Light Beyond the Reed Episode 6 Recap
> Light Beyond the Reed Recap
When presented with the warrant, Fan Jiancheng initially tried to argue, claiming it must be a mistake and threatening to call Commissioner Wang. The police warned him that non-cooperation would lead to his detention. Fan Jiancheng then agreed to cooperate but requested a few minutes to sign some "very important" documents he had on his desk. The police agreed to wait. While waiting, Captain Zhang observed the panther statue in Fan Jiancheng's office, noting his obvious ambition.
Fan Jiancheng then called in his assistant, Tao Jie, and discreetly signed some papers, adding a secret mark to them, hoping to convey a hidden message without the police noticing. He handed her the important documents he had just signed and instructed her to deal with them immediately. Captain Zhang also noticed Fan Jiancheng's extensive collection of law books, to which Fan Jiancheng proudly declared that law serves as a weapon for protection in business.
Later, two janitors were discussing the trouble at Fuqiang Real Estate, mentioning that the boss had been taken by the police for allegedly assaulting a woman. Ye Sibei's mother overheard this and, feeling ashamed, quickly urged Ye Sibei to return to her hospital room. Despite her mother's distress, Ye Sibei seemed detached and numb.
Qin Nan, who had been there, asked if she was hungry, but Ye Sibei told him her mother had brought food and that he could go to work. He then left for his shop, asking her to call if she needed anything. During his interrogation, Fan Jiancheng expressed disbelief at being questioned, insisting he knew nothing about the rape case on April 9th, and that he had not harmed Ye Sibei in any way.
He claimed the accusation was a mistake and even suggested a confrontation with Ye Sibei. When asked about his relationship with Ye Sibei, he portrayed himself as her benefactor. He described Ye Sibei as a quiet, unsociable person who struggled to find work after returning from the provincial capital, and whose family was not well-off. Out of compassion, he claimed, he personally intervened to hire her when the company was reluctant.
He also stated that despite her working hard, her poor social skills led to issues with colleagues, which he smoothed over. He explained that he created a fake income statement for Ye Sibei out of kindness because her younger brother, Nianwen, needed money to buy a house for his wedding. He told the police that he had initially advised her against it, but she was persistent. He vehemently denied any impropriety between them, mentioning that even her husband suspected something.
He claimed to treat all employees equally, recounting how he protected female employees from excessive drinking at company dinners. He also noted that Ye Sibei had taken unauthorized leave and continued to ask for more time off, which he had reluctantly granted due to her claims of illness. Captain Zhang felt that Fan Jiancheng was slippery and had probably prepared his alibi thoroughly if he was indeed guilty.
He remarked that Fan Jiancheng was like an eel, requiring time to gather solid evidence. Tao Jie, along with all other company employees, was also called in for questioning. She confirmed her presence at the April 9th gathering, which was held to secure a crucial contract with Mr. Zheng of Wanfu Properties. She admitted to drinking a significant amount due to the client's love for alcohol, a common practice in sales.
Tao Jie recounted that Ye Sibei was drunk and speaking emotionally before getting into the car that night. She spoke highly of Fan Jiancheng, stating that he was a kind person who helped employees in need, including signing a high-income proof for Ye Sibei without hesitation. She estimated that Ye Sibei drank over ten glasses that night, noting that Ye Sibei rarely attended such gatherings and was not accustomed to drinking.
Ye Sibei's mother made constant attempts to make her wear sunglasses, which Ye Sibei found humiliating. She resisted, telling her mother she could go home by herself and didn't want her mother to visit her anymore, as it caused her trouble. Her mother was confused by this reaction, but Ye Sibei then left the hospital on her own.
Back home, she lay in bed, overwhelmed by numerous sympathetic messages on her phone, some expressing pity and asking about her future, making her feel numb with pain as the incident was now public knowledge. She confided in Qin Nan, feeling helpless that people were pitying her, and questioned why her future should be defined by this event. Qin Nan, understanding her immense emotional burden, took her to his "secret base" – a rooftop area.
He explained that he took up boxing during a difficult time after high school, performing 200 push-ups daily to build strength and learning boxing online to manage stress. He then began teaching Ye Sibei how to box, encouraging her to release her inner turmoil. She worried about hurting him, but he playfully assured her that if she did, he would treat her to a meal. When she tired quickly, he apologized, remembering she had just been discharged from the hospital.
