My Roommate Is a Detective Episode 31 Recap
> My Roommate Is a Detective Recap
After finishing the last bottle of wine, Lu Yao finally came to a realization and told Bai Youning to notify Adou to search the trash cans around the ballroom for evidence, reminding him to bring a bottle of iodine. Lu Yao also instructed Bai Youning to tell Qiao Chusheng to arrest the suspect, but specifically asked him not to use handcuffs on her.
Meanwhile, Anderson and Norman met with Zou Jing, attempting to persuade her to continue operating her pharmaceutical factory and collaborate with them. Norman claimed to have an informant close to Zou Ying who witnessed Zou Jing orchestrate the explosion. As Zou Jing was about to raise her glass to toast, Qiao Chusheng arrived with patrol officers to arrest her. When Zou Jing demanded evidence, Qiao Chusheng meticulously outlined the entire case.
He explained that Zou Ying, due to poor business management and severe financial imbalance, used her factory staff to extract heroin from opium and smuggled it to Hong Kong, which offended Mr. Bai. To find a new backer, Zou Ying then coerced Zou Jing into becoming Mr. Huang’s concubine, leading to an irreconcilable conflict between the sisters. Zou Jing vehemently denied the accusations.
Qiao Chusheng revealed that Zou Jing caused the explosion using flour, not explosives, detailing how flour dust, with its large specific surface area, becomes highly combustible when reaching a certain concentration in the air. He explained that Zou Jing had loaded one of the six dry ice machines on stage with flour. During the performance, as Zou Ying and Liu Changlin posed for photos, a reporter's flash ignited the flour particles, causing the violent explosion.
Qiao Chusheng stated that Zou Jing later returned to the scene to wipe the dry ice machine's spray gun clean to remove evidence. However, her fingerprints were found on the inner wall of the spray gun, and the handkerchief she used was discovered with her fingerprints in a trash can in the back alley of the ballroom. Footprints, extending all the way to the backstage, were also found after spraying iodine on the flour traces.
Qiao Chusheng further explained that Lu Yao became suspicious when Zou Jing claimed she hadn't returned home the night of the incident, yet she changed from black high heels—found in the ballroom’s back alley trash can—to red ones. The discovery of a lighter in her home's trash, despite her not smoking, indicated she knew her sister wouldn't return.
Additionally, her ledger clearly showed a recent purchase of a large quantity of flour, and only a thin layer of flour remained in her kitchen, solidifying Lu Yao's theory. Zou Jing, defeated, acknowledged her actions, including sending the ledger and a bullet to the authorities, hoping to mislead them into incriminating Mr. Bai and closing the case. Qiao Chusheng then produced a copy of the "Shanghai Times" newspaper, which Anderson and Norman had given to Zou Jing.
He pointed out it was a special edition, containing articles about flour mill explosions and the principles of dry ice machines, suggesting it was Zou Jing’s source of criminal inspiration. Qiao Chusheng then pressed Anderson, warning him that he would expose their involvement if they didn't agree to let Lu Yao remain in Shanghai. Considering the long-term stability of the Concession, Anderson conceded to Qiao Chusheng's demand.
After Zou Jing was taken into custody, Bai Youning visited her in prison, exchanging taunts. Zou Jing, however, tried to provoke Bai Youning by recounting her romantic past with Lu Yao. She asked Bai Youning to relay to Lu Yao that she regretted leaving Keynes, which was why she cried when they broke up, as only Keynes made her feel truly loved, respected, and protected.
Zou Jing then spitefully gave Bai Youning a detailed recipe for deep-fried yellow croaker, instructing her to use it to tie Lu Yao’s heart down. Lu Yao arrived on time to meet Jiang Ruomei, who boldly proposed herself as his girlfriend, admitting her long-standing admiration for him. She urged him to accept an executive director position at her brother's foreign trade company. Lu Yao politely declined, citing the "untamed shrew" at home, referring to Bai Youning.
He humorously listed Bai Youning's flaws, but admitted he couldn't live without her, enjoying the moments when she was upset. Jiang Ruomei, sensing his true feelings, understood his affection for Bai Youning. Lu Yao, eager to escape further conversation, quickly made an excuse to leave. Later, Bai Youning, following Zou Jing's instructions, prepared deep-fried yellow croaker. Lu Yao immediately guessed she had seen Zou Jing.
