Never Say Goodbye Episode 28 Recap
> Never Say Goodbye Recap
Mr. Ou and Mu Qing are playing chess. Mu Qing suggests they "let fate decide" by playing a game where black is even and white is odd. Mr. Ou chooses "white" (odd), remarking that he prefers to have someone assisting him, rather than being alone. Mu Qing dismisses any deeper meaning, stating it's merely a discussion about chess.
Mr. Ou then acknowledges Congtou's point about the risk of alienating their men by continuing the investigation, and asks Mu Qing what he would do. Mu Qing replies he would choose black (even) and wouldn't suspect anyone. Mr. Ou interprets this as resentment, which Mu Qing admits to feeling "a little sad" about.
Despite this, Mr. Ou firmly states his intent to continue the investigation, warning that one of the three men—Mu Qing, Li Ruosheng, or Congtou—will not leave the house, and specifically tells Mu Qing that he is the most suspicious. Mu Qing, calm, announces the chess result is "white," which is odd. Meanwhile, Rong Yao meets with Ou Kexin.
He explains that to locate Zheng Ke's daughter, Xiaoxiao, they need Glasses's phone or at least his number, as Glasses likely has Xiaoxiao held by his men elsewhere. Ou Kexin agrees to find a way to get the number. She then expresses her distress to Rong Yao, fearing that if her true identity as Rong Yu was revealed to him, it might eventually be revealed to Yuanwen (Mu Qing).
Rong Yao assures her that this information will not be shared with Yuanwen for the time being. He acknowledges her difficulties but reminds her that "this is a mission" and everyone must "take this test." Ou Kexin admits it's "really hard" to maintain a false identity while being with the man she loves, fearing she might lose control.
However, she quickly reaffirms her commitment, stating that she knows who she is and what her mission entails, and that she is no longer the old Rong Yu. Rong Yao expresses his trust in her. Ou Kexin returns to Mr. Ou's house with a cake. She dismisses Li Ruosheng's implicit attempt to take the cake, stating it is for Mu Qing.
Upon learning that Mu Qing is in a private conversation with her father, she pretends to be a spoiled "Ms. Ou" and demands to see him. Glasses attempts to stop her. During their struggle, Ou Kexin's phone is intentionally damaged. Congtou, unable to keep quiet, reveals that Tieguanyin has been arrested by the police and Mr. Ou is investigating to find a mole within the group, which is why he has detained Congtou, Li Ruosheng, and Glasses.
Ou Kexin immediately asserts that Mu Qing is definitely not the mole. Ignoring Glasses's continued attempts to restrain her, she storms off to the study to find Mu Qing. In the study, Mr. Ou is questioning Mu Qing about his dealings with Tieguanyin, particularly regarding her attempts to conduct dark web transactions and their meetings. Mu Qing calmly explains that he refused Tieguanyin's proposals and states he was with Ou Kexin at the time of Tieguanyin's arrest.
Ou Kexin then bursts into the room, expressing her frustration over the constant suspicion and surveillance, and firmly declares that her father cannot suspect Mu Qing, reminding him that Mu Qing was with her. She then instructs Mu Qing to put the cake aside and fetch some plates, subtly slipping him a note as she hands him the cake. With Mr. Ou's reluctant approval, Mu Qing leaves. In the bathroom, he reads the note: "No mole. Don't worry."
Relieved, he quickly flushes it away before returning to the study to resume the chess game with Mr. Ou. Feigning distress over her broken phone, Ou Kexin approaches Glasses, demanding to use his phone to call a client. Glasses initially refuses, explaining his phone is not for others to use. However, Ou Kexin adopts an aggressive tone, declaring that since he was responsible for her phone's damage, she will use his.
She insists on the password and threatens to break his phone if he doesn't cooperate. Under pressure, Glasses reluctantly hands over his phone. Ou Kexin then makes a quick call to Rong Yao, disguising it as a casual conversation with a client, ensuring Glasses remains unsuspicious. Immediately after getting the number, Rong Yao instructs Zheng Ke to trace Glasses's phone number and retrieve all his call records.
Later, Zheng Ke reports that while they've investigated everyone in Glasses's call history, they haven't found any leads on Xiaoxiao. Rong Yao reminds Zheng Ke not to let personal matters interfere with the broader mission, affirming that finding Xiaoxiao is part of their responsibility. Mr. Ou criticizes Mu Qing's chess strategy as too aggressive, likening it to trying to seize his territory.
Mu Qing defends himself, explaining that he and Li Ruosheng built their influence from scratch and always respected Mr. Ou's interests. However, Mr. Ou dismisses this, pointing out Mu Qing's "reckless" move of aligning with Tieguanyin after his conflict with Li Ruosheng, which made Mu Qing the prime beneficiary of Tieguanyin's arrest. Mr. Ou considers this ambition "too greedy."
He reiterates that Mu Qing is the most suspicious because of his "scary clean" background and the "mysterious coincidences" surrounding the factory's closure, Tieguanyin's arrest, Congtou's involvement, and Mu Qing's falling out with Li Ruosheng. Mu Qing counters by saying that black and white stones can't change color, implying his innocence should be clear to Mr. Ou.
