My Roommate Is a Detective Episode 13 Recap
> My Roommate Is a Detective Recap
Li Rui excitedly informed Lu Yao that the script had been sold for two hundred and fifty silver dollars. Upon hearing it was purchased by a mafia boss with the surname Bai, Bai Youning immediately realized it was her father, Mr. Bai, and angrily threw Li Rui out. Lu Yao, desperate for the money, tried to open the door for Li Rui, but Bai Youning blocked his way, firmly stating her objection.
Meanwhile, an individual was observed spying on Lu Yao and Bai Youning from an opposite building. Mr. Bai's men apprehended the spy, who claimed to have been acting under Mr. Norman's orders. Mr. Bai, visibly angered, confronted Mr. Norman, bringing the bruised spy with him. Mr. Norman denied any involvement, but Mr. Bai sternly warned him against harassing his daughter and her husband in the future, stating, "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Following this confrontation, Mr. Norman silenced the spy and immediately ordered his disposal. Later, Bai Youning apologized to Lu Yao for her earlier outburst, explaining her reluctance to sell the script to her father stemmed from a fear that he would use it as leverage to force her to move back home. Lu Yao, initially annoyed and wishing she would leave, dismissed her apology. Feeling hurt, Bai Youning retreated to her room.
She confided that, having grown up pampered by everyone who only sought to please her father, Lu Yao was the first person to treat her with genuine honesty. This sincerity made her feel valued. Subsequently, Lu Yao prepared a delicious papaya catfish soup and left a bowl for her outside her door. Moved by his gesture, Bai Youning called out, expressing her affection for him and asking him to open the door.
On the day of the God's Message Society's ritual, numerous followers gathered. Wang Ming, having been enlightened by the God's Messenger from the Laobeimen division, was honored as the 513th follower. During his initiation, Wang Ming knelt before a perceived deity, seeking the "Ultimate Truth" and solemnly vowing to adhere to the society's rules, even accepting to be "punished by being struck by God-sent lightning" if he ever violates them.
As the ritual progressed, the God's Messenger prepared to ascend the "Divine Rope" to receive God's instructions. A wooden box was brought forward, from which a rope extended upwards towards the ceiling. The God's Messenger climbed the rope amidst chants. After "half a stick of incense" had burned, the expectant followers were shocked as the God's Messenger's lifeless body plummets from above, causing immediate pandemonium and shouts of disbelief asking why the "God is not protecting us."
Salim arrived with patrol officers to investigate the chaotic scene. The God's Messenger's son, Li Danyi, adamantly asserted that his father's death was a divine punishment, claiming it mirrored the fate of those who violated the society's rules. He insisted that this was an internal affair of their society and does not require police intervention.
Despite Li Danyi's protests and insistence on "Punished by God" due to his father "upsetting God," the patrol officers, stating they are "officers on duty," insisted on taking the body for further investigation. Li Danyi chanted the "Mantra of Rebirth," praying for his father's peaceful rest, before allowing the officers to remove the body. Lu Yao devised a cup game, challenging Bai Youning to guess which cup hides the money. Bai Youning consistently lost, quickly exhausting her funds.
In a bid to win back her losses, she staked her beloved jade pendant, which Lu Yao valued at twenty silver dollars. After realizing the trick, she correctly guessed, turning the tide and winning back her money. Determined to win everything, Bai Youning proposed a final round, betting all her winnings against everything in Lu Yao's room. She insisted on manipulating the cups herself, and her skillful movements dazzled Lu Yao, ultimately leading to his complete defeat.
Lu Yao, pleading desperately with Bai Youning to leave him a few dollars for food, claiming he's "at the peak of his physical growth" and needs "enough protein for balanced nutrition." Bai Youning playfully reminded him that today is the fifth of the month, the day Qiao Chusheng distributes salaries to the patrol officers. Taking Bai Youning's hint, Lu Yao donned a patrol officer's uniform and blended into the crowd where Qiao Chusheng was distributing salaries.
He successfully received a portion of the payment, but his familiar height gave him away. Qiao Chusheng immediately recognized him and arrested him for impersonating a patrol officer and scamming money. As he is taken away, Lu Yao playfully comments on his "Halloween" costume, but Qiao Chusheng quips that he'll provide him a better "costume."
Lu Yao, initially pleading that they are "colleagues" and this is "just for the formality's sake," then boldly challenges Qiao Chusheng to keep him locked up forever if he dares. Upon hearing of Lu Yao's arrest, Bai Youning rushed to confront Qiao Chusheng, demanding his immediate release. She expressed concern that Lu Yao, accustomed to a comfortable life, might fall ill or be harmed in jail, questioning who would then assist Qiao Chusheng with his cases.
Qiao Chusheng claimed the matter is now beyond his authority and sarcastically suggested she seek help from the British officials at the Municipal Council, warning that they might impose a harsher sentence. He then hinted that only one person in Shanghai can give him orders, implying her father, Mr. Bai. Bai Youning, after much deliberation, returned home to her father, Mr. Bai. He welcomed her, playfully asking what she wants, as she rarely visits.
She immediately asked him to intervene with Qiao Chusheng to release her friend, Lu Yao. Mr. Bai, acknowledging that Qiao Chusheng would not arrest someone without a valid reason, initially refused. When Bai Youning attempted to leave, he stopped her, instructing his housekeeper to call Qiao Chusheng for dinner that night. Impatient, Bai Youning insisted he call him immediately. Mr. Bai agreed but proposed a condition: she must return home once a week for dinner.
