My Roommate Is a Detective Episode 4 Recap
> My Roommate Is a Detective Recap
A police informant informed Qiao Chusheng that Lu Yao had a long discussion with the director, from whom he even stole a pen and a gold-plated button before leaving. Meanwhile, Qiao Chusheng, strategizing how to deal with the powerful figure responsible for the case, received crucial information from Bai Youning's investigation.
It revealed that the teacher murdered ten years prior had told a colleague he intended to buy a courtesan's freedom from a high-end brothel called Changsan Hall, but he was reportedly killed by Wang Yidao before he could do so. Qiao Chusheng and Lu Yao personally visited Changsan Hall, as they believed the courtesans there were well-informed. An elderly courtesan, initially claiming ignorance about the sensational case, eventually admitted that the teacher's lover was named Wanqing.
She revealed that Wanqing believed Wang Yidao was not the real killer and had even tried to appeal to the police several times, though without success. Wanqing eventually left the brothel and was rumored to have become a famous journalist. Lu Yao suggested they find her, believing a female journalist with ten years of experience in Shanghai would be unique enough to locate.
Later, Lu Yao returned to his residence with Qiao Chusheng, where they found Bai Youning attempting to cook, filling the room with smoke and having burned her hand. While Lu Yao bandaged her injury, he inquired about female writers. Bai Youning reluctantly mentioned a female writer for Shanghai News named Chengxi, known for her sharp writing style. The name "Chengxi" also reminded Lu Yao of Liang Wentong, the fourth victim, who styled himself Chengxi.
Lu Yao deduced that this Chengxi, who started writing columns eight years ago after leaving Changsan Hall ten years prior, was indeed Wanqing. Qiao Chusheng and Lu Yao immediately went to the Shanghai News office. The editor refused to reveal Chengxi's identity, citing media ethics. Qiao Chusheng attempted to intimidate him, reminding the editor of his past, but the editor remained defiant, threatening unfavorable headlines.
Lu Yao intervened, preventing a physical altercation, but not before subtly taking a payroll slip from the editor's desk. The slip contained Chengxi's address. Upon arriving at Chengxi's residence, Lu Yao noted her impressive collection of rare, out-of-print books. Qiao Chusheng confronted her, accusing her of mailing old case files to Shen Dazhi and suggesting her involvement in his murder.
However, Lu Yao noticed medical records on her table, which provided an alibi: she had been receiving an IV drip at Santa Maria Hospital during the time of Shen Dazhi's murder due to acute gastroenteritis, ruling her out as a suspect. Lu Yao then deduced that Chengxi, who was indeed Wanqing, had been secretly investigating the decade-old case and had eventually concluded that Shen Dazhi, now a Section Chief, was the true killer of Liang Wentong, not Wang Yidao.
Wanqing explained that Shen Dazhi, due to his illiteracy, was unappreciated in the patrol unit and often frequented Changsan Hall, where he would drunkenly insult intellectuals. She believed that Liang Wentong had encountered a drunken Shen Dazhi when he came to buy her freedom, leading to the fatal confrontation. Wanqing confirmed sending Shen Dazhi the old files along with a letter threatening to expose him if he didn't confess, only for him to die that very night.
Despite Wanqing's compelling account, Qiao Chusheng's intuition still hinted at her possible involvement, but Lu Yao dismissed his suspicions, stating that a real culprit would not leave clues leading back to themselves. Lu Yao then proposed revisiting Xiangmanlou Restaurant, where Wang Yidao was arrested for discarding the teacher's body ten years earlier. At the restaurant, Qiao Chusheng questioned the owner about the incident.
The owner clearly recalled that Xiangmanlou had officially opened for business on February 6th, the day "after" the murder and Wang Yidao's alleged arrest and confession on February 5th. This crucial detail led Lu Yao to conclude that Wang Yidao's confession was fabricated, as it impossibly mentioned Xiangmanlou by name. This implied that Shen Dazhi must have colluded with the police officer who recorded Wang Yidao's confession to falsify the report.
Qiao Chusheng immediately left to find the police officer who had worked with Shen Dazhi on the case. The following morning, Lu Yao and Qiao Chusheng confronted the Bureau Chief. They revealed that the files from ten years ago had been partially destroyed in a recent police station fire, but Qiao Chusheng's network of retired officers had confirmed that the Chief was the one who interrogated Wang Yidao alongside Shen Dazhi, and that his career had skyrocketed since then.
