Storm Eye Episode 16 Recap
> Storm Eye Recap
An Jing’s mother, Su Meipei, was in the hospital in distress and had scratched a nurse. Doctor Wang, who was dating Su Meipei, apologized to the nurse, but the nurse expressed concern about Su Meipei’s mental state. Department Chief Song arrived, identifying himself as Su Meipei’s friend.
Su Meipei recognized him by an old nickname, "Casket Song," and in a highly agitated state, she claimed that the people who killed her father years ago were now trying to harm her again by injecting her with drugs. Department Chief Song assured her he was there to investigate and needed her assistance.
After she calmed down and fell asleep, Doctor Wang inquired about her condition, but Song Ming stated he had no right to reveal private matters and believed Su Meipei would explain herself when she recovered. When Doctor Wang inquired about the truck driver involved in the accident, Song Ming mentioned that he was seriously injured but out of danger. Meanwhile, An Jing, in a surveillance vehicle, listened in on Wu Miao.
Du Meng and his team quietly positioned themselves upstairs at Wu Miao's location. Wu Miao's ex-wife arrived at a house, wondering what trouble he had gotten into. Wu Miao offered her a large sum of money, instructing her to give some to his parents and keep the rest for their child. He told her not to contact him again and to tell their son he had gone abroad or died.
His ex-wife angrily questioned the money's source, reminding him he still owed millions from a previous embezzlement. Wu Miao, frustrated, openly admitted to being a criminal and a spy, earning money from espionage. Enraged by his confession, his ex-wife attempted to jump from a window. Du Meng swiftly intervened, pulling her to safety, and subsequently arrested Wu Miao. Department Chief Song met with Ma Shang’s mother, Auntie Hu, to discuss the car accident.
She recounted how she and another safety assistant had been near the scene and provided immediate assistance. An Jing arrived at the hospital, encountering Song Ming and Auntie Hu. Song Ming praised Auntie Hu for her quick response, and An Jing then revealed that the injured patient, Su Meipei, was her own mother.
When Song Ming inquired, An Jing confirmed that Auntie Hu was Ma Shang’s mother, prompting Song Ming to advise An Jing to be mindful of Ma Shang’s identity given their ongoing investigation. An Jing then shared her initial assessment that Wu Miao was not the one who stole the encryption key. Department Chief Song acknowledged her concerns, admitting that Du Meng had already informed him of her misgivings regarding the car accident.
He gently reminded An Jing that individual capabilities are limited and assured her that the city bureau colleagues would provide unwavering support for both her professional duties and personal matters. He presented her with preliminary investigation materials, concluding that the car accident was an isolated incident caused by the truck driver’s fatigue, but offered continued support if she wished to investigate further. An Jing thanked him and went to see her mother.
An Jing found her mother, Su Meipei, whose mood was now stable. Su Meipei tearfully apologized for her earlier outburst and for scratching the nurse, feeling ashamed of losing control. An Jing comforted her, expressing her own regret for not being there when her mother needed her most, and promised to stay by her side. Su Meipei mentioned that Doctor Wang had taken care of her throughout the night.
During his interrogation, Wu Miao appeared surprisingly calm, even complaining about his ex-wife. He admitted to misappropriating research funds from Tianxing Company to support his family, which he subsequently lost through stock speculation, leading him to steal more. He also confessed to sharing data related to materials application and R&D on a technical forum, for which he received virtual currency convertible to RMB.
However, he adamantly denied stealing the encryption key, claiming he was merely a researcher’s assistant with no authorization or even physical access to the archives where the key was kept. Ma Shang and He Zixuan reviewed the surveillance footage and pondered why An Jing wasn't present during Wu Miao’s interrogation. He Zixuan expressed concern that if Wu Miao wasn't the thief, the key might already be in Xu He's possession, and they were left wondering about Xu He's next move.
Later, Ma Shang's mother, Auntie Hu, excitedly called Ma Shang from home, recounting saving An Jing’s mother and suggesting that this was a good opportunity for Ma Shang to pursue a relationship with An Jing. She also specifically called An Jing to inform her of the news. That night, as An Jing went to get water for her mother, she encountered Ma Shang, who had brought her food.
