My Roommate Is a Detective Episode 23 Recap

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> My Roommate Is a Detective Recap

Unable to extract any valuable information from Manager Wu, Qiao Chusheng released him, though not without remarking on the perceived embarrassment of arresting someone without concrete evidence. As a mere formality, Qiao had already sent two patrol officers to follow Wu, one of whom could read lips. Wu was tracked to a meeting with Jin Menglan, where she questioned his entanglement with the police. Wu vehemently denied any significant interaction.

Their recorded conversation yielded little, appearing to be a normal exchange between a boss and a subordinate, yet Qiao found their indifference suspicious given their past close relationship, suggesting it was deliberately feigned. Jin Menglan mused about rumors of Liu Xiangui's mistress, considering it normal for tycoons, but she also reflected on how Liu, initially known for being henpecked and incompetent, had achieved his success thanks to her dowry and unwavering support.

She suspected herself to be the astute adviser behind Liu, viewing him as a mere puppet, and believed her discovery of his infidelity had prompted her vengeful plans. Lu Yao then visited Jin Menglan at Liu Xiangui's residence, where she generously offered him any of the ancient artifacts from her study, which he observed was more akin to a small museum. She claimed it was a compensatory gesture for never having given him New Year's money.

His attention was drawn to a prominent sapphire necklace. Jin Menglan dismissed the sapphire as worthless, promising him a large diamond instead, but only if he would not give it to Bai Youning, lest it bring disgrace. Bai Youning soon uncovered the history of the sapphire. Fifteen years prior, Liu Xiangui had invested his entire fortune, a sum of 300,000, to purchase the sapphire from an Austrian.

The gem was originally part of a 17th-century dowry from King Philip IV of Spain. Liu had it polished into a heart shape and fashioned into two necklaces: one he gave to Jin Menglan, and the other he kept for himself. Bai Youning's investigation revealed that the sapphire necklace was now seen on a dancer. Concurrently, Qiao Chusheng's inquiry uncovered that Liu Xiangui had redeemed a woman named Yanling, an escort girl from the high-end brothel, three years earlier.

Yanling, it turned out, had a criminal record for arson from seven years prior, having set a customer on fire who later died from his injuries. However, she had been acquitted because she was not present at the scene when the man caught fire, and there was no direct evidence linking her to the arson. Qiao presented a photo of the burnt victim, noting the similarity to Liu Xiangui's death.

With this new lead, Lu Yao resolved to visit the high-end brothel himself, playfully dismissing Qiao’s teasing about him not wanting to pay for the services. There, he engaged in conversation with Qingdai, an escort girl, who expressed her admiration for Qiao Chusheng, calling him "a man among men" due to his physique and the sense of warmth and security he exuded. Qingdai disclosed Yanling's current whereabouts, mentioning she was learning dance from a French dancer in the French Concession.

Lu Yao, accompanied by Bai Youning, then proceeded to the dance studio. He quickly identified Yanling by her mink coat and, more tellingly, the sapphire necklace around her neck. Later, Lu Yao attempted to gain access to Yanling's room by posing as a member of the hotel's logistics service department, claiming to be checking windows. As he began to inspect the room, Yanling grew suspicious and confronted him, pulling a gun.

Lu Yao, caught off guard, cried out for help, and Qiao Chusheng promptly arrived to intervene. Yanling, observing men's suits in her closet and unfinished cigars on her windowsill, correctly deduced that Lu Yao and Qiao Chusheng were working for Jin Menglan, indicating her continued relationship with Liu Xiangui. She revealed that Liu had warned her a month ago that Jin Menglan knew of their affair and would seek revenge, yet Yanling insisted she desired no legal title, only Liu.

At this point, Qiao Chusheng informed Yanling that Liu Xiangui was dead. Yanling was visibly shocked and initially accused Qiao of the murder before Lu Yao introduced himself as a renowned detective. Yanling then shared details about Liu's habits, including his preference for a broad ring and a sachet in his shirt pocket because he disliked strong perfumes.