After some negotiation, they settled on a compromise: she will visit once every two weeks. True to his word, Qiao Chusheng accompanied Bai Youning to the jail to release Lu Yao. Lu Yao, grateful for his freedom, was met by Qiao Chusheng's playful teasing about his gluttony after his time in jail. Lu Yao questioned Qiao Chusheng about his unwarranted arrest, to which Qiao Chusheng counters that there is a new case involving the God's Message Society.
He revealed that Salim has just retrieved the body of a man, identified by witnesses as a "God's Messenger" who supposedly climbed a rope into the clouds but then tragically fell to his death. Qiao Chusheng stated the case is closed, deeming it an accidental death during a ritual with over 50 witnesses present, and that police usually don't intervene unless a complaint is filed.
Bai Youning, however, sensed a deeper story, arguing that the man's death was portrayed as a "Punished by God," and insisted on investigating further. Lu Yao, acknowledging that he owed Bai Youning a favor for bailing him out, reluctantly agreed to join her. Bai Youning and Lu Yao arrived at the God's Message Society's Laobeimen division, finding a large crowd gathered and a notice posted on the door.
They learned from the murmuring crowd that the Nanjing Headquarters had decided to disband the division, claiming the deceased God's Messenger violated society rules and was consequently "Punished by God." It was also revealed that Li Danyi, the son of the deceased, was the designated next God's Messenger. As Lu Yao listened, a small girl bumped into him.
He quickly realized his wallet was missing and chased after her, while Bai Youning suggested calling the police, to which Lu Yao dismissed, saying there's no money in it and it's too much trouble to file a report. Just as Lu Yao decided to leave, he overheard the same little girl tearfully pleading with her father to see a doctor.
The father, however, refused, fearing he would suffer the same fate as the God's Messenger if he went against the society's beliefs. Lu Yao and Bai Youning burst in, confronting the girl and demanding the wallet back. The father scolded his daughter for the theft and repeatedly apologized to Lu Yao. Upon learning that the girl stole the wallet to pay for her father's medical treatment, Lu Yao decided not to pursue the matter further.
Lu Yao and Bai Youning reported their findings about the God's Message Society to Qiao Chusheng. They explained that the organization was rapidly expanding, with each division gaining over a thousand new believers monthly. The society operated on a strict hierarchical structure where new members paid a fee to join and were then encouraged to recruit their friends and family. As members advanced in rank, they received a larger share of the membership fees.
They primarily targeted ordinary people, convincing them that their current suffering was due to sins from a past life, and that donating money to worship "God" would atone for these sins. Those who failed to recruit new members faced reprimand and punishment, forcing them to exhaust all their resources to pay fees.
Bai Youning added that the "God's Messengers" who claimed to "talk to the God" used "throwing dust in people's eyes," much like magic tricks, to instill fear and ensure believers' obedience. Recognizing it as a large-scale scam, Qiao Chusheng decided to investigate, starting with Li Danyi, the son of the deceased God's Messenger. The next morning, Qiao Chusheng, Bai Youning, and Lu Yao arrived at the Laobeimen division, only to find it deserted.
Their search uncovered a vast collection of priceless artifacts, including "white porcelain from Ding Kiln," and detailed personal information on numerous followers, which Lu Yao explained were used to gather background information to defraud them. Qiao Chusheng ordered these ill-gotten gains to be confiscated. Lu Yao, however, was preoccupied by the absence of the "Divine Rope," suspecting it was deliberately removed.
He deduced that if the God's Messenger's death was genuinely an accident, there would be no reason to flee or hide the rope, leading him to conclude that someone tampered with the rope to cause the "accident." Qiao Chusheng immediately dispatched officers to search train stations and docks and contact Nanjing police. Meanwhile, Bai Youning presented the God's Messenger's autopsy report, revealing his cause of death as a fall and, surprisingly, that he was a eunuch.
Lu Yao quickly pointed out that this meant Li Danyi cannot be his biological son. As they continued their search, Lu Yao discovered a hidden cellar. Feigning fear of the dark and potential danger, he suggested they return the next morning, hinting at his intention to explore it alone for more valuables. Bai Youning saw through his ruse and secretly ordered her men to stake out the cellar and apprehend Lu Yao if he attempted to steal anything.
Bai Youning diligently investigated the God's Messenger's background and discovered his true identity: Li Changmeng, a eunuch from Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, who left the palace in 1909 and later changed his name to Li Meng. Records indicated he joined the God's Message Society after 1914. However, the identity of Li Danyi remained elusive. Realizing Lu Yao had not returned home the previous night, Bai Youning and Qiao Chusheng returned to the cellar, finding Lu Yao trapped inside.
They rescued him, and Lu Yao explained that the cellar door's spring-loaded handle automatically locked him in. Just then, he spotted the little girl and her father from whom he earlier reclaimed his wallet. Upon inquiry, the father confirmed his improved health after seeing a doctor and revealed that Li Danyi had previously advised him to seek medical attention, only to be verbally and physically abused by Li Meng for doing so.
The father further divulged that Li Danyi was adopted by Li Meng over ten years ago after his entire family perished in a fire, when Li Danyi was around nine or ten years old. Qiao Chusheng immediately ordered an investigation into all fire incidents that occurred in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions between 1914 and 1916, looking for cases where an entire family died but a nine to ten-year-old boy survived.