Bai Youning pressed him about his whereabouts, and he admitted to meeting a beautiful, gentle, educated woman who played golf and studied at Princeton. Bai Youning, already aware of his every word through her extensive network of informants across Shanghai, grew furious, accusing him of bad-mouthing her. A playful chase and fight ensued, prompting Qiao Chusheng, who arrived with two bottles of wine, to quietly leave them at the door upon hearing the commotion.
Lu Miao, Lu Yao's sister, arrived at Mr. Bai's residence with elaborate gifts to thank him for his care of Lu Yao. She straightforwardly declared her intention to take Lu Yao home and explained that their father disapproved of his marriage to Bai Youning. Mr. Bai stood firm, stating that if their family couldn't treat his with respect, he would retaliate.
He emphasized that Lu Yao was a good young man, and if he chose to stay in Shanghai, Mr. Bai would do everything to support him. Lu Miao, receiving a cold reception, had no choice but to depart. Sister Yun arrived to collect rent, and Bai Youning seized the opportunity to ask for advice on how to get Lu Yao to marry her. Sister Yun suggested catering to his interests and then playing hard to get.
She also advised Bai Youning to seek guidance from experienced women, leading Bai Youning to consult Qingdai. Qingdai, in turn, encouraged Bai Youning to take the initiative, asking her how she felt about Lu Yao, to which Bai Youning rated him a "hundred and twenty" out of a hundred. Qingdai then suggested Bai Youning buy two tickets, stressing the importance of creating a private space.
Bai Youning subsequently bought tickets for a shadow play and invited Lu Yao, but he flatly refused, citing a strange superstition that whenever they appeared together, misfortune struck. Bai Youning, disheartened, invited Qiao Chusheng instead. After the shadow play, as Bai Youning and Qiao Chusheng were leaving with the audience, the theater lights suddenly went out.
A storage room nearby unexpectedly lit up, and Qiao Chusheng, peering through the window, witnessed what appeared to be a shadow puppet wielding a weapon and stabbing someone. He urgently demanded the theater manager open the door, only to find the shadow play artist, Tao Yu, dead. Qiao Chusheng instructed Bai Youning to prevent anyone from leaving. Lu Yao soon arrived to investigate, noticing a tightly clutched button in Tao Yu's hand, which he had patrol officers take for analysis.
As Lu Yao examined the crime scene, he noticed Mr. Ge, the theater's concierge and former erhu player, attempting to slip away. Lu Yao called him back and found an opium pipe on him. Though Mr. Ge denied smoking opium, Lu Yao then dramatically pulled out a shadow puppet from a prop box, fabricating a tale about a "King of Hell's Curse" that would cause anyone who saw it to die, effectively scaring the crowded audience away.
With most people gone, Lu Yao admitted his trick, explaining that the crowd's odor was overwhelming. He then instructed Qiao Chusheng to gather detailed information about everyone who had been present, suspecting the killer was among them, and Qiao Chusheng immediately ordered the audience to be called back. Later that night, as Qiao Chusheng, Bai Youning, and Lu Yao finally left the theater, Lu Yao playfully called Bai Youning a "jinx."
Before she could respond, an assailant hidden in the shadows shot Lu Yao in the chest. Bai Youning screamed in terror, and Qiao Chusheng rushed Lu Yao to the hospital. The surgery was dangerous, and a nurse requested a family member sign a liability waiver. In a moment of panic, Bai Youning signed as Lu Yao's wife, a declaration that visibly stunned Qiao Chusheng.
Bai Youning then prayed, vowing that if Lu Yao survived, she would never leave him for a second. Thanks to the medical staff's full efforts, Lu Yao was declared out of danger but remained in a deep sleep. Doctors, however, discovered that his wound was not from a bullet but from a micro syringe, describing it as having a triangular pyramid blade for piercing, a hollow middle cylinder, and an end baffle to prevent full penetration.
Qiao Chusheng immediately ordered Awei to guard Lu Yao’s hospital room, forbidding all visitors without his permission. He dispatched Long to monitor train stations and docks for suspicious individuals, authorizing their immediate arrest for interrogation. Qiao Chusheng then headed back to the crime scene with Liuzi and a K9 unit, including Dobermans and German Shepherds.