She recounted meeting an older woman in her dance class six months prior whose husband also disliked perfumes, and who had given her similar "fruity-smelling" sachets. While she didn't know the woman's name, she described her as tall with pale skin and large eyes. Lu Yao, connecting the dots, inquired about Liu Xiangui's investments. Qiao Chusheng confirmed Liu had seized control of a chemical plant from Mr. Bai the previous year.

After a quick phone call to Mr. Bai to confirm details about the chemical plant's operations, Lu Yao's understanding of the case became clear. Lu Yao directly confronted Jin Menglan, accusing her of murdering Liu Xiangui. As he did, he recalled Liu's proposal to her at a Western restaurant with a band playing a familiar tune.

Jin Menglan initially denied the accusation, attributing her distress to her "OCD" which compelled her to expose liars, admitting only that Liu had "not been home for a long time," causing her personal shame. Lu Yao then directly implicated her in creating the sachets. He openly questioned why someone of her high standing would associate with a "lowlife" like Manager Wu and publicly dance with him.

Jin Menglan defiantly admitted she wanted people to gossip, stating that if Liu could cheat, so could she, seeking to humiliate him in return for breaking her heart. Lu Yao then revealed her elaborate scheme: she had discovered Liu's affair six months prior when she saw Yanling wearing the sapphire necklace at the dance studio. Jin Menglan, cornered, confessed to the murder and her motive.

Lu Yao meticulously laid out her method: the sachets contained lemon acid, which, when combined with active metals and a wire, would short-circuit and ignite from constant friction and squeezing in Liu's pocket during his weekly dance sessions. He pointed out that fresh fruit deliveries to Liu's mansion had started six months ago, coinciding with her experiments.

When Jin Menglan challenged the lethality of such a spark, Lu Yao revealed the full extent of her plan: Manager Wu had intentionally spilled red wine on Liu at a restaurant, compelling him to change into a suit and shirt pre-treated with colorless, tasteless alcohol-based fuel. This fuel ensured complete combustion, leaving no residue. Lu Yao confirmed that Jin Menglan had inspected the chemical plant three times and taken samples three months prior.

He explained that forensic tests on the sachet would reveal fuel residue, as it would have been present during her experiments. Lu Yao also mentioned that the dancer near Liu at the time of the fire had tears from the smoke, leading him to suspect an accelerant.

He concluded by revealing his initial suspicion of her, recalling how she burned musk at their first meeting in the living room, a clear sign she was trying to stay awake, anticipating police questioning. He acknowledged her intelligence but questioned her choice to act personally rather than hiring a hitman. Jin Menglan, facing irrefutable evidence, fell silent. Lu Yao expressed his dismay that she would commit such an irrational act for a man he deemed worthless.

Jin Menglan, however, felt a perverse satisfaction in seeing Liu Xiangui's "dirty heart burn to ashes in public." She lamented that she had married him believing him to be honest and upright, only to witness his character change with his circumstances. When someone suggested her "princess" status was irrelevant as the Qing Dynasty was long gone, Jin Menglan retorted, asserting that the only reason she had remained "Mrs. Liu" was because she had not forgotten who supported her.

She condemned Liu as a "bastard" who "should have died long time ago," regretting only that his death had "stained her hand." Qiao Chusheng acknowledged their debt to her for eliminating Liu. Jin Menglan then made a singular request: that her "family background" not be disclosed publicly, fearing it would humiliate her people, as their pride was all they had left after the Qing Dynasty's fall. Qiao Chusheng, after a moment, agreed to keep her secret.

Before the case was officially closed, Jin Menglan requested a private word with Bai Youning. She curtly informed Bai Youning that her "humble parentage" and "vulgar temperament" made her "unworthy" of Lu Yao, and advised her to "stay away from his life." Bai Youning was incensed by the insult and immediately confronted Lu Yao, angrily demanding to know what made her "unworthy." Lu Yao, calling her a "lunatic," playfully ran off as she continued to express her outrage.