An Jing explained the situation, recounting how her parents had a loving relationship until her father's car accident many years ago. This tragedy caused her mother’s world to collapse and severely affected her mental state. Her mother became convinced that An Jing’s father was murdered, suffering from sleepless nights and eventually viewing everyone, including An Jing, as a potential killer.
An Jing shared how she dropped out of school to care for her mother, but her mother’s condition only worsened, pushing An Jing herself to the brink of collapse. She confessed that hearing about her mother’s recent car accident while on a mission in Sanfeng Town had devastated her.
While her rational mind suggested it was an accident, she couldn’t shake the fear that her mother might be right—that her father's death was part of an espionage cover-up, and now her mother was being targeted again. Overcome with emotion, An Jing broke down. Ma Shang, deeply moved, embraced her and apologized for his past resentment over her sudden departure, realizing he had never truly understood her struggles.
He promised that he was no longer the naive boy he once was and would stand by her, investigating the truth of both accidents, regardless of whether they were connected, to find the real culprit. The following day, Su Meipei was discharged from the hospital. Doctor Wang arrived with fruit. Su Meipei asked An Jing to take her belongings but chose to leave with Doctor Wang, stating she had important things to discuss with him.
She also asked An Jing to apologize to the nurse on her behalf. Department Chief Song held a meeting, confirming that Wu Miao’s interrogation had not produced any evidence linking him to the encryption key theft. During the discussion, it was suggested that Wu Miao's arrest might have been a deliberate diversion. The team also discussed the report from the municipal bureau, which indicated the suspect who entered the archives used Yu Haoran's fingerprint.
Forensic analysis also found fluorescent residue on the electronic password lock, implying the thief observed Miao Fei entering the password. An Jing proposed three main suspects: Yang Xun, who had unexpectedly cleared the R&D office that night; Zhou Lian, Miao Fei’s best friend, whose insistent calls to Miao Fei on the night of the theft raised suspicion despite her not working at Dinghua; and Miao Fei herself, who might have inadvertently or intentionally revealed the operational timeline.
Following the meeting, Ma Shang approached Department Chief Song, requesting access to the files concerning An Jing’s father’s car accident from ten years ago. He explained that An Jing’s father was on a mission when the accident occurred, which resulted in the loss of their target. Ma Shang pointed out the profound impact this had on An Jing’s operational conduct and the striking similarity to her mother’s recent accident.
He also referenced Miao Huanyang’s testimony about Xu He’s disappearance at the same time as An Jing’s father's accident, suggesting a possible connection, even if the probability was low. Song Ming agreed to grant access but advised Ma Shang not to expend too much energy on the cold case. An Jing and Du Meng then interviewed Miao Fei, with the conversation being recorded.
Miao Fei recalled the night of the theft, stating that many were working overtime, and she was on the verge of giving up on her mission when Yang Xun suddenly called Yu Haoran away. Subsequently, Cheng Lei and Wu Miao also left the office. She heard Yang Xun complaining to Yu Haoran about having to "arrest people himself." Miao Fei confirmed she hadn't met anyone else after obtaining the encryption key.
When asked about anyone acting abnormally, Miao Fei surprisingly brought up Ma Shang, noting his coincidental start date at Dinghua and his unusual proposals for security rectification plans, which seemed unrelated to his HR role. Du Meng quickly interjected that Ma Shang couldn't be a suspect, and An Jing confirmed that Ma Shang had already been investigated and cleared.
An Jing then subtly pressed Miao Fei about her sister, Miao Lu, suggesting that Miao Fei should inform Miao Lu about their father, Miao Huanyang’s case, but cautioning her to keep it secret. An Jing then inquired if anyone had stayed at Miao Fei’s house recently. Miao Fei mentioned her friend, Zhou Lian, had stayed with her for a few nights after Jia Changan’s death, adding that she had known Zhou Lian longer than Jia Changan.
When An Jing asked about Zhou Lian's profession (a Western-style restaurant owner) and her relationship with Jia Changan, Miao Fei became agitated, claiming her relationship with Jia Changan was irrelevant to the case. An Jing persisted, and Miao Fei eventually stated that Zhou Lian and Jia Changan "didn't know each other very well."
