain Zhang visited Qin Nan's auto repair shop to pick up his car and asked for a personal favor. He showed Qin Nan tire prints from the crime scene, seeking his professional opinion on the tire type or vehicle model, asking him to keep it confidential. Qin Nan, with his extensive knowledge of tires, identified that three tires had been replaced, with only one being an original factory tire, an uncommon type.
He narrowed it down to either a new Ford Taurus or an older Toyota Crown sedan, suggesting the latter given the tire wear. Captain Zhang noted the older Crown model was considered a luxury car in their city. Back at Sibei's home, Nianwen advised his sister to reconcile with Qin Nan, fearing their marital conflict would escalate. Sibei, alone, revisited memories of the company dinner, Mr. Zheng's advances, and the terrifying threat from her assailant.
She also recalled Nianwen's cynical advice about the futility of reporting sexual assault and her mother's desperate pleas to keep silent. These thoughts reinforced her fear and despair. At work, Sibei was cleaning when Mr. Fan approached, questioning her about not wearing her uniform. Sibei vaguely replied she "forgot." She then confronted Mr. Fan, asking if he was the one who drove her home the night of the incident.
He confirmed he drove both her and Zhao Chuchu, but claimed he dropped Sibei off roadside because his wife called him, leading to an argument, and Sibei supposedly told him to do so. Shortly after, Zhao Chuchu called Sibei, who then directly asked Chuchu about that night. Chuchu confirmed that Mr. Fan drove them both, but she got off first, making it clear that Mr. Fan was the last person with Sibei.
This revelation exposed Mr. Fan's lie and further confused Sibei, who could only vaguely remember "blacking out." Later, Sibei's mother (Qin Nan's mother-in-law) visited his shop, bringing food and expressing concern about his long work hours and weight loss. She indirectly probed about his and Sibei's situation, then directly urged them to have children soon so she could help raise them.
Qin Nan remained silent, neither confirming nor denying any marital issues, and was internally conflicted about his and Sibei's situation. At the office, finance director Tao Jie piled extra work onto Sibei, dismissing Sibei's request to leave early by stating young people should work more overtime. Sibei, however, firmly insisted she needed to leave "before dark" and placed the work directly on Tao Jie's desk, marking a subtle but significant assertion of her boundaries. This new determination was born from the trauma and her realization of Fan Jiancheng's deceit, pushing her to seek some form of agency.