Meanwhile, Qiao Chusheng reported to Mr. Bai that Liu Xiangui's death would shift the power dynamics within the concession. He advised Mr. Bai to tell Youning to be cautious, but expressed greater concern for Lu Yao. Qiao revealed that after Jiang Zhiqing's failed attempt to kidnap Lu Yao, his sister, a former confidential secretary to a powerful government official with extensive connections, had suddenly returned home. Qiao suspected her return was directly related to Lu Yao.

Mr. Bai, feeling helpless, suggested Lu Yao and Bai Youning leave Shanghai and lie low, but Qiao Chusheng disagreed, believing they could not hide forever. Later, Lu Yao expressed his annoyance over Qingdai's comment that Qiao Chusheng was "a man among men" compared to him, and pondered changing his image. Bai Youning chuckled, affirming Qiao's manliness in comparison but clarifying it wasn't just his fighting prowess.

She then revealed the truth about a hazy memory Lu Yao had dismissed as a dream: one night, Qiao Chusheng had single-handedly rescued Lu Yao, who had been drugged unconscious and kidnapped to the wharf by Jiang Zhiqing's men on his father's orders. Qiao had arrived alone, confronted Jiang Zhiqing, declared Lu Yao his "brother," and fought off Jiang's men, sustaining multiple knife wounds in the process, all to ensure Lu Yao's safe return.

Bai Youning urged Lu Yao to show more gratitude to Qiao, as Qiao had not wanted Lu Yao to know the extent of his sacrifice. Lu Yao, in a rare display, cooked an elaborate dinner for Qiao Chusheng and Bai Youning. He made a grand toast, ostensibly to thank them, but largely to boast about his own intelligence and effortless success.

Bai Youning, acknowledging their friendship, expressed gratitude that they hadn't pushed her away, admitting she'd had few friends growing up. Lu Yao, true to form, immediately ribbed her, attributing her lack of friends to her difficult personality. Their playful bickering quickly escalated, leaving Qiao Chusheng to quietly pour himself a drink, feeling a sense of loss.

He then informed Lu Yao that after Liu Xiangui's death, Mr. Bai was already moving to acquire Liu's factories and businesses at the lowest cost, aiming to control the vacuum left behind. He also reiterated his ongoing efforts to "drive Lu Yao out of Shanghai" within the month, acknowledging the persistent threat from Lu Yao's father. That same evening, at St. Mary's Hall, students were rehearsing late for a dance performance.

While showering, they were startled by the haunting strains of "Für Elise" from the auditorium. The tune sent chills down their spines, as it was the last song played by a student named Fu Mingyue before her death, and no one had dared to play it since. Speculating it was either Fu Mingyue's ghost or a prank, they decided to investigate. As they approached the auditorium, a muffled plea of "Please don't kill me!"

was heard, followed by a single gunshot. Terrified, the girls discovered their teacher, Fang Yu, collapsed at the entrance of the auditorium. Fang Yu, who was the fiancée of the school's piano teacher, Qin Shutong, had fainted at the sight of him lying dead by the piano. The next morning, Salim roused Qiao Chusheng, Bai Youning, and Lu Yao from their slumber on the sofa, informing them of the murder at St. Mary's Hall.

Bai Youning was shocked, recognizing it as her alma mater. Qiao Chusheng immediately took them to the scene. Lu Yao began questioning the students, learning that the victim was Qin Shutong, the 25-year-old piano teacher, and that the gunshot had been heard at a quarter past eleven the previous night. The students, members of the school dance team, had rushed to the scene but saw no murderer.

They confirmed that Fang Yu was the first to discover the body but had fainted at the auditorium entrance without entering the immediate crime scene, thus preserving it. Principal Guo soon arrived, instantly recognizing Bai Youning, who subtly but frantically signaled him to avoid mentioning her past escapades at the school. Principal Guo, however, warmly acknowledged her and described her years as a student as "memorable."

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