But Mr. Ou, asserting ownership of the "game," states he "won't allow myself to lose" and would "rather kill the wrong man than keep a possible troublemaker." As men come to take Mu Qing away, Ou Kexin intervenes, blocking them. She passionately pleads with her father not to harm her "future son-in-law," falsely claiming that she and Mu Qing have already consummated their relationship and intend to be together forever.
She emphasizes that Mu Qing has the ability to help him. Mr. Ou, furious, calls her "ridiculous" and orders Li Ruosheng to escort her out. Despite her angry resistance, Li Ruosheng eventually calms her and convinces her to leave, promising he will find a way to save Mu Qing. Before leaving, Ou Kexin instructs Li Ruosheng to deliver a stark message to her father: if he harms Mu Qing, she will make him "regret it his whole life."
Li Ruosheng attempts to intercede with Mr. Ou on Mu Qing's behalf, explaining that the incidents at the warehouse and factory should not be attributed to Mu Qing. Mr. Ou asks if Li Ruosheng has never harbored suspicion towards Mu Qing. Li Ruosheng admits to having had some disagreements with Mu Qing but states his only concern was that Mu Qing might be exploited by others.
He then requests that if conclusive evidence emerges proving Mu Qing is the mole, Mr. Ou should allow him to "personally take care of it." After this conversation, Mr. Ou calls Glasses and instructs him to "keep Mu Qing alive for now" and await confirmation of the mole's identity from Luotuo. Ou Kexin calls Director Liu to report that Mu Qing is in danger, identified by her codename "Skylark" and Mu Qing's as "Yuanwen."
Meanwhile, Li Ruosheng calls Ou Kexin, informing her that Mr. Ou promised to spare Mu Qing for now, but Mu Qing was still taken, and Li Ruosheng is tracking his location. As Ou Kexin prepares to leave to search for Mu Qing, Huang Boyuan ambushes her from behind, subduing her with an anesthetic. Huang Boyuan ties up Ou Kexin and splashes water on her to wake her.
He shows her a picture of Rong Yao, explaining that Rong Yao was responsible for his parents' arrest in Thailand and placed him on an Interpol wanted list. Huang Boyuan states that Rong Yao is investigating her father in Yungang and recounts seeing Ou Kexin with Rong Yao at a bookstore, where she was visibly upset. From these observations, Huang Boyuan deduces that Ou Kexin is an undercover police agent.
He further theorizes that if the real Ou Kexin died three years prior, then she must be a "fake Ou Kexin" used by the police. He claims that regardless of her true identity, she is his most valuable "bargaining chip" – either her father will help him if she is real, or the police will be hesitant to act against him if she is an undercover agent.
He demands to know her true identity to understand "who will be helping me in the end." Growing agitated, Huang Boyuan prepares to inject Ou Kexin with an unknown liquid. At that critical moment, Rong Yao calls Ou Kexin's phone, which shows "Family" as the caller ID. Ou Kexin quickly answers, loudly calling Rong Yao "Dad" and feigning a casual conversation, saying she is with "Huang Boyuan, who Guanyin introduced" and will be home soon.
Rong Yao immediately senses her distress and begins tracking her location. The police arrive just in time, subduing Huang Boyuan, who glares at Ou Kexin and ominously warns her, "We have a long time ahead of us." Following Ou Kexin's rescue, the police pinpoint Mu Qing's location to a warehouse on Erhuan Street in Yungang. Ou Kexin informs Rong Yao that she believes she can secure Mu Qing's safety without immediate police intervention.
She urges them not to act unless absolutely necessary, fearing that prematurely exposing their presence could jeopardize the larger plan to capture "Spectre." Rong Yao expresses his concern, stating that they will never risk a comrade's life, even if it means failing to catch Spectre. Ou Kexin reassures him, asserting that the organization's trust in her abilities means she can handle the situation, and promises to send a signal instantly if she loses control. Rong Yao urges her to succeed.
At the warehouse, Glasses orders his subordinate, Shao Nan, to kill Mu Qing. Shao Nan hesitates, expressing fear of Mr. Ou's potential wrath. Glasses angrily threatens Shao Nan if he doesn't carry out the order. Mu Qing, seizing the opportunity, attempts to dissuade Shao Nan, reminding him of his own valuable contributions to Mr. Ou and his potential status as Mr. Ou's son-in-law.
He warns Shao Nan that if he kills him, Glasses will inevitably frame Shao Nan for the act, making it appear as a personal vendetta, which would lead to Shao Nan's own demise. Mu Qing confidently asserts that he "won't be dying tonight" and asks for a drink. Shao Nan tries to get water for him, clearly unsettled. Suddenly, Mr. Ou arrives at the warehouse, intending to personally execute Mu Qing.
Li Ruosheng immediately kneels, desperately pleading for Mu Qing's life. Mr. Ou, however, accuses Mu Qing of being a cunning manipulator who deliberately pursued Ou Kexin from the beginning to use her as a "shield." Mu Qing vehemently denies this, maintaining that in their relationship, "it was Kexin who approached me" and his intentions were sincere. Li Ruosheng corroborates Mu Qing's statement, confirming that Ou Kexin was always the one who initiated their interactions, implying Mu Qing's innocence in this regard.