Qiao Chusheng then accused the Chief of killing the teacher ten years ago and subsequently framing Wang Yidao with Shen Dazhi's help. The Chief vehemently denied the accusation. Lu Yao then meticulously reconstructed the events of ten years ago: During a chase to apprehend Wang Yidao, who had already killed three people, the Chief accidentally killed the teacher who was on his way to the brothel.
Seizing the opportunity, the Chief bribed Shen Dazhi, who was patrolling nearby, with a significant reward for Wang Yidao's capture and a permanent police position. Together, they interrogated a heavily drunk Wang Yidao overnight, making him confess to the first three murders and then falsely implicating him in the accidental killing of the teacher. This "two birds with one stone" strategy led to the Chief's promotion and Shen Dazhi's financial gain.
Lu Yao continued that ten years later, Wanqing, the teacher's former lover, had sent the incriminating file to Shen Dazhi, demanding his confession. Frightened, Shen Dazhi sought the Chief's help, but the Chief, to silence him, killed Shen Dazhi. The Chief continued to deny everything and demanded tangible evidence.
Lu Yao then unveiled his proof: during his initial inspection of Shen Dazhi's office, he had noticed a button missing from the Chief's uniform and found it hidden under a spinning fan. To mark it, he tied a small red thread to it.
Lu Yao then demonstrated how the "locked room" illusion was created: a mirror under a curtain and a second, unpowered fan in a blind spot made it seem as though the main fan was always spinning, allowing the killer to slip through the unpowered fan. The Chief, concerned about leaving evidence, had later returned to the scene to retrieve the button, thereby incriminating himself. Faced with this undeniable evidence, the Chief was left speechless and finally confessed.
For his successful resolution of the case, Lu Yao received a limited edition phonograph. Bai Youning, eager for details, tried to get information from Lu Yao, who shrewdly demanded three silver dollars for his story. Meanwhile, Mr. Bai Qili, Qiao Chusheng's father figure, reprimanded him severely for implicating the Chief, a man he had worked hard to promote. Qiao Chusheng, however, stood firm, insisting on upholding justice, and even offered to resign as inspector rather than compromise.
Seeing Qiao Chusheng's unwavering resolve, Mr. Bai relented, promising to handle the situation in Zhabei. Later, Qiao Chusheng paid Lu Yao his due for the case. He expressed surprise at Lu Yao's meager living conditions, given his evidently wealthy family background. Lu Yao explained his preference for pride over financial dependence on his family. Soon after, Qiao Chusheng received an alarm regarding a bizarre incident.
A female doctor, Lin Jiang, from Hongren Hospital, had been stalked by a "vampire-like" figure near her hospital the previous night. Trapped in an alley, she threw a stone that hit the creature's eye, causing it to spontaneously combust and burn beyond recognition. Lin Jiang was left traumatized, but a witness was present. Qiao Chusheng immediately brought Lu Yao to the crime scene.
Lu Yao quickly examined the charred remains and recognized Lin Jiang as a senior from Cambridge University, recalling that she had even pinned a corsage on him at a freshman welcome party. He then took her to the police station for a formal statement. At the police station, Bai Youning interviewed the witness, paying him for his information. The witness described the "ghost" being burned by light, though Bai Youning felt the information wasn't particularly valuable.
She then returned to the police station with Qiao Chusheng. Lu Yao, meanwhile, was meticulously preparing tea for Lin Jiang, using Qiao Chusheng's finest leaves, much to Bai Youning's amusement and observation of Lu Yao's unusual attentiveness. Lin Jiang recounted her terrifying experience, remembering a rancid, corpse-like smell from her attacker, who had been covered in bandages except for his eyes and mouth and possessed sharp teeth.
Lu Yao invited her to dinner, but she politely declined, urging him to solve the case quickly. Bai Youning continued to tease Lu Yao about his obvious affection for Lin Jiang. Later, Qiao Chusheng, Lu Yao, and Bai Youning visited the morgue. The forensic examiner reported that the deceased was thin, had unusually long nails, purple spots and wrinkles on unburned skin, and a generally pathological appearance. The fangs were confirmed to be real.
However, there was no evidence of significant edema, congestion, inflammation, or internal heat damage to the body, nor any signs of respiratory distress, indicating that the individual had been burned "after" death.
