My Roommate Is a Detective Episode 20 Recap
> My Roommate Is a Detective Recap
Qiao Chusheng and Lu Yao visited Chu Ming's father, who confirmed his son, Chu Ming, had returned from Paris less than a month ago after a decade abroad. His father was pleased that Chu Ming had changed his "bad habits and dispositions" and agreed to provide his current address.
During their conversation, Lu Yao revealed that his family's patriarch had been wanting to acquire the Chu family's warehouse, subtly questioning Qiao Chusheng's integrity if Chu Ming turned out to be the killer and the warehouse was offered as a bribe. Qiao Chusheng firmly dismissed the idea, stating he wouldn't compromise his principles, emphasizing his boss's good character, who even forbade his men from opium trade because it would harm China.
Upon arriving at Chu Ming's residence, they found no one answering the door. Suddenly, a small dog named Lele jumped out from a neighbor's house, startling Lu Yao, who had a childhood trauma from being bitten by such a dog. Panicked, Lu Yao snatched Qiao Chusheng's gun, intending to shoot the dog. During their struggle, the gun accidentally discharged.
The gunshot alerted Chu Ming, who emerged from his home and invited the two in, politely requesting them to change their shoes due to his severe mysophobia and OCD. He then excused himself to finish cleaning a bowl. Inside, Lu Yao discovered a bottle of '62 Lafite, and he and Chu Ming shared a glass, discussing their shared experiences in Bordeaux.
Qiao Chusheng then directly addressed the reason for their visit: the sudden death of He Youwei, the editor of Xinyue Daily, the previous night. Chu Ming confessed that he had moved abroad ten years ago specifically because of the Ye Ying murder case, which He Youwei was involved in, and expressed frustration that he was now tangled in it again.
When questioned about his whereabouts between ten and eleven o'clock the previous night, Chu Ming claimed he was home alone all night, stating he had grown accustomed to living without maids during his years abroad. He admitted to being friends with Ye Ying.
Growing increasingly agitated, Chu Ming launched into a tirade against He Youwei, accusing him of distorting facts and manipulating public opinion, declaring that such a person deserved to die and he would have shot him if he had a gun. Qiao Chusheng noted Chu Ming's clear motive but lack of an alibi. Chu Ming defiantly challenged them to find evidence, warning them not to threaten him, as his father's influence had significantly waned due to his past troubles.
He dared them to take him in and torture him. During this heated exchange, Lu Yao discovered a pot of Fotiaoqiang stew in the kitchen. Unable to resist, he helped himself to a bowl, praising Chu Ming's culinary skills. Chu Ming claimed he personally made the stew, emphasizing that it required 24 hours of constant attention and supervision, which he presented as his alibi. Despite Lu Yao's insistence on the soup's excellent taste, Qiao Chusheng forcefully took him away.
Determined to verify Chu Ming's story, Lu Yao insisted on going to the Golden Gate Hotel, renowned for its Fotiaoqiang, promising to reveal a crucial clue after tasting it. At the hotel, Lu Yao sampled the dish and immediately declared it identical to Chu Ming's, concluding that Chu Ming must have purchased it from the hotel.
He explained that Chu Ming's home kitchen lacked the specific equipment and conditions, like a purple clay pot and jujube pit charcoal for slow cooking, necessary to achieve such tender texture and taste. Lu Yao then asked the waiter if anyone had ordered Fotiaoqiang for takeout the previous night, but the waiter stated he needed to check with other staff members who would be on duty the following morning.
The next morning, after Qiao Chusheng and Lu Yao had spent the night organizing their clues, Bai Youning's newspaper, "Extra," hit the stands with a sensational headline: "The editor of Xinyue Daily's bizarre death! Revenge of wraith in the newspaper office!" It explicitly linked He Youwei's death to the ten-year-old Ye Ying murder case. Qiao Chusheng was exasperated by Youning's "repulsive addiction for sensational headlines."
Moments later, the Golden Gate Hotel manager called, confirming that Chu Ming had indeed ordered Fotiaoqiang for two the night before last, but had eaten alone and taken the leftovers with him around 9 PM. Lu Yao pointed out that even with a short break, Chu Ming would have had ample time to go to the newspaper office to commit murder.
Re-examining the old case files, Lu Yao highlighted a suspicious detail: Chu Ming was Ye Ying's sole alibi witness after her performance ten years prior, yet he had mysteriously disappeared when his testimony was needed. Lu Yao stated his intention to question Chu Ming again, seeking answers about why he fled and whether Ye Ying had lied. As they drove to Chu Ming's house, Qiao Chusheng noticed they were being followed.