Ye Sibei, curious about Qin Nan's life, asked if he regretted not finishing high school. Qin Nan, who said he liked movies, novels, and cooking, dismissed the idea, stating he'd rather work and earn money, as he was content with his life. He then teased Ye Sibei for marrying someone like him—a high school dropout who enjoyed drinking and boxing.
Ye Sibei retorted, pointing out his own choice to marry her, an introverted, ordinary woman with no job, a dependent younger brother, Nianwen, and a high dowry demand. Qin Nan then revealed that he was once the top liberal arts student (literary scholar) of his school.
Ye Sibei, acknowledging his intelligence, shared her own story, explaining she couldn’t thrive in the provincial capital due to her specialized major having too many graduates, her mother messing up a job opportunity, and being scammed by a real estate agent. She felt that even though her parents were demanding, her hometown still offered a sense of belonging.
She mused on the bittersweet nature of her family's limited love, which tethered her to a life she felt trapped in, like sinking in a swamp. Qin Nan challenged her sense of helplessness, suggesting they simply get in the car and drive three hours to the provincial capital. On a whim, they set off. Ye Sibei, after being instructed by Qin Nan not to drive below 60km/h on the highway, decided to drive, letting go of her inhibitions.
She ended up taking a wrong exit and drove aimlessly until the car ran out of petrol, leading them to a beach instead of the provincial capital. Qin Nan, waking up by the sea, joked about his inability to fix a car without fuel, unlike a broken one. They decided to walk to a petrol station, with Qin Nan advising her to "fuel herself" mentally. As they walked, Ye Sibei asked Qin Nan about his childhood.
Qin Nan revealed that he had faint memories of his parents, who were migrant workers and rarely home. He and his older brother were "left-behind children," raised by their grandfather. His older brother constantly protected him from bullies, always bearing new injuries. He shared a poignant memory of his mother leaving, promising to return with money. Qin Nan encouraged Ye Sibei to vent her frustrations by screaming at the sea, suggesting she curse if she felt like it.
Following his advice, Ye Sibei unleashed a torrent of angry expletives, feeling a release. Qin Nan then proposed that once they won the lawsuit, they should sell their house in Nancheng and buy a new one by the sea, to escape the troubles of their current life. Meanwhile, Fan Jiancheng, held in custody, grew impatient and noisy, repeatedly asserting his innocence and demanding to be questioned or released, specifically asking for Captain Zhang.
He was silenced by another officer, who told him to wait for Captain Zhang. Soon after, Tao Jie called Ye Sibei and later visited her at home, bringing gifts. She tried to persuade Ye Sibei to drop the lawsuit, subtly threatening her by mentioning the potential harm to Fan Jiancheng, the company's reputation, and how it would negatively affect Ye Sibei’s husband, her daughter Chuchu, and her parents.
Ye Sibei, however, saw through the thinly veiled threats and firmly stated that once a criminal case is filed, she no longer had the power to withdraw it, dismissing Tao Jie’s attempts to influence her. That night, Qin Nan decided to stay with Ye Sibei. To make her comfortable, he opted to sleep on the floor, claiming he preferred hard surfaces.
Ye Sibei, feeling a moment of intimacy, asked Qin Nan if he had been in love or had a crush before they married. He truthfully replied that he hadn't been in a relationship but had always hoped for a particular girl to live a happy life, though he never imagined being with her. Back at the police station, the forensic report arrived, confirming that the skin tissue found under Ye Sibei's fingernails matched Fan Jiancheng's DNA.
With this irrefutable evidence, Captain Zhang and Officer Lin confronted Fan Jiancheng again. Cornered, Fan Jiancheng changed his story, admitting to the sexual encounter but now claiming Ye Sibei initiated it, saying she was unhappy with her husband and wanted to "get some fresh air" with him. He alleged that after they had sex in the rapeseed flower field, Ye Sibei demanded 100,000 yuan, threatening to report him to the police if he didn't pay.
He claimed he refused and drove away, only for her to persist with the demand, threatening not to withdraw the case if he didn't give her the money. When asked why he hadn't mentioned this earlier, he claimed embarrassment due to both having families. Despite the DNA evidence, he maintained his new version of events, insisting he spoke the truth and offering to confront Ye Sibei. Captain Zhang listened to his elaborate lies, clearly deep in thought.