Qiao Chusheng deliberately led the tailing car into a dead-end alley, blocking it. The pursuer turned out to be Tong Li. She greeted Qiao Chusheng, praising his reputation as a man of "civil and martial virtues" and "righteous spirit." She inquired about the editor's case, but Qiao Chusheng refused to disclose any confidential information. Tong Li then criticized Bai Youning, calling her a "layman" who only got her job through Mr. Bai's connections and wrote poorly.
She then offered Qiao Chusheng and Lu Yao an "olive branch," proposing that her newspaper, Ta Kung Pao, publish their case information first, offering an "information fee" based on the case's importance. Lu Yao's eyes lit up, and he immediately asked the price for the He Youwei case, to which Tong Li promised at least two hundred yuan, implying they had chosen the wrong partner previously.
As Tong Li departed, she subtly flirted with Qiao Chusheng, who admitted he wanted to marry her. However, he hesitated, citing the rivalry between Tong Li and Bai Youning. Lu Yao, motivated by the promise of money, encouraged Qiao Chusheng to pursue his happiness and collaborate with Tong Li, suggesting they keep their partnership secret from Bai Youning.
Lu Yao even humorously proposed a schedule for sharing Tong Li, with Qiao Chusheng getting her on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and himself on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with Sundays off. Qiao Chusheng, envisioning their wedding night, agreed to the cooperation but stressed the absolute need for secrecy from Youning. Just then, Bai Youning suddenly appeared, demanding to know what secret they were keeping.
Lu Yao quickly concocted a story about a "surprise party," which Bai Youning playfully claimed to have seen through, before leading them back to Chu Ming's house. Upon their arrival, Bai Youning knocked on Chu Ming's door, but there was no answer. The female neighbor, with Lele in tow, emerged and informed them that Lele would bark whenever anyone entered or exited Chu Ming's house, and it hadn't barked the previous night or morning, suggesting Chu Ming hadn't left.
Lu Yao noticed that the light in Chu Ming's study was on, which he found odd, as Chu Ming had previously stated his study had excellent lighting and he never needed to turn on the lights during the day, always switching them off when leaving the room. Qiao Chusheng and Lu Yao entered to investigate, where they discovered Chu Ming dead in a chair.
Inside, Lu Yao identified a bottle of sleeping pills (marked with foreign language) and observed that most of the wine in the house was from Burgundy, despite Chu Ming's stated preference for Bordeaux, leading him to suspect the wines were not Chu Ming's. Qiao Chusheng ordered the wines, particularly an '82 Lafite, to be taken to his apartment for further research and testing as important physical evidence.
Patrol officers soon discovered Ye Ying's photograph and the cap of the Parker pen in a drawer in Chu Ming's bedroom. Based on the evidence, Qiao Chusheng concluded that Chu Ming had killed He Youwei and then committed suicide out of guilt. He declared the case closed but expressed dissatisfaction that they hadn't caught the culprit alive. Lu Yao suggested they celebrate by going to a Western restaurant to collect their payment, and Qiao Chusheng suggested Jimmy's Kitchen.
Later, Qiao Chusheng met Tong Li at Jimmy's Kitchen. She was late and immediately inquired about the case's progress, which disappointed Qiao Chusheng, as he felt she was "too anxious." He changed the subject, and Tong Li then inquired about his personal life and how many girlfriends he had. Qiao Chusheng clarified that while he had had "fun with" other women, he had never been in a serious relationship and wished to pursue one with her.
Tong Li revealed her extensive knowledge of his past: how he "Left his hometown" and "suffered a lot" before "fighting his way out and up on his own" to become famous in the underworld even before he turned 20. She recounted how Mr. Bai recommended him as an inspector, initially just to "have fancy experience on his resume," but he unexpectedly became renowned throughout Shanghai by solving numerous mysterious cases.
Tong Li praised him as a hero, though Qiao Chusheng humbly credited Lu Yao, stating that Lu Yao wouldn't have achieved anything without his support. Just as they were about to order, Qiao Chusheng spotted Bai Youning sitting alone across the restaurant, drinking, and quickly switched seats with Tong Li to avoid being seen. Tong Li playfully teased him about being afraid of Youning.
Qiao Chusheng explained he didn't want Youning to "misunderstand and go mad" if she knew about their relationship. Tong Li then admitted her genuine feelings for him, suggesting they might have a future if he had "fewer girlfriends." She jokingly asked if he was proposing but then clarified she was only kidding about marriage, though serious about her feelings. She declined his offer to drive her home.
Later that night, a very drunk Bai Youning confronted a sick and equally inebriated Lu Yao, who had consumed three bottles of red wine and half a bottle of rum. She accused him of having already closed He Youwei's case and deliberately hiding it from her, citing her "source" who told her that Chu Ming was the murderer and had committed suicide. Despite Lu Yao's attempts to deny it, Bai Youning remained unconvinced, forcing him to concede that the case would only be considered closed when he officially declared it so